By Nikki Bauer ’16 & Ethan Wallman ’16

Local and foreign film makers showcased their ideas, passions and cinematography skills last Saturday at the fourth annual Movies at the Mill film festival in Easton. The festival featured eight films screened in the formerly abandoned Simon Silk Mill, along with music, food and the opportunity to meet some cast and crew of the films.

A personal favorite of the evening was György Mór Kárpáti’s FOREST. The Hungarian film showed the most captivating storyline, acting, and visual intrigue. Along with being a foreign film, the grayscale in presentation was another aspect that put this film on a different level from the rest. Although there was minimal dialogue (subtitles were most appreciated) the conflicting emotions and rising tensions were expertly portrayed and well received.

Actor Joshua Neth was featured in Vince Mondillo’s Green Soldiers, a story between a professor passionate about dangerous nuclear power and a radical idealist willing to go to any extreme to have himself heard. Joshua Nethdescribed this film’s intent as spurring someone to action and raising awareness about the risks of nuclear energy.

Getting into his character, Neth informed us of his character development and how it was hard to find the right voice. The character of the professor at first “read older” to him, but after finding the right chemistry with his partner he found the right voice, and it shows on screen.

From an amateur cinematography point of view, we thought the camera angles when cutting between the two characters was interesting and the transitions keep you involved. The best part was that there was an open ending, which left the audience pondering what they you care about enough to die for.

In a surprise turn of events, it was announced that all the films were being secretly judged for the title Best in Show. The result was a tie between Easton Shorts, by director Maciek Albrecht, and Before Breakfast by director Paul A. Levin. Although both films were unique and well put together, we disagreed with the outcome. All in all, we thought that FOREST was the best film in the festival. Either way, it was a fantastic way to spend a Saturday evening.

Along with the film quality, the pageantry blew us away. Live jazz and varying food vendors set a sophisticated atmosphere. We made the delicious decision to have smokehouse sliders hand cooked by employees of Pearly Baker’s Ale House. Food always makes your night better and the food available here was top notch.

There was just one snag— it was difficult to get to the festival. Under the assumption that there would be shuttles to and from the festival from Easton, this adventure was almost abandoned when we figured that no such shuttles would occur. In and adrenaline-induced moment of clarity we decided to be adults and take a cab (a fairly new venture for westerner Nikki).

It wasn’t until after we arrived at the Simon Silk Mill that we ran into Lafayette volunteers from the FYS class Taking it to the Streets: Community Arts in an Urban Environment. They informed us that an LCAT did indeed run to and from Movies at the Mill, but it was for the volunteers and was not well advertised.

All in All we had a blast. We saw great films, had great food, and found an artistic presence in a seemingly forgotten space. We highly recommend catching MME next year, and experiencing a new angle of film.