'92 SKYBOX ALONZO MOURNING ROOKIE CARD
Brooklyn Premiere
12m/USA | Comedy | dir. Todd Sklar | prod by. Brock Williams
Jim and Dave are brothers. They haven't spoken in years and don't like each other very much, but are forced to come together for a week when their dad dies in Kansas City. Alonzo Mourning was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the 2nd pick in the 1992 draft. He averaged 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks per game in his rookie season. His basketball cards were very popular throughout the 90's, and in specific, his limited edition 1992 Skybox Series rookie card. Dave is pretty sure he has one those, but Jim has other ideas. Alonzo Mourning had no brothers.
Director Bio:
Todd Sklar loves coffee. In 2007, he wrote & directed his feature length debut, BOX ELDER, which developed a cult following after Sklar & his cohorts toured the film across the country throughout 2008. Afterwards, Sklar founded Range Life Entertainment, a privately held marketing company that tours independent films to college campuses on a quarterly basis. In 2010, he wrote and directed EMPIRES, an independent TV pilot that’s currently being shopped. ‘92 SKYBOX ALONZO MOURNING ROOKIE CARD is Sklar’s first short film, and serves as a prologue to his next feature, AWFUL NICE, which he recently finished filming. In 1994, Sklar won “Best Blocked Shots” in his 5th grade youth basketball league. He still has cat-like reflexes and no jump shot.
THE BABY
World Premiere
7m/USA | Comedy | dir. Anya Garrett, Jay Bois & Giulia Rozzi | prod by. Anya Garrett, Jay Bois & Giulia Rozzi
In this follow up to "We" (screened at the 2011 festival), new parents Jay and Giulia welcome their daughter into the world and new drama.
Director Bio:
NYC based Giulia Rozzi, Jay Bois and Anya Garrett jointly created "The Baby" the follow-up to the 2010 short film "We." Google each of them, they are all pretty awesome.
BATHING AND THE SINGLE GIRL
11m/USA | Comedy | dir. Christine Elise McCarthy | prod by. Christine Elise McCarthy
Single, in her thirties and experiencing an extended "romantic drought" this lady decides she needs to broaden her ideas of who might make a suitable boyfriend. Once offended by her grandmother's advice to "overlook a little" - she feels desperate times call for desperate measures. But - just how desperate IS she? Bathing and the Single Girl is a comedic look at some of the pitfalls of dating men you can talk yourself into rather than waiting for one you cannot talk yourself out of.
Director Bio:
Originally from Boston, Christine Elise McCarthy has been acting professionally for 25 years. She has been seen on many television shows - most notably as Emily Valentine on Beverly Hills 90210, ER, HBO’s Tell Me You Love Me, Law & Order: SVU, China Beach and In the Heat of the Night. She has also appeared at the Los Angeles comedy theaters - Upright Citizens Brigade (Four Stories & a Cover) & Naked Angels (Tuesdays at 9) - reading comical true-life essays. She has been on the selection committee of Michigan’s Waterfront Film Festival for all or its 14 years. 2011 saw her directorial debut, Bathing & the Single Girl, get accepted into almost 80 film festivals and win fifteen awards. She is currently shopping her mockumemoir novel, also entitled Bathing & the Single Girl.
BEREAVEMENT
World Premiere
13m/USA | Drama | dir. Nelson Isava | prod by. Gregg Prosser
When everything is lost, what do you do?
Director Bio:
Nelson Isava was born in Venezuela. He just completed his third year at SVA. He currently lives and makes short films throughout New York City
THE BRIDGE
NYC Premiere
14m/USA | Comedy/Avant-Garde | dir. by Justin Possenti | prod. by Justin Possenti
Inspired by Sunday afternoon silent film television from childhood, The Bridge is a moving picture that tries to capture the essence of a more simple time in film making. Rod Luzzi stars as Max, an erstwhile young man on the quest for love in the modern world. Armed with pure hope, a feisty spirit and a dapper yet archaic fashion sense Max travels the metropolis with one thing in mind. To find his mate. Shayna Landau stars as, Isabella, the object of Max's affections. Right off the cover of a magazine, Isabella communicates the image of a contemporary beauty on the move in the big city. The Bridge is an homage to the films and to the sensibilities of yesteryear from first time film maker, Justin Possenti. Shot on the run in New York City on DV for three threads short of a shoe string budget Possenti interweaves the past and the present with aplomb and precision.
Fabio Acri delicately nuanced score sweeps you up into Max's sky. Located on the Internet via Naples, Italy, Mr. Acri provides just the right touch of love and whimsy to a beautifully crafted composition. The Bridge catapults a time from before, a time not too far in the distance into the present day hectic world of technology and shifting values and asks the question. Will love endure?
Director Bio:
Born and raised in the Hudson Valley, NY, Justin hails from a little town called Hopewell Junction. The youngest son of Giulio and Millie Possenti, Justin grew up in an idyllic setting on the top of a mountain a short ride from the banks of the Hudson River. After studying political science and journalism at Arizona State, Justin moved to Austin, TX where he began to learn about acting. Landing a stand-in gig for Ron Livingston on the movie Office Space sparked the desire to pursue acting on a more serious level so he moved to Los Angeles, CA. Over a period of time he studied the three schools of acting born out of The Group Theatre. He studied with Jeff Goldblum at Playhouse West, famed acting coach Janet Alhanti and at the Atlantic Theater in New York City. During this time period Possenti began a serious contemplation of film and film history which lead to the creation of his first short film, The Bridge. The Bridge made its World Premiere in Cannes at the Short Film Corner in 2011 and now returns to Brooklyn for its North American unveiling at The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival.
BUMBLOODS
World Premiere
6m/USA | Comedy | dir. Joe Bandelli | prod by. Joe Bandelli
After a new synthetic drug hit the streets and caused 90% of the population to turn into zombies overnight, Dr. Jeremy "JERMS" Madison and Mario "KREPE" Krepeli are stuck in their Brooklyn apartment trying to figure out how to survive.
Director Bio:
Born and raised in Howell, New Jersey, Joe Bandelli moved to New York leaving behind a short career in finance and law enforcement to pursue his dream of being a screenwriter and a director. Focusing his talents behind the camera, Bandelli has written, produced, and directed sketches, commercials, and films for a variety of companies. His resume includes directing the short comedy, The Re-Gift, where he was able to collaborate with producer Debbie DeLisi, who is known for running the casting departments in films by the Coen Brothers and the late, Robert Altman. Other projects include the pilot, Getting Wet, the short film, Strussel Games, and the short film version of Jimmy Time. On all of these projects, Bandelli not only wrote and directed, but he also produced. In late 2008, Bandelli met Bumbloods co-creator Matthew Wise, and since the two have written and produced a number of sketches and films together. All it took was a little push from Matthew Wise in order to get Bandelli in front of the camera, as the duo co-star in the Bumbloods series. Recently, Bandelli has written a feature length version of his comedy Jimmy time, as well as collaborated with Matthew Wise, in order to create a horror feature script titled, Seclusion. The pair continues to write and hopes to gain attention with their web series so that they can move on to producing their feature.
CAMP CASSEROLE
Brooklyn Premiere
66m/USA | Feature Documentary | dir. Anthony Pedone | prod. by Anthony Pedone
DIY filmmaker's summer camp madness unfolds in Palm Springs CA. Take a joy ride behind the scenes of director, Steve Balderson's latest film "The Casserole Club". Steve Balderson is a maverick indie filmmaker who has been described as 'the best kept secret in American cinema'. This inspirational documentary provides an insight into Balderson's unique approach to filmmaking, with the production of his latest film The Casserole Club. Rather than focusing on the technical aspects of the filmmaking process, Camp Casserole is all about the strong bonds and relationships that develop between the cast and crew members. Committed to creating a familial atmosphere on set and forging real relationships between his actors which can be translated to screen, Balderson has the entire cast and crew living together before and during the shoot. The result is, as the actors say, an experience that is more like a summer camp than a job. It’s like a real life Boogie Nights (without the sex and drugs). Much more than a 'making of' documentary, this film is about the joys, insanity and passion of low budget guerrilla filmmaking. As Balderson says, 'just running out, doing something, and running back. It's more exciting, it’s thrilling'. The film also raises questions about the future of independent cinema and art and the empowerment of indie filmmakers in today's changing cultural, industrial and economic climate, epitomized by Balderson's artistic integrity and the huge respect he commands from those who work with him.
