WORLDFEST HOUSTON WRAP UP
Kicking off WorldFest's Opening Night festivities on Friday, April 8, was the Texas premiere of Chad Waterhouse and Ankush Kholi's poignant road film EXODUS FALL (Jesse James, Rosanna Arquette) with producer, Michael Baumgarten and both directors on hand to present their film. WorldFest also this year celebrated its Sixth annual Panorama Italia in collaboration with Albert di Mauro, Director of the Italian Cultural Institute in Los Angeles, CA. (IIC), featuring Laura Luchetti's FEBBRE DA FIENO and three other independently produced Italian films.
Closing weekend festivities April 16 & April 17 included a Grand Awards Gala on Saturday night that culminated with a Sunday morning VIP NASA & Space Center Houston whirlwind tour and WorldFest Consular Regatta and Barbeque hosted by Port of Houston Authority and The Houston Yacht Club. The "Longhorn Cowgirls" from Hempstead, Texas accompanied by two huge Longhorn steers and welcomed the hundreds of visiting international filmmakers at The Houston Yacht Club.
To wrap up, WorldFest offered a tiered closing bill of Panorama Entertainment's ANOTHER HARVEST MOON directed by Greg Swartz, an encore screening of Shawn Welling's PROJECT AETHER a three time winner at the Awards Gala & an encore screening of Egemen Erturk's THE RINGING BALL just in from Istanbul.
WorldFest, founded as Cinema Arts, an International Film Society in August 1961, became the third competitive international film festival in North America, following San Francisco and New York. WorldFest evolved into a competitive International Film Festival in April 1968 and has a long list of "discovered" film greats such as Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, David Lynch, Ridley Scott, Oliver Stone, Atom Egoyan, Randall Kleiser, Ang Lee, Robert Rodriguez, the Coen Brothers, John Lee Hancock and many others from their beginning efforts for film submissions early in their careers. Multi award-winning producer/director, Hunter Todd, founded this film festival to honor all categories of film and video production continuing his long dedication of "Discovery," spotlighting emerging Independent filmmakers as "the Spielbergs & Ang Lees of tomorrow."
WorldFest's mission is to recognize and honor outstanding creative excellence in film & video, validate brilliant abilities and promote future filmmaking in Texas as well as enhance cultural tourism for Houston and environs. The 10-day festival ran to a smashing finish with several sold-out full houses, one of which was the Shawn Welling's third film PROJECT AETHER, a Sci-fi which was shot in Houston, 21 World Premieres, 56 Indie feature productions, 111 award winning shorts. Over 550 USA and International filmmakers attended this year, despite the economic downturn impacting various countries and the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
All film premieres screened at the Flagship AMC Studio 30 Theatres, a seventh year WorldFest-Houston Cinema partner. Other major VIP Partner/Sponsors include Boxer Property, The Houston Arts Alliance (HAA), Wagner Media, Eastman Kodak, Microsoft, The Marriott Hotels, The City of Houston, The State of Texas, The NEA, Budget Rent a Car, NASA/Space Center Houston, The Wellness Center, The Houston Yacht Club, The Port of Houston Authority (Regatta VIP Sponsors) & the Becker Vineyards, a renowned Texas vineyard.
WorldFest's Remi Awards Gala on Saturday, April 16th was held in The HQ Westchase Marriott Hotel, VIP partner & official host hotel for the 44th WorldFest. Festivities began with a cocktail reception hosted by The Houston Film Commission. James McMurray, member of the 5-time World Champion Bagpipe Band of Houston's St. Thomas Episcopal School opened the Awards Gala by piping in festival founder, Hunter Todd followed by the enthusiastic filmmakers amidst a bevy of Pastorini Bosby Talent award presenters. Dance entertainment was presented by Nelly Fraga's Ambassador Mexican Folkloric Dancers, a Scottish Highland dance set by St. Thomas award winning Scottish dancers & a grand finale by Shawn Welling's Planet Funk Academy's lead dancers who performed a high-energy dance mix created specially for the gala. Every WorldFest event is always open to the public.
On April 14, 15, and 16th, WorldFest conducted Six Film Industry Master Class Seminars concluding with the Indie Forum of WorldFest feature film Directors. Laura Pennino, CEO of Pennino and Partners kicked-off the Master Classes with the "Publicity for Indies" seminar followed by "The Write Stuff" with Nick Nicholson, President of the Houston Film Critics Society. Alan Mendelsohn flew in from Canada for his ever popular "Docs on a Dime" followed by Panorama Entertainment's Stuart Strutin who presented "Distribution for Indies" - a must-attend for every Indie filmmaker. The highlight of this year's WorldFest Seminars was a Master Class presented by Randal Kleiser - Director of the classic musical, GREASE, which he presented later that day in its new Sing-Along Version. The Indie Directors Forum rounded out the 2011 WorldFest seminar line-up.
All film premieres screened at the Flagship AMC Studio 30 Theatres, a seventh year WorldFest-Houston Cinema partner. Other major VIP Partner/Sponsors include Boxer Property, The Huffington Foundation, Eastman Kodak, Microsoft, The Marriott Hotels, The City of Houston, The Houston Film Commission, The Texas Film Commission, The Houston Arts Alliance, Budget Rent a Car, Wagner Media, NASA/Space Center Houston, The Wellness Center, The Houston Yacht Club and Spec's & wonderful Becker Vineyard Wines!
The WorldFest's Remi Awards Gala on Saturday, April 16, was held in the beautiful Marriott Westchase Hotel, which was the new VIP partner and official host hotel for the 44th annual WorldFest. Festivities began with a cocktail reception hosted by The Houston Film Commission. Members of the five-time World Champion Bagpipe Band of Houston's St. Thomas Episcopal School launched the awards segment by piping in festival founder, Hunter Todd followed by a bevy of Pastorini Bosby Talent award presenters.
Visit http://www.worldfest.org/ for more info as well as dates for next years festival
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