Press

›› NHFF ANNOUNCES 2008 WINNERS

›› 8TH ANNUAL NEW HAMPSHIRE FILM FESTIVAL GETS UNDERWAY

›› 2008 NHFF BEST SCREENPLAY FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

›› NEW HAMPSHIRE FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES ACCEPTED FILMS FOR 2008 Oct. 16 – 19

›› 2008 NEW HAMPSHIRE FILM FESTIVAL HOSTS SPECIAL MEDIA PREVIEW ON OCT. 2

» For more recent news, view our press page.

For Immediate Release | Oct. 21, 2008 –

PORTSMOUTH, NH – The eighth annual New Hampshire Film Festival drew an estimated 6,000 attendants to downtown Portsmouth, making the four-day fest the most successful in the event's history.

"In this economy, we're definitely encouraged at the attendance," said NHFF Executive Director, Nicole Gregg. "We had far more people purchasing weekend passes and enjoying the entire event from Thursday to Sunday."

With a lineup of films coming from Sundance, Berliner and the Cannes film festivals, the NHFF program is now comparable to major film festivals, according to Gregg. The NHFF 2008 ran Oct. 16 – 19.

This year's NHFF winners included Best Short Comedy Award: "Cutlass," director Kate Hudson; Best Short Drama: "Centigrade," directors Colin Cunningham, Madison Graie; Best Animation Award: "The Magistical," directors John Cernak, Danny Oakley, writer John Cernak; Best Student Award: "The Abattoir," director/writer, T.J. Volgare; Best Documentary Award: "I.O.U.S.A.," director Patrick Creadon; Grand Jury Award: "The Life Before Her Eyes," director Vadim Perelman, writer Emil Stern; Best Feature Award, "The Unknown Woman," director/writer Giuseppe Tornatore; Best Screenplay Award: "The Stunning Box," by David Bertoni, Yarmouth, Maine; and Audience Choice Award: "Between the Folds," feature-length documentary, by Vanessa Gould.

Winners of New Hampshire awards included New Hampshire Documentary Film Award: "Communities and Consequences," director/writer Jay Childs; and the New Hampshire Film of the Year Award: "Sick Sex," by Justin Nowell, director and co-writer with Thomas Nowell. The Van McLeod Award went to Chase Bailey of Left Bank Films in Portsmouth. The NHFF 2008 marked the debut of the new Van McLeod Award, which honors someone who makes a significant contribution to the film or television industry and is named in honor of the commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Cultural Resources.

Event highlights included visits by Austin Chick, director of "August;" Patrick Creadon, director of "I.O.U.S.A." (also "Word Play," and producer of "Super Size Me"); and event artists-in-residence Emmy-winning filmmakers Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar. Artist Michael Fosse, featured in "Between the Folds," followed that screening by creating a giant origami sculpture on the spot.

The "I.O.U.S.A." panel discussion with Creadon, Writer Addison Wiggin and Sen. Judd Gregg, a subject in the film, was the highlight of the festival, according to Gregg.

NHFF receives major sponsorship from Irving Oil and Override. Created in July 2007, Override is a network of respected retail brands that gives consumers an opportunity to lower their individual price of gas at the pump. Consumers can earn gas savings at participating Shaw's Supermarkets and Dunkin' Donuts. The opportunity to save is also available to more than 9,000 L.L. Bean employees through Override's employee program. Gas savings are redeemable at 200 Irving fuel locations in New England. Please see more information at Override.com. Further information is available at www.nhfilmfestival.com.

Media Contact: Nicole Gregg | nicole@nhfilmfestival.com | 603.647.6439.

Publicity and marketing for the 2008 NHFF provided by Vital Design.

As any previous attendee knows, there is much more to the New Hampshire Film Festival than screening a hand-selected batch of excellent independent films. Some of the most fulfilling and memorable experiences happen when the projectors are turned off.

Considering all the films and everything else NHFF has to offer, you may suddenly find yourself asking "Where do I start? What should I do?" Here's your answer. Just make your way to Portsmouth and make your first stop at NHFF's Union Leader Event Headquarters & Flatbread Pizza Hospitality Suite.

The Flatbread Hospitality Suite and the Union Leader Headquarters, both located at the Connie Bean Community Center, are the official gathering places of the festival. For film enthusiasts this is where you go to plan your weekend, find out more about the films, buy your tickets and ask your questions. For the artists and the press, this is the place for registration, will-call, to get online and for any of your questions.

Free pizza will be available between noon and 6pm at the Hospitality Suite thanks to NHFF sponsor Flatbreads Co. Ticket purchases at the Headquarters are made possible thanks to the Vital Design Box Office.

The details:

Union Leader Headquarters & Flatbread Hospitality Suite
Connie Bean Community Center
135 Daniel Street
Portsmouth, NH 03801

Times:
Thursday, October 16th: 10am - 7pm
Friday, October 17th: 10am - 6pm
Saturday, October 18th: 10am - 6pm
Sunday, October 19th: 10am - 4pm

Flatbreads Hospitality Suite:
Internet & Telephone Internet Lounge
Information Booth
Press Suite

Union Leader Headquarters:
Vital Design Box Office
NHFF 2008 Merchandise
Artist Registration
Volunteer Headquarters
Staff Headquarters

At last Thursday's press junket, hosted by The Page Restaurant & Bar in downtown Portsmouth, the Festival directors were pleased to announce nominations for the 2008 NHFF Best Screenplay Award. Winners of this and all other 2008 NHFF Awards are to be announced and presented during the Festival.

