2016 Official Selections - The Long Island International Film Expo

A New York Love Story (6 min, Manhattan) Wednesday July 20, 2016 ­ 7:45pm Film Block SHORT ­ T
his visually rich, character­focused, zero­dialog film is about a woman who's crushed by the loss of her love. It is a very personal exploration of her psychological journey through the pain, until she finally finds redemption and perspective, and chooses to live her own life without apology. Director: Patrick Ortman. Producer(s): Kathi Funston, Patrick Ortman. Writer(s): Patrick Ortman. Acoustic Space (15 min, Manhattan) Sunday July 17, 2016­ 4:15pm Film Block SHORT ­ T
his film tells the story of a couple having dinner in an elegant restaurant, but they cannot complete a conversation due to their constantly ringing cell phones. This alters the course of their relationship and serves as a comment on how technology has changed the way we communicate. Director: Anthony Marinelli. Producer(s) Joseph Cassese, James Howell, Stephanie Domini. Writer(s): Anthony Marinelli. The film does contain some profanity and some talk about sex. LONG ISLAND premiere. Adrift (23 min, Nassau County) Thursday July 14, 2016 ­ 5:30pm Film Block SHORT ­ O
n her way home from college, a young girl meets a hitchhiker who changes her life. Director(s): Francisco Salazar & David Salazar. Producer(s): Francisco Salazar & David Salazar. Writer(s): Francisco Salazar & David Salazar. Adult suggestive themes. LONG ISLAND premiere. Animal (18 min, Manhattan & Massachusetts) Friday July 15, 2016 ­ 9:45pm Film Block SHORT ­ A violent kidnapping turns into a brutal mission of redemption. Director: Kelly Beam. Producer(s): Jon Olson, Kelly Beam, Phil Frye, David Vollrath, Dylan Shelton. Writer(s): Kelly Beam. LONG ISLAND premiere. BAIT (12 min, Suffolk County) Friday July 15, 2016 ­ 9:45pm Film Block SHORT ­ T
J's day takes an unexpected turn when he visits his Uncle Mack at his hotel in Montauk. Director: Charlie Kessler. Producer(s): Charlie Kessler, Marley Ficalora. Writer(s): Charlie Kessler. A WORLD premiere. Before the Snow (83 Min, Brooklyn, Queens & New Jersey) Tuesday July 19, 2016 ­ 5:00pm Film Block FEATURE ­ A
man struggles to come to grips with his tattered past after being diagnosed with a terminal disease. His physical ailment, coupled with medication, causes him to dream, hallucinate, remember, and sometimes regret his life. He comes into contact with various characters from his past and present, and wonders if there is any humanity left in the world or within himself. Director/ Producer / Writer: Mark Clauburg and Peter Lisowsky. LONG ISLAND Premiere. Partial English subtitles and profanity. Beyond Laughter and Tears: A Journey of Hope (82 min, Virginia, Texas, California, Mississippi, Ohio, Pennsylvania) Monday July 18, 2016 ­ 5:00pm Film Block FEATURE ­ The stories of six people living with uncontrollable outbursts of crying and/or laughing, caused by a little known neurological condition called Pseudobulbar Affect (PBA). This film follows their journey as they try to overcome the obstacles of living with PBA. Director: Doug Blush & Lisa Klein. Producer(s): Julian Cautherley, Scott S. Kramer, Boris Undorf. NEW YORK premiere. Boris In The Forest (13 min, London) Sunday July 17, 2016 ­ 7:00pm Film Block SHORT ­ A
black comedy about a Californian geek in search of his horror hero, Boris Karloff. Director: Robert Hackett. Producer(s): Ioanna Karavela. Writer(s): Mike Goldfarb. NEW YORK premiere. Notable Celebrities: Mac McDonald (Batman, The Fifth Element, Flyboys) George Georgiou (Homeland, Game of Thrones). Other LIIFE films: Patience, 2008 (short film). Breathe (22 min, California) Saturday July 16, 2016 ­ 7:00pm Film Block SHORT ­ Dr. Filip Kardel is a driven Polish neurosurgeon working in America, struggling to cope with the loss of his wife, Ania. The memories of her untimely death, along with the guilt that he feels for neglecting her in favor of his career, haunt him. Will he be able to escape the prison of his grief and guilt, or will it destroy him? Director: Paul Kowalski. Producer(s): Christina Dow. Writer(s): Paul Kowalski. NEW YORK premiere. Subtitles. Featuring Kristof Konrad (House of Cards) By Blood (14 min, Nassau County) Friday July 15, 2016 – 6:45pm Film Block SHORT ­ O
n the night of his wife's burial, Vincent shares with his brother Jimmy, information that will change their lives and their relationship, forever. By Blood is a sexy, dark thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The film stars Russ Camarda (The Night Never Sleeps), Joseph A Halsey (Law & Order: SVU), Diana Durango (Disco) and Jackie Martling (former writer and personality of The Howard Stern Show). Director: Debra Markowitz. Producer(s): Debra Markowitz, Joseph A. Halsey, John Marean. Associate Producer(s): Robert La Rosa, Intention Films and Media and Halsey Films. Writer(s): Debra Markowitz. Profanity, mild sexual situations. Other LIIFE films ­ The Last Taxi Driver and Leaving Calling All Collectors (8 min, Suffolk County) Sunday July 17, 2016 ­ 4:15pm Film Block SHORT, DOCUMENTARY ­ T
his is a short documentary on an incredible lifetime collection of amazing items. The collector is a retired New York police officer dying of a 9/11 related illness. Director: Dave Zani. Producer(s): Paul Dunn, Tomas Asadi, Dave Zani. A WORLD premiere. Celebrity Sex Tape (9min, Brooklyn & Nassau County, NY) Thursday July 14th, 2016 ­ 5:30pm Film Block SHORT ­ I n a final bid to break into Hollywood, an unknown filmmaker decides that making a sex tape is his only hope. Well aware that he is a dork who no one would want to watch, he concludes that it is crucial to enlist a celebrity actress to costar. In this romantic comedy, we examine the sex tape phenomena and how far someone would go for fame. It certainly will change the way you view sex tapes. Director: Keith Black. Producer(s): Keith Black, Ismael Gomez III, Steve Marshall. Writer(s): Keith Black. WORLD premiere. Rated PG ­ no sex, no nudity, no profanity. Other LIIFE Films: Best short film 2003 ­ Get the Script to Woody Allen CHAINS (4 min, Nassau County) Saturday July 16, 2016 ­ 9:40pm Film Block MUSIC VIDEO ­ C
HAINS is a song about being trapped by a love that's doomed. It features recording artists Robbie Rosen and Sarah Barrios. It was filmed at an abandoned and dilapidated building, which served as an appropriate metaphor for their relationship. Director: James Phillips. Producer(s): Robbie Rosen and James Phillips. Writer(s): Nick Jonas, Jason Evigan, Amar Malik, and Danny Parker. Featuring Robbie Rosen (contestant from American Idol, Season 10). CHOICE "Mother" (7 min, Queens). Sunday July 17, 2016 ­ 1:30pm Film Block SHORT ­ W
hen Hannah is diagnosed with terminal cancer, she must make the hardest decision of her life in order to die with dignity. Making the news, Hanna tells the nation why she made her choice. Director: Joseph A. Halsey. Producer(s): Joseph A. Halsey, Debra Markowitz, Mara Bush, Marc Riou, and Robert La Rosa. Writer(s): Joseph A. Halsey. LONG ISLAND premiere. Circus of Red Poppy / Rosso Papavero (5 min, Bratislava, Slovakia) Sunday July 17, 2016 ­ 11:30am Film Block STUDENT Animation ­ Once upon a starry night, a small boy with a head full of fantasies witnesses dreamlike circus performances. Dazed by an endless chain of glittering attractions, he realizes that the price for a ticket to the fantastic circus tent is too high. The gate between reality and dreams is closing. Director: Martin Smatana. Producer(s): Martin Smatana / Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava. Writer(s): Ivana Sujova NASSAU COUNTY premiere. Cold Reader (11 min, H
ainault, L
ondon, UK) Monday July 18, 2016 ­ 2pm Film Block SHORT ­ Librarian Gaia thinks she has the measure of prolific library user Edward. But she's about to learn to never judge a book by it's cover. Director: Michael Beddoes Producer(s): Kira Fitzpatrick, Adam Spinks, Michael Beddoes, Kristina Heaney. Writer(s): Kristina Heaney. Slight profanity. Previous LIIFE submission: Forget Me Not, selected, nominated for Best Short Story, Best Foreign Short, Best First Short. N
EW YORK premiere. Coming to Terms (12 min, Manhattan) Wednesday July 20, 2016 ­ 2:30pm Film Block SHORT ­ H
