SENE Blog

I was asked this weekend, during the festival, when we would begin to work on next year’s festival.  My answer was “Yesterday” because I met with our Artistic Director the day before.  We discussed what has worked so far and what improvements were needed to make our 5th festival even better.

We have discussed costs and plan to offer lower entries fees for high school students and really short films.  We are now planning our screening schedule and discussing how many films we will be able to select.  We are looking at deadline dates and art and music events.

We feel good about our 2012 Festival, but we are looking forward to improvements that will benefit our audience and attending filmmakers.

Twice each year, the SENE Festival programmers feel a proud sense of happiness and a strong feeling of disappointment at the same time.  We first feel this when we send out acceptance and rejection letters.  We are excited for the filmmakers that will receive a happy email and second guess ourselves with many of the emails going to directors of films that were not selected.  Many of these are films are worthy of being selected, but miss out because of math.

The second time we have these mixed emotions occurs when we are ready to announce the film awards.  By Day 4 of the festival, we have gotten to know most of the attendees and have formed a friendship with many.

Each year, we stand in front of a large audience and look at all the hopeful faces and it is difficult.  We should be happy to reward a filmmaker for a well-deserved award, but sometimes we are looking at our new friends and feel a bit sad.

Many films come in 2nd place and while that may not be much of a consolation, it’s important for all the filmmakers in the room (and the programmers) to remember that they are not #2 of 5 for example (if there were 5 films in a particular genre or category), but that they are actually #2 of possibly 100 films that were submitted to us.  Most of them not selected.

In the end, all of them have won.  Their film was selected while hundreds were not.  But it is still difficult sometimes…..

I cannot believe it is Tuesday, the day before our big event.  We are scrambling to find temporary walls for hanging our art. Yesterday we learned that we lost half our floor space at our Opening Night venue.  So, that means tomorrow afternoon (only hours before we open the doors) we will design a new floor layout to handle 19 artists and their creations, possibly 4 different performance locations for our musicians and bands, and determine where the filmmaker registration table should be.

Nothing our great crew at SENE can’t handle.  5 days and nights or one long party of films, music and art.  Let the games begin!

The 4th annual SENE Film, Music & Arts Festival opens at the Blackstone Valley Visitor Center in less than a week and SENE’s volunteers are busy preparing for the popular Art Exhibit and Reception.     In addition to an exhibition of creative works by 19 artists, the evening will feature 4 musical performances and 13 films.

Chelo’s and Narragansett Beer are sponsors again this year and guests will enjoy hors d’oeuvres, beer, wine, soda and water.  Admission is only $10.

We are getting ready to send out acceptance emails to most of our selected filmmakers.  Emails will arrive by March 1st at the very latest.  Our screening schedule is almost complete and we look forward to publishing it on our website.

There are still a few films that are being re-evaluated to see if they fit in our line-up this year.  The Selection Committee spent all day and night yesterday reviewing scores and debating the merits of each film.  I expect another round of meetings today.

Congratulations to all our submitting filmmakers.  It was a real pleasure to see your films and your hard work is evident in the results we have seen.

Breaking Branches Pictures, Inc. in collaboration with Southeast New England Film, Music and Arts has received a grant from the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities to develop a documentary about America’s First Mill Village founded in Slatersville, RI.  Filming is scheduled to begin in early 2012. �

The second annual Southeast New England Film, Music & Arts Festival (SENE) runs April 7-11 in Providence and Pawtucket, RI. This unique festival will feature fourteen artists, eight musical performances and 88 short and feature-length films including a number of world, US and New England premieres. More than 70 filmmakers from around the world are scheduled to attend.

SENE kicks off this year’s festival on Wednesday, April 7 with a lively art, music and film event at PeaceLove Studios in Pawtucket, RI. The event will feature an artists reception, live music by Dave Yules, an experimental films showcase, a special preview of coming attractions and the premiere of a short documentary about PeaceLove Studios. Artists selected by SENE include Joe Niderno, Rebecca Flores, Joanne
Thorne Arnold, C. A. Millner, Larisa Colantonio, Joyce Smith, Jay Gidwitz, Anne Tait, Alene Schneierson, Michelle Gates and Steven Subotnick.  Admission is $10 and includes complimentary food, wine, beer and a free pass to any film program during the festival.

Artwork will remain on exhibit at PeaceLove through Sunday afternoon, when the festival celebrates the artists with a second exhibition that includes live music by Jose Docen and Mark Taber and poetry readings by Jay Walker and Rebecca Flores-Amado.

SENE members and invited guests will be attending the Limelight VIP party on Thursday, April 8 at the Hampton Inn & Suites Providence Downtown. This exclusive event will feature live music by Steven Palumbo and Dan Lilley & Scatman and include hors d’oeuvres, wine & beer. Members who join by April 7 are welcome to attend.

Additional musicians performing at various SENE parties and events this year include P.S. Rock, Kim Trusty and Fighting the Influence.

From Friday, April 9 through Sunday, April 11, the festival will screen 24 film programs, including ten features, six documentary programs and eight short film programs. Filmmakers will be on hand at most screenings to answer questions from the audience. Film venues include the Cable Car Cinema in Providence and the Blackstone Valley Visitor Center’s Slater Mill Theater in Pawtucket. Film programs are $8 ($5 for students, seniors and members).

Kids from ages 8 to 15 can try out their “pirate” acting skills in front of the camera at the Screen Stealers Workshop on Sunday, April 11 from 2 pm to 5 pm at the YMCA in downtown Pawtucket.  The program costs $10 or 5 for $40.

Festival sponsors include Fidelity Investments, Greylock Partners, NBC10, Motif Magazine and Cardi’s Furniture. Event sponsors include Bella Consulting & Events, Jonathan Edwards Winery, Narragansett Beer, Chelo’s Banquets & Catering, World of Wines and Magic Hat Beer.

Please visit www.senefest.com or call 401-603-0252 for program and membership information.