TheLong Island Cinema Festival— founded and directed by George Massimillo, TJ Kiss, and Keith Rugen — completed its inaugural six-day run, bringing cinema to six venues across the region in what can only be described as a cinematic tour of the Island.
Audiences gathered at Plaza Cinema & Media Arts Center in Patchogue, Hunter & Thief in Lindenhurst, the Sayville Theater in Sayville, Necromantic Brew Co. in Farmingdale, South Bay Cinemas in West Babylon, and the Stone Goat in St. James — where the awards ceremony brought the season to a triumphant close.
The week showcased a diverse slate of features and short films, culminating in a closing night that included a screening ofRaging Midlife, the indie wrestling action-comedy featuring pop icon Paula Abdul, comedian Eddie Griffin, andStar Trekveteran Walter Koenig — a fitting exclamation point on a week that proved Long Island audiences are hungry for great independent cinema.
Among the Long Island Cinema Festival’s most celebrated moments was the Best Picture win forBest Man, brought to the screen by brothers Ryan and Anthony Famulari, who moved back to Long Island from Los Angeles and brought with them a film about a struggling actor taking one last shot at greatness. Anthony Famulari also took home Best Actor in a Feature, a full-circle moment for a filmmaker standing in front of his own community to accept the honor.
Filmmaker Ed Huether earned the Marquee Award — the Long Island Cinema Festival’s audience choice honor — forThe Proctor, starring Huether himself alongside Russ Camarda and comedy legend Jackie “The Joke Man” Martling. The film’s reception was a testament to the power of homegrown storytelling and the audiences willing to champion it.
The Long Island Cinema Festival also celebrated the local premiere ofThe Dumbletons, featuring acclaimed local actors Wendell Laurent and Anthony Robert Grasso, which took home Best Short Comedy — a reminder that some of the region’s finest talent has been here all along, waiting for a stage.
The awards ceremony at the Stone Goat in St. James brought filmmakers, cast, crews, and audiences together in a celebration that felt less like a formal ceremony and more like a community finding its rhythm.
“The Long Island Cinema Festival was a great opportunity for filmmakers to network and root for each other,” said Ed Huether, a filmmaker who createdThe Proctor. “Competition took a back seat to community, making for an atmosphere of encouragement to continue telling stories.”
Long Island Cinema Festival director George Massimillo reflected on what the week represented: “Long Island has always been a place filmmakers leave to chase their dreams. That’s changing — it’s becoming a destination where those dreams are celebrated. Our goal with LICF is to build a platform where filmmakers can screen their work, connect with each other, and meet an audience that’s genuinely hungry for great cinema, fresh faces, and the stories behind them. This inaugural season proved that audience exists.”
The Long Island Cinema Festival will return for its second season next spring, with submissions opening soon.
Source: LI Press
