2009 JUNE NEWSLETTER

Brought to you by

Cabletrack Systems DJ WA

CONTENTS:
Hollywood on Hudson Benefit/Mixer
Not So Silent Auction ROARS Again
BSP gets certification
In Theaters & Special Screenings
On DVD: Woodstock
Booknook: Woodstock
WFF in Los Angeles
WFF Souvenirs
WFF Call For Entries
Hudson Valley Film Commission News

Remembering Julian

Remembering Blaise



join us on

HOLLYWOOD ON HUDSON BENEFIT / MIXER

SAVE THE DATE:

The Hudson Valley Film Commission will be hosting a HOLLYWOOD ON HUDSON benefit and mixer on June 12, 7-11pm at Backstage Studio Productions in Kingston, NY.
We expect a great turn out of filmmakers, politicians and industry professionals representing all the surrounding counties that benefit from the work of the Hudson Valley Film Commission. The film industry brings in $5+ billion annually to the New York State economy. It is a vital component to economic development in the Hudson Valley.

EVENING INCLUDES:

	Lights, Camera, ACTION!
	A special Quadricentennial homage "on set experience" featuring the remake of MOBY DICK starring Gilles Malkine as Starbuck and Mikhail Horowitz as Captain Ahab, with Tom Cherwin as "the director,"Sharron Bower as "the assistant director" and Jason Downs as "the producer."
	Film score and music stylings of DJ WA
	Special guests
	Delectable food, complimentary glass of wine & cash bar
	An amazing auction with "NY City Auctioneer of the Year" Barry Cherwin

Your support will help HVFC continue providing free support to independent & studio features, short films, student projects, TV ads and regional filmmakers. HVFC provides a free online directory, newsletter blurbs, casting and crew calls, job opportunities and much more.

Thanks to the following companies for making this event possible:

Let's all work together to make the Hudson Valley – Hollywood on the Hudson!

For tickets and details, click here.

“NOT SO SILENT AUCTION” ROARS AGAIN

Where can you find the B52s, David Johansen artwork, a trip to Tortola and dinner out with actors Melissa Leo or Aidan Quinn? These are among the many items up for bid at the annual “Not So Silent Auction.”

The auction has already begun bidding online. Most items will end on June 12 at 5 pm but many will also be part of a live auction hosted by “NY City Auctioneer of the Year” Barry Cherwin at the HOLLYWOOD ON THE HUDSON benefit mixer to be held at Backstage Studio Productions in Uptown Kingston.

If you’re looking for an ideal vacation, bid on the luxurious one-week stay at the Golden Pavilion Villa in the island of Tortola, or stay local at the serene Magical Waterfall House in Palenville. Spectacular artwork by Peter Max, Portia Munson, Bill Plympton and NY Dolls' David Johansen are also up for bid.

Melissa Leo, recent Academy Award® Nominee in Best Actress category, and you (bid winner) have the unique opportunity to share an intimate dinner at the fabulous Phoenix Restaurant at the Emerson Resort and Spa. Date of this dinner will be determined by mutual agreement between you and Melissa Leo.

Leo was nominated for an Oscar® and won the Spirit Award for her recent role in the film Frozen River, in which she portrayed Ray Eddy, a woman struggling to raise her two sons under difficult circumstances. Leo has won thirteen other awards and been nominated for many others. In 2004, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award named Leo Best Supporting Actress for her performance in 21 Grams.

With several films in post-production and several more still filming, there will be more than enough to talk about as you dine at the beautiful Phoenix Restaurant, located on the grounds of the Emerson Resort and Spa in the midst of the Catskill Forest Preserve in Mount Tremper, NY. Over 600 square miles of beautiful nature will surround you as you and Leo discuss her upcoming films over a Chilled Lobster and Pear Salad.

Whatever you decide, don’t forget to top the evening off with one of the Phoenix Restaurant’s Specialty Cocktails. Don’t miss out on this once in a lifetime opportunity to discover the beauty of the Catskills over a private dinner for two at the Phoenix with television and film star Melissa Leo. An exquisite evening for all, an opportunity like this may never come again.

Aidan Quinn, Sundance Film Festival Award Winner, and Emmy Award Nominee, wants to take you to dinner at the Northern Spy Café in High Falls (at a date TBD between you and Quinn). Quinn has been nominated for several awards for his numerous roles in films and on television, among them two Emmy Nominations, one for Outstanding Lead Actor in An Early Frost (1985) and the other for Outstanding Supporting Actor in Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007); three Irish Film and Television Awards (all for Best Actor); and a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male in Cavedweller in 2004. He won his first award in 2000 at the Sundance Film Festival for Songcatcher, in which he played Tom Bledsoe, the war veteran with a talent in music and for capturing the heart of the leading lady.
Dine with Quinn among waterfalls and apple orchards and discuss his start in theatre at the age of 19. Discover how this led him to film, and his breakout roles in Reckless (1984) and Desperately Seeking Susan (1985). Other notable films include Avalon, Benny & Joon, Michael Collins and Practical Magic.

