Media Contact: Valerie Cisneros [email protected] 407-629-1088 x302

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

26TH ANNUAL FLORIDA FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES PROGRAM LINEUP AND CELEBRITY GUESTS

Orlando, FL – (March 29, 2017) – Today the Florida Film Festival announced the program lineup for the 26th Annual Festival, April 21-30, 2017, in Maitland and Winter Park, Florida, with Primary Sponsor Full Sail University and Primary Public Partners Orange County Government and the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs. The Festival will screen 182 films representing 40 countries, along with celebrity guest appearances, forums, and parties. Of the films selected, 139 have premiere status, including 17 world premieres. Full lineup listed below. Film descriptions, trailers, stills, and schedule available at: http://www.floridafilmfestival.com/

“This year’s lineup just blows me away,” commented Matthew Curtis, Florida Film Festival Programming Director. “With records being set in just about every aspect of the programming and selection process— including number of submissions, countries represented, female filmmakers (76!) and returning FFF alumni (40)—the diversity of new and returning voices combined with bold and uncompromising filmmaking talent promise to make 2017 a glorious, binge-worthy festival year.”

The 19 features and 65 short films in the American Independent Competition will be eligible for up to three awards each: a Grand Jury Award for best film in that category, a Special Jury Award given at the jury’s discretion for exceptional achievements, and an Audience Award determined by audience votes for Narrative Feature, Documentary Feature, and Best Short Film. International films are also eligible for Audience Awards for Best International Feature and Best International Short, and an Audience Award will be given for the Best Midnight Short as well.

2017 OFFICIAL SELECTION:

OPENING NIGHT FILM:

The Hero – Directed by Brett Haley, USA, 2016, 96 minutes Preceded by: 5 Films About Technology – Directed by Peter Huang, Canada, 2016, 5 minutes, Florida Premiere

SPOTLIGHT FILMS:

Bitch – Directed by Marianna Palka, USA, 2017, 93 minutes, Florida Premiere Buster’s Mal Heart – Directed by Sarah Adina Smith, USA, 2016, 98 minutes, In English and Spanish with English Subtitles, Southeast Premiere Colossal – Directed by Nacho Vigalondo, Canada/Spain, 2016, 110 minutes The Commune – Directed by Thomas Vinterberg, Denmark/Sweden/Netherlands, 2016, 111 minutes, In Danish with English Subtitles, Southeast Premiere Dean – Directed by Demetri Martin, USA, 2016, 87 minutes, Rated PG-13 The Exception – Directed by David Leveaux, UK, 2016, 107 minutes, Southeast Premiere/2nd US Showing Manifesto – Directed by Julian Rosefeldt, Germany, 2017, 95 minutes, Southeast Premiere Menashe – Directed by Joshua Z. Weinstein, USA, 2017, 81 minutes, In Yiddish with English Subtitles Paris Can Wait – Directed by Eleanor Coppola, USA, 2016, 92 minutes, In English and French with English Subtitles, Rated PG Patti Cake$ – Directed by Geremy Jasper, USA, 2017, 108 minutes Soul on a String – Directed by Zhang Yang, China/Tibet, 2016, 142 minutes, In Tibetan with English Subtitles, East Coast Premiere Step – Directed by Amanda Lipitz, USA, 2017, 83 minutes, Rated PG

NARRATIVE FEATURES COMPETITION:

The Archer – Directed by Valerie Weiss, USA, 2017, 86 minutes, East Coast Premiere/2nd US Showing Camera Obscura – Directed by Aaron B. Koontz, USA, 2017, 95 minutes, World Premiere Dave Made a Maze – Directed by Bill Watterson, USA, 2017, 81 minutes, Southeast Premiere Girl Flu. – Directed by Dorie Barton, USA, 2016, 94 minutes Katie Says Goodbye – Directed by Wayne Roberts, USA, 2016, 88 minutes My Entire High School Sinking into the Sea – Directed by Dash Shaw, USA, 2016, 75 min, Southeast Premiere Pushing Dead – Directed by Tom E. Brown, USA, 2016, 111 minutes Some Freaks – Directed by Ian MacAllister-McDonald, USA, 2016, 97 minutes, Florida Premiere The Strange Ones – Directed by Lauren Wolkstein and Christopher Radcliff, USA, 2017, 80 minutes A Stray – Directed by Musa Syeed, USA, 2016, 82 minutes, In English and Somali with English Subtitles, Southeast Premiere

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES COMPETITION:

8 Borders, 8 Days – Directed by Amanda Bailly, USA/Lebanon, 2017, 60 minutes, In Arabic with English Subtitles, World Premiere Cassette: A Documentary Mixtape – Directed by Zack Taylor, USA/Germany/Netherlands/UK, 2016, 92 minutes, East Coast Premiere/2nd US Showing Circus Kid – Directed by Lorenzo Pisoni, USA, 2016, 71 minutes, Southeast Premiere For Ahkeem – Directed by: Jeremy S. Levine and Landon Van Soest, USA, 2017, 90 minutes, Southeast Premiere/2nd US Showing The Peacemaker – Directed by James Demo, USA, 2016, 90 minutes, Southeast Premiere/2nd US Showing Rat Film – Directed by Theo Anthony, USA, 2016, 82 minutes Strad Style – Directed by Stefan Avalos, USA, 2017, 104 minutes, Southeast Premiere This Cold Life – Directed by Darren Mann, USA, 2017, 88 minutes, US Premiere Woman on Fire – Directed by Julie Sokolow, USA, 2016, 84 minutes, Southeast Premiere

