New Bedford Film Festival shared its official selections. Here's how to watch.
NEW BEDFORD — The New Bedford Film Festival announced its official selections on a youtube video Thursday, featuring some exciting titles in categories such as short film, feature film, documentary short and animation short.
"We were blown away by the overwhelming support that we've received in the first year of the New Bedford Film Festival," said Ethan de Aguiar, founder. "We received hundreds of submissions and it was honestly very difficult to choose because there were so many creative, heartfelt and inspiring films to choose from."
In the official selection video, hosted by local Marion actor Paul Kandarian, community members such as Marisol Rosa, Pamela Jayne Morgan, Tobey Eugenio and Margo Saulnier shared the films selected in each of the eight categories. One of the festival's major sponsors, Ground Floor Coffee, co-owned by Mel McCarthy-Peppin, shared the selection for animated short.
"We can't wait to celebrate the power of storytelling through the captivating world of film," de Aguiar added.
Tickets are now on sale for priority seating
Set for April 18-21, the opening night of the festival will be hosted at the New Bedford Whaling Museum followed by screenings at Ground Work, Co-Creative and New Bedford Harbor Hotel on Friday to Sunday. In the evening, Ground Floor Coffee will host networking events on their fourth floor.
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On Sunday, April 21, the festival will have its Academy Award-style award presentation at Steeple Playhouse. Although screenings and panels are free, the festival is offering VIP tickets for priority seating in case events sell out including a VIP All-Access Pass to the entire festival.
"I suggest getting your tickets as soon as possible, we are expecting a large amount of people and can't guarantee every screening, panel or event will not sell out," de Aguiar said, adding that there has already been several purchased tickets since Thursday.
Here are the official selections
In the narrative short category, 25 films were selected including titles such as "Canary," "Carving," "Courage," "Earth Day," "Flush," "Four-Sided," "Impunity," "Monogamish," "On Set," "Out: A Short Film," "Quiet," "Remember Me," "Rest," Revelation," "Sister," "The Clunker," "The Melting Hymn," "The Piece," "The Principal's Assembly," "The Therapist," "The Uniform," "Through the Lens of Mourning," "Which Hunt" and "Yolks."
Films by New Bedford area locals were also selected such as Ryan Nunes' "Invisible" and "After the Beep," Alyssa Botelho's "To Dust All Return," and Carley Byers "Don't Fall From Grace."
Other noteworthy shorts included "Banana Triangle Six," about a day in the life of an elderly gentleman, Hank Crute, as he deals with the trials and tribulations of a resident of Spring Valley retirement home, bad food, conniving females and an unexpected Doctor's visit and "A Fish Story," about an eccentric old man in a local pub tells tales too tall to be true.
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"Thrilled to be selected for the inaugural NBFF and looking forward to visiting your fair City," said "Banana Triangle Six" filmmaker Marc Crandall.
In the narrative feature category, one notable feature is "Blue Sunshine" about a high school teacher who wants to transition from male to female while working for a school in a small town in South India. Another feature "Scrap," stars Vivian Kerr as well as Anthony Rapp ("Rent") and Lana Parilla ("Once Upon A Time").
Additional features include "American Pot Story: Oaksterdam," "Antartica," "Cast & Crew," "Monsters Within," Plaga Zombie: American Invasion" and "Where the Dead Go." The feature "Never Hike Alone 2" was also selected by Westport's Vincente DiSanti.
Documentary short category features local stories
In the documentary short category, local Mackenzie McCree has three shorts selected such as "A Video Essay on Ballroom" and "Don't Touch my Hair." Other documentaries include "Barbette & Fontaine" about two drag icons, a century apart, unite through art, resilience, and a shared legacy of self-expression and freedom. Leading the cast is Cynthia Lee Fontaine of "RuPaul's Drag Race."
There is also a short "Backyard Pilots" about Meadow Muffin Airstrip and the pilots who call it home as well as the film "Perpetual," about Sally Edelestein, battling against decades old depression and recent loss, finding the perpetual care she was seeking as she visits her Jewish family's cemetery.
There are also documentaries: "One Step at a Time," about homelessness in New Bedford and the cancer journey of Providence Journal Reporter and Pulitzer Prize finalist Mark Patinkin titled "Demons & Dragans."
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Other titles include "The 29th Connecticut," "The Rebirth, "With & Without: A Carol Story," "Woman Rising," "Forever Twins," and "Burning of the Mishoon."
In the animated short category, New Bedford film "Appalachian Horror" is among the other nine selected. Our Sister School's "Visual Interpretation of 'Oppression' by Marilyn Frye" created by the school's 7th graders was selected as well as films such as "The Toad in the Hole," "Widow's Peak," "The Fam" and "Electra Wasp."
"We are THRILLED for ELECTRA WASP to be a part of New Bedford Film Festival's inaugural edition," wrote film creator Wasan Hayajneh in a comment.
Local students chosen for student short category
The student short categories accepted films such as "Better Than Me," "Her Time," "Josie," "Mimic," "Pickles" "Status: Addicted" and "Swamped." The short film "What Next?" by Fairhaven's Adam Marashio was also selected about his struggle to find inspiration.
"The Lost Weekend" was also selected about A teenage boy grappling with his masculinity, who embarks on a weekend trip to Cape Cod, confronts toxic expectations about what it means to be a man.
In the music video category, titles included "Alice," "Ascension," "Better Days," "East Coast Aquarela," "Famous," and "Lungs, Head and Heart."
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The lyric video for the song "Polaroid Dreams," the opening track from the Scapeghost EP NBWaves, created with support from the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, was also a selection as well as New Bedford set music videos "Ima Groovalotto (Ask Yo' Mama)" and "Back in the Time."
More must-see screenings coming to New Bedford in April
In the digital series/TV pilot category, series such as "Eyes," "Luna, The Witch," "Fortune Teller," "Pickleball is Life: Dill With It!" "The Blackened Charte" and "Rideshare" were selected. Among the selections was the series "Morse Code," about a talented but flawed thirty-something indie folk singer. who finds himself at a crossroads as he struggles to strike a balance between family and career.
The LGBTQ+ series "Open to It," was also selected about a loving gay couple experimenting with becoming a hot gay throuple -- but threesome sex and open relationships come with more complications than limbs.
"I am thrilled to be a part of the inaugural New Bedford film festival," said Chris Lang, the filmmaker behind the "The Blackened Charte" docu-series. "I grew up on the coast and feel a strong connection to the New England sea shore. I can’t wait to come see the other films selected in this solid program."
The Public Service Announcement category also featured a PSA narrated by Liam Neeson ("Schindler's List") called "The Grey Space," and a short about Tammy, a Research Marine Ecologist from Fall River.
All the official selections are available to review on the festival's website.
The official nominations include Best Short, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Screenplay and more, will be announced during the first week of April, according to de Aguiar.
Standard-Times staff writer Seth Chitwood can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on twitter:@ChitwoodReports. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today.
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: New Bedford Film Festival announces official selections
