RSS 2.0 FeedJuly 8, 2010, Cover Stories, Bellmore Life
Local talent gets play at film fest
Locally grown talent features their films at the Long Island International Film Expo in Bellmore, July 8 through July 18.
The 13th Long Island International Film Expo (LIIFE) at the Bellmore Movies from Thursday, July 8 through Sunday, July 18, will be flooded with celebrities, parties, panels and 156 short- and feature-length films from 20 countries.
Local-area residents especially can look forward to viewing films from local talent who are taking to independent filmmaking in diverse yet serious ways, and looking to get their art into respectable theaters.
Indeed, 1995 Calhoun High School graduate Jill Schissel’s film “Mildred Richards” (in photo) will receive opening-night honors with a 7:30 p.m. showing on Friday, July 9. Ms. Schissel started Radio Film Pictures, LLC in order to combine her passion for filmmaking with the golden age of radio. “Mildred Richards” is her first Radio Film Picture.
“As I started attending film festivals...people would say that [director Marc Kess and I] were breaking new ground for filmmakers,” Ms. Schissel told Bellmore Life.
“Prior to hearing these comments, my focus was on presenting authentic radio dramas to an audience, so I thought I was involved in preserving history, and I was surprised to realize I was potentially making history,” said Ms. Schissel.
The groundbreaking film tells the tale of Mildred, an egomaniacal, nearly bankrupt actress, who enlists the help of her reluctant brother, Gerald, to steal their elderly aunt’s fortune. Mildred has nothing short of murder on her mind, but after arriving at her aunt’s country estate, things get complicated by her aunt’s caretakers.
“Making a film is a collaborative endeavor and ‘Mildred Richards’ has a great cast and crew. To have our hard work recognized as an Opening Night Official Selection of LIIFE...is a real blessing.
“My hope is that the audience is entertained. I want them to enjoy and appreciate the film, while also recognizing that this is a unique opportunity to watch a film that incorporates an authentic old time radio drama,” concluded Ms. Schissel.
Sal Del Giudice is another local filmmaker, showing for the second time at this year’s festival. “As a Bellmore resident, participating in the Long Island Film Festival affords my family and friends the opportunity to see the film in a festival setting. I think, most importantly, it gives our film [“Miracle Ball”] some incredible exposure,” said Mr. Del Giudice, the film’s producer/director.
“Miracle Ball,”showing on Saturday, July 10, during the 4 p.m. film block, examines a filmmaker’s journey as he searches for an infamous piece of sports memorabilia – Bobby Thomson’s 1951 home run ball that seemingly vanished into the stands after it was hit.
Mystery finally revealed
“After 57 years the world will finally learn who walked out of the stadium with the famous baseball that day and where it has been hidden for nearly six decades. This is a sports story for the ages,” continued Mr. Del Giudice.
The Bellmore native has produced three films and has three in various stages of development.
Local filmmaker Lou Yablonsky of North Bellmore is also a graduate from Calhoun High School. Mr. Yablonsky has written and directed over 15 shorts while at New York University, culminating in “Bathtub Gin,” the story of amateur bootleggers trying to get money to survive during the Great Depression.
The film will show on Tuesday, July 13, during the 9:30 p.m. film block. “I submitted the film to LIIFE to get the film some exposure, represent my hometown in the festival and, most importantly, gain some credits that can lead to future jobs in the business,” said Mr. Yablonsky.
The filmmaker, who says he has loved filmmaking since he was old enough to understand an R-rated movie, hopes to break into the creative development field at mainstream and independent movie studios.
Bellmore filmmaker Leslye Abbey has become a mainstay of the festival, offering up her third documentary in as many years. Her “Bayou Landfall” won LIIFE’s 2006 Alan Fortunoff Humanitarian Award. “I used to travel to places such as the South American rainforests and present slideshows of my trips. It wasn’t enough though. I wanted to make films,” said Ms. Abbey.
For this festival, she produced/directed “Rosey at One Hundred,” which gets its world premiere on Saturday, July 10, during the 1:45 p.m. film block. Rose Kramer, the aunt of a woman Ms. Abbey met on her travels, was born on January 1, 1908, in Smorgun, Russia. The documentary follows this fascinating woman through her 100th year, as she reflects on her life and relationships.
“I’m very excited about this movie...It’s very timely, considering future generations will probably live to be 100 and more. It’s very relevant to see...Rosey can be seen as a role model,” concluded Ms. Abbey.
Capturing the despair of addiction John Lazarro, 23, of Wantagh, is another young local filmmaker and the director/producer of “Hindsight.” Mr. Lazzaro may be young, but his documentary, showing on Sunday, July 11, during the 2 p.m. film block, covers a mature topic: the heroin epidemic facing Long Island.
It is filmed through the perspectives of four different people fighting against the epidemic, including the Ciappas from Massapequa, who lost their daughter to a heroin overdose two years ago. “In the film, there are two retired detectives who go all around the Island and present drug awareness programs. I saw the presentation and heard the Ciappas share their story. It was then I realized I had to make a documentary on this [subject],” said Mr. Lazzaro.
The Wantagh native, who has been fascinated with movies since the age of 10, has produced/directed 10-15 films, as well as four documentaries, “Hindsight” being the fourth. Mr. Lazzaro told Bellmore Life, “My film addresses a local and social concern. I feel that everyone should see [it] because drug addiction affects so many families on Long Island.” Rick Bieber, originally from Brooklyn but now living in North Massapequa, is a local filmmaker who graduated from Plainedge High School and later Hofstra University.
Mr. Bieber’s film “The 5th Quarter,” getting opening-night world-premiere treatment on Friday, July 9, tells the story of Jon Abbate, who lost his 15-year-old brother Luke in a fatal car crash. Jon, driven by the tragedy, helps to lead the Wake Forest Demon Deacons to the most successful season in school history. The film stars Andie McDowell and Aiden Quinn.
Grappling with a problem
Another local filmmaker, Matt Rosenberg, is a 2007 Island Trees High School graduate from Levittown. Mr. Rosenberg will be a senior film major at Five Towns College this year. He has produced 10-12 films, including “A Bloody Mess,” which is getting its world premiere at the festival. “A Bloody Mess,” premiering on Thursday, July 8, during the 7 p.m. film block, is a 12-minute film that took three weeks to film.
It tells the story of Roy Offerman, a teenager facing a very mature problem at a very immature time in his life. “I was sitting in scriptwriting class with Ryan [O’Leary, the film’s director/writer]. We didn’t know each other, but he pitched the idea for the film to the class, and I loved it. I thought it was a great concept,” said Mr. Rosenberg. Mr. Rosenberg is looking forward to his second year participating in LIIFE for the networking opportunities, but also is hoping “to have a good time and meet new people.”
Anyone interested in the art of filmmaking, or just seeing some films, is encouraged to come to the Long Island International Film Expo from July 8-18 at the Bellmore Movies, 222 Pettit Avenue, Bellmore.