By Isabella Sandoz, Bates College Class of 2026

Over the course of the semester, our class has watched several different films in our respective groups of fiction and documentary film viewing. This week, after several discussions, we choose which films, out of the ones that we watched within our groups, that we feel would be best suited for screening at the festival. There were several details that we took into consideration while we discussed these films, including how each of them fit into the festival mission statement and overall theme, as well as the discussion topics that they could introduce to our audience. As a member of the documentary team, my group members and I spent the semester watching several documentary films. We had conversations throughout the semester that culminated in the final deliberations that we had in class this week. While there were a few documentary films that we all loved and decided must be included in the festival lineup, there were several others that generated varied opinions among board members, resulting in fruitful discussions about our goals for the festival.

Watching each documentary film with my fellow programmers has been particularly meaningful to me. Group screenings allow us to discuss the pros and cons of each film while we watch them in addition to being aware of each other’s ideas and opinions in the moment. Hearing the thoughts of my classmates regarding the films has prompted me to think more deeply about each film’s messages and how they would embody the mission statement of the festival if they were added into the program. I believe that the films we have chosen represent our goals very effectively, and I look forward to the conversations that they will inspire among a larger audience outside of the class.