Blog posting written by Chloe Wilson, Television-Radio ’14, FLEFF Intern, Ashland, Massachusetts.

With all of the programming updates and excitement around the March 3^rd Kickoff Screening, it’s easy to get lost in this year’s festival.  And it hasn’t even started yet!

As a blogger who also documented last year’s festival, I think there are an equal amount of differences and similarities between this FLEFF and the last. Both themes are engaging (though in different ways) and encourage you to explore beyond the basic definitions we already know.

Last year’s theme of microtopias encouraged participants to discover what their personal environments are like, while this year’s theme of mobilities inspires us to travel through different microtopias to discover new worlds, perspectives, and art.

I didn’t realize the link between the FLEFF themes until recently, and I’d kick myself for being slow if I didn’t think that the link between the two themes was something to discover organically as opposed to it being thrust in your face. 

If you give yourself the time to sit and reflect about the Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival, I’m willing to bet that there’s a lot you’re going to discover.

Have you given yourself time to reflect on FLEFF? What have you discovered?

Blog posting written by Kacey Deamer, Journalism and Environmental Studies '13, FLEFF Intern, Binghamton, NY

I hope you all were able to make it to Hockett Hall last night for the Concert for Microtopias. If not, you should also read intern blogger Meagan McGinnes' post about the concert as a whole. She delves into the concert's connection to FLEFF's theme of microtopias.

The following is a list of my top five moments — though there were many more than five — from last night's concert. I've allowed myself some poetic license in the descriptions.

1. Pianos. Dueling pianos can be found in jazz bars across the country. I have experienced a few of them. But piano duets, now that is something special. Jairo Geronymo and Deborah Martin were perfectly in tune as their fingers danced across the keys creating an beautiful harmony. "Two Step" was one of my favorites, a more lively duet that conjured the image of swing dancers in 1950s garb smiling as they moved around stage.

2. Fabric. How do you dress a stage for such an integrative performance as the Concert for Microtopias? You use fabric, hanging from the walls. But, one sheer pink/purple piece of fabric lay across the stage, available for use by the performers. Which brings me to number 3.

3. "Lullaby." Brad Hougham has the voice of an angel, and as he sang to the piece of fabric (bundled and held like a baby) I had tears well up in my eyes. There was such a tenderness to his performance, a tangible love he displayed. It was powerful.

4. Farewell. The closing piece, a reading of the "Microtopias Benediction," brilliantly summarized the FLEFF theme. But Cynthia Henderson stole the show when she found a young boy in the audience just as she came to the line: "Microtopias never stay the same." The boy's father visibly had a 'knowing' reaction and the entire interaction was simply beautiful.

5. Water. Dr. Hougham had mentioned his apprehension to perform "Wade in the Water," an African-American spiritual song connected to the suffering of slaves. During the intern session in February, Hougham had said it is incredibly difficult to perform a song such as this without having a connection to those experiences. I must say, his apprehension was needless. I could hear a desperation in his voice, but there was hopefulness as well. The vibrato he held on the last "r" of "water" before he started to move on stage was incredible. 

The concert as a whole was beautifully executed, but those were a few of the elements that I am still thinking about today. What stuck with you from the concert?

Blog posting written by Andrew Ronald, Film, Photography & Visual Arts '15, FLEFF Intern, Mahopac, NY

The art of film is a dynamic fusion between a stimulating image and a moving soundtrack, and Patrick Winters is no stranger to proving his mastery of this balance as he specialized in sound design. In this interview, his passion vividly came alive when he told me that "...eventually I found sound editing and designing, or should I say it found me."

Background

Not only has he used his career teaching sound design in the Department of Television & Radio at Ithaca College as a form of stewardship, but Winters developed this fascination for visual storytelling at the age of 16 when he created his first dramatic 8mm film. He goes on to say that "I believe it's important for those of who have acquired a body of knowledge and experiences to pass those along to the next generation," and as an eager film student, I can't object to this.

What Are Microtopias?

"I see microtopias as communities of individuals who recognize their connections and work together to enhance each others lives. These communities are not limited by cultural, ideological, political or geographic boundaries. These communities share in the joy of life that comes from seeing the world as being engaging and limitless."

Advice For Students

One thing: create. "Follow your heart and do what calls to you, because that's what will be the most rewarding thing for you to do."

FLEFF 2012

Patrick Winters comments on his excitement over FLEFF 2012 because of the principle of the festival itself. It is very intellectual, complex, and mind-opening towards an interdisciplinary audience when it comes to creating and simply being.

Check out his workshop about sound designing on motion pictures and motion sound on Saturday, March 31 at Cinemapolis!

Blog posting written by Kacey Deamer, Journalism and Environmental Studies '13, FLEFF Intern, Binghamton, NY

If you missed the official unveiling of the Microtopias art installation on the academic quad of Ithaca College yesterday, don't fret. The wind has died down and the art piece still stands, in all of its glory, on the quad until deconstruction this weekend.

As has been mentioned in pervious posts, the interns have been working for the past few weeks on this art project. A collection of recyclable/reusable materials molded into the word microtopias, the art installation is a visual representation of our consumerist society. Materials range from plastic water bottles, to wooden pallets and shipping crates, to old electronics.

Make sure you make the time to walk by the college's academic quad to see the installation, then come back here and tell us what you think.

Blog post written by Colleen Ryan, Television-Radio '12, Anthropology Minor, Lansing, NY

Toivo (pronounced Toy-vo) is back for their third performance at FLEFF!

Toivo is a six piece band, originating from just up the lake in Trumansburg.  They play Finnish, Tex-Mex, and original music suited to the traditional dances of the Finger Lakes Region - waltzes, schottisches, polkas, mazurkas, two-steps, hambos and reels. 

The band consists of Richard Koski, button accordion; Jason Koski, mandolin; Stefan Senders, banjo; Jim Reidy, guitar; Harley Campbell, upright bass; and Annie Campbell, snare drum.

I spoke with Richard this afternoon, who told me a little bit more about Toivo.

Meaning "hope" in Finnish, Toivo has been together as a unit for almost seven years, but some of the members have been playing and jamming together much, (almost thirty years), much longer.  Their main desire is to have a friendly band, concentrated in the Ithaca area.

"Toivo is down-home music at heart. Good for dancing; good for listening; good for love," their website says.

On their website, you can check out their music, learn more about their group, and catch their upcoming performances.

This local gem will be playing at the Finger Lakes Wine Center on Saturday, March 31st, 9 p.m. at the FLEFF after party.

Blog posting written by Andrew Ronald, Film, Photography & Visual Arts '15, FLEFF Intern, Mahopac, NY

Anyone with an interest in film and independent cinema should certainly take the time to get to know Karen Rodriguez, the curator of the Upstate Filmmaker Showcase for FLEFF at Cinemapolis. I recently had the opportunity to interview Rodriguez and learned a lot about her.

Background

Rodriguez has had outstanding experience with production, videography, cinematography and lighting as her academic career has spanned across the historic country of Germany and the bustling city of Boston. As she studied photography, Super-8 and film analysis, her passion for film exploded and led her to independently produce features and shorts, followed by working at the Thaw festival where "we screened narrative, experimental and documentary short films and videos and it was a complete blast! My favorite parts of filmmaking are the actual production and attending the film festivals!" 

Production Work

"I think of myself as a bit of a generalist when it comes to production work...My own work that I'm most excited about falls into the personal/experimental form. While I love the camaraderie and focus of a large crew, my ideal mode of production would be analogous to a singer-songwriter writing a song where the filmmaker has an idea, picks up a camera and makes it happen." To me, this sounds like a beautiful sentiment as art forms are often compared to each other and it is interesting to think of film on such a microscopic scale.

What Are Microtopias?

"Microtopias is a rich metaphor and brings up for me many ideas. Most concretely, it reminds me of the idea that all politics are local meaning that sometimes it is difficult to think about affecting the world on a large scale, but that small efforts, local efforts can make a difference. It's connecting these local efforts to one another that is important for making large scale change."

Advice For Future Filmmakers

A strong recommendation Rodriguez deploys in her interview address the need to stay independent and work outside of the industry. This singularity, even if you are an independent documentary producer tackling corrupt politics and popular culture through a critical lens, facilitates the arduous process behind developing your own voice and artistic aesthetic that differs from corporatized media.

FLEFF 2012

"In addition to the two Upstate Shorts screenings, I'm looking forward to Patrick Winter's talk on sound design, the talk with Laura Kissel and Matt Podolsky on new forms of environmental documentary, "Veins in the Gulf," and "100 Short Films about Water," anything with live music accompaniment, and of course, the parties!"

Blog post written by Colleen Ryan, Television-Radio '12, Anthropology Minor, Lansing, NY

This week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Chris White, an extremely talented musician, and one of FLEFF's returning performers.

On Sunday, April 1st at 7:00 p.m., Chris will be performing an improvisational live score to Nanook of the North with trio members Robby Aceto and Peter Dodge at Cinemapolis.  

White is classically trained on the cello, and also plays the guitar and harmonica.

It was Dr. Patricia Zimmerman's (co-director of FLEFF) idea to bring together the three musicians for FLEFF several years ago, and the trio has been doing live improv film scores ever since.  "It was easy from the get-go," he said.  "We just flowed so easily. We each have our own bag of tricks, but a common vision and language that works well together."  

White told me that the trio watches the films by themselves, and then together practice improvising. They converse about the mood of the film and its transitions. Each time the score is played differently.  The trio doesn't practice too much so the day of the performance is fresh and well, improvised! 

