2021 Naples International Film Festival
Opening Night Film & Party
Walk the Red Carpet and Meet the Filmmakers
Opening Night Presentation
The Art of the Short
74 minutes
Filmmakers in Attendance
Experience the best of independent film with the Naples International Film Festival’s Opening Night Film and Party. The evening begins with free soft drinks, popcorn and candy for all guests as they sit back and watch the opening night films in Hayes Hall. After the film, Party ticket holders will enjoy heavy hors d'oeuvres from a variety of local eateries, free house wine, beer and a signature cocktail as they party the evening away in Norris Garden
Following the red carpet event, this year's opening night presentation features a special collection of films highlighting the expressive force of "the short." Five dynamic short films showcase the incredible power and versatility of this genre.
Boxbalet
Roy
Like the Ones I Used to Know
Miss Alma Thomas: A Life in Color
Photo Op
Thursday, October 21
6pm Red Carpet Walk, 7pm Film Presentation
Feature Films
Listed in Alphabetical Order
Narrative
7 Days
2021, NR, US, Drama, 86 minutes
Florida Premiere
Filmmakers in Attendance
Director: Roshan Sethi
Producers: Liz Cardenas, Mel Eslyn
Writers: Karan Soni, Roshan Sethi
Cast: Karan Soni, Geraldine Viswanathan, Mark Duplass, Zenobia Shroff, Aparna Nancherla, Gita Reddy, Jeffrey Self
Ravi and Rita are set up on a date arranged by their traditional Indian parents. When unforeseen circumstances force them to live together for a week, Ravi discovers that Rita is not quite the traditional girl of his dreams—but her “bad influence” might be just what he needs. As irritation gives way to intimacy, they are forced to confront what they have been hiding from each other, from their families, and from themselves..
Friday, October 22, 8:15pm
Saturday, October 23, 3:30pm
Documentary
A Fire Within
2021, NR, US, Documentary, 85 minutes
East Coast Premiere
Filmmakers in Attendance
Juried Film
Director: Christopher Chambers
Producers: Liya Kebede, Christopher Chambers, Jeff Hoffman, Sherman Tate, Russell Gray
Writer: Christopher Chambers
Cast: Edgegayehu “Edge” Taye, Hirut Abebe-Jiri, Elizabeth Demissie
This is the incredible true story of three Ethiopian women who flee to the U.S. after surviving torture in their home country, only to discover that the man responsible for their torture now lives in America... and works at the same Atlanta hotel as one of them. A Fire Within is an inspiring, timely story about three resilient survivors taking a stand to make their voices heard and courageously attempting to bring their torturer to justice — right here in America.
Friday, October 22, 8pm
Saturday, October 23, 12:45pm
Documentary
Bernstein's Wall
2021, NR, US, Documentary, 100 minutes
Florida Premiere
Filmmakers in Attendance
Director: Douglas Tirola
Producer: Susan Bedusa
Writer: Written by Douglas Tirola from the words of Leonard Bernstein
Cast: Leonard Bernstein
Douglas Tirola’s thrilling documentary portrait of famed composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein uses the maestro’s own voice with an incredible visual language that has the rhythms of a symphony to create an intimate, complicated, heartbreaking and passionate life story that ultimately inspires us to make a change in our society today.
Friday, October 22, 3pm
Saturday, October 23, 12:30pm
Documentary
Blues on Beale
2020, G, US, Documentary, 80 minutes
World Premiere
Filmmakers in Attendance
Director: Larry Lancit
Producers: Cecily Truett, Lynne Brenner Ganek, Jeff Ganek, Steve Zink, Aaron Ganek
Writer: Cecily Lancit
Cast: Bobby Rush, Shemekia Copeland, Janiva Magness, Shakira S'Aida, Castro Coleman, Bruce Iglauer
Experience six days of rocking, crowd-pumping blues competition — packed with passion, blues music and suspense. Discover the people who keep the blues alive on the famed Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee, and the powerful international impact of America’s musical gift to the world.
Friday, October 22, 12:45pm
Sunday, October 24, 12pm
Narrative
Catch the Fair One
2021, NR, US, Thriller, 85 minutes
Florida Premiere
Director: Josef Kubota Wladyka
Producers: Mollye Asher, Kimberly Parker, Josef Kubota Wladyka
Writers: Kali Reis, Josef Kubota Wladyka
Cast: Kali Reis, Daniel Henshall, Tiffany Chu, Michael Drayer, Kimberly Guerrero, Lisa Emery, Kevin Dunn
Kaylee “K.O.” Uppashaw, a Native American boxer, struggles to pick up the pieces of her life as she spends her days working at a diner and her nights sleeping in a women’s shelter, dreaming of the life she once had. But after a clandestine rendezvous with a private investigator, Kaylee embarks on the fight of her life as she takes on the human trafficking network responsible for abducting her younger sister two years ago.
