April 23, 2013

Students earn internships at Cannes International Film Festival

Taylor Finch ’13 and Sofia Alicastro ’14 earned spots in the super-selective business internship program, which accepts only 25 students.

Lewis & Clark students will be among a select group of interns at the Cannes International Film Festival in Cannes, France, in May.

Each year, more than 700 applicants from North America apply for 150 internships in the American Pavilion at the renowned film festival. Taylor Anne Finch ’13 and Sofia Alicastro ’14 earned spots in the super-selective business internship program, which accepts only 25 students. Two additional students, Jeremy Nichols ’13 and Julie Pirkle ’13, earned spots in the internship program but are unable to attend.

“It feels very exciting to be in the first group of Lewis & Clark students to take part in this business internship,” Alicastro said. “This is a fantastic opportunity. To be accepted to the program and represent Lewis & Clark College is quite frankly an honor.”

“It feels very exciting to be in the first group of Lewis & Clark students to take part in this business internship.”Sofia Alicastro ’14

Representatives from thousands of entertainment companies and more than 100 countries come to Cannes each May for the festival. Through this internship, students will gain access to industry professionals, film screenings, and events that are normally closed to nonaccredited industry members.

“I imagine the entire experience to be pretty romantic,” Finch said. “Glam aside, I am excited to see and meet the creators of the great films I’ve seen and learn about their craft.”

Bryan Sebok, assistant professor of rhetoric and media studies, drew on industry connections to help make these opportunities possible.

“I serve as a faculty mentor for interns working for the American Pavilion at Cannes,” Sebok said. “Since I’ve formed strong working relationships with other mentors and staff, I was able to secure a place for our students.”

“Lewis & Clark has prepared me with analytical skills to approach the Hollywood system as a whole.”Sofia Alicastro ’14

Though Lewis & Clark doesn’t offer a major in film or business, the students will draw on a range of liberal arts experiences for their internships.

“A lot of the classes I have taken in the rhetoric and media studies department have inspired me to become a filmmaker,” Alicastro said. “Lewis & Clark has prepared me with analytical skills to approach the Hollywood system as a whole.”

Sebok, an accomplished filmmaker in his own right, sees the industry as an appealing avenue for Lewis & Clark students and alumni.

“The creative industries are not the sole domain of creative storytellers and filmmakers,” Sebok said. “Students studying art, economics, international affairs, media studies, or sociology (and many others) can take part. A wide variety of jobs and experiences are available to those interested in myriad fields of study.”

Students will arrive in Cannes on May 12, three days before the festival begins, for orientation. During the 12-day festival, they will work for companies such as SAGIndie and CBS Films during the day and attend films at night.

Rhetoric and Media Studies Career and Community Engagement

 

Blue Lassiter ’15 contributed to this story.