Woodstock Film Festival - Film Commission

FIERCELY INDEPENDENT & CONTAGIOUS
GET INVOLVED AND SMILE!

SELECT QUOTES

FESTIVAL INFO

Mission Statement

Quotes

Smiles

Press Info

Advisory Board

E-Newsletters

Year-round Events

Focus on Music

Exposure

Youth Initiative

Woodstock FIlm Commission

About Us

SELECT QUOTES:

Salaama nikki, meira and joan and the rest of the smiling gang

thank you for hosting me and three generations of family -
we were all so moved by the beauty and the cheer and hospitality -
and thank you again for the best award i have ever won!

love,
Mira Nair, 2004 Honorary Maverick Award recipient

"The films here are wonderful, it’s a great place…”
Lili Taylor, Casa de Los Babys

“This is a special place for films that need the kind of support that they may not

find out in the big world of filmdom. Woodstock has that kind of soul to it.”

David Strathairn, Blue Car

“This is the place to be to show your movie.”

Gill Holland, Producer

"It’s a wonderful festival."
Liev Schreiber

“We’re digging Woodstock, no doubt about it”.
Benjamin Bratt, Pinero

"There’s no better place in the world to have its U.S. premiere than in Woodstock."
Ethan Hawke, Chelsea Walls

"It’s the most wonderful festival I’ve been to. The reception of the film is… you know…

it leaves me speechless. It’s a special festival.”

Ron Mann, Director, Go Further

“It’s an honor to have a film show at the Woodstock Film Festival because obviously this place

has a very important reputation and a very important history in the arts. To have a movie

show here is an honor entirely appropriate and I would try to bring any movie here.”

Tim Blake Nelson, The Grey Zone

"United Artists, we’re a major sponsor now. We really believe in the festival. I’ve been to festivals

all over the world. Woodstock, because of the town itself, it’s a very mellow, very low key festival,

but has really great films and really great people -- so young filmmakers getting their first screenings

at a festival, be well advised to check Woodstock out. It’s a great place."

Bingham Ray, President, United Artists (2003)

“For over a hundred years, Woodstock has been a place of dreams and magic.

It was a place of dreams for visual art, for crafts, for music, for popular music, for theater,

for political philosophy, for alternative lifestyles and it is entirely fitting that Woodstock

should become a place of dreams and magic for films at this time.”

Elmer Bernstein, Composer

"Everyone takes good care of you, and it's really a pleasure. It's beautiful, and
I hope the festival has more and more success."
Peter Riegert - director, actor, screenwriter "King of the Corner"

You have done a great job of creating an intimate, yet sweeping and important film festival. Your staff is impressively efficient and warm, and I felt very well taken care of. It was a great weekend for my film as well. "Soldiers Pay" was well showcased and it was a great East Coast coming out for it.

All of your hard work and efforts are well appreciated, and have paid off handsomely in one of the best film festivals I've attended.

Tricia Regan, co-director "Soldiers Pay"

"Thanks so much for a wonderful festival! Bela and I both had a fantastic time.
Thanks for doing such a great job making it happen"
Sascha Paladino - director "Obstinato; Making Music for Two"

"Thank you so much for accepting "Elephant Shoes" into the WFF.
We fell in love with your incredible staff, volunteers and entire town. Such a blast!
Wish you all the very best and many more successful Festivals to come!"
Christos Sourligas, One Man Band Films

"My only regret is that I wasn't able to hang around more.
Congratulations on pulling off another great year."
Jim Taylor - director, screenwriter "The Lost Cause"

"I really enjoyed myself, saw good films, and loved the beauty of the Woodstock countryside."
Pamela Yates, panelist

"Congratulations again on a stellar festival. You guys never disappoint in bring to
my attention films that awe, inspire and move. Add that to a forum so conducive to
meeting good people with similar interests and you have the formula for a truly great event."
Steve Hays, 120 DB Films

"The festival gets better every year thanks to your hard work and good taste.
We are proud to have been a part of it since the beginning."
Ike Phillips VP, 100.1 WDST

"I had a wonderful time in Woodstock. It was such a warm and friendly festival."
Anna Gabriel, director "Growing Up on Tour"

"Woodstock was amazing, keep up the good work."
Tommy Davis - Director, "Mojados"

"Thanks so much for screening my film.
I plan on submitting more films!"
Neal Sopata, "Bid Em In"

THANK YOU! for having me there! I had a very good time and wanted to
thank you and all your team for doing such a wonderful job! You are GREAT!
Signe Baumagne, Animation Programmer

"The festival was great and you and the rest of the volunteers and staff made the trip worthwhile.
You are so lucky to live in such a beautiful place during the fall.
Thank you for your warmth and attention to detail. I am looking forward to
Arts Engine working with the festival more in the future."
Kibra A. Yohannes, Director of Operations, Arts Engine, Inc.

