Peggy Abt, Professor Emeritus, SUNY Orange leads the discussion.  In this Pulitzer Prize winning novel the protagonist is Quoyle, a big man with a huge chin who is an established loser. A rapid succession of momentous events changes his life and that of his family.Film will be shown the following week. Oct. 13 at 7:00 PM.

Discussion:
Wednesday 7 October 2009
7-9 p
Film screening, 13 October 7 pm

Middletown Thrall Library
11-19 Depot St
Middletown, NY

Here’s a trailer for the movie itself:

First up, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby.  Bauby was the French editor of Elle magazine.  In 1995, he suffered a stroke that lead him to be paralyzed except for a little movement in his head and eyes.  He transcribed the entire book through a series of eye blinks, over 200,000 communicated over 10 months to a scribe. Bauby’s essays are remarkable simply because they exist. His observations are amazingly full of humor, generosity, and devoid of much self-pity.  More amazing, he died just two days after the publication of his work.

His story was turned into a movie directed by American Julian Schnabel.

Chris Godwin, Professor Emeritus, SUNY Orange will lead the discussion.  The story is fascinating, but does the movie hold up to the book?  Join the discussion

Tuesday, September 22, 2009
7:00pm-9:00pm
Film will be shown the following week. Sept. 29 at 7:00 PM.

Middletown Thrall Library
11-19 Depot St
Middletown, NY

Here’s the trailer to the movie:

“A number of these women worked in Orange County and the Hudson Valley, generally, so there is a direct connection to our community,” explained Goldman. Some of the women he will discuss include Mary Pickford, Florence Turner, Ida Lupino and Dorothy Arzer and Anita Loos.

This event will be held at the D & H Canal Park Visitor’s Center, 58 Hoag Road, (just off Route 209) Cuddebackville, NY. Admission is $5.00. The Neversink Valley Area Museum is open Thursday through Sunday from noon until 4:00pm through October 28 and by appointment.

Friday 21 August -  7.30p

Neversink Valley Area Museum
26 Hoag Rd
Cuddebackville, NY

Joe Franklin, known as “the king of nostalgia,” will visit the Neversink Valley Area Museum, in Cuddebackville, N.Y. for a live taping of the talk show, Exploring Your World on August 22, 2009. The legendary Franklin hosted televisions’ very first talk show, The Joe Franklin Show. The show began in 1951 on WJZ-TV (later WABC-TV) and moved to WWOR-TV until 1999, becoming the longest running talk show in the history of television with one host, which put Joe in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Franklin’s long running Memory Lane radio program focused on the nostalgia of old time entertainers. Franklin currently interviews celebrities for the Bloomberg Radio Network. Franklin has written 23 books including his 1995 autobiography Up Late with Joe Franklin. Throughout his career he has interviewed some of the worlds’ greatest talents such as; Bing Crosby, John Wayne, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra.

The Neversink Valley Area Museum’s current exhibit, The Star is Born: A History of the Movie Star in America, tells the story of such stars from the first, Florence Lawrence, to the latest stars. Most of the important early film companies worked in Cuddebackville including the Biograph Company, Thanhouser, and Pathe Freres. Early stars of the silver screen such as Mary Pickford, Lillian Gish, Mabel Normand, and Mack Sennett filmed in Cuddebackville and director D.W. Griffith’s first ever use of a fade-out also occurred there.

Seth Goldman, director of the museum’s Institute for Early Film Studies and Whendy Lou, host and co-producer of Exploring Your World, will have an exclusive interview with Franklin discussing his encyclopedic knowledge of legendary entertainers and silent films.

The live taping of the show is open to the public and will begin at 4:00pm at the D & H Canal Park Visitors’ Center, 58 Hoag Road, Cuddebackville, NY. The show will air on August 19, 2009, on Time Warner Cable, channel 23, Wednesday evening at 7:00 pm, in Middletown and the surrounding areas. For details or directions call the museum at 845-754-8870 or Whendy Lou at 845 863 5548.

WomanArts is a fantastic resource, what you see below is just a fraction of their listings.  I strongly suggest if you are working on screenplays or films to get on their mailing list.

