Episode 48 | Rapid Fire Segment | Eileen Level

Enjoy this rapid fire segment with Eileen Level, founder of PaleFO Cinema! I’m a high-energy cinema professional who’s been working in the film festival industry since 2014. I have experience as a media events manager and short film programmer. I am passionate about teaching the next generation of storytellers about visual and media arts and I'm committed to working with under-resourced youth. The first experience that introduced me to the magic of film was John Landis and Michael Jackson's THRILLER short film. At the tender age of 5 when Play-Doh and naps at noon were my be-all-end-all, my life took an unexpected turn at the click of the on-button. I stood there in awe as my eyes widened, in fright as my body froze, and enamored as my heart melted. All at once, THRILLER had disrupted the music industry and my understanding of reality. Without my permission, I was teleported into a fantastical nightmare that awakened my thirst for powerful stories beyond any stand-alone book or song, it had to be an amalgamation of it all! That's the power of film...nothing is left off the table! Aside from the creative impact film has on one individual, the shared experience of films is unmatched. There's an unexplainable pulse that ripples throughout the cinema making human connections far more important than one could imagine. These connections collectively inspire individuals, expand our basic knowledge of the world around us, and invigorates conversation thus leading us to action and change for the greater good. As an alumna of The New School Media Management graduate program and Social Impact Entrepreneur Fellow, I plan to couple both my education and commitment to film to create a space that encourages community participation. My goal is to build a movie theater for an under-financed community, by gathering a tribe of eager creatives from diverse backgrounds with varying skills and experiences. Through this initiative I plan to bring people together for a shared experience, that will maximize self-expression and leverage community involvement, arts education, and other resources. I'm the creative curator and force behind cinema blog palefocinema.com (pah-leh-fo), spotlighting the importance and uniqueness of movie theaters and film. The meaning of PaleFO Cinema is derived from my Haitian and French roots and love for the cinema. Pale means to "speak" and Fo means "up". These words are my essence and speaking up for the importance of storytelling through film and advocating for the existence of movie theaters is the path I was born for!