New York International Independent Film and Video Festival

“THE NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL INDEPENDENT FILM AND VIDEO FESTIVAL RETURNS TO LOS ANGELES FOR 8 DAYS OF 100 SCREENINGS, RED CARPET PREMIERES, PARTIES, PANELS AND AWARDS CEREMONY & A NEW FEST PRESIDENT, ABEL FERRARA, THE KING OF INDIE FILM!”Featuring the talents of Susan Sarandon; Taryn Manning; Walter Cronkite; Arthur Laurents; Topmodel Venantia Otto; DJ Qualls; Mercedes McNab; Poet Steven Vincent Benét; Pulitzer Prize-Winning Composer Douglas Moore; Tony Randall (final performance, The Odd Couple); Wood Harris (HBO's The Wire); Lochlyn Munro (Unforgiven, White Chicks); Julie Strain; Sabrina Parisi (Owner of Dolce Sinfonia-DS); Zuleikha Robinson (HBO's Rome, Lost); Author Donna Spangler; Kevin Shinick (Without A Trace, Robot Chicken); Dan Bessie, The Dreamers (LA band).***Las Vegas, NV [July 24, 2009] - Those in need of a satisfying indie film fix will be happy to hear that The New York International Independent Film and Video Festival (NYIIFVF) is gearing up to return to Los Angeles with an exciting lineup of 100 films, premieres and special events, taking place July 30th-August 6th, 2009. NYIIFVF kicks off with a film market and networking party at the stylish Cabana Club (located at 1439 Ivar Ave. at Sunset) on Thursday, July 30th from 6pm-10pm. Opening night will also include a special presentation for NYIIFVF award recipients.  Festival screenings will take place exclusively at the Regency Fairfax Cinema located at 7907 Beverly Blvd at Fairfax, Los Angeles, CA 90048, from July 31st-August 6th, 2009. Director Abel Ferrara, Taryn Manning, Venantia Otto, DJ Qualls, Mercedes McNab, Sabrina Parisi, Devin DeVasquez, Zuhleikha Robinson, Lochlyn Munro, Kevin Shinick, The Dreamers, Debbie Allen, Donna Spangler, Dan Bessie, Mira Furlan (Lost), Lorielle New, Phoebe Price, Riley Weston, Kelly Pendygraft (Elizabethtown), Goran  Gajić (OZ, Director) are among the talent expected throughout the 8-day extravaganza.Known as “The Voice of Indie Film,” every genre imaginable is represented at this year’s summer run, including, World Cinema, Science-Fiction, Horror, Action/Adventure, Animation, War, Psychological Thriller, Crime, Drama, Comedy, Family, Experimental, Dance Theatre, Romance, as well as a compelling slate of high-quality documentaries.  The following 26 countries and territories will be represented: USA, France, Spain, India, Japan, Italy, Israel, Germany, Argentina, Bulgaria, Finland, Belgium, Sweden, UK, Netherlands, Denmark, New Zealand, Australia, Colombia, Switzerland, Faroe Island, Montenegro, Belarus, Greece, Puerto Rico and Canada.FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS:A War in Hollywood: (SPAIN)
Hollywood used the Spanish Civil War as a subject in more than 50 films,
although adapting its point of view to the North-American political
interests of each period. This evolution is narrated through the story of Alvah Bessie, a Hollywood screenwriter who fought in Spain as a member of the Lincoln Brigades. Featuring: Susan Sarandon, Arthur Laurents (legendary writer of West Side Story, Bonjour Tristesse, and The Way We Were). Directed by Oriol Porta. 