Even though ASU doesn't have a film major or minor, at least two former students and one current professor are making their mark on low-budget film this weekend at the fourth annual Phoenix Film Festival.
One of twelve films competing in the feature-length contest is "Clipping Adam," the first film from writer, director and producer Michael Picchiottino, a former ASU student now based in Los Angeles.
Picchiottino, 39, took classes through ASU's creative writing program from 1993 until 1996 and then went to Los Angeles to work in film.
"Clipping Adam" is his first screenplay to be made into a movie.
"When I was at ASU, there was no screenwriting instructor, so the reason I stayed as long as I did in the creative writing program was because of Ron Carlson, an English professor," Picchiottino said. "I learned a lot from him and gained a lot of experience by just writing a lot."
"Clipping Adam" is a character-driven drama that "has a heart, and will hopefully touch and connect with the audience," he said. "I enjoy films with a good story; I'm not big on special effects, and the films that have made me want to write are able to touch you emotionally and feel for the characters."
Picchiotttino's film is one of just 50 films that will be shown over the weekend.
The festival is more than just movies, said Chris LaMont, executive director of the festival.
"It will also include talks by Peter Fonda and John Landis, performances by several bands and films shown outside the theater complex," he said.
LaMont, who is an ASU associate professor of film, started the festival in 2001 with friend Golan Ramras, a 2001 ASU graduate with a degree in theater, LaMont said.
"We felt that we needed a world-class film festival here in the Valley, so we put aside our personal projects and have been working to expand this festival every year since then," said LaMont, who had been working as a local filmmaker with little success.
The festival is a nonprofit event supported by LaMont and Ramras' Phoenix Film Foundation, which provides $250,000 for its operation. Corporate sponsorship and ticket sales at the film festival also keep it going.
"Last year, we had 7,000 people, so I'm hoping to have at least that many this year, maybe as many as 10,000," LaMont said. "We have had significant growth each year, so if we don't continue to grow, we're doing something wrong.
"Our festival is the largest competition for low-budget films in the world, as the 12 competing were all made for under $1 million," he said.
The fourth annual Phoenix Film Festival will be held at Harkins Theaters at Scottsdale Road and Loop 101 April 1-4. Tickets for each film cost $10 and are available through Ticketmaster or at the door. Tickets cost $8 for students with ASU IDs. Festival passes are $20 and include everything at the festival for that day.
Reach the reporter at annemarie.moody@asu.edu.
