Another Great Year for Palm Beach International Film Festival
By: Hope Wilkos, Writer/Blogger
It is always a thrill when the Palm Beach International Film Festival arrives in Palm Beach County, Florida. Every year around this time, the Palm Beach International Film Festival heats up the temperatures of South Florida and transforms the county into a cultural mecca of international flavors. This event is rated top on the list of film festivals held around the world.
This year the event took place from April 3 – April 10, 2014. Each year becomes even more memorable than the prior year and even more action-packed. Marked by a full schedule of entertainment, this was a given that more film enthusiasts would become fans for its future festivals. World Premieres could be seen all over the county at Cinemark Palace 20 in Boca Raton, Cobb Downtown @ The Gardens in North Palm Beach, Lake Worth Stonzek Theatre in central Palm Beach County and Muvico Parisian 20 & IMAX @ CityPlace in downtown West Palm Beach.
The film festival opened with the emotional film, “Belle” directly followed by an opening night party with celebrity guests, Joe Bologna and Renee Taylor. There were many amazing events that took place over the eight day period, giving PBIFF attendees a reason to rave about all the fun and excitement that this event brought to the county. Celebrating it 19th year, Palm Beach International Film Festival gave anxious filmgoers over 164 films including 14 World, 8 North American and 8 U.S. Premier Feature Films in total and brought in a significant amount of revenue to Palm Beach County.
From informative seminars on making movies, the process of beginning the idea to getting it out there on the big screen, what goes into film production and even trials and tribulations of Healthcare and Benefits for the Independent Filmmaker, to fun get-togethers such as ‘The Great Chicken Wing Hunt & Party’ which took place on Friday, April 4th, beginning with a showing of ‘The Great Chicken Wing Hunt’, a comedy about Buffalo wings and a band of misfits setting out to find the world’s best chicken wing, there was something for all ages.
Rounding out the week was ‘Toast of the Town-A Tribute to Classic Hollywood’ reenacting a time of glory and glamour in filmmaking. Guests were given the opportunity to meet the filmmakers, celebrity guests and be treated like VIP’s as champagne flowed and fundraising took place. There was an evening filled with music and merriment and showing of ‘The Shorts’, a type of film which plays an active role in part of the Palm Beach International Film Festival. These types of films are always refreshing and full of creativity. The theme of ‘A Golden Era of Film’ continued throughout the week as Robert Morse and Rick McKay were honored at a tribute called “Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age”, on April 7th.
One of my favorite films of the week was ‘Mary Loss of Soul’, a poignant thriller giving us a look into one young girl who witnessed an event so horrific that it took her soul and this was the journey to bring it back to her. It is a film that highlights the closeness of family and touches our emotional side. It was a thriller that pulled us into the scenes in mystical ways. This was its World Premiere debut and starred Jose Zuniga, Nick Mancuso, Kaylee Bryant, Anne Bex, Sam Myerson and Catherine Black. Making this film even more special was the presence of the Director, Jennifer B. White and Producer, Stewart Huey, who were eager to answer questions at the conclusion of the film. They were very passionate about their film and it seemed hard to believe that the film was created in just over two weeks. They should be proud of their amazing accomplishment and they are ready to make more films. It was even more personalized to be able to receive insight on how this film came about and its progression to the final end product.
After so many fantastic films for 2014, the Palm Beach International Film Festival sadly came to a close but there was no more climactic finish than to end with the Closing Night Film directed by Jason Priestley, with Jason making a guest appearance. The film was ‘Cas & Dylan’ and had a star-studded cast made up of Richard Dreyfuss, Tatiana Maslany and Jayne Eastwood. It was a comedy/drama about what happens when a dying doctor, who plans to check out on his own terms, takes a reluctant detour.
The traditional ‘It’s A Wrap’ party then took place at Cinemark Palace 20 in Boca Raton in Bogart’s Bar & Grille. This was the perfect setting to look back on the successes of the past eight days and look ahead to many more outstanding films in the years to come. There were directors and producers that mingled with the guests, enjoying food, drink and camaraderie. Over 90 filmmakers from around the world enjoyed welcoming audiences, shared their experiences and were thankful that they attended fabulous parties!
After a week of screenings, the jury, led by Debbie Frank, Executive VP of the Frank Entertainment Group, tallied their votes to determine the winners for Best Feature Film, Best Documentary and Best Short Film, while audiences voted for their favorite in categories of features, documentaries and shorts. That is what gives this film festival it’s personalized flair Jury winners and Audience Choice Awards were announced at the Closing Night Awards Ceremony.
Frank expressed her thoughts on the whole event by saying, “PBIFF’s program exemplified why we have to have film festivals. They expose us to different stories, cover a wide variety of topics and ultimately expand our consciousness of the world around us. The quality of the slate of films this year was superior.”
