University of Central Florida professors Dr. Robert Cassanello and Dr. Lisa Mills collaborated with undergraduate students to create The Committee, a documentary film which details the history of the Johns Committee. The Johns Committee was a McCarthy era group created by the Florida legislature whose goal was to purge homosexuals from government and academic institutions. The filmmakers interview victims of the committee as well as an interrogator. Several UCF groups and departments collaborated to produce the film. The film has won several awards and has been featured in film festivals around the world.
Creators
• Dr. Robert Cassanello
• Dr. Lisa Mills
Producer
• Aaron Hosé
Student Filmmakers
• Shay Cabre
• Chelsea Echols
• Patrick Fenelon
• Sylvana Fernandez
• Logan Kriete
• David Mariutto
• Adien Mills
• Monica Monticello
• Kathryn Paulson
• Amy Simpson
• Ben Taylor
• Alex Wood
Collaborators
• UCF Burnett Honors College
• UCF History Department
• UCF Office of Instructional Resources
• UCF Center for Distributed Learning
• Film Program in the School of Visual Art and Design
Awards
• Winner Historical Documentary – Suncoast Emmy© Awards 2014
• Best Documentary – Love Your Shorts Film Festival 2014
• Best Documentary Film – Durban Gay & Lesbian Film Festival 2014
• Hampton Dunn Broadcast Award – Florida Historical Society 2013
• Best of Brouhaha – Brouhaha Film & Video Showcase 2012
• Best of Competition – Broadcast Education Association Festival of Media Arts 2012
In the News
• Dickinson, Joy Wallace. “Award-Winning UCF Film Recalls Florida’s Own 1950s Witch Hunt.” Orlando Sentinel, (March 30, 2014).
• Dudenhoefer, Nicole. “UCF Documentary on John’s Committee to Broadcast Nationwide.” Watermark Online, (June 20, 2016).
• Kruckemyer, Gene. “UCF Film Wins Documentary Award, to be Shown as Part of Civil Rights Series.” UCF Today, (February 21, 2014).
• Kruckemyer, Gene. “UCF Emmy-Winning Documentary to be Shown on 100 PBS Stations, Campus.” UCF Today, (June 6, 2016).
• Rhodes, Adam. “UCF Student Film ‘The Committee’ takes Home Suncoast Emmy.” Central Florida Future, (January 14, 2015).
• Schreiner, Mark. “WUSF TV To Air Documentary on Johns Committee.” WUSF News, (June 24, 2016).