To Meira, Laurent, Nikki(and husbond), Joan, Shelly, Tracy, Ian, Barbara, Gary
and all the others at Woodstock Film Festival.
You are magnificent and I had the best time in Woodstock.
I will start writing film so I can come back and participate in the film festival.

Michael Nybrandt, "The Forbidden Team"

I had a wonderful time! Thank you for programming "SPEAK!"

Jessica Sharzer, director, "Speak"

Everyone was so wonderful, I really appreciated it.

I heard time and time again from various filmmakers how well
they were being treated and how wonderful the festival is which I wholeheartedly agree.

Melisse Seleck, NYWIFT

A sincere THANK YOU to you and Joan for such a wonderful experience at WFF!!!
I can't tell you how much we appreciated you guys ironing out our sticky lodging situation.
(Never again will I make arrangements for a 15 person caravan!)

I look forward to attending WFF down the road as a guest, rather than a filmmaker, so that
I have an opportunity to enjoy some of the other films -- what a fantastic array of films you guys had this year .
Yours is a festival I will highly recommend to all my friends and colleagues.
Congratulations on doing such an amazing job. It was an honor to be part of WFF.

Nyla Adams, "Amazing Grace"

Thank you so much for everything. I am very very happy about the award. The festival is awesome."
Nina Davenport, "Parallel Lines"

Wanted to let you know that I thought you guys put on a great festival.
The 3 movies we saw on Sat. were terrific, your staff were very
helpful and courteous and the events were well organized.

We will be back next year. We can't wait!

John

"Wow. What a great festival you guys put on. I attended last year as a "civilian" and this year as a filmmaker.
On both occasions I had a great time. Thank you so much.
You are also easily the most organized of all the fests I have entered and been accepted into."

Kevin Watkins, "String"

I'm already working on my next project so I can submit next year to Woodstock FF!

Pedro, "POPaganda"

"I just wanted to tell you that I had a fabulous time at the Festival and will definitely be back next year! It was nice to meet you. Please keep me posted on everything via email or otherwise.

I also want to put in a good word for Nathan Bielkis (sp) who managed the Tinker Street venue.
He was so helpful and courteous, not only to me but to others.
It is workers like him that really make the Festival a fun time.

Ellen Geisel, full festival pass holder

THANK YOU for the amazing job. You folks have the best festival! Ruth

Ruth Sergel - director, "Belle"

The Festival was a powerhouse. A lot of good connections were made for Markertek.

Mark Braunstein - CEO, Markertek

Thank you for another astounding film festival. Every film, reception,
event we and our friends attended was absolutely astounding.
We look forward to a continued involvement in sponsoring
and supporting (as well as attending) the Woodstock Film Festival.
Thank you for giving us something to be extremely proud of as residents of the Hudson Valley.
There is a wealth of gifted, talented, sensitive, hardworking, caring people and the Woodstock Film Festival
has done so much to bring these elements and people together. You both have much to be proud of.

Sherry and Rick, full festival pass holders

Thank you both again. I had a wonderful time and the panels were incredible. I really enjoyed myself.

If you have the chance, could you extend a special thank you to Barbara -
she went above and beyond the call of duty to help me with my lodging situation,
and I don't have her email. I did want her to know that her kindness is sincerely appreciated.

Woodstock is still the best film festival out there! Maybe I'll even see you next year, with a feature!

Todd Smith, "Young Americans"

The Woodstock Film Festival was a wonderful experience for us.

Sean Bachrodt - Producer, "Unknown Soldier"

Thank YOU so much. We had a great time and hope to be able to work with you both again.
Annette - poducer, "Admissions"

Thank you for inviting "Definition of Insanity" to your terrific festival.
We had a great time, and our screenings went very well. Everyone at the fest made us feel really at home.
You are an extraordinary group of people and I hope I can return soon with another film.
Robert Margolis, Dirt Road Films

Margot and I had a fantastic time and the reaction to our film were very encouraging.
Everyone working for the festival was fabulous - congratulation on putting such a great team together.
Thomas - director, "Don;t Call it Heimweh..."

