Suzie Kang
Suzie Kang (along with April Chang and Emily Wong), won the top Post Graduate Prize in the One Earth Young Filmmakers Contest for her film Vandals. This prize is $1,000 plus a $1,000 matching gift that Suzie will donate to The Nature Conservancy.
Entirely without dialogue, this engaging six-minute animation conveys its message via sensitive imagery, music and sound effects. The film begins when a landscape artist has trouble selling his paintings. By accident, he figures out how to magically capture beautiful scenes from nature in jars, and a thriving business ensues. The artist transforms into a salesman, traveling the globe to capture colorful fields of flowers, desert cacti, jungle plants and even the Northern Lights for market. When skies turn gray, he realizes he can’t capitalize on nature without consequence and attempts to right his wrong.
Suzie's film Vandals was just one of 196 total submissions from students ages 8 to 25 this year. The contest rules vary depending on the age level, but entrants are asked to create a 3-to 8-minute environmental film that inspires or promotes action. Prizes range from $100 to $1,000, with three new $1,000 prizes this year for post grad, animation, and creativity.
Entries flow in from across the country all year with an early January deadline. Then a jury of 19 filmmakers and environmental activists reviews the films to arrive at finalists and prize-winning films. These top films will premiere as a part of the One Earth Film Festival at the awards event at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 7, at the Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St., in Chicago. For more information, go to www.oneearthfilmfest.org.
Suzie's film will also screen at the Festival Wrap Party for the One Earth Film Festival at 4 p.m. March 15, at the Hatchery, 135 N. Kedzie, in Chicago.
Vandals is also a Finalist in Kanbar's First Run Film Festival.
Congratulations to Suzie!