Photo credit: Investors Bank
March 13, 2017 By Staff Report
The silver screens at Kaufman Studios and the Museum of Moving Image will feature work by Long Island City residents and other Queens filmmakers as part of the 7th Annual Queens World Film Festival beginning this Wednesday, March 15th.
The opening night, originally scheduled to take place on Tuesday, March 14th, has been cancelled due to the pending snowstorm expected to hit the city. Those with tickets to opening night can have their admission honored at one of three other screenings during the week; Daughters of the Dust, Scumbag and Queens Corner.
The Queens World Film Festival will start screening more than 100 films at the two venues from Wednesday to Sunday, March 19th. Although there will be a block of screenings on Sunday, March 19th at 4:30pm featuring works of different Queens filmmakers at the Museum of Moving Image, the following films also include work by Long Island City residents, and will be spread throughout the course of the festival.
Under Water
Saturday, March 18th, 2:45pm @ Bartos Theater, Museum of Moving Image
This year’s film festival circuit is a bit more personal for Long Island City resident and filmmaker Bryan Fitzgerald, whose 14 minute short “Under Water” is a retelling of his own experience with drugs and alcohol.
The short, which follows an impressionable high school student named Greg as he tries to fit in with his peers, is based on Fitzgerald’s own true story on throwing himself into a life of drugs and partying during his younger years, and who has since become sober.
“One of the things we want to do with this film is to bring it to high schools and colleges, and have the story serve as a positive influence for kids and teens to stay away from drug and alcohol abuse,” Bryan said.
View trailer for “Under Water” | Purchase tickets to the block of films featuring “Under Water”
Porgies & Bass
Saturday, March 18th, 12:30pm @ Bartos Theater, Museum of Moving Image
Fishing can bring people together or tear them apart.
The 16 minute short, “Porgies & Bass,” explores what happens when two fishermen named Ben and Jorge decide to share a body of water in their pursuit for two very different types of catch. What starts out as a friendly share of their favorite pastime, becomes something just as different as their fish of choice.
Long Island City resident Thomas Barnes, is the writer-director for Porgies & Bass, and is a first year entrant in the Queens World Film Festival.
View trailer for “Porgies & Bass” | Purchase tickets to the block of films featuring “Porgies & Bass”
Raisin / Rosendale
Friday, March 17th, 6:30pm @ Zukor Theater, Kaufman Studios
Historic segregation and racial integration is the focus of the 21 minute documentary, “Raisin / Rosendale,” which explores how a group of LaGuardia Community College students in Long Island City began a discussion on the subject that led them to learn more about present day gentrification and displacement in the outer boroughs of New York City.
View trailer for “Raisin / Rosendale” | Purchase tickets to the block of films featuring “Raisin / Rosendale”
A “Sizzle Reel” featuring clips from many of the films that will be screening throughout this year’s festival can be viewed below:
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