Director Bio:
Anthony Pedone was born in Dallas, TX, but spent the formational years of his life on a ranch in Clayton, New Mexico. At 16 he moved back to Texas and played in multiple musical projects while studying Music Composition at Southwest Texas State University. In 2005, Pedone received his Certificate in Writing Social Commentary from Penn State University and began experimenting with digital media and filmmaking. In 2008 he founded Robotic Indifference. Since Robotics’ inception Pedone has produced 7 films including the first The Casserole Club, winner of 5 Independent Vision Awards and The Why, which screened in 6 countries and received Best Avant Garde and Experimental Feature awards at The Great Lake Film Festival, Heart of England Film Festival and the Manhattan Film Festival online competition. Anthony continues to collaborate with emerging directors to pioneering a new DIY model. His work can be seen on Steve Balderson’s, Culture Shock, filmed on the streets of London for under $7000, The Pyrex Glitch directed by Go-Go, Jane Wiedlin, and The first film ever shot and edited on the iPhone 4, Little Gods, directed by Elizabeth Spear. Anthony is currently in pre-production for his next narrative feature, An American in Texas, and in post-production for Elizabeth Spear’s dark comedy, Roundball.
CHANGING DIEGO
Brooklyn Premiere
118m/USA | Feature Comedy | dir. by Will Fonseca | prod. by Will Fonseca
Changing Diego is the story of Diego Morales (Anthony Cruz) a shy, young paralegal who lives with his parents and his eccentric grandmother who believes in the supernatural. Diego is head-over-heels over Marissa Mercado (Yomaris Maldonado) his co-worker. After a fun date night, Marissa reveals to Diego a secret that emotionally crushes him. Heartbroken and hopeless, he turns to his grandmother and the supernatural world.
Director Bio:
Will Fonseca is a director / Actor born in Costa Rica. From an early age he was fascinated by movies, comic books and martial arts. Will went on to study at Brooklyn College majoring in Film and TV production while also studying theater. Will has created and directed numerous TV shows for cable. He helped launch NETs production department with shows such as Breaking Bread, Too Blessed to be Stressed, and created the Faith Film Festival. Will has also directed numerous short films. He directed the short film Rewind, which went on to win the on The Edge short film award at the HBO New York International Latino Film Festival. In 2012 Will finished his first feature length film called Changing Diego, and has been accepted to 4 film festivals already. Changing Diego also won the award for “Best Latino Feature Film” at the NY Downtown Film Festival. Will has also done work for the news show “Currents”. This show has sent will all over the world filming and producing news packages covering Catholic news. His latest assignment was to film the Pope's visit to Latin America and flew to Cuba to create numerous news packages. Will has had a very diverse experience in the entertainment industry and is always looking for new challenges and opportunities to create new work.
EASY STREET
Brooklyn Premiere
24m/USA | Comedy/Drama | dir. by Russell Greene | prod. by Belinda Blair & Cliff Gardner
A young, Southern lawyer goes to New York for a job interview with the country's most eccentric and intimidating Federal Judge. After experiencing the weirdest encounter of his life, he is given an ultimatum that pits his morality against his ambition. Both comically absurd and socially relevant, the film asks: How far would you go to land your dream job?
Director Bio:
"Easy Street" is the writing and directorial debut of Russell Greene. Russell is currently based in New York where he is best known as partner to revered NY film editor Angelo Corrao (collaborating on eleven films), and as one of the principal creative’s behind the acclaimed series "Made HERE" about downtown New York City performing artists which has just been picked-up for a 3rd and 4th season. He is currently working as director on pre-production of a feature film. He is also editing a feature doc about Nathan’s Hot Dogs. Russell lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two children.
ECHO
Brooklyn Premiere
12m/USA | Other Borough Short Documentary | dir. by Lauren Elizabeth Kelly | prod. by Lauren Elizabeth Kelly
In the cacophony of New York City, church bells rarely surface above the din. But at a forgotten landmark church in Harlem, Michael Smith, the 'unofficial, unpaid, Quasimodo of St. Martin's', rings out music for the community every week-at least for now.
Director Bio:
Although Lauren Elizabeth Kelly was born in Boston, MA, she has been a proud resident of 3 of the 5 boroughs starting from the age of 18 when she became a student at Sarah Lawrence College. Lauren is a dancer, choreographer, photographer, and a current graduate student at The New School for Public Engagement working towards a Masters degree in Film and Media Studies. Pursuing documentary filmmaking in NYC has created a happy balance for her artistic background and social interests.
GOOSE FAMILY
NYC Premiere
30m/USA | Mockumentary/Drama | dir. by Seung Yeob Lee | prod. by Seung Yeob Lee
The film 'Goose Family' is a blend of fake-documentary and drama. It's about a Korean family who live separately in Seoul, Korea and New York, U.S.A just for the sake of the children's education. The father, JINSOO, works in Korea to support the family while the mother, SHINAE, takes care of two sons living in the States. They both struggle for financial, emotional and cultural reasons and they gradually fall apart.
Director Bio:
Born and raised in South Korea. spent his late 10s and most of his 20s in USA and China. Majored film at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey.
HELL GRACE
World Premiere
19m/USA | Scifi/Horror | dir. by Van Nguyen | prod. by Jamie Nguyen, Kevin Salcedo & Melissa Vella
What if you relived the same day everyday in the home you grew up in, but the actions you take pile up? What if your mom comes home at 6am and cooks your favorite breakfast and discusses your day, but then at 7am she tries to kill you. Every day. This is 'Day 12' and how John deals with the '12th mom', with the help of the Captain.
Director Bio:
Back in the day, well, about 5 years ago, Van Nguyen was tired of acting in movies that weren't, um, his cup of tea. So, he picked up a camera, made a movie with friends regarding how Chris Hansen is a real trouble maker for unsuspecting attackers. Over the years, he polished his skills, and then moved from Philadelphia to NYC where it opened doors to meet more talented filmmakers and actors. His equipment inventory grew from a borrowed handicam, to a DIY lens adapter, to a Red Epic (a.k.a. Mortgage Replicator). He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, likes dogs, thinks cats are mean, and enjoys watching all movies: great ones like Take Shelter, but will also watch flicks on the other side of the spectrum.
HEY
Brooklyn Premiere
10m/USA | Experimental | dir. by Irina Varina | prod. by Irina Varina
Sometimes imaginary is more real than reality. A chance encounter awakens forgotten desire for human connection in a young painter living outside the reality.
Director Bio:
Irina Varina was born in Uzbekistan and grew up in Russia. Her father's side is originally from Poland, and her mother's - far east of Russia. Irina is an actress and "Hey" is her debut as a director. Right now she is in pre-production for her second short which will be shooting in Brooklyn this summer. Irina enjoys working with talented and passionate people and discovering things and the world. She also likes shooting films at night, milk chocolate and acting in movies about love. She resides in Brooklyn.
HIP HOP HASSID
World Premiere
26m/Italy | Documentary | dir. by Francesca Pagani | prod. by Francesca Pagani
Hip Hop Hassid is not a conventional documentary about music, because Shnuer Hasofer is not a conventional artist. As his alter ego Describe, Shneur doesn't rap about expensive cars, top shelf liquor, or demeaning women, because is an observant, Hassidic Jew. Shneur views music as a medium to awaken the human soul, and decides to expose himself outside his own community in Crown Heights, Brooklyn to confront and challenge racial and religious conflicts.
Director Bio:
Francesca Pagani (b.1989) is an emerging filmmaker from Milan. After graduating with a Visual Arts degree from ITSOS Albe Steiner Institute in Milan, she moved to New York City and studied at the International Center of Photography. She created several multimedia projects there before discovering a passion for documentary filmmaking. Francesca continued her studies at New York Film Academy, where she produced her first film, Hip Hop Hassid.
