Opening Night Film and Party

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Opening Night Film and Party

2023 Naples International Film Festival

Kick off the 15th Annual Naples International Film Festival in style with one of the greatest celebrations of the year. Walk the red carpet and help yourself to free soft drinks, popcorn and candy — then sit back and enjoy the opening night film in Hayes Hall. Even after the final credits roll, the night has only just begun for Party ticket holders! Purchase a Party ticket and gain access to an illuminated Norris Garden, bursting with delicious hors d’oeuvres from numerous local eateries, free house wine, beer and a signature cocktail.

VIP ticket holders will enjoy exclusive access to the Baird Terrace on the third floor of The Baker Museum, where they will mix and mingle with NIFF filmmakers and enjoy a selection of premium hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer and cocktails.

Film Only $39
Film and Party $99
Film and VIP Party $200

Red Carpet Arrival — 6pm
Film Presentation — 7pm

Hard Miles

Director: RJ Daniel Hanna
Producers: Scott Sander, Christian Sander
Writer: RJ Daniel Hanna, Christian Sander
Cast: Matthew Modine, Cynthia Kaye McWilliams, Sean Astin, Jahking Guillory, Jackson Kelly, Zachary T. Robbins, Damien Diaz, Leslie David Baker

Hard Miles takes a page from the heartfelt, humor-filled coming-of-age sports dramas that graced our screens in the ’80s and ’90s. Inspired by true events at Ridgeview Academy, a medium-security correctional school in Colorado, the film follows beleaguered social workers Greg (Matthew Modine) and Haddie (Cynthia Kaye McWilliams) as they round up an unlikely crew of incarcerated students for a seemingly impossible bike ride from Denver to the Grand Canyon. Together they hope this arduous journey will transform the misfit teenagers into a well-disciplined cycling team. As the beginner bicyclists battle heatstroke, speed wobbles and the archnemesis of all cyclists — a chafed crotch — they must learn to stop fighting and ride together as a peloton. The bicycle serves not just as a means of transportation, but as a test — a way for each of these young men to see what they are truly capable of, physically, mentally and emotionally.

2023, PG-13, U.S., Drama, 108 minutes
  East Coast Premiere
  Filmmakers in Attendance

Festival Presenting Sponsors Dr. Richard Lublin and Christine Lublin.

Opening Night Film and Party generously sponsored by

Generous support also provided by the Collier County Tourist Development Council.