Friday, October 22, 7:45pm
Saturday, October 23, 10:30am
Narrative
Final Set
2020, NR, France, Sports Drama, 105 minutes
French with English Subtitles
Director: Quentin Reynaud
Producer: Léonard Glowinski
Writer: Quentin Reynaud
Cast: Alex Lutz, Ana Girardot, Kristin Scott Thomas
Thomas was once renowned as a young tennis prodigy, but he never had the career he hoped for. At 37, despite his declining physical fitness, he decides to compete in the qualifying rounds of the French Open for one last shot at glory.
Friday, October 22, 11am
Sunday, October 24, 6:15pm
Narrative
Hive
2021, NR, Kosovo/Switzerland/Macedonia/Albania, Drama, 84 minutes
Albanian with English subtitles
Director: Blerta Basholli
Producers: Yll Uka, Valon Bajgora, Agon Uka
Writer: Blerta Basholli
Cast: Yllka Gashi, Çun Lajçi
Hive is a searing drama based on the true story of Fahrije, who has lived with fading hope and burgeoning grief since her husband went missing during the war in Kosovo. In order to provide for her struggling family, she pulls the other widows in her patriarchal village together to launch a business selling hot pepper preserves. Together, they find healing and solace — but their will to begin living independently is met with hostility.
Friday, October 22, 11:30am
Sunday, October 24, 6:30pm
Documentary
Holy Frit
2021, NR, US, Documentary, 120 minutes
Filmmakers in Attendance
Juried Film
Director: Justin Monroe
Producers: Justin Monroe, Chris Saito, Kasey Monroe
Writers: Justin Monroe, Ryan Fritzsche
Cast: Tim Carey, Narcissus Quagliata, David Judson, Adam Hamilton
In this three-year race against time, talented yet unknown L.A. artist Tim Carey bluffs his way into winning the commission to create the largest stained-glass window of its kind. The problem is: He doesn’t know how to make it. After a desperate search, he finds someone who might have the answer: a famous glass maestro by the name of Narcissus Quagliata.
Friday, October 22, 7:30pm • Artis—Naples
Saturday, October 23, 3:45pm • Silverspot Cinema
Documentary
In Balanchine's Classroom
2021, NR, US, Documentary, 88 minutes
Filmmakers in Attendance
Director: Connie Hochman
Producer: Connie Hochman
Writer: Connie Hochman
Cast: Jacques D’Amboise, Merrill Ashley, Gloria Govrin, Suki Schorer, Edward Villella, Heather Watts
In Balanchine’s Classroom transports audiences back to the glory years of George Balanchine’s New York City Ballet through the remembrances of his former dancers and their quest to fulfill the vision of a genius. Opening the door to his studio with never-before-seen archival footage of Balanchine at work and interviews with the dancers who carry on his legacy today, this is Balanchine as viewers have never seen him.
Friday, October 22, 1:15pm
Sunday, October 24, 11:30am
Documentary
Me to Play
2021, NR, US, Documentary, 72 minutes
Filmmakers in Attendance
Director: Jim Bernfield
Producer: Jim Bernfield
Writer: Jim Bernfield
Cast: Dan Moran, John Cristopher Jones, Joe Grifasi, Ruth Kreshka, Mary Beth Coudal
Two actors suffering from debilitating, incurable Parkinson’s disease undertake an act of bravery as their swansong to their decades-long careers — putting up an off-Broadway production of Samuel Beckett’s comic yet difficult masterpiece Endgame, which Beckett wrote after his own mother passed away from effects brought on by Parkinson’s. Endgame makes the case that there is nothing funnier than unhappiness. Me to Play proves it.
Saturday, October 23, 5:15pm
Sunday, October 24, 2:15pm
Narrative
One Moment
2021, PG, US, Comedy, 115 minutes
Filmmakers in Attendance
Director: Deirdre O’Connor
Producers: Jodi Weiner, Deirdre O’Connor
Writer: Deirdre O’Connor
Cast: Danny Aiello, Adria Tennor, Frankie Ingrassia, Natalie Seus, Sal Rendino, Sioux Madden
One Moment is the humorous, heartwarming story of middle-aged siblings struggling to manage their own lives while also caring for their recently widowed, aging father. Although the family is at odds over how best to care for their father, they are united in their desire to ensure his well-being and peace of mind — without them losing their own. Welcome to the Sandwich Generation.
