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NIU To Host Reality Bytes Film Festival

Northern Illinois University will hold its 15th annual Reality Bytes Film Festival April 5th through 7th

The event will feature a variety of submissions, ranging from short narratives and animations to full blown mini-documentaries.  While the event began with just NIU students, Director and NIU Media Professor Laura Vazquez says it’s expanded to include films from around the country, and even Russia and Australia.  She says the foreign films are particularly useful when it comes to cultural education.  

“Can we understand, can we relate?  So it’s a really important part of becoming the global community that we are,” she said.   

The festival will also feature a presentation from Kevin Mukherji, a NIU alumnus with roles in a variety of films and is currently working on an animal rights documentary. 

“We’re excited to have Kevin come back and talk to our students about what it’s like to move from DeKalb to Los Angeles and create a very productive, lucrative career, she notes.  ” 

Vasquez  is also making use of a 20-person crew, who are learning the more technical aspects of the business. 

“While students may not be directors or filmmakers, they may go into the film production process or distribution, which is also a very important aspect of the business," she says.

The festival begins Tuesday at 9PM and will continue through Thursday evening.  More information is available at realitybytes.niu.edu.