Whether a vegetarian, vegan, or not, you’re bound to find something delicious to eat on the Spy’s menu. With a wide selection, ranging from Free Range Tofu Wings or Fried Calamari for appetizers, to Pad Thai Shrimp, Chicken, Peanuts, and Vegetables in a Sweet & Spicy Sauce over Rice Noodles (also available as a Vegan dish with Chic Peas and without Egg) or Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder in Tomatillo Sauce over Rice & Beans for your entrée, there is something for everyone.

Top the evening off with one of the Northern Spy Café’s Specialty Coffees, a Café with Butterscotch and Apple Brandy, and discuss Quinn’s upcoming projects and plans for the future, as he has returned to his roots and is currently working in New York theatre.

TO VIEW ONLINE ITEMS, CLICK HERE

BSP RECEIVES NYS CERTIFICATION

Backstage Studio Productions (BSP) is proud to announce that it has officially been granted certification as a qualified soundstage by the NYS Governors Office of Motion Picture and Television Development. This important development will allow potential film productions to use the 17,000 square foot facility at BSP to meet the requirements set forth by the recent NYS Film Credit, which have been a boon for the state economy bringing in $1.90 for every $1 spent (*based on recent Ernst & Young’s analysis).

To become a qualified soundstage, a site must be at least 7,000 square feet among other categories. New York State offers tax credits to companies that shoot on qualified soundstages. BSP is the second qualified soundstage in the Hudson Valley area.

“It’s somehow fitting that films will now be produced in what started out as a movie house,” Rossin added. “It’s an exciting development. The first film starts shooting here on Saturday, June 13."

BSP is an Arts and Entertainment Complex located in the center of Uptown Kingston, New York, at 323 Wall Street. Built as a Vaudeville Theater in the late 1800s, it spans the entire block from Wall Street to Crown Street, and has a rich and colorful history of its own.

Click here to read the entire press release

IN THEATERS AND SPECIAL SCREENINGS

THE FARM: 10 DOWN

On Wednesday, July 8 at 8pm the Woodstock Film Festival and 92Y Tribeca will present The Farm: 10 Down with drector Jonathan Stack in person for post-screening Q&A.

Click here for tickets.

In 1997, Jonathan Stack spent a year shooting inside Angola Prison, Louisiana's maximum security penitentiary, capturing the reality of six men living—and dying—in America's largest and oldest penal institution. By revealing a powerful and universal truth—to err is human and to forgive, Divine—The Farm spoke to an enormous and receptive audience and garnered many of cinema's top awards, including the Sundance Grand Jury Prize, the LA Film Critic's Award, the New York Film Critic's Award, an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary, 2 Emmys and 4 Emmy nominations. When it was broadcast on A&E, it attracted the largest audience for a documentary in the network's history.

Now, ten years later, we go back inside Angola to reconnect with our characters and to witness first hand Time's impact on their spirits, their bodies, their sense of hope and their sense of purpose. Have the family members who visited them ten years ago disappeared in time from their lives? Does their language change as men become increasingly hardened by time? Do memories of freedom and life on the outside fade with the hope of freedom? Time moves slowly in Angola, but hope survives.

ON DVD

Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music Director's Cut (40th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition with Amazon Exclusive Bonus Disc)

1969 was a year unlike any other. Man first set foot on the moon. The New York Mets won the World Series against all odds. And for three days in the rural town of Bethel, New York, half a million people experienced the single most defining moment of their generation; a concert unprecedented in scope and influence, a coming together of people from all walks of life with a single common goal: peace and music. They called it Woodstock. One year later, a landmark Oscar®-winning documentary captured the essence of the music, the electricity of the performances, and the experience of those who lived it. Newly remastered, the film features legendary performances by 17 best selling artists. Bonus content includes: • 4-Hour Director’s Cut of the film • NEW Over 3 hours of New Bonus Content! • 2+ Hours of Performances Not Included in the Director’s Cut Including Newly Discovered Performances in their Entirety from Santana, The Who, The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and MORE! (see slide 5 for complete list) • 1+ Hour Featurette Gallery – Woodstock: From Festival to Feature, showcasing interviews with Martin Scorsese, Michael Lang, Michael Wadleigh, Hugh Hefner, Michael Shrieve, and MORE and exploring topics including 3 Days in a Truck, No Rain! No Rain!, Living Up To Idealism and many more! • NEW retrospective The Museum at Bethel Woods: The Story of the Sixties & Woodstock • COLLECTIBLE premium items including a 60+ Page Life magazine reprint, a Woodstock patch, a lucite lenticular display featuring 3 vintage festival photos and more!

