Scarpato ’24 Film Wins Finalist Award at SWIFF 2023

Congratulations to rising senior Leonardo Scarpato whose film, Ai Friend, won a Finalist Award in the Best Short Film category at SWIFF 2023. This year, students from 120 countries submitted more than 15,000 films for SWIFF, the Student World Impact Film Festival. 

Ai Friend stars Logan Perzi ’24, and is about a computer programmed to be your friend helping a lonely student the only way it can. The film was well received by all of the judges and received high feedback. 

Judges' comments on Ai Friend included:

• "A mesmerizing fusion of visuals and narrative, shaped by the director's visionary creative vision and artistic sensibilities."
• "The visual features seamlessly blend with the practical elements, resulting in a visually seamless and immersive experience."
• "An unforgettable film that transports viewers to new worlds, evoking a range of emotions and leaving a lasting impact."

As a finalist, Scarpato, along with other SWIFF Awardees, will receive special access to distribution on Amazon Prime Video. This means that, as a part of the SWIFF Awardee community, if he ever creates a feature film in the future, it can be sent to Amazon Prime Video for distribution consideration.

SWIFF is a nonprofit film festival dedicated to providing student filmmakers with opportunities in the entertainment industry. It is the premier platform for showcasing the artistic talent of student filmmakers from around the world. 

Congratulations, Leonardo! 

Click here to watch Ai Friend