Six HHS students take home awards from film screening

Monday night, Havre High School teamed up with the Yellow Bus Committee to present awards in two categories of films made and produced by high school students.

Sixteen films were presented in the shorts and documentary categories of the Hi-Line Documentary and Shorts Film Screening and the prizes, which included plaques and prize money provided by the the Yellow Bus Committee, were awarded based upon the votes of the audience.

The winners in the shorts category were Christian Sorensen, Gryphon Guyant and Natalie Verploegen.

Sorensen, 18, whose video "Virtual Home" won first place, will be attending Montana State University's School of Film and Photography this fall.

He said he didn't expect his video, which is about a young man whose life is dependent on technology, to win a second prize - "Virtual Home" won the "Best in the West" prize in a state-wide video contest sponsored by Triangle Communications in April.

Guyant, 17, won second place for his film "The Normal Scenario," which is about male sexual harassment and how it is more prevalent than society thinks.

"My mom steered me in the direction (of this topic)," he said, "She got me in contact with my interviews."

He said he hopes to eventually become a teacher or work in theater or film after going to Montana State University-Northern.

Verploegen, 17, made a video about the effects of suicide, "Save a Life," which won third place. She said she made the video because she has seen the effects of suicide around her, and she wanted to help people recognize the signs. She said she would like to study media productions after she graduates.

The documentary category winners were Abigail Berger, Jada Paulson, Christian Sorensen and SeRim Jeong.

First place went to Berger, 17, whose film "Times are a Changing," portrayed the difference of life for each generation.

She said growing up with her grandparents helped her see how different generations experience life. She enjoyed interviewing her grandparents for the video, but said it was difficult to interview her grandfather, because he is "a silly guy."

Berger said she would like to study criminology when she graduates high school.

Paulson, 18, with her video "They are Everywhere" and Sorensen with "Frozen in Place'" tied for second place.

"Frozen in Place," is about the many talented people who expect to fail, so they don't even try, Sorensen said.

Paulson said she was inspired to make "They are Everywhere," a video about the impacts of drunk driving, because she said she feels "there are too many drunk drivers." She added that she interviewed many different people - including a doctor and a paramedic - because she wanted different perspectives on the effects of drunk driving.

She said she is going to study nursing at Montana State University-Northern after graduation.

The third place winner was SeRim Jeong's film "Animal Testing."

Jeong, who is 15 years old in the U.S. and 17 years old in South Korea - because of the Korean aging system - has been studying in Havre for the past year and will be returning home in June.

She said she chose her topic, animal testing, because she didn't know much about animal testing but was curious when she saw commercials on television about cosmetics not being tested on animals.

Jeong added that the most challenging aspect about making a video in her nonnative language was understanding the people she was interviewing.

Jeong said she is excited to return home, but also very happy to visit Los Angeles before leaving the United States.

The complete list of the films entered in the contest are:

Shorts Category

Grace Loftus, "Women in Combat"

Gryphon Guyant, "The Normal Scenario"

Mariah Olson, "Will He Take the Shot?"

Christian Sorensen, "Not so Silent, but Very Deadly"

Natalie Verploegen, "Save a Life"

Cole Hanson, "I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag"

Christian Sorensen, "Virtual Home"

Laetitia Witt, "School Safety"

Documentary Category

Laetitia Witt, "Best Little Ski Hill in Montana"

Abigail Berger, "The Times are a Changing"

Jada Paulson, "They are Everywhere"

Natalie Verploegen, "Best Choice"

Laetitia Witt, "Civil Courage"

Christian Sorensen, "Frozen in Place"

Natalie Verploegen, "Recycle, Rather Than Throw Away"

SeRim Jeong, "Animal Testing"