Alvernia communication students gain real-world experience at ReadingFilmFEST

Students gain hands-on filmmaking and media experience at regional festival

Alvernia University communication students recently made their mark at the 11th Annual ReadingFilmFEST, joining filmmakers, actors and production teams from across the country for a weekend of screenings, panel discussions and networking. The festival, held in downtown Reading, featured more than 65 independent films, including student-produced projects, documentaries, shorts and international submissions.

Assistant Professor of Communication and ReadingFilm board member Kris Lowry, MFA, continues to build pathways that connect classroom learning with hands-on industry experience.

“As both a faculty member and film office board member, I'm passionate about building bridges between our students and the local creative community,” Lowry said.

Throughout the event, students assisted with festival operations, managed social media coverage, supported screenings, acted in films, and showcased their own creative work, placing Alvernia alongside university film programs across the Mid-Atlantic region.

“Events like the Reading Film Festival give communication students something they can’t get from a textbook, real-world experience with our region’s premier film festival,” said Lowry. “These hands-on experiences are what turn communication students into industry-ready professionals.”

Among the standout participants was communication major Hector Malavé ’26, whose original short film “Ghost Solitude” was officially selected for screening. Malavé’s journey with the festival began during his first year at Alvernia, when he volunteered behind the scenes, never imagining that he would one day be recognized as a filmmaker himself.

“Seeing ‘Ghost Solitude’ on the big screen was a dream come true,” Malavé said. “I never imagined that one day I’d see my own name up there. This moment wouldn’t have been possible without my best friend, Milvia Cruz, who starred in the film. I had promised her that for my first film I would cast her, and I kept that promise.” 

 

PHOTO: Hector Malavé with his student film poster, "Ghost Solitude."
 

Malavé credits Alvernia’s Communication and Digital Media Department for providing the technical skill set and confidence to pursue his work.

“My communications professors at Alvernia played a huge role in preparing me for this moment. Through classes in video and audio recording, multimedia creation and film studies, I learned the technical and creative skills that I applied directly to my projects,” he said. “I want to give a shoutout to Dr. Jodi Radosh, Chris Shipley and the communications department for their wonderful support and for helping promote my film.”

While the festival created an opportunity for students to showcase their creativity, it also helped them build a network of industry contacts and gain behind-the-scenes experience in a professional setting.

“Students worked with filmmakers, saw how productions came together, and developed valuable media, tech and communication skills,” Lowry said. “Even for students who may not pursue filmmaking directly, these experiences sharpen communication, storytelling and problem-solving abilities that translate to every field.”