Blog post written by Sarah Lockwood, Cinema & Photography '15, FLEFF Intern, Blairstown, NJ

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of sitting down with Stephanie Khoury - who goes by Steph - a fellow freshman and FLEFF Intern like myself.

Some quick facts about Steph include the following:

• Born and raised in Jefferson, New Jersey (at one time also home to the Ringling Brothers!)
• Major is Documentary Studies & Production
• Minors in Environmental Studies and International Politics
• Is extremely involved on-campus with clubs such as Her Campus, Take Back the Tap, Habitat for Humanity, and more
• Contributes to on-campus journalism through Buzzsaw and SeeSaw

What I found most intriguing about Stephanie was her major - it was not originally her major of choice!

For Steph, high school provided art and video production classes, all of which sparked her interest and creativity. However these alone were not enough to push her in the direction of a definitive college major. She had though halfheartedly about attending an art school or major in art, however the sentiments were not fully realized.

Then began the long, arduous journey towards choosing a college... 

In a sea of college applications and campus tours, Stephanie and her family passed a sign for Ithaca College, a school that some of her friends had recommended in passing. Nearly on a whim, she took the tour and ended up applying - and, eventually, attending!

Steph's interest in documentary works and environmental activism brought her to the Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival - where we are happy to have her this year! 

Blog posting written by Isabel Galupo, Cinema and Photography '14, FLEFF Intern, Towson, MD

What kinds of people are attracted to a festival like FLEFF?

FLEFF flirts with contradiction, embraces conflict, and accepts disruption. It forces us to take a good, hard look at the false binary of intellect versus creativity that is agressively promoted in our society.

And FLEFF represents the freedom that comes from actively dismissing that binary.

Knowing all of this, we can consider Anjali Patel a natural FLEFF-er.

As a Music Education-turned-Documentary Studies-major, Anjali is brimming with a multitude of passions; for human rights, for FLEFF, and for the transformative powers of music and art.

Read on to find out more about her and her involvement with FLEFF!

Isabel Galupo (IG): You came to Ithaca College as a Music Education and French Horn major; how did you come to major in Documentary Studies and Production?

Anjali Patel (AP): I auditioned to be a music minor, but they asked me to become a major. So I did. And it’s not that I didn’t like it; it just wasn’t for me. I knew about the Documentary program and had always been interested in it. It seemed perfect because it would allow me to be creative, as I am in music, but it would provide me with a way to also express my passion for human rights.

IG: How do you see FLEFF balancing creative expression with human rights issues?

AP: The festival is speaking out for environmental justice and the environmental movement, which is an extremely timely issue. But it’s also creating a hub of music, art, and film…and what better way to advocate for a cause than through artwork? Because everyone in the world can relate to that.

IG: You mentioned being passionate about human rights. Could you elaborate on one specific issue that you find particularly important to today’s society?

AP: I am extremely worried about the availability of the arts in inner-school areas. You always hear, “the first to get cut is the arts.” I think that a lot of people see the arts as something disposable but it’s not. I mean, getting the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument for free? That’s incredible! And many children in this country are not getting to experience the great cultural experience of participating in the art and music in school.

IG: As a musician, I am sure that you were particularly engrossed by Drs. Hougham and Martin's presentation about “The Concert for Microtopias.” What insights did you gain about the intersection between FLEFF and musical expression from their presentation?

AP: I love that this festival is giving musicians an outlet to experiment and combine selections like the ones we heard during the presentation in ways that they would not normally be combined otherwise. I also look forward to it presenting people with music that they would not normally be exposed to.

IG: What was your favorite piece presented by Drs. Hougham and Martin and why?

AP: My favorite piece was “Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte” partially because of the beautiful horn solo in the beginning (and I'm biased because that's my primary instrument), but also because it is so familiar and so beautiful. I'm not sure how I had forgotten about it, but it was nice to hear it again!

Anjali Patel is just one of countless dynamic, passionate, and enthusiastic interns involved in this year’s festival.

Stay tuned for more opportunities to get to know Anjali-- and our entire team of interns-- better through the "Intern Voices" blog!

P.S. Check out the Simon Bolivar Orchestra of Venezuela; it's one of Anjali's favorite orchestras! 

Blog posting written by Kaley Belval, Documentary Studies and Production '15, FLEFF Intern, Woodbury, CT

Life is interesting when you seek out issues that you have never known of before. That is my main interest, finding stories which I do not know much about and educating myself so that I can help to educate others. 

This is one of the main reasons why I wanted to be a FLEFF intern. I love learning about issues that I have no direct relationship to or know very little about. In learning about the experiences of others, it is much easier to be understanding and educated about our world. I became really interested in the festival the first time I came to visit Ithaca, and wanted to learn more. When I saw the website, I was extremely interested in the online Trafficked Identities Exhibition that was featured online last year. This past semester, I wrote an article for Buzzsaw Magazine about human trafficking. I find it to be a very fascinating issue that needs to be discussed in greater detail so that actions can be taken to prevent this phenomenon from occurring. 

FLEFF is something which I am really excited about, not just because of the exhibits and films that will be screened. As a Documentary Studies major, I am truly interested in seeing how an actual film festival operates, the type of people that attend, and being a part of the marketing process. It is very amazing that I have the opportunity to gain this experience and meet so many interesting people within the industry. 

What would you be interested in learning more about? Go out and expand your horizons. Maybe you will stumble onto a subject that you become truly passionate about! It's worth a try.