October brings chills and thrills and skies so bright you can see the stars and the nights will be especially starry when the Golden Door International Film Festival rolls out the red carpet at the Loewâ€s Jersey City movie palace for four fabulous days of films.

 The film festival kicks off Thurs, Oct. 11^th where stars, writers, directors and cinephiles will gather in the Loewâ€s art deco lobby for drinks and schmoozing and then take their seats in the beautifully restored theater to watch two new films, Pollination* starring Federico Castelluccio (The Sopranos); and Just Crazy Enough featuring Saturday Night Live alum Chris Kattan.  The following three days will be jam packed with screenings of features, documentaries and shorts and a closing night awards ceremony on Sun, Oct. 14^th.                

 Founder Bill Sorvino brings the film festival back to Jersey City for a second year and the response heâ€s received since last yearâ€s event has been huge, he says. This time around, Sorvino has added ore films to the marquee for a four-day smorgasbord of features, documentaries and shorts from Hollywood to Bollywood.

 “Last yearâ€s festival was very successful,” Sorvino says. “We had great feedback and I want to build on what we did last year. So this year the amount of fantastic films we have is over the top – one great film after another.” 

 Close to 50 films were chosen from hundreds of entries sent in from all over the world including Germany, Switzerland, India, South Africa and Australia. Local filmmakers also made the cut. This yearâ€s screenings include Alfred Thinks We’re Aliens; Carbon for Water; This Space Available; Not a Feather, but a Dot; A Dance with Andrea; Red Scare; The Senatorâ€s Daughter; and Surviving Family.

 (To view the full schedule and purchase tickets go to www.goldendoorfilmfestival.org.)

“Iâ€m trying to grow the festival to make it more prominent,” Sorvino says. “I couldnâ€t turn down these films, I just couldnâ€t.”

 Although most of the films will be screened at the beautiful Loewâ€s Jersey City, Sorvino expanded the screening venues to other Jersey City locales including the Brightside Tavern, Panepinto Galleries, Art House Productions and the Jersey City Free Public Libraryâ€s Five Corners Branch. Every night the screenings will be a red carpet event. At Friday nightâ€s screenings at the Loewâ€s, the stars will shine like supernovas with the showing of Union Square starring Academy Award winner Mira Sorvino and Emmy award winner Tammy Blanchard. (Union Square is a special festival attraction and not part of the competition.)

 Also on Friday nightâ€s bill is local filmmaker Mara Lesemannâ€s Surviving Family which features Vincent Pastore who played Sal Bonpensiero in The Sopranos. Lesemannâ€s film tells the story of a woman getting married in five days who returns home to her dysfunctional family in New Jersey to prepare for her nuptials. Lesemann shot many of the filmâ€s scenes in her very own Jersey City neighborhood: the Lucky 7 tavern on Coles Street, Satis Bistro on Washington Boulevard, Pecorraro Bakery on Newark Avenue, La Belle Boutique on Danforth Avenue and City Hall on Grove Street.

 “Shooting scenes in Jersey Cityâ€s City Hall was absolutely awesome,” Lesemann says. “We made up a New Jersey town called Byzantine and Vincent Pastore plays the mayor who helps this young couple get a marriage license. Jersey Cityâ€s Mayor Healy was nice enough to let us use his office and we shot a scene there at 3 in the morning. Debbie Harris who works for the cityâ€s cultural affairs department was our liaison and she was great.”

Lesemann has had several screenings of Surviving Family and says thereâ€s something special about screening her film in Jersey City. A former banker, Lesemann sees her film career as a risk worth taking and bankrolled the movie with her own savings.

“Iâ€m not going to live forever and I want to do things that are important to me,” Lesemann says. “Iâ€m very proud of the film. Iâ€ve written and produced several shorts before this, wrote another screenplay and this one I wrote with the intention of it being produced.”

