Havre High School student wins statewide film contest

A Havre High School senior received a check for himself and a technology grant for the school after winning a Montana-wide video contest.

Christian Sorensen, 18, was awarded a $500 prize after his short film, "Virtually Home," won the Best in the West video contest.

The contest, run by Triangle Communications, asked students to submit a film on the topic, How do you use technology every day?

The entries were then posted on the website to be voted on by the public. The video with the most votes was awarded the prize.

The award is another for Sorensen, who was one of two Havre High students whose films were screened at the Flathead Lake International Cinemafest last year. Sorensen's film about bullying and a film by foreign exchange student Maria Maranova of Kazakhstan were selected to be screened at the festival.

The video that Sorensen made this year that won Best in the West was a four-minute short film about the impact of technology on some people. The video, in which Sorensen stars, is about a person who stays home and lives his life through his phone and computer, but while filming a video the power goes out. The boy goes from hysterical to starting to appreciate the world without technology. At the end of the short film, the power suddenly goes back on and his technololgical life goes back to normal.

Sorensen said the video is about some people's "need for (electrical) power" in their life and "how some (people) are so dramatic about it."

He said he decided to make this video because he has seen so many people reliant on technology.

He added that the character in the film is loosely based on himself.

"I find myself going to technology," Sorensen said, "but I want to be involved (in the outside world) also."

Sorensen said he likes to be involved in school. Along with making the videos for the Montana Behavioral Initiative club, he said he is a student tutor.

At home, he said, he enjoys working on his YouTube channel, Shadow Sniper Films, which he uses for displaying his short films as well as product reviews.

Sorensen said he plans to go to Montana State University in Bozeman where he has been accepted to the School of Film and Photography. He said he would like to be an independent filmmaker in the future.

Along with the check Sorensen received, Havre High School received a $1,500 technology grant. Angela Allestad of Triangle Communications, who presented Sorensen and the school with their checks Friday, said there are few restrictions on the grant; it can be used on anything technology related.

Havre High School Principal Michael Haugen said the school is appreciative of the grant and are proud of Sorensen who is "immensely talented in technology and film."

Haugen added that Sorensen contributes to the school because "he shares his talents with the high school through his recording and production of MBI club videos."

Haugen said he is not sure what the school will do with the technology grant. He said he will go through central administration office before a purchase decision is made.

Sorensen's contest-winning video can be viewed on Triangle Communications' YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/H_FHCvOezEE/.