One of the goals of our IFFBlog is to give you some behind the scenes information about how we operate and about the inner workings of film festivals. If you’ve been to our festival you know that the Volunteers are a huge part of what makes our fest work and be as cramazing as it is.

Last year, Naomi Greenfield went from long-time volunteer to first-time filmmaker with her documentary TWISTED: A Balloonamentary. We wanted to get her take on how the festival experience changed for her when she went from behind the scenes to in front of the audience. Check it…

At this time last year, every time I walked through Davis Square and saw signs for the Independent Film Festival of Boston, a flutter of excitement ran through my body and I got a huge smile on my face. I was excited about the creative energy and enthusiasm the festival brought to my neighborhood.

I was excited because last year at this time, I was preparing for the Boston premiere of my film, TWISTED: A Balloonamentary, a film I started 4 years prior while living in Somerville. A film that I was inspired to finish each year as I worked as a Festival Volunteer. I was inspired by all the filmmakers and their visions appearing up on the big screen.

For the past 6 years, I’ve always been impressed by IFFBoston. As a volunteer, you appreciate the festival by how incredibly professional and yet homey it feels, with a great attitude and top-notch films. I also loved experiencing the fest as a filmmaker because we were treated so well! From parties, to technical support, to SWAG to the friendliness and supportiveness of the staff.

My film partner and I just last weekend returned from our 11th film festival and our experience in Boston still ranks in the very top amongst filmmaker experiences. We found that only a few festivals really made an effort to create opportunities for filmmakers to get to know one another and to create a tight knit community for the duration of the festival. It’s a pretty solitary and sometimes lonely experience to make a film, so it was great to get to share an experience and hang out with other filmmakers.

This year, I’m returning to the festival to do introductions before the films. Once again, I can’t wait. This year’s my turn to give back to the festival once again for the amazing experience I had last year at our Boston premiere. And I know when I stand in the main theatre in the Coolidge to introduce one of this year’s official selections, I’ll secretly be imagining a packed house full of last year’s audience of TWISTED: A Balloonamentary, awaiting for my vision to appear on the big screen.

Here’s to another great IFFBoston!

For us here at IFFBoston, it’s amazing to have such support from our returning volunteers and filmmakers. To find someone like Naomi who understands our mission, who wanted to work with us and then premiere her film with us is quite incredible. We’re honored to have her back again this year not as a filmmaker or a volunteer but as a ambassador for IFFBoston by being one of our Intro Staff. She’s the face of Independent Film here in Boston so we’re glad she can represent us to you, the audience.