LIMEHOF Music Documentary Film Festival to Present 43 Films in Stony Brook

The second annual LIMEHOF Music Documentary Film Festival kicked off on Friday, September 26th. Filmmakers from around the country and overseas gathered at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) in Stony Brook Village (97 Main Street) for the three-day event, running September 25th through 27th. A full list of films, event schedule and ticket prices is available on the festival website.

'We have films representing opera, rock, jazz, Latin, folk, funk, alternative rock, classical, jam music, K-pop and more,' said Tom Needham, Executive Director, LIMEHOF Music Documentary Film Festival. 'If you love music, there's really nothing else quite like spending a day surrounded by great music documentaries, filmmakers, and fellow music fans,' We've brought together an extraordinary variety of movies, and our hope is that people will come for one film and find themselves wanting to stay for three or four.'

The first day's guest speakers who participated in Q&A's about their films included six-time Tony-winning Broadway producer, Olivier winner and Emmy Award-winning director, producer and writer of film and TV, Dori Berinstein, Director of Kenny Loggins: Conviction of the Heart, Adam Ripp, Director of 1971: Billy Joel's Lost Interview and Ed Mann (featured in the film), Barbara Jean Hall, Director of Ann Wilson: In My Voice, Dave Kellan from the film Drive Through The Smoke – A Night With John Popper (who also did a music performance), Director/Producer Christopher Plant, Executive Producer Chris Fralic and Subject Val Shively from RECOLLECTIONS: Val Shively and 50 Years of Collecting Records, and Michael Lacy, Director of Love of the City. Guest moderators included Larry 'the Duck' Dunn, music writer and LIMEHOF Inductee Wayne Robins, and author Steve Matteo.

This year's festival includes 43 short and feature-length music documentary films, live performances, and Q&A panel discussions held in two theaters. Featured artists in the films include Ann Wilson, Kenny Loggins, Billy Preston, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel, Biz Markie, Beastie Boys, James Taylor, Foo Fighters, Paquito D'Rivera, John Popper, Billy Joel, James, The Rose, Peter, Paul & Mary, Iggy Pop, Nash the Slash, Eraserheads, Yello, Robert Charlebois, Alceu Valença, Madalitso Band, Sugar, Leiva, Mark Fry, and JVC Force, among others.

In addition to the United States, the festival includes films with ties to 14 other countries, including Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Austria, Japan, the Philippines, Malawi, Brazil, Iran, Malta, and Australia. Sixteen of the films are premiering on Long Island, with three of them being world premieres.

'Over the three days of the festival we will be showing fabulous films, both shorts and features, from the US and around the world. Spain, France, Malta, Brazil, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom are just some of the countries represented in the festival,' said Wendy Feinberg, Artistic Director of the LIMEHOF Music Documentary Film Festival. 'We also have films from many music genres including classical, New Orleans jazz, Cuban jazz, alternative, rock, pop and more. You may visit music festivals, travel with Deadheads following the Dead & Company tour or travel with the Foo Fighters, Beastie Boys and Sonic Youth on their 1995 tour, learn about an amazing professional International a whistling competition that will have you smiling from ear to ear and much more!'

Saturday night's main feature film will be The Long Island Underground Legends of Hip-Hop, directed by award-winning journalist Archie H. Snowden. The film block is now sold out and will also feature a star-packed performance with fifteen legendary hip hop artists.

The performers include JVC Force, DTA Diamond the Experience, DJ J-1, DJ Kaos, DJ RNB, DJ Belal, Divine Sounds, MC Glamorus, Son of Bazerk, Superstar, Sport G and Mastermind. Following the film will be a Q&A Panel moderated by Amelia Moore, featuring Film Director Archie Snowden, DJ Kaos, DJ Spider, William Castro, DJ Rah-G-Raj and DTA.

Eraserheads: Combo on the Run will screen on Sunday 9/27. The film will be followed by a Q&A Panel featuring Director Maria Diana Ventura and lead singer and primary songwriter Ely Buendia. The film explores the rise, rupture and record-breaking reunion of Filipino band Eraserheads. The film traces the band's entire journey, from their origins as university students in the Philippines, emerging in aftermath of the EDSA People Power Revolution, to their rise as a generation-defining act and their 2022 'Huling El Bimbo' reunion concert that packed in close to 250,000 fans. The Eraserheads are one of the most important and successful artists in the history of Filipino rock music, often described as the Philippines' own Beatles.

The closing night's film will be Newport & the Great Folk Dream, directed by Emmy and Grammy Award winning filmmaker Robert Gordon and produced by Greenport resident Joe Lauro, CEO of Historic Films Archive. This film has become quite popular, having won over 15 awards in its festival run so far. The film features musical performances by Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Joan Baez, Howlin' Wolf, Mississippi John Hurt, The Lovin' Spoonful, Judy Collins, The Freedom Singers with Bernice Reagon, John Lee Hooker, Pete Seeger, Richard & Mimi Fariña and more.