"Every experience with FLEFF has been great," he said.  To him, playing and improvising with a film is a much different experience as a musician.  "It's liberating," he remarked.

Although the trio has only performed for FLEFF, and one other event for the Ithaca Motion Picture Project, White revealed to me that the trio is considering putting out a CD of their scores, perhaps in time for next year's FLEFF.  (I've heard samples from their work, and believe me, it's a must have!)

To listen to Chris's personal work with the Cayuga Jazz Ensemble, you can click here.

Although I, personally, could never fathom a career in professional music, to young musicians who wish to dip their toes into improvising, Chris's greatest advice is to listen to a favorite genre of music and imitate it. Practice the style, and put a lot of time into it. "It happens more naturally than you might think," he said.

With that being said, I'm excited to watch White and his cohorts perform.  It's something that indeed comes extremely naturally to them, while enjoying and appreciating their talent, is something that comes naturally to me. 

If I had longer arms I'd save you all seats, so get there early, it's going to be a happy and full house. See you Sunday night!    

FLEFF Week 2012 has begun! Conversations about the microtopias installation have been bustling all over campus and the artists have made their way into Ithaca. As a matter of fact, I am in the Park auditorium right now at Art Jones' master class about remixing, new media, and the arts of collaboration. 

A generous introduction by Patty Zimmerman starts the workshop about how Art Jones has found his niche in the artistic world and addresses the way his inventive style defined a new, live VJ remix aesthetic. Following this opening, we got a little more into the details about what he does and how he does it.

After commenting on how remixing was popularized by modern culture and the MTV network, he elaborated upon its use – a personal use – as an individualized methodology. Art Jones’ artistry germinated with the creation of experimental films and documentaries about hip-hop and he developed a passion to translate these strategies to another art form - music.

"But why go live?" Zimmerman asks. "What's wrong with media that is fixed and is start to finish?"

"Absolutely nothing!" Jones chuckles. "Except when I started doing it, I was just a few years out of film school…but became so inspired by music that could engage audiences. I waned to remove the boundary between so-called high culture [galleries, museums] and low culture. I grew up in the Bronx where hip-hop was assembled. Hip-hop was on the low end. It would be better to find a way to organically integrate things that inspired me like hip-hop and generally electronic music."

One of the most striking things that came up during this conversation was his perspective that there was a sense of chaos that can cohere with moments. In response, Art Jones adopted a music model rather than a cinema model. If we think about music, whether it’s hip-hop, a rock band or fantastic pianists, the ephemerality of a still image is enhanced by the power of a continuous audio track through digital mixing and music processing.

If you missed the opportunity to attend his class today, make sure you check out his digital and remixing mastery at The Concert for Microtopias tomorrow night at 8:15 PM in Hackett Recital Hall! And as for a sneak preview of what to expect? "A generative art process in sense of the imagery [and] organic, biological structure that can grow the microtopia...It's going to be challenging and totally new!"

And for more current updates, make sure you follow FLEFF_IC on Twitter! 

Blog posting written by Chloe Wilson, Television-Radio ’14, FLEFF Intern, Ashland, Massachusetts.

On Friday, March 30^th in Room 220 in the Park School of Communications, a “day of dialogue,” FLEFF Lab Friday, will occur. Multiple conversations are scheduled throughout the day, but one you don’t want to miss is the How to Get Your Break panel.

I spoke with Steve Gordon, the facilitator of the panel.  He is a current Ithaca College professor in the Department of Television-Radio and was previously the Executive Vice President of Creative Affairs for Viacom Productions.

We covered a range of topics in our discussion, but one major point that stuck out to me was how relevant FLEFF was.  Gordon talked about his experiences at multiple festivals, including Cannes and Sundance, but said that FLEFF was one of the most unique and intellectual.

Regarding the theme of microtopias, Gordon discussed the idea that it was about expanding already existing environments.  It was a different view that made complete sense to me, and I recommend going to visit Gordon during  FLEFF Lab Friday and asking him about it!

Regarding the How to Get Your Break panel, Gordon said that the members of this panel are “the best the panel has ever had.”   With filmmakers Laura Kissel, Jim Miller, and Shelly Niro, along with industry pros Kevin Lee, Carlos Guttierrez, and Rodrigo Brandao, I have to say I agree.

You can see a more extensive schedule of FLEFF events here, FLEFFers.  Happy FLEFF to all!

Blog posting written by Andrew Ronald, Film, Photography & Visual Arts '15, FLEFF Intern, Mahopac, NY

It is evident that Karin Ash has consistently demonstrated a fusion between dedication and a hard-working personality to get where she is today as president of the Cinemapolis Board of Directors. Cinemapolis itself is an independent theater "...dedicated to providing a sophisticated community with the best in new international and independent cinema." I recently had the opportunity to interview Karin Ash and receive some insightful information about her and her interaction with FLEFF 2012.

Background

Karin Ash worked for thirty-eight years as a professional in university higher education administration including state universities in Florida and California and even Ivy League schools. Although these locations were very dynamic, one thing remained consistent: "I always focused on helping students gain experiences that would assist them in deciding upon a career direction, gaining relevant internship experiences and finding post-graduate employment." And in a way, this emphasis on helping students was actually symbiotic. Not only were college students being shaped into future denizens of the "real" world, but Ash claims that she "...gained a better understanding of the...challenges that are of concern to students [and] developed a fairly good overview of the career opportunities where students could make a difference. And, for many students making a difference in the environment, as defined by FLEFF, is paramount. Many students want to work in a field where they will have a positive impact on water, energy, health, international development, the food industry and education."

Advice For Students

In order for students to gain entry into the art and media world, Ash commented on the significance behind students expressing their interest in the art and media world as opposed to just verbalizing it. In order to become engaged and demonstrate this expressivity, students must construct a vast canon of experience during college, volunteer their time if they cannot find paid internships, especially during nights and weekends, and hold perspicacious dialogues with professionals.

FLEFF 2012

"I'm most excited about FLEFF's theme this year of microtopias. The theme is very much in line with the Board of Directors vision for Cinemapolis, 'a premier art cinema, where people of all ages broaden their horizons through artistically significant films, cultural camaraderie, and educational programs.'" Not only are the movies shown during FLEFF week inspiring and intergenerational, but they are accessible and invite patrons to learn about different environments - the whole principle of FLEFF in the first place.

Closing Words

"The Cinemapolis Board of Directors is extremely grateful to Ithaca College, and especially to Patty Zimmerman and Tom Shevory, who work so hard all year long to host this fabulous multimedia event."

 Jairo Geronymo is taking part in a “musictopia” at the Concert for Microtopias, happening on Tuesday March 27th at 8:15 p.m at Hockett Recital Hall.

Geronymo is the pianist for this concert, which is embracing this year’s theme in a unique and exciting way. The repertoire greatly contrasts. The musicians are using the pieces to try to portray images of various utopias, all contrasting and connecting at the same time.

“I hope the audience will enjoy. It will be a trip through different worlds of music,” said Geronymo.

Geronymo has been playing the piano his entire life. Geronymo, originally from Brazil, said his mother’s family was very poor.

“So when people ask me how did I choose piano, I say I didn’t have a choice!”

However, after playing for nine years, he realized piano was an art he really enjoyed. He went to the United States to go to college and get his masters degree. After living in Seattle, he came to Ithaca College to teach for four years. Now Geronymo has been living in Berlin for four years. Yet, throughout his time at IC and in Berlin, he has been an engaged participant and performer in FLEFF—a festival he is intrigued with because of the mixture of having a multimedia experience on so many levels, with the music, the beautiful poems, the singers and of course with the images through film.

“It’s about the collaboration and creation of these works,” Geronymo said. “I think many times people think classical music can be elitist. I dare everybody who thinks that way to come to our concert because it will certainly be something very different, not what you expect.” 

And that’s something he believes college students should embrace to get the full college experience—the different, the unexpected.

“People can just go to Ithaca College and go to classes and do nothing. But the college has so much more to offer. It’s a question of personal; it’s a personal choice. People can come here and do nothing or they can take part in something—like FLEFF. It’s a really unique experience to really open up your minds.”

So open your mind, and your ears, at the Concert for Microtopias. Click the link for more information!

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

Every Wednesday night, the staff of FLEFF interns are instructed by Ann Michel and Phillip Wilde, co-directors of the production company Insights International. In this class, Ann and Phil guide us on how to market FLEFF to the Ithaca community, how to engage with festival guests and artists, and how to think about the business of film festivals in creative and innovative ways.

I had the opportunity to sit down with Ann after class last week and learn about her experience as a media professional, her paradoxical interests in mathematics and filmmaking, and her thoughts on live performances in FLEFF: 

On her work for Insights International and her March 27th "Workshop on 100 Films about Water:" 

"Insights produces social issue and science films...[the films at the workshop] are very short, bite size science...we're hoping with our filmmaking skills to bring people into the science fold that haven't really been in it before." 

On the influence of math in her work as a filmmaker: 

"Mathematics is a very concise language...the shortest sentence in the world is e = mc². In 5 letters, you have described the universe. Good filmmaking, in my opinion, can also be concise." 

On what makes FLEFF a unique experience: 

"FLEFF always tries to do outside of traditional film screening events...watching a movie is not a big deal, so to get people out of their houses and into a theater...you have to add value to the experience, and one way to do that is to have performers...so that it becomes a more theatrical event."

