Woodstock Film Festival continues

Woodstock Film Festival virtual print program

View the program in a LARGER WINDOW.

Keanu Reeves', um, acceptance speech at the, eh, Woodstock Film Festival, introduced by, errrr, Vera Farmiga, who's very pregnant

New discoveries:

* Keanu Reeves makes Vera Farmiga have Braxton Hicks contractions.
* Reeves in Hawaiian means "man with four testicles." or "sheriff with no penis," or something like that.
* Vera Farmiga is a very funny lady.

Crazy journalist's back makes its way into official Woosdtock Film Festival photos

The following is a slideshow of official photos from the Woodstock Film Festival, which took place in Woodstock, Kingston, Rhinebeck and Rosendale over the weekend.

Somehow, yours truly is in a Brian Tobey photo titled, "Filmmakers relax at the Colony Cafe at the 2010 Woodstock Film Festival."

See if you can spot my back. Hint: I'm using a Flip, a Netbook, a Blackberry and a Android phone and I'm talking to Ed Burns.

Massive slideshow follows:

Woodstock Film Festival 2010 videos

What follows after the link is a widget containing curated videos from the Woodstock Film Festival this past weekend, including anecdotes from Keanu Reeves, Edie Falco and Edward Burns.

Enjoy.

Also, please stop clicking on the image at left. The videos are after the link. I'm doing this because Sam Piroton, a reader of this blog who lives in Europe, complained about the blog taking  too long to load because of the many videos I've been posting lately.

So this new look is for you Sam.

And to the rest of you, thanks for not saying anything.

>:P~~

Videos inside.

Keanu Reeves, Vera Farmiga to attend Rosendale screening

From the Woodstock Film Festival:

Although it's the last day of WFF 2010, there are still plenty of surprises coming, including the latest word that Keanu Reeves and Vera Farmiga will attend todays's Rosendale screening of Henry's Crime at 3pm, for the Q & A following the film.

Those of you who were present at yesterday's Woodstock screening Q & A know that Keanu is very enthusiastic about being at WFF, and that this is Vera's second visit here ( for Up in the Air last year). So we are as delighted as the Rosendale audience will be, that they have chosen to stay a little longer than planned!

Great movies today, great panels and good vibes!

Tweets from the Woodstock Film Festival

I went to the Woodstock Film Festival in Woodstock (duh!) and Kingston (wha?) on Saturday, armed with a Droid, a netbook, zero $$$$ and a mean headache.

What follows is my report, if you can call it that.

Filmmakers talk about proposed Kingston movie fee

At the Woodstock Film Festival on Saturday, director, writer and actor Edward Burns ("Nice Guy Johnny") and Icelandic director Baltasar Kormakur ("Inhale") chime in about the city of Kingston's proposed fee for movies shot in town.

Was I asking totally biased and leading questions?

As the people who do this like to say, I report and you decide (that I shouldn't be reporting).

Shocking video follows.

Edwar Burns reveals his area ties and wonders what the hell I'm doing

In this poorly shot video, screenwriter, director and actor Edward Burns (or at least the bottom part of his face) - at the Woodstock Film Festival and promoting his film "Nice Guy Johnny"  - tells us about his ties to the area, which have to do with lonely local foods or something.

Then, after the interview is over, he seems to begin to wonder why he is talking to a crazed and accented person who's seemingly over-equipped with gadgets.

Video follows.

Ed Burns on the advantages of having long hair and not wearing a suit. WIN!

Director, writer and actor Edward Burns, at the Woodstock Film Festival to promote his latest film, "Nice Guy Johnny" (see our story here), talks about following your dream - and long hair and no suits.

I like him already.
Video after jump.

A live interview with 'Inhale' director Baltazar Kormakur at the Woodstock Film Festival

For the purposes of full disclosure, here is the complete and unadulterated interview with "Inhale" director Baltazar Kormakur, which took place at the Colony Cafe on Saturday, part of the Woodstock Film Festival.

Video follows.

A live interview with Edward Burns at the Woodstock Film Festival

This raw video includes a fairly comprehensive live-streamed video interviwe with director, writer and actor Ed Burns.

He reveals he's also a video editor and talks about his latest film; working with Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Aniston; long hair; Woodstock; and, most importantly shooting in places that don't charge a fee.

Loooooooooooooooooooooooooong video follows.

Amazing trailer for the Woodstock Film Festival

Hey, Kingston city council! Laurent Rejto of the Hudson Valley Film Commission will shoot you IN THE FACE!

If you are a vampire, that is.

Rejto, co-founder of the upcoming Woodstock Film Festival, director of the Hudson Valley Film Commission and vocal opponent of stupid Kingston fees for filmmakers, has a small role in "Stakeland," a movie that was shot in the mid-Hudson Valley because THERE ARE NO FEES FOR FILMMAKERS.

Just sayin'

Trailer below:

Coming soon to a theater near you: Movies that are not made in Kingston

The city of Kingston has proposed a brilliant idea worth of a movie: Charge filmmakers who shoot in the city a fee for shooting in town, thus making sure they go somewhere else.

To maximize the message, this is being done just before the Woodstock Film Festival, as dozens of filmmakers and movie stars from around the country are about to descend in our area.

