New York, NY -- The Film Society of Lincoln Center and Indiewire and its parent company SnagFilms, in partnership with Film Comment magazine announced today a call for entries for the 2014 New York Film Festival Critics Academy, a workshop for aspiring New York-based film critics that takes place during the festival September 26 - October 12.
The Critics Academy, Film Society, Film Comment and Indiewire's initiative to assist aspiring film critics with the process of kickstarting their careers, was first launched at the 2012 Locarno Film Festival and a local version was then produced that fall during the 2012 New York Film Festival. Last January, the Sundance Film Festival hosted a Critics Academy funded in part by the Roger Ebert Scholarship for Film Criticism. Earlier this month, the finalists were announced for the next Locarno Critics Academy, whose participants will cover the 67th edition of the festival from August 6-16.
The third edition of Film Society, Film Comment and Indiewire's New York-based Critics Academy, is now scheduled to coincide with the upcoming NYFF, and will begin accepting applications today. Details for applicants can be found below.
For this year's NYFF six participants will have the opportunity to immerse themselves a wide variety of international cinema while dealing with the practical challenges of covering a festival at the epicenter of New York's film culture. The participants will cover the festival with reviews of films in the selection, articles on sidebar events, in-depth reflections on the various program sections, or interviews with the festival's guests.
The 2014 NYFF Critics Academy will begin several days ahead of the festival with roundtable discussions continuing over the course of the next five days (participants will also have the option of attending press screenings earlier in the month). Participants will then work on covering the festival once it begins at the end of that week, with guidance from Indiewire's Chief Film Critic and Senior Editor, Eric Kohn and members of the Film Society and Film Comment magazine. The workshop will officially conclude onOctober 12, the last day of the festival.
In a very short amount of time, the multifaceted nature of the Critics Academy has allowed the workshop approach to have a direct impact on the way budding critics think about the opportunities to cover films around the world. In advance of this year's NYFF, critics will engage in candid discussions with working critics, distributors, filmmakers and others directly impacted by their work to bring a greater context to its ongoing relevance. They will then provide written work for Indiewire's Criticwire blog (a part of their Criticwire Network) and Film Comment magazine the official publication of the Film Society of Lincoln Center, and other outlets to be arranged closer to the event.
The Film Society of Lincoln Center continues to innovate with its multiple ways of impacting contemporary film culture -- from festivals to first-run theaters and various educational initiatives, including this one. The multi-partnership with the Film Society, Film Comment and Indiewire is a natural fit with this initiative to work toward assuring that New York's vibrant film culture continues to benefit from talented critics willing to take advantage of the cinematic riches it has to offer.
The application process begins today; the deadline is Friday, August 22.
Accepted critics will be notified by September 1. Emphasis will be placed on a diversity of voices, backgrounds and cinematic interests.
Requirements: Applicants must have completed a minimum of three years of undergraduate study or no more than two years of experience creating critical and/or journalistic content about movies. They must demonstrate an interest in film criticism and/or film journalism as well as the ability to speak and write fluently in English. They must also live in New York City or the greater New York area.
Applications must include the following:
- CV: A basic one-page resume
- Five writing samples about film. These can take the form of film reviews, scholarly papers, blog posts, college newspaper clips, podcasts or any other work that you think demonstrates your skills.
- A 500-word statement of intent. Tell us about your background and why you would make an ideal candidate for the Critics Academy. Make sure to note any particular interests (genres, national cinemas, etc.). Passion, strong writing skills and a deep knowledge of film history matter more than overall professional experience.
Please send applications to: CRITICSACADEMY@FILMLINC.COM
