17th Annual Woodstock Film Festival is Held

By Ed McCarthy

WOODSTOCK – The 17th Annual Woodstock Film Festival was a great few days of assembled celebrity’s, directors, actors and film makers covering all aspects of film making.
One of the many, many featured films was “Blind” which stars Alec Baldwin and Demi Moore. His current sketches on Saturday Night Live make it the hottest show on TV.

“Blind” is a film where Alec Baldwin plays a blind novelist and Demi Moore is a socialite who is court ordered to community service at the home for the blind that Baldwin is at.
Baldwin came to the sold out world premier screening of “Blind.”

Baldwin  has stared in such films as “The Departed,” “The Cooler,” “Rock of Ages,” and the series for TV 30 Rock.  Baldwin has recently been a smash hit on Saturday Night Live with his satirical  portrayal of presidential candidate Donald Trump.

At the Woodstock Playhouse  Baldwin opened his remarks with a tongue and cheek. “Donald Trump has offered to donate 1 million dollars to the Woodstock Film Festival if they give me an award at there ceremony Saturday night and keep me here.” This drew much laughter from the audience. Baldwin also spoke of the importance of smaller film festivals and not only of keeping the art alive, but of it’s monetary value in bringing in large amounts of tourist dollars, in this instance to Ulster County. Baldwin also commented “ What a beautiful place to have a festival in.”  The film “Blind,” which was 12 years in the making, Baldwin said “showed you can believe you can fall in love later in life, and that is what really appealed to me.”

The director Michael Mailer and his brother John Buffalo Mailer, are the sons of noted writer Norman Mailer. Director Michael Mailer in his comments said, “What we got on screen melts my heart.”

Another outstanding film  with a Hudson Valley connection was “11:55” about a Black Afghan war veteran returning home and his trials and tribulations. The film was shot in Newburgh, which according to the narratives was picked due to it’s having been declared one of the states most distressed city’s.

Another stand out at the festival was “The Last Dalai Lama,” a documentary on the life and exile of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Through interviews with his Holiness and documentary footage tracing his life, make a very inspiring and interesting story. The film also contains interviews with former President George W. Bush who was the first U.S. President to make a public appearance with a Dalai Lama.  The former President has a painted portrait of His Holiness.

The Dalai Lama said that instead of only having Dr. King Holidays and celebrations we should do this in the spirit of what he (King) stood for and advocated. The movie is a rare and intimate look at at one of the world’s most beloved sentient beings the world has ever known.

This years Maverick Lifetime Achievement Award went to Leon Gast  Director, producer, and editor. Gast is best known for his documentary on Muhammad Ali “When we were Kings.”
Over the years the Hudson Valley Film Commission along with members of The Woodstock Film Festival have helped bring in such projects shot in the Hudson Valley as “Michael Clayton,” “American Gangster,” “War of The Worlds,” “Taking Woodstock,” “Peace Love and Misunderstanding,” and many more.