NewEnglandFilm.com

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Summer in New England is off to a fast start and there are plenty of opportunities to get involved — from festivals and competitions to networking events.

On June 6 at 1 pm, make sure and catch the new documentary airing on WCVB-TV Channel 5 (Boston). The half-hour documentary, "The Difference," chronicles the work of the Horace Mann Educational Associates (HMEA), which supports more than 1,100 individuals with developmental disabilities in 110 Bay State communities. The crusade against disabilities Mann began is carried on today throughout Massachusetts. 

The sixth annual Boston Underground Film Festival recognized local and national directors and films when they presented their awards on May 10, on the closing night of the festival. The Best of the Fest was an animated short "Son of Satan," by JJ Villard. A retelling of the short story by Charles Bukowski, this startling piece is highly disturbing and effective, and definitely underground. A complete list of winners is at http://www.bostonundergroundfilmfestival.com.  

The Boston Educational Film and Video Association, has launched their web site where filmmakers in the region can check out the latest events offered by the BEFVA. On June 5th, there will be a Filmmakers’ Open Studios between 11–2 and they offer a Networking Night on June 25th from 6–9 to meet others in the area

Brattleboro, Vermont filmmaker Matthew Temple wanted to become a politician. He’s currently not holding public office but he was inspired to write a screenplay during his undergraduate years at Marlboro College, described as a "fictitious autobiography" about a man running for governor of Vermont. "Senses of Place" is directed by Patrick McMahill, also a 2003 Marlboro College graduate. Shot in Marlboro, VT, the film tells the story of a young politician who questions his ambitions when his wife dies in a car accident. A "true independent film," the film was produced with a minimal budget raised through various grants, investors, and donations. It also features no big-name stars and also served as Marlboro College graduates’ required senior project. The film will premiere at the Lake Placid Film Festival on June 2.  

New Hampshire has been quiet for most of the spring but summer is heating up filming action in the area. Back Lot Films’ Bill Millios of New Boston is producing "Dangerous Crosswinds." The film focuses on a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer who returns to his hometown of Hampton, NH and ends up entangled in an assisted suicide of a sick friend. Shooting will be going on throughout the month in both Hampton and New Boston, where it is scheduled to wrap up on June 22. To learn more about the film please visit www.backlotfilm.com. 

Judges are finishing up work on the 2nd Annual Maine Screenwriting Competition sponsored by The Maine Film Office. The winners will be notified by June 28. The awards will be presented during the Celebration of Maine Filmmakers’ Day July 10 at the Maine International Film Festival in Waterville.

If you missed out on the 2nd Annual Maine Screenwriting Competition, Sam Colson, a Woolwich filmmaker, is organizing a new film festival comprised of experimental and avant-garde works in Maine. Colson hopes to schedule for late autumn is currently seeking assistance and sponsorship for this event, tentatively scheduled for late autumn. More information can be provided by contacting Colson at feedthedog@midmaine.com. 

Last, but certainly not least, the LEF Foundation has announced their Moving Image Fund recipients of 2004. The LEF Foundation, based in both New England and California, "supports the creation and presentation of contemporary work in the fields of visual art, performing art, new media, literary art, architecture and design." The Moving Image Grants are for independent film and video artists in the New England Region. For a list of winners, visit the LEF Foundation web site.