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 Peter Keahey, Film, Photography and Visual Arts, '12, FLEFF Intern, Yellow Springs, Ohio

I live in Yellow Springs Ohio, about nine hours away from Ithaca. My academic focus is on Animation. 

Although the Roy H. Park School does not have a major specifically for animation, I use every opportunity I can to learn new animation tools and collaborate on other projects. I have worked on thesis films, and learned a variety of animation tools including Maya, Flash, Photoshop, Frame Thief and Dragon. When I don’t have opportunities to animate, I storyboard other projects in order to continue practicing my sequential art. I also do personal comic books as an extra activity.

I joined FLEFF for the networking opportunity and for the experience of working in a festival environment. I participated in FLEFF before as a spectator. This year, I wanted to have a behind the scenes position and have an active role in the film festival. Many individuals have had their films picked up and or have found positions at film festivals,  so knowing how to maneuver and operate inside one can be an employment advantage. Being involved in FLEFF also affords you the opportunity to connect and meet with cutting edge filmmakers, who might help you learn how to get your foot in the door.

FLEFF is important because it exposes society to films that everyday people may not have sought out or even heard of on their own. FLEFF doesn’t screen the average summer popcorn movie. It presents audiences with films that are very unique and highly creative. These films have solid foundations, deep thought, and  complex structure, delivering very polished and professional pieces of work. FLEFF helps to keep film culture alive and well in the face of sequels and reboots--and that’s also why I wanted to be involved.

So, what's your favorite film genre or animated film?

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