EXCLUSIVE: The Naples Film Festival – considered one of the top regional festivals in the U.S. – announced the lineup today for its 17th edition, r
EXCLUSIVE: The Naples Film Festival – considered one of the top regional festivals in the U.S. – announced the lineup today for its 17th edition, running October 23-26 in the town on Florida’s Gulf coast.
The event, a program of Artis-Naples, a multidisciplinary arts organization, offers a slate of 60 international fiction and nonfiction films chosen from among 1,000 submissions. Five world premieres and one U.S. premiere are on the program. More than $15,000 in prize money will be awarded to juried and audience prize winners across a range of categories.
‘On a String’
Naples International Film Festival
On a String, selected for Narrative Competition, marks the directorial debut of actress-filmmaker Isabel Hagen. Logline: “A Juilliard-trained violist still living at home with her parents in New York City makes money playing gigs with friends until her toxic ex reappears and informs her of an opening for a violist in a prestigious orchestra.”
ZDF/Arte
Documentary Competition includes a film with a Florida tie-in: Apollo 1, directed by Mark Craig, “looks back at the tragedy that killed astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee on January 27, 1967, in Cape Canaveral, Florida.”
Noted filmmaker Patrick Creadon (Wordplay, I.O.U.S.A, Hesburgh) brings The Pantone Guy to Naples, a documentary that also boasts a Florida connection. The film centers on 96-year-old Palm Beach resident Larry Herbert who created the Pantone Matching System, “which revolutionized the worldwide use of color, enhancing artistic expression and commercial production.”
Syntaxis Productions
Rebel With a Clause, from director Brandt Johnson, introduces audiences to a grammar guru who “takes her pop-up grammar advice on a road trip across all 50 states to show that comma fights can bring us closer together in a divided time.”
‘The Princess Bride’
Twentieth Century Fox
NIFF closes on Sunday, October 26 not with a modern film, but a classic presented in novel fashion. The screening of beloved 1987 adventure comedy The Princess Bride, directed by Rob Reiner, will feature a live performance of Mark Knopfler’s score by the Naples Philharmonic, conducted by Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly.
“Each year, the Naples International Film Festival affirms the role of film as a vital art form within our multidisciplinary mission,” said Artis—Naples CEO and President Kathleen van Bergen. “This year’s lineup offers stories and perspectives that cross cultures and experiences, reminding us of the many ways the arts can deepen our understanding of ourselves and each other. NIFF continues to be a place for filmmakers and film lovers to come together in meaningful dialogue, sparking conversations that continue long after the festival ends.”
Naples International Film Festival
David Filner, EVP, artistic operations, commented, “Our team has spent the past several months shaping a lineup that reflects the rich and varied spirit of independent cinema. From powerful documentaries to inventive narrative features and short films, these selections invite audiences into an experience that is as engaging as it is diverse. NIFF remains a space where filmmakers and film lovers share in the discovery and excitement that only cinema can inspire.”
The Naples International Film Festival made MovieMaker magazine’s list of Top 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World in 2019, and last year earned the magazine’s ranking as one of the “Top 50 Film Festivals Worth the Submission Fee.”
“NIFF is more than a festival,” noted Festival Producer Shannon Franklin. “It has earned a reputation as a welcoming destination for both emerging and established filmmakers who know their work will be embraced and celebrated here. The warmth of the Southwest Florida community makes the experience truly special for everyone, and we look forward to the energy and sense of celebration this year’s festival will bring.”
This is the full lineup announced today:
OPENING NIGHT SHORT FILMS
A Friend of Dorothy EAST COAST PREMIERE
Director: Lee Knight; Country: U.K. | Running time: 21 minutes
A lonely widow’s peaceful life is upended when a teenage boy accidentally kicks a ball into her garden, leading to a blossoming friendship neither could have imagined.
Drop Off
Director: Ric Serena; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 3 minutes
A couple unravels as parenting takes its toll, leading to a debate about unloading their children at a nearby fire station.
