6th Annual Josiah Media Festival

Named after Josiah Miles Neundorf, a promising local media artist who died of osteosarcoma (the most common type of bone cancer) in 2006 at age 20, URBAN-15’s Josiah Media Festival is open to filmmakers age 21 and younger. This year, the organizers say they received 99 submissions from 27 schools in 12 states, and the fest will show the best 35 of them. Whatever you do, don’t miss the category winners, three of which come from SA: Emileigh Potter’s The Dreamer (Best Documentary), which deals with the story of Benita Véliz and has gained even more relevance after President Obama’s recent DREAM Act announcement; Alejandro Peña’s The Hollow Men (Best Experimental short) is an early indicator of Peña as a talent to watch; also 18, Shane Leal-Willett’s The Associate (Best Narrative short) has  gorgeous cinematography, and 17-year-old New Mexican Emmanuel Castillo’s The Political Processor is an animated critique of our political system. At the end of Saturday’s screenings, the awards ceremony will announce the winner of Best in Show. $5-$7, 7pm Thu-Sat, URBAN-15 Studio, 2500 S Presa, (210) 736-1500, urban15.org.