Be sure to attend the "Workshop of 100 Films about Water," hosted by producers/directors Ann Michel and Phillip Wilde on Tuesday, March 27th in Park 279 from 2:35 - 3:50 P.M. Ann and Phil will be presenting segments of films that deal with the science and politics of water.

Blog posting written by Ian Carsia, Cinema & Photography '14, FLEFF Intern, Hamilton, NJ

1) What are you presenting/participating in for FLEFF 2012 and how does this relate to and engage with Microtopias?

"I am teaching a course together with media arts artist and Ph.D. candidate at the Information Science department of Cornell, Nicholas Adrian Knouf.

The course is entitled 'Microtopias Lab' and deals with utopia as a concept and practice in the context of histories relating to the junction of arts and sciences."

2) What is your background with FLEFF? How did you become involved with the festival and why?

"I am a graduate student at Cornell in the History of Art and Visual Studies. My work and interests are situated on the intersections of media arts and activism.

My dissertation work deals with the relationship between play, art, and social change. I look at artists using videogames as activist tools, as contemporary forms of intervention that have deep histories in interdisciplinary strands of arts, sciences, and counter-culture movements.

FLEFF began to include electronic media in 2007 when I first was invited to present at the "Gaming Meme" panel with film scholar Lisa Patty and network theorist Ulises Mejias. I've been part of the festival ever since in various qualities, mostly as a lecturer in the last three years."

3) You have collaborated with new media artist/activist Nick Knouf in the past. What has made this collaboration effective? What skills and attitudes do you both bring to your work?

"We have similar interests and thoughts about media arts and the political imaginary.

Both of our work deals with the histories, transdisciplinarity, and performative aspects of electronic culture conceived in a very broad sense, as a conceptual lens and set of practices."

4) What are you most looking forward to about FLEFF 2012?

"I am looking forward to the films--here is a list of a few films that I am really looking forward to see to begin with:

Marimbas from Hell

Freddy Ilanga: Che's Swahili Translator

California is a Place

But the festival is really about the conversations and encounters that happen unplanned."

5) What advice would you give to college students wishing to become involved with new media art as well as activism?

"At present, the new media arts are pretty much tied to creative economies, more so than in the 1990s when the enthusiasm around the internet provided a space for more politicized expressions.

On the other hand, the global activism emerging in the recent year incorporates some of the practices then seen as art-activism. Think of the impromptu beamed projections on the walls in New York in support of the occupy movement making the rounds on youtube, etc..

Artists like Krzysztof Wodiczko made a career of similar interventions in public space, then groups like F.A.T. Lab took this practice over, and finally it appears on the street in the context of large and urgent protests.

Historical consciousness is key to activist and artistic practices, but one makes history by doing.

I think that utopia is an essential energy for those interested in creatively engaging and changing our present condition."

 In Scavenger Hunt, director Matthew Podolsky explores the efforts of biologists in the remote northern Arizona to re-introduce the highly endangered California condor. Through these efforts a much larger problem is revealed: the toxicity of lead based bullets and ammunition. Ammunition incorporates lead because it allows for the bullet to fragment, better killing the animal rather than it simply being wounded and dying in the woods—thus losing the meat. No waste, what’s the big deal? Well lead is also toxic. When condors eat the animal remains, they also eat the lead fragments, which poisons them.

With the film’s world premier, Podolsky is pleased to be at FLEFF because of its uniqueness in comparison to other film festivals. Other film festivals focus on wildlife or animal behavior films with a more traditional approach, shying away from films that focus on conservation issues. However, it is these conservation issues, like that of the condors, that are most controversial and where education is needed the most.

“I think the focus on community involvement and the relationship between human communities and communities in nature is a really important focus that is pretty unique to the Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival,” Poldolsky said. 

Poldolsky also believes this film truly epitomizes this year’s theme of microtopias.

“You can get bogged down by trying to deal with the bigger picture,” Podolsky said. “But if you try to focus on smaller communities then it is easier to come up with realistic solutions to that issue. And that fits perfectly with what we are trying to do with this film.”

 The film is all about the sparked conversation about this highly polarized national issue being addressed on a local level. I’m not going to give away too much about California condors’ commitment to action for the condors (you NEED to go see this film because this organization’s work is truly amazing), but here is just a little preview. Podolsky has been involved with the California condor program since 2005. A lot has happened since then. He said at this point every hunter who hunts up in that area knows about the issue; they know about the condors; they know about lead bullet fragementation. And close to 90 percent of hunters who hunt in that region use nonleaded ammunition voluntarily.

 “I think that (the percentages) shows that it’s possible,” Podolsky said. “I think it shows that hunters do have that conservation ethic and that when you explain the issue to them, 90 percent of them are willing to make a small change, pay a little bit more for ammunition and stop polluting wildlife.”

Podolsky himself is an Ithaca College alumnus, with a double major in Cinema/Photography and Environmental Studies. He grew up in Wellesley, MA. After graduation, Podolsky focused more on wildlife biology with a field job in upstate NY with retired IC professor Dr. John Confer—and it was Confer who got him the job with California Condors in Arizona. 

So check out Scavenger Hunt and meet Matt Podolsky after the film’s world premier! Where else can you partake in something this big for less than 10 dollars? As per usual, I am always amazed by the magic of FLEFF and the greatness of the types of people that come together in the name of film, art, environmental advocacy and good conversation.

Were you aware of this environmental issue with condors before now? What do you think about it?

Dr. Gordon Rowland is a member of Lil Anne and Hot Cayenne, which will be playing live music for the showing of Keaton Shorts. 

MM: What are you presenting at FLEFF 2012 and how does it fit into the theme of microtopias?

GR: I play tenor sax and scrubboard with Lil Anne and Hot Cayenne, a northeast zydeco band. We'll be playing music to accompany a series of Buster Keaton silent shorts from the 1920s. The FLEFF website defines microtopias as "small .. imagined cooperative systems of harmony" and  states that "microtopias propose temporary, dynamic, shared worlds." Musical performance can can certainly be seen as "imagined cooperative systems of harmony," and in connecting our music with the visual imagery of the films, and with the audience in the moment, we seek to create a "temporary, dynamic shared world." 

MM: What is your background?

GR: You can find my story here. My other band, Common Railers, accompanied Buster Keaton's Steamboat Bill Junior a couple years ago. 

MM: What aspect of FLEFF are you looking foward to?

GR: The silent films with live music are always fun, of course. Other than that, I look forward to seeing as many films as I can. Patty and Tom do a terrific job on selection, and we get to see films on the wide screen that normally would not make it into our theaters.

MM: What advice would you give to college students about FLEFF and how to be engaged in festivals?

GR: FLEFF brings in guests who have a very wide range of backgrounds. Don't be shy. They love talking with students, and there is much to learn from them.

Hear Dr. Rowland play with Lil Ann and Hot Cayenne Saturday March 31st, at 4 p.m. at Cinemapolis! 

 Top 5 Movies to see at Cinemapolis

1.     Cotton Road- Systems thinking fascinates me. The idea of globalization and the connectedness of everything together is something I cannot wait to learn more about- especially when I am learning from Ithaca College alum Laura Kissel!

2.     Arlit: Deuxieme Paris- This film about uranium mining and environmental racism in Niger completely embodies the beat I hope to cover in my future of journalism: social justice and environmental issues.  I am specifically interested in how these issues apply to Africa so this documentary will be super interesting for me! I am also thrilled to introduce myself to filmmaker Idrissou Mora-Kpaï. I want to learn what inspired him to investigate into this topic and her experiences while filming.

3.     Veins of the Gulf- I believe we need to acknowledge social justice and environmental justice issues domestically. I think many try to pretend it is not happening in our own backyard, but we need a more local mindset. I am interested to see how this film portrays Hurricane Katrina, an event I have seen covered extensively in media but not through an environmental lens.

4.     Bejing Besieged by Waste- Currently, there has been such a focus on China as a growing global economical power. Yet, we don’t think of the impacts this has on the impoverished Chinese people every time we look at a “made in china” sticker. I am excited to see the questions and discussion this unknown narrative provokes at the after parties at the Wine Center.

5.     Nanook of the North- Robby Aceto. Live improvisational music to the silent film on its 90^th anniversary? Enough said.

What movie are you most excited for and why? 

Blog posting written by Andrew Ronald, Film, Photography & Visual Arts '15, FLEFF Intern, Mahopac, New York

Attention all cinephiles! The FLEFF 2012 Film Descriptions and Trailers page is up!

Now of course every film that will be screened during FLEFF week is fantastic and everyone should come see as many as possible, but here is just a laconic list featuring the top five movies I am most excited for:

1. Art & Copy

Can creativity really solve anything? This documentary directed by Doug Pray draws on a struggle any artist can relate to: finding inspiration. Creating a dynamic binary between the advertising industry and the most influential creative visionaries of our time, this film aims to expel the stigmas associated with a supposedly "manipulative business." And it has a really pretty movie poster.

2. Buster Keaton Shorts

Calling all film enthusiasts! If you never got the opportunity to see the infamous "stoic man" of the 1920's on the big screen, then head over to Cinemapolis to check out this cinematic classic. Specializing in vaudeville comedy and dominating the silent film era, Buster Keaton proved that shorts could be just as satisfying as feature-length films, all while hilarity ensues (even in something as simple as Keaton's desperate flight from the police in his short Cops.)

3. The Fairy

"A whimsical comedy featuring a shoeless fairy and the hotel night clerk." With a description like this, how could you not want to see this movie? Through this film's jovial narrative, a seemingly realistic atmosphere manifests into a fantastical romance. Spoiler alert: the fairy can grant wishes too!

