The Second Annual Wild Rivers Film Festival (WRFF) in Brookings, Oregon is a few months away, Aug. 15 – 18, 2024, however, the community can get a sneak preview at the Curry Campus of Southwestern Oregon Community College on Thursday, June 13, 2024, from 12:00 to 1:00 pm.
Sue Wright and Kat Lidell, board members of the WRFF will be the presenters for this lecture. Each brings a wealth of experience to the film festival.
Dr. Sue Marie Wright, PhD, is Professor Emeritus at Eastern Washington University’s Department of Sociology and Justice Studies. As president of the Wild Rivers Film Festival, she leads efforts like the new summer filmmaking workshop for middle and high school students, showcasing her leadership and commitment to community development. Sue founded and directed the Children’s Studies Program from 2002 to 2012. Dr. Wright is dedicated to fostering creative expression among children and youth through research initiatives, community support, and educational grant proposals.
Kat Liddell, a Brookings native, wears many hats in the community. Liddell has spent the last seven years co-hosting The Insider Report entertainment podcast with Bruce Ellis, and is the Executive Director of Brookings’ newest nonprofit theater company, Threepenny Theater Co. Liddell received a Bachelor of Arts in English from Bushnell University in 2012 and a master’s degree in library science in 2018. By day, Liddell works as a librarian.
This year’s festival will feature a film made by local young people. Students are invited to learn the art and craft of film making through a week-long workshop at the Curry Campus. The youth workshop film will be presented at the festival. Registration for this free class is May 13-June 28. The Class will be held the week of July 15-21. More information is available at: https://www.wildriversfilmfestival.com/event-details/summer-youth-filmmaking-workshop.
The film workshop is funded this summer by grants through the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation, The Ford Family Foundation, and Brookings Harbor Education Foundation.
Last year the festival organizers screened 60 independent films from around the world that were entered into a competition for cash awards. This year the festival organizers will screen many more films and are including a screenwriting competition.
The film festival is attended by film makers and film enthusiasts. It gives the public an opportunity to meet the film makers. Selected films will include a Q & A with the film makers after the show. The festival is a multi-day experience for south coast residents and attracts people from outside the region contributing to the local tourism economy.
This is a free program sponsored by the Friends of Curry Campus and will be held in the Community Room on Southwestern’s Curry Campus, 96082 Lone Ranch Parkway (off Highway 101), Brookings. Bring a friend and a brown bag lunch.
Stay tuned for upcoming talks in our speaker series. For more information contact the Curry Campus at 541-813-1667.
