Today we’d like to introduce you to Cate De Castro
Hi Cate, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
The Backlight Student Film Festival began in October 2021 as a student-led initiative by undergraduate students Cate de Castro, Aleesa de Castro, and Rayna Sklar at the University of Georgia. Our festival was created with the mission of fostering innovation and creativity within the university’s filmmaking community and driven by the need to support Georgia’s growing filmmaking industry and the abundance of talented UGA students. The festival’s aim was to provide a competitive platform for students to exhibit their passion and creativity, and to bring together a diverse group of students from various departments, including Journalism, Advertising, Public Relations, Marketing, and Entertainment Media. Backlight quickly became a hub for collaboration across different disciplines, offering students hands-on professional opportunities and fostering cross-departmental connections.
Since then, the scope and mission of the festival has evolved to include not only a platform for students to showcase their work but also a commitment to empowering young filmmakers across the state. In 2022, Backlight filed as a nonprofit to further expand its reach to students across the entire state of Georgia, extending beyond the UGA community. Currently the festival is open to any Georgia college or university student, and in 2023 we had over 11 different colleges and universities represented among its submissions, selection committee, and judging panel.
As Backlight continues to grow, we aim to further connect Georgia’s diverse pool of young talent with key industry leaders, including studios, production companies, financiers, and film offices. Backlight’s impact has quickly become more than just an event; it’s a movement that has helped connect hundreds of students to the larger Georgia film industry and supports the growth of opportunities for more above-the-line roles for local creatives, stimulating growth in the larger industry. The festival continues to grow year after year, giving aspiring filmmakers a chance to shine and contributing to Georgia’s reputation as a leading hub for innovative filmmaking.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road to where we are today certainly hasn’t been without its challenges. One of our greatest struggles has been managing the festival’s growth and vision while simultaneously balancing our personal and professional lives. Each of us had to adapt to working together to run the festival while being scattered across different parts of the country.
Finding time to dedicate to the festival while we were also navigating our full-time careers and other commitments was a major challenge. But ultimately one of the things I’m most proud of is how our team rallied together. We didn’t let geographic distance or busy schedules stop us from pushing the mission forward. Our shared commitment to strengthening Georgia’s film industry, along with our belief in the power of student-led innovation, kept us motivated and aligned. Even though we were working remotely and often juggling multiple responsibilities, we kept the momentum going by staying connected and relying on each other to keep things running smoothly.
As Backlight continues to grow, we’re also seeing the growing complexity of running a festival with multiple universities and an expanding team. We’ve had to scale up our operations and onboard more people who share our values and vision. It’s exciting to see our board and network grow, and while the challenges are still present, they are also an indication that we’re on the right path. We’re incredibly grateful for the support we’ve received and continue to embrace every challenge as an opportunity for growth.
As you know, we’re big fans of Backlight Student Film Festival Inc. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Backlight Student Film Festival, Inc. is a non-profit that oversees the Backlight Student Film Festival, a two-day student short film festival that takes place every Spring at the University of Georgia in Athens, GA.
The festival accepts submissions from undergraduate and graduate students at colleges and universities across the state of Georgia, with an average acceptance rate of 11%. Backlight accepts films in two categories: short-form (1-10 minutes) and mid-length (10-30 minutes).
As the film industry expands into Georgia, we provide outlets for student filmmakers to showcase their talents and build connections within their local film community.
Founded in 2021, Backlight is an emerging festival offering a variety of opportunities for students to develop their talent in the media entertainment industry through a networking mixer, red carpet, film screenings, industry panels, and an awards ceremony featuring industry professionals, film academics, and notable alumni of Georgia colleges and universities.
The festival serves not only as a showcase of the filmmakers’ work but also as an important opportunity for students, academics, and industry professionals from all corners of the state to meet and form vital connections to launch and support their professional careers.
With engagement from film studios, production companies, professional filmmakers, and over a dozen colleges and universities across Georgia, Backlight helps bring together the current and next generation of Georgia film. As the film industry expands into Georgia, Backlight Student Film Festival, Inc. provides outlets for student filmmakers to showcase their talents and build connections within their local film community.
How do you define success?
In our eyes, success for Backlight is directly tied to the success of our filmmakers, the experience we provide to our attendees, and the success of the Georgia Film Industry as a whole. Our goal is to provide an opportunity to students that includes but extends beyond the chance to screen their film on a big screen and compete for awards acknowledging their hard work. By connecting student filmmakers with their peers, academics, and industry professionals across the state, we hope to elevate the caliber work that students can create in Georgia and provide the platform for the next generation of Georgia film to thrive professionally within Georgia. Backlight champions a strong sense of community between our filmmakers, attendees, sponsors, academics, and industry professionals in order to accelerate Georgia’s growth as a self-sufficient entertainment ecosystem and a global player in the world of film.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://backlightfilmfestival.com/
- Instagram: @backlight.filmfestival
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/backlight-student-film-festival/?viewAsMember=true
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BacklightFilmFestival
