This year’s films were chosen from 326 submissions that the film selection committee views and rates before a final decision is made by Director and Founder Susan W. Woods. 

"It’s the best selection of films we’ve ever had, I mean, they’re really, really good," Woods said. "It’s to support the filmmakers, that’s what a film festival is all about, not only to expose the audiences to all these different cultures and lives, and stories, but also to celebrate the filmmakers."

That celebration of filmmakers has been at the heart of the festival since its inception, with the first-ever East Lansing Film Festival being held on Michigan State University’s campus. 

"The first film festival was in 1997; it was on campus, and it was at the Fairchild (Auditorium), which had the only 35-millimeter projector in the area and on campus," Woods said. 

That first film festival was a serendipitous connection between Woods and the City of East Lansing. 

"I was the coordinator for the San Francisco Film Festival for three years, and then I was the coordinator for the Women in Film Festival in the Bay Area," Woods said.  

After moving to Vienna with her husband and then returning to East Lansing, Woods had two children and found herself wanting to bring a film festival to East Lansing, and she was not alone. 

"Then I thought, this place needs a film festival," Woods said. "Little did I know that as I was going out and talking to people that the city of East Lansing had formed an exploratory committee to see if it was viable."

Woods met with the committee to discuss the festival and, "The rest is history." Over the 28 years later, ELFF has screened hundreds of films and needed numerous volunteers and sponsors to do it.

Jennifer White has been volunteering for the film festival since 1998 and has worn many hats in that time. She served as the director of the festival in 2000 when Woods could not, and she currently serves as the East Lansing Film Festival Board President.

"I came in for the second year and then worked for three or four seasons, and then I moved to LA and New York and all over the place, but I always come back to keep up with Susan and the festival."

White also spoke about the community the film festival brings together. 

"I feel like it’s a great way to come together with people in your community and get out of your house or get out of your dorm and see something interesting and then sit and talk about it," White said. "There’s something different about sitting together and really talking about stuff in person. I would hope that people would want to come out and do more things like that."

White continued by speaking to the importance of the opening night film Souleymane's Story and the importance of film in talking about overlooked experiences. 

"This movie tonight was so topical in terms of what people are going through right now with immigration and refugees, so I think it was a really great film," White said. "I think that’s the power of really good filmmaking ... for filmmakers to be able to have that art form to get a message out, I think that’s beautiful."

The opening night feature film, Souleymane’s Story, was an exploration of a man’s struggle to obtain asylum in France while working tirelessly to make money through food delivery. Souleymane is an asylum seeker from Guinea-Conakry, and the film follows him as he navigates exploitative individuals, homelessness as he prepares for his make-or-break asylum interview. 

The film is a revelatory examination of the laborious process many face when seeking asylum in a new country and the countless hoops individuals jump through along the way.  

With such a relevant topic being the focus of the film, it spurred long-time volunteer and board member Jerre Cory to showcase an organization that aids people with similar experiences to Souleymane, The Global Institute of Lansing. 

"Our mission is to educate and graduate adult refugees and immigrants with a high school diploma, which hopefully will make life easier in this country," Cory said. "They’re newcomers and usually they have a hard time getting a good job."

Cory also spoke about the rigorous nature of the course, with it being 23 credits that many of the students take while working full-time and taking care of family. 

"They work full time, and they come to school because they want to better their lives, and it makes their children very proud," Cory said. "I’ve seen people tell me the story ‘I can finally help my child write and do their homework and math... It’s a rigorous program.'"

At the end of the film, Cory addressed the audience and explained the mission of the organization and encouraged the crowd to learn more.  

"Susan kindly let me have a few minutes to talk about something hopeful we do in this country, but it’s the same story in every country," Cory said. "I wanted to offer hope that there is something here."

Souleymane’s Story concluded around 9:00 p.m. as the crowd stayed seated for closing remarks; afterward, several audience members lingered long after discussing the film. The lobby slowly dispensed while the staff cleaned the lobby as the opening night of the East Lansing Film Festival came to a close.  

The East Lansing Film Festival will be showing films at Studio C at the Meridian Mall until November 13.