This post was written by Caroline Jones, Jasmina Kurtovic, Kate Twomey, and Lauren Zisson of Mr. Connor Ryan’s AP Language and Composition class. We thank Ms. Brooklyn Brown-Northrup for coming to Marblehead High School to speak to us about her experience volunteering at the Salem Film Fest. The below interview is edited for length and clarity.
photo credit: Fae Phoenix Photo
Lauren Z: Did you grow up in the area?
Brooklyn Brown-Northrup: I was born in Detroit, MI. When I was fifteen years old my mom and I moved to Long Beach, CA. I went to college in Long Beach and then I went into the Air Force. I was a linguist for French, that was my peacetime, and then my combat duty was Search and Rescue. After, I got married, moved to Washington state, [and] I had a horse ranch. Then I was offered a fellowship to study at Brandeis. After graduating from Brandeis, I was overseas working with NGOs, and [then] I went back to the VA hospital and worked with veterans who were coming back from combat and re-adjusting to civilian life.
Kate T: How did you first get involved in the film fest?
BB-N: There was a member on one of the selection committees, the only African American at the time that was on the selection committee - I’m the second African American - he brought me on kind of thinking that the film fest could benefit from more diversity. There was nothing going on or pressing at the time that called for that, but I think he just wanted to add some more melatonin to the group. His name is Tiegh Benod, and he’s been involved in the film fest for years. He invited me to come on board, and then from there Bobbie Bush, one of our assistant directors, pulled me more towards the administration piece.
LZ: What does your role at the film fest involve?
BB-N: This is my third year with the Film Fest. This year, we have a changing of the guard where we have a new director, Joey Ferrari. We created three assistant directors to work with him, so I took on the assistant director role. Then, our volunteer coordinator was not able to continue working, so I took over his position. Then, we lost the person who does our hospitality and accommodations for the filmmakers, so I’m also doing that, which is basically finding hotel rooms for them. So these aren't my typical roles, but that’s what I’m doing this year.
LZ: Do you have a favorite Film Fest film [and] a favorite film genre?
BB-N: That would be comedy, [it] can be [an] effective way to introduce very difficult issues on a lighter side without diminishing the issue. Comedy to me is like food and music, everyone, on some level, enjoys it. Last year [Salem Film Fest] had a film called CAT DADDIES - one of the stories in the film is about a homeless gentleman, who found this little kitten in the gutter in New York. What I found very interesting about that dynamic, as a social worker, was watching how he survived.
Brooklyn with Fest Director Joe Ferrari at Opening Night SFF2023. photo credit: Fae Phoenix Photo
Caroline J: What do you enjoy most about volunteering?
BB-N: What I get back from it. Initially, I thought, “oh I’m gonna volunteer and I’ll be able to help people”, which I do, but I didn’t anticipate the reward that I got back from it. It allows me to still be part of a community [and] I’m able to build relationships, particularly with people I otherwise wouldn’t. Like the Film Fest of all things. I figured I’d go out and volunteer at the veteran center and places I’m accustomed to, but volunteering actually pulls you into directions you never would have thought of. [For example], I’ve been involved with Hamilton Hall quite a bit since I’ve been in Salem. So, that’s what I like about volunteering, I never really know what next year or next month or next week is gonna look like.
Jasmina K: Seems like your work as a social worker really affects your worldview, have you taken any aspects from that towards working at the Film Fest?
BB-N: There was one film, I watched it and other people watched it, and it was really interesting to see the dynamics of how the lenses that different people wear, what you pull out of a situation. So, here we all are watching the same film, but we see different things and we interpret it differently. Film, I would say, like the performing arts, the creative arts, the expressive arts, once again it’s a way for people that are otherwise different or identify differently, even marginalized folks, to approach a topic that is very difficult and discuss it. And what I love about the Salem Film Fest is that we have a very safe environment, regardless of what’s going on. We all feel safe to express ourselves.
LZ: What are some challenges you’ve faced while volunteering?
BB-N: For me, it’s saying no. I credit almost everything I have in life to volunteers, or to someone who has reached out to me without me even asking for their help, and really just embrac[ed] me. I’ve just learned in the past couple of years how to know where my limit is and where I fit best. I’m really passionate about the Film Fest, the selection committee, and being involved in the Film Fest in general. It takes a lot of diversity to pull off an operation like a film festival, so I find that I fit very well.
KT: You were saying that you find you want to do things that help people. Do you think showing films at the Film Fest, especially more diverse ones, helps people by spreading stories and educating people?
BB-N: I really do, not just for them but for myself, and once again it does so in a way that's very non-confrontational. You're in a theater, a safe space, and you're able to engage at the level that you want to, so you can be as involved as you want, and at any time you can pull back. A film fest allows a person to engage [with] and observe knowledge they may have never seen before. Then they can choose to go on further and explore or say “that's not my cup of tea” and not worry about someone judging them.
photo credit: Fae Phoenix Photo
LZ: What do you think viewers should know about the Fest?
Ms. B-N: I was recently asked about the Salem Film Fest and what makes it different. To me, the major difference I've seen is our interaction with filmmakers. That’s really our mission, is to not only show the film but to the best of our ability to bring the filmmakers, [who] come from everywhere, to the community so that they can discuss the film with the viewers and allow that interaction.
JK: Is there anything else you feel we have missed about the Film Fest that people should know or anything you feel we should talk about?
Ms. B-N: I would love for younger people to be involved at pretty much any level, particularly our screening committee. If we could get more younger people, with much more diverse worldview[s], involved in the Film Fest I'm pretty sure those younger folks would bring that back to their community and their families. Then that's going to start discussion. Change is very uncomfortable for many adults, and rather than admit it and name it we push back. But the younger folks are just like “bring it on, bring it on.” Any young folks who are willing to step out on the ledge, I would encourage that and want to see that with Salem, especially while I'm there because I would stand behind that person and help them.
