More than 400 people attended the 2025 Student Silent Film Festival (SSFF) held on January 22, 2025, at the Tivoli Theatre in Downers Grove. The festival was a film competition in which students from 11 Chicago area high schools created original motion pictures. The movies submitted told their stories in visual terms without the aid of voices or sound effects.
Three high school films were named winners:
- “Friend Zone” from Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville
- “Unpredicted” from Oak Forest High School in Oak Forest
- “Between the Panels” from Lake Forest High School in Lake Forest
Other high schools that participated:
- Homewood-Flossmoor High School
- Mundelein High School
- Huntley High School
- Lyons Township High School
- Dwight D. Eisenhower High School
- Alan B. Shepard High School
- Bremen High School
- Barrington High School
“We had a fabulous turn-out,” said Ed Newmann of Hinsdale, one of three founders of the event. “Each year the festival has attracted more people – parents, students, friends, fans, and the public which was very rewarding for the filmmakers.”
All submitted movies were shown with live music accompaniment by Derek Berg, another founder of the event. Berg is a professional pianist and CEO of the Clarendon Hills Music Academy.
“The musical scores were performed on the SilentFilmtronic 2000, a uniquely designed keyboard rig,” Berg said.
“As an instructor of students who live in a digital world and are saturated by content, it is a refreshing opportunity to challenge my media students with a silent film,” said Bill Allen, the third founder of the event. Allen is supervisor of Television Services at Lyons Township High School.
For the festival, a panel of judges — all professionals in the entertainment or art education industries – selected three winners based on the quality of the story narrative, development, camera work, lighting, and editing.
Each participant will be provided with an HD digital file of his or her movie with the accompaniment soundtrack.
“In addition to being an incomparable experience for all the participating students,” Newmann said, “the winning filmmakers have powerful pieces of work for their portfolios.”
Along with being one of three schools chosen for the Outstanding Achievement in Cinema Award, Neuqua Valley was the only winner of the Audience Choice Award.
For more information, visit https://www.studentsilentfilmfestival.org/.
Credits for Neuqua’s Winning Entry
“Friend Zone” – Neuqua Valley High School
Instructor: John Gelsomino
Student Directors: Saavini Bedida, Emma Jenkins, Jillian Mannisto
Featuring: John Gelsomino, Emma Jenkins, Jordan Gelsomino, Aidenn Zea, Tom Devor, Mary Van Milligen
