The Torty Awards — part film festival, part award ceremony, part Harvard, and part Hollywood — returned to the Ames Courtroom this year. The Oscars-style event gives students in Professor Jon Hanson’s 1L torts class the opportunity to showcase their research on how tort law interacts with traditional questions of justice through short films. Topics ranged from immigration and sex work to voter suppression and environmental justice.
![Woman wearing a face holds up a phone to record another woman standing next to her. Both holding fake microphones.](https://hls.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/11.20.21-Tortys036-copy.jpg)
Aaron Nytes ’24 said he was “blown away” by the video-making abilities of his classmates. “The films our section made communicated moving stories, encapsulated insightful opportunities for expansions in tort law, and demonstrated an odd proficiency for video-editing,” said Nytes. “Because of the event and the class as a whole, I feel more united with my section and feel better prepared to address the huge systemic problems that exist in both the legal profession and the broader world.”
In addition to acknowledging the students’ work, the evening event was also a chance for students to display their song, dance, and comedic talents.
“The Tortys event was amazing,” said Joey Alpert ’24. “Kind of upsetting the highlight of law school happened fall semester of 1L.”
![Gold balloons on a wall, individual letters spell TORTYS.](https://hls.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/11.20.21-Tortys003-.jpg)
![Professor Jon Hanson, wearing a tux and face mask.](https://hls.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/11.20.21-Tortys070-.jpg)
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![Man wearing a face mask and suite standing at a microphone, clapping.](https://hls.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/11.20.21-Tortys131-.jpg)
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![Woman wearing a face mask and yellow dress standing at a microphone, gesturing towards the audience.](https://hls.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/11.20.21-Tortys151-.jpg)
![A crowd of students sitting in audience chairs. Wearing face masks. Focos on three women in the front row wearing dresses. One has a drumstick in her hand.](https://hls.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/11.20.21-Tortys110-copy-.jpg)
![Man wearing a face mask and tuxedo, standing at a microphone with his arms raised.](https://hls.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/11.20.21-Tortys097-.jpg)
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![Man wearing a tuxedo and face mask standing at a microphone.](https://hls.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/11.20.21-Tortys092-copy-.jpg)
![Two men wearing name tags and face masks.](https://hls.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/11.20.21-Tortys082-.jpg)
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![Two women wearing face masks and dresses and two men wearing face masks and suits sitting in audience chairs.](https://hls.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/11.20.21-Tortys041-.jpg)
![Woman wearing a face holds up a phone to record another woman standing next to her. Both holding fake microphones.](https://hls.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/11.20.21-Tortys036-copy.jpg)
![Woman wearing a face mask and black dress with a man wearing a face mask and suit stand under an arch of balloons.](https://hls.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/11.20.21-Tortys013-.jpg)
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![Projected screenshot of a large yellow dog with its paw on an open laptop.](https://hls.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/11.20.21-Tortys249-.jpg)