RSS 2.0 FeedJuly 1, 2010, Bellmore Life
Film Festival features celebs, parties ’n’ panels
Bellmore readies for the annual Long Island International Film Expo.
by Debra Markowitz
The Long Island International Film Expo (LIIFE) will celebrate its 13th year from Thursday, July 8, through Sunday, July 18, at the Bellmore Movies, 222 Pettit Avenue, Bellmore. LIIFE will screen 156 short and feature-length independent films of all genres from all over the world. Panels and parties with networking opportunities will be available for all those working in the film and television industries. Those wishing to hobnob with celebrities will have ample opportunity as well.
The star-studded Closing Party and Awards Ceremony will be held at the Bellmore Movies on Sunday, July 18. Included will be a buffet, musical act, comedy by comedian Jackie “The Jokeman” Martling, and an awards ceremony where the winners receive their trophies and clips of the winning films are shown. Presenters Actor Armand Assante will be accepting a Creative Achievement Award. Other honorees and presenters are still signing on, but so far the following presenters have confirmed: Jackie Martling (formerly of the Howard Stern show and now with his own Sirius Satellite radio show), Brian O’Halloran (“Clerks”), Sharon Angela (“The Sopranos”), Jill Nicolini (WPIX-TV), Lenny Venito (“The Knights of Prosperity”), Lou Martini Jr. (“The Sopranos”), Anthony Mangano (“NYPD Blue”) and Robert Clohessy (“Boardwalk Empire” and “Pal Joey”).
And what do you do when the festival is over? Attend the AfterLIIFE party in the Filmmakers Lounge, of course. LIIFE will have its traditional panels on scriptwriting, film distribution and the filmmakers breakfast panel, but this year they have added a panel in association with DnA (Directors ‘n’ Actors from New York City) and a NYWIFT (New York Women in Film and Television) panel on “Women in Film.” All panels are free except for the filmmakers breakfast, which has a nominal $5 charge. The Q and A sessions with the filmmakers, following most of the movie blocks, are one of the biggest draws of the festival. Films shown this year include those from Brazil, Africa, Turkey, Pakistan, Ireland, Japan, Russian Federation, Moscow, Australia, Sweden, Canada, Spain, Cameroon, France, China, South Korea, Italy, Germany, Argentina and the United States, as well as all the local films from Long Island. Star-studded films The films this year star such celebrities such as Aiden Quinn, Andie McDowell, William Shatner (“Star Trek”), Michael Biehn (“Terminator”), John Savage (“Carnavale”), John Hawkes (“Deadwood”), James McDaniel (“NYPD Blue”), Nikki Reed (“Twilight”), William Sadler (“The Green Mile”), DJ Qualls, Jenna Fisher (“The Office”), Chris O’Donnell, Ron Leibman, Lesley Ann Warren, Christopher Lloyd, John Lithgow, Catherine Hicks, Doug Jones, Anna Chlumsky, Peter Green (“The Bounty Hunter”), Samuel L. Jackson, Hayden Christensen, Amanda Peet, Jason Alexander, James Earl Jones, Mark Hamill, Abigail Breslin, Sandra Oh, Neil Armstrong, Raul Julia and Aida Tuturro.
There are many ways to enjoy this year’s Long Island International Film Expo. Each film block costs $9, $7 for senior citizens, students and Filmmakers Connection members. A day pass is $20, and the Gold Pass is $60. The Gold Pass includes every film block in the festival and has other perks for the ticket holder as well. Senior citizens and students with appropriate ID will be able to take a friend in for free for any of the film blocks that are held from Monday- Friday and begin before 5 p.m. for a 2-for-1 special. Gold Pass holders and Day Pass holders are eligible for free Long Island Rail Road tickets (while supplies last). And LIRR ticket holders get $2 off of any event during July 8-18 (not to be combined with other offers and discounts). Celebrities always appear, schedule permitting, and while some may need to withdraw at the last minute due to the nature of the filming business, others will certainly sign on for the same reason as the festival gets closer.
The schedule of 2010 LIIFE films and events is available at www.LongIslandFilm.com. For information on the Long Island International Film Expo, you can visit www.LongIslandFilm.com, or call 783-3199.
Debra Markowitz is the director of the Nassau County Film Office.
