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Stony Brook Film
Festival’s Opening
Night Commands Attention

Film Festivals such as the Sundance usually conflict with our schedules, our locations, and furthermore, our wallets. As Festival Director Alan Inkles points out, however, for about $900 less and a dash of convenience, the Stony Brook Film Festival offers the same prestige and devotion to the art of independent film.
These independent films are shown on Stony Brook Staller Center’s 40-foot screen in its 1000-seat Main Stage Theatre. Over the course of ten days, films are screened on evenings and throughout the weekend. Competition is another fun concept of the film festival, as filmgoers receive ballots to rate the films; their votes count for the Audience Choice Awards for Best Feature and Best Short.
The Stony Brook Film Festival began this year on July 17 with the New York premiere of the Canadian film “Emotional Arithmetic,” a powerful drama starring Susan Sarandon, Christopher Plummer, Gabriel Byrne, Roy Dupuis, Max von Sydow and director Paolo Barzman depicting the post-traumatism of the Holocaust. Based on the award-winning novel by Matt Cohen, “Emotional Arithmetic” charts the fateful reunion in the 1980s of three survivors of the notorious French “transit” camp, Drancy.
Many world premiers are shown throughout the festival, with countless directors and actors in attendance. 21 features are on the festival’s program, most of which have one of this year’s 14 short films preceding them.
Each year, Stony Brook offers $65 festival passes (now sold out) for entrance to all films and a Passholder/Filmmaker reception. Individual tickets are still available for $8 dollars general admission and $6 dollars per student or senior. Opening Night Parties and Closing Night Parties, mingling ground for filmmakers and goers alike, are $20 for passholder and $25 for non-passholders.
For more information and to order tickets, please visit www.stonybrookfilmfestival.com or call the Stony Brook Staller Center for the Arts Box Office at (631) 632-2787.

• Erika Brown