4. Sushi: The Global Catch

Let me clarify: I didn't pick this film just because it's about one of my favorite cuisines (although it certainly did help me refine my list). The film traces the origin of sushi back to Japan, as I'm sure you all already knew, and documents the evolution of this delicacy in its attempt to please the hungry public to something as mass-producing as fast food restaurants themselves. This transition, however, occurred with such celerity that it upset the ocean's ecological balance, and this issue is touched upon as well.

5. Tuesday After Christmas

Brought to you by the director of 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, the film marries elegance and drama by integrating the all-too familiar issue of marital infidelity into the narrative. The husband has a clandestine affair with his daughter's dentist and must now choose between this unstable, yet exciting relationship with his lover and the stable romance he has shared with his faithful wife for ten years. Emotional. Sensational. Engaging. Go see it.

I wish I could have written about every film as they all sound exciting and satisfyingly establish their own microtopia, but I am more interested in knowing which movies you FLEFFers are most excited for!

Blog post written by Colleen Ryan, Television-Radio '12, Anthropology Minor, Lansing, NY

This year, the interns will be constructing, to be said in my own words, something "super awesome" outside of the Gannett Center on the Ithaca College campus for the entirety of FLEFF week.

The installation will read "Microtopias" and will be constructed entirely of recyclable materials.

I love art, and I'm pleased to say that that I've never been a part of such a large art installation.  I'm thrilled to be a part of something that's larger than life, literally!

Some of the letters will stand almost 6 feet tall.

Each of the five teams was given two letters to design, and last night the intern teams presented their letter ideas to each other.  I can't express enough how amazing it is to be working with such talented, creative people!

The construction begins the weekend before FLEFF.

Stay tuned for pictures and updates.  This is something you don't want to miss!

The best things in life are messy. Sloppy Joes. Finger Paint. Food Fights. Muddy Rain Puddles. Tye-dye.

Their greatness comes from the fact you have to work for the end result. You have to get down and dirty, completely exposing yourself and being vulnerable to something that may not be routine in your daily life.

The same goes for “messy” ideas. The best thoughts are those that are out-of-the-norm. The best conversations are those with debate, connections, brainstorming and enlightenments. They aren’t clean and nicely packaged, ready-to-go nuggets of information for willing people to digest without question. To digest this you have to put in a little elbow grease—or brainpower if you will.

Microtopias. MESSY. Everyone has a different definition, especially for how it applies to one on an individual level. But lets talk community. In this setting, I view a microtopia to be a complex, efficient working system.

By stating FLEFF itself is a microtopia, I have two options. I could just think of this on a neat and superficial level, accepting that FLEFF sparks communication about environmental ideals. Done.

Or we can dig deeper. We can evaluate the system in all of its little parts (the movies, music, parties, interns, networking, conversation, education) and realize how they relate to each other. It is the big snapshot picture of all of these parts working together that builds community.

And to join the community you have to not be afraid to jump outside your comfort zone. Because nature, the environment and it’s systems are never simple. Everything is interconnected and messy. And creating this utopia within FLEFF is about embracing that naturalness and goodness of messiness.

So ground your feet in mother earth. Let her mud seep between your toes and revel in the mess that is innately beautiful in its systematic complexity.

What is the best mess you have ever taken part in? Why was it fun? 

Blog post written by Colleen Ryan, Television-Radio '12, Anthropology minor, Lansing, NY

The list of amazing guests keeps growing and growing, and by golly I don't think there's anything about FLEFF that I'm NOT excited for.

Here are five guests I'm most looking forward to:

1. Elizabeth Coffman.  She's many things that I aspire to be:  Documentary filmmaker.  Writer. Teacher.  Mom. If you haven't checked out her writing on the Inside Higher Ed, "Mama, PhD" you should!  It's great!  I've been reading it all morning.  Coffman is also the co-producer of Veins in the Gulf, a documentary about the disappearing coastline of Louisiana, a film I'm dying to see and that will be screened the last day of FLEFF (April 1st).

2. Menna Khalil.  Suffering in the Middle East is something I know little about, and I wish I knew more.  Khalil's activism and work sounds extremely inspiring, and I can't wait to see her presentation that documents Iraq Burin and stories of Palestinian village who were witnesses to uprising.  To read more about her work, check out fellow blogger Brian McCormick's interview.

3. Matthew Podolsky. His non-profit organization "Wild Lens" incorporates all my passions into one: Activism. Science. Conservation. Art.  Wild Lens wishes to "present biological facts in an exciting and accessible way, and broaden the public interest in environmental and wildlife conservation – one species at a time."  It's pretty safe to say my dream job may be exactly that -- word for word.

4. Robby Aceto and the Cloud Chamber Orchestra.  As I said in a previous post about Aceto and his improvisational music trio, I can't wait for the Cloud Chamber Orchestra's live scoring of "Nanook of the North."  It will be my first experience of any kind of live music played with film.  I love music, but I don't believe my brain has the ability to fathom performing live with a film, while also improvising and collaborating with two other musicians.  To an audience it must seem so effortless, but holy cow the talent one must have!

5. Bernie Upson and his Quartet.  I'm a wannabe jazz fanatic.  Whenever I listen to jazz, I feel as if I was born in the wrong decade.  I picture myself dolled-up in a smokey mid-century jazz lounge, with the bass vibrating through my veins.  I'm thrilled to see such a talented group of musicians play.  It's not everyday you're in the presence of jazz legends!

19 days until FLEFF. Ready. Set. Get excited.  I know I am.  Are you?

Colleen Ryan
Television-Radio, '12
Anthropology Minor
Lansing, NY

Fellow blogger Meagan McGinnes asked guest Robby Aceto last night at the FLEFF intern meeting how his improvisational music trio, Cloud Chamber Orchestra, forms a cohesive sound, despite having a different take on the film they score.

“The baseline is respect,” he said. “Even though you can have completely different views, they can still work together as long as you have respect.”

And there it is. Collaboration. Adaptation. Appreciation. Microtopias. 

“[When performing live music you must] Embrace accidents, figure out ways to utilize them, and not allow them to cause disaster, which waits at every moment,” Aceto said.

“You have to be in control of the environment. Not making sound is just as crucial as making sound. Embrace the silence.”

Even though just speaking about improvisational music, I believe Robby really captured the essence of FLEFF, and I felt very touched and inspired by his words.

This year marks the 90^th anniversary of Robert Flaherty’s “Nanook of the North” and I can’t even begin to express how excited I am to watch it with a live score.

Flaherty’s portrayal of Nanook and his family, although slightly fabricated, is a beautiful romanticized film about the life of the Inuit people, and I’ve never watched it with any sort of accompaniment – just dimmed buzzing classroom fluorescents. 

Aceto stated that most of his trio’s scores are pretty modern, yet “vocative of place and time.”

He told the FLEFF interns that his trio inhibits the mindset of the filmmaker. They take into consideration what his wishes might be, and what the filmmaker achieved with his film at the time of its creation.

Although a child of the technological age, I sometimes feel as if I was born in the wrong era. I wish I could have witnessed life in a simpler time, without the instant gratification of technology.

From the vantage point of a 21^st century citizen, technology we have today was just pure fantasy to those at the time of “Nanook of the North.”

Aceto also told the interns, “In a way now, we can feel superior to [the filmmakers then], but they were making it up as they went along, and they had to think much more creatively than a filmmaker now. “

“We’ve narrowed our expectations of what a film experience should be,” he said, and I agree.

The trio’s performance on the closing night of FLEFF will be the first silent film I've ever experienced with a live score, and I personally think that it’s a tradition that although seemingly archaic, is a lost and under appreciated art form!

 I am sure everyone has heard of a little silent movie called The Artist. The musical score in this film brought the picture to life. The growing popularity of this film within mainstream culture has expanded the somewhat limited view we have about what qualifies as a good movie. For most, a “quality” film means explosions, a good love story and some 3D glasses. FLEFF, with the help of improvisational musician Robby Aceto, is bringing back the idea of beauty within simplicity. And even though there may be no explosions, simple does not mean boring. Because there is nothing boring about improvisational live music to a silent film.

Improvisation is all about evoking a response from the audience. It is interesting to think that improvisation could be considered the utopia for music—if we are applying the definition of utopia as a state of being without guidelines or restrictions. And this is not the only way in which the idea of a utopia, or better yet a microtopia, applies to improvisational music and its process. Aceto states in his improvisational trio, the first thing they need to do is establish a common base for their understanding of the film. There has to be a respect for the wish and intent of the director. Once that communication has taken place and once that basic understanding is met, all factors will work together, even if perspectives and interpretations between the musicians are different. Because differences create a textural sound-scape that allows the pictures to come to life off the screen (and without 3D glasses, imagine that!). As I have said before, FLEFF is all about the texture. In the microtopia FLEFF creates, communication is key. Though we may all be attending FLEFF for different reasons and with different viewpoints, we all have one thing in common: a basic respect for environmental advocacy and art through film. All the other differences, the unexpected interpretations of our minds—or even of the music—add texture, interest and excitement. Something you can’t get from your standard, explosion-filled blockbuster film.

What do you think of the idea that the category of improvisation is a musical microtopia? 

Tonight at our weekly FLEFF meeting, us interns got the amazing chance to hear electronic composer Robby Aceto share some information about the scores he has recently created and took some questions from the audience. You can get a chance to hear him as he will be improvising live music during the screening of the ninety-year-old documentary, Nanook of the North at Cinemapolis. 

