ABC`s Kristin Thorne to Host Gold Coast Arts Center Gala 2015

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Rick Eberle | www.rickeberle.com
516-729-6872 | rick [AT] rickeberle.com
STAR-STUDDED LINEUP ANNOUNCED FOR
2015 GOLD COAST INT’L FILM FESTIVAL
Fifth Anniversary Festival Spotlights Award-Winning Films and Hollywood’s
Best with Films and Events from November 9 – 15, 2015
The 2015 Gold Coast International Film Festival announces an exciting slate of films
for this year’s Festival taking place November 9 – 15, 2015 in venues throughout the
north shore of Long Island, and once again – everyone’s invited to join us for an exciting
week of films, parties, filmmaker Q&As, and glamour!
The Festival kicks off with an intimate conversation with award-winning writer, director
and producer Morgan Spurlock (“Super Size Me”) being held on the campus of LIU
Post on November 9, 2015. This event will include a special screening of Spurlock’s
new short film CRAFTED.
The fifth anniversary of the Festival will feature over 60 films and dozens of filmmakers
at screenings and events in venues throughout the Town of North Hempstead region,
including Soundview Cinemas in Port Washington, the Bow Tie Cinemas in Great
Neck/Port Washington/ Manhasset/ Roslyn, the Gold Coast Arts Center in Great Neck
and the campus of LIU Post.
Filmmakers scheduled to attend include: award-winning director/producer/screenwriter,
Morgan Spurlock; actor Lou Diamond Phillips, star of Showtime’s Homeland, Navid
Negahban; Patricia Riggen director of the new Warner Brothers film The 33, starring
Antonio Banderas, Juliette Binoche and Lou Diamond Phillips; award winning directors
Rick Goldsmith, Yael Melamede and Andrew Horn; WNBA superstar Chamique
Holdsclaw; several members of the band Twisted Sister who will join us for the US
premiere of a new film about their rise to fame, Emmy-winning journalist Kristin
Thorne – plus many more filmmakers and special guests such as Michael Landers, the
Long Island ping-pong champion featured in the film Top Spin.
Films this year showcase Hollywood’s best actors including Richard Gere, Oliver Platt,
Rene Russo, Jason Sudeikis, Rebecca Hall, Christopher Walken, Amber Heard
and many more industry stars. Award-winning films from the world’s most prestigious
festivals (Cannes, Toronto, Sundance, Tribeca) will be screened, plus over 25 incredible
short films, with Q&As with visiting shorts filmmakers. Once again we are offering FREE
tickets to all screenings for veterans and current military personnel, courtesy of 1-800Flowers.com.
For tickets visit www.goldcoastfilmfestival.org. The full list of films includes (photos at
the end of the release):
AUTISM IN LOVE
Dir. Matt Fuller | USA | English | 76 min | Documentary
Long Island Premiere With remarkable thoroughness and compassion, director Matthew
Fuller examines the everyday realities of autistic adulthood, showing how the members
of this often-misunderstood community cope with the challenge of keeping romance
alive over the years. “…A relatable and winning celebration of accepting the differences
in others and in ourselves.” Q&A with Pat Schissel, Asperger Syndrome & High
Functioning Autism Assoc. and Kate Palmer, The Global and Regional Asperger
Syndrome Partnership, Inc. Sat 11/14, 1:00pm, Soundview PW
THE BENEFACTOR
Dir. Andrew Renzi | USA | English | 92 min | Narrative
Long Island Premiere Richard Gere shines as Franny, an eccentric philanthropist trying
to reconnect with his deceased best friend's’ daughter (Dakota Fanning) and her young
husband (Theo James). Although impossibly charming, Franny’s motives and lifestyle
bring about larger moral questions, in this surprising and engaging debut drama from
writer-director Andrew Renzi. Tues 11/10, 7:30pm, Soundview PW
THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES (1946)
Dir. William Wyler | USA | English | 172 min | Narrative
