For the first time in two years, we rolled out the red carpet for our Film Festival in-person at a brand new location, VenueSIX10 in downtown Chicago, on October 12th—all in benefit of IES Abroad scholarships. Zeke Winitsky (Penn State University • IES Abroad Berlin - Language & Culture, Summer 2022) took home the Grand Prize for the 8th annual Study Abroad Film Festival for his film Coming to Berlin.
The award was present by the Film Festival's host, Patrick Jager, an IES Abroad Vienna alum, Study Abroad Film Festival Juror, and award-winning media executive who led the development and production team behind such hits as A&E “Biography”, VH1 “Behind the Music,” and the creator of HGTVs mega hit “Fixer Upper.” in front of 200+ attendees!
During Patrick’s celebratory opening remarks, he said: “I am here as a creative, and an alum to say thank you for being here and for celebrating these incredible students who are combining their passion for cultural exchange and storytelling…I am amazed by our Finalists and all those who submitted films this year. They have gone above and beyond to tell their stories through quality films, revealing their vulnerabilities to the world. Each story is uniquely different and equally captivating. We are lucky to experience these students’ journeys through their lens.”
Interested in our past festivals? Check them out here:
