My fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Berger, made me fall in love with cinema. Using a Super 8 camera on a tripod, she taught us how to make stop-motion animation, creating our own soundtracks and syncing it up to the visuals. It was the same year that I discovered the “Star Wars” universe (“Return of the Jedi” first, since I was abroad when “Star Wars” was released and missed the entire mania surrounding the film and associated merchandising). I read everything I could about ILM and their technological advancements in special f/x. Soon my interests expanded to directing, editing, screenwriting, cinematography, film scores, and so on.

In high school, my English teacher helped me discover a passion for writing. Writing gave me a voice — without Ms. Rosenberg, it would have never occurred to me to even try. She also gave me a foundation for enjoying and appreciating movies at a more thoughtful, literary level.

While my adolescent dreams of a career in film never materialized — aside from a few odd gigs here and there, like translating and performing for a recording of a film score — my love for cinema has continued to grow. I don’t consider myself a film “snob” because I think everyone is entitled to their tastes and you can’t fault anyone who has never been exposed to auteur cinema for not having an appreciation for it. I think the role of the film nut is to pass on their enthusiasm to others, much like Mrs. Berger and Ms. Rosenberg did for me. This site perpetually expands my horizons and I love you all for sharing your passions with me.