Darkroom HU began as a filmmaking club for people of color at Hofstra University. Today, it celebrates all cultures in the filmmaking community.
“Our main mission statement is that we believe everyone in this world has a unique perspective and a unique voice based on their upbringing and cultural backgrounds,” said Ayan Alwahti, Darkroom’s president and junior filmmaking major. “We are trying to help people own that voice to the best of their capabilities through the workshops that we have here in the community that we’re trying to build at Hofstra.”
Darkroom hosts workshops, showcases and screenings at their weekly meetings to develop the filmmaking skills and cultural knowledge of their members.
“What we’re trying to do as a new club is help give our members, and general Hofstra students, a glimpse of what the industry is like outside of Hofstra,” said Miles Martin, vice president of Darkroom and sophomore film studies and production major.
While this is Darkroom’s first official semester as a recognized club, the idea sprouted for founder Diego Oliveras, a senior filmmaking major, in Fall 2024 when he noticed a lack of diversity within the Lawrence Herbert School of Communication (LHSC) and wanted to make a change.
“I joined HEAT organizations, Zeta Phi Eta and tried to get on as many sets as I could. I still noticed a difference in how I was treated, and I felt like the best thing to do was to just make a central hub where students of color in [the communications field] could share resources and information,” Oliveras, said.
Oliveras approached Alwahti and Martin with the idea of Darkroom, and they both felt the program would be a strong addition to Hofstra. Alwahti said he joined the team because he enjoys being involved around campus. The film industry is based on connections and networking, and Alwahti finds that working with other students with the same interests and goals can develop his voice as an artist. Martin said he is interested in the idea of community. Combining film and the student body intrigued Martin to join the Darkroom team.
Despite the club being film based, students of any major on Hofstra’s campus can join Darkroom.
“We have a lot of people who aren’t in film because, I feel like, whether you do accounting, nursing or film, everyone has a need, or at least a want, to express themselves through art. Darkroom offers that,” Martin said.
The club typically averages 10 to 15 members each meeting where students play cultural games, watch cultural movies and workshop filmmaking techniques every Friday at 5 p.m. During their meeting on Sept. 19, the group watched “Y Tu Mamá Tambien” in recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month.
“We try to give our members the most agency over the kinds of events and kinds of movies that we hold and watch,” Alwahti said. “Our second meeting was a Hispanic Heritage Month screening, and we watched a movie voted on by our members because they were like, ‘We want to watch this movie the most.’ We showed that movie and people showed up.”
Darkroom is hosting a 72-hour film festival in collaboration with HU Backstage, the Hofstra Filmmaking Club and Women in Film to celebrate student work and quick creativity.
“One thing that was very important for us starting out in our first officially recognized year was to be more involved and more connected with the other film clubs on campus,” Alwahti said. “Community, connection and networking are the most important things here.”
The film festival will take place Monday, Oct. 27, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. in Studio A of LHSC. The group wants to take this idea and expand upon it in the future, showcasing the work of all Hofstra students.
“The Hofstra film festival happens every May and it’s when we get to see the senior films, intermediate films and advanced films,” Alwahti said. “One crucial type of film that doesn’t get shown there is the introductory film [from first years]. There are so many of those films that are great and don’t get seen.”
Darkroom hopes to transform their meetings into a space where unseen films can be showcased to other students. Prospective members can meet the Darkroom team at their ice cream social event on Wednesday, Oct. 15, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. and inquire about how they can submit their work to be celebrated at a future meeting.