27 Screenings Including 4 Premieres
 

 In just two weeks, the 11th annual The High Falls Film Festival returns presenting 27 screenings from 13 countries including four premieres, panel discussions, parties, many free events and more than 50 award-winning independent features, documentaries and shorts.  It all starts April 18 to April 21 (highfallsfilmfestival.com).   
 
The High Falls Film Festival is one of the few film festivals worldwide that celebrates the work of women filmmakers. Films will be shown at The Little Theatre, the Cinema Theater and the Dryden Theatre at the George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film.
 
Festival Premieres
·     The Way to Nowhere Island (World Premiere)
·     Pretty Brutal (North American Premiere)
·     Go Public Project - Shorts (U.S. Premiere
·     Watchtower (New York State Premiere)

Final Films Announced
·     Watchtower - Thursday April 18, 7PM, Little 5 Theatre - NYS Premiere   

Seher and Nihat are running away from the city, their families, and pasts. But even high in the beautiful Turkish mountains, as a waitress at a remote bus stop and as a lookout at a forest watchtower, it is not far enough. As their lives intersect, they are forced to confront their pasts.

·     Pretty Brutal - Friday April 19, 9:30 PM, Cinema Theater - North American Premiere

Follows girl skaters into the full-contact world of New Zealand’s first Roller Derby league. Their challenge: run a democracy and train together as sisters then savage each other come match day. As tension mounts, will they preserve their newfound community or tear each other apart?
 

·     First Comes Love - Saturday April 20, 4PM Little 5 Theatre

In this frank and revealing first-person documentary, filmmaker Nina Davenport tackles the subject of her own biological clock – and her dilemma when she realizes she’s running out of time. Single but feeling the pull of motherhood, the determined New Yorker sets about getting pregnant on her own terms, and with more than a little help from her friends.

·     Molly Maxwell - Saturday April 20, 1PM, Dryden Theatre

Bookish Molly has always followed the rules - her mother's, and her school’s. But she is lacking direction and drive. Her genius IQ has not allowed her to focus on a discipline or subject, a key part of her school’s curriculum. When a handsome new English teacher is hired, Molly convinces him to teach her photography.

Special Free Film Events
·     April 14 - 1-4pm - Film for All - His Girl Friday (1940) Starring Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell

o   2-3:30PM  - WXXI TV Broadcast
o   1-4PM - Kate Gleason Aud., Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County. Live screening with post film panel discussion.

·     Informal Coffee Chats with Directors - April 18, 19 & 20, 9:30 - 11:00am.. Rochester Plaza State Street Grill.  Free. Complimentary coffee and Danish.
·     So You Want to Make a Movie Panel Discussion - Saturday, April 20, 9-10:15AM. Free. Moderator: Nora Brown, Finger Lakes Film Office. Panelists: Nick DiBella, Writer/Director; Mark Costello, Boylan Code, Entertainment Law; Ray Justice, Entrepreneur, Justice Enterprises; Taine Ann Riggio, Producer
·     The Future of Film: The Impact of Digital on the Film Industry Panel Discussion - Saturday, April 20th from 10:30am to noon, Free. Moderator:  Malcolm Spaull.  Panelists: Ricky Figueroa and Les Moore, RIT, Susan Rogers, WXXI/Little and others.  

Parties!
·     Opening Night Party – Thursday, April 18, 9- 11:45PM, Inn on Broadway, cocktails & hors d'oeuvres, walk the red carpet, have your picture taken, mingle with filmmakers. Tickets, $25 at highfallsfilmfestival.com.   
·     Party at the Strathallan – Friday, April 19, 9- 11:45PM, join filmmakers and film fans for this party on the rooftop at the newly renovated Strathallan. Free admission. Cash bar.
·     Closing Night Party – Saturday, April 20, 9pm to 11:45pm, cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, sweets & coffee, Potter Peristyle, George Eastman House. Mingle with the filmmakers and celebrate the conclusion of our 11th annual film festival. Tickets, $25 at highfallsfilmfestival.com.  

Film Tickets on sale now at http://highfallsfilmfestival.com/tickets <http://highfallsfilmfestival.com/tickets>

• Film Tickets - $12 per film, ($10 students and seniors 65+, ID required at door) plus service charges, $15 ($13 students and seniors 65+, ID required at door) for opening and closing night films plus service charges. Service charges per ticket are $.50 at Mobile Box Offices, and $1.75 online and for phone orders.  All sales final, no refunds or exchanges. For complete details see highfallsfilmfestival.com.
• Mobile box offices  - Get help choosing movies that match your interests and save $1.25 per ticket off convenience fee charges. See highfallsfilmfestival.com for locations.

Film & Event Schedule - See http://highfallsfilmfestival.com/films_and_schedule <http://highfallsfilmfestival.com/films_and_schedule>  for film synopses, trailers, casts and female contributors. Please note: schedule subject to change.

