Studio 22, Northwestern's student film production company, will host a movie screening for director Greg Fitzsimmons' independent film, "Miss Ohio," on March 11 in Leverone Hall. Much of the movie was filmed in Chicago and features local actors.
The film screening will take place at 7 p.m. and is aimed at attracting both film majors and students in other disciplines, organizers said.
The theme of the movie, which follows a young woman's "journey to find herself and her identity," is one attractive to a variety of audiences including young adults, Fitzsimmons said.
"I hope the audience will walk away and examine their own lives and be sympathetic," he said. "It's OK to be your own person."
The event will "branch out to the film community," said Studio 22 Industry Chairwoman Casara Clark, who has worked on organizing the event.
"A lot of crew members will be here and it's just fun to meet the director," said Clark, a Communication sophomore. "How often do you have the people that made the film sitting next to you?"
Many of the actors in the film have a connection to NU including alumna Sasha Geoppo, Communication '03, Fitzsimmons said.
Studio 22 executives first heard of the film through Chicago actor Jeff Garretson, who has acted in five NU student films.
"I've had great experiences with everyone I've worked with there and I told Greg about the viewing facilities available at Northwestern," Garretson said.
Fitzsimmons, who has worked on projects such as "The Bachelor" and "Dancing with the Stars" while working in Los Angeles, can serve as an example to film students, said Studio 22 co-president Erica Hart.
"You can make films with a small budget that will get shown and get distributed," the Communication junior said.
Studio 22 co-president Russell Yaffe, a Communication junior, said he hopes for strong NU attendance at the event.
"We expect about 200 people from outside the Northwestern community and we are hoping for about 50 to 100 students," he said.
Both organizers said the price tag should encourage attendance even among non-film majors.
"It's a chance to see a free movie," Hart said.
Garretson said film students could use Fitzsimmons' successful creation of the film as a model for their own careers.
"You don't have to run to L.A. as soon as you graduate," he said. "It is possible and fundable to (make independent films) in Chicago."
Fitzsimmons, who accepted film student résumés while on set, had his own advice for film students.
"Shoot for the moon … they can accomplish anything with the camera," he said.
jmcdonald@u.northwestern.edu
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