On Friday, May 15th, 2026, students and faculty, friends and family, were all invited to experience the innovative videographic work of three Cinema and Media Studies (CMS) majors during the Visual Arts & Design Showcase. Held in the Allen Library Research Commons from 2:30 to 4:00 PM, the event provided each of the three CMS majors their own space to present their audiovisual research for the full 90-minute session. The showcased projects were developed in Professor Jennifer "JB" Bean's CMS 321 course on 'queer feelings,' during the Autumn 2025 quarter. The three students, Ethan Murray, Nia Rainge, and Anna Robbins, brought their own to their projects, exploring themes of queerness, gender, identity, and more!
Murray's piece, "Queer Metaphysicality," investigated the concept of existence outside the gender binary through a thoughtful comparison of films I Saw The TV Glow (2023) and The Matrix (1999). Murray interprets these works as dialogues about the fluidity of gender and the experience of living between worlds, which parallels personal feelings of being caught between identities. The videgraphic essay aimed to articulate the complex, often inexpressible truths of trans existence through a layered combination of text, visuals, music, and voiceover.
Rainge's piece, "Why White Love Interests?: A Letter to Cheryl Dunye," critically examines the director's decision to include a white love interest in her film The Watermelon Woman (1996). Framed as a personal letter, the project questions how Black queer women's viewing experiences are shaped by the mainstream representations and explores the implications of narrative choices with Black queer cinema. By drawing comparisons with films like She's Gotta Have It (1986), Daughters of the Dust (1991), and Nowhere (1997), Rainge explored how Black femininity and queerness are constructed on screen.
Robbin's piece, "Why Film?," offered an introspective look at her own journey as a filmmaker. As she neared the completion of her debut short film, Lingering, Robbins reflected on her personal and artistic development, shaped by her upbringing in the Mormon church and inspired by women directors like Greta Gerwig. Her project dove into why she makes films, and through a blend of personal footage and film clips, Robbins argues that film's audiovisual power and diverse representation are vital tools for cultural change, sharing that filmmaking is more than escapism. It is a means to impact the world.
Congratulations to Ethan, Nia, and Anna! Go Dawgs!