The New York International Festival (NYIFF) has announced their slate of domestic and international films and premieres

New Yorkers in need of a cool, affordable yet satisfying indie film fix will be happy to hear that The New York International Festival (NYIFF) has announced their slate of domestic and international films and premieres. NYIIFF runs from July 22nd-29th in Manhattan and will showcase a diverse range of features, shorts, documentaries and animations from all over the globe. The opening night kick-off party takes place at lower east side hotspot BLVD from 6-10pm.

Film screenings begin July 23rd on 2 screens at City Cinemas Village East.

In keeping with NYIIFVF s unique and successful formula of 17 years, more than 200 films from around the world will be in competition.

Genres include Animation, Action, Adventure, War, Urban, Sci-Fi, Drama, Comedy, Experimental, Horror, Thriller, Suspense, Fantasy, Arthouse, Crime, LGBT, Dark Comedy, Romantic Comedy as well as a compelling slate of top-notch music videos and documentaries. 31 countries and territories will be represented including: Germany, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, South Africa, Russia, Chile, Turkey, Hungary, France, Italy, Croatia, Bulgaria, The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Israel, Greece, Montenegro, Czech Republic, Poland, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Nepal, UK, Bahamas, Canada and all over the US.

NYIIFVF s founder/executive producer, Stuart Alson commented,"Our festival recognizes independent filmmaking. Our goal is to give independent filmmakers an invaluable opportunity to show their films, meet industry, possibly win awards and give New Yorkers a chance to see some of the latest compelling movies on the indie circuit.  Alson added,  the internationalization of the festival is something I am a very proud of - I am certain we will be uncovering some indie gems as well as some excellent independent filmmakers covering important subject matter.

FILM HIGHLIGHTS:

Mulberry St., Directed by Abel Ferrara. 90 min. Documentary

Born in the Bronx and raised in upstate New York, Abel Ferrara started his professional film career on Mulberry Street in 1975. For the past year he's been living on the block, and the feast of San Gennaro is the subject of his new film. While he has used this location for a few of his features, this time it's the star of the film. Cast: Matthew Modine, Danny Aiello, Abel Ferrara, Frank Vincent, Gianni Russo, John  Cha Cha  Ciarcia, Frank Aquilino, Shanyn Leigh and Frankie Cee.

Michelle Steven

Franky Cee

*Screening Saturday, July 24th at 8pm, Screen 2

Freedom, Directed by Ty Hunter. 100 min. Thriller
A Chinese woman moves up the street ranks of New York City through the sale of black market goods and human trafficking. Lady Chong creates an empire before a slew of murders put police on her tail. But Lady Chong will resort to any tactic to stay out of prison. Cast: Ned Callan (The Interpreter, Revolutionary Road, Doubt), Moon Ting (China Bai Mountain) *Screening Wednesday, July 28th at 8pm, Screen 2

Dirty Little Tales, Directed by Mike Williams. 20 min. Comedy.

Michael Musto from the Village Voice, interviews 'Daphane Goodall,' an aging Heiress who has been cut-off her Trust Fund after she rips through over 4 million in three months. She decides to write a sex tell-all book about her everyday Sexual Escapades with very young men!

The book titled "The Adventures of Needa Little" ends up topping the #1 best Sellers List for 6 weeks in a row. Michael knows Daphane and her affluent family, feels the need to find out why she wrote such a detail book for his New York column. Cast: Michael Musto as himself, Deborah Sinico.

*Screening Monday, July 26th at 6pm, Screen 3

I m Not Here (and she s not there), Directed by George Kaplan. 102 min. Drama.

An oddball, surrealistic painter falls madly in love with a mysterious girl he sees in the building across the street. He becomes obsessed with painting her--and ONLY her. Is she real or just a hallucination?

He will do anything to find out, even if it costs him everything. Cast:

Philip Wilson, Tara Stiles, Leah Cary, Alex Bone, Whitney Parshall, Megan Channell, Vincent Arrigo, Zane Robert Enloe.

*Screening Monday, July 26th at 6:10pm, Screen 2

Resting Places, Directed by Melissa Villanueva & J. Michael Kipikash.

48 min. Documentary.