HIP PRIEST
24m/USA | Drama | dir. by Gregg de Domenico | prod. by Andrew Voegeli
At its core, our short film, Hip Priest, is a visceral and emotional exploration of the duality of man and the place for God in a sometimes dismal world. Our character, Priest, is an honest and enigmatic man, living by a personal code based in compassion and enlightenment. He smokes, he drinks, and he puts one foot in front of the other, everyday, day in and day out. The film will follow Priest, for a day in his life, in the neighborhood of East Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where he glides along with a street handshake and dreams to hold tight. Shot with an ARRI Alexa camera and a RED Epic camera (high speed shooting), the film will be in black & white with a 2.40 aspect ratio.
Director Bio:
Gregg de Domenico is a New York-based filmmaker. Born in New York City, raised in Fort Lee, New Jersey, and a '99 graduate of UMASS-Amherst, Gregg has been working in the film business for almost 12 years. As a Local 600/ICG camera assistant and operator, he has worked on over 300 commercials, 100 music videos and multiple feature length films. His feature film credits include "Spiderman 3", "Junebug", "Neil Young: Heart of Gold", "Dave Chappelle's Block Party", "Ceremony", "Little Children", and "Che". Currently, Gregg is pursuing a career as a Director/Director of Photography. He has shot 3 feature documentaries slated to be released by 2012, "Gagetown", “Made in Japan," and the Diamond Bros.-directed Danko Jones documentary, "Bring On The Mountain". He is also currently the DP/"A" operator for Moshcam.com NY. "Hip Priest" marks his first narrative short as a writer/director.
HOME MOVIES RECONSIDERED
World Premiere
52m/USA | Feature Documentary | Avant-Garde/Experimental | dir. by Richard Kostelanetz | dir. by Richard Kostelanetz
From a selection from my father's 8 mm. films, shot between 1937 and 1967, I extracted selections to which I composed a critical soundtrack about the footage, growing up in New York City, and home movies in general.
Artist Bio:
Individual entries on Richard Kostelanetz’s work in several fields appear in various editions of Readers Guide to Twentieth-Century Writers, Merriam-Webster Encyclopedia of Literature, Contemporary Poets, Contemporary Novelists, Postmodern Fiction, Webster's Dictionary of American Writers, The HarperCollins Reader’s Encyclopedia of American Literature, Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, Directory of American Scholars, Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the World, Who's Who in American Art, NNDB.com, Wikipedia.com, and Britannica.com, among other distinguished directories. Otherwise, he survives in New York, where he was born, unemployed and thus overworked.
HOW TO BREAK UP WITH YOUR MOTHER
Brooklyn Premiere
18m/USA | Comedy | dir. by Lawrence Zoeller | prod. by Lindsay McCray
HOW TO BREAK UP WITH YOUR MOTHER is a dark comedy about a young and emasculated male named Fred who must choose between his charming and gorgeous girlfriend Jenell and his matriarchal and overbearing mother. Fred & Jenell are a loving couple living in New York City with their dog. Life couldn't be happier except for one thing...Fred's mother constantly interrupting their lives! After a series of unfortunate incidents, Jenell gives Fred an ultimatum to break up with his mother. As Fred tries to gently distance himself from his mother, he quickly learns that she is not willing to give up without a fight. So Fred & Jenell decide to take matters into their own hands and do whatever it takes for the two of them to live happily ever after.
Director Bio:
Lawrence Zoeller started making movies with his parent’s video camera when he was 15 years old. Throughout high school and college he made over a dozen short films with his friends in their hometown of Norfolk, VA. Through this time he honed his skills as an amateur filmmaker in all aspects including writing, directing and editing. In 2008 Lawrence moved to New York City with his partner Lindsay McCray. In 2011 they formed Pleasantly Depressing Films. Their first endeavor was the short film, “How to Break Up with Your Mother” which has been playing in Film Festivals across the country throughout this year.
I DON’T WANT TO KILL MYSELF
85m/USA | Comedy | dir. by Nathaniel Katzman | prod. by Colby Day
When James fakes a suicide attempt to get his friend out of a DUI, he is sentenced to an out-patient recovery group for suicidal people, where he must convince everyone, including himself, that he doesn't want to kill himself.
Director Bio:
Nathaniel Katzman (Director/Writer) was born and raised in Los Angeles. He graduated from The New School in 2010 with a BA in media and cultural studies. He is the creator of the web series Three Part Duo, which debuted in 2008, and the director of many short films. I Don't Want to Kill Myself is his first feature. Edie Vedder once said he liked one of his movies. Colby Day (Writer/Producer) graduated from NYU Tisch School of the Arts and has won several awards for his short screenplay A Slightly Exaggerated Love Story. His plays have been produced across the country, and his writing style has been called "touching, ridiculous, and rewarding" (CultureFuture). He is 24 years old, lives in Brooklyn, and once slept under his desk at Comedy Centre.
JACKED
10m/USA | Comedy | dir. by Aaron Kheifets | prod. by Jamie Falkowski & Veronica Cooper
The story of a man who is jacked of love, possession and pride. A short film that tells the tale of a down on his luck dude who is pushed towards a woman who brings with her more problems the good.
Director Bio:
Aaron Kheifets is a comedian, writer and director. He is a contributing writer for the Onion News Network and is one half of the web series Boners 101. He has performed at Bonnaroo, written and directed shorts that have aired on Comedy Central and won numerous awards including “Best Film” at the New York 48 Hour Film Festival. He also runs and hosts A-Side/B-Side at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. Other credits include the Wall Street Journal, MTV, College Humor TV, and the cult phenomenon Mortified. Still, his finest moment was becoming a finalist for Playboy’s Mustache of the Year.
LOST AT HOME
Brooklyn Premiere
17m/USA | Drama | dir. by Giovanni Alberti | prod. by Giovanni Alberti
David has always felt out of place in his own family. As long as he can remember he has carried this feeling of not belonging, an innate distance. Suddenly, his thoughts and feelings collide as he begins to believe that he is a kidnapped child. Is this the truth or a cry for attention from a misunderstood boy?
Director Bio:
Born into an immigrant Italian family in Brooklyn, New York, Giovanni fell in love with cinema as a child watching the films of Lucas, Burton, Spielberg and Disney. As a boy he grew immensely more interested and enamored with the stories that captivated him and also began making mini home movies with his family and friends using his parents’ camcorder. It was not until high school when he realized that he wanted to pursue a career in film making and craft films with the same spellbinding and affecting quality as those who inspired him. After graduating from Xavier High School in Manhattan he attended the School of Visual Arts as a film/video major where he concentrated in editing and directing. While at SVA he made and contributed to over 30 projects with his fellow classmates and continues a close relationship with many of them today. In addition to his own projects, Giovanni is currently working as a freelance Editor, Assistant Director and is an Editor and the Post-Production Manager at production company IN MY DAY 119.
LOST CAUSES
Brooklyn Premiere
15m/USA | Drama | dir. Joshua Barbour | prod by. Mike Reardon
If one is unhappy now will you remain unhappy forever...? Two ex-Special Ops assassins continue their specialty work for corporate clients in New York City. When one begins questioning his career path a conflict arises with deadly philosophical consequences.
Director Bio:
Joshua Barbour was born in Seattle in 1981 and remained in that area until attending film school at San Francisco State University. Upon graduation he came to New York City in 2009 to pursue directing and cinematography on his own, finding work on a variety of different projects including directing a stage play in the Midtown International Theater Festival. Along the way he met a number of talented actors and editors based in Brooklyn and NYC and chose to marshal them to work on his first short film, “Lost Causes”.
