The lights dim and people quickly shuffle into their seats. Everyone quiets, anxiously waiting for the film to start. And no, this isn’t the Barbie or Oppenheimer premier! It’s the 2024 Fieldston Film Festival!
A tradition for four years, the Fieldston Film Festival attracts students, parents, alumni and teachers with its incredible visuals and vivid storytelling. Each spring, the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center at Lincoln Center hosts Fieldston film students’ creations – varying in topic from suspenseful dramas to eye-catching documentaries and entertaining music videos. The films aired in two sold-out screenings – one at 1 PM and the other later at 3PM. The films captured the audience’s interest as music, quick shots, and graphics flooded the screen.
The list of films created by Senior film majors included Gatsby’s Always Lucky” and “I Wanna Dance” by Sophie Basner, “A Man’s Best Friend” by Miles Braunstein, “Fine Tuning” by Isaiah Fletcher, “All American B**ch” and “Splintered” by Addy Gorton, “Hikikomori” by Theo Sullivan, “The Journey (Part II)” by Wyatt Trevor, and “Life in Focus” by Zoe Williams.
After all of the films aired, Julie Magruder, a film and podcast producer and Fieldston alum (‘13), hosted a live Q&A with the student filmmakers. The audience listened eagerly as students discussed their motivations, challenges and creative processes.
When asked about her inspiration for her film, Zoe Williams (Form VI) explained how she wanted to capture the “appreciation for life” that people experience when walking around Central Park.
Sophie Basner’s (Form VI) music video of the song “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” by Whitney Houston depicted her FSG co-president Remy Lipman (Form VI) dancing on screen. Basner’s film paid tribute to the experience of performing on stage through her use of sharp scenic cuts which highlighted Lipman’s incredible dance moves. She explained, “We need to take a moment to appreciate what is actually in front of us and how scary it can be to present in front of an audience.”
Interestingly, many Fieldston filmmakers experimented with the restriction of dialogue to create a compelling story. Addy Gorton (Form VI) discussed how she limited the usage of language in her film to allow viewers to be attracted to the visuals rather than the dialogue. Miles Braunstein (Form VI) similarly suggested how he restricted the amount of dialogue to “represent solitude” for his main character. Additionally, he noted how he took inspiration from his favorite movie, “Taxi Driver,” to highlight an isolated character.
This year’s film festival was particularly sentimental as it is film teacher Larry Buskey’s last year at Fieldston. Buskey’s constant support and encouragement for his students has made a lasting impact on the Fieldston community and he will be truly missed. Sophie Basner highlighted, “He has helped turn an interest into a passion,” explaining how his dedication to filmmaking has inspired many to pursue film in the future and explore new creative mediums. Uma Couchman (Form V) added, “He’s created a love for film that I never really knew was there, and I’m always going to be grateful for that.”
Working as a film teacher for nearly forty years and for thirteen at Fieldston, Buskey remarked that this year “may have been the most rewarding” due to his students’ complex and thoughtful work. Buskey concluded with a touching sentiment: “As far as my legacy goes, the only one I really care about is that students left my classes, more often than not, with a little more interest, excitement and insight about film and the filmmaking process. I felt honored to have had the opportunity to share what I love in this space and to have been a simple working member of this very unique community for the last 13 years.”
