The Long Island International Film Expo, named “One of the Top 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World” by MovieMaker Magazine and is acclaimed as “One of the Top 10 Must See Summer Film Festivals in the United States” by Audience Awards, began July 9 and will continue through July 17 at the historic Bellmore Movies.
This year’s festival will honor Long Island Filmmaker Creative Achievement Award recipient Robert Davi, an actor, singer, writer, and director best known for his work on such films as Die Hard, License to Kill and Goonies.
“Robert Davi has long been one of my favorite entertainers, so it’s exciting to not only have him performing again at Eisenhower Park on July 19, but to honor him with a Long Island Filmmaker Creative Achievement Award at this year’s LIIFE,” said Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano.
Other celebrities scheduled to attend LIIFE include: William Sadler (The Shawshank Redemption), Lynne Cohen (The Hunger Games), Brian O’Halloran (Clerks), Kevin Brown (30 Rock), and John Nolan (musician – Taking Back Sunday).
LIIFE features 158 short and feature-length independent films this year from 32 countries, including 32 films with Long Island ties and 55 world premieres. The opening night feature is The Historian, which stars William Sadler, John Cullum, and Glynnis O’Connor. Festival premieres include Cigarette Soup, which filmed partially at Nickerson Beach and is produced by Larry Strong of Hempstead, and director Fred Carpenter’s Charlie Mantle, which stars Robert Funaro, Armand Assante, Sean Young, Robert Clohessy, and Jackie Martling and was written and produced by Long Island’s Ed Wahl. A full list of films and synopses is available at http://longislandfilmexpo.com/documents/2014Schedule.pdf
2014 LIIFE panels include: “The Write Stuff”; “Perils of Being an Independent Filmmaker” breakfast; “Film Financing and Distribution Panel”; “How to Improv When the Unexpected Happens”; “How to Use the NYS Tax Credit”; and “So You Want to Be an Actor Workshop.” Except for the $5 fee for the filmmaker breakfast, all panels are FREE. Additional information is available at http://longislandfilmexpo.com/panels-events/
Tickets are $10 per film block, $8 for senior citizens, students and Filmmakers Connection Members. From Monday through Friday, all film blocks that begin at 5 p.m. or earlier, seniors and students can bring a friend for FREE. Day passes are $25 and Gold Passes are $65. For tickets and information on the LIIFE, please visit http://longislandfilmexpo.com/events/ or call (516) 571-3168.