DOCUMENTARY SHORTS COMPETITION: 116 Cameras – Directed by Davina Pardo, USA, 2017, 16 minutes, Southeast Premiere/2nd US Showing All Good Things – Directed by Chloe Domont, USA, 2017, 26 minutes, Florida Premiere Bayard & Me – Directed by Matt Wolf, USA, 2017, 16 minutes, Florida Premiere Brillo Box (3¢ Off) – Directed by Lisanne Sklyer, USA, 2016, 40 minutes, Florida Premiere The Carousel – Directed by Jonathan Napolitano, USA, 2016, 12 minutes, Southeast Premiere The Christmas Light Killer – Directed by James P. Gannon, USA, 2016, 7 minutes, Southeast Premiere/2nd US Showing Clean Hands – Directed by Lauren DeFilippo, USA, 2017, 9 minutes, East Coast Premiere The Collection – Directed by Adam Roffman, USA, 2017, 11 minutes Commodity City – Directed by Jessica Kingdon, USA, 2017, 11 minutes, In Mandarin with English Subtitles The Hama Hama Way – Directed by Treva Wurmfeld, USA, 2017, 12 minutes, Southeast Premiere Heaven is a Traffic Jam on the 405 – Directed by Frank Stiefel, USA, 2016, 40 minutes, East Coast Premiere High Chaparral – Directed by David Freid, USA/Sweden, 2016, 9 minutes, Florida Premiere The John Show – Directed by Julie Sokolow, USA, 2017, 13 minutes, East Coast Premiere Long Term Parking – Directed by Lance Oppenheim, USA, 2017, 8 minutes, Florida Premiere Oddball – Directed by Joshua Moore, USA, 2016, 5 minutes, East Coast The Rabbit Hunt – Directed by Patrick Bresnan, USA, 2017, 12 minutes Refugee – Directed by Joyce Chen and Emily Moore, USA/Senegal, 2016, 28 minutes, In English, Wolof, and French with English Subtitles, Florida Premiere Richard Twice – Directed by Matthew Salton, USA, 2017, 10 minutes, East Coast Premiere

NARRATIVE SHORTS COMPETITION:

August – Directed by Caitlyn Greene, USA, 2017, 8 minutes, Florida Premiere The Candidate – Directed by Michael Hilf, USA, 2016, 6 minutes Cat Killer – Directed by Wes Jones, USA, 2017, 11 minutes, World Premiere Cul-de-Sac – Directed by Damon Russell, USA, 2016, 15 minutes, Florida Premiere Cycle – Directed by Caleb Wild, USA, 2017, 10 minutes, World Premiere Get the Life – Directed by Ozzy Villazòn, USA, 2016, 12 minutes Good Crazy – Directed by Rosa Salazar, USA, 2017, 14 minutes, East Coast Premiere Hijo Por Hijo – Directed by Juan Avella, USA/Venezuela, 2016, 11 minutes, In Spanish with English Subtitles, East Coast Premiere Horseshoe Theory – Directed by Jonathan Daniel Brown, USA, 2017, 12 minutes, East Coast Premiere/2nd US Showing Hot Seat – Directed by Anna Kerrigan, USA, 2017, 13 minutes, Southeast Premiere I’m in Here – Directed by Willy Berliner, USA, 2017, 12 minutes, Southeast Premiere It’s Been Like a Year – Directed by Cameron Fay, USA, 2017, 9 minutes, East Coast Premiere/2nd US Showing Judy – Directed by Ariel Gardner and Alex Kavutskiy, USA, 2016, 10 minutes, Southeast Premiere La Ramona – Directed by Antonio De Jesus Sanchez, USA, 2017, 27 minutes, In Spanish with English subtitles, World Premiere Laurels – Directed by David Brundige, USA, 2017, 7 minutes, North American Premiere The Lemon Tree – Directed by Amanda Yam, USA, 2016, 11 minutes, Florida Premiere Mrs. Nebile’s Wormhole – Directed by Pinar Yorgancioğlu, USA/Germany/Turkey, 2016, 14 minutes, In Turkish and German with English Subtitles, Southeast Premiere New Neighbors – Directed by E.G. Bailey, USA, 2017, 9 minutes, East Coast Premiere Night Shift – Directed by Marshall Tyler, USA, 2017, 16 minutes, East Coast Premiere/2nd US Showing No Other Way to Say It – Directed by Tim Mason, USA, 2016, 7 minutes, East Coast Premiere Red Apples – Directed by George Sikharulidze, USA/Georgia/Armenia, 2016, 15 minutes, In Armenian with English Subtitles, East Coast Premiere Rosie, Oh – Directed by Andy Koeger and Apple Xenos, USA, 2016, 9 minutes, East Coast Premiere Scooter Joe – Directed by Steve Collins, USA, 2017, 7 minutes, World Premiere Shift – Directed by Kristen Hester, USA, 2016, 9 minutes, Southeast Premiere Surrogate – Directed by Olivia Hamilton, USA, 2016, 16 minutes, East Coast Premiere, 2nd US Showing Tiny Mammals – Directed by Dagny Looper, USA, 2017, 8 minutes, World Premiere The Visitor – Directed by Ferran Mendoza Soler, USA, 2016, 16 minutes, North American Premiere Vitamins for Life – Directed by Grier Dill, USA, 2016, 2 minutes, Southeast Premiere You Can Go – Directed by Christine Turner, USA, 2016, 10 minutes, Florida Premiere Your Day – Directed by Ginger Gonzaga, USA, 2017, 32 minutes, Florida Premiere Zaar – Directed by Ibrahim Nada, USA, 2016, 11 minutes, Southeast Premiere Zero-Zero – Directed by Randall Whittinghill, USA, 2017, 15 minutes, World Premiere