LOVE, LIES AND SEETA
Brooklyn Premiere
110m/USA | Feature Comedy/Drama | dir. by Chandra Pemmaraju | prod. by Chandra Pemmaraju
Love Lies and Seeta is a new age urban musical / romantic comedy interweaving friendships that cross traditional borders of ethnicity's during a New York Summer. Shot completely in Manhattan and Brooklyn, NY starring young East Indian - American and American actors, appeals to the 'hipster' generation of moviegoers or anyone who loves cinema. The movie follows the lives of the male leads: 'Rahul' (Arjun Gupta) (Nurse Jackie), 'Tom' (Michael Derek), and 'Bhavuk Lavrenti' (Lopes), who have all independently met the beautiful 'Seeta' (Melanie Kannokada) at different stages in their lives. As the three-man’s friendships grow, a chance encounter with Seeta makes them realize they all have fallen in love with the same woman. They reach-out to their friends outside the group to cope with falling in love with Seeta. This independent film built around the friendship of three guys who pine for the same beautiful woman. The love triangle envelops the characters and their friends and the incidents that happen over their New York summer all told in a entertaining way. The city backdrop depicts a New York summer and makes its urban-natural beauty an important supporting character. The film is funded entirely by Film enthusiasts who believed in the project.
Director Bio:
Chandra Pemmaraju, is a film writer and director of Indian origin. His interest in creative fields over the years has been expressed in the form ofshort plays which he wrote / directed while in India, and a film enthusiast and strong desire to pursue movie making as a medium to create and
express art has made him to take the plunge from Valuation Services at Big 4 films to moviemaking few years ago, and since then he had made
short films, and independent films that have been received very well by audience across USA in various film festivals and India. His press
appearances include major national newspapers such as Times of India, The Hindu, and Indian Express, most visited movie information site such
as idlebrain.com, telugucinema.com, mazaaka.com, new york based localbozo.com etc. He also made appearances and interviewed by various TV channels such as TV Asia, ITV, and in international film festivals. He has written produced and directed May Beetle, Kissing Miss Jones and worked in the screenplay department, production management and as first assistant director / 2nd unit director for film Life Camera Action, which is currently in various film festivals and received accolades and awards.
MAN VS ULTRAMAN
World Premiere
39m/USA | Experimental/Alternative | dir. by Michael Rader | prod. by Michael Rader
The task of painting a portrait is given to an artist who unearths more about himself in the undertaking than expected. The painting takes 'The Man' through a whimsical and dark journey of self exploration as he attempts to trust himself. In the self contained space of the artist’s studio, 'The Man' finds himself in a fantastical bucolic environment in which to nurture himself. By using the Japanese television show Ultraman as a catalyst, artist Mike Rader chaperons himself through the creative process and exposes how equally difficult it is to navigate life. Mike Rader's art has been shown in galleries and museums across the country, he lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.
Director Bio:
Originally from Pittsburgh, Michel Rader and has lived in Brooklyn for over 15 years. His work has been seen in galleries and museums across the country. An exhibit of the artwork from the film will be on view at the Christopher Henry Galley in NYC in the fall of 2012.
MANIPULATION
World Premiere
15m/USA | Drama | dir. by Mario Corry | prod. by Mario Corry
Short film 'Manipulation' a dramatic description about a day in the life of a family torn apart by prescription drug addiction. Filmed in Harlem and Newark New Jersey. We watch our main character, FRANK, battle with his wife, ANGEL to live a life free of drugs and addiction. He then seeks help from his weary father, MICHAEL. We watch FRANK, as he tries one final time to manipulate his father for the sake of his child CHLOE and a chance for redemption.
Director Bio:
Born in Italy and raised in Brooklyn, Mario always loved to entertain. Since childhood when he danced and sang for his family till he owned his own Italian Restaurant in Brooklyn where he sang for his customers he loved entertaining and the arts. Mario went to acting school and instantly the realm of Theater and Film became a love for him. With the help of his wife Roberta he tried directing and gained immediate success in the least likely path he thought ‘stage direction”. He directed a short play in The Strawberry One Act Festival in Manhattan and the play was nominated in all categories as well as best director. The play Something Like Penguins won best play, it was his directorial debut. Having been successful he wanted to try film and “Manipulation” is the outcome. He is proud to be a part of The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival. Thankful to the family and friends who helped and guided him through the art full process of film making.
MAS MAN - THE COMPLETE WORK
NYC Premiere
89m/Trinidad and Tobago/USA | Feature Documentary/Avant-Garde | dir. by Dalton Narine | prod. by Dalton Narine
It is the only film made about the man who reached 80 per cent of the planet in a single night. Mas Man (The Complete Work) explores Peter Minshall's leap from designer in the Trinidad Carnival to an artistic director of the Opening Ceremonies for three Olympic Games, based on his knack for 'making what is small seem big in an Olympic stadium.' Minshall served as an artistic director in the 1992 Barcelona Games; Atlanta, 1996; and Salt Lake City, 2006. Olympic producers found his genius for staging grand spectacles in his native Trinidad, where his themes usually play on good and evil. Where his stage has been the mas, which he brings to the street as theater, way beyond the horizon of masquerade.
Director Bio:
DALTON NARINE, executive producer and producer/director of Mas Man - The Complete Work, is an award-winning writer and documentary filmmaker. Born in Trinidad, Narine migrated to Brooklyn, NY, in his late teens. His cinematic focus has been largely on Trinidadian art and cultural traditions. His latest film, subtitled Peter Minshall, Trinidad Carnival Artist, is neither story nor biography, but a portrait of a designer who received the Prince Claus and Emmy awards for a body of work that includes three decades of thought-provoking human interest Carnival themes presented as upper-crust art; as well as his artistic direction of Opening Ceremonies at Olympic Games in Barcelona, Atlanta and Salt Lake City. The film is about a man from a tiny Caribbean island who reached 80 percent of the planet in a single night. It won seven awards as a work-in-progress short documentary. A print journalist, Narine wrote for the Village Voice while still a student at Brooklyn College and New York University. He joined Eastern Airlines and moved up the ranks to assistant manager of public relations. Narine became associate editor for Ebony magazine, an editor at the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel and a features editor/writer at The Miami Herald. He won writing awards at Ebony and The Herald. Narine is a decorated veteran of the American war in Vietnam. He is currently writing a screenplay about the human condition - the moral edge of a soldier struggling with intolerance, who refuses to surrender his self-respect amid the constant fluctuations of battlefield and post-traumatic survival.
MY HEART BELONGS TO YOU
Brooklyn Premiere
4m/USA | Animation/Romance/Comedy | dir. by Lev Polyakov | prod. by Lev Polyakov
A hamster falls in love with an elementary school teacher and dreams about rescuing her from evil demons.
Director Bio:
Lev Polyakov is an American independent animation director, screenwriter, and character designer. Born 1988 in St. Petersburg, Russia, he moved to New York at the age of four, when his parents immigrated into the United States as Jewish refugees. Lev demonstrated his creative talent at an early age in drawings and poetry, having some of his work published in Young Voices magazine. At the age of 10, he joined the Young Actors Program at Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, performing in a number of plays, including an off-off-Broadway play "Fairy Tale". He graduated from School of Visual Arts at the age of 20, and was honored with the SVA Rhodes Family Award for Outstanding Achievement in Animation. Lev has been active in the animation world since 2004, starting as an intern for Signe Baumane, one of New York's most prominent independent animators, and proceeding to write and direct his own animated films. His first short, Piper the Goat and the Peace Pipe, won the first place in the Pre-college Student Films category at the 2005 Ottawa Animation Festival. For his next film, Morning, Day, Evening, Night… and Morning Again, Lev was awarded a grant and an honorary membership from the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures. During his junior at SVA, Lev directed and produced Only Love, a 15-minute animated short that premiered at the prestigious Woodstock Film Festival, and has been shown at more than 30 film festivals around the world, winning many first place awards. Lev himself did all preproduction for the film, including the script, storyboard, layouts, character designs, color designs, and animatic, and then managed a team of animators and a cleanup, shading, and coloring crew of 15 people in total, interacting with them mostly over the Internet. Only Love has been acquired for distribution by "Ouat Media", and "Shorts International" and has been playing on Shorts HD on DirectTV. His other recent animation, My Heart Belongs to You was playing on Channel 13 at the end of March.
