First Annual Punta Gorda Film Festival - Perfect for a Town Always in Love with Movies

On March 11 the 1st Annual Punta Gorda Film Festival - An Evening of the World's Best Short Films is fittingly coming to Punta Gorda - a town that has always loved  movies. Films were  a major source of entertainment for pioneer Punta Gordans. In the early days of the City, town folks  got together to watch  lantern slide shows which were projected still images.    Then starting, in 1911 citizens enjoyed  two-reelers  in a tent theatre.  The first physical movie theater - the Plaza appeared downtown in 1917. In 1932 it became the New Theater  run by the Desquin family until 1982 when it was lost to a fire.  Long time Punta Gordans still reflect on the good times they had at the New Theater.

Now Asbury Shorts U.S.A. and the Charlotte Harbor Office of Film and Digital Media will be presenting  the 1st Annual Punta Gorda Film Festival…An Evening of the World's Best Short Films on Wednesday, March 11, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. at the Charlotte Harbor Event and Conference Center with special guest Stacey Deffenbaugh of NBC-2 News.

Hosted by The Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce, this exclusive ticketed event is directed by Doug LeClaire, who created Asbury Shorts NY in 1981 to keep great, award-winning short films in theaters. Nanette Leonard, with over 35 years of experience in the entertainment industry serves as executive producer.

Now in its 33rd season, Asbury Shorts USA, a non-competitive touring exhibition of award winning short films, is New York City’s longest running “concert” of its kind. The 90 minute program features selected independently produced short films from the world’s top film festivals including Oscar Winners, "Best of Show" awardees from US film festivals and International honorees.

“A Poet Long Ago” - from acclaimed director Bob Giraldi. Written by famed journalist and novelist Pete Hamill. The film stars Steve Schirripa (HBO’s “The Sopranos”) and Boris McGiver (Netflix: “House of Cards,” HBO’s “The Wire,”) as former grammar school classmates who meet by chance and reminisce about those younger days back in Brooklyn…opening up some old wounds. “A Poet Long Ago” was a special selection of The Hampton’s Film Festival in 2013 and won “Best Narrative Short Film” at The 2014 Garden State Film Festival in Atlantic City.>

‘Death, Taxes & Apple Juice.” This wonderfully charming short was the recipient of the “Audience Choice Award” at the 2012 Los Angeles Shorts Festival. Director Tamar Halpern’s delightful story of a young woman who is suffering a life crisis vents all her problems to her taxpreparer. Oh…the two of them are nine years old.

“Bye Bye Now” is a poignant look at the gradual disappearance of phone booths across all of Ireland. Directors Aideen O’Sullivan and Ross Whitaker’s charming short documentary is a whimsical and often deeply personal account of how an iconic relic from the past has touched the lives of so many. This film was a winner of the coveted “Audience Choice” Award at the extremely prestigious SILVERDOCS film competition in the United States.

For Additional Information: Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce: 941-639-3720 or Nanette Leonard 908- 618-1776

To purchase tickets: Please visit www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1085294