Film Made by 2 UA Students Screened at Cannes Festival
A School of Theatre, Film & Television student team was invited to present a short film at the French festival in the Cannes Short Corner Section.

By La Monica Everett-Haynes, University Relations - Communications
May 23, 2016

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Dillon Daniel plays the stop-motion animator in "Snaily," a UA student film screening this month during the Cannes Film Festival. He plans to spend the summer working on other scripts.
Dillon Daniel plays the stop-motion animator in "Snaily," a UA student film screening this month during the Cannes Film Festival. He plans to spend the summer working on other scripts. (Photo courtesy of Dillon Daniel)


A film about a stop-motion animator struggling to make his next film, created and produced by University of Arizona School of Theatre, Film & Television students, was screened at the Cannes Film Festival, one of the largest and most prestigious film festivals in the world.

"Snaily," directed by May graduate Bryan McAdams and starring his friend and fellow UA student, Dillon Daniel, was screened in the Cannes Short Corner Section.

Although McAdams was not able to attend the festival, Daniel traveled to France to represent the film, which also will screen during the Terminus Festival, to be held in next month in Atlanta.

"The experience was unbelievable," said Daniel, a theater major who will be a senior in the fall.

"It has been an experience of a lifetime," he said. "I have met so many friends and filmmakers who have inspired me."

With the festival attended by the likes of professionals affiliated with Paramount, 20th Century Fox and DreamWorks, Daniel had a chance to meet Cannes director Thierry Fremaux and George Miller, director of the "Mad Max" films. 

This was the third time that a film by McAdams had shown at Cannes. His two previous stop-motion films, "Shellfish" and "Tapeworm," presented at Cannes in 2015 and 2014, respectively.

About the film's run at Cannes, McAdams said it was an honor and a great achievement.

"It's unreal being involved in the Cannes Film Festival because it's a place where filmmakers dream of screening their films," said McAdams, whose post-graduation plans include moving to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the film industry.

"Snaily" was the first time McAdams had produced a claymation film. It was filmed over a one-week period in November 2015 on campus with music scored by composer Xander Leonis, another friend.

"I have been on cloud nine since I was informed," Daniel said. "Given the chance to have our film screened at the festival is a dream come true."

Cannes was not the first public run for "Snaily." The film screened in Tucson at the Loft Cinema's First Friday Shorts, winning the $200 grand prize for best picture in December 2015.

The film also showed in 2015 as part of Campus MovieFest, the world's largest student film festival. Also during that festival, Daniel was named best actor for a different film, "The Journey To Change," for which he directed and starred. 

Campus MovieFest led to "Snaily" being considered for Cannes after the film won the Jury Award, and it also helped the film gain placement at Terminus, where it will be considered in the categories for Best Editing and Production Design.

"I think it's every filmmaker's dream to attend Cannes one day,"  Daniel said.

"This has been a dream of mine for many years. The chance to help me put my foot in the entertainment industry door and to network and learn from industry professionals is a dream come true and has inspired me to keep working hard toward my dreams."

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