Buffalo, NY: Friday, October 4, 2024 – The Buffalo Int’l Film Festival announces an extended run (from 5 to 8 days) October 10-17th at venues throughout the City of Buffalo. The festival’s programming will include 220+ Western New York premiere films from 30+ countries, many with visiting filmmakers in attendance to present their films and participate in live audience Q+As and panels.
BIFF’s Lineup of Official Film Selections is composed of acclaimed hits from major festivals including Sundance, South By Southwest, Tribeca, Hot Docs, Cannes Film Festival, and more; alongside exciting discoveries from around the WNY region and the globe.
Some of films presented in this year’s lineup, including BIFF’s Decolonial Spotlights (Renowned Mohawk Director Katsitsionni Fox and Star/Documentary Participant Jessica Shenandoah in attendance), ၁၀ နှစ်အက ြာ မြန်ြြာ / Ten Years Myanmar, and Next Gen: Teen + Youth-Made Shorts are offered free of charge thanks to the generous support from The National Endowment for Arts, New York Council on the Arts, and Erie County Arts and Cultural Funding, and BIFF’s many amazing community partners and supporters. Shorts blocks, like Racial Justice in View, as well as BIFF’s Offscreen series of music, art, and performance; industry and academic panels; and other special events are free for the general public to attend as well.
Seats can be reserved for free programming, and tickets and passes can be purchased at buffalofilm.org or at each venue’s box office on the day of the screening. Tickets are $12 for all in person screenings, $8 for select matinees. BIFF also participates in Arts Services Inc’s Arts Access Program, which allows program participants to reserve free tickets to all festival events. Films are now on sale including BIFF’s Opening Night and Closing Night selections. BIFF’s popular All-Access Bison Pass is also on sale for $70 and provides access to the festival’s 220+ film screenings, official events, and more.
All of BIFF’s programming will take place in person, with the exception of hybrid events like panels and Offscreen art and performances that will be presented live and also live streamed.
“We’re so excited to host some many incredible filmmakers here in Buffalo this October, and to celebrate these phenomenal films and bold cinematic works,” said Executive Director Anna Scime. “All are welcome and there’s a little something for everybody – we can’t wait to see you at the fest!”
Phoebe Nir (Dir), 82 minutes, USA, North American Premiere
Director/Writer Phoebe Nir, Star Sidney Flanigan, Star Lindsay Burdge, Star Eric Austin, Producer Giovanni Labadessa and Editor/Co-Producer Linds Gray in attendance.
Songwriter Robyn (Sidney Flanigan of Never Rarely Sometimes Always + Only the Good Survive) hitch-hikes her way to a commune. There, she meets an eccentric cast of characters, including commune founder Ursula (Lindsay Michelle Burdge) and handyman Jake (Alex Breaux), the later becoming her lover.
This relationship upsets the delicate equilibrium of the eco-village ecosystem, setting off a drug-addled frenzy of shifting power, manipulation, friendship and lust. Throughout these uncertain alliances and games, music remains Robyn’s salvation and structures the film.
Marco Gianfreda (Dir), 98 minutes, Italy, Western New York Premiere
Director Marco Gianfreda and Star Cristiana Dell’Anna in attendance.
In Italian w/ English subtitles.
Fourteen year-old Bruno (Guglielmo Aquaro) is in a state of panic: he finds out his first love is requited, but has no idea what to do next. He needs someone to teach him the ropes, and it just so happens that his best bet is the much detested Luca (Matteo Olivetti), the only man capable of making his hopeless mother Claudia (Cabrini Star Cristiana Dell’Anna) fall in love again.
Bruno must swallow his pride and accept his worst enemy’s advice. Little does he know that Luca and Claudia’s relationship is anything but exemplary.
Contessa Gayles (Dir), 106 minutes, USA, New York State Premiere
Director Contessa Gayles in attendance. (Buffalo Native)
At 15, he took a life. Three days later, his brother’s life was taken. A documentary visual album, SONGS FROM THE HOLE follows James “JJ’88” Jacobs through a musical opus of Hip-Hop and Soul, inspired by his innermost struggles as both a person who has committed and experienced violent harm, as he serves a double-life prison sentence.