Learning How to Drive
Director: Tyler Cunningham; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 10 minutes
A recent L.A. transplant and struggling actress-turned-babysitter must chauffeur a precocious preteen to a birthday party in Laurel Canyon. There’s just one problem: She barely knows how to drive.
Retirement Plan
Director:John Kelly; Country: Ireland | Running Time: 7 minutes
Lacking enthusiasm in his overstimulated midlife, Ray (Domhnall Gleeson) dreams of the beauty and joy he will find in retirement.
The Singers
Director: Sam Davis; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 18 minutes
The Singers explores the complexities of masculinity and the power of vulnerability through art as a pub of downtrodden patrons unexpectedly connects through an impromptu sing-off.
Willow and Wu
Director: Kathy Meng; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 14 minutes
On her day off—and fresh off a breakup—Willow, a youthful, overworked assistant, is assigned to aid her high-powered boss’ husband with a bizarre task that’s clearly beyond her job duties.
Xmas Tree EAST COAST PREMIERE
Director: Herman Karlsson; Country: Finland | Running Time: 15 minutes
When someone steals the exorbitant Christmas tree Marco purchased, he refuses to buy another one. Instead, he decides to steal one from a nearby property owned by a neighbor. Unfortunately, his plan goes awry.
CLOSING NIGHT FILM PRESENTATION
The Princess Bride
Director: Rob Reiner; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 98 minutes
A fairy tale adventure about a stunning youthful woman and her one true love who must find her after a long separation and save her from the evils of the mythical kingdom of Florin.
NARRATIVE COMPETITION FEATURES
Happy As Larry
Director: Hugo André; Country: U.K. | Running Time: 87 minutes
Unsatisfied with life after years of writing novels more compelling than his own life, Larry goes on one last adventure before his scheduled demise. But Dale, an uninvited companion, disrupts his final chapter.
Mistura
Director: Ricardo de Montreuil; Country: Peru | Running Time: 97 minutes
A prejudiced woman’s life unravels after her husband leaves her. Out of necessity, she opens a restaurant, where a diverse team slowly transforms her, leading her to discover Peru’s remarkable cuisine and people.
On a String
Director: Isabel Hagen; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 78 minutes
A Juilliard-trained violist still living at home with her parents in New York City makes money playing gigs with friends until her toxic ex reappears and informs her of an opening for a violist in a prestigious orchestra.
DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION FEATURES
Apollo 1
Director: Mark Craig; Countries: U.K./Germany | Running Time: 102 minutes
As a modern generation readies a return to the moon, Apollo 1 looks back at the tragedy that killed astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee on January 27, 1967, in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Coroner to the Stars
Directors: Ben Hethcoat, Keita Ideno; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 83 minutes
Learn about Dr. Thomas Noguchi, the former Los Angeles County chief medical examiner-coroner, whose groundbreaking autopsies from Marilyn Monroe to John Belushi forever shaped American culture.
Jimmy & The Demons
Director: Cindy Meehl; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 93 minutes
Go inside the mind of celebrated sculptor James Grashow, age 79, as he pours time, labor, creativity, passion and his health into his magnum opus: a towering sculpture of Jesus and demons.
ADDITIONAL NARRATIVE FEATURES
Do Us Part EAST COAST PREMIERE
Director: Reed Arnold; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 93 minutes
When Rose, Ryan’s never-quite-requited love and best friend from college, shows up to his wedding unannounced, determined to rectify her greatest mistake, Ryan’s best man, Mark, must navigate a minefield of secrets to prevent the past from rewriting the future.
The Easy Kind
Director: Katy Chevigny; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 98 minutes
In this genre-bending debut narrative feature, veteran documentary filmmaker Katy Chevigny follows a rising middle-aged country music singer as she navigates the music industry while trying to free herself from the everyday issues holding her back.
For Worse
Director: Amy Landecker; Country: U.S. |Running Time: 85 minutes
Fresh off a messy divorce, a 50-year-old sober mom tries to rebuild her life and stumbles into a modern beginning after finding herself at a Gen Z wedding behaving like a drunk 25-year-old bridesmaid.
