MDOCS Celebrates Film Premieres

October 24, 2019

This past weekend, the MDOCS team headed to Glens Falls for the Adirondack Film Festival where four MDOCS-affiliated films screened in the program. All four films were created by past Fellows of MDOCS’ annual summer residency program – the MDOCS Storytellers’ Institute – and were competitively selected by festival programmers to share with their audience. Selected films included: Chinese Breakfast (Directed by Liv Fidler,’19) ; Home: The Children of the Interstices (Directed by Sarah Maacha, ’20); Time-Out (Directed by Mary Brimmer, ’19 and Sarah Jensen, '18); and How To Tell a True Immigrant Story (Directed by Aggie Ebrahimi Bazaz, (’16 Visiting Fellow) and Co-Produced by Emily Rizzo, '18) in collaboration with the Saratoga County Economic Opportunity Council.

We are so proud of all the important artworks, issues, and dialogues that our MDOCS community brings to the public eye, and had a blast supporting and celebrating their achievements.

Creators and participants of "How To Tell a True Immigrant Story" on stage during Q&A. (from left to right: Krystle Nowhitney Hernandez (Saratoga County Economic Opportunity Council); Ana Cruz (Actress); Emily Rizzo '18 (Co-Producer); Aggie Ebrahimi Bazaz (Director); Chad Rabinovitz (Festival Director)

MDOCS partnered with the Adirondack Film Festival to offer exclusive discounted passes to the Skidmore community and was able to cover fully-sponsored student passes thanks to the generous support of MDOCS donors. Student Olivia Arthen during the 360˚ VR screening of "How To Tell a True Immigrant Story."

Audience members during the 360˚ VR screening of "How To Tell a True Immigrant Story" utilize the custom-designed headsets provided in all of the filmmaker and VIP guest gift bags co-sponsored by the Festival and MDOCS.

Storytellers' Institute Director Sarah Friedland (lft.) and Director of selected film "Chinese Breakfast" Olivia Fidler '19 (rt.) mingle at the MDOCS Premiere Party after the screenings. Fidler made "Chinese Breakfast" in Friedland's Documentary Production: Form & Content course in the Spring of 2018.

Downtown Social Premiere Party MDOCS Director Adam Tinkle (lft.) and Sarah Friedland (rt.) welcome Skidmore community and festival goers at the MDOCS Premiere Party at Downtown Social.