The 2016 Gold Coast International Film Festival announces an exciting slate of films for this year’s Festival taking place November 9 – 15, 2016 in venues throughout the north shore of Long Island, and once again – everyone’s invited to join us in an exciting week of films, parties, filmmaker Q&As, and glamour!
The Festival kicks off with a special sneak peek screening of Burn Your Maps, starring Jacob Tremblay (Room) and Academy Award nominee Vera Farmiga to be held on November 10, 2016 at Soundview Cinema in Port Washington. On November 12, also at Soundview Cinemas, GCIFF will host the Long Island premiere of Bang! The Bert Berns Story, a documentary narrated by Steven Van Zandt about the life and career of Bert Berns, the renowned 1960s songwriter/producer whose hits include “Twist and Shout”, “Piece of My Heart”, “Hang on Sloopy” and many more. A Q&A with Directors Brett Berns (Bert Berns’ son) and Bob Sarles will follow the screening and Brett Berns will accept an Artist of Distinction Award from the Gold Coast Arts Center on behalf of his late father. Other standout films include the Long Island premiere of French movie-star Isabelle Huppert’s new film Things to Come, direct from the Toronto International Film Festival, Harry Benson: Shoot First, followed by a Q&A with the legendary photographer himself and On the Map, the incredible story of how the 1977 Maccabee Tel-Aviv basketball team toppled the four-time defending Soviet team and put Israeli basketball firmly on the map. Director Dani Menkin and basketball star Tal Brody will be in attendance for a Q&A.
The sixth anniversary of the not-for-profit Festival will feature over 60 films and dozens of filmmakers at screenings and events in venues throughout the Town of North Hempstead region, including Soundview Cinemas in Port Washington, the Bow Tie Cinemas in Great Neck/Port Washington/ Manhasset/ Roslyn, the Gold Coast Arts Center in Great Neck and the campus of LIU Post. Films this year showcase Hollywood’s best actors including Gabriel Byrne, Nathan Lane, Frank Langella, Melissa Leo, James Franco, Christina Applegate, Billy Crudup, Catherine Deneuve, Vera Farmiga, Jacob Trembly, Geoffrey Rush, Sam Neil, Isabelle Huppert, Alex Karpovsky, Rachel Brosnahan and many more industry stars. Award-winning feature films from the world’s most prestigious festivals (Cannes, Toronto, Sundance, Tribeca, Hamptons) will be screened, plus over 25 incredible short films, with Q&As with visiting shorts filmmakers.
Filmmakers and special guests scheduled to attend include: renowned photographer Harry Benson, Matthew Miele (Harry Benson: Shoot First), Lawrence Smith (Mad Riot Entertainment), Dani Menkin (On the Map), Scott Rosenbaum (Sidemen: Long Road to Glory), Scott Sharrard, touring guitarist and musical director for The Gregg Allman Band, basketball superstar Tal Brody, Kate Keckler Dandel (Gold Balls), Brett Berns and Bob Sarles (Bang! The Bert Berns Story), Charlene Fiske (The Founders), Ferne Pearlstein (The Last Laugh), Amir Kishon, son of renowned Israeli satirist Ephraim Kishon, legendary Hollywood agent, Budd Burton Moss, plus many more.
New York filmmakers will be highlighted at this year’s Festival in our New York Spotlight program, a free event on the campus of LIU Post on Thursday November 10 at 11:30am that features short films by local filmmakers or about local subject matter. Lawrence Smith (Mad Riot Entertainment) and David Paterson (The Great Gilly Hopkins, Bridge to Terabithia) will lead a panel of many of the filmmakers screening their films during the program. Local filmmakers in attendance include Dale Arroyo, Gordon Grinberg, Neil Holland, Ramfis Myrthil, David Schneiderman and Max Stossel.
Sponsors and partners of this year’s GCIFF include founding partners the Town of North Hempstead and Douglas Elliman Real Estate, longstanding major partners LIU Post and Nassau County IDA as well as Neiman Marcus Roosevelt Field, Deluxe Entertainment Services Group, AARP Long Island, A.L. Sarroff Fund, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, The Katz Institute for Women’s Health at Northwell Health, LVR Rental, Samar Hospitality, The Andrew Hotel, Stella Artois, The Amsterdam at Harborside, Metropolitan Commercial Bank, Biener Audi, Jet Blue, WLIW21, Altice, New York Women in Film & Television, Anton Publications, Blank Slate Media, CareConnect, Edelman Financial Services LLC, LOLA of Great Neck and many others.