FREE VETERANS DAY SCREENING FOR ALL AUDIENCES We honor our veterans,
from all wars, with this screening of one of Hollywood’s greatest films, which tells the
stories of three veterans returning home after WWII who have trouble readjusting to
civilian life. Winner of seven Academy Awards in 1946, including Best Picture, Best
Director and Best Actor. Wed 11/11, 1:00pm, Bow Tie Great Neck
THE BIRTH OF SAKE
Dir. Erik Shirai | USA | Japanese with English subtitles | 94 min | Documentary
In a world where most mass-produced goods are heavily
automated, a small group of artisans must brave unusual working conditions to preserve
a 2000-year-old tradition that we have come to know as saké. A fascinating, absorbing
look into what it takes to make world-class saké at Yoshida Brewery, a 144-year-old
family-owned small brewery in northern Japan. Sat 11/14, 6:30pm, Bow Tie Manhasset
THE CHEF’S WIFE
Dir. Anne Le Ny | France | French with English subtitles | 91 min | Narrative
Long Island Premiere A crowd pleasing, screwball tragi-comedy featuring French
moviestars and Michelin-starred cuisine. When Marithé, a professional career
counselor, meets Carole, a rich ditz living in the shadow of her chef husband, the two
form an unexpected bond. While the two both share a desire for something different and
greater out of life, their motives end up being at odds with their friendship. Fri 11/13,
6:30pm, Bow Tie Roslyn
(DIS)HONESTY: THE TRUTH ABOUT LIES
Dir. Yael Melamede | USA | English | 90 min | Documentary
Presented in partnership with the Nassau County Bar Association
Lying gets easier the more you do it—that is, until you get caught. This humorous and
engaging documentary, inspired by the work of behavioral economist Dan Ariely,
interweaves personal stories, expert opinions, behavioral experiments, and archival
footage and creates a fascinating and insightful inquiry into why people lie and the very
real effects it can have. Q&A with Director Yael Melamede and Ethics law experts
Kevin Kearon, Esq., Steven Leventhal, Esq. and Omid Zareh, Esq.
Optional CLE credit will be offered at the event for practicing attorneys.
Thurs 11/12, 6:00pm, Soundview PW
FRANK AND CINDY
Dir. G.J. Echternkamp | USA | English | 101 min | Narrative
Long Island Premiere A delightfully dark comedy about a young aspiring filmmaker who
comes back home to his unpredictable mom (Rene Russo) and unexpectedly starts an
online documentary about his stepfather (Oliver Platt), an overweight alcoholic who
was in an 80s one-hit-wonder band. Ironically, what started as a joke evolves into
something else: a brutal, but often hilarious look at a flawed family coming to terms with
the past and each other. Sat 11/14, 8:30pm, Soundview PW
HELLOHELLO
Dir. Maria Blom | Sweden | Swedish with English subtitles | 97 min | Narrative
New York Premiere This warm-hearted Swedish comedy follows Disa—40ish, a bit
dumpy, and way too accommodating—who is stuck in a rut after her husband leaves
her for a twiggy new model, and her mother and work colleague continue to boss her
around. With the help of a new man in her life, she learns to take care of herself, but is
she up for the challenge? Sun 11/15, 4:00pm, Soundview PW
LANDFILL HARMONIC
Dir. Graham Townsley, Brad Allgood | USA | Spanish/English with Eng. subtitles | 84
min | Documentary
The Recycled Orchestra, a youth group playing instruments made entirely out of
garbage, is catapulted into the global spotlight when their story goes viral and is
featured on 60 Minutes. This amazing and inspirational doc is a testament to the power
of music and the resilience of the human spirit.
Sat 11/7, 7:30pm, Gold Coast Cinema at LIU Post
Presented in partnership with LIU Post Department of Music of the College of Arts,
Communications, and Design
Sat 11/14, 2:00pm, Soundview PW Presented in partnership with Residents for a More
Beautiful Port Washington. **Nov. 11 screening includes Interactive Q&A with Dr.