The film interweaves the collective storytelling of its non-fiction participants with imagined representations of memories, dreams and spiritual dialogues set to its protagonist/writer’s original music.
Elizabeth Ai (Dir), 89 minutes, USA, Western New York Premiere
Director Elizabeth Ai and Producer Rachel Sine in attendance.
A self reflexive story of joy and youthful defiance, filmmaker Elizabeth Ai explores a musical phenomenon in the 1980s known to Vietnamese American teens as new wave.
As she delves into the lives of family members and icons of the new wave scene, a surprising and powerful story emerges about lasting effects of the Vietnam War and displacement on the community’s mental health, and how that impact carries over generations.
David Charles Rodrigues (Dir), 99 minutes, USA, Western New York Premiere
Pioneering electronic musician/avant-garde artist/spiritual explorer/gender revolutionary/cult leader(!?) Genesis P. Orridge has been featured in numerous films and videos, but never the full story…until now.
In this “authorized” but extremely raw and personal documentary, award-winning director David Charles Rodrigues (GAY CHORUS DEEP SOUTH) documents the final year of P-Orridge’s existence as they grapple with mortality and get ready to “drop [their] body.”
Featuring William Burroughs, Brion Gyson, Timothy Leary, Alice Genesse (PTV), David J (Bauhaus/Love and Rockets), Nepalese monks, African Witch doctors and a special cameo by her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, plus never before seen archival treasures, performances from COUM Transmissions, Throbbing Gristle and Psychic TV. Very few artists lived their art, but Genesis died three times for it.
Anti-ethnographic works that provide windows into the lives, minds and cultures of some of the world’s most exciting, contemporary Indigenous filmmakers. Free screening! 62 minutes.
“Tentsítewahkwe”
Katsitsionni Fox (Dir) 18 minutes, Akwesasne / USA / Canada, New York State Premiere
Director Katsitsionni Fox and Star/Documentary Participant Jessica Shenandoah in attendance.
In Kanien’kéha and English w/ English subtitles.
Haudenosaunee people follow the season cycles of the earth – their mothers and grandmothers knew how to take what was harvested from the land to create what was needed for their families. Jessica Shenandoah is Wolf Clan from the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation and comes from a large family of knowledge keepers. As a young girl, she picked medicines, berries and wild food plants with her mother and grandmother. She is now a mother of four, seeking to bring back the land based practices that have been lost. Jessica reaches both inside and outside Haudenosaunee territories to find those who have reconnected this knowledge, so she can bring it back to her community and the future generations. She embodies Tentsítewahkwe, as she picks up knowledge of the old ways, these slow methods of creating and connecting in reciprocity with the earth reemerge.
Followed by an extended conversation and live audience Q+A with BIFF’s inaugural Lifetime Achievement award winner, BAFTA Winning + Academy Award nominated Production Designer David L. Snyder (Buffalo Native)!
John Spartan (Sylvester Stallone) is a risk-taking LAPD police officer in 1996 with a reputation for causing destruction while carrying out his work. After a failed attempt to rescue hostages from evil crime lord Simon Phoenix (Westley Snipes), they are both sentenced to be cryogenically frozen. Phoenix is thawed for a parole hearing in 2032 but escapes into a society that has changed after all violent crime has seemingly been eliminated. This pacifistic future society is ill-equipped to deal with a criminal of Phoenix’s caliber, and Spartan is released from the cryogenic prison to pursue his old ultra-violent-nemesis. A Warner Brothers release.
Buffalo International Film Festival (est. 2006) champions regional, national, and international films that push the limits of independent cinema – presenting quality films from around the world to WNY residents and visitors. BIFF is committed to amplifying diverse voices and exhibiting cutting-edge programming in narrative, documentary and experimental film. A proud supporter of local filmmaking and the arts; BIFF also offers workshops, seminars, industry panel discussions, fiscal sponsorship and professional development opportunities, as well as an Offscreen series of art, music and performance.
PPDI is a one-year program which prepares 18 participants from diverse backgrounds for entry level careers in video editing and audio mixing in the highly competitive music, video and media industries. It is free to qualified applicants. PPDI is designed to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in the post production workforce.
