THANK YOU BUFFALO + BEYOND — SWEET BIFFTEEN WRAPS!
The 16th annual Buffalo Int’l Film Festival wrapped this week — 177 films screened from 28 countries, many with filmmakers in attendance to present their work to WNY audiences. Many online films included virtual filmmaker Q+As as well. Official Film Selections and ancillary programming included –
Narrative Films That Screened October 6–10th in Buffalo, NY + Filmmakers in Attendance to Present Their Work:
American Murderer — Matthew Gentile (Dir)
A Stage Of Twilight — Sarah T. Schwab (Dir) — Director Sarah T. Schwab in attendance.
Bashira (Opening Night Gala) — Nickson Fong (Dir) — Winner of BIFF’s Boundary Breaker Award — Director Nickson Fong, and Stars Liam Aiken, Mitzi Akaha, Kiki Sukezane, Emma Caymares and Brandon Gill, and Producer Chris Bongirne in attendance.
Bunker (City Centerpiece) — Adrian Langley (Dir) — Winner of BIFF’s Best WNY Feature Award — Director Adrian Langley, Writer Michael Huntsman, and Producers Patrick Rizzotti and James Huntsman in attendance.
Hideout — Yen Kuang Chen (Dir)
Memoria (Arthouse Spotlight) — Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Dir)
Northern Shade — Christopher Rucinski (Dir) — Stars Jesse Gavin and Romano Orzari in attendance.
Provo — Emma Thatcher (Dir)
Slash/Back (Decolonial Spotlight) — Nyla Innuksuk (Dir)
Straighten Up and Fly Right — Kristen Abate + Steven Tanenbaum (Dir)
The Lost King — Stephen Frears (Dir)
The Unknown Country w/ Meet the Sky
The Unknown Country — Morrisa Maltz (Dir)
“Meet the Sky” — K.J. Edwards (Dir)
What Happened to the Wolf? — Na Gyi (Dir)
When the Pomegranates Howl — Granaz Moussavi (Dir)
Zupa Nic (Back Then) — Kinga Desbka (Dir)
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Documentary Films That Screened October 6–10th in Buffalo, NY + Filmmakers in Attendance to Present Their Work:
A Rising Fury (Closing Night Gala) — Lesya Kalynska + Ruslan Batytskyi (Dir) — Winner of BIFF’s Boundary Breaker Award — Director Lesya Kalynska and Producer TJ Collins in attendance.
Anonymous Sister — Jamie Boyle (Dir)
Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale — Aaron Schillinger (Dir) — Director Aaron Schillinger and Professor Victoria Wolcott, PhD (Interview Participant) in attendance.
Body Parts — Kristy Guevara-Flanagan (Dir)
Free Renty: Lanier v. Harvard — David Grubin (Dir)
Lovely Jackson w/ Mind of Moses
Lovely Jackson — Matt Waldeck (Dir) — Winner of BIFF’s Audience Award
“Mind of Moses” — Korey Green (Dir) — Producer, writer and actor Trazz Johnson in attendance.
Nowhere Man and A Whiskey Girl — Christopher Charles Scott (Dir) — Producer Joe Martin in attendance.
One Pint at a Time — Aaron Hosé (Dir)
Outta The Muck — Bhawin Suchak + Ira Mckinley (Dir) — Director Bhawin Suchak in attendance.
Peter Case: A Million Miles Away — Fred Parnes (Dir) — Producer Jordan Krause in attendance.
Terrible Children w/ Winter 1984 + Meantime –
Terrible Children — Shanti Thakur (Dir) — Winner of BIFF’s Best Documentary Feature Award — Director Shanti Thakur in attendance.
“Winter 1984” — Tony Buba (Dir) — Winner of BIFF’s Best Documentary Short Award — Director Tony Buba in attendance.
“Meantime” — Michael T. Workman (Dir)
The Rules of Lacrosse (Regional Centerpiece) — Joanne Storkan (Dir) — Winner of BIFF’s Special Jury Prize — Director Joanne Storkan, Assistant Director Shelby Mitchell-Adams, Producer Brant Davis, and Interview Participants Seymour Knox, IV and Dirt McComber in attendance.
