Future Ex Youth is a local creative collective that recently hosted a film festival called “Smile, You’re On Camera!” at the Manship Theatre.
The film festival featured a series of short films and visualizers in an effort to highlight the work of the dozens of talented filmmakers who submitted their work to be featured at the festival. The lineup included everything from horror movies to music videos and home films.
The festival was a red carpet event, and attendees dressed the part. The evening kicked off with a prerecorded panel featuring Louisiana natives in the film industry, Karey Kirkpatrick and Mark Landry. Sam Ellis, co-founder and president of FXY, spoke with Kirkpatrick and Landry about their own experiences making names for themselves in the film industry and they offered sound advice to young people with similar aspirations.
The submitted films were showcased, following the panel. Taij Stewart, a photographer and creative, submitted his compilation of VHS-style films titled “JVC Movie” to the festival. The film showcased glimpses of Stewart’s daily life and adventures, offering a sneak peek at projects he plans to take on and release in the future.
“To have a film featured at a festival for the first time was so awe-inspiring,” Stewart said. “So was watching other people’s short films. It’s one of the greatest mediums of art and I’m happy to be a part of it.”
Vino Robertson, co-founder and vice president of FXY, spoke of the diversity amongst those who submitted work to be featured in the film festival.
“This is the first time that we as an LSU organization have put together an event that targets art-lovers in the community as a whole,” Robertson explained. “We had everyone from high schoolers to older adults submit their work. It’s been a really engaging experience and it’s been magical to see all kinds of people come together for the love of film-making”.
“Smile, You’re On Camera!” is one of many successful ventures under FXY’s belt. Originally founded in 2022, this organization’s program offerings take a variety of unique forms. Created with the intention of giving local young people a space to explore their creative abilities, the group has amassed solid support from locals and worked in collaboration with LSU Student Government to make “Smile, You’re On Camera!” a reality.
Since its creation, FXYhas hosted art galleries, pop-up shops and tailgates. Jack Redlich, co-founder and president of FXY, hopes that the participating filmmakers feel seen and appreciated.
“We have some very talented filmmakers showcasing their work and I felt that it was time that we did something for them,” Redlich said.
To keep up with FXY, you can follow them on Instagram: @fxylsu.
