What: A screening of documentary films produced by University of North Texas students earning master of fine arts degrees in documentary film. Presented by UNT's Department of Radio, Television and Film.

When: 7 p.m. May 2 (Thursday)

Where: Room 184 in UNT's Radio, Television and Performing Arts Building, located one block west of Welch and Chestnut streets at 1179 Union Circle.

Cost: Free

Contact: Melinda Levin, documentary film professor in UNT's Department of Radio, Television and Film at 940-565-2537

DENTON (UNT), Texas -- Five films created by University of North Texas students who are earning the Department of Radio, Television and Film's master of fine arts degree in documentary film will be shown at UNT May 2 (Thursday).

The spring 2013 premiere screening will begin at 7 p.m. in Room 184 in UNT's Radio, Television and Performing Arts Building, which is located one block west of Welch and Chestnut streets at 1179 Union Circle. Admission is free. The students will answer questions from the audience after the films are show.

All the students are completing their second year of the three-year MFA degree program in documentary film. Melinda Levin, documentary film professor in the department, said the students' work premieres at UNT before the students submit their films to festivals and to broadcast and webcast distributors.

"The production process for these films is two semesters in the making," she said. "Each student serves in creative and technical crew positions on four different films; directing their own film, and serving as cinematographer, sound recordist and editor on three other films. The result is five very diverse documentaries that are 10-22 minutes in length."

Student-produced documentaries that premiered at UNT in previous years were later screened at film festivals around the world, including Tribeca Film Festival, Hot Docs in Toronto, Dallas International Film Festival, Palms Springs Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, All Sports Los Angeles Film Festival, Athens International Film and Video Festival, and New Filmmakers New York Spring Series. Some also aired on PBS affiliates.

The documentaries to be shown at the spring 2013 premiere screening include:

• Nightwork – A portrait of three overnight workers. While others sleep, Toby bakes, Mike prints, and Erika cleans. Directed by Jeff Alexander.
• Photos in the Wind: A Joplin Tornado Story – A small community rescues and preserves more than 38,000 photographs that were lost after a devastating EF5 tornado struck Joplin, Mo., in May 2011. Directed by Abbey Hoekzema
• Vasulkas Inc. – A documentary exploring the life of pioneer video artists Steina and Woody Vasulka.  Directed by Filip Celander.
• Flying Full Circle – A short biography on the life and memories of a World War II aviator Major Al Snyder. Directed by Estevan Medrano.
• Finding Faulkner – Hoping to use a family legend to reconnect with her father, a daughter takes her dad with her on a road trip to Mississippi. Directed by Sharie Vance.

For more information on the screening, contact Levin at 940-565-2537