For tickets to all screening and events visit www.goldcoastfilmfestival.org.
The list of all films being screened at the Festival is at the end of this Release.
Images for all films can be found at: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/
FILMS AT THE 2016 GOLD COAST INT’L FILM FESTIVAL
AFTER THE STORM – Long Island Premiere
An affectionate, shrewdly observed drama of family life from Japan’s celebrated master, Kore-eda Hirokazu. Dwelling on his past glory as a prize-winning author, Ryota wastes the money he makes as a private detective on gambling and can barely pay child support. After the death of his father, his aging mother and beautiful ex-wife seem to be moving on with their lives. Renewing contact with his initially distrustful family, Ryota struggles to take back control of his existence and to find a lasting place in the life of his young son – until a stormy summer night offers them a chance to truly bond again. “A classic Japanese family drama of gentle persuasion and staggering simplicity from Kore-eda Hirokazu.” – Deborah Young, Hollywood Reporter
OFFICIAL SELECTION – Cannes Film Festival, Toronto Int’l Film Festival
Saturday Nov. 12 at 2pm at Manhasset Bow Tie Cinema
BANG! THE BERT BERNS STORY – Long Island Premiere
Music meets the Mob in this biographical documentary, narrated by Steven Van Zandt, about the life and career of Bert Berns, the most important songwriter and record producer from the sixties that you never heard of. His hits include “Twist and Shout”, “Hang On Sloopy”, “Here Comes The Night” and “Piece Of My Heart.” He helped launch the careers of Van Morrison and Neil Diamond and produced some of the greatest soul music ever made. Filmmaker Brett Berns brings his late father’s story to the screen with interviews with those who knew him best and rare performance footage. Included in the film are interviews with Ronald Isley, Ben E. King, Solomon Burke, Van Morrison and Paul McCartney. OFFICIAL SELECTION – SXSW, Seattle Int’l Film Festival.
Q&A following the film with Directors Brett Berns (Bert Berns’ son) and Bob Sarles.
Sponsored by AARP Long Island
Saturday Nov. 12 at 7:30pm at Soundview Cinema (Port Washington)
THE BRAND NEW TESTAMENT
God exists. He lives in Brussels annd he’s nothing short of a bastard. He spends his day intentionally making people miserable, tapping out rules on his his outdated DOS computer and fiddling with his train set. Wonderful French comedienne Yolande Moreau is his mild wife and of course everyone knows about his son, JC. But did you know he also has a daughter? Her name is Ea and she’s 10 years old and wants to change things. One day she rebels against her father, hacks his computer, and texts everyone in the world the date they will die. Then she escapes to Earth, where she recruits six Apostles for a Brand New Testament. Laugh-out-loud funny, this eagerly awaited project from Jaco Van Dormael (Toto the Hero) mixes religious satire and ironic fantasy to salutary effect. No longer in thrall to God’s all-seeing eye, the general populace feels free to act on their basest instincts and hidden desires. For the legendary Catherine Deneuve, that means going to bed with a gorilla. This madcap fantasy is a peppy, original and (importantly) very sweet story with a moral. NOMINATED- Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film; OFFICIAL SELECTION – Cannes Int’l Film Festival
Friday Nov. 11 at 9pm at Roslyn Bow Tie Cinema
BURN COUNTRY – Long Island Premiere
www.bit.ly/gciffcountry
Featuring Academy Award winner Melissa Leo and James Franco. Dominic Rails is Osman, a former “fixer” for journalists in Afghanistan who finds asylum in a small California town. Promised a job as a crime reporter for the local paper, and a home with his best friend’s mother, the town sheriff (Leo), Osman is ready to settle in. But when the job falls through, Osman finds himself restless and looking for action. His attempts to get to know the area lead him to develop friendships with an elusive local actress, Sandra (Rachel Brosnahan) and a charming local troublemaker Lindsay (Franco). But, when a dead body turns up and Lindsay goes missing, Osman returns to his former investigative instincts and explores the possible evil lurking just beneath the surface of his new home’s darkness. WINNER – Tribeca Film Festival Best Actor (US Narrative Feature); NOMINATED – Tribeca Film Festival Best US Narrative Feature