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Shorts Blocks That Screened October 6–10th in Buffalo, NY + Filmmakers in Attendance to Present Their Work:
BIFF SHORTS: RACIAL JUSTICE IN VIEW
“An Artist’s Duty” — Jason Fleurant (Dir)
“Now We Just Rent Them” — Annette Daniels Taylor (Dir) — Director Annette Daniels Taylor in attendance.
“Savage/Future” — Terry Jones (Dir) — Director Terry Jones in attendance.
“What’s the Mark?” — Stacey Larkins (Dir) — Director Stacey Larkins in attendance.
“Ghost Town” — Olu Akanbi (Dir) — Director Olu Akanbi in attendance.
“Granny Boot Camp” — Terry Ngo (Dir)
“Under the Sun After the Wind” — Patrice D. Bowman — Director Patrice D. Bowman in attendance.
“Hidden Realities — National: The United States” — Pin Sangkaeo (Dir) — Director Pin Sangkaeo in attendance.
“These Aren’t People” — Ben Rosales (Dir)
“The Mis(RE)education of The Invisible Yet Furious Five”– Paul Daniel Torres (Dir) — Director Paul Daniel Torres in attendance.
“Bounty” — Adam Mazo, Ben Pender-Cudlip, Tracy Rector, Dawn Neptune Adams, Maulian Dana (Dir)
“Pre-Existing Freedom #BLM” — Frederick Taylor (Dir), 10 minutes, USA, Western New York Premiere — Director Frederick Taylor in attendance.
“Ghost” — Kenneth Jinwoo Kern (Dir) — Director Kenneth Jinwoo Kern in attendance.
“Water Born” — Lowell John Boston (Dir) — Director Lowell John Boston in attendance.
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BIFF SHORTS: COMEDIES
“How to Hack Birth Control” — Sassy Mohen (Dir) — Director Sassy Mohen in attendance.
“Tara Messenger of Death” — Julien Lasseur (Dir)
“Hooving In” — Daniel Ward Garber (Dir)
“A Walk In West LA” — Remington Hoffman (Dir) — Star/Writer/Producer Chris Collins in attendance.
“It’s Always Something” — Derrick Scocchera (Dir)
“Lucy” — Emma Sofia Fazzuoli (Dir)
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BIFF SHORTS: DANGER ZONE
“Cold Brew” — David Kennedy (Dir)
“Homecoming” — Finnegan Kemal Lasch (Dir) — Director Finnegan Kemal Lasch in attendance.
“Bottom” — Morgan Ruaidhrí O’Sullivan + James Kautz (Dir)
“Mondo World” — Cassie Grimaldi (Dir)
“Spot” — Tobias Ohlsson (Dir)
“Love at the First Bite” — Maria Gian (Dir)
“The Libertarian” — Michael Chernoff (Dir) — Director Michael Chernof in attendance.
“The Bull Cage” — James Kippen Grachos + Sam Gibson Downey (Dir) — Co-Directors James Grachos + Sam Gibson Downey in attendance, and Star and Producer Elizabeth Cappuccino.
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BIFF SHORTS: SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS
“Shakespeare for All Ages” — Hannes Rall (Dir)
“Angel from down the Block” — Jakez Paul Dubois (Dir) — Filmmaker Jakez Paul Dubois in attendance.
“Baggage Check” — Mikayla Genevieve Clayback (Dir)
“click!” — Alister Inkwell (Dir)
“Date Night” — Jim Hulse (Dir) — Filmmaker Jim Hulse in attendance.
“Limelight” — Siobhan Gannon + Eryk White (Dir) — Filmmakers Siobhan Gannon + Eyrk White in attendance.
“Frame Fumble” — Alexander Griffin (Dir)
“Josh!” — Emmanuel L Edwards (Dir) — Filmmaker Emmanuel L Edwards in attendance.
“The Bird” — Mitchell Owen Walters (Dir) — Filmmaker Mitchell Owen Walters in attendance.
“Love Is Blind” — Emily Marie Missland (Dir) — Filmmaker Emily Marie Missland in attendance.
“Torn” — Molly Lonigan (Dir)
“To My Childhood” — Jiaying He (Dir)
“Tangent” — Allyson Su (Dir) — Filmmaker Allyson Su in attendance.
