Free Culture Invisible in partnership with Siena College, will host the international film festival The Best of Festival Cinema Invisible October 18-19, 2019 at Key auditorium (515 Loudon Rd., Loudonville, NY, 12211). FCI is a New York-based film venue in its seventh year, and this special edition of the annual festival is exclusive to Siena College. “The Best of Festival Cinema Invisible” will showcase films from the previous six annual festivals as well as sneak-preview films set to be screened at the 2020 festival.
The Best of Festival Cinema Invisible program includes feature and short films (including animations) from the Middle East and North Africa. The line-up includes world, North America, US and regional premier films.
Each session follows a Q&A with Bill Wolak, Roja Ebrahimi, and Mahmood Karimi Hakak.
With SPECIAL THANKS to
Creative Arts Department, Dr. Lara Whelan, Dr. Krysta Dennis, Mike Lounello, Dr. Beverly Thompson, Victoria Pelcher, Saeed Moradi, Pegah Ebrahimi, Lisa Witkowski, Jason Rich, the FCI Board, and all filmmakers who submitted their creative works to FCI.
A note from Dr. Lara Whelan, Dean of the School of Liberal Arts
In an era of divisiveness, art taps into what we have in common — the human experiences we all share. Now more than ever, in the current political climate, the survival of our common humanity depends on transforming our vision of the Other to a vision of Us. The voices of these filmmakers are vital to that process and inspiring in their bravery. They represent a group that is often voiceless in our culture. For many, making their films was risky in their home countries as well. Their individual perspectives, and willingness to speak their truth, are at the heart of why we must continue to support the arts and arts education — to support the artists who help us connect with each other and to make sure there are audiences, like you, who understand the vital importance of seeking this connection. And so I want to thank you for coming today and supporting the search for connection. I also want to thank Mahmood and the entire FCI Board for the efforts in bringing the festival to Siena, our filmmakers, and Siena, and the Creative Arts Department in particular, for their support of this work.
Looking forward to next year,
Lara