Loisaida Cortos Latino Film Festival (September 13, 2009, New York, NY) – Grassroots film festival that takes place on the Lower East Side in NYC. Additional screenings happen in Barcelona, Spain, and Brazil. Seeking smart, innovative short films (30 minutes or shorter) made by, featuring and/or about Latino themes and/or Latino filmmakers. Films must be in English or Spanish, with English or Spanish subtitles available. Submit 2 copies of film with entry form (available on website). NO FEE. Loisaida Films, c/o Ellie Diez, 344 E. 62nd St. #11, New York, NY 10065, www.loisaidacortos.com. Deadline: August 20, 2009

NBC Universal Short Cuts Film Festival (September 21-October 30, 2009, Universal City, CA) – Showcase of independent short films and videos that celebrate diversity. All types of short films are welcome, as long as they feature a diverse production team, cast, or theme. Seeking Short Films (30 seconds – 30 minutes) in the following categories: Comedy, Drama, Horror, and Sci-Fi. NOTE: No drop-off submissions. NO FEE. NBC Universal Short Cuts Film Festival, 100 Universal City Plaza, Bldg. 1320, Suite 1D, Universal City, CA 9108, http://www.nbcshortcuts.com. Deadline: August 21, 2009

CMJ Film Festival (October 20-24, 2009, New York, NY) – Part of NYC’s CMJ Music Marathon; presents a cross section of major studio premieres alongside independent productions from emerging filmmakers. Seeking independent films from around the world (music-related or not) in the following categories: Narrative Feature (50 minutes or longer), Documentary Short (under 50 minutes), Narrative Short (50 minutes or under), and Documentary Feature (50 minutes or longer). FEE: $25-$70. CMJ Film Festival, The CMJ Network, 100 Fifth Ave., 11th Floor, New York, NY 10011, T: (212) 277-7141, FAX: (212) 719-9396, fwallace@cmj.com, http://www.cmj.com/marathon/. Deadline: August 31, 2009 (regular), September 11, 2009 (late)

Gen Art Film Festival (April 7-13, 2010, New York, NY) – Celebrating original, cutting-edge cinema from emerging filmmakers. Each night features one short and one feature, so the spotlight is on your film if it is chosen. Entries will also be considered for additional programming at the Gen Art Chicago Film Festival, which will take place in June, 2010. Seeking Features (60 minutes or longer) and Shorts (27 minutes or shorter) in all styles and genres. FEE: $0-$60. Gen Art Film Festival, 133 West 25th St., 6th Floor, New York, NY 10001, T: (212) 255-7300 ext. 505, FAX: (212) 255-7400, filmfestival@genart.org, http://www.genart.org/film. Deadline: August 31, 2009 (early), October 31, 2009 (regular), November 30, 2009 (late), December 9, 2009 (extended, via withoutabox.com)

Unlikely Hero Screenplay Contest – Seeking screenplays that deal with the “unlikely hero” character/theme. One winner will be selected for production by the UHP production team and entered on the festival circuit. Seeking Screenplays in the following categories: Narrative Short (40 pages or shorter), Documentary Short (40 pages or shorter), and Animation Short (40 pages or shorter). FEE: $30-$60. Unlikely Hero Screenplay Contest, P.O. Box 741220, Los Angeles, CA 90004, T: (323) 363-4545, info@unlikelyheroproductions.com, http://www.unlikelyheroproductions.com. Deadline: August 31, 2009 (regular), September 31, 2009 (late), October 15, 2009 (extended, via withoutabox.com)

Slamdance Horror Screenplay Competition – Seeking Horror Screenplays. Grand Prize Winner will have their screenplay optioned and produced by Alternate Reality and Slamdance; the finished film will screen at the Slamdance Film Festival. Writer will receive an up-front payment of $10,000 for all screenplay rights against 2.5% of the film’s budget, subject to a floor of $30,000 and a payment cap of $200,000 as well as a 3 net point profit participation as part of a purchase agreement for the screenplay rights. All submitted screenplays are in the running for the $1,000 Creative Excellence Award, including those not willing to sign the purchase agreement. FEE: $35-$165. Slamdance Horror Screenplay Competition, 5634 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90038, T: (323) 466-1786, submissions@slamdance.com, http://www.slamdance.com/writing/horror.html. Deadline: August 31, 2009 (early), October 5, 2009 (late)

