The Gen Art Film Festival 2000, now in its fifth year of paying tribute to recent independently produced American feature films and short subjects, has announced its slate. The Gen Art Film Festival will be held in New York from April 26 through May 2, with screenings at the SONY Lincoln Square Cinemas and the Worldwide Plaza Cinema.
Mark Osborne’s “Dropping Out” has been selected as the opening night feature for the festival. The first full-length production by the Academy Award-nominated short filmmaker, “Dropping Out” is a dark comedy about a young man’s attempts to record his suicide. The closing night feature is “Urbania,” a drama about coming to terms with tragedy, which earned filmmaker Jon Shear a Grand Jury Prize nomination at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
Other feature films included in this year’s Gen Art Film Festival are “I’ll Take You There,” Adrienne Shelly’s comedy about a romantically starved woman (Ally Sheedy) who doesn’t take rejection lightly; “What Happened to Tully,” a rural coming-of-age story from Hilary Birmingham based on Tom MacNeal’s award-winning short story; “Goat on Fire and Smiling Fish,” Kevin Jordan’s comedy about two brothers (played by siblings Steven and Derick Martini) who can’t quite get into heartfelt relationships; “The Operator,” Jon Dichter’s revenge tale of a Dallas attorney who makes the mistake of crossing an omnipotent telephone operator; and “Playing Mona Lisa,” Matthew Huffman’s celebration of a pianist (Alicia Witt) who trades in Tchaikovsky for a life of partying. Each feature will be preceded by a new short subject (see the attached schedule list).
On Closing Night, Tuesday May 2, The Gen Art Alumni Award will be presented to filmmaker Brad Anderson. Brad’s debut feature, “The Darien Gap,” premiered at the first Gen Art Film Festival. The Festival proved to be a major stepping stone in his career, which includes “Next Stop Wonderland” and the soon-to-be-released “Happy Accidents” starring Marisa Tomei and Vincent D’Onofrio.
Previous editions of the Gen Art Film Festival have premiered such acclaimed films as “Hands on a Hard Body,” “Oxygen,” “Modulations,” and “Six Ways to Sunday.”
Gen Art is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to showcasing emerging talent in film, fashion and the visual arts. Founded in 1993 by Ian and Stefan Gerard, both at the time in their mid-twenties, Gen Art has quickly become a leader in championing the talent of a new generation. Gen Art has succeeded in launching the careers of many young filmmakers, fashion designers and visual artists by providing them with high-profile alternatively formatted events that welcome industry and non-industry audiences alike.
For more information on the Gen Art Film Festival, visit the organization online at www.genart.org or call (212) 290-0312. Tickets will go on sale April 1 through Ticket Central 212-279-4200 and online at www.genart.org.
