The Student Film Organization has announced the films that will be shown at the 2002 Penn State Student Film Festival.

Judging for the festival took place April 13. A total of 54 films were submitted -- 17 were chosen to be shown during the festival, which will begin at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in Schwab Auditorium.

The seven judges for the festival were Penn State professors Kevin Hagopian, Chris Jordan, John Christman, Mary Mander, Sanford Schwartz, Jeremy Packer and alumnus Nick Grace.

"They were such troopers; they judged from 9 a.m. to 9:45 p.m.," said Lisa Tabler (senior-film and video), SFO's festival chairperson.

The judges viewed the films with the credits removed; they were only identifiable through the film's title, Tabler said.

In addition to deciding which films are included in the festival, the judges also chose the winners for the awards ceremony that will be held after the festival.

Awards will be given to the outstanding films in the following categories: narrative, experimental, documentary and animation. Awards will also be given for outstanding aspects of film production in the areas of direction, sound, original score, editing, cinematography and screenwriting; as well as awards for outstanding actor and actress.

Hot 107.9-FM will be broadcasting live from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday outside of Schwab Auditorium, Tabler said.

"Student activities are very important to us," said 107.9 Account Executive Jacque Casoni (senior-telecommunications). Casoni added that although the station began broadcasting at the end of December they have sponsored many events this spring like Thon, Spring Week and now the film festival.

"As a communications major myself, I can appreciate the time and work the students have put into their films," Casoni said and added that all of the stations disc jockeys are Penn State alumni or current students.

"I think it's a fantastic way for film majors who have made their junior and senior films to display their work," said Lisa Millstein (sophomore-film and video). Millstein was one of the Masters of Ceremony for CAN Film Festival last year.

Filmmaker Matt Clower (graduate-integrative arts) said his film, Addicted to Love Redux, was a "spontaneous creation." Clower credits co-director Alice Teeple as being the mastermind behind the film, which he described as "a mock and tribute to Robert Palmer." Clower, whose focus in integrative arts was digital media design, said the film was made as an example of what can be done with digital technology. The film was made using a digital camera, digital editing and special effects.

Clower said he was happy to see fellow integrative arts students included in the festival. He said he entered the festival to share his work, but his main motivation was to show that students in integrative arts are just as capable filmmakers as film majors. Tickets are currently available for the Penn State Film Festival at the Eisenhower box office and will be available through Thursday. A maximum of four tickets will be allowed for each student ID. Doors for the event open at 6 p.m. There will be a 10-minute intermission during the festival and an awards ceremony to follow.