Final Call for Submissions to the 2nd Annual Bronx Week Film Festival

If you’re from the Bronx or if you made a film in or about our borough, there is still time to submit your film, or short for consideration for the 2nd Annual Bronx Week Film Festival. Please do submit your shorts to either or both of the following e-mails;

info@olympiafilmlocations.com

or

Boogiedowner@gmail.com

There is no fee to submit an entry or participate. The goal is to promote and create synergy in our borough for film makers and others in the industry. If you have a CD that you want to pass on in person please do call me on my cell # at (845) 304-5745.

Submissions are requested on or before SATUTRDAY MARCH 31st. The showings are scheduled for May 12th, 13th. The Gala celebration is set for and May 17th.

Sincerely,

Gregory Tsougrans

For more information please review the previous link posted on the Boogiedowner.

http://boogiedowner.blogspot.com/2012/03/call-to-bronx-filmmakers-to-participate.html

Call to Bronx Filmmakers to Participate in the 2nd Annual Bronx Week Film Festival

If you consider yourself a "Bronxite" in the film, television or the theater industry, or if you are involved with a film or television production about or filmed in the Bronx, please do review the following.

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Who: Bronx Filmmakers, Producers, Writers, Actors, Thespians, Film Students

What: Meeting of Bronx filmmakers to discuss the 2nd Annual Bronx Week Film Festival and collect submissions

When: Sunday, March 18th 2012 at 2pm

Where: Bruckner Bar & Grill
1 Bruckner Blvd, Bronx, NY 10451
http://www.brucknerbar.com/

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For anyone who follows the Boogiedowner, last year the blog helped to promote the 1st ever Bronx Week Film Festival. The event was organized by Olympia Film Locations Inc., a start up firm I created with a few friends of mine. The charge was given to us by the President of the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (BOEDC) Ms. Marlene Cintron, with the intent to encourage film production in the Bronx and to promote Bronx filmmakers and films made in or about the Bronx.

Olympia Film Locations Inc., was given the honor by the Bronx Borough President and the BOEDC due to our finding primary locations for Sundance Film Festival sensation Gun Hill Road; which was written and directed by Bronx Director Rashaad Ernesto Green. From the ideas inception by Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. at a BOEDC meeting, to it’s execution by Olympia Film Locations Inc., over a dozen Bronx filmmakers showed their films and well over three hundred filmmakers, actors, producers, writers, film festival promoters, elected officials, press and even professional MMA athletes attended the gala to mingle and plot future collaborations. Special thanks to Assemblyman Marcos A Crispo, one of last years keynote speakers actively involved in legislation to promote the arts in NYS.

Last years event was a huge success, mostly due to the die hard Bronx spirit that spawned dozens of gorilla filmmakers from all parts of our beautiful borough and the generosity of the Bruckner Bar and Grill who provided the main viewing venue. If you were part of last year’s crew that made the event a success or if you wish to partake in the 2^nd Annual Bronx Week Film Festival for the first time, here is what you can do;

1- Attend Sundays meeting listed above at the Bruckner Bar and Grill – (Please do bring any submissions you wish to enter enter for festival review)

2- If you can’t make Sundays meeting please do send us any shorts via e-mail to the following e-mail addresses;

info@olympiafilmlocations.com or boogiedowner@gmail.com

3- Save the following dates;

A- Thursday, May 17^th – Film Festival Gala Night

B- Saturday and Sunday , May 12^th and 13^th – Bronx Week Film Festival Dates

4- Help spread the word

I posted a few links to articles and other web sites to provide more background. Please do review the links attached and please do note we have a few surprises in the works to make the 2^nd Annual Film Festival an even bigger success.

Sincerely,

Gregory Tsougranis

Boogiedowner / Olympia Film Locations Inc.

Daily News:

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2011-04-25/local/29489006_1_borough-president-ruben-diaz-gun-hill-road-local-film-industry

New York Post:

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/bronx/annual_bronx_week_launches_first_yRYSkkbuYgJAfihIbgsHxK

Bronx Times:

http://www.bxtimes.com/stories/2011/22/bronxtimes-yn_bronx_front_page-21-film.html

Michael Fassbender Invitation to Film Makers to Participate in "Your Film Festival" Competition

Here is a great opportunity for aspiring film makers. Besides the 2nd Annual Bronx Week Film Festival, that the Boogiedowner will start making announcements about and seeking submissions for, the following was sent about the "Your Film Festival". It is a contest offering a $500,000 grant and the opportunity to have your film produced. The video clip below should help explain further.

Good luck,
Gregory

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"This is Your Film Festival. You have until March 31st to submit a short, story-driven video. There's no entry fee. It can be any format - short film, web-series episode, TV pilot - and any genre. In June, audiences around the world will vote, sending 10 deserving storytellers to open the 2012 Venice Film Festival where a Grand Prize Winner will be rewarded with a $500,000 grant to create a new work, produced by Ridley Scott, Michael Fassbender and a world class team."

http://www.youtube.com/user/yourfilmfestival/yourfilmfestival

BronxNet Seeks Bronx Filmmakers and Directors for New Series Promoting the Independent Films Industry in NYC

BronxNet is currently planning to shoot a pilot for a continuing series featuring local independent filmmakers and directors. Their hoping that this show will help local/independent filmmakers gain exposure. Their looking for Bronx filmmakers who are currently promoting their films. If you are a filmmaker please e-mail Christie Takahashi. Her e-mail can be found below.

