I support this new NYC Film Fest which a lot of our friends attended and also support. I went to their inaugural event in NYC a few weeks back and it felt good and I certainly like their Indie lineup. The following is from a recent press release:
Celebrating first-time filmmakers with a grand prize of theatrical distribution, hosted by the historic Players Club, First Time Fest also had additional participants to this year's unique event.
Harry Belafonte, Gay Talese, Michael Shannon & Ellen Burstyn have joined Christine Vachon, Fred Schneider, Sofia Coppola, Todd Solondz, Barbara Kopple, Scott Foundas, Eric Kohn, Emily Russo, Jenny Lumet, Darren Aronofsky, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Hal Hartley, Peter Saraf, Nancy Savoca, Amy Ryan And Martin Scorsese participated In First Time Fest.
Belafonte & Shannon appeared onstage in the Ftf’s “Stand Alone! – Conversations With The Outstanding” series, one-on-one interview with notable cinema artists. Renowned author Gay Talese joined Christine Vachon and the B-52s Fred Schneider as another of the Ftf’s five jurors (the entire live audience at each of the 12 competition films was the 5th juror). Together, the jury and audience ultimately selected Grand Prize winner, Sal, a modern-day Western by Argentinian writer-director Diego Rougier which was offered theatrical distribution and full international sales representation from the renowned American film distributor, Cinema Libre Studio.
Acclaimed actress Ellen Burstyn, who worked with both Scorsese and Aronofsky served as the host of the Ftf Closing Night Awards program. As part of that festive evening, Martin Scorsese added his illustrious presence and belief in the art of cinema, presenting the first John Huston Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinema to Darren Aronofsky. John Huston was one of the most prolific and versatile directors in the history of cinema. And with his mesmerizing debut film, Pi – made independently on black-and-white 16mm film – Darren Aronofsky was instantly recognized as a uniquely gifted new talent. His subsequent films: Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain, The Wrestler and Black Swan, have more than fulfilled that promise.
In addition, Ftf had a special presentation of Andy Grieve and Lauren Lazin’s documentary about the band The Police, Can't Stand Losing You, featuring Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers.
On an exciting party note, and in conjunction with Ftf’s presentation of the Australian/Mongolian documentary Mongolian Bling, First Time Fest and Hip Hop Saves Lives presented “Project Haiti,” an album release party for Zing Experience at Webster Hall.
Representing a hybrid between a traditional film festival and a highly motivated audience participation event, Ftf presented a dozen Competition Films, which were judged by a panel of industry luminaries and the Ftf audience. All competition screenings were followed by “hot-seat” discussions between the jury and filmmakers, and all audience members then voted on the films. It was truly a contest of the best emerging filmmakers competing for the Ultimate Audience Award.
Competition Films – (please visit here for competition films & descriptions).
In addition to the Competition Films, Ftf presented First Exposure, a series of first films from now prominent filmmakers. Joining the line-up - and mostly attending the fest - was the exciting Opening Night presentation of Sofia Coppola with The Virgin Suicides, Todd Solondz with Welcome to the Dollhouse, Wes Anderson’s Bottle Rocket, Barbara Kopple with Harlan County, USA, Melvin Van Peebles with The Story of a Three-Day Pass, Pi from Darren Aronofsky, The Maltese Falcon from director John Huston, Poison from Todd Haynes, Jack Goes Boating from director Philip Seymour Hoffman, Hal Hartley’s The Unbelievable Truth, and True Love from Nancy Savoca.
First Exposure Films – (please visit here, for First Exposure descriptions)
First Exposure also includes a 60th Anniversary Tribute to Morris Engel’s The Little Fugitive, a cinema vérité classic from 1953 that was shot on Coney Island and has inspired countless filmmakers, from Jean-Luc Godard to the Coen brothers. The tribute included a panel hosted by film historian Foster Hirsch including Mary Engel, daughter of Morris Engel and Ruth Orkin, and James Sanders, author of Celluloid Skyline: New York and the Movies. In addition there was a Special Presentation of Everardo Gout’s thrillingly over-the-top action thriller Days Of Grace (Dĺas De Gracia), which won the Mexican Academy of Film’s prestigious Ariel Award for Best First Feature and was nominated for the Camera d’Or at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.
First Time Fest included a series of panels called “How They Did It,” in which a diverse group of award-winning filmmakers moderated filmmaking case studies and spotlighted some of the most successful and accomplished masters of the industry.