91 min. Documentary.Screening Thursday, August 6th at 10:15 pm, Q & A with Dan Bessie.Red Carpet Arrivals: 9pm-10pm The Dreamers Music Video (USA)Our Hero awakes to find himself in a dream. Talking Heads, Sexy Sirens, and a Circus Show that never stops. Step Right Up. Step Right Up. But be careful what you wish for.Featuring: Taryn Manning as the Circus Master, DJ Qualls as the War Torn Soldier, Mercedes McNab as the Angel Siren, The Dreamers as Themselves. Directed by Barry G. Walker. *Red Carpet Screening Saturday, August 1st at 9:45pm, Red Carpet Arrivals: 9pm-9:30pm(Official world premiere private after-party at El Leon Spa located at 8217 Beverly Blvd, 10:30pm-11:30pm, sponsored bar, W.J. Deutsch & Sons, Ltd. Yellow Tail Sparkling & Yellow Tail Sparkling Rose, IsVodka, and appetizers, music by Dan Frank & Paula Vough). Power for the Parkinsons: (USA)
A historical documentary produced, directed and written by Dr. Ephraim K. Smith, a professor emeritus of history at California State University, Fresno, is up for three regional Emmy Awards. The documentary is nominated in the Michigan Chapter of the National Academy of Television, Arts & Sciences 2009 awards program's Historical Documentary, Editing for a Nonnews Program and Writing categories. Smith co-edited the film with Emmy-winner Donald M. Thompson at Detroit Public Television. It is narrated by broadcast-news icon Walter Cronkite. Poet Steven Vincent Benét (John Brown's Body, The Devil and Daniel Webster) wrote the script, and the music was the work of Douglas Moore, a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer (The Devil and Daniel Webster, Giants in the Earth). 57 min. Documentary. *Red Carpet Screening/Moment of Silence & Remembering Walter Cronkite (film’s narrator)/ Monday, August 3rd at 6:30pm, Red Carpet Arrivals: 5:30-6:30pm It's About Time: (USA)
When the Earth's Atomic Clock is altered by one second, three friends 
must deal with the unexpected affect it has on their lives.
Starring: Seana Kofoed (Actor, Men in Trees), Matthew Edwards (Renaissance Man), Jennifer Carta (Actor, 24, The Game), Jim O'Connor (Undercover Brother), Paul Bartholomew (Actor, Medium, ER) and Tony Randall (The Odd Couple). Directed by Kevin Shinick (Writer/Director/Actor, Without A Trace, Robot Chicken). 90 min. Romantic Comedy.*Red Carpet Screening Tuesday, August 4th at 8:30pm, Red Carpet Arrivals: 7:30-8:30pm
 
Legends of the Unwired: (USA)
The Wire's fictional Avon Barksdale meets the real Avon Barksdale. Intense dramatic scenes take Wire fans and non-Wire fans inside Barksdale's world of murder, torture,drugs and revenge. Starring: Wood Harris (HBO's The Wire). Directed by Kenny Jackson and Bruce Brown. 72 min. DocuDrama.*Red Carpet Screening Wednesday, August 5th at 8:15pm, Red Carpet Arrivals: 7-8pm Still The Drums: (USA)A patriotic story about friendship, heroism and post-traumatic stress disorder…After forty years of silence three ex-marines question their service to country…An explosive, edge of your seat mystery!Directed by Talbot Perry Simons. 79 min. Drama/War/Anti-War/Mystery.*Red Carpet Screening Saturday, August 1st at 8:10pm, Red Carpet Arrivals: 7-8pm(Official world premiere private after-party at El Leon Spa located at 8217 Beverly Blvd, 10:30pm-11:30pm, sponsored bar, W.J. Deutsch & Sons, Ltd. Yellow Tail Sparkling & Yellow Tail Sparkling Rose, IsVodka, and appetizers)., Fist Full of Love: (USA)A heated battle between polar opposites leads to undiscovered common ground.Starring: Zuleikha Robinson (HBO's Rome, Lost, The Merchant of Venice,The Namesake, Hidalgo). Directed by Sean Doyle.  7 min. Drama.*Red Carpet Screening Thursday, August 6th at 8:30pm, Red Carpet Arrivals: 7:30-8:30pm9.9.09: (USA)
A mystery surrounds a small town that was wiped out on September 9, 2009.