Linden resident Sam Borowski directed and co-wrote Pollination* which will be featured at the Opening Night Gala.  This live action short co-written by Borowski and Lisa Buffington, who once worked as Borowskiâ€s assistant, tells the story of the relationships between people and their plants and stars Federico Castelluccio who played hitman Furio on The Sopranos.  

 In August, Borowski premiered Pollination* at the Holly Shorts Festival in Hollywood where many short films go on to be nominated for Academy Awards, Borowski says.

 “Federico got nominated for best actor which was great and qualifying for an Oscar in the live action category would be amazing, but itâ€s more of an amazing feeling to write stories that touch peopleâ€s lives,” Borowski says.

At last yearâ€s festival Borowskiâ€s film Nightclub earned five awards including best picture, best director, best actress for Academy-Award winner Sally Kellerman (M*A*S*H) and best actor for the late Ernest Borgnine (Marty, McHaleâ€s Navy). Since its screening at Golden Door, Borowski says heâ€s now in talks with a major studio and Nightclub will be released later this year.

 As a result of Nightclubâ€s screening last year at the Golden Door International Film Festival, Borowski says heâ€s booked several jobs by networking and making new contacts.

 “The festival is out of this world,” Borowski says. “For any filmmaker or actor this is the place to be. Itâ€s absolutely one of the best networking experiences Iâ€ve had at a festival.”

 If you go:

Thurs, Oct. 11- Sun, Oct. 14

The Golden Door International Film Festival

Jersey City

Tickets $10 at the door (additional surcharge when purchased online)

Film screenings shown at Loewâ€s Jersey City; Brightside Tavern; Panepinto Galleries; Art House Productions; and Jersey City Free Public Library/Five Corners Branch

For screenings schedule and tickets: www.goldendoorfilmfestival.org

 

 

 

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Twelve hours of creativity and fun—October 3, 2009, 10 am-10 pm
On Saturday, October 3, 2009, 4th Street Arts, in cooperation with The Village Neighborhood Association and in tandem with the Jersey City Artists†Studio Tour, will yet again throw the ultimate celebration for creativity—the 4th Street Art & Music Festival.

Located at the crossroads of 4th Street, Newark Avenue and Brunswick Street, the Festival will feature an array of local visual artists†works (from sculpture to paintings to photography); live, interactive pieces; exciting childrenâ€s activities; the finest up-and-coming bands New Jersey has to offer; as well as delicious food and refreshing drinks. This year, the Festival is likely to draw more than 1,000 residents, truly bringing the community together while providing unprecedented exposure for businesses and artists alike.
ART
The 4th Street Art & Music Festival will showcase art in all its various formats and in a wide breadth of media.
Highlights include:
• Theme—Festival designer Thomas John Carlson will bring the concept of “growth” to life via painted wall decoration and vibrant displays using vegetation throughout. In an effort to illustrate the organic control of
space, Carlson will weed the Festival area and replace the unruly plants with real and painted flowers emphasizing the “gathering” of community, growth of retailers, food we eat (and those who provide it), and expansion of culture through music and art.
• Art for sale—artisans and visual artists will have pieces for sale, ranging from jewelry to photographs to soft goods to paintings. See next page for list of participants.
• Interactive & performance art—Called 2 X Four, this portion of the Festival will consist of two interactive art pieces and two performance art pieces. The interactive portions will feature separate showcases by Kevin
Darmanie and Nyugen E. Smith who will satire to reflect on how historical lineage, personal, and social issues impacts identity. Simultaneously Angela KaRIOTis will deliver a work offering insight about our collective
histories, greatest ideas, and thinking in new contexts. Another piece will feature an ensemble of musicians from multiple disciplines interpreting the energy generated by the environment through transfer of sound.
• Live art—Opening the artistâ€s studio for the public eye, artists ranging from various areas of expertise—from fine to street—will each paint a wood panel in their own unique style. In December, the works will be exhibited
and sold in the rotunda of City Hall. See next page for list of participating artists.
• Childrenâ€s corner—Run by Cara Campoli, this special area dedicated to kids will allow them to let their art
skills go wild with chalk, paint, and more. In addition, there will be face painting from 1-5. In addition, Michael Napolitano will perform music. Napolitano teaches at The Blue School in NYC, Music for Aardvarks and runs his own program Preschool of Rock. An advocate of early relationships with music he believes music, song and
rhyme aid in literacy development years before formal schooling.
MUSIC
Starting at noon, attendees will get down to groovy tunes, from folk to rock, played from two Festival stages. Line-up includes (subject to change):
THE VILLAGE STAGE
• Any Day Parade
• Frozen Gentlemen
• In Musth
• Bongo Surf
In between acts (and throughout the Festival), comedy troupe trip-and-fall will entertain the crowd with finely tuned comedic performances, including; live sketch comedy, street art, and just hanging out being funny. Based out of Jersey City, trip-and-fall is made up of best friends, compatriots, and all-around silly duo Sarah Roxanne Shields and Alissa Ahlberg. To learn more about this riot act, visit tripandfallproductions.wordpress.com.
CHARITY
4th Street Arts is pleased to partner with Mission:Remission, a not for profit organization dedicated to cancer research and awareness. Presently they have three pillars supporting cancer related groups: “Support” benefits Gilda Club, helping those living with cancer, as well as their friends and families; “Awareness” benefits Maureen Fund, committed to ovarian cancer awareness and education; and “Research” benefitting the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund dedicated to finding better ways to detect and treat ovarian cancer. Mission:Remission will be hosting a silent auction, featuring artwork and services including a photo series by Steph Caldwell titled “Portrait Of A Lady” (proceeds from this item will benefit the Susan G Komen Foundation, in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month), during the duration of the Festival. For more information, contact Jesse Caldwell at mission.remission@gmail.com.

