Last Wednesday marked the opening night for one of NYC’s most renowned weeklong events. The 15th Anniversary Gen Art Film Festival, presented by Acura, kicked off its start with a bang at the magnificent Ziegfeld Theatre, gathering together a crowd pushed to capacity at 1,162 people.
Accompanied by cast members Malin Akerman, Kate Mara, Pablo Schreiber, and Zoe Kazan, writer/director Josh Radnor made his debut on April 7, during the premiere of his Sundance Audience Award winning film happythankyoumoreplease at the festival’s opening. The film festival favorite showed the audience a group of young people struggling to connect with life and love within in New York City.
Popular faces that showed up to the opening night included Law & Order SVU’s Diane Neal, Project Runway’s Althea Harper, Real Housewives of New Jersey star Danielle Staub and Miss Universe Stefania Fernandez. This was an event many were sure not to miss.
After the landmark opening night, the remaining premieres featured throughout the festival’s weekend were hosted within the redesigned Visual Arts Theater. From the sharp wit of Sebastian Gutierrez’s Waiting For Forever to the adrenaline rush of Alexandre Franchi’s The Wild Hunt, the premieres provided audience members with the opportunity to experience the talent of rising filmmakers up-close and personal.
The festival continues on and, closing out the historic event tonight will be the anticipated premiere of Mercy, directed by Patrick Hoelck and written and produced by Scott Caan. The drama, starring the talented cast of Wendy Glenn, Troy Garity, and Erika Christensen, with Dylan McDermott and James Caan, focuses around a cocky young romance novelist who doesn’t believe in love until he meets young female book critic, Mercy.
The Closing Party will feature the Festival’s Award Presentations including: The Acura Grand Jury Prize for Best Feature Film and Best Short Film, The Wonderwall Stargazer Award, and The Audience Awards for Best Feature & Short Film.
With seven premieres and seven parties in seven days, what more could a film lover ask for?