The NHFF Awards, dubbed the Granny Awards, were conceived to celebrate the award winners as well as pay homage to the great Granite State of New Hampshire. The Granny, surely the most physically significant award in the independent film world, is hand crafted out of granite block and weighs in at approximately 10 pounds.

Screenplay nominations for this year's Special Guest Screenplay Jurors, Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden, were drawn from reviews and ratings of the NHFF Screenplay Committee. One winner is selected. And the Nominees are…

"Christmas Cake" by Karen A. Webb
"Stuffed" by Donald Lorincz
"The Stunning Box" by David W. Bertoni

"Christmas Cake" is a romantic drama about Shelly, an American woman who attempts to leave her broken-hearted past for Japan. The story takes us inside the competitive Japanese corporate world, the difficulty of a woman's place in that arena, and the cultural barriers that affect her love for a man she can't have.

"Stuffed" is a shaggy dog story with a big heart. A comedy that follows Lily, a tiny Chinese-American girl, and a group of professional eaters training for Nathan's World Championship Hot Dog Eating Contest. While training, Lily struggles to keep her love of eating a secret from her newfound love.

"The Stunning Box" is an intense tale of the world amidst our modern culture of science, apocalyptic fear, violence, and mass panic. We're riveted as Elliot, a reckless but brilliant psychiatrist, must return to the scene of a long-repressed childhood horror to discover why the world appears to be descending into madness.

The NHFF Screenplay Competition was conceived as a celebration of the contribution of the writer to film. While it may not be true that all great scripts lead to great films, it can hardly be argued that a great film cannot be made without a great script. Thanks to all the writers who participated to make this year's competition the most exciting one yet.

This year, NHFF Awards are to be presented at two Awards Ceremonies. The New Hampshire Film of the Year Award and the New Hampshire Documentary Film of the Year Award, new for 2008, will be presented separately on Thursday night, October 16th. All other New Hampshire Film Festival Awards are to be presented during Closing Night Ceremonies on Sunday, October 19th. These festivities include a reception and unveiling of the Young Filmmakers Workshop's short films.

"Transsiberian," starring Woody Harrelson heads more than 60 independent films

The New Hampshire Film Festival judges' panel is pleased to announce its roster of accepted films for what organizers expect to be the event's largest turnout to date, Oct. 16 – Oct. 19 in downtown Portsmouth.

"The breadth and quality of independent films that we have been so fortunate to receive has transcended our previous experience and our wildest hopes," said NHFF Executive Director Nicole Gregg. "I feel confident in saying that collectively, this will be our finest offering of films to date."

NHFF set a record by drawing more than 600 submissions this year from independent filmmakers in New Hampshire, the U.S., and the globe. Headlining films include renowned thriller "Transsiberian," starring Woody Harrelson and Ben Kingsley; documentary "A Lion in the House," directed by NHFF artists-in-residence Julia Reichert and Steve Bognar; "August," starring Josh Hartnett, and featuring David Bowie; "The Tiger's Tail," directed by five-time Academy Award nominee John Boorman; and "The Unknown Woman," from "Cinema Paradiso" Academy Award-winning director Giuseppe Tornatore.

›› Click here for the 2008 Flim list

WHAT: The 8th Annual New Hampshire Film Festival (NHFF), the state's only event of its kind, will announce films chosen for 2008 in a special media preview Oct. 2 at The Page, at 172 Hanover Street in Portsmouth, N.H.

The 8th Annual NHFF happens throughout downtown Portsmouth on Oct. 16 – Oct. 19. The festival is one of the largest in New England, this year screening more than 60 films from more than 15 states and eight countries, including the Netherlands, UK, Canada, Ireland, Italy and Australia. As many as 6,000 people are expected to attend the films, seminars, ceremonies, and parties.

WHO: A special preview of the 2008 NHFF Trailer will be shown for media, sponsors, and advertisers. Local filmmakers will attend. Press kits, screeners, festival organizers, and full access press passes will also be available at the media event.

WHEN: Thurs., Oct. 2
5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Appetizers served.

WHERE: The Page 172 Hanover Street, Portsmouth, N.H.

ON-SITE CONTACT: Brian DeKoning C. 603.973.1894

PRESS NOTE: Select films will be available to the media for reviews, along with press kits. Also, please pick up your all-access weekend press pass if you plan on covering the film festival weekend.

Media Contacts: Nicole Gregg | nicole@nhfilmfestival.com | 603.647.6439 or Brian DeKoning, Vital Design 603.766.1902 | 603.973.1894

Advertising and sponsorship opportunities are also available by calling 603.647.6439.

Media: Please be sure to attend this event for your passes to the 2008 NHFF!