Friday, October 22, 3:30pm
Sunday, October 24, 1:15pm
Narrative
Peace by Chocolate
2021, NR, US, Drama/Comedy, 96 minutes
Florida Premiere
Filmmakers in Attendance
Juried Film
Arabic with English Subtitles
Director: Jonathan Keijser
Producers: Jonathan Keijser, Martin Paul-Hus, Kathy Wolf, Catherine Légar
Writers: Jonathan Keijser, Abdul Malik
Cast: Hatem Ali, Ayham Abou Ammar, Mark Camacho, Yara Sabri
After the bombing of his father’s chocolate factory, Tareq Hadhad, a charming young Syrian refugee, struggles to settle into his new small-town life in Nova Scotia, Canada. Still intent on pursuing his dream of becoming a doctor, Tareq finds himself caught between forging his own path and joining his family in rebuilding their legacy as chocolate makers.
Friday, October 22, 8:30pm
Saturday, October 23, 11:30am
Narrative
Risks and Side Effects
2021, NR, Austria, Comedy, 92 minutes
German with English Subtitles
Director: Michael Kreihsl
Writer: Julia Oberndorfinger, Hannes Salat
Cast: Inka Friedrich, Samuel Finzi, Pia Hierzegger, Thomas Mraz
When a routine check-up reveals that Pilates trainer Kathrin is suffering from kidney disease and needs a transplant, the fragility of the relationships within and between two couples is laid bare. Eventually, the question can no longer be avoided: What is true love?
Saturday, October 23, 5:30pm
Sunday, October 24, 4pm
Documentary
$avvy
2021, NR, US, Documentary, 79 minutes
East Coast Premiere
Filmmakers in Attendance
Director: Robin Hauser
Producers: Robin Hauser, Tierney Henderson
Writers: Robin Hauser, Tierney Henderson, Jessica Floum
Cast: Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, Sallie Krawcheck, Farnoosh Torabi, Haley Sacks, Tonya Rapley, Chanel Reynolds, Rachel Robasciotti, Yanely Espinal, Bradley Klontz, Caitlin Boston
$avvy investigates the historical, cultural and societal norms around women and money. With incisive humor and captivating honesty, $avvy questions why women often take a backseat to managing their money — and reveals why it is increasingly critical for women to take the reins of their financial futures.
Saturday, October 23, 11am
Sunday, October 24, 1:45pm
Documentary
Set!
2021, NR, US, Documentary, 105 minutes
Florida Premiere
Director and Producer: Scott Gawlik
Table setting: For most of us, it’s a chore. But for some, it’s a sport. Once a year, a group of highly competitive table setters vie for the Best of Show ribbon at the Orange County Fair competition, often referred to as “The Olympics of table setting.”
Friday, October 22, 5:30pm
Saturday, October 23, 7:15pm
Narrative
The Beta Test
2021, NR, US, Thriller, 94 minutes
Florida Premiere
Directors: Jim Cummings, PJ McCabe
Producer: Natalie Metzger, Matt Miller, Benjamin Wiessner
Writer: Jim Cummings, PJ McCabe
Cast: Jim Cummings, PJ McCabe, Virginia Newcomb, Kevin Changaris, Olivia Applegate, Jessie Barr
A soon-to-be married Hollywood agent receives a mysterious invitation for an anonymous sexual encounter with a secret admirer and becomes ensnared in a sinister world of lying, murder and infidelity in this scintillating satire.
Saturday, October 23, 8:15pm
Sunday, October 24, 1pm
Documentary
The Conductor
2021, NR, US, Documentary, 90 minutes
Filmmakers in Attendance
Juried Film
Director: Bernadette Wegenstein
Producer: Annette Porter
Cast: Marin Alsop, Kristin Jurkscheit, Alexandra Arrieche, Jonathan Rush, Curtis Bannister, Tim Smith, Michael Cooper
The Conductor takes audiences into the heart of classical music and into the soul of one of its top artists, internationally renowned conductor Marin Alsop, giving viewers backstage passes to the artistry and energy that rewards her audiences and inspires her students. With unprecedented access, the director and film crew accompany Alsop to concerts around the world, from São Paulo, Lucerne and Baltimore to her opening concert in Vienna.
Friday, October 22, 5:45pm
Saturday, October 23, 3:15pm
Narrative
The Dunes
2021, NR, Australia, Thriller, 85 minutes
North American Premiere
Filmmakers in Attendance
Director: Martin Copping
Producer: Martin Copping
Writer: Martin Copping
Cast: Martin Copping, Tim Phillipps
Nicholas Rice, a renowned journalist for the LA Times, returns to his beachside hometown to investigate the disappearance of the tenant in his childhood home.
