Blog posting written by: Kimberly Capehart, Documentary Studies and Production ’16, FLEFF Intern, Cherry Hill, NJ

I’ve never been to a film festival.

This news might be surprising to some, especially since I’m currently interning for a film festival, but I am a complete newbie in the festival scene.

But, if there’s one thing I know about film festivals, it’s that they’re about films. Duh, right?

Wrong.

In addition to showing films I’ve learned that festivals, specifically the Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival, feature a lot of other things. This year’s festival will be bringing in an amazing array of films, guests (like directors, producers, distributors, scholars, etc.), new media artists, and music.

Wait a minute, music at a film festival?

That’s right!

On Tuesday, April 2^nd, the Whalen Center for Music will be hosting FLEFF’s Mobilities concert: Carl Orff’s legendary Carmina Burana, performed by musicians from Ithaca and around the world.

Don’t be fooled by the name of the cantata; Carmina Burana is a widely recognized piece of music, and you’ve probably heard it before. The piece’s opening movement, O Fortuna, has been used in hundreds of soundscapes, including scenes in action movies and between plays on Monday Night Football.

The movement can be found on YouTube here, and for Ithaca College students, the cantata can be listened to in its entirety on the Naxos Music Library. I recommend that everyone listen to it at least once before the live performance,

I’ve gotten into the habit of listening to Carmina Burana while I do my homework and, let me tell you, I’ve never felt so empowered while sitting alone in a room.

Each of the movements in Carmina Burana is incredibly varied: not only within the piece, but also in and of itself. Loud, powerful choruses layered with drums and pianos (you read that right, multiple pianos!) follow haunting solos, which, in turn, follow soft instrumentals. 

The piece is truly unpredictable and incredibly exciting to listen to – and that’s just through my cheap headphones. I can’t imagine how the piece will sound live.

The free performance will fill up quickly so make sure you get down to the Hockett Recital Hall at the Whalen Center for Music early on April 2nd. Don't miss out on your opportunity to see a very unique performance of this legendary piece. The concert starts at 8:15 pm. 

Until then, take a listen to Carmina Burana! How does it make you feel? 

Blog posting written by Chloe Wilson, Television-Radio '14, FLEFF Blogger, Ashland, Massachusetts.

When I was a freshman in high school, I got bitten by the travel bug.

With the People to People Student Ambassador Program, I travelled to Australia to discover an entire new culture.  I stayed with a host family, got to snorkel through the Great Barrier Reef, and hike around Uluru - considered by many to be an unofficial wonder of the world.

After that, all of the money I earned from part-time jobs went to travel - whether it was a class trip to Germany or gas money so I could drive to visit my friend a few towns over, I loved travelling and I loved being mobile.  

The ability to explore - which I think is inherent to this year's theme of mobilities - is something a lot of people take for granted.  Many people in countries all over the world do not have access to things that seem commonplace to us - public transportation, well-paved roads, government access to leave and enter countries freely.  

FLEFF allows artists, scholars, interns, and all other attendees to be mobile.  Physically, FLEFF is an international festival that brings people of many cultures together.  Intellectually, ideas at FLEFF travel from person to person and at the festival's end, they travel to the homes of all who attended. 

Being mobile allows us to explore other places while sharing our knowledge. FLEFF's theme of mobilities gives us the opportunity to explore that this year.  

What are your thoughts about this year's theme of mobilities?

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

I love movies.  Seriously, I am absolutely crazy about them.  So when FLEFF posted the FLEFF 2012 Film Descriptions and Trailers, I geeked out. 

I recommend checking out the entire list, but here are five FLEFF 2012 films that are giving me that warm, fuzzy feeling inside.

1. Nanook of the North

I know I already talked about this in an earlier post, but Robby Aceto, Peter Dodge, and Chris White will be improvising live music to the film.  Nanook of the North is considered the world's first documentary and it was also one of the first 25 films to be selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.  It's considered to be one of the most culturally and historically relevant films of all time.  I can't wait to see it!

2. Art and Copy

A film from 2009, this film discusses the history of the advertising industry and its relationship to inspiration.  Art Copy introduces audiences to some of the most influential creative minds of our time, which I'm especially excited for because the geniuses behind advertising campaigns are hardly ever publicly praised.  As somebody who doesn't know much about advertising but loves Mad Men, I'm stoked.

3. Gay Games

To be honest, I'm immediately a fan of anything that promotes equality, and Gay Games is no exception.  The film documents a sports competition that lacks customary rules, encouraging all participants to focus on respecting each other for their differences.  The film highlights the coming together over over ten thousand people in Köln, Germany, known to Americans as Cologne, Germany. (Sidenote: Germany is a beautiful country and Cologne is a beautiful city. I hope there's some great scenic shots!)

4. One Water

You know what's crazy about this film?  It was filmed in fourteen different countries.  That's so many!  One Water addresses the global freshwater crisis and is a result of collaboration between individual schools within the University of Miami.  Having clean drinking water is a serious global issue, but I'm excited to see the results of a project that was the result of college students!

5.Truck Farm.

Documentarian Ian Cheney filmed his adventure that started with him planting a garden in his grandfather's old pickup truck and that follows his discovery of some of the world's coolest urban gardens.  Personally, my family and I tried gardening once and I got food poisoning from one of the few edible products (which wasn't so edible, I guess) so I'm jealous of Cheney's gardening skills.  I can't wait to learn about urban gardening though!  Maybe I'll get some pointers.

What about you, FLEFFers?  Anything you're excited to see at FLEFF?