Queens Underground International Film Festival

Thursday, October 15th through Saturday, October 17th, 5pm until 10pm, the world can watch along with Queens Underground’s Annual October International Film Festival - Virtual and Interactive with Host, Judges and Live Performances. The Audience can also Chat and Vote at: www.QueensUnderground718.com

Featuring:

Host, Comedian Kareem Green who is a three-time champion on Showtime at the Apollo. Kareem’s relatable comedic style has earned him television appearances on BET Comic View, TV One’s Bill Bellamy’s Who’s Got Jokes, HBO All DEF Comedy, Kevin Hart’s LOL, and more.

Judges include: Dave Howard, PBS Series Producer; Danielle Overton, producer of locally filmed Web Series, Alban Hills and B. Elise, Film Producer; Mai Dror, Photography Director and Hans Fulcher, acclaimed Production Designer.

Live Performances by Garrison Recordz; Hide Inaba (Japanese & African American Band); Mr. Orange Live, Nationally Acclaimed Poet along with Sherease Francis- Poet and Founder of our Mobile Book Library and Laurie West, local songstress, to name a few.

Guests include HBO executives and industry professional, Kavika.

The audience will watch the Red Carpet Interviews, Host, Judges, in-person guests Live. Some Live audience members will be able to chat. 3-Day Ticket holders can Vote for their Fan Favorite project.

Local Food Sponsors: Red Top Jerk and Althea’s Tropical Delights. PPE sponsored by Senator Leroy Comrie, 14th District.

What makes this festival very unique is that there are no other Film Festivals in Southeast Queens and none in Queens boasting this number of Categories. The Queens Underground International Film Festival attracts first timers and professionals and have created a platform for singers, musicians, poets, dancers and comedians to reach the big screen alongside filmmakers. Those who submit receive the coveted Laurel for their Title Poster placing them as eligible for IMBd placement. Submissions are Open through September 30th.

We need this for the under represented, underserved and those who do not have access to peer managed Festivals. The festival offers a much needed connection to more familiar forms of creativity, a review by peers and colleagues and time to network. Most of the past participants are not only back with for the third time, they are now collaborating with producers and directors that they met at one of our previous Film Festivals. Bringing everyone together to share and celebrate talents.

Southeast Queens, where legends once lived from James Brown, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Q Tip, Damon John to LL Cool J, etc. is now experiencing a resurgence of creative notoriety and representation as an artistic Mecca presenting Red Carpet events, Screenings, Panels, Workshops, Community Awards and Filmmaker Award Ceremonies worthy of all of its talented residents: past, present and future. For anyone interested in a Filmmaking or any area of Movie or TV production, this is the best place to start for both teenagers to adults.

For a Filmmaker, having the opportunity for their work to be screened in front of professionals and movie studio executives along with peers and community is an exciting honor unmatched while sitting in audience gauging audience acceptance and reaction to what may be years of work, unknowable challenges, self-funding, rented equipment, both the joy and stress of working with actors/actresses, crew, locations and weather.

Queens Underground is grateful for promotional support from Cultural Collaborative Jamaica, Jamaica BID, the Queens Chamber Of Commerce, Greater Jamaica Merchants Chamber, the Long Island African American Chamber Of Commerce and the Southeast Queens Scoop.

Queens Underground International Film Festival is looking for more Small Business Owners submit Commercials to promote their businesses along with more submissions from Women, High School and College Students, the Underground has come a long way in one years time. October is the 2nd Annual International Film Festival and has now added Virtual and Interactive to its In-Person Platform.

While the greatest need is Sponsors of all types, Adrienne Whaley (CEO & Founder) says she is extremely grateful to parents and close friends, Gina Sobers and Doris Dobson for their continued generous donations to ensure that the show, indeed does goes on.

Adrienne Whaley,MBA, MS.Ed., is the Executive Director of the Queens Underground Film Festival, a division of Queens Center of the Arts based in Jamaica, Queens, NY. With a career which began in Corporate America segueing into entrepreneurship prior to working as an

Educational Evaluator and Administrator, Ms. Whaley returned to her love of the arts some 4 years ago.

Ms. Whaley and son, Christian, an cartoonist, opened an art studio in their neighborhood where they offered Poetry Nights, Jazz events, Movie Nights and a Pop-Up shop. Also renting to other artists, performers and entrepreneurs the events outgrew the space and the duo realized that the need for a hub for all genres of creativity and small businesses was definitely substantial. Taking a risk, Ms. Whaley created the Queens Underground Film Festival the first of it’s kind with Movie Shorts, Music, Poetry and Dance Videos, Web Series Episodes, Small Business Commercials, Community Awards, live performances and a Pop-Up

Shop featuring small businesses, Organizations, chefs, designers and a Red Carpet entrance. Submissions average 12 countries and many filmmakers flying in from other states.

T0 submit your projects for October, February & April and for more information please visit www.queensunderground718.com.

Guest Screening Passes:

QueensCenterArts.eventbrite.com



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