First Time Fest is a four-day, multi-faceted event hosted in New York City’s Gramercy Park by the celebrated Players (16 Gramercy Park South), the club founded by Edwin Booth, Mark Twain and John Singer Sargent, the oldest and most exclusive arts organization of its kind whose membership includes the greatest stars of stage and screen. Each of First Time Fest’s twelve finalists receive high-level industry mentorship and a one-year membership to The Players. The Players was the location for all Ftf panels and events as well as the Filmmaker and VIP Lounge. First Time Fest’s screenings were all held at the Loews Village VII on Third Avenue (on 11th St. & 3rd Ave).
Among the Fest’s terrific sponsors is the delicious Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte. "The forward-thinking Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte draws its inspiration from the call of ‘faraway lands.’ One of the youngest and most fashionable Champagne brands, Nicolas Feuillatte has captured the world's imagination by sharing its passion for creativity and arts in a record 37 years, becoming the #1 Champagne in France. In its role as discoverer of talent, the brand awards its prestige cuvée Palmes d'Or to First Time Fest's winners to complement the celebration in style."
Other terrific sponsors of the fest include Brooklyn Brewery, Moscot, Marquis Vodka and Technicolor Postworks.
For additional Festival Information - Visit The Festival Website at www.FirstTimeFest.com
Johanna Bennett and Mandy Ward are the co-founders of First Time Fest. As an accomplished philanthropist, actor and social entrepreneur, as well as the daughter of singer Tony Bennett, Johanna Bennett has immersed herself within the entertainment and artistic community her entire life. Mandy Ward has worked in the film industry for the past decade in varied capacities, namely as a film producer of several projects. Mitch Levine, CEO of The Film Festival Group, is producing the festival. Through his company, Mitch offers consulting services and expertise to film festivals, film commissions, distribution companies and filmmakers around the world, and was formerly the CEO and Executive Director of the renowned Palm Springs International Film Festival. The Festival’s Director of Programming is David Schwartz, the Chief Curator of Museum of the Moving Image.
Celebrating first-time filmmakers with a grand prize of theatrical distribution, hosted by the historic Players Club, First Time Fest also had additional participants to this year's unique event.
Harry Belafonte, Gay Talese, Michael Shannon & Ellen Burstyn have joined Christine Vachon, Fred Schneider, Sofia Coppola, Todd Solondz, Barbara Kopple, Scott Foundas, Eric Kohn, Emily Russo, Jenny Lumet, Darren Aronofsky, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Hal Hartley, Peter Saraf, Nancy Savoca, Amy Ryan And Martin Scorsese participated In First Time Fest.
Belafonte & Shannon appeared onstage in the Ftf’s “Stand Alone! – Conversations With The Outstanding” series, one-on-one interview with notable cinema artists. Renowned author Gay Talese joined Christine Vachon and the B-52s Fred Schneider as another of the Ftf’s five jurors (the entire live audience at each of the 12 competition films was the 5th juror). Together, the jury and audience ultimately selected Grand Prize winner, Sal, a modern-day Western by Argentinian writer-director Diego Rougier which was offered theatrical distribution and full international sales representation from the renowned American film distributor, Cinema Libre Studio.
Acclaimed actress Ellen Burstyn, who worked with both Scorsese and Aronofsky served as the host of the Ftf Closing Night Awards program. As part of that festive evening, Martin Scorsese added his illustrious presence and belief in the art of cinema, presenting the first John Huston Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinema to Darren Aronofsky. John Huston was one of the most prolific and versatile directors in the history of cinema. And with his mesmerizing debut film, Pi – made independently on black-and-white 16mm film – Darren Aronofsky was instantly recognized as a uniquely gifted new talent. His subsequent films: Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain, The Wrestler and Black Swan, have more than fulfilled that promise.
In addition, Ftf had a special presentation of Andy Grieve and Lauren Lazin’s documentary about the band The Police, Can't Stand Losing You, featuring Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers.
On an exciting party note, and in conjunction with Ftf’s presentation of the Australian/Mongolian documentary Mongolian Bling, First Time Fest and Hip Hop Saves Lives presented “Project Haiti,” an album release party for Zing Experience at Webster Hall.
Representing a hybrid between a traditional film festival and a highly motivated audience participation event, Ftf presented a dozen Competition Films, which were judged by a panel of industry luminaries and the Ftf audience. All competition screenings were followed by “hot-seat” discussions between the jury and filmmakers, and all audience members then voted on the films. It was truly a contest of the best emerging filmmakers competing for the Ultimate Audience Award.
Competition Films – (please visit here for competition films & descriptions).
