NYS Writers Institute Announces Innovative Programming for Inaugural Albany Film Festival

NYSWI Albany Film Fest logo

ALBANY, N.Y. (April 15, 2021) – Movie fans, filmmakers and authors are invited to join the New York State Writers Institute (NYSWI) at the inaugural Albany Film Festival, an eclectic program of virtual and in-person events exploring the intersection of writing and film to be presented April 24 through May 3.

“The Albany Film Festival will celebrate the rich heritage of filmmaking in the Capital Region, inspire young filmmakers to tell their stories and reinforce the connection between storytelling and cinema,” said Paul Grondahl, director of the NYSWI at the University at Albany. “This inaugural event is revamped and rescheduled due to the pandemic. After a terrible year, we need the uplift and shared experience of the Albany Film Festival more than ever.”

While many of the 2021 film festival events may be viewed online, a pair of innovative events are being offered that will safely bring film lovers into the community for live, in-person events.

The 2021 Albany Film Festival will feature:

Online panel discussions, workshops and conversations with film producers, filmmakers and screenwriters. (A full list of sponsors is available at the link above.)

The Ironweed Award for Exemplary Achievement in Film, to be presented to five recipients with pre-recorded interviews available to watch online starting May 1:

  • Kasi Lemmons, actor (“Silence of the Lambs”) and director (“Harriet” and “Eve’s Bayou”)
  • James Ivory, co-founder of Merchant Ivory Productions (“A Room with a View,” “Howard’s End,” “The Remains of the Days”)
  • Samuel Pollard, director and film editor (“MLK/FBI,” “Mo’ Better Blues,” “Jungle Fever,” “Clockers,” and the forthcoming feature documentary “Counting the Ballots”)
  • Rosie Perez, Oscar-nominated actress (“Fearless,” “White Men Can’t Jump,” “Do the Right Thing”) and
  • Darnell Martin, director of “Their Eyes Were Watching God” and “I Like it Like That”

The NYS Writers Institute Night at the Drive-In will be held 8 p.m. Thursday, April 29, at the Malta Drive-In Theatre. The two screens at the drive-in will feature a collection of film shorts; “Cadillac Records,” the 2008 film about the Chicago blues scene directed by Ironweed Award winner Darnell Martin and starring Beyonce and Adrien Brody; “The Honeymoon Killers,” the 1970 cult classic about a pair of lovers on a killing spree written and directed by the late UAlbany professor Leonard Kastle, ranked #3 on Steve Buscemi's "Top Ten" favorite film list; and “Impact: Mobility and Modernity Reconsidered,” Skidmore College Professor Rik Scarce’s documentary on the barefoot running movement that won the Audience Choice Award at Austin Indie Fest in November.

“Passages,” a spectacular multimedia display will illuminate the night sky and exterior of the 195-foot-wide facade of UAlbany's Science Library building. Using powerful projection mapping technology, the immersive light show will present a narrative of the Capital Region’s cultural legacy and the history of major movies filmed on location in the area. Showings will be held 8:30 through 11 p.m. Friday, April 30, through Monday, May 3. Registration required due to COVID restrictions. See website for details.

World premiere of “Karen or Bust,” a feature film set in the 60s written, produced and directed by Don Rittner and featuring many actors and locales in the Capital Region, will be held 7 p.m. Saturday, May 1.

"Our festival will focus on the role of storytelling in filmmaking as we discover new ways to expand the mission of the Writers Institute and to foster conversations that elevate audiences and artists alike, while enriching our community," said Grondahl.

All Albany Film Festival events are free and open to the public. In keeping with safety protocols, some events require registration. More information and a complete schedule of events are available.