Asbury University Highbridge Film Festival to be Held in Spring of 2024

This is a press release that I wrote for a journalism class at my university.

Next spring, Asbury University will hold its annual Highbridge Film Festival. The event will be held on Apr. 13.

The Highbridge Film Festival dates back to the first event held in 2005. It was created by Greg Bandy and Jeff Day, both professors in the Media Communications Department at Asbury. In the years following, it has become one of the largest and most anticipated events on Asbury’s campus. Every spring, locals fill the seats of Hughes Auditorium to enjoy the talent of Asbury students.

At the 2023 Highbridge event, University President Brown recognized Highbridge as an indication of the dedication and creativity of Asbury students.

Highbridge is a large Asbury event created to celebrate film and media. Students are invited to submit short films that they write, direct, and act in that are showcased at the end of the several-day event. The showcase is held in Hughes Auditorium, and for those who cannot attend, the event is livestreamed. Asbury University students submit their creative works, as do high school students from the surrounding area. After the public viewing, a panel of judges announces the awards. Awards are handed out in several categories, including acting, production, costume and makeup, sound design, editing, and screenplays.

For the judging, Asbury brings in guest judges. Past judges include actor Joel McCrary, screenwriter Andrea Nasfell, and director Cory Edwards. The judges for the 2024 event have not yet been announced.

“It takes a lot of people, a lot of people that are dedicated to celebrating film at Asbury” said Todd Wold, an assistant professor at Asbury who serves as the event’s director.

Asbury University is proud of its Media Communication Department, which is one of the largest departments on campus. It boasts several degrees and emphases in areas such as audio production, screenwriting, and theater. Media Com students from Asbury have helped with coverage for the Olympics. Alumni have worked on a large variety of major films, including several Marvel movies. The goal of the department is to equip its students to land jobs in their field and teach them to excel in their future careers. Highbridge is just one of the many opportunities the department offers its students.