Garden State Film Festival To Welcome Celebrities, Filmmakers And Fans To Asbury Park

The Garden State Film Festival (GSFF) will welcome celebrities, filmmakers and fans to the spectacular seaside town of Asbury Park next week, from Wednesday, March 27th through Sunday, March 31st at multiple local venues for the Festival's fabulous 17th Anniversary Celebration. This DAZZLING FIVE-DAY EVENT celebrates the best in international and local cinema and will feature exciting networking opportunities, instructive hands-on workshops, an open talent casting call, screenplay competition winner reading, intriguing and informative panel discussions, and entertaining and fun parties - all in addition to the over 245 fabulous films from around the globe screening throughout the Festival. This is also the first year that GSFF will present acting awards, with winners to be announced at the Sunday Awards Banquet.

The Garden State Film Festival kicks off its 17th annual celebration of the best in independent film with a special exclusive East Coast Film Festival premiere screening of My Dinner With Alan: A Sopranos Session, on Wednesday March 27th at the Jersey Shore Arts Center in Ocean Grove at 7:00 p.m. The film block is hosted by Monmouth County Freeholder Director, Thomas A. Arnone. The film will be followed by a panel discussion with TV critics Alan Sepinwall, Matt Zoller Seitz, film director Kristen Fraga, as well as Sopranos stars Artie Pasquale, Dan Grimaldi and Federico Castelluccio. This exciting evening will also include a BOOK SIGNING by both authors, with proceeds to benefit GSFF. The book is available for PRE-ORDER for theBook Signing (cost is $25.00 and guests must be present at the event, books will not be shipped). Please visit: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4094178.

Books will also be available to purchase on site while supplies last.

The Festival continues with an exclusive "Meet the Filmmakers" cash bar cocktail reception and screening event at one of the trendiest spots in town, ASBURY LANES, on Thursday evening, March 28th. The cocktail hour reception is 7:00-8:00 p.m., at which attendees can meet and greet the filmmakers whose exceptional works will be featured throughout the weekend. Following the reception and included in the ticket, at 8:00-9:30 p.m. will be a screening of selected upcoming Festival film trailers for attendees to schedule the films they are excited to see.

On Friday evening, March 29th, the weekend's first film screenings of"The Ring" and opening feature"The Bird Catcher" at the Paramount Theater will immediately follow an elegant star-studded RED CARPET GALA NETWORKING EVENT & COCKTAIL PARTY, which begins at 7:00 p.m. in Asbury's iconic Convention Hall. Inspired by true events and filmed on location against the backdrop of Norway's spectacular scenery, "The Bird Catcher" is a stunning and captivating story about survival of the spirit in the face of adversity. Attendees will have an opportunity to mingle with organizers, filmmakers and celebrities, while celebrating the Festival's exciting 17th event! GSFF promises an incredible evening of glitz, glamour and entertainment.

GSFF is thrilled to welcome international film stars August Diehl(Inglourious Basterds, Le jeune Karl Marx & Salt), who is being honored with GSFF's 2019 Independent Spirit Award and Arthur Hakalahti(Scandinavia's 'River Phoenix' known for Mortal, The King's Choice & Hotel Caesar), both of whom have leading roles in "The Bird Catcher,"and are crossing the ocean to join in this year's festivities. Also walking the Red Carpet will be actress Kate Walsh (The Perks of Being A Wallflower, The Umbrella Academy, 13 Reasons Why), New Jersey's ownTara Reid (Sharknado, American Pie), Siobhan Fallon Hogan (The Shed, Wayward Pines, Men in Black), Ronnie Marmo (currently starring off-Broadway to rave reviews in "I'm Not a Comedian...I'm Lenny Bruce")and director/producer Rob Margolies. Many more delightful surprises are in store!

In addition to the 245+ film screenings from around the globe which will be scheduled throughout the weekend, other highly-anticipated Festival events set for Saturday and Sunday include a dynamic hands-on animation workshop presented by Bruce Bertrand, several stimulating professional panel discussions, and a live read of the screenplay competition winner. The Festival concludes with a lavish Awards Banquet on Sunday evening. -TICKETS ARE SOLD OUT!

The schedule can be viewed in its entirety here:https://tinyurl.com/y6p476p8

Garden State Film Festival 2019 honorees and acting award nominees will be in attendance at the Festival throughout the weekend and they will receive their awards at the black-tie-optional Awards Banquet at the Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel on Sunday, March 31st.