aving to face the death of their father, Eddie and Sally try to do their best in understanding the concept of death. At their tender ages of 8 and 10, they fully rely on their religious father’s teachings. When life in Heaven seems ideal, they make a decision that nobody could have expected. Director: David Bertran. Producer(s): Yolanda Centeno, Gabriela Dorini, Phyllis Larrymore­Kelly, David Bertran. Writer(s): David Bertran. Crash Testing (4 min, Taiwan) Saturday July 16, 2016 ­ 3:30pm Film Block SHORT ­ A
crash test dummy records his aspirations in face painting that he leaves on the air bag of the crashed cars. In doing so, he tries to comprehend and understand his own existence from the dull reality. Director / Producer / Writer: Yuting Hsueh. Animation. A NEW YORK premiere. Detours (82 min, M
anhattan to Florida) Saturday July 16, 2016 ­ 9:40pm Film Block FEATURE ­ A
newly­single New Yorker must relocate to Florida, so she drives south with her widowed dad and her Mom’s ashes in a coffee can. Richard Kind, Paul Sorvino, and Michael Cerveris join stars Tara Westwood and Carlo Fiorletta in a father/daughter comedy about starting over at any age. Director: Ro bert McCaskill Producer / Writer: Mara Lesemann. N
otable actors: Richard Kind (Inside Out, Spin City, Mad About You); Paul Sorvino (Goodfellas), Michael Cerveris (TONY award winner for Fun Home). One sexual situation Dinner and a Movie (1
3 min, Manhattan ) Wednesday July 20, 2016 ­ 5:00pm Film Block SHORT ­ A hilariously absurd, modern take on silent films ­ tying together elements of fantasy, imagination, and the experience of watching films. All with just one line of dialogue. Director: James Dokko. Producer(s): Paul Fiterson. Writer(s): James Dokko. A LONG ISLAND premiere. Doris (17 min, Los Angeles, CA) Wednesday July 13, 2016 ­ 8:15pm Film Block SHORT ­ D
oris is an undocumented Mexican housemaid that has to take care of her employer's racist and embittered father for a weekend. Director: Oscar Rodriguez Gorriz. Producer(s): Elettra Canovi, Najeeb Kahuda. Writer(s): Oscar Rodriguez Gorriz, Miguel Valdez­Lopez, Ricardo Lopez Rendon. LONG ISLAND premiere. Drug Mule (10 min, Manhattan) Sunday July 17, 2016 ­ 1:30pm Film Block SHORT ­ M
exican drug enforcement agents suspect an American mother, traveling with her 10­year old son, of smuggling. The agents sequester the two in a secret location where they begin to interrogate the woman, using intimidation and threats. But, when she finally cracks, the details she provides about the drugs she’s carrying prove to be “too much information” for the agents to handle. Director: David Spaltro. Producer(s): Sharon Lesser Maguire, Chris Bongirne, Eli Hershko. Writer(s): Sharon Lesser Maguire. NASSAU COUNTY premiere. Partial English subtitles. Ella at the Library ( 8 min, Manhattan) Monday July 18, 2016 ­ 5:00pm Film Block SHORT ­ T
ype­A student Ella (Sam Garland) thinks she's got her dissertation covered. But suddenly, a note from her professor reveals that she's missing a crucial book from her research, and a frantic search through the stacks leaves her desperate. Now she must go toe­to­toe with an apathetic librarian (Natalie Carter) in hopes of convincing her to release it. Director: Olivia Saperstein. Producer(s): Sam Garland. Writer(s): Sam Garland. LONG ISLAND premiere. En Pointe (9 min, Illinois) Sunday July 17, 2016 ­ 11:30am Film Block SHORT ­ S
ophie is a young girl who dreams of becoming a beautiful ballerina. By chance, she stumbles across a flyer for ballet school auditions. With just her passion to aid her, can Sophie make the cut? Director / Producer / Writer: Rosalie Devereaux Gaffney. A NEW YORK premiere. Evidence Room ( 6 min, Sydney, Australia) Friday July 15, 2016 ­ 9:45pm Film Block SHORT ­ A serial killer has just claimed its 7th victim, and two opposing detectives have been tasked with solving the case. Emotions are high as the killer taunts the officers, but an experienced officer knows the answer must be hidden somewhere in the evidence. Director: Nicholas Kordai. Producer(s): Danielle Frost. Writer(s): Nicholas Kordahi. NEW YORK premiere. Mild violence. FADE ( 1
8 min, Massachusetts) Tuesday July 19, 2016 ­ 5:00pm Film Block SHORT ­ F
ADE is a short narrative film that follows Matthew, who is struggling with Alzheimer's. One day in winter, Matthew gets lost on his way to visit his wife. At the end of his little journey, Matthew goes back to the most magical moments of his childhood. Director: Ruoyu Guo. Producer(s): Frank Horton. Writer(s): Ruoyu Guo. NEW YORK premiere. Fish ( 4 min, K
urdistan/Iran ) Wednesday July 20, 2016 ­ 5:00pm Film Block SHORT ­ An old couple are living in an apartment. The man is sleeping and the woman is doing housework. While trying to change the fish bowl’s water, the woman accidentally lets it it slip out of her hand and it falls on the ground. They've run out of water and there’s no water for the fish. With a little help, they are able to find water. Director / Producer / Writer: Saman Hosseinpuor. A LONG ISLAND premiere. FlySpy (21 min, United Kingdom) Monday July 18, 2016 ­ 7:45pm Film Block SHORT ­ A
young genius deviant uses a radio controlled drone fly with a camera in its head to spy on his ex­girlfriend. Director: Daniel M. Smith. Producer(s): Andrew Ornitharis, Kyran Speirs, Daniel M. Smith Writer(s): Simon Hewitt. Some English subtitles. Violence/Nudity/Gore and some profanity. Notable Celebrities: Ophelia Lovibond (Guardians of the Galaxy, Mr Popper”s Penguins), Sam Hoare (Captain America, Legend). Forget­You­Not (22 min, Switzerland) Wednesday July 20, , 2016 – 2:30 pm Film Block SHORT ­ When 65 year old widower Hans Schneider begins to lose his memory, he tries every trick he can to hang on to his most precious moment—a trip to Italy with his beloved wife many years ago. D
irector: Elisabeth Loesch. Producer(s): Elisabeth Loesch and Mark Schregle. Writer(s): Elisabeth Loesch. A WORLD premiere. Some English subtitles. Notable Celebrities: Didier Flamand. Frontman (19 min, Los Angeles, CA) Tuesday July 19, 2016 ­ 7:45pm Film Block SHORT ­ W
hen a famous rock star learns that he's going deaf, his personal and professional lives begin to unravel. Director: Matthew Gentile. Producer(s): Alex Dew. Writer(s): Matthew Gentile. LONG ISLAND premiere. Notable Celebrities: McKaley Miller, Kristoffer Polaha, Robin Thomas, Emily Tremaine. Gangstagrass ­ "Barn Burning" ( 5 min, Brooklyn) Wednesday July 13, 2016 ­ 5:30pm Film Block SHORT ­ W
hen Earth decided to send the first band to Mars, they understandably chose the Bluegrass Hip Hop group, Gangstagrass, to represent our planet. However, the people rebelled, not willing to lose such important music. So, the next best thing was in order: Clone Gangstagrass and send the knockoffs out into orbit. Director: Rosario Pellerito. Producer(s): James Benedetto. Writer(s): R
osario Pellerito. A LONG ISLAND premiere. Gardening At Night (13 min, Illinois) Sunday July 17, 2016 ­ 1:30pm Film Block SHORT ­ W
aiting puts time out of joint as Samantha anticipates the death of her friend, Anne, across the country. After midnight, she tames her neglected garden, finding a way to bridge the distance between the two friends and rid Anne of her fear of death. Director: Shayna Connelly. Producer(s): Wendy Roderweiss, Shayna Connelly. Writer(s): Shayna Connelly. A NEW YORK premiere. Girl Night Stand (9 min, New Jersey) Wednesday July 20, 2016 ­ 5:00pm Film Block SHORT ­ A
young woman questions her sexuality after having a one­night stand with another Woman. Director: Jenna Laurenzo. Producer(s): Jenna Laurenzo, Gabriel Stanley. Writer(s): Jenna Laurenzo. A NEW YORK premiere. Sexual situations. Giuliano's Web ­ La tela di Giuliano (2 min, Bologna, Italy) Thursday July 14th, 2016 ­ 8:15 pm Film Block TRAILER ­ A
mechanic and his passion for cars leads him to build a Bizzarrini by himself for more than 40 years. A car which became more than a passion, more than a dream, more important than anything else. Director: Alessandro Amante. Producer(s): Enrico Rondinelli. Writer(s): Giuliano Giunta, Enrico Rondinelli and Alessandro Amante. WORLD premiere. Subtitles. Good Business (7
min, Manhattan) Friday July 15, 2016­ 1:15pm Film Block SHORT ­ A
charming businessman gets revenge on his ex­mother in law at dinner. Director: Frank Dale Arroyo. Producer(s): Christian Campbell, Ramfis Myrthil, Gage Woodle, Don Klien, Todd Wiseman, Milos Silber. Writer(s): Hope Bogle, Frank Dale Arroyo. LONG ISLAND premiere. Some profanity. Notable Celebrities: Christian Campbell, America Olivo, Mercedes Ruehl (Academy Award Winner) Good Friday (83 min, Nassau County) Tuesday July 19, 2016 ­ 7:45pm Film Block FEATURE ­ A