PPDI is currently looking for 18 people who would like to participate in this application-based program. We are looking for
Media Production, Television and Film Arts, and Digital Music Production students at Buffalo State who are at least in their second year and have a special interest in the post production and/or audio mixing field, and
Community members (including students from outside of Buffalo State) with a background in sound mixing or video editing who would like to increase their professional opportunities
Buffalo State students who are accepted to the program can receive 6 advanced level course credits to count towards their degree. Community members will receive a certificate upon completion of the program. Altogether, participants receive over 270 hours of instruction and mentorship. Childcare reimbursement provided. Participants must be at least 18 years old.
PPDI is scheduled to start in November of 2024 and has an anticipated ending date of August 2025. Planned activities include
Monthly or twice monthly workshops at Buffalo State University from November 2024 to August 2025
An in-person 40 hour Avid Media Composer or Pro Tools certification training course in the Summer of 2025
Field trips across Buffalo and a weekend in New York City to visit post-production houses, with opportunities for portfolio review with professionals in the Summer of 2025
Please visit https://communication.buffalostate.edu/ppdi for more information and to submit your application. You can also apply by scanning the QR code on the attached flyer!
Deadline for application isFriday, October 18th at midnight.
If you grew up in Buffalo or Southern Ontario during the twentieth century then you probably experienced the magic of Crystal Beach Amusement Park before its sad closing back in September of 1989. Yes, thirty-five years ago!
Multimedia artist and filmmaker Peter McGennis was fortunate to have known the park intimately from spending his childhood summers up in Crystal Beach and having a best friend whose step dad once owned the park. McGennis shipped off to the college that summer of ’89 and Crystal Beach became a memory.
That was until he wrote a song about Crystal Beach called “Sunshine Dream” and shared it with his friend’s step dad when he became ill back in 2015. McGennis told him that he was going to make a feature film about Crystal Beach before he sadly passed away.
Having plucked heartstrings and a creative wellspring, more songs continued to pour out of McGennis. He created a studio project band called Pete and the Amusements and began recording these original Crystal Beach songs starting with “Sunshine Dream.” There were thirty-two songs when all was said and done! In 2017, McGennis wrote the first draft of “Laff in the Dark” stitching together the songs into a movie script storyline. He had taken a similar approach to previous movies like “Queen City” where the songs guided the visuals. What was different this time was that Pete and the Amusements had become a narrating vehicle appearing in the film. The script was playing out in his head and ears as a vinyl record. McGennis had unearthed the rock opera in his own self-coined “movie album” way.
Filming began soon after deploying a stop-start strategy to ease logistics and to make it possible to film at different vintage amusement parks akin to Crystal Beach. The list included Seabreeze (Rochester), Sylvan Beach (Syracuse), Waldameer (Erie) and nearby Fantasy Island. Some of these parks had acquired rides from Crystal Beach or had similar vintage that could pass for Crystal Beach. And then came the hunt for actual Crystal Beach relics which proved highly successful. So successful in fact that McGennis and his Western New York crew was able to recreate “Laff in the Dark” ride in a Cheektowaga warehouse using dolly track and the actual rickshaw cars from the ride. Friends and collectors alike were open to letting their keepsakes bring McGennis’ film to life. And then came the pandemic…
For two seasons, McGennis was pretty much at a standstill unable to finish principal photography. He hunkered down and edited the film to note exactly what we needed. When McGennis finally came up for air, his dear friend and lead actor Vincent O’Neill was diagnosed with lung cancer and needed time to recover. The project continued marinate until 2023 when they were finally able to complete filming all of the connective tissue content of the film in an antique store in Elma, NY. Postproduction began this year which included some additional shots, animation and sound mixing. The result is an original rock opera about a magical place that meant so much to McGennis and generations on both sides of the border!
So c’mon and end the summer on a high and join cast, crew and fellow Crystal Beach lovers on the sandy red carpet for the world premiere of Peter McGennis’ rock opera feature film “Laff in the Dark” opening at the iconic North Park Theatre on Friday, September 13th!