Dale Stuckenbruck and the ECO Orchestra from the Waldorf School of Garden
City
LISTEN TO ME MARLON
Dir. Stevan Riley | USA | English | 102 min | Documentary
“The definitive Brando. In his own words.” Marlon Brando was one of the most
acclaimed and influential actors of all time. Featuring exclusive access to Brando’s
previously unseen and unheard personal archive, including hundreds of hours of audio,
this film sheds light on the artist and the man. “The greatest, most searching
documentary of an actor ever put on film.” Sat 11/14, 3:30pm, Bow Tie Manhasset
MAFIA AND RED TOMATOES
Dir. Giulio Manfredonia | Italy | Italian with English subtitles | 100 min | Narrative
New York Premiere A unique mix of comedy and drama in the story of an unlikely group
of volunteers in the South of Italy who form a farm collective on land confiscated from a
jailed Mafioso, who unexpectedly returns and is not pleased with what’s become of his
property. Q&A with Fabio Troisi of the Italian Cultural Institute. Sat 11/14, 8:00pm,
Soundview PW
MIND/GAME: THE UNQUIET JOURNEY OF CHAMIQUE HOLDSCLAW
Dir. Rick Goldsmith | USA | English | 57 min | Documentary
Sponsored by the Katz Institute for Women’s Health of the North Shore-LIJ Health
System.
New York Premiere Two-time Academy Award nominee Rick Goldsmith crafts an
intimate profile of Chamique Holdsclaw, who became the best and most famous
women’s basketball player on the planet until her career was derailed by depression
and near-suicide. Since leaving the WNBA, she has become a powerful mental health
advocate and role model. Q&A with Director Rick Goldsmith, WNBA superstar and
subject of the film Chamique Holdsclaw and North Shore-LIJ Health System
distinguished experts in psychiatry, sports medicine and women’s health.
Sat 11/14, 3:30pm, Soundview PW
MODERN RUIN: A WORLD’S FAIR PAVILION
Dir. Matthew Silva | USA | English | 78 min | Documentary
Sponsored by the Amsterdam at Harborside
Long Island Premiere The New York State Pavilion, once the shining symbol of the
1964/65 World’s Fair, now sits as a haunting reminder of what became of the age of
optimism. Through surprising and informative interviews, we learn the story of the Fair,
from its glory days to its brief iterations as a 60s concert venue and 70s roller rink, to the
years of neglect and the recent grass-roots restoration advocacy efforts. Q&A with
Director Matthew Silva and Joseph Tirella, author of Tomorrow-Land: The 1964-65
World's Fair and the Transformation of America. Thurs 11/12, 2:00pm, Bow Tie
Great Neck Includes lunch before film at the Gold Coast Arts Center
THE MUSES OF BASHEVIS SINGER
Dir. Asaf Galay, Shaul Bester | Israel | English and Hebrew with English subtitles | 72
min | Documentary
Long Island Premiere An entertaining and compelling film that looks at the women who
inspired the Nobel Prize-winning author Isaac Bashevis Singer, a leading figure in the
Yiddish literary movement. Featuring interviews and recollections of high art and gossip
from these smart, beautiful and unforgettable “muses.” Q&A with Leah Napolin,
playwright featured in film (Yentl). Sun 11/15, 1:30pm, Bow Tie Great Neck
MUSTANG
Dir. Deniz Gamze Ergüven | France/Turkey | Turkish with English subtitles | 95 min |
Narrative
Long Island Premiere In this poignant, eloquent drama, five sisters in a Turkish village
play with boys while walking home from school. The perceived immorality of their play
has unexpected consequences, and when the girls’ parents begin to turn their home
into a prison, they must band together to fight back against the limits imposed on them.