MY LIFE AS ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Brooklyn Premiere
91m/USA | Comedy/Drama | dir. by Shari Berman | prod. by Jason Maran & Shari Berman
In this dark, surreal comedy, Cindy Rossberg has apparently killed her fiancé on her wedding day. Her psychiatrist encourages her to move forward with her life. However, as she attempts to do so she finds reality too difficult to contend with as she is bound to the events of the past. As she tries to sort things out for herself, Cindy spirals into a wacky world of bizarre situations that become increasingly influenced by a murder mystery she is writing. In the end, Cindy discovers that she must act as her own emancipator in order to free herself from the role she thinks she is expected to play.
Director Bio:
Shari Berman focuses on making innovative pictures that each has a unique style. Her last film – a short entitled “The Trial of Jack” – is a 3-D Expressionist film…yes, 1930s Expressionism mixed with the 3-D Anaglyph technology of the 1950s. Shari believes in pushing the boundaries of filmmaking and not relying on formulaic methods. Her film work has appeared in the following festivals, among others: Rhode Island International Film Festival, Sarasota Film Festival, St. Louis International Film Festival, North Carolina Film & Video Festival, London Shorts Film Festival, Filmstock International Film Festival (UK), San Antonio Underground Film Festival, Great Lakes International Film Festival, Chicago International Reel Shorts Festival, Northampton Independent Film Festival, Winslow Film Festival, Ohio Independent Film Festival, Alternative Film Festival (IT), Fall Film Festival, Knights of Shorts Film Festival, Reel Women International Film Festival, 3-D Film Festival sponsored by the Stereoscopic Society of California, New Filmmakers Series at Anthology Film Archives, Zoie Film Festival (Winner of Best Experimental Film), Eugene Film Festival, and the New Cinema and Technology Film Festival. She has also had her work presented by NYWIFT. She is pleased to have the Brooklyn debut of "My Life as Abraham Lincoln" at The Art of Brooklyn film festival.
ON DREAM STREET…
World Premiere
18m/USA | Documentary | dir. by Skip Blumberg | prod. by Skip Blumberg
A lyrical nonfiction short about Dreamstreet, a professionally-directed collaboration of performers with developmental disabilities as they create, rehearse and perform to an enthusiastic audience in NYC's Central Park Bandshell.
Director Bio:
Skip Blumberg has produced and directed several hundred movies with a lively and engaging style -- cultural documentaries, performance, children’s television, educational, and fundraising videos. His independently-produced TV shows have appeared on PBS, National Geographic TV, Showtime, Disney Channel, USA Cable Network, TBS, Bravo, Nickelodeon, The Learning Channel, on international TV networks and have been excerpted on TV series, including Today, The Tonight Show, Bravo’s Mystery of Genius, and You Asked For It. Blumberg has produced and directed more than 150 shorts for Sesame Street, with at least one now appearing every day, as well as for PBS series Great Performances and Alive from Off-Center. Several hundred of his short movies are posted on-line on YouTube.com, MyHero.com, SesameStreet.com, and many others. Blumberg was one of the first camcorder reporters, and has produced more than one hundred one-person-crew reports for National Geographic TV’s Explorer Journal, WPWR’s Chicago Slices, SyFy’s Inside Space, PBS’ THE 90s and others. His best-known production, the triple Emmy-winning Pick Up You Feet: the Double Dutch Show, is considered a documentary video classic. Many of his DVDs, including Nam June Paik: Lessons from the Video Master, are available for home and academic viewing. He has produced award-winning educational videos and effective fundraising development videos for Yale University Center for Dyslexia and Creativity, New Haven Free Public Library, Northside Center for Child Development, The Tibet Center, 21st Century Foundation, NYC Outward Bound Center, and Association to Help Retarded Children. Blumberg has received many awards and honors including Emmy’s, Ohio State University Journalism Award, Guggenheim Fellowship, Esquire Magazine’s “Best of the Next Generation,” Chicago Film Festival “Best Fund-Raising Video” and Museum of TV and Radio’s “TV Critics’ Favorite Shows of All-Time.” He was Special Professor, Hofstra University, School of Communication 2008 – 2012. “Skip Blumberg: Video Pioneer” is published in the Spring/Summer 2012 Journal of Film and Video.
ONE BROOKLYN BOAT
World Premiere
9m/USA | Documentary | dir. by Megan Hessenthaler | prod. by Megan Hessenthaler
A few short blocks from several major subway lines in New York City, a man lives/d off-grid on a houseboat built as an experiment in urban sustainability. Just a stone’s throw away from some of the richest citizens of the US fires are built for heat, rainwater is caught for showers, and shits are taken in a bucket. This is the story of a boat and the man who chose to remove himself from the traditional narrative of NYC dwelling and strike a balance between urban and rural habitation. Not the first, nor the last to take life off grid, he is the captain of One Brooklyn Boat.
Director Bio:
Megan Hess… is a personal filmmaker living in Brooklyn, NY. She received her BA from Emerson College and Masters Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Her work ranges from experiments in celluloid to documentaries about travel and non-traditional living. She's also fond of making silly YouTube videos, stop motion animations and film-based art installations.
ONE LITTLE BIRD
World Premiere
6m/USA | Documentary | dir. by Jennifer Crystal Chien | prod. by Jennifer Crystal Chien
Illustrator Patricia Raubo discusses her artistic influences, including Polish children's stories and turn-of-the-century illustrators. She is accompanied by her pet parrotlet, Phoebe.
Director Bio:
Jennifer Crystal Chien works in digital film and video production as a director, camera woman, and sound recordist. Her vision is to create entertaining, inspiring and transformative media using a naturalistic documentary approach. Her other talents include black-and-white city landscape photography and artistic portraits. She is also a published poet and social justice activist.
THE PILGRIM AND THE PRIVATE EYE
NYC Premiere
22m/USA | Comedy | dir. by Joel Johnstone | prod. by Matt Kubacki & Joel Johnstone
An out-of-work artist puts his talent to use as he goes to work for a disreputable private detective, but winds up getting more than he bargained for...and exactly what he needed.
Director Bio:
Joel Johnstone is proud to be making his New York directorial debut at Art of Brooklyn Film Fest with The Pilgrim & The Private Eye. He is an accomplished actor on both coasts, recently starring opposite James Handy in Finding The Burnett Heart at the Lillian Theatre (LA), and opposite Sian Phillips in last summer’s production of Noel Coward’s Bitter Sweet (NY). Other theatre credits include Everybody Say Cheese (Falcon Theatre, LA), Rules of The Universe, Lanford Wilson’s A Sense of Place (NYC Premiere), Fall Forward (Rising Phoenix Rep.), Romeo & Juliet and Twelfth Night (London). Recent TV and film credits: 90% (dir. Paul Brickman, prod. Jon Avnet) Spinning Into Butter, Criminal Minds, Urban Gothic (UK/Bravo), and Magritte Moment. Joel earned his BA degree in theatre from Fordham University and BADA, both Oxford and London.
PILLOW
NYC Premiere
19m/USA | Drama | dir. Miles B. Miller & Joshua H. Miller | prod by. Miles B. Miller & Joshua H. Miller
A Southern Gothic tale of two brothers who go to desperate measure to please their overbearing Mother.
Director Bio:
Joshua H. Miller & Miles B. Miller are Writing / Directing / Producing team from Little Rock, Arkansas. Born and raised in the American South, the Miller Brothers have an inherent interest in exploring the human condition in the region. Inspired by traditional Southern Gothic literature, they incorporate elements of Magic Realism and Surrealism to push the boundaries of the genre while remaining true to its darkest roots.
P.O.O.P.
World Premiere
4m/Australia | Claymation | dir. by Ben McCarthy | prod. by Ben McCarthy
Who do you go to when you can't stop the rampant pranking? P.O.O.P. of course: The Prevention Of Organized Pranking. The question is... can Norbert stop throwing pies?
Director Bio:
Ben McCarthy is 11 years old and a native of Brooklyn. Brooklyn, New South Wales, Australia, that is. Thanks to the magic of the Internet, Ben found out about the Art of Brooklyn Film Festival and submitted his animated short. He is very excited for audiences in the "other" Brooklyn to see his film.
