Karen Velie“Leave it to Chance,” the movie written, produced, acted and directed in entirely by former and current Cal Poly students, will be shown as an anniversary screening Friday at 6:30 to 10 p.m. in the Business building Room 213.
Bernard Badion, who graduated from Cal Poly in June 2005 in business administration, was the movie’s writer, director and producer and is excited to return to his alma mater.
“It feels really good to come back to where it all started,” Badion said.
After the release of the movie last April, “Leave it to Chance” was selected for several film-festivals throughout the nation, including the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and the Chicago Filipino-American Film Festival.
“It was pretty surprising to see how people reacted to the movie. I never thought it would impact them like that,” Badion said.
Prior to the screening there will be a concert featuring 8Past, Cathy Galvez, Ating Himig and Take It SLO. All proceeds from the night will benefit Cal Poly’s Pilipino Cultural Exchange and its annual Pilipino Cultural Night.
Most of the cast and crew, including Badion, will be attending the screening, giving attendees the opportunity to ask questions. A documentary will also be shown of the crew on tour for the past year premiering the movie.
“The reaction was overwhelming,” Badion said.
From pre-production to post-production, the movie totaled nearly $35,000 and was financed primarily from private funds by Badion and Benjamin Kantor, the movie’s cinematographer and producer, as well as fundraisers and private donations from local businesses. All of the students involved with the making of the film were part of the Cal Poly Film Club, but none were film or theatre majors.
Stephen Heraldo, a graphic communications junior, starred as the main character, Charlie, in the movie and is looking forward to the anniversary screening.
The first screening had a showing of roughly 900 people and Heraldo has since been shocked by the turn-out for the premiers.
“I didn’t think the movie would turn out so big. The whole tour has been crazy,” Heraldo said.
As for any further acting aspirations, Heraldo said that he would definitely like to remain in the industry, if not acting then at least helping Badion make his next film.
“Leave it to Chance” is a romantic comedy based on the love lives of two Asian American college students, Kailin and Charlie. After Kailin tells Charlie she wants to go on a break and take some space, Charlie, like many other college students, finds himself in a confused type of limbo trying to figure out where he and Kailin stand. He decides to “leave it to chance” if they get back together again.
Tickets are $8 advance and $10 at the door and can be purchased in the University Union or by contacting Christine Nasol at cnasol@calpoly.edu.