Beckie Stocchetti: «Today, people can tell their own story and that is vital»

Beckie Stocchetti is part of the jury of the FIFO 2022. Director of the Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF), she has also produced documentaries and worked on impact film campaigns.

How do you envision your role as a jury member of FIFO?
I am very honored to be part of the jury. This is my first time coming to Tahiti and I am very excited to see how it works. FIFO It functions as a festival and what it presents. Any opportunity to talk, promote, and share Pacific films is important and worth taking advantage of.

How do you judge a documentary? Do you have instructions from the FIFO?
We haven’t yet spoken with the jury members, so I don’t yet know if there are any particular things to expect. It’s true that some festivals have specific criteria. For me, it’s a combination of the technical aspects and the narrative itself. The sound, cinematography, execution, direction, character development, content, emotions, the different ways of thinking, and how the film can change the perception of the audience through the way the story is told, authenticity… All of these things count.

What are your goals as the director of HIFF?
The first objective of the HIFF festival, Born in 1991, he shares films between the East and the West: between Asia and America. That was the initial goal. When I took over this position in 2017, we began to develop the distribution of films from the Pacific, made in Hawaii. There were already this kind of films, but not as many. We introduced monetary rewards. We focused on the talents that exist in the Pacific Islands and more specifically in Hawaii. 

Your intention was to develop the Hawaii audio-visual industry, created by the Hawaiians?
Exactly, and to show that the Hawaiian industry was getting better. We wanted the festival to highlight these films because the rest of the world wasn’t really paying attention to them when there was so much content and potential.

What will be the differences between the HIFF and the FIFO?
I think it will be very different. French Polynesia supports cinema in a way different from the United States. In Hawaii, everything is independent and the cinema has to find its own funding. We do not have government subsidies. One of the goals of HIFF is also to bring as many people as possible to discover Hawaiian culture. HIFF is very focused on tourism and covers a denser and wider geographical area. The FIFO is more focused on the Oceanic identity and the Pacific Islands.

In your opinion, what place does documentary have in the Pacific?
Documentary has always had an important place, but films are much more accessible, especially documentaries that show the real situation and history. This gives people around the world a perspective on life in other countries, a chance to share their culture. I don’t know if that’s becoming more important, but it’s important.

Has there been an evolution behind the scenes with more Pacific directors and producers?
Yes, and that’s a good thing! Without disrespecting the filmmakers from Europe who came to film and make documentaries. The first films were made by outsiders who came to tell the story of the indigenous people. Today, people can tell their own story and that’s vital.

What were your duties in the audiovisual industry?
I worked as a producer on the impact film campaign for Kartemquin Films, a documentary production company. My role was to distribute programs by promoting diversity in film production. I also had to manage impact campaigns around films to change laws or societal perceptions. I also worked for the city of Chicago to assist with the filming of films shot in the city.

What do you like about the audiovisual industry?
Everything! And I also hate it (laughs)! It’s a difficult sector. I like doing work that allows for changing the interaction between people and the world, promoting ideas, and supporting people working in this sector to help them break through and develop a cinema that better reflects diversity in general.

Can a documentary change society?
Yes, and it works! Some are more successful than others, but it’s impossible not to change your perspective when you have a more intimate view of people and their daily lives through a film.

Article written by Lucie Rabreaud