PREDATOR/PREY
Brooklyn Premiere
12m/USA | Horror/Drama | dir. by Kent Kitzman | prod. by Melissa Ray & Kent Kitzman
Eva (MARISA PIERINI) is away from home for the first time at a summer sleep away camp. But, when violence erupts between the people in charge of her protection, she must perform a shocking act to ensure her survival.
Director Bio:
Kent Kitzman began writing and directing short videos in High School. Since then, he has completed over two dozen short films and videos. He majored in Film and TV Production at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and graduated on the Dean's List as an Honors Scholar. Afterwards, he immediately began working in the film and TV industry. In 2005 he founded his production company, Can of Chili Productions, and began work as a freelance writer and producer for clients such as The History Channel and FangoriaTV. In the meantime, Mr. Kitzman has completed his 5th feature-length screenplay Predator/Prey which he is planning to produce as his feature directorial debut.
PRIZEFIGHTER
NYC Premiere
34m/USA | Documentary | dir. by Angela Wong | prod. by Angela Wong
Boxing is a sport of fierce dedication. It takes time and incredible amounts of energy to become a feared or revered boxer.
It’s even harder for female boxers. Heather Hardy is an up-and-coming fighter who is gaining recognition in Brooklyn, New York. On top of working and training full time at Gleason's Gym, Heather divides her hectic work schedule with her responsibilities as a single mother. This short film profiles Heather's daily struggles and her long-term goal of turning into a professional fighter.
Director Bio:
Born and raised in South Florida, Angela Wong is a recent graduate from Ithaca College’s Park School of Communications. Originally trained in fictional, narrative cinema and storytelling, Angela took a surprise turn with her thesis film/first documentary: Prizefighter. She is currently in post-production with her fictional period piece, Adelaide.
RING THE BELL
World Premiere
18m/USA | Drama | dir. by Jason Sarrey | prod. by Kary Sarrey
Ring The Bell will be a raw, gritty, portrayal of an amateur boxer named Gino Sarcione. As he fights his way to the top of New York City's boxing world, he confronts death, finds true love and comes face to face with the Brooklyn mafia.
Director Bio:
Jason Sarrey is an up and coming writer/director . Jason grew up in Rehoboth, MA, graduated from Suffolk University in Boston, MA with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications & Film Studies. He completed the Professional Studies Filmmaking Intensive at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. He has lived in Los Angeles and currently resides in Brooklyn, NY. Jason has been working in the film, commercial and television industry for the past six years. He has written and is currently directing the motion capture feature film entitled The Pickpocket. The Pickpocket is being produced by Lightning Capture Studios.
ROADMAP TO APARTHEID
Brooklyn Premiere
95m/USA | Documentary/Educational | dir. by Ana Nogueira & Eron Davidson | prod. by Ana Nogueira
Ana Nogueira is a white South African and Eron Davidson a Jewish Israeli. Drawing on their first-hand knowledge of the issues, the producers take a close look at the apartheid comparison often used to describe the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Their film breaks down the rhetorical analogy into a fact-based comparison, noting where the analogy is useful and appropriate, and where it is not. There are many lessons to draw from the South African experience relevant to conflicts all over the world. This film is as much a historical document of the rise and fall of apartheid, as it is a film about why many Palestinians feel they are living in an apartheid system today, and why an increasing number of people around the world agree with them.
Director Bio:
Ana Nogueira is a journalist and first-time filmmaker. She worked as a producer for the national, daily radio and TV news program Democracy Now! in the United States for four years and later as a correspondent for the show. She is also a founding member of the New York City Independent Media Center and the global Indymedia network which was a pioneer in citizen-produced journalism. Nogueira was born in South Africa. Eron Davidson is a long-time media activist and also a first-time filmmaker. He has previously produced several short videos that have helped to galvanize excitement for various community organizing projects in the United States. Davidson was born in Israel.
ROBERT BOX—PERFECT FOR THE KITCHEN
Brooklyn Premiere
5m/USA | Documentary | dir. by James Reford | prod. by James Reford
For a Brooklyn painter and musician an early morning trick of the light sent an art career in a new direction. The nostalgia of food is the niche that artist Robert Box has found for himself. After years of trying to sell his work on the streets of New York the line he often hears about his paintings is that they are 'perfect for the kitchen'.
Director Bio:
Writer and filmmaker James Reford originally hails from Montreal and holds a BA in International Administration. He attended The Stratford Chef’s School and worked in restaurant kitchens for a number of years. He then decided to combine his passion for food and his love of writing. France and its culinary traditions have been of particular interest to him. His work has appeared in a number of publications including Gastronimica, and NUVO. Currently he is the content editor at Booksaboutfood.com. Recently he began working behind the lens on a number of film projects. His first Film Robert Box-Perfect or the Kitchen has been shown in festivals across the country. Some of his photographs have been shown at the British Museum as part of a lecture series. He is currently working on a book about his travels across France learning about French food and its history from that countries top chefs. When he has the time James also likes to travel in order to indulge in local flavors. He is still an avid supporter of the Montreal Canadiens.
THE ROMEOWS (Retired Older Men Eating Out Wednesdays)
Brooklyn Premiere
58m/USA | Documentary | dir. by Robert Sarnoff | prod. by Kevin Raman & Robert Sarnoff
Older people are using Viagra, running marathons, flying planes and ditching them safely on The Hudson. 'When We Get Together We Get Younger' plays as this Brooklyn Band of Buddies break bread and each other's chops every Wednesday evening. No avatars, no facebook, nothing virtual about this half century friendship. It's the real thing. "Tell the chef thanks for the meal" - Buddha's last words
Director Bio:
The New York Times November 5th 2008 featured a half page article p.30 complete with a dramatic photo of Robert Sarnoff. This edition sold out. “I didn’t realize I had so many fans…. lucky for President Obama that he appeared on the cover after winning the election.” On November 8th 2008 The Queens International Film Festival paid Tribute to Robert Sarnoff casting its Spotlight on his socially relevant films. This grandfather of two young boys, Massimo and Marcello, father of Rebecca and Matthew, married to a Brooklyn College girl, Lynda (Plant) for forty two years, finds himself on “The Road Not Taken”. Mr. Sarnoff has published art books for Davis Publications and J. Weston Walch. He was The Official Artist for The Robert F. Kennedy, The I Love New York, and The United Negro College Fund Tennis Tournaments. His painting of celebrities are in the collections of Oleg Cassini, Eli Wallach, Arthur Ashe, Bill Talbert, and Cleavon Little. His art adorns the walls of several corporate spaces. On August 11th 2004, for the first time in the history of The United States Postal Service, a local artist’s painting was selected to become a cachet and matted print. A movement is afoot for Mr. Sarnoff’s “Ye Olde Jetty” to soon become Rockaway’s official stamp. Since 2003 he has been The Editorial Cartoonist for New York’s oldest weekly, The Wave. His latest film, THE ROMEOWS, (Retired Older Men Eating Out Wednesdays), features a group of Brooklyn College graduates (Class of 1959/Lord House/All College Trophy), who have known each other for fifty years.
SHLOMO PUSSYCAT
Brooklyn Premiere
13m/USA | Comedy | dir. by Michael Feinsten | prod. by Roan Bibby & Max Heckman
Shlomo Pussycat tells the story of Shlomo, a Rabbi bored with his routine. He doesn't want to give up his religious life. He just wants something a little different, even if it just a brief fantasy.
Director Bio:
Michael K. Feinstein is a writer and director hailing from Rhode Island. He graduated from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts in May 2012 where he received degrees in both Dramatic Writing and History. He has interned for both The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. He wrote and directed his first short film, Shlomo Pussycat in the summer of 2011, and has several other short films in the works and a play that will debut in Chicago in September.
THE SHOEMAKER
Brooklyn Premiere
25m/USA | Drama | dir. Michael Kaves | prod by. Donna McLeer
Before Nike, and Adidas, there was the Hi-Jo! Here is a Brooklyn tale set back in the day (1960’s) about a young Italian-American shoemaker (Frank) on the verge of greatness. News comes from his cousins in Italy that they have obtained the first automated vulcanizing machinery to produce gym shoes called the Hi-Jo. All Frank needs is fifty thousand dollars to ship the equipment and set up a factory in Brooklyn and the help from the neighborhood, his friends and his family to achieve the dream of a lifetime! Everything seems to be in place until his wife walks into the shoe shop and asks for a divorce.
