Senior Debuts Film, Aesthetic, Based On His Own Relationship

March 11, 2013 College of Arts and Humanities

Peter Garafalo (right), who debuted his first feature-length film Friday, poses with Dhanesh Mahtani, the composer for his movie, Aesthetic. Photo by Johannes Markus courtesy of Peter Garafalo.

Senior film studies major debuts film based on his own relationship.

Rather than sit home and whine about a failed relationship his freshman year, Peter Garafalo decided to channel his frustration into something more constructive.

Nearly three years and many long hours of writing, filming and editing later, the senior film studies major debuted his first feature-length film, Aesthetic, at the Hoff Theater in Stamp Student Union on Friday. The story follows the experiences of a freshman named Biv — played by 2012 alumnus Josh Allen — who struggles to fit in with his peers at college until he finds a connection with a girl named Indigo, played by 2012 alumna Maria Navarro. However, in a cruel twist, Indigo is just a figment of Biv’s imagination.

“It’s kind of taken from (500) Days of Summer and building people up to be more than they are, but taking that and running with it to the extreme,” Garafalo said.