Sponsored by Edelman Financial Services LLC
Saturday Nov. 12 at 4:30pm at Soundview Cinema (Port Washington)
BURN YOUR MAPS
In this charming and moving adventure story, an eight-year-old boy (Jacob Tremblay, Room) becomes convinced that he actually hails from the steppes of Mongolia, leading his troubled parents (Academy Award nominee Vera Farmiga and Martin Csokas) to undertake an incredible family voyage. Based on a short story by Robyn Joy Leff, this auspicious directorial turn from Jordan Roberts, the co-writer of Big Hero 6, is filled with drama, humor, universal truths, and Mongolian goats. Lots of them.OFFICIAL SELECTION – Toronto International Film Festival, Hamptons International Film Festival
Sponsored by Eileen Sarroff
Thursday Nov. 10 at 7:30pm at Soundview Cinema (Port Washington)
CONVERSATION & BOOK SIGNING WITH LEGENDARY HOLLYWOOD AGENT BUDD BURTON MOSS
Meet legendary Hollywood talent agent, author, and producer Budd Burton Moss for an in-depth discussion and multi-media presentation on his extraordinary life, career and friends, including Sidney Poitier, Marilyn Monroe, Rita Hayworth, Larry King and many more.
Having grown up in Hollywood where his father, Louis B. Moss, was a Film Editor at Fox and his uncle, Sam Zimbalist, produced Ben Hur, Quo Vatis, and Mugambo at MGM, Budd Burton Moss’ life had an extraordinary beginning. Starting out with acting ambitions and then transitioning to a talent agent, Moss found himself in the company of countless Golden Age stars such as Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe, Betty Grable, Tyrone Power, Spencer Tracy, Katherine Hepburn, and Sidney Poitier (who was Best Man at his wedding) to name a few. Through the years, Moss represented the likes of Mia Farrow, Bette Davis, Robert Vaughn, Tom Bosley, Elizabeth Montgomery, John James (Dynasty) Cliff Robertson, and most importantly, Rita Hayworth with whom he became close friends until the end of her life. Budd will also discuss his marriage to actress, Ruth Roman (Strangers on a Train) and his friend, Larry King, who also wrote the forward to his recently new book, “Hollywood: Sometimes the Reality Is Better Than The Dream” which will be available for purchase.
This conversation will be moderated by Raj Tawney of Cinema Arts in Huntington
Nov. 10 at 11:00am at the Amsterdam at Harborside
THE DAUGHTER
Geoffrey Rush, Sam Neill and Paul Schneider star in this haunting family drama, a powerful reimagining of Ibsen’s play ‘The Wild Duck.’ Retaining all the devastating power of the original play, Stone’s strikingly cinematic feature debut transposes the story into a rural Australian setting. Henry (Rush) is closing down the mill that has been the logging township’s life-blood for generations, whilst planning a lavish wedding with his much younger fiancée. His estranged son Christian (Schneider) returns home after an absence of many years to find his father distant and preoccupied, and his old best friend Oliver newly unemployed due to the factory closure. Reuniting with Oliver, Christian is forced to examine the state of his own life, but examinations reveal long buried, shocking secrets that affect not just himself. Canny, intuitive performances from the stellar cast, which includes Sam Neill as Oliver’s father, are illuminated by Andrew Commis’ cinematography, which also captures the isolation and beauty of the suitably foreboding landscape. NOMINATED – Hamptons Int’l Film Festival Golden Starfish Award; OFFICIAL SELECTION – Toronto Int’l Film Festival
Sponsored by AARP Long Island
Sunday Nov. 13 at 5:00pm at Soundview Cinema (Port Washington)
FAMILY FILM DAY
When school is closed, the Gold Coast International Film Festival is OPEN! See great short films specially selected for a family audience and participate in fun hands-on movie-themed art activities. Includes free lunch courtesy of Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza. All ages are welcome!
