WKU Film Students Prepare for 2025 White Squirrel Film Festival

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WNKY) – Lights, camera, and the culmination of years of creativity and growth: the 2025 White Squirrel Film Festival at Western Kentucky University is just days away, and for senior filmmakers, it’s a chance to showcase not only their final projects but also the evolution of their skills and passion for filmmaking.

The event begins Thursday, offering filmmakers a chance to present their final projects on the big screen for the community. For many, this festival acts as a conclusion of their time at WKU and has them reflecting on their years in studying film production and how it has boosted their confidence as filmmakers.

“Obviously, I intend to come back for the future ones just to celebrate and visit and all that. But this festival, there’s a weight behind it this year.” Wade Yates, a graduating Senior said, “One thing I’m really looking forward to with this one, though, is I realized I have no in person finals next week and I don’t have classes on Fridays, so the festival will literally start when I finish college, basically for me…It kind of feels like, oh, this is my commencement in a way.”

For Michael Calderon, another graduating Senior, the festival and graduation mark a milestone for the group.

“I think we’ve all become a lot more confident  from what started as we used to be too scared to touch the camera and fears of breaking it,” Michael said, speaking on the growth of his peers. “Now we’re all excited to touch the camera. We’re all excited to use the equipment. We’re all constantly working on our own projects and trying to help each other out with them.”

Each of the Seniors will present their thesis on Saturday night at the Capitol Theatre in Bowling Green — a night that is bound to be a collection of huge accomplishments.

“I’m proud to say for my thesis film that I’ve accomplished what I’ve wanted to do. You know what? I’ve wanted to get to film school, which is being confident as a filmmaker and making something that I’m proud of other people see.”, Tayjon Bumphus said.

For Wade’s roommate, RJ Eckel, the process of creating his thesis over the last several months has a different meaning. Eckel’s film explores through a lens of grief and memory, a story made even more personal by his own real-life experiences.

“So throughout the movie, he’s trying to reconnect with that past by trying to find this Cult.”, Eckel said, explaining the premise of his film, “And the main idea of it all, or the main thesis of it all being the What if I didn’t remember my mom because while I was writing it, she developed stage four lung cancer. And so my writing process through it all was very toned in on that kind of me dealing with the emotions of all of that. And so to be able to try and convey those feelings and put it on to film in a way very, very, like I said, emotionally taxing”

While all of the Seniors are prepared to present their thesis on Saturday, some have had support from the School’s ‘FUSE’ grants. Christian Tylor Colvin earned one of these grants of $4,000 for his project, one of many forms of support he has seen during his time at WKU.

“It’s been a fun time to say goodbye to people. It is one of the best ways to celebrate with other filmmakers”, Colvin spoke about the festival. “Last year I remember a senior then coming up to me to talk about my junior film. Even though it was his night, there was no need for that. But he did. He wanted to congratulate me and I was also there to congratulate him.”

The white squirrel film festival runs Thursday through Saturday with Junior projects shown at the Regal on Great Escape Court on Thursday, Sophomore projects at Jody Richards hall on Friday, and Senior theses at the Capitol Theatre Saturday.

For more information about the White Squirrel Film Festival, visit the WKU School of Media & Communication Facebook or the White Squirrel Film Festivals FilmFreeway.