Marlborough’s Film Club is hosting a Film Festival in Caswell Hall on Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. to promote student interest in the art of movie-making.

This year, the Film Club expects Festival attendance rate to be higher than last year’s. Thanks to the new Music Video and Digital Storytelling electives, taught by the Film Club’s faculty advisor Joshua Deu, many Marlborough girls have recently become interested in film.

As a result, the Film Club, which meets on Fridays during lunch, is larger than ever before.

“There has been a significant rise in membership,” Deu said.

The Festival showcases short films made by students from Marlborough as well as other LA area schools, including Loyola, Harvard-Westlake, Crossroads and Viewpoint.

Films shown during last year’s festival included comedies, dramas, “mockumentaries” and animation. Films are submitted by students with a range of experience, and each amateur filmmaker offers unique perspectives and techniques.

“They all take different approaches on film, and they all have different talents,” said Siena East ‘12, Co-President of Film Club with Anjoum Agrama ‘12.

One new addition to this year’s festival will be guest speaker Jessica Sharzer, director of Speak, a 2004 independent film starring Twilight actress Kristen Stewart.  Sharzer won a Student Academy Award for her 2002 film The Wormhole and has experience in writing, editing and directing films.  She will speak to festival attendees and hold a Q&A session after her presentation.

As the film department at Marlborough begins to expand, East, Agrama and Deu hope that the Film Festival will inspire more Mustangs to explore the art of filmmaking.

“We just want to drum up awareness, interest and inspiration,” Deu said.  “If you can make a good film, you can change the world.”

Admission to the Film Festival is free and open to all Marlborough students and guests.