Hollywood Chainsaw Blogger » CT film fest survival guide

15th
SEP

CT Film Fest Press Conference Today

Posted by chainsaw under CT film fest survival guide, ct film fest, ct film fest reviews

With the Common Council recently giving the green light to allocate $65,000, the organizers of the CT Film Festival are holding a press conference at the Palace Theater today, presumably to kick-off this year’s festival.

The festival will once again climax in Danbury in late May or early June – the organizers will firm up dates today.

Here is the press release festival organizer Tom Carruthers sent out last week:

Dear Community Stakeholders, Sponsors & Members of The Press;

State of Connecticut Representative, Jason Bartlett
&
The Connecticut Film Festival
Would like your presence at a very important press conference on:

Monday, Sept. 15th at 1:00pm at
The Palace Theater, 165 Main St. Danbury

The purpose of this press conference is to announce:
·   The dates, the future plans and expanded scope for the 2009 Danbury festival
·   Additional funding from the State of Connecticut
·   Network with other community stakeholders and sponsors

There will be a light snack and beverages available

Speaking will be:

State Representative
Jason Bartlett

Director of City Center Danbury
Andrea Gartner

Danbury’s Director of Economic Development
Wayne Shepperd

The Honorable Danbury Mayor
Mark Boughton

Northwest Connecticut Convention and Visitors Bureau Director
Jim Whitney

Connecticut Film Festival Director
Tom Carruthers

Dr. James Schmotter
President of Western Connecticut State University

Connecticut Speaker of The House of Representatives
James Amann

Parking is available behind the Palace Theater. Access lot about midway on Keeler Street.

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Read all about last year’s festival (May 08) by clicking the tags.

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20th
MAY

Partay!

Posted by chainsaw under CT film fest survival guide

Here’s a list of parties and get togethers connected to this week’s CT Film Festival.

Tonight: Opening night and after-party starts at 7 p.m. with “The Flyboys” and will be followed by a brief question and answer session with Rocco DeVilliers, the movie’s director. There is an opening night party immediately after the movie with hors d’oeuvres, beer, wine and soft drinks. There will be live music from the Melissa Mulligan Band.

Opening night tickets are $25.

Wednesday through Saturday: Cousin Larry’s, Toscano and Sabrusura as well as Two Steps Downtown Grille will be the festival’s gathering spots, with industry networking scheduled each day from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at a site to be announced for each day.

Informal receptions after movie screenings are planned Wednesday through Saturday starting at 9 p.m. The phone number at Two Steps is (203) 794-0032.

Wednesday: First, watch the “Kids & Money” Shorts Program at All Nations Baptist Church at 234 Main St. at 5:30 p.m. Two documentaries about Darfur made by students at Danbury High School will be among the movies shown. Then, at about 7 p.m., walk over to the Lebanon American Club at 22 West St. to help Danbury students raise money for children in Darfur. ($25)

Thursday: “Blinders,” a documentary about the New York City carriage industry, screens at 5:30 p.m. at Danbury Public Library. Tickets for the movie are $7. After the movie, a fundraising reception for Equine Angels, a group that rescues horses, will he held at Tuscano at 275 Main St. Donations are suggested.

Friday: The “VIP Party,” from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Tarrywile Mansion at 70 Southern Blvd. This is an invite-only event, according to festival organizers, open to festival sponsors, filmmakers and others.

At 9:30 p.m., the drama “The Other Side of the Tracks” will screen at the Heirloom Arts Theater at 155 Main St., followed by a screening reception at Two Steps on Ives Street.

Saturday: “Saturday Night Film and Industry Bash.” A red carpet will be rolled out at The Palace Theater at 6:15 p.m., where New Milford cinematographer Christo Bakalov and actress Namrata Singh Gujral will be honored. At 7 p.m., their film, “Americanizing Shelley,” will be shown. After the movie, it’s time for the “industry bash” at the Palace, with food, drinks and live music.

Tickets for the film and party are $25.