This is NOT a drop-off program. Every child must be accompanied by an adult (no more than 4 children per adult)
Friday Nov. 11 at 12 – 3pm at Gold Coast Arts Center (Great Neck)
FOLK HERO & FUNNY GUY – Long Island Premiere
Recently dumped by his fiancée and with a stagnating standup routine, aspiring comedian-slash-copywriter Paul (Alex Karpovsky) is stuck. The manager of the club where he performs suggests he take some time off to update his comedy material, and in waltzes his childhood friend Jason Black (Wyatt Russell), an acclaimed folk-rock musician about to embark on a solo acoustic tour of the east coast. Jason suggests Paul needs to get his mojo back—and he should start by opening for Jason on tour. They set off on the road together, picking up a new act (folk singer Bryn, played by Meredith Hagner) on the way. But when Jason reveals an ulterior motive behind the tour, rifts are exposed in their otherwise affable camaraderie. Folk Hero & Funny Guy is a music-infused spin on the road-trip buddy comedy. NOMINATED – Tribeca Film Festival Best US Narrative Feature
Q&A following the film.
Saturday Nov. 12 at 8:30pm at Soundview Cinema (Port Washington)
THE FOUNDERS – New York Premiere
Battling the sexism and stereotypes made sturdy in the 1950s, thirteen women founded the Ladies Pro Golf Association (LPGA). Rare archival footage, historical re-enactments and current-day interviews with surviving founders and leading players present an underdog story never before seen. Despite competing against one another on the greens, these pioneers worked together to keep their dreams of professional golf careers alive. From child prodigy fame to Olympian status, each member left a sports world legacy that lives on today.
Q&A following the film with Director Charlene Fisk
Sunday Nov. 13 at 2:00pm at Soundview Cinema (Port Washington)
FRANCA: CHAOS AND CREATION
Director Francesco Carrozzini creates an intimate portrait of his mother, Franca Sozzani, the legendary editor-in-chief of Italian Vogue. From the ridiculous to the sublime, her astonishing but often controversial magazine covers have not only broken the rules but also set the high bar for fashion, art and commerce over the past 25 years. From the legendary “Black Issue” and the “Plastic Surgery issue” Sozzani remains deeply committed to exploring subject matter off limits to most in order to shake up the status quo and occasionally redefine the concept of beauty.
OFFICIAL SELECTION – Venice Film Festival, Hamptons Int’l Film Festival
Sponsored by Neiman Marcus Roosevelt Field
Saturday Nov. 12 at 5:30pm at Soundview Cinema (Port Washington)
GOLD BALLS – New York Premiere
Kate Dandel’s quirky and charming feature-length documentary debut inspires the average athlete in all of us while offering unique insight into the lives of several elite tennis athletes—who just happen to be over age 80. Over the course of one championship season, the film follows several players competing for the ‘gold ball’ trophy awarded to National Champions in tennis. Characters include a former Big 10- basketball coach, a retired litigator, an aging comedian, and the founder of “Black Tennis Magazine.” As we witness the routines of these creaky warriors, we are reminded that sometimes just getting to the courts is half the battle. But after the first serve, we forget that most of these competitors retired from their careers 30 years prior and we realize they’re driven by the same motivations and concerns as athletes a quarter of their age. A film to inspire viewers of every age to reset what we think about ‘old age’ and whom we consider champions.
Q& A following the film with Director/Producer Kate Keckler Dandel
Sponsored by USTA Eastern Long Island
Saturday Nov. 12 at 5:00pm at Manhasset Bow Tie Cinema
GREAT SHORTS
The Gold Coast International Film Festival continues its commitment to short film excellence, sharing some of the best new short films with our audience. We are proud to host a number of New York, Long Island, and World premieres, featuring up-and-coming filmmakers and festival winners. Keep an eye out for some of these at the Academy Awards.
You’ll see comedy, romance, drama, animation, thrillers, sci-fi, and much more. We’ve got films from around the world, spectacular student films, and films directed by and featuring stars from today’s hit TV shows and movies. You’re sure to laugh, be moved, fall in love, and discover some great new talent. In addition, there will be Q&As with actors and filmmakers at our shorts screenings, and there may even be some surprise appearances!
