Garden Theatre Hosts StarLite Film Festival, Now thru 1/26

The Garden Theatre has announced the StarLite Film Festival, today, January 23 - 26, 2014, sponsored by the City of Winter Garden. The Garden Theatre's 2013-2014 Season is presented by CenturyLink.

Over the course of four days, the StarLite Film Festival will offer a slate of 10 microbudget feature films to be screened at the beautiful and historic Garden Theatre in downtown Winter Garden (160 W Plant St). The Festival will also offer free panels and workshops and multiple opportunities for cinephiles to mingle with filmmakers and share their love of independent film.

Thursday, Jan 23
7pm - My Fair Lidy - feat. Q&A with director Ralph Clemente
10pm - Opening Night Party

Friday, Jan 24
8pm - The Paragon Cortex
9:50pm - 18
11:30pm - Talk-Back Lounge at Pilars Martini

Saturday, Jan 25
11:30am - Tarsus
1:30pm - Micro-budget Casting Panel
2:40pm - Beinahe Negative*
4:35pm - Directing the Actor Workshop
6pm - The Perfect 46*
8:05pm - Directors Panel
9:10pm - Pennsylvania Holy Ghost*
11:30pm - Talk-Back Lounge at Pilars Martini

Sunday, Jan 26
1pm - Tu Seras Un Homme
2:45pm - Silvi
4:30pm - Palace Living*
6pm - Awards Ceremony & Closing Party

*Director in attendance

All-Access Passes will be sold for just $30 for adults, or a "steal" for students at just $10. The All-Access Pass includes admission to all movies, workshops and parties (including a 10% discount off all drinks at the Talk-Back events), and a festival t-shirt. Single event tickets to the opening night screening and party are $15, while individual tickets to films screened on Friday, Saturday and Sunday are $5 each.

The festival will kick off on January 23 with the opening night feature, My Fair Lidy, directed by Central Florida legend Ralph Clemente, followed by the Opening Night Party. My Fair Lidy tells the story of Craig Lideman (Lidy to his friends), who works a blue collar job and has fallen on hard times. My Fair Lidy is a microbudget spin on comedy classics like The Birdcage. The screening will feature an exclusive conversation with director Ralph Clemente, a producer with more than 50 professional credits and the founder of Valencia College's Film Production Technology program. On the Today Show, Steven Spielberg hailed the program as one of the finest in the country. Production on My Fair Lidy involved Valencia students and featured local actors. The original music for the film was written and performed by music professors Alan Gerber and Troy Gifford, along with the Valencia College Orchestra.

In addition to the opening night film, StarLite will feature 9 films in competition, including four international films from South Korea, Germany (2) and France. Five of the films in competition are world premieres. The completion budgets for each film could not exceed the equivalent of US $200,000.

Two of the domestic world premieres this year have Central Florida connections. The Perfect 46 was directed by Brett Bonowicz, who graduated from the University of Central Florida's film program and whose last feature won the domestic prize at the 2013 StarLite Film Festival. Pennsylvania Holy Ghost was directed as a graduate thesis project by UCF Film alum Ryan Ceri Pomeranz.

In addition to the many wonderful films in the program, Truthful Acting Studios will host a free panel on Microbudget Casting and a free Directing the Actor Workshop on Saturday. The Directors Panel will present this year's directors in attendance to discuss microbudget filmmaking and an additional opportunity to answer questions from the audience.

The Talk-Back Lounge (hosted by Pilars Martini) on Friday and Saturday nights will be an exciting opportunity for movie lovers, filmmakers and festival staff to mingle and share their love of micro-budget cinema. Awards will be presented on Sunday for Best Domestic Film, Best International Film, Audience Choice, and Spirit of StarLite - the film that best reflects the mission of the StarLite Film Festival - to take a closer look at untold stories, investigate fresh perspectives, and magnify unfamiliar faces.

For movie tickets, All-Access Passes, and the complete festival schedule go to starlitefilmfest.com or call the Garden Theatre Box Office at 407-877-4736 x0. Please note films may contain language, violence and mature themes. For questions regarding content, please contact the Garden Theatre Box Office.

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