Burnaby District Student Advisory Committee: Film Festival

On April 4th, the Burnaby District Student Advisory Committee (DSAC) is hosting their annual charity event at the Michael J. Fox Theatre. The committee is currently fifty members strong, consisting of some of the best young leaders in Burnaby. “DSAC is a strong group of motivated students and we’d like to use our leadership and organizational skills to help a worthy cause," explains DSAC president Ryan Hirakida. Meeting once a month for the past year with a collective goal of raising money for charity, DSAC is excited to announce they have organized a film festival as this year’s main event.

Featuring filmmakers from across Burnaby, there are five categories to compete in: comedy, drama, documentary, animation and miscellaneous. The films, which will span from 30 seconds to seven minutes long, require that the contestants touch on the main theme of the event: Burnaby, Who We Are. Contestants are to express the theme in the unique way it speaks to them, and with Burnaby being the diverse place that it is, a wide variety of entries is expected.

It seems like a lot to take on, but this not the first high-profile event DSAC has executed. “In recent history, the Burnaby DSAC has hosted Burnaby’s Best Dance Crew, Burnaby Idol and Battle of the Bands,” says Hirakida, “[This year], guests will be treated to an entertaining evening full of original films created by Burnaby students.” Even with a proven history of success in mainstream media-style competitions, DSAC continues to take calculated risks, and views the film festival as a way to cater to the many aspiring filmmakers in Burnaby schools.

DSAC is hoping for 12-18 contestants, with 3-4 entries per category. The festival is expected to shed light on issues that Burnaby students think are important. In addition to there being a winner for each category chosen by a panel of judges, there will also be an overall event champion. “The People’s Choice will be decided by the audience on the day of the film festival," Hirakida adds.

Having always been run as a charity fundraiser, the money is raised through ticket sales for the event, with the goal of selling out Michael J. Fox Theatre. The committee has supported numerous charities in the past, including the Burnaby Children’s Fund. “Every year through the DSAC event, we have donated about $3,000 to charitable organizations,” tells Hirakida, and this year they would like to give even more.

This event is definitely very different than what DSAC has done in the past, which could pave its way towards success and endless possibilities. Who knows, there might even be a real red carpet!