Monsters of all kinds filled the Copley Society of Art.
Two towering inflatable tentacles greeted guests recently at the Arlington International Film Festival’s kickoff party, which opened with a reading of Maurice Sendak’s “Where the Wild Things Are.” From there, attendees were invited to create masks or draw creatures of their own creation.
The festival, which celebrated its 15th anniversary, opened with an interactive party that brought creative types and the community together. Over the four-day festival at Arlington’s Capitol Theatre, 127 films from 29 countries were screened.
Paige Roehrig, executive director of the Copley Society of Art, said her organization offered its space in Boston for the event because it aligned with her goal of bringing people together to celebrate art.
“Our thinking was to activate art by cultivating more play, that’s something that’s really lost in film festivals,” said Amber Krasinski, founder and CEO of IvyHill Strategies, which did promotion, content design and other work for the festival. “Spaces you can be creative for the fun of it, with filmmakers and creatives coming together.”
Krasinski got involved with the festival a year ago after its executive director, Jaina Cipriano, approached her with a vision. Film had always been her dream career, she said, and this opportunity to bridge community and creativity felt like a way to emphasize that anyone can be a filmmaker.
Cipriano bought the festival two years ago from the founders and longtime directors April Ranck and Alberto Guzman. Conceived with the mission of bringing the international to Arlington, the festival has evolved to activate local art and artists.
“Honestly, my biggest goal is to make Boston a little weirder,” Cipriano said. “I get a lot of feedback that Boston is very puritanical and people aren’t interested. I don’t think that is true. There are so many of us who want things that are strange or surprising.”
It is important to have spaces where artists can gather, Cipriano said, because it often takes a community to produce a film.
“Afters,” a 14-minute film showcased in the festival, was co-directed by cousins Hannah Doyon and Liam Donovan. Doyon, an Arlington native, said having her film shown in the Capitol was like a homecoming, as the theater was the first place she ever saw a movie on the big screen.
Doyon and Donovan have a second film coming out soon. After visiting film festivals across the country, they said festivals like the Arlington International Film Festival are what any artist would hope for in an event.
“Festivals that stand out are the ones that give opportunities to emphasize the artists,” Doyon said. “It is impossible to make a movie on your own. Being able to connect and invite people into your process is what makes you improve.”
Cipriano’s wants to keep expanding the festival by incorporating more events, like the kick-off party, and providing a space to foster collaboration and creativity. Cipriano said, “Arlington is kind of a secret little hotspot,” she said. “People always forget it.”
“A very lofty goal I really hope for is a small movement of transformation,” Cipriano said. “Seeing stories can really change our lives. Even just a small moment that changes someone’s perspective can open up their lives.”
This article was originally published on November 3.