Thursday Nov. 10 at 3:00pm (Port Washington Library). www.bit.ly/gciffshort1
Saturday Nov. 12 at 2:00pm (Soundview Cinema -Port Washington). www.bit.ly/gciffshort2
HAIL THE CONQUERING HERO
Academy Award-winning writer and director Preston Sturges delivers a hilarious satire on the American penchant for hero worship in this quick-witted comedy classic. Nominated in 1945 for an Academy Award for best screenplay and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. Starring Eddie Bracken, Ella Raines and William Demarest.
Friday Nov. 11 at 1:30pm at Great Neck Bow Tie Squire Cinema
HARRY BENSON: SHOOT FIRST
What we know today about many famous musicians, politicians, and actresses is due to the famous work of Harry Benson. Initially, he captured vibrant and intimate photos of the most famous band in history; The Beatles. His extensive portfolio grew to include iconic photos of Muhammad Ali, Michael Jackson, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. His wide-ranging work has appeared in publications including Life,Vanity Fair and The New Yorker. Benson, now 86, is still taking photos and has no intentions of stopping. Featuring interviews with Sharon Stone, Alec Baldwin, Donald Trump, Dan Rather, James L. Brooks, Henry Kissinger, Ralph Lauren, Joe Namath and more. Harry Benson: Shoot First is as vital as the photographer himself and his subjects, a thrillingly energetic trip in unforgettable images.
Q&A following the film with Harry Benson and the film’s Director, Matthew Miele
Sponsored by Neiman Marcus Roosevelt Field
Sunday Nov. 13 at 6:30pm at Great Neck Bow Tie Squire Cinema
JOE’S VIOLIN
This award-winning film tells the inspiring story of Joe Feingold, a 91-year-old Polish Holocaust survivor who donates his violin of 70 years to a local instrument drive, changing the lives of both a 12-year-old schoolgirl from the nation’s poorest congressional district, and unexpectedly, his own. NOMINATED – Tribeca Film Festival Best Documentary Short Film
Wednesday Nov. 9 at 8:00pm at Hillwood Recital Hall, LIU Post
Q&A following the film with Brianna Perez and Kokoe Tanaka-Suwan, the student and teacher featured in the film.
The event will also include a performance of music inspired by the film by the LIU Post String Ensemble with invited high school guest musicians, conducted by Professor Maureen Hynes.
Sponsored by the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts at LIU Post
Tuesday Nov. 15 at 11:30am at Great Neck Bow Tie Squire Cinema
Q&A following the film with Joe Feingold
Sponsored by The Amsterdam at Harborside
THE LAST LAUGH – Long Island Premiere
Is the Holocaust funny? Director Ferne Pearlstein (Sumo East and West, Imelda) doesn’t shy away from the taboo topic of humor, delving deep into pop-culture to find out where to draw the line, and whether that is a desirable—or even possible—goal.
The Last Laugh pairs clips from films, performances, and interviews with top comedians and prominent Jewish leaders (including Mel Brooks, Sarah Silverman, Joan Rivers, Louis C.K., Chris Rock, Abraham Foxman, and Shalom Auslander) with an intimate portrait of Auschwitz survivor Renee Firestone, and rare archival footage of cabarets in concentration camps. From this wealth of material, Pearlstein weaves together a complete and thoughtful exploration into the question of what is and is not off-limits in comedy. The answers are as diverse as the subjects she interviews. There is no consensus on which jokes work and which don’t, and the film doesn’t take a stance; instead, it invites you to think, to laugh, and to remember, all the while keeping its levity. OFFICIAL SELECTION – Tribeca Int’l Film Festival, Hot Docs Int’l Film Festival
Q&A following the film with Director Ferne Pearlstein and Producer Robert Edwards
Sunday Nov. 13 at 3:00pm at Great Neck Bow Tie Squire Cinema
LIFE, ANIMATED
Back by popular demand! From Academy Award® winning director Roger Ross Williams, this deeply inspirational is the story of Owen Suskind, a young man who was unable to speak as a child until he and his family discover a unique way of communicating – through the world of classic Disney animated movies. He learned about empathy, love, loss and brotherhood with the help of Jafar, Simba, Ariel and many other characters. This emotional coming of age story follows Owen as he graduates towards adulthood and takes his first steps towards independence. A testament to the power of art and a shining example of what it can do. WINNER Sundance Film Festival Best Director (US Documentary) and recipient of several film festival Audience Awards, you will be glad to get to know Owen and his family in this deeply moving and entertaining film.
