I usually hate busy weeks, but when the business comes from art it’s not so bad. I had a lot of exciting things to prepare for, all culminating in a crazy weekend, so I figured I’d write about some of it.

First, after a ton of preparation with my internship site, the Waverly Community House, it was finally time for the NEPA Film Festival! The quality and turnout was better than any of us could imagine, and I’d highly recommend for everyone to keep this event on their radar for next year. I had volunteered during the screening of Peter Callahan’s feature film Out and About, and though I only caught bits of it I couldn’t believe the response. Out and About is a drama/comedy following a man played by Callahan himself walking through his neighborhood reminiscing about his life. The film is expertly done and so relatable and intimate, and the huge audience was so enthralled by its story.

Prior to the actual event I also had to screen a few short films, and I was so impressed with the quality of them. One that stood out to me was the film Hedgehog by D. Mitry, a drama depicting a young Ukrainian girl hiding from the turbulence in her country by staying with her grandmother, only to find a wounded Russian soldier in the shack outside.  Another standout in my mind was the French film Breakpoint directed by Nicolas Panay. This film follows a group of textile workers and their struggles as they are tasked with training a group of young Tunisian girls looking to join the field. It’s a very bleak look into the reality of textile factory work and the anxieties of labor, wrapped in a tense 17 minute package. Film is definitely out of my wheelhouse academically, but it was still so incredible to see a major event like this filled with passionate filmmakers and viewers alike.

Once I had finished volunteering at the Film Fest, I stopped by the Art Department’s Senior Show opening in the Shields Center for Visual Arts. What an incredible show! I love to see all of us art students recognized, and the material shown certainly did not disappoint. It was so heartening to see so many students appreciating each other’s works and incredible to watch all the artists involved look so proud of their contributions. I would also like to shamelessly highlight the beautiful posters my Art History thesis group had displayed outside the Suraci Gallery (which everyone should absolutely look at and ask us all about). Congratulations seniors!