Local critics grade film festival hopefuls

SKANEATELES - An interesting attribute of the Syracuse International Film Festival is that unlike larger festivals like Tribeca or Sundance, which utilize a committee of programmers, the Syracuse festival allows everyday citizens to have a voice in deciding the films it features.

In the months prior to the annual festival, which will be held this year from April 24 to May 3, the festival holds a handful of screenings in communities throughout the central New York region.

One such screening took place Saturday evening at Creekside Books & Coffee in Skaneateles, where about 30 guests viewed several short films being considered by the festival, then gave both written and oral responses to them.