Direct from the Cannes Film Festival, and France’s official submission to the Academy
Awards. Sat 11/14, 6:00pm, Soundview PW
MY FRIEND VICTORIA
Dir. Jean-Paul Civeyrac | France | French with English subtitles | 95 min | Narrative
Long Island Premiere Adapted from a story by Nobel-laureate Doris Lessing, My Friend
Victoria is a complex, poignant portrait of a black woman in contemporary Paris whose
destiny is shaped by France’s attitudes on class and privilege. This superbly acted,
distinctly fresh take on racial identity is an acutely intelligent achievement by a director
whose time has surely come. Sun 11/15, 1:30pm, Soundview PW
PARTNER WITH THE ENEMY
Dir. Duki Dror, Chen Shelach | Israel | Hebrew and Arabic with English subtitles | 60 min
| Documentary
Long Island Premiere In the midst of the ever-fraught IsraeliPalestinian political landscape, two women—one Israeli and one Palestinian—attempt
the seemingly impossible: to build a business together. Suspenseful, moving, and not
without humor, this is the story of a very special bond facing challenges of all shapes
and sizes. Q&A with film subjects Anat Shelach and Rola Srouji Thurs 11/12,
7:30pm, Bow Tie Great Neck Followed by dessert reception at LOLA
SON OF SAUL
Dir. László Nemes | Hungary | Hungarian, Yiddish, German, Russian and Polish with
English subtitles | 107 min | Narrative
Winner of the Grand Prix at Cannes and lauded at festivals worldwide, Son of Saul tells
the story of Saul Ausländer, a Hungarian prisoner at Auschwitz. While working in one of
the crematoriums, Saul discovers the body of a boy he takes for his son, and decides to
carry out an impossible task: save the child’s body from the flames, find a rabbi, and
offer the boy a proper burial. Wed, 11/11, 7:00pm, Bow Tie Great Neck
TOP SPIN
Dir. Mina T. Son, Sara Newens | USA | English and Mandarin with English subtitles | 81
min | Documentary
Long Island Premiere An inside look at an offbeat sport, Top Spin turns one of
America’s favorite pastimes on its head and reveals a coming-of-age story where
success and failure come down to mere millimeters. The film follows three fiercely
committed teenagers as they battle their way through the world of elite, competitive
table tennis and trade dreams of the prom and graduation for the Olympics and winning
Gold. Q&A with film subject Michael Landers – who is from Long Island. Sun
11/15, 4:30pm, Soundview PW
TUMBLEDOWN
Dir. Sean Mewshaw | USA | English | 103 min | Narrative
Long Island Premiere A delightful rom-com anchored by charming lead performances.
In friendly yet frosty Maine, Hannah (Rebecca Hall) is trying to get over the death of her
beloved folk-singer husband. When New York professor Andrew (Jason
Sudeikis) starts poking around with questions about her husband, she reluctantly
agrees to partner with him on a book, opening up new chapters for both. Fri 11/13,
8:45pm, Bow Tie Roslyn
THE VANISHED ELEPHANT
Dir. Javier Fuentes-León | Peru | Spanish with English subtitles | 109 min | Narrative
A crime novelist receives a vital clue to the whereabouts of his long-missing fiancée, in
this original, mind-bending mystery that pays homage to Hollywood film noir and the
reality-twisting fictions of Jorge Luis Borges and Julio Cortázar. Sat 11/14, 8:30pm, Bow
Tie Manhasset
WE ARE TWISTED F*CKING SISTER
Dir. Andrew Horn | USA | English | 139 min | Documentary
US Premiere The mesmerizing, wickedly appealing, and never-before-told story of the
first ten grueling years leading up to Twisted Sister’s legendary career, as they crossdressed their way to headlining every club from Long Island beach bars to New Jersey
bowling alleys, recounted by the band themselves, their managers and some of their
most devout fans. Q&A with Director Andrew Horn and Twisted Sister members
Jay Jay French, Mark “The Animal” Mendoza & Co-Manager Joe Gerber
Fri 11/13, 7:30pm, Bow Tie Port Washington
WHEN I LIVE MY LIFE OVER AGAIN
Dir. Robert Edwards | USA | English | 98 min. | Narrative
In this warm comedy of music, career comebacks and family dysfunction, aspiring artist
Jude (Amber Heard) heads to the Hamptons home of her father (Christopher
Walken), an over-the-hill crooner desperately charting his musical comeback.
Sat 11/14, 5:00pm, Soundview PW
SHORT FILM SCREENINGS on Tues 11/10, 1:00pm, Roslyn Library (FREE) and Sat.