ANIMATED SHORTS COMPETITION:

149th and Grand Concourse – Directed by Andy & Carolyn London, USA, 2016, 3 minutes, 2nd US Screening The Biggest Wad is Mine – Directed by: Sam Gurry, USA, 2016, 3 minutes, East Coast Premiere Chella Drive – Directed by Adele Han Li, USA, 2016, 3 minutes, Southeast Premiere Cop Dog – Directed by Bill Plympton, USA, 2017, 6 minutes, World Premiere Fabricated – Directed by Brett Foxwell, USA, 2016, 19 minutes, East Coast Premiere/2nd US Showing Have Sex with Us – Directed by: Rob Frese, USA, 2016, 6 minutes, East Coast Premiere/2nd US Showing The History of Magic: Ensueño – Directed by Josè Luis González, USA, 2016, 5 minutes, In English and Spanish with English Subtitles, Southeast Premiere Hot Dog Hands – Directed by Matt Reynolds, USA, 2017, 7 minutes, East Coast Premiere Insect Bite – Directed by Grace Nayoon Rhee, USA/South Korea, 2016, 2 minutes, Southeast Premiere It’s a Date – Directed by Zachary Zezima, USA, 2016, 7 minutes, Southeast Premiere Legal Smuggling with Christine Choy – Directed by Lewie Kloster, USA, 2016, 4 minutes Slow Wave – Directed by Andy Kennedy, USA, 2016, 4 minutes, Florida Premiere Summer Camp Island – Directed by Julia Pott, USA, 2016, 9 minutes Trouble Brewing – Directed by Timothy Heath, USA, 2017, 8 minutes, East Coast Premiere/2nd US Showing Vocabulary 1 – Directed by Becky James, USA, 2016, 4 minutes, Southeast Premiere

INTERNATIONAL SHOWCASE FEATURES:

I Dream in Another Language (Sueño en Otro Idioma) – Directed by Ernesto Contreras, Mexico/Netherlands, 2017, 101 minutes, In Spanish with English Subtitles, Southeast Premiere Pop Aye – Directed by Kirsten Tan, Thailand/Singapore, 2017, 101 minutes, In Thai with English Subtitles, Southeast Premiere Sami Blood – Directed by Amanda Kernell, Sweden/Norway/Denmark, 2016, 107 minutes, In Swedish and South Sami with English Subtitles, East Coast Premiere White Sun – Directed by Deepak Rauniyar, Nepal/USA/Qatar/Netherlands, 2016, 89 minutes, In Nepali with English Subtitles

INTERNATIONAL SHORTS:

5 Films About Technology – Directed by Peter Huang, Canada, 2016, 5 minutes, Florida Premiere Add Contact – Directed by David Oeo, Spain, 2016, 3 minutes, In Spanish with English Subtitles, Southeast Premiere Fish Story – Directed by Charlie Lyne, UK, 2017, 14 minutes, East Coast Premiere Gryla – Directed by Tomas Heidar Johannesson, Iceland, 2016, 6 minutes, In Icelandic with English Subtitles, Florida Premiere Home – Directed by More Raça, Kosovo, 2016, 23 minutes, In Albanian with English Subtitles, East Coast Premiere Irregulars – Directed by Fabio Palmieri, Italy, 2015, 9 minutes, Florida Premiere Jonah the Wet Nurse – Directed by Shalom Hager, Israel, 2015, 30 minutes, In Hebrew with English Subtitles, North American Premiere The Other Side – Directed by Griselda San Martin, Spain, 2017, 6 minutes, In Spanish with English Subtitles, East Coast Premiere Overtime – Directed by Craig D. Foster, Australia, 2016, 9 minutes, Florida Premiere Pria – Directed by Yudho Aditya, Indonesia, 2017, 22 minutes, In Bahasa with English Subtitles, Southeast Premiere Saigo – Directed by TOCHKA (Takeshi Nagata, Kazue Monno), Japan, 2015, 2 minutes, Florida Premiere/2nd US Showing Searching for Wives – Directed by Zuki Juno Tobgye, Singapore, 2016, 12 minutes, In English and Tamil with English Subtitles, Southeast Premiere Slapper – Directed by Luci Schroder, Australia, 2016, 15 minutes, East Coast Premiere/2nd US Showing Stallion (Hingsten) – Directed by Ninja Thyberg, Sweden, 2016, 15 minutes, In Swedish with English Subtitles, World Premiere Supot – Directed by Phil Giordano, Philippines/USA, 2015, 13 minutes, In Tagalog with English Subtitles, North American Premiere White – Directed by Paul Cioran, Romania, 2016, 20 minutes, In Romanian with English Subtitles, North American Premiere

INTERNATIONAL ANIMATED SHORTS:

