Deal film festival showcases local talent

By Sarah Morrison

August 1, 2008

The Jersey Shore Film Festival kicked off its third annual event July 19 with an opening night at the JCC in Deal that hosted filmmakers, presented awards, and previewed all the films being shown.

Throughout the two-week festival, more than 50 films were screened, with multiple films playing every night.

Festival organizer Stevie Doueck, who directed a film featured in the festival, introduced the night's festivities with his inspiration for filmmaking.

"When I think of filmmaking, I always envision a film that was made many years ago," Doueck said. "It told a story... about a photographer. This photographer, [who was] very popular, got into an accident and he was confined to his room. It got to a point where he had nothing to do but look out to a yard and observe... He doesn't want to be confined -- he's a photographer, he goes out and takes pictures of very famous things... I always think of that movie because I always found it so difficult for movies to tell the real story."

Doueck set out to do that in his short, "Open School Night," which played July 27. The film, about a man having a terrible day that keeps getting worse, tells a story in the way that Doueck imagined a film should.

The keynote speaker of the evening was Morris S. Levy, a producer who has been in the industry for many years. He is the producer of "Harold," a movie showcased on July 24 and July 27.

Levy praised the Deal community for creating a film festival.

"I've been involved in festivals for many years, and to have a festival in any community is just an incredible thing to have," Levy said. "It is good for the filmmaker and for the public to have the opportunity to attend a festival. All film festivals start like this -- small films shown over a couple of weeks, everybody having a great time... and today, these festivals are the highlight of the Hollywood business. Very few people are in the film industry from this community -- people are in clothing, in real estate, but not that many in film."

After Levy finished his speech and answered some questions from the audience, Doueck presented two local people with awards for their efforts in film production. The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Norman Greenberg, who has acted in community plays and movies for decades.

"It is my pleasure to work with the Lifetime Achievement Award winner," Doueck said. "For the past 50 years, Mr. Greenberg has been juggling his time making a living, bringing up a family, and gracing the stage with his dramatic as well as comedic presence. He has acted and worked behind the scenes in numerous community productions, such as "Pillow Talk," "Fiddler On The Roof," to name just a few. His unassuming personality has catapulted him to new heights and presentations. His devotion to the screen for the past 50 years is what makes him earn the lifetime achievement award."

Another award was presented to Judy Franco, an actress and local radio show host. "Appropriately nicknamed 'Jersey Judy,' Judy worked behind the mic as a DJ for the past 21 years," Doueck said about Franco. "She offers listeners a unique take on everything, from parenting to politics. Judy has also written and recorded 'Judy and the Jolly Beans,' an original soundtrack album on which she composed and recorded childrens' music."

Doueck presented her with an award for her excellence in her efforts.

"The business is aggravating, it's stressful, and I still don't know why I do it," Levy joked at the end of his speech.

However, the labor of love was worth it for the producers and directors involved. Around a dozen of the films were previewed at the end of the night, all ending to loud rounds of applause. More than 40 films were shown over the course of the two weeks; many were played more than once.

The festival will concludes Aug. 2 with a discussion panel of all the films featured. For more information, visit the festival's Web site at www.jerseyshorefilmfestival.com.