Saturday: Watch “Elite Squad,” a critically-acclaimed movie from Brazil, at 7 p.m. at WestConn’s Ives Concert Hall on White Street. An informal post-screening party will be held at 9 p.m. at Delicious Bread Bakery at 35 White St. featuring Brazilian food, drinks and live music. Tribuna newspaper and Hamilton Mortgage are playing host to the after-party. Call (203) 730-0457 to RSVP.

Sunday: 2008 CT Film Festival Awards Brunch, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Amber Room Colonnade at 1 Stacey Road. Audience and judges awards will be given for narrative feature, documentary, international, short, animated and student film. Tickets are $25.

Sunday: Watch “The Pack,” starring Lucie Arnaz, at 5 p.m. at the Palace, then stay for a reception to benefit the American Cancer Society.

Tickets are $25.

CLICK HERE for info on parking, screening loctions, etc.

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19th
MAY

CT Film Fest Survival Guide!

Posted by chainsaw under CT film fest survival guide, ct film fest

The Connecticut Film Festival starts Tuesday at 7 p.m. at The Palace Theater on Main Street.

Organizers have scheduled about 100 screenings between Tuesday and Sunday, plus film-related workshops at various venues.

If you plan to take everything in, the following info may come in handy.

Where do I buy tickets?

Log onto www.ctfilmfest.com or stop by CityCenter Danbury at 186 Main St.

Call CityCenter at (203) 792-1711.

Speaking of screenings, where the heck are they?

All Nations Baptist Church, 234 Main St., (203) 790-1778.

Danbury Public Library, 170 Main St., (203) 797-4505.

Heirloom Arts Theater (formerly the Empress Ballroom), 155 Main St., Suite 103. Lost? Go to www.myspace.com/heirloomartstheatre for specific directions on how to get there. It’s next to the Palace, at the end of the alley between the two buildings.

The Palace Theater, Main Street, next to the Ancient Order of Hibernians.

Western Connecticut State University Student Center Theater, 181 White St. Student center information center phone number is (203) 837-8210. The general phone number is (203) 837-8200. Click here for a map of the campus.

Western Connecticut State University, Ives Concert Hall, 181 White St.

How much is this going to run me?

Depends on your age and the time of day. Most movies are $8 a pop, $7 before 6 p.m. and $7 for students and senior citizens.

There are also a bunch of different price packages available. Log onto http://casebook.com/ctffSITE/tickets.php for those options.

Where can I get a schedule of movies?

The News-Times published a program Sunday. Programs should also be available at the venues or at CityCenter.

Information is also available at www.NewsTimes.com and www.ctfilmfest.com

What should I see?

“The Flyboys,” “Tropa de Elite,” “Monster Camp” and “Americanizing Shelly” are getting some pre-festival buzz. More reviews are available at The News-Times Web site, and we’ll sprinkle in reviews in print throughout the festival.

Where do I park?

In addition to on-street, metered parking along Main Street, the city has two parking garages within walking distance of the downtown screening venues. Questions? Call the Danbury Parking Authority at (203) 748-6423.

The new Charles A. Bardo Parking Garage is at 10 Library Place. It has 386 spaces. If heading south on Main Street, Library Place is the first right after passing Elm and White streets.

The Terence E. McNally Patriot Garage is at 21 Delay St., next to Ives Street and the Danbury Arena. There are 550 spaces.

The rate at both garages is 75 cents per hour. However, the city charges a $3 flat rate from 4 p.m. to 3 a.m.

At WestConn, on-street parking is available around campus. Visitors can also use the free parking garages on Fifth Avenue and White Street.

What are these workshops I keep hearing about?

Want to learn about the technical and business side of filmmaking? The festival is playing host to 16 workshops, ranging from “working with the CT state tax credit” to “directing actors.”

See www.NewsTimes.com or www.ctfilmfest.com for the complete list.

The workshops will be held at the Danbury Women’s Center at 2 West St., Danbury Public Library at 170 Main St. and at St. James Episcopal Church at 25 West St.

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