In addition to the Competition Films, Ftf presented First Exposure, a series of first films from now prominent filmmakers. Joining the line-up - and mostly attending the fest - was the exciting Opening Night presentation of Sofia Coppola with The Virgin Suicides, Todd Solondz with Welcome to the Dollhouse, Wes Anderson’s Bottle Rocket, Barbara Kopple with Harlan County, USA, Melvin Van Peebles with The Story of a Three-Day Pass, Pi from Darren Aronofsky, The Maltese Falcon from director John Huston, Poison from Todd Haynes, Jack Goes Boating from director Philip Seymour Hoffman, Hal Hartley’s The Unbelievable Truth, and True Love from Nancy Savoca.
First Exposure Films – (please visit here, for First Exposure descriptions)
First Exposure also includes a 60th Anniversary Tribute to Morris Engel’s The Little Fugitive, a cinema vérité classic from 1953 that was shot on Coney Island and has inspired countless filmmakers, from Jean-Luc Godard to the Coen brothers. The tribute included a panel hosted by film historian Foster Hirsch including Mary Engel, daughter of Morris Engel and Ruth Orkin, and James Sanders, author of Celluloid Skyline: New York and the Movies. In addition there was a Special Presentation of Everardo Gout’s thrillingly over-the-top action thriller Days Of Grace (Dĺas De Gracia), which won the Mexican Academy of Film’s prestigious Ariel Award for Best First Feature and was nominated for the Camera d’Or at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.
First Time Fest included a series of panels called “How They Did It,” in which a diverse group of award-winning filmmakers moderated filmmaking case studies and spotlighted some of the most successful and accomplished masters of the industry.
First Time Fest is a four-day, multi-faceted event hosted in New York City’s Gramercy Park by the celebrated Players (16 Gramercy Park South), the club founded by Edwin Booth, Mark Twain and John Singer Sargent, the oldest and most exclusive arts organization of its kind whose membership includes the greatest stars of stage and screen. Each of First Time Fest’s twelve finalists receive high-level industry mentorship and a one-year membership to The Players. The Players was the location for all Ftf panels and events as well as the Filmmaker and VIP Lounge. First Time Fest’s screenings were all held at the Loews Village VII on Third Avenue (on 11th St. & 3rd Ave).
Among the Fest’s terrific sponsors is the delicious Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte. "The forward-thinking Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte draws its inspiration from the call of ‘faraway lands.’ One of the youngest and most fashionable Champagne brands, Nicolas Feuillatte has captured the world's imagination by sharing its passion for creativity and arts in a record 37 years, becoming the #1 Champagne in France. In its role as discoverer of talent, the brand awards its prestige cuvée Palmes d'Or to First Time Fest's winners to complement the celebration in style."
Other terrific sponsors of the fest include Brooklyn Brewery, Moscot, Marquis Vodka and Technicolor Postworks.
For additional Festival Information - Visit The Festival Website at www.FirstTimeFest.com
Johanna Bennett and Mandy Ward are the co-founders of First Time Fest. As an accomplished philanthropist, actor and social entrepreneur, as well as the daughter of singer Tony Bennett, Johanna Bennett has immersed herself within the entertainment and artistic community her entire life. Mandy Ward has worked in the film industry for the past decade in varied capacities, namely as a film producer of several projects. Mitch Levine, CEO of The Film Festival Group, is producing the festival. Through his company, Mitch offers consulting services and expertise to film festivals, film commissions, distribution companies and filmmakers around the world, and was formerly the CEO and Executive Director of the renowned Palm Springs International Film Festival. The Festival’s Director of Programming is David Schwartz, the Chief Curator of Museum of the Moving Image.
- 3/11/2013
- by Peter Belsito
- Sydney's Buzz
This was an interesting new roll out of an upcoming NYC based Festival event . This announcement party was held in one of my favorite areas of Manhattan, Gramercy Park - and not far from the Hospital where I was born - NYC's Beth Israel. But seeing Tony Bennett in person was special. His daughter Johanna Bennett, an accomplished philanthropist, actor and social entrepreneur, is organizing this new Festival. Tony is a trim nice looking 85 year old - and who has not loved his singing??
Seeing him personally stirred some emotions in me I could not recall until almost a day later. It was this - When I was 7 or so many years ago my family summered in New Jersey and one night we were all on Atlantic City's Steel Pier to hear him, Tony Bennett, sing. My cousin was as usual beating me up and I remember I was crying disconsolately in a public lounge area sitting on a couch. Suddenly a man put his arms across my shoulders and said to me, 'Peter it is going to be alright, everything will be okay'. I looked up and it was Tony Bennett the great singer comforting me, he had asked my family what was wrong and my mother told him and also my my name. So now I only remembered this much later after the Fest party and I only wished that when I saw the great man that I had thanked him personally for helping a little guy so many years ago .... And oh yes i stopped crying then too...
