Spring Break
The Daily OrangeAlumni-created film festival to debut in NYC
By Andrew Kase
Posted: 4/30/07, 10:35 PM EST Section: Feature
"There was such an obvious reason to do this," O'Malley said. "We got a really positive response from people around the country, and it's quite interesting to say about the feedback we received."
Szczygielski cited a few sources of support for ACE, such as Daniel Koffler, a manager from the Broad Street Ballroom, the venue that is hosting the festival, and Rustie Brooke, the director of Operation of Wall Street Rising.
Wall Street Rising is a nonprofit organization supporting the ACE Film Festival as well as the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) and many others.
"Everybody is jumping aboard, whether it's some corporate office or just someone from small companies. Everybody just gets excited about this," Szczygielski said. "We're donating some of our profits to the art of films."
A portion of the ticket proceeds is going to be donated to the NYFA.
The event planning officially started last November, and the two aspiring filmmakers never stopped working on the ACE Film Festival coming to fruition.
"American cinema is amazing," O'Malley said. "There are underground, independent filmmakers all around and it's underappreciated, especially in academia."
Szczygielski and O'Malley thought film festivals today have strayed from their real purpose. They think they have become too flashy, while neglecting the real reason they exist.
"We started talking about this through college, and we started verbalizing how frustrated we were with other American film festivals," Szczygielski said. "After we graduated, we started getting together and talking more seriously about it."
The two wanted to focus on independent work and highlight the art house aspect of film festivals, and they accepted submissions from all over the county.
There was only one requirement for submitting a film into the festival, just that it's American work.
Today, more and more actors are producing their own indie films, such as Julie Stiles with her film "Raving," which was submitted to the Tribeca Film Festival. Szczygielski was particularly delighted that any one in the industry goes in that direction, for creative or financial reasons.
Szczygielski cited a few sources of support for ACE, such as Daniel Koffler, a manager from the Broad Street Ballroom, the venue that is hosting the festival, and Rustie Brooke, the director of Operation of Wall Street Rising.
Wall Street Rising is a nonprofit organization supporting the ACE Film Festival as well as the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) and many others.
"Everybody is jumping aboard, whether it's some corporate office or just someone from small companies. Everybody just gets excited about this," Szczygielski said. "We're donating some of our profits to the art of films."
A portion of the ticket proceeds is going to be donated to the NYFA.
The event planning officially started last November, and the two aspiring filmmakers never stopped working on the ACE Film Festival coming to fruition.
"American cinema is amazing," O'Malley said. "There are underground, independent filmmakers all around and it's underappreciated, especially in academia."
Szczygielski and O'Malley thought film festivals today have strayed from their real purpose. They think they have become too flashy, while neglecting the real reason they exist.
"We started talking about this through college, and we started verbalizing how frustrated we were with other American film festivals," Szczygielski said. "After we graduated, we started getting together and talking more seriously about it."
The two wanted to focus on independent work and highlight the art house aspect of film festivals, and they accepted submissions from all over the county.
There was only one requirement for submitting a film into the festival, just that it's American work.
Today, more and more actors are producing their own indie films, such as Julie Stiles with her film "Raving," which was submitted to the Tribeca Film Festival. Szczygielski was particularly delighted that any one in the industry goes in that direction, for creative or financial reasons.
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