AT A GLANCE

WHAT: UC Davis Film Festival, presenting a different slate of films each night

WHEN: 8:30 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, May 25-26

WHERE: Varsity Theatre, 616 Second St., Davis

TICKETS: $7 each night, or $10 for a two-night pass

Watch award-winning films from previous years.

The UC Davis Film Festival’s student producer, Pamela Orebaugh, lamented last week that, with the “phenomenal quality” of this year’s entries, “It’s unfortunate all 50 submissions can’t be exhibited.”

But there is a way to show more of them — and that is what will happen at the 11th annual festival of student-produced cinema Wednesday and Thursday nights (May 25 and 26). The organizers announced that they will present a split program: different films each night.

In previous years, the department presented the same set of films each night.

This year’s program comprises 12 films Wednesday night and 11 films Thursday night, said Eric Steggall, production manager for the Department of Theatre and Dance. To go along with the split program, the department announced the availability of a two-night pass for $10. Otherwise, admission is $7 each night.

The Varsity Theatre in downtown Davis presents and hosts the festival, which is produced by the Department of Theatre and Dance in association with the Program in Technocultural Studies, and co-sponsored by the Film Studies Program and the Department of Art Studio.

In a news release last week, a spokeswoman for the Department of Theatre and Dance noted that the submissions for the 2011 festival came from a wide range of undergraduate and graduate students from across the campus, and that the films fell into the categories of comedy, drama, animation, documentaries “and all things in between.”

Each film is no longer than 10 minutes, including the credits. Some of the filmmakers are new to the festival, others, like Collin Davey, are participating again. Some, like Andrew Blalock, are back again, even though they have graduated — because, under the rules, alumni may participate for two years beyond graduation.

Davey, a doctoral candidate in English, received the festival’s best director award last year for the dramatic Apartment 9, in black and white. He returns this year with another black-and-white entry, The Story.

Blalock, a film studies major, emerged from the 2010 festival with awards for three very different films: Ollie Goes to Davis, about Blalock’s dog (best comedy); The Future of Twitter, exploring human relationship to self in the age of digital technology and social networking (best editing and honorable mention in the experimental category), and Needed, a stop-motion animation about a piece of clay coming to life (best animation and audience choice).

Orebaugh, who is graduating with a double major in English and film studies, reflected on her three-year history with the festival: “It’s great to see how much it’s grown and improved over the years. Each festival tends to have its own flavor and style.”

Asked what drew them to the festival, many of the participants noted the opportunity to see their work on the big screen, as well as the chance to engage with UC Davis faculty in the arts. Under a presubmission schedule, students are offered constructive criticism and help with how to take their work to the next level.

Faculty members advise students during the filmmaking process, prior to the entry deadline, then curate the program.

The faculty advisers: Darrin Martin, art studio; Jaimey Fisher, film studies and German; Pablo Ortiz, music; Jesse Drew and Julie Wyman, technocultural studies; and Sarah Pia Anderson, John Iacovelli and Maggie Morgan, theatre and dance.

Drew, Anderson and Iacovelli double as faculty producers.

Awards will be presented in a variety of categories, and prizes in past years have included invitations to visit sets and working environments of professional faculty who work in Los Angeles and other industry centers.