24 Sep “Nero Bloom” Best Student Feature at LA Film Fest

“Nero Bloom: Private Eye,” a film by Huntington University digital media arts film students Jason Eberly (right) and Nathan Hartman (left), won the Best Student Feature Award at the Cinema City International Film Festival in Los Angeles held Sept. 10-12.

There were 400 submissions in the Best Student Feature category and 5000 submissions to the festival overall.

“I have made films for 30 years, and I screened ‘Nero Bloom’ myself,” said Suzanne DeLaurentiis, festival co-founder. “I thought it was brilliantly shot. I loved the black and white, and I thought the art direction was exquisite.”

“Nero Bloom” was one of four films to be featured on the festival’s awards gala evening on Sept. 12. In addition, Eberly and Hartman hosted a question-and-answer session and participated in a red-carpet photo shoot.

The plot involves a young private eye named Nero Bloom who is hired to follow a down-and-out gambler. Everything seems business as usual until the gambler winds up dead in a hotel elevator, and Bloom becomes a suspect. With action, suspense and seduction, Bloom must travel a labyrinth of clues to reach one twisted ending.

The film premiered at Cinema Center in Fort Wayne, Ind., on May 8 with a red carpet extravaganza. The black-tie event featured the cast and crew of “Nero Bloom” shuttled in period cars and walking the red carpet into the first showing of their film.

In 2008, the Cinema City International Film Festival was rated one of the “Top 25 Film Festivals” by MovieMaker Magazine. The festival’s board members consist of top industry professionals, as well as Oscar-winning writers and producers.