The 9th Annual Peekskill Film Festival — supported by The Field Library — landed on the big screen at the Paramount Hudson Valley Theater Friday, July 26, with the Opening Night Red Carpet rolled out around 6 pm, and screenings from 8 pm-11 pm.
A full day of selected films on Saturday, July 27, from 10 am to 11 pm, followed by the awards ceremony and a film panel, moderated by filmmaker Jane Applegate of Cortlandt, on The Future of the Entertainment Industry: How to Succeed Despite the Chaos. Admission Friday and Saturday is $20 per day.
On Sunday, July, 28, at 8 pm, there was a free screening in Pugsley Park of Nimona, which was nominated as Best Animated Feature in the 2024 Academy Awards. It is based on the 2015 graphic novel of the same name. The film will be introduced by one of its directors, Nick Bruno of Mohegan Lake.
Founded in 2015 to promote the art of filmmaking, the festival’s manifold mission is to provide a local showcase for established and emerging filmmakers, writers, actors and producers; shine a light on award-winning films and performers who reflect the diversity of Peekskill; promote film literacy through workshops and lectures; and give audiences a chance to see important, overlooked, and often excluded works of film. The festival fosters a valuable opportunity to present new works by emerging filmmakers, including features, shorts, documentaries, and animation.
“This year the Peekskill Film Festival committee is working with the City of Peekskill, the Peekskill Business Improvement District, and The Field Library to expand the scope of the Festival,” said Film Festival Program Director Chris Fox, a Somers resident whose Stupid Ears Productions studio is in Peekskill at The Hat Factory.
He added, “The Opening Night Red Carpet is a gala for all filmmakers selected for the Festival. Starting at 8 pm, we will be screening five amazing short films, along with our opening night feature at 9 pm, Creep Box, directed by Patrick Biesemans of Cold Spring.”
“We are thrilled to see the Peekskill Film Festival grow this year with more options for both filmmakers and movie fans,” said Fox. “We look forward to people coming to Peekskill for the day or the weekend, seeing our films and enjoying the restaurants, cultural attractions, and parks in and around the city.”
The list of films selected for the 2024 festival are at peekskillfilmfestival.org.