Sunday Nov. 13 at 2:30pm at Soundview Cinema (Port Washington)
MISS SHARON JONES! – Long Island Premiere
Two-time Academy Award winner Barbara Kopple shines a powerful, inspiring and entertaining spotlight on the legendary R&B queen Sharon Jones, one of the most fiery and talented performers working today whose wonder is a force to behold both on and off stage. Hailed as a modern-day female James Brown, n 2014, on the eve of the band launching a new album and as she prepares for her most important tour, she comes face-to-face with the most difficult adversity of her life: a diagnosis with cancer hat brings her career to a stand still. Follow this tour de force over the course of an eventful year as she struggles to hold her band The Dap Kings together while battling her diagnosis with an unstoppable determination. Filled with incredible performances, laughs, tears and plenty of inspiration. OFFICIAL SELECTION – Tribeca Int’l Film Festival, DOC NYC, SXSW
About the Gold Coast International Film Festival
Over the past six years, the festival has brought the latest Hollywood hits and Indie favorites to standing room only audiences throughout the fabled Gold Coast of Long Island. Add A-list celebrities and unforgettable events to the mix and it’s easy to see why GCIFF has become the “go to” Festival for film buffs and the public (it is also the last major film festival on the East Coast before Awards season). The Festival is produced by the not-for-profit Gold Coast Arts Center.
Previous honorees and special guests of the festival and the Gold Coast Arts Center include film industry VIPs Francis Ford Coppola, Hugh Grant, Baz Luhrmann, Brian Dennehy, Paul Sorvino, Ed Burns, Bruce Dern, Isabella Rossellini, Lou Diamond Phillips, Morgan Spurlock, Eli Wallach, Gabriel Byrne, Bill Plympton, Phil Donahue, Phylicia Rashaad, Joan Allen, Jay McInerney and Michael Cuesta, as well as composer Morton Gould, artists James Rosenquist, Oleg Cassini, Edwina Sandys and Bob Gruen, comedian Susie Essman, Broadway stars Kelli O’Hara, Melissa Errico and Savion Glover, and 4-time Oscar winner for production and costume design Catherine Martin.
Sponsors and partners of this year’s GCIFF include founding partners the Town of North Hempstead and Douglas Elliman Real Estate, longstanding major partners LIU Post and Nassau County IDA as well as Neiman Marcus Roosevelt Field, Deluxe Entertainment Services Group, AARP Long Island, A.L. Sarroff Fund, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, The Katz Institute for Women’s Health at Northwell Health, LVR Rental, Samar Hospitality, The Andrew Hotel, Stella Artois, The Amsterdam at Harborside, Metropolitan Commercial Bank, Biener Audi, Jet Blue, WLIW21, Altice, New York Women in Film & Television, Anton Publications, Blank Slate Media, CareConnect, Edelman Financial Services LLC, LOLA of Great Neck and many others.
About the Gold Coast Arts Center
The Gold Coast Arts Center is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting and supporting the arts through education, exhibition, performance and outreach. For over 20 years we have brought the arts and arts in education experiences to tens of thousands of people throughout our region through our 1) School for the Arts, which offers year-round classes in all visual and performing arts to students of all ages and abilities, (2) Free public art gallery, (3) Concert and lecture series, (4) Outreach programs, which each year bring artist residencies, after-school programs, school assemblies, teacher training workshops and parent-child workshops to students, senior citizens, teachers and others in underserved communities throughout our region, (5) Year round film screening and discussion series and (6) Gold Coast International Film Festival, now in its 5th year. The Arts Center is an affiliate of the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts: Partners in Education Program, and National Gallery of Art, both located in Washington DC.