Garden State Film Festival (March 25-28, 2010, Asbury Park, NJ) – Celebrates the independent film genre. Seeking films in the following categories: Feature (60 minutes or longer), Documentary Feature, Animation Short (under 59 minutes), Animation Feature (60 minutes or longer), Short (59 minutes or shorter), Music Video, Commercial, PSA, Documentary Short (under 59 minutes), and Trailer; also seeking Home Grown entries in all the above categories (75% of principle photography shot in the state of New Jersey). The festival also includes a Movie Music Competition – submit a CD of any original music from any of the film categories but do not include film. FEE: $20-$75. Garden State Film Festival, P.O. Box 751, Asbury Park, NJ 07712, T: (877) 908-7050, FAX: (732) 612-1222, info@gsff.org, http://ww.gsff.org. Deadline: September 1, 2009 (early), November 1, 2009 (regular), November 15, 2009 (late), December 1, 2009 (extended, via withoutabox.com)

One In Ten Screenplay Contest – Seeking screenplays (90-125 pages) in which at least one of the primary characters is LGBTQ and is portrayed positively. Awards range from $100-$1,000 and submission to studios, producers, and agents. Screenplays must not have been optioned, produced, or purchased prior to September 1, 2009. Submit screenplay with author’s name on the title page only, a 4-sentence (or shorter) synopsis, and an entry form (available on website). FEE: $45. Cherub Productions, One In Ten Screenplay Contest, P.O. Box 540, Boulder, CO 80306, Cherubfilm@aol.com, http://www.screenplaycontests.com/oneinten/submissions.html. Deadline: September 1, 2009

Driving Between the Lines: Films About Destiny and Escape in Cars and Trucks (Screening Series, Philadelphia, PA) – Hosted by Flickering Light Film Series. Seeking films of any length and genre in which an automobile is featured prominently, “as either subject or story space, as a plot device or organizing principle, as a concept or critique, or… something unexpected.” Fill out a submission form online and mail DVD. NO FEE. The Flickering Light Film Series, P.O. Box 18874, Philadelphia, PA 19119, http://www.flickeringfilms.com/submission. Deadline: September 7, 2009

The Smalls Showcase and Awards 2009 – Committed to the discovery and promotion of new creative talent. Seeking short films (10 minutes or shorter) in any style and genre. Films will be evaluated by film and broadcast professionals; shortlisted films will be shown during The Smalls Showcase in Covent Gardent, during the London Design Festival. NOTE: Submit online, through website. NO FEE. mira@thesmalls.com, www.TheSmalls.com. Deadline: September 10, 2009

SENE Film, Music and Arts Festival (April 7-11, 2010, Providence, RI) – Festival of film, music, and art that strives to provide filmmakers with a rewarding experience (filmmakers receive VIP passes to events and discussion sessions with audiences). Seeking films in the following categories: Feature (40 minutes or longer), Short (under 50 minutes), Animation (any length), Documentary (any length), Music Video (under 10 minutes), and Gay and Lesbian (LGBT themed films). $1,000 prizes will be awarded in the Feature, Short, and Animation categories, in addition to other prizes. FEE: $15-$55. SENE Film, Music and Arts Festival, 131 Fruit Hill Ave. #10, Providence, RI 02911, T: (401) 603-0252, programming@senefilm.org, http://www.senefilm.org/. Deadline: September 15, 2009 (early), December 15, 2009 (regular), January 18, 2010 (late), February 1, 2010 (extended, via withoutabox.com)

The Iron Mule Short Comedy Screening Series (monthly, New York, NY) – Monthly screening series of short comedy films that accepts year-round entries (with quarterly deadlines). Seeking short comedy films of all kinds and any production value. FEE: $15-$20. Iron Mule c/o Chicago City Limits, 318 West 53rd St., Suite 207, New York, NY 10019, T: (212) 888-5233, ironmulenyc@gmail.com, http://www.ironmulenyc.com. Deadline: September 11, 2009 (first quarter), December 11, 2009 (second quarter), March 12, 2010 (third quarter), June 25, 2010 (fourth quarter)

IFC’s Media Lab Studios Efficient Films Challenge (October 30, 2009, New York, NY) -

Celebrating both energy efficiency and the efficiency imposed on indie filmmakers by financial and time constraints. Seeking short films under 5 minutes in the following categories: Energy Efficiency (5 minutes or shorter; fiction or documentary that deals directly with energy efficiency or conservation and how it can change the world; winner receives $3,000 and airs on IFC and Sundance Channel), The Spirit of Efficiency (5 minutes or shorter; films that express the theme, definition, or concept of efficiency; winner receives $1,000 and airs on IFC and Sundance Channel), and The Efficient Story (1 minute or shorter; winner receives $1,000 and airs on IFC and Sundance Channel).

