IN VISIONARY NEWS...

Chris King's BIRTHDAY gets early wishes.

(Images courtesy of Watermark Films)

In an unprecedented move for VisionFest (VF), the 2015 Domani Vision Film Society Pre-Selection & Programming Committee has decided to reveal to VF alum Chris King that the short subject, BIRTHDAY, the filmmaker's VF15 submission, has already been locked into the film festival's 15th anniversary line-up.  The festival traditionally reveals its official line-up about a month prior to the event's opening night, but in an effort to get the conversation rolling on its social media forums and to build momentum, VF has bent its own rules a little bit and proclaimed its very first "Official Selection" for the upcoming event. 

"This is a special year for us," said VF producer Jana Frindtova, "we're celebrating our fifteenth year and when you get an amazing submission from a festival alum who manages to get better with every film he makes, it's a no-brainier that sooner or later you'll be sending him an acceptance letter, so we figured sooner would give him and his crew a chance to start their celebration earlier."  Festival Co-Director and Programmer, Bruno Derlin, commented on the move, stating that:  "At an age when communication needs to happen faster than ever, as consumers turn to social media and online news outlets to get info that is 'trending,' you come across a film like BIRTHDAY, you start clanging those pans nice and loud.  We want to make sure people are aware we'll be first to unveil this film in New York. It's an important film. We're giving it the exclusive showing it deserves."

Writer-Director, Chris King, returns to VF for the fifth time, with four IVA (Independent Vision Award) wins under his belt for two of the five shorts he shared at past editions of VF.  Both of those shorts (RACHEL and HAPPINESS) won top honors for their lead actors (respectively Kelly Nixon and Sierra Hersek), with the latter film also taking home the top prize as the year's Best Short.  King's new short, BIRTHDAY, is about a severely wounded Marine and his wife, coming home for the first time following months of surgeries and rehabilitation. It is a powerful, realistic and dignified depiction of what it is like for our severely wounded soldiers and their spouses as they face enormously difficult times ahead.  The film is quickly racking up accolades and film festival invitations, and with the current success of AMERICAN SNIPER, which has ignited new found interest in heartfelt stories of our soldiers fighting abroad and coming home, it's destined to become one of the most talked about shorts in the film festival circuit this year.

VF is a presenting sponsor of new 3 People Like This Podcast Too

The Domani Vision Film Society Board of Trustees has approved full affiliation with the new comedy podcast, 3 People Like This Podcast Too, which is a re-launch of the already successful show, 3 People Like This Podcast, a 30-minute, satirical talk show about pop culture and social media trends, boasting a Facebook page with well over 15,000 "likes" and a Twitter account with close to 13,000 followers.  The new show, which is hosted by VF's own, Bruno Derlin, together with stand-up comic and satirical blogger, Mike Ricca, is set to kick off weekly 30-minute episodes in early February. Episodes will be available as free downloads via iTunes and some other Premium Online outlets providing comedic content.  The new, updated version of the program will consist of a very loose, laid back format, where the two hosts chat about current events, pop culture, and their own personal views on life, peppered with occasional guest appearances by other comics and surprise guests. The overall vibe and editorial style will be very familiar to anyone who followed the show throughout the 18 episodes originally posted last year, but absent from the weekly line-up is actor-comedian, TJ Stone, who will be re-entering the podcast scene shortly with his own new entry, THE TJ STONE SHOW, which will also feature the collaborative efforts of Bruno Derlin.