SPOTLIGHT FILMS
Bumper, Neil Mitchell
A tragically hip, emotionally distant mom tries to connect with her daughters by baking cookies. Turning on the radio to help forge the bond, Mom finds a channel promising new music. When the music never plays, her daughters get a new perspective on mom’s long-cultivated persona and her acceptance of motherhood in this comedic short about identity.
4:30 PM as part of Without a Laugh Track
Two Boroughs, Nick DeSimone
Gerard, a 53 year-old Italian-American Brooklyn MTA worker, hasn't seen his elderly father in 11 years because of a family split. As Derek Jeter is on the brink of his 3,000th career hit, he decides to take the drive to Staten Island to see his dad, who, like himself, is passionate about baseball and The Yankees. It is a family story about courage, bitter regret, and the chance to make things right.
5:45 PM as part of Island Blues
A Summer Paused , Doug Saputo and Mitchell Lovell
A Summer Paused (L'été en suspens) is a chronicle of eight New York students abroad in Tours, France. Against the backdrop of July, 2016, social-political themes pervade the group's thoughts, discussions, and their creative art. The result is a cinéma-verité documentary that explores the impact of world events on the psyche of the American filmmakers as well as the French locals they meet.
3:00 PM as part of Of Life and Art
Viral Beauty*, David Tyson Lam
Marsha Day, a brash overweight millennial posts a controversial dating ad online in which she seeks a rich, handsome, Ivy League-educated guy. Perez Hilton, playing himself, introduces her video to a mass audience and Marsha skyrockets to online fame as a target of vicious cyber bullying over her appearance and is lampooned for her unrealistic expectations. As she defends herself against numerous haters, she gains a fanbase launching her into cult hero status.
5:45 PM as part of Island Blues
*Shown as an excerpt of a feature length film
One ticket gets you access to a day of three shows and a meet-and-greet with the filmmakers. Our showcase this year is provocative, funny, and moving.
Tickets are available for $9 in advance. $12 at door.
Join us at 2pm for the blue carpet reception and cash bar.
3:00pm
4:30pm
5:45pm
Experience universal stories in "Of Life and Art" featuring poetic narratives and a documentary that challenges national fears, A Summer Paused. Also showing shorts by Takuma Matsuda, Nicholas Jastrzebski, and SangJin Ko.
Don't miss the back to back laughs in "Without a Laugh Track" featuring a series of dark and witty comedy shorts. Including Bumper. Also showing works by Nicholas Balzomo, Mike Potenza, Larry Loc, UVMDD, and Brandon Nieto.
And catch your breath with the dramas in our spotlight show, "Island Blues" with works steeped in Staten Island and New York flavor. Including Viral Beauty and Two Boroughs, Not Yet by Chad Hamilton and G.H.O.S.T. by Kevin Rogers.
A day of three shows and a meet-and-greet with the filmmakers.
Our showcase in 2017 was provocative, funny, and moving.
Guests experienced universal stories in "Of Life and Art" featuring
poetic narratives and a documentary that challenges national fears.
Following was our back to back laughs in "Without a Laugh Track"
featuring a series of dark and witty comedy shorts.
And we caught our breath with the dramas in our spotlight show,
"Island Blues" with works steeped in Staten Island and New York flavor.