CAZENOVIA, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — Over a three-day weekend, filmmakers, cinephiles, aspiring students, and industry insiders both high-tier and local are convening at a humble, 400-seat theater in Cazenovia.
For its 22nd year, the Syracuse International Film Festival is moving to the Catherine Cummings Theater in Cazenovia for its annual festival from Oct. 17-19.
At its Oct. 19 award ceremony, the is bestowing two special accolades: the Lumen Award to Tom Seeley and the Sophia Award to Stephen Baldwin.
Seeley was a screenwriting professor at Syracuse University and now teaches part-time at Ithaca College. He wrote and produced for several network TV shows, including “Cheers,” “Murphy Brown” (which won him an Emmy), and “Hannah Montana.” In 2012, he began working in Moscow to supervise the Russian version of “Everybody Loves Raymond,” “Воронины” (“The Voronins”).
Baldwin, an actor and director, is the youngest of the Baldwin Brothers. He appeared in the award-winning film “Bio-Dome” and won nominations for “The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas,” as well as competing in “The Celebrity Apprentice” and directing the Christian skateboarding film “Livin’ It.”
As a sort of prologue to the main events, the Manlius Library is hosting a free screening one of the ceremony’s honorable mentions, “Tiananmen Tonight,” at 6 p.m. on Oct. 16, the day before the festival begins.
The Palace Theatre in Syracuse is also hosting a smaller, auxiliary festival on Oct. 18, at 6 p.m., featuring screenings across three blocks of:
Block 1: “El Jacho” 22 minutes. Directed by Adrián Borges Estrada; “Jacked” 1 hour and 17 minutes. Directed by John Fucile. A Q&A with Fucile follows the screening.
Block 2: “American Psycho” 1 hour and 42 minutes. Directed by Mary Harron. A Q&A with co-writer Guinevere Turner follows the screening.
Block 3: “Just Kids” 1 hour and 33 minutes. Directed by Gianna Toboni.
Oct. 17
Doors open at 5 p.m., festival runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
6 p.m. Opening remarks from festival director Michelle DiBernado
6:05 p.m. – 7:05 p.m. Education Panel
Kristen Bauer-Gross is an acting coach and model based in the Finger Lakes area.
Mac Cushing is head instructor at the WCNY Entertainment Academy and the owner of Salt City Grip, a lighting and camera support rental company.
Adria Dawn is an actress, filmmaker, and Syracuse University film and theater professor.
David Tarleton is a producer, director, and chair of Syracuse’s film department. Tarleton and Dawn, who are married, co-founded Tarleton/Dawn Productions in 2004.
Dean Lyons is the CEO of the Syracuse-based Animate BootCamp and director of Splinter Studios
Alex Méndez Giner is a cinematographer of several short films as well as the upcoming video game “I Shouldn’t Have Come Here Alone.”
Greg Robbins is a stuntman whose work includes “The Terminator” and the creator of the TV series “Pastor Greg.”
Guinevere Turner is an actress, director, and screenwriter. She is best known for co-writing the scripts for “American Psycho” and “Go Fish,” and for starring in the latter as well as “The Watermelon Woman.”
Joann Yarrow is a director, producer, and industry coach, and the director of community engagement at Syracuse Stage.
7:05 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. Intermission
7:15 p.m. – 8:15 p.m. Industry Panel
Kyle Mecca, Harry Lipsitz, and Peter Johnson are the founders of Casting Buffalo, a casting company for film and TV productions in western New York.
Jason Howard leads Upstate NY Entertainment, a rental company that sets up photo-ops for celebrities and famous movie vehicles.
Alex Korman is the executive director of CNY Arts.
Stephen Long is a gaffer and camera operator, and producer for Upstate Down Productions.
Simone Palanker is a hair stylist whose work includes “Plainclothes” and the upcoming “The Legend of Juan Jose Mundo.”
Rod Wallenbeck is a caterer and the president of Rodfathers BBQ & Catering.
Oct. 18
Doors open at 10:30 a.m., festival runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Short Film Showcase
11:05 a.m. SHORT: “Germaphobia” 12 minutes. Directed by Nick Daniello.
11:17 a.m. SHORT: “Huli” 21 minutes. Directed by Daniel Croix.
11:50 a.m. SHORT: “Massissippi” 9 minutes. Directed by Mac Hudson.
11:59 a.m. SHORT: “Tapir Memories” 14 minutes. Directed by Pedro Nel Cabrera Vanegas.
12:13 p.m. SHORT: “Father and Son” 9 minutes. Directed by Ross Raventos.
12:22 p.m. SHORT: “Gath & K’iyh: Listen to Heal” 18 minutes. Directed by Princess Daazhraii Johnson.
12:40 p.m. SHORT: “Morning Hate” 6 minutes. Directed by Dean O’Gorman.
12:46 p.m. SHORT: “Melodies of War” 19 minutes. Directed by Jiayang Liu.
1:05 p.m. Q&A with the Filmmakers: Nick Daniello, Daniel Crox, Ross Raventos, and Dean O’Gorman.
1:16 p.m. FEATURE: “Goddess of Slide” 1 hour and 36 minutes. Directed by Alfonso Maiorano. A Q&A with Maiorano follows the screening.
3:11 p.m. FEATURE: “Pieces of Lilo”
5:06 p.m. SHORT: “Video Ocean”
6:07 p.m. SHORT: “Undeniable Evidence”
7:05 p.m. SHORT: “Insane” 30 minutes. Directed by Sonia Blangiardo. A Q&A with Blangiardo follows the screening.
8:05 p.m. FEATURE: “American Psycho” 1 hour and 42 minutes. Directed by Mary Harron. A Q&A with co-writer Guinevere Turner follows the screening.
8:20 p.m. – 8:25 p.m. Photo ops with the panelists
8:30 p.m. FEATURE: “A Tantalizing” 1 hour and 28 minutes. Directed by Katie Prael.
Oct. 19
Doors open at 10:30 a.m., festival runs from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
11 a.m. FEATURE: “Exit Interviews” 1 hour and 38 minutes. Directed by Garrett Abdo.
1:03 p.m. FEATURE: “Inmates With Talent” 1 hour and 24 minutes. Directed by Johnny Collins and Joel Jerome Dant.
2:52 p.m. FEATURE: “The Christmas Letter” 1 hour and 34 minutes. Directed by Tori Hunter.
4:51 p.m. FEATURE: “Martyr of Gowanus” 1 hour and 29 minutes. Directed by Brian Meere.
7 p.m. Award Ceremony
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