Jersey Shore Film Festival Opens in Asbury Park
By ED SALVAS
Fans of suspense film master Alfred Hitchcock are in for a treat when the curtain goes up on the second annual Jersey Shore Film Festival beginning this week.
The festival, which runs from now through Sept. 1 will feature an “Alfred Hitchcock Retrospective,” showing a dozen Hitchcock suspense thrillers at the Baronet Theatre at 205 Fourth Ave., Asbury Park and at the Axelrod Theater at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Monmouth County, 100 Grant Ave., Ocean Township.
In addition to the Hitchcock films, the festival will feature 12 screening dates of Independent Films by new and emerging filmmakers from around the world, according to Debra Higgins of Allenhurst, the Festival’s Director. Steven Doueck of Deal is the Executive Director of the Jersey Shore Film Festival.
Known as the “Master of Suspense,” Alfred Hitchcock directed some 50 feature films, including classics like “To Catch a Thief,” “North by Northwest,” “Rear Window” and Vertigo,” all of which will be shown at the festival. There will also be a Midnight showing of the Hitchcock film “Psycho” on Thursday Aug. 23 at the Baronet Theatre preceded by a Q & A session with Hitchcock historians. “To Catch a Thief,” starring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly will be shown on Saturday Aug. 25 at 9 p.m. at the Axelrod Theater.
Festival Director Debra Higgins said they chose Alfred Hitchcock for a retrospective for his diversity “and, we believe, because he was a leader in the dynamic of the Independent Film movement. He was groundbreaking in his approach to totally handling every aspect of his films.” Higgins said the Hitchcock retrospective will focus on the dichotomy of Hitchcock women: their duality as both heroine and victim. In addition to films, Hitchcock was host and producer of the television series “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” which aired for ten seasons in the 1950s and 60s. Hitchcock died in 1980 and the age of 81.
The Jersey Shore Film Festival is also tapping the creative talents of students in the Brookdale Community College Art Department who will be turning the Baronet Theatre into the “World of Alfred Hitchcock” with stills and visuals from various Alfred Hitchcock films. In addition to the Hitchcock films, the Jersey Shore Film Festival will present the film “I Have Never Forgotten You: The Life and Legacy of Simon Wiesenthal,” as well as a film short, “Blue Meets Grey,” written and directed by Brittany Neff, a 17-year-old filmmaker from Ocean Township.
Festivals are about serious money,” says Debra Higgins, who co-produced the Independent Film “Snake Hill”, which had its world premiere at the Palm Beach Film Festival in April. She says major film stars are now involved in the production of independent films and are using the festivals to line up financing and distribution deals.
For a complete listing of the festival schedule and ticket information, log on to www.jerseyshorefilmfestival.com or call 732-531-2144.
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