The limited and numbered Amazon Exclusive 4-Disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition features more than three hours of extras – including two hours of rare performance footage with songs from Paul Butterfield, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Grateful Dead, Johnny Winter & Mountain, who played at Woodstock but never appeared in any previous film version, plus a third hour of featurettes showcasing interviews from Martin Scorsese, Director Michael Wadleigh, and Producer Michael Lang. Included in the set is an Amazon exclusive bonus disc with additional never-before-seen performance footage from Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and Country Joe and the Fish plus three additional featurettes! Hoping to also find footage of Tim Harden and Gilles Malkine!

BOOKNOOK

THE ROAD TO WOODSTOCK
by Michael Lang with Holly George Warren

The Road to Woodstock tells the story from inspiration to celebration, capturing all the magic, mayhem, and mud in between.

Kirkus- June 15, 2009 Review
“Totally rocking firsthand account of Woodstock…In addition to providing an engaging record of the sights and sounds of the festival, Lang offers an in-depth look at the business behind the creation and execution of the event that all but defined the late 1960s….The author is a generous raconteur with a good memory for specifics, but what elevates this book above the level of most rock memoirs is the inclusion of voices other than Lang’s—including scenesters and key Woodstock players like Jimi Hendrix, Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, Jerry Garcia, Abbie Hoffman, John Sebastian, Greil Marcus and Wavy Gravy….Well-written, informative and tons of fun, Lang’s book will be appreciated by rockers and musicologists of all ages.”

The book is available at The Golden Notebook in Woodstock and other bookstores everywhere.

WFF SOUVENIRS

The Woodstock Film Festival has unveiled its 10th Anniversary posters and t-shirts featuring a design by renowned graphic maestro, Milton Glaser, creator of the “I (heart) New York” logo, and other artwork that can be seen everywhere from posters, t-shirts, packaging to museum exhibitions.

The design ushers in the 10th annual Woodstock Film Festival, which will be held from Wednesday, September 30th through Sunday October 4th.

See all souvenirs online including posters, tchirts, caps, mugs and more

LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL

WFF co-founder and executive director Meira Blaustein will be attending the Los Angeles Film Festival June 19 - 24. A special event in LA celebrating WFF's 10th anniversary will be announced shortly.

If anyone wants to say hi, they can reach her by email at [info at woodstockfilmfestival.com] or at 914.466.5728.

WFF CALL FOR ENTRIES

The WOODSTOCK FILM FESTIVAL (Sept 30th – October 4th, 2009) is currently accepting submissions in all categories. Maverick Awards are presented for Best Feature ($5000 cash), Best Documentary, Best Short Documentary, Best Short Film, Best Student Film, Best Cinematography, Best Editing and Best Animation. Cash, prizes and/or services are given out in each category. Audience Awards are presented for Best Feature and Best Documentary. Award sponsors have included The Lee Marvin Estate, the late James Lyons, Lowel-Light, Apple Computers, Final Draft, Post Factory and others.

Final Deadline: June 22

Industry participants have included Ang Lee, Kevin Smith, Steve Buscemi, Peter Saraf (Big Beach Films), Jonathan Sehring (IFC), Ted Sarandos (Netflix), Bob Berney, Eamonn Bowles (Magnolia Pictures), Mark Urman (Senator), Bingham Ray (Kimmel Entertainment), James Schamus (Focus Features), Fisher Stevens (Greenstreet Productions), John Sloss (Cinetic Media), Ira Deutchman (Emerging Pictures), Ron Mann (Films We Like), John Pierson (Grainy Pictures), John Anderson, Ryan Werner (IFC), Tom Quinn (Magnolia Pictures), Christine Vachon (Killer Films), Andrew Hurwitz, Ira Schreck, Mira Nair, Todd Haynes, Woody Harrelson, Tim Robbins, Marcia Gay Harden, Lili Taylor, D.A. Pennebaker, Albert Maysles, Barbara Kopple, Leon Gast, Liz Garbus, Brett Morgen, Thelma Adams, Robert Downey, Zachary Sklar, Kevin Bacon, Ethan Hawke, Matt Dillon, Rosie Perez and many others.

Click here for details and online entry form.

Freeman reporter Schweitzer dies at 44 after battling cancer

We are very sad to report that Daily Freeman reporter and long time Kingston resident Blaise Schweitzer passed away June 6 at the tender age of 44. Blaise covered the Woodstock Film Festival ever since its inception in 2000, interviewing filmmakers and reporting on many special events throughout the years. Blaise also wrote about the documentary For Love of Julian years before it was screened at the festival in 2007.

"For Love of Julian has taken the concept of 'home movie' far beyond the stereotype and turned it into an intensely personal and sometime painful film designed to inspire and educate."
(Blaise Schweitzer, The Daily Freeman)

Blaise was a compassionate and wonderful soul and he will be deeply missed. His courageous coverage of his battle with colon cancercolon cancer (see The Bucket List) was painful, inspiring and educational.