Bronx Film Makers Meet at the Bruckner Bar and Grill to Plan 1st Annual Bronx Week Film Festival

One of my many ambitions related to taking over the “Boogie Downer blog” was to help bring the film/TV industry to the Bronx. For anyone that follows my blog, I am sure they have periodically seen my posts promoting Bronx film makers. In the very beginning I also mentioned my association in helping Bronx film director Rashaad Ernesto Green find locations for his award winning film, “Gun Hill Road”.

Since receiving the phone call about a year ago, “Gun Hill Road” was accepted to the Sundance Film Festival and sold for world wide distribution. Much like Brooklyn has Aronofski the Bronx now has Rashaad Ernesto Green. It is important to note Rashaad is 100% Bronx and that he was adamant that his film be 100% shot in the Bronx.

Due to my association with the movie “Gun Hill Road” and its success, The BOEDC and the Bronx Borough President, Mr. Ruben Diaz Jr., have given me and my colleagues at Olympia Film Locations Inc, the charge to establish, coordinate and manage the “1st Annual Bronx Week Film Festival”. The goal of the festival is to attract a number of films which are made either by Bronx filmmakers or are about the Bronx and that promote our borough through their unique message.

We at Olympia Film Locations Inc., will launch a web site exclusively representing a few hundred million dollars worth of Bronx properties that will be available for rent to the film and TV industry. The film and TV rental fees generated should provide opportunities for local Bronx residents, businesses and building owners trying to make ends meet in a difficult real estate market. It gave me great joy when Bronx residents living in the building ‘Gun Hill Road’ was filmed in, especially children, were featured in the film or when rental revenue received by the property owners were used to improve living conditions.

Bronx Week is scheduled from May 16th to May 21st. The Film related activities will consist of various film/TV and music video screenings and workshops. The film festival red carpet gala event will be conducted on May 20th. Our Bronx Borough President, Rashaad Ernest Green and others will be present on the 20th. We will have an eclectic mix of artists, producers, investors, distributors, non-profits and Bronx political figures attending. Together we will announce to the world that the Bronx is united on this front and that it we will bring quality jobs to our borough by promoting the film and TV industry in the Bronx.

The Buckner Bar and Grill has become ground zero for our clandestine meetings with film producers and other people in the industry. At first I was surprised at the quantity of Bronx residents that on their own produced movies in or about our borough. I took a photo of our last meeting at the Bruckner Bar and Grill and posted below along with various links about the productions made by the attendees photographed. Last Thursday concentrated on our Bronx horror film producers. Included at the meeting were the producers of ‘Slime City Massacre’ and ‘Krackoon’. The first has also been sold for world wide distribution and the second is presently in negotiations to be purchased for world wide distribution.


I am sure there are more Bronx film makers that we need to include in our Bronx Week Film Festival. Please send leads or contact information to the BoogieDowner. I am especially interested in anyone who has information on the following Bronxites:

1- Director Mike “TS” Demitro – Writer / Director / Producer
of “the Boogieman of Sousa Woods”
2- Bronx rapper Cory Gunz – Star of new Bronx Based Reality Show

In addition to Bronx directors or film makers we also hope to hear form Bronx actors and actresses that have “made it” in their profession and wish to commit to a workshop or attend our gale event on the 20th. The list of Bronx “Stars” is extensive so if the shoe fits and you wish to participate please do send me an e-mail at BoogieDowner@gmail.com.


Gregory

(Bronx film makers, band members of "A Moments Worth" and representatives from Olympia Film Locations Inc. meet to discuss the 1st Annual Bronx Week Film Festival)

(Mark J. Makowski, Peter Zotis, Anthony DeBellis, Jerry Landi, Bobby Zouvelos, Anthony Albaneese and Alex Bondarev) (Photo of the Lila who is part of the pleasant atmosphere always in abundance at the Bruckner Bar and Grill)

More on "Gun Hill Road" the movie;

http://sundance.bside.com/2011/films/gunhillroad_sundance2011

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1525838/

More on Mark J. Makowski - "Slime City Massacre"

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1409491/

Jerry Landi - "Krackoon"

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3804326/