BA Film and Screen Studies Students co-curate Ann Arbor Film Festival
A while ago, five of our students at BA Film and Screen Studies engaged in the pre-screening process for the 61st Ann Arbor Film Festival in Michigan.
About the Festival
The Ann Arbor Film Festival is the oldest avant-garde and experimental film festival in North America, founded by George Manupelli in 1963. Internationally recognized as a premiere forum for independent filmmakers and artists, each year’s festival engages audiences with remarkable cinematic experiences. The six-day festival presents 40 programs with more than 180 films from over 20 countries of all lengths and genres, including experimental, animation, documentary, fiction, and performance-based works.
The admission criteria for the festival are deemed strict, with only a selection of films making it to the final programme. The students from BAFSS were very thorough in their evaluation process and assessment. Two out of 10 films they watched and assessed made it into the final selection of the programme.
The BAFSS students who participated in the pre-screening process were Maria Kraevska, Julia Andrzejczuk, Isabella Bazoni, Victoria Gogolinski, Miles Roberts.
Other groups of student pre-screeners included students from the University of Colorado (Boulder), the University of Michigan and Binghamton University, New York.
Izabela Bazoni who took part in the evaluation process says ‘As a member of the 61st Ann Arbor Film Festival Curatorial Committee group lead by Kamila Kuc, I have had the opportunity to preview some incredible submissions from all over the world. Being able to see the work of different filmmakers and having the chance to discuss it with my peers has been an incredibly valuable experience, which has allowed me to test my critical and curatorial skills developed over the past three years in my course. In particular, I’m incredibly proud to see that one of the films we selected – ‘Ganbatene,’ by Yi-Yu Tsai – has made it to the final screening. I truly recommend everyone watching it, as it’s an incredibly original and masterfully crafted work of art.’
Kamila Kuc, the course leader of BA Film and Screen Studies said ‘In the future I would like to develop this into a more substantial collaboration and be able to take a few students over to the festival every year.
This year the 61st Ann Arbor Film Festival will take place both in person and online. Look out for the 2 films screened by the group led by Kamila Kuc.
Ganbatene – Yi-Yu Tsai, Taiwan
To the dearest all who always gets messed up in life, no matter by your own self or by others. Whisper to your heart, even at the most desperate moment, GANBATE (Keep going on)!
In the Big Yard Inside the Teeny-Weeny Pocket – Yoko Yuki, Japan
When it shrinks, it expands. It floats and it sinks. It separates but connects. When I think I’m watching them, they’re actually watching me. A charming animation rhyme that weaves together the many days of observing, recording, and experimenting.
The 61st Ann Arbor Film Festival will take place March 21-26, 2023 (online March 21-29). Each program is different. Films are not rated. All programs are intended for mature audiences except for Saturday’s Almost All Ages (6+) program. Some films have imagery of a stroboscopic nature.
Passes are on sale now, and gain you access to many or all of our programs, depending on the type of pass. Tickets to all individual programs will be available March 1. Find more about the programme HERE.