NO FEE.

IFC’s Media Lab Studios Efficient Films Challenge, 11 Penn Plaza, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10001, T: (917) 542-6381, jbkirschner@ifctv.com, http://www.ifc.com/media-lab/earthjustice/

Deadline: August 15, 2009

What’s better then having both respond?  Shawn’s answers are first, with Umar’s after the slash ‘/’

UPDATE: Shawn and Umar are also interviewed in the Hudson Valley Online Press online.

What is your favorite word?
Creative/Achievement

What is your least favorite word?
Impossible/ Shouldn’t

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
Creatively, I’m turned on by images and style. Also, any thoughts that can be turned into an image creating some type of movement and or emotion. Spiritually and emotionally words pick me up. Great sayings, truth, poetry, reading. All the words that put thoughts in the mind to spark an idea. To make you see things caused by being aroused mentally. To impregnate an idea giving birth to action(s). / I get turned on creatively when hearing a song or poem about someone’s struggle.

Tell us about your earliest memory that led you to becoming an artist.
In grade school I used to draw a lot. I always wanted to do something in art, in some way or fashion. Before my teen years I could draw pretty good and during my teen years I was dj’ing parties in peoples apartments. / My earliest memory was at 6 years old hearing a story by Edgar Allen Poe.

What kind of space do you like to exist in when you are working?
Right now I’m working in a very small space in the corner of my bedroom. It is definitely not enough space. I would love to work in a space were my desk is as wide as a table, 2 flat 24’ monitors, a small monitor for color correction, and control console in the middle, hidden Mac Pro running the latest Final Cut Studio, sleek grey walls, sexy black furnishings, dimmable lighting hovering over the desk… I’m sorry. See where my thoughts go. / I would like to work in an artsy café, however I typically write at home or at my job.

What inspirations do you draw on in Orange County or the Hudson Valley?
This area is not in abundance in media, so that inspires me to do more. To do our part in making this area more interesting by showcasing some of the area’s landscapes, talents and potentials. For us, it doesn’t matter where you’re from or where you at but what you can do with whatever you have, wherever you’re at for a better tomorrow. / The people in the Hudson Valley are much different then the people I grew up with in the city, so I would say the personalities I find here, I draw inspiration from.

What have you learned from other artists in the area?
Other artists are doing their thing. They are putting in their time and loads of efforts. That is a key thing for all artists to do something. Failure is only when one doesn’t apply anything. We’re learning to network and do more work. / I’ve learned to take some creative risk and to be open to new ideas; just because it’s not what you might of imagined doesn’t mean it’s not right.

What profession outside of the arts would you like to attempt?
Outside of the arts!? I would like to be some sort of teaching profession maybe. To help other better themselves and engulf the potential that they have but ignorant of it. / Give others opportunities. I would love to be a motivational speaker and inspire people to dream, work for the life they deserve.

If you could no longer work in your discipline, how else do you think you would express yourself?
By teaching it. It is the main role of any profession. A teacher will always be a student but not all students become teachers. I would stay mindful of this so that I can always be grounded and helpful to others and they, the grounded ones, in turn help others, hopefully. / I would have to say abstract art. I really don’t draw, but would love to play with colors and shapes.

What are you working on this year?
Currently, we are working on the production of ‘StraightLand.’ Our first feature movie set to be shot in and around Newburgh, NY and the Hudson area. We hope to be shooting within the months. We are still looking for funding, which is our only issue at this point. We are also doing a couple of music videos for local artists, which will also help fund our project. Along with that, some shorts for some film contests we are getting into. So, for the most part we are trying to stay active, raise money, and get our feature movie off the ground and running.

It is becoming a well-told story that D.W. Grifith arrived with the Biograph Company in Cuddebackville to make westerns late June and early July of 1909. The musem will show that first film, The Mended Lute, a stirring romance of the Dakotas, which featured Florence Lawrence, Owen Moore, Mack Sennett and James Young Deer and his wife Red Wing.