fter he undermines a young accident victim for the benefit of a powerful businessman, a disillusioned attorney must face a day full of life­defining choices. An inspirational story of temptation and redemption. Director: Dan Stone. Producer(s): Daniel Loewenthal, Dan Stone. Writer(s): Dan Stone. A WORLD premiere. Notable Celebrities: Timothy D. Stickney, Jordan Lage Graveyard Girl (12 min, Suffolk County) Monday July 18, 2016 ­ 7:45pm Film Block SHORT ­ A grieving teenage girl finds hope and the strength to heal after a chance encounter with a young man suffering from a loss of his own. Director: Jesse Binger & Kaitlyn Johnston. Producer(s): Jesse Binger & Kaitlyn Johnston. Writer(s): Jesse Binger. A WORLD premiere. Hanging on in {La danse des accrochés} (1
07 min, France) Tuesday July 19, 2016 ­ 2:30 pm Film Block FEATURE ­ V
incent has just spent 23 years in prison. He gets his sentence adjusted and will thus spend his remaining 10 months on probation, monitored by an electronic tag. He is put up at his cousin’s, Didier, a farmer locked in a hateful war with his mother ever since his Father’s suicide. Director / Producer / Writer: Thibault Dentel. Some English subtitles. Mild sexual situations and some violence. Harmonica (15 min, Los Angeles, California) Friday July 15, 2016 ­ 9:45 pm Film Block STUDENT ­ N
ear the end of World War II, a young Soviet soldier named Audrey finds a host hidden in a German family when searching the city. To his surprise, the host is the culprit who raped and killed his sister 5 years ago. All his memories of the dark day flooding back to him, violence is inevitable. Director / Producer / Writer: Ye Kuang. A LONG ISLAND premiere. HeavenKid: Time­Space Door (
) (12 min) Sunday Jul 17, 2016 – 7:30pm Film Block SHORT ­ T
oTo and his sister Ahya get behind a Space Door where they can turn into anything at will. They get carried away and become enemies. Heaven Kid uses his magic to awaken them, teaching them the book Di­Zi­Gui. They learn a lesson and avert the crisis. Director: Derrick, Yung­Te, Wu. Producer(s): Derrick, Yung­Te, Wu. Writer(s): Fang­ru Shen. A LONG ISLAND premiere. Subtitles. Henry & Me (67 min, Philippines) , Saturday July 16 2016 ­ 11am Film Block ANIMATION ­ W
hen Jack is dealt a bad break, a mysterious stranger named Henry teaches him that when life throws you a curve, swing for a miracle! Richard Gere leads an all­star cast in this wonderful story of hope, love, and belief. Director: Barrett Esposito. Producer(s): Joseph Avallone, Barrett Esposito, Joe Castellano. Writer(s): David I. Stern. A LONG ISLAND premiere. Starring: Richard Gere, Cyndi Lauper, Chazz Palminteri, Danny Aiello, Paul Simon, and Lucie Arnaz. HOUSE BROKEN (16 min, New Jersey) Sunday July 17, 2016 ­ 11:30am Film Block SHORT ­ A
married couple's difficulty potty training their reluctant 4­year­old puts a strain on their marriage... and their social lives. Director: Beth Spitalny. Producer(s): Heather Brittain O'Scanlon. Writer(s): Andy Peeke, Heather Brittain O'Scanlon. A LONG ISLAND premiere. Hunter's Moon (4 min, Suffolk County) Sunday July 17, 2016 ­ 9:30pm Film Block SHORT ­ A
fter shooting a werewolf cub, four estranged friends must defend themselves against a marauding family of werewolves in a remote cabin. Director: Sean Q. King. Producer(s): Sean Q. King, Dino Castelli. Writer(s): Lee Kolinsky. A LONG ISLAND premiere. I COME IN PIECES (6 min, CLAMART. FRANCE) Tuesday July 19, 2016­ 5:00pm Film Block MUSIC VIDEO ­ A
race between two friends, two brothers, running through time on the way of life. Director: Mikaël Vecchio. Producer(s): Oreste Vecchio (Wizart Studio). Writer(s): Mikaël Vecchio. Immunity (20 min, Bethpage, NY­Nassau) Sunday July 17, 2016 ­ 1:30pm Film Block SHORT ­ I n 1942 Auschwitz, a deadly game is being played out by a young SS Officer and his once beloved teacher, a Jew who now finds that her most prized pupil has become her tormentor. Will his plan to immunize himself succeed...or will his humanity betray him? Director: Alyn Darnay. Producer(s): Adam Broder, Shari Umansky. Writer(s): Shari Umansky. A NASSAU COUNTY premiere. Notable Celebrities: Rena Sofer In Our Son's Name (65 min, Suffolk County) Wednesday July 20, 2016 ­ 2:30pm Film Block DOCUMENTARY ­ W
hen their son perishes in the 9/11 attack, Phyllis and Orlando Rodríguez choose non­violence and reconciliation over revenge. This decision leads to a friendship with a terrorist's mother and work with convicted felons, which transforms their lives. This powerful story of love and compassion challenges conventional concepts of justice and healing. Director / Producer / Writer: Gayla Jamison. A LONG ISLAND premiere. In the Basement (14 min, Los Angeles, CA) Sunday, July 17, 2016 ­ 7pm Film Block STUDENT ­ A
young girl is kidnapped and imprisoned by a man hell­bent on building a family, kidnapping women and forcing them to play into his fantasy. But this time he just may have kidnapped the wrong girl. Director: Matthew McGregor. Producer(s): Matthew McGregor, Alex Parslow, Ashley Chrisman. Writer(s): Matthew McGregor. A NEW YORK premiere. Shot in 2013 with my short student film "HO HO HO!". In the Deep (14 min, Queens, NY) Monday July 18, 2016 ­ 7:45pm Film Block SHORT ­ H
iring a man to make his younger brother's dream come true of meeting a real alien spirals out of control when Aden takes the stranger home and hides him in his basement. Director: Christopher James Lopez. Producer(s): Andrei Campeanu, Christopher James Lopez. Co­Producer(s): Darlene Javier, Sasha A. Lewis. Writer(s): Christopher James Lopez. A LONG ISLAND premiere. Lead actor Davi Santos is a current Power Ranger on Nickelodeon, he plays the Gold Ranger. In the Forest (4 min, California) Sunday July 17, 2016 ­ 11:30am Film Block SHORT ­ F
ar away from here, there is an enchanted forest that holds many deep, dark secrets and is full of dangerous creatures. One day, there are kids lost in the darkness. Director / Producer / Writer: Xia Li. A WORLD premiere. Incarnate (7 min, Bairnsdale, Victoria, Australia) Sunday July 17, 2016 ­ 7:00 pm Film Block SHORT ­ Y
oung Tyler is tormented by visions of an abandoned house and a man with a spider tattoo. Hoping to dispel the 'dreams', his ill­tempered dad agrees to go searching. As they venture into the woods, neither is prepared for what they find. Director: Marcello Barbaro & Nicolas Spadaccini. Producer(s): Marcello Barbaro & Nicolas Spadaccini. Writer(s): Marcello Barbaro & Nicolas Spadaccini. A WORLD premiere. Adult themes, adult language and implied violence. IN MEMORY (15 min, C
alifornia) Thursday July 14, 2016 ­ 5:30pm Film Block SHORT ­ In a seemingly utopian future, an elderly woman must hide a secret to protect the love of her life. Director: Robert Kirbyson. Producer(s): Dick Lyles, Martha Lyles, Barbara Nicolosi, Ron Allchin. Writer(s): E.R. Womelsduff, Robert Kirbyson. A N
EW YORK premiere. N
otable Celebrities: Lee Meriwether (Batman, Barnaby Jones ­­ nominated for an Emmy and 2 Golden Globes, Also Miss America 1955), Max Gail (Barney Miller, 42 ­­ 2x Emmy Nominee). It Has To Be You (14 min, Brooklyn) Saturday July 16, 2016 ­ 1:15pm Film Block SHORT ­ O
ne night at the Lindenwood Diner, three shots ring out. Six people. One crime. Everyone has their own perspective. Director: Conrad Rothbaum. Producer(s): Conrad Rothbaum, Rebecca Goldstein, Jeffrey Hagerman, Nancy Chassman, Hugh Rothbaum, John Eremic. Writer(s): Conrad Rothbaum. A LONG ISLAND premiere. Violence and Gore. Just Words ( "Priznanie v lubvi") (26 min, Russia) Wednesday July 20, 2016 ­ 5:00pm Film Block STUDENT ­ A
quiet domesticated policeman and his happy­go­lucky colleague are investigating a routine suicide. The policeman breaks the law and his own moral principles after he hears a familiar voice from a victim’s cellphone. Director: Ilia Antonenko. Producer(s): Ilia Antonenko, Ekaterina Antonenko. Writer(s): Ilia Antonenko. Some violence. State University of Film and Television, St­Petersburg, Russia Lemon (4 min, Manhattan) Wednesday July 20, 2016 ­ 5:00pm Film Block STUDENT ­ A
