From the Director

Exciting things are underway in our second season. The Freethought Film Festival Foundation is at the forefront of the secular movement in introducing the general public to freethought ideals. From July 31st through August 5th, 2012, in Denver, Colorado, FFFF will host not only the second annual International Freethought Film Festival, to include indie film screenings, Q&As and parties, but a major charity event as well! There are multiple opportunities for organizations, businesses and individuals to play a supporting role in our efforts this season. What you may not know, is that FFFF is also here to lend support to secular clubs & groups who are interested in promoting reason through film in their own communities. We are continually scouting for new films that reflect our mission statement, and the list of freethought programming content to share with others keeps growing.

In October, I represented FFFF at our information table at the Texas Freethought/Atheist Alliance of America Convention, where the convention organizers added to their program a "mini film festival". They showed back to back films in one of the convention rooms that sat approximately 30 people. All nine of the films that they screened were full-length feature films. Six out of those nine films were official selections at IFFF. (We screened seven features, and the only reason that the convention did not include all seven in their program, was that one of the directors did not reply to them to grant screening permission.) That weekend, attendees approached our table asking what was being screened, because they assumed that we were the ones putting on the mini-film festival. I explained to them that we weren't affiliated with it, but before pointed to the convention information table where they could get a schedule, I introduced to them our mission. After the introduction, not only were people excited about our efforts, but at least a half dozen filmmakers came up to me later to tell me that they were inspired create a film to submit to IFFF!

Community group leaders regularly reach out to me and express interest in presenting films that were screened at our first event back in May, 2011. I tell them that we are happy to help with content, promoting and advice on how to execute such an event; and I explain our stipulations for FFFF to extend such support. Here are they are:

1. The event must be held in a public theater venue, in a non-academic environment. Not on a school campus. No library meeting rooms. No hotel conference rooms. Why not the afforementioned? Boring. Boring. Boring.

2. The event must be free to the public. There are a few reasons for this requirement. One reason is the logistics of screening permissions. Another is to make attending the screenings as attractive to the general public as possible. Free = Average person thinking, "Even though this sounds super interesting, I wouldn't attend if I had to pay an admission, but since it's free...why the hell not?". Yet another reason is to challenge groups to make their presence known by giving something to their community...the gift of educating the public by exercising their own mission statements using a medium attractive to a general audience.

3. A one day event is most reasonable for a community group to organize. (This one is really a strong suggestion.) The Freethought Film Festival Foundation's concentration is promoting reason through film. The focus of freethought/secular community groups/clubs is to promote reason in general; and a small film festival is a great way to do this without committing to hosting a major, annual event like IFFF.

Following these requirements maximizes the chance for a good turnout to a community group hosted film festival. The residual benefits will mostly be non-tangible things, like, understanding, encouraging dialogue (resulting in even more understanding), creating an environment for camaraderie, inspiration and diluting ignorance. While presenting a free event, which costs more than sending an email alert and creating a Facebook Page, may not grow the treasury of a freethought community group, it will help advance reason overall. FFFF wants to help, because the big picture is important to us. We want to work with those who can see it.

Andrea Steele
Executive Director
Freethought Film Festival Foundation

FFFF Advisory Committee

The Freethought Film Festival Foundation is in the process of forming an advisory committee for the International Freethought Film Festival. As our focus is on the creative and artistic expression of freethought ideas through film, the committee will comprise of individuals with experience in the film industry and an understanding of the vision behind the International Freethought Film Festival. At this time, we have two members on the FFFF Advisory Committee; with more to be announced in the coming weeks.

We are pleased to announce that Brian Keith Dalton, of Lazy Eye Productions—whose popular Web series, Mr. Deity, is widely known throughout the freethought community— has volunteered to be on the committee. James Harris, of Shameless Films, is also on our FFFF Advisory Committee. He is based in the UK, and some of James’s films have been shown on BBC, ITV, Sky TV and at film festivals world-wide. He is also a comedian and has written for the BBC. Also on the committee is LaRae Meadows, a movie reviewer; and Tracy King, who runs a busy marketing company in London, UK, works for skeptic organizations, writes for Skepchick, and is the producer of the much anticipated Tim Minchin "Storm" movie.

It is exciting to have these creative (and witty) minds to give their input on the planning of the International Freethought Film Festival. We look forward to adding to our committee and collaborating with others who also have a passion for independent films.

Growing Enthusiasm for the International Freethought Film Festival

With the International Freethought Film Festival targeted for November, we are excited about the journey we have ahead of us in the planning process and execution of the event. Last year, in August, we launched our efforts to make this film festival a reality. 2009 proved to be a great beginning!

