*All screenings will be followed by a Q&A from Filmmakers and Actors (if present)
THURSDAY – SEPTEMBER 10, 2015
7pm
THE LAST APARTMENT
A seemingly happy couple moves into a new apartment in the city. Things take a turn for the worse, as blind ambition corrupts and a vengeful ghost haunts them. When a new couple move in, the ghost hasn't left, she has only found her new victims as her reign of rage and terror grows. (Feature Film. 83 min)
Filmed in Teaneck
9pm
THE ABDUCTED
A killer has a group of abducted girls. One escapes, then the others try as well. He has simple rules: "If you try to escape, you die." (Short Film. 6 min)
Filmed in Teaneck
BLOODY SLUMBER PARTY
After Kelly broke up with Rick, her abusive boyfriend, her friends had a slumber party to cheer her up. As they are telling horror stories, there is a killer in the house coming for them. (Feature Film. 80 min)
Filmed in Teaneck
FRIDAY – SEPTEMBER 11, 2015
12pm
TAKE 5
A college film crew documents high-school basketball star, Marcus Fulton Jr. during his last year at Englewood High. Under the direction of an ambitious filmmaker, they reveal a secret that may jeopardize the star-athlete's successful basketball career. (Student Film. 23 min)
dir. by Jasmine L. Callis
WHERE I WANT TO BE
Two lost souls finding each other and discovering the path to a better tomorrow. (Short Film. 33 min)
dir. by Karl Fernandez
ANALYSIS
A depressed man has dreams. Are they the path to knowing his unconscious and thus attaining happiness? Or are they just a figment of his imagination? (Short Film. Australia. 10 min)
dir. by Daniel Prypchan
LIMBO
Jim, a nebbish middle-aged every man, dies alone on a beach. He awakens in the afterlife, where he is granted great sex, delicious food, bottomless alcohol, and other hedonistic desires. Naturally, Jim is wary of his new life. Once everything he thought he wanted comes so easily, he starts to rethink his existence and must make a very difficult decision. (Short Film. 15 min)
dir. by Fangso Liu
H. Jon Benjamin, Natasha Leggero
1:30pm
COLD BLOODS
Two undercover detectives who don't always get along, but always get the job done. Detective Kate "Jackhammer" Jack, has a short fuse and is very trigger happy. Her partner, Detective Andy Bridge follows the rules, but takes no nonsense, except from his partner. (Short Film. 10 min)
Robert Clohessy
BOUNCE: HOW THE BALL TAUGHT THE WORLD TO PLAY
Takes us to the far reaches of the globe and the deep recesses of our ancient past to answer the question: Why do we play ball? (Documentary. 72 min)
dir. by Jerome Thelia
3pm
WHEN THE GUN GOES DOWN
In 1894 Darling Duke Lynch slipped the noose at Blackwater. With the help of an old man named 'Shaky' they must travel the countryside and learn how to survive before the law catches up to them. With harsh weather and bandits at their back there is much to learn when the gun goes down. (Short Film. 33 min)
dir. by Ali Eldin
ABANDONED IN THE DARK
An anthology film comprised of 4 short horror/suspense stories seamlessly connected to one another through extreme tension and gripping real life conflict. Intriguing characters find themselves in life or death situations and forced to confront their own worst fears. (Feature Film. 83 min)
dir. by Mike Lordi
Kane Hodder
5pm
THEN & NOW
September 11th 2001, A day the world will never forget. 80 year old George watches in disbelief as the news of the first attack is reported. We follow his psychological journey as we reveal his personal loss and connection with 9/11. (Short Film. UK. 9 min)
dir. by Liam Bashford and Kyle Bashford
Jullian Glover
