19th Annual International Family Film Festival also features Industry Panels, Screenwriter’s Showcase, YouthFest! Awards, and Closing Awards Ceremony.
Celebrating its 19th year, the International Family Film Festival announced its 2014 lineup, to be held November 7-9 at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood. The festival will screen 88 films and feature 14 screenplays, representing the U.S.,16 foreign countries, and multiple professionally accredited film schools. The complete lineup and details are available at www.iffilmfest.org. All films and screenplays will compete in the spirit of family values in film.
“What makes our festival unique is our emphasis on themes that define and challenge the definition of family,” says Chris Shoemaker, IFFF Executive Director. “This year’s is a particularly robust festival, and we’re pleased to bring it back to Raleigh Studios.”
Screenings kick off on November 7th, with opening-night film, Matthew Gratzner’s “Hot Bath an’ a Stiff Drink.” Actor/producer Jeffery Patterson stars in this period western playing two roles – twin brothers Vance and Tom Dillinger – who are separated when their parents are massacred and Tom is kidnapped.
30 years later, Vance is now a U.S. Marshal, while Tom has become The “Lucky” Bandit, a wanted outlaw. A robbery gone wrong exposes Lucky’s identity, sending Vance and his posse on a quest to capture his own brother. A chance discovery unveils the truth about their parents’ killer, leading Lucky on a ruthless quest for revenge. Caught in the middle, Vance struggles between feelings of retribution and upholding the law. To learn more about the film please visit hotbathanastiffdrink.com.
Another of Patterson’s productions, “Finding Harmony” (Billy Zane), is a touching, multi-generational southern drama about the wounds we carry, and those we leave behind.
Also slated is “The Town that Came a’ Courtin’” (Lauren Holly, Cameron Bancroft, and Valerie Harper), in which a small town plays matchmaker for its mayor and a successful author.
In “A Little Game,” (Olympia Dukakis, F. Murray Abraham, and Janeane Garofolo), a 10-year-old girl (Makenna Ballard) who is dealing with being an exceptionally smart child, and finds an unlikely mentor in a chess master who teaches her life lessons through the game.
In the way of shorts, “Before It’s Too Late” (Robert Loggia and Eric Roberts) takes a comedic look at how aging affects our driving skills to the point that become unsafe. We must then make one of the most difficult decisions of our lives; to give up our car keys.
In “Simpler Times” (Jerry Stiller and Ann Meara), a recently widowed man in his golden years moves in with his daughter and son-in-law and finds himself trapped in the world of modern technology.
“The Tunes Behind the Tunes” features a who’s who of award-winning composers, (Alan Menken, Randy Newman, Richard Sherman, and more), sharing their insights into the role of music in adding character into animation over the decades.
Culminating the festival on November 9 is the IFFF Awards Ceremony, a black-tie ceremony and dinner showcasing the winning films, special honorees and celebrity presenters. Several special recognition awards are planned, including the “Friz Award,” for excellence in animation, and the “IFFF Excellence Award,” given to a person, production company, network or studio which produces excellent family entertainment. Previous Friz and IFFF Excellence awards recipients include: J.G. Quintel, Bill Farmer, Phil Roman, Charles M. Schulz, Chuck Jones, Joseph Barbera, and Friz award namesake Friz Freleng.
The 2014 IFFF will also conduct several film panels, offering attendees the opportunity to learn from and network with industry leaders & working professionals. This year’s panels include: The Los Angeles Digital Literacy panel, Indie Film Financing, Indie FilmDistribution, Producers Networking brunch, and The Screenwriting 360º panel, covering Film, TV & CGI.
The Screenwriter’s Showcase and Awards ceremony, held on Sunday, November 9, features industry-working actors, cast by Lauren Patrice Nadler, performing a selected scene from each of the screenplay finalists. Screenplays were submitted from as far away as Belgium and the U.K. for categories including Drama, Comedy, Animation and Sci-fi/Fantasy.
For youth ages 8-17, the festival presents YouthFest! on Saturday, November 8. This all-day youth-friendly section features screenings, as well as acting, voice, and stunt workshops. YouthFest! culminates by celebrating the youth finalists and winners from the short film, comic book and screenplay categories.
The IIFF is a market that creates a positive and well-respected networking opportunity for film distribution deals. Past IFFF’s have drawn over 5,000 film fans and industry professionals. Screenplays that compete in the Screenplay competition are frequently optioned and helmed into short and feature films. Through its partnership with Freshi Films, a national leader in digital education, the IFFF distributes digital-filmmaking kits to classrooms and after-school programs, helping youth nationwide discover the art and power of filmmaking.
Festival Passes are available to the general public and give access to all screenings and events. General admission tickets to individualfilms and events are also available. All-day passes for YouthFest! give access to all YouthFest! events. All tickets are available online at www.iffilmfest.org
About the International Family Film Festival — The International Family Film Festival (IFFF) celebrates the belief that family stories are more powerful, insightful and entertaining than ever. It champions the spirit and talents of indie, studio and international inspired productions. Annually, IFFF recognizes outstanding achievement in Film & Screenwriting, offering Feature, Short, & Student categories.
IFFF is a 501 ©(3) founded in 1994 by Chris Shoemaker, Suzanne Shoemaker, and Patte Dee McKee, to exhibit and advocate for the production of family films. Originally established in the City of Santa Clarita, a north Los Angeles County suburb that is rich with filmhistory and lore dating back to the silent picture era, the IFFF has spent 8 years being hosted at Raleigh Studios in the heart ofHollywood. IFFF strives to deliver stories and films that are engaging and appropriate for all members of the family with themes that help define and challenge the definition of family. For more information, please visit www.iffilmfest.org
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