The 2024 Mason Film Festival will be April 22 - April 27, 2024. Scroll down to read more information and register for each day's events.
About the Mason Film Festival
The annual Mason Film Festival at George Mason University features the work of our Film and Video Studies (FAVS) program students.
Our event is free and open to the public, held in the Johnson Center Cinema. We invite students to bring their family and friends, and encourage representatives of local companies and organizations, as well as community members to attend.
This year's schedule begins on April 22 with screenings for a variety of student films, including documentaries, community-engaged learning projects, and music videos. On Tuesday, April 23, rising Seniors in FAVS 498 Development for Senior Project present their thesis film projects for monetary prizes. Following, on Wednesday, April 24, students in FAVS 497 Senior Film Practicum, display their reels in the Johnson Center Cinema lobby and participate in a conversation with their professors. On Saturday, April 27, our Senior Showcase wraps up the Festival with an all day event with students screening their films in the Cinema from FAVS 499 Senior Project.
Following the Showcase, we have an Awards Ceremony. Here we announce awards for Academic Achievement and Capstone Excellence. We also present Technical and Showcase Awards from juries comprised of faculty, Film at Mason Advisory Board members, alumni, and industry professionals. The coveted “Best of Fest” award is voted on by the audience.
Registration is required for each day and can be found at the links below. Both Mason Community Members and Non-Mason Members are encouraged to register. We have a separate registration for the Senior Showcase on Saturday. See important information below regarding ticketing.
George Mason University is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations in its services, programs, and activities. Please make accommodation requests related to a disability by contacting Anjuli Singh, at least one week prior to the event.
In order to increase accessibility for all audiences, all films screened in this year's Festival will have open captions (captioning featured on screen).
We look forward to seeing you at the Mason Film Festival.
Students, alumni, and family and friends packed the Harris Theatre at our Mason Film Festival and FAVS @ 10 anniversary celebration in 2018.
Professor Steger with his FAVS 499 Senior Project Directors at the 2022 Mason Film Festival.
2024 Mason Film Festival Program of Events
Ticketing for the Senior Showcase
Saturday, April 27
We anticipate the Senior Showcase on Saturday, April 27 will sell out: please reserve your seats as soon as possible. Note that registering does not guarantee a seat, so arrive early on April 27 to check in.
The event begins at 3:00pm. Check-in begins around 2:00pm. Once you check in, you will receive a wristband that denotes your ability to enter the JC Cinema for the event. For those who do not register or who arrive after the event begins, we will have an overflow room in the JC Gold Room, where you can watch a livestream of the screenings and Q&A.
Each 499 directing student whose work is screening during the Senior Showcase will automatically receive 2 wristbands, one for you and one for another person of your choice. 499 directing students whose work is screening do not need to register on Mason 360. You can pick up your wristbands from the Festival check-in table in the JC Cinema lobby on Monday, April 22; Tuesday, April 23; or Wednesday, April 24 during the Festival hours. All other crew members, actors, family members, and friends must register themselves on Mason 360 to have access to the JC Cinema during the event.
If you are a 499 directing student and you are unsure if your film is screening at the Festival, please contact your 499 professor as soon as possible.
Register for the Festival Schedule of Events
Mon. April 22
*Schedule may be subject to change*
12:00pm-1:00pm
FAVS 496 Staged Readings (JC Gold Room)
1:00pm-2:50pm
FAVS 255 Video Production
3:00pm-4:05pm
FAVS 399 Music Video Production
Tues. April 23
*Schedule may be subject to change*
11:45am-1:25pm
FAVS 300 Global Horror Film
1:30pm-2:45pm
FAVS 375 Fiction Film Directing
3:00pm-4:35pm
FAVS 475 Advanced Fiction Film Directing
4:45pm-5:45pm
FAVS 498 Pitch Competition
Weds. April 24
*Schedule may be subject to change*
12:00pm-12:40pm
FAVS 366 Video Production for Social Change
12:45pm-1:15pm
FAVS 497 Senior Film Practicum Producing Q&A
1:30pm-4:45pm
FAVS 365 Documentary Filmmaking
5:00pm-5:45pm
FAVS 497 Senior Film Practicum Q&A (Editing, Sound, Cine capstones)
*Reels will be played in Cinema Lobby throughout the day.
Sat. April 27
*Schedule may be subject to change*
3:00pm-7:15pm
FAVS 499 Senior Showcase + Independent Study
7:15pm-9:00pm
Awards Ceremony (JC Bistro)
Poster Design Winner
Congratulations to our poster design winner, Emily Rehr!
Emily is a senior at George Mason University, graduating with a B.F.A in Graphic Design (spring, class of 2024). She currently works as a photographer and graphic design assistant with the New Student and Family Programs office and as an assistant trip leader for Outdoor Adventures. Emily has a background in design and photography and hopes to combine her strengths with her interests in environmentalism and wildlife. In her spare time she loves to read, rock climb, and hike. She plans to purse design after college, hoping to work amongst local conservation groups or with the National Parks Service.
Support Scholarships
Each year, Film at Mason awards scholarships to senior students at the Mason Film Festival. These scholarships are made possible through your contributions. Seniors use these scholarships to cover their film production costs.