Friday, October 22, 6:15pm
Saturday, October 23, 8:30pm
Narrative
The Humans
2021, R, US, Drama, 108 minutes
Director: Stephen Karam
Producers: Louise Lovegrove, Stephen Karam
Writer: Stephen Karam
Cast: Richard Jenkins, Jayne Houdyshell, Amy Schumer, Beanie Feldstein, Steven Yeun, June Squibb
When Erik Blake gathers three generations of his Pennsylvania family to celebrate Thanksgiving at his daughter’s pre-war duplex in lower Manhattan, not all goes according to plan. As darkness falls outside the crumbling building and eerie things start to go bump in the night, the Blake family’s deepest fears are laid bare.
Friday, October 22, 1:45pm
Saturday, October 23, 5:45pm
Documentary
Try Harder!
2021, NR, US, Documentary, 85 minutes
Director: Debbie Lum
Producers: Nico Opper, Lou Nakasako, Debbie Lum
San Francisco’s Lowell High, one of the best public schools in the country, draws high achievers — nearly 70% of whom are Asian Americans — from across the city into a fiercely competitive universe. The camera follows seniors through the hallways and into classrooms as the pressure intensifies to impress admissions officers at elite universities with their report cards, test scores and overall awesomeness. The students proudly own their identity as nerds and tell their stories with candor and humor despite the stress. Will they achieve their dreams? And what happens if they fail?
Friday, October 22, 10:45am
Sunday, October 24, 4:30pm
Narrative
Waikiki
2020, NR, US, Drama, 88 minutes
Florida Premiere
Juried Film
Director: Christopher Kahunahana
Producer: Connie M. Florez, Nicole Naone
Writer: Christopher Kahunahana
Cast: Danielle Zalopany, Peter Shindoka, Jason Quinn
In this cinematic allegory of love and loss, a hula dancer fights for survival — and her sanity — in the shadows of Waikiki, offering an unflinching glimpse into paradise where there remains hope through human connection and reconnection to ʻaina (nature).
Friday, October 22, 6:00pm
Saturday, October 23, 7:30pm
Narrative
Women Is Losers
2021, NR, US, Drama, 84 minutes
Florida Premiere
Juried Film
Director: Lissette Feliciano
Producer: Lissette Feliciano
Writer: Lissette Feliciano
Cast: Lorenza Izzo, Bryan Craig, Chrissie Fit, Simu Liu, Liza Weil, Steven Bauer
In 1960s San Francisco, bright and talented Catholic schoolgirl Celina Guerrera survives a difficult home life by following the rules, until an act of indiscretion creates a series of devastating consequences. As Celina faces the compounded obstacles of being young and alone, she sets out to rise above the oppression of poverty and invest in a future that sets new precedents for the time.
Saturday October 23, 7:30pm • Artis—Naples
Sunday, October 24, 11:15am • Silverspot Cinema
Shorts
A Selection of Short Films Packaged by Theme
Shorts Package 1
Growing Pains
77 minutes
An impactful mistake, a lifelong passion for music or a decades-old pet turtle. These films reflect the complications of growing up, no matter how old you are.
Ganef
You Sold My Roller Skates?
Dọlápó Is Fine
Enjoy
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Snowy
Friday, October 22, 11:45am
Sunday, October 24, 11am
Shorts Package 2
Family Affair
81 minutes
Filmmakers in Attendance
Whether a daughter longing for freedom from her mother or a father keeping his son out of danger, families create their own powerful stories.
Elza
Safe
Pain
Sisters
The Kicksled Choir
Friday, October 22, 3:45pm
Saturday, October 23, 1:15pm
Shorts Package 3
True Stories
73 minutes
These documentaries showcase a female basketball pioneer, love during COVID, a teenage karate master and remorse about childhood behavior.
The Queen of Basketball
How to Fall in Love in a Pandemic
Golden Age Karate
When We Were Bullies
Friday, October 22, 4pm
Sunday, October 24, 5:30pm
Shorts Package 4
Discoveries
76 minutes
Surprises abound in this package including a nightmarish cosmic phone operator, comical pirates and an affair gone wrong.
Brief Survey
The Criminals
Mutiny!
Kitchen by Measure
A Roll in the Hay
Saturday, October 23, 2pm
Sunday, October 24, 4:15pm
Shorts Package 5
Around the World
80 minutes
Stories from Kyrgyzstan, Austria, China and the U.K. include a fantastical orchestra audition and a man who can’t avoid lightning.
