Throughout the weekend of October 17-18, Brooklyn Waterfront Artist’s Coalition (BWAC) will host the 9th annual Red Hook International Film Festival. The festival is the fifth longest running film festival in the and boasts a lineup of “dramatic stories, documentaries and animated shorts.”
Opening Reception Friday night at Bait and Tackle (photo by Price)
Through their affiliation with BWAC, RHIFF supports local filmmakers and seek unique independent films. They also promote independent visual screen work in short subject narrative, documentary and experimental film, video and animated work.
RHIFF kicked off the festival at Bait and Tackle – “a local Red Hook establishment” – on Friday night with film directors, enthusiasts and festival directors. A screen in the back of the bar sampled some of the upcoming films. In addition, food was brought in to add to the merriment of drinking, mingling among peers and viewing selected entries.
Steve’s Key Lime Pie is sponsoring RHIFF, as they have every year since the festival’s inception. A press release said, “We are the only film festival [that] provides viewers with a historic pie. A sweet way to see films.”
Some of the films in this year’s festival include: The Stockroom, a drama by local actor Victor Cruz; “Born Into This,” a documentary about a Brooklyn boy who is raised by an immigrant single father who is forced into boxing, and becomes very good at it; “Cat Bird Coyote,” an animated short that explores the predator versus the prey, and the renewing triumph of new life; and “Leaves of the Tree,” a feature film by Ante Novakovic that is shot entirely in Italy.
Following the festival, various awards will be finalized and announced following the last screening Sunday night. Awards include Best Director, Best Film, the People’s Choice Award, and the Spirit of Red Hook Award.
In addition to the selected works, two other films were shown the weekend before the festival. Pepper and the Salt Sea and The Salt Sea Stood for the Storm appeared together at BWAC in a showcase entitled Hurricane2. Pepper encompassed the devastation of Hurricane Sandy in the community of Red Hook. The Salt Sea followed a story of one woman through her journey of recovery after Hurricane Sandy.
In 2006, Daniel Durning founded the Red Hook International Film Festival (RHIFF). After repurposing the upstairs space of BWAC with a man referred to as “Movie Mike,” Durning wanted to show local and international films in the space.
Durning also teaches at the media department at Long Island University (LIU), as well as teaching film and video at CUNY New York Tech. “I saw my students working in the dark for a year, and then showing their work in class. The films never went any further than that,” he said.
Previously, he had worked with Metro Computer Animated Festival (CAF), but the festival wasn’t his own, he said. He utilized his students to help him organize the first year of RHIFF. “The couple of years, I was knocking on doors to get submissions. Now, it’s all online submissions.”
Throughout the years, as the festival gains notoriety, he has had to incorporate more people into the mix – his students, volunteers, a festival committee and a panel of 4-5 judges.
Submissions are chosen for the annual event based on production values, cinematography, storyline, acting quality and intrigue. Durning’s students and volunteers are encouraged to submit, “as long as it’s worth showing,” he added. “There’s art, and there’s industry. And they can all be married.”
Scott Adams, a volunteer with RHIFF, is a second year student at LIU. He got involved in the event when Durning was looking for volunteers. He was put in charge of promotions and media for the event. He also did impromptu interviews with various directors during the opening night reception at Bait and Tackle.
“It’s a chance for filmmakers from Brooklyn and around the world to showcase their films,” Adams said. “I’m very excited about the festival – I think we all are.”
Durning credits BWAC with being an ideal space for RHIFF because they are a “very inclusive, very generous art venue.” In addition, BWAC is “a true art house environment…in a Civil War-era warehouse on the Red Hook waterfront.”
Tickets are a suggested donation of $12 for each film block. Each film block runs approximately 2 hours and is followed by a questions and answers session with select directors. “The festival is made possible by generous donations from every person that walks through the door,” Durning said. T-shirts with RHIFF’s logo will also be available for purchase at the screenings.
Red Hook International Film Festival will be at BWAC on October 17 from 12-6 pm and Sunday October 18 from 12-7 pm. BWAC is located at 481 Van Brunt Street #9B, Red Hook, Brooklyn. Tickets are a suggested $12. For more information, visit www.redhookfilmfest.com.
Saturday, October 17 Lineup
Block 1: 12-2 pm
Cat Bird Coyote, Directed by Amy Raasch
Fuerza, Directed by Ralf Henriquez
The Stock Rook, Directed by Victor Cruz
Directors’ Q & A
Block 2: 2-4 pm
The Dirdy Birdy Redux, Directed by John R. Dilworth
Oh Crappy Day, Directed by Jon Bacon
Morado, Directed by Jalissa Cruz
Not Guilty, Directed by Jabari Clarke-Pennegan
Talkin’ to a Pretty Blonde Girl,Directed by Scott Bleicher
Module Overseer, Directed by Fernando Cuestas
Truth Will Out, Directed by Ed Trucco & Anthony Ruiz
Directors’ Q & A
Block 3: 4-6 pm
The Projectionist, Directed by Greg Pursino
Chaos in Brooklyn, Directed by J Flex Almanzar
The Man from the City, Directed by Elias Plagianos
Operation: Kali Incarnate, Directed by Mo Zapata
Policia y Ladrao (Police and Thief), Directed by Marcela Cardosa
Born Into This, Directed by Sean Ryons &Lea Zora Scruggs
Directors’ Q & A
Sunday, October 18 Lineup
Block 1: 12-2:15 pm
Mousey’s Hook Up, Directed by Firan Chisolm
Solo Soy Un Super, Mano, Directed by Dariun Robinson
Millie and the Lords, Directed by Jennica Carmona
Directors’ Q & A
Block 2: 2:15-4:45 pm
The Eve, Directed by Yuri Missoni
Confined, Directed by Tomax
Insania, Directed by Daniel Diosdado
By Demons be Driven, Directed by Jonathon Kimble
Director’s Q & A
Block 3: 5-7:15 pm
This Land is a Ship at Sea, Directed by J Murray McMillan
Those Damn Canadian,. Directed by Christopher Brown
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