“The Sprayer” — Farnoosh Abeo (Dir)
“Dusk” — Tessa Rae Santillo (Dir) — Filmmaker Tessa Rae Santillo in attendance.
“The Crow” — Ahura Shahbazi (Dir)
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BIFF EPISODIC: SCI-FI & THRILLERS & FANTASIES
“Maelstrom (Pilot)” — Zachary Iqbal (Dir) — Director Zachary Iqbal + Producer Jake Jasie in attendance.
“The Cloaked Realm” (Tunnel 23) — Marisa Cohen + Peter Issac Alexander (Dir)
“Gemini” — Jack Skyyler + Alex Zinzopoulos (Dir) — Director Jack Skyyler in attendance.
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BIFF SHORTS: EXPERIMENTAL
“The Crow” — Ahura Shahbazi (Dir)
“Frequencies of Deep Time” — Eric Souther (Dir) — Filmmaker Eric Souther in attendance.
“Such Complexity/Air & Wood” — Pamela Falkenberg + Jack Cochran (Dir) — Filmmakers Pamela Falkenberg + Jack Cochran in attendance.
“The Tenement” — Claire Fleming (Dir)
“Cage Match Refractions” — Barbara Lattanzi (Dir)
“I Had A Strange Dream Last Night” — Mira Steuer (Dir)
“Identity Karma” — Olivia Ong Evans (Dir) — Filmmaker Olivia Ong Evans in attendance.
“River Fork” — Vuk LK (Dir)
“En Tren” — Vav R Vavrek (Dir)
“Last Days of August” — Rodrigo Ojega-Beck + Robert Machoian (Dir)
“Maya at 24” — Lynne Sachs (Dir)
“Total Disaster” — Keil Orion Troisi + Molly Gore (Dir)
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BIFF SHORTS: TURNING POINTS
“Parrot” — Kyle B. Thompson (Dir)
“Love’s Baby Soft” — Lanie Zipoy (Dir)
“Maddie” — Zane Rubin (Dir)
“A Juddering” — James Lantz (Dir)
“Kassandra” — Ivar Wigan (Dir) — Director Ivar Wigan in attendance.
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BIFF SHORTS: STUDENTS
“Her Habitat” — Nora Marris (Dir) — Director Nora Marris in attendance.
“Falling Up” — Davis Cameron Chu (Dir) — Winner of BIFF’s Best WNY Student Award — Director and Star Davis Cameron Chu and Producer Aaron Connor in attendance.
“Feral Joe” — Ruby Z. Soudant (Dir) — Director Ruby Z. Soudant and Star Maximus Zevon–Powell in attendance.
“Sinking” — Dylan Huang (Dir) — Director Dylan Huang in attendance.
“Purgatory Never Ends” — Dex Rodriguez (Dir) — Director Dex Rodriguez in attendance.
“Stranger Within” — Colby G Perrigo (Dir) — Director Colby G Perrigo in attendance.
“The Bereaved” — Samantha Greco (Dir) — Director Samantha Greco in attendance.
“Door” — Ryan Edward Wellence (Dir) — Director Ryan Edward Wellence in attendance.
“Mr. Sisyphus” — Jedi Joongoo Kang (Dir) — Director Jedi Joongoo Kang in attendance.
“Cruzando” — Olu Akanbi (Dir) — Director Olu Akanbi in attendance.
“A Subway Mystery” — Daniel Mauer (Dir) — Director Daniel Mauer in attendance.
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BIFF SHORTS: WNY STORIES
“Roll It” — Nate Chateaux (Dir) — Director Nate Chateaux in attendance.
“The Halloween Visitor” — DonnaMarie Vaughan (Dir) — Director DonnaMarie Vaughan in attendance.
“Lock the Gate” — Sarah Lynn Galasso (Dir) — Winner of BIFF’s Best Animated Film Award — Director Sarah Lynn Galasso in attendance.
“Goldenrod” — Marjorie DeHay (Dir) — Director Marjorie DeHay in attendance.
