Calling all filmmakers, lovers, and enthusiasts – Blackbird Film Festival is returning to Cortland! Running from April 28th – 30th, the festival will feature over 95 films created by talent from all over the world.
Founded in 2015 as a film festival intended for teens, Blackbird quickly developed into more than that. Expanding in 2016 to allow submissions from all age groups, Blackbird now receives thousands of submissions from filmmakers all across the globe.
Organized by interning students, Blackbird has collaborated with SUNY Cortland to have our students and filmmakers be centric to the festival.
Emily Siep, a Blackbird veteran and Senior here at SUNY Cortland has taken on the role of Event Coordinator for this year’s festival. Siep talked to The Dragon Chronicle to tell us all about the upcoming weekend.
Q: What exactly is your role in BFF (Blackbird Film Festival)?
A: My role for Blackbird Film Festival is an Event Coordinator for our Student Engagement branch. Our branch’s job is to get students to come to the festival for the student attendance of the festival. I’m happy that The Dragon Chronicle reached out to me to talk about Blackbird as it’s an organization that I care so much about and want to promote to the students and community of SUNY Cortland.
Q: How long have you been involved?
A: I’ve been involved with Blackbird Film Festival since the Spring of 2022 when I took a class called Indie Films and Festival with our festival director Sam Avery. This class gave me more insight into not only Blackbird but other film festivals. Over the course of the Spring 2022 semester, we watched films from the past and present for Blackbird and got a chance to speak to some of the filmmakers over Zoom.
I was in the Indie Films and Festivals course with Siep, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in film! Siep, myself, and our classmates all had the opportunity to interview selected filmmakers for BFF 2022, which was a great way to learn more about their work and the film industry as a whole.
A (cont.): I volunteered to work the festival weekend and it was my first time being at a film festival ever! I was a part of the All-Star Team which included current students and alumni that bought the festival together. It was a surreal experience for me and made me excited for my future with Blackbird. In the Fall of 2022, I got accepted as a Film Judge to criticize and curate the 2023 festival lineup. Over the course of that semester, I watched over 150 films and worked in groups to solidify the final selection. Now I’m an event coordinator for our student engagement branch and working my second year with Blackbird!
Siep is a communications student, but you don’t have to be to get involved with the festival! Here are some of the best ways she suggested you can get involved
- Go to the festival which is April 28-30 at Brown Auditorium in Old Main.
- Take CIN 329- Indie Films and Festivals if offered to learn more insight about the film festival world, especially Blackbird.
- Become a Film Judge to curate the lineup for the 2024 season. This position is available in the Fall and you’ll watch over 100 films over the course of that semester.
- Become an Event Coordinator to help plan and promote the festival. This position is available in the Spring.
- Follow us on Instagram @blackbirdfilmfest and Facebook @blackbirdfilmfestival.
Q: What’s been the best part about this experience?
A: The best part of being a part of Blackbird is the sense of community amongst the staff/crew. Blackbird Film Festival has created a positive and safe environment for me as a female wanting to get into the film industry. Blackbird has made its mission to include a fair share of films directed or written by female filmmakers. In the 2022 season, there were 71 out of 136 official sections created by female filmmakers. While working the festival, I got a chance to network with some of them which was an unforgettable experience for me. In addition, I connected with past Cortland alumni who worked for Blackbird during their time and provided advice about post-grad life.
Q: What film are you most excited to see at the festival?
A: This is a tough question because I’m very excited to see all the films that have been selected! While being a film judge, one of my favorite films to watch was My Dear Salvatore. As a part of our events at BFF, there is a Q and A section after the film block screening with the filmmakers who had films in that block. Each event coordinator has connected with their filmmakers through email to conduct interviews before the festival and formulate a relationship with them. I got the chance to speak to the directors of Jelly Bean and Embrace and it was a great experience to connect with them before I moderate their film screening block: Love Me for Me! which is on Saturday, April 29 at 5:30 pm.
Click HERE for a full breakdown of the selected films!
Q: Are you ever planning on submitting a film to the festival?
A: Definitely! In addition to working for Blackbird, I’m a Cinema Study student and have been making short films in my Advanced Filmmaking class with our festival director Sam Avery. He has given us tools and advice about the film festival world and submitting a film into one.
Q: Do you have any advice for aspiring filmmakers out there?
A: As an aspiring filmmaker myself, my best advice is to go out and create something. If you got a camera and an idea, then the opportunities are endless.
Q: Is there anything else you think everyone should know?
A: Once again, Blackbird Film Festival is on April 28-30 at Brown Auditorium in Old Main. The festival is free and so is the popcorn!
Students are highly encouraged to get involved in the weekend! The festival is free entry for all film screenings and will be held in Brown Auditorium in Old Main from Friday through Sunday. Friday the 28th kicks off the weekend with an ice cream social from 3-4 in Old Main, followed directly after by short film screenings. The weekend will also feature film history trivia, a film-themed paint and sip, and much more!
CLICK HERE FOR A FULL SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN
If you can’t attend this time around, all the films will be available to stream for free from May 1st to 6th at www.Blackbirdfilmfest.online
If you’re really interested in Blackbird and will still be here at SUNY Cortland next semester, check out this article on how to get involved in the festival through internship opportunities!