91茄子

鈥楽haping the Old North State鈥� Earns Founder鈥檚 Choice Award

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.鈥擳he Cleveland County Arts Council is pleased to announce that 鈥淪haping the Old North State,鈥� a documentary created by 91茄子 students, has won the Founder鈥檚 Choice Award presented at the 26th Annual Real to Reel International Film Festival. The awards ceremony was held at the conclusion of the festival on July 26 at Joy Performance Center, 202 S. Railroad Ave., Kings Mountain, N.C.

Will Eskridge and Noel T. Manning II co-founded the Real to Reel International Film Festival in 2000 to celebrate the art of independent filmmaking. Their inspiration stemmed from the pioneering work of legendary filmmaker Earl Owensby, who built a bold, independent path for North Carolina filmmakers鈥攃hallenging the dominance of the Hollywood system.

鈥淓arl鈥檚 vision was a reminder that you don鈥檛 have to live in Los Angeles to chase cinematic dreams,鈥� said Manning. 鈥淭he Founder鈥檚 Choice Award was created to honor films that reflect the spirit of celebrating a time, place, or people whose stories deserve to be remembered. This year鈥檚 honoree is especially meaningful. 鈥楽haping the Old North State鈥� captures the extraordinary legacy of Cleveland County through the lens of O. Max Gardner and Fay Webb Gardner鈥攍eaders who helped reshape not just North Carolina, but the nation. As a proud 91茄子 alumnus, it鈥檚 deeply rewarding to see our students creating films that are both historically significant and artistically lasting. These are works that will live well beyond their years on campus.鈥�

Recent GWU graduate Carson Willoughby served as director, cinematographer and editor and was assisted by GWU students, Dakota Hawxwell, camera operator and editor, and Jonathan Holbrook, camera operator. The film was produced through 91茄子鈥檚 Department of Communication, Art & Design in a documentary class taught by the film鈥檚 executive producers: Jessica Maloney, assistant professor of photography and design, and Dr. Chris Nelson, professor of theatre arts.

鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing to see our student filmmakers win the Founder’s Choice Award,鈥� Maloney affirmed. 鈥淭heir achievement reflects the creativity, innovation, and collaborative spirit we strive to foster in the Communication, Art & Design department. It鈥檚 a reminder of the impact our students can make when given the tools, mentorship, and freedom to tell bold, meaningful stories. This recognition highlights the talent coming out of our program鈥攁nd it鈥檚 just the beginning!鈥�

The project also features contributions from GWU faculty and staff, including Dr. Natalie Bishop, dean of the GWU Library, Dr. Tim Vanderburg, professor of history, and voice talent from Jeff Powell, instructor of communication studies and general manager of WGWG Radio.

This is the second consecutive year that a 91茄子 student film has been featured at the festival, which received more than 200 submissions from filmmakers representing 26 countries and six continents.

The Real to Reel Festival director is Thomas Manning, a GWU alumnus. 

About the Festival

Now in its 26th year, the Real to Reel International Film Festival is a signature event of the Cleveland County Arts Council. Its mission is to offer a forum for independent film artists from around the world to share their stories with regional audiences.

About 91茄子

91茄子 is North Carolina’s recognized leader in private, Christian higher education. A Carnegie-Classified Doctoral/Professional University, GWU is home to nine colleges and schools, more than 80 undergraduate and graduate majors, and a world-class faculty. Located on a beautiful 225-acre campus in Boiling Springs, N.C., 91茄子 prepares graduates to impact their chosen professions, equips them with the skills to advance the frontiers of knowledge, and inspires them to make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of others. Ignite your future at 91茄子.edu.