little lemon materializes on a stone wall rolling and falling into New York city's streets one day. It travels across some of the most bustling areas in lower Manhattan, experiences the vitality and the suddenness of the city. On its solitary rolling journey, it starts to wonder the meaning of its existence and maps out several possibilities of its Future. Director/ Producer/ Writer: Xing Zhang. Line to the Wall (15 min, Manhattan) Thursday, July 14, 2016 ­ 3pm Film Block SHORT ­ T
he seemingly friendly gift of a long lost masterpiece turns tragic. An old Etonian prefers to defend his conservative philosophy rather than confess a truth to the visiting young man who holds far more than a rare manuscript in his hands. Director: Walter Turney. Producer(s): Charlene Turney (executive producer), Angel Acevedo (producer). Writer(s): Walter Turney. A LONG ISLAND premiere. Lovin Lauren (7 min, Suffolk County) Monday July 18, 2016 ­ 2:30 Film Block STUDENT ­ "Lovin Lauren" is a documentary about Lauren Gordon, my 14 year old autistic sister. Having a sister with a disability may not be easy, but it’s a challenge that is worth the fight. I made this film to show that special needs children aren't made up of only their disease; they have personalities and feelings and they know what’s going on even if they can’t express it. Director / Producer / Writer: Amanda Gordon. A NASSAU COUNTY premiere. Mail.Man (20 min, Massachusetts) Friday July 15, 2016 ­ 3:30pm Film Block SHORT ­ A
veteran mailman copes with work cutbacks and with his own frustration that in the new digital age, he’s mostly delivering bills and marketing promotions –nobody’s writing actual letters anymore. Then, a long lost letter and a crazed dog team up with a techie teenager to offer an unexpected solution. Director: William Aydelott. Producer(s): David Graves, Courtland Jones. Writer(s): William Aydelott, David Graves. A NEW YORK premiere. Marceline Blurr ­ (15 min, Brooklyn) Sunday July 17, 2016 – 4:15pm Film Block SHORT ­ Inspired by the movies of the French New Wave, Marceline Blurr is the story of a young woman who was born with a vision impairment that is extremely out of the ordinary. For her, the world is a magical place. A big unfinished tableau upon which she finds it not only amusing, but absolutely essential to paint. Director: Nadia Mata Portillo. Producer(s): Jeff El­Eini, Irene Menéndez. Writer(s): Jeff El­Eini, Irene Menéndez. A LONG ISLAND premiere. Subtitles. MIRED (10 min, New Jersey) Sunday July 17, 2016 ­7:00pm Film Block SHORT ­ A
young man wakes to find his mud­covered relatives back from the grave. Director: Tony Glazer. Producer(s): Neil Holland, Summer Crockett Moore, Tony Glazer. Writer(s): Tony Glazer. A LONG ISLAND premiere. Notable Celebrities: Sutton Foster, Reed Birney Mommy's Box (90 min, Manhattan) Saturday July 16, 2016 ­ 7:00pm Film Block FEATURE ­ N
ick, a music producer in New York City, is dealing with his own demons and chemical dependency as he gets the news of his mentally unstable mother’s death. He returns home to Long Island for the wake, where family secrets are revealed, forcing him to confront the lingering influence of his mother even after her death. Back home, Nick finds a new love and a sense of spirituality he never believed in. This leads him on a journey he never expected and ultimately onto the path to redemption. Director: Johnny Greenlaw. Producer(s): Johnny Greenlaw and Rita Laterca. Writer(s): Johnny Greenlaw and Caitlin Scherer. LONG ISLAND premiere. Notable Celebrities: Bill Sorvino, David Harris, Joseph D'Onofrio, Carly Brooke Mother’s Day (7 min, Hicksville, NY) Wednesday July 20, 2016 ­ 5:00pm Film Block SHORT ­ T
ragedy forces Mary (Academy Award Winner Melissa Leo) and her son Jay (Gabriel Furman) to say goodbye forever. Director: Jeff Tan. Producer(s): Gabriel Furman, Melissa Leo, Jeff Tan. Writer(s): Gabriel Furman. LONG ISLAND premiere. Profanity. Notable Celebrity: Melissa Leo. Must Be This Tall To Ride (15 min, M
anhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn) Wednesday July 20, 2016 – 5:00pm Film Block SHORT ­ E
rin finds herself in an increasingly difficult situation when her comfort zone of solitude is threatened by the unassumingly handsome Matthew. As Erin allows herself to open up more and more, her fears of inevitable pain begin to come true, as her bubble of peace comes crashing down. The way Erin deals with her internal turbulence is drastic and impulsive, but the wake of her actions allows her a clarity that she had not possessed previously. Director / Producer / Writer: Gabriel Kahane. WORLD premiere. My Block: Strong Island Part 2 (49 min, Nassau and Suffolk) Thursday July 14, 2016 ­ 5:30pm Film Block DOCUMENTARY ­ T
hough the face of the Great Migration may have changed, its soul has not. Discover a lost chapter of our history as told by those who helped write it, the African­American families who built the first planned suburban neighborhoods. See what’s left of the American Dream through the eyes of the forgotten. Director: Jordan Crafton. Producer(s): Jordan Crafton, John Crafton, Christopher Howard, Peter Hazle, Lawrence Levy. Writer(s): Jordan Crafton. LONG ISLAND premiere. Some profanity. Notable Celebrities: Julius "Dr. J" Erving, Charlton "Chuck D" Ridenhour, Trevor "Busta Rhymes" Smith, Danny Green, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Aljamian Sterling. My Friend Ed (56 min, Manhattan & California) Thursday July 21­ 1pm Film Block DOCUMENTARY ­ M
y Friend Ed explores the notion of 'hero' versus 'celebrity' in a funny and poignant portrait of the roots and lifelong activist career of actor Ed Asner. Seemingly hundreds of people from all walks of life know Ed simply as 'friend'. His loyalty and generosity keeps him scrambling around the world at almost 85 years of age, and he still loves a good fight! One may not always agree with Ed but his ethical foundation and fearless devotion to cause make him someone to study in a cultural era obsessed with 'selfies' and an overabundance of meaningless celebrity. Director: Sharon K. Baker. Producer(s): Sharon K. Baker. Writer(s): Sharon K. Baker, Daniel R. Collins. A LONG ISLAND premiere. Profanity. Notable Celebrities: Ed Asner, Elliott Gould, Valerie Harper, Robert Walden, Ed Begley,Jr. & Mike Farrell My Grandma's American Dream: From Italy to a New Life (38 min, Manhattan, Long Island) Sunday July 17, 2016 ­ 4:15 pm Film Block DOCUMENTARY ­ "My Grandma's American Dream" weaves the story of one large Italian immigrant family into the fabric of American history and culture from the pre­World War One era through the 1970s. Rare photographs and films, archival footage, and a candid personal narrative help bring to life this adventure undertaken by many millions of young, hopeful people a century ago. Director: Anthony DiFranco. Producer(s): Anthony DiFranco. Writer(s): Anthony DiFranco. A WORLD premiere. No Cleaner Threads (8 min, Tennessee) Sunday July 17 th ­ 7:00pm Film Block STUDENT ­ D
ark secrets hide in the quietest of people. One night, Beverly is confronted by an old friend and is forced to come to terms with who she has become. Director: Tiffany Murray. Producer(s): Lauren Leonard and Vida Robbins. Writer(s): Tiffany Murray and Scotty Wright. A NEW YORK premiere. Mild violence. Normal (17 min, Caracas, Venezuela) Friday July 15, 2016 ­ 9:45pm Film Block SHORT ­ A young Chavista man helps his former opposition girlfriend, who participates in the rioting in Caracas, to hide from the National Guard, despite their differences and political Intolerance. Director: Vadim Lasca. Producer(s): Mariale Fleitas. Writer(s): Vadim Lasca. A NEW YORK premiere. Subtitles. Oasis (9min, British Columbia, Canada) Wednesday July 20, 2016 ­ 2:30pm Film Block SHORT ­ W
hile pretending to be a cowboy, Max sees a beautiful girl in the middle of nowhere and imagines saving her from her oppressive, backwater life. Director: Aidan Kahn. Producer(s): Aidan Kahn, Pamela Rempel. Writer(s): Aidan Kahn. A NASSAU COUNTY premiere. Minimal nudity and explicit language Notable Celebrities: Tiera Skovbye, Gus Drake. OUT MY MIND (6 min, Suffolk County, NY) Friday July 15, 2016 ­ 9:45pm Film Block MUSIC VIDEO ­ Inside the mind of Out my Mind. A thrilling and almost horrifying look into the mind’s eye in the style of self journey. Director: Ryan Chatel. Producers: Ryan Chatel & Mike Jaya. Writer(s): Ryan Chatel. Implied Drug Use. A WORLD premiere. Past LIIFE Screenings: 2015 Official Selection­Raymond PSG Lost Music Video. 2014 Nominated Best Music Video ­ Prince Malik She’s on Fire. 2013 Winner Best Trailer ­ The Clear Movie Trailer. Porcupine (14 min, California) Monday, July 18, 2016 ­ 5pm Film Block SHORT ­ O
