Long Island International Film Expo Holds Closing Night Awards Ceremony

After an exciting week of short and feature-length independent films from around the world premiering at the Long Island International Film Expo, the 20th Annual festival will go out with a bang as they present their Closing Night Awards Ceremony Thursday, July 20th at the historic Bellmore Movies (222 Pettit Avenue, Bellmore, NY 11710) from 7:00PM to 9:00PM (RED CARPET BEGINS AT 5:00PM)!

Host Kevin Brown (30 Rock, Did you hear about the Morgans?) will kick off the festivities along with presenters including actor William Sadler (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile) *Also receiving Best Supporting Actor Award for Shoot Me Nicely*, Broadway Star Ciarán Sheehan (Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables) who will also be performing some of his songs, Actress Ilene Kristen (Ryan's Hope, One Life to Live), Comic/Radio Personality/Actor/Author Jackie "The Joke Man" Martling (The Howard Stern Show, Private Parts), and Actor/Producer Brian O'Halloran (Clerks, Dogma)!

LIIFE is the premiere filmmaker community on Long Island sponsored by the Long Island Film/TV Foundation (LIFTF) and the County of Nassau, which shows 168 short and feature-length films of every genre. The expo offers networking opportunities, a 350 seat historic theater, press and media opportunities, a convenient filmmakers lounge and several discussion panels with topics ranging from distribution to scriptwriting, legal music, SAG contracts and a filmmaker panel/breakfast.

Some of this year's films included Long Island premieres such as Shoot Me Nicely written and directed by Elias Plagianos, which has won awards all over the world and stars John Behlmann, Linda Hamilton (The Terminator), William Sadler (Shawshank Redemption), Jackie Martling (formerly of the Howard Stern show) and Josh Burrows (Captain Morgan), as well as New Hyde Park writer/director BIANCA Jamotte LeRoux's short film Flush the John and her web series Real Mommy Confessions.

LIIFE this year also held a showcase, (not in competition) of student films from the Long Island High School of the Arts and the Not Yet Legal Films club. Laughing through the Fear is a documentary on stand-up comedian, CBS's "Kevin Can Wait" star and Long Island Native Chris Roach, which was filmed by the local high school film students group "Not Yet Legal Films."

With a heavy celebrity presence, visits in past years have included a wide range of noted actors and actresses including Ed Asner, Steve Buscemi, Ralph Macchio, and Ally Sheedy! Named "One of the Top 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World" by MovieMaker Magazine, LIIFE is one of Long Island's most prestigious film festivals and the Long Island Film/TV Foundation, a not-for-profit, is also the foremost group providing support to the film/TV and commercial industries on Long Island.

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