Once again BronxNet is right on target. Good luck to the many Bronx filmmakers out there. As this year’s first ever Bronx Week Film festival showed, there are many Bronx filmmakers in the Bronx making things happen. Hopefully this new BronxNet venture will help promote additional film production in our borough.

Christie C. Takahashi
Associate Producer/Editor/Videographer/Graphic Designer/Reporter
BronxNet Community Television - Creative Service Department
Christie@bronxnet.org

Intervention, by Anton Evangelista included in the Bronx Week Film Festival

Here is some news on a last minute entry for next weeks Bronx Week Film Festival. Intervention, by Anton Evangelista will be shown at the Bruckner Bar and Grill on Tuesday May 17th at 3pm. For those interested in learning more about the film I posted a brief synopsis below and the trailer for the film. Free tickets are available while they last at;

www.Bronnxweekfilmfestival.com

Gregory
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"When a young Italian American couple living in the Bronx in 1968 get over their heads financially, she starts working nights and he starts moonlighting at a chop shop. These jobs bring new stresses to their relationship until he sets out with a gun to kill the love of his life. Will there be an intervention in time?"

Olympia Film Locations Inc. Principles Discuss Upcoming 1st Ever Bronx Week Film Festival on "Open" with Darien Jaime

For more information about the upcoming 1st Ever Bronx Week Film Festival please view the interview below of Olympia Film Locations Inc., Principles Laura Cicciu, Bobby Zouvelos and Gregory Tsougranis on BronxNets "Open” talk show with Darien Jaime. The live interview was filmed this past Wednesday. A schedule of movie screenings and free ticket information will be made available on the Olympia Film Locations web site (www.olympiafilmlocations.com), once the final schedule is confirmed. Submissions are still being taken. Stayed tuned here for more information on the film festival and when tickets will be made available. Anyone interested in sponsorship opportunities for the event please e-mail you name and contact information to info@olympiafilmlocations.com.

Gregory
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Bronx Times Report Prints Article on Upcoming 1st Ever Bronx Week Film Festival

Here is some more press on the upcoming first ever Bronx Week Film Festival scheduled from Monday May 16th to Friday May 19th. The article was written by Patrick Roccio and printed in today’s Bronx Times Reporter. By early next week the schedule of movies to be shown with ticket availability will be posted on the Olympia Film Locations Inc. and the Bronx Tourism Council web site as well. Tickets will be made free to the public on a first come first serve basis. Please stay tunes right here on the BoogieDowner for more information.

Gregory
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Annual Bronx Week Launches First Borough Film Festival

By Patrick Rocchio
Friday, April 29, 2011 12:11 PM EDT

For the first time ever during the festivities surrounding Bronx Week, a film festival will be part of the festivities.

Around 12 to 15 movies filmed in the Bronx or made by local filmmakers will be screened in the First Annual Bronx Film Festival at the Bruckner Bar and Grill at 1 Bruckner Boulevard, as part of Bronx Week 2011, from Monday, May 16 to Thursday, May 19.

The film festival is being organized by Bobby Zouvelos and Greg Tsougranis on behalf of Olympia Film Locations, a location-scouting company that specializes in bringing filmmakers to spots around the borough.

A group of film enthusiasts and full-fledged filmmakers got support from the borough president, who would like to see more film and television production in the borough.

“The festival will attract a number of films made in the Bronx, by Bronx filmmakers or about the Bronx, and will help us promote our borough through their message,” Diaz said. “I’m looking forward to experiencing the creativity and talent of our residents, this time reflected in the big screen.”

Films that promote a positive message of the borough are what Diaz hopes to showcase, and one of his pet peeves are negative depictions of the Bronx, which he discussed at a meeting of the North East Bronx Community Association on Monday, April 25.

Sundance Film Festival entry ‘Gun Hill Road,’ made by filmmaker Rashaad Ernesto Green, was filmed at a locations scouted by Olympia, and should have a special screening.

The film stars Judy Reyes, an actress known for her work on the television series Scrubs and who has been enshrined in the Bronx Walk of Fame.

Films like ‘Gun Hill Road,’ made by and about people from the borough, are the ones that Greg Tsougranis, a co-owner of Olympia, hopes to make part of the festival.

“We have a good number of people in the Bronx who are taking it upon themselves to make films,” Tsougranis said. “The Bronx has got a lot of self made people who we do not yet know about, but who are making some great films without waiting for anyone to give them anything or do anything for them.”

ADVERTISEMENTThe plots of the films to be screened range from everything from horror films to a documentary about how fanatical parents can become while watching their children play little league, Tsougranis said.

“We hope that this develops into a yearly thing,” said Jerry Landi, whose horror film ‘Krackoon’ is expected to be among those screened. “We looking to invite are inviting filmmakers and actors from all over the Bronx to participate.”

