| WFF NOT SO SILENT AUCTION As part of the Tenth Anniversary celebration of the Woodstock Film Festival, several amazing auction items have been offered up for bid including One week stay at the GOLDEN PAVILION VILLA in Tortola
DINNER FOR TWO at COOKSHOP, NYC
Two tickets to GUYS AND DOLLS on Broadway
DINNER FOR TWO – you and Academy Award® nominated Melissa Leo
MAN ON WIRE poster signed by Philippe Petit
2007 Woodstock Film Festival poster by artist PETER MAX
28 x 18 vintage B52s PARTY OUT OF BOUNDS poster
Signed and numbered BILL PLYMPTON limited edition 2002 WFF giclee
Please support the Woodstock Film Festival and help us offset mounting costs by treating yourself to some of these wonderful items or by donating an auction item. Visit WFF NOT SO SILENT AUCTION for more items and details
|
|
At SUNY New Paltz
At Onteora High School
| PLYMPTON DELIGHTS and INSPIRES The Hudson Valley Programmers Group recently wrapped up an exciting screening and lecture series withOscar® nominated animator Bill Plympton, April 20-23. Plympton appeared at Marist College, SUNY New Paltz, Bard College and Onteora High School, sharing some of his favorite films and inspiring students and community members with his stories and advice. These events were free and open to the general public, giving many people the opportunity to see incredible independent animated shorts such as Guide Dog, Shuteye Hotel, Horn Dog, Santa Claus - the Fascist Years, and even a sneak peek of his newest animated feature Idiots and Angels. Plympton's lectures and Q&A sessions were both hilarious and inspirational. He outlined the "Plympton Dogma", three rules that he applies to his filmmaking process. Try to make the film: 1. Short. 2. Cheap. and 3. Funny. (rules that he jokingly stated "also describe my girlfriends"). He answered questions about his drawing process, the ups and downs of the independent film world, and anything else that the audience was curious about. His approachability was one of the biggest highlights, especially at the end of the event when he patiently drew his lovably pitiful dog character on a postcard for each person in the crowd. During this time, some people took the opportunity to ask him questions about their own work. One high school student at the Marist event even got Plympton to look through her sketchbook and give her personal feedback, which he enthusiastically did. Plympton is recognized as one of America's foremost illustrators, cartoonists and animators. His highly successful films have appeared with frenzied frequency at film festivals, on television and online.
HVPG events are underwritten in part by the New York State Council on the Arts and adminsitered by the Woodstock Film Festival. |
|
| IDIOTS AND ANGELS: VIP SCREENING & BIRTHDAY PARTY I Believe Productions Presents: IDIOTS AND ANGELS VIP Screening and Birthday Party In celebration of documentary project Adventures in Plymptoons!, a film currently in production about Plympton and his work. Thursday, April 30, 6pm at Helen Mills Theater in NYC Everyone who attends will receive a FREE drawing by Bill Plympton! IDIOTS AND ANGELS is a dark comedy about a man's battle for his soul. Angel is a selfish, abusive, morally bankrupt man who hangs out at his local bar, berating the other patrons. One day, Angel mysteriously wakes up with a pair of wings on his back. The wings make him do good deeds, contrary to his nature. He desperately tries to rid himself of the good wings, but eventually finds himself fighting those who view the wings as their ticket to fame and fortune. Click here to watch the trailer. Click here for Ticket info or call the 24/7 Ticket Hotline at 1-800-838-3006 |
|
Jeff Daniels and Lou Taylor Pucci in The Answer Man
| SPECIAL SOHO HOUSE BENEFIT SCREENING: MONDAY, APRIL 27, 7PM
Monday, April 27th at 7pm, join our host Stephen Hays of 120dbFilms and special guests from the cast for a screening of THE ANSWER MAN and reception with delectable hors d'oeuvres and complimentary CÎROC Vodka to benefit the 10th Anniversary of the Woodstock Film Festival. John Hindman's comedy, THE ANSWER MAN follows author Arlen Faber (Jeff Daniels), who has gained fame from penning a book that has redefined spirituality. His life as a recluse becomes entangled when a chiropractor (Lauren Graham) and a recovering alcoholic (Lou Taylor Pucci) turn to him for guidance. The film also stars Lauren Graham (Flash of Genius, Evan Almighty), Lou Taylor Pucci (Explicit Ills, Personal Velocity), Kat Dennings (Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist) and Olivia Thirlby (Juno). "Impressively executed by first time director John Hindman, The Answer Man is a delightful jab at the world of 'answer people,' those authors who write about topics far and wide, providing answers to life’s most difficult questions. As Hindman explains, he wanted to take one of these know-it-all authors and bring them to their knees. And he’s succeeded, as we find Arlen to be a very brilliant man, but also a lost soul who may not have ever had the answers in the first place. What makes it all work so well is that Hindman’s dialog is clever and insightful." (Neil Miller, Film School Rejects) The film, which premiered in U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, was acquired for U.S. release by Magnolia Pictures. They plan to release the film theatrically this summer. "THE ANSWER MAN is a wonderfully acted and funny film,” said Magnolia Pictures President Eamonn Bowles. “We think that audiences are going to connect strongly with this moving story.” For additional details, click here. Co-sponsored by CÎROC Vodka. |
