FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Please Contact reeleastfilm@gmail.com for more information
Third Annual REEL EAST FILM FESTIVAL Full Schedule Announced,
Saturday, June 17, 2017;
Tiela Garnett, followed by World Premiere of Sickness and other local premieres
Cherry Hill, NJ (May 28, 2017) – The Reel East Film Festival (REFF), a premiere event in South Jersey held on Saturday, June 17, 2017 at the Rohrer Center in Cherry Hill, NJ (1889 Rt 70/Marlton Pike East, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003), is proud to announce the appearance of Tiela Garnett, daughter of Golden Age director Tay Garnett (The Postman Always Rings Twice), for a 5pm discussion followed by a screening of Her Man (1930) and a Q and A. Garnett will also screen selected clips of her father’s work and discuss his career and her writing about growing up in Hollywood.
At 8pm, Reel East will host the world premiere of Sickness by New Jersey writer-director Brandon Brooks, to host with a Q and A to follow.
This FREE event requires registration here, in advance or the day of – to guarantee admission, please preregister by Saturday, June 10.
Schedule for REFF, 2017:
Theater 1:
- 11am: the Philadelphia-area premiere of 24 Hour Comic, a new documentary by Milan Erceg on a day-long race to create comic books by some of the best and brightest in the field (many of whom offer on-screen commentary). This un-contest (no awards are given – just bragging rights!) filmed in a Portland, Oregon comics store in 2013 is an example of a nationwide “holiday” created by cartoonist/comics theorist Scott McCloud and launched in 2004. 24 Hour Comic will be distributed by Gravitas Ventures later this year.
- 2pm: the Delaware Valley premiere of The Green Girl, a feature documentary celebrating the life and unheralded success of actress Susan Oliver, best known for her role as the eponymous figure in the original series Star Trek (1966-69). In 1964, Oliver starred in the show’s rejected pilot as the prisoner Vina, though her image was famously incorporated into the show’s end credits and later recycled on another episode. Oliver contained multitudes that extended well beyond this passive role. An accomplished pilot and prolific television star, she captivated audiences herself for years, eventually turning her attention behind the camera. The latest from director George Pappy (Few Options) finds Hollywood history beneath layers of green paint.
- 5pm: Tiela Garnett, daughter of classic Hollywood director Tay Garnett (The Postman Always Rings Twice, Bataan) will present her father’s 1930 film, Her Man, along with a program of other clips from his works. Her Man, a tough and delightful version of “Frankie and Johnnie” starring Helen Twelvetrees and Ricardo Cortez, is set in a Havana bordello and features groundbreaking cinematography for its era.
8pm: the world premiere of Sickness, starring Katarina Leigh Waters, Brian O’Halloran, Gary Gustin, and Fallon Maressa. A viral outbreak in the Delaware Valley thrusts several strangers together for a survivalist take on chills and suspense. Writer-director Brandon Brooks and cast members will present the film with Q and A following.- 11pm: the Philadelphia-area premiere of Red Christmas, in which festive hell breaks loose on Christmas Eve in the Australian Outback when a mysterious, vengeful drifter pays a bloody visit to an unsuspecting family. Giallo visuals and provocative undertones of the abortion debate combine for an explosively weird feature debut from TV actor/director/producer Craig Anderson. Horror luminary Dee Wallace (The Hills Have Eyes, The Howling, Cujo, Critters) stars in this genre curiosity, distributed by Artsploitation Films (10/2017), that Variety calls “an energetic, candy-colored romp.”
8pm: the world premiere of
Theater 2:
- 11am: Production Problems, Indie feature film by local filmmaker John Cassidy. Shawna is a born to be a video production student. Unfortunately, her brother Jack doesn’t think so. When old Video Production alumni get word of how sheltered she is, they take action, and try to take her to safety to meet her pen-pal, James, in New York. Not only is she in for the adventure of a lifetime with insanely immature 20 year olds; she’s off on a journey to find out who she really is. A Comedy/Drama/Adventure
Followed by blocks of short films and student works in competition for one of our prizes (Schedule TBA)
- 5pm: Stephen King’s “Dollar Babies”: “What in the world are dollar babies?”For years Stephen King has been allowing student and independent filmmakers to legally adapt his short stories (not his novels) for the cost of one dollar. This became known as the “Dollar Deal” and the films as “Dollar Babies.”Of course, filmmakers cannot profit from the films financially. They can only use the films to practice their craft or to demonstrate their talents at film festivals or private screenings. Reel East is proud to be able to screen these rarely seen films.
About REFF:
The third annual Reel East Film Festival is honored to bring independent and upcoming feature films and shorts to Camden County and greater South Jersey.
As the birthplace of cinema, New Jersey continues to produce and inspire great movies. Located just miles from Philadelphia, the first annual REFF is a premiere summer festival of the Delaware Valley. This event will feature screenings of new and classic films, discussions, and workshops.
Attendees can look forward to meeting regional and visiting. A weekend festival, REFF serves area residents, visitors, students, local businesses, and the regional film community. Committed to a global perspective and the power of storytelling, the festival will feature independent films of all levels and genres. We’re proud to offer an insider’s view of a democratic industry.
Reel East Film Festival Awards (for Short Films)
Audience Award – Voted on by the festival audience, the Audience Award possess the critical validation of the viewing public. The Audience Award is often a filmmaker’s most coveted prize at festivals.
Best of Festival Prizes (3)
- Edison Prize – The festival’s top prize. The invention of cinema was a global effort. On American shores, particularly in the Garden State, no name is more synonymous with film’s birth than Thomas Alva Edison. With the critical assistance of early film pioneers and technicians like William Dickson, Edison presented the world with the kinetoscope and the Black Maria Studio. And soon the world was captured by the magic of motion pictures.
- Porter Prize – An employee of Edison’s, Edwin S. Porter made over 250 films throughout his career as a writer, director, cinematographer, and producer. Porter was an innovative and inventive filmmaker. His most well-known film, The Great Train Robbery (1903), is a critical American film that pioneered new techniques in production and editing that we still see in today’s movies.
- Goodwin Prize – Hannibal Goodwin is a largely forgotten but crucial name in American film history. In a modest house in Newark, NJ, Reverend Goodwin invented transparent flexible celluloid film for roller cameras. Goodwin’s patent application was submitted in 1887, two years before George Eastman’s celluloid film patent, but remained unissued as it underwent several amendments. Goodwin died in 1900, but in 1913 he was posthumously vindicated when it was ruled that Goodwin’s patent had been infringed upon by Eastman.
Achievement in Student Filmmaking Prizes (2)
- Audacity Prize – Awarded to the student film that demonstrates a unique vision and a willingness to take risks in order to further film as an art form.
- Jury Prize – Awarded to the student film that demonstrates extraordinary achievement in film.
Contact: reeleastfilm@gmail.com
Preregistration HERE
Website: reeleastfilm.org
Registration for two, please. Looking forward to it.