The Long Beach International Film Festival (LBIFF) in Long Beach, NY, announced its diverse lineup of feature-length documentaries, feature-length narrative films, and short films screening from August 1 to August 4, 2018. 

“This festival began seven years ago with the screening of 12 films, and we’ve more than quadrupled in size over the last few years, gaining international interest and exposure. It’s an honor to be a part of this annual event that brings smiles and laughs to the thousands of attendees and their families who travel from near and far to view the talent involved in the festival,” said LBIFF Founder Craig Weintraub.

Four days of industry celebrations and sophisticated culinary events will be held on Long Beach, New York’s pristine, popular beachfront at the glamorous Allegria Hotel. Daily film screenings, including Opening Night and Closing Night, will be hosted at the newly renovated Regal Lynbrook 13 & RPX.

“With Lynbrook’s deep roots in Hollywood’s film history,” Lynbrook Mayor Alan Beach said, “it is only appropriate that Lynbrook host the Film Festival at its new state of the art Movie Theatre. We wish theatre patrons for this year’s Festival a warm welcome, as they shop and dine in Lynbrook,” the Mayor added.

Feature Films

Face of a Nation is the story of Mina Chow, an idealistic American architect, who struggles to help her dream stay alive as she journeys to discover Why America abandoned World’s Fairs?

In the Orchard (personal loss & PTSD feature) the story of two strangers from different worlds that find a connection through traumatic events that have happened in their lives. In one encounter they find themselves linked to one another as their relationship evolves. This feature is making is New York premiere.

Status Pending, a romantic dramedy of a millennial girl dating her ‘Tinder’ guy, must overcome the high life expectations she’s built from social media to decide today: either take a last-minute voyage, or settle down into a career and relationship with him. Making his East Coast premiere, producer Ben Zolno from New Zealand is available for interviews.

Papillon is based on a true story and remake of the 1973 ‘Papillon’, tells the story of a prisoner detained on a remote island and how he plots his escape. This feature is making its Long Island premiere.

Monsoon (opened in Long Beach in 2016) is a coming-of-age drama starring Austin Lyon, Katherine Hughes and Yvette Monreal, based in the hot dessert monsoon season of Arizona, best friends John and Sarah have trouble letting go of each other after a tragedy rips them apart. This feature is making its Long Island premiere.

Michael Inside (Irish feature) a narrative feature film about an 18-year-old boy Michael living in a Dublin housing estate with his grandfather after his mother died of an overdose and his father is in prison. Michael was caught holding drugs for his friend’s older brother and is sentenced to 3 months in prison.

Documentaries

Chesley Bonestell: A Brush with The Future is the biograophy of the forgotten architect, artist, matte painter and visionary Chesley Bonestell (1888-1986), whose futuristic paintings helped inspire America’s space program. Bonestell worked on architecture projects like the Chrysler Building and the Golden Gate Bridge.

The Push is an inspiring documentary of an adventurous athlete and former nanoscientist, Grant Korgan, attempts to become the first spinal-cord injured athlete in history to ski the final degree of latitude to the bottom of the world, only using his arms to propel himself.

Slim Aarons spent his life documenting jet setters, movie stars and beautiful people doing beautiful things during the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. In “The High Life,” the story behind some of his most fabulous photographs are revealed among white sand beaches, longing palms and relaxed, gorgeous faces.

She is the Ocean a documentary exploring the lives of nine astonishing women ranging from fourteen to seventy and all four corners of the globe as they share one love for the deep love for the Ocean.

The Joan Jett documentary named after one of her famous songs Bad Reputation explores the life of the iconic Joan from early years as the founder of The Runaways and first meeting collaborator Kenny Laguna in 1980 to her presence in pop culture as a rock-n-roll pioneer. The film also stars Billie Joe Armstrong, Michael J. Fox and Miley Cyrus

The Secret Ingredients are out! This film takes you behind the compelling story of Kathleen and her family of five that live with 21 chronic diseases. After suggestions from doctors and nothing seeming to work Kathleen was determined to find out what was holding back her family. Kathleen takes matters into her own hands as many others, who regain their health and transform their lives after identifying that secret ingredient in their food and making a strong commitment to avoid them.

Rockaway is inspired by true events. This film, written and directed by an East Rockaway native, takes you back to the summer of ’94 when a man recounts when he and his brother plotted revenge against their abusive father. Mostly shot on Long Island, this will be the Closing Night film.

FREE short films suitable for all ages will be shown at the beach theatre during Shorts on the Beach on Friday, August 3. Attendees will need to register for a ticket in advance for entrance into this FREE event. Short films will be DIVIDED into five programs throughout the festival: comedies, dramas, animation, documentaries, and foreign. In addition to film screenings, tickets for culinary events, Chefs & Shorts: A Pairing of Gastronomy & Film (August 2) and Taste On The Beach (August 3) are available online.

The LBIFF premiered in 2012 with just 50 submissions and showcased 12 films with free screenings on the beach. After Hurricane Sandy hit in 2012, the LBIFF had just finished its inaugural year and was threatened to collapse before ever fully taking off. Aided by a $25,000 grant from Nassau County, and participation from local celebrity stars like Daniel Baldwin and resilient festival organizers, the festival persevered and expanded each year. It is with the aid of the Village of Lynbrook that this year’s films are being screened at the Regal Lynbrook 13 & RPX, which opened its doors in June 2018.