n the eve of a country music star's induction into the Hall of Fame, a mystery woman from his past appears at his dressing room door. They discover they have much in common: music, whiskey, and their prickly personalities. Can these two porcupines lower their quills long enough to form a bond, or are they destined to forever be alone? Directed by Sabrina Doyle. Producer Lisa Cirincione. Written by Steve Apostolina. A NEW YORK premiere. Pride Fighter (15 min, Alabama) Saturday July 16, 2016 ­ 9:45pm Film Block STUDENT ­ After a young mixed martial arts fighter comes out as gay, he is rejected by his masculine fighting partners just before his first big fight. This film explores the struggles of a gay athlete in the combative sport of mixed martial arts. Director/ Writer: Danny Ryan. Producer: Lauren Rossi. Light violence (boxing/martial arts), some profanity. A NEW YORK premiere. Redeploy (15 min, Brooklyn) Wednesday July 13, 2016 ­ 8:15pm Film Block SHORT ­ L
obby Washington, a U.S. Army Veteran, returns home from serving in OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM. He struggles with the guilt of killing an Iraqi child. Back in Brooklyn, New York, everything and everyone is a constant reminder of his deployment in Iraq. With the help of a homeless veteran, a random civilian female and his younger brother, Lobby learns to accept what he cannot change. Director: Nuria Dixon. Producer Pamela Moriarty. Writer Nuria Dixon. Co­Writer: Zoila Brown. A LONG ISLAND premiere. REPLIKA (26 min, Switzerland) Monday July 18, 2016 ­ 7:45pm Film Block SHORT ­ F
orced to terminate her only daughter, a dysfunctional 13­ year­old android, a loving mother tries to convince her husband to adopt a human kid. But in a materialistic and functional world, safety takes precedence over emotions. Director: Luc Walpoth. Producer: Alexander Lordachescu. Writers: Luc Walpoth & Klaus Pas. A NEW YORK premiere. Subtitles. RESET (27 min, Florida) Monday July 18, 2016 ­ 7:45 pm Film Block SHORT ­ J aywon, a 12­year­old boy who recently moved after the death of his father, struggles with moving on. He happens upon a mysterious device that may change his life forever. What would you do if you could RESET? Director: Domonic Smith. Producer(s): Domonic Smith, 4d Studios, Digital Caviar. Writers: Cassandra Ward, Grypon Ward. A NEW YORK premiere. Some violence and profanity. RSVP (9 min, Manhattan) Wednesday July 13, 2016 ­ 8:15pm Film Block SHORT ­ W
hen newly­dumped Saul is invited to his best friend's wedding, it creates an existential crisis: will he be 'attending', or 'attending +1'? And how long can he avoid his friend before he's forced to send his RSVP? Director: Nicolas Billon. Producer(s): Adam Bradley. Writer(s): Lauren Augarten. NEW YORK premiere. Notable Celebrities: Jarrod Spector­ nominated for a Tony in 2014 (Best Supporting Actor­Beautiful). Mr. Spector also spent 5 years on Broadway playing Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys. RYE MANHATTAN (7 min, Brooklyn & Manhattan) Wednesday July 13, 2016 ­ 5:30pm Film Block SHORT ­ W
hat happens when a young man is waiting for his dream date...in the wrong bar! In the ve in of Martin Scorsese's " After Hours”, RYE MANHATTAN is a charming, fast­paced comedy from the award­winning filmmakers of WHAT'S EATING DAD? About how finding the right person in the world of modern dating is tough. Director: Michael Goldburg. Producer(s): Michael Goldburg, Dave Chan. Writer(s): Dave Chan, Michael Goldburg. A LONG ISLAND Premiere. Profanity. Former LIIFE Films: WHAT'S EATING DAD? Screened at 2015 LIIFE. The Sacred Fire ­ Le Feu Sacré (92 min, New York and Paris) Saturday July 16, 2016 ­ 3:30pm Film Block FEATURE ­ F
irstly, “The Sacred Fire” is about the burning desire to get out there and film stuff. For some of us, recording and editing moving images is roughly equivalent to the need for air and water. This film is a free­wheeling yet structured cinematographic doodle in the silly and touching margins of daily life. It’s about a guy with a track record who decides to film the journeys he takes and the love he encounters. Director: Arthur Joffé. Producer(s): Jetlag Films (Arthur Joffé et Michel Kouklia). Writer(s): Arthur Joffé. A NEW YORK premiere. Subtitles. Saving Jamaica Bay (76 min., Inwood and Meadowmere Park, Nassau County) Monday July 18, , 2016 ­ 2:30 pm Film Block DOCUMENTARY ­ N
arrated by Susan Sarandon, Saving Jamaica Bay tells the story of how one community –led by a family with roots in the area stretching back more than 100 years –fought the government and overcame Hurricane Sandy to clean up and restore the largest open space in New York. Director: David Sigal. Producer(s): Daniel Hendrick, Trevor Laurence, Brian Stuss, Michael Tive. Writer(s): Daniel Hendrick. A LONG ISLAND premiere. Second Chance (87 min, B
rooklyn and Staten Island) Wednesday July 13, 2016 – 5:30pm Film Block FEATURE ­ A
fter a home invasion goes terribly wrong, Oscar tries to help the girl whose life he helped to ruin. Director: Carlos Cardona. Producer(s): Dustin Williams. Writer: Danny Zyskind. LONG ISLAND Premiere. Some Violence, Sexual Situations, Profanity. Notable Celebrities: Sal Rendino. Shishani 'Calling you' (3 min, Namibia, Africa) Friday July 15, 2016 ­ 1:15 pm Film Block MUSIC VIDEO ­ S
hishani is searching for her loved one in a desolated mythical desert area, in a town taken over by sand in the Namibian Desert. Director / Producer / Writer: Jerry de Mars. A NEW YORK premiere. Notable Celebrities: Shishani Silenced (10min, Nassau County) Sunday, July 17, 2016 ­ 1:30pm Film Block SHORT ­ Lost in the wild with no sign of other human life, a man keeps hope. But without a voice, what is left? Directed by Marc Riou. Producers: Marc Riou & Gregory Cioffi. Writer: Gregory Cioffi. A WORLD premiere. Some Call That Love (5 min, France) Tuesday July 19, 2016 ­ 5:00pm Film Block MUSIC VIDEO ­ L
ou with Noa, her boyfriend, drive on a small road in the middle of nowhere. Lou is in the back of the car, hurt, she cries. We know that there was a violent interaction between them, the atmosphere is tightened. They stop, Noa leaves a few minutes, Lou disappears. Director: CHAUVIN Marie. Producer: MEANCE Stephen. Writer: CHAUVIN Marie. LONG ISLAND premiere. Sottoterra ­ Underground (15 min, Tuscany, Italy) Friday July 15, 2016 ­ 3:30pm Film Block SHORT ­ A young girl, Lisa, finds a deep hole dug in a path. Convinced that the hole hides a monstrous secret, she obliges a friend to go down it. Lisa wants to know what he saw, but he is shocked and cannot speak. Lisa goes back to the path to discover the truth. Director: Federico Olivetti. Producer(s): La Torre Film Writer(s): Luciano Colavero, Damiano D'Innocenzo, Federico Olivetti. A NEW YORK premiere. Produced in Italian with English subtitles. Stand Up Guy (10 min, Suffolk & Nassau County) Thursday July 14, 2016 ­ 5:30pm Film Block SHORT ­ When Roman (Michael Riccio) is released from 15 years of prison, he seeks out to confront his old friend Angelo (Joseph A. Halsey) in order to take back his family business. In the meantime Detective Cappelli (Russ Camarda) tries to flip Angelo and have him rat out his family. Director: Lee Kolinsky, Producer(s): Michael Ricccio, Steve Sage Goldberg Cecily Mihok Lee Kolinsky Writer(s): Lee Kolinsky. Some Violence and Language Stuck In Mute (12 min, Minnesota) Thursday July 14, 2016 ­ 3:00pm Film Block SHORT ­ T
