Tuesday, May 31, 2011

The Society Is Proud To Bring You VISIONFEST 11

The Domani Vision Film Society is proud to present  
VISIONFEST 11: THE OTHER FESTIVAL


VF11 TIX NOW ON SALE!
DVFS is proud to announce that tickets are now on sale for this year's edition of VISIONFEST: The Other Festival, which runs June 22-26, 2011 at New York City's Tribeca Cinemas (54 Varick Street - corner of Laight).

HIGHLIGHTS OF VISIONFEST 11
FIGHTING FISH - VIRGIN ALEXANDER - HOW TO MAKE IT IN FILMMAKING
This year's film festival kicks off with the New York premiere of FIGHTING FISH by Annette Apitz.  A surprise short will precede the feature on opening night.  Second night line-up includes a special benefit screening of RETT, by Jason Rem, a documentary which highlights three families whose daughters are afflicted by Rett Syndrome and the doctors who are working on a cure.  Proceeds from this program will go to RSRT: Rett Syndrome Research Trust.  Also unveiling on the second night, are the New York premieres of VIRGIN ALEXANDER, a narrative feature directed by Charlotte Barrett and Sean Fallon, and HOW TO MAKE IT IN FILMMAKING, by Shanna Maurizi, a doc about filmmaker Ari Taub making an indie WWII epic on no budget.


Images from THE CASSEROLE CLUB
The VF11 "Centerpiece" position this year (Friday, June 24, 9:30 p.m.) has been assigned to returning VF filmmaker, Steve Balderson, whose narrative feature, THE CASSEROLE CLUB, unveils in New York for the first time.  The film features a knockout performance by former Backstreet Boys crooner, Kevin Scott Richardson, and a cast of Balderson faves, including Susan Traylor and Starina Johnson.  Earlier the same evening (7pm), witness the NYC premiere of Jamie Greenberg's STAGS, co-produced by Ben Barenholtz (the same man responsible for booking David Lynch's ERASERHEAD for midnight shows in NYC, thus causing the genesis of that film's cult classic status & the same man who collaborated with the Coen Brothers on some of their most famous works, including MILLER'S CROSSING and BARTON FINK).  The film also boasts the collaborative efforts of Line Producer Susan Leber (who also co-produced the VF03 5x5 Project, HARD COLD FACTS) and Director of Photography, Salvatore Interlandi, (who directed the VF03 Cinematography Award winner, THE BAKERY).

Images from LEAVE - ONTOLOGICA!
 On Saturday evening, June 25th, show times kick off at 5pm with an amazing shorts program, followed by the New York premiere of Robert Celestino's LEAVE, and closing the evening with the world premiere of Skylar Gordon's ONTOLOGICA! A BRIEF EXPLANATION OF ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING THAT IS KNOWN ABOUT ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING - a film so difficult to classify, VF just called it "an experimental" adding that "it's nothing like anything anyone's ever seen before."

AFTER-SCHOOL SPECIAL - TOUCH - FALLING OVERNIGHT
 The Official Closing Night Selection will be a special triple delight, kicking things off with Jacob Chase's short subject, AFTER-SCHOOL SPECIAL, written by Neil LaBute (writer and director of the critically acclaimed IN THE COMPANY OF MEN).  A second short subject, the multi-award winning, TOUCH, by Jen McGowan, will immediately follow.  The evening's feature presentation will be the New York premiere of FALLING OVERNIGHT by Conrad Jackson, which festival producer, Jana Frindtova, defined as "a modern love story with an edge and plenty of heart."

Wrapping things up for VF11, on Sunday, June 26th, at 7:30 p.m., is the Independent Vision Competition Awards Ceremony, this year co-sponsored by ASC, the American Society of Cinematographers, InkTip.com, and Media Services, Inc.  Outstanding Achievement Awards will be handed out in approximately 15 categories and the top three scripts from the Feature Screenwriting Competition will also be revealed. The program will also unveil this year's edition of the VF initiative, THE 5X5 NEW YORK STATE OF MIND DIGITAL PROJECT, which will consist of 5 digital shorts, based upon the 5 winning scripts from the 2011 Short Script Competition. 

Full line-up available on the DVFS Web site:

FEATURE SCREENWRITING COMPETITION SEMI-FINALISTS NOW IN POLE POSITION

The 2011 Visionfest Feature Screenwriting Competition is down to its final countdown.  There are currently 10 semi-finalists, 5 from the Winter phase of the competition and 5 from the Spring, vying for 5 finalist spots.  The 5 finalists will be invited to attend Visionfest 11 and on the closing night of the festival, the top 3 scripts will be awarded some very valuable prizes and services from the festival's exclusive Feature Screenwriting Competition Sponsor, InkTip.com.


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