Welcome to the 2014 Emerge Film Festival! We are so proud to present this inaugural festival with films from Maine, the United States and all over the world.
The Emerge Film Festival emerged just 10 weeks ago through the dedication and passion of a core group of L/A filmmakers, business leaders and patrons of the arts who were determined to keep film alive in our community. The response and support has been tremendous and has truly fueled our mission.
And now that it is finally here, get ready! Beginning on Friday, June 13, and running all day June 14, the festival will be filled with 41 amazing films. And while each offers a unique viewing opportunity, I wanted to highlight a few that I am personally looking forward to seeing.
On Saturday night at the Franco Center, we will have the World Premiere of the first cut of Richard3, a full-length adaption of Shakespeare’s Richard III that the Portland Phoenix called “comedic genius.” The film, which was shot in Maine, is produced and directed by Michael Miclon who stars as King Richard and is supported by a cast of Maine actors and performers including Fritz Grobe, Amanda Huotari, Jason Tardy, Matt Tardy, Casey Turner and a cast of over 200 Maine extras. This evening will be a chance to laugh until your belly hurts. And when that’s over, you can celebrate with us at the Franco Center and meet the cast of this special film, as well as many of the filmmakers who are attending the festival.
Another film near and dear to my heart is The Magic Bracelet. The story was sparked by the imagination of a young girl named Rina who suffered with a lifelong medical condition called mitochondrial disease. Produced by the Make A Film Foundation, the endearing story of The Magic Bracelet captured Rina’s hope for a cure and was a welcome distraction as she served as Junior Producer. Sadly, while Rina did not live long enough to see her film dreams come true, her courage and legacy live on through this magical film. Directed by Jon Poll (Meet The Fockers), the film has a Hollywood cast including James Van Der Beek (Dawson’s Creek) and J.K. Simmons (Law & Order, Spiderman).
The rest of the line up is a wonderful combination of the best from New York, California and beyond and Maine-grown films including The Hanover House, Natal, How To Kill A Zombie and Detour.
A filmmaker has the best job in the world. But it’s not the easiest job. Behind every film headed to Lewiston/Auburn this weekend are hundreds of creative people – directors, producers, cameramen, artists, actors, crew and subjects of documentary stories. There are craft services, and prop directors, lighting specialists, creative directors, animators and editors. A film is a labor of love and the equity that is poured into these films is more than just money and human resources; it is blood, sweat and tears. And every filmmaker has just one goal – to share their work with an audience. I know this because Ramsey Tripp, Patrick Dempsey and I co-produced The Peloton Project that premiered last April right here in our hometown. Were the long hours, sleepless nights, immense expense and harrowing trek across Canada and the U.S. chasing a peloton of cyclists worth it? Yes, because on this one special evening, we were able to share an epic story with more than 400 people in a magical venue, The Franco Center. It was one of the best nights of my life. Truly.
As I think about the filmmakers and their crews journeying to L/A, all I really want to do for each of them is to deliver an audience. This is where you come in. On June 13 and 14, 41 films will be showcased in six downtown venues. The line up includes drama, comedy, thrillers, documentaries, horror and romance, each spinning a tale in moving pictures designed to move you as an audience member.
We invite you to participate in the Emerge Film Festival, as film lovers, arts patrons, community members and folks that like to see a great story.
We’ll see you at the movies!
Laura Davis, President, Board of Directors Emerge Film Festival
Emerge Film Festival
PO Box 2193
Lewiston ME 04241
info@emergefilmfestival.org
www.emergefilmfestival.org
Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/EmergeFilmFestival
Follow us on Twitter: @EmergeFilmFest
-
- Laura Davis
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.