Group – The Schopenhauer Project WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Alexis Lloyd; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 119 minutes
The members of a therapy group deal with its dissolution after a newcomer reveals his intentions to write a TV series based on his experience in this world premiere from French filmmaker Alexis Lloyd (30 Beats) that’s been called “the closest representation of what group feels like.”
Omaha
Director: Cole Webley; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 83 minutes
Following a tragedy, two children embark on a cross-country journey with their father, encountering an unfamiliar world. As their adventure unfolds, one child discovers things might not be what they seem.
Pilgrim
Directors: Scout Purdy and Doug Purdy; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 111 minutes
An overachieving teen and her man-child father decide to hike the California coast in this heartwarming story of connection and discovery.
Seems Like Love
Director: Yana Klimova-Yusupova; Country: Russia | Running Time: 92 minutes
When you travel to an unfamiliar place, you never know what or who you’ll love. As Liza explores Saint Petersburg for the first time, she becomes smitten with the city’s sights, bohemian parties and two modern friends.
ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
Anxiety Club
Director: Wendy Lobel; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 86 minutes
Anxiety Club takes the audience backstage to meet with some of today’s most brilliant (and anxious) comedians as they candidly share their personal struggles with the world’s most prevalent mental health condition: anxiety.
Dream Touch Believe EAST COAST PREMIERE
Director: Jenna Naranjo Winters; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 85 minutes
This film explores the inspiring life story of blind, Indigenous sculptor Michael Naranjo. With no eyes and the utilize of one hand, Naranjo, a veteran who suffered his injuries in a Vietnam grenade attack, creates sculptures coveted by collectors worldwide.
The Pantone Guy
Director: Patrick Creadon; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 80 minutes
At age 96, Palm Beach resident Larry Herbert reflects on his life, from his Depression-era Brooklyn upbringing to creating the Pantone Matching System, which revolutionized the worldwide utilize of color, enhancing artistic expression and commercial production.
Rebel With a Clause
Director: Brandt Johnson; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 86 minutes
A grammar guru takes her pop-up grammar advice on a road trip across all 50 states to show that comma fights can bring us closer together in a divided time.
Remembering Big: Juan “Chi Chi” Rodriguez Story
Directors: Marisol Gonzalez, Alina Mogollon-Volk; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 84 minutes
From the sugarcane plantation to the PGA Hall of Fame, this documentary feature follows the stunning rise of a indigent Puerto Rican kid to becoming one of professional golf’s most popular players in history.
Silver Screamers
Director: Sean Cisterna; Country: Canada | Running Time: 94 minutes
A group of seniors living in a retirement community band together on an extraordinary adventure—making a horror film. Along the way, the seniors challenge stereotypes, defy expectations and discover how the timeless power of creativity can build lasting friendships.
Thaw
Director: Robin Hauser; Countries: U.S./Barbados | Running Time: 86 minutes
Egg freezing is a billion-dollar industry that gives women the freedom to pause their biological clocks and extend their reproductive choices. Thaw follows three American women as they navigate their options and question what “choice” means in this modern era of eggs on ice.
The Stamp Thief
Director: Dan Sturman; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 103 minutes
Part detective story, part heist film and part untold history, The Stamp Thief investigates a Holocaust-era rumor that a mysterious Nazi stole priceless stamp collections from concentration camp victims and buried them in a Polish town.
The True Story of Tamara de Lempicka & The Art of Survival
Director: Julie Rubio; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 96 minutes
From her rise in the world of art in 1920s Paris and fleeing fascism in the 1940s, this documentary traces the turbulent and decadent life and career of one of the 20th century’s most revered female artists, the preeminent Art Deco painter Tamara de Lempicka.
SHORT FILM PACKAGE: A FAMILY AFFAIR
Baby Blues
Director: Helen Komini Knudsen; Country: Norway | Running Time: 10 minutes
What goes on in the mind of a sleep-deprived mother as she takes her napping baby on a walk? Follow Marte on her stroll to a nearby coffee shop as she tries to avoid the threats that may awaken her newborn.
The Frame U.S. PREMIERE
Director: Óskar Þór Ámundason; Country: Iceland | Running Time: 17 minutes
Eva and Halldór’s mother stopped speaking since falling ill. Eva has been taking care of her with the aid of nurse Védís, but when Halldór visits, the household balance is disrupted with unforeseen consequences.