The Absence of Eddy Table – Directed by Rune Spaans, Norway, 2016, 12 minutes, Florida Premiere Arts + Crafts Spectacular #3 – Directed by Sébastien Wolf and Ian Ritterskamp, Germany, 2015, 4 minutes, Southeast Premiere Curse of the Flesh – Directed by Yannick Lecoeur and Leslie Lavielle, France, 2016, 16 minutes, No Dialogue, North American Premiere Decorado – Directed by Alberto Vázquez, Spain/France, 2016, 11 minutes, In Spanish with English Subtitles, Florida Premiere Fears – Directed by Nata Metlukh, Canada, 2015, 2 minutes, No Dialogue, Florida Premiere How Long, Not Long – Directed by Michelle and Uri Kranot, Denmark, 2016, 6 minutes, Southeast Premiere Jonas and the Sea – Directed by Marlies van der Wel, Netherlands, 2015, 12 minutes, No Dialogue, Southeast Premiere Journal Animé – Directed by Donato Sansone, France, 2016, 4 minutes, No Dialogue, East Coast Premiere/2nd US Showing Nou Nen Feat.Utae – Directed by Sawako Kabuki, Japan, 2016, 3 minutes, No Dialogue, East Coast Premiere/2nd US Showing Pussy – Directed by Renata Gąsiorowska, Poland, 2016, 8 minutes, No Dialogue, Southeast Premiere SimSim (The Realm of Deepest Knowing) – Directed by Seunghee Kim, South Korea, 2017, 4 minutes, No Dialogue, World Premiere This is Not an Animation – Directed by Federico Kempke, Canada/Mexico, 2016, 5 minutes, Florida Premiere

MIDNIGHT FEATURES:

68 Kill – Directed by Trent Haaga, USA, 2017, 93 minutes, Southeast Premiere Bad Black – Directed by Nabwana IGG, Uganda, 2016, 70 minutes, East Coast Premiere/2nd US Showing Bad Day For The Cut – Directed by Chris Baugh, UK/Northern Ireland, 2017, 99 minutes, East Coast Premiere Birdboy: The Forgotten Children (Psiconautas) – Directed by Alberto Vázquez and Pedro Rivero, Spain, 2015, 76 minutes, In Spanish with English Subtitles, US Premiere

MIDNIGHT SHORTS:

Bad Dog – Directed by Tom Putnam, USA, 2017, 4 minutes, World Premiere Death Metal – Directed by Chris McInroy, USA, 2016, 5 minutes Do No Harm – Directed by Roseanne Liang, New Zealand, 2017, 12 minutes, East Coast Premiere Feeding Time – Directed by Matt Mercer, USA, 2016, 13 minutes, East Coast Premiere Girl #2 – Directed by David Jeffery, USA, 2016, 9 minutes Hold Me (Ca Caw Ca Caw) – Directed by Renee Zhan, USA, 2016, 11 minutes, Southeast Premiere Horses – Directed by Leah Shore, USA, 2016, 1 minutes, World Premiere The Investment – Directed by Steve Collins, USA, 2017, 4 minutes, East Coast Premiere It is My Fault – Directed by Liu Sha, China, 2016, 5 minutes, East Coast Premiere Ivan’s Need – Directed by Manuela Leuenberger, Veronica L. Montaño, and Lukas Suter, Switzerland, 2015, 6 minutes, Florida Premiere Pigskin – Directed by Jake Hammond, USA, 2016, 13 minutes Pinky Toe – Directed by Lina July, USA, 2016, 1 minutes, Florida Premiere Showing it All – Directed by Lasse Persson and Lisa Tulin, Sweden, 2017, 2 minutes, World Premiere Sisyphus – Directed by Grace Nayoon Rhee, USA, 2016, 3 minutes, East Coast Premiere/2nd US Showing Summer’s Puke is Winter’s Delight – Directed by Sawako Kabuki, Japan, 2016, 3 minutes, Florida Premiere We Together – Directed by Henry Kaplan, USA, 2016, 7 minutes, Southeast Premiere

SPECIAL SCREENINGS:

FAMILY FILMS: Albion: The Enchanted Stallion – Directed by Castille Landon, USA/Bulgaria, 2016, 103 minutes, Florida Premiere Big Booom – Directed by Marat Narimanov, Russian Federation, 2016, 4 minutes, Southeast Premiere Supergirl – Directed by Jessie Auritt, USA, 2016, 80 minutes

FOOD FILMS:

Bugs – Directed by Andreas Johnsen, Denmark/Netherlands/France/Germany, 2016, 73 minutes New Chefs on the Block – Directed by Dustin Harrison-Atlas, USA, 2017, 96 minutes, Florida Premiere One Hundred Thousand Beating Hearts – Directed by Peter Byck, USA, 2016, 15 minutes, Florida Premiere

MUSIC FILMS:

Honky Tonk Heaven: The Legend of the Broken Spoke – Directed by Sam Wainwright Douglas and Brenda Mitchell, USA, 2016, 75 minutes, Southeast Premiere Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked The World – Directed by Catherine Bainbridge and Alfonso Maiorana, Canada, 2017, 103 minutes, Florida Premiere Vinyl Revival – Directed by Shasta Ford, USA, 2016, 10 minutes, World Premiere

FLORIDA FILMS:

FLORIDA SHORTS: THE BEST OF BROUHAHA:

Amerigo – Directed by Todd Thompson, 2016, 19 minutes, In Italian with English Subtitles Bad Town – Directed by Daniel Smith, 2016, 13 minutes, Southeast Premiere Blackface – Directed by Malcolm Baity, 2016, 7 minutes Burp – Directed by Benjamin L. Gill, 2016, 6 minutes Cartoon Characters – Directed by Carey Kight, 2016, 9 minutes The D in David – Directed by: Michelle Yi and Yaron Farkash, 2016, 2 minutes Dorothy’s Video Application – Directed by Sara Ambra, 2017, 4 minutes Dust Buddies – Directed by Beth Tomashek and Sam Wade, 2016, 4 minutes Flora – Directed by Alexandrina Andre, 2016, 11 minutes, East Coast Premiere For Will – Directed by Grayson Goga and Grace Stalley, 2016, 13 minutes The Goat on the Roof – Directed by Erin Smyth, 2016, 7 minutes Rupee Run – Directed by Tarun Lak, 2016, 2 minutes The Wooden Mannequin – Directed by Stephanie Hunton, 2016, 1 minutes, World Premiere

