New film society reels in students

Author: Emily Thompson

Almost every week, someone, somewhere on the Middlebury campus screens a movie. The Middlebury College Activities Board (MCAB) shows recent hits like "Brokeback Mountain" or "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" on Fridays. The French Department screens films like "La Haine" to expose students to language beyond the classroom. This past week, students and faculty had the opportunity to see "Seven Years in Tibet" as a part of the Changing Face of Tibet Symposium. A part of the Film and Media Department, the Hirschfield Film/Video Series, shows thought-provoking films every week, sometimes in co-ordination with other academic departments, like Women and Gender Studies.

Yet, though the opportunity to see great movies exists, many of the films shown do not garner the large audience they deserve. Organizations from MCAB to Middlebury Open Queer Alliance give students every chance to see smaller, independent films.

Unfortunately, the abundant screenings and their flyers go somewhat unnoticed, and amongst campus organizations that organize screenings, the Hirschfield Series stands alone in its focus on highly acclaimed art films. More disappointingly, up until recently, no student-run programs existed for serious, interactive discussions about films. Now, the newly launched Middlebury Film Society hopes to fill this void.

Founded just two weeks ago, the Middlebury Film Society aspires to go above and beyond its fellow film-screening organizations. Founder and acting president Brian Siegele '07 hopes to attract film lovers and aspiring filmmakers who seek a forum where they can discuss independent cinema. Within the society, there are three committees - one for general activities, one that deals with the weekly screenings and one in charge of luring Hollywood heavies all the way to Vermont to interact with students on campus.

The Middlebury Film Society embraces all forms of film - foreign, domestic, old and new. The society's main goal, says Siegele, is to "bring films people haven't been exposed to yet." The society plans to hold weekly screenings of both contemporary indie films and notable films of the past in hopes of attracting a broad membership base.

In addition to deciding the film for the weekly open showing, the society's weekly meetings might also include a screening and analysis of a short film or a discussion of noteworthy news in the film industry.

Even in its first weeks, the Film Society is already contributing to the College film scene - on Sunday evening, they sponsored the Academy Awards Party in Hepburn Lounge in conjunction with Brainerd Commons. The Society is not going to stop there. Later this year, they plan to take a group trip to the TriBeca Film Festival in New York City.

In keeping with the independent spirit of moviemaking, the Middlebury Film Society also vigorously encourages student production on campus. Students would not receive credit from the Film Department, but will be able to use the filming and editing resources available on campus. If enough students take this opportunity to create their own films, the Film Society expects to hold their very own student film festival - an event that could potentially revolutionize Middlebury's film scene.

The Film Society does not expect to replace the MCAB weekly viewings - it simply aims to add more diversity to the selection of films played on campus. Through meetings and screenings, the Film Society has the ability to educate students about the underground world of independent movies, their production and their relevance in today's society - a relevance often greater than those of the mainstream multiplexes. The Middlebury Film Society, said Siegele, "fits more of a niche, not for everyone but for some." Hopefully, as the group grows, the niche will grow with it.