Stony Brook Film Festival celebrates opening night on July 22
Watch in-person or virtually this year!
Stony Brook University’s Staller Center for the Arts turns into a movie lover’s mecca when new independent films screen at the Stony Brook Film Festival on evenings and weekends from Thursday, July 22 to Saturday, July 31. The popular festival, now in its 26th year, pairs memorable short films with an array of features you won’t see anywhere else, making it a favorite of moviegoers and filmmakers alike.
The live, in-person screening of the film festival, presented by Island Federal, will be followed up by a virtual festival from Aug. 5 to 30 on the IndieFlix Festivals app.
Presented by Island Federal, the 2021 Festival lineup boasts 35 films from over 15 countries and includes never-before-seen features from around the globe. The Festival kicks off with the world premiere of The 5th Man, a documentary on Paul Limmer, a former track coach at Bellmore’s Mepham High School. During his 50-year career there, Limmer racked up hundreds of wins, though director Trey Nelson focuses on the story of all the other kids – the ones who never felt “seen” – until Paul Limmer came into their lives.
The film will be preceded by Feeling Through, an Oscar-nominated short featuring deaf-blind actor Robert Tarango of Selden. Other must-see features include Yamina Benguigui’s Sisters, starring Isabelle Adjani and Maïwenn, a finely crafted reflection on memory and belonging to two worlds and As Far As I Know, an uncompromising film that wrestles with questions of perspective and victimhood. Milcho Manchevski’s newest masterpiece Willow is resplendent in unforgettable images and unconventional narrative. Closing out the 2021 Festival is the intense and complexly drawn sports drama Final Set.
FILM SCHEDULE
OPENING NIGHT
Thursday, July 22 at 8 p.m.
Feature: The 5th Man, United States
Short: Feeling Through, United States
Friday, July 23 at 7 p.m.
Feature: Risks & Side Effects, Germany
Short: David, United States
Friday, July 23 at 9:15 p.m.
Feature: Red River Road, United States
Short: The Following Year, Spain
Saturday, July 24 at 7 p.m.
Feature: Sisters, France
Short: Girls Are Strong Here, U.S.
Saturday, July 24 at 9:15 p.m.
Feature: Games People Play, Finland
Short: Off Duty, United States
Sunday, July 25 at 7 p.m.
Feature: Persona Non Grata, Denmark
Short: On the Sidewalk, at Night, U.S.
Sunday, July 25 at 9:15 p.m.
Feature: Anchorage, United States
Short: The Saverini Widow, France
Monday, July 26 at 7 p.m.
Feature: As Far As I Know, Hungary
Short: DA YIE, Ghana
Monday, July 26 at 9:15 p.m.
Feature: Willow, Republic of Northern Macedonia, Hungary, Belgium
Short: The Night I Left America, U.S.
Tuesday, July 27 at 7 p.m.
Feature: Fire in the Mountains, India
Short: The Music Video, Canada
Tuesday, July 27 at 9:15 p.m.
Feature: Everything in the End, U.S.
Short: Max is Bleeding, U.S.
Wednesday, July 28 at 7 p.m.
Feature: Sun Children, Iran
Short: Noisy, United States
Wednesday, July 28 at 9:15 p.m.
Feature: The Castle, Lithuania, Ireland
Short: Inverno (Timo’s Winter), Italy
Thursday, July 29 at 7 p.m.
Feature: Murder at Cinema North, Israel
Short: Devek, Israel
Thursday, July 29 at 9:15 p.m.
Feature: How to Stop a Recurring Dream, United Kingdom
Short: This Uncertain Moment, U.S.
Friday, July 30 at 7 p.m.
Feature: Lorelei, United States
Short: Swipe, United States
Friday, July 30 at 9:15 p.m.
Feature: Perfumes, France
Short: Ganef, United Kingdom
CLOSING NIGHT
Saturday, July 31 at 8 p.m.
Feature: Final Set, France
CLOSING NIGHT AWARDS
10:30 p.m.
Ticket information
All live screenings are held at Stony Brook University’s Staller Center for the Arts, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook in the 1,000-seat Main Stage theater. Festival passes are on sale for $125, which guarantees entry to all live films at the Staller Center in July. Virtual passes are $85 with guaranteed access to all virtual films. For $250 you can purchase a Gold Pass, which guarantees entry and preferred seating for all live films at the Staller Center in July and full access to the Virtual Festival. Student passes are also available. For more information or to order, call the Staller Center Box Office at 631-632-2787 or visit stonybrookfilmfestival.com.
*This article first appeared in TBR News Media’s Summer Times supplement on June 24, 2021.
