Awards ceremony culminates successful run for fifth annual Centre Film Festival

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi helped put the finishing touches on a successful run for the fifth annual Centre Film Festival by presenting a major award during the festival’s closing night awards ceremony.

Bendapudi introduced and honored alumnus Gerry Abrams, who received the festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Abrams has crafted a film and television production career that crosses over numerous genres and spans nearly six decades. He has produced more than 70 films and television specials while working with a who’s who in Hollywood. Abrams earned his Penn State bachelor’s degree in 1961 and was named a Distinguished Alumnus in 1986.

"Throughout his acclaimed career, he has never forgotten Penn State, returning often to campus and sharing his time, talent and treasure with our students,” Bendapudi noted while honoring Abrams. She said Abrams’ career was a testament to his dedication to the craft, creative accomplishment, hard work and perseverance. “Gerry Abrams embodies those characteristics and is truly deserving of this award," she said.

Abrams’ son J.J., a director, producer and screenwriter with numerous credits for TV (“Alias,” “Felicity,” “Lost,” “Westworld”) and film (“Super 8,” “Star Trek,” “Star Wars: Episode VII”), and daughter Tracy Rosen, a screenwriter (“Daniel’s Daughter,” “Fairfield Road” and “Felicity,” among others), attended the award ceremony.

More than 100 films were screened during the festival’s seven-day run — with in-person screenings at the State Theatre in State College, on the University Park campus and at the Rowland Theatre in Philipsburg. Films from Egypt, Israel, Mexico, Ukraine and other nations served as a testament to the growing popularity of the Centre Film Festival. Several of the films came to the festival after having been screened at other major film festivals, including Toronto, Tribeca and SXSW.

"It was a joy to host filmmakers from around the world here. I can’t thank our venues, our team and our partners enough. This was a milestone year,” said Pearl Gluck, the festival’s artistic director and co-founder, and an associate professor of film production in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications. “Each of the films both in person and online allowed us to consider how storytelling can build bridges between generations, cultures and traditions. We have every intention to keep these conversations going and continue to infuse our local arts economy with film industry opportunities for our students and community.”

Four new films — all made in Pennsylvania — were among the two dozen films to receive Jury Awards as the fifth annual festival concluded at the State Theatre on Nov. 5.

“Marinette,” about former Philadelphia soccer great Marinette Pichon (Best Feature); “Breaking the News,” about female and trans journalists who challenge the male-dominated culture in newsrooms (Best Made in PA); “Philadelphia Eleven,” about women seeking ordination in the Episcopal church (Juror’s Choice); and “Dirt Circus,” a student-produced documentary set amidst the dirt-track racing community in Clinton County (Juror’s Choice), joined a roster of debut films from around the world to take home prizes from the festival.

A complete list of festival awards may be found on the festival website.

Although dates have not been announced, the Centre Film Festival will return for its sixth year, with recognition from IMDB, in 2024.