-Our Facebook Page went up.

-Our Website was built.

-Our non-profit incorporation was established.

-We welcomed the American Humanist Association and Center for Inquiry-Tampa Bay as our first committed film sponsors.

-Enthusiastic endorsements confirmed the support of other freethinking organizations/groups/Websites.

-We opened up our Call for Submissions in October.

-We shared our mission at the Atheist Alliance International Convention in Los Angeles.

-We set up a partnership with Withoutabox for film submissions.

-We became participating partners in the Tampa Bay Coalition of Reason.

-We filed for 501(c)3 non-profit exemption to make donations tax deductible. (pending...we should know in less than 60 days if we have been approved)

-We had a great turnout of submissions for those who took advantage of our Early Bird Deadline.

-The number of Facebook fans reached 150...not bad!

It is likely that there were other milestones that have escaped my memory (there have been so many). The point is, with so much of the groundwork already laid out, we are off to a great start in 2010!

If you are excited about our mission of promoting reason, critical thinking and freedom of inquiry through the medium of film; and excited about the International Freethought Film Festival as the expression of that mission; share with others your enthusiasm. You can do this by sharing our Notes and Updates, suggesting our Page to your Facebook friends, write about us in your blogs or in discussion groups, and inform any local groups in which you may be involved.

Best in reason,


Andrea Steele
Executive Director
Freethought Film Festival Foundation
andrea.steele@freethoughtfilmfest.org

Inspiring Films Can Ignite Individual Action

Today I saw the film Pirate Radio. It is based on a true story of a pirate radio station that played rock music, which was banned from the airwaves in Great Britain. (Plus, the disc jockeys were on the raunchy side to boot.) The station was set up on a ship that was anchored off the coast of England in the late 60’s. Despite discouragement from authorities, they had over 20 million listeners. Ultimately, the British Government went to some lengths in an attempt to shut them down. Regardless of such attempts, the pirate radio station persisted because of their passion for rock music.

Stories of people, who have the courage of their convictions to stand up to authorities whose policies defy common sense, have always been an inspiration to me. There are many films that reflect this freethought concept, which have the potential to stir a viewer to action toward her or his own personal convictions. Too many people feel as if their opinions, ideals and passions are insignificant; and that any action on their part would be ineffectual, and an utter waste of time. Such films remind us that it is not impossible for one person to be a catalyst for change.

Here is a list of a few films that may spark some inspiration:

• Inherit the Wind
• Iron Jawed Angels
• Schindler’s List
• Gandhi
• Milk
• Julia/Julia
• Norma Rae
• Braveheart
• People vs. Larry Flynt
• Salt of the Earth
• Matewan
• Erin Brockovich
• Ansel Adams: American Experience (documentary)
• Eleanor Roosevelt: American Experience (documentary)
• Walt: The Man Behind the Myth (documentary)
• Tesla: Master of Lightning (documentary)
• Mark Twain (documentary)
• U.S. vs John Lennon (documentary)

Andrea Steele
Director
Freethought Film Festival Foundation
andrea.steele@freethoughtfilmfest.org
http://www.freethoughtfilmfest.org

Melding Mediums for Movement

A printable version of this article is available here:

http://www.freethoughtfilmfest.org/web_documents/fourfnews103009.pdf

Searching online for short films that are already posted on the Web and are freethought related has been a lot of fun for me. It certainly does not feel like work! Because there are so many different subject possibilities for this niche, the film links that I have so far selected to put on the Freethought Film Festival Foundation Discussion Forum are as diverse and unique as freethinkers themselves.

Promoting the core ideas of freethought such as reason, critical thinking and freedom of inquiry, has been primarily accomplished through print, lectures and debates. While many freethinkers enjoy reading and attending conferences, many—quite frankly—are uninterested in Ingersoll and ID debates. They are not necessarily any less cerebral than the aforementioned, but their brand of freethought may be entirely personal and reflected in their everyday choices…sans Darwin fish and Hitchens books. It is likely that many have never even heard the term “freethinker”.

As much as Academics may cringe, it must be acknowledged that freethought ideas will reach a much, much broader audience through arts and entertainment. Freethinkers who are currently active participants in the freethought movement should embrace a melding of the past and the present and support the creative and artistic expression of reason as well as the publications and seminars.

Visiting some of the links to the short films that have been posted in the FFFF Discussion Forum and the FFFF Facebook page, will result in a better understanding of the artistic expression to which I am referring. Often this expression can be subtle and symbolic, and for those who prefer their philosophy in black and white, this angle may not always be appreciated. Fortunately there are freethinkers of all sorts who can not only appreciate equations, atoms and primordial ooze; but also appreciate the more whimsical, artistic and diverse creativity of the human mind.

