Hudson Valley Talent Shines in 2016 VoB Film Festival: Notes from the County Executive's Office

From the Putnam County Executive's Office

Hudson Valley talent had a spotlight on its many faces during Labor Day weekend’s Village of Brewster Film Festival, with works showcased by filmmakers, musicians, actors, producers, directors, and film editors from Ossining, Yonkers, NYC, Brewster, Lake Carmel, Pawling, Kent, Carmel, White Plains, and even a world premiere from first-time student filmmakers.

These are just some of the highlights of VOBFF 2016:

The VoBFF started off Thursday of Labor Day Weekend with short films at Cold Spring’s 1833 Restoration Chapel along the mighty Hudson River with short films and their directors in attendance for questions after their screenings – the touching “Arts and Crafts” by director/writerNina Gielen, the humorous “Dead Sharks” by director/producer Nic Barker, and the perplexing“Die Formal” by director Kathrin Frey. Closing the night, director/editor Stephanie Schleicher’smusic video “Mr. Sunshine” mixed amazing editing with renown musician Kevin Hupp’spowerful song and actor Jeff Zitofsky’s convincing clown in Brewster, NY settings; Schleicherwas raised in Yonkers and like Hupp is now a Brewster resident, with Zitofsky from WhitePlains.

Friday night at Brewster’s Bull & Barrel Brewery, SAG-AFTRA actor Kim Blacklock surprised everyone at the VOBFF’s sold out annual fundraiser by introducing her supporting character role as Matty Pierce, the female Maine lobster boat Captain in the 2016 VOBFF’s feature film “The Congressman” starring Treat Williams, Elizabeth Marvel, Ryan Merriman, and George Hamilton is by Executive Producer Nancy Zises of Long Island and Prodcuer Fred Roos (of The Godfather series) and written by former U.S. Congressman and Navy veteran Robert Mrazek now of Ithaca, NY. Kim Blacklock, a member of SAG since 1991, is a Kent Lakes, NY, resident and president of the Putnam County-based H. G. Fairfield Arts Center for the Environment which sponsors Arts at Camp Herrlich, an artist in residency program during Camp Herrlich’s summer season.

Saturday morning VoBFF 2016 kids’ films kicked off at Empire Cinemas in the Town of Southeast with the world premiere of “The Monster In You” - a short film about erasing prejudice written, directed, shot, and scored by the Young Filmmakers Atelier of Mrs. Regina Rosenbaum-Altman’s 2015-2016 8 th grade class at George Fischer Middle School (GFMS) in the Carmel Central School District. The Young Filmmakers Atelier is entering its 4 th year at GFMS and is produced by H. G. Fairfield Arts’ Media Workshop with Director Stephanie Schleicher.

Stunning animated children’s films from around the world filled the morning with a gathering of local arts-related not-for- profits introducing themselves afterwards with H. G. Fairfield Arts & VoBFF hosting a continental breakfast with Brewster Pastry baked goods and the first Arts in Putnam Meet & Greet. Present form Putnam were representatives from the Putnam Arts Council, Arts on the Lake, Brewster Theater Company, SPACE at Ryder Farms, H, G, Fairfield Arts Center for the Environment, Putnam County Tourism, Nimham Mountain Singers, Studio Around the Corner, Town of Southeast Cultural Arts Coalition, Putnam television and Film Commission and the Village of Brewster Film Festival.

Saturday afternoon, in the VoBFF’s first time with Arts on the Lake as a venue, screened the one-of- a-kind film “SUGAR!” about women returning to their rock-n- roll lives, with director/writer/editor Shari Berman and Tony Award Winner actor Alice Ripley coming up from NYC. Ripley was delighted to see “SUGAR!” for the first time in its entirety. Sunday morning with VoBFF at Brewster’s Studio Around the Corner, “Back to Plan A” was also screened by filmmaker Rebecca Nyahay from Yonkers, now of Ossining, with a crowd attending the film “Adoption & Identity Intertwined” by director/producer Mei Kelly.

Sunday afternoon “No Letting Go” screened at Arts on the Lake, by another local talent, producer Carina Rush of Illness Productions, who shot her film in Westchester County and dives into a family living with mental illness in their midst. The Sunday short film VOBFF 2016 series also included director Paul Robinson and writer Sashia Dumont’s film “Sound Like Silence” which mesmerized the audience in its implications and shocked us at the end. The filmmaking duo living in Lake Carmel and Dumont’s prolific screenwriting feeds their impressive production drive. Aaron Mapleback, one of the lead actors in director Thien Nguyen’s art film “St. Paul” that was also shown Sunday afternoon, ventured out from Los Angeles to the VoBFF not knowing anyone here and as an Australian had he said his “first taste of a real American town” and thoroughly enjoyed our Putnam County hospitality before heading to NYC Labor Day en route back to LA.

Hudson Valley arts are thriving. Labor Day weekend’s VOBFF 2016 showing of our local actors, producers, directors, musicians, editors films, along with foreign films and more, was pleasing to both young and older audiences who came to watch the 50 films in 6 locations throughout Putnam County in the star-studded 5 th annual Village of Brewster Film Festival.

Congratulations all; Bob Dumont, Chairperson of the all-volunteer VOBFF Board promises 2017’s festival will delight as well.

PHOTO by K. Blacklock