In Honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month RIFF Screens Premiere of GINGER, A Young Woman's Unexpected Journey

RIFF presents: "Ginger" on Friday, October 11 beginning at 5:00 pm at The Ridgefield Playhouse

Tickets to the festival are on sale now at www.riffct.org

The annual Ridgefield Independent Film Festival (RIFF) takes place in October, during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

In honor of breast cancer survivors, RIFF is proud to present Ginger, a comedy/drama based on the true story of a young woman, just out of college and trying to figure out “what’s next,” who at 23 years old, discovers a lump in her breast. Ginger’s struggle to stand up as an adult and find her footing only to be undercut by a devastating cancer diagnosis, will resonate with all audiences. There is a lot of unexpected humor in the film but the sobering truth remains that “Ginger” and other women like her—our mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends—will at some point face a breast cancer diagnosis. The statistics haven’t changed: still one in eight American women will get breast cancer.

The story of Ginger is based on co-writer / co-director Melissa Boratyn’s life. Boratyn and her husband Jimmy Boratyn, also a co-writer / co-director, are coming in from Chicago for the screening and will take part in what promises to be an enlightening are a post-screening Q&A.

“As a filmmaker, my life’s mission crystallized in the face of my life's greatest sorrow,” says Melissa. “My experience with the insidious cruelty of breast cancer, especially at such a

young age, provided me with two concrete goals: I planned to not only live to see my thirtieth birthday, but I decided to make a movie that captured all of the pain, suffering, humor, and all the love that comes along with this disease. Ginger is first and foremost for all people who have gone through and will go through the horrors of breast cancer diagnoses and treatment. If my story can help empower at least one person, then it will have been successful. My hope, however, is that Ginger will move any audience member with its message of hope.”

“We cannot wait to share this touching and surprisingly funny film with RIFF audiences,” says Festival Director Megan Smith-Harris. “I know they will be just as moved by Ginger’s story as our entire programming team was. Melissa was incredibly brave to lay bare her deeply personal story and we are so honored to have Ginger at the festival.”

Ginger is one of six RIFF films nominated for the Consentino Emerging Filmmaker Award, established in memory of filmmaker and long time Ridgefield resident, Josesph Consentino.

Tickets to the festival are on sale now at www.riffct.org.

About the Ridgefield Independent Film Festival

RIFF was established in Ridgefield, CT in 2016. RIFF 2019 will program 114 films from 20 countries from around the world, including special event screenings with filmmaker Q&As, parties, and talks during the five-day festival.

RIFF is an independent subsidiary of TownVibe Fund, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit entity.

The 2019 Sponsors

Ridgefield Independent Film Festival is pleased to announce that Catherine and Edward Romer, Connecticut Office of Film, Video, & Digital Media, and Sacred Heart University, are the festival’s 2019 Underwriting Sponsors.

The 2019 Screening Sponsors are: Ridgefield Playhouse for Movies and Performing Arts, Ridgefield Library, Ridgefield Theater Barn, Keeler Tavern Museum, and the Boys & Girls Club of Ridgefield.

The organization would like to thank the following Partner Sponsors for their contributions: Rodier Flowers, Some Things Fishy Catering, Urstadt Biddle Properties, David Milligan Selections, Nod Hill Brewery, and Beth Rosenfield Design.

The festival would also like to show appreciation to the following Patron Sponsors:  Woodson & Christina Duncan, Ridgefield Thrift Shop, J.M. Colt Foundation, The Lewis Fund, Sandra Consentino and the Consentino Family, Patricia Lowe, Nick & Anita Donofrio,  Steven & Liz Goldstone, Simon & Julene Greenshields, Phibro, Janice & Mike Hess, Ellen & Scott Lewis, and Sara Allen.

Thanks also to Town of Ridgefield, Ridgefield Library, and Ridgefield Running Company.

RIFF’s 2019 Media Sponsors are TownVibe Media, HamletHub, and The Local Moms Network.

 

Y
Submitted by Yorktown, NY

Become a Local Voice in Your Community!

HamletHub invites you to contribute stories, events, and more to keep your neighbors informed and connected.

Read Next