AROUND EVERY CORNER
A dissolute, drug addicted writer is reconnected with his family on the third anniversary of his parents death. (Feature Film. 115 min)
dir. by Joe Gawalis
8pm
BREAK ME FREE by Mad Satta (Music Video) [screens during pre-show]
PAINT ME by Carly Eden (Music Video) [screens during pre-show]
VOICELESS
A young, reserved, war veteran, moves to North East Philadelphia to start an inner city community outreach and puts his life on the line to stand against an abortion clinic that moved across the street from his building. (Feature Film. 107 min)
dir. by Pat Necerato
Rusty Joiner, James Russo, Paul Rodriguez
SATURDAY – SEPTEMBER 12, 2015
12pm
THE LAST MINUTES
In a Day like any other, someone can make a difference, do you get a second chance? (Short Film. 15 min)
dir. by Mauricio Ovlle
INDIGO GREY: THE PASSAGE
A young boy's discovery of a mysterious gas mask provides a glimpse into an alternate reality. Featuring America's Got Talent's 'Hammerstep,' a traditional Irish/hip-hop dance troupe, nine-year-old Aidan Lok, who has a first degree black belt in Shotokan Karate and has won over 100 medals from international karate tournaments, and original score by Evanescence's Amy Lee. (Short Film. 6 min)
dir. by Sean Robinson
RZ-9
In the midst of a terrorist-induced crisis the United States has declared martial law. Patterson Endcott, a computer scientist and drone pilot, is put on a hit list due to his religious beliefs and increasing doubt in the morality of his job. He and his sister, Samantha Endcott, are forced to find a place of safety beyond the watchful eyes of the surveillance drones. Considered a top level security threat by the government, the two are pursued by super soldiers, called Erasers, to capture them dead or alive.
(Feature Film. 92 min)
dir. by Iain Carson
2pm
ROWEN
Rowen Peters, a well respected yet terminally ill novelist embraces his inner happiness by embarking on one final adventure. Having not written anything worthwhile in 20 years, he abandons his current life, writer's block and treatments hoping to find inspiration for his final novel. (Student Film. 19 min)
dir. by Joshua Rubenstein
12 ANGRY MEN AND WOMEN
Three pregnant women are kidnapped from abortion clinics and held for seven months until they all give birth. Seven years later, those who held the women have been arrested, admitting to their deeds. They have been brought to trial, and now the jury deliberates their fate. (Feature Film. 86 min)
dir. by Waleed Bedour
Robert Loggia, Blanche Baker, Deborah Twiss, Suzi Lorraine
4pm
FLOATING SUNFLOWERS
June, a still-life painter, and Henry, a fiction author, each caught in an emotional winter of their own. Unable to tap into their creative spirit, all seems lost for Henry and June, when a simple twist of fate exposes each of them to the symbols of each other's dilemma. (Short Film. 11 min)
dir. by Francisco Solorzano
Anna Chlumsky, Audrey Esparza, Lynn Cohen
THE LORD OF CATAN
A husband and wife find themselves thrust into an apocalyptic rivalry over a game of Settlers of Catan. (Short Film. 13 min)
dir. by Stuart Paul
Amy Acker, Fran Kranz
BREAKING THE GAME
Vincenza, a female crime boss, has second thoughts about her lifestyle when she fears her son following in her footsteps. (Short Film. 11 min)
dir. by Christine Capitelli
BELLA
Bella is a short film about a Gypsy girl that has to choose between modern life in New York and her family. (Student Film. 9 min)
dir. by Olga Goister
MEET MARIO
A "different" kind of Italian battles racism while searching for love in all the wrong places. Meet Mario is the tale of an Italian man who has the courage to succeed and the persistence to defy expectations. (Feature Film. 60 min)
