By: Shelter Gimbel-Sherr, Bates Class of 2027
What does it really take to put on a film festival? I am finding out as I wrap up week three of Professor Jon Cavallero’s “Film Festival Studies” seminar. The week began with a heavy snowfall, about 18 inches, according to the National Weather Service, but that didn’t slow us down. Thanks to Zoom, we were able to jump right into festival planning and, as we are quickly learning, it involves far more than watching lots of movies.
This week’s focus was on the festival’s theoretical foundations: the mission statement and the poster design. For those unfamiliar, the Bates Film Festival (BFF) is a biennial event that was launched in 2018 and is produced by Bates students in the Rhetoric, Film, and Screen Studies department under the guidance of Professor Jon Cavallero. Each festival explores a variety of genres and subjects, but our overarching theme has always centered on social justice. Our aim is to showcase films that inspire dialogue and civic engagement, and it all begins with a clear, meaningful mission statement.
There are 17 of us on the festival’s Board of Directors, and each of us brings different perspectives and a unique creative vision. Crafting this year’s statement became quite the collaborative challenge! Discussions were lively as we exchanged ideas to create something both authentic and unifying. To prepare, we analyzed mission statements from film festivals of varying sizes, including Telluride, Toronto, Sundance, the Maine International Film Festival, and the Camden International Film Festival. Mission statements, festival posters, and other marketing materials work together to shape a film festival’s public narrative. A story that, in turn, helps define the festival’s identity and purpose. Whether a festival seeks to build community connections or elevate the film industry, each uses its narrative to convey distinct goals and values. Examining these differences gave us valuable insight into how festivals present themselves and informed our approach to developing this year’s BFF.
“Mission statements, festival posters, and other marketing materials work together to shape a film festival’s public narrative. A story that, in turn, helps define the festival’s identity and purpose.”
On Monday, we finalized our festival poster (I won’t spoil it, but the competition was fierce). Our festival benefits greatly from the support of our alumni, parents, and friends. Several poster ideas, including this year’s Bates Film Festival poster design, were provided by a BFF alum who now works in creative advertising. On Wednesday, after a spirited discussion and drawing inspiration from previous BFF editions, we finalized our new mission statement. I feel that it captures our shared vision for the 2026 festival. It’s concise but deeply considered.
Looking ahead, we’ll continue our Thursday film screenings as we refine the festival’s programming lineup. Next week, we’ll face one of the most practical, and essential, aspects of festival planning: funding. From venues and screenings to guest speakers, a film festival requires many resources. We’re grateful for the support of our sponsors who make this event possible and who help keep the festival free and open to the public. We’re energized by our progress so far and can’t wait to bring the 2026 Bates Film Festival to life in the weeks ahead!
