Black Bear Film Fest focuses on the future

By Anya Tikka
MILFORD — There's much at stake in continuing the Black Bear Film Festival, which brings some 3,000 movie lovers to Milford every October, and gives a vital shot in the arm to the local businesses who welcome them.

Now the festival has a new director, who's plunged right into the gruelling, behind-the-scenes work that makes the weekend festival happen so smoothly every fall.

“I took over two months ago, and already, it’s taking all my spare time,” said William Voelkel with a laugh and a quick follow-up to explain it’s a good thing.

“Milford has a truly vibrant community,” he said.

He said he looks forward to involving the community more than ever by reaching out to local schools and art groups, highlighting Milford's history in early films, and further engaging the business community upon which the festival heavily depends.

Voelkel took over from Jerry Beaver, who stepped down after 16 years at the helm. Beaver said he was ready to explore other avenues but will still serve on the board of directors.

Voelkel is no stranger to the festival. He's been an active volunteer with the festival for years, and in charge of its salon for the last few. He's now a full-time resident in the area. He still has his own company, working part-time, making training videos but no creative films (so far). The area’s natural beauty, and its opportunities for canoeing and other outdoor recreation, was what originally attracted Voelkel to Milford. But it's the people that he's come to love the most.

Much will stay the same. The Milford Theater will be still used for the festival's large screenings. And the board's first goal is still “to be true to our mission,” which is to promote community and diversity, with a focus on education; and to honor Milford’s legacy as the birthplace of the American Conservation Movement and — with Shohola, Port Jervis, and Sullivan County — as one of the earliest filmmaking hubs in the United States.

Two big changes have already taken place: There’s a new eight-member board, concerned with general direction and strategy, that's just had its first monthly meeting, and there's also a six-member advisory board.

The second goal is to "fully engage a wider range of communities and people.”

“We’re really going to reach out to a wider scope of counties, including Pike, Sullivan, Shohola, Sussex, and Wayne Counties, anything in the tri-state area,” Voelkel said.

To encourage new talent, the festival also plans to visit schools, colleges, and art groups, and possibly to host film workshops.

“We want to expand to truly engage everyone," said Voelkel.

A similar, bigger idea is to fully engage the business community, on whose sponsorship the volunteer-run film festival depends.

“I went around with Jerry Weinstock (a long-term board member) to the sponsors of the event, and found many of them wanted more involvement,” Voelkel said. "They reported they saw a large increase in their business during the Black Bear Film Festival weekend."

The increase ranged from 20 to 50 percent. And then there are the incremental increases that happen when patrons who have a chance to try local restaurants return to them again and again.

Other ideas include engaging focus groups, and having stores "adopt" a major movie, like "Gone with the Wind" or "Star Wars," and decorate their windows accordingly in the run-up to the festival.

Voelkel said the third goal to expand the number of events throughout the season leading up to the festival weekend. For example, the festival might hold workshops and discussion groups about early American filmmaking at local schools.

The Black Bear Film Festival is run entirely by volunteers. To find out more or to volunteer, email info@blackbearfilm.com.