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 Gena Mangiaratti, Journalism '13, FLEFF Intern, Feeding Hills, Massachusetts.

Q&A with FLEFF intern Kristin Sargoy, Cinema and Photography ‘14

GM: What got you interested in your major?

KS: I probably got interested in Cinema and Photography because of my cousin, who’s like my big sister. She’s 7 years older than me. She lives in the city; I live on Long Island. So I used to go visit her, and she would take me to some of her cinema classes and stuff like that.

She was also an assistant manager at IFC (the Independent Film Channel) so I used to go and help her.

She brought me up in the projectionist booth a lot so I know how to project, which is cool. She taught how to use the 35 mm projector without completely destroying the film.

GM: Did you have any opportunities in high school that encouraged your interest in film?

KS: I took film appreciation in 11th grade. We had this film appreciation class and my teacher was amazing. We got really close. I think that’s what really really made me decide.

It was the SATs and college time when you’re thinking about it, and I was like —I think I want to major in film, I love this. That was the final thing that did it.

[The class] was a lot like Dr. Zimmermann’s class, watching movies and analyzing them, but it was more mainstream stuff.

GM: So when you say analyzing movies, was it kind of like you would discuss and analyze a book in class?

KS: It was basically exactly like that — picking apart a book, but it was a movie. And also just enjoying a movie.

GM: How has your experience as a FLEFF intern been so far?

KS: It’s been pretty good. I probably would not have known about the Alfred Maysles “Gimme Shelter” [event] if it wasn’t for being an intern, and I’m really glad I went to that. That was awesome.

Hearing the filmmaker talk about his work gives you an entirely new perspective on it. Because if you’re just looking at it it’s like, ‘oh, he’s just standing on a stage holding a camera’ – No, it’s really difficult. He told us stories about what happened when the camera wasn’t there, and that was really interesting.

GM: Is there anything in particular you’ve learned from working for FLEFF that you hadn’t known before?

KS: Probably the thing I’ve learned most from it is how a movie theater is run. I’ve learned more about event-planning and how intricate and how scheduled things have to be.

When you go to an event you don’t really think about it too much. You’re just like, ‘Oh, this is happening now, this is happening later’ — but it requires a lot of planning.

GM: Do you have a favorite movie?

KS: That’s so hard.

The first movie I remember being really wowed by —like, every aspect of this movie was incredible — was American Beauty… It was more so I couldn’t find something that I didn’t like about it:

The cinematography was great. Kevin Spacey is great in everything that he does, ever. When I saw it, I think it was unlike anything I had ever seen before. I think that’s what really got me.

Blog posting written by Shawn Steiner, Film and Photography ’14, FLEFF Intern, Elkridge, Maryland

Welcome back to the FLEFF blog! Glad to see you are still checking in!

Today we have some proof of how this festival is truly international. Here at FLEFF, within our group of interns, we have Neli Gacheva. She is a freshman here at Ithaca College who hails from Bulgaria. She’s pretty far from her hometown. But she’s here working with the festival.

Here's Neli describing what her FLEFF experience has been like to date:

February is already over. March is already here. April is just around the corner. Now, FLEFF week is approaching with the speed of light.

My name is Neli Gacheva from Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Currently, I am a freshman Cinema & Photography major at Ithaca College.

A week ago, I was tabling at Cinemapolis as part of my internship at the festival. Sitting at a small table, I had to convince people to come see movies at the festival.

At the interns practica course, they taught us the importance of appealing to a large group of people. Focusing on the pros and cons of tabling and what was at stake if we do not fill the house.

When I first heard about my assignment, I thought it was going to be an easy job. First, because I was going to be talking to people at the cinema, already known moviegoers. Second, because I knew FLEFF was already well known in the area.

However, as it turned out people were not willing to stop for very long. So I had to come up with a strategy to get as much information out as fast as possible. (Shawn: As the other intern that afternoon I can vouch that Neli did an excellent job.) 

But, the people who actually had time to stop by the table demanded to know as much information as possible. (Shawn: Here's some!) Hence, I came to understand the importance of one of the key points always made at the FLEFF practica: “Learn, read and know everything that has to be known in order to be a trustworthy employee and to attract as many people as possible.”

*  *  *  *  *  *

Thank you, Neli,  for sharing your voice. Now, if you see her walking around campus or at Cinemapolis,  ask her about FLEFF. She’s ready.

Finally, check back in at FLEFF INTERNS VOICES as much as possible. All of our interns are working really hard to get the information out. Make sure to buy a pass for the festival!

P.S. If you have a good story idea check out our FLEFF Story Contest! And if you don't: think one up and write it down.

You still have plenty of time for this chance to win $500 dollars!