The two-day ArtsFest Film Festival -- held October 18 and 19 at The Picture House -- combined captivating film segments with insightful panel discussions featuring industry professionals. The impressive panel participants included Director Malcom D. Lee (The Best Man), actress Monique Gabriela Curnen (Power Book I and II), actor Frank Harts (Rustin), and writer and director Candice Sanchez McFarlane (Law and Order) among others.
Festival Director Delano Allen -- a New Rochelle resident and NRHS graduate currently attending NYU Tisch -- says that the festival’s inspiration was connecting local and international filmmakers to lower Westchester audiences. “I don't believe you should have to leave your hometown to experience the arts. This is more than a film festival, it's an opportunity to build community."
On Saturday the schedule included the screening of 11 short films followed by a panel discussion “Working in Television” with Maria Clinton, Joe Holt, Paton Ashbrook, and Erin Hicks, hosted by Monique Gabriela Curnen. This was followed by the Feature Screening “Our Journey to Pride”, directed by Benjamin Thomas Scarsbrook; the day wrapped up with “Film Noir,” a final segment featuring 10 short films.
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On Sunday the day began with Special Screenings -- four short features that included Frank Harts’ Be True to Your School and Director Malcolm D. Lee’s student film Morningside Prep. A panel discussion on “Directing in Film” followed, with both Mr. Lee and Mr. Harts sharing insights. Then seven short films were shown, followed by another panel discussion “Writing & Producing for Television” featuring Candice Sanchez McFarlane, hosted by Michele Prettyman. Five more short films were screened before the Film Festival Awards were presented.
Allen says "This year we put together a jury that included industry professionals such as Monique Gabriela Curnen (actor and producer), K. Lorell Manning (filmmaker and actor), and Lisa Payton (television writer and film professor) who carefully selected our winners from our nine categories." The winners were:
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Best Screenplay: Devon Tayman for "Sunday Strips"; Best Cinematography: Roman Boyko for "About People and War"; Outstanding Editing: Son Seo-hui for "Perfect Wall"; Best Student Film: Michael Anthony Carter for "Baby Boy"; Best Documentary: Bob Sacha for "Wayfinding"; Best Performance: Romo Lee for "Sunday Strips"; Outstanding Director: Nick Pearlman for "Loving Silence"; Jury Award (Special Recognition): Quinn Dover for "Ciao, Bella"; The Huguenot Award (Best Picture): "Loving Silence"
ArtsFest is organized by the New Rochelle Council on the Arts. The mission of NRCA (founded in 1975) is to encourage the study and presentation of the performing and fine arts; find out more about NRCA at www.newrochellearts.org. Sponsors for this year’s ArtsFest included Golden 50 Year Grand Sponsor Cappelli Organization and LRC Construction, ArtsWestchester, The Gwendolyn Appleyard Trust Fund for New Rochelle Charities, New Rochelle CLD, Montefiore New Rochelle, Town House Kitchen + Drinks, Alvin & Friends, and Orange Bank , plus in-kind donors The Dining Lab at Monroe University, AJ’s Burgers, The Picture House, the New Rochelle Public Library, The Atelier, and Hotel NoMa. The New Rochelle Council on the Arts is proud to be a grantee of ArtsWestchester with funding made possible by Westchester County government with the support of County Executive Ken Jenkins.
