The film farm & Culture Fest is a new film festival that will bring together independent filmmakers, film enthusiasts, and rural communities from around the world. The festival will take place at the Woodson History Center in Wausau, Wisconsin, and will feature eight independent films screened across four weekends. The festival is the brainchild of Jila Nikpay, a filmmaker and video production teacher at Northcentral Technical College. Nikpay wanted to introduce her students to the value of film festivals for up-and-coming artists and to amplify Wausau’s film community. “I’m hoping to bring the independent film lovers and independent filmmakers together for support and exchange of ideas,” Nikpay said. “I wanted a festival theme that captured the unique identity of Wausau, which is rooted in Midwestern culture: agriculture, forestry, farming and cattle.”
The festival will feature a diverse range of films that explore rural life and people’s relationships with the land in cultures around the world. The films will be screened across four weekends, and attendees will have the opportunity to learn filmmaking skills in four film labs. The film labs will offer hands-on training in storytelling, documentary, studio production, and post-production. The facilities at the Woodson History Center are equipped with professional equipment, including visual effects equipment and a green screen. Nikpay chose the films for the festival based on their connection to rural life and the land. “I started with the theme of our primal connection to the land,” she said. “It’s a multidimensional theme about both our physical and spiritual connection. Our identities are related to where we live, our memories are held by the landscape, and we’re nourished by the food that is provided through the land.”
One of the films featured in the festival is “The Return of the Projectionist,” a documentary about a former film projectionist trying to revive cinema in a rural community. Nikpay identified with the character’s struggles to find a bulb for the old projector and to find a place to host the film. She found the Woodson History Center to be the perfect venue. The festival will also provide opportunities for attendees to learn about filmmaking and to connect with other film enthusiasts. Nikpay hopes that the festival will inspire future filmmakers to look beyond the big cities and find stories that are compelling and engaging in rural areas. Wisconsin has a relatively low budget for the arts, with only 18 cents per capita spent on arts and culture. Nikpay believes that this lack of resources is a challenge for individual artists and filmmakers. “As a filmmaker and artist, I lived in Minneapolis for a long time … Minnesota spends almost $10 per capita on arts, and so that really is helpful for growth of artists. Without that, resources for filmmaking or creating art aren’t easily available.”
Nikpay wants to bring the generosity of art grants and fellowships to Wisconsin. She believes that it’s the responsibility of people who have access to these resources to share them with others. “So I thought that maybe, as people who were already exposed to the generosity of art grants and fellowships, it’s our responsibility to bring it to [Wisconsin].”
The Film Farm & Culture Fest will take place from July 18 to August 15, with four weekends of screenings and film labs. The festival is a celebration of rural life and community, and Nikpay hopes that it will inspire a new generation of filmmakers and film enthusiasts. Some of the films that will be screened at the festival include:
- “The Return of the Projectionist,” a documentary about a former film projectionist trying to revive cinema in a rural community.
- “The Amazon Rainforest,” a documentary about the Amazon rainforest and its inhabitants.
- “The Farmer’s Wife,” a short film about a farmer’s wife who starts a vegan lifestyle.
- “Pink Floyd: The Dark Side of the Moon,” a concert film about the band Pink Floyd.
These films showcase the diversity of rural life and the connections between people and the land. They will be screened at the Woodson History Center in Wausau, Wisconsin, and will provide a unique opportunity for attendees to learn about filmmaking and to connect with other film enthusiasts. The festival will also offer workshops and labs, where attendees can learn hands-on skills in storytelling, documentary, studio production, and post-production. The facilities at the Woodson History Center are equipped with professional equipment, including visual effects equipment and a green screen. The Film Farm & Culture Fest is a celebration of rural life and community, and Nikpay hopes that it will inspire a new generation of filmmakers and film enthusiasts. The festival will take place from July 18 to August 15, and will feature a diverse range of films and workshops.
The festival will be a great opportunity for attendees to learn about filmmaking and to connect with other film enthusiasts. Nikpay hopes that the festival will inspire a new generation of filmmakers and film enthusiasts. Some highlights of the festival include:
* A screening of “The Return of the Projectionist,” a documentary about a former film projectionist trying to revive cinema in a rural community. * A workshop on storytelling, where attendees can learn hands-on skills in creating a short narrative production. * A lab on post-production, where attendees can learn how to create motion graphics. * A screening of “Pink Floyd: The Dark Side of the Moon,” a concert film about the band Pink Floyd. * A workshop on studio production, where attendees can learn how to create a commercial. The Film Farm & Culture Fest is a celebration of rural life and community, and Nikpay hopes that it will inspire a new generation of filmmakers and film enthusiasts. The festival will take place from July 18 to August 15, and will feature a diverse range of films and workshops.
“Film festivals are a great way to bring people together and to share ideas. I hope that this festival will inspire future filmmakers to want to look around a little bit more carefully to find stories that are compelling and engaging right in Wausau and surrounding areas.” – Jila Nikpay
The Film Farm & Culture Fest is a celebration of rural life and community, and Nikpay hopes that it will inspire a new generation of filmmakers and film enthusiasts. The festival will take place from July 18 to August 15, and will feature a diverse range of films and workshops.
