Interview: Festival Director Eve Studnicka on the Driftless Film Festival From Nov. 3-6, 2016

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CHICAGO – For seven years, the town of Mineral Points, Wis., has hosted an ever evolving event called the “Driftless Film Festival.” And for all those years, from the time she was a young teenager to the present day, Eve Studnicka has worked within and around the festival. For the past two years, she has been the Festival Director, all while completing her undergraduate degree at Columbia College in Chicago.

The Driftless Film Festival is a four day happening through November 6th, 2016, with both film screenings and activities beyond those screenings. The opening night film is “American Fable,” and a complete schedule of films, workshops and networking can be accessed by clicking here.

Opening Night Film is ‘American Fable’
Photo credit: DriftlessFilmFest.org

The dynamic Eve Studnicka spoke with HollywoodChicago.com about the Driftless Film Festival, and her own history in association with it.

HollywoodChicago.com: This is a Wisconsin-centric Film Fest. What has evolved, in your observation, with filmmaking in and from Wisconsin, and what area is producing the most work?

Eve Studnicka: The festival always features a Wisconsin-centric short film program, and we also have five feature films that were primarily shot there. ‘Church of Felons’ – about drug abuse – has a more rural feel, and there is a documentary called ‘Divided We Fall’ that is based in Madison. I love we have an eclectic amount of films that represent this part of the world. There is no singular culture in Wisconsin, it’s a vibrant and creative place, and to showcase that is a wonderful thing.

HollywoodChicago.com: What is the origin of the term ‘Driftless’?

Studnicka: It’s a term that describes the Southwest region of Wisconsin and parts of Iowa. The history is that part of the country missed the glaciers that drifted through, and therefore it’s rolling hills, valleys and lush landscapes – because it was a ‘driftless’ region.

HollywoodChicago.com: This is your seventh year with the festival – you literally started when you were 14 years old. What is your origin with its involvement and what is your responsibility as festival director?

Studnicka: First of all, I was born in Mineral Point, and was there when the festival was co-founded by Darrin Burrows and Nicholas Langholff – I always had an interest in film and the cultural events associated with the community, and the festival embodied all those things. It was in 2014 that we restructured, and I became Festival Director, and it’s been it’s been a wonderful gift to be able to be so involved in something that contributes to my hometown.

My main responsibility as Festival Director is to ensure the success of this event as a cultural commodity for this town, and to make sure that our mission is executed efficiently and responsibly, and utilizes the best work of everyone on our team. I’m proud of that, and I’m stoked for Opening Night.

HollywoodChicago.com: What type of films are you generally looking for, and what is one highlight of what you found for this year?

Studnicka: We screen regionally produced content, as well as larger independent films that have gained popularity elsewhere, but wouldn’t necessarily be screened in southeastern Wisconsin. For example, our Opening Night film is ‘American Fable,’ which has quickly become one of my favorite films of all time, period. It’s an exceptional story about a young girl growing up in the 1980s in Wisconsin, and how her family negotiates the finances around their farm.

HollywoodChicago.com: You also do a number of filmmaker events, including discussions, networking and workshops. Which of these specifically are you looking forward to, and which have generated the most interest?

Studnicka: The last few years we’ve expanded beyond the screen, so we’ve encompassed these workshops, network opportunities, after parties and even a burlesque show. There is live music, interaction with local businesses and just plain opportunities for the participants to meet each other.

And also, this year we’re doing something new, we’re partnering with the Madison Media Institute and Frozen Stage Films to do a couple of filmmaking workshops. We’ve been trying to expand our educational outreach, and this is an effective way of doing that. We’re focusing on lighting in one workshop, and screenplay writing in another, for example.

HollywoodChicago.com: You are remarkably doing this while finishing your course work at Columbia College in Chicago. What tricks do you use in the festival that you’ve learned in the classroom?

Eve Studnicka, Festival Director Photo credit: DriftlessFilmFest.org

Studnicka: My degree is focused on Documentary Production, but during my tenure at Columbia I decided that I’m going to devote my life and time to festival administration. I think the skills I learned in film production are translatable to festival production, like working with micro budgeting and coordinating a team.

HollywoodChicago.com: You promote that 50% of the films submitted are directed by women, which honestly represents the population. What are you seeing in women-directed films that will keep encouraging participation by female creativity?

Studnicka: It’s merely a matter of respecting our audience, which is an eclectic group of people, so in having films that speak to all who come to the festival is very important to me. Understanding the diversity in programming is something all film festivals should strive for, as we try to do as well.

HollywoodChicago.com: You facilitate a Facebook page called ‘Women of the Now.’ What excites you about the current atmosphere of feminine power, and how do you hope to keep it?

Studnicka: The ‘Women of the Now’ was founded Layne Marie Williams, my friend and fellow powerhouse. This is an iteration of feminism that is about intersecting the movement, and moving away from the earlier white-centric values, and exploring real diversity for the first time. We have a ways to go, but with the group of people that I’ve interacted with, seeing that become more prominent has been really valuable, especially in the creation of media and media arts.

HollywoodChicago.com: Since ‘American Fable’ is your favorite film of the moment, and how does it inspire you as a participant in the filmmaking business?

Studnicka: I watch a lot of films to program the festival, and there is a point where they start to blend, but every once in awhile there is a film that jumps out at me, that speaks to a very core human part of who I am and how I experience life – that is what great storytelling can accomplish. Many of the films in the festival did that for me this year, and that’s when I know I want to program them. Hopefully our audience will get the same feeling, and knowing that people will potentially experience the same intimacies and revelations, that is what keeps me motivated.

By PATRICK McDONALD Writer, Editorial Coordinator HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com