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At an early morning press conference on Wednesday September 21st, at Bar Majestic in Downtown Jersey City, Bill Sorvino, Festival Director of the Golden Door Film Festival and organizers along with Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy in attendance announced to the public the three day event and all  films nominated at the first film festival to be held in Jersey City from October 13 to October 16th, 2011
Read our River View Cover Story on Festival Here
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Other Side of the River Productions announces Sonny Marinelli will depict Liam Hourigan in “FRAGMENTED COMMITMENTS”Jersey City, NJ, July 21, 2011 –(PR.com)– Other Side of the River
Productions has announced that Sonny Marinelli will portray Liam Hourigan and will also join the production team of their new project “Fragmented Commitments”, scheduled to be produced in the winter of 2012.
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The company headed by PJ Leonard, just completed “The Fallen Faithful” which starred Sonny Marinelli as Moran Douglas. “Fragmented Commitments” is based on a story by PJ Leonard and written by Brandy Mead.
Elizabeth Taylor, beautiful, talented two time Academy Award winner has died at 79 years old of congestive heart failure.
Ms. Taylor was pronounced dead at L.A.’s Cedars-Sinai Medical Center with her children by her side. Her son Michael Wilding best summed up his mother’s life by saying, “My mother was an extraordinary woman who lived life to the fullest, with great passion, humor, and love. Though her loss is devastating to those of us who held her so close and so dear, we will always be inspired by her enduring contribution to our world.â€
The sultry, talented actress had made over 60 films, was married eight times (twice to Richard Burton) and had 4 children.
In her later years she championed the cause to find a cure for AIDs.
She became Michael Jackson’s closet friend, and although personal trajedy and health issues plagued her most of her adult life she carried her self with dignity and strength.
She was part of an era of hollywood that produced many showbiz icons like Frank Sinatra, Henry Fonda, Rosalind Russel, Marilyn Monroe,
Rock Hudson,Cary Grant and others.
Below is a tribute by Turner Classic Television narrated by Paul Neuman on the extraordinary career and acting ability of Elizabeth Taylor.
Source Gossip Cop, You Tube, River View Observer Staff writer
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Actress Tammy Blanchard  seen here in a Yahoo.com news photo at the premiere Dec. 2nd for the Nicole Kidman film production of David Lindsay Albaire’s play Rabbit Hole. Ms. Blanchard plays “Izzie” in the film.
Ms. Blanchard can be seen next in How to Succeed in Business Without Out Really Trying on Broadway with Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe in March 2011.Â
She has also finished filming “Union Square with Mira Sorvino due out in 2012 and two other films.
The premire for Rabbit Hole was held at the Paris Theater in NYC
Source: Yahoo.com news
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 Film Producer PJ Leonard Rolls out Red Carpet for Little Curly Top at NYC Premier of “The Fallen Faithful”
 By Sally Deering
 Film producer PJ Leonard grew up in Jersey City at a time when mothers taught sons to do the right thing with a smack in the back of the head. He’s one of those tough-talking types with the heart of a marshmallow, like when Bogart says bye-bye to Bergman in “Casablanca.” Bogey, too, had to do the right thing and maybe his mama cracked him good because he ended up sacrificing his only crack at freedom for the woman he loved.
 “The Fallen Faithful” is Leonard’s second crack at filmmaking as Executive Producer doing what producers do best – making a movie from script-reading to film screening. As Executive Producer of Other Side of the River Productions Leonard raises money, puts creative teams together, hires actors, negotiates contracts and scouts locations – the bim, bam, boom of movie-making. It’s also his job to get his new film seen, which is exactly what Leonard put in place for Monday, October 25th at the Director’s Guild Theater in New York City where “The Fallen Faithful” makes it’s NYC premiere. It promises to be a glitzy night with the film’s stars Sonny Marinelli and Obba Babatunde attending and one special name on the guest list that isn’t in the credits.Â
 Meghan “Maggie” Elizabeth Russo, a curly-topped two year-old from Staten Island was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a rare form of cancer that forms in the eye. Currently in treatment at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, little Meghan has a tough road ahead as she prepares for a bone-marrow transplant and a series of chemo. Her dad, Mike is a NYC Firefighter and mom, Mary Beth, left her full-time job to care for Maggie, her older brother Michael and baby sister Mary Kate. Keeping the family healthy and happy are Mike and Mary Beth’s number one priority, and according to Leonard, “they look like the happiest people in the world, always doing things together,” but they can use a helping hand paying for necessities like Pampers and babysitters. That’s where Leonard plays a part.
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Continue reading Jersey City Film Producer PJ Leonard Lends a Helping Hand With The Premiere of Falling Faithful
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Young Hudson County NJ Actor Brings His Screenplay to LifeBy Evelyn Bonilla
Sam Platizky’s “Blaming George Romero” is igniting online excitement and curiosity. The introduction to a feature length film about zombies, written by Platizky; has zombie followers from Facebook and Twitter wanting to know more.
The film which is presently in production, is a story of what happens when four horror film fanatic friends, unhappy with their lives, think that there’s been a zombie apocalypse and jump at the chance to try to survive.
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Continue reading Sam Platizky in “Blaming George Romeroâ€
By Evelyn Bonilla
Imagination can be a powerful force, and
if used creatively it can give way to magnificent creations. Let’s take New Jersey filmmaker Patrick Knipe for example; his compilation of imagination coupled with inspiration has brought to fruition films that are suspenseful and explore the human psyche. Continue reading New Jersey Writer/Director Patrick Knipe Takes Filmmaking to a New Level
Hoboken International Film Festival Shines Kliegs on Teaneck!
By Sally Deering
 First Cannes, then Sundance, now Teaneck? Yes folks, Cedar Lane Cinemas in Teaneck rolls out the red carpet for the fifth annual Hoboken International Film Festival, which used to be held in Hoboken, but because of some snafu, will now wow film-lovers a few miles north of Sinatra’s hometown.
The indie film fest promises to be a feast for the eyes, 115 feature-length films, documentaries, shorts and TV pilots presented on the silver screen with in-person appearances by Oscar-winning movie stars, Emmy-winning TV stars and the writers and directors who nurtured their films from their first baby-steps. Continue reading Indie Cover Story -Indie Filmmakers Head to the ‘Burbs
Actress Tammy Blanchard best known for her Emmy Award wining role as a young Judy Garland in CBS’s 2001 mega docu-drama Life with Judy Garland:Me and My Shadows, will appear in “Amish Grace,” a Lifetime LMN drama Sunday, March 28, at 8pm.
Based on a True Story and Book Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy by Donald B. Kraybill, Steven M. Nolt, and David L. Weaver- Zercher.
When a gunman killed five Amish children and injured five others in a Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania schoolhouse shooting in October of 2006, the world media attention rapidly turned from the tragic events to the extraordinary forgiveness demonstrated by the Amish community.
Ms. Blanchard stars as Amy Roberts the wife of Charles Carl Roberts the shooter at Nickle Back. Also appearing with Ms. Blanchard in Amish Grace; Kimberly Williams Paisley, and Matt Letscher.
Read more about Ms. Blanchard’s acting career next month in our River View Observer Celebrity Cover Interview with this talented New Jersey actress.