he story of a young woman whose Selective Mutism disorder causes her to live in isolation. It’s not until making unlikely friends with a young boy that she begins to realize that every word counts. Director: Shane Meuwissen. Producers: Alex Kohnstamm & Shane Meuwissen. Writer: Shane Meuwissen. A NEW YORK premiere. STUFF (98 min, Suffolk County and Nassau County) Friday July 15, 2016 ­ 6:45PM Film Block FEATURE ­ A lesbian couple seem to be going through the motions of a life together. Sure they are supporting a mother who is grieving the loss of a spouse and getting their children to school on time....but excitement comes to town in the guise of a single tattooed mother who proves to perhaps be more temptation than the couple’s marriage can handle. Will she split them apart or drive them back to each other? The invigorating tale takes many directions as that’s the “stuff” life is made of. Director: Suzanne Guacci. Producer(s): Theresa Aquilina, Suzanne Guacci, Debra Markowitz, Kevin Hanlon Sherry Mandery. Writer(s): Suzanne Guacci. A LONG ISLAND premiere.Any violence, nudity, sexual situations, profanity or gore in your film: Sexual situations, brief nudity, profanity Notable Celebrities: YVONNE JUNG ­ (THIRD WATCH), KAREN SILLAS ­ (NED RIFLE, WHAT HAPPENED WAS...) PHYLLIS SOMERVILLE ­ (THE BIG C, LITTLE CHILDREN) TRACI DINWIDDIE ­ (ELENA UNDONE) KEVIN BROWN ­ (30 ROCK) Sugar! (96 min) Wednesday July 20th ­ 7:45pm Film Block FEATURE ­ Responding to a dare, Leslie (Tony­award winner Alice Ripley), a 50+ Indiana piano teacher secretly forms an all­woman rock band, SUGAR. At the same time, her husband, a conservative Republican, runs for congress. The band quickly goes viral as 'MILF’ musicians. When her husband (SAG Award Winner Robert Clohessy) and college­bound daughter (Leah Barker) discover the secret, all hell breaks loose. Meanwhile, Leslie has a clandestine affair with a younger bartender, and, in confusion regarding her life, almost destroys the band. Director: Shari Berman . Producer: Lauren Rayner. Executive Producer: Blaze Kelly. Writer: Leora K
alish Notable Actors: Robert Clohessy (SAG Award Winner, Regular on Blue Bloods), Alice Ripley (Tony Award winner, on Broadway now in American Psycho) Chloe Levine (The Transfiguration ­ Cannes Film Festival) Audience: Other than the “F” word being said a handful of times, this film is appropriate for ages 11 and up Superlike: A Tinder Tale (10 min, Nassau County) Thursday July 14, 2016 ­ 8:15 pm Film Block SHORT ­ Maddy just got super liked on Tinder by her high school crush/obsession, Tim. Little does Maddy know she's in for something a tad different than she first expected. Director: Jacqueline Xerri. Producer: Jacqueline Xerri. Writer(s): Jacqueline Xerri, Madeline Krol, Michelle Hauser. A World Premiere. A Student film, but not affiliated with any University. Some profanity. Former LIIFE Films. Mint Chip (2014) ­ Best Long Island Film I Think There's Something Wrong With Me (2014) Victim of the Industry (2014) The Escape Plan (2015) TAKING THE STAND (30 min, Austria, Germany, Czech Republic and Los Angeles) Saturday July 16, 2016 2016 ­ 3:30pm Film Block DOCUMENTARY ­ When hatred, prejudice, and bullying threaten again, which voices will we turn to? The voices of the survivors must never be silenced even if they are no longer among us. Nine Holocaust survivors and victims of Nazi tyranny [Jews, Jehovah's Witnesses,Sinti,and a political prisoner] from 5 different countries have 'taken the stand' to give their testimony as a legacy for future generations. Director / Producer / Writer: Bernhard Rammerstorfer. A World Premiere Renée Firestone, Jewish Auschwitz survivor and Holocaust teacher in the US. Her life story was part of Steven Spielberg’s Oscar­winning documentary "The Last Days." Leopold Engleitner, was with 107 years the oldest known male Nazi concentration camp survivor. Adolf Burger , Jewish Auschwitz survivor, based on his memoirs the Oscar­winning movie “The Counterfeiters” was produced. Former LIIFE Film(s); LADDER in the LION'S' DEN at the LIIFE 2014 Nominee: Best Documentary, Nominee: Alan Fortunoff Humanitarian Film Award The Border (23 min, London, United Kingdom) Wednesday July 20 2016 – 7:45pm Film Block SHORT ­ A
fter a devastating global nuclear and chemical war Britain is divided into two: the war wasteland in the south and the surviving north. Thousands of refugees from the south are trying to migrate up north where civilized life is still possible. However, these people are carrying a deadly virus and the military is protecting the north from them. A disciplined captain Thomas has lost everything but his fellow soldiers who have to kill anyone approaching from the south. A new recruit Landon however is unable to do it and Thomas is tasked with toughening him up. One extraordinary day Thomas himself is faced with the dilemma of following his heart or orders. Director: Norman Tamkivi Producer(s): Alessandro Wingfield Writer(s): Norman Tamkivi. A NEW YORK premiere. Some violence. The Burden of Choice (13 min, Suffolk County) Sunday July 17, 2016 ­ 1:30 pm Film Block SHORT ­ P
iper Harlow is overwhelmed with the fact that every decision she makes will change the trajectory of her life. Lucky for Piper, a mysterious woman named Mae runs a small business where she uses her unique gift: to lift the burden of choice from her customers. Director / Writer/ Producer: Ralph Suarez, Notable Celebrity: Elisa Pupko A WORLD premiere Former LIIFE Films. Purgatory Comics (2009)­Best Long Island Feature Film (Winner)­Best Feature Film (Nominee)­Best Lead Actress (Winner)­Best Supporting Actor (Winner­Best Song Halina (2015)­Best Long Island Film (Winner)­Best Supporting Actress (Winner) The Carousel Man (27 min, Westchester County, NY) Thursday July 14, 2016 ­ 3:00pm Film Block DOCUMENTARY ­ The film is a unique story about the passion and genius of sculptor/creator Salvatore D'Incecco building a 9ft. functioning miniature carousel in his garage, and the 10 painstaking years it took on his life and family in building it. Sal's over­the­top passion to make something so unique, is reminiscent of what the great masters and inventors went through in breathing life to their creations. Director: Anton Evangelista. Producer(s) Frank Leone. A World Premiere. Former LIIFE Films; award 2004 INTERVENTION / Audience Award The Closer (95 min, Brooklyn) Saturday July 16, 2016 ­ 1:15pm Film Block FEATURE ­ A
tale of friendship and greed between 3 friends set against the backdrop of the biggest boom and bust of the BROOKLYN subprime real estate market. Director: Eli Hershko. Producer(s): Eli Hershko, Isaac Broyn, Eytan Millstone. Writer(s): Eli Hershko, Isaac Broyn,Victor Barnes. A LONG ISLAND premiere. Some Violence & Profanity. Former LIIFE Films; ­ Shiner ­ 2007 (short) Carl(a) ­ 2013 (feature) ­ Won Best original screenplay Nominated for best director, best feature film The David Dance (103 min, New York) Thursday July 14, 2016 ­ 8:15pm Film Block FEATURE ­ D
avid, the host of a local gay radio show in Buffalo, New York, struggles with self­doubt when his single sister asks him to be the father figure for her soon­to­be adopted Brazilian child. Past and present intertwine in this bittersweet winter's tale of a man learning to love and accept himself. Director: Aprill Winney. Producer(s): Don Scimé. Writer(s): Don Scimé. A Nassau County Premiere. Notable Celebrities: Tonye Patano ("Weeds") The Fisherman (20 min, Hong Kong) Sunday July 17, 2016 ­ 7pm Film Block SHORT ­ Wong, a fisherman from Hong Kong in financial straits, decides one night out of the crowded waters of Victoria Harbour to fish in the new territories. His luck seems to change when something that does not belong to this world itches on his hook. Producer / Production Company: Kindred PC Direction: Alejandro Suarez, Production: Julio Suarez Vega, Alejandro Suárez Lozano, Screenplay / Script: Alejandro Notable Celebrities: Andrew Ng. A Long Island premiere. There is a bit of blood and violence, Subtitles: Yes The Flying Gardeners (9 min, Milan, Italy) Sunday July 17, 2016 ­ 4:15pm Film Block SHORT ­ G
ilberto, Massimo and Giovanni, fly around the Vertical Forest every four months. Hanging by a rope from the edge of the roof, they descend by jumping between balconies. Botanists and climbers, only they have the consciousness of the richness of the lives that the Forest hosts in the Milan sky. Director: Giacomo Boeri and Matteo Grimaldi Producer(s): Production Company­The Blink Fish. Executive Producer: Paolo Soravia Writer(s): Matteo Grimaldi Giacomo Boeri Alberta Molajoni. A NEW YORK premiere. The Force ­ Only Human (5 min, Nassau County) Wednesday July 13, 2016, ­ 5:30pm Film Block MUSIC VIDEO ­ A
