Short Film Awards Donohoe Honorable Mention

Campolindo English department chair and English teacher Jamie Donohoe won an Honorable Mention at the Salute Your Shorts Film Festival this past summer, which took place from August 20 to August 22.

Donohoe has submitted his 1st short film, “What I Should Have Said” to film festivals before; however, this the 1st time he has won an accolade for his work. “It’s a [4] minute short film about a family struggling with loss and the inability to speak about that loss,” said Donohoe.

“I wish I could say there was this magical moment but it was, it was just kind of an idea that I caught on to like the idea of people sitting around a dinner table not telling the truth,” Dohonoe continued.

“There were some moments where we just had to slow down, and I had to talk to my young actors and adjust, and say okay we’re gonna make this decision. I need you just to talk to me. Forget about acting. Let’s just talk. We’re family,” Donohoe said of the actors whom he worked with. Donohoe played the Dad in the film, while his former Campo drama students played the kids.

Donohoe used the platform called Film Festival Freeway to connect with other filmmakers and submit his film to multiple contests. “I was writing a lot of stage plays when I was actually [teaching] the drama program [at Campo]… and I just started thinking about an idea for a dinner table, and what happens when you have something to say and don’t say it,” he added.

“I think the movie is really great. And the kids that were in it did an amazing, amazing job,” said English teacher, and Donohoe’s wife, Jake Donohoe.

Junior Annie Coane, Donohoe’s former student, said, “I am so, so proud of Mr. Donohoe for being in a film festival. I love him so much, and think that he has a great sense of humor and good ideas needed to make movies.”

“I really appreciate the feedback from the audience in the video reel, it was incredibly special to me and the actors who have seen it. Getting that love back is just the coolest thing, it makes it worth it,” said Donohoe.

A film critic on listennotes.com said, “The unspoken tension in the scenario was really artistic and poignant. It was a bold approach to interweave music into the script.”