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Benjamin Bertalan
Ben has always had an interest in film. He has gone from writing term papers on the history of the Academy Awards to writing film criticism for The Allentown Times. He has been on the film selection jury since the very first year. This librarian always enjoys hearing good book and music recommendations. It is always hard for Ben to choose his favorite movies, but here are some of his top picks: Ed Wood, Ghost World, The Girl on the Bridge, The Big Lebowski, Nights of Cabiria, The Guatemalan Handshake, The Lady Vanishes, Swingers, Double Indemnity, Shaun of the Dead, American Splendor, Sunrise and Two Family House.
Katie Dyer
Katie Dyer is a soon-to-be-retired elementary vocal music teacher who became hooked on the festival at the Prequel and, two years later, became a participant in the Film Treks workshop. She enjoyed that experience so much that she had a second go-round the next year. Passions include travel, learning foreign languages, Golden Retrievers, opera and organizing chaos. Favorite films? The Gods Must Be Crazy, Harry Potter, and Doctor Zhivago. www.katiedyer.net
Natalie Foster
Natalie is a chemist, which means she knows how to make lots of things that really smell bad or maybe even catch fire. Because she came of age in academe, she is used to begging people for money, so she's turned this habit and her love of films toward working on grantsmanship for the SSFI. Favorite movies? -- how about Casablanca, Chariots of Fire, Apocalypse Now, The Longest Yard (the original, please), Cinema
Paradiso, ... the list goes on.
Pattie Giordani
Pattie is an editor at the National Association of Colleges and Employers, and was previously assistant features editor at The Express-Times. She wrote a short article on Baltimore movie locations for Baltimore magazine and a longer piece on Lehigh Valley movie locations for The Express-Times. Some of her favorite movies are Moonstruck, Avalon, the original Hairspray, Cinema Paradiso, Johnny Stecchino, and videos of her grandson.
Ann Knerr - Board Secretary
[bio pending]
Glenn Koehler
Glenn is a Hellertown native and a lover of all things Lehigh Valley. In his spare time he visits various valley restaurants, festivals, and enjoys nightlife and concerts in the area. Glenn's interest in film first began in high school after watching a series of documentaries and indie films at recommendation from his astrophysics teacher. Glenn is also a volunteer fireman, involved heavily in the Pennsylvania Wing Civil Air Patrol, and on the Disaster Action Team with the Red Cross. Some of his favorite films include School Ties, Pulp Fiction, Trainspotting, Requiem for a Dream, Rushmore, Un Chien Andalou, and Blue Velvet.
Gary Krall - Board Treasurer
Gary, a native of Bethlehem, is a management accountant having worked in the manufacturing sector for over 25 years in and around the Lehigh Valley. He enjoys a variety of musical genres such as rock, jazz and folk but is especially fond of progressive rock music pioneered by bands such as Yes, Genesis and King Crimson in the 1970’s. His music collection of cds, vinyl and concert videos numbers in the thousands and he estimates that he has attended over 200 concerts over the years. He is also a home theater enthusiast and enjoys science fiction and comedy films as well as his favorite sport ice hockey in his man cave. Among his favorite films are Blade Runner, Local Hero, Moonstruck, Star Trek First Contac, all of the Marx brothers films as well as the Sherlock Holmes films with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. Gary holds degrees from Moravian College and Penn State and lives with his wife Pattie and their 3 cats Demi, Fletcher and Harold who are also film buffs.
Lorraine M. Pasquali - Volunteer Coordinator
Lorraine has had an interest in film and photography since childhood. Her first camera was the Kodak X-15 Instamatic. (It's still in her collection!) "I think I get it from my dad, he was always taking slides and movies." Although she has mostly worked with still photography, she developed a renewed interest in filmmaking via the SouthSide Film Festival Documentary Workshop. Today she rarely leaves the house without her digital camera, a point and shoot model with video capability. Yes, she's all over YouTube! How any of that translates into a recently earned BA in Political Science, nobody knows. Film fave raves: "I love what I call 'Going to the movies' movies. You grab a big bucket of popcorn, sit back and enjoy the ride." Examples: LOTR series, Star Wars (Original series), Indiana Jones series. Her portfolio can be viewed here: www.lorrainepasquali.com
John Saraceno - Board Vice President
John is a business owner with 20+ years of experience founding, developing and managing for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. His award-winning advertising agency, Saraceno Design, has thrived on Bethlehem's South Side since 1983. John has spearheaded several economic and community development efforts, and volunteers for a variety of organizations. A founding member of the board of directors of the SouthSide Merchants Association, Rose Garden Children's Festival, Touchstone Theatre, among others, he contributes his expertise in problem-solving, fundraising, marketing, and community-building.
Graham Stanford - Festival Director
Graham is a native of Bethlehem and graduate of Lehigh University. After spending several years bumming around the US and Europe working construction, remodeling homes and other odd jobs, he discovered a passion for film while restoring furniture in Spain. There he frequented the late night cinemas that introduced him to the works of his heroes Luis Bunuel, Pedro Almodvar, Akira Kurosawa, Werner Herzog, Jim Jarmusch as well as other independent and European films. Currently he continues to restore houses, occassionally builds theater and film sets, produces and performs in theatre productions, tangos, and hangs out with his pitbull-mastiff, Bobo. He enjoys immensely the teamwork and camaraderie that the SSFI/SSFF communities have established. Some of his favorite movies include: The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928); Cool Hand Luke; The American Astronaut; Simon del desierto; Miller's Crossing; Barfly; High Noon; Rififi; Gracias por la propina; The Last Picture Show; Sexy Beast; Dead Man; Matador (Almodovar's film); A Boy and His Dog; Swingers; Stranger Than Paradise; Beavis and Butthead Do America; Cold Fever; Lovers of the Arctic Circle ; Ghengis Blues; Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!; Betty Blue; Fitzcaraldo; Trees Lounge; and many many films screened during the SSFF.
William Stanford - Office Administrator
Bill serves as the Institute's general factotum, running the administrative office and organizing the rapidly growing film library. Raised a "clam digger" on the Jersey Shore, his nearly forty years living in Bethlehem have been spent working on the South Side, moving from the campus of Lehigh University (dispensing student aid) to the Institute's office on 3rd Street. Leisure time activities include making music with the folk-rock group Religion & Cash and with the Cathedral Church of the Nativity choir, weekends at the "Irish Riviera", and any activity with his wife, Mimi. Favorite movies are To Kill a Mockingbird, Cat on a Tin Roof, and Hoosiers.
Jeff Vaclavik - Board President
Jeff has been the owner and operator of Deja Brew Coffeehouse and Deli in South Bethlehem since 1995. During his years in business, Jeff has been involved in many community events and committees. Jeff is an avid reader and music listener with a particular love of The Beatles. His primary hobby is following Penn State football. He's also been known to watch a film or two. Three of his favorite 'overlooked' films are My Favorite Year, Wrestling With Ernest Hemingway and Nobody's Fool. Jeff and his wife Georgeann welcomed a son, Brady, in October, 2004. "Out of all the events in which I've been involved, the SouthSide Film Festival has been, by far, the most work but the most rewarding."
And in appreciation to Past Board Members (in alphabetical order):
Pratima Agrawal
Phillip Clauser
Tamar Dick
Rob Dougherty
Sally Handlon
Laura Herzog Kaplus
Alicia Keegan
Inger Olsen
Gary Page
Frank Pavlick
Len Perrett
Jeffrey Scott Riedy
Kenton Sem
Kim Silvestri
Andy Witt
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