Inwood Film Festival To Open With THE WHALE, And Post Screening Interview With Screenwriter Samuel D. Hunter

The 6th annual Inwood Film Festival will take place May 25 - 28, 2023 in Inwood, Uptown NYC. IFF kicks off Thursday, May 25 at 6:30pm with the opening night benefit featuring a special presentation of the award-winning film, The Whale, a post screening interview with Inwood-based screenwriter Samuel D. Hunter by Inwood Art Works' Founder and Executive Producer, Aaron Simms, and a VIP reception.

IFF will run through the weekend, showing blocks of short, student and feature films made in Inwood, NYC and by those who live in its community. In addition to the films, the IFF will reintroduce blocks of film seminars and workshops led by film industry veterans.

Celebrating the work of diverse filmmakers with a connection to Uptown NYC (Manhattan and the NW Bronx) continues to drive the film festival. The IFF 2023 will feature 26 films including 4 projects from recepients of the Inwood Film Festival Filmmaker Fund. The Fund, launched June 2019, was created to financially support and encourage the creation of locally made cinema in the Inwood NYC community, which includes Inwood, Washington Heights, Marble Hill, Kingsbridge, and Riverdale. In this short time, it has provided over $75,000 in grants to 24 local filmmakers.

"It's pretty incredible that the grassroots efforts of Inwood Art Works have organically grown the small but mighty Inwood Film Festival to not only be able to nurture and galvanize the uptown community through the presentation of film in Inwood, but to also provide the opportunity to fund the creative visions of local filmmakers," said Aaron Simms, Inwood Art Works' Founder and Executive Producer.

The official kickoff for IFF announcing film selections and official programming will be held on Wednesday, April 5, 2023 in Inwood, NYC. Sponsors and partners of the Festival include Dyckman Beer, Amores Café, New Heights Realty, Rays Barber Shop, ChocNYC, Inwood Farm, NY Presbyterian Hospital, Tubby Hook, Tryon Public House, Josie's Spa, Columbia University Medical Center, and many others.

About Inwood Art Works

Inwood Art Works is a nonprofit organization that works to create and curate professional performing and visual arts in Inwood and its surrounding community. IAW's vision is to establish a dedicated cultural arts destination that fosters a vibrant multicultural community nourished by local connectivity and sustained by artistic equity.

Inwood Art Works champions the craft and cultural diversity of local professional and emerging artists, and education of youth through the arts.