Gen Art »

As some of you may already know, I've been a big supporter of Gen Art for a long time now. Aside from being heavily involved in their annual film festival in New York City (this year I was a programmer), I'm real close friends with the folks who work there and feel their footprint on the indie film community is invaluable. Gen Art, in case you're not aware, is a company (based in New York) that helps promote emerging talent in film, music and fashion all year round. Not only do they host a very cool film festival in NYC in the spring, but they also host a mini-fest in Chicago ... and part one of this post is dedicated to that.

Beginning tonight with the very cute and quirky 500 Days of Summer, the Gen Art Chicago Film Festival will continue through to June 27 and feature other buzzed-about festival films like Mercy, Patriotville and Shrink. Other than opening night, which will set you back $25 for the movie and after party (open bar!), the other three nights will run you a fairly inexpensive $20 for a short, feature and after party w/ open bar. So if you're in Chicago, please head down to the festival and support these small films, as well as Gen Art. You can find out more information on the festival right here.

In addition to the festival, Gen Art is hosting a benefit in New York City tomorrow to help raise money to keep the company afloat while they navigate their way through some tough economic waters. I know -- yet another company hit hard by the recession. But understand that companies like Gen Art -- who make their living and invest everything they have in supporting emerging talent -- don't really exist anymore. And so they need our help.

The 2009 Gen Art Film Festival came to a close last night with a screening of Finding Bliss followed by a wild party at Blvd. here in New York City, and I'm literally ecstatic to announce that all my favorite films took home awards. My Suicide, which is a film I've been hyping for months now, won the Acura Grand Jury Award, and that film's star, Gabriel Sunday, won the Stargazer Award, which honors break-out talent. My Suicide also took home the festival's Audience Award, joining the fantastic short film Adelaide (which also won the jury and audience awards) in the double-win category. The hilarious Punching the Clown won for best use of music in a film, which was a new award presented by Moby. Check out our reviews of My Suicide and Punching the Clown.

Gen Art's Vice President of Film, Jeffrey Abramson, had this to say to Cinematical: "David Miller (My Suicide) is a pied piper of filmmaking. His immediate and extended family is filled with such incredible creativity and support it's difficult to not catch the fever. The camaraderie that was built across all of this year's filmmakers and talent was infectious and spread to the audience as well. Only at Gen Art can one experience such focused attention and energy."

I was fortunate enough to meet and hang out with all these filmmakers over the weekend, and had an absolute blast. One of the things I love about the Gen Art fest is that it's so damn accessible and intimate; you can watch a short, a feature and then hang out with the filmmakers at the private after party shooting the sh*t about their film, their process and whatever else is on your mind. It's a great festival for film fans, and I'd like to congratulate Gen Art on another successful year. For more, visit the official Gen Art website.

Part comedy, part dive bar concert film, there's a reason why Punching the Clown won the audience award at this year's Slamdance Film Festival (and has a chance to do the same at the Gen Art Film Festival): quite simply, it's just a damn good time. Based on the very real, very uncomfortable and very unfortunate life of up-and-coming comedic folksinger Henry Phillips, Punching the Clown is a low-budgeted ball of squishy hilarity that's easily digestible and destined to become an audience favorite. Following the screening I attended, director Gregori Viens said they were talking with different cable networks about making a deal to air the film on television with it cut up into episodic form. While I'm all in favor of getting this tasty nugget out there for all to see, someone has to pony up a little cash and chuck this sucker into theaters for at the very least a limited run. Punching the Clown is definitely a gotta-see-it-with-an-audience kinda flick.

And it feels awesome to say that without having to next mention some ludicrous amount of effects work, an obnoxious budget or a naked A-list actress. The film is like a buffet of comedy, with the audience member strolling through, sampling a set up, a pay off, a song, a cliched plot device and a little red meat along the way. You'll look at the guy next to you -- mouth full of the previous joke -- and you'll both nod knowingly and possibly high-five. That's the type of film it is; one of those with a tattoo that reads, "F*ck it, you're either with me or you're not"

If you're currently living (or crashing) in and around the New York City area (and you like movies), then there's absolutely no reason why you shouldn't be checking out the Gen Art Film Festival, which kicked things off Wednesday night with the premiere of Lymelife, followed by last night's premiere of the quirky-but-huggable Gigantic, and continues through to Tuesday, April 7. This weekend features a rather fantastic line-up of Peter and Vandy, My Suicide and Punching the Clown -- three films I whole-heartedly vouch for -- so get your ass over to Gen Art's website and snag yourself a ticket. Not only do you get to watch a feature and a short, but you also gain access to a hip-hoppin' after party with a three-hour open bar. Yes, I did just say three ... hour ... open ... bar!

