Holy Name Press Releases

Premiering at Holy Name Medical Center: November 10 Kick-Off Party for Teaneck International Film Festival

October 20, 2011

Teaneck, NJ - The Sixth Annual Teaneck International Film Festival, which will be held November 11-13 at the Puffin Foundation, Cedar Lane Cinemas, Teaneck High School, Jewish Center of Teaneck, Temple Emeth and Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, will launch with a gala party hosted by Holy Name Medical Center in Marian Hall on Thursday evening, November 10th.  Those who have contributed $25 or more to support the Festival will receive two invitations to the event. Donations will be accepted until November 1st. To contribute and be part of the opening celebration, e-mail tiff@teaneckfilmfestival.org or call 1-800-811-2909.

Guests will enjoy wine, cheese, and light refreshments thanks to the generosity of Yakitori 39 and Wine Business (La Coume Wines, LLC) and Nachman and Associates, and be treated to a guest appearance by Teaneck jazz pianist, composer and arranger Alex Collins.  Alex began his musical career while at Teaneck High School, is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music and received a Masters of Music in Jazz Composition from the Manhattan School of Music. He excels at every style of music; his compositions range from music for film to symphonic works to music in the jazz/pop idiom.

In addition to food, music, and time to mix and mingle with friends and film folks, the evening will include a special work-in-progress preview trailer of Oscar's Comeback, which is being shown prior to national and international premieres. The documentary tells the story of the annual festival held in the all-white farm town of Gregory, South Dakota that honors the early 20th century African-American filmmaker Oscar Micheaux.  Although largely unknown to today's audiences, Micheaux is regarded by many in the film world as "the godfather of independent cinema."  He produced more than 44 feature films, known as "race movies," controversial melodramas speaking to issues of African-American life, and was the first African-American to produce both a feature-length film and a "talkie" motion picture. Oscar's Comeback, filmed over six years, documents a modern-day controversy - five sweltering days in August of the "Oscar Micheaux Book and Film Festival" - and the tensions leading up to them.

Following the 21-minute trailer, there will be a panel discussion with Lisa Collins and Mark Shwartzburt, the film's directors/ producers; Tom Meyers, Director of the Fort Lee Film Commission; and Pearl Bowser, author and one of the country's foremost Micheaux authorities.  The film's editor, who cannot be at the party, is another Teaneck native, Brian A. Kates.

For complete details about the Teaneck International Film Festival - films, venues, ticket sales, talk-backs, and special events - check the TIFF web site:  www.teaneckfilmfestival.org.