Thanks so much - I had a fantastic time at the festival.
I loved Woodstock and Saugerties so much that I'm actually thinking of relocating there!
Diane

It was the best one yet! I love being a part of what you have created and I'm in it for the long haul.
I feel proud to have been there from the start. I love working with you and I feel
like we have a great like minded and symbiotic relationship.
Doreen Ringer Ross, BMI

Congrats on another successful Festival and we look forward to next year........
Gary H. Chetkof - President, WDST/RadioWoodstock

We had a great time and I will certainly send films that I think are appropriate your way.
Congrats on a great fest!
Liz Garbus, Moxie Firecracker

Thanks for having me, the panels were really interesting. Jeanne and
I had a great time and wished we could have stayed longer.
Bob Berney, Newmarket Films

"Just wanted to tell you I had a great time at the festival - by far
the most enjoyable and well organized I've been to all year."
Robert Stone - Director, "Guerilla; The Taking of Patty Hearst"

"We enjoyed the festival very much. Congratulations on your great success!"
Steven Beer, Greenberg Trautig

"The festival was beautiful."
Alan Hoffmanis, Programmer, Lake placid Film Festival

"The audiences are very eclectic and they are really into watching movies of all genres.
They also have questions that [one] just wouldn't hear at other film festivals..
It's great because [one] gets to meet amazing artists and important
industry supporters of independent film [and] all in this very peaceful setting."
Nisha Ganatra - director, "Cosmolpolitan"

"Woodstock was a great place for my film because it provided an intelligent and eager audience of arts-lovers.
The whole weekend, I bumped into people around town who had seen
my film and wanted to share their thoughts on it."
Sascha Paladino quote to Indiewire

“You may certainly consider us as returning sponsors for next year's festival.

You have given Woodstock, once the Artistic Colony of the United States,

the flavor and sense of significant culture, communication,

and what should be an important part of each of our lives.”

Sherry and Rick Gottschalk (2003)

“We thought this was a great venue for us. It really sort of matches

our brand because our readers are very sort of independent-minded

trendsetters, not unlike the people participating in the festival.”

Natalie Kaye, Marketing Director, Organic Style Magazine (2003)

"Most third-year regional film festivals cannot count on an array of the film world's

A-listers scurrying through local haunts, attending screenings, participating in panels

or rockin' out at parties worthy of the Croisette, Yorkville, Park City, or Potsdamer Platz.

To be fair, Woodstock, NY has some innate advantages. Its community unabashedly caters

to creativity, and it has the money to indulge the vicinity's aesthetics and eccentricities.

The lush mountainous terrain is a natural oasis for beleaguered New Yorkers eager for a

weekend getaway. So the Woodstock Film Festival is quite a draw, and its solid line-up

attracts a broad spectrum of the New York film community to the enclave that one participant

called "the world's most famous small town."
Indiewire (2002)

“The Woodstock Film Festival has honored its commitment with first class

events, seminars, workshops and concerts that promote sustainable

economic development on a multitude of levels.”
Victoria Langling, Director, Markertek Fund (2003)

“Woodstock and film and music are just a natural fit if you think about the history of this place

and the reputation that it has. It’s so cool that this festival exists. I love coming here!”
Doreen Ringer Ross, BMI (2003)

"We are delighted to be a sponsor of this years Woodstock Film Festival.

This is our second year doing it and it’s a wonderful venue for independent

filmmakers and just people who love film..."
Susan DeCarava, Writer's Guild of America East (2003)

“It’s a perfect place for a film festival -- Woodstock – come on! I mean it’s

amazing that it’s only been three years. You would think it’s as established as Telluride.”
Bingham Ray, President, United Artists (2002)

“We were thrilled with this year's festival. The remarkable films and filmmakers, the

knowledgeable crowds and the spirit of Woodstock all added up to a great weekend.”
Scott Lehmann, Promotion Director, Esquire Magazine (2002)

"I was very impressed with the coverage the festival generated.

Congratulations on a wonderful event. We're looking forward to next year's festival! Thank you.”
Todd Garofano, Amtrak (2002)

“In its fourth year, the Woodstock Film Festival was abundant in lively panel discussions,

socially conscious films made by exceptionally young filmmakers and music-centered pics...”