FLORIDA DOCUMENTARIES:

Ain’t Nothing Like Being Free – Directed by John Meyer, USA, 2017, 48 minutes, World Premiere I Am Another You – Directed by Nanfu Wang, USA, 2017, 80 minutes, East Coast Premiere The Original Richard McMahan – Directed by Olympia Stone, USA, 2017, 21 minutes

RETRO FILMS:

Popcorn Flick in the Park: Barefoot in the Park – Directed by Gene Saks, USA, 1967, 106 minutes Closing Night Retro: Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! – Directed by Russ Meyer, USA, 1965, 83 minutes

SPECIAL SCREENING:

Unrest – Directed by Jennifer Brea, USA, 2017, 97 minutes, In English and Danish with English Subtitles, Southeast Premiere

CELEBRITY EVENTS:

An Evening with Billy Crudup, featuring Jesus’ Son Friday, April 28, 7:30-11:00PM at Enzian

Equally memorable on the stage and screen, Billy Crudup has earned critical accolades for his performances. He will next be seen in Alien: Covenant, directed by Ridley Scott, and 1 Mile to You, based on Jeremy Jackson’s novel Life at These Speeds. Crudup will make his television debut later this year in Netflix’s psychological thriller Gypsy alongside Naomi Watts.

Crudup most recently appeared in Jackie and 20th Century Women. He previously starred in Spotlight, for which he won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture; the film also won the 2016 Academy Award® for Best Picture. He also appeared in Youth in Oregon, which debuted at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival, and IFC Films’ The Stanford Prison Experiment, which is based on the landmark experiment conducted at Stanford University in the summer of 1971.

Crudup made his motion picture debut in Barry Levinson’s Sleepers, followed by Woody Allen’s Everyone Says I Love You, and Pat O’Connor’s Inventing the Abbotts. Crudup played the leading role in critically acclaimed Without Limits, the story of legendary long distance runner Steven Prefontaine, for which he won the National Board of Review Award for Breakthrough Performance of the Year. He then starred in the critically acclaimed Jesus’ Son, which earned him an Independent Spirit Award nomination, and in the acclaimed Waking the Dead. Crudup also starred in Cameron Crowe’s Academy Award®-winning Almost Famous. His other film credits include Noah Buschel’s Glass Chin, William H. Macy’s directorial debut Rudderless, Guillaume Canet’s Blood Ties, the box office hit Eat Pray Love, Michael Mann’s Public Enemies, Zack Synder’s Watchmen, Charlotte Gray, Tim Burton’s fantasy tale Big Fish, Stage Beauty, Trust the Man, J.J. Abrams’ Mission Impossible 3, and Robert De Niro’s The Good Shepherd.

On stage, Crudup most recently starred in the repertory productions of No Man’s Land and Waiting for Godot on Broadway, opposite Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart and Shuler Hensley. In 2007, Crudup won a “Best Performance by a Featured Actor” Tony for his role in the Broadway production of The Coast of Utopia. He also received Tony nominations for his roles in The Elephant Man, The Pillowman, and Arcadia. He made his Broadway debut as Septimus Hodge in Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia, directed by Trevor Nunn, which won him several awards, including the Outer Critics Circle Award for “Outstanding Debut of an Actor” and a Theater World Award. He was also honored with the Clarence Derwent Award from Actor’s Equity for “Outstanding Broadway Debut.” His other stage credits include William Inge’s Bus Stop and in the Roundabout Theater’s production of Three Sisters, which earned him a Drama Desk nomination. He has appeared in Oedipus with Frances McDormand, starred in the New York Shakespeare Festival production of Measure for Measure at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, and starred in the off-Broadway run of The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui opposite Al Pacino and Steve Buscemi.

Crudup received his Masters of Fine Arts from New York University and also attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He resides in New York City.

JESUS’ SON USA/CANADA, 1999, 107 MIN, RATED R DIRECTED BY ALISON MACLEAN

His name is FH, but that’s just short for “F**khead.” As one of the most sympathetic screw-ups in years, FH (Billy Crudup in one of his greatest roles) careens through the drug subculture of the 1970s and tries to make sense of the mutually destructive passion he shares with the dazzling Michelle (Samantha Morton). He is also an angel wannabe, who believes he can save people from fate, or at least themselves. His failure at this endeavor has earned FH his colorful nickname and propels him through a series of strange encounters that will help point him towards a righteous life. Adapted from a collection of short stories from cult author Denis Johnson, JESUS’ SON is an intense, edgy, and often hilarious chronicle of a lost man who finds redemption and compassion in the uncertain hands of fate. A driving soundtrack, uniquely segmented narrative structure, and fine supporting cast—including Jack Black, Denis Leary, Holly Hunter, and Dennis Hopper—help make this stunningly original work and double award-winner at the 1999 Venice Film Festival truly “one of the best films of the year” (Roger Ebert).