Summary:
An annual pitstop at an antique shop uncovers the charm of legendary amusement park Crystal Beach and its mysterious matriarch. Join multimedia artist Peter McGennis on the red carpet as his musical ensemble Pete and the Amusements unearth the rock opera on the big screen and on the midway. Thirty-five years since Crystal Beach closed its doors in September of 1989. Get ready for suckers, shenanigans and a flood of memories. Was it all real or just a laugh in the dark? Starring Josephine Hogan, Vincent O’Neill and Peter McGennis and Laughing Sal. Running Time: 1h36min. NR. Brief nudity.
How a Filmmaking Couple Made a Feature Film in Under a Year Without Crowdfunding and Released It Just in Time for Spooky Season
Buffalo, NY, independent filmmakers and married couple Dominic Luongo and Sara Manzella achieved something remarkable—they made their first feature film, Couple in the Woods, in less than a year, without any crowdfunding, and released it just in time for the Halloween season. Their story is a perfect example of what can happen when creativity, resourcefulness, and passion come together.
The journey started simply, with the entire movie being written out on notepads before converting it to script format. This old-school approach set the tone for a production that was hands-on from start to finish.
“We didn’t have the budget to rent a cabin for the shoot,” Sara explained. “So, we had to get creative. We thought about how so many great things started in a garage—Apple, Disney, The Ramones—so why not give it a shot?” And that’s exactly what they did. Using repurposed wood and some careful framing, they built the cabin set for their film right there in their garage. The entire movie was lit with just two lights and bounce boards made from insulation boards they removed from their garage walls.
They used handmade props, recycled items from their home, and even repurposed drywall and flooring from their house to create the cabin’s interior. “We built the cabin door ourselves, and the rug inside was cut out from our home office,” Dominic added. “We took up false wood flooring and hung it on the wall for the bathroom set, and everywhere else we used any leftover paint we had.”
Filming itself was another challenge. The entire movie was shot on a Canon 5D Mark III using just three stills lenses: 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm. Without access to high-end equipment, they had to rely on their skills and creativity. “We edited, colored, and handled all the post-production on a laptop using Final Cut Pro,” Dominic said. “Our TV became our monitor and Foley was recorded right in our living room.”
The woodland setting being an hour away from their garage brought its own set of challenges. With two different locations and breaks in filming, keeping everything consistent—making sure everything looked seamless on screen—was a real task. “We had a detailed shot list and took careful notes every day to make sure nothing got lost between scenes,” Dominic recalled. This attention to detail was crucial for creating the illusion that the cabin and the woods were in the same location.
The tight schedule was another obstacle. With day jobs to manage, they could only shoot for seven non-consecutive days. “Everyone had limited availability to work with, and there are other challenges along the way,” Sara explained. “We had a rain day to reschedule, which we prepared for since we were filming outside. However, between film days one of our actors went to a wedding and caught COVID, which threw an unexpected twist in the schedule.” Despite these challenges, they managed to shoot an average of ten pages a day in order to meet their goal.
Dominic and Sara wore many hats. They weren’t just producing, directing and acting—they also handled their own stunts, so did the rest of the cast, with a futon mattress serving as their crash pad. When they weren’t in front of the camera, they were behind it, running the camera themselves whenever other crew members weren’t available. “It was a bare-bones operation,” Dominic said. “We took turns behind the camera, and most of the shots were either on sticks or handheld” (including the tracking shot of The Occultist driving). “We did call in a favor from a friend with a drone to get some aerial shots,” Sara added. Their hands-on approach was essential in getting the film made.
Their families also played a significant role in making the film. “We roped our families in for help with catering, costumes, cameos, and music,” Sara mentioned.
Despite all the challenges, Couple in the Woods came together beautifully, proving that with enough passion and creativity, you can overcome almost any obstacle. With a runtime of 65 minutes, the film captures the essence of indie filmmaking—gritty, resourceful, and full of heart. Not only did Dominic and Sara achieve their goal of completing the film in under a year, but it’s now streaming on both Tubi and Amazon, just in time for the spooky season. Their story is a reminder to all aspiring filmmakers: no matter the odds, you can make your vision a reality.