“Here & There” — Krista Amigone (Dir)
“Numb” — Daeil Kim (Dir)
“I’ll Find a Way or Make One” — A Rosie Story — Rebecca Fasanello + Teresa Castillo (Dir) — Winner of BIFF’s Best WNY Short Award — Co-Directors Rebecca Fasanello + Teresa Castillo in attendance.
“Wasted Talent” — Derrick Benton (Dir) — Director Derrick Benton in attendance.
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SYMON
“Symon” — Ted Sullivan (Dir) — Star and Co-Writer Patrick Gallo in attendance.
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Narrative Films That Screened October 6–20th Online:
Aya — Simon Gillard (Dir)
Chicken Strips — Colin Taylor (Dir)
Pou (Peacock) — Jaco Minnaar (Dir)
Relative — Michael Glover Smith (Dir) — Winner of BIFF’s Best Narrative Feature Award
Sweet Disaster — Laura Lehmus (Dir)
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Documentary Films That Screened October 6–20th Online:
All of Our Heartbeats are Connected Through Exploding Stars (Arthouse Centerpiece) — Jennifer Rainsford (Dir)
Comala — Gian Cassini (Dir)
Musher — Anuradha Rana + Laurie Little (Dir)
Ostrov — Lost Island — Svetlana Rodina + Laurent Stoop (Dir)
Song of Salt — Emma Baiada + Nicolas Snyder (Dir)
The Erie Situation — David J. Ruck (Dir)
The Sun Rises in the East — Tayo Giwa (Dir)
Vertigo (眩暈) — Haruo Inoue (Dir)
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Shorts Blocks That Screened October 6–20th Online:
BIFF SHORTS: CORRESPONDENCES
“Our Horizons” — Charlotte Cayeux (Dir)
“Ventanas” — Jhon Ciavaldini (Dir)
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BIFF SHORTS: EARTH + WATER WORKS
”Cracked” — Mahmut Taş (Dir)
“Spot” — Tobias Ohlsson (Dir)
“The Sprayer” — Farnoosh Abeo (Dir)
“When They’re Gone” — Kristen Hwang (Dir)
“Total Disaster” — Keil Orion Troisi + Molly Gore (Dir)
“Marsh Clouds: The Oysters of Harris Neck” — Kevin Mannens (Dir)
“Saging the World” — Rose Ramirez + Deborah Small + David Bryant (Dir)
“Metamorphosis of the Five-Spotted Hawkmoth” — Tiffany Deater + Jarrod Hagadorn (Dir)
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BIFF SHORTS: LETTERS TO THE FUTURE
“Sons of Toledo” — Monty Cole (Dir)
“Eureka” — Miida Chu (Dir)
“Colony Collapse Disorder” (המושבה התמוטטות הפרעת — (Amos Hozman (Dir) — Winner of BIFF’s Best Narrative Short Award
“Salt Water” — Paola Bohórquez (Dir)
“Quando, Quando, Quando” — Kuan Cao (Dir)
“The Places I Know” — Léwuga Benson (Dir)
“The Hole” — Farzad Ranjbar (Dir)
“The Keeper” — Patrick Krum (Dir)
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BIFF SHORTS: NEXT GEN
“One Virus, Many Problems” — Bitangilayi Nzeba Joyce (Dir)
“Growing Green” — West Side Studios
“Divide.” — Henry Chambers + Liam Stine (Dir)
“The Marshal and the Moor” — Devan Sakaria (Dir)
“Ascension” — West Side Studios, 10 minutes 47 seconds, USA
“Pandemic Progression” — Vera Arnold (Dir), 4 minutes 38 seconds, USA
“Neath Thy Towers: Stories of Haunted Amherst” — Aaron Connor (Dir)
“The Crown Nobody Wanted” — The Tumo Center for Creative Technologies in Yerevan, Armenia Animation Students (Dir)