Andrea Steele

andrea.steele@freethoughtfilmfest.org

It's Just Knot Right

Last week I was granted the opportunity to shadow the Chairperson of Volunteers for the Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. I was able to observe the management of the volunteers during the event, as well as help set up before film screenings and clean up after. The TIGLFF is in their 20th year, and has streamlined the process for managing their film festival. I observed a well-oiled machine. The screening events appeared to seamlessly run themselves; an obvious result of effective pre-planning on the part of the directors. I am extremely appreciative of TIGLFF for allowing me the opportunity to learn from them.

One day during the festival, I helped set up and weigh down tents, and moved chairs, tables and rope posts from the lobby to the sidewalk. I was the only female among the volunteers at the time. The group that helped out that particular afternoon was a gay men's softball team. We all worked together to make sure the front of the theatre was ready for the day’s festivities.

When setting up the event tents, weights were needed to ensure that the wind would not carry them through the streets of downtown Tampa. The lead volunteer instructed all of us to tie the weights to the tents with a quick-release knot. I knew exactly what he meant, as I frequently camp with my family. The looks on the rest of the volunteers’ faces quickly revealed that they had no idea what he was talking about. He recognized their confusion, and demonstrated how to make the knot.

We proceeded to thread the ropes of the weights through the frames of the tents. I tied on the weights with which I was working, and peripherally observed the confusion around me as the rest of the volunteers struggled with tying the knots for their own weights. Making my way to each distressed man, I offered my assistance and tied the remainder of the knots. I received much gratitude from them for helping.

When all of the outside equipment was completely set up, we all took a break inside the air-conditioned lobby of the Tampa Theatre. As I sat and enjoyed my bottled water and the cool air, it occurred to me that an obvious detail eluded me when I was assisting the other volunteers with their knots…These men could not tie a knot, because none of them were ever allowed in the Boy Scouts!

Andrea Steele
Executive Director
Freethought Film Festival Foundation
andrea.steele@freethoughtfilmfest.org
http://www.freethoughtfilmfest.org

For many years, the three most common questions raised by freethinkers have been: 1.) What can we do to encourage young adults to become more active in the Freethought movement? 2.) How can freethought ideas gain more exposure? and 3.) Why can’t all of the freethought organizations out there play together? Attendees at the 2009 AAI Convention raised these concerns—again. All of the aforementioned issues have a solution in the International Freethought Film Festival. Filmmakers are encouraged to reexamine views about freethought subject matter being taboo, and overcome this misconception by expressing these ideas through the art of filmmaking. Student filmmakers have an incentive to submit films that reflect the mission of the Freethought Film Festival Foundation through competition for scholarship awards, and a chance for their projects to be screened for a public audience. Film is more far-reaching and will result in exposure…more so than print, which generally leans toward a more academic audience rather than the general public. Finally, with at least ten different blocks of film screenings throughout the weekend-long International Freethought Film Festival event, freethought organizations, businesses and individuals have an opportunity to sponsor one or more of the screenings. (Or become a major sponsor of the event for more exclusive advertising benefits) The International Freethought Film Festival is common ground, despite variations in existing freethought institutions. Some freethinkers, with whom I have communicated, expressed disappointment that the International Freethought Film Festival will be taking place some distance from them. For most, travelling hundreds, or even thousands of miles for any event may be logistically impossible. This is perfectly understandable. However, we need to recall 2002 on a very cold November morning, when more than 2000 freethinkers participated in the Godless Americans March on Washington. I drove from Tampa to D.C. with my husband and three children to participate in this event. It was very important for us to be a part of an event that gave us visibility and encouraged solidarity among freethinkers. It was one specific event with a common goal. The International Freethought Film Festival encourages the same solidarity that freethinkers displayed at GAMOW. The event itself will, no doubt, increase visibility; but it goes far beyond the actual event. The films being produced will be around for posterity; paving the way for stigmas to dilute over time. Freethinkers around the globe, who know that they will not be able to attend the International Freethought Film Festival event in Tampa, Florida in November 2010, can still recognized its importance and lend their support by contributing to the efforts of the Freethought Film Festival Foundation. To all other freethinkers, the latter also applies; however, if more than 2000 freethinkers can flock to D.C. on a frigid November weekend for a march on the Mall, they can surely migrate to Tampa (where it is gorgeous in November) for a film festival that reflects their views, and answers the most important question of all: How can we promote the growth of the Freethought movement?

Andrea Steele
Executive Director/Chairperson
Freethought Film Festival Foundation
andrea.steele@freethoughtfilmfest.org
http://www.freethoughtfilmfest.org