I was fortunate enough to be on hand for the opening night premiere of Lymelife -- a moody late-seventies dramady surrounding two dysfunctional Long Island families who desperately want, need and lust after the things they think they want or need in order to achieve the "American Dream". The film, directed by Derick Martini (and co-written by Derick and his brother Steven, inspired by their own lives growing up) boasts what is perhaps one of the best ensemble casts I've seen so far this year -- including Alec Baldwin (who was on hand), Cynthia Nixon, Emma Roberts, Jill Hennessy, Timothy Hutton and sensational scene-stealing performances from Kieran and Rory Culkin, the former of which reminds me of a young Tobey Maguire. I'll be back with a full review of Lymelife next week, but in the meantime check out this video of opening night from my good pal DavidJr.com.



For more on the Gen Art Film Festival (including ticket information), visit their official website ... and make sure to say hey if you're heading over there this weekend.

As a programmer (my first time!) for the 2009 Gen Art Film Festival, I can tell you that finishing this slate was not easy. It required me (and a small group of others) to watch a lot of films ... and I mean a lot of films. The awesome part of this, though, is the discovery. Sure, you'll get the occasional mess -- but then sometimes you stumble across a brilliant piece of work that hasn't been seen by anyone yet, and you just know it's destined for greatness. With that said, the programming is now complete and I'm able to share with you the names of the films playing at this year's Gen Art Film Fest in New York City from April 1 to April 7.

The Sundance and Toronto hit Lymelife (we premiered the poster here) was chosen as this year's opening night film. It's a gem of a family drama starring Alec Baldwin and Cynthia Nixon (watch the trailer on Moviefone), and you should definitely look for it in theaters on April 8. Also from this year's Sundance fest is the romantic dramedy Peter and Vandy, starring my gal Jess Weixler and Jason Ritter. One of the more experimental and cult-ish films screening is My Suicide, which I whole-heartedly recommend as a deep, dark and oddly hilarious flick about the Me Generation. Julie Davis' Finding Bliss (starring Leelee Sobrieski, Denise Richards and Jamie Kennedy) was chosen to close out the fest, while Gigantic (Paul Dano, Zooey Deschanel), Punching the Clown (Slamdance audience award winner) and Picture Me: A Model's Diary (doc about a model) round out this year's slate.

As always, I'll be on the ground at the Gen Art fest looking for whatever I can wrap my brain around -- so definitely stay tuned. But, heck, if you're in the NYC area, you may as well check this sucker out for yourself. The fest runs from April 1-7, and you can find out much more (like how to buy tix) over at the official Gen Art Film Fest website.

Full press release after the jump

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Tucked safely between the hectic hustle and bustle of the South by Southwest Film Festival and the Tribeca Film Festival is one of my personal favorites (and I'm not just saying that because I'm on the programming committee this year): The Gen Art Film Festival. Gen Art makes it easy for us tired and hungry fest hoppers since their annual event (in its 14th year) features only seven films, seven shorts and seven hip-hoppin' after parties. That's it! No giant screening schedules to sort through; the decisions are all made for you. Just how my lazy ass likes it.

That said, a nifty press release just landed in my inbox announcing that the much buzzed-about Sundance/Toronto hit Lymelife has been chosen to open Gen Art's fest this year. Starring Alec Baldwin, Cynthia Nixon, Jill Hennessy, Emma Roberts, Kieran Culkin, Rory Culkin, and Timothy Hutton, Lymelife (which we premiered the poster for last month) follows the trials and tribulations of a Long Island family during the late 70's. Variety called it a "leaner and meaner American Beauty," and I say that sounds pretty damn good to me. Cinematical will be front and center when the Gen Art Film Festival takes Manhattan from April 1-7. For more information on Gen Art and the festival, check our their spiffy new website.

The 2008 Gen Art Film Festival has come to a close, and four very good films have emerged victorious. Their Grand Jury awards went to Jennifer Phang's Half-Life (feature) and The Ladies (short). Half-Life, which combines troubling global conditions and a dysfunctional Asian-American family together in this sort of mish-mosh, half real, half animation head trip, first premiered back in January at the Sundance Film Festival. It's a good flick that tries a tad too hard to get across its message, but nevertheless one you should definitely seek out.

