New Jersey Stage

Thursday, September 9, 2010

THE SHOWROOM JOINS FORCES WITH ASBURY PARK FILM INTITIATIVE FOR ASBURY'S FIRST-EVER INDEPENDENT FILM FEST


(ASBURY PARK, NJ) – The ShowRoom, Asbury Park's only art-house cinema, is teaming with the Asbury Park Film Initiative (APFI) to present the first-ever Asbury Park Independent Film Festival. On Saturday, September 25 and Sunday, September 26, a weekend-long celebration of independent film will feature much-anticipated screenings of hard-to-come-by indie hits. After a weekend of movie-going, cinephiles will celebrate the festival's grand finale at the newly opened Dauphin Grille located in the Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel.

The Asbury Park Independent Film Festival will take place at the Paramount Theatre and The ShowRoom. The weekend film lineup includes the breathtaking "Alamar" from Mexico directed by Pedro Gonzalez-Rubio; "180 South" directed by Chris Malloy with a special appearance and Q&A by surf legend Jeff Johnson and Timmy O'Neill; "Sneakers and Soul" directed by Jonathan Zelenak including a Q&A with producer Patrick LaMorte, and "Florent: Queen of the Meat Market" with director David Sigal in attendance.

"On many levels, the Asbury Park Independent Film Festival is a culmination of a film movement that has been building in Asbury Park for the past two years," says Michael Sodano, co-owner of The ShowRoom. "Since we first opened our doors, The ShowRoom has witnessed the economic impact film has on our city. People come to the movies and then they explore the downtown, eating at local restaurants, shopping the stores, spending time reacquainting themselves with the new Asbury Park. Independent film is part of the fabric of entertainment that draws people to the city."

"This festival has the types of films we love and strive to bring to Asbury Park year round. It also adheres to the APFI mission of giving back; a percentage of ticket sales from "180 South" will benefit The Surfrider Foundation," says APFI Co-Founder Marilyn Schlossbach.

Asbury Park is no stranger to the big-screen. Many directors have found a love for the city as well. The Asbury Park Independent Film Festival will expose the audience to films that resonate with the creative spirit found in the city.

The Asbury Park Independent Film Festival will conclude with a wrap party on Sunday, September 26 at The Dauphin Grille starting at 6:00 p.m. Dauphine Grille is the new dining destination in the Berkley Oceanfront Hotel.

For more information on films, screening schedule or ticket information, please visit www.TheShowRoomAP.com or call 732-502-0472. Advance tickets can be purchased by visiting or calling The ShowRoom.

FILM SYNOPSES
"Alamar"
Directed by Pedro Gonzalez-Rubio
Family-Drama, Spanish and Italian w/English Subtitles, 2009
Running Time: 73 Minutes
Jorge has only a few weeks with his five-year-old son Natan before he leaves to live with his mother in Rome. Intent on teaching Natan about their Mayan heritage, Jorge takes him to the pristine Chinchorro reef, and eases him into the rhythms of a fisherman's life. As the bond between father and son grows stronger, Natan learns to live in harmony with life above and below the surface of the sea.

"180° South"
Directed by Chris Malloy
Documentary, 2010
Running Time: 85 minutes
"180° South: Conquerors of the Useless" follows Jeff Johnson as he retraces the epic 1968 journey of his heroes Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins to Patagonia. Along the way he gets shipwrecked off Easter Island, surfs the longest wave of his life – and prepares himself for a rare ascent of Cerro Corcovado. Jeff's life turns when he meets up in a rainy hut with Chouinard and Tompkins who, once driven purely by a love of climbing and surfing, now value above all the experience of raw nature – and have come to Patagonia to spend their fortunes to protect it.

"Sneakers and Soul"
Directed by Jonathan Zelenak
Comedy/Drama, 2009
Running Time: 98 minutes
*Special Appearance and Q&A with producer Patrick LaMorte
After inheriting a pair of blue sneakers and a mysterious key to a New York City apartment, a young work-obsessed lawyer finds himself following in his late father's adventurous footsteps - walking from South Jersey to New York with his loyal, but complicated best friend.

"Florent: Queen of the Meat Market"
Directed by David Sigal
Documentary, 2010
Running Time - 87 minutes
*Director David Sigal will be in attendance.
Let Julianne Moore, Isaac Mizrahi, Michael Musto and other famous (and infamous) faces take you on a fantastic voyage to New York City's legendary Florent diner. For 23 years, the all-night eatery in the city's Meat Packing District was prime stomping ground for a surprising mix of A-list celebrities, tourists, families and club kids. This wildly entertaining documentary chronicles the history and final days of this outrageous icon.

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