Long Island International Film Expo spotlights local filmmakers
Raquel Sciacca and Ryan Umbarila star in “How I Spent My Summer Vacation,” a locally made film screening at the Long Island International Film Expo in Bellmore. Credit: In the Garage Productions
The Long Island International Film Expo returns Wednesday with a grab bag of titles from local filmmakers and from around the world. The festival’s 28th edition runs through Sunday at its longtime home, the Bellmore Movies and Showplace.
As always, the lineup is organized into “blocks” that typically include a feature and a number of shorts. Some titles come from as far away as Israel, Egypt and India, while others come from as nearby as Long Beach. Among the local celebrities scheduled to appear are Merrick comedian Travis Grant and Miss Long Island Kristen Rosario, of East Northport.
“We started when there were almost no other film festivals out here,” said Debra Markowitz, the former Nassau County Film Commissioner who originally launched the festival with Anne and Henry Stampfel, owners of the Bellmore Movies. “The vision was just to showcase original voices.”
Among the local films on the lineup are “How I Spent My Summer Vacation,” a coming-of-age dramedy, and “The Bigfoot Club,” a comedy about now-grown childhood friends who come together to relaunch their search for the elusive cryptid — both from the Rockville Centre production company In the Garage. Thursday’s lineup features “Giants Rising,” a documentary about redwoods from former East Meadow filmmaker Lisa Landers.
There will also be a table read of the festival’s screenplay competition winner and filmmaking panels aimed at directors, assistant directors and other film festival organizers.
Tickets for film blocks are $15-$17. For a full schedule and to purchase tickets, go to longislandfilm.com.
Most Popular
Top Stories
