Village East Cinemas
181 Second Ave. at Twelfth St.
July 22-29, $15 per screening (includes after-party)
www.nyfilmvideo.com
The competitive New York International Independent Film and Video Festival, which calls itself “The Voice of Indie Film,” begins tonight with a party at BLVD that kicks off a week of screenings at Village East, comprising a wide-ranging group of more than two hundred shorts, features, animated works, and documentaries. Although many of the films are significantly low-budget and amateurish, there are still several with familiar cast and crew and higher production values. Matthew Modine and Danny Aiello star in Abel Ferrara’s MULBERRY ST., Billy Zane and Edward Furlong lead the cast in Uwe Boll’s ATTACK ON DARFUR, Ol’ Dirty Bastard is profiled in Raison Allah’s “DIRTY,” Mario Van Peebles anchors Michael Bergmann’s comedy TIED TO A CHAIR, and Liam Neeson narrates Melissa Villanueva and J. Michael Kipikash’s RESTING PLACES. In addition to film screenings, there will be three seminars: “In Conversation with Director Abel Ferrara” on July 23 at 12 noon, “The Truth About Distribution” with festival founder Stuart Alson on July 24 at 10:00 am, and “The Fundamentals of Publicity and Grass Roots Marketing for Your Indie Film” with Brad Balfour, Cheryl Duncan, and Hugh McGrory on July 24 at 10:00 am. Each night will conclude with an after-party at such locations as Columbus 72, 8 Bond Street, the Gates, Le Souk, Faluka, Veranda, and USL, with free admission for same-day ticket holders.