First Time Fest, a celebration of first time filmmakers, is a new and unique film festival, event and opportunity taking place in New York City from March 1-March 4, 2013.
First Time Fest’s mission is to discover and present the next generation of great cinema by first time screenwriters, producers, directors, editors, composers and cinematographers to a cinema-loving public and to select and present these films and filmmakers in a most unique and dynamic fashion. Ftf is currently seeking submissions for its inaugural event.
First Time Fest will be a four-day, multi-faceted event based in New York City’s Gramercy Park at the celebrated Players Club, founded by Edwin Booth and Mark Twain, the oldest and most exclusive arts organization of its kind. Films will be screened at the Loews Village VII (on 11th St. & 3rd Ave).
First Time Fest represents a hybrid between a traditional film festival and a highly motivated audience participation event. The featured films of First Time Fest will embody the work of 12 finalists, selected from a submission pool of potentially thousands of films. Each of the 12 finalists will have his or her feature screened during the Festival before an audience of industry professionals and the general public. A panel of five jurors will then decide the Grand Prize winner. Four of these judges will be of the film industry elite, while the fifth judge, unlike any other festival in the world, will be the collective “Voting Public” or "VPs." These VPs – 120 on each of the Festival’s days – will be selected by lottery from the thousands of moviegoers expected to attend First Time Fest. Additionally, 12 special VPs will be selected in a nationwide contest to represent the country at large.
The Grand Prize winner of First Time Fest will be presented at an exclusive gala on the final day of the Festival, and will receive an offer of theatrical distribution arranged through a partnership between First Time Fest and Cinema Libre Studio, a successful international entertainment company based in Los Angeles, California. Cinema Libre has produced over 15 award-winning international films, and has distributed more than 100 films in its 20 years of operations. Beyond distribution, the winner will be provided international sales representation by Cinema Libre and will receive a host of other major prizes. First Time Fest will also present other prizes during the Awards Ceremony, including: “Outstanding Direction,” Outstanding Screenplay,” “Outstanding Cinematography,” “Outstanding Editing,” and “Outstanding Score.”
Each of First Time Fest’s twelve finalists will receive a one-year, high-level industry mentorship. This mentorship will involve regular contact with prominent members of the independent filmmaking community: producers, distributors, sales agents, talent representatives (agents and managers), lawyers, consultants, and, most importantly, respected cinema artists: directors, writers, editors, cinematographers and composers. First Time Fest deeply believes in the artistic and professional development of its participants, and will coordinate these intensive mentorship opportunities on their behalf. And, as each finalist is granted a one-year membership at the Player’s Club, they also have a fantastic opportunity to regularly interact with the Player’s entertainment industry members.
First Time Fest will also include a series of panels called “How They Did It,” in which a diverse group of award-winning filmmakers will moderate filmmaking case studies which spotlight some of the most successful and accomplished masters of the industry.
In addition, First Time Fest and the Players Club will be presenting the first John Huston Prize for Lifetime Achievement in Cinema. The Award will be presented to an individual who has made s significant contribution to the art of cinema, and whose presence in our community has offered leadership and inspiration to other cinema artists. The Award is named in honor of one of America’s greatest filmmakers, who was an esteemed member of the Players Club (John Huston’s membership in the Club was sponsored by his friend and colleague, Humphrey Bogart). It will be an extraordinary event.
They will also be celebrating the 60th anniversary of Morris Engel’s The Little Fugitive. This film, a cinema vérité classic from 1953, was shot entirely on Coney Island and has inspired countless filmmakers, including Martin Scorsese, François Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard, who credit it for launching the French New Wave. Unfortunately, few members of the public (and even many filmmakers) know of Engel’s work, and we hope that this tribute curated by renowned film historian Foster Hirsch, along with a panel to scheduled to include his daughter Mary Engel, and the star of the film, Richard Brewster, will redress that..
Johanna Bennett and Mandy Ward serve as co-founders of First Time Fest. Johanna has immersed herself within the entertainment and artistic community her entire life. Mandy has worked in the film industry for nearly 10 years in varied capacities, namely as a film producer of several projects. David Schwartz, the Artistic Director and Head Curator of Museum of the Moving Image, has come on to become the Director of Programing for First Time Fest.
Seeing him personally stirred some emotions in me I could not recall until almost a day later. It was this - When I was 7 or so many years ago my family summered in New Jersey and one night we were all on Atlantic City's Steel Pier to hear him, Tony Bennett, sing. My cousin was as usual beating me up and I remember I was crying disconsolately in a public lounge area sitting on a couch. Suddenly a man put his arms across my shoulders and said to me, 'Peter it is going to be alright, everything will be okay'. I looked up and it was Tony Bennett the great singer comforting me, he had asked my family what was wrong and my mother told him and also my my name. So now I only remembered this much later after the Fest party and I only wished that when I saw the great man that I had thanked him personally for helping a little guy so many years ago .... And oh yes i stopped crying then too...
