Filmmaker Jeremy Zerechak — an Ohio University School of Film MFA candidate — will be heading to the 2012 Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose, Calif., with "CODE 2600," his new documentary about the Information Technology era.
Zerechak jump-started a career in film in 2008, when his film "Land of Confusion" won awards at the Atlanta Jury Film Festival and the Florida Film Festival.
Since then, he has worked on the set of such mainstream films as Taylor Lautner's "Abduction" and "My Bloody Valentine."
"CODE 2600," the second film written and directed by Zerechak, is a "no-holds-barred look at the ramifications of the information technology era," according to a press release.
The film is also being called "both enlightening and disturbing," and "a provocative wake-up call for a society caught in the grips of a global IT takeover," according to the release.
Zerechak, who has been studying at OU since 2011 and will teach at the university next year, couldn't be more grateful about his experience.
"The School of Fine Arts has been a tremendous resource and force of momentum in developing future work in and outside the academic realm," Zerechak said.
He singled out for praise the school's director, Steve Ross, and its faculty members who have helped him along the way, all of whom he said "pride themselves on producing artists that are not only complex in their work but understand the challenges awaiting in the outside world."
Zerechak said he's grateful for the way the OU film school nurtured his budding talents as a filmmaker.
"I came to OU looking to continue my refinement in the medium of filmmaking and found an open and inspiring atmosphere in the graduate School of Film," he recalled – adding that the school allowed him "to pursue my ongoing professional endeavors."
"CODE 2600" is getting its world premiere at the Cinequest Film Festival, which runs for 12 days this month.
Cinequest highlights the work of new filmmakers, and is one of the country's top festivals, having given many films and filmmakers their big breaks.
Since 2005, six films from the Cinequest Film Festival have even gone on to receive Academy Award nominations, with the most mainstream film being the animated short film, "9," which was later made feature-length.
The festival features film artists, technologists and professionals from more than 40 countries across the globe.
