Soaps, Workshops And Shorts Highlight Ridgewood International Film Festival

RIDGEWOOD, NJ — The Ridgewood Guild's seventh annual International Film Festival this week features two red carpet events, an acting workshop by an Emmy-winning village native and a free film night at the library.

There will be free red carpet events Wednesday, the festival's opening night, at about 6 p.m. and Thursday at the Bow Tie Theater. Admission costs $10 a night.

Films by Ridgewood, Bergenfield, Edgewater and throughout Bergen County will be screened on both nights. Winners will be announced Thursday night.

"The level of excitement grows each year," said Tony Damiano, Ridgewood Guild president. "I cannot believe how our film festival has grown over the past seven years."

Westwood's Austin Peck of "Days Of Our Lives" and "As The World Turns," Alysia Reiner of "Orange Is The New Black" and Terri Conn from "One Life To Live" will be on hand.

Austin Peck, left

Three-time Emmy winner Martha Byrne, a Ridgewood native, will present an acting workshop "How To Avoid The Sharks And Get Into Show Business" from 5 to 5:45 p.m. at the theater before the red carpet event.

Three-time Emmy Award-winner Martha Byrne

There will be a question-and-answer session with actors from the Amazon web series "Tainted Dreams" and "Equity" after those shows are screened.

Boy band Larger Than Life will perform and a documentary about the group will show. The Ridgewood Jamboree 2017 World Tour will also be screened.

The guild's International Film Festival is Thursday and features a variety of films, including "Roll Call," a film about wheelchair-bound Bergen County students who learn how to ballroom dance.

"But Deliver Us From Evil," starring Eric Roberts and Christopher Mann will also be screened. Many of the film's cast and crew will be there.

For more information and a schedule of films and events, visit the festival's website and Facebook page.

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Photo: Guild President Tony Damiano, R. J.Konner, Alice Rose, director Joshua Coates and hostess Celia Austin. — All photos courtesy of Ridgewood Guild