29th annual Cucalorus Film Festival wraps up

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - Sunday marks the end of the annual Cucalorus Film Festival, and many people who participated say they are leaving feeling inspired.

The Cucalorus Film Festival is well known across the United States. Many people from outside of North Carolina showed up alongside locals to take part in the festival.

Leslie Tai, a director and producer, came to Wilmington for the first time for the festival. She says having the opportunity to watch peoples’ films has been a great learning experience.

“The festival is amazing, the curation is stunning, every single film that I have seen, I have loved and it’s left such an impression on me,” said Tai.

Film makers also had the chance to meet other people in the industry and catch a look at some exclusive films. Tai is the director of the film “How to Have an American Baby.”

She says the film is about Chinese women who travel to the states to give birth to their children. The film took her eight years to complete. She says getting to watch other people enjoy her work has been a rewarding experience.

“The audiences have been super engaged, the Q&A’s have been great and I feel like there’s a lot of people who really appreciate the film so as a filmmaker that is incredibility gratifying.”

Tai also says that being a film maker in the United States can be a difficult career path. She says having the chance to connect with other people who can relate to her experiences helps provide a sense of community.

“It’s really about watching each others films and all of these social events where you can actually connect with other film makers. You don’t find that everywhere, so I think that’s what makes this a really really special place.”