“Barmation” — Lend Purini, Sado Music, Eris Belegu, Rian Berlajolli, Anna Emra, Ema Shala (a.k.a. Kosovo Kids Animation Students) (Dir)
“Untitled” — Tech Arts for Girls (Dir)
“Blinded by Foresight” — Simon Fortner, Nick Trivelpiece, Jake Aretsky, The MPH Light and Magic Team (Dir)
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BIFF SHORTS: REDEMPTION TALES
“Just Like You” — Sebastien Rabas (Dir)
“West Bottoms” — Greg Sheffer (Dir)
“Hold Me, Don’t Touch Me” — Adrian Todd Zuniga (Dir)
“The Outing” — Joanne Mitchell (Dir)
“Wolf Tone” — Lauren Cook + Nathan Pancione (Dir)
“Write Here” — Jake Muñoz Consing (Dir)
“The Stupid Boy” — Phil Dunn (Dir)
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BIFF SHORTS: TWISTED
“Can I Help?” — Rupert Ratcliffe (Dir)
“Creator” — Andre LeBlanc (Dir)
“Tomorrow, My God!” — Andrea Studinger (Dir)
“Artistic Character” — Vasily Chuprina (Dir)
“Unintended Country” — Alfredo Hueck (Dir)
“Yours and Mine and Us” — Karl Em Richter (Dir)
“Mashed” — Stacey Maltin (Dir) — Winner of BIFF’s Best Episodic Project Award
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BIFF SHORTS: WARRIOR WOMEN
“Ter Chono. A Mongolian Story” — George Dogaru (Dir)
“Ditë e Kuqe” — Besim Ugzmajli (Dir)
“Ubani Na Moto” — Pishdaad Modaressi (Dir)
“Kassandra” — Ivar Wigan (Dir)
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Panels:
In Focus + On Location: Bashira
Panelists: Director Nickson Fong, and Stars Liam Aiken, Mitzi Akaha, Kiki Sukezane, Emma Caymares and Brandon Gill, and Producer Chris Bongirne
Moderator: Anna Scime
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Panelists: Director Bhawin Suchak (Outta the Muck), Director Joanne Storkan and Producer Brant Davis (The Rules of Lacrosse), Director Lesya Kalynska and Producer TJ Collins (A Rising Fury)
Moderators: Kathryn Larsen (Vice President of Content Distribution at Buffalo Toronto Public Media) + Anna Scime
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On Location + On Water: The Erie Situation(s)
Panelists: Director David Ruck (The Erie Situation), and WNY-based ecologists Margaret Wooster, PhD and Phillip Campanile
Moderator: Anna Scime
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BIFF Offscreen:
BIFF Offscreen: Building Worlds — Callen Desmond
BIFF Offscreen: Scripting — Passage — Suspension — Rebekkah Pavlov
BIFF Offscreen: Building Character — Ng Shi Kian
BIFF Offscreen: Symon Presents Symon — Symon (aka Patrick Gallo)
BIFF Offscreen: It Could Be Anyone — An anonymous group of female and nonbinary media artists living in Western New York and Southern Ontario
BIFF Offscreen: Cult Mother — An anonymous multimedia performance collective living in Buffalo, NY
BIFF Offscreen: Restoration in Progress — Dianna Derhak
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Parties:
Zero Hour Party
Are You Famous (Demo Party)?!
Sweet Biffteen
ZUBAZPALOOZA — (Bills won — amazing game!)
Budmo! Hey! Budmo! Hey! Budmo! Hey! Hey! Hey!