An Afternoon with David Zucker and Robert Hays, featuring Airplane! Saturday, April 29, 1:30-4PM at Enzian

David Zucker was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He studied filmmaking at the University of Wisconsin before forming the improv group Kentucky Fried Theater with his brother Jerry and their friend Jim Abrahams. The result, The Kentucky Fried Movie, was a collection of sketches that launched their careers. After their early success, Zucker, Abrahams, and Zucker—“ZAZ,” as they came to be known— wrote and directed Airplane, the comedic box office smash that introduced the world to Leslie Nielsen as a brilliant comic actor. Zucker and Nielsen would collaborate multiple times over the course of their careers, including the TV series Police Squad and The Naked Gun franchise. In addition to his work with Abrahams and Zucker, David Zucker has directed three entries in the successful Scary Movie franchise, BASEketball, Top Secret!, and the political satire An American Carol.

Robert Hays is best known for his role as pilot Ted Striker in the film Airplane! and as Robert Seaver in Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey. He was born in Bethesda, Maryland. Before relocating to Hollywood, where he found quick success, Hays lived in the Pacific Beach area of San Diego, and picked up acting roles in San Diego's local theater scene. He worked in several productions at the famous Old Globe Theatre, including the role of Petruchio in a touring production of William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. Hays’s television work includes Wonder Woman; The Young Pioneers; Angie; the science fiction series Starman, in which he played the title character; and FM. He played the role of Bud, the man thought to be Hyde's dad, in several episodes of That '70s Show. Hays has also directed and produced for films and television. He has performed in many television movies and has done voice work such as the title character on the Marvel Comics adaptation of Iron Man. In 2013, Hays appeared in a slapstick-laden TV spot promoting tourism in Wisconsin, which also reunited him with Airplane! co-director David Zucker.

Airplane! USA, 1980, 88 minutes, Rated PG Directed by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker In 2012 the readers of Britain’s Empire Magazine dubbed AIRPLANE! the greatest comedy of all time—an accolade echoed by its appearances on lists from Bravo, the American Film Institute, ABC and People Magazine. Nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture: Comedy, AIRPLANE! set the standard for the spoofy cinematic confections that Mel Brooks started just six years earlier. Directing triumvirate “ZAZ”—Zucher, Abrahams, and Zucker—had already dipped their collective toes into the waters of absurdity with 1977’s The Kentucky Fried Movie, before tackling the strange tale of a PTSD-stricken fighter-pilot Ted Striker (a brilliant Robert Hays) who along with stewardess/ex-girlfriend Elaine (Julie Hagerty) and a “surely serious” doctor (Leslie Nielsen—playing against his tough-guy type) have to land a rogue Boeing 707 when the crew is felled by food poisoning. With uproarious supporting turns from Robert Stack, Peter Graves, Kareem-Abdul Jabbar, and (“I guess I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue”) Lloyd Bridges, AIRPLANE! crash landed into the cultural zeitgeist and even today, 37 years after its premiere, remains the pinnacle example of its genre.

FESTIVAL FORUMS:

RED DSMC2 Workshop Sponsored by RED Digital Cinema Thursday, April 27th 9:30AM–12:30PM at Full Sail University Open only to Full Sail Students

RED Digital Cinema is the leading manufacturer of professional digital cinema cameras. Combining cinema-grade image quality and incredible dynamic range, RED equipment delivers the best images possible to cinematographers around the world. The “Shot on RED” Workshop is an invitation to Full Sail students to get an exclusive lesson from RED educators in hands-on, industry-specific skills crucial to making the “binge-worthy” films you crave. Named after a RED photography exhibit in Miami’s Wynwood Arts District, the RED workshop creates an immersive training environment tailored for Full Sail students on their way to becoming working professionals. Want to learn the magic of films “Shot on RED”? This is your chance!

Indie Women: Grab ‘em by the Movies Sponsored by Full Sail University Wednesday, April 26 11AM–12:30PM at Enzian

A recent article in The Wrap noted that of the 149 movies currently slated for a wide release from the six major Hollywood studios over the next three years, only 12 have female directors. And two of those studios, Paramount and 20th Century Fox, actually have zero women at the helm for major releases coming out through 2018. So while the 1,000 lb. behemoth that is Hollywood continues to drag its heels, film schools are turning out female filmmakers by the hundreds and festivals are touting record-breaking programming numbers. The 2017 FFF has programmed over 70 films directed by women across virtually every category in the festival. Life on the festival circuit seems to paint a rosy picture of the future—but is that reality or a rose- tinted world? This forum gathers women filmmakers to talk about forgoing the studio system and forging their own path to tell original stories in the face of what seems like insurmountable statistics. Panel includes Dorie Barton (Girl Flu.), Julie Sokolow (Woman on Fire), and Valerie Weiss (The Archer). Moderated by Anne Russell, Program Director—Film Production MFA at Full Sail University.

Reel Activism: Changing the World Through Film Sponsored by Hilton Grand Vacations Thursday, April 27 11AM–12:30PM at Enzian

According to Nielsen, the average American spends 33 hours a week watching television. On the weekends we pack the multiplexes to see this Saturday’s superhero deliver justice to yet another megalomaniacal monster. Film and television entertain us, but they can also enrich our lives. They can introduce us to new worlds and new ideas. Cinema has the power to change hearts and minds. Movies like Philadelphia, Moonlight, Do the Right Thing, Blackfish, An Inconvenient Truth, and The Thin Blue Line have broken boundaries and opened eyes. In this special panel, we sit down with Amanda Bailly (8 Borders, 8 Days), James Demo (The Peacemaker), as well as Joyce Chen and Emily Moore (“Refugee”) to discuss how films can combat political extremism, expose prejudice, and champion human rights for everyone regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation. Moderated by Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan.

