college shorts

Author: Chelsea Utterback

Border film debuts in film festivals nationwide

Justin Mashouf and Jordan Fuller, seniors at the University of Arizona, have been selected by film festivals across the country to show their film, "The Runners." Originally an assignment for their film class, Mashouf and Fuller wrote and produced the film about a Mexican man who crosses the border illegally and marries an American woman, but realizes that achieving the American Dream is not as simple as it once appeared.

The 20-minute short ran into difficulties during the filming process - intoxicated border workers demanding bribes and border patrol in helicopters following the crew were issues during the filming. Despite these issues however, Mashouf and Fuller both felt that the five-minute assignment that evolved into a 20 minute short was more than just an assignment and that it would move them forward in their aspiring film careers.

"The film has given us the opportunity to meet a lot of people for our careers," Fuller said.

Some of the film festivals that have featured or are featuring "The Runners" are the Tucson Film and Music Festival, the Lone Star International Film Festival and the Santa Fe Film Festival.
- Uwire.com


Dartmouth College touts free birth control

After the nationwide price of birth control nearly tripled after the passage of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, Dartmouth College remains firm in its belief that birth control ought to remain free for its students.

Students under the Dartmouth Student Group Health Plan receive the generic equivalent of the many mainstream brands. The non-generic brands have become more costly as health care companies that formerly gave colleges discounts on their drugs were forced to pay higher Medicare expenses. In response, Dartmouth arranged to purchase generic drugs from only one manufacturer, thereby reducing costs for the College. Ninety-five percent of the students have chosen to follow the College's plan even though their prescriptions still could be filled at pharmacies such as CVS if they found the plan unsatisfactory.

Jeff Licht, a staff pharmacist, said that because Dartmouth under the Group Health Plan covers the entirety of the costs, the number of prescriptions filled for birth control pills has increased since the passage of the act.
- Uwire.com


Condom fashion show honors World AIDS Day

The University of Oregon set new standards for fashion on Dec. 1 when the Condom Fashion Show debuted, sponsored by the Women's Center and the Cultural Forum in recognition of World AIDS Day.

A catwalk showcase was held to raise awareness for HIV/AIDS. One of the clothing creations featured was a skirt made entirely out of condoms made by Jasmine Zimmer-Stucky, education and outreach coordinator for the Women's Center and co-director of Students for Choice. The free fashion show, along with the other events of the evening, sought to raise awareness about the disease rather than money, University officials stated. In addition, Eugene, Ore. mayor Kitty Piercy spoke at a candlelight vigil and artist Clint Brown displayed his series of charcoal paintings representing AIDS, "The Plague Drawings."
- Uwire.com