<p><span style="font-weight: 400">The excitement is building as the </span><a href="http://www.sohofilmfest.com/"><b>SOHO International Film Festival</b></a><span style="font-weight: 400"> (SIFFNYC) prepares to roll out its red carpet once again, announcing its highly anticipated opening on September 14 and running through 21. With over 110 films lined up, including a record-breaking number of premieres, this year&#8217;s festival promises to be an extraordinary cinematic experience.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400">The festival&#8217;s opening night feature film is “</span><a href="https://sohofilmfest.eventive.org/films/64da6000fdfbd6004712a7dd"><b>The Nana Project</b></a><span style="font-weight: 400">,” directed by Robin Givens, with an ensemble cast led by Mercedes Ruehl, Nolan Gould, Will Peltz, Tony Todd and Morgan Fairchild. A mockumentary set primarily at a retirement home, the film follows a documentary crew who develop an interest in a “star” resident, a feisty chess master, Helen &#8220;Nana&#8221; Lewis, played by Ruehl.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400">Highlights of the festival&#8217;s US Features category include the Northeast premiere of the film, &#8220;</span><a href="https://sohofilmfest.eventive.org/films/64da6000fdfbd6004712a7ce"><b>Little Brother</b></a><span style="font-weight: 400">” a gripping drama about two estranged brothers and the journey they embark on, starring J.K. Simmons, Polly Draper, Natsuko Ohama, Phillip Ettinger and Daniel Diemer.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400">The festival will also present the World Premieres of Jon Delgado&#8217;s &#8220;Queen of Knives,” a film shot completely in Brooklyn, NY, about a modern eccentric family of two generations; and Jhett Tolentino&#8217;s feature directorial debut, &#8220;Asian Persuasion,” which stars Dante Basco, KC Concepcion, Paolo Montalban and Kevin Kreider.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400">New York Premieres include Vivian Kerr’s feature film &#8220;</span><a href="https://sohofilmfest.eventive.org/films/64da6000fdfbd6004712a7d7"><b>Scrap</b></a><span style="font-weight: 400">,&#8221; where she stars along with Anthony Rapp and Lana Parrilla, which was an SIFFNYC selection as a short film in 2019. The World Features include Ma-an L. Asuncion-Dagñalan&#8217;s &#8220;Blue Room&#8221; (Philippines), Jihane El Bahhar&#8217;s &#8220;Triple A&#8221; (Morocco), Antonella Spirito&#8217;s &#8220;The House That Stood&#8221; (Italy), Bobby Barbacioru&#8217;s &#8220;A Frame of Mind&#8221; (Romania) and Apollo Bakopoulos&#8217; &#8220;Aligned&#8221; (Greece). Other categories include Documentaries, Series Pilots, Animated Films and US/World Shorts, all of which set the stage for a week of exceptional storytelling and artistic exploration.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400">Special programs on the lineup include a screening of films and panel presented by the New York Women in Film &; Television (NYWIFT) and the world premiere of short films featuring </span><a href="https://sohofilmfest.eventive.org/schedule/64e1c62c1a8034005767b55f"><span style="font-weight: 400">Juilliard Drama Division</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400"> actors from the classes of 2022 and 2023, produced as part of Juilliard’s new initiative to provide students with practical experience working on camera.</span></p>
<p><i><span style="font-weight: 400">&#8220;The SOHO International Film Festival is a celebration of the art of storytelling and the power of visual expression,” said Sibyl Reymundo-Santiago, Executive Director and Head of Programming. “Our carefully curated selection of films aims to captivate, inspire and provoke meaningful conversations. With a blend of premieres, debuts and diverse perspectives, we invite everyone to immerse themselves in the magic of cinema.&#8221;</span></i></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400">Film enthusiasts and industry professionals will gather at the renowned Village East by Angelika, located at 12th Street and 2nd Avenue in the heart of New York City. This iconic venue will serve as the backdrop for the festival&#8217;s showcase of creativity, innovation and cultural diversity.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400">Past attendees of the festival include Octavia Spencer, Pierce Brosnan, Bobby Cannavale, Armand Assante, Luis Guzman, Sean Young, Kevin Jonas, Adam Brody, Carrie Preston, Josh Lawson, Michael Imperioli and Richard Kind.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400">This year&#8217;s festival is presented by the </span><a href="https://www.sohofilmforum.org/"><b>SOHO Film Forum</b></a><span style="font-weight: 400">, a 501(c)(3) organization. Founded in 2009 by Jorge Ballos, SIFFNYC continues to celebrate cutting-edge digital technology while honoring traditional forms of storytelling by encouraging new and seasoned filmmakers from New York City and around the world to create and send in their fresh and innovative cinematic pieces.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400">For sponsorship inquiries, contact: </span><a href="mailto:info@sohofilmfest.com"><span style="font-weight: 400">info@sohofilmfest.com</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400">For more information on the festival, visit </span><a href="http://www.sohofilmfest.com"><span style="font-weight: 400">www.sohofilmfest.com</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400"> or contact </span><a href="mailto:executiveoffice@sohofilmfest.com"><span style="font-weight: 400">executiveoffice@sohofilmfest.com</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400"> </span></p>

SOHO Int’l Film Festival Unveils 2023 Lineup: The Nana Project, Little Brother, Scrap and More