man recalls how music came into his life and how meeting anyone, no matter how briefly, can leave a lasting impact on one's life. All of this told from Valley Stream New York and shot on an iPhone 6. Director/ Producer/Writer: Anthony Natoli. A WORLD premiere. The Gift ( 6 min, Tennessee and Indiana) Monday July 18, 2016 ­ 2:30pm Film Block MUSIC VIDEO ­ The Gift highlights the sentimental value of giving the gift of music by following the heart warming journey of a guitar handed down through three generations. The filmmaker designed the guitar’s voyage to embrace the connections created through music and provoke a sense of gratitude through a storyline in which many people discovered their own passion for music. Beautifully shot, scored and edited. A film by Grammy nominated and Telly, Summit, and Hermes award winning producer Chris Gero. Director: Chris Gero. Producer: Yamaha Entertainment Group of America. Writer: Sara Bachler The Grand Heist (5 min, Nassau County & NYC) Friday July 15, 2016, ­ 9:45pm Film Block SHORT ­ F
our unlikely criminals band together to pull off the biggest heist of their lives; if they ever make it out of the car. Director: Peter Frizalone. Producer(s): Peter Frizalone Travis Tirado. Writer(s): Travis Tirado. A WORLD premiere. Former LIIFE Films; Bloodlines Trailer (Won Best Trailer) Evening Class The Interview, Bloodlines, Mommy, Make Me Laugh The Guest (35 min, Dubna, Moscow Region, Russia) Thursday July 14, 2016 – 3:00pm Film Block SHORT ­ Y
oung woman Aglaia, the expert on rare books, comes into her distant relatives’ family to find the value in their own library. Aglaia meets their twelve­year­son, Dima, who does not speak. Gradually, Aglaia learns that she can help Dima to speak. Director: Alexander Volkovskiy Producer(s): Alexander Volkovskiy, Writer(s): Kirill Kuznetsov. A WORLD premiere. THE HOLLOW (128 min, Mississippi) Sunday July 17, 2016 ­ 9:30 PM Film Block FEATURE ­ W
hen a U.S. congressman’s daughter passes through a small Mississippi town and dies in a mysterious triple homicide, a team of F.B.I. agents descends to investigate. They find a corrupt sheriff’s department, whose chief deputy runs drugs for a shadowy figure, “Big” John Dawson, who seems to be pulling the town’s strings from his mansion on the outskirts of town and ­ a local victim. Director: Miles Doleac. Producer(s): Miles Doleac, Ryan Jackson, Mackenzie Westmoreland, Lisa Bruce. Executive Producer: John Lawrence Doleac. Co­Executive Producer: Mark Ryland, Lindsay Anne Williams, Anthony Cabral, Brett Hays. Writer(s): Miles Doleac. A LONG ISLAND premiere. The film contains adult language, violence and sexual situations (although no nudity). Notable Celebrities: James Callis, William Sadler, William Forsythe, David Warshofsky, Jeff Fahey, Christiane Seidel. Former LIIFE Films; 2014 THE HISTORIAN, won Best First Feature The Ignorant Bagels ­ Le Frise Ignoranti (88 min, Puglia and Basilicata Italy) Friday July 15, 2016 ­ 3:30 pm Film Block Foreign Film ­ Luca, Franchino, Willy and Nicola are best friends, and they play in the dorky band "The Ignorant Bagels". When Luca's immature father disappears, they start a hilarious quest to find him. Director: Pietro Loprieno & Antonello De Leo Producer(s): Vanessa Ferrero, Giorgio Ferrero Writer(s): Pietro Loprieno & Antonello De Leo. A NEW YORK premiere. Did not film in any of the five boroughs or Long Island Subtitles: Yes. There are a couple of sexual situations but without nudity. Notable Celebrities: Italian Actors: Lino Banfi, Francesco Pannofino, Eva Riccobono, Dario Bandiera, Rosanna Banfi. Former LIIFE Films; "The return of Ulysses" in 2012. It was nominated as best foreign film, but did not win. The Kidnapping of a Fish (25 min, Brooklyn) Monday July 18, 2016 ­ 7:45pm ­ Film Block SHORT ­ Alex (Stephen Friedrich) wakes up to a gun pointed to his head. Unable to figure out the circumstances of his situation, he recalls the beginning of his relationship with his girlfriend (Theodora Woolley)­­which leads to an ultimatum that his kidnapper (Vasile Flutur) presents in this mixed genre short (Comedy/Drama/Romance/Suspense). Director: Philip A. Ramos (That Storm Films). Producers: John D. Hay, Jr. (Team Biscuit Films), DP/Team Biscuit Films, Patrick Phillips. Writer: Philip A. Ramos A NEW YORK premiere. Mild Profanity, PG­13 Violence The Other Side of Love (8 min, New Jersey) Thursday July 14, 2016 ­ 5:30pm Film Block SHORT ­ W
hile attending the wake of someone close to her, Emily and Jeremy hide upstairs to avoid everyone else and begin to sort the issues with their relationship ­ airing every issue that has left Emily angry. Director/Producer/Writer: Larry Rosen A Nassau County Premiere The Palooka (15 min, New Orleans, Louisiana) Friday J
uly 15 ­ 1:15pm Film Block SHORT ­ T
he Palooka is based on one of Tennessee Williams’ long­lost short plays, in which a washed­up boxer takes a rookie fighter under his wing and regales him with stories of his childhood hero, Galveston Joe. Will either of these men will live up to the larger­than­life legend? Galveston Joe. Director: Perry Martin. Producer: Zack Kron. Writters: Tennessee Williams, Zack Kron, and Perry Martin. A Nassau County premiere Notable Celebrities: Bryan Batt (Mad Men, 12 Years a Slave, The Runner, MTV's Scream, Broadway Musicals, etc) The Peephole (Le judas) (10 min, Paris, France) Sunday July 17, 2016 at 4:15pm STUDENT FILM ­ P
ierre, a man who never leaves his apartment, talks to nobody but his flower and observes the world through a peephole. One day, observing a beautiful new next­door neighbor, Iris, Pierre falls into his imagination and believes that Iris comes into his life. Director: Jiang Mao. Producer(s): Edouard Blanchot. Writer(s): Laura Combeau, Barbara Victor­Pujebet, Lucas Purser, Aurélie Le Bos, Jiang Mao. A NEW YORK premiere. Subtitles: Yes The Reaper Story (6 min, Manhattan) Wednesday July 20, 2016 ­ 5:00pm Film Block STUDENT FILM ­ T
he lonely reaper falls in love with an angel. However, the angel doesn't take his mind because he reaps people's lives. After all, they resolve a misunderstanding and are closed. Director/Producer/Writer: Kyung Soo Hong A WORLD premiere. The Shvitzing (10 min, Massachusetts) Sunday July 17, 2016 – 1:30pm Film Block SHORT ­ W
hen David takes his girlfriend Amy to his family lake house for a romantic getaway weekend, he is haunted by the ghosts of his overbearing parents who can't stand Amy and want to break them up. Director: Max Rissman. Producer(s): Max Rissman, Adel Morales, Donna Conforti, Max Rissman Writer(s): Max Rissman A NEW YORK premiere. Some Profanity, sexual situations. The Suicide Flowers (25 min, California) Tuesday July 19, 2016 ­ 7:45 pm Film Block SHORT ­ Raeburn Messiah is an arrogant, self­destructive rock star sinking quickly into the sunset of his career. Gabriel, terminally ill with Leukemia, is Raeburn’s biggest fan. A chance encounter during a last hurrah for both reveals that they have many things in common, including a secret that could save both of their lives. Director: John E. Seymore. Producer(s): Erika Tobiassen, Pete Conrad. Writer(s): Pete Conrad. A NEW YORK premiere. Profanity. Notable Celebrities: London May The Super (9 min, Burbank, CA) Friday July 15, 2016 2016 ­ 9:45pm Film Block SHORT ­ A building super struggles to watch a sporting event while tending to his tenants, but work related calls and an attention­starved wife make this seemingly simple task impossible. Director: Anthony Ruiviar. Producer(s): Yvonne Jung, Anthony Ruivivar, Kerry Brown, Maura Tierney Marc Hammer, Matti Lesham, Writer(s): Anthony Ruivivar. A LONG ISLAND premiere. Notable Celebrities: Steven Weber (Wings, iZombie, Single White Female), Yvonne Jung (Third Watch, STUFF, the Sopranos), Anthony Ruivivar, director (Banshee, Southland, American Horror Story) Daniel Ezralow, choreographer (Spiderman on Broadway, Across the Universe, 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony) THE TELEGRAM MAN (14 min, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA) Friday JULY 15TH, 2016 ­ 6:45 PM Film Block SHORT ­ A
BAFTA Los Angeles® winner and Australian Academy Awards® nominee, THE TELEGRAM MAN explores the impact of World War II on a close­knit Australian farming community. Official Website: WWW.KHEHTIE.COM Director: James Francis Khehtie. Producer: James Francis Khehtie. Writer(s): John Boyne (short story), V