dir. by D.J. Higgins
Joe D’Onofrio, Artie Pasquale
6pm
FLIGHTS
Calvin returns home after work to find that the elevator in his building is out of order and the journey to his six floor apartment is not what it seems. (Short Film. 8 min)
dir. by Jeffrey Sutton
THE MAN WHO FED HIS SHADOW
A man intrudes into rich people's dinners claiming that he can collect the food from their table and feed his shadow which, curiously enough, is a female figure. (Short Film. Greece. 18 min)
dir. by Mario Garefo
147 Official Selections, 32 Awards, qualified to BAFTA
UNDER THE TABLE
A detective and a school librarian face off after a horrific crime. What really happened in school that day? (Short Film. 7 min)
dir. by Jessica Dorfman
WASTED BEAUTY
A Beautiful young girl has lost everything and she has nothing except a dream. Through her eyes, we see just how dangerous a day of dreaming on the street of Hollywood can be. (Short Film. 15 min)
dir. by Martin Paves
produced by Eva Longoria
Simon Kassianides
LOVE AT LAST SIGHT
Drake never believed in love at first sight. But while at a party, at the worst possible time, he saw Tanya and it changed everything. Unfortunately, it might be too late. (1-minute film)
dir. by Amanda Bedula
ANTE MORTEM
Cici, a good ol' southern gal, is in a graveyard, about to dig up her husband as part of an elaborate insurance fraud. She is assisted by his best friend Slim, which name should really be spelled with an 'e' at the end of it. A Twisted tale that leaves Slim with a good story he gets to tell no-one. (Short Film. 5 min)
dir. by Marco Shalma
UNBELIEF
Unbelief is the story of two men meeting in a park. It's Christmas Eve. Kane is an assassin, on his way to do a job which means more to him than the usual killings he is paid to do. This time it's personal. (Short Film. 13 min)
dir. by Fabien Martorell
Tobin Bell, Andrew Howard, Laura Gordon
DAY ONE
A woman surviving in a post-apocalypic landscape discovers she is not alone. (Short Film. 6 min)
dir. by Kristen Brancaccio & Leo Kei Angelos
Finalist of Project Greenlight
LAPSUS
Terry is a psychologically disturbed predator whose sinister playground is a laundromat. Terry thinks he is the hero of a comic gangster that he is reading. (Short Film. France. 30 min)
dir. by Karim Ouaret
28 Awards in International Festivals
8pm
THE OTHER SIDE OF LOVE
While attending the wake of someone close to her, Emily and Jeremy hide upstairs to avoid everyone else and begin to sort the issues with their relationship - airing every issue that has left Emily angry. (Short Film. 8 min)
dir. by Larry Rosen
LEAVING
Emily Hemming has a family and life she adores. After leaving her family behind, her husband, Paul takes her back time and time again, while counselor Bertrand tries to convince her to put their feelings first, before her own. (Short Film. 10 min)
dir. by Debra Markowitz
SUNNY IN THE DARK
A reclusive family therapist craving solitude, moves into a new loft only to find that he is not the only person living in the same space. Homeless Sunny, living in the crawlspace above him, watches his every move in order to survive. (Feature Film. 91 min)
dir. by Courtney Ware
Lee Meriwether, Jay Huguley
10pm
PRICE FOR FREEDOM
Victor Daniels is an Iranian Jewish Dentist who becomes connected to the Shah of Iran. After the fall of Shah and the rise of the Ayatollah Khomeini, Victor must race to try to save his family. He later assists President Reagan in the negotiations for the release of the American hostages during the Iranian Hostage Crisis in 1980. (Feature Film. 110 min)
