Film Florida Honors Tribeca Film Festival Movies With Ties To Sunshine State At Apples And Oranges Party On April 27… -Films feted at Hotel QT-
Several of the films on the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival slate were filmed in or have ties to Florida – and to celebrate, Film Florida will host the Apples and Oranges party on Sunday, April 27 at the hotel QT at 125 W. 45 Street.
From 8 p.m. – 11 p.m., filmmakers, actors and industry guests will gather to fete the burgeoning indie film market in Florida. The films being honored are:
Bart Got a Room. Set in a Florida retirement community, director and writer Brian Hecker takes us back in time to a quirky world full of plastic flamingos, golf carts, and teen anxiety. Filmed in his hometown of Hollywood, Florida, Hecker's feature debut looks and feels totally original: Beaming pastels and sets that scream nostalgic Florida flashiness all swing to the tunes of Benny Goodman's big band. Florida natives William H. Macy and Cheryl Hines star. FLORIDA CONNECTION: Recipient of Florida’s Entertainment Incentive; filmed in South Florida; director Brain Hecker and actors William H. Macy and Cheryl Hines are Florida natives. In addition, the film was made partnerships formed at the Sarasota Film Festival.
The Objective. Daniel Myrick, director of The Blair Witch Project brings his singular brand of suspense this narrative feature- an exhilarating integration of war and mystery, revolving around a precarious CIA mission in Afghanistan FLORIDA CONNECTION: Director Daniel Myrick graduated from University of Central Florida film school, and hails from Sarasota.
Celia The Queen. This touching documentary pays tribute to the work of Celia Cruz, who brought the sound of salsa to the whole world. When she fled Castro's Cuba in 1960 and eventually arrived in the United States, she started a second even more successful career fueled by her partnerships with salsa greats Tito Puente, Willie Colon, and Johnny Pacheco. Up until the time Celia died in 2003, she was still performing. Directors Jose Cardona and Mario de Varona use archival footage of both Celia and her loving husband, Pedro Knight, to tell the inspiring story of a little girl from Havana who became an international diva. Fans from David Byrne to Andy Garcia weigh in on this fabulous woman's influence on their lives. FLORIDA CONNECTION: Miami-based Cineworks (and HispaFilms) worked on the project.
90 Millas. A fascinating look at Gloria Estefan as she records her latest album, 90 Millas, which pays tribute to the history of Latin music. With appearances ranging from legendary Latin musicians such as Arturo Sandoval, Chocolate Armenteros, and Israel Lopez Cachao to contemporaries Sheila E., Carlos Santana, and Pit Bull. FLORIDA CONNECTION: Florida-based production crew.
Killer Movie. In Killer Movie, young director Jake Tanner-fresh off the cancelled reality show Back to the Ranch-has been sent by his agent to replace a fired director on a heartwarming reality series about a North Dakota high school hockey team on an unlikely winning streak. And there's one other little problem: the townsfolk are notoriously "accident-prone," and Tanner's crew members keep disappearing. As the body count mounts, the suspects narrow. Directing reality shows like The Simple Life and The Real World/Road Rules Challenge gave writer/director Jeff Fisher plenty of fodder for this sly slasher satire. FLORIDA CONNECTION: Writer/director Jeff Fisher is a Hollywood, Florida native.
The Apples and Oranges Party is also designed to raise awareness of filming in and utilizing the incentives of Florida for the independent filmmaker.
Florida consistently ranks among the top states for filmmakers. “Independent filmmakers are increasingly discovering the advantages of working in Florida – we’re a very indie friendly state in terms of resources,” said Graham Winick, President of Film Florida. “Film Florida has worked tirelessly with the Office of Film and Entertainment to beef up the incentives offered specifically for indie films, and now we have a queue with funds earmarked exclusively for independent filmmakers.”
Apples and Oranges party sponsors include Happy Liquor and Hotel QT.
In Florida, film and entertainment is a $3.9 billion industry, representing 3,885 businesses and employs more than 42,000.
Film Florida is a not-for-profit corporation that provides a leadership role in Florida's film and entertainment industries by representing a coalition of interests, including private industry, local film commissions, industry associations and labor organizations. Its purpose is to offer to businesses and individuals the benefits of a statewide trade association to promote the creation of jobs in the film and entertainment production industries and to promote economic development and tourism. For more information on Film Florida, please visit www.filmflorida.org.
