A world of independent film comes to "Everybody's Hometown" as the 6th Annual Media Film Festival prepares to screen outstanding work by local, national and international filmmakers. The 2 day festival takes place Friday, April 5th and Saturday April 6th at the Media Borough Community Center, 3rd and Monroe Streets. Sponsored by the Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union, the Media Film Festival is a juried presentation of outstanding narrative, documentary, animated and experimental films. Admission is $10. For more information or to purchase tickets visit www.mediafilmfestival.org
Friday night's fest will be hosted by Media resident and popular WMGK-FM personality, Debbi Calton. On Saturday night Media's talented team of Sue Serio, longtime weather forecaster on Fox 29's Good Day Philadelphia and her husband, actor and broadcaster Bill Vargus, will take over as hosts.
The Festival kicks off with a showing of the short film IMAGINE created by local High School students as part of the Media Youth Film Initiative, MyFi, a program created by the Media Arts Council in partnership with the Media Youth Center. MyFi's professional instructor is award winning filmmaker and Asst. Professor of Communications at Villanova University, Hezekiah Lewis. For fans of the horror genre is the traditional Friday Night Horror Fest beginning at 10:30pm. On Saturday there will be a 3:30pm matinee with four local films of note. To view the Festival promotional video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpm-tSmTk3I
The regular 7pm Friday lineup includes:
DISTANCE, dir. by Sang Joon Kim - The ups and downs of a father/son relationship;
BIRDMAN, dir. by Jessica Auritt - A unique profile of The Birdman, the quirky owner of Rainbow Music, a cluttered music shop in NYC who carries on despite the changing world around him;
IRINA, dir. by Michael Johnston - Struggling with the disastrous review of her latest play, an aging theater actress transforms her apartment into her stage;
VICTOR, dir. by Alex Sergi - After losing many things dear to him, a young man breaks away from a mundane life to search for happiness Live Action Role Playing;
A NIGHT WITH NOVA, dir. by Kenneth Kraft - A belittled poet pours his soul out to the one he loves;
LIVING CANVAS, dir. By Ronnie Cramer - Visit the gallery where artists paint their work directly on the models;
SILENT WAVE, dir. by Sudeep Kanwal - A man seeks redemption after a life altering incident tears his marriage apart;
THE NAKED BRAND, dir. by Sherng-Lee Huang, Jeff Rosenblum - A documentary look at how corporations can help save the planet one small step at a time;
The 3:30pm Saturday Matinee includes:
FAMILY MEANS LOVE, dir. by Jason Taylor - A worn-down mom and dad develop a devious solution in dealing with their problem children;
OWEN'S HOBBY, dir. by Zachary Burke - When a stalker witnesses the object of his affection being kidnapped he is forced to take action;
QUANTUM, dir. by Joseph Carlin - A young research scientist enlists the aid of his colleagues in his latest study, a game calculated to put the theories of Quantum Suicide and multiple realities to the test;
HIS TAKE ON HER, dir. by John DeVault - You are a film director. Your poet/actress girlfriend appears suicidal. What do you do, shoot her?
Saturday Evening's 7pm program includes:
ELECTRO-CUTE! , dir. by Taryn Hough - In this part-animated comedic short, Pandora gets more than she bargained for when she uses a new device to attract others to her;
HARVEST, dir. by Reid Carrescia - A world-weary farmhand encounters an eerie event that causes him to question his outlook and destiny;
COPPER PENNY, dir. by Jay Pulk - After pulling a woman from the streets, a desperate man's surprising request complicates his already awkward situation;
KINGDOM OF SHADOWS, dir. by Kevin Corcoran - A film researcher gains possession of a lost silent film, and becomes obsessed with the film's long-dead star;
TIME OUT OF MIND, dir. by Addie Manis - Sarah is determined to handle her dying father's end-of-life care on her own, but can she hold onto her resilience and grasp on reality?
GEMALOGIA, dir. by Rick Limentani - Erick, a young gemologist, works long hours analyzing the imperfections of these precious stones until one day he questions the value of perfection;
NO COMMENT, dir. by Alexandra Naoum - In this lighthearted film a girl makes two unexpected and illuminating encounters in the Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris;
SURVIVING FAMILY, dir. by Laura Thies - Terry Malone is smart, beautiful, and about to marry a terrific guy. But has life in her dysfunctional family left her unprepared for happiness?
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