|
| MAN ON WIRE SCREENING: MAY 2, 3PM MATINEE
MAN ON WIRE, the Oscar®-winning documentary, will be presented by WFF at Woodstock’s Tinker Street Cinema for a special matinee screening May 2nd at 3pm. The film will be followed by an intimate Q&A with high wire legend Philippe Petit; presented by and benefiting the 10th Anniversary of The Woodstock Film Festival. On August 7th 1974, Philippe Petit, stepped out on a steel cable illegally rigged between New York’s Twin Towers, then the world’s tallest buildings. After nearly an hour of performing on the high wire, he was arrested, taken for psychological evaluation, and brought to jail for the spectacular event that became known as “the artistic crime of the century.” Based on Petit’s book To Reach the Clouds (newly released in paperback and re-titledMan on Wire), the film provides a rare glimpse into this audacious high-wire world with still photographs, stunning footage and reenactments. With interviews shot in the Catskill Region of upstate New York, Petit relives his WTC adventure, “To me, it's really so simple, that life should be lived on the edge. You have to exercise rebellion. To refuse to taper yourself to the rules, to refuse your own success, to refuse to repeat yourself, to see every day, every year, every idea as a true challenge. Then you will live your life on the tightrope.” In a recent Daily Freeman article, Philippe expressed his excitement about the upcoming screening in Woodstock. “I am very happy that this film is shown in Woodstock, in the area where I live…,” he said. “I love very much the fact that this event is associated with the Woodstock Film Festival, because I love film, and I love any film festival. It’s a great way to promote the art of movies.” For tickets to the screening of MAN ON WIRE, click here. *As part of the tenth Anniversary celebration of the Woodstock Film Festival, several amazing items will be auctioned of this year including a MAN ON WIRE poster signed by Philippe Petit. |
|
| SAVE THE DATE: MAY 12, 8PM SWIMMING TO CAMBODIA, Jonathan Demme's spellbinding documentary will be co-presented by WFF and Stranger Than Fiction at the IFC Center on Tuesday May 12 in Manhattan. The film will be followed by a reception and Q&A with Academy-Award® winning director Jonathan Demme. In SWIMMING TO CAMBODIA, Demme captures the urgency, terror, humor and brilliance of single performer -- Spalding Gray, who stays seated behind a table at New York's Soho Performing Garage in 1987 for an intense monologue. Gray uses his experiences in Thailand filming the 1984 Academy Award winning film THE KILLING FIELDS as a springboard for all sorts of hilarious, moving digressions, notably a concise and bone-chilling history of Cambodia, and the mass murders brought about by Pol-Pot in the 1970's. There's also Gray's quest for "the perfect moment," a spiritual pursuit that involves drugs, detailed descriptions of the Bangkok brothels, and the apprehension involved in trying to memorize lines for the film. Fellow performance artist Laurie Anderson composed the background music, which along with the ingenious lighting and ambient sound effects perfectly accents Gray's delivery. Demme has crafted a brilliant film of a brilliant performer, infusing the proceedings with a real magnetic urgency, making it hard to look away even for an instant. Co-sponsored by CÎROC Vodka. |
|
| IN THEATERS AND SPECIAL SCREENINGS Sascha Paladino's wonderful documentary THROW DOWN YOUR HEART will screen at the IFC Center in Manhattan from April 24-28. Bela Fleck will appear in person Friday-Saturday at 7:20 & 9:45, and Sunday at 2:40! Argot Pictures is distributing. See their website for the complete release schedule. In a boundary-breaking musical adventure, award-winning banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck journeys to Africa to explore the little-known roots of the instrument. As he travels throughout the continent, he meets a glorious array of musicians, from superstars like Malian diva Oumou Sangare, to humble families that play their own makeshift instruments, to a master of a rare 12-foot xylophone. And while they may not understand each other's speech, their exhilarating spontaneous collaborations show that they do indeed share a rich language. |
|
| WFF CALL FOR ENTRIES The WOODSTOCK FILM FESTIVAL (Sept 30th – October 4th, 2009) is currently accepting submissions in all categories. Maverick Awards are presented for Best Feature ($5000 cash), Best Documentary, Best Short Documentary, Best Short Film, Best Student Film, Best Cinematography, Best Editing and Best Animation. Cash, prizes and/or services are given out in each category. Audience Awards are presented for Best Feature and Best Documentary. Award sponsors have included The Lee Marvin Estate, the late James Lyons, Lowel-Light, Apple Computers, Final Draft, Post Factory, A&E Indie Films, Docurama, Kodak, Baseline, Markertek, and others. Early Deadline: May 25 Final Deadline: June 22Industry participants have included Ang Lee, Kevin Smith, Steve Buscemi, Peter Saraf (Big Beach Films), Jonathan Sehring (IFC), Ted Sarandos (Netflix), Bob Berney, Eamonn Bowles (Magnolia Pictures), Mark Urman (Senator), Bingham Ray (Kimmel Entertainment), James Schamus (Focus Features), Fisher Stevens (Greenstreet Productions), John Sloss (Cinetic Media), Ira Deutchman (Emerging Pictures), Ron Mann (Films We Like), John Pierson (Grainy Pictures), John Anderson, Ryan Werner (IFC), Tom Quinn (Magnolia Pictures), Christine Vachon (Killer Films), Andrew Hurwitz, Ira Schreck, Mira Nair, Todd Haynes, Woody Harrelson, Tim Robbins, Marcia Gay Harden, Lili Taylor, D.A. Pennebaker, Albert Maysles, Barbara Kopple, Leon Gast, Liz Garbus, Brett Morgen, Thelma Adams, Robert Downey, Zachary Sklar, Kevin Bacon, Ethan Hawke, Matt Dillon, Rosie Perez and many others. Click here for details and online entry form. |
