The seventh annual Queens World Film Festival has their 2017 line up of events all set, featuring 135 films from 25 nations, and is scheduled for March 14 through 19.
Each year, the festival pays tribute to an outstanding filmmaker for his or her body of work.
This year’s “Spirit of Queens” award goes to independent film director Julie Dash and her 1991 masterpiece, “Daughters of the Dust,” which will be showcased at the Museum of the Moving Image on Wednesday night, March 15 from 7 to 10 p.m.
The screening will be followed by a conversation with Dash.
The incredible Illusions by Dash will also be screened within another block of films screened at MoMI on Friday, March 18.
The Queens World Film Festival engages audiences with targeted outreach to the diverse communities that comprise the borough.
“This year’s 135 films come from 25 nations whose diasporas are represented in Queens, the ‘World’s Borough’. These films examine love, loss, immigration, mental health and some take on these themes in progressive ground breaking style. These films promise to move and entertain our audiences.” QWFF Artistic Director Don Cato said.
The festival sponsors include Kaufman Astoria Studios, Investors Bank, MYNYCB, Council Member Daniel Dromm and Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer, The Queens Post and the TimesLedger
Highlights and statistics for the 2017 Queens World Film Festival include:
March 14: Opening Night at MoMI kicks off at 7 p.m. with a VIP reception featuring the 2017 filmmakers, 2017 Honoree Dash and other special guests.
The program starts at 8 p.m. when Dash will receive the 2017 Spirit of Queens Award for her outstanding contribution to cinema — indie or otherwise.
Her work is majestic and intimate, assertive and nuanced.
The night will also feature NYC’s elected officials, QWFF sponsors and partners, and five short films that will give the audience a glimpse of what is to come during Festival Week 2017.
March 18: At 5:30 p.m., the MoMI Redstone Theatre will show “Adam Green’s Aladdin,” featuring Macaulay Culkin of “Home Alone,” leading an enthusiastic cast through the wildest adaptation of this classic that you will ever see.
The film also stars Alia Shawkat (“State of Grace,” “Arrested Development,” “Search Party”).
March 16: At 8 p.m., the MoMI Redstone Theatre will have the world premiere of “Searching for Fortune,” starring John Heard (“The Sopranos,” “Big,” “The Milagro Beanfield War,” “Awakenings,” “Home Alone,” “Radio Flyer,” “The Pelican Brief,” “White Chicks,” “Miami Vice”).
A family drama about a woman who tracks down her recently deceased husband’s brother and reveals a 25-year-old family secret.
March 18: At 8 p.m., the MoMI Redstone Theatre will screen the North American premiere of “Scumbag” (the world premiere was at the prestigious International Film Festival at Rotterdam), “The Wolf of Wallstreet” meets “Kids” starring every punk legend since the 1970s, starring Princess Frank, Debra Haden, Nick Zedd, Michael Alig, Neon Music, Goddess Bunny, Keith Morris, Angelo Moore, Monique Parent, Jael De Pardo, Don Bolles, Kid Congo Powers, Scott E. Myers, Ron Jeremy, Cindy Lucas, Penny Arcade, Nina Hartley, Brian Soigne and Deluxe Wilso.
March 18: At 2:45 p.m., the MoMI Bartos Theatre will Show “After School” by the rising star Alec Tibaldi, an alumni of QWFF, who’s 2016 film “Ride or Die” won the QWFF 2016 Best Ensemble Award.
“After School” is another sterling example of great directing, acting and production and stars Ruby Modine (“Shameless”) and the young and extremely promising Piper De Palma, whose father is film director Brian De Palma.
And there are 130 more incredible, intriguing and challenging works, including four about the undocumented immigrant experience and four more featuring challenging mental health conditions.
There will be six beautiful LGBT films, an animation about brotherly love that will break your heart, thrillers, chillers and all-out high camp.
The world’s borough is well represented, with 23 films from Queens, 16 from Manhattan, 17 from Brooklyn and one from the Bronx.
There will be 12 films from Germany, seven from Spain, four from Iran and eight films are by Asian filmmakers from all over NYC.
They will also have 50 films by women and three films that were collaborative efforts from educational institutions.
In addition to producing the annual Queens World Film Festival, the organization programs films year-round at a variety of borough venues through its “Encore” and “Old Spice” screening series, and through its “Young Filmmakers” training program.
The Queens World Film Festival is a program of the Queens World Film Initiative Inc., a non-profit 501(c) 3 organization.
