For once, forget about the big summer blockbusters and treat yourself to an evening of truly original cinematic pleasure this Friday at the 23rd Annual Student Film & Video Show.

Out of a pool of over 40 submissions, a jury composed of Film and Television Department instructors selected one-and-a-half hours of the best film students’ projects produced during the school year.

Zaki Lisha, Film and Television Department chair, said the selection wasn’t necessarily based on flawless visuals or coherent narratives.

“When I look at student films … I look at that spark and the individuality, even though the film may not necessarily be polished, may drag a little bit or lack a structure,” Lisha said.

This year’s entries represent a cross section of categories from comedy to experimental film, public service announcements, film poems and animation.

One short film that exemplifies the love, passion and perseverance film students pour into their projects is the outstanding and captivatingly beautiful “Dean: Reel to Reel,” written and directed by Lance Stell.

The story is based on the fact that American movie idol James Dean owned a reel to reel recorder and made four-track recordings on it. The recordings have been lost for over half a century, and no one knows their whereabouts and status. Stell took this premise to create a fictionalized account of Dean’s thoughts on his life, work and his love affair with Hollywood star Pier Angeli.

“This film is an exploration of the possibilities of what might have been contained on the lost tapes,” said Stell. He initiated “Dean: Reel to Reel” in a basic film and video production class four years ago.

From the first rough cuts and video versions, Stell persistently refined his craft until he arrived at the 16 mm black and white sound sync version to be shown at the festival.

“It’s something that I’ve had in my mind for quite a while. Under the instruction of Dennis Irwin, Zaki Lisha and other fine film instructors, I’ve been able to gain a grasp on how to create a film,” said Stell.

Stell, who also stars as James Dean in his piece, has a background in acting and won several James Dean look-alike contests in the past.

For his labor of love, Stell said he strove for the highest possible level of accuracy and authenticity. The costumes were bought from vintage stores.

According to Stell, the Revere reel to reel recorder and the Bolex film camera shown in one shot are identical to the equipment James Dean owned.

“Dean: Reel to Reel” enchants like a bittersweet love song. It’s so beautiful it makes you hold your breath for the entire nine minutes the film lasts, out of fear you might miss even one frame. When it’s over, the goose bumps on your arms remain and remind you that you have just witnessed one of the most delightful aspects movies can offer: a moment of pure magic.

John Broglin, whose short “Caligari vs. Nosferatu” is among the student films featured at the festival, did the cinematography for “Dean: Reel to Reel.”

Among the other promising student submissions is “The Salvage Yard” by Jacob Rangel, who recently won a Media Arts Award for this 16 mm moody film noir piece.

According to Rangel, his piece is “romantic at heart” about a man’s dramatic fight for the right girl.

“It’s a privilege to show a piece at the festival because the work is so strong here,” Rangel said.

One black and white “mood piece” is Susan Stuart’s “Lucinda’s Loss.” About her film, Stuart said, “The desolate seaside conjures up voices and visions for a woman chasing haunting memories.” Another creative experimental filmmaker is Yohei Aso, who presents “What You Don’t See” and “This is Not a Dream.”

Broglin’s piece “Caligari vs. Nosferatu” imitates the high art of German Expressionist Cinema and features a comic standoff between Caligari’s somnambulist and Nosferatu, the father of all vampires. The eerie makeup and motions of the characters are so equally frightful you don’t know for whom to root.

A fight scene is also at the core of “Utterly Meaningless” by Jason Schachat, whose crowd-pleaser “Golf Course High Kick of Death” was shown at this year’s Cinequest Film Festival.

In “Utterly Meaningless,” two guys drink coffee and argue over an unfinished film that haunts one of them in his dreams. Look for the impressive desert shots in this amusing short film.

Dennis Irwin, 16 mm production instructor and jury member, said the film festival gives students the opportunity to screen their work and receive feedback from a larger audience.

“It is an opportunity for the filmmakers to understand that what they do is important, and it’s important to them because they’re doing it and they’re making a difference,” said Lisha.

The 23rd Annual Student Film & Video Show takes place this Friday, June 14, at 7:30 p.m. in Room A-11. Tickets are $5.