Blog posting written by Kimberly Capehart, Documentary Studies and Production '16, FLEFF Intern, Cherry Hill, New Jersey 

Wow.

I am eighteen years old and I just spent a week seeing dozens of films, meeting and conversing with film directors, distributors, producer, new media artists and musicians, and, most importantly, writing about all of it. 

FLEFF is something that I never could have dreamed that I would be a part of, especially as a freshman. In the past 5 months, I've overcome my own personal fears and obstacles and have evolved into a mature, festival intern. As a spectator, FLEFF has really exposed me to a lot of new films and styles of filmmaking. It gave me opportunities to see works that I would have never seen on my own, and will probably never see in a theater again. As an intern, it has given me so much more. FLEFF has improved my communication skills, my writing skills, and my skills as a professional to-be. 

My experience has introduced new opportunities and sparked my interest in a variety of new things. I feel like I definitely have an advantage over my colleagues because of this internship: I feel more prepared to tackle bigger things, both on- and off-campus.

This summer I plan on volunteering with the Philadelphia Q!Fest, a gay and lesbian film festival, to further explore the world of film festivals. I will definitely be taking my skills and memories from FLEFF with me back home to Philly. 

My experience with the Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival has been nothing short of incredible, and I can't wait to (hopefully!) come back next year.