11/14, 1:00pm, Bow Tie Manhasset
FAMILY FILM DAY An afternoon of short films, curated especially for kids, and handson movie related art activities at the Gold Coast Arts Center on Veteran’s Day. A great
day of fun for kids and caregivers when schools are closed. Includes pizza courtesy of
Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza! Wed 11/11, 12:00 – 3:00pm, Gold Coast Arts Center
NEW YORK LOVES FILM ROADSHOW – FILMMAKERS ROUNDTABLE
Meet the team from the New York State Governor’s Office for Motion Picture and
Television Development for a roundtable discussion re: producing in New York State –
tax credits, location scouting, finding stages and crew, and more. An invaluable
opportunity for first time filmmakers and veteran producers. Tues 11/10, 2:00pm, Gold
Coast Arts Center (FREE)
About the Gold Coast International Film Festival
Over the past five years, the festival has brought the latest Hollywood hits and Indie
favorites to standing room only audiences throughout the fabled Gold Coast of Long
Island. Add A-list celebrities and unforgettable events to the mix and it’s easy to see
why GCIFF has become the “go to” Festival for film buffs and the public (it is also the
last major film festival on the East Coast before Awards season). The Festival is
produced by the Gold Coast Arts Center.
Previous honorees and special guests of the festival and the Gold Coast Arts Center
include film industry VIPs Francis Ford Coppola, Hugh Grant, Baz Luhrmann, Brian
Dennehy, Paul Sorvino, Ed Burns, Bruce Dern, Isabella Rossellini, Eli Wallach,
Gabriel Byrne, Bill Plympton, Phil Donahue, Phylicia Rashaad, Joan Allen, Jay
McInerney and Michael Cuesta, as well as composer Morton Gould, artists James
Rosenquist, Oleg Cassini, Edwina Sandys and Bob Gruen, comedian Susie
Essman, Broadway stars Kelli O’Hara, Melissa Errico and Savion Glover, and 4-time
Oscar winner for production and costume design Catherine Martin.
Sponsors and partners of this year’s GCIFF include founding partners the Town of
North Hempstead and Douglas Elliman Real Estate, longstanding major partners LIU
Post and Nassau County IDA as well as AMC Networks, Deluxe Entertainment Services
Group, Panavision, A.L. Sarroff Fund, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, J.M. Kaplan
Fund, The Katz Center of North Shore –LIJ Health System, LVR Rental, Samar
Hospitality, The Andrew Hotel, and The Amsterdam at Harborside as well as 1-800Flowers, WLIW21, New York Women in Film & Television, Anton Publications, Blank
Slate Media, Care Connect and many others.
About the Gold Coast Arts Center
The Gold Coast Arts Center is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to
promoting and supporting the arts through education, exhibition, performance and
outreach. For over 20 years we have brought the arts and arts in education experiences
to tens of thousands of people throughout our region through our 1) School for the Arts,
which offers year-round classes in all visual and performing arts to students of all ages
and abilities, (2) Free public art gallery, (3) Concert and lecture series, (4) Outreach
programs, which each year bring artist residencies, after-school programs, school
assemblies, teacher training workshops and parent-child workshops to students, senior
citizens, teachers and others in underserved communities throughout our region, (5)
Year round film screening and discussion series and (6) Gold Coast International Film
Festival, now in its 5th year. The Arts Center is an affiliate of the John F Kennedy
Center for the for the Performing Arts: Partners in Education Program, and National
Gallery of Art, both located in Washington DC.
THE BENEFACTOR
THE CHEF’S WIFE
FRANK AND CINDY
HELLOHELLO
LANDFILL HARMONIC
MIND/GAME: THE UNQUIET JOURNEY OF CHAMIQUE HOLDSCLAW
MODERN RUIN: A WORLD’S FAIR PAVILION
MUSTANG
MY FRIEND VICTORIA
SON OF SAUL
TOP SPIN
TUMBLEDOWN
THE VANISHED ELEPHANT
WE ARE TWISTED F*CKING SISTER
WHEN I LIVE MY LIFE OVER AGAIN