STONY BROOK, NY — The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) has unveiled the official lineup and celebrity guests for its first-ever LIMEHOF Music Documentary Film Festival, taking place August 8–10 at its flagship location at 97 Main Street, Stony Brook, NY.
Over the course of three days, 24 music documentary films—ranging from short films to feature-length documentaries—will celebrate iconic artists, unsung heroes, and transformative stories from around the globe. The festival showcases a diverse tapestry of genres including rock, hip-hop, folk, ska, classical, jazz, blues, and more. Events will run daily from 11 a.m. into the evening, with a full schedule available on LIMEHOF’s official website.
“The highly anticipated LIMEHOF Music Documentary Film Festival puts Long Island at the center of the global music documentary scene,” said Tom Needham, Executive Director of the Festival. “These bold, unforgettable films capture everything from rock legends and rising stars to hometown heroes and hidden histories.”
Notable Screenings and Special Events
Opening Day Highlights:
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Coming Home: The Guggenheim Grotto Back in Ireland — Q&A with director Will Chase, producers Deborah Lopez and Ingrid Michaelson, followed by a live performance by Mick Lynch.
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Building the Beatles — Q&A with co-director John Rose, followed by a performance by British pop icon Billy J. Kramer.
Opening Night Spotlight Film:
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Cat’s in the Cradle 50th Anniversary: The Song That Changed Our Lives — Celebrating LIMEHOF inductee Harry Chapin, with a Q&A featuring S.A. Baron, LI Cares’ Paule Pachter, and Mike Grayeb of the Harry Chapin Foundation, followed by a live music tribute.
Other key films include:
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Garland Jeffreys: The King of In Between — Q&A with director Claire Jeffreys.
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The Bronx Boys – The Evolution of B-Boy Culture — Q&A with director Robert McCullough Jr. and members of the Bronx Boys Wrecking Crew.
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To My Rescue, it Was the S1Ws (A Public Enemy Story) — Featuring a Q&A with director Janol Ture and DJ Johnny Juice, who will also perform live.
Musical Performances and Guests
Expect live music throughout the weekend from artists including Billy J. Kramer, Mick Lynch (Guggenheim Grotto), DJ Johnny Juice (Public Enemy), Naked Blue, Brady Rymer, Jennifer Silecchia-Hackett, Sandra Taylor, and Mega Infinity.
Q&As will also feature prominent musicians and filmmakers such as:
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Victor Guadagno and Brady Rymer (Charlie Loves Our Band)
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Robert Lichter (Bert Blotto) and fellow members of Blotto
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Alfonso Maiorana and Sandra Taylor (Goddess of Slide)
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Brian Stieglitz and Mega Infinity (D.I.Y.L.I.)
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Sue Carpenter and Amanda Laws (40 Watts from Nowhere)
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Jennifer A. Uihlein and Jennifer Silecchia-Hackett (Notes on a Page)
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James Egan and Naked Blue (If Jack Reacher Could Sing)
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Jarrett Bellucci, Randy Levin, and Nick Donnelly (String Theory)
Closing Night Spotlight Film:
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Hung Up on a Dream: The Zombies Documentary — followed by a Q&A with director/actor/musician Robert Schwartzman (The Princess Diaries).
Full Film Lineup
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Chrysalis Orchestra: Layla (Short) | United States
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Beethoven’s Nine: Ode to Humanity (Feature) | Canada, Germany, Poland, US
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Fighting Gravity (Short) | United States
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40 Watts from Nowhere (Feature) | United States
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Coming Home: The Guggenheim Grotto Back in Ireland (Short) | U.S., Ireland
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Building the Beatles (Feature) | United States, United Kingdom
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My Back Pages (Short) | United States
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Cat’s in the Cradle 50th Anniversary: The Song That Changed Our Lives (Feature) | United States
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Fugazi’s Last Stop in Wisconsin (Short) | United States
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Born To Be Wild: The Story of Steppenwolf (Feature) | Canada
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Notes on a Page (Short) | United States
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String Theory: Guitar Obsessed (Feature) | United States
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If Jack Reacher Could Sing (Short) | United States
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Garland Jeffreys: The King of In Between (Feature) | United States
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Hello! My Name is Blotto: THE MOVIE (Feature) | United States
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The Bronx Boys – The Evolution of B-Boy Culture (Short) | United States
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To My Rescue, it Was the S1Ws (A Public Enemy Story) (Feature) | United States
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They All Came Out to Montreux (Feature) | United Kingdom, Switzerland
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D.I.Y.L.I. (Short) | United States
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Charlie Loves Our Band: The Story of From Good Homes (Feature) | United States
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Songs of Black Folk (Short) | United States
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Goddess of Slide: The Forgotten Story of Ellen McIlwaine (Feature) | Canada
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Ron Delsener Presents (Feature) | United States
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Hung Up on a Dream: The Zombies Documentary (Feature) | United States
Sponsors
The festival’s presenting sponsor is Catholic Health, with additional support from Northville, PSEG, Claire Friedlander Family Foundation, Optimum, Aline Wealth Management, and The EGC Group.
For tickets, schedules, and more, visit limusichalloffame.org/limehof-music-documentary-film-festival-2 or email info@limusichalloffame.org.
About LIMEHOF
Founded in 2004, the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame is a nonprofit organization celebrating the rich musical and entertainment heritage of Long Island. In 2022, LIMEHOF opened its permanent home in Stony Brook and has since inducted over 130 musicians and industry figures, while also offering educational programs, scholarships, and awards throughout Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, and Kings Counties.