Greenwich International Film Fest Awards – Part 2

GIFF Awards! Films That Should Be Seen! What’s Happening Today!

By Gregg Morris

WORD Classifieds

Also, besides the awards announcement, for GIFF Festival Awards Part 2, three films reviewed by this reviewer that didn’t win awards but should be seen post-GIFF. Full reviews in the works. Plus, at the end today’s GIFF schedule.

Three That Should Be Seen

LITTLE BOXES, directed by Rob Meyer, the opening night feature, which seem to meander from amusing to thoughtful to witty, about an interracial family with an African-American father and son and a mom white, moving from Brooklyn into a college town community where ethnic diversity has yet to make a presence.

TEENAGE COCKTAIL, an unexpected  molotov surprise, directed by John Charchietta, about two precocious, post-pubescent teens who deceive themselves into believing they are femme fatales, resulting in their youthful angst putting them in harms way.

THE DUEL, directed by Kieran Darcy-Smith, which has a stunning beginning and a powerful ending but in between the alpha and omega … was a long stretch that border on ennui more often than it should have.

Award Winning Films

Best Social Impact Film, Documentary Feature – HOOLIGAN SPARROW

Narrative
Feature – LITTLE MEN

Narrative Short
– BEFORE THE BOMB

Documentary Short
– ANOTHER KIND OF GIRL

GIFF’s Opening Night Party featured the festival awards presentation in addition to a Performances by John Popper (Blues Traveler) and Dar Williams (whose music is featured in GIFF’s Opening Night Documentary Feature THE ANTHROPOLOGIST). As part of the ceremony, actress and activist Kristin Davis presented the award for Best Social Impact Film.

List of Awards and Prizes & Prizes
– Best Social Impact Film – $10,000 Bresnan Award, Artist In Residence Prize from Jacob Burns Film Center
– Best Narrative Feature – $10,000
– Best Narrative Short – $2,500
– Best Documentary Feature – $10,000
– Best Documentary Short – $2,500

The 2016 Narrative Features jury included writer/director Ned Benson, award-winning film editor Sarah Flack, and long time film critic Joe Neumaier. The Narrative Shorts jury combined producer Mark Lindsay, screenwriter David Negrin and producer Pouya Shahbazian. The Documentary Features jury included casting director and producer Asli Coker, actress Anna Lakomy, and director Nina Davenport.

The Documentary Shorts jury included producer Marie Therese Guirgis, director Ondi Timoner, and documentary filmmaker Jeffrey Tuchman. Additionally, the Social Impact jury encompassed philanthropist Anne Bresnan, Executive Director of the Jacob Burns Film Center Edie Demas, as well as actresses and activists Kristin Davis and Kuoth Wiel.

 

 

 

Today, June 11

VR LOUNGE
The Nantucket Project, 123 Mason Street
11:00AM Photo Call

MY BLIND BROTHER
Talent Attending: Nick Kroll, Charlie Hewson, and Director Sophie Goodhart
Bow Tie Cinemas, Theater 1
2 Railroad Ave, Greenwich, CT
11:45PM Photo Call
12:00PM Screening

CHILDREN’S ACTING WORKSHOP
Talent Attending:Neel Sethi (The Jungle Book), Acting Coach Matt Newton, Casting Director Adrienne Stern, and Actress Peyton List
Greenwich Country Day School
401 Old Church Rd, Greenwich, CT
12:15PM Photo Call
12:30PM Meet & Greet
1:00PM Workshop

CHRISTIAN SIRIANO Meet & Greet
GIFF Box Office
19 West Elm Avenue, Greenwich, CT
1:00PM Photo Call

MY BLIND BROTHER Post Screening Q&A
Talent Attending: Nick Kroll, Charlie Hewson, and Director Sophie Goodhart
Bow Tie Cinemas, Theater 1
2 Railroad Ave, Greenwich, CT
1:20PM Arrival for Q&A

NEWTOWN
Talent Attending: Kim Snyder and Maria Cuomo Cole, Families from Newtown
Bow Tie Cinemas, Theater 1
2 Railroad Ave, Greenwich, CT
2:45PM Photo Call
3:00PM Screening

Spotlight On: John Turturro (A Conversation series)
Greenwich Country Day School
401 Old Church Rd, Greenwich, CT
3:15PM Photo Call
3:30PM Event

NEWTOWN Post Screening Q&A
Talent Attending: Kim Snyder and Maria Cuomo Cole
Bow Tie Cinemas, Theater 1
2 Railroad Ave, Greenwich, CT
4:15PM Arrival for Q&A

THE FUNDAMENTALS OF CARING (Coming to Netflix soon)
Talent Attending:Rob Burnett and Craig Roberts
Greenwich High School
10 Hillside Rd, Greenwich, CT
5:15PM Photo Call
5:30PM Screening

HARRY BENSON: SHOOT FIRST
Talent Attending: Harry Benson, Gigi Benson, Alex Gittleson, Heather Silverman, and Matthew Miele
Bow Tie Cinemas, Theater 1
2 Railroad Ave, Greenwich, CT
5:30PM Photo Call
5:45PM Screening

THE FUNDAMENTALS OF CARING Post Screening Q&A
Talent Attending:Rob Burnett and Craig Roberts
Greenwich High School
10 Hillside Rd, Greenwich, CT
6:50PM Arrival for Q&A

HARRY BENSON: SHOOT FIRST Post Screening Q&A
Talent Attending: Harry Benson, Gigi Benson, Alex Gittleson, Heather Silverman, and Matthew Miele
Bow Tie Cinemas, Theater 1
2 Railroad Ave, Greenwich, CT
7:10PM Arrival for Q&A

PANEL: LOL: THE BIG BUSINESS OF COMEDY
Talent Attending: Will Arnett, Richard Brener, Chris Bender, Peter Principato, Stuart Cornfeld, & Moderator Mike Fleming, Deadline
7:40PM Photo Call
8:00PM Panel
Cole Auditorium at Greenwich Library
101 West Putnam Avenue, Greenwich

 

 

The Greenwich International Film Festival (GIFF) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that hosts a world-class film festival in Greenwich, CT. The goal of the festival is to bridge the worlds of film, finance and philanthropy. The second annual festival began June 9 and ends tomorrow. It supports important human rights initiatives, as part of its social impact focus. For the four-day event: A star-studded Opening Night Party, film premieres, educational panels, a Children’s Acting Workshop, an honoree gala, and more.

 

Gregg Morris can be reached at gmorris@hunter.cuny.edu