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After the close of the Spring semester, three Lycoming College students will travel to the French Riviera to work as interns at the Cannes International Film Festival in Cannes, France. All three have been accepted into The American Pavilion’s Cannes Film Festival Student Program and will gain hands-on experience at one of the most renowned film festivals in the world as Film & Business Program interns from May 10-24.
The American Pavilion, a communications and hospitality center for journalists, publicists, actors, filmmakers and executives, serves as a hub for the American film community and has offered student internships since its creation in 1989. The highly competitive student program is the only intern opportunity that is affiliated with the Cannes Film Festival. Hundreds of students compete for the 175-200 spots in the program. All program participants receive accreditation to the Cannes Film Festival, a privilege normally reserved only for industry professionals.
The internship was created for students who are interested in the film and entertainment industry, and places them in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment that offers endless opportunities to network with industry insiders and like-minded students. The following Lycoming students were awarded spots for showing a strong work ethic and positive attitude about a future career in film:
- Jessee Bermudez ’20 (Bronx, N.Y.), film and video arts major, music minor
- Rebekah Vandort ’21 (Williamsport), corporate communications major
- Mark M. Wheary ’20 (Lock Haven, Pa.) film and video arts major, business administration minor
As interns, Bermudez, Vandort, and Wheary will work 4-6 hours per day either in the Pavillion, with a sponsor, or with another company doing business at the annual event, as well as attend seminars and workshops on the history of the film festival and the business side of filmmaking. They will also participate in “The Roundtable Series” and the “In Conversation Series”, a string of small group discussions with notables from the film industry. Past guests include Francis Ford Coppola, Bruce Dern, Jeff Nichols, Tim Roth, Jude Law, Jessica Chastain, Charlie Kauffman, Carrie Fisher, James Franco, and Michael Moore. Student interns are also granted access to the Roger Ebert Conference Center, where they can attend panel discussions on a broad array of industry topics, and are able to screen their own film in the Roger Ebert Conference Center.
“Our students are about to gain an unparalleled experience that will allow them to witness the inner workings of the film industry in a very unique way,” said Leah Bedrosian Peterson, associate professor of film and video arts and director of the program. “I am thrilled that their expertise, passion for film, and Lycoming education have helped them secure such an incredible opportunity.”