The VOB Film Festival is gearing up for a full slate of films at five locations on Labor Day Weekend, August 29-31st. This year's festival features over 40 films from both local and international filmmakers, double the number from last year. The newest location will be the Brewster train station, which will showcase the work of filmmakers from the New York metropolitan region from 1:30 PM-4:00 PM on Saturday, August 30.
“We are very excited to be able to use the train station. It is such a central, iconic part of Brewster and a true showcase venue for our Festival," says Stacy Dumont, who envisioned the idea of screening a feature length film and several shorts. "This station is accessible for drivers as parking is free in Metro North parking areas on Saturdays. We also encourage you to take the train to the festival!” she added. Films shown in the Brewster Train Station are free to attend.
This year the festival will include discussion panels with experienced filmmakers and will kick off with its Dinner and a Movie event on Friday, August 30. The feature film for the opening night is Jammed, a comedy from Yedidya Gorsetman of Riverdale, NY. "It is a very funny comedy, and we think is a great way to start our festival," says copywriter Kara Dorkin.
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The growth of the film festival has been an exciting journey since it debuted in 2012 with just nine short films in one evening. "We had difficulty attracting films that first year," says chair person Bob Dumont.
The VOBFF has truly become a forum where filmmakers want to show their work," he continued, referencing the 90-plus submissions received.
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"We had a really hard time keeping up on the judging this year," says Dorkin. "We had many volunteers who put in a lot of time and spent hours judging and rating each film. It was quite a task.”
To accommodate the growth, the numbers of venues and hours have been expanded. Saturday morning and afternoon slots have been added and films will start at 9:45 AM on Sunday. For film lovers, this is indeed a must-see event weekend. "We want you to spend Labor Day in Brewster. We are determined for it to become a Labor Day Weekend destination," says Bob Dumont."Filmmakers have already been inquiring about local hotels, places to stay and visit while they are here. There are production teams from several states who have indicated that they are planning to attend. It is very exciting."
For updates on the film festival, view the schedule, or buy tickets, visit VOBFilmFestival.com. Many film sessions were sold out in 2013 so reservations are encouraged.
