DUPB Films and DU Film Society collaborated last week for their second annual Independent Film Festival to bring less mainstream entertainment to a wider audience.
This year the films were shown in Sturm Hall and included “Beginners,” “My Week with Marilyn,” “A Better Life” and “The Artist.”
The purpose of the Independent Film Festival is to show films made independently and to expose students to cinema underrepresented in Hollywood.
Lindsay Burns, a junior majoring in Media Studies and English with a marketing minor, has spent two years with DUPB Films, one as a member and one as co-chair of the Films Committee, and has spent two years with DU Film Society as one of its founding members.
“Film Society brings films on campus that aren’t as mainstream, more independent films, international and documentary films to expose the DU community to new films that they typically may not have access to,” said Burns.
James Mecham, a freshman, studying Film Studies with a minor in Japanese, is involved in both DUPB Films and the Film Society.
“Our job is to bring independent films to campus, and, a lot of the time, to raise awareness on issues through independent films, most recently through our environmental film series about the earth, pollution and water,” said Mecham about the partnership between Film Society and DUPB Films.
The Film Society recently screened several environmental films, including the nature documentary “Earth” by DisneyNature, an independent film label of the Walt Disney Company.
According to Mecham, independent films are made without monetary incentive, so the filmmaker has more control over his or her own finished product”.
“Independent films sometimes do become mainstream,” said Burns. “But the fantastic thing about independent films is at their core, all the filmmakers really care about is making the best film with interesting stories.”
Mecham said the films screened at the Independent Film Festival at DU were chosen based on which independent films might bring in an audience. “The Artist,” recently nominated for 10 Academy Awards of which it won five, was one of the headliners of the Film Festival.
Burns enjoyed all of the films selected, and stressed the importance of independent films.
“Not many students have heard of some independent films, but when they become aware of these films and take a chance on them their mind changes, which is the main reason we love putting on this festival. We want to offer the DU community a new and fresh movie-going experience,” said Burns.
DUPB Films and Film Society intend to bring the Independent Film Festival back next year.
