Centre Film Festival continues to grow in 7th year but stays true to its mission

The Centre Film Festival returns next week for its seventh annual “celebration of film and conversation.” Stretching across five venues, the festival will showcase about 300 films, facilitate conversations with viewers and filmmakers, host award ceremonies and more.

The festival is the brainchild of Pearl Gluck and the late Curtis Chandler. In 2019, the pair found themselves pondering how to provide opportunities to engage with the arts to those who didn’t have them. Chandler lived in Philipsburg, home to the historic Rowland Theatre, which first opened its doors in 1917. The theater has been used as a venue since the festival’s beginnings, and free shuttle services will be offered next weekend from the White Building on Penn State’s campus to the Rowland.

“We thought through, ‘how do we bring something that is just so intuitive for us,’” Gluck, co-founder and artistic director, said. “How do we bring it into a historic theater and bring some of that energy into this historic space?”

The festival, running this year from Nov. 10-16, has evolved from a weekend endeavor to a weeklong experience powered by almost 100 people. The scope has changed, but Gluck said their mission to celebrate local stories and honor the talent of central Pennsylvania hasn’t.

“Every film that we bring, even if it’s from Mongolia, which we’re doing, we think about how it has relevance here, like to the rural communities,” Gluck said. “Because it’s a rural film, and it looks at those concerns in Mongolia, yes, but how does that speak to us here?”

Alongside that mission, Gluck said they’re committed to financial and physical accessibility. Student tickets are completely free, and all-access passes for non-students are $60 — but Gluck says if people show up unable to foot the bill, they “always just let them in.”

“This year, we partnered with the Student Disability Resources to make sure that we have a good online presence, that the virtual festival is accessible, that we honor the 35th anniversary of the ADA,” Gluck said.

Coordinating the festival has been “a huge undertaking” for Gluck, who has found a way to integrate it into her lectures as a Penn State professor.

“If we’re talking about making films, we’re also talking about how to support yourself as a filmmaker and put food on your table as an artist. So that’s where festivals come in,” Gluck said. “It’s a great example right there available to students.”

The festival received about 850 submissions this year, which is the most in its short history. The process for selecting films starts with first-year students then segues to the programming committee in what Gluck describes as a “very arduous process.”

Students from two Bellisario College of Communications freshman seminars watch and judge the high school and college student films, then the programming committee meets and reviews the recommendations, according to Gluck.

“In the end, we give a lot of consideration to ... what are we trying to talk about here, what’s relevant to our community?” Gluck said. “It’s incredible for me as a professor to be able to have that front row seat, and also as a filmmaker, it just encourages you to keep going, because you realize how much talent is out there.”

What’s new at Centre Film Festival this year?

This year’s festival will have two new features: an immersive virtual reality experience at the Palmer Museum of Art and all-day showings.

Diane Akpovwa, a fourth-year student studying human-centered design and development, approached Gluck with the idea for a VR initiative last year during her time as a web and virtual reality intern.

“I love the way that art makes people feel, and I love the way that film makes people see,” Akpovwa said. “And so that’s why I thought that virtual reality would be an excellent opportunity, because you are physically transporting people to other places and realms and feelings that they can experience and heightened emotions that have never really been experienced before.”

At last year’s festival she had the opportunity to do a pilot experience where they streamed a show for a small group of viewers who got to choose their own experiences at the Rowland Theatre.

“It was a huge success across so many ages,” Akpovwa said. “And so then this year, we decided to really go big and hone in on it.”

Six global VR films will be available on Thursday, Nov. 13 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Palmer Museum of Art. Akpovwa said she’s a little nervous, but enthusiastic about the experiences’ potential to spark self-discovery in participants.

“I’m really excited for the awareness that this will create, and also excited for just for people to learn something new about themselves, learn something new about other people and think differently, subvert their typical ways of thinking,” Akpovwa said.

Viewers will be able to catch in-person screenings at UEC Theatres 12, The State Theatre, Rowland Theatre, Carnegie Building at Penn State, Foster Auditorium in Paterno Library at Penn State. There are showings at nearly every hour during the day across the various venues. The full schedule can be viewed at centrefilm.org.

Penn State students help fuel the festival

Similarly to Akpovwa, Penn State student Clara Da Silva is “really excited” for the festival. Da Silva is one of seven information, science and technology interns and assists with tasks such as web design and uploading movies. There are more than 50 student interns involved, alongside the entirety of two Bellisario College of Communication first-year seminars.

“Working with movies is kind of like mixing a hobby with my career, so it’s like perfect combination,” Da Silva said.

Throughout the festival she’ll be working 4-5 hour shifts and hopes to catch a couple films in between shifts and class.

“Seeing everything that we built up from the beginning of the semester until now, it’s so rewarding, fulfilling. Because at the time you’re doing it, it doesn’t seem like a lot, but at the end, you kind of see everybody finishing what they have to do, and seeing a result makes me feel happy about it,” Da Silva said.

Juliandra Jackson, the managing director, said many of the student interns are inspiring. Jackson is also new to the team — she joined two months ago after receiving a call from Gluck, who expressed a need for some help.

“I have never taken on anything this big before. I’ve been a part of many, many events. I’ve been a part of Ironman. I’ve planned multi-day bike retreats for the Mid-Atlantic region,” Jackson said. ”But this festival being, what, seven days with venues ... it’s a lot.”

She’s already learned a tremendous amount about film, the history of the festival and its impact on the community. As a State College native, this is close to home for her.

“It’s amazing that Happy Valley is a hub for all of these films,” Jackson said. “If people lean in and listen and come to the films and stay for the Q&A’s, this is really gonna have a big impact and can change lives.”

Jackson, like many of those involved, is nervous about next week. She said a part of her is ready to get to the other side and breathe a sigh of relief. Next week will be the culmination of many sleepless nights, stress and months of meticulous planning.

“In that excitement and joy and anticipation there is this sense of urgency to wrap up all of our loose ends, to make sure that people know where they’re going, when they need to be there,” Jackson said. “We’re still trying to recruit volunteers. We’re still trying to fill in the gap.”

Those interested in volunteering should visit centrefilm.org for more information.