“The 1st Annual Networking Getaway Shorts Festival” was held recently. The festival is a fundraiser for the “Chillin' on Da Corner” film screening series based in the Bedford Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn that opens Tuesday July 6th. Actors, directors, writers, producers and supporters alike with beach bags, sunglasses and business cards in tow all board the bus en route to Atlantic City, NJ. The itinerary; movies, meet, greet, mix and mingle on a day’s retreat out of New York City. Head off to AC and feel charitable, after all it’s for a good cause. The added bonus, Toma Vodka sponsored the open bar on the bus, Atlantic City here I come!
The coach pulls off and the festivities begin. The collective are a buzz with conversation, business cards are passed along with introductions and headshots. Ephraim Benton addresses the bustling busload, for today he is host of this festival- on-wheels as well as a being the founder, co-organizer, an actor, director, writer, and philanthropist. Benton hands out the ballot list and explains the manner of voting. The submissions are 10 in number and run for approximately 90 minutes. The audience gasps, chuckles, cheers and jeers along with the films and votes their opinion on a numbered scale for each. The film with the highest score will receive the “Passenger’s Choice Award”, and its director enjoys a $200 cash prize. The ballots are collected; it is time to enjoy cocktails and conversation for the remainder of the ride. One lucky winner wins a raffled prize of $75 dollars, while another wins a sponsoring of this trip from Black and Brown News.
With the business of business now complete the bus has turned into a disco on wheels, the music bellows and people are dancing in their seats and singing along. As we pull into the terminal the music is turned down for announcements and to get information from the sparkling Trump representative. Before she has fully disembarked someone has turned the music back up and passed out another round of cocktails. Don’t come knockin’ while the bus is rockin’. Finally an hour after approach the last passenger exits the bus and it’s on to the beach.
Surfside day activities commence with a catered picnic lunch by Sarah James, of Bed-Stuy. The group splits up for volleyball; for the less active sun bathing, gambling, shopping and taking in the board walk are next on the list. The evening mixer held at Beach Bar at Trump Plaza winds the day up nicely and moves everyone into dinner and dancing mode. As the votes are tallied there is chatter about the crowd favorites. Top in the running are “Toilet Blunts” “Distractions” “Kai” and “Eye Jammy”. Ephraim Benton presents the “Passenger’s Choice Award” for “Kai” a film about a person working through addictions.
A few hours of mixing it up with the A.C. crowd, taking in the sounds of the lively cover band and it’s time to head back towards the bus and head home. For the trip back, some rest while others party the ride away. Upon destination everyone has one thing in common they have had a blast. The 1st Annual Networking Shorts Festival has been a great success. The festival is a truly creative and enterprising concept for the filmmaking community and people are already talking about next year. I know I have my seat booked.
-Written and Reported by Nicole Stoll
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