Chestnut Hill to Host Second Film Festival

During the weekend of Friday, July 15 through Sunday, July 17, Chestnut Hill will play host to the second annual Freedom Film Festival, to take place at The Stagecrafters Theater, and at which several award-winning films will be presented. This nationally touring event is intended as a showcase for young independent filmmakers, a number of whom live and work in Chestnut Hill and the surrounding communities.

At the same time, the festival affords the opportunity for theatergoers to enjoy high-quality film productions at very modest prices. The schedule includes four full-length feature films, three sessions featuring short pieces and animations, and a special screening Saturday evening of the classic film North by Northwest, starring Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint, in tribute to the director Alfred Hitchcock.

Added attractions include a discussion period with the filmmakers after each short film session and a seminar on film criticism on Sunday, as well as a reception and mixer at Solaris Grille after Saturday’s screenings. Admission to the feature films is $7 apiece, and to the short subject screenings, $5 per session.

Examples of the full-length features to be seen include the provocative award-winning drama Ghosts of Hamilton Street (Friday, 9 p.m.), an edge-of-the-seater from start to finish. Another award-winning full-length film, Never Among Friends, by writer director Jason Allentoff, will be shown on Saturday at 4 p.m. The work of local film artists will be highlighted in a special session of short films on Saturday at 6:30 p.m.

All films will be screened in The Stagecrafters auditorium at 8130 Germantown Ave. Tickets are available at the door only, and reservations will not be taken. Further details and a full schedule are available online at www.FreedomFilmFestival.com.