"We are so sophisticated in our technologies, and a hundred years ago these things were just fantasy." He begins by speaking about the way sound in film has evolved over the past hundred years from live music accompanying each screening to revolutionary technology that made synchronous sound possible. Does the Jazz Singer ring a bell for all you film scholars out there? After that, he took some questions from the audience:

7:12 PM - Aceto informs us that the electric guitar has become a ubiquitous instrument in today's musical world, but as a "color guitarist," he deviates from this typical sound and offers a truly unique sound.

7:14 PM - "It's not the easiest thing to do." Striking, but true. Aceto talks about being a freelance musician and the negatives that come with it when it comes to getting gigs and finding your niche. However, he gives some optimistic advice: "be available and try to make a name for yourself." And let's be honest because this is true despite what field you are working in.

7:22 PM - Working in a group is kind of like duking it out. The baseline is respectable material and there is a sense of collaboration that goes into perfecting the piece. 

7:30 PM - We get to hear one of his pieces! As an outrageous and bizarre silent film appears onscreen (through an excessive use of vignetting), the music resonates with a sense of respectability and relevance. This proves that despite how ridiculous the visual may be, the power of sound in film is incredible and truly influential.

7:45 PM - Yet another piece comes on and the sound is remarkable. Through a myriad of instruments, including a toy piano, a cello, a mandolin and an open-air mic, a harmonious final result is achieved. No wonder the FLEFF co-directors Thomas Shevory & Patricia Zimmerman asked him to return to the festival for a fourth time.

7:52 PM - What is composing you may ask? "The idea is that you're not there to comment on what's going on. You're there to interpret and try to be a part of it." 

I think leaving off on these last words is appropriate. Although in context he happened to be talking about scoring music for film, I believe his words have the ability to speak on a much stronger level. By integrating yourself with what is surrounding you rather than take note of it exemplifies the interactive nature of FLEFF. Do you agree that actions speak louder than words?

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

Tonight, Robby Aceto visited the intern staff to discuss his role at FLEFF 2012.

Aceto is an internationally recognized "color" guitarist. He explained that the term "color guitarist" allows him to signal that he uses his instrument in unexpected, non-traditional ways.

He explained, "there's an expectation of what you hear from a guitar, especially an electric guitar...it's used in very narrow ways...[but] the capabilities of the instrument are really much broader than that."

This year will mark his fourth year performing at FLEFF. 

Aceto will be performing on the closing night of the festival at Cinemapolis, the local independent art cinema and long-time FLEFF partner.

He will be scoring the silent film "Nanook of the North," which is considered the first feature-length documentary film. 2012 marks the 90th anniversary of the release of the film. 

Scoring silent films is a crucial part of film history. Before synchronous sound technology was developed, it was very typical for orchestras to accompany the screening of silent films in theaters. 

In explaining the integrity of scoring silent films in modern times, Aceto also stressed the importance of active audience attendance and participation in these performances:

"Being there, you have an effect on the outcome." 

Many interns inquired about the process and technique behind improvisational film scoring. Some of his tips included: 

"Embrace the accidents that occur."

Ask yourself: "What did the filmmaker want? If he was here now, what would he think?"

"You've got to embrace the silence, as well as the noise." 

And, above all, "You've got to make it happen." 

The one thing that struck me the most about Aceto's presentation is the almost cautionary statement he made as soon as he stood up before us:

"I'm not an academic. I'm a person who is always doing things." 

The nature of Aceto's improvisational work for FLEFF is doing. He does not glue himself in front of his television watching and re-watching films, completing hours and hours of preliminary research before he performs. He sees, experiences, and feels the film, and then translates those raw emotions into uncensored musical language. 

In today's society, are we encouraged to process information by doing as Robby Aceto does? 

How does FLEFF create a safe space for artists and academics alike to explore ideas through action, through doing? 

Blog posting written by Ian Carsia, Cinema & Photography '14, FLEFF Intern, Hamilton, NJ

6:51 p.m. Blogging live with Robby Aceto. Aceto will be performing in a live musical accompaniment of "Nanook of the North" for FLEFF 2012.

6:53 p.m. FLEFF T-SHIRTS ARE IN!

6:57 p.m. This will be the fourth time Robby and his co-conspirators have performed at FLEFF.

"Who has heard of Nanook of the North?"

100% of hands shoot up.

"Who has seen Nanook of the North?"

90% of hands go down.

WE ARE HERE TO LEARN!

7:02 p.m. Robby Aceto: "Right now, you don't have to convince anyone. You can just do it."

7:05 p.m. Robby Aceto: "The biggest problem that a group [of artists] has to overcome...is connecting with the mindset of someone 100 years ago making a film."

7:08 p.m. Robby Aceto: "We've narrowed our expectation of what a film is supposed to be."

7:11 p.m. Robby Aceto: "My approach to an instrument is to use it in a textural way."

7:17 p.m. Robby Aceto: "First, we try to get into the mindset of the filmmaker: What would he want?...Even if it looks silly to you, you have to remind yourself 'This guy was deadly serious' about whatever it was...And as far as doing it differently...just as a matter of course, it's going to be different."

7:43 p.m. Screening clips of accompanyment with Ernst Lubitsch's 1921 film The Wild Cat (Dr. Zimmermann: "The only German expressionist comedy.")

7:50 p.m. Robby Aceto: "Once you step into the realm of "This is what is happening on screen," you take it away from the audience."

7:54 p.m. About to screen a clip from 1925's Grass.

7:56 p.m. Robby Aceto: "None of the musicians know what the other's going to do...Not so much "call-and-response," more like...reaction..."

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

FLEFF Week 2012 is coming up fast, and the list of this year's festival guests is up on our website!

While every FLEFF guest brings something dynamic to the table, here are five guests that I am especially looking forward to meeting and learning from!

1. Cynthia Henderson: An Ithaca College Theatre Arts professor. Cynthia Henderson has countless acting and directing credits in the United States, Europe, and Africa. As I am pretty unfamiliar with theatre, I am hoping that Professor Henderson will shed some light on the intersections between live performance and social change and the ways in which live performance and film interact with and contradict each other. I am also extremely interested in her work on "A Wrinkle in Time" at the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts, as that is one of my absolute favorite books!

2. Chris White: As a cellist who actively performs both classical AND non-classical music, Chris White straddles the line of tradition versus innovation. White seems, to me, to epitomize the purpose of FLEFF; to make sense of (false) binaries and create new meanings out of tension and polarity. As the founder and director of New Directions Cello Association & Festival, I am sure that he has a lot of great insights about how to create a hub for like-minded artists and intellectuals to learn and grow together. 

3. Matthew Podolsky: A graduate of Ithaca College with a double major in Cinema and Photography and Environmental Science, Matthew Podolsky helps run the non-profit organization Wild Lens. Podolsky's very obvious interests in documentary production and the environment speak directly to FLEFF's mission, and I am excited to hear about his experiences as an IC alum. 

4. Toivo: From Trumansburg, NY, Toivo is a six-piece band that boasts of a hodgepodge of musical influences, such as Finnish and Tex-Mex, suited for dance traditions from all over the world-- waltzes, tangoes, polanise, two-steps, and many, many more! Much like Drs. Brad Hougham and Debbie Martin in their presentation about "The Concert for Microtopias," Toivo seems to embody the very "FLEFF-y" idea of creating meaning from conflicting musical forces. I am very excited for their performance, as I don't think that I have ever heard traditional Finnish music before!

5. Laura Kissel: A documentary filmmaker and Director of Film and Media Studies Program at the University of South Carolina. Her short biography on the FLEFF website already had me asking questions; I am excited to learn about her use of "orphan films" in her critical media work. As Kissel is heavily involved in academia, I hope that she will be able to provide faculty, students, and other FLEFF attendees advice on how to balance institutional demands with creative needs. 

Which artists are you most excited to see during FLEFF week 2012? 

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

A woman strides on stage.

She is tall, with big, diva-like hair, and she is brimming with confidence and attitude. She stares at us, the audience, before shouting; "my vagina is angry!"

I feel the man sitting to my left shift uncomfortably in his seat. 

On Sunday, February 26, I attended the IC Players performance of "The Vagina Monologues." Written by Eve Ensler and performed for the first time in 1996, "The Vagina Monologues" is a play based off of interviews with over 200 women about their sexualities and memories. 

Over the years, "The Vagina Monologues" has inspired the creation of "V-Day," a movement aiming to end violence against women and girls around the globe. 

As I sat and listened to the performer on stage denounce tampons and detail the horror of gynecologist appointments, I also listened to the sounds of the audience around me. 

We women were laughing, clutching our sides, howling at the absurdities being described on stage. We cocked our heads in sympathy and understanding during the more serious parts of the monologue.

We turned to each other to mouth, "that's so true!" or, "that's totally happened to me!" 

In that moment, I found a microtopia among the other engaged women of the audience. 

And it struck me that creating an environment of mutual understanding, empathy, and connection is exactly what FLEFF aims to do for its audience. 

By coming to FLEFF and committing to being active and engaged audience members, women, men, artists, observers, seasoned and new environmentalists, students, professionals, musicians, and everyone in between can enter into a safe space-- a microtopia-- in which sharing ideas, connecting to each other, growing, evolving, and empathizing with each other becomes possible.

How will you be an engaged audience member during FLEFF week 2012?

Blog posting written by Chloe Wilson, Television-Radio ’14, FLEFF Intern, Ashland, Massachusetts.

Doesn't 2008 seem so long ago?

