Founder Bill Sorvino predicts The 2015 Golden Door Film Festival will be bigger and even better than ever. The festival will take place from Sept. 24 to 27, with the opening and closing nights at the Landmark Loew’s Theater and screenings in venues all over the city.
This year’s festival has drawn 50 percent more films submitted than last year, and from more than 20 countries.
“We are screening 155 films, with feature films and short films spanning several genres, as well as documentaries. So there’s a little bit of everything for everyone,” says Bill Sorvino, founder and president of GDIFF. “When I had the dream to start this film festival, I never imagined it would grow so big so quickly. I’m beyond blessed and honored by the support the festival has received from not only the Jersey City community, but from filmmakers who regard it as one of their top choices to submit to and to attend. This year we will be screening the most local films to date.”
This year will also see a number of recognized actors attending the festivities than in the past, he said.
Some of the celebrities who have confirmed their attendance to this year’s GDIFF include Annasophia Robb, Famke Janssen, Alysia Reiner, Ed Asner, Matthew Asner, Eric Roberts, Armand Assante, Federico Castelluccio, William Forsythe, Sean Young, Stephen Baldwin and Judd Hirsch.
Building respect
Started in 2011, the festival has drawn the interest of the film industry, partly because of the quality of films, and due to Sorvinos hard work in promoting the festival.
Last year, the festival had a strong emphasis on autism awareness and acceptance, a theme that will continue this year. Of the 155 films being shown, 21 deal with autism on some level, as well as several LGBTQ and Latino films.
Autism Awareness and Acceptance will host a special live musical event featuring the actors from the film “Autism: The Musical.”
‘We’ve become rooted in the industry.” – Bill Sorvino
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Sorvino said the GDIFF is gaining respect in the industry, partly because it plays no favorites, and screens films from both up and coming and veteran filmmakers. The festival also tends to celebrate all those involved in a production, not merely the stars.
In line with this philosophy, they will once again give out the “NJ Filmmakers of Tomorrow Award” in conjunction with the Fort Lee Film Commission for excellence in filmmaking by Hudson County high school filmmakers.
Some of the sponsors of this year’s festival include Vintage Rockefeller Spirits, CarePoint Health, the Norman and Bettina Roberts Foundation, NJ City University (NJCU) and Friends of the Loew’s.
For more information on the festival, visit www.goldendoorfilmfestival.org and connect with them on Facebook (www.facebook.com/GoldenDoorFest), Twitter (www.twitter.com/GoldenDoorFest), and Instagram (www.instagram.com/goldendoorfilmfest).
‘We’ve become rooted in the industry,” Sorvino said. “We’ve caught the eye of four or five major filmmakers. We’ve been a few times around the block and word has gotten around about us.”
The fact that Jersey City itself has undergone significant growth over the last few years has also helped put the festival on the film industry’s radar, Sorvino said. He was motivated from the start to host the festival in the city where he grew up.
“We’re already seen as a heavy duty regional event,” he said.
The festival kicks off with a red carpet night on Sept. 24 at the Loew’s Landmark Theater, where many of the stars of the films will attend.
“But what is very important is that the community get out to see the films,” he said.
The schedule of events, films, places and ticket prices can be found at the festival website:
Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com.