The Audience Award for best feature went to my favorite film of the fest, Surfwise. The doc, which was funded -- in part -- by Mark Cuban, follows the Paskowitz family (aka the first family of surfing), who, lead by Dorian "Doc" Paskowitz, traveled the coast with no money and big dreams. Whether or not you believe in what "Doc" Paskowitz did or didn't do for his family (not one of his nine children went to school), Surfwise is a powerful documentary -- funny, sad, hopeful, spiritual and tremendously engaging. Watch this one if and when you get the chance. Additionally, the Audience Award for best short went to A Day's Work and the Stargazer Award (which recognizes new, upcoming talent in front of the camera) went to Luis Chávez, from A Day's Work. (Gotta love a fest that rewards actors in its short films. Kudos Luis!)

You can check out another one of David Jr.'s fabulous video blogs from Day 7 of the fest (the night The Take screened) after the jump, or view one from each night over here. Check out Night 4 and keep an eye out for a familiar face ...

Last night I attended the opening of the 2008 Gen Art Film Festival here in New York City, where the film Diminished Capacity enjoyed its New York premiere at the historic Ziegfeld Theater. Did you go? Really enjoyed this film; as one guy points out in the video above -- "it was cozy." That's exactly how I felt; it was this quiet little comedy starring Matthew Broderick as a guy suffering from memory loss due to a concussion who joins up with his Alzheimer's-impaired Uncle (Alan Alda) on a journey to a baseball memorabilia expo to sell a rare card. Great quirky characters (especially Dylan Baker as a crazed Cubs fan) and the kind of film that just leaves you with good vibes.

But anyway, our very good pal David Jr. is all over this year's festival (as he is every year) with his trusty video camera that tends to freak people out (watch Matthew Broderick's reaction). So if you weren't able to attend the festival last night, his videos give you a great glimpse at what it's like to enjoy a hot, hip Gen Art film event. Seriously, these people are very hot and very hip. I do not, in any way, shape or form, belong in their company. I'm just a slacker from Queens who's balding.

Enjoy the video. Visit DavidJr.com for more of his wacky videos. And head over to the official Gen Art Film Fest site to get tickets, see what's screening, blah blah blah. OH, and Diminished Capacity hits theaters on June 27. Go see it -- cute flick.

If you live anywhere near New York City, and you're a fan of independent films (and free drinks), then there's absolutely no reason why you shouldn't be attending at least every night of the 2008 Gen Art Film Festival. As always, Cinematical will be there in full force (well, those of us in NYC, at least) when the fest kicks off tomorrow night at New York's historic Ziegfeld Theater with a screening of Diminished Capacity, starring Matthew Broderick, Virginia Madsen, Alan Alda and Dylan Baker. Knowing Gen Art, I'm sure more than a handful of celebs will be on hand for that red carpet event.

The fest will continue throughout the week with screenings of films like Half-Life, Cook County, Frost, Surf-Wise, Nightlife and The Take. Of course, following each film is the obligatory awesome after party (with open bar!), which is open to anyone with a ticket to that night's screening. Seriously, it's a cool festival -- and the kind you could totally take a date to, in case you were looking for ideas. (Keep in mind, though, that a kiss at the end of the night is still not guaranteed -- though it's pretty much a given after one of Gen Art's bashes.) Cinematical will be there for a few of the nights (with both Weinberg and myself at the Friday Nightlife screening), so do make sure you say hello.

The 2008 Gen Art Film Festival runs from April 2nd through April 8, and you can find out everything you need to know over at the fest's official website.

My favorite film festival of the year has just announced its slate, and it's a pretty darn good one. The Gen Art Film Festival, held annually in New York City, thrives in its simplicity. 7 shorts, 7 premieres and 7 parties over the course of -- you guessed it -- 7 nights. Does it get any better than that? And instead of trying to hassle your way onto the party guestlist (parties, mind you, which include open bars and are located at some of New York's hottest spots), all you have to do is buy a ticket for that night and you get into everything. Tell us more! Tell us more!

Okay, the fest runs April 2nd through April 8th, and things will kick off with an opening night at the historic Ziegfeld Theater featuring the film Diminished Capacity, starring Matthew Broderick, Virginia Madsen, Alan Alda and Dylan Baker. Other films include the Sundance fav Half-Life, Slamdance fav Frost, SXSW fav Cook County, an outstanding (from what I've heard) documentary called SurfWise, the horror mock Nightlife and the fest will close with Brad Furman's The Take. Tickets for each night run $30 for non Gen Art members and $25 for members, and you can also purchase passes for the entire festival. Cinematical will once again be on the ground throughout the fest, so definitely check back for our coverage.

For more on the festival, feel free to head on over to the official website.