Buffalo, New York – Filmmaker Gregory Lamberson (Sime City, Guns of Eden) has launched a new film festival, Amazing Fantasy Fest, in Buffalo, New York. AFF continues the mission of Lamberson’s previous film festivals, Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival, which ran for 10 years, and Buffalo Screams Horror Film Festival, which ran for three. AFF is billed as “Buffalo’s festival of imaginative cinema.” Lamberson is celebrating his 40th year as an independent filmmaker, his 20th as a published author, and his 14th as a film festival director.
Showcasing independent Horror, Science Fiction, Action, Animation, and Experimental films from around the world, AFF runs for seven days this September at Dipson’s Amherst Theatre, Friday the 13th – Thursday the 19th. Lamberson has programmed 82 films, including 21 features and 61 shorts. One-third of the films were produced in Western New York, and all 21 features are World Premieres, Film Festival Premieres, New York Premieres, or Buffalo Premieres. Eighteen of those features will be followed by filmmaker Q&As.
Some highlights include:
Adrian Esposito(Holding Microphone)
Local Service Award Nickel City Tinseltown: The History of Buffalo, NY Filmmaking (World Premiere; Friday, Sept. 13th, 6pm) – A documentary about Western New York’s indie film scene, co-directed by Adrian Esposito and Curt Markham. Esposito’s political satire/action-comedy Special Needs Revolt will have its World Premiere Thursday, Sept. 19th at 6 pm; Markham, named this year’s Filmmaker of the Year, wrote and directed the comedy Ragdoll Assassin, which has its World Premiere 1pm Saturday, Sept. 14th.“Nickel City Tinseltown is the perfect film to launch this festival,” says Lamberson, who is a member of the Producers Guild of America and teaches Screenwriting at University at Buffalo. “Its title is misleading because this documentary doesn’t cover the big mainstream films that have been filmed in Western New York; it covers the microbudget indie films which are the bedrock of our film community culture. The film industry experiences highs and lows, but the indies continue creating their art regardless. This is a film about the local filmmakers whose work we screen; it’s a film about us.”
Slasher Days of Summer
Slasher Days of Summer (World Premiere; Friday, Sept. 13th, 9:20pm) What better way to celebrate Friday the 13th than with a locally produced slasher comedy? Kristen Skeet directed a local cast in this backwoods extravaganza which she co-wrote with co-producer Tyler Cheman. Filmed in primarily Akron, Lancaster and Darien.
Rich Interior Lives – Director/Screenwriter Ken Whiting
Rich Interior Lives (World Premiere, Saturday, Sept. 14th, 3:20 pm). A unique psychodrama about a dinner party at which one guest just may be a superhero. Director Ken Whiting and screenwriter (and former Depew, NY resident) Andrew Bonazelli will be in attendance.
They Call Her Death
They Call Her Death (Film Festival Premiere, Saturday, Sept. 14th, 6pm) A violent and crowd-pleasing Euro-style western shot on 16m film, written and directed by Austin Snell, who will attend with co-producer Adam Jeffers. Preceded by the Word Premiere of local filmmaker Paul McGinnis’s short, Forward. Lamberson describes They Call Her Death as “probably the big crowd pleaser of the festival.”
Black Eyed Susan
Black Eyed Susan (New York Premiere, Saturday, Sept. 14th, 9pm). Cult filmmaker Scooter McCrae (Shatter Dead, Sixteen Tongues) makes his Buffalo debut with this disturbing science fiction thriller about a sex robot. Preceded by the World Premiere of Jane & the Brain, a short film by local filmmaker Hope Muehlbauer.
Inbetweening
Inbetweening (World Premiere, Monday, Sept. 16th, 8pm) – A dark comedic fantasy by returning filmmaker Mel House (Mystery Spot), about the travails of a bi-racial filmmaker, augmented by puppets, animation, a musical number, and Angelo Moore from Fishbone, playing himself.
The Damnation (World Premiere, Thursday, Sept. 19th, 9pm) – A Canadian horror film about members of an Indigenous community battling vampire-like creatures. Writer, producer and co-director Chris Darton will be on hand with members of the cast.
