LONG ISLAND INTERNATIONAL FILM EXPO 2024
The 27th Anniversary Edition of The Long Island International Film Expo
Attendees Experienced Local and Foreign Film Screenings, Celebrity Appearances, Informative Panels, A Star-Studded Awards Ceremony and Q & A’s with Top Filmmakers From Around The World
The Long Island International Film Expo (LIIFE) has concluded the 27th Anniversary presentation of the festival, which happened from July 9th - July 14th at the historic Bellmore Movies, 222 Pettit Ave in Bellmore.
The Long Island International Film Expo (LIIFE) has concluded the 27th Anniversary presentation of the festival, which happened from July 9th - July 14th at the historic Bellmore Movies, 222 Pettit Ave in Bellmore.
Nominees and Winners
(Winners have an *)
Alan Fortunoff Humanitarian Film Award
*Harvey: Voice for the Voiceless
Best Cinematography
21 st Century Courtship
I Don’t Bite
Leverage
South Shore
*The Strangers Case
Best Editing
Daysleeper
Ivania
*Pre-Existing Freedom
The Strangers Case
Swiped (dir.Billy Kay)
Best Art Direction
21 st Century Courtship
Child Machine
*Dummy
Return Of The Näcken
The Strangers Case
Best Music Video
*Diabolus In Musica
In Your Head
Limbo
Tim Ruffo: Showdown
Best Long Island Film
Harvey: Voice For The Voiceless
Isotopia
So Shoot Me
*South Shore
You Left Me Alone
Best International Short
(non US-produced)
Bangs
Everything Is Fine
Gift
Ivania
*Seven Days And A Coke
Best International Feature
(non US-produced)
Books & Drinks
Child Machine
*Colibri
Look At Me
The Strangers Case
Best Horror
3 Easy Steps
The Consumer
Dummy
Moonlight Sonata With Scissors
*No Slasher Here
Best Actor
Don’t Pick Up (Keith David)
Hidden Flora (Luca Silver)
Ivy’s Dream (Anthony Robert Grasso)
*Not The Same Clarence (James Naughton)
Sugar (Rain Diaz)
Best Actress
Ivy’s Dream (Maggie Alexander)
I Was Gone For A While (Ana Coussirat)
*Scrap (Vivian Kerr)
Seven Days And A Coke (Rina Gri)
Best Director
*Don’t Pick Up (Jeremiah Kipp)
Hidden Flora (Ryan Rox)
Ivy’s Dream (Louis Leuci)
Scrap (Vivian Kerr)
The Strangers Case (Brandt Andersen)
Best Story
Conversion Of The Atheist
Grand Romantic Gestures
I Was Gone For A While
*S.P.I.C
Sugar
Best Short
Anomaly
Bangs
I Was Gone For A While
*Ivy’s Dream
South Shore
Best Documentary
Across America
*Forgotten Artisans of New York
Harvey: Voice For The Voiceless
Pre-Existing Freedom
So Shoot Me
Best Feature
Child Machine
Colibri
Hidden Flora
Look At Me
*Scrap
Midnight Madness Winner
*Dedly Wagons
Audience Award for Best Student Film
*The Dinner
Audience Award for Best Short Film
*The Self-Described Narrative of the Marvelous Travels and Campaigns of Great, Great, Great Uncle Lt. Col. Barry V. Manchester
Audience Award for Feature Film
*Screamwalkers
Jury Prize for Social Awareness Film
*Losing Lalo
Jury Prize for Best Animation
*Isotopia
Jury Prize for Best Choreography
*Leverage
Jury Prize for Best Dramatic Short Film
*Line of Fire
Best Screenplay
Winner:
*Code Demon – Mikel J Wisler
Runners Up:
*The Vintage – Scott W Perry
*DOT – Scott W Perry
Student Awards
*Best Student Film – You Look So Pretty and Vida (tie)
*Best Director – Vida (Maria Valdez)
*Best Editing – Dregs
*Best Story – Faccia Brutta
*Best Animation – Vainglorious
*Best Cinematography - Dregs
*Best Actor – Legacy Of Love (Rosario Amico)
*Best Actress – A Texas Mermaid Movie (Cassidy Butler)
LIIFE was proud to feature over 120 films this year, including 19 World Premieres, 5 US Premieres, 28 New York Premieres and 50 Long Island Premieres! Plus, there were also 32 Female Directors.
The Pre-Fest feature on Tuesday night at 7pm was the NY Premiere of “The Strangers Case”, a film currently creating international conversation, where tragedy strikes a Syrian family in Aleppo, starting a chain reaction of events involving five different families in four different countries.
