Hamline alumnus Matt Cici ‘10 is not wasting any time in pursuing his ambitious career goals. With the release of his debut feature film, Lambent Fuse, Cici can already claim the titles of director, screenwriter, executive producer, and editor. The film was even selected to be screened at the Twin Cities Film Festivalon Friday, September 23 at 7:30 p.m.

Lambent Fuse is a project Cici began three years ago and worked on as an undergraduate student at Hamline.

“When I came to Hamline, I didn’t know if I could do a film studies major,” Cici said. “But, I received nothing but support from the faculty, and together we made it happen.”

Through a flexible curriculum proposal, Cici was able to design his own film studies major at Hamline. With the guidance of his academic advisor, theatre professor Dr. Jeff Turner, Cici completed specific coursework, as well as a collaborative research project in editing, which he later presented at the National Conference of Undergraduate Research.

Cici was also required to earn his certification as a film editor. “I didn’t want to go to film school and be told how other people have made movies in the past,” Cici said. “I wanted to discover my own creative voice, and I was able to do that at Hamline.”

Filmmaking has been a passion for Cici ever since he and his brother rented equipment from a community television station and started producing movie shorts and videos for high school classes. Since then, Cici has won scholarships and accolades with several of his short films, including The Writer, which claimed the Phi Theta Kappa Video Arts Award.

As with Cici’s other projects, Lambent Fuse tackles some difficult issues—such as mental illness—by exploring human connection and choice, as well as depression, obsession, and kleptomania.

“I am interested in projects that shift the paradigm of the stereotypical mental conditions shown in mainstream cinema by portraying the reality of mental illness and human choices in an eye-opening and innovative manner,” Cici said.

Cici is also on a mission to bring together Minnesota’s arts community and the public at large, and involve them in the local art scene. That mission officially launched with an event on March 24 called ‘The Blaze’ Kickoff. The combination of ‘The Blaze’ and Lambent Fuse aims to ignite a movement both within the medium of film and within the art community.

For more information about the film and to learn about future screenings, visit the Lambent Fuse website.