dir. by Dylan Bank
Paul Sorvino, Martin Kove, Sally Kirkland, Ken Davitian, Navid Negahban, Eric Etebari, Brett Azar
SUNDAY – SEPTEMBER 13, 2015
10:30am
Networking breakfast for Filmmakers and Actors
11:30am
CRYSTAL UNCLEAR
A mother must cope with her son being a METH addict. (Documentary. 11min)
dir. by Christine Capitelli
IMMINENT THREAT
Academy Award nominee James Cromwell presents "Imminent Threat," a documentary that explores the War on Terror's impact on civil liberties and how these issues are non-partisan. (Documentary. 63 min)
dir. by Janek Ambros
produced by James Cromwell
THE SUM TOTAL OF OUR MEMORY: FACING ALZHEIMER'S TOGETHER
An ode to memory: Couples diagnosed with Early Alzheimer's come to terms with their changing roles. Medical experts in Alzheimer's Disease offer their perspectives from the front lines. (Documentary. 57 min)
dir. by Barbara Klutinis
2pm
END & ETERNITY
Life is finite and time is infinite. Therefore we should live a life to its full extent. (Student Film. Animated. 3 min)
dir. by Yoomi Kim
GREENLAND
Exploring the boundaries between documentary and fiction, this film follows an everyday family and the charged process of leaving home and parents. (Student Film. Israel. 17 min)
dir. by Oren Gerner
Screened at Sundance
A PILL FOR TWO
Jade has issues with anger and dealing with her feelings. Whether in group or with her boyfriend, she always feels everyone is against her. So she finally decides to confront her mother about the root of her problems. (Short Film. 7 min)
dir. by Hillary Hawkins
SEPARATION
A recently divorced family, comprised of a mother, father, and little girl, struggles to assimilate to their new lives. The girl, Abigail, resorts to surprising alternative methods to cope. (Student Film. 16 min)
dir. by Andrew Schwarz
HOW TO BE A HUMAN
A new life form experiences the base emotions that affect all humans. (Student Film. 4 min)
dir. by Matthew Lumas
THE APPLE TREE
A destitute young boy discovers that the natural world near his home is in jeopardy, and acts to put things right at all costs. (Short Film. Animated. 20 min)
dir. by Scott Storm
LIFE IN A BOX
Life in a Box is a short film about a couple, Stanley and Vivian, who make a life-altering decision in a cardboard box. (Short Film. 19 min)
dir. by Clark Thomas Feeney
RETURN
a surreal thriller following Johnathan, who tries to make sense of the eerie, lifeless world around him after he finds his daughter and wife missing. (Short Film. 4 min)
dir. by Joshua Paige
REST STOP
After a woman passes away, her widow and sister attempt to honor her last wishes, while dealing with their issues with each other. (Short Film. 6 min)
produced by Andrew Hsu
BREATHE
In the midst of World War II, a teenager in fear follows the footsteps of a bold scout girl in the underground sewers of Warsaw. (Short Film. Poland. 8 min)
dir. by Youssef Ouarrak
4pm
MUST HURRY!
People can be in a hurry for many reasons... The reason for this man, is the question.
dir. by Chris J. Cullen
MY LITTLE NUT
What happens when your Nut gets lost in the City? Wutty loses sight of his priorities when he cheats on his best friend, by breaking off a long-promised date - with almost catastrophic consequences. (Short Film. 7 min)
dir. by Johan Perruchoud
QUIET PICNIC
When you see a beautiful woman you want to do whatever you can to impress her. But when that doesn't work, the results can be comical. (Short Film. 3 min)
dir. by Amanda Bedula
1-0
The Barber started cutting the boys hair while watching a Football game on TV. (1-minute film. Iran.)
