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LIIFE 2017 Long Island International Film Expo

From LONG ISLAND – by Ann Parry (ann-parry.com)
July 22, 2017

“Laugh about it, Shout about it….”

Wednesday afternoon I visited the Filmmaker’s Lounge and the Bellmore Movies theater, where the Long Island International Film Expo was in full swing. LIIFE was celebrating its 20th Anniversary!


After capturing photos and a short video of MAGGIE WAGNER, the vivacious actor who plays Mom in the short film MOM, I spoke with TRISH APPELLO, the festival Coordinator and Secretary of the non-profit LITV/Film Foundation, which, along with the Nassau County Film Commission, presents the Festival.

When Appello told me about the feature documentary Where Have You Been, Lou DiMaggio? – the last filmed being screened that last night of the festival – I decided to return after dinner to catch it.

“MARIAM’S DAY OFF”

That night I arrived in time to first watch Mariam’s Day Off, a foreign film by Director ARSHAK AMIRBEKYAN, who filmed it in Armenia.

“Look around you, all you see are sympathetic eyes….”

I found the placid-on-the-surface story about a young prostitute who ends up spending a day with an artist and his family at his art studio so emotionally compelling and poignant that it wasn’t until about half way into the short film (0:44:22 min) that I thought to myself, “Oh, it’s in black and white!”

Bellmore, New York, USA. 19th July 2017. Director and writer ARSHAK AMIRBEKYAN speaks during a Q&A at the Long Island International Film Expo LIIFE 2017. (© 2017 Ann Parry)

Bellmore, NY, USA. 19th July 2017. ARSHAK AMIRBEKYAN, Director of “Mariam’s Day Off” short film, speaks at LIIFE 2017. (© 2017 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

“WHERE HAVE YOU GONE, LOU DiMAGGIO?”

The next and final screening was the documentary Where Have You Gone, Lou DiMaggio? – a feature film (75 min) directed by BRAD KUHLMAN about comedian LOU DiMAGGIO considering returning to comedy after being away from the stage for 20 years.

For more than one reason, I was glad Appello had enthusiastically recommended seeing, Where Have You Gone, Lou DiMaggio?

For starters, it was fun to see so many of DiMaggio’s fellow comedians – including Joy Behar, Richard Belzer, Rebecca Corry, Larry David, Susie Essman, Jeff Garlin, Howie Mandel, Colin Quinn, Chris Rock, Ray Romano, Jerry Seinfeld.

And Lou DiMaggio’s stand up comedy sets on his road to comeback were certainly memorable, and for wildly different reasons.

“We’d like to help you learn to help yourself….”

And what likely made the strongest impression on me in Where Have You Gone, Lou DiMaggio? was cautionary advice DiMaggio’s fellow comedian gave him about returning to stand up comedy – for it reminded me, in a way, of advice my late mom, an opera singer, gave her voice students, including my talented younger brother:

The world has more outstanding singers than it can afford to support. And the difference between the best and next best in a major competition or audition can be imperceptible even to an expert – so luck will play a big part in the career each has.

When choosing if you’ll pursue a living in the arts, follow that path only if you’re absolutely driven to AND you can handle the competition and pressure.

Bellmore, New York, USA. 19th July 2017. L-R, HENRY STAMPFEL, BRAD KUHLMAN, LOU DiMAGGIO, TRISH APPELLO, woman, and ANNE STAMPFEL pose during final Screening Night of Long Island International Film Expo 2017 at Bellmore Movies. The last film screened was the feature documentary

Bellmore, NY, USA. 19th July 2017. L-R, HENRY STAMPFEL, BRAD KUHLMAN, LOU DiMAGGIO, TRISH APPELLO, MARIA PUSATERI, and ANNE STAMPFEL pose during final Screening Night of Long Island International Film Expo 2017 at Bellmore Movies. (© 2017 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

FILMMAKERS Q&A

“We’d like to know a little bit about you for our files….”

For the Q&A, eight filmmakers associated with the films screened that night participated. After hearing the candid, detailed answers to the audience’s thought-provoking questions, I wished I’d arrived in time to watch all the films.

  • View VIDEO of comedian Lou DiMaggio at the Q&A to hear behind-the-scenes info, including what the biggest obstacle was he faced making the documentary:

[videopress dLvsiu2X]

VIDEO above: Lou DiMaggio answers Q&A question at LIIFE 2017. [Q&A did not take place aboard a ship on stormy seas, despite appearances to contrary.] 

“And here’s to you….”

The next night at the Long Island International Film Expo Awards Ceremony, LIIFE celebrated its 20th Anniversary and 2017 winners, including the Best Documentary Feature:  “Where Have You Gone Lou DiMaggio?”

“Wo, wo, wo….”

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LIIFE 2016 Long Island International Film Expo

From LONG ISLAND – by Ann Parry (ann-parry.com)
July 23, 2016

The 19th Annual Long Island International Film Festival kicked off its Awards Ceremony this Thursday with Host Kevin Brown (Dot Com in 30 Rock) welcoming filmmakers and film lovers.

Bellmore, New York, USA. July 21, 2016. The19th Annual Long Island International Film Expo Awards Ceremony, LIIFE 2016, is held at the historic Bellmore Movies. LIIFE was called one of the 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World by MovieMaker Magazine. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Bellmore, NY, USA. July 21, 2016. The19th Annual Long Island International Film Expo Awards Ceremony, LIIFE 2016, is held at the historic Bellmore Movies. (© 2016 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Then Brown served his first helping of topical humor – notably about a certain national political convention that, like LIIFE 2016, was in its final night.

