However, there aren’t that many that so clearly embody what that group of film fests offers.
Unique, a must-attend, must-see, must-get-accepted-to, must-etc-etc-etc, NIFF has it all and its annual Opening Night Gala immediately gives the filmmakers and attendees all they could hope for, from a glamorous setting at Artis-Naples glorious Hayes Hall where film fans dress up for a society meets art event, red carpet entrances, amazing food, a cool performance of some kind following the screening.
This year it was the subject of the documentary MR. JIMMY, Akio “Jimmy” Sakurai stunning the crown with an acoustic performance of a trio of Led Zeppelin classics as if he had been touched by the hand of his God -otherwise known as Jimmy Page, and a wonderful film that kept people talking well after the Q&A with the film’s producer/writer Shawn Austin, and stars Tayler Buck and Edi Gathegi.
The Naples International Film Festival has been a favorite of filmmakers for a decade now and publications like MovieMaker Magazine and others outside of the sunny, palm tree laden confines of Naples are cluing into the fact that this is a stop on the regional film festival circuit that you want to secure if you are touring with your film.
Anyway, about that red carpet….
Two of NIFF’s jurors: Amazon Pictures’ Annalisa Shoemaker and screenwriter Larry Gross (48 HRS, WE DON’T LIVE HERE ANYMORE) (Photo by Charlie McDonald)Annalisa Shoemaker and Larry Gross discussing who will have the upper hand during jury deliberations (Photo by Vicki Baker)NIFF’s Festival Producer Shannon Franklin, threatening to out dazzle everyone else on Opening Night (Photo by Charlie McDonald)
NIFF’s Shannon Franklin and Ashley Mirkian (Photo by Vicki Baker)Ricardo Herrera (Writer/Director of IRIS) (Photo by Vicki Baker)Proud mom, talented son: Gloria and Ricardo Herrera (IRIS) (Photo by Charlie McDonald)Photographing Timo Chen (GO BACK TO CHINA) (Photo by Vicki Baker)Timo Chen (GO BACK TO CHINA) gives a little extra for the social media audience (Photo by Vicki baker)GO BACK TO CHINA’s composer, TIMO CHEN being interviewed (Photo by Vicki Baker)R.J. Daniel Hanna (Director of MISS VIRGINIA) (Photo by Charlie McDonald)MISS VIRGINIA’s director, R.J. Daniel Hanna gets some social media attention (Photo by Vicki Baker)Miss Virginia’s R.J. Daniel Hanna (DIR) being interviewed (Photo by Vicki Baker)Rebecca Tansley (Director of THE HEART DANCES) knocks it out of the park with this dress (Photo by Charlie McDonald)Andrew Margetson (Director of HOUSEKEEPING) (Photo by Charlie McDonald)Rebecca Tansley (THE HEART DANCES) being interviewed (Photo by Vicki Baker)Andrew Margetson (HOUSEKEEPING) being interviewed (Photo by Vicki Baker)The Naples Daly News gets one more photo of THE HEART DANCES’ Rebecca Tansley (Photo by Vicki Baker)Shawn Austin, Screenwriter and Producer of PRINCES OF THE ROW (Photo by Charlie McDonald)PRINCESS OF THE ROW’s Tayler Buck (Photo by Charlie McDonald)PRINCESS OF THE ROW’s Edi Gathegi being photographed (Photo by Vicki Baker)The PRINCESS OF THE ROW team gets a “mom shot”in: Shawn Austin (SCR/PROD), Elaine Buck, Tayler Buck (CAST), Edi Gathegi (CAST) (Photo by Charlie McDonald)NIFF’s Shannon Franklin and Artis-Naples’ David Filner, PRINCESS OF THE ROW’s Shawn Austin, Tayler Buck, and Edi Gathegi, Artis-Naples’ Kathleen van Bergen (Photo by Charlie McDonald)The Naples International Film Festival’s Brain Trust(that knows how to have fun): NIFF Festival Producer Shannon Franklin, Artis-Naples’ Executive Vice President, Artistic Operations, David Filner, Artis-Naples’ CEO and President, Kathleen van Bergen (Photo by Charlie McDonald)Artis-Naples’ David Filner shows off his moves on the red carpet (Photo by Vicki Baker)Artis-Naples’ Kathleen van Bergen and David Filner being interviewed (Photo by Vicki Baker)SOUTH MOUNTAIN’s Isis Masoud makes it to the red carpet just in time to give this dress its due (Photo by Vicki Baker) MR. JIMMY director Peter Michael Dowd serves as hype man for his film’s subject, Akio “Jimmy” Sakurai (Photo by Vicki Baker)Mr. Jimmy mesmerizes the Opening Night crowd (Photo by Vicki Baker)
