The 54th annual Robert Flaherty Film Seminar, which draws filmmakers and cinema scholars from around the world, will be held at Colgate University next summer.
Organizers of the prestigious seminar cited Colgate’s state-of-the art facilities, beautiful setting, and engaged faculty as the main reasons for selecting the campus to host its event, which will run from June 21-27.
Lynn Schwarzer, director of the university’s Film and Media Studies Program, said organizers have visited campus and are excited about utilizing the advanced projection facilities in Golden Auditorium, which includes 35mm, and the smart classrooms and discussion spaces in Little Hall.
The Clifford Gallery, also located in Little Hall, will be used to integrate a variety of multimedia works into the programming, which Schwarzer said will break new ground for the seminar.
“Colgate is thrilled to have the Flaherty choose our campus as the site of the festival,” said Schwarzer. “It offers the opportunity to host filmmakers, artists, curators, scholars, students, librarians, and film enthusiasts -- all gathered together for an intense week of screenings and discussions.
“We are looking forward to working with the Flaherty and celebrating the enthusiasm for serious film study that exists here among faculty and students,” she added.
She said that several film and media studies students will be selected to work as interns during the seminar, giving them invaluable access to participants, screenings, and panel discussions.
The seminar will be curated by Chi-hui Yang, director of the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival. Yang has presented film and video series at film festivals worldwide. He also writes on politics and culture for publications such as Giant Robot and Hyphen.
Tentatively titled Memory, Transmission, Movement, organizers said the seminar will explore “the personal and cultural byproducts of globalization, conflict, and information technology, and the film movements which have emerged in tandem.”
The event will showcase independent filmmakers who have a keen ability to capture intimate stories in a big world, and organizers said the programming will cut across cultures, genres, and generations.
The seminars are run by a nonprofit organization -- International Film Seminars Inc. -- based in New York City. The seminar series is named for Robert Flaherty, often called the father of documentary filmmaking and known for landmark films such as Nanook of the North, Moana, Man of Aran, and The Louisiana Story.
Tim O'Keeffe
Office of Public Relations and Communications
315.228.6634
