Films of Conflict and Resolution

This is the second year in an annual series of international feature films and shorts that offers the international artist a platform to express their point of view. Our mission is to utilize the power of cinema to increase awareness of the human realities of war and conflict. Film can be a unique catalyst, with teh capacity to transform the perceptions, opinions and beliefs that too often divide individuals and communities. We present current work made by filmmakers from the world's conflict zones that would not otherwise be seen by American audiences, focusing on a different region each year. Exhibiting them at a major U.S. film festival turns the spotlight of public attention on the important films. Our intention is to foster open and informed diaglogues with fresh knowledge and interpretations, histories and stories, and to encourage and nurture new voices and perspectives. This year festival focused on the break-up of Yugoslavia and divided into six programs.

The Artistry of Cuba

Directors from The Artistry of Cuba discuss the rich heritage and changing face of Cuban cinema. Join us for a unique opportunity to hear about filmmaking in Cuba, and joint co-productions with Spain, Mexico, Germany and France. We will also hear what it is like to be a young director living in present-day Cuba, and the challenges for American directors who want to make a film in Cuba.

Women and Film: Then and Now

The Women's Film Preservation Fund presents a program of films by women filmmakers from three different eras and genres, providing a glimpse into the great contributions women have made to a century of filmmaking. The Women's Film Preservation Fund was founded in 1995 by New York Women in Film & Television, in association with The Museum of Modern Art and American Movie Classics, to restore and preserve films in which women have had significant creative roles. A champion of the achievements of women in our industry, NYWIFT has instituted the Fund to ensure that the enormous contributions of women filmmakers are not lost to future generations. Since its inception, the Women's Film Preservation Fund has provided financial support to preservation of more than 40 short and feature films.

Artists Make Movies

Many significant painters and photographers have used film to convey their aesthetics, beginning with Salvador Dali and Man Ray in the 1920s. This series celebrates such creations and their creators from the postwar period to current times. While our local and international artists/filmmakers work in diverse forms - from traditional narratives to documentaries and experimental movies - their collective endeavors emphasize an often zany commitment to cinema as art, editing (montage), the aesthetic process (collage), and political/social themes (collision).

View from Long Island

Now in its second year, View from Long Island is a part of our continued commitment to working with our community. The program consists of a selection of films and video shorts, documentaries, and an experimental personal story that demonstrates the wealth of talent, resources, and natural beauty of Long Island. The films chosen for this program were either made right here on Long Island or by filmmakers who call it their home.

Close Encounters
Thursday through Sunday, at Guild Hall

Join us for intimate, informal discussions with prominent artists moderated by Richard Brown and Eugene Hernandez. Featured guests included Haley Joel Osment, Danis Tanovic, Julia Stiles and Stockard Channing.

A Conversation With...

Each year, the Festival presents a discussion between a distinguished moderator and a surprise guest and this year welcomed back Elvis Mitchell, Film Critic for The New York Times, and host of The Independent Channel's Independent Focus. Past guests have included Martin Scorsese with Steven Spielberg, Quincy Jones, Isabella Rossellini, Anjelica Huston, Richard Dreyfuss, Roy Scheider, Barry Sonnenfeld and Danny Aiello.

Master Class with Roger Ebert

World renowned critic Roger Ebert presented his program on a masterpiece of American cinema - Orson Wells' Citizen Kane. Ebert invited film lovers to view it through his eyes and encouraged the audience to contribute and participate in any or all of three two-and-half hour sessions. Ebert showed the film on a large DVD screen with top-action process for detailed discussion at the audience's request on everything from visual strategies and special effects to acting, premis, concept and story. A very special opportunity!!