Four Boise State students will showcase their short films alongside directors from around the world at the Boise International Short Film Festival.
The Boise State Cinema Club planned the event and participated in the film selection process.
Films were judged based on criteria such as storytelling, cinematography and production quality. Student films were judged by professors to keep the selection process fair and impartial.
“This festival is all about showcasing talent from around the world,” Cinema Club President Jaeojah Hunter said. “We get submissions from around the world, and it’s so cool to see all that talent roll in.”
Written and directed independently, each film showcases the talent of the student directors and crews who worked and acted in the productions.
“Haruspex” by Tucker Hoggan
“Haruspex” is a short horror film written, directed and edited by Tucker Hoggan, a senior studying Film and Television Arts. The film follows a young woman as she tries to run away from her past life, as mysterious forces reveal secrets from her past.
The film was shot over three days with a cast and crew of over 15 people. Hoggan described the production process as “stressful, but worth it”.
“It’s a lot of fun to be out there and film and work with everyone,” he said. “It’s a lot of different creative forces trying to mesh and create something.”
Hoggan made “Haruspex” for a directing class in spring 2025 taught by film professor Darius Dawson. Hoggan said the class was rewarding and helped him work toward his goals of creating films professionally.
“When I discovered screenwriting and filmmaking, it just kind of struck me,” Hoggan said. “This is what I want to do, and I’m going to do whatever I can to make this my career and make this work.”
“We’re All Pieces of Shit” by Grace Galvan
“We’re All Pieces of Shit” is an absurdist comedy short film written and directed by Grace Galvan, a senior studying Film and Television Arts. The film follows a burnt-out retail worker who experiences one frustrating customer interaction after another, building up until they all collide in a dramatic finish.
Galvan’s approach to creating the short film was particularly ambitious — the entire film is done in one shot. She noted this filmmaking method requires extensive planning and practice.
“If you’re going to do a single take, it’s very important to have the camera positioned and for everyone to know where the camera is going to be at all times,” Galvan said.
Galvan said her biggest takeaway from the filming process was to never doubt herself. When she pitched the idea to her class as a one-shot film, she was afraid people would react negatively.
“What I thought were other people’s negative reactions to my idea was actually myself being afraid to create the art,” Galvan shared.
“Sloppy Joe” by Justin Buss
“Sloppy Joe” is a silent comedy short film written and directed by Justin Buss, who graduated in 2024 with a degree in Film and Television Arts. The film follows a personal chef who has to overcome challenges to please a dissatisfied client.
Buss created the film for his senior thesis. Passionate about cinematography, he wanted to challenge himself to create an entire film with no dialogue or exposition.
Shot over multiple days in multiple locations, the film taught Buss how to lead a crew and delegate to create a final product he was proud of.
“It’s been really rewarding,” Buss said. “It’s one of the few things I’ve made that I can personally watch and still enjoy.”
“Twin Flame” by Jaeojah Hunter
“Twin Flame” is a silent film made by Jaeojah Hunter, Cinema Club President and senior studying Film and Television Arts. The story follows a grieving man who discovers the spirit of his dead girlfriend dwelling in a candle flame.
“The whole story is about grief,” Hunter said. “It’s okay to let go of people and still remember them, but you have to process that grief.”
Hunter chose to make a silent film to test her camera abilities, experimenting with lighting and angles to tell a dynamic story.
Hunter submitted films to the festival three years in a row, and said she is “very grateful to show [her] work” after not being selected her first two years. She hopes her work will be shown in more festivals in the future and that she’ll be able to create films professionally after college.
“I want to work on feature films in Hollywood, New York — wherever the wind takes me,” she said. “I want to be working on feature films and just creating the best visual story I can.”
The films will be featured at the festival on Sunday, Oct. 26 in the Special Events Center in the Student Union Building.