There was a press conference on Wed. July 10th at the Bellmore Movies featuring Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and other local dignitaries with LIIFE Co-Founders Debra Markowitz & Henry/Anne Stampfel and their board members, alongside entertainment industry professionals like Academy Award Nominated Cathy Moriarty (Raging Bull, Copland), Emmy Award winner Jennifer Jiles (Bull, Jessica Jones), Lukas Hassel (The Blacklist, Blue Bloods), Kevin Brown (30 Rock), Sal Rendino (Billions), Rob Graydon (Director - Sesame Street) and others.
Then, the Wednesday Opening night film was the Long Island Premiere of “Colibri’”, by Juanpedro David Salazar and Francisco Salazar originally from East Meadow, which tells the story of a young Colombian couple who are faced with a major change in their lives, where each one will go on a personal journey to right the wrongs of the past in order to build a stronger future.
Special screenings of note throughout the week included: the NY Premiere of “Child Machine” a fun Sci Fi/Comedy feature, the “Scared For Your LIIFE” block that included “Screamwalkers”, alumni Sean Quincy King's unique shot-on-video 90s-styled horror feature, the NY Premiere of “Hidden Flora”, a coming of age queer trans-produced romantic dramedy from Writer/Director Ryan Rox, and a short doc on Long Island based NYS Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg entitled “Harvey: The Voice for The Voiceless”.
The Closing day feature was the Long Island Premiere of “Scrap” starring Anthony Rapp and Vivian Kerr. Then, everything culminated at LIIFE Closing Awards Ceremony hosted by Kevin Brown (dotcom from NBC’s 30 Rock).
Panels included: Directors Audition panel, a Filmmakers Breakfast panel, the DP Expo (an open-room networking event where local cinematographers bring some of their camera equipment to display and discuss their methods and techniques, answer any technical questions, discuss their rates, and expand each other's network) and many more!
Festivals of the past have included such luminaries as the late Danny Aiello and Ed Asner, Blue Bloods’ Robert Clohessy and Abigail Hawk, Ralph Macchio, John Amos, Daniel Baldwin, Ally Sheedy, Catherine Curtin, Chad Coleman, Steve Buscemi, Ed Burns, Ilene Kristen, and so many more.
LIIFE has become a summer playground for filmmakers; with local and international film screenings, celebrity appearances, entertaining and informative panels, a star-studded awards ceremony, and networking galore. LIIFE is presented by the Long Island Film/TV Foundation (LIFTF) and sponsored by the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency, Gold Coast Studios, and the County of Nassau.
For more information on LIIFE please visit: www.LongIslandFilm.com
Submissions for Scared for Your LIIFE, LIIFE's sister horror film festival are open at https://filmfreeway.com/ScaredforyourLiife
LONG ISLAND INTERNATIONAL FILM EXPO 2024
The Long Island Film & TV Foundation, a 501(c)3, was created to provide support and awareness to the film and television industries on Long Island.
The Foundation has not been formed for profit or financial gain, and no part of the assets, income or profit of the Foundation is distributable to, or inures to the benefit of its members, Director or officers except to the extent permitted under the Not-For-Profit Corporation Law of the State of New York a Section 501 (C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Mission Statement
The Mission of the Long Island Film & TV Foundation is to educate and inform the public about filmmaking and the filmmaking process by providing access to independent films, hosting public forums for discussions about independent films, and assembling educational panels that provide insight into the process of filmmaking. The Long Island Film/TV Foundation strives to enrich the Long Island filmmaking community with opportunities to network and showcase their work as well as promoting Long Island as a choice shooting location for feature films, commercials and documentaries.
Here are some winners from the 2024 Long Island International Film Expo (LIIFE):
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FILM LINEUP PLEASE VISIT
https://liife2024.eventive.org/films
FOR MORE INFORMATION ALSO VISIT https://longislandfilm.com/
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LONG ISLAND INTERNATIONAL FILM EXPO
Actor Jack Mulcahy poses for a photo-op with TV Host Cognac Wellerlane at the 21st Long Island International Film Expo
Lifetime Achievement Honoree Actor Danny Aiello poses for a photo-op at the 21st Long Island International Film Expo
Big Title
TV Host Cognac Wellerlane poses for a photo-op at the 21st Long Island International Film Expo
Film and TV stars and guests gathered at this year’s Long Island International Film Expo. Film veteran Danny Aiello was honored with a lifetime achievement award, Ronkonkoma’s Chris Roach (CBS’ “Kevin Can Wait”) was presented with Rising Star Award and Bronx-born Kevin Brown (Dot Com on NBC’s “30 Rock”) hosted both the closing-night party and the awards ceremony. Other cast and crew responsible for some of the festival’s 147 short and feature films attended the 21st Long Island International Film Expo.
