DePauw Stories

Filmmaker Pete Ohs ’05 returned to DePauw University on August 26 to screen his latest film and reflect on the lessons he has learned throughout his career. 

Ohs’ visit included an afternoon forum with students, hosted by DePauw’s Film and Media Arts Department in partnership with the Media Fellows Program and the Pulliam Center for Contemporary Media, in which Ohs shared about his path to filmmaking and how his journey has shaped his current approach as an artist. He also spoke about the value of saying “yes” to opportunities, the importance of staying open to ideas and the value of making art with people you like. The session gave DePauw students an inside look at what it takes to thrive in a creative career such as filmmaking.

“Anytime current students have an opportunity to interact with an accomplished alumnus like Pete Ohs, it allows them to see the different pathways their DePauw education can take them upon graduation,” said Marcus Hayes, dean of the Creative School at DePauw. “Students can see a throughline from Pete's time as student to becoming a professional in the field and can see that having a career in the film industry is a real possibility for them. It empowers them to think, ‘If it was possible for Pete, then it can become possible for me.’”

To conclude his visit, Ohs presented a standing-room-only screening of "Erupcja,” the 2025 film he directed and produced starring Charli xcx. The film has received widespread critical acclaim, with The New Yorker describing it as a “thrillingly inventive drama” and Variety calling it “breezily insightful.” Ohs answered questions for nearly an hour following the screening, discussing why he chose to shoot the film in Poland, how he got Charli xcx to star in the film and his process of going into a project with half the screenplay outlined and then writing scenes and dialog with the cast as they produce the film.

Hayes reflected on Ohs’ visit and made the case that it gave concrete evidence to aspiring artists that there are viable options available to them. “Events like this are incredibly important for bringing attention to new programs and opportunities across the Creative School,” he said. “Current students, as well as prospective students and families, are looking for tangible examples of what a creative career looks like in real life. Our incredible alumni serve as examples of career success in creative industries, and their successes speak to the power of a DePauw education.”

To learn more about Ohs and several other DePauw alumni making an impact in film, you can read this story from October, 2024: “Alumni Filmmakers United by Creative Success.”