NewEnglandFilm.com

Happenings

NewEnglandFilm.com will be making some improvements to the website this summer and would love your feedback. Participate in the online survey or join a live online chat with the NewEnglandFilm.com Founder on Tuesday, June 7 at 10 am.

Celebrate the Provincetown International Film Festival June 15–19 on Cape Cod. Highlights include opening/closing night parties, special programs, and awards honoring Darren Aronofsky (Filmmaker on the Edge), Vera Farmiga (Excellence in Acting), and Albert Maysles (Career Achievement). Festival passes are available. Learn more at http://www.ptownfilmfest.org/.

Meanwhile, across the water, the Nantucket Film Festival runs June 22–26. Highlights include a comedy roundtable led by Ben Stiller, the “Morning Coffee With…” series, and a screening of festival Centerpiece film Margin Call. Festival passes are available. For more details, check out http://www.nantucketfilmfestival.org/.

Vermont’s White River Indie Films presents their film festival June 3–5. Films screen at several different White River Junction locations; the festival includes opening and closing night parties. Learn more at http://www.wrif.org/.

Celebrate the Berkshire International Film Festival June 2–5. Screenings include Never Stand Still, White Irish Drinkers, Buck, and Page One: Inside the New York Times, along with special events and filmmaker Q&As. Festival passes are available. For the full schedule and more details, visit http://www.biffma.com/.

Check out the New Hampshire High School Short Film Festival on June 18th at 2:00 p.m. at New Hampshire Technical Institute’s Sweeney Hall (Concord). Several awards will be given out to student filmmakers from around the state. The festival is free and open to the public. Learn more at http://www.nh.gov/film/hsfest/.

Catch a screening of the documentary feature Expect Miracles on June 10th at 7:30 p.m. at Greenfield Hill Congregational Church (Fairfield, CT). Directed by Doug Seirup and Brean Cunningham, the film follows a family living in Central Appalachia. View the trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVq1jS05Lg8.

The Image Gazer Film Festival travels through Maine June 16–19. The festival features independent features, shorts, and performance artists in a variety of locations. For venues and more details, visit http://dylanhowardfilmlife.me/ImageGazer/Image_Gazer_Film_Festival.html.

Industry Buzz

Starting June 15th, Lisa Strout will lead the Massachusetts Film Office. The Massachusetts native has worked extensively in film and television and was previously at the New Mexico Film Office. Read more at http://www.mafilm.org/2011/05/23/film-television-industry-veteran-selected-to-lead-massachusetts-film-office/.

The 34th Annual New England Emmy Awards were held last month in Quincy, Massachusetts. Visit http://newenglandemmy.org/ for this year’s winners and more details about the event.

Filming has begun in Rhode Island for Wes Anderson’s new feature Moonrise Kingdom. The film stars Frances McDormand and Bill Murray; shooting continues throughout the state this month. Read more at http://newsblog.projo.com/2011/05/bill-murray-frances-mcdormand.html.

The Maine Community Foundation and the Maine Arts Commission have awarded the 2011 Jane Morrison Film Fellowship to Sally Levi of Bristol. Levi is currently working on a master’s degree at the Film and Media producing program at Sweden’s Lund University. Learn more about the Jane Morrison Film Fellowship at http://mainearts.maine.gov/grant_janemorrison.aspx.

Rhode Island recently honored the winners of its 7DayPSA Awards in Providence. Filmmakers were given a week to create a local PSA. For the list of winners, visit http://www.7daypsa.org/?p=lawards.

Seth MacFarlane has been shooting his new film Ted around Massachusetts this spring. The film stars Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis; the crew was most recently shooting at Fenway Park. Read more at http://articles.boston.com/2011-05-23/yourtown/29574921_1_location-managers-ted-ballpark.

Opportunities

The Martha’s Vineyard International Film Festival is now accepting short film entries for this September’s event. Fiction, live action, animation, and documentary short films under 15 minutes completed after July 1, 2010 are eligible for submission. The deadline to submit is July 15th. Read more at http://www.mvfilmfest.com/.

Comedy writer and producer Alan Zweibel will lead the workshop “Creating a Sitcom” July 25–29 at Quinnipiac University. Zweibel’s credits include Saturday Night Live and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Tuition is $2995 and includes meals and housing. Check out http://www.ct.gov/ecd/lib/ecd/CreateSitcomflyr.pdf for more details and to reserve a spot.

The Camden International Film Festival is currently accepting submissions for this fall’s festival. Late deadline for festival submissions is June 15th ($40 features, $30 shorts); extended deadline is July 15th ($45 features, $35 shorts). Filmmakers working on documentaries are encouraged to apply to the Points North Pitch by August 31st ($25 fee). Learn more at http://camdenfilmfest.org/.

The MovieMaker Institute arrives in New York on June 11-12 to provide strategies for screenwriters & indie moviemakers by industry leaders like Spike Lee, Brad Anderson and Alexandre Rockwell. NewEnglandFilm.com readers can use the promo code MMI to save $50 off the cost of registration. For more information, see http://moviemakerinstitute.com/conferences/new-york-2011/

Sign up now for the 48 Hour Film Project. Filmmakers will have 48 hours over the course of a weekend to create a short film. The event will take place this spring and summer throughout New England. Visit http://www.48hourfilm.com/tour/ for cities and dates.

Bangor, Maine’s Kahbang Film Festival is currently accepting entries for this August’s festival. Categories include “Gen-Next,” “LMFAO,” and “MaineStream.” Extended deadline is June 8th. Check out http://www.kahbang.com/film/submit-your-film to learn more.

The Boston Film Festival is currently accepting submissions for this fall’s event. Filmmakers are encouraged to submit features, documentaries, animated films, and shorts. Submission deadline is June 10th. Learn more at http://www.bostonfilmfestival.org/submissions.shtml.