After watching trailers upon trailers, you finally manage to choose the right one. In front of you is the silver screen, large speakers on the walls and the aroma of popcorn in the darkened room. These are the elements of the quintessential date—catching a movie. Movies and films have been an integral part of our modern lives. Just remember that sense of adventure from Disney movie after Disney movie, or that tear-jerking scene from Air Bud.
     It’s these individual experiences that drove Summer Peacher to do what she does today. “I always watched movies with my dad when I was younger. Instead of reading a bedtime story, we’d watch a movie. The most excitable times of my life were when we’d go to the movie theatre,” says Peacher.
     Today, Peacher is the co-founder and president of the Charleston International Film Festival (CIFF), a five-day festival (not to be confused with the Charleston Film Festival, which takes place in The Terrace movie theatre on James Island) that shows a broad range of films, from jovial comedies about rubber ducks in the water to documentaries about the sex trade.
     “Film is possibly the most interactive artistic and creative medium. While you read a novel, you imagine the scenery, the characters, every visual aspect. But with film, you put those imaginations in motion in a format that can be shared,” says Peacher.
     She’s not your typical movie fanatic. She’s blond and tall, standing at six foot, three inches. Since starting the festival when she was 30, she has managed to get donations for the nonprofit festival for six years running. In 2013, she managed a deal with Mayor Joe Riley to declare the week of the festival Charleston Film Week. CIFF has also brought about events throughout the year. The amount of energy Peacher and her team spends to make CIFF a success is not for the weak-minded.
     “This year, we’ve had over 11,000 films. We watch every single one. We’ve also had submissions from every continent. Well, maybe except for Antarctica,” admits Peacher.
     She has worked on many films, commercials and music videos, and her overwhelming experience even has roots in the Academy, Emmy and MTV awards. With Peacher’s guidance, CIFF is paving the way toward shaping Charleston into one of the largest film hotspots in the Southeast.
     Hailing from California, Peacher along with her husband, Brian, created a film festival on the West Coast. For a change of scenery, they decided to come to Charleston to start the CIFF.
     “Charleston is just perfect. What’s not to like about it? It’s also the perfect location to start a film festival,” Peacher says. “It’s photogenic, historical and has a wide range of scenery, from the plantations to the beaches.”