Reel Exposure Teen Film and Photography Festival Announces Lineup
20 youth photographs and 11 short films
In-person Festival May 5 – 7, 2023 at Trolley Barn Gallery
489 Main St, Poughkeepsie
Poughkeepsie, NY (April 27, 2023) — The Art Effect announces the film and panel lineup for its Annual Reel Exposure Teen International Film and Photography Festival. The 2023 festival will feature 20 photographs and 11 short films curated by local youth alongside guest jurors Dondre Green and Terry Nelson. The film screening lineup includes a total of 45 minutes of short films including 4 dramas, 3 documentaries, 1 horror film, 1 musical, and 2 comedies from youth around the world including New York, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, California, and France. Over the course of the free, 3-day festival, families, friends, and the community will participate in family-friendly art and media activities, free popcorn, food trucks, vendors, and more. All components of the festival are free and open to the public. Advanced registration is recommended for the film screening and breakfast panel.
The festival will kick off on Friday, May 5 at 6 PM at the Trolley Barn Gallery, 489 Main Street in Poughkeepsie, inviting the public to enjoy the artwork and light refreshments. At 8 PM, Poughkeepsie city youth who participated in The Art Effect’s spring break workforce training intensive along with featured projection artist William Koenig-Vinicombe, a Hudson-Valley-based photographer and filmmaker, will debut their collaborative projection art on the exterior of the Trolley Barn.
On Saturday, May 6, the community is invited into the Trolley Barn Gallery for family-friendly activities, food trucks, and community partners including Charlia Frank, Family Services, Stockade Works, Hudsy, PKGO Arts and Open Studios, and more from 12-3 PM. At 5 PM, The Art Effect will roll out the red carpet and re-open for an evening of films, Q&A with local artists, and an award presentation. This portion is intended for ages 10 and up.
Sunday, May 7 from 12 – 1:30 PM, the community is invited to a Breaking into the Business: Insider Info from Film and Media Professionals panel. The event will feature 5 notable panelists from the film and media industry including Mary Stuart Masterson, Nile Clark, Hezues R., Jasmine Garvin, and Magalie Laguerre-Wilkinson. It will be hosted by The Art Effect Alumna, Esther Wells. Light brunch will be served. The festival will conclude with a short screening of the 24-hour film race (the film race competition launches from the Trolley Barn Gallery at 5 PM on Friday, May 5) and final award presentations at 2 PM.
Tickets to all programs during the festival are free with a suggested donation. Visit www.pkxfestival.org to pre-register for the film screening and panel brunch to reserve a seat, space is limited. Reel Exposure is made possible, in part, through funding from the New York State Council on the Arts, Vassar Brothers Institute Donor Advised Fund of the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Visit www.pkxfestival.org for more information, a full schedule, a viewer choice poll, a virtual photo exhibition, and recorded screenings for viewers who are unable to join us in Poughkeepsie.
Featured Films:
Morto Rossa directed by Yan Berthemy
A dance school organizes a mysterious casting to select a dancer for a future show. Suzie, after passing the audition, will be chosen as the lucky one.
Earth’s Second Moon directed by Benji Tucker
The Tale of the Babiest Baby Baby and how Earth gains an unexpected second moon…
Grow-A-Pet, directed by Lisa Leslie Dodell
After the death of her cat, a strange ad on TV catches Kathy’s eye.
Hija Callada (The Silent Daughter), directed by Julissa Montiel, and Francesca Krikorian
Hija Callada (The Silent Daughter) introduces us to three different women from three different generations and families, who all discuss their trauma and stories involving the generational trauma within their families.
Doll House, directed by Nell Cunningham
An ideal marriage is imagined by a young girl. The real one is less perfect.
Girl in Yellow, directed by Kai Tomizawa
A strange moment in her life leaves a girl shaken.
EpoH, directed by Johan Hernández
A teenager is bottled up with so much emotion, that he plans on ending it all. He then realizes that there is more in life to live for.
Neighborhood Kitchen, directed by Light House Studio
A student-made documentary about an effort to improve school lunches.
(Un)alarmed, directed by Logan Westin
Derek, a young man indebted to his sleep and schoolwork fractures his perception of reality as his association of alarm and anxiety is numbed by the repetition of his stresses.
Racism Must Stop, directed by Azomali Obisakin
A documentary short exploring the impact of racism on the lives of children and adults.
The Audition, directed by Eli Berliner
A young pianist makes a startling discovery while painting that changes his relationship to music forever.
About The Art Effect: The Art Effect empowers youth to develop their artistic voice to shape their futures and bring about positive social change. We help youth in the Hudson Valley explore, experience, and excel in the arts, introducing them to visual arts and media, giving them the opportunity to develop real skills in those fields, and guiding them towards achieving their academic and career goals. We believe that the arts have the power to create a more vibrant, caring, and sustainable world led by a generation of youth who value creative thinking, diverse voices, and stronger connections between all people. More information can be found at thearteffect.org.
About the Trolley Barn Gallery: The Art Effect at the Trolley Barn trains youth as leaders who catalyze the community through the arts and re-energize downtown Poughkeepsie. The iconic Poughkeepsie Trolley Barn puts youth in the driver’s seat and empowers them to engage the community in transformation arts experiences that they curate.
