Wilton Filmmaker Featured in Ridgefield Independent Film Festival with The Buddy System

Early Bird Passes On Sale Now

RIFF Runs May 19-21 in Ridgefield

The Ridgefield Independent Film Festival (RIFF) is thrilled to announce its 2017 selections. The annual festival, in its second year, will screen 55 films from 19 countries at various venues in Ridgefield, Connecticut, a vibrant town just 60 miles northeast of New York City. Passes are on sale now at early bird prices ($100 for ALL FESTIVAL passes and $75 for ALL FILM passes) at www.riff.website. RIFF runs May 19-21.

The films were selected by a dedicated 25-person screening committee comprised of local film lovers and arts community leaders of all ages with RIFF's mission in mind: to make the world a more compassionate place through the sharing of stories from around the globe through cinema. The 2017 selections include full-length and short narrative features, long and short-form documentaries, animated films, web/new media series and student films and come from places as nearby as Wilton and Norwalk, Connecticut and as faraway as South Africa, Iran, Taiwan, Israel, Germany, Australia and Andorra. Complete list of films below.

"The RIFF screening committee viewed more than 275 films over the past few months and narrowed down the selections to showcase the finest independent films," remarked RIFF Co-Director, Sean M. Murphy. "We were so impressed by the caliber of filmmaking shown by all entrants. We believe that this year's slate builds upon last year's amazing showcase."    

The schedule for RIFF is still being finalized, but there are a few special screenings that have already been confirmed. More to be announced soon.

  • "What Children Do" -- A comedy about two estranged sisters who are thrust back into each other's lives by the impending death of their grandmother and are forced to try to repair their feral relationship. Screening on Saturday, May 20th in the evening at The Ridgefield Playhouse with Director Dean Peterson and cast and crew members. 
  • "The Buddy System" -- Wilton, Connecticut-based filmmaker Megan Smith-Harris will present her heart-warming new documentary film about the extraordinary bond between specially trained assistance dogs and children on the autism spectrum. Q&A with the Smith-Harris to follow the film. Location and time TBA. 
  • "Let Me Get What I Want" -- Screening on Saturday, May 20th (time TBA) at the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum of the long-form music film by Daddy (collaboration between actor/director/artist James Franco and musician/artist Tim O'Keefe) followed by Q&A with O'Keefe and others involved in the project.
  • "Written Off" -- Documentary. Grippingly honest personal journals reveal the secrets one man worked so hard to conceal as an innocent prescription for painkillers leads to a 10-year struggle to escape opiates and the stigma that surrounds his addiction. Discussion to follow with filmmaker Molly Hermann and community leaders about the opioid epidemic. Location and time TBA. 
  • Indie Horror Night -- Screenings of the feature-length zombie film "Dead Sunrise", along with shorts "Venefica," "I Should Have Run" and "Toward the Entryway" at the Keeler Tavern Carriage Barn on Friday, May 19th in the evening.

The Ridgefield Independent Film Festival, created by local playwright and theatre director, Joanne Hudson, is an intimate, international, independent and inspired film festival. Each spring, RIFF brings dozens of films to Ridgefield, Connecticut for thoughtful screenings in curated venues including the Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield Library, Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Keeler Tavern Museum and the Prospector Theater. In addition, RIFF offers master classes in different aspects of film and filmmaking. The festival will run May 19-21, 2017. For more information and to purchase passes, please visit www.riff.website.

RIFF 2017 Selections

  • (après le vin) After the Wine - France
  • A Simple Test - USA
  • After The Revolution - USA
  • Alvin's Harmonious World of Opposites - Australia
  • An Evening of Eternity - Germany
  • Capital Advice - USA
  • Change- Singapore
  • Clean - USA
  • Cold Breath - Iran
  • Cradle - Iran
  • Dead Sunrise - Australia
  • Dear Anima - Taiwan
  • Equipoise - USA
  • Flawless - UK
  • Forgotten Farms - USA
  • Hoda's Story - Israel
  • I Should Have Run - UK
  • Jewel's Catch One - USA
  • Jewish Blind Date - Switzerland
  • Let Me Get What I Want - USA
  • Lion Dance - USA
  • Love - Germany
  • Marc Chung Protects His Address - USA
  • My Identity - USA
  • My Name is Joan - USA
  • Nirwana Blossom - Germany
  • Once There Was A Girl - Israel
  • Once Upon A Dream - Belgium
  • One Big Home - USA
  • Petrel - Australia
  • Pool - Brazil
  • Robert Shaw - Man of Many Voices - USA
  • Shallow Waters: The Public Death of Raymond Zack - USA
  • Slummy Mummy - USA
  • Sternenkind - Germany
  • Swimming in the Desert - USA
  • The Bouquet - France
  • The Buddy System - USA
  • The Chocolate Case - The Netherlands
  • The Descendants - Iran
  • The Green Standard - USA
  • The Ides of Childhood - India
  • The Other Side - Spain
  • The Star Gazers - South Africa
  • Toward the Entryway - USA
  • Two Guys - USA
  • Two Worlds - Poland
  • Venefica - USA
  • Wake-Up Call - UK
  • What Children Do - USA
  • What The People Want - USA
  • Where We Live - Australia
  • Wolves - Andorra
  • Woman Versus - USA
  • Written Off - USA
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Submitted by Wilton, CT

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