Contacts: Mike McNamara | 516.782.6584
Marc Caterina | 732.742.2153
Email: 4thstreetfest@gmail.com URL: 4thstreetart.com
THE WHITE EAGLE STAGE
• Fairmont
• Miss Ohio
• Beacon
• Una Pong
• Andrew Sullivan
• 2 X Four Orchestra
• Angela KaRIOTis
• Natty Adams
• Manouche Bag
• Knotworking
• One Foot In
• Thomas Francis Takes His Chances
• Land of the Look Behind
• Dancing Tonyâ€s DJ Consortium
• Special guests

SPONSORSHIPS
4th Street Arts would like to thank the following sponsors for their generous support: Sabrett, Stephen Roth/Prudential, Lucky 7 Tavern, 327 5th Street Corp., Metropolis Music, Another Manâ€s Treasure, Christopher Larsen, JC Tattoo Company, Grove Street Bicycles, LITM, The Little Gym, Eyesore Apparel,The Jersey City Independent, Skinners Loft, Edwards Steakhouse, Made With Love, Hudson County Art Supply, York Street Tavern, Carmen Rosa Bakery, FJB  Comics and Games, Brennanâ€s Florist, Madame Claudeâ€s Café, 2nd Street Bakery, Abbeyâ€s, Pecarraros, and Carmines.

Information about The Little Gym: A recreational gymnastics and dance center for children from 4 months to 12 years old. Classes include parent/child motor development, preschool gymnastics, dance, sports skills development, and grade school gymnastics for beginners, intermediate and advanced students. For more information, visit thelittlegym.com.
ARTISTS & ARTISANS (list may not be complete)
Lau Gallico Klohe, Sue Gerner, Tunde Cseke, Luca Cusolito (Lollibomb Beauty), Veronica Rosas, Christina Cruz, Sharon Harvey, Teri Sanders, Edmund Derrick, Shanon Dejong, Allison Garguilo (Minor Treat Bakery), Christina Entcheva, Corey Fleming, Kayt Hester, Matt Caputo, Norman Kirby, Mark Megara, Andrea Morin, Debbie Manville, David Reynolds, Paul Kiesche, Kevin Mccarthy, Joe Russo, Ron Erickson, Lynn Presley, Christine Kimmel, Christina Allesi, Debbie Mendel, Grayson Bagwell, Frank Palaia, Joe Chirchirillo, Mike McNamara, Thomas John Carlson, Christopher Silk, Doug Mitchell, Jesse A. Caldwell, The Agitators, Nyugen E. Smith, Mike Mandracchia, Rebecca Feranec, Yvonne Raley Designs , Johanna Wood, Emily August (Go Go Distro), Megan Gulick, Katherine Ramos (Sweet Ruination), Stefanie Flodmand (Howdy Sailor)

