After combing through more than 500 submissions, Berkshire International Film Festival founder Kelley Vickery announced the roster of films for her fourth annual festival on March 27 at the sprawling Victorian home of Lisa Newmann and Sandy Sanderson in Housatonic, reports cultural correspondent Bess Hochstein. There’s a strong current of social activism running through the more than 70 festival selections, beginning on opening night with William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe, a portrait of the late, great civil rights lawyer by his daughters, Emily and Sarah Kunstler, who will be in attendance. The Yes Men Fix the World, Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno’s documentation of the aftermath of Bichlbaum’s posing as a Dow Chemical spokesperson and declaring the company’s intention to clean up after the Bhopal disaster, closes the festival. This year's speakers include NYU film professor Richard Brown—famous for his ever-popular Movies 101class— and Stockbridge resident Alejandro de Onis of Stockbridge—the son of Paco de Onis, whose film The Reckoning will have its regional premiere during the festival—is moderating two discussions: an insider’s view of documentary filmmaking; and a look at the future of independent distribution. Vickery also announced that the festival has already sold out of it s $125 all-film passes but other festival passes are still available. Individual tickets go on sale on April 15.—B.H.
BIFF founder Kelley Vickery with Triplex manager John Valente; software consultant Michael Mah with filmmaker Rick Derby
Documentarian Alejandro de Onis & Chase Simmering of Simon's Rock
BIFF Advisory Committee members William Nappo & David Carriere ; Denise Ulick and screenwriter Maria Nation
Seth Nash with hostess Lisa Newmann of Cookiehead cookies
Artist Meryl Joseph and William Caligari; Trisha Killeen of Cypress Bath Robes and Maria Pizzuro Cleary of Studio Day Spa
Tyler & Chris Weld of Berkshire Mountain Distillers, which helped sponsor the party
BIFF administrative assistant Lauren Ferin with Berkshire Living's Mary Garnish; Lou Boxer with Eugenie Sills of The Women's Times.
Lillian Lennox, the BIFF festival programmer, and Hilary Somers Deely
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Matteline deVries-Dilling, founder of Lite Brite Neon, one of the evening's honoree of this year's Upstate Benefit adresses the gala from the Caboose's caboose.
- Karen Pearson. Courtesy Art Omi.
Olana senior vice president and landscape curatorMark Prezorski, president Sean Sawyer, The evenings honoree Kristin Gamble and New York State Assemblymember Didi Barrett.
- Oxygen House Photo