Now, sixty years later, Sarah, the last survivor, sends a reporter, Mary, a letter suggesting what really happened on that day. The government calls 9/9/09 the start of "The Modern Plague". Mary soon realizes that her search for the truth may be harder to uncover than the lies. Starring: Lochlyn Munro (Unforgiven, White Chicks, Daddy Day Camp), Kelly Pendygraft (Elizabethtown), Brian Guest (The OC), David Jean Thomas (Fight Club, Star Trek). Directed by Howard Wexler. 94 min. Sci-Fi.*Red Carpet Screening Friday, July 31st at 8:00pm, Red Carpet Arrivals: 7-8pm
 
Space Girls in Beverly Hills: (USA)Three vibrantly retro space girls from the planet Vanisia must try to fit in as normal Beverly Hills women when they suddenly make a crash landing in the backyard of wealthy infamous playboy Baron Von Benson. Starring: Donna Spangler, Sabrina Parisi, Jill Noel, Julie Strain (Queen of the B-Movies, Heavy Metal 2000). Directed by Tim Colceri. 94 min. Sci-Fi/Comedy.*Red Carpet Screening Friday, July 31st at 6:00pm, Red Carpet Arrivals: 5-6pm(Official world premiere after-party at HALO located at 1743 North Cahuenga Blvd., 9:30pm-2am, ISVodka open vodka bar and Caramba Tequila, 9:30-10:30pm, appetizers, X games giveaways)Barackumentary: (USA)Barackumentary salutes one of United States most historical moments ever to be captured on film. These live moments reflect on the amazing journey America has taken to reach a moment that ends with the 1st African American President. Celebrate the breaking of one of the highest of glass ceilings in society with millions of people across America ending in the Streets of Washington DC on Jan 20, 2009 as history brings to existence the inauguration of a dream come true. The spirit of "Yes I can" felt within a sea of people representing every culture on the globe. The overwhelming sensation of victory parading through the streets of America. This heartfelt documentary captures in action the true spirit of the American people & the American dream one race one cause. Directed by Brian Johnson. 80 min. Documentary.
*Special Screening on President Barack Obama's Birthday: Tuesday, August 4th at 6:30pm, Red Carpet Arrivals: 5:30-6:15pmhttp://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/awards_festivals/news/e3ic709b2a7b82e176cbb08b98f08cb8c13  
NAMA: (FRANCE)
NAMA focuses on human existence, the origins of human culture and man's will to create through the eye of the film camera, which becomes the eye of the spectator. Starring: Topmodel Venantia Otto. Directed by Nikunja. 84 min. Experimental Docu-Fiction.*Red Carpet Screening Wednesday, August 5th at 10:15pm, Red Carpet Arrivals: 9-10pmTHE 2009 FESTIVAL SEMINAR SERIES will be held Saturday, August 1st and Sunday, August 2nd from 12pm-2pm at the Pig N' Whistle located at 6714 Hollywood Blvd. at Cherokee. The seminar series include topics on Making Movies in the Digital & Cellphone Age, Having the Correct Deliverables and the Importance of Great Trailers for Distribution Sales Meetings & Film Distribution. Panelists include: Rafael Primorac (Dario Argento’s Giallo, Producer), Abel Ferrara (Director-King of New York, Bad Lieutenant), Stuart Alson, Karl Bardosh (director), Garo Setian (award-winning trailer editor) and Goran Gajic (HBO’s Oz, Director). Festival sponsors include Independent Film Quarterly (IFQ) magazine, Regency Fairfax Theatre, ITN Distribution, IMC, Boonie Productions, Sunset Entertainment Group, W.J. Deutsch & Sons, Ltd., IsVodka, El Leon, X Games, Caramba Tequila, HALO, The Cabana Club and The Green Door. A confirmed program of events will be forthcoming. For all interview and review and credentialing requests, please contact  Nicole Holland via email at nicolefilms1@aol.com or visit www.nyfilmvideo.com# # # ABOUT NYIIFVF: The New York International Independent Film and Video Festival was founded in 1993 by entertainment impresario Stuart Alson. Passionate about exposing the latest independent films from all over the globe, NYIIFVF is a unique platform for emerging and established filmmakers to network and screen their work in the hope of getting exposure and a distribution deal. Past festivals have included the work of Abel Ferrrara, Cameron Diaz, Dick Van Dyke, Eva Herzigova, Guy Pearce, George Clooney, Jennifer Aniston, Meryl Streep, Michael Madsen, Rod Steiger, Sean Lennon, Tippi Hedren, Willem Dafoe, Wille Nelson and Vin Diesel. Indie guru Abel Ferrara famously quoted in MovieMaker, "This festival is the real deal: Everybody else just talks about doing it, these guys just do it!"