Thursday April 18
9:30 - 11:00 a.m. – Informal Coffee Chat w/directors, Rochester Plaza, FREE
6:30 p.m. – Girls in the Band, Little 1 (Q&A w/ director to follow)
7:00 p.m. – Watchtower, Little 5, (NYS Premiere)
9:00 - 11:45 p.m. – Opening Night Party, Inn on Broadway.
9:15 p.m. – Facing Mirrors, Little 1
9:30 p.m. – Eight Shorts about life and love, Little 5
 
Friday April 19
9:30 - 11:00 a.m. – Informal Coffee Chat with directors at the Rochester Plaza State Street Grill, FREE
1:15 p.m. – California State of Mind: The Legacy of Pat Brown, Cinema
4:00 p.m. – Girls in the Band, Cinema (Q&A w/ filmmaker to follow)
6:30 p.m. – Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel, Little 1, (Fashion Show to follow)
6:30 p.m. – The Most Fun I’ve Ever Had With My Pants On, Cinema (Q&A w/ filmmaker to follow)
6:45 p.m.  – Unfinished Spaces, Little 5
9:00 – Midnight - Party at the Strathallan, A Doubletree Hilton
9:15 p.m. – Casting By, Little 1
9:30 p.m.  – Turn Me On, Dammit, Little 5,
9:30 p.m.  – Pretty Brutal, Cinema (North American Premiere)

Saturday April 20
9 - 10:15 a.m. – So You Want To Make A Movie? Panel Discussion, Little 5 FREE
9:30 - 11:00 a.m. – Informal Coffee Chat w/ directors, Rochester Plaza, FREE
10:30 – Noon a.m. – Future of Film - The Impact of Digital Media Panel Discussion, Little 1, FREE,
11:00 a.m. – RIT Women of SOFA, Little 5,  (Meet & Greet, Little Cafe to follow)
12:30 p.m. – Go Public Project, 4 shorts & Panel Discussion w/Director, Little 1
1:00 p.m. – Molly Maxwell, Dryden
1:15 p.m. – The Way to Nowhere Island, Little 5 (World Premiere)
3:15 p.m. – Future Weather, Little 1
3:30 p.m. – Shorts Program 2: Dead Ends - 8 shorts on death and letting go, Little 5
3:30 p.m. – How We Got Away With It, Dryden
6:00 p.m. – First Comes Love, Little 5
6:30 p.m. – Margarita, Little 1 (Q&A w filmmaker to follow)
6:30 p.m. – The Day I Saw Your Heart, Dryden
9:00 – Midnight, Wrap-up Party, Potter Peristyle, George Eastman House
9:00 p.m. – A Teacher, Dryden
9:15 p.m. – Harisma, Little 1
9:30 p.m. – A Lot Like You, Little 1 (Q&A w filmmaker to follow)

Sunday April 21
3:30 p.m. – Audience Choice, Best of the Fest Documentary, Little 1
6:00 p.m. – Audience Choice, Best of the Fest Narrative, Little 1

Films with Rochester Connections
·     The Women of SoFA show, a 94-minute screening of 11 shorts, produced by young women filmmakers from all over the world currently studying at RIT.
·     How We Got Away With It was shot in Rochester, was written by Greece NY native Jeff Barry, and the film’s lead producer, Erin Craig is a Webster native.

Latest news  - sign up for news alerts at highfallsfilmfestival.com and follow the festival on Twitter and Facebook.

More Information - Call the Festival office at 585-279-8312 or the Box Office at 585-820-0845 or email orders@HighFallsFilmFestival.com with any ticket questions.

Sponsors - High Falls Film Festival is sponsored by First Niagara, the Democrat & Chronicle, Harris Beach PLLC, 13WHAM TV & CW16, Monroe County, VisitRochester, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester Plaza Hotel & Conference Center, Boylan Code, City of Rochester, The Community Foundation,  EFP Rotenberg, Delta Stratagem, The Gouvernet Arts Fund at The Community Foundation, CMI Communications, International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees, Lenel, Midtown Athletic Club, Jack and Barbara Kraushaar, Nocon & Associates, Rochester Finger Lakes Film & Video Office, Rochester General Health System, Rochester Riverside Convention Center,  Strathallan, Elaine Spaull - City Councilwoman, US Sweepstakes & Fulfillment Company, WXXI, Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County, Smugtown Beacon, Rochester Riverside Convention WXXI, Yelp and One Hip Chic.

About High Falls Film Festival
Founded in 2001, the High Falls Film Festival is one of the longest running women’s film festivals on the East Coast and one of the few film festivals worldwide that celebrates the work of women filmmakers. A non-profit organization, the High Falls Film Festival has screened hundreds of films since its inception, spotlighting the cinematic works of women and bringing the finest independent motion pictures and film artists to Rochester and Western New York audiences.  The Festival includes features, documentaries, and shorts.  The Festival has also offered programs in film education as well as student film making competitions.