Whatever the size of your gift, you can make a difference in the lives of our filmmakers.
Thank You to Our Film at Mason Supporters from 2024
(August 1, 2023 - April 17, 2024)
Producer ($2,500 and above)
CAF American Donor Fund
Mason Alumnus
Willy Meaux
Director ($1,000 - $2,499)
Andrew D. Reaser
Leading Role ($100-999)
L. Whitman Brown
Cynthia and Thomas Judge
Mack and Paulette Miller
Melissa J. Houghton
Michael J. Howard
Maryam and Hamid Kasmai
Mr. Rick Davis and Ms. Julie Thompson
John Kelly
Supporting Role (up to $99)
Colleen K. Arthur
Emily and Bill Rusch
Julia Decker
Kiley M. Kraskouskas
Lewis and Anne Wright
Michael and Amanda Snellings
Ronald J. Sanchez
Samantha Beach Sinagra
Johnna Johnson
2023 Graduates receiving their official Film at Mason pins during the Awards Ceremony.
Congratulations to our Award Winners from the 2023 Mason Film Festival
Academic Excellence Award
This award goes to students with the highest GPA with 120 credits at Mason
Jennifer Vu
Sabrina Beach
Tiffany Vu
Ryan Burke
Ty Wright
Academic Achievement Award
This award goes to students with the highest GPA with credits transferred to Mason.
Sarah Strunk
Daija Sykes
Professional Achievement Award
This award honors outstanding achievements in professional preparation for the field of film and video studies.
Daniel Taylor
Sophie Potts
Paul Lee
Mya Kenton
Service Award
This award recognizes outstanding service to the Film and Video Studies Program.
Hintsa Mehari
Capstone Awards
Olivia Cunningham (Producing)
Cullen Livingstone (Cinematography)
Sabrina Beach (Editing)
Tyler Means (Screenwriting)
Showcase Awards
Best of Fest: "Surrender," Tiffany Vu
Best Drama: "We're Only Strangers," Jennifer Vu
Best Comedy: "Side Bi Side," Will Fochtmann
Best Horror/Thriller: "Oscuro," Wenhao Wang
Best Fantasy Sci-Fi: "Countdown," Jaiden Williams
Best Romance/Rom-Com: "Ms. Understanding," Damien Krzesinski
Best Experimental/Non-Narrative Film: "Jazz," Andrew Opitz
Story Changes the World: "Transcendent Love," Ty Wright
Audience Awards
Audience Award Block 1
Jennifer Vu, "We're Only Strangers"
Audience Award Block 2
Tiffany Vu, "Surrender"
Technical Awards
Best Producing: Iana Lee, "Jazz" and Daniel Zaitoun, "We're Only Strangers"
Best Co-Producing: Tariq Ismail, "Ms. Understanding"
Best Editing: Sabrina Beach, "We're Only Strangers" and Elissa Padula and Paul Lee, "Countdown"
Best Cinematography: Jessilee Pollet, "Side Bi Side"
Best Sound Design: Paul Lee, Justin Tyler Bowers, and Laim Tipler, "Oscuro"
Best VFX: Julian Pryce, "Ms. Understanding" and Wenhao Wang, "Oscuro"
Best Color Grading: Sidney Mullins, "Ms. Understanding" and Wenhao Wang and Matthew Baltar, "Oscuro"
Best Original Score: Martha Molinaro and An Tran, "Surrender"
Best Costume: Jae Villatoro and Angel Lee, "Invoke"
Best Make-Up: Jennifer Vu, "Welcome to Grailwood"
Best Production Design: Mat Ross and Olivia Williams, "We're Only Strangers" and Olivia Williams, "Surrender"
Pitch Awards
Best Digital Pitch: Sarah Heaton, "She Shot That"
Best Lookbook: Sarah Heaton, "She Shot That"
Best Pitch Delivery: Spencer Phillips, "Found and Lost"
Best Pitch Story: Michael Rivera, "History 101" and Mauricio Alarcon, "La Vida"
Faculty Awards
Outstanding Directing: Tiffany Vu, "Surrender"
Exceptional Performance: Kayla Stephens, "Countdown"; Kiara Lu, "We're Only Strangers"; Catarina Kim, "Surrender"; Zoe B Winter, "Transcendent Love"; Justin Bowers, "Side Bi Side"; Miju Kim Pascual, "Surrender"
Exceptional Ensemble Performance: Jennifer Vu, "We're Only Strangers"
Best Screenplay: Jennifer Vu, "We're Only Strangers"
Class of 2023 graduating directors during the FAVS 499 Senior Showcase Q&A.
Parking and Getting to the Cinema
Covered hourly parking is available in the Mason Pond Parking Deck (4500 Aquia Creek Lane, Fairfax, VA 22030), adjacent to the Johnson Center.
To get to the Johnson Center Cinema:
-Exit the parking garage on the ground level near the Mason statue.
-Enter the Johnson Center to the right of the Mason statue.
-Go down one level to the ground floor. The Cinema is to the left of Starbucks.
Contact Us
For questions or accessibility concerns, email us at the Film and Video Studies program.
We hope to see you at the festival!