Another milestone in 1909 was the founding of the Thanhouser Company, which filmed the now lost film The Forest Rose in Cuddebackville in 1912. In celebration of this, the museum will show several Thanhouser films, including Shep’s Race with Death, featuring Shep the dog, and two films that feature the Thanhouser Company itself: When the Studio Burned and the suspense drama, The Evidence of the Film. Seth Goldman, Director of the Institute for Early Film Studies explained, “Showing Thanhouser films ties in with our series of Women in Early Films this year, as it was Gertrude Thanhouser, who ran the company more than husband Edwin, as usually assumed. We are showing these films with the cooperation of Thanhouser Film Preservation, a company run by the founders’ grandson, Edwin Thanhouser. Mr. Thanhouser came to the museum to speak a few years ago, and thanks to him, we have 38 Thanhouser films in our collection. In celebrating the centenary of movie making here, though, I felt we had to show The Mended Lute. Lute stars Florence Lawrence, the first real movie star, who is featured in this year’s exhibit at the museum, “The Star is Born: a History of the Movie Star in America.” Goldman will share some details about the films and film making in Cuddebackville while hosting this event.

This screening will be held at the D & H Canal Park Visitor’s Center, 58 Hoag Road, (just off Route 209) Cuddebackville, NY. Admission is $5.00. The Neversink Valley Area Museum is open Thursday through Sunday from noon until 4:00pm through October 28 and by appointment.

For more information about the museum, its mission to preserve local history or any events, call 754-8870 or check our website. The museum is at 26 Hoag Road, in Cuddebackville.

The beautiful Mary Pickford, 1920

Pickford acted in nearly 250 films from 1909 to 1933, produced 34 films, wrote 12 screenplays and was one of the founders of United Artists. Seth Goldman, director of the Institute for Early Film Studies will give a brief talk about Pickford and introduce each of the several films being shown.

Ben Model has served as resident silent film accompanist for The Museum of Modern Art in New York City for over two decades, has played in many other venues around the Northeastern U.S., and produces The Silent Clowns Film Series with film historian Bruce Lawton.

Ben composes and improvises all his own scores, and performs in a style that is both evocative of the silent era and also aware of a contemporary (and younger) audience’s awareness of music and film scoring. In the spring of 2006, Ben co-organized MoMA’s two-month retrospective of the films of Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, and in the fall of 2008 he co-taught a silent film class at MoMA, Cruel and Unusual Comedy: Social Commentary in the American Slapstick Film.

Ben has accompanied silent movies for noted film historian William K. Everson’s classes at NYU while attending film school there, and learned the craft and technique of silent film scoring from legendary silent film organist Lee Erwin. Ben has also made the silent film experience portable, by teaming up with fellow film historian Bruce Lawton. Together, Bruce and Ben have brought their projectors, films, music and knowledge to schools, universities libraries, museums, and churches all over the Northeastern U.S.

This very special event is part of the museum’s series honoring women pioneers in early film and was program was made possible by grants from the Orange County Historian’s Office, several museum members and The New York Council for the Humanities, a national affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

It will be held at the D & H Canal Park Visitor’s Center, 58 Hoag Road, (just off Route 209) Cuddebackville, NY. Admission is $5.00. The Neversink Valley Area Museum is open Thursday through Sunday from noon until 4:00pm through October 28 and by appointment.

For more information about the museum, its mission to preserve local history or any events, call 754-8870 or check the website: <http://www.neversinkmuseum.org/> www.neversinkmuseum.org.

Friday, June 26th
8:00pm
Admission is $5.00

D & H Canal Park Visitor’s Center
58 Hoag Road, (just off Route 209)
Cuddebackville, NY.

this Saturday June 13th at dusk
Cross and Main Streets, Beacon New York
bring chairs and blankets for this free outdoor event

CURATED BY KELLY KINGMAN WITH AMRITA SINGH

featuring Rafel Arocha, Marc Davidson, Fritz Faber, Christina Falise, David Hebb, Peter Hoffman, Adam Lampton, Myles Little, Colin McPherson, Matthieu Paley, Kelly Shimoda, Jennifer Trail, & Anna Maria Vag