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Industry News – June 2010

31 May , 2010  

Written by Casey Stirling | Posted by:

Summer's just heating up, and the New England film scene is a hotbed of activities, festivals, and screenings. To report news email news@newenglandfilm.com.

Happenings

Hop on the ferry and make your way to the Nantucket Film Festival June 17–20. Now in its fifteenth year, the festival will present screenings of Toy Story 3, Freedom Riders, The Romantics, and The Extra Man, among others. You may recognize a few faces: Ben Stiller, Sarah Silverman, and Brian Williams are a few of the special guests scheduled to appear. Festival passes are available for purchase. Visit http://www.nantucketfilmfestival.org/ for more details.

Check out the 23rd Connecticut Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, which finishes June 5th. Screenings include selections from Connecticut filmmakers Susan Muska, Brian Pelletier, Madeleine Olnek, and Paula Durette. A silent auction will also take place over the course of the festival. Visit http://www.outfilmct.org/ff/2010/CTGLFF-23/Welcome.html for more details and to buy tickets.

The Berkshire International Film Festival runs June 3rd to 6th. The festival will include features, shorts, documentaries, student films, and opening night events. On June 4th at 7:30 pm, Patricia Clarkson will be honored with the 2010 BIFF Achievement in Film Award. The tribute includes the New England premiere of her new film Cairo Time. Tickets to the tribute event are $20. The festival will also include a stage reading of Jidl Mitn Fidl (Yiddle With His Fiddle), an English-language adaptation of the 1936 Yiddish musical comedy, on June 6th at 4:00 pm; tickets are $10. Visit http://www.biffma.com/ for information on festival passes, ticket information, and for a complete list of films.

Celebrate the Provincetown International Film Festival June 16–20. Festival honorees include Kevin Smith, Tilda Swinton, Rob Epstein, and Jeffrey Friedman. Along with the films screened, the festival offers several special events, including the “Breakfast With…” series as well as opening and closing night parties. Visit http://www.ptownfilmfest.org/ for the full schedule and more information.

The 6th Annual White River Indie Film Festival screens June 4th to 6th in White River Junction, Vermont. The festival showcases work by Vermont filmmakers, workshops, and other events. Visit http://www.wrif.org/ to learn more.

Ken Burns has replaced James Cameron as this year’s Celebrity Forum 2010 speaker at Middlesex Community College. Burns will speak on June 16th at 8:00 pm at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium. Tickets are $29.50 for standard seating, $39.50 for premier seating, and can be purchased in person at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium Box Office, over the phone at 978-454-2299 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              978-454-2299      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or online at http://www.middlesex.mass.edu/cf10/.

Get in a German Expressionist state of mind and check out Fritz Lang’s Metropolis at the Coolidge Corner Theatre on June 4th at 8:00 pm, accompanied by live music from Cambridge-based Alloy Orchestra. The screening of the classic silent film is the first in Coolidge’s “Sounds of Silents” series. Tickets for the June 4th event are $20 general admission, $17 seniors. The film will run for a week, with tickets $9.75 general admission, $6.75 members. Visit http://www.coolidge.org/node/2672 to buy tickets and learn more.

After Metropolis, spend the rest of June in Europe at the Museum of Fine Arts, which presents “Rialto’s Best of British Noir” June 2–13 and “The Films of Federico Fellini” June 16–27. Visit http://www.mfa.org/calendar/sub.asp?key=12&subkey=10484 and http://www.mfa.org/calendar/sub.asp?key=12&subkey=10479 for more information.

Industry Buzz

NewEnglandFilm.com’s 2010 Online New England Film Festival has announced partnerships with festivals from all six New England states. Instead of a traditional call for entries, the festival will showcase a selection of local short films hand-picked by the region’s top film festivals. The festival will be online starting September 1, 2010. For more information, visit www.newenglandfilm.com/festival.

The Rhode Island House Finance Committee voted to restore arts funding in its budget package. For more information, see the article posted on NewEnglandFilm.com.

Harvard University student Andrew Wesman’s senior thesis film “Shelley” recently screened at the Cannes Film Festival. His film, shot in Harwich, MA, was selected from 1,600 submissions. Read more in the Boston Globe: http://www.boston.com/ae/movies/articles/2010/05/20/harvard_film_student_gets_his_shot__at_cannes/.

The New England Emmy Awards were held on May 22nd at Gillette Stadium. Check out http://boston.emmyonline.org/ for the list of winners.

After 26 years on the air, Mary Richardson of WCVB-TV’s Chronicle said farewell on May 21st. Clips from her final two shows can be seen at http://www.thebostonchannel.com/chronicle/23541491/detail.html.

Behind the Hedgerow: Eileen Slocum and the Meaning of Newport Society will have its world premiere on August 10th at this year’s Rhode Island International Film Festival, followed by a Newport, RI screening on August 14th. Behind the Hedgerow is the second film from Rhode Island-based production company Eagle Peak Media. Learn more about the film at http://www.beyondthehedgerow.com.

It’s good to be an Emerson College grad when it comes to working in Hollywood, according to this recent article in the Boston Globe: http://www.boston.com/ae/tv/articles/2010/05/22/emerson_connection_pays_big_time/.

The Rhode Island-filmed pilot Body of Proof (previously Body of Evidence) has been picked up by ABC for its 2010-2011 season. The show will star Dana Delany and Jeri Ryan. Check out a sneak peek here: http://abc.go.com/shows/body-of-proof.

Maine filmmakers Kevin DiBacco and Ralph DiBacco have begun shooting their second feature “Back to the Beyond” in Maine, reports the Maine Film Office (http://www.filminmaine.com/newsroom/detail.aspx?IdItem=192).

Filmed last year in Connecticut, Leigh Scott’s film The Witches of Oz has plenty of ways for fans to stay updated on the movie’s progress. Check out http://www.witchesofozmovie.blogspot.com/ for posts, or visit http://www.followtheyellowbrickroad.com/ to enter your e-mail address and become a fan.

Turns out that while Massachusetts residents lamented last summer’s bad weather, they were joined by Chris Rock, reports Entertainment Weekly (http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20362787,00.html). The actor was in the Boston area filming Grown Ups, which opens June 25th. Also opening June 25th is the Tom Cruise film Knight and Day, which was partially shot in Massachusetts.

Opportunities

With the abundance of New England summer film festivals comes the need for volunteers. Check out the festival websites above in “Happenings” for information on how you can get involved.

The New Hampshire Film Festival is now accepting submissions for this fall’s event. Early bird deadline is June 5th, with early entries July 5th and late entries August 5th. Visit http://www.nhfilmfestival.com/ to learn more about submitting a film.

Deadlines are approaching for the Camden International Film Festival. Regular deadline is June 15th, with a $45 fee for feature films, $35 for short. Late deadline is July 15th, with a $55 fee for features, $40 for shorts. Visit http://www.camdenfilmfest.org/submissions.php. for more details.

The Boston Film Festival is accepting submissions until June 11. Visit to complete an application.