It's so weird to think that FLEFF has been around for four years, let alone fifteen.  And so much has changed since FLEFF 2008!  We had a different president, The Dark Knight hadn't premiered yet, and I had no idea where I was going to go to college. (Spoiler alert:  I chose IC!)

So looking at information and schedules from past years of FLEFF, I was expecting to see a lot of differences.   You can find the website for FLEFF 2008 here, but here's a quick rundown of the differences between FLEFF 2008 and FLEFF 2012.

• FLEFF 2008's screenings took place at Ithaca College, Cinemapolis, and Fall Creek Pictures.

• FLEFF 2008 focused on four content streams: Camouflage, Counterpoint, Games, and Gastronomica.

• FLEFF 2008 did not have a Checkpoints Story Contest. 

• Buffalo Street Books was not an official partner of FLEFF 2008, but they're working with us for FLEFF 2012!

It's cool to see how FLEFF has progressed over time.  With FLEFF celebrating its fifteenth year anniversary this year, FLEFF has taught us about so many topics, ranging from environmental issues to electronic music to the science of food. This only makes me more excited for this year's events!

What's your favorite FLEFF memory?

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! 

“So I have named this tree out in the natural lands called grandfather oak—don’t make me sound crazy,” said sophomore environmental studies major, Elly Linares. “And I go visit it frequently. It really grounds me. I mean it’s just this huge tree that I go sit under and all of the sudden I am rooted with it.”

Linares, a California native, loves the outdoors and the environment. It is these loves that first made her drawn to FLEFF. Linhares attends the Wild and Scenic Film Festival when home, so she recognized this internship as an opportunity to have that same sort of connection and experience while at school. Not being a communications student, she is enjoying learning about the skills it takes to run a festival of this kind. However, her true passion is still with the environmental advocacy behind FLEFF- this year focusing on the theme of microtopias.

“I think it is something the world is shifting to right now which is think locally, act globally. And I feel like microtopias and the fact if we were able to form really strong local environments, we would form a huge utopia based off that,” said Linares. “Will it be perfect? No, because the world is not, but its something really important to be local. And what a great place for FLEFF to be because Ithaca is such a locally conscious town.”

Linares’s mission of environmental advocacy will not end with FLEFF, either. Currently, Linares tries to live a sustainable life style. While at home in northern California, she lives on a farm run on solar energy. She finds being as environmentally conscious is more difficult while at school.

“I do what it takes to be at balance with the world, be it emotionally or physically, and sustain myself that way. So, like an example I don’t use modern medicine. I use herbs and then I eat organic. Of course recycling factors into that too." 

But, as is being discussed in many of the previous blogs, sustainability is not solely about actions, but also education and mindsets. It relates closely to how we relate to each other as a community—on a small and large scale. Linares plans on promoting this aspect of sustainability through work with the Peace Corps. 

“The Peace Corps is a great organization to represent the though that I was raised with,” said Linares. “My mom was in the nonprofit world all her life and she said ‘I’d rather be paid in love than money’.”

Currently, the Peace Corps work is only seven percent environmentally based, but Linares hopes to change this. After working with the Peace Corps, she plans on living off the grid in a primitive area of the world.

“In ten years, I will probably be coming back to the world, hopefully with a little better understanding of it and myself,” said Linares.

And what does Linares say to skeptics of the environmental crisis?

“You don’t have to agree with it, but you have to understand that humans are the only species that have the power to change it. And that is an extreme amount of power to have, and we are just sitting there and not doing anything with it.”

So here’s my question for all of you: Recognizing we have the power of change, what should we do with it?

*Also, here are some fun facts about Elly—in case you were wondering, because I was!

Favorite movie- Food Inc.

Favorite food- Any raw prepared food, and Mexican food

Favorite color- Purple, for now anyways

Favorite musical artist- Ingrid Michaelson

Blog Posting written by Meagan McGinnes, Journalism '14, FLEFF intern, Norwood, MA 

The sign of a true artist, whether you are an artist of music, words, paint, film, community or whatever, is the recognition and utilization of texture.

Even the most unrelated topics become related, weaved together in lively and interesting way. It is the magic of FLEFF, stringing things together to make unexpected, but wonderful sense.

Example: combining a film festival with a musical concert.

Brad Hougham, assistant professor for performance studies (voice), said this concert is one of his favorites to perform in because of his musical freedom. And, man, did he use that freedom!

The repertoire includes pieces utilizing an orchestra, organ, harpsichord, cello, piano and more. The material spans from lullabies to gospel. At times, they vocally will be trying to sound like other instruments to add an interesting and cool effect.

These pieces vary in rhythms, harmonies and dissonance. Just by listening there would be no obvious connection. Yet, the differences create intrigue. Intrigue leads to conversation. Conversation leads to community. Communities lead to microtopias.

“What you see will be something different than you could have possibly ever imagined,” Hougham said.

The same can be said about the FLEFF festival: it will be different than you ever imagined. FLEFF brings a diverse group of people with imaginative minds, creating a responsive environment. And what can move people to responsiveness more than music, an art form known for stirring emotions and kindling a spark in the soul.

“I love bringing excellent music to life in a different way so old music can speak to people,” Hougham said. 

Music, similar to microtopias, is fragmented and yet it can come together. It is a safe place to push boundaries, to question the preconceived and to create textures both vibrant and new.   

Has music ever moved you to responsiveness? What material's texture do you feel best exemplifies the "texture" of FLEFF? 

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

I am currently sitting in the Igor room of Ithaca College's Whalen School of Music with about 40 other FLEFF interns. We are listening to Dr. Brad Hougham, Assistant Professor of Performance Studies (Voice), and Dr. Debbie Martin, Associate Professor and Associate Chair of Performance Studies (Piano), present about "The Concert for Microtopias," which will be held on Tuesday, March 27.

"The Concert for Microtopias" will feature performances by both Dr. Hougham and Dr. Martin, as well as outside musicians such as pianist Jairo Geronymo, and Art Jones, a VJ from New York City. 

Dr. Hougham's enthusiasm for FLEFF is extremely tangible from the get-go as he proclaims that FLEFF is his favorite event to participate in each school year.

He expresses the importance of FLEFF as a space of freedom for artists to pursue the pieces that they want to pursue. He touches on the interdisciplinary nature of FLEFF, expressing appreciation at how the festival forces him out of Whalen and gives him the opportunity to collaborate and brainstorm with professionals in other disciplines. 

Dr. Martin explains that FLEFF allows both performers and audience members to feel feelings at the most extreme and raw levels. In order to demonstrate how crucial these raw feelings are, Dr. Martin asked us to stand up and clap out a rhythm as she played the piano in tandem.

We felt, in Dr. Martin words, "some of the fun of the music."

Both musicians share with us some pieces that they are planning on performing at the concert. They discuss the ways in which these pieces will interact with and contradict each other, creating musical conflicts leading to intellectual experiences and insights. 

Often, Dr. Hougham and Dr. Martin stand back and let the music speak for itself.

Though I can often be seen walking around campus sporting ipod headphones, I do not consider myself a musical person by any means. Thus, I was excited to come to this presentation and really learn something about an unfamiliar field.

I thought that I would walk away with some tangible nugget of information about the ways in which music lends itself to film festivals. I expected to walk away with a handful of great soundbites from Dr. Hougham and Dr. Martin that succinctly explained the role of musical expression in FLEFF. 

Instead, Dr. Hougham and Dr. Martin challenged us to engage with the music on our own. We were left to digest the collision of tones, rhythms, and melodies ourselves, through our own lenses, just as FLEFF audiences will be expected to do.

The result, for me at least, was a more visceral understanding of how two extremely different ideas can collide and create a completely new, third idea.

And this collision and creation of ideas is what exists at the very core of FLEFF!

Are you all as excited as I am to attend "The Concert for Microtopias" and hear the sound of ideas being created during FLEFF Week 2012?

Colleen Ryan
Television-Radio, Scriptwriting '12
Anthropology Minor
FLEFF Intern
Lansing, NY

It's an interesting experiment when you take a bunch of students unfamiliar with the music school, and have them try to find a room hidden in the corner.  Although many of us FLEFF interns are out our element tonight here in Whalen, we're all here for a common purpose: A behind the scenes look into "The Concert for Microtopias"

I can't express how excited I am for FLEFF week. 

Not only will the concert in Hockett Hall at Ithaca College the Tuesday (March 27th) of FLEFF be an amazing spectacle, but it will be an awe-inspiring event where great minds and performers have come together to combine many works of art from music to acting to on the fly image processing.

It's "The Concert for Microtopias", a concert thinking in ways of bringing people together over something joyful.

Dr. Zimmerman told the interns that many of the people involved with the performance are those "who push the envelope and go intellectually and emotionally farther than they have ever gone before."

I can't wait to see how all these elements come together.

Colleen Ryan
Television-Radio, Scriptwriting ‘12
Anthropology minor
FLEFF Intern
Lansing, NY
 

I’ve struggled for several days trying to come up with a succinct definition for “microtopia.”

Don’t ever ask me to write a dictionary, because boy do I like my verbose run-on sentences.

Language seems arbitrary at times.

A soon to be college graduate, and I still confuse the words “utopia” and “oasis.” I see both as a place to flourish. A place of seemingly untouched, uncontaminated beauty, that although possibly surrounded by arid dessert, still has the ability to adapt and prosper.

I’m not good at putting labels on things, and as a screenwriter, I battle with words that would be better expressed as images and emotions.

I think I’ll be better at describing how microtopias makes me feel.