Filmmaker Forum Sponsored by IMDBPro Friday, April 28 11AM–12:30PM at Enzian

The Florida Film Festival hosts some of the most talented new independent filmmakers every year and always sets aside one day just to pick their brains. This lively and dynamic exchange of ideas and know-how inevitably defines a high point in the festival—peppered with tales of triumph, challenge, and creative methods. Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime airing of artistic laundry by the filmmakers who get the job done. FFF selections committee member and Rollins College Professor Denise Cummings, Chair of the Department of Critical Media and Cultural Studies, will moderate, and the panel which will include Aaron B. Koontz (Camera Obscura) and Castille Landon (Albion: The Enchanted Stallion).

FESTIVAL EVENTS AND PARTIES:

Opening Night Party and Film at Enzian Friday, April 21 6PM–1AM Film & Party ticket price $140 Party ONLY ticket price $125 Enzian & Eden Bar 1300 South Orlando Ave Maitland, FL 32751

6PM: Champagne & appetizers served 6:30PM: Theater doors open 6:55PM: Welcome and introductions 7:10PM: Begin film: The Hero preceded by “5 Films About Technology” 8:30PM: Party starts for “Party Only” ticket holders 8:30PM-Midnight: Dinner & drink stations open outside 9:30PM: Film lets out 10:30PM-1AM: Dessert served inside Enzian 1AM: Event ends

Celebrate opening night of the 2017 Florida Film Festival with a thrilling new film, THE HERO. Sample food and cocktails from your favorite local spots—a moveable feast where you can mingle and celebrate with all the folks who will be your new best friends for the next 10 days. Eat, drink, be merry, and discuss all the films you cannot wait to see at the festival ahead. This legendary party launches a non-stop, fun-filled, 10-day celebration of Film, Food, and Friends.

Participating restaurants, bars, and select vendors include Arthur's Catering, Bubbalou's Bodacious BBQ, The Copper Rocket Pub, Cuisiniers, Enzian Theater & Eden Bar, Hourglass Brewing, Pizza Bruno, Rogue Pub, Rosen Shingle Creek, Ten10 Brewing Co., Terrapin Beer Co., and Tito's Vodka.

Festival Block Party Sponsored by Winter Park Village Saturday, April 22, 3-5PM At Regal Winter Park Village 510 North Orlando Avenue Winter Park, FL 32789 Free for all Festival ticket and pass holders

Look for the Winter Park Village fountain—located across from the Regal Cinema—for a Block Party celebration of the Florida Film Festival. Festival ticket and pass holders will receive free drinks and appetizers from select Winter Park Village restaurants and also enjoy live entertainment. Space is limited so plan to arrive early.

Locally Fresh! Scrumptious Cinema Sponsored by Orlando Weekly Sunday, April 23, 11AM-12:30PM At Enzian 1300 South Orlando Ave Maitland, FL 32751 $12

Feed all your senses! Central Florida farmers and food purveyors partner-up with local filmmakers at this utterly unique (and mouth-watering) event—a festival favorite! Filmmakers Matthew Tullo, Miguel Gomez, Julia Spada, Brett Downey, Loretta Troutman, Alex Reynoso, Donald Tynes, Sheri Kebbel, and Veronica Jaramillo dig into the stock and trade of what makes Central Florida delicious. Watch their documentaries highlighting The Dinner Party Project, Ten10 Brewing Co., and The Fresh Stop Bus, accompanied by cooking demonstrations and sumptuous samples. A feast for the eyes… and the taste buds.

Locally Fresh! Farmers Market Sponsored by Orlando Weekly Sunday, April 23, Noon-2:30PM On the lawn at Eden Bar 1300 South Orlando Ave Maitland, FL 32751 FREE

After Locally Fresh! Scrumptious Cinema, the lawn at Eden Bar transforms into a Farmers Market, filled with local products fresh from the field. Get to know Central Florida’s finest famers and vendors… and don’t miss this delicious opportunity to take some local goodies home for your own feast.

Sunday Brunch Buffet Sunday, April 23, 11AM-2PM At Enzian & Eden Bar 1300 South Orlando Ave Maitland, FL 32751 $13.99

Enjoy a yummy pre-movie brunch with friends and compare notes on all things Florida Film Festival! This mouth-watering brunch prepared by our own chef is sure to leave a good taste in your mouth. No ticket necessary.

Whole Foods Market Tasting Reception Sponsored by Whole Foods Market Tuesday, April 25th, 8PM At Eden Bar 1300 S. Orlando Ave Maitland, FL 32751 Free and open to the public

Whole Foods Market brings you complimentary tastes of their fantastic fare in a delightful evening spread of organic appetizers. The best part about this binge? It’s guilt-free!

Sip and Savor: Cocktail Tasting Sponsored by Diageo Wednesday, April 26, 6-8PM At Eden Bar 1300 South Orlando Avenue Maitland, FL 32751 Free and open to the public

Join festival friends to sample a fun selection of craft cocktails. A sip or two of something new— flavors and concoctions all provided by our friends at Diageo!

Filmmaker Welcome Party Sponsored by Full Sail University Thursday, April 27, 8–11PM At The Copper Rocket 106 Lake Avenue Maitland, FL 32751 By Invitation Only

Full Sail University invites filmmakers, festival fans, and industry movers-and-shakers to spend the evening hanging out in casual, dive-bar style. This cool event will bring pure dopeness to your Thursday night and get you ready for the final weekend of the Festival.