The Long Island International Film Expo continues to offer panel discussions and workshops, most of them geared toward emerging filmmakers. The Expo’s Director’s Audition Panel, encourages actors get seven minutes to make an impression on a group of working filmmakers
I was lucky to interview many of the filmmakers and honorees including Actor Danny Aiello about their accomplishments.
Below is a list of the films and filmmakers that I Interviewed:
Title of Film: Beneath
Category: A short, A woman directed film, A first time director film
Director: Lindsay Serrano
Producer(s): Lindsay Serrano, Manny Serrano
Writer(s): Lindsay Serrano
Runtime of Film: 9 minutes and 54 seconds
Synopsis
After a girl discovers that her boyfriend uploaded a private video of them, that she did not know he recorded, she seeks revenge with the help of an old and unexpected friend…
Title of Film: College Senior
Category: A short
Director: Nicholas James D’Agosta
Producer(s): Nicholas James D’Agosta
Writer(s): Nicholas James D’Agosta
Runtime of Film: 27:04
Synopsis
Jerry can no longer bear the boredom of his life as a senior citizen. When all hope seems lost, he stumbles upon an advertisement for a college, and becomes a college student for the first time in his life, hoping to live life to the fullest. What can these students learn from Jerry, and what can he learn from them?
Title of Film: The Dogfather: A Day in the Life of an Ex-Mafia Enforcer Turned Animal Rescuer
Category: A short, A documentary, A first time director film, Webisode/New Media project
Director: Brian Doochin
Producer(s): Nowhere Men – Brian Doochin, Alex Portera, Eric Messinger
Writer(s): Nowhere Men – Brian Doochin, Alex Portera, Eric Messinger
Runtime of Film: 9 minutes, 54 seconds
Synopsis
James Guiliani was an enforcer for the Gambino crime family, until he found an abused shih tzu in the street that melted his heart. Now, he runs his own self-funded animal sanctuary in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, dedicating his mafia-style intensity to saving NYC animals that, just like him, had a tough start and were otherwise given up on.
Title of Film: Hungry
Category: A short, A woman directed film
Director: Jillie Simon, Thomas Simon
Producer(s): Jillie Simon, Thomas Simon
Writer(s): Jillie Simon
Runtime of Film: 20 minutes
Synopsis
An idealistic grade school teacher has a fear of speaking up in public (other than in front of her kids). But when she finds out that children in her school are going hungry, it compels her to do things she wouldn’t have thought she could do.
Title of Film: It’s Called Love
Category: A music video
Director: Stephen William Tenner
Producer(s): Stephen William Tenner and Roseann Sureda
Writer(s): Roseann Sureda
Runtime of Film: 4:19
Synopsis
The longings of ones heart in the quest of pure loves true embrace. Reminiscent of simpler times when Courtship, Romance, Passion, and Purity were at the forefront of True Love.
Love & Everything in Between
July 14 @ 3:45 pm - 5:45 pm
Title of Film: Love & Everything in Between
Category: A feature (60 minutes or greater), A Long Island Film
Director: Jeremiah Kipp
Producer(s): Ginnie Kearns, Ned Dougherty, Michael Dougherty, Tom Leddy, Peter Mancuso
Writer(s): Michael Dougherty
Runtime of Film: 1 hour and 41 minutes
Synopsis
Two families meet and become intertwined in love relationships in the Hamptons. Their choices are put to the test after a Hamptons July 4th party ends with a sexual assault, what unravels is ‘LOVE & EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN’
Title of Film: Mortal Wounds
Category: A short
Director: Dale Arroyo
Producer(s): Neil Holland & Sibyl Reymundo-Santiago
Writer(s): Neil Holland & Leon Hendrix III
Runtime of Film: 13:41
Synopsis
Glover is a precise and clinical hit man for the Russian Mafia. Weary of his work and ready to start a new life, he arrives at his latest job only to find a competing killer has come for the same target. Now stuck battling with Bea, a fiery self-made woman, he finds that in order to move forward he must let go of his past.
Title of Film: Pickings
Category: A feature (60 minutes or greater)
Director: Usher Morgan
Producer(s): Usher Morgan, Katie Vincent, Louis Obioha
Writer(s): Usher Morgan
Runtime of Film: 103 min
Synopsis
“When a short-tempered mobster and his gang of thugs try to shake down a neighborhood bar, they’re soon confronted with the wrath of its owner – a mysterious southern mother with a dangerous past.”
