Blog Post no. 2
July 18th, 2026









Everyone should join a film festival

(preferably AmsFF)


By Jasmine Yi Carder









“We were all excited and anxious, throwing around lists of director names and call sheets, and running up and down the stairs to our make-shift staff-room like our lives depended on it.”  



The first day of the film festival went like this: It was 28 degrees, raining on and off the entire day---on during the walk from my tram stop, off when I arrived---and de Uitkijk's little lobby was swampy with that special kind of Dutch humility that never lets you forget you're sweatier than you'd like to be. I was grumpy, and a bit tired, and struggling to muster the enthusiasm I'd felt when I'd left the house.

But then I saw them all. Emma, our festival director, swished over to me in one of her glamorous little dresses and gave me a hug. Then Borja and Gia, two of our programmers, welcomed me from a cluttered table in the corner. Then there was Natalie, Andreea, and Melody, and soon our whole team was there. 

We were all excited and anxious, throwing around lists of director names and call sheets, and running up and down the stairs to our make-shift staff-room like our lives depended on it. Natalie spread out a buffet of snacks. Carme and some of our volunteers laid out the zines. Stickers were cut out, shirts were hung up, and a fleet of Canon's, go pros, and camcorders were there to capture it all.

By the time the first director walked in the door, I couldn't have cared less about the heat or stickiness. My discomforts and personal problems disappeared, displaced by the reality of being part of this amazing thing that was happening, finally, after months of preparation.




“One of the things I kept hearing over and over again was that being a part of the festival gave people a strong sense of accomplishment, and what I can only call hope.”



This was May 29th of 2026. When I first applied to be a part of the marketing team it was some time around September of the previous year. This was a shaky time in my life. I was fresh out of a bachelors of liberal arts and facing all of the trials that entailed: I'd only been in Amsterdam for three months, working minimum wage at a shit tourist cafe, living in an overpriced and remote apartment, and trying to make new friends after my old ones left the country. I had no idea what I was doing or going to do, and I was scared. I don't say this to rant but to set the scene. The festival had a profoundly positive impact on me during a very sensitive time in my life, and I don't think I'm the only one that felt this way.

One of my jobs during the festival weekend was to roam around the venues interviewing people after the screenings. I talked to filmmakers who had come from across the world, friends, actors, volunteers, and attendees. And one of the things I kept hearing over and over again was that being a part of the festival gave people a strong sense of accomplishment, and what I can only call hope. One of the directors told me how he had never imagined submitting his film to a festival until one of our team members (a classmate of his) encouraged him to. When I spoke to him, he had this childlike glee describing how cool it was to see his film shown in one of the most iconic theaters in Amsterdam. Over the course of several cigarettes, another set of actors similarly gushed about how it felt when they found out that the film they had shot with their friends last summer was selected for our 'best of program'. And a group of film students, who weren't working with the festival but had found us through instagram the previous week, explained that they had set aside time to come to every single screening because they just loved being involved in the student film scene.




“ I won't claim that being a part of the film festival gave my life new meaning or cleanly transitioned me into adulthood---it wasn't a magic cure-all. But the festival was magic in all of the ways that mattered. ”



AmsFF defines itself by being student centered and if there is one thing I know about my peers, it's that most of us struggle with existential anxiety. We've entering our 20s on a wave of 'unprecedented' political and ecological disasters; life is more expensive than we had ever imagined and technology more intrusive; and especially for those of us who care for and want to be involved in the arts, figuring out how to take tangible steps forward can be daunting. Nevertheless, the festival and initiatives like it exist in the face of our fears. Our founders, Emma and Alya, and all of the members of our team want to create a space where young people can come together and showcase art---a community where students can support each other as we take the first steps into creative careers. 

With this goal in mind, I'd say this years festival was a resounding success. Speaking for myself, I've had countless moments of community and pride and joy. Being told by one of the film directors that the zine I designed was one of the most thoughtful programs she'd ever seen. Having festival goers compliment our instagram page and knowing that each and every post was designed and illustrated by me or one of my friends. Checking the tickets at FC Hyena and watching two full theaters fill with people. And of course, celebrating our final night with the team. I cannot adequately express how much respect I have for each and every person I worked with, and how much fun it was to go on a bar crawl with all of them. There is nothing sweeter in life than concluding months of work and then going on to score free beers from a Punk guy named Travis, dancing to old pop music, and eating shrimp dumplings in Melody's apartment at 4 AM.

 I won't claim that being a part of the film festival gave my life new meaning or cleanly transitioned me into adulthood---it wasn't a magic cure-all. But the festival was magic in all of the ways that mattered. 

And to whoever might be reading this, consider this essay my sales pitch: if you're on the fence about whether to sign up for that open position, whether to submit that film or buy that ticket, I say do it, you won't regret it. I hope to see you next year ;)



All my love to our marvelous 2026 team:

Emma Byvanck, Director

Alya Yumrukçal, Producer

Andreea Somesan, Secretary

Natalie Pavlovic, Treasurer

Nadia van der Krogt, Trust Officer

Melody Boorsma, Head of Programming

Carme Ferrando Soriano, Head of Marketing

Gia Tuệ Trịnh, Programming Secretary

Raluca Cocor, Programming Outreach

Kaavya Malhotra, Programming Outreach

Borja Sanchez de Prado, Programming Operator

Amelie Bailey-Hall, Illustrator

Sara Medaković, Graphic Designer

Camie Clarkson, Head of Photography

Anya Ivanitskaya, Videographer

Amelija Sokolovskaja, Volunteer Coordinator

Liv Lance, Networking Coordinator

And all of our volunteers