Industry Party Co-sponsored by Ten10 Brewing Co. and IMDbPro Friday, April 28, 8–11PM Ten10 Brewing Co. 1010 Virginia Drive Orlando, FL 32803 By Invitation Only

Filmmakers and film lovers gather for a casual evening of fun. New friends and future projects are celebrated in a casual atmosphere…with plenty of beer.

Awards Bash Saturday, April 29 4:30PM: Dinner buffet 5:30PM: Awards ceremony at Enzian 6PM: After party at Eden Bar At Enzian & Eden Bar 1300 South Orlando Ave Maitland, FL 32751 $45 in advance or $50 day-of

Have you picked your favorite films of the Festival? At the annual Awards Ceremony, you’ll be among the first to find out if they’ve won prestigious Jury and Audience Awards. Dinner is included in the ticket price and will be served before the Awards Ceremony… and after the last award is given, roll out to Eden Bar to raise a glass and kick up your heels at the Awards Bash After Party with the funky sounds of Thrift House.

Sunday Brunch Buffet Sponsored by Key West Film Festival Sunday, April 30, 11AM-2PM Enzian & Eden Bar 1300 South Orlando Ave Maitland, FL 32751 $13.99

Enjoy a yummy pre-movie brunch with friends and compare notes on all things Florida Film Festival! This mouth-watering brunch prepared by our own chef is sure to leave a good taste in your mouth. No ticket necessary.

2017 FLORIDA FILM FESTIVAL

Now in its 26th year, the Florida Film Festival is an Oscar®-qualifying festival, premiering the best in current, independent, and international cinema. Through ten days of 180+ films and first-class events, film lovers mingle with filmmakers and celebrities over hand-crafted cocktails and a locally-sourced menu.

“[We] had a great time at the festival. We've been to a few festivals with the film, and Florida is one of our favorites!” – Academy Award® winner Ron Judkins, FINDING NEIGHBORS

“Congrats on a fantastic festival. I loved being there. Have never seen a finer venue than Enzian.” – Andrew Goldman, THE DESK

“We had such a phenomenal time at the festival and it really exceeded our expectations in every way. The staff, the screening experience, the A/V, the audiences – everything was exceptional.” – Dan Berk & Robert Olsen, BODY

“Besides the amazing hospitality, I must say, the films were strong – steady, uncompromising programming. Way to go! Orlando is a power house.” – Udy Epstein, 7th Art Releasing, FFF 2015 Juror

Festival tickets are available for purchase online or at the Enzian box office: www.FloridaFilmFestival.com/tickets

The Festival is a program of the non-profit Enzian Theater. 2017 Festival sponsors to date include: Primary Sponsor: Full Sail University Primary Public Partners: Orange County Government – Florida, and the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs Public Partner: United Arts of Central Florida, and the National Endowment of the Arts Premiere Sponsors: Hilton Grand Vacations, IMDbPro, Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed, P.A., Lure Design, Regal Entertainment Group, Major Sponsors: DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando Downtown, Movebooth, Park Plaza Hotel, RED Digital Cinema, SilzerLaw Chartered, Sprint Corporation, Ten 10 Brewing Co., Terrapin Beer, Winter Park Village Supporting Sponsors: Antonio’s Ristorante Maitland, Coterie Coffee Co., Deeb, Dorman Financial Management, Downtown Arts District Orlando , Brian O. Coleman, D.M.D., P.A. Omega Dental Group, Enterprise Holdings Foundation, Foundation Presents, HJ High, Key West Film Festival, Maitland Vision Center, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, and Whole Foods Market Media Partners: Central Florida Lifestyle Magazine, Florida Travel + Life, I Love CFL, iHeartMedia, Orlando Arts, Orlando Live, Orlando Magazine, Orlando Sentinel, Orlando Weekly, Variety 411, Visit Orlando, Watermark, WMFE, WPRK, and Yelp

Our Sponsor community enriches the Festival experience and helps sustain the year-round programs of the not-for-profit Enzian. http://www.floridafilmfestival.com/ https://twitter.com/FloridaFilmFest https://instagram.com/floridafilmfest/ https://www.facebook.com/floridafilmfestival Enzian Since 1992, Enzian has been the proud host of the Florida Film Festival. As part of its mission to entertain, inspire, educate, and connect the community through film, Enzian presents innovative and original cinematic programming not just during the Festival, but all year long. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, community-supported arts organization for which ticket revenue accounts for only 25% of its operating budget, Enzian owes its existence to the generosity of fans of film, food, and fun--like you. Enzian.org

Full Sail University: Full Sail University is an award-winning educational leader for those pursuing careers in the entertainment and media industry. Founded in 1979, Full Sail has been recognized as one of the 2016 “Top 25 Graduate & Undergraduate Schools to Study Game Design” by The Princeton Review, one of the Best Music Programs by Rolling Stone Magazine, and one of the Best Film Programs by UNleashed Magazine. Full Sail was named the 2014 “School/College of the Year” by the Florida Association of Postsecondary Schools and Colleges, received the “21st Century Best Practices in Distance Learning Award” from the United States Distance Learning Association, and was recognized as one of the Top 100 Social Media Colleges by Studentadvisor.com.

Full Sail University is a Graduate and Undergraduate degree-granting institution offering on- campus and online degree programs in areas related to Art & Design, Business, Film & Television, Games, Media & Communications, Music & Recording, Sports, and Web & Technology. Full Sail graduate credits include work on OSCAR®, Emmy®, GRAMMY®, ADDY®, MTV Video Music Award, and Video Game Award nominated and winning projects. www.fullsail.edu www.twitter.com/fullsail www.facebook.com/fullsailuniversity

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