NYC Happenings: IFP Film Week 2016 Expands to Include More Public Events and Community Involvement

Founded in 1979, the Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP) is the largest and oldest not-for-profit organization dedicated to independent film.

Besides their year-round programs and initiatives supporting independent filmmakers, their best known events are the Gotham Awards, a major highlight of the annual film awards season, and IFP Film Week, a series of conferences, panels, screenings, and other activities held in the early fall.

For this year, IFP Film Week - running from September 17-22 - has greatly expanded to include many more public events to be held in and around their newly established home base, The Made in NY Media Center in Dumbo, Brooklyn. These events include many free public screenings, starting with the kick-off outdoor screening on September 17 of the 80's music film classic Krush Groove, and continuing with early looks at upcoming feature films, viewings of new virtual reality work, and cutting-edge visual art installations. These events are accompanied by talks from many filmmakers, writers, performers, and visual artists.

All in all, this will be a packed week of activities that promises to be most enlightening and stimulating. For more information and details, see the summary of IFP Film Week's events below, and visit their website for further details and information. (Some of these events, such as the virtual reality projects, require pre-registration, which you can also do through the website.)

IFP’s signature event, IFP Film Week, has expanded this year to include numerous screenings, talks, meet ups, exhibitions, and tours centered on cutting-edge independent content for the big screen, small screen and Internet open to the public.

“IFP has always had a reputation industry-wide as a place of discovery,” says IFP Executive Director Joana Vicente. “Now, with IFP Film Week in Brooklyn, we welcome all New York audiences to come and discover the new ideas, new artists, digital pioneers, and experience all our talented and diverse community has to offer.”

Under the leadership of Head of Programming Amy Dotson, produced by Erik Luers, Annie Malarkey and gallery manager Tom Rotenberg, public programs run September 17-22 in and around IFP’s headquarters, Made in NY Media Center by IFP in DUMBO, Brooklyn.

IFP Screen Forward Conference kicks off the week, including:

• Talks with some of the most interesting, innovative and outspoken storytellers today include Laura Poitras, Oscar-Winning Director (Citizenfour), Ezra Edleman, (Director, OJ: Made in America), Amy Emmerich (CCO Refinery 29), actress and activist Rose McGowan, and creator Issa Rae (Awkward Black Girl and HBO’s upcoming Insecure).
   
• Behind the scenes chats with the cast and creators of :

o   Hamilton’s America, featuring cast members of Hamilton;

o   Cult webseries and upcoming HBO series High Maintenance

o   Doc sensation Weiner

o   Innovative horror film The Witch

o   Hello, My Name is Doris, one of the highest grossing indie films of the year.

o   Antonio Campos’ exciting upcoming film, Christine, staring Rebecca Hall

• Discover some of the funniest and most subversive comedians, writers and performers in the city including Catie Lazarus (Employee of the Month), Phoebe Robinson (2 Dope Queens), Ingrid Jungermann (F to the 7^th), Chris Kelly (Other People) and Chioke Nassor (Late Night with Seth Meyers), and webseries sensations Shugs & Fats.
• Experience the future with the best VR, AR, and immersive storytelling including work from United Nations VR’s Gabo Arora, Felix and Paul, Lance Weiler, Mike Woods and more.
   
• Exploring the intersection of story and tech through:

o    Discussions on the rise of short-form documentaries with VICE, Narratively and Great Big Story

o   Designing participatory stories with Scatter and multi-sensory experiences with Meta.is

• Cutting edge storytelling techniques for social media with Mighty Oak
   
• Meet up at Meet the Decision Makers, the only open-to-the-public program where aspiring industry and creative aspirants can meet directly with leaders from over 40+ top film, television and digital companies including A&E, Amazon Studios, HBO, and more.

Exhibitions & experiences at the Media Center will take place throughout the Week that are open to the public, including:

• Phi Centre’s VR Garden (Daily 10-5)

o   Series of the best of North American VR from Canada and the United States, hosted by Montreal’s innovative Phi Centre. 

• United Nations VR @ IFP Film Week (Sunday 4-6p)

o   Launch of new work by VR pioneer Gabo Arora, including a communal VR viewing experience of his latest work.

• The Art of Dying Young (Daily 10-5)

o   An Augmented Reality installation by Shawn Peters and producer Barry Cole that examines the lives, local histories and place-making initiatives of the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Bedford Stuyvesant and South Williamsburg told through the lives of two young men who have been memorialized through murals.

• Tactile and interactive exhibits by BRDG

o   Creative, digital moments in physical spaces and environments, projects will include video environments, motion tracking, tactile AR exhibits and live interactive emulations throughout the IFP Made in NY Media Center.

• Digital Projection Mapping at the Archway throughout the week

o   Best of LightYear 1.2.3 on the Manhattan Bridge Over and Underpass throughout the week. 

IFP also has a long history of discovering new voices and introducing their work to audiences first, well before the whole world knows their names. These IFP rising stars include Lena Dunham (Girls), The Duplass Brothers (Togetherness) Moria Demos & Laura Riccardi (Making a Murderer), Ava DuVernay (Queen Sugar), Derek Cianfrance (The Light Between Oceans), Robert Eggers (The Witch), Ciro Guerrra (Embrace of the Serpent), Barry Jenkins (Moonlight), David Lowery (Pete’s Dragon ), Dee Rees (Bessie), Denis Villeneuve (Sicaro), Roger Ross Williams (Life, Animated), and Behn Zeitlin (Beasts of the Southern Wild).

Celebrate, meet and discover the next amazing film, television and digital pioneers at free, public screenings and parties including:

• On Saturday, September 17, IFP Film Week’s Kick-Off Screening will take place at The Archway. Proceeded by dance party, IFP, Alamo Drafthouse and Rooftop Films will host a free screening of 80s classic Krush Groove. The event is held in conjunction with DUMBO BID.
• Tuesday, September 20 is the 12^th annual IFP Film Lab Showcase, held at Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 1. Giving audiences a first look at twenty exciting new feature films, before their festival premieres, this outdoor screening features excerpts from the new films from the emerging talent. The Labs are the nation’s only program that supports diverse feature filmmakers when they need it most: through the completion, marketing and distribution of their first features. The IFP Film Labs are generously supported by the Time Warner Foundation; the screening is held in conjunction with Rooftop Films and Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy.
• Wednesday, September 21, join the IFP’s Future of Filmmaking at BRIC’s The Stoop, which will feature innovative writers and directors working in film, television, and digital platforms, discussing how they tell stories – and make a living – across multiple platforms. Speakers will include Ingrid Jungerman (F to 7^th), Chris Kelly (Other People), Jessie Komitor (People of New York), and Chioke Nassor (Late Night with Seth Meyers).
• Wednesday, September 21, the IFP Screen Forward Lab Showcase at Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 1 will give audiences a first look at twenty exciting new television and webseries, before their broadcast and digital premieres. The IFP Screen Forward Labs are generously supported by the Time Warner Foundation. The screening is held in conjunction with Rooftop Films and Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy.
• On September 22^nd, IFP and POV are partnering with Photoville for a free, evening screening and event at the Beer Garden @ Photoville featuring exclusive clips from IFP Lab Alumni and upcoming POV release, From This Day Forward, as well as StoryCorps shorts and more.

For more information on all public programs or to purchase tickets to the IFP Screen Forward Conference, ifpfilmweek.com.