(Photo by Dion Ogust)
The 15th Woodstock Film Festival announced its full line-up of films for its 15th annual outing last week; already quite a few hot ticket film screenings, panel discussions and special events have started barreling towards sold-out status. And as usual, the big event — running from October 15 through 19 all around Woodstock, with added events in Rhinebeck, Rosendale, Saugerties and Kingston, is chock-full…with a full lineup of over 150 films and events taking place.
The WFF box office on Rock City Road in Woodstock is currently open from noon to 6 p.m. through Sunday, September 30, and then up and running from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. through October 6, as well as online or via phone.
Narrative features in competition include Dominique Chila and Samer Najari’s Syrian drama, Arwad; Mo Perkins’ sweet comedy The Last Time You Had Fun; Khalil Sullins’ neo-SiFi Listening; Peter Anthony’s faux documentary Armegeddon-esque The Man Who Saved the World; Terry McMahon’s Irish love drama Patrick’s Day; Judd Hirsch in the parenting saga The Red Robin, directed by Michael Z. Wechsler; Tim McCann’s haunted The White Rabbit; and Frank Hall Green’s frontier based love story, Wildlike.
Documentary Features in competition include Michael Lessac’s look at the roots of violence, A Snake Gives Birth To A Snake; Tom DeCillo’s look at NYC subway life, Down In Shadowland; Nicole Boxer’s redemption tale, How I Got Over; Ali Akbarzadeh’s Internet musing Killswitch; Thomas G. Miller’s exploration of a 40 year relationship, Limited Partnership; Alix Lambert’s look at the underside of a Midwestern town, Mentor; Andrea Kalin and Oliver Lukacs portrait of two Middle Eastern activists, Red Lines; and Håvard Bustnes’s look into the absurdities of modern economics, Two Raging Grannies.
There are also large numbers of Ultra Indie competition contenders, a host of new films from women directors, tons of short narratives and docs, as well as works in progress, along with such highlighted opening, centering and closing films as Creep, directed by Patrick Brice; Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles, directed by Chuck Workman; and The Fly Room, directed by Alexis Gambis.
Also of key note is the North American premiere of CarynWaechter’s The Sisterhood Of Night, a story of friendship and loyalty set against the backdrop of a modern-day Salem witch trial…all shot on location in Kingston, as well as the new Antarctica 3D: On the Edge by Hudson valley resident Jon Bowermaster. And everything kicks off on Wednesday, October 15 with a world premiere screening of the new East Jerusalem/West Jerusalem, directed by Erez Miller and Henrique Cymerman, alongside a performance by special guest musicians David Broza and Steve Earle.
Among those getting Maverick and other awards will be director Darren Aronofsky, whose works include Noah, Black Swan, and The Wrestler, to be presented by actress Jennifer Connelly and actor Mark Duplass.
Other celebs currently slated to be on hand will be actress Courteney Cox, of Friends’ fame, with her first film as a director, and legendary South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela.
More specific info will be coming out as the big 15th Annual Woodstock Film festival approaches over the coming weeks; in the meantime, get online or head over to the box office at 13 Rock City Road in the center of Woodstock.
Call 679-4265 or visit www.woodstockfilmfestival.com for more information.