After securing grant funding, Communication Professor Michael Talbott will once again present the Castleton International Film Festival for the second consecutive year, bringing the diversity of foreign films back to the Castleton Campus.
With two foreign film festivals set for the 2015-16 academic year, including the Spanish-language film festival beginning on October 15 and the Francophone film festival slated for the spring semester, the events aim to bring exciting films from around the globe to the Castleton-Rutland community.
“Having an international film festival is an important part of a college or university,” said Talbott, who selects films for the festival that raise important issues across a variety of disciplines.
Featuring films such as 7 Boxes, Mr. Kaplan, Bad Hair, Wilaya, and Here and There, this year’s Spanish-language Film Festival will run from October 15 through October 29. Showings will take place on Tuesday and Thursday nights, with a start time of 6:30 p.m. in Herrick Auditorium, and are free of charge and open to the public.
The series was made possible by a grant from the PRAGDA organization.
“The organization is not just concerned with the money. They really care about putting on a vibrant event,” Talbott said.
In the future Talbott would like to bring additional elements into the events by inviting actual filmmakers to attend and speak at various showings. He believes this added aspect will encourage students to get more engaged in each event, while allowing for a more well rounded experience.
As the festival continues to grow and expand, Talbott sees the festival as a way to create more exposure to the international film genre, while allowing students to become more culturally diverse.
“Most Castleton students have had little to no exposure to non-U.S. cinema,” said Talbott. “I hope screening films from other countries can help to cultivate an ongoing interest in other cultures among our students.”