Gone was the potato motif of years past. In were the colorful puppets, hat gags and alien lore.
But what was the same—at this year’s edition of the KCAT Film Fest, which caps nine weeks of summer camps where children learn silver screen techniques and produce a short—were the creative scripts, familiar filming locations and performances that punch above their weight.
The films had names like “Spy School Musical,” “Disco Night Fever,” “Ultimate Dramatic Island,” and “The State of KCAT,” hinting that you were about to be taken on a wild ride.
Whether that was to the jungle, as in “Mississippi Bones and The Search for The Hose Thingy,” or a mid-century film noir landscape with “Double Kidnappity,” or the Old West via “The Good, The Bad, and The Brainwashed” depended on what counselors and learners dreamed up during their particular week of imaginative productivity.
Accolades are deserved for the expert editing, stellar sound mixing and snappy (and often meta) dialog. While the story lines could be far-fetched—and clearly the product of young brains—the visuals and pacing were, in many cases, better than my experience trying to stay awake during the latest Star Wars theatrical release.
The films elicited genuine laughter from the sold-out Los Gatos Theatre, which is owned by the Town and run by CineLux.
The actors didn’t take themselves too seriously, and yet the performances were admirable.
(Drew Penner / Los Gatan)
These young filmmakers were commenting on their Silicon Valley environs, while trying on comedic stylings and dramatic approaches.
As the Los Angeles movie-making business deals with one crisis after another, you can’t help but think that these kids just might be some of the ones who ultimately help to save it—one day.
Because summer break is now over, and it’s time to head back to school.
