Evening of Documentary Films Showcases Student Work

Short films produced by St. John Fisher University students will be screened during “An Evening of Documentary Films,” planned for 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 7, in Basil 135.

The films were created in two courses, Documentary Film and Storytelling through Film and Arts, taught by Professor Jeremy Sarachan, chair of the Department of Media and Communication. The films’ topics include accessibility of reproductive rights, legalization of marijuana, stories of coming out of poverty, the life of a fisherman, the story of ‘iSmash,’ migration from the south, shoe fashion, and coffee shop culture.

Documentary Film is an upper-level elective for students who are pursuing filmmaking as part of their studies while majoring or minoring in media and communication or public relations. Storytelling through Film and the Arts is a Cardinal Experience focused on making documentary films about the greater Rochester area and includes students across majors, including biology, elementary education, chemistry, and sport management.

“We are very excited to bring documentary filmmaking to the Fisher campus, providing students the opportunity to tell real stories about life in our community. We plan to continue to offer these academic choices in documentary filmmaking—the 2000-level core class, Social Documentary, will be offered in fall 2024,” said Sarachan. “This evening of films provides all students the opportunity to see the work coming out of our department.”