Posts Tagged ‘Dan Hannon’

The award winning narrative short film The Pond makes its Boston debut April 19. Chosen as an official selection of the Boston International Film Festival, the film is scheduled to screen at 9:00 pm at AMC Loews Theatres, 175 Tremont St. (located across from the Boston Common).

The film, written and directed by New Hampshire filmmaker Dan Hannon, stars Massachusetts natives David Morse (The Green Mile, Hurt Locker, St. Elsewhere) and Alicia Witt (The Mentalist, Friday Night Lights). Many  other cast and crew members, including producer Francine Coughlin, also have ties to the local area.

The Pond debuted at the 2010 Palm Springs International ShortFest and has built up quite an impressive array of festival activity.  It won the Directorial Discovery Grand Prize Award at the 2010 Rhode Island International Film Festival, recognizing outstanding achievement in a directorial debut, and the Best Dramatic Short Award at the 2010 New Hampshire Film Festival. The film also recently received Finalist status at the 2011 USA Film Festival, an Honorable Mention at the 2011 Philadelphia Independent Film Festival, and a 2011 Maverick Movie Award Nomination.

Hannon, who grew up in Westwood, MA, describes the plot of the film as “A story about a young woman distraught over the death of her husband, who sets about scattering his ashes in a place they had both loved and in doing so makes a discovery for which no one could ever be prepared.”

He is also one of the co-founders of the New Hampshire Film Festival (NIFF). The festival began in 2001 as a way to showcase the talents of local student filmmakers, but has grown into a highly recognized event that showcases the brightest talent in the international film community.

Hannon’s background is a writer and he describes the art as “Putting into words what you picture in your head.” He says he is excited about future film production. The Pond was his debut as a filmmaker and seeing the talent and success he has had with it, we’re excited too.

For more information about The Pond and to view a teaser of the film, visit www.thepondmovie.com.

If you’re looking for a place to celebrate the most important night in Hollywood, than look no further than the RIIFF Presents Oscar Night America 2011 taking place on Sunday, February 27, 2011 at the regal VMA Arts & Cultural Center in Providence, RI.

Because the Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF) has long been New England’s only qualifying festival for short films, it is appropriate that it is one of the only 50 official parties sanctioned by the Academy to host an official Oscar telecast viewing party on Oscar Night.

Along with the Oscar telecast, there will be a silent auction with prizes including a spa treatment, hotel getaway, and festival passes to RIIFF in August.  Proceeds will benefit RIIFF and its community outreach and educational programs including the Youth Film Jury, the Providence GLBT Film Festival, and the Rhode Island International Horror Film Festival.  There will also be a red carpet for attendees to walk and special guests including award winning documentarians, Stacia Teele and Don Manley, writer/director Dan Hannon, and one of the producers of the Pirates of Caribbean franchise, Francine DiChiara.

Tickets to the event are can be found at their website.  You can also take a peek at some of their current silent auction prizes online.  For those interested in an Oscar ballot, they can be found here.