March 03, 2010

Kevin James McMullin turned $850 into an award-winning feature film. Exit 117 was produced by Entertainment & Arts Management senior, Christina Papi and written, directed and edited by 21 year-old University of Pennsylvania graduate McMullin, who also starred in the film. Music Industry major, Jonah Delso, created original music for the soundtrack and Drexel English student Matt Strickland appears in the film. Exit 117 has been selected to appear at the Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose, California.

In 2010, 2,000 films were submitted to Cinequest, and over 80,000 will attend the festival, which features only 188 selections. By using borrowed equipment, natural sunlight, a laptop for editing and hometown friends as actors, McMillin was able to create Exit 117 with one of the smallest budgets in Cinequest history. The film will also be heading to the Garden State Film Festival and the Atlanta Film Festival.

Exit 117 is a group portrait of New Jersey youth and the kaleidoscope of dreams, fears and laughs they experience over their last summer together. The film, shot in Monmouth County where it is set, has been compared to The Breakfast Club and Garden State. For more information visit www.exit117movie.com.