A special R.S.V.P., V.I.P. black tie event for filmmakers, celebrities, and elected officials is being planed for the evening of Thursday, May 19 at the Bronx Museum of the Arts.

BoogieDowner Movie Watch: My Destiny an Albanian Love Story, by Roko Markolovic

Here is another movie selected to be show at the 1st ever Bronx Week Film Festival, running from Monday May 16th to Thursday May 19th. If you looking for a portal to view love and relationships in the tight knit Bronx Albanian community, this is it. Director Roko Markolovic along with his crew of actors definitely created a milestone film for the Albanian and non Albanians community to enjoy. Some have called it Romeo and Juliet, "Balkan style". May it be the first of many for Roko and the Albanian-American community.

For scheduling and ticket information please log onto the Olympia Film Locations Inc. web site. When the official schedule is posted a select number of tickets will be provided to the community free of charge through their web site. The web site address is; www.olympiafilmlocations.com

Till then please enjoy the trailer.

Gregory
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Call for Participation in the “1st Annual Bronx Week Film Festival“ Draws Unexpected High Number of Bronx Film Makers, Producers and Directors

What I assume started the idea of a “Bronx Week Film Festival” was a statement by the Bronx Borough President, Mr. Ruben Diaz Jr. at a recent BOEDC meeting. I assume the statement went something like this: “See if the guy who helped make the movie “Gun Hill Road” can get the director to come back for a film related event or screening during Bronx Week”. In the mean time, this has turned into the “1st Annual Bronx Week Film Festival”. Since my partners and I at Olympia Film Locations Inc, (the official and authorized Producers of the Film Festival) took on the charge, the news of the event has spread like wild fire. The results have been overwhelming. The responses and submissions are nothing short of the best in film and cinema the Bronx has to offer.

Firstly, let me confirm that Rashaad Ernest Green, the producers and the distributor who purchased the rights to the movie “Gun Hill Road” have all vouched their support for the Film Festival. They were adamant that “Gun Hill Road” be filmed 100% in the Bronx and are adamant that they come back to the Bronx to help when needed. Rashaad plans to be present at the screening of his movie at the Film Festival and at the Gala event on Friday May 20th where we are attracting producers, directors, actors, new networks, TV stations, studios, paparazzi, political figures and high net worth individuals all who will join us in showcasing the Bronx as a primary film making destination.

At first glance our goal in holding a successful Bronx Week Film Festival so quickly might have seemed a pipe dream unless of course you consider what Bronx People can do once they are united and have their mind set on a specific goal. We are a population accustomed to doing more even though provided less. Therefore it should have been no surprise when we packed a room with Bronx directors, producers, actors and one symphony cello player, many with award winning films and or signed deals for distribution. The energy and entrepreneurship was amazing. The back room of the Bruckner Bar and Grill this past Thursday was filed with confident “SELF MADE” Bronx film makers who cared about the Bronx, its people and the development of their craft in the Bronx. To top it all off, serendipitously Michael Max Knobbe the Executive Director of BronxNet just happened to be having dinner at the Bruckner with friends. It was a great opportunity to bring him into our master plan as well. As always he was a gentleman.

At our first meeting we had two directors and a band who I posted a blog about last Tuesday. Since there were only two producers, I was able to post links to their sites and discuss basics about their films. This Thursdays meeting consisted of many more films makers and films. I will only list their names and some of the movies they represent. Each film maker and movie submitted will receive the individual attention they deserve over the next week or two via unique posts on this site. Anything less would not show the proper respect due to both the film maker and the movies they produced and or directed.

Film makers and Directors present at this Thursday’s meeting at the Bruckner Bar and Grill were Robert Gadero, James McSherry, Iris Montalvo, Marc Anthony Seda, Diego Mack, Roko Markolovic (with Diana), Joe Mileto, Wayne Gurman, Elizabeth Glushko, Chris Raffaele and Troy Reed. Some of the movies represented that night included ‘Bronx Paradise’, ‘My Destiny’ an Albanian Love Story, ‘Quentine Fortune’, ‘Poetry Man’, ‘Guido Monologues’, ‘Grasslands’ and ‘Baby Bomber’.

We still wish to collect additional full length films and shorts in and about the Bronx. If there is a Bronx connection we want to see it. For any film makers interested in attending this weeks 7 pm meeting at the Bruckner Bar and Grill on April 21st, please do send me an e-mail at the BoogieDowner. My e-mail address is boogiedowner@gmail.com.

In addition to full length movies discussed above we hope to collect shorts and present awards for shorts in the following categories at our Gala event on May 20th;

1-Animation
2-Drama
3-Doumentary

We look forward to receiving and viewing your entries. Please do send submissions to the boogiedowner@gmail.com. After reviewing what you send, I will forward the information to my colleagues at Olympia.

Sincerely,
Gregory

Here are some photos taken before and after the meeting.
14April (LtoR) Peter Matsis(Olympia),Peter Zotis(Olympia),Laura Cicciu(Olympia),Michael Max Knobbe(BronxNet), Bobby Zouvelos (Olympia)