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PROVO — This past weekend, BYU student films and filmmakers won more College Television Awards than any other university in the country.
The national honors were awarded Saturday night, and BYU set its own records with the amount of awards received. Two students received personal awards, and their films won in several categories, including documentary, children's program and comedy.
A. Todd Smith was the co-writer and director of the documentary "Mr. Bellpond." It tells the story of a well-known playwright and composer.
When his wife disappears, Bellpond becomes a hermit. Years later, he receives a letter stating that if he will compose a new masterpiece, he will find out where his wife is.
"We had probably over 40 students working on the film at one time," Smith explained. "And my wife had to basically step in as the production designer three days before we were shooting, which was a huge, huge task to take on."
His wife, Amy Leah Nelson Smith, who also co-wrote the documentary, said, "I spent many sleepless nights up there, trying to pull things together."
The film won Best Comedy and Best Director awards from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. "Our hearts just, I just froze," Amy Smith said. "We couldn't handle it. I started crying because I was just so excited."
The film "My Hero," directed and written by Brandon Ho, also won some awards, including Best Children's Program.
"This was an all-student crew," Ho said. "We had no adults, because we didn't even have adult actors or anything in this. We had about 25 to 30 children on set at once, and it was crazy."
National recognition also came for "I Am Not My Body," a film about a Romanian orphan who was horribly burned in fire and tells the story of his journey of healing and love. The documentary won second place, and the director and producer, Mark Williams, won the Prestigious Humanitarian Award.
"I think what's more important is sharing Marius' story. And that we always have a choice despite the challenges we face in life," Williams said.
A. Todd Smith, winner of the Best Director Award, is in Cambodia working on his next film. The students plan to enter their films in upcoming festivals throughout the country.
Contributing: Faith Heaton
