CommArts Student Short Film Accepted into Film Festival

Cinema, Television, and Emerging Media major Ebro Marrero’s film, American Pulp, has been accepted into the 2020 Dominican Film Festival. Written and directed earlier this year for an independent study with Professor of Communications Arts Laura Tropp, Ph.D., American Pulp examines the decisions a man is faced with when he encounters a potential school shooter.

Marrero came up with the idea while enrolled in Assistant Professor Erin Greenwell’s COMM 353: Screenwriting course. “We always hear of these horrific school shootings but never about the person who could have potentially stopped the act,” Marrero wrote in an email. “I knew there was a story there and wanted to focus on all the guilty parties, not just the unhinged individual.”

Americana Pulp is the second film that Marrero’s written and directed that has been accepted into the Dominican Film Festival. In 2018, The Devil’s Courier was shown at the AMC Theater in Times Square as part of the festival. The Devil’s Courier won the Jury Award for Best Short Film in its category.

“It’s a humbling feeling,” Marrero said, reflecting on having a second film accepted into the film festival. “This time around, the festival will be held online due to COVID-19, but it doesn’t lessen the humbling feeling or take away from the great exposure that comes with the festival.”

“I’d like to thank Professor Tropp, Professor Greenwell, Professor Schaefer, Kat Wood, and all of MMC’s Communication and Media Arts Department for the vast knowledge they’ve instilled in me and for the constant support from their amazing faculty,” Marrero said. “They’re the best faculty team at MMC, but I’m biased.”

The 2020 Dominican Film Festival will be running from October 20 to October 25. Ticket sales and the premiere date of American Pulp will be announced soon.

Congratulations Ebro on this wonderful accomplishment! 

Published: August 04, 2020