Director Bio:
Kaves began flexing his artistic urges in the tunnels of the NYC transit system at the ridiculously young age of 10. These activities were well documented in Henry Chalfant’s (Style Wars) pioneering book in 1984 titled, SprayCan Art. While these endeavors secured him a spot in the graffiti hall-of-fame, they almost landed him a rap sheet. Realizing that his creativity could be applied in more productive areas, Kaves utilized his boundless energy and well-oiled savvy to knock down the doors of several major corporations and became their go-to street artist and trend forecaster. In the early 1990s Kaves became a founding member of the hip-hop group Lordz of Brooklyn. In tandem with the group’s - now known as The Lordz - most recent album, “The Brooklyn Way”, Kaves co-created and produced a television reality series of the same name about the group and his growing up in Bay Ridge, which premiered to rave reviews in 2008. In 2011, Mr. Kaves made his directorial debut with The Shoemaker.
SICK
World Premiere
13m/USA | Comedy | dir. by Karen Wang | prod. by Karen Wang
When a young woman is forced to stay at home to nurse a bad case of the flu, a nosy neighbor unexpectedly calls and compels her to finally acknowledge a truth she has been trying to keep a secret.
Director Bio:
Karen Wang earned her Master's degree in Cinema Studies from NYU before working for several years as a consultant to various production companies, filmmaker programs, and screenwriting competitions, including The Weinstein Company, IFP, and Tribeca Film Institute. Drawing from her experience in development, she produced the feature-length drama, Indigo Children, in 2008. Since then, she has produced and production-coordinated several other short films. "Sick" marks Ms. Wang's directorial debut.
SLAVERY AND THE LAW
NYC Premiere
55m/USA | Feature Documentary/Educational | dir. by Paula Heredia | prod. by Charles J. Hynes, Joan Gabbidon & Paula Heredia
Slavery and the Law is a captivating documentary that follows a group of Brooklyn youth as they work to create a wall mural that commemorates the shift from enslavement to the Civil Rights Movement. The youth seen in the film are participants in the Youth and Congregations in Partnership (YCP), and Gender-Responsive Re-Entry Assistance Support Program (GRASP), under the office of the Kings County District Attorney. The history of slaves is discussed by distinguished professors and historians, beginning with the development of Colonial America and the slave trade. As the title suggests, the legal system is introduced in the film as the youth and professors explore the laws imposed on slaves.
Director Bio:
Paula Heredia is an award winning director and editor based in New York City. She was awarded with an Emmy for the HBO documentary In Memoriam, NYC 9/11/01 and an ACE Eddie Award for the acclaimed documentary Unzipped. The documentary series, Addiction produced by HBO received the 2007 Emmy Governors Award. The documentary, Alive Day Memories – Home from Iraq, executive produced by James Gandolfini was nominated for a 2008 Emmy as Outstanding Non-Fiction Special. Most recently, the documentary The Art of Failure: Chuck Connelly Not For Sale won a 2009 Emmy Award for Best Cultural Program. This film was Produced by District Attorney Charles Hynes. & Senior Deputy District Attorney Joan B. Gabbidon.
STAGS
Brooklyn Premiere
91m/USA | Feature Comedy | dir. Jamie Greenberg | prod. by Ben Barenholtz
Jack and his pals are in a bit of a rut. They've spent two decades chasing women and fleeing commitment. They're not quite alcoholic — more like "alcohol-ish." Jack is about to turn 40, and he's starting to see hidden messages in everyday street signs. Snedden's goal in life is to f@#% his way through the alphabet. Price is one drink away from a total meltdown. Victor is a "fretrosexual" — he never has sex, just worries about it. When a long-lost friend pops up with his beautiful fiancée, the result is a whirl of death, sex and booze — and Jack realizes he may be finally ready to commit... to the one woman hopelessly out of reach.
Director Bio:
Jamie Greenberg (Writer/Director) underwent decades of field research to prepare for making Stags. Along the way he created various short films including Pillowfighter, Taxi Dancer, ColumBus, and A Woody Romance. He also had a long stint as a TV Writer/Producer, including extensive work in children’s TV, game shows, MTV, and comedy programs. He co-created PBS’ Where In Time Is Carmen Sandiego?, for which he was nominated for 2 Emmy Awards, and wrote for all 5 seasons of Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego?. He wrote for various other wholesome kids’ shows such as Arthur and Dragon Tales and was a Story Producer on Michael Moore’s TV Nation. On the other side of the karmic ledger, Mr.Greenberg co-created and wrote MTV’s terrible hit show Lip Service, and was Senior Writer on such MTV specials as Wanna Be A VJ, Spring Break, Total Britney Live, and many more. Yes, someone actually writes those things. Mr.Greenberg is also a performer. With featured roles in over 50 episodes of Where In Time, he may be the only actor ever to have essayed the roles of Simon Bolivar and a Talking Head of Lettuce in the same season. He spent a year as Senior Correspondent on Court TV’s irreverent and unwatched comedy/news program Snap Judgment. He has performed in many heroically unprofitable NYC live shows and in the last century he produced and hosted the Manhattan Public Access cult favorite Media Shower. It was in reference to this show that the late great Joey Ramone once called Mr.Greenberg a “chimp”, although he isn’t. Mr.Greenberg is currently working on the web series Separate Checks. In his spare time he enjoys writing about himself in the third person.
Stags is his first feature film.
THE STRANGE ONES
Brooklyn Premiere
14m/USA | Drama | dir. Christopher Radcliff & Lauren Wolkstein | prod by. Christopher Radcliff & Lauren Wolkstein
A man and a boy, traveling to an unknown destination, find respite in a motel swimming pool. On the surface all seems normal, but nothing is what it seems to be.
Director Bio:
Lauren Wolkstein and Christopher Radcliff are NYC-based filmmakers who received their MFAs from the graduate film program at Columbia University School of the Arts. Together and separately, their work has played in numerous festivals around the world, such as SXSW, Sundance, Palm Springs Shortfest, San Sebastian, Clermont-Ferrand, and Rotterdam, among others.
SUBWAY BABY
Brooklyn Premiere
64m/USA | Feature Documentary | dir. by Sheryl Matthys | prod. by Sheryl Matthys
How one very pregnant Midwestern mom enlisted her baby to be an undercover agent in NYC in order to rediscover the 3Cs of life.
After relocating with her husband's job, this mom's simple life became complicated after being plunked down in the midst of 8 million pushy people in New York City. Uprooted from a town in Indiana that connected her to the work and people she knew, this pregnant woman with a toddler in tow was feeling lost and without direction until she got back in touch with the 3Cs of life. What are they? Find out in Subway Baby. Do you wonder what kind of society we've become in helping others? Do you think we've gone overboard on preschool? Are your kids’ values in jeopardy?
Director Bio:
Sheryl Matthys is Producer, Creator, and Talent of the Mom-umentary, Subway Baby. She has served on both sides of the camera as a commercial actress, TV/radio host, producer of TV reality pilots and as a former TV news reporter, & adjunct professor. The film’s message is based on what she calls, the 3Cs of Life. An earlier pilot of Sheryl’s on People, Pets, & Dating had accolades of “Pitch to America” on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, 2nd Place NATPE Bootcamp, and NYTVF and LATV Festivals. But her inspiration for this documentary was becoming a mother and being concerned about humanity’s values for kids. So utilizing her Midwest roots as a catalyst, she enlisted her baby to be an undercover agent in New York City in order to discover what kind of society we are and whether the notion of pre-school has gone too far. Sheryl’s also an entrepreneur as founder of the online club of Leashes and Lovers®, in which she interviews many dog lovers including celebrities producing more than 100 videos and the Dog Lovers Matchmaker pilot. Sheryl is author of the bestselling book Leashes and Lovers: What Your Dog Can Teach You About Happiness. Sheryl is the mother of 2 young children and has lived in Indiana, Kentucky, Los Angeles, New York, and Paris, France.
