In honor of Valentine’s Day, many of Southern Oregon University’s student clubs are finding ways to incorporate the holiday into their activities. The SOU Film Club’s Rom-Com Challenge invites members to write, shoot, and edit a romantic-comedy in ten days. At the end of the challenge, the club will open a student screening that allows these emerging filmmakers to showcase their talents.
During the 2025-26 school year, the Film Club decided members needed more filmmaking opportunities. So, each month at the Digital Media Center, the film club meets and makes short films. In addition, the club sponsors larger challenges, such as the Rom-Com and Halloween Challenge.
This year, more than 20 members will create films in the Rom-Com Challenge. Members are divided over six teams, each with at least four different members. Each team has been assigned a different challenge topic under the Rom-Com umbrella, meaning the six films will be unique.
“A lot of people are making sure they’ve got each other’s backs when they’re in collaboration,” said film club curator Anthony Vladimirov.
Challenges such as the Rom-Com challenge give club members team-based experience in filmmaking. They also give film club members content for student portfolios and films that can be presented in SOU’s Student Film Festival this spring.
“You end up learning and meeting so many people,” said club officer Angelmari Lising. “It also helps with learning to communicate better and network.”
A lot of filmmaking has to do with multimedia collaboration, for example, painters creating backgrounds for sets or theatre crews designing and setting up lighting.
“It’s just the best collaboration of art you can possibly have,” said club president Justin Crawford.
Join SOU’s Film Club on Feb. 16 at the SOU Music Recital Hall for a screening of their romantic-comedy short films. Doors open at 5:30pm, with the screening to start at 6:00pm.
Keep your eyes open for more film club events including their 24-Hour challenge this spring. If you are interested in the Film Club’s future events and screenings, follow their instagram @soufilmclub for updates and information!
Photo by Madison Tollefson/The Siskiyou
