There is a responsibility that Sarasota has as the center of Florida’s Cultural Coast. Art is transient by nature. Each season brings a new slew of productions at the area’s performing arts organizations, new gallery openings and exhibitions at the museums. For Sarasota, there is a duty to inspire the next generation of artists, to become a place where people will come to create art for years to come.

On March 23, that duty was fulfilled with the Florida Premiere of Kevin Smith’s film KillRoy Was Here at the Burns Court Cinema, followed by a Q&A with Smith. KillRoy Was Here, a comedy horror anthology film, traces its roots to the graffiti phenomenon “Kilroy was here”, a meme depicting a looming character with a large nose that became popular during World War II. In the film, which is set in Sarasota, four intertwining stories illustrate the legend of Killroy, a local boogeyman figure, and the dire consequences of saying his name three times.

More significant than the presence of the film, however, was the process of making it. Shot in 2017 and 2018 in different locations around Sarasota including Ringling College of Art and Design, Nathan Benderson Park and Longboat Key, KillRoy Was Here was made as a series of short films by Kevin Smith in collaboration with Ringling College students. Smith, who rose to prominence with the low-budget comedy Clerks, says the enthusiasm of film students reinvigorates his own creative drive.

“Young folks are hungry for it. It is something that I’ve done so many times, so being around that enthusiasm just pumps you back up,” says Smith. “It reminds you of why you started this journey in the first place, because you can see your youthful brio in their eyes. If you’re going to make pretend, which is essentially what we do as filmmakers, you want to do it with people that are open to it.”

The participation of the students—which has sparked a larger initiative, the Creative Empowerment Project, a collaboration between the Florida Wine Festival and Auction and Semkhor Productions—was more than just a learning experience, however. It was the chance to have real input on the creative process.

“The kids brought so much energy and originality, they really made it better,” says Smith. “Watching these kids reach for and achieve new artistic heights while making this little horror movie was pretty inspiring.”