Title of Film: Playing Dirty
Category: Webisode/New Media project
Director: The Clark Brothers
Producer(s): Kiki Swinson
Writer(s): Wes Clark, Kiki Swinson
Runtime of Film: 25 mins
Synopsis
Playing Dirty follows the life of a money driven, female attorney with a coke habit, who finds herself on the run from the law and the mafia as a result of her corrupt and unconventional past.
Other Info:
Crime Drama
My film is a WORLD premiere
Filmed in Queens, Filmed in Nassau County
Strong Simulated sex, Violence
LIIFE Alumni: 2006 The Trade Off Winner of audience choice award 7 To Seven 2012
Title of Film: SIJI:DRIVER
Category: A feature (60 minutes or greater), A first time director film
Director: David Chai
Producer(s): Joe Wang
Writer(s): David Chai
Runtime of Film: 87 min
Synopsis
After a driver rescues a passenger from an abusive boyfriend, he discovers she is a human trafficking victim. But in order to free her, he must give up the thing he loves the most.
Congratulation to all the Winners:
LongIslandInternationalFilmExpo– 2018
TechnicalAwardWinners
ScriptwritingWinners
ActingAwardWinners
BestinFilm Winners
TechnicalandSpecialActingAwardWinners
BestCinematography
SontoSon– KevinGarrison
BestEditing
SwipedRight– DanaMarisaSchoenfeld
BestOriginalScore
SIJI:Driver– TasosEliopoulos
BestArtDirection
SontoSon– ToddJeffrey
BestOriginalSong
SwipedRight– TravisElliott– MilesAway
Whenafilminthetechnicalawardcompetitionhastheperfectintegrationof
technicalelementsinthreecategories,andweconsiderthatourTriplePlay
Winner.Thisdoesnothappeneveryyear,butithasin2018.
TriplePlayWinnerfor:
BestCinematography– Sandbox– EddieLebron
BestEditing– Sandbox– EddieLebron
BestOriginalScore– Sandbox– ChrisLott
BestActor
KillAL– AnthonyGrasso
BestActorHonorableMention
MortalWounds– NeilHolland
BestActress
Sandbox– NadiaLevin
BestSupportingActor
MortalWounds– ClarkMiddleton
BestSupportingActress
SwipedRight– StephanieWeppler
NomineesandWinnersinBestFilmCategories– Winnersare
BoldedandMarkedwith*
Nominations for Best Documentary Film
John Hemmer & The Showgirls
*Alex
Hatom
Always a General
Out of the Shadows: Negro Baseball
Honorable Mention:The Dogfather
Nominations for Best Feature Film
Pickins
Block Island
Love & Everything in Between
One Bedroom
One Life To Give
*SIJI: Driver
Nominations for Best Foreign Feature Film
*Elvis Walks Home
Kupal
Torments of Love
Jamaica Man
Nominations for Best Animation
*High Intensity
Sprout
Blows in the Wind
Collision Course
Brightside
Nominations for Best Music Video
Emoji Song
Me The Force
*Freedom ‘Fighter
Shut Up I'm On a Roll
White Rapper
Your Letter
Nominations for Best Webisode
Luber
*Playing Dirty
The Reunion
Nominations for Best Foreign Short
Deep Storage
Hot Girl
(Out)Caste
AINHOA
Welcome to the World
*2 Strangers Who Meet 5 Times
I See A Woman
Nominations Best Short
The Dollmaker
Rainmaker
Truce
I Got A Call Back
*The Son the Father
The Prime
As It Seems
Kill Al
3 minutes
Nominations for Best Long Island Film
To Kill A Cat
A Thousand Words
The Museum of Lost Things
Awakening
The Perfect Fit
The Eye
Mortal Wounds
*Poughkeepsie
Handle With Care
Nominations for Best Student Film
*College Senior
The Adventures of Penny Patterson
Brightside
Do Not Lose
Follow Me
Limbo
Nomination for Best Comedy
Handle with Care
*One Bedroom
Sexual Healing
Swiped Right
I Got a Call Back
Honorable Mention: To Kill a Cat
Audience Choice – Feature – *Dinosaur/Honor Amongst Men
Audience Choice – Documentary – *Free Advice
Alan Fortunoff Humanitarian Film Award - *Always a General
Nominations for Best Story
Deep Storage
Kupal
*Museum of Lost Things
The Doll Maker
2 Strangers Who Meet 5 Times
Elvis Walks Home
The Sandbox
Nominations for Best Director – Short
*As It Seems – Nancy Menagh
3 Minutes
Kill AL
Dollmaker
The Son The Father
Mortal Wounds
Nominations for Best Director – Feature
*One Life to Give – Benji Dunaief
One Bedroom
Block Island
Pickins
SIJI: Driver
For more information please visit http://longislandfilm.com
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