Four-Day Film Festival

From November 8 to November 11, the 5th Queens International Film Festival will showcase a wide array of films, giving both members of the industry and movie fans alike plenty to get excited about.
“Our goal is also to open the world to the cultural and artistic wealth of Queens and create a conduit of sharing with Queens and the world at large,” the film festival’s web site states. “By acting locally and thinking globally we are striving to create a global entertainment community with roots in Queens. We want to make Queens a mecca for independent filmmakers.”
The Queens International Film Festival started in 2003 and was the idea of Marie J. Castaldo, who said that as the most diverse borough with people from all over the world, Queens “was truly an inspiration.”
“Walking on the streets of where I live and listening to people from all walks of life co-existing and speaking Chinese, Russian, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Hindu and many other dialects, made me realize global integration really (does) exist and it is in Queens,” said festival founder and president Castaldo.
Among the categories that this year’s films fall into are music video, animation, short, feature and documentary. They also represent many different countries, including Colombia, the United States, England, Ireland, Mexico, India, Morocco, China, Brazil, Canada, Australia, and Peru.
“Programming is essential for any festival and we are always trying to better our selection by traveling to markets, going to screenings to select films, documentaries, (and) shorts that have a message, be it personal, political or social, and I have to praise Without A Box for having attracted so many talented filmmakers who enter film festival competition through their submission company,” Castaldo said.
One participant in the festival will be Robert Davi, an Astoria-born actor who is making his directorial debut with the film “The Dukes,” which will open the festival on November 8 at the Museum of the Moving Image. Davi also co-wrote the script and produced the film, which is about a Doo-Wop group that once topped the charts but, in 2007, is dealing with a less successful scenario.
“The Dukes” has already been a part of several film festivals, including in Rome, which is where Davi’s grandparents are from. He said that participating in the Queens International Film Festival is like a homecoming for him and that it is bringing him full circle. He also said that he is hoping that many community members will come out to support his film and the festival.
“Think of all the talent that came out of Queens and will be coming out of Queens,” Davi said.
As part of the festival, there will be awards given out for Best Domestic Short, Best Documentary, Best Music Video, Best Animation, Best Foreign Short, Best Foreign Feature, Best Comedy, Best Domestic Feature, Best Producer, Best Director, Best Short Screenplay, Best Feature Screenplay, Best Drama, a Humanitarian Award, Filmmaker on the Rise Award, New York on Film Award, Audience Award - Domestic, Audience Award - Foreign, and the Student/Young Filmmaker Award. A Davi-Rullo Scholarship Award worth $5,000 will also be given out.
The 5th Queens International Film Festival will take place from Thursday, November 8 to Sunday, November 11. The venues it will be taking place in are the Museum of the Moving Image, P.S. 166, Soho House, Charter School, Cavo Restaurant, The Break Bar & Billiard and Cup Diner.
Castaldo said she is looking forward to all aspects of the festival, including seeing the independent films, “The Dukes” and “My Dream,” a documentary directed by the Beijing Film Academy that will close the festival. Her goals for this year are to increase the awareness and attract audience members who “appreciate the world of film.”
“We have an ambitious goal to become among the top 10 festivals, which means a lot of work ahead of us, but we have the determination, the drive and my board members are extraordinary,” Castaldo said. “They believe in my vision and are totally behind me.”
For more information on the film festival and to see a complete list of events, visit www.queensfilmfestival.com.