Hāfu
Director: Josh Wolff; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 16 minutes
Emi, a Japanese American and bride-to-be, reconnects with her recently relocated grandmother. As the two learn about each other, Emi begins to embrace a side of her she never knew, opening a door that can never be closed.
Mildred 4 a Million
Director:Kimmie P. Callaway; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 21 minutes
A gregarious great-grandmother who desperately wants the attention of her tech-obsessed great-granddaughter sets out on a quest to get a million followers on TikTok.
Timeless WORLD PREMIERE
Directors: Stevo Chang, Rachel Mathieu; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 11 minutes
When an overworked woman encounters a freak accident that leaves time frozen, she thinks she’s finally found the freedom to explore Paris, her dream city, alone.
SHORTS PACKAGE: TWISTS AND TURNS
Halfway Haunted
Director: Sam Rudykoff; Country: Canada | Running Time: 17 minutes
Jess, a tenant living in a haunted house (because she can’t afford anything else), teams up with a ghost to stop a real estate developer from demolishing the home they share.
The Protagonist Gene
Director: Kyle Leland Cullerton; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 8 minutes
When the timid Lisa meets with her physician and is medically diagnosed as a supporting character, she takes matters into her own hands, swallowing an experimental serum to attain main character energy.
Remote Strutting EAST COAST PREMIERE
Director: Lorna Fitzsimons; Country: Ireland | Running Time: 12 minutes
Mia, a deaf, talented youthful IT professional, navigates the complexities of her career and personal life by shifting between real and imaginary worlds. In the real world, she works remotely, daydreaming about working in a lively office with fun colleagues.
Rolling Film, Rocking History, Al Maysles Captures the Beatle
Director: Bart Weiss; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 11 minutes
Al and David Maysles directed some of the greatest documentary films ever (Gimme Shelter/Grey Gardens), but their work capturing intimate moments of the Beatles’ arrival in New York City in 1964 hasn’t been told until now.
The Second Time Around
Director:Jack Howard; Country: U.K. | Running Time: 12 minutes
Left alone closing a café on a stormy night, a youthful waitress opens the door to let a mysterious older woman inside, while also opening her mind to the belief that this moment matters more than she knows.
Wilhelm Scream
Director: Anna Quinlan; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 12 minutes
Besides making movies, the one thing Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson, Quentin Tarantino and hundreds of other filmmakers have in common is that they all used a sound effect called the “Wilhelm Scream,” the most infamous inside joke in cinema history.
SHORTS PACKAGE: INTERNATIONAL ART OF ANIMATION
Éiru
Director: Giovanna Ferrari; Country: Ireland | Running Time: 13 minutes
Determined to be a warrior, the smallest child of an Iron Age clan is thrust into action after a well runs dehydrated. With no one smaller, she descends into it, hoping to bring water back to her people and become the village’s most unlikely hero.
Hurikán
Director: Jan Saska; Countries: Czech Republic, France, Slovakia, Bosnia and Herzegovina | Running Time: 13 minutes
In one of Prague’s wildest districts, Hurikán faces robbers, cops and his own thirst as he rushes to find a modern keg to save his favorite beer stand from closing while also impressing an attractive bartender.
Line 12
Directors: Sarah Schulz, Christopher Schmier; Country: Germany | Running Time: 8 minutes
The detailed and dependable train conductor on Line 12 has his carefully planned day upended when he finds a stowaway and carefree musician hiding in his machine room. Then catastrophe strikes, and the two must overcome their differences to save the train from derailment.
Ovary-Acting
Director: Ida Melum; Country: U.K. | Running Time: 12 minutes
While stuck at her sister’s baby shower, a 30-something woman is forced to decide whether she wants to have kids or not after unexpectedly giving birth to her reproductive organs.
Patterns
Director: Alex Glawion; Country: Germany | Running Time: 8 minutes
A traveler’s positive mindset goes awry after encountering a barrage of noise and rude people during his morning commute, forcing him to put on his headphones and escape into a lively, patterned world where he briefly meets a lively woman before returning to real life.
