WATCH: Long Island International Film Festival Returns For 28th Edition

BELLMORE, NY — Cinephiles get ready as the 28th Long Island International Film Festival is returning to Bellmore Movies and Showplace next month.

This year's festival features 132 independent films for screenings from around the world, "including a ton that are local," Festival Co-Founder Debra Markowitz told Patch.

Short films, feature films, documentaries are among the movies hitting the screen.

"We really have something for everybody," she said.

The July 9-13 event also is known for the numerous panel discussions. For example, at the Directors Audition Panel, actors have up to 10 minutes to impress a panel of six working directors.

"This sells out every year," Markowitz said.

There's an Assistant Director Panel for low-budget indie filmmakers on how to organize and run your set.

"I've cast people that I've seen at some of these panels, and some of the other directors have as well," she said. "They may not have something right away."

The panels are free with a festival ticket.

"We want them to network," Markowitz said. "It's very hard to get a resource like this, especially on your doorstep."

Speaking of the doorstep, with the theater parallel to the Bellmore train station, "we get filmmakers coming in from the city all week long," Markowitz said.

Watch the full "Patch Weekly Spotlight" interview with Debra Markowitz below.