Broadway Vets Star in Indie Comedy CHASING TASTE, Coming to Manhattan Film Fest

Running with a "Best Comedy" win at the 2013 Burbank International Film Festival and "Outstanding Achievement in Editing" (Steven Tyler) Independent Vision Award win at VISIONFEST 14, indie film Chasing Taste is an official selection of the Manhattan Film Festival, where it will screen on Saturday, June 21st at 7:15p.m at the Quad Cinema in New York City. Chasing Taste tells the story of a down-and-out novelist who is transformed overnight into NYC's next big food critic. On the cusp of fame and fortune, the writer turned food critic suddenly loses his sense of taste and smell in a freak accident, forcing him to rely on a team of super "smellers" and tasters to help him fake his reviews. The screenplay is written by Lori Fischer and produced by Ashley Wren Collins, Maitely Weismann and Sean Gannet. The picture also marks the feature film directorial debut of Sean Gannet.

Producer Ashley Wren Collins co-wrote Produce Your Own Damn Movie! (Focal Press, 2009) with Troma Entertainment's B-movie king and creator of The Toxic Avenger, Lloyd Kaufman, who makes a star cameo in the film, along with country music superstar Phil Vassar, April Wilkner (America's Next Top Model), Joseph R. Gannascoli (The Sopranos), Kevin Brown (30 Rock), and Lynn Cohen (Sex and the City, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire).

Broadway veterans Nancy Opel, Chuck Cooper and Rita Gardner also appear in Chasing Taste, along with the Classical Theatre of Harlem's Producing Director Ty Jones, who stars as Bennett Brulee. Famed chef and chocolatier Fritz Knipschildt, who also makes a cameo in the film, will be in attendance on Saturday. VISIONFEST co-director Bruno Derlin described Chasing Taste as the film "with the biggest heart," adding, "...these Chasing Taste guys came in like a raging storm of joy. They celebrated with us every step of the way, and just as their film does, they brought smiles to everyone with whom they came in contact."

Chasing Taste is unique in that a cast and crew were assembled and locations were set before the script was penned. "When this process began, I didn't even know I'd be directing a romantic comedy. Every member of our team put their trust in each other; the result is a celebration," says the film's Director/Producer Sean Gannet. The world premiere will be followed by a Q & A with the producers, director and select cast members.