Scars We Love
Director: Raphaël Jouzeau; Country: France | Running Time: 15 minutes
Despite breaking up, Gaspard is still in love with Leïla. When the two meet in a café to find some closure, they delve into their past and begin to understand what led to their demise.
Vinny
Director: Declan Boyle; Country: Ireland | Running Time: 3 minutes
A vinyl record named Vinny takes viewers on a nostalgic journey as he struggles to remain relevant despite changes in style and formats, positioning him as a relic of the past. Is he destined for a life of collecting dust on a shelf, or will he somehow make a comeback?
SHORTS PACKAGE: FLORIDA STORIES
George V
Directors: Dennis Scholl, Dia Kontaxis; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 12 minutes
When a Ukrainian immigrant retires to 1970s South Beach, he discovers a hidden talent for fine art. Decades later, a youthful friend’s devotion to preserving his work results in a celebrated museum exhibition.
The Little Brown Bird
Director: KT Bryden; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 33 minutes
Once down to 80 in the wild, the Florida grasshopper sparrow is at risk of extinction. Biologist Fabiola ‘Fabby’ Baeza-Tarin and an unexpected team work together to protect the sparrows, their shrinking habitat and the headwaters of the Everglades.
Lynda Fay Braun WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Jacopo Fantastichini; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 6 minutes
In the wake of Hurricane Ian, Naples-based abstract painter Lynda Braun transforms destruction into inspiration, revealing how resilience and creativity can uncover beauty in the overlooked patterns of everyday life.
Parker & Sammy
Directors: Guto Barra, Peter DiMario; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 33 minutes
Naples residents Parker Seward and Sammy Callari take over the silver screen in this film about a friendship that develops between a youthful man with Down syndrome and an ex-cage fighter.
SHORTS PACKAGE: STUDENT FILMMAKER SHOWCASE
Holy Cow (College) WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Karthik Swaminathan; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 2 minutes
A youthful boy in India becomes frustrated by cows in the road impeding his way to school. But after he rejects the sacred animal, a holy cow shows up to teach him a lesson.
Irrational Geographic (College)
Director: Katie Gibbs; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 2 minutes
Despite their ability to converse like humans, two animals on the set of a wildlife documentary are not being cooperative. Join the film crew as they attempt to capture an intense chase scene between the two.
The Lonely Life of Lint (College)
Director: Sarah Sklar; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 4 minutes
A lint creature in the dryer vent of a corner laundromat becomes aware of its isolation and loneliness and sets out to make a friend.
Midnight Monsters (College) WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Lauren Best; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 2 minutes
A baby bunny must overcome her fear of the obscure to confront a sinister wolf made entirely of shadows after she believes the gigantic, bad wolf stole her beloved carrot plushie while she slept.
Pulpitum (K-12)
Director: Caleb Reese Paul; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 15 minutes
Determined to find her missing sister, Claire investigates the mysterious church rituals of her compact town and battles fragmented visions, cryptic encounters, ever-present surveillance, and a dangerously unorthodox society.
Veil of Valor (College)
Director: Emily Rice; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 8 minutes
The peaceful resilience of a military spouse is tested after her husband deploys, leaving her to care for their youthful daughter and face her own battle with loneliness.
What the Heaven! (College)
Director: Richard Yan; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 13 minutes
When a Chinese American film student is visited by the ghost of his recently deceased father, the student is not only forced to confront the supernatural but is enlisted by the ghost to resolve unfinished business before he can pass on to the afterlife.
Where We Left Off (K-12)
Director: Hunter Nickless; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 10 minutes
Childhood sweethearts Vivian and Grant grew up believing they had their future all planned out. But when a secret comes to life, their plans to attend the same college—and live out their happily ever after—are upended.
Wrestle-Off (College)
Director: Sabatino Ciatti Jr.; Country: U.S. | Running Time: 19 minutes
High school wrestler Alex battles with the grief of her father’s passing and the hostility of her teammates as she competes for a varsity spot on an all-male wrestling team.
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