FLM FWD festival coming to BMS auditorium

Feb. 4 event will also include live music, vendors, silent auction

Posted 1/23/23

On Saturday, Feb. 4, Barrington Middle School’s state-of-the-art auditorium will host one of its first community events — the second annual FLM FWD International Empathy Film Festival. …

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FLM FWD festival coming to BMS auditorium

Feb. 4 event will also include live music, vendors, silent auction

Posted

On Saturday, Feb. 4, Barrington Middle School’s state-of-the-art auditorium will host one of its first community events — the second annual FLM FWD International Empathy Film Festival. 

The free evening festival includes emerging and award-winning short films with free on-site childcare and kids’ activities provided by the Bayside YMCA in the school’s gymnasium. The student union will be transformed into its own fun venue with live jazz/funk music from The Groove Merchants, food vendors, the Haus of Codec art marketplace, and a Valentine’s Day–themed silent auction including home decor, jewelry, and spiritual/personal coaching. 

Free tickets are available directly on Eventbrite (FLM FWD) or via links at www.flmfwdfestival.org and on FLM FWD’s Facebook page. 

In addition to new short films on the topic of empathy chosen from more than 1,100 entries, the festival will screen three previous winning shorts, including Reviving Rivers, a documentary about reversing drought that premiered and won at Barrington’s FLM FWD Environmental festival in July 2022 and went on to be awarded a top prize at Europe’s Kinosaray Positive Film Festival. 

“This is our second festival on the topic of empathy—around neurodiversity, race, LGBTQ issues, and many other areas in which we sometimes fail to recognize our common humanity,” said Providence filmmaker Don Mays, the festival’s creative director, whose credits include HBO and The Public’s Radio. Mays leads the professional jury that chooses the finalists. While the topics are serious, the films are chosen to be approachable, May says. “Our winning films are chosen for the artful way they interrogate these issues. We look for uplifting films that inspire empathy.” 

Festival creator Lisa Lowenstein, who attended Barrington Middle School herself, said she’s grateful for the school department’s collaboration and thrilled to bring the festival to the new building. 

“It lines up perfectly with FLM FWD’s educational and community missions—and the new auditorium is stunning; people are going to be gobsmacked!” Lowenstein said. 

The festival will also re-screen 2021 prize-winners Bubbe & Them, a “docufictional” about LGBTQ+ youth and These Truths, on protests of police brutality. The full schedule will be posted next week on FLM FWD’s Facebook page.

Films are chosen using a community reviewing process, where local volunteers narrow down the selections for the professional jury. Barrington resident Susan Collyer is a community reviewer: “I was so moved by the past festivals that I reached out to help,” she said. “It feels great to participate.” 

For the Feb. 4 festival, Barrington High School senior Zehra Toprak organized a student reviewing team. As part of their experience, students—who will screen films that have already been approved by adult community reviewers—are being trained and mentored by festival organizers and will be recognized at the event for their contribution. 

Those interested in volunteering at the festival or becoming community reviewers should contact info@FLMFWD.org. Students needing community service hours can inquire about community reviewing or other internships. 

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