Bellmore, New York, USA. July 21, 2016. Actor KEVIN BROWN (Dot Com in 30 Rock) is again host at the 19th Annual Long Island International Film Expo Awards Ceremony, LIIFE 2016, held at the historic Bellmore Movies. LIIFE was called one of the 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World by MovieMaker Magazine. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Bellmore, NY, USA. July 21, 2016. Actor KEVIN BROWN hosts 19th Annual Long Island International Film Expo Awards Ceremony, LIIFE 2016, held at Bellmore Movies. (© 2016 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Singers ROBBIE ROSEN, from neighboring Merrick, and SARAH BARRIOS, each a mere three years older than LIIFE itself, sang solo and together. Their duet “Chains” – which they performed both that night and in the Musical Video that went on to win that category – was one of restrained raw emotion and distinctive, complimentary singing styles.

Bellmore, New York, USA. July 21, 2016. Singers ROBBIE ROSEN, of American Idol top 8 Boys from Merrick, and SARAH BARRIOS perform the duet

Bellmore, NY, USA. July 21, 2016. Singers ROBBIE ROSEN and SARAH BARRIOS sing duet “Chains” at Long Island International Film Expo Awards Ceremony, LIIFE 2016. (© 2016, Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Bernhard Rammerstorfer, from Austria, accepted the Alan Fortunoff Humanitarian Award for his documentary Taking the Stand, which he directed, produced and wrote to share the “Testimonies of Holocaust Survivors and Victims of Nazi Tyranny.”  Before leaving the stage, Rammerstorfer gave LIIFE a bottle of Organic Austrian Plum Schnaps,  which he cheerfully described at length.

Bellmore, New York, USA. July 21, 2016. BERNHARD RAMMERSTORFER accepts

Bellmore, NY, USA. July 21, 2016. Austrian BERNHARD RAMMERSTORFER accepts Alan Fortunoff Humanitarian Award for his documentary “Taking the Stand” at LIIFE 2016. (© 2016 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Actor CATHY MORIORITY (Vikki LaMotta in Raging Bull) gave an affectionate introduction to LIIFE’s Lifetime Achievement Award honoree, ED ASNER, who’s best known to my generation as cranky, lovable Lou Grant in The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and to my grandson as widower Carl in Pixar’s animated Up.

Bellmore, New York, USA. July 21, 2016. Actress CATHY MORIARITY, who was Vikki LaMotta in Raging Bull when she was a teenager, introduces Lifetime Achievement honoree Ed Asner at the 19th Annual Long Island International Film Expo Awards Ceremony, LIIFE 2016, held at the historic Bellmore Movies. LIIFE was called one of the 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World by MovieMaker Magazine. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Bellmore, NY, USA. July 21, 2016. Actress CATHY MORIARITY introduces Lifetime Achievement honoree Ed Asner at the 19th Annual Long Island International Film Expo Awards Ceremony. (© 2016 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Not coincidentally, the documentary My Friend Ed – a portrait of Asner the actor and activist, by director and producer Sharon K Baker and co-writers Baker and Daniel R. Collins – made its Long Island debut at LIIFE 2016.

Bellmore, New York, USA. July 21, 2016. Actor ED ASNER, who portrayed Lou Grant in Mary Tyler Moore Show, receives the Lifetime Achievement Award, at the 19th Annual Long Island International Film Expo Awards Ceremony, LIIFE 2016, held at the historic Bellmore Movies. LIIFE was called one of the 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World by MovieMaker Magazine. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Bellmore, NY, USA. July 21, 2016. Actor ED ASNER receives the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 19th Annual Long Island International Film Expo Awards Ceremony, LIIFE 2016. (© 2016 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Long Island’s own Angela Anton – the Publisher of Anton Community Newspapers, and a philanthropist and volunteer, including Board President of the Nassau County Museum of Art – received the Humanitarian Award.

Bellmore, New York, USA. July 21, 2016. ANGELA ANTON accepts the Humanitarian Award at the 19th Annual Long Island International Film Expo Awards Ceremony, LIIFE 2016, held at the historic Bellmore Movies. Angela Susan Anton is the Publisher and CEO of Anton Media Group, the largest privately owned newspaper company in New York State. LIIFE was called one of the 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World by MovieMaker Magazine. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Bellmore, NY, USA. July 21, 2016. ANGELA ANTON accepts Humanitarian Award at 19th Annual Long Island International Film Expo Awards Ceremony, LIIFE 2016, at the Bellmore Movies. (© 2016 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

LIIFE’s three surviving co-founders each spoke: Debra Markowitz, the Nassau County Film Commissioner; and Anne Stampfel and husband Henry Stampfel,  co-owners of the historic Bellmore Movies where the Awards Ceremony was held.

Bellmore, New York, USA. July 21, 2016. At podium, actor KEVIN BROWN (Dot Com in 30 Rock) once again is host at the19th Annual Long Island International Film Expo Awards Ceremony, LIIFE 2016, held at the historic Bellmore Movies. LIIFE was called one of the 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World by MovieMaker Magazine. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Bellmore, NY, USA. July 21, 2016. Actor KEVIN BROWN hosts 19th Annual Long Island International Film Expo Awards Ceremony, LIIFE 2016, held at the historic Bellmore Movies (© 2016 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Long Island International Film Expo: GALLERY

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