|
| SAVE THE DATE: JUNE 12, 7PM Join us Friday, June 12, 7-11pm for a reception to benefit the HUDSON VALLEY FILM COMMISSION
EVENING INCLUDES | | Special guests | | Delectable food, complimentary glass of wine & cash bar | | Amazing Auction items including dinner for two at the Phoenix Restaurant with Oscar® nominee Melissa Leo | | Music with DJ Wa | | Production equipment demos | | Networking opportunities with local industry members | | Your donations will be met by matching funds. | | Your support will help HVFC continue providing free support to independent & studio features, short films, student projects, TV ads and regional filmmakers. | | HVFC provides a free online directory, newsletter blurbs, casting and crew calls, job opportunities and much more. | | Let's all work together to make the Hudson Valley "Hollywood on the Hudson"! |
|
|
| MUSIC NEWS YONDER IS THE CLOCK New "Gritty, Romantic, Catskill Shenanigans" from our homegrown friends... The Felice Brothers come to us from the Catskill Mountains where a homegrown sound has been working its way through the bloodlines for generations. Titled with a phrase drawn from the pages of Mark Twain, "Yonder Is The Clock" is teeming with tales of love, death, betrayal, baseball, train stations, phantoms, pandemics, jail cells, rolling rivers, and frozen winter nights. This is music that hasn't lost sight of the history of the land from which it came, and that quality alone makes The Felice Brothers the next great American band. Check out the tunes. Loving "Run Chicken Run"... |
|
| BOOK NOOK HOW TO BELIEVE IN GOD Woodstocker and former Zen Buddhist monk Clark Strand's new book How to Believe in God: Whether You Believe in Religion or Not is now available at a bookstore near you. “How to Believe in God (Whether You Believe in Religion or Not) is a timely, beautifully crafted book. It’s especially relevant for Western seekers on either side of the biblical divide. For practicing Christians and Jews, the book will bring a stunning freshness to their understanding of the Bible. For those who have overlooked (or even rejected) the gospel of the Old and New Testaments, How to Believe in God will open hearts and minds to the profound treasures found within the Bible’s parables and lessons. And for those who have been trying to fill ‘the God-shaped hole’ with anything but religion, this book will be food for the soul without the dogmatic calories!” —Elizabeth Lesser, author of Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow and The Seeker’s Guide and co-founder of the Omega Institute. “How to Believe in God is the book I have been looking for all my life.” —Gail Godwin, author of Evensong |
|
| SPONSOR NEWS: The Woodstock FIlm Festival is thrilled to have CÎROC Vodka back on board as a sponsor of the 10th Annual Woodstock Film Festival and special events including The Answer Man screening at Sohoo House. CÎROC Vodka is an ultra-premium vodka that celebrates the uncommon on every level; from the distilled Mauzac Blanc and Ugni Blanc grapes, grown in the historic Gaillac and Cognac regions of France, to the innovative cold fermentation and maceration techniques usually found in winemaking, to its subtle aromatics and smooth, naturally refined tastes. CÎROC Vodka releases the true flavors of every cocktail. The sweet complexity of the distilled grapes draw out and complement the flavors of Whatever CÎROC Vodka is mixed with. Add to the CÎROC Vodka's distinctly clean finish and absence of alcohol burn, and you have a most uncommon vodka cocktail experience. |
|
If you're interested in becoming a sponsor of the 10th annual Woodstock Film Festival, email [email protected] |
|
| The Woodstock Film Festival is a nonprofit organization which presents an annual program and year-round schedule of film, music, and art-related activities that promote artists, culture, inspired learning, diversity, and sustainable economic development through film, video, and media production and exhibition. Shoot your next film in the Hudson Valley Catskills... The Hudson Valley Film Commission promotes sustainable economic development by attracting and supporting film, video, and media production to the Hudson Valley Catskills. Join us for special events through the year including HVPG screenings. The Hudson Valley Programmers Group is dedicated to creating, curating and administering a touring road show program that brings internationally renowned filmmakers and artists to the region, and providing them with the opportunity to exhibit their work and interact with the community. For information, call (845) 810-0131 | |
---|
|