If you’re a struggling student interested in breaking into the film industry, the Lake Placid Film Festival from Oct. 30 to Nov. 2 will offer a unique opportunity. The Student Summit is a program that aims to provide knowledge, inspiration, and a network for students who love film.
“You don’t have to be a film student,” said Juliana Flores-Ortiz, a Student Summit alumna. “You just need to be passionate about film.”
Except for the price of travel to Lake Placid, the program pays for everything from meals to lodging to festival passes. The screening process is standard: A selection committee reviews the applications and chooses eight to 12 students to join the program. However, that’s where the typicality ends. As director of the Student Summit program, Noah Ramer explained that the Lake Placid Film Festival is comprised of phenomenal people who are trying to build something special, an effort not least of all exemplified by the program’s mandate to redress underrepresentation.
“At this point in our economy, it’s hard for students to go to film festivals,” Ramer said. “The program attempts to help anyone interested in film, but we do look at underrepresented populations in our region so that they can graduate from school and jump right into the workforce. We want to make sure we’re representing everyone in our community and not leaving anyone out.”..