ictoria Wharfe McIntyre (screenplay) (as Victoria McIntyre). Notable actors: Jack Thompson, Gary Sweet and Sigrid Thornton Regarded as a film of artistic, cultural and historical significance by the OSCARS®| Academy Awards® Film Archive, THE TELEGRAM MAN is part of its permanent collection at the Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study in Hollywood. The Train (9 min, The Bronx) Sunday July 17, 2016 ­ 1:30pm Film Block SHORT ­ A preoccupied young man reluctantly agrees to take some time from his busy day to meet his girlfriend's grandfather and learns how life can change in a moment. Inspired by a true story. Director and Writer: Asher Grodman. A LONG ISLAND premiere. The Visit (11 min, New Jersey, Morristown). Friday July 15TH, 2016 – 9:45pm Film Block SHORT ­ A
'brown' man with a beard finds himself caught in a dilemma when two men show up at his house looking for answers. Stereotype, victim, or perpetrator? 'The Visit' is an upside­down look at present day racial realities. Director: Shane Andries. Producer(s): Vishwas, Laura Durkay Writer: Vishwas. A LONG ISLAND premiere. There are some English subtitles. Some profanity and violence. Those Beyond the Frame (7 min, Austin, Texas) Sunday July 17, 2016 ­ 4:15pm Film Block Student Film ­ After his death, one man finds himself on the doorstep of the Watchmans home. Director: Andrew Brooks. Producer(s): Zach Tave. Writer(s): Andrew Brooks A WORLD premiere. Former LIIFE Films; Stories In the Shadows (2015) Touch of Rain (3 min) Friday July 15, 2016 – 1:15 pm Film Block A Woman Directed Film ­ Rain is a pleasant murmur for beauties of nature. With a childlike view, this film shows that there is always hope in rain, and that even our own minds present rain to us in a dry. Director: Zahra Jafari. Producer(s): Ali Asghar Hessari. Writer(s): Zahra Jafari. A WORLD premiere. The Artists Forum Festival Of The Moving (New York) Lake Champlain International Film festival Atlas Awards (Boston) Off Season Shorts (Idaho) Ozark Shorts (lamar) Angkor Wat International Film Festival (Hawaii) Down East Flick Fest (Greenville) Love international Film Festival Los Angeles, California) Poinciana (Cayman Island) Cape Cod Family & Youth Film Festival Worldfest Houston International Film & Video Festival (Houston) (Award Winner) 9th Film Saaz 2016 ( India ) Sirius Film Festival (China). Subtitles. Truck (19 min, Nassau County) Wednesday July 20, 2016 ­ 5:00pm Film Block SHORT ­ Eddie 'Truck' Gordon is a mixed martial arts fighter living and training out of Long Island, New York. With a showdown against fellow fighter Josh Samman at UFC 181 in Las Vegas approaching, Truck prepares for what will be the biggest fight of his life. Director: Zachary Fallah. Producer(s): Zachary Fallah, Robert Fallah. Writer(s): Zachary Fallah A NEW YORK premiere. Some violence, Some profanity. Notable Celebrities: Eddie Gordon ­ Winner of The Ultimate Fighter Season 19 (Reality TV Competition) Matt Serra ­ Former UFC Welterweight Champion, TV Personality Chris Weidman ­ Former UFC Middleweight Champion, Current Number 1 Contender Ray Longo ­ World Renowned Coach Twisted (14 min, Nassau County) Thursday July 14, 2016 ­ 3:00pm Film Block SHORT ­ C
olin awakes bound to a chair in a psychopath’s basement only to be held prisoner for days. A normal man goes to desperate lengths to escape his grim fate . The tension builds to the final breaking point. Director: Joe Kane. Producers: Wayne Heckler & Heckler Kane Creations. Written by: Joe Kane A WORLD premiere. Two Blocks From Heaven (22 min) Sunday July 17, 2016 ­ 7:00pm Film block SHORT ­ Chen is a prostitute in an illegal brothel above a Chinese restaurant, located near a church. Jaded, abused, and weary of this life, she makes a deal for her freedom ­ train the new girl, Mei, to take her place. When she befriends this new arrival, Chen will be faced with a choice: Earn her freedom at the cost of another, or risk everything to make sure Mei doesn't end up like her. Director: David M. Tan. Producer(s): David M. Tan Dan LaTourette. Written by: David M. Tan A WORLD premiere. Partial Subtitles and suggested violence and sexual situations. (UN)SEXY (5 min, Virginia) Wednesday July 13, 2016 ­ 8:15pm Film Block SHORT ­ In this comical short, Paige, an awkward 20­something, navigates the dating world while trying to adhere to society’s standards of sexy. Her misadventures lead her to discover that the key to being sexy is not to follow advice from magazines, but to learn to accept and love herself first. Director: Paige Snider. Producers: Paige Snider, Dee Snider, Gladys Ponte. Writers: Paige Snider. Mild profanity Until 20 (84 min, TX, PA, FL) Friday July 15, 2016 ­ 1:15 pm Film Block Documentary ­ Until 20 is about the inspirational life of James Ragan who was diagnosed with cancer at age 13. In his own voice, this is James's journey as a promising young golfer trying to save the life of the next child before his own time runs out. Director: Jamila Paksima & Geraldine Moriba­Meadows. Producer(s): Jamila Paksima, Geraldine Moriba­Meadows. Writer(s): James Ragan, Geraldine Moriba­Meadows. A LONG ISLAND premiere. Notable Celebrities: Jack Nicklaus, Golf Legend Jim Nantz, CBS Sportscaster Venial (80 min, Nassau County) Wednesday July 13, 2016 – 8:15pm. Film Block FEATURE ­ C
laire Gundersmith (Tiffany Browne Tavarez) is a devout Christian mother who lives with her three small children in a remote early­American House in the immediate aftermath of World War II. She is given the news of her husband (John Basedow) passing from the war and loses her faith. Director/ Producer / Writer­ Joe Ciminera II. A LONG ISLAND premiere. Notable Celebrities: John Basedow, Tiffany Tavarez Venom Therapy (17 min, California) Wednesday July 13, 2016 ­ 5:30pm Film Block SHORT ­ A young family struggles with the debilitating effects of Multiple Sclerosis to Clara, their wife and mother. After hearing of a miraculous healing treatment for MS sufferers, they begin administering multiple bee stings to Clara on a daily basis ­ totaling more than 3,000 over the course of a year. The story chronicles the family's journey with the treatment and the unexpected results it produces. Director: Steven Murashige. Producer(s): Morna Ciraki Steven Murashige. Writer(s): Steven Murashige A LONG ISLAND premiere. Some profanity Walking Through Purgatory (20 min, Suffolk County) Thursday July 14, 2016 ­ 8:15pm Film Block SHORT ­ W
alking Through Purgatory is a collection of experiences and comments about the U.S. criminal justice system and the process of transition and reentry of ex­offenders. The film presents a variety of perspectives including; mental health, chemical dependency, education and the incarcerated population. Director: Sal DelGiudice. Producer(s): Sal DelGiudice. Writer(s): Michael Spaccarotella, Sal DelGiudice. A WORLD premiere. WE REMEMBER (14 min, Manhattan, Brooklyn) Saturday July 16, 2016 ­ 9:40 pm Film Block SHORT ­ A
fter a night of debauchery, Anders (Kohl Beck) has no idea what to expect when he is summoned to his estranged father's (The Sopranos' Artie Pasquale) death bed. Director: John Andrew Gallagher. Producers: Katelyn Pearce, Christine Campbell. Writer: TJ Clark, Notable Celebrity: Artie Pasquale (The Sopranos), Kohl Beck (Vinyl) What Is Old (10 min, Brooklyn) (AARP Millennials Short) Sunday, July 17, 2016 ­ 1:30pm Film Block SHORT ­ What age do you consider to be old? We posed that question to millennials and asked them to show us what “old” looks like. Then we introduced them to some real “old” people. Watch what happens when folks let go of their outdated beliefs and embrace the idea that aging is not about decline ­ it’s about growth. #DisruptAging Director: Caitlin K. Rossmann. Producers: Jeffrey Eagle, Caitlin K. Rossmann, Angela Edinger WINTRY SPRING (16 min, Egypt) Tuesday July 19, 2016 ­ 2:30pm Film Block SHORT ­ Nour is a school girl that lives alone with her father and goes through a crisis when the unexpected arrival of puberty happened to her for the first time. She cannot tell her dad, which results in tension between them. Director: Mohamed Kamel Producer(s): Mohamed Kamel (self­production). Writer(s): Tamer Abdul­Hamid ­ Mohamed Kamel. A NEW YORK premiere. Subtitles: Yes, Notable Celebrities: Ahmed Kamal (The Father) is a well known Egyptian Actor in Egypt and the Middle Eastern region. Zero Hour (16 min, Florida) Sunday July 17th, 2016 ­ 7:00 p.m. Film Block SHORT ­ Z
ero Hour, is a short film about an artistic alien fanatic who believes that an alien she met 20 years ago is coming back to take her to his Planet. However, now she has a five year daughter, who may not be able to go with her. Director / Producer / Writer: Karl Huber. A NEW YORK premiere.