Schools

Cleveland Heights High Student Wins Big At Hathaway Brown's iMagine Film Festival

Antonio Harper's film, Larry, won first place in the Comedy category and was also named "Best in Show" at the iMagine Film Festival

Cleveland Heights High School senior Antonio Harper was the big winner at Hathaway Brown School’s iMagine Film Festival on Friday, April 12.

Harper’s film, Larry, won first place in the Comedy category and then was named “Best in Show” as the festival’s single most outstanding film.

“I was thrilled, excited, and nervous all bundled into one,” Harper said in a statement. He added that his film’s humorous look at a day in the life of a Heights student came from staying true to his own creative instincts.

Find out what's happening in Shaker Heightswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“When (Jeff Glass, the Heights High’s video production instructor,) told me about the competition, I started thinking about complex things. But when it came down to doing it, I went with what’s natural to me. I’m a comedian and it paid off.”

Harper's film earned him $150 in gift certificates and valuable contacts in Cleveland’s film community. Harper’s goal is to continue making films in college and then turn his passion into a career in the film industry.

Find out what's happening in Shaker Heightswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Glass was not surprised by Harper's success.

"We have extremely talented students, and we appreciate that this film festival and others like it are providing this type of exposure for their work.” Harper said that he felt well-prepared by his four years of working in Glass’s program.

"From storyboarding, to setting up shots, to lighting and filming -- I learned how to take an idea from my imagination and bring it to life," he said.

Harper’s film, Larry, will be available for public viewing by the end of April, when all the films in the competition will be uploaded to Hathaway Brown’s iMagine Film Festival website.

The iMagine Film Festival was created to provide Northeast Ohio high school filmmakers a venue to show their original films and receive feedback from local industry professionals.

This year’s festival screened 35 student films in three categories: Comedy, Drama, and Miscellaneous.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Shaker Heights