Franklin High School student film earns recognition from prestigious Tribeca partnership contest

A student-produced film from Franklin High School has earned national recognition in one of the country’s most respected student filmmaking competitions.

The Note, created by students in Franklin High School's Digital Media Arts class, received an Honorable Mention in the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Center's annual Speak Truth to Power Video Contest. The contest is presented in partnership with the American Federation of Teachers and the Tribeca Festival, one of the world's premier film festivals.

While The Note was not selected as an official screening entry at the festival, the film will be recognized during the student film program at Tribeca.

According to Digital Media Arts instructor Shane Pergram, the recognition is a remarkable achievement considering the level of competition.

"Even though it wasn't a screening selection, to receive a mention is insane," Pergram said. "Tribeca is in the top three film festivals worldwide, with only about 1% of films submitted being selected. Most submissions are simply rejected. Our students told an impressive story that some really important people noticed, and how cool is it to get an invite to Tribeca?"

The Speak Truth to Power Video Contest encourages middle school, high school, and college students to use film as a medium to explore human rights issues that are meaningful to them. Students create short films of three to five minutes; they may be in a documentary, narrative, or experimental format.

Per the Robert and Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center website: The contest is designed to help students learn about human rights while developing skills in storytelling, critical thinking, and media production. Organizers emphasize that students from all backgrounds can participate without requiring expensive equipment or prior video editing experience.

The video may be viewed on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Sr8B0e4Knk