Ala Kachuu - Take and Run
The Best Orchestra in the World
Step into the River
Don vs Lightning
Friday, October 22, 1:30pm
Saturday, October 23, 6:30pm
Shorts Package 6
Florida Films Showcase
75 minutes
Filmmakers in Attendance
Three powerful Florida films including the true story of a theater group in Venice, Florida, that transforms the lives of developmentally challenged actors.
When She Flies
The Keys, a Cat and a Black Fish
The Best Show in Town
Saturday, October 23, 10:45am
Sunday, October 24, 3:30pm
Shorts Package 7
Student Filmmaker Showcase
92 minutes
From dramatic camerawork to sparkling animation and compelling storytelling, this collection of 12 films features the industry's newest filmmakers, screened together as part of a special look at up-and-coming talent.
K-12 Division
Miss Fortune
Escalation
Down Seafaring Way
Perennial
Anopsia
College/University Division
Stay on the Line for Further Assistance
Nai Nai
Breaking Vanilla
Ruff and Buff
Gretel + Hansel: A New Musical
Legend of the Claw
Namak
Saturday, October 23, 3:00pm
Special Presentation
A Community Documentary
Avow Presents
Life Lessons Learned in the Military
2021, NR, US, Documentary, 60 minutes
Florida Premiere
Florida Film
Director: Renee Stoll, Joel Collazo
Producer: Renee Stoll, Joel Collazo
Writer: Renee Stoll
After conducting interviews with 17 of Southwest Florida’s military veterans from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Marines, Avow presents a compilation of their stories. Avow Presents: Life Lessons Learned in the Military chronicles the lives of these veterans and the life lessons they learned during their time in the military. Though they come from different backgrounds and served in various generations, those lessons have stayed with each of them to this day.
Saturday, October 23, 3pm
Talks & Panel Discussions
Conversations with Filmmakers
The Importance of Independent Film
2021 NIFF Panel Discussion
60 minutes
Filmmakers in Attendance
Panelists:
Robin Hauser, director $avvy
Liz Cardenas, producer 7 Days
Martin Copping, director The Dunes
Christopher Chambers, director A Fire Within
Jonathan Keijser, director Peace By Chocolate
Moderator:
Elaine Newton, PhD, Artis—Naples resident film critic
You’ve heard the term “independent film” for years, but what does it really mean — and what role does it play in culture and society? In this panel, Elaine Newton sits down with some of our visiting filmmakers to get a glimpse of their motivation and what they feel separates “indie” films from the standard-fare, big-budget Hollywood movie. Admission is free. Reserved ticket required.
Friday, October 22, 10am
Artists Through the Lens
2021 NIFF Panel Discussion
60 minutes
Filmmakers in Attendance
Panelists:
Bernadette Wegenstein, director The Conductor
Douglas Tirola, director Bernstein's Wall
Justin Monroe, director Holy Frit
Tim Carey, subject Holy Frit
Jim Bernfield, director Me to Play
Moderator:
Elaine Newton, PhD, Artis—Naples resident film critic
Through the lens of film, the life and work of an artist can take on a new shape and meaning, providing deeper insight into the artist behind that work and the motivations for the art they create. In this panel, Elaine Newton sits down with some of our visiting filmmakers to discuss the visual and performing artists at the center of their films — and to learn about the challenges and triumphs involved with sharing these personal stories. Admission is free. Reserved ticket required.
Saturday, October 23, 10am
Closing Night
Food, Fun, Awards and Film
Awards Ceremony, Film & Wrap Party
2021 Naples International Film Festival Awards
Filmmakers in Attendance
There’s no better way to cap your Naples International Film Festival experience than by attending the Closing Night Awards Ceremony. Enjoy food, fun and a chance to celebrate the very best work NIFF brought to Naples this year.
Sunday, October 24, 5:30pm
Closing Night Film
Back to the Future in Concert
1985, PG, US, Adventure Comedy, 116 minutes
Film score with full orchestra
Film and live concert performance
Experience the original film like never before with a live symphony orchestra! Jack Everly conducts the Naples Philharmonic in Alan Silvestri’s triumphant score to the classic Robert Zemeckis film. In this special concert featuring a live screening of the film, the audience will feel part of the adventure — joining Marty McFly and Doc Brown as they make their way “back to the future.”
Sunday, October 24, 7:30pm
To ensure the health and safety of our patrons, Artis—Naples has established procedures for your visit to the Kimberly K. Querrey and Louis A. Simpson Cultural Campus. Please review our COVID-19 Protocols for detailed guidance about our enhanced safety protocols.