13th Annual WolverineCon Features Science Fiction, Fantasy & Nostalgia
A little bit of rain didn't stop WolverineCon's red carpet event, hosted by FTVM alumni, Brianna Navarro and Manny Sandoval.
Attendees participate in WolverineCon’s Wolverine Fight Fest, a competitive gaming event.
On March 5, SBVC kicked off the 13th annual WolverineCon and International Student Film Festival on campus. Named after the college’s mascot and now in its 13th year, WolverineCon provides a vital platform for aspiring filmmakers to showcase their creativity, and for industry experts to offer valuable insights. This year's event featured 1980s science fiction and fantasy, with events including a DC Versus Marvel Debate, an 80s Horror Film Panel and a workshop on motion capture basics.
"This year marked our most successful event yet," said SBVC Co-Faculty Chair and Director of Film, TV, Media, Institute of Media Arts and Arts & Humanities, Lucas Cuny. "We had 131 submissions from 8 countries, nearly 300 tickets sold for the festival, and an average daily attendance of around 100 visitors. We're continually impressed by the dedication and talent of the filmmakers who submitted to our festival, and we are already looking forward to next year's event."
A few of the festival's highlights included the opening night feature-length film produced by SBVC's own FTVM department. The film was written and directed by Briana Navarro, a recent alumna and part of the class of 2023. SBVC's Juan Villeges clinched the Grand Jury award for the second consecutive year. A variety of local high schools were represented, such as Rialto High School, Cajon High School and Jurupa Hills High School.
The highlight of the festival is the award ceremony, where filmmakers are recognized for their work.
2024 Award Winners:
- Grand Jury: We Missed You, directed by Juan Villeges, San Bernardino Valley College
- Best Fiction: We Missed You, directed by Juan Villeges, San Bernardino Valley College
- Best Documentary: Don’t Get Any Ideas, directed by Olivia Andrade, Florida State University
- Best Direction: Adam Desjardins, Acting Out! S1E1: "Pilot", La Sierra University
- Best Public Service Announcement: Music Counts: LGBTQ+, Samantha Morales, Arrival, San Bernardino Valley College
- Best Animation: 1 2 3 Red Light, Green Light
- Best Experimental or Digital Story: Getting Classified, Student Section
- Best Screenplay: Juan Villeges, We Missed You, San Bernardino Valley College
- Best Cinematography: Zach Guiteirez, Eduardo Lopez, Mike Contreras, and Paul Black, Afterworld
- Best Editing: Juan Villeges, We Missed You, San Bernardino Valley College
- Best Sound Design: The Shadow of Green
- Best Original Score: Gabriel Alexander, Second Sight
- Best Lead Actor: Jayce Lamb as "Mark" in Second Sight
- Best Lead Actress: Noemy Clara in We Missed You, San Bernardino Valley College
- Best Special Effects: Oscar Bermudez, Error
2024 Audience Award Winners:
- Group 1: Rams Head
- Group 2: The Others
- High School Group: The White Gloves
Submissions for the 2025 WolverineCon and SBVC International Student Film Festival are already open.
For 2025 submissions, please go to https://filmfreeway.com/SBVC_FilmFest.
For more information about SBVC’s Film, TV, and Media Department, visit www.valleycollege.edu/ftvm.