BRATTLEBORO — A youth showcase of student films, music and artwork, organized by Youth Services, is taking place at the Latchis Main Theater in Brattleboro on Saturday, April 30, from 4-6:30 p.m.
Designed to give youth ages 15-21 a place to highlight their creativity in various mediums, this event's focus is on communicating youth perspective to the larger community.
One highlight of the afternoon is the debut of the student film, Noah by Compass School senior, Austin Rice, of Brattleboro.
“Noah” is a cautionary true story of a drug overdose by a young man, Noah Curtin, and its permanent effects on his mental health. As a result, Noah suffers from schizophrenia and the film explores how both he and his mother try to “make sense of his terrifying new reality.”
The half-hour film examines his difficulty telling the difference between real and unreal experiences, thinking logically, and behaving normally in social situations.
Austin Rice says that he took this personally significant story - Noah is the son of his mother's friend - and did his best to translate it into the film medium. “I have always been interested in how someone with a mental disorder views reality,” he said.
The film started out as his junior-year student project, and he just kept going, working through the next summer “to make the best product I could,” he said.
Andy Reichsman, a local film producer, signed on to help him with the film and became the young director's “go-to guy,” Rice said.
Reichsman helped Rice recruit a professional actor, Keely Eastley, who has appeared on Law & Order, to play Noah's mother, Nancy.
Eastley “just really got into the script,” and signed up right away for the role, Rice said.
Motivated by his experience writing and directing Noah, Rice, who taught himself the basics of film and has since taken several classes, has started work on two other films, one a feature-length movie.
Rice said he used equipment from Brattleboro Community Television for about a third of the film, calling the public-access television station staff “very helpful” in sharing the station's resources.
Many of Rice's Compass School classmates star in his film. The character of Noah is played by Jake White and Noah's mother is played by Keely Eastley. Also performing in the film are Aliana Bloch and Austin's brother, Addison. Parents should use their discretion, as the subject matter may not be appropriate for younger audience.
Singer and songwriter Addison Rice (brother of the featured filmmaker, who composed the original music for Noah with Evan Lincoln) will be performing on the guitar during the afternoon. His unique voice and authentic style reflects on universal human experiences and reflects influences of folk, blues, bluegrass, punk rock and Celtic music.
The winner of Compass School's recent film competition, “The Color of Paint,” written and directed by student Sean Hennigan, will also be shown at the event.
Hennigan said the idea for the movie was simply a guy watching paint dry.
Youth artwork from The River Gallery School and area schools will be exhibited on the walls of the Main Theater and will remain up though the end of May.
According to organizer Joshua Cunningham of Youth Services, this “twilight” timed event gives the community another opportunity to see that area youth have a voice and are using it in powerful and creative ways.
Donations are welcome at the door. All proceeds will benefit Youth Services' monthly youth music night, “The Revival.” For more information, contact Youth Services at 802-257-0361 or visit www.youthservicesinc.org.