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As an international student from India, I was immediately drawn to interning at the South Asian Film Festival of Montreal (SAFFM) by the Kabir Centre for Arts and Culture. SAFFM is an annual film festival that celebrates up-and-coming South Asian filmmakers, and I was excited by the idea of contributing to a platform that introduces such a diverse range of multicultural films to Canadian audiences. As part of the SAFFM 2024 team, I was able to gain significant experience in event management and communications by participating firsthand in the process of organising a film festival.

My primary responsibility was to manage the SAFFM Instagram and Facebook, which allowed me to learn about emerging trends in social media marketing and the importance of consistency when promoting an event. I had the opportunity to develop my skills in graphic design and video editing by creating promotional material on Canva and editing reels on Instagram. A personal highlight for me was receiving training on how to use WP Bakery to edit the festival website on WordPress, since this was a tool that I was previously unfamiliar with. I felt grateful for the chance to learn about a software and apply these newfound skills to my internship. My supervisors, Sukhpreet, and Syeda were extremely helpful in providing feedback and guidance along every step of the way, which helped me feel more confident in the work I was producing.

I also had the chance to build upon my communication skills during the festival itself, where the other interns and I were interviewing guests at SAFFM for social media content. I spoke to many influential figures at the festival, and as a result felt more confident in my ability to openly communicate with customers. I was glad to step outside my comfort zone, since I learned the importance of effective communication in maintaining good relations with guests and ensuring that the festival ran smoothly.

Due to my background as an Honours English Literature student South Asian Studies minor, I was especially excited for the opportunity to view films from all over the world and interact with the filmmakers. I was able to see movies that I would otherwise not have been exposed to and ask questions to the directors and panelists during the Q&A sessions after every screening. I felt lucky to be able to gain such deep insights into the world of South Asian cinema from a firsthand perspective, helping to further inform my future studies. Many of the films I watched left both an intellectual and emotional impact on me, and I remain thankful for the chance to view them as part of this unique internship experience.

Ultimately, my internship experience at SAFFM allowed me to learn from industry professionals while simultaneously contributing to a cultural initiative that promoted South Asian cinema and culture to Canadian audiences. I now have a deeper appreciation for all the work that goes into making a film festival successful, and I understand firsthand the importance of having an effective communications campaign. I was also lucky to work with an extremely supportive team of both mentors and interns, who provided helpful feedback throughout the way. I improved my ability to receive criticism and collaborate effectively by working with everyone on the SAFFM team.

I cannot express enough gratitude to the Faculty of Arts Internship Office and the Kabir Centre for granting me this opportunity, and I am especially thankful to the Archie Malloch Undergraduate Internships in Public Learning Award for allowing me to pursue my passions without worrying about my finances over the summer. This internship has given me an indispensable learning experience that will undoubtedly influence my future career choices.