Some artisans featured are members of The Jersey City Craft Mafia, the newest addition to the Craft Mafia family—an international organization aimed at promoting artists and alterna-crafters on a local level. Members currently include fine artists and photographers, jewelry and accessory designers, a glass artist, and a beauty goods producer.
LIVE ART PARTICIPANTS (list may not be complete)
Joe Russo, Joe Iurato, Mark Finne, Nathan Lee Pickett, Ellis Gallagher, Cern, Matt Caputo & Norm Kirby, Damon Ginandes, Robots Will Kill, Steve Lew,
Gocha Tzisade, Nicholas Forker, Elmer Quiroz, Ken Bastard, Nico Kwan Phillips, Sean Lugo, Darren Defield, David Cooper, Matthew Okpych
BANDS
• Frozen Gentlemen: Frozen Gentlemen likens themselves to the “good” Bee Gees on amphetamines. They mix dance with rock in a way that gets the
crowd involved physically and emotionally.
• In Musth: This is how In Musth describes themselves—“Riffs that old people canâ€t hear. Not keen on repeating ourselves. Ever striving to resolve thin lizzy to ghetto boys, complex machinery to meat ‘n potatoes. We button the top button, tighten our tie and play by the rules in technicolor. Also, for the patient listener, there’s the fifth amendment. Aftertaste of extra-dimensional consciousness and the fanning tail display of male peacocks.”
• Knotworking: An ever-changing cast of musicians who support the voice and songwriting of Edward Gorch, whoâ€s literate songs come from homes in the margins of society. The fall 2009 band line-up features a back-to-basics two guitar, electric bass and drums approach.
• Thomas Francis Takes His Chances: TFTHC is a son, a brother. a friend. a lover, a husband, a grandfather. a cousin, a peeper, a doubter, a little engine that could, a scientist, an inventor, a cat, a gun, a half of a drum, an English muffin, a president, a principle, a saint, a martyr, a human, an animal, an orator, a listener, an aquarium drinker, an inspiration, a hero, but above all the rest “Our Father,” AMEN.
FOOD
The 4th Street Arts & Music Festival will host a collection of delectable food vendors. Among them Glenn Gilliar will provide his gourmet tasties. About
participating in this yearâ€s Festival, he says “I grew up with many food allergies and had to learn to cook more for necessity than pleasure. I’m a daring eater and will try almost anything presented to me I haven’t eaten before (as long as I’m not allergic). I love to experiment when cooking but I’ll be featuring my tried and true selections for the festival. All of the selections will be meat or seafood based. My booth will be more focused on quality rather than quantity.”
SPECIAL NOTE
To support this yearâ€s Festival, 4th Street Arts hosted a Mac & Cheese Bake Off on September 13. Twelve chefs participated, including restaurants and home cooks, and more than 250 locals came out as testers. This yearâ€s winners included: Judgeâ€s Restaurant Choice Lamp Post Bar and Grill, Judgeâ€s Individual Choice Judy Nunez, Peopleâ€s Choice Restaurant Iron Monkey, Peopleâ€s Individual Choice Rob Castillo, all of whom will enjoy free food and drink at the Festival, compliments of 4th Street Arts. Special thanks to Star Ledger contributor Pete Genovese, Councilman Steve Fulop, and Tony Susco who judged; and Sam Adams for providing beer and White Star Bar for their support.

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