This year, Filmfest DC celebrates its 25th anniversary of showcasing the best in international film with 70 films from 33 countries (including the United States.) Running such a big operation requires the hard work of hundreds of employees and volunteers: Along with director Anthony Gittens, Shirin Ghareeb ensures that everything runs perfectly. Shirin has worked with Filmfest DC since 1990 and currently serves as its Deputy Director. In addition to Filmfest DC, she created and directs D.C.'s Arabian Sights Film Festival, which returns this October for its 16th season. 

A graduate of Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Shirin was born and raised in DC... the very definition of a hometown girl who made it big. Her impressive resume places her at the top of DC’s film scene, and we’re honored to ask her 5 Questions on the eve of this year’s festival...

DC Film: I love, love, love Filmfest DC. I sometimes sneak 3 screenings into one day. Can you describe a typical day (during the festival) for you?
Ghareeb: I’m so glad to hear that you have enjoyed our films! The days leading up to the festival and the 11 days during the festival are atypical, very busy and demanding times compared to the rest of the year! Planning for the festival is a yearlong process. However, once we reach about 2 weeks before our opening date, our festival catalog and our ads have reached the public and we are basically busy with logistical questions on a daily basis. This is also a time when unexpected challenges may emerge and we shift into troubleshooting mode to make sure that the festival will operate smoothly and seamlessly.

DC Film: You're obviously very busy during the festival, but is there a film this year that you WANT/HAVE to see? (It's OK to play favorites)
Ghareeb: I truly mean it when I say that all the films are really exceptional! There are films to satisfy every personal taste, and many interests. I do have a few favorites which I would be happy to share with you, but I should also preface it by saying that over the years, the films that have resonated with me the most are the ones that may not be my personal choices of preference. This is one of the things I enjoy most about my work with Filmfest DC – an exposure to a wide world of amazing films every year! Some of my personal favorites in this year’s Filmfest DC include Black Bread, Chance, Circumstance, The Drummond Will, Easy Money, The Green Wave, The Hedgehog, Home for Christmas, Mozart’s Sister, October, Pure, Queen to Play, and Sword of Desperation. It’s hard to limit my favorites to just 1 or 2!

DC Film: I used to love visiting Filmfest DC at the now-closed 4000 Wisconsin Cineplex Odeon. Do you have a favorite venue for the festival, past or present?
Ghareeb: Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue Cinemas was one of my favorites too. I was sorry to see it close. It was one of Filmfest DC’s main venues for many years. It was also an Arabian Sights venue. Back in 2007, soon after the theatre closed, we were able to rent the entire space and use all 6 screens for Filmfest DC. It was a unique experience, both for us and for our audience to have the entire festival take place at one location.

The past few years, Filmfest DC films have been screened at the Avalon Theatre, Landmark’s E Street Cinema, Regal Cinemas Gallery Place, Goethe-Institut Washington, as well as AMC Mazza Gallerie. Being at all these venues at once allows our audience greater choice to go to the theatre that is most conveniently located to their home or work. It creates a lot more logistical planning on our part, but it really makes us feel like a citywide event.

DC Film: You've done an amazing job running D.C.'s Arabian Sights Film Festival. How long have you been involved with it, and (aside from the sheer number of films) how does it differ from Filmfest DC?
Ghareeb: Thank you! Arabian Sights is presented by Filmfest DC and this October will mark its 16th year. As I focus on films from all over the world, I also have the opportunity to see the newest films out of the Arab world. Films from North Africa, the Middle East and the Arabian Gulf are not widely shown in the US. Only a few have received American distribution. It may be surprising for many people to discover that films from the Arab world are not homogenous, but offer distinct and diverse cinema which come from at least a dozen different countries. In creating Arabian Sights, we have filled a void in DC. It offers our audience a chance to see high quality, award winning films that they might never have an opportunity to see otherwise.

DC Film: Personal question time... It's a question I like to ask everyone: Desert island. One film (and a TV/DVD with an endless power supply) What movie would you have?
Ghareeb: That’s a tough one. Every year I see several films, which are added to my list of all-time favorites. So the list is a bit long. But, if I have to limit myself to one film my answer is a bit nostalgic and may surprise you! When I was a kid, I would watch one film in particular every time it was rerun on TV – the original 1951 version of The Day The Earth Stood Still, directed by Robert Wise. Partly, I loved this film because of my enjoyment of thrillers and science fiction, and partly because of its message of hope and that our destiny is in our hands – a message that resonated with me more as I got older.