KWC Professor Josh Miller Wins Best of Show for Short Film Eternal

Best of Show in Huntsville

Kentucky Wesleyan College film professor Josh Miller won Best of Show and Best Alabama Film at the 21st annual Rocket City Short Film Festival in Huntsville, Alabama, for his short film “Eternal,” according to a release from KWC.

The allegorical film follows a grieving young man who enters a purgatory world in search of death and the waters of oblivion. Miller wrote and directed the project, which screened alongside 90 other selections during the three-day festival that also featured workshops and filmmaker discussions.

“‘Eternal’ took a lot of passionate creative people who worked really hard alongside me to make that short film happen,” Miller said. “I wasn’t expecting to win anything, but it feels great for that work to be recognized.”

Fueling Owensboro’s Creative Growth

Miller aims to use the recognition to help build independent filmmaking momentum in Owensboro, drawing a parallel to the energetic atmosphere he experienced in Huntsville.

“Watching Rocket City Short Film Festival infuse the town of Huntsville with an energy around filmmaking is exactly the sort of thing that I think KWC and our relationship with the Kentucky Soundstage can bring to Owensboro,” Miller said. “It gave me lots of ideas.”

Upcoming Circuit and Festival Run

Before its success in Huntsville, “Eternal” screened at the Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham, Alabama. Its festival run continues with a scheduled screening at the St. Louis International Film Festival in November, with future submissions targeted toward major festivals like Sundance and SXSW.

Hollywood california december l r pat casey and josh miller attend the los angeles premiere of paramounts sonic the hedgehog

Expanding Film Studies at Kentucky Wesleyan

The award-winning faculty work aligns with upcoming academic expansion at Kentucky Wesleyan College. The institution plans to launch a film and media major in fall 2027 as part of the Keith and Vicki Sharber Communications Program.

Miller teaches film production, cinematography, and film history. Students gain practical experience through coursework and projects hosted at the Kentucky Sound Stage.

Dr. Andrew Bolin, Communication Arts program coordinator, noted that the program’s growth provides students direct access to working professionals in the industry. More details about the program are available at the Kentucky Wesleyan Communications Program page or by contacting Bolin directly.