Kingston has made something of a name for itself as a center of the Hudson Valley’s indie art scene. Small galleries continue to pop up, and it seems as if a new band emerges every day. But for the past few years, the city has also seen a growing film community.
Backstreet Productions (BSP) will host the third annual Kingston Film Festival from Thursday, August 14 to Sunday, August 17. The event was born of a desire to connect film buffs with filmmakers both local and international and to celebrate films in all their forms: features, documentaries, animation, shorts, experimental, big and microbudget, trailers, and more.
This year’s lineup includes a broad mix of styles. Opening the festival at noon on Thursday is Never Enough, a Doug Brown documentary about hoarding that asks, “How much is too much?” The film explores the mindset of a collector and how collecting becomes an addiction.
Also on Thursday is the first of a series of short programs, titled “B-Flat.” It concerns Amar, who learns of an old friend’s imminent death and must travel to India after 40 years to deliver a mysterious box. Eight additional shorts will screen throughout the weekend.
Audiences can enjoy some bigger-name features as well. Doomsday, a local film directed by Kingston’s Eddie Mullins and starring Kingston resident and Bishop Allen frontman Justin Rice, will show at 8pm on Friday. And Cold in July, one of the summer’s most acclaimed independent films and which was filmed in Uptown Kingston, will screen at 8pm Thursday night.
The Kingston Film Festival will begin Thursday, August 14 at noon, with film screenings, musical performances, and receptions throughout the weekend. Single screening tickets are $7 online or $10 at the door. Day passes are also available for $25.
