Woodstock Film Festival - Festival Picks and Highlights
Woodstock Film Festival, October 10-14, 2007.

By Corey Boutilier
Posted Thursday, September 20, 2007

The 2007 Woodstock Film Festival is coming up fast. Set in the foothills of the Woodstock Mountains, and a stones throw from where the original music festival took place, it is sure to be another great year.

In recent years, the festival has developed a reputation for attracting many of the leading films from Sundance and Torronto. This year I was very happy to see "American Fork", a great pick that premiered at this years Slamdance Film Festival in Park City.

The Woodstock Film Festival will of course offer some memorable panel discussions. What's great is the quality of participants that are moderting and hosting the panels. Be sure not to miss "Entertainment Law - What Entertainment Lawyers Do For You" featuring Steven Beer and Ira Schreck.

Also, this years festival will feature a new film by Mary Stuart Masterson called "The Cake Eaters". Her directorial debut premiered at this years Tribeca Film Festival back in May. It's a good movie, check it out.

And be sure to hear Mary Stuart Masterson on the panel for Amazing Women in Film on October 13th.

I was also very intrigued to see that one of the Co-Founders of the Festival Meira Blaustein is screening a very personal documentary about her Son called "For the Love of Julian". Her feature documentary is narrated by Susan Sarandon.

Since Woodstock is a music town, the festival does a great job of incorporating live music events throughout the 5 day event. Be sure to discover the band "The Felice Brothers", Saturday, October 13, at 9:30 PM at the Colony Cafe.

But the big film that I am most excited about is the much anticipated Bob Dylan biopic "I'm Not There", an experimental feature film that includes Cate Blanchett, Heath Ledger, Richard Gere, Ben Whishaw, Christian Bale, and Marcus Carl Franklin who all play Dylan at some point in the film. This closing night film is endorsed by Bob himself.

One last note, if you can see it, try to check out "Joe Strummer, The Future is Unwritten". I saw it at Sundance this year. Its a documentary about The Clash. Lots of great little interviews with Bono and Steve Buscemi, and other folks who knew and worked with Joe Strummer.

See you in Woodstock.

-Corey Boutilier