Castleton’s 7th Film Festival

The Castleton International Film Festival has returned for a seventh time to the university. The festival is free and the films are shown at 7 p.m. in Herrick Auditorium from March 10 to March 24 on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

This year, professors Michael Talbott and Sam Davis-Boyd have collaborated to create a festival based on the theme of celebrating women filmmakers.

“It’s been a male dominated medium for so long, for most of film history,” said Talbott. “It’s important that it’s modeled as a viable career path for women, and that we draw as much attention to the fact that there are successful women in the industry who make incredible films.”

Davis-Boyd agrees.

“More intersectionality in our media and in our lives isn’t reversing the hierarchies in our society, but taking a step towards getting rid of that inequality,” said Davis-Boyd. “Uplifting people whose voices have been marginalized isn’t disenfranchising men in any way.”

Talbott established Castleton’s International Film Festival because he recognized that it was an opportunity to expose students to experiences and perspectives other than their own. The film “For Sama,” directed by Waad Al-Kateab and Edward Watts, which will be shown on March 19, resonated heavily with Talbott and he feels that this movie bears a special relevance to the Vermont community.

“Watching international films opens your eyes to cultures that you otherwise might not be exposed to,” said Luke McGee, a freshmen at Castleton. “Not only that, but there are these huge social movements going on across the world and these films are a window to the souls of people. Watching films that show a glimpse of what is happening. It’s like getting to see history.”

McGee hasn’t been to Castleton’s Film Festival before, but he is a frequent film festival goer and is excited to see “Honeyland,” directed by Tamara Kotevska and Ljumbomir Stefanov, which will be shown on March 12.

McGee has become an avid fan of watching international movies since taking an international film class in which he watched one of the featured movies, “Atlantics,” directed by Mati Diop and scheduled for March 17.

“I got introduced to a whole new world,” said McGee. “If you have a chance to go to an international film festival or to take a class on international films, you need to seize that opportunity.”

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