The winning films that were announced were:
The Award for Best Feature Film went to LIFE INSIDE OUT, directed by Jill D’Agnenica, written by Maggie Bird and Lori Nasso. The film stars real-life mother and son, Maggie Bird and Finneas O’Connell. Laura (Bird) is a devoted mother of three teenage boys. The twins are confident and outgoing, while the youngest son, Shane (O’Connell), is the family misfit, and a disappointment to his father. At 15, he is sullen and withdrawn, earbuds perpetually in his ears. When Laura impulsively decides to sing at her first open-mic night, she drags Shane along, and it becomes an experience that opens his eyes and shakes his earbuds loose. Soon, he discovers musical gifts of his own. Together, through the power of music, they are able to make sense of a world they’ve felt so lost in.
A Special Mention went to GOD’S SLAVE (ESCLAVO DE DIOS), directed by Joel Novoa. Inspired by true events, this is the story of two extremists, one Islamic and the other Jewish, who cross paths while on opposing sides of the 1994 Buenos Aires AMIA bombings.
The Award for Best Documentary Feature went to FABERGE: A LIFE OF ITS OWN, directed by Patrick Mark. This feature-doc tells the epic story of the Faberge name, from Imperial Russia until the present-day, spanning one hundred and fifty years of turbulent history, romance, artistic development and commercial exploitation. From the bejewel led Easter eggs of the Romanov Tsarinas to the 1970s allure of ‘Brut by Faberge’ aftershave, and from the Russian revolution to today’s high-fashion glitz in New York and London, the film explores a multi-faceted world that began with one man: the prodigiously talented Peter Carl Faberge, Court Jeweler of St Petersburg. Shot at locations across Russia, Europe and USA (including the collection of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II), the film features interview contributions from the world’s foremost Faberge authorities, as well as personal reminiscences from Faberge family members.
The Award for Best Short Film went to BRIGHTON, directed by Pierre Stefanos and starring Robbie Capaldi and Lennard Sillevis. ‘Brighton’ follows the journey of Edward as he ventures to the famed English south coastal resort for a day on the town. The reason for his trip is unclear, at first, as we watch him paste photographs of himself as a young boy at famed monuments around Brighton, all the while ignoring phone calls that come in to his mobile throughout the day from his boss and his boyfriend. After breaking up a moment of schoolboy bullying, Edward’s demeanor changes. Upon meeting, and then flirting with, a Canadian tourist named Ben, Edward becomes more resolute to resist the man’s charms, making his way to the Brighton seafront in the dark of night. Ben discovers Edward on the beach at a bonfire, burning items from his duffel bag. Ben uncovers Edward’s mysterious reasons for visiting Brighton, which leads to a physical and emotional confrontation that leads to a mutually life-changing moment for both men. ‘Brighton’ is the follow-up to the acclaimed short film ‘Bedfellows,’ and the second in a planned trilogy of films called The Shakespeare Trilogy. ‘Bedfellows’ screened at over 140 films festivals in 40 countries during a 23-straight-month festival run, won over 30 jury and audience awards, is commercially available in a dozen North American and European countries. Its trailers have received over 1,000,000 hits on YouTube alone.
The Audience Choice Award for Best Feature Film went CATHEDRAL CANYON, directed by Paul Davis and starring Winsor Harmon, Noelle Wheeler and Lorenzo Lamas. A story set in both sprawling modern Phoenix and the fringe, rural polygamist communities of Northern Arizona, this film presents a hidden connection between these two very different worlds that permits the shocking acts of these cults to continue.
The Audience Choice Award for Best Short Film went to TOBACCO BURN, directed by Justin Liberman and starring Stephen Tyrone Williams, Julian Rozzell Jr. and Alicia Thompson. Based on an oral history from the W.P.A. Writers, Tobacco Burn is set thirty-five years before the Civil War at the height of American slavery. When two of the enslaved weigh the complexities of killing their overseer, each develop a different understanding towards violence, acting on which could cost all of them their lives.
The Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary Feature went to LION ARK, directed by Tim Phillips. More action adventure than traditional documentary, Lion Ark follows the world’s most ambitious and daring animal rescue, with a narrative compiled from film, interviews, conversations and reactions as events unfolded. Following a shocking expos” Bolivia bans animal circuses. But the circuses defy the law and the team behind the investigation returns to track them down and save the animals. Stunning cinematography captures the confrontations, heartache and risks, before a joyous finale sees 25 lions airlifted to freedom. A story of bravery, compassion, a country that said ‘no’ to cruelty and how attitudes towards animals changed across a continent.
At the center of the Film Festival, which was headquartered at the Hyatt Place Delray, were the filmmakers. Randi Emerman, PBIFF Director, commented, “This year, for me, was refreshing and inspiring to have had the honor to discover so many wonderful filmmakers from the corners of the earth. The films unveiled a wide swath of experiences…they entertained and dazzled us, they made us laugh and cry, but more importantly, they made us think!” Randi is a pivotal force in making this festival such a magical experience year after year.
In the words of Siskell & Ebert, “This event deserves a big two thumbs up.”
PHOTO CREDITS: LivingSocial.com, Palm Beach International Film Festival Facebook Page, Jennifer B. White, Hope Wilkos
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