An awards presentation free to the public will be held at the theater on Sunday, Sept. 15th at 5:45 pm. Special Recognition Awards include:
Dedication to Cinematic Excellence – Scooter McCrae, New York City
Filmmaker of the Year – Curt Markham, Rochester
Lois Weber Award – Kristina Nomeika, Rochester
William R. Thompson Film Champion Award – Anna Chinappi & Skip Shea
Local Hero – Bob Bozek, Buffalo
MVP – Chris Cosgrave, Buffalo
Local Service Award– Robert Borgatti, Niagara Falls
Robert Borgatti, Local Service Award
AFF screens four blocks of films every day. Short film blocks include Local, US and Canada, International, and Animation.
A Full Fantasy Pass costs $75 ($60 for students and seniors with ID) and includes two exclusive “Secret Cinema” screenings at the Screening Room at 1:30 pm on Saturday, Sept. 28th and Sunday, Sept. 29th. Attendees of these “Secret Cinema” screenings will not know what they’re seeing until the films begin.
A Weekend Pass (Fri – Sun) and Weekdays Pass (Mon – Thurs) are available for $60 ($50 for students and seniors with ID), and individual Day Passes are $25 for Fri, Sat or Sun and $20 for Mon, Tues, Wed or Thurs. Individual screening tickets will be available through the Dipson Theatres website for $15.00 beginning September 1st. The full schedule is available at www.amazingfantasyfest.com.
Buffalo, NY – [June 3rd, 2024] – Casting Buffalo, the leading film and commercial casting company
in Western New York established by Kyle Mecca, Harry Lipsitz, & Peter Johnson is thrilled to
announce the annual “Casting Buffalo Actors Expo” returns on Saturday, August 3rd, 2024, from
noon to 7pm at The Atrium at Rich’s, located at 1 Robert Rich Way, Buffalo, NY 14213.
The Casting Buffalo Actors Expo is a one-stop-shop for local actors and aspiring talent of all
ages, offering pertinent career information and essential skills needed to land roles in film, theater,
and commercial productions occurring in Western New York and beyond. Attendees will have the
opportunities to network, receive new headshots from Film Neighbor Network with Boring
Buffalo photographers, meet local casting directors, speak with professional acting and vocal
coaches, attend a live stunt showcase from Robbins Stunt Team, audition for the
upcoming Buffalo 48 Hour Film Project, and attend business-of-acting seminars and acting
workshops, all while learning about the local film/TV/commercial industry.
With dozens of local vendors and exhibitors from various departments within the entertainment
industry, attendees can interact with union crew members from I.A.T.S.E., reel editors, production
house Buffalo Camera at Expressway Cinema Rentals, brand managers, spokespersons from
area colleges and universities with theater and film programs, talent agencies, and SAG/AFTRA
& Actors’ Equity representatives.
The event also features multiple panel discussions and an exclusive Q&A featuring Buffalo theater & film legend, Stephen McKinley Henderson of Civil War (2024), Dune (2021), Lady Bird (2017), and Fences (2016) and guest speaker Daniel Croix of Tyler Perry’s The Oval, Love Simon, and Manhunt. In addition, the 2024 actors expo will be hosted by ALC Acting Studio owner & Hollywood actor Andrew Lewis Caldwell of How I Met Your Mother, iZombie, Henry Danger, Haunt (2019), and The Matrix Resurrections (2021).
Tickets for the Casting Buffalo Actors Expo are on sale now at www.castingbuffalo.com via Eventbrite. General admission tickets are priced at $40.00, while student tickets are available at a discounted rate of $25.00, with a valid student I.D.
About Casting Buffalo
Casting Buffalo, LLC was established by Kyle Mecca, Harry Lipsitz, & Peter Johnson to be a cornerstone for film and commercial casting in Western New York, as well as expanding state-wide. With an eye for talent and the unique ability to build lasting relationships, from
commercials to feature films, they have had the chance to work on some of the most prestigious movies shot in the Queen City including MARSHALL, THE TRUE ADVENTURES OF WOLFBOY, THE FIRST PURGE, PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: NEXT TO KIN, A MAN, CALLED OTTO, CUTMAN, along with the upcoming THE PANIC, and numerous commercials and additional projects.