Microtopias makes me excited to be alive. Graduating college ranks highly on the list of “Most Terrifying Things,” yet the idea of microtopias sparks excitement.

Parts of capitalism and corporate America have in a way “incepted” us all, subliminally telling us that the way to live after college is to immediately get a “career.” We’re thriving if we have a job. We’re happy if we have money.

But is that what life’s about? I want a sustainable lifestyle. Not just by contributions to inhabit the world in a better way, but personal sustainability as well. This does not mean spending forty hours a week at an entry-level job that I hate just because I think I should.

Happiness and well-being can also be sustained.

As a constant collector of passions and inspirations, microtopias make me feel at ease and zealous towards not being exactly sure what it is I want to do…yet.

It’s okay that I don’t know.

There are endless ways I can contribute and flourish, and places where I don’t need the label of a job title to make me feel like I’m contributing to society. FLEFF allows me to celebrate myself, and the idea of microtopias: A desire to use our dissimilar yet beautiful strengths to make the world a better place.

I want to know: How do microtopias make you feel?  What about them excites you?  What do you think of them?
 

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

I hesitate to open this blog post with a quote.

I admit it; in attempting to formulate my very-own-super-personal definition of “microtopias,” I turned to someone else’s words.

Specifically, I turned to the words of writer Anaïs Nin. Nin was a fantastic writer and thinker. She is most famous for her published diary (which inspired the movie “Henry and June,” starring Uma Thurman).

 She wrote:

“From the backstabbing co-worker to the meddling sister-in-law, you are in charge of how you react to the people and events in your life. You can either give negativity power over your life or you can choose happiness instead. Take control and choose to focus on what is important in your life. Those who cannot live fully often become destroyers of life.”

I discovered this quote about two years ago, while casually scrolling down my tumblr dashboard. It struck me then, so I saved it in a document on my computer…then quickly forgot about it.

However, I found myself coming back to it after reading Gretchen Rubin’s enthralling book “The Happiness Project” this past Winter Break (follow her blog about happiness here!) Rubin’s insights, along with Nin’s quote, informed my conscious decision to actively pursue positivity in an effort to control happiness in my life.

After becoming inspired by the words and ideas of these two women, I knew that I needed to test my new perspective.

Enter: my little sister, Lucia.

Lucia is an extremely creative, bright, compassionate, and outspoken five-year-old. She, like any five-year-old, can be also insolent, stubborn, and dramatic.

Before I committed myself to intentional positive thinking, I would get easily frustrated with Lucia when she refused to listen to me. Occasionally, I would raise my voice at her—and she raised hers right back. I began to think that the situation was hopeless, that she would never calm down and that things would continue to escalate.

And guess what? Because I thought that things were going to escalate, I panicked and got more upset. And the more upset that I got, the louder I raised my voice. So things, naturally, escalated!

When I thought negative thoughts, the situation would continue to produce negative results.

However, when I took a deep breath and spoke to Lucia calmly—the whole time thinking, knowing that she would calm down and everything was fine—she started to listen to me!

Positive thinking = positive action = positive situation.

I find solace in knowing that I, and I alone, have the power to control my emotions, and subsequently my life. My mind has the potential to become an escape from frustration, sadness, anger, and guilt— if I only choose to recall the hub of good feelings that are always accessible to me. If I can turn negative thoughts and emotions into positive ones, I can transform negative situations into positive ones.

I have come to learn that I can create my own microtopia simply through intentional positive thinking.

But, hey, this is just my personal experience!

I am sure that many people have denounced positive psychology, finding that it simply does not work for them. So I am interested in your opinions!

Do you believe the human mind has the potential to become a microtopia? Are different perspectives and outlooks on life, in essence, just different microtopias?

Passion: it’s an uncontrollable desire, an inner fire. For me, passion is the most important emotion to incorporate in every aspect of my life, whether that is through my writing, my friendships, or my other interests.

What is even more exciting and invigorating than personal passion is finding people with a shared passion. And I’m not talking about shared love of trends like sports teams, Harry Potter, Twilight or Lady Gaga. I am talking about true, down and dirty, this-is-going-to-change-my-life and I-want-to-change-the-world passion. Trends are superficial. Passion goes deeper than that. It’s an emotion of the soul that touches down to the inner cores of our being. Passion builds relationships, friendships, and community.

At the screening of Oka, the first film to kick off FLEFF 2012, the sense of shared passion in the packed theater was overwhelming. The buzz of excitement, the gasps of shock, the silence of intrigue had everyone in a joint state of hypnosis. This can only happen with a connection on that deep level that passion evokes. We were all there and present in that theater because of a passion for environmental advocacy, music, film, etc. I felt connected to the strangers in that theater because of it. We all shared a few hours together, soaking our souls in FLEFF goodness.  

I have found that the best friendships and strongest relationships in my life have not been formed because of a shared obsession for Urban Outfitters or the catchy television show Glee. They have grown from life loves and awe-inspiring aspiration. The best things in life come from passion.

What is your passion and how will you share it?

Blog posting written by Isabel Galupo, Cinema and Photography, ’14, FLEFF Intern, Towson, Maryland.

Nomenclature. Lackadaisical. Coagulation.

These are just a few of my favorite words.

To me, understanding and respecting the power of words is a crucial skill for all people living in today’s world. Words can inspire life-changing epiphanies and spark revolutions. Words have the power to affect individual people at their very cores, while simultaneously resonating with entire communities and populations. Words can create significant and extraordinary change.

My love and respect for words is what brought me from my hometown of Towson, Maryland to Ithaca College. I entered my freshman year with a brand new pack of Black Papermate Profile Retractable Ballpoint Pens (which I highly recommend!) and an eagerly declared Journalism major.

However, I quickly discovered that my true passion lay in writing for film and switched my major to Cinema and Photography, with a concentration in Screenwriting. As an avid reader (I am currently in the middle of Michael Ondaatje's poetry collection The Cinnamon Peeler and Anne E. Kornblut's work Notes from the Cracked Ceiling), I use my love for words to connect to the Ithaca community and volunteer with The Family Reading Partnership. I enjoy playing with words to craft my own creative writing, in addition to writing Draft Resolutions during Model United Nations conferences where I represent the IC Model UN Team. 

My love for words is also what prompted me to intern for the 15^th annual Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival this semester. This year, the backbone of FLEFF is one singular word: “microtopias.” Though FLEFF co-directors Thomas Shevory and Patricia Zimmermann did an excellent job breaking down the nuances surrounding the word on the festival home page, I am excited to see how FLEFF will provide moviegoers, directors, students, artists, intellectuals, writers, readers, and dreamers a space to explore the multitude of meanings and possibilities behind the word “microtopias.”

Most importantly, however, FLEFF provides us all with the opportunity to reflect on the term “film festival.” At first glance, the definition of this word may seem straightforward. However, FLEFF’s interdisciplinary nature challenges all of us to question what we think we know about the limits of film festivals and the parameters of art.

Words are all around us. We often take them for granted, never pausing to savor the complexity and possibility that lies behind each and every one of them. In the upcoming weeks, I challenge all of you to practice challenging yourself in the way that FLEFF surely will. Ask yourselves: What is your favorite word? What possibilities lie within the multiple definitions of that word? How can you widen your understanding of words in order to effectively use them in our exciting and ever-changing society? 

Blog posting written by Kacey Deamer, Journalism and Environmental Studies '13, FLEFF Intern, Binghamton, NY

Some people hate to talk about themselves. I'm not one of those people. I'll tell you just about anything you want to know about me. More than anything, though, I love to talk about the environment. That's probably why I am a double major in journalism and environmental studies. It is my job to write and talk about the environment, ranging from the science of climate change to eco-friendly lifestyle changes.

Working with FLEFF is a perfect combination of these passions. I get to promote an incredible, interdisciplinary environmental film festival through blogging! Through this platform I'll share with you the inner-workings of a festival: profiles, reviews, top 5 lists and many other musings. Think of this as a special preview, brought to you by students who care.

As a student who cares and who will be sharing stories on this blog, I thought I'd tell you some more about myself (since I do, in fact, love to talk about myself). I grew up in the suburbs of Binghamton, NY, which is not too inspiring in the environmental department. Despite that, I always had a consciousness of the planet and its well-being. Attending Ithaca College was an easy choice given the sustainability efforts of the campus and the perfect combination of majors.

My time on campus has been spent doing just about everything. On the journalist side: I'm an editor for Buzzsaw Magazine, the environment/sustainability beat reporter for The Ithacan, a member of SPJ and SEJ, and developing a personal blog. On the environmental side: I help maintain the student-run organic garden, am a member of the environmental society and Slow Food chapter. 

Off-campus I am a full-time foodie and wine connoisseur (which will come in handy working on the festival). I also have a fondness for DIY projects and therefore a new addiction to Pinterest.

I'm here, as an intern and a blogger and an insatiable academic, to broaden my understanding of the festival world and to find new avenues to share environmental messages. Why are you here?

Blog posting written by Hana Raskin, Communication Management and Design ’12, FLEFF Intern, New York City

Welcome to my blog! This spring we will embark on a journey together, as we experience and explore all that the 2012 Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival has to offer.

My name is Hana Raskin and I am a senior at Ithaca College where I study Communication Management and Design. I am originally from the East Village, a vibrant and diverse neighborhood in New York City. My neighborhood has many claims to fame: "beat generation godfather" Allen Ginsberg lived in the East Village and used it as inspiration for many of his poems, and there were also the Tompkins Square Riots in 1988, which captured the neighborhood's struggle with pervasive gentrification.