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Sweet Biffteen was made possible in part by the generosity of the following 2022 Sponsors + Community Partners:
New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) Electronic Media/Film Program, w/ the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the NYS Legislature + Erie County Arts and Cultural Funding + The City of Buffalo, Delaware District + The Consulate General of Canada in NY + Lipsitz Green Scime Cambria + Tito’s Handmade Vodka + Lalena + Media Arts Assistance Fund (a NYSCA Electronic Media/Film Program in Partnership with Wave Farm, w/ the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the NYS Legislature) + Villa Maria College + Arts Services Initiative / Give for Greatness + Wittlin, Dry & Dry, LLP + Colligan Law + Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. + North Park Theatre + The Burchfield Penney Art Center + Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center + Squeaky Wheel Film & Media Art Center + Buffalo Toronto Public Media + ASI’s Arts Access Program + Canisius College + Buffalo State College Communication Department + Buffalo AKG Art Museum + Duende + Silo City + House of Charm + PLAY/GROUND + K Lens Art + Oscar’s + Western New York Book Arts Center + Dnipro Ukrainian Cultural Center + Buffalo Niagara Film Commission
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Thank You to BIFFs External Committee Members + Judges + Tilke Hill W.i.P. Award Committee + Red Carpet Hosts + Squeaky Wheel’s Saturday Cafe Students + Community Partners + Volunteers:
Avye Alexandres, J.J. Alfieri, Noah Balushi, Sonny Baker, Ray Barker, Benji Benjamin, Jordan Fox Besek, Atem Bol, Michael J. (Fox) Bouquard, Paige Bulera, Kevin Cain, Ed Cardoni, Melinda Connine, Scout Chase, Steven Clare, Tim Clark, Tina Contis, Lukia Costello, Lina D’Amore, Annette Daniels-Taylor, Chris Dearing, Dianna Derhak, Anthony DiGesare, Deanna DiGiulio, Joe Donahue, Jim Dry, Chris Dymond, Claudine Ewing, Joel Fear, Joel P. Feroleto, Kurt Friedrich, Kate Gorman, Connor Dave Greber, Greczyn, Carter Green, Nina Grenga, Stella Hanson, Heather Hare, Luke Heister, Rachel Henderson, Adam James Hinckley, Joseph Higgins, Maddee Hill, Nate Hill, Rachael Homewood, Victoria Hutton, Shannon Jenkins, Nicholas G. Jerabek, Aidan Joly, Yvette Johnson, Suzannah Kaiser, Roselyn Kasmire, Meret Kelsey, Anthony Kurdziel, Suzanne Laba, Martina LaVallo, Kathryn Larsen, Anna Chiaretta Lavatelli, Carl Lee, Yvette Loren Leli-Aragon, Mark Longolucco, John Malinowski, Amity Mann, Samuel Marabella, Kendra Martin, John Massier, Brenda May, Laura McGough, Brian Milbrand, Martin R Mlodozeniec, Jared Mobarak, Robby Motz, Fox Mulder, Bill Murray, Bill Nascimento, Sakeena Nazir, Matthew Nerber, Newell Nussbäumer, Jeff O’Connell, Nicholas Picholas, Holly Pilato-Scharnweber, Rachel Pitonyak, Scott Propeak, Cydney Ramos, Romone Reeves, Joel Resnikoff, Jameson Reid, Alycia Ripley, Jeff Roberts, Franz Ross, Scott Rubin, Bill Sack, Zainab Saleh, Tim Saracki, Scottpatrick Sellitto, Ekrem Serdar, Jeff Sherven, Thomas Shields, Antonina Simeti, Rick Smith, Janet Snyder, Gary Sundown, Pete Terlecky, Neil Terry, James Timothee, Sam Toles, Renata Toney, Stephanie Torres, Paula Wachowiak, Rich Wall, Rosemary Williams, Melissa Wischerath, Levi Van Cleve, Thomas Videon, Mariah Villafane, J. Garret Vorreuter
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Thank you Buffalo + beyond — we could not do this without your support and generosity!
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Tammy McGovern (Chair), Paige Sarlin (Vice Chair), Keith Poplawski (Secretary), Meg Knowles (Treasurer), Michael Faust, LeRoi Johnson, Annette Daniels Taylor, Renee Russell (Emeritus), Renée M. Saracki (Emeritus)
STAFF:
Anna Scime (Executive Director), John J. Fink (Artistic Director), Ana Grujić (Marketing + Outreach Coordinator), Myari Ware (Platform Strategist)
SUMMER INTERNS:
Julian Chen, Sandra Fanton, Dorian Griffin, Jameson Reid, Elijah Sealy
FALL INTERNS:
Elizabeth Dunning, Brian Muscato, Tyler Ineson, Jamison Namingha
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About Buffalo Int’l Film Festival:
Buffalo International Film Festival (est. 2006) champions regional, national, and international films that push the limits of independent cinema — presenting quality films from around the world to WNY residents and visitors. BIFF is committed to amplifying diverse voices and exhibiting cutting-edge programming in narrative, documentary and experimental film. A proud supporter of local filmmaking and the arts; BIFF also offers workshops, seminars, industry panel discussions, fiscal sponsorship and professional development opportunities, as well as an Offscreen series of art, music and performance. For more info, please visit buffalofilm.org
