Planet Connections Film Festival Announces the 2014 Film Lineup

The Planet Connections Film Festival (www.planetconnections.org/film) is proud to announce the exciting program of short films, selected to screen as part of the 6th Annual Planet Connections Theatre Festivity (www.planetconnections.org). The 2014 Planet Connections Film Festival is comprised of 8 short films screening on June 2 at Paradise Factory in New York City. The entire festivity runs thru June 8.

Chandra Thomas, Planet Connections Film Festival Coordinator, said, "The incredibly bold and diverse mix of films in this year's festival cover the spectrum of styles and genres. These ambitious filmmakers offer fresh takes on social and environmental questions that are recognizable, probing, and engaging."

2014 Planet Connections Films

The Beast Next Door | Drama | www.thebeastnextdoor.com

(Director: Bill Hutchens; Screenwriter: Stephen Monger; Original Short Story Writer: Susan Howe) - Gerald is confined to a wheelchair. He lives alone in his flat with his plants and the only people he has contact with are his caregivers. When he tries to reach out to the woman next door suffering domestic violence from her husband, they set off a chain of events which cannot be reversed.

Clapping for the Wrong Reasons | Documentary | www.reelworks.org

(Director: Khidr Joseph) - A local and rarely explored look at gentrification's effect on Brooklyn, New York and its effects a community, a culture, and a people from this young filmmaker's lens.

The In-Between | Musical | www.lorifischer.net

(Director: Matthew Glasson; Screenwriter & Lyrics: Lori Fischer; Composer & Lyrics: Casey Black) - A waitress who wants to climb Machu Picchu begins to lose her central vision, but just when she thinks her life is over, a bartender who had previously forgotten how to dream renews her hope.

INS & Outs | Comedy | www.facebook.com/redphoneproductions

(Director: Nelson T. Eusebio III; Screenwriter: Kurt Uy) - Agents Jackson and Washington are on their rounds as they root out illegal immigrants hiding in the nooks and crannies of our cities. A routine call of suspicious behavior turns into more than they bargained for and our heroes have to make some tough decisions about how to dispense justice.

Just Another Part of Me | Drama | www.shauntaycherry.com

(Director & Writer: Shauntay Cherry) - Shaunna James is successful in many ways, but love doesn't seem to be one of them. After much frustration and being tempted to settle, she discovers that she's her own worst enemy.

Straight as an Arrow | Comedy |

(Director: Oliver Power; Screenwriters: Jenny Levison & Steve Klausner) - It began with a bump on the head, a stolen kiss, and a surprising infatuation on the eve of marriage equality in New York City. As three young people cross paths, their attempts to reinvent themselves illustrate the screwball wisdom inhabiting Shakespeare's cautionary wit: "The course of true love never did run smooth."

Water Dogs | Comedy-Drama | www.matthewslamowitz.com/waterdogs

(Director & Writer: Matthew Slamowitz) - After winning a dollar from a scratch-off lottery ticket, a discouraged homeless man orders a hot dog from a food cart on the sidewalk. What occurs next sets the unsuspecting homeless man on a path to becoming one of New York City's most popular street vendors.

Yield | Drama | www.leviathanlab.com/yield

(Director : Nelson Eusebio; Writer: Kurt Uy) - Benjamin is a young man on the verge of making a momentous life decision: he wants to propose to his longtime girlfriend. Before he can take the plunge, he needs to find a way to reconcile his relationship with his father-a fight that parallels the push and pull of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

This year's Planet Connections Film Festival will benefit Reel Works (www.reelworks.org), a Brooklyn-based non-profit organization that provides free filmmaking programs for NYC Youth. Using a unique, one-on-one mentoring model, Reel Works challenges at-risk youth to tell their stories and have their voices heard. In turn, they build vital skills of literacy, leadership and self-confidence to create productive futures.

The Planet Connections Film Festival is the New York festival dedicated to films that speak to relevant environmental and social matters. Tickets for this year's festival, screening June 2 at 9pm at Paradise Factory, are on sale now at www.planetconnections.org/films. #PCFilmFest

The Planet Connections Theatre Festivity is New York's premiere eco-friendly/socially conscious not-for-profit arts festival. Fostering a diverse cross-section of performances and events, the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity seeks to inspire artists and audiences both creatively and fundamentally, in a festive atmosphere forming a community of like-minded artists. At the heart of the Festivity are like-minded individuals striving to create professional, meaningful film, theatre, and music, while supporting organizations which give back to the community at large. Join Planet Connections on Facebook (www.facebook.com/PlanetConnections) andTwitter (www.twitter.com/PCTFNYC).