New 'As iFF' Festival to Celebrate Short Films in Irvington, NY, Today
Celebrating the short film art form, As iFF will screen 15 films of varying lengths (from one minute to just under 15 minutes), and the audience will get to choose their favorites along with jury award selections also bestowed to the winning films in a variety of categories.
The Best of Film Series was created eight seasons ago as an off-shoot committee of the Irvington Town Hall Theater (ITHT) Commission. Built in 1902, ITHT is the majestic home to live theater, concerts, and children's shows. The film committee added film to the historic theater's rich array of presentations -- screening indie, foreign and documentary films, and occasionally short film competitions. They quickly learned that audiences enjoyed watching the annual Oscar-nominated shorts and choosing their favorites. ITHT Commissioner and As iFF producer Laurie Chock spoke with the committee this past summer about creating a festival that would screen shorts three times throughout the season. An advisory board was assembled, the mission set in place, and the decision to move forward was made.
"We put out a call for submissions to filmmakers from all over the world and received an outpouring of spectacular films," Chock says. "It wasn't easy, but we picked the top 15 films all created by highly talented filmmakers."
The films reflect diversity not only in subject matter but in genre as well (narrative, animation, and documentary). Some introduce faces and voices you may not know while others boast the talents of Melissa Leo and Zachary Quinto. Filmmakers from a dozen countries submitted amazing works which As iFF's producers watched numerous times in order to narrow down the captivating two-hour program to "15 under 15."
Several of the filmmakers will be on hand for a Q&A the night of the screening. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $10; and "Above the Line Tickets" (a film term for the production team) can be purchased for $50 and includes some As iFF swag along with admission to the festival and an exclusive cocktail party.
"Great short films are like explosions of concentrated creativity," says Chock. "They are BOUNDLESS within the constraints of time. But the general public rarely can see these films. As iFF is a festival where you can experience great shorts projected on the big screen."
More information on the festival can be found at www.asiffestival.com. Irvington Town Hall Theater is located at 85 Main Street in Irvington, NY.
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