First Time Fest, a celebration of first time filmmakers, is a new and unique film festival, event and opportunity taking place in New York City from March 1-March 4, 2013.
First Time Fest’s mission is to discover and present the next generation of great cinema by first time screenwriters, producers, directors, editors, composers and cinematographers to a cinema-loving public and to select and present these films and filmmakers in a most unique and dynamic fashion. Ftf is currently seeking submissions for its inaugural event.
First Time Fest will be a four-day, multi-faceted event based in New York City’s Gramercy Park at the celebrated Players Club, founded by Edwin Booth and Mark Twain, the oldest and most exclusive arts organization of its kind. Films will be screened at the Loews Village VII (on 11th St. & 3rd Ave).
First Time Fest represents a hybrid between a traditional film festival and a highly motivated audience participation event. The featured films of First Time Fest will embody the work of 12 finalists, selected from a submission pool of potentially thousands of films. Each of the 12 finalists will have his or her feature screened during the Festival before an audience of industry professionals and the general public. A panel of five jurors will then decide the Grand Prize winner. Four of these judges will be of the film industry elite, while the fifth judge, unlike any other festival in the world, will be the collective “Voting Public” or "VPs." These VPs – 120 on each of the Festival’s days – will be selected by lottery from the thousands of moviegoers expected to attend First Time Fest. Additionally, 12 special VPs will be selected in a nationwide contest to represent the country at large.
The Grand Prize winner of First Time Fest will be presented at an exclusive gala on the final day of the Festival, and will receive an offer of theatrical distribution arranged through a partnership between First Time Fest and Cinema Libre Studio, a successful international entertainment company based in Los Angeles, California. Cinema Libre has produced over 15 award-winning international films, and has distributed more than 100 films in its 20 years of operations. Beyond distribution, the winner will be provided international sales representation by Cinema Libre and will receive a host of other major prizes. First Time Fest will also present other prizes during the Awards Ceremony, including: “Outstanding Direction,” Outstanding Screenplay,” “Outstanding Cinematography,” “Outstanding Editing,” and “Outstanding Score.”
Each of First Time Fest’s twelve finalists will receive a one-year, high-level industry mentorship. This mentorship will involve regular contact with prominent members of the independent filmmaking community: producers, distributors, sales agents, talent representatives (agents and managers), lawyers, consultants, and, most importantly, respected cinema artists: directors, writers, editors, cinematographers and composers. First Time Fest deeply believes in the artistic and professional development of its participants, and will coordinate these intensive mentorship opportunities on their behalf. And, as each finalist is granted a one-year membership at the Player’s Club, they also have a fantastic opportunity to regularly interact with the Player’s entertainment industry members.
First Time Fest will also include a series of panels called “How They Did It,” in which a diverse group of award-winning filmmakers will moderate filmmaking case studies which spotlight some of the most successful and accomplished masters of the industry.
In addition, First Time Fest and the Players Club will be presenting the first John Huston Prize for Lifetime Achievement in Cinema. The Award will be presented to an individual who has made s significant contribution to the art of cinema, and whose presence in our community has offered leadership and inspiration to other cinema artists. The Award is named in honor of one of America’s greatest filmmakers, who was an esteemed member of the Players Club (John Huston’s membership in the Club was sponsored by his friend and colleague, Humphrey Bogart). It will be an extraordinary event.
They will also be celebrating the 60th anniversary of Morris Engel’s The Little Fugitive. This film, a cinema vérité classic from 1953, was shot entirely on Coney Island and has inspired countless filmmakers, including Martin Scorsese, François Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard, who credit it for launching the French New Wave. Unfortunately, few members of the public (and even many filmmakers) know of Engel’s work, and we hope that this tribute curated by renowned film historian Foster Hirsch, along with a panel to scheduled to include his daughter Mary Engel, and the star of the film, Richard Brewster, will redress that..
Johanna Bennett and Mandy Ward serve as co-founders of First Time Fest. Johanna has immersed herself within the entertainment and artistic community her entire life. Mandy has worked in the film industry for nearly 10 years in varied capacities, namely as a film producer of several projects. David Schwartz, the Artistic Director and Head Curator of Museum of the Moving Image, has come on to become the Director of Programing for First Time Fest.
- 10/11/2012
- by Peter Belsito
- Sydney's Buzz
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