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Films, Parties, Celebrities: Passes Now on Sale for Waterfront Film Festival - Saugatuck, MI
Saugatuck, MI - May 18, 2009 - Passes are now on sale for the 11th Annual Waterfront Film Festival, which will be held June 11-14 in Saugatuck, Mich.
WFF is one of the leading destination film festivals in the Midwest, regularly hosting Midwest premieres of Academy Award-winning and nominated documentaries. In 2007, SAGIndie recognized WFF as one of its top five film festivals in the world. This year promises to be another exciting festival.
The four-day festival, which will screen more than 70 films in five venues over the course of the weekend, also released an initial list of films that will be shown. A complete schedule, along with a list of industry professionals slated to attend WFF, will be available later this month.
Films include:
THE ANSWER MAN (Midwest Premiere) - Michigan's own Jeff Daniels stars in this hilarious comedy as the reclusive and misanthropic author of a landmark book that redefined spirituality for a generation - a novel in which he claims to have spoken directly to God. He now lives in seclusion, hiding from his millions of rabid fans. Lauren Graham is a struggling single mom and Lou Taylor Pucci a used bookstore owner, fresh out of rehab. Like many others, they are looking for the answers to the universe. Little do they know, not only does he not have the answers, he doesn't have a clue. GRAND JURY PRIZE NOMINEE, SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL.
WORLD'S GREATEST DAD (Midwest Premiere) - this wickedly funny dark, adult comedy for mature audiences stars Robin Williams as a frustrated high school poetry teacher and single father dealing with a singularly odious and unlikable teenage son. After a freak accident, Williams' character faces both the worst tragedy of his life, and the greatest opportunity. Truly twisted, lusciously perverse, and refreshingly original, the third feature film from comedian Bobcat Goldthwait tackles love, loss and the quest for fame. OFFICIAL SELECTION, SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL.
WOMEN IN TROUBLE (Midwest Premiere) - A fun, campy modern-day take on the B-List "women in trouble" exploitation films of the 1970s, written and directed by Snakes on a Plane's Sebastian Gutierrez. The intersecting stories of a flight attendant, a psychiatrist, a masseuse, a bartender, a pair of call girls, an adopted young girl, and a porn star all weave together in the course of one serpentine day in Los Angeles. The amazing and talented ensemble cast is headed up by Carla Gugino (Watchmen) as porn start Electra Luxx, Connie Britton (Spin City), Adrianne Palicki (Friday Night Lights) and Marley Shelton (Eleventh Hour). OFFICIAL SELECTION, SXSW FESTIVAL.
CHILDREN OF INVENTION (MICHIGAN PREMIERE) - A poignant drama that takes a new look at the American Dream as seen through the eyes of two Chinese-American children and their mother, who gets sucked into a multi-level marketing scam in her struggle to make ends meet. Young Raymond seeks to support his family with his many inventions while trying to protect his younger sister Tina from the family's financial hardships. A heartbreaking look at the modern day immigrant experience. Official Selection Sundance Film Festival.
LOST SON OF HAVANA (MIDWEST PREMIERE) - An inspiring and heart wrenching documentary about baseball Hall-of-Famer Luis Tiant, who left his native Cuba in 1961 to pitch for the Cleveland Indians. After the rise of the Castro regime he faced a difficult decision: return to his family in Cuba or pursue his successful baseball career in America. After a 46 year exile, cameras follow Tiant as he returns to his native home, struggling with the guilt he feels for those he left behind. OFFICIAL SELECTION, TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL.
PETER AND VANDY (MIDWEST PREMIERE) - A small gem of a romantic comedy featuring what the Hollywood Reporter referred to as "star-making performances" from lead actors Jason Ritter and Jess Weixler. Peter and Vandy are a young Manhattan couple whose relationship is profiled from the initial romance to the subsequent deterioration. Instead of unfolding in straight chronological order, the film takes the fresh approach of jumbling the various stages of their relationship by jumping back and forth in time. GRAND JURY PRIZE NOMINEE, SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL.
"We are looking forward to another amazing festival", said Hopwood DePree, co-founder of WFF. "With the increased awareness of the film industry in Michigan we are anticipating a record number of attendees and our current lineup offers something for everyone."
Passes are now on sale and range in price from $70-75 for a day pass, which guarantees priority admission to all films and seminars for a single day, to $500 for a patron pass, which also offers entry to VIP mixers and includes a $200 tax-deductible contribution.
Filmgoers may also purchase a fast pass for $300 that gives priority admission to all films and seminars, as well as exclusive entry to Friday and Saturday VIP "meet & mingle" mixers. The $200 super pass option provides priority entry to all fils and seminars for the festival.
Passes can be purchased online at www.waterfrontfilm.org and may be picked up at the WFF headquarters at 347 Water Street in Saugatuck, beginning May 22. Individual tickets will be available during the event, and will go on sale when the full schedule is announced later this month.
WFF is one of the largest all-volunteer festivals in the Midwest with more than 200 people banding together to make the festival a success.
Sponsors for the 2009 festival include Kodak, National Endowment for the Arts, Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and SAGIndie. Media Sponsors include Fox 17 in Grand Rapids and Citadel Broadcasting.
About Waterfront Film Festival—
Now in its eleventh year, the Waterfront Film Festival, located in Saugatuck, Mich. celebrates independent film and filmmakers in a noncompetitive environment. WFF is committed to education and features seminars designed to encourage the next generation of actors, writers and directors. In 2007, SAGIndie recognized WFF as one of its top five film festivals. For more information on the 2009 festival, which is scheduled June 11- 14, visit www.waterfrontfilm.org
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