Rejuvenation, the student-led feature film, gave students hands-on film industry experience, right here on campus. The cast and crew were under the guidance of film producer, Tom Luse. Luse has produced credits on many noteworthy films and television shows, including The Walking Dead and Jeepers Creepers.
Rejuvenation is a psychological thriller starring Imani Okwuosa as a track star, Trinity. The synopsis of the film is, “After suffering a career-threatening injury, collegiate track star Trinity becomes dependent on powerful painkillers during her recovery. Desperate to regain her athletic form, she enrolls in an experimental treatment program at a rehabilitation facility that promises to rejuvenate her body and mind,” according to the Creative Media Industries Institute (CMII) website.
The film was produced as a collaboration with the Creative Media Industries Institute, Five Points Films and the College of the Arts School of Film, Media & Theatre. Rejuvenation had generous support from AMC Networks, Inc., FOX Entertainment, Adobe, Inc. and Canon USA.
“‘Rejuvenation’ stands as a testament to the incredible impact of interdisciplinary collaboration,” said Brennen Dicker, executive director of Georgia State’s CMII. “Partnering with industry luminary Tom Luse, we’ve not only enriched our students’ educational voyage but have also sparked innovative horizons in the world of filmmaking.”
Rejuvenation was filmed with a $20,000 budget. The cast and crew consist of 32 Georgia State students. Students worked the entire Spring 2023 semester on the project, which is equivalent to 15 credit hours.
“The project was invigorating physically and emotionally,” Okwuosa said in an interview with Georgia State. “Working those eight-hour days every day for weeks, coming back day after day, being in every scene and having that emotional connection to the character was rewarding.”
Kathryn Szypulski, the actress who played Anna, said, “I know that we had a very in-depth audition process, but I know all of the crew had an in-depth interview process as well. Everyone who was there deserved to be there.”
“This has been a remarkable journey working with some amazing students,” Luse told Georgia State. “Embracing new technology and techniques, the students showed both dedication and creativity. Making a feature film is a difficult task for even the most experienced crew, and I’m excited for our audience to witness the extraordinary achievements of these students.”
Kamal McAllister, the first camera assistant and B-camera operator, said, “The process showed me the importance of being able to adapt to the rapid changes and challenges of the film industry. Working with people, like my fellow camera department, helped me to improve and provided me with a support team for my filmmaking journey.”
“[The students] were so happy when the movie was over, and it was actually a movie,” Luse told Rough Draft Atlanta. “They were just bouncing off the walls, they were so happy.”
Rejuvenation was featured on local news stations and news outlets including Atlanta News First, Fox 5 Atlanta, Georgia State University News and Rough Draft Atlanta.
Rejuvenation first premiered at the Rialto Center for the Arts back in October 2023. The movie is currently streaming on Prime Video and Tubi.