TALK LIKE A MAN
Brooklyn Premiere
13m/USA | Drama | dir. by Kevin Clark-Ryan | prod. by Sara Blechman
A short film about an 11-year-old boy who steals his father's rifle early one morning, and rides his bike out to the woods with the intent to kill something for the first time. But he finds out that killing is a heavier burden than he expected.
Director Bio:
Kevin Clark-Ryan is a recent graduate of NYU film school. Originally from Bradenton, FL, Kevin has now made Brooklyn his home. He counts himself lucky, and intends to stay for as long as it will have him. Shortly after finishing "Talk Like a Man," Kevin began production on a second film he wrote and directed called "Old Monster" (starring John Fennessy, Kathleen Wise, and two-time Oscar nominee Sylvia Miles). It is currently in post production and is slated to premiere later this year.
THOSE KIDS IN BROOKLYN
World Premiere
8m/USA | Comedy | dir. by Nicole Asinor | prod. by Nicole Asinor
A couple in Brooklyn are in the market for a new apartment and with new condos popping up on every block this should be an easy search. But what actually happens when you have champagne taste on a tap water budget is not for the faint of heart.
Director Bio:
Nicole Asinor is a film director, producer, and screenwriter of short and feature films. She has a BA in Liberal Arts from Sarah Lawrence College and has lived in Brooklyn since 2004. Through her company Friendship & Favors Films, she is developing new scripts and is in pre-production for her next short film.
THROUGH THE EYE OF THE NEEDLE--THE ART OF ESTHER NISENTHAL KRINITZ
Brooklyn Premiere
30m/USA | Documentary/Educational | dir. by Nina Shapiro-Perl
At 15, Esther Nisenthal Krinitz defied Nazi orders, separating from her family as they and the other Jews of her Polish village reported to a nearby train station. With her sister in tow, she survived the war by hiding in plain sight of the Gestapo, posing as a Polish farm girl; they never saw their family again. At 50, haunted by memories, she felt compelled to show her own children the family she'd lost, and all that she'd witnessed and experienced during the war. Untrained as an artist, but trained as a seamstress, she turned to needle and thread, ultimately creating thirty-six large, hauntingly beautiful, and exquisitely detailed works of fabric collage and embroidery--a legacy borne of love, loss, and the sheer force of memory.
Director Bio:
Nina Shapiro-Perl, the film’s director is an award-winning producer and director who currently holds the position of Filmmaker-in-Residence at American University, where she teaches and leads the Community Voice Project (www.american.edu/soc/communityvoice). Before joining the faculty of American University, she worked for twenty years building and directing the Video Services Department and Greenhouse Cultural Program of the Service Employees International Union. Nina earned her doctorate from the University of Connecticut as a social anthropologist. Her first job outside academia was as a writer and producer at Maryland Public Television. Her first independent film Through the Eye of the Needle, that documents the art and story of Holocaust survivor and artist Esther Nisenthal Krinitz, premiered in December 2011 at the Washington Jewish Film Festival where it won “Audience Favorite for Documentary.” It has also won “Audience Award - Best Short” at the San Diego Jewish Film Festival, and the Best Short Film at the LA Jewish Film Festival.
TOLERANCE
Brooklyn Premiere
15m/Turkey | Comedy | dir. by Bessy Adut | prod. by Bessy Adut
A beautiful woman, a wannabe young actress Kivilcim obsessed with her own beauty wishing to be explored, getting ready for an audition and an overweight guy, passionate with delicious food, a film geek, studying at an art college, meet one day. On one side, we see the beautiful girl looks at her own reflection checking her make up on the patisserie window, on the other side Daghan focused on the cakes at the window. Just for a split second their eyes meet on the two sides of the patisserie screening. She suddenly turns her back and sits at a table. Fat man gets mad at that minute because she is sitting on his everyday routine favorite table by ruining his daily routine!
Director Bio:
Bessy is an award-winning filmmaker, born in Istanbul, Turkey. Her films have screened internationally at festivals and venues including Pasadena Art Center Film Festival, International Children Film Festival, Lone Star Film Festival, Ifsak and Tursak short film festivals. She worked in the film, TV and commercials industry as an freelance assistant director for over five years. After graduation from Istanbul Bilgi University, Film & Television in 2005 she went to California to continue her film studies with the Fulbright Scholarship she was awarded. She received an MFA from California Institute of the Arts, Film Directing program in School of Film / Video in 2009. She continues her Cinema Studies at Marmara University, Fine Arts Faculty. She has been a part time lecturer at Kadir Has University and worked in TV 8 on a live show. Bessy is currently working as an Assistant Director on an independent feature film project as she starts sending her latest short 'Tolerance' to film festivals and finishing a feature screenplay. She intends to pursue her career as an actress, writer and director.
TRANSFERENCE LOVE
10m/USA | Drama | dir. by Sonya Goddy | prod. by Darya Zhuk
Larisa, a young artist, is invited by her Russian father to spend a weekend at the beach with him and his girlfriend, during which she hopes to mend their relationship and share her accomplishments with him. When she arrives, however, she finds herself both repulsed by and attracted to his young girlfriend, Natasha. Though she's unable to earn his father's affection, she finds herself opening up to his girlfriend in more ways than one.
Director Bio:
Sonya Goddy was born in 1984 in Manhattan and raised in Flatbush, Brooklyn. As a kid, she experimented with super 8 film, and later studied playwriting at Saint Ann's School. She graduated Brown University in 2007 with honors as a double major in Art-Semiotics and Literary Arts. To date, her films have screened at BAMCinemaFest, the Brown Women’s Film Festival, the Brooklyn Arts Council, and the Manhattan Film Festival. She is currently in post on her latest short and working toward an MFA in Directing/Screenwriting at Columbia University.
WUSS
NYC Premiere
96m/USA | Comedy | dir. Clay Liford | prod by. Barak Epstein
WUSS is the story of a high school teacher who faces constant ridicule after he's repeatedly beaten up by several of his own students. Having nowhere else to turn, he eventually teams up with another of his students to fight back. This student, a young girl, is feared school-wide because of a dark family reputation. She also has an unfortunate nickname grafted to her due to her predilection for smoking discarded cigarettes. Bonded in battle, the student and teacher form a friendship that stretches the use of the word inappropriate.
Director Bio:
Clay Liford is a graduate of the University of Texas film program. He has produced and directed three features to date, including the festival hits, A FOUR COURSE MEAL and EARTHLING. His short, MY MOM SMOKES WEED, has played over thirty festivals, including Sundance 2010.
YOU BURY YOUR OWN
NYC Premiere
90m/Canada | Drama | dir. by Rob Wilson | prod. by Lewin Webb
A family's fate isn't always their destiny. The Ryan family has always had it tough. Born poor, Willa Ryan has nevertheless done her best to get by and try to hold her family together. And sometimes it even feels like it's working. But that was before her youngest brother, Aiden, was found dead. His death hits the Ryan's hard but John, Willa's older brother, and Willa have very different ways of coping. John struggles with the suspicion that Aiden's death was an inevitable action and, worse, that it was somehow his fault. Willa becomes obsessed with knowing not only who killed Aiden but why. She knows that someone needs to take responsibility, pay the consequence, be made to suffer. But then she finds out why Aiden died... and nothing is that simple anymore.
Director Bio:
Rob is an experienced film, television and music video director, writer and producer. As the co- owner of 235Films Inc., Canada’s most successful producer of music video and related content, he has been responsible for the creative development and physical production of countless videos for innumerable international and Canadian performers. Wilson has also produced and directed numerous independent films and made for TV movies including the critically acclaimed cult horror film, “Dead Mary” with Dominique Swain (Lolita, Face/Off) and "Warriors of Terra". Rob recently completed
photography on "You Bury Your Own" with Mykelti Williams (Forrest Gump) and John Glover (Smallville), which he both wrote and directed, and "I Declare War", which he Co-Directed. Wilson currently leads Samaritan Entertainment’s creative development operations.