Gabrielle Mitchell-Marell, Variety

"What can I say but WOW!!"
James Hirtenstein, full festival pass holder (2003)

"In an ideal world (and Woodstock's denizens specialize in Utopian visions),

these all-too-common celluloid celebrations shouldn't just give out-of-towners a chance

to schmooze; they should reflect and enhance the communities that spawn them.

And in that respect, as it nears the five-year mark, Woodstock is becoming one of

the most distinctive festivals on the circuit."

Stephen Garrett, Time Out New York

“The Woodstock Film Festival meshes true independent spirit with social awareness”.

Hollywood Reporter

“The festival really shows a lot of heart and passion and that is

something that’s really unique in the festival business and I really felt at

home here. I had a wonderful time and I hate to leave.”

Bill Plympton, Animator

“The people! The people are eager, they’re open, they’re smart, they’re discerning,

and they’re watching my film… hopefully they’re going to like it!”

Peter Hedges, Pieces of April

"My days consist of going to parties and sitting by the stream and writing

and seeing great films and I’m just having a wonderful time. I love it!"

Jennifer Elster, Particles of Truth

"They show fantastic art movies, and movies with a thought behind them,

and movies with a kind of social consciousness which is perfect for

Woodstock because it has a history of having such a kind of conscious."
Marcia Gay Harden, Casa de Los Babys

“Hands down the best festival I’ve been to.”
Patrick Downs, Director, Broken

“We had a great screening yesterday. It’s one of the best audiences that I’ve had

for the film in all the festivals that I’ve been to with really great questions.

It’s been a really great festival. Excellent parties too, by the way.

I hope I can come back with another film.”

Peter Mattei, Director, Love in the Time of Money

"It was just the perfect outlet for Rising Low. It could not have been a better weekend.”

Mike Gordon - Director, Rising Low

“I love this town and I love this fest. It’s one of those festivals that you knew right

when it started that it would become the Sundance of the east.”

Will Keenan, Director, OMC

“It's an engaged intellectual town. They had genuine questions. They asked about

the future of Kosovo, not just [standard questions] like what was going to happen to the movie."

Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, A Normal Life

“This is such an intimate festival. That’s why I like it. I got to meet

Olympia Dukakis. I chatted with Lili Taylor. I sat next to directors, and

I debated editing strategies. This is the kind of festival where you can really get

to know the people who come. So, it’s my kind of place.”

Barbara Hammer, Resisting Paradise

"We’ve been to a couple other film festivals and hands down -- this is by far the best

one where the community comes together and gets involved with everybody.

I mean it’s been an amazing adventure for us. We’ve been here almost five days

and we can’t get enough of it. I don’t want to leave Woodstock!”

Jonathan Walls, Playing For Change

"This was simply one of the best times of my life (regardless of the award)”.

Jarek Kupsc, Director, Recoil

"What a great festival... I had a great time and I hope I'll have a

reason to return next year. Maybe [with] a feature."

Rick Mowat, Director, Manhattan's Best Friend

“Connecting in with a music film into a town that has so many musicians and has
such a history is great… It’s an amazing community up here.”

Lee Hirsch, Director, Amandla

“I love this town and I love this fest. It’s one of those festivals that you knew
right when it started that it would become the Sundance of the east.”

Will Keenan, Director, OMC

"This award is especially meaningful to me because like I always do, I sit in the audience and
I watch the film and I was there yesterday afternoon at one-thirty for a fabulous matinee and
it was by far the most warmly received screening that we’ve ever had."

Sean Welsh, Producer, Spellbound

“I think I speak on behalf of everyone involved by saying thank YOU!

having participated and loved the Woodstock Film Festival in the past,

and having always considered it an absolute highlight of my year,

(and the Icing on the cake that we break our backs for...)

I have to say that this year's lineup of films, events, industry turnout and

enthusiasm was unprecedented-- and exceeded all of our expectations...

the experience was extraordinary on every level.. thank you for

making September so memorable for all of us!”

Amy Gossels, Producer, Broken

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at (845) 679-4265 or by email at sponsorwoodstock@woodstockfilmfestival.com

The Woodstock Film Festival is a not-for-profit, 501 (C)(3) organization with a mission to present an annual program and year-round schedule of film, music, and art-related activities that promote artists, culture, inspired learning, and diversity. The Woodstock Film Commission promotes sustainable economic development by attracting and supporting film, video and media production.