NIFF

2021 Naples International Film Festival celebrates the Art of the Short Film with this year’s lineup

By John Wildman 4 years ago

Artis—Naples announced the film lineup for the 13th annual Naples International Film Festival (NIFF) to be held October 21-24, 2021, featuring a return to in-person screenings. A central theme of this year’s edition of NIFF will be a celebration of the art of making the short film, including the first time the festival has showcased a specially curated shorts program for its Opening Night Film experience. The film festival will close with a special presentation of Robert Zemeckis’ Back to the Future featuring a live performance of John Williams’ classic score by the Naples Philharmonic, conducted by Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly.

NIFF Festival Producer Shannon Franklin on MovieMaker ‘Coolest’ List and Naples International Film Festival 2021 Call for Entries

By John Wildman 5 years ago

“In 2020, NIFF faced the same challenges that all film festivals faced,” said Festival Producer Shannon Franklin. “However, we enjoy the great benefit of being a part of Artis—Naples. NIFF is unique in that we not only champion independent film and artists, we emphasize their placement next to – and as part of –the visual and performing arts that Artis—Naples celebrates throughout the year.”

Ondi Timoner’s COMING CLEAN : Naples International Film Festival INTERVIEWS; examines addiction through the eyes of recovering addicts and political leaders

By John Wildman 5 years ago

In the interview, Timoner and I talk about what she felt was a need and a gap regarding insight and information on the topic inspiring her to make this her next film, as well as balancing the filmmaker’s agenda for their film versus a subject’s agenda for a personal cause or self-interest. She discusses her technique in and methods in getting interview subjects to open up and give information that is below the surface level.

Mark Stafford BASTARDS’ ROAD : Naples International Film Festival INTERVIEWS; finding a mission greater than his own redemption

By John Wildman 5 years ago

In the interview, I talk to the film’s producer and writer Mark Stafford about the gift, as I see it, to be able to see and hear the man, and Stafford’s efforts as the writer for the documentary to help craft a coherent path to tell the man’s story. Stafford also talks about the beauty of documentary filmmaking knowing as you are going in, the different and unexpected directions it can go, and then how a filmmaker’s perspective changes after viewing the first cuts with an audience.

Chris Hansen’s SEVEN SHORT FILMS ABOUT (OUR) MARRIAGE : Naples International Film Festival; unique approach to showing the life of a marriage

By John Wildman 5 years ago

In the interview, I talk to Hansen about why he chose to structure the film the way he did to properly portray the “raw, real life junk” that marriages are chock full of. He also discusses how much the actors’ had to shoulder when it comes to delivering a nuanced look at a relationship and how shooting out of order and shooting primarily at night could have complicated that effort – yet didn’t.

Olympia Stone’s ACTUALLY, ICONIC: RICHARD ESTES: Naples International Film Festival; called the “father of photorealism”

By John Wildman 5 years ago

In the interview, I talk to Stone about Estes’ exceptionally rare ability to capture not just architecture to a remarkable exactness but to subtly give an artistic life to the images he paints. She discusses the unique pressure and challenges to introducing the public to this artist who was not “asking” for attention in that way, including getting him to discuss, if not open up freely about his life as a gay man, as well as his approach to his art.

Jonathan Wysocki ‘s DRAMARAMA: Naples International Film Festival INTERVIEWS; farewell murder mystery slumber party

By John Wildman 5 years ago

In the interview, Wysocki and I talk about being the architect of a film that can be made without depending on extensive financing or support from others, and what the tipping point is to finally kick that into gear. He also gets into the realization of how much a filmmaker will be “living with their film” and how much that determines the film you choose to make.

Ondi Timoner’s Coming Clean at NAPLES INTERNATIONAL: Film Festival REVIEW: effectively shines a light on the opioid crisis

By Luke Y. Thompson 5 years ago

The focus of Coming Clean is opiates, which, as several talking heads point out, leave a trail of bodies that would be deemed a life-changing national emergency if caused by terrorism, plane crashes, or anything more visual and camera-friendly. Hence, perhaps, all the visual flair Timoner uses to get us watching and listening. And yet, while this seems to be a new problem, it’s not. Oxycontin and Fentanyl constitute a third wave, following those that originated with opium and morphine.

David Gutnik’s MATERNA leads Naples International Film Fest 2020; announces awards BASTARDS’ ROAD, and COMING CLEAN

By John Wildman 5 years ago

The 2020 Naples International Film Festival announced the filmmaker award winners following the conclusion of this year’s virtual/outdoor screening hybrid fest. The jury prize for Best Narrative Feature (and a cash prize of $1,250) went to David Gutnik’s MATERNA, and the jury prize for Best Documentary Feature (and $1,250) was given to Brian Morrison’s BASTARDS’ ROAD. Audience Awards went to Lanie Zipoy’s THE SUBJECT (Best Narrative Film) and Lynn Montgomery’s AMAZING GRACE (Best Documentary Film), which each won a cash prize of $1000.