The Associated Students at the University of New Mexico Southwest Film Center celebrated the 10th anniversary of its annual Cherry Reel Film Festival on Friday, April 18, awarding Golden Cherries for Best in Fest, audience’s choice and best animation, cinematography, script, acting, directing and experimental.
Submissions for Cherry Reel are free for all UNM students. Entries must be 12 minutes or less and submitted by someone involved in the project.
Cherry Reel Chair Jax Maloney said the festival has especially grown within the past few years. This year welcomed a new award category for best acting, as well as the return of the animation category that was introduced during the 2024 festival.
Maloney said Cherry Reel is a unique opportunity for students to gain experience and participate in a festival.
“Film festivals can be very competitive, and it can be hard to get student work viewed,” he said.
After the winners received their awards, their fellow participants and peers gathered to celebrate each other's hard work and creativity.
“The UNM film community is very close and very tight knit,” Maloney said. “Having a night like this for everyone to celebrate each other and student work is a fantastic thing.”
Nata Aguilar was awarded Golden Cherries for Best in Fest and directing for his black-and-white film, “Malpaís.” As he reflected on his journey, he shared advice for up-and-coming filmmakers.
“It's nice to see your art and see other people enjoy it,” Aguilar said. “I hope other filmmakers can understand that is what is important: being able to get people together and have that support and love. Laugh, cry — as I’m doing right now — feel upset, whatever emotion they feel. It’s a kaleidoscope of emotions, and they should just go out there and experience it.”
Sterlie Quist won the experimental Golden Cherry for her submission, “hidden.” She said the goal of her film was to bring awareness to lynchings of Black people, which still occur today.
“It's hard to hit the right audience. There's not a lot of us, especially in the film department,” she said. “Anything that I do, I want to reach more people so they can relate to it.”
Joseph Levy, who won a Golden Cherry for best script, said he is proud to be among filmmakers who test themselves through the work they create.
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Student-led festivals like Cherry Reel are a “great way for people to make kind of challenging art, that's not only challenging to make as an artist, but also challenging to show people,” Levy said.
Lexis Lovato is a freelance reporter with the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on X @lovatolexis
