“Our team has worked diligently to craft a slate of films representative of the diverse landscape of independent cinema,” says Artis—Naples Executive Vice President of Artistic Operations David Filner. “Whether through emotionally resonant documentaries or engaging narrative features, we’ve designed this year’s festival to provide audiences with an immersive cinema experience. NIFF continues to be a distinctive platform where filmmakers and cinephiles alike can unite, exchange ideas, and celebrate the multidisciplinary nature of film as an art form.”
Emphasizing NIFF’s lasting impact on audiences and filmmakers alike over the years, Festival Producer Shannon Franklin says, “Every year, NIFF serves as a dynamic meeting point for filmmakers and audiences, and this year is no exception. The festival has become a cornerstone for both emerging and established filmmakers, and we’re proud of the reputation it has earned as a welcoming, inspiring environment. We can’t wait to share these powerful stories with all the attendees who make NIFF so special.”
Nate and John
“NIFF continues to be a distinctive platform where filmmakers and cinephiles alike can unite…”
On Thursday, October 24, the Opening Night shorts program at Hayes Hall (5833 Pelican Bay Blvd) will feature Adam J. Graves’ Anuja, about a nine-year-old girl working in a back-alley garment factory who is offered a rare chance to attend boarding school. Nick Russell’s Favourites is a thriller about two young parents who deal with an impossible choice during a family camping trip in the Australian Outback. Jumai Yusuf’s Nate and John is about a friendship that develops in the 1960s between a young Black barber’s assistant and a surly teenage hippie forced to get a haircut by his father.
Also screening on the same evening is Ballard C. Boyd’s wry comedy Night Session, during which a burglary quickly morphs into an impromptu therapy session where the burglar assists the resident in processing his impending divorce—all while the resident assists the burglar in robbing his apartment. TJ O’Grady-Peyton’s Irish Drama Room Taken follows a homeless man who secretly takes up residence in the home of an elderly blind woman—which results in an unexpected bond forming between the two. Sam Cutler-Kreutz and David Cutler-Kreutz’s SXSW special jury prize winner, Trapped, is centered on a janitor at a prestigious high school as he confronts a group of boys in the middle of a senior prank—putting him between the boys, his boss, and his moral compass.
Hayes Hall will also be the location for the special presentation of Tim Burton’s colorfully eccentric superhero classic Batman (1989) on Closing Night, Sunday, October 27. The presentation of a classic or beloved film accompanied by a live performance of the film’s score has become a tradition and one of the celebrated highlights unique to the Naples International Film Festival. Under the baton of Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly, the Naples Philharmonic will perform Danny Elfman’s groundbreaking score live as the film screens over the stage.
"…an opportunity to enjoy thethe power of storytelling reflected across experiences, cultures, and artistic expression."
