HONEY BOY, MARRIAGE STORY Among Woodstock Film Festival's 20th Anniversary Lineup

The Woodstock Film Festival today announced the full lineup for its landmark 20th Anniversary, taking place from October 2-6 in the historic Hudson Valley towns of Woodstock, Rhinebeck, Kingston, Saugerties, and Rosendale. Widely acknowledged for showcasing passionate, creative and thought-provoking work by some of today's most promising and accomplished independent filmmakers, this year's festival will showcase more than 50 features from around the world, as well as many short films, and will include panels, live performances, and other special events.

"Over the past twenty years the Woodstock Film Festival has been in the unique position to bring thousands of films and filmmakers to New York's Hudson Valley," says Festival Co-Founder and Executive Director Meira Blaustein. "Working together with filmmakers and community members alike, we have brought attention to pressing social issues, offered platforms for talented new voices, spurred career opportunities, and continued to serve as a cultural, educational and economic engine to the region, and we are deeply grateful to all who have worked and collaborated with us."

Blaustein adds: "Woodstock is a name that has long conjured a spirit of artistry, progressive thinking, and independence, and true to its namesake, this year's lineup reflects that."

Opening Night Film: Award-winning filmmaker Alma Har'el's Honey Boy, from a screenplay by Shia LaBeouf, based on the actor's struggles to reconcile with his father and deal with his own mental health. Starring LaBeouf and Lucas Hedges.

Centerpiece Film: Céline Sciamma's Portrait of a Lady on Fire, which won Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival this year. This seductive period drama, with an all-female cast, centers on a rebellious noblewoman and the artist tasked with painting her portrait.

Closing Night Film: Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Noah Baumbach'sMarriage Story, an incisive and compassionate portrait of a marriage breaking up and a family staying together. The film stars Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver. Laura Dern, Alan Alda, and Ray Liotta co-star.

20th anniversary free pre-festival community event: As a special thank you gift to the community, the Festival presents a screening of Oscar-winning filmmaker Roger Ross Williams' The Apollo, Tuesday, Oct. 1st, at the Ulster Performing Arts Center in Kingston.

Kicking off the Festival, the World Premiere of Tarik Benbrahim's Simon Shaheen: A Musical Journey, taking us on a fascinating adventure through the world of classical Arabic music with the world renowned oud and violin virtuoso. A live performance by Shaheen and fellow musicians will follow the screening on Wednesday, Oct. 2nd.

Special guests include this year's honorary Trailblazer Award recipient Abigail Disney; actors Matt Dillon, Rosie Perez, Parker Posey, Karen Allen, and Tim Guinee; filmmakers Julie Taymor, Rebecca Miller, Pamela Yates, Alex Smith, Robert Stone, Marshall Curry, Ellen Kuras, Ron Nyswaner, and Joe Berlinger;Shimon Shaheen; folk music icon Janis Ian; musicians Robert Burke Warren andBilly Martin, and climate change and gun reform activists, including March for Our Lives co-founder Cameron Kasky; and more.

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