inside: - Florida Wise

Photo: Jangeltun | Dreamstime.com
Far Left: Tristan Rogers as emcee of the PBIFF awards
gala; Academy Award nominee Malcolm McDowell;
PBIFF honoree Q’Orianka Kilcher; Vincenzo Amato star
of The Golden Door at Opening Night of PBIFF; Emmy
Award nominee Dylan McDermott; The Emeralds and
director, writer and actor Robert Davi at Closing Night of
PBIFF; Vincent Pastore of the Sopranos visits with G-Star
School of the Arts students
Photography: Ralph Notaro
Woody Harrelson and Burt Reynolds. The PBIFF has been
recognized as one of the top 25 Independent Film Festivals in the
world in what has become a week long event that celebrates not
only American, but International Independent Film.
Beginning Thursday, April 19 Palm Beach County enjoyed a
week long festival, which premiered a variety of films written,
produced and directed by some of
tomorrow’s brightest and talented
filmmakers. Highlight events of the
week included Friday evening’s party
at Mar-a-Lago Club, where filmmakers
mingled poolside at one of the hottest
resorts in Palm Beach County;
Saturday, April 21 was the premiere
event of the week honoring some of
the most respected artists in the motion
picture industry held at the Boca Raton
Resort and Club; and Tuesday, April
24 awarded local Florida students
$25,000 in scholarships, cash awards
and prizes at this year’s Student
Showcase of Films, where surprise
guest Vincent Pastore from the
Sopranos made a special
appearance.
I was fortunate enough to meet
many of the talented individuals being
honored during the week long event
on Friday evening at Mar-a-Lago Club.
With tape recorder in hand, music in
the background, cameras flashing,
and me, awkwardly leaning over the
red velvet ropes, I was quickly
humbled by the grace and sincerity of
PBIFF honorees like Q’Orianka Kilcher
(The New World, Pocahontas), Avery
Sommers (Hiding Victoria), Malcolm
McDowell (Clockwork Orange and NBC’s Heroes), and the host of
the 12th Annual Grand Gala and Awards Presentation Tristan
Rogers (General Hospital).
As I made my way through the line of celebrities, I was
particularly impressed by two honorees, Dan Chinander and Marc
Meyers. Offering me an inside glimpse of the talent and artistry that
goes on “behind the scenes,” Dan and Marc made the evening not
only memorable, but truly inspirational for this local reporter just
trying to do her job.
FishTale Production’s Dan Chinander, directed, produced, edited
and co-wrote one of this year’s PBIFF debut films, Hiding Victoria.
The film tells a story about a rebellious 22-year-old convicted felon
(Victoria) who must serve her sentence as “helpmate” to Althea, a
70-year-old wealthy woman. Victoria and this incredibly altruistic
woman, learn that their seemingly different lives share in the
universal truth that pulls them together in a captivating and inspiring
story about the power of
forgiveness. Dan humbly
expressed his appreciation for the
PBIFF not only for the accolades
Hiding Victoria received, but also
for how “it has opened doors for
us to present our next project with
studio executives.” Dan is currently
working on two new Disney-style
films, Little Production Company
and Animal Air, and hopes to
work again with the local talent of
Palm Beach County’s G-Star
School of the Arts for Motion
Pictures and Broadcasting. Hiding
Victoria offered 10 students from
G-Star “full-blown movie credits”
for their dedication and hard work
during the making of the film,
along with recognition on
imdb.com (The Internet Movie
Database), an accomplishment that
many people strive for their entire
careers!
Also premiering during the
2007 PBIFF was Approaching
Union Square, a film written and
directed by Marc Meyers, and
produced by Ibid Filmworks
partners Jody Girgenti and Marc
Meyers, which reveals a collage of
FishTale Production’s Dan Chinander and wife Deb
FloridaWise Magazine 15