Movie genius and city alderman Charles Landi, D-Ward 3, said “these production companies make big money." So much money, in fact, that the Hudson Valley Film Commission, on the very day the proposal was discussed, sent an e-mail asking supporters for all that money it doesn't really have (I don't have any money, by the way).

"WE NEED HELP," wrote film commission director Laurent Rejto, in all-caps, in case you missed the SENSE OF URGENCY.  "Government grants have been slashed by up to forty percent and we need to make up those losses."

Landi told the Freeman that, “taxpayers in the city are inconvenienced” by traffic tie-ups caused by filming and should be reimbursed for those headaches. Such inconveniences also include the "nearly $15 million dollars of economic development to the region," according to the film commission.

Also, is the city going to write checks to its residents any time a movie shoots in town? Because, you know, I'm kind of feeling a bit inconvenience by having movie stars such as Oscar nominated actresses Vera Farmiga pollute my streets with her awesomeness.

OK, so I'm a little biased. I'm biased for having movie stars shoot movies around town and for the dumping of millions of dollars into the region.

Call me crazy.

The city will discuss the issue in October, and I'm tempted to bring a camera.

I'm making a movie about fools.

Go to 'Don't Go in the Woods' near the woods, with Vincent D'Onofrio

"Don't Go in the Woods" directed by Vincent D'Onofrio, and "Bitter Feast," directed by Joe Maggio and produced by Larry Fessenden, will be screened simultaneously at the Emerson Resort & Spa on Route 28, Mount Tremper, on Oct 1. at 8 p.m., as part of a collaboration between the resort and the Woodstock Film Festival.

The event will be preceeded by a feast and will be followed by a gala filmmakers' party.

"Don't Go in the Woods" is the directorial debut of actor D'Onofrio, best known for his roles in "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," "Full Metal Jacket," (memorable line: "I am in a world of sh*t") "Men In Black" and "The Cell." Musical score by singer-songwriter and producer Sam Bisbee will be shown, appropriately, at the edge of the woods - in the Emerson's outdoor Catamount Pavilion.

The Emerson Great Room will host the macabre cinema of "Bitter Feast", directed by Maggio ("Paper Covers Rock," "Milk and Honey," "Virgil Bliss") and produced by indie horror guru (and long-time Boiceville resident) Larry Fessenden.

D'Onofrio, Bisbee, Maggio and Fessenden will be in attendance for a question-and-answer session after their films. The Q&A for "Don't Go in the Woods" will also include a performance by the band featured in the film.

Woodstock resident Mary Giuliani will create a sumptuous, pre-screening banquet for "Bitter Feast" ticket-holders. She is working closely with chef Mario Batali, who makes a cameo appearance in the film, to create a Batali-inspired menu.

The Woodstock Film Festival describes the films:

Synopsis: DON'T GO IN THE WOODS – described as "Glee" meets "The Blair Witch Project" – is a slasher/musical which cleverly walks an unusual line: always maintaining a sinister and creeping sense of dread, with characters bursting into song at the oddest of times. An indie rock band of five young men heads into the woods for a weekend of creative inspiration away from modern distractions. New songs are sung and written, but female groupies crash the creative jam session, causing distraction. In traditional slasher movie style, characters begin disappearing. The film oozes with thrills and a dark sense of humor, complemented by a solid rock soundtrack. This offbeat horror film explores the lengths that people will go to in order to make their dreams come true, and marks the directorial debut of actor Vincent D'Onofrio.

Synopsis: BITTER FEAST renowned chef Peter Gray, played smartly by James LeGros, is having an awful day. His celebrity cooking show is sinking fast in the ratings and his posh New York City restaurant Feast has once again received a nasty review from online food critic JT Franks (Joshua Leonard), leaving Gray frazzled, frustrated and fired. Gray seeks retribution by kidnapping the critic who has tormented him for so long. What follows in Joe Maggio's revenge thriller is a delightfully crafted tale of intrigue, torture and culinary delight. The film features a cameo by celebrity chef Mario Batali. Hudson Valley resident Larry Fessenden (Glass Eye Pix) produced and co-stars in a film that is sure to be a banquet not just for your eyes and ears, but your taste buds as well. Bon Appetit. Other fright films featuring Glass Eye Pix personnel at the 2010 Film Festival include Stake Land, and the shorts Off Season and Horror at Glen Atty.

Tickets are available online and at the Woodstock Film Festival Box Office, 13 Rock City Road, Woodstock.  Call (845) 810-0131 for more information.

Visit www.woodstockfilmfestival.com

The 11th Woodstock Film Festival runs Sept. 29 through Sunday Oct. 3, and will feature more than 150  films, panels, events and parties in Woodstock, Rhinebeck, Rosendale and Kingston.

Woodstock Film Festival unveils 2010 poster

The Woodstock Film Festival has unveiled its official poster, "flower mandala," designed by Hudson Valley-based artist Portia Munson, for the 2010 festival, which will take place Sept. 29 to Oct. 3.

"I am honored to have created this year's Woodstock Film Festival poster," said Munson in a prepared statement. "I created it using flowers from my Catskill garden. The Hudson Valley region has always had a long and vibrant connection with the arts and the film festival (and all the film production that comes with it) has manisfested this heritage."

It also is very trippy and I can't stop looking at it.
As it is my custom, I blame Obamacare for that.

Get yours/