Moving to Ithaca was difficult at first; it was hard to sleep at night without fire engines and bar fights serving as the backdrop to my dreams. However, I have grown to love this town and all it has to offer. Ithaca has provided me with a strong sense of community that I never had growing up. Community would be one of the main reasons I decided to become a FLEFF intern, besides of course, my love for film.

FLEFF brings together the Ithaca College campus community with the Downtown Ithaca community and then Ithaca with the global community. FLEFF looks past the subjective borders that separate us by bringing us together in a global conversation on sustainability, immigration and other pertinent environmental and human rights issues.

We have partners and collaborations around the world. The collaboration that I am most exited for is with Cinema Tropical, which presents Latin American cinema in the United States. In New York City, Cinema Tropical organized screenings of Amores Perros and Y Tu Mama Tambien, which are two of my all-time favorite films!

My love for foreign films stems from my being an adventurer with a wanderlust spirit. I have studied in Argentina and Spain and have traveled to over 15 countries. During my most recent crazy trip, I took two 24-hour bus rides to spend two days in La Paz, Mexico. No regrets.

I have told you why I identify with Fleff, now I want to know why you do. What is it about FLEFF that connects to you and to your unique story?

Colleen Ryan

Class of 2012

Television-Radio, Scriptwriting

Anthropology Minor

Lansing, NY

I’m a vagabond of passions.

One of my biggest regrets is ever believing I had to chose just one.  As a college senior, Ithaca College is my third undergraduate institution, and I’m surrounded by so many other students and faculty, who like me, have discovered it’s a beautiful thing to be abundantly passionate.

That’s why I know I belong at FLEFF.  I don’t have to choose one form of expression because FLEFF celebrates it all. 

I added an anthropology minor in the second semester of my junior year.  My love for the human condition was what made it hard to find my niche in media for so long, but now I know I can intertwine them.

When you’re a college senior the “real world” becomes ever more real and scary, and some how society pressures make it seem like graduating college becomes a quarter life crisis.  Who are you going to be?  What are you going to do?  How much money are you going to make?  How are you going to leave your mark on this world? 

It’s nauseating yet exhilarating.

These questions may not be completely answerable in one day, or one lifetime.  In many ways I feel like a born-again activist.  I'm a pescetarian, I've stopped using plastics (to the best of my ability), and have started to put extra money towards saving endangered species.

After living in Los Angeles for a month, in the fast lane towards my then dream of being a television writer, I realized that I didn’t want to contribute to society by creating entertainment, but creating change.  Media is a powerful thing.  It's a universal language and it's ability to tug on heartstrings and make a difference in this world is amazing.  I see it as a blessing to be in love with too many things, because there’s no such thing. 

FLEFF is allowing me not only to share my love of writing with you, but to give you an insiders look into the beautiful world that it commemorates.  

I’m thirsty for knowledge and love to be well informed – perhaps it’s because I’m the child of two academics.  I’m in love with the idea of FLEFF because it turns these issues into art and expression, and I can’t wait to be involved with all that it has to offer.

I'm a sap.  I cry when I'm happy, and I cry when I'm sad.  I get inspired easily. I want to know: Is there any film, photo, or piece of art (music included) that has moved you towards inspiration to make the world a better place?

Meagan McGinnes

Class of 2014, Journalism

Minors in politics and environmental studies

Norwood, MA

Fun Facts About Me:

1.     I am a Boston girl.

2.     I have a twin sister, who also goes to Ithaca College.

3.     I am addicted to caffeine.

4.     My favorite color is yellow.

5.     I have Bieber fever, and I am not afraid to show it!

Don’t laugh. I am 100 percent serious when I say that Leonardo DiCaprio helped me discover my passion for environmental activism. My ridiculous love for DiCaprio began with the release of the movie Titanic. While casually stalking him/scrolling through his website, I stumbled upon his eco-link. I was enlightened. I was shocked. I was hooked.

Since then, I have become dedicated to environmental advocacy and the promotion of sustainable lifestyles through my love of journalism (check out my blog from the Ithacan!). I am President of Ithaca College’s chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. I am also Co-Editor for the upfront section of Buzzsaw Magazine. I love to talk and meet new people, but even more so I love to write. Sometimes, I have a hard time articulating exactly what I am feeling, but through my writing I am able to take the time to say exactly what I want to say, how I want to say it. And trust me, I have a lot to say. Words are beautiful. However, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and now it is time for me to look for beauty elsewhere.

I am so pleased to be working with FLEFF so I can explore a medium of journalism outside of my comfort zone, while still advocating for something I love: the planet. I am captivated by this art form that uses visuals to stir action, and I can’t wait to learn more. But even more so, I am thrilled to be a part of the community created around this festival. Which is what the theme of microtopias is all about: building an ideal community on a local level to explore the world without constraints. We create boundaries and limits for ourselves all of the time.  My resolution at the beginning of this New Year was to live my life by the words of Neale Donald Walsch who said, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” I believe this statement is true for the environmental movement as well. By breaking through these zones we create for ourselves, only then can we challenge existing systems, mindsets, boundaries and limits.

So here is what I want to know from you: other than participating in FLEFF 2012, what will you be doing to advocate for the environment in your own daily life? What will you do to break out of your comfort zone? How will you work to make your own utopia a reality rather than an ideal?

Blog posting written by Ian Carsia, Cinema & Photography '14, FLEFF Intern, Hamilton, NJ

When I first heard that the Criterion Collection was doing a release of Ishiro Honda's Gojira my excitement was indescribable. I only vaguely recall seeing the movie for the first time at the tender age of 3, but what I do remember was its irreparable impact. The metaphor flew right over my head, but there was a visceral power to the film, unparalleled by anything I had seen before or would see after.

Thus is the power of cinema, to be able to drive chills up our spines without our ability to articulate precisely why.

It was that experience which ignited my blindly stumbling journey, pursuing the allusive answer to that very "why". My majoring in Cinema & Photography, my reviewing film for The Ithacan (where my last name is oft-mispelled), and my maintenance of a personal critical/analytical blog, are all a part of that journey to quench the fires of that question.

Which is what draws me to FLEFF. With this year's theme of MICROTOPIAS, the festival once again seeks to bring together the love of cinematic art with passionate activism for human rights and the sustainability of the environment.

With this theme, FLEFF further implies a democratization of art made possible by the ubiquity of technology in our everyday lives.

For many, movies represent passivity and a detachment from the kinds of critical theories and ethical dilemmas that FLEFF seeks to address. (I believe Fran Lebowitz's fifth bullet-point offers a fairly humorous and welcome criticism of the 'art' of cinema.)

Unfortunately, this attitude has not been helped by a critical and analytical community that has emphasized more 'traditional' modes of making, exhibiting, and engaging with the cinematic art-form, and in such a way that mirrors the exact kinds of anti-democratic and elitist attitudes that defined cinema in its earliest incarnation as the un-godly entertainment of illiterate new immigrants.

FLEFF rejects these biases and its unarticulated pessimism. All individuals have the ability to make and engage with art and to effect profound change in the public perception of global affairs.

If you are passionate about FLEFF, then that means you too believe in and are a part of the Microtopia in which critical theory about art and activism collide into a techno-democracy above and beyond the prescribed notions of how one engages art and media.

It means you too are on a journey to find the answer to that "why". Far from pessimistic, you take profound pleasure in engaging the questions.

I do, as well. Will you enjoy this limited engagement with me?

Blog posting written by Chloe Wilson, Television-Radio ’14, FLEFF Intern, Ashland, Massachusetts.

Hello!

My name is Chloe.  I am a sophomore Television-Radio major with a concentration in scriptwriting.  I have a triple minor in Legal Studies, History, and the Humanities and Sciences Honors Program.

I grew up in Ashland, Massachusetts (the original home of the Boston Marathon!) and was determined to spend my college years in New York City.  I ended up not in New York City, and I couldn’t be happier.  Ithaca is the place that I’m supposed to be. 

As introductions go, I don’t do labels.  I find it impossible to identify myself without elaborating on why I used the words I did.  And yet, blog posts can only take so much space, so I’m going to do my best to introduce myself. (Concisely, of course.)

I love telling stories.  I love discovering characters in real life and I love creating them in my screenplays.  I believe that everyone and everything has an enthralling story.  It just may have not been found yet.

I love working with people.  I have a strong passion for peer advising, which rose out of my desire to discover the stories of others.  I also love helping people and enjoy working to make a difference.

I believe that we can learn from people just as much as we can help them.  This is why I was attracted to FLEFF.  It’s unique position as a curated and interdisciplinary film festival lets me partake in the dynamic intellectual engagement that no other festival offers.

I can’t wait for FLEFF 2012! I’m excited to become more active with downtown Ithaca through FLEFF. This year, The Finger Lakes Wine Center will host all of our after-event parties.  Try to tell me that that’s not awesome.  Go on. I dare you! 

As they did last year, Cinemapolis will host our film screenings.  The official film schedule for FLEFF is TBD, but Cinemapolis is screening OKA! at 4:30 PM on Sunday, Febuary 12^th.  FLEFF is co-sponsoring the event and a Q&A with director Lavinia Currier. 

Again: it's going to be awesome.

FLEFF 2012 is going to be the opportunity of a lifetime.  FLEFF challenges us to broaden what we know and immerse ourselves in what we don't, and this year's theme of microtopias only furthers that.

Personally, I'm really excited in learning about new media technologies through FLEFF.  What about you FLEFFers"  What are you most excited for in FLEFF 2012?