Pace’s best filmmakers, artists and writers will receive a chance to be honored next semester at the Pace Media Communications and Visual Arts (MCVA) showcase.

The Pace MCVA showcase will take place on May 8. Contenders’ submissions of their finished projects to Professor Melanie LaRosa began this past Friday.  

The MCVA showcase essentially Pace’s film festival, will all of the movies shown created by that Pace students. Each of these movies are short films, and will be screened by a group of judges. And there are going to be certain category awards that these movies will contend for. 

​“So far the only categories at the moment are awards for painting, drawing, ceramics, digital/graphics, and other art categories,” LaRosa said. “There will also be nominations for the best fiction, nonfiction, animation, and creative writing, and journalism.” 

​In addition to those categories, there is also going to be a few new ones for public relations works. PR professor Dr. Jennifer Magas is also proud to announce that there will be two categories for PR this year.

There is also going to be two categories for acting. And one award called The Chronicle Award, which is given out to the Pace Chronicle’s film of choice.

​LaRosa stated that putting together an event like this is not easy. She had to go to a variety of different outlets for help.

​“Students in Dr. Magas’ PR class are currently working on a campaign through social media, and videos so we can reach more students. Junior Magen Wolmart, and Victoria Rooney have helped out a lot this semester” LaRosa said. “We just finished filming the first promo video, and senior Melissa DiNucci is currently in the process of editing it. Most of the MCVA lab staff has pitched in, and the Film club has volunteered every year.”

​LaRosa expects quality films this year. She said she was extremely impressed with all of the movies that were shown last year and thus, there is confidence that the movies this year will also be top notch. She’s also hoping for more variety, with a mix of documentaries and fiction. 

​“The thing that impressed me the most last year was the variety of different movies,” she said. So that’s why I expect the movies this year to be good.”

​LaRosa also pointed out that most contestants made these movies almost entirely by themselves, with some input and guidance from herself.