dir. by Saman Hosseinpuor
CINEMATTIE
Mattie lacks the strength and confidence to stand up for herself and is stuck in a crappy relationship. To make matters worse, her boyfriend is also her boss. To make matters better, the coffee shop where she works has a cute regular. (Student Film. 9 min)
dir. by Anthony Cubba
MOTHER OF THE WEEK
The story of a stressed-out working mom determined to be everything to everyone, no matter what the circumstances. This film is for every mom and anyone who knows and loves her. (Short Film. 22 min)
dir. by Lee Davis
FAILURE GROUPIES
A comedy following a group of suburban post-9/11 tweens who fail a group project and set up a spy mission to get their temperamental teacher fired. (Short Film. 13 min)
dir. by Mandira Chauhan
FALLING TO PIECES
When young widow Cassandra seeks out the recipients of her husband's organs, each meeting proves more disastrous than the last. (Short Film. 18 min)
dir. by Vivian Connolly and Chris Connolly
THE GIFT
Waldo and Marsha are sweethearts. But school’s out for the summer, and distance makes the heart grow.. paranoid? Waldo decides to surprise her with a romantic reunion. Although he can’t afford a plane ticket, he can afford a postage stamp. (Short Film. 16 min)
dir. by Stu Weiner
Douglas Smith, Christine Evangelista, Michael Drayer
THE LAST TAXI DRIVER
A disgruntled taxi driver refuses to give up his chosen career, even when most of the inhabitants left are zombies. (Short Film. 14 min)
dir. by Debra Markowitz
Robert Clohessy, Deborah Twiss
7:30pm
Awards Gala AND CEREMONY
Nominated:
BEST FEATURE
12 Angry Men and Women
Around Every Corner
RZ-9
Sunny in the Dark
Voiceless
BEST DIRECTOR OF A FEATURE
Joe Gawalis (Around Every Corner)
D.J. Higgins (Meet Mario)
Iain Carson (RZ-9)
Courtney Ware (Sunny in the Dark)
Pat Necerato (Voiceless)
BEST ACTRESS IN A FEATURE
Allison Thomas Lee (12 Angry Men and Women)
Meredith Antoian (Meet Mario)
Morgan Obenreder (RZ-9)
Hannah Ward (Sunny in the Dark)
BEST ACTOR IN A FEATURE
Joe Gawalis (Around Every Corner)
Cairo Luther George (Meet Mario)
Jay Huguley (Sunny in the Dark)
Rusty Joiner (Voiceless)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A FEATURE
Verity Branco (Sunny in the Dark)
Vanessa Koppel (Around Every Corner)
Lee Meriwether (Sunny in the Dark)
Victoria Gates (Voiceless)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A FEATURE
Robert Loggia (12 Angry Men and Women)
Kane Hodder (Abandoned in the Dark)
Yaron Urbas (Around Every Corner)
Joe Sernio (Meet Mario)
BEST SCREENPLAY
Ken Del Vecchio and Francine Del Vecchio (12 Angry Men and Women)
David Boyle and Mike Lordi (Abandoned in the Dark)
Joe Gawalis (Around Every Corner)
Mike Maden (Sunny in the Dark)
Pat Necerato (Voiceless)
BEST UNPRODUCED SCREENPLAY
Kaitlin Puccio (Elle)
Vicki Vlasic (High Achievers)
Tyrell Jason (Interchange 9)
Marvin kaplan (Lookin' Up)
Ken Ross (Making Choices)
BEST UNPRODUCED SHORT SCREENPLAY
Tristan McIntosh (A Slow Burn)
Seregon O'Dassey (Absynthia)
Ira Rosenblum and Kevin Lennon (Classical Ideal)
Daniel P. Douglas (Richter's War)
Victor Dragomir (The City of Ghosts)
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Bounce: How the Ball Taught the World to Play
Imminent Threat
The Sum Total of Our Memory: Facing Alzheimer's Together
BEST SHORT
Breathe
Lapsus
Leaving
The Lord of Catan
Wasted Beauty
BEST DIRECTOR OF A SHORT
Youssef Ouarrak (Breathe)
Leo Kei Angelos and Kristen Brancaccio (Day One)
Karim Ouaret (Lapsus)
Debra Markowitz (Leaving)
Stuart C. Paul (The Lord of Catan)
Fabien Martorell (Unbelief)
BEST ACTOR IN A SHORT
Douglas Smith (The Gift)
H. Jon Benjamin (Limbo)
Fran Kranz (The Lord of Catan)
Julian Glover (Then & Now)
Andrew Howard (Unbelief)
BEST ACTRESS IN A SHORT
Elisabeth Jamison (Falling to Pieces)
Sophie Meister (Lapsus)
Molly Ryman (Leaving)
Amy Acker (The Lord of Catan)
Jennifer Jiles (Mother of the Week)
BEST STUDENT FILM
Bella
CineMattie
Greenland
Rowen
Separation
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD
ADDITIONAL AWARDS