A global phenomenon is spreading. Opponents want it stopped. Oscar nominated actor Liam Neeson narrates this thought-provoking documentary about the growing controversy surrounding roadside memorials throughout the world.

*Screening Friday, July 23rd at 2:10pm, Screen 3

The Dreamers Music Video, Directed by Barry G. Walker.

Our Hero awakes to find himself in a dream. Talking Heads, Sexy Sirens, and a Circus Show that never stops. Step Right Up. Step Right Up. But be careful what you wish for. Cast: Taryn Manning as the Circus Master, DJ Qualls as the War Torn Soldier, Mercedes McNab as the Angel Siren, The Dreamers as Themselves.

*Screening Friday, July 23rd at 10pm, Screen 3

Crumble, Directed by Renata Bialkowska. 20 min. Arthouse Thriller.

After losing her seemingly perfect husband Mike to sordid affairs and dark addictions, refined upper class trophy wife Lorna is lured into the seedy New York City underground scene run by Reda, a sleazy pimp, and boldly lets go of her inhibitions, faces her demons and empowers herself through an unlikely relationship with a prostitute named Bianca. Cast: Steven Bauer, Raymond Hamlin, Oksana Lada, Alexandra Grossi.

*Screening Saturday, July 24th at 6:10pm, Screen 3

Rollers, Directed by Romeo Antonio, producer of HBO's Caged In. 23 min.

Crime Drama.

Four Life Long Friends Head Off to College to Pursue Undergrad Degrees, and End Up with PHD's in the Drug Business. they soon learn that in the game they play, people die a good day. Cast: Joe Dixon, Mitch Eakins, Spider Loc, Josh Uema, John Barbolla, Armondo Pucci, Caroline D'Amore, Toni Trucks, Francesco Quinn, Ronnie Marmo. Producer Robert Rothbard (Director if Pizza with Bullets with Vincent Pastore; Director of the play What the Rabbi Saw with Eva Longoria).

*Screening Sunday, July 24th at 6:10pm, Screen 3

Glamrock City by Christophe Kourdouly, thriller 90 min. 

The movie is a twisted story of love, pain, and revenge. Two lesbians living in Paris decide to kill men to further a career in art. One women is caught between her passion to help her girlfriend, Maria, the artist, and her moral soul. The plot takes a turn when one of the lesbian lovers discovers her girlfriend is the murderer of her sister, who was killed early in the story. This discovery leads to the death of one women and the artist she inspires to be.

 Glamrock City winnner at Houston WorldFest

For the complete film festival schedule, visit http://www.nyfilmvideo.com/. Al film screenings take place at City Cinemas Village East (181 2nd ave.  at 12th street). Confirmed red carpet premieres, talent attending and film panels will be forthcoming. After parties will take place at venues around Manhattan. Single tickets can be purchased in advance at http://www.nyfilmvideo.com/ for $15 (includes after-party). Media credentials can be obtained by faxing a request to 702-953-5148 on company letterhead or email: nicolefilms1@aol.com no later than July 16th, 2010. For all interview and review requests, please contact Nicole Holland at nicolefilms1@aol.com. Please check http://www.nyfilmvideo.com/ for daily updates.

Official Sponsors for the 2010 festival include AFFINIA, BLVD., City Cinemas Village East, ITN Distribution, Inc., Independent Film Quarterly (IFQ) and Boonie Productions.

ABOUT NYIIFF: The New York International Film Festival was founded in

1993 by entertainment impresario Stuart Alson and is recognized as the largest competitive independent film event in the world. Passionate about exposing the latest independent films from all over the globe, NYIFF is a unique platform for emerging and established filmmakers to network and screen their work in the hope of getting exposure and a distribution deal. Past festivals have included the work of Abel Ferrrara, Cameron Diaz, Dick Van Dyke, Eva Herzigova, Guy Pearce, George Clooney, Jennifer Aniston, Meryl Streep, Michael Madsen, Rod Steiger, Sean Lennon, Tippi Hedren, Willem Dafoe, Willie Nelson and Vin Diesel. Indie guru Abel Ferrara famously quoted in MovieMaker, "This festival is the real deal: Everybody else just talks about doing it, these guys just do it!"