The Florida Project launches Film Fest 919 in Chapel Hill North Carolina.
Film Fest 919 Is A Film Festival With Heart
I went down to Chapel Hill, North Carolina last week for the launch of Film Fest 919. Amazing cuisine started the evening at Silverspot Cinemas with a variety of delicious dishes and appetizers to try. The crowd buzzed with excitement of the launch and the film that would follow.
The Florida Project is an incredibly moving film that looks at the the brilliance of childhood in the often dark underbelly of motel communities. It follows six year old Moonee (Brooklynn Prince) who is raised by her mother Halley (Bria Vinaite). The two live week to week in a low budget motel in Orlando called “The Magic Castle”. The manager Bobby (Willem Dafoe) oversees this community, often having to balance between being the employee asking for rent and a loving father figure looking after his tenants. This community is hidden in plain site in the shadow of the vibrant, impeccable shine of Disney World.
I spoke with Chris Bergoch, the co-writer of Sean Baker’s The Florida Project following the film. Bergoch spoke to Kyle2U about how the film stemmed from his trips to visit his mother in Orlando and noticing the unspoken residents whose daily life is a struggle most of us could not imagine. His passion for wanting to tell their story shown through both his interview and in the film itself. I’m calling it now, The Florida Project will be a hot property come awards season.
Also announced at the Film Fest 919 launch event was the partnership with University of North Carolina’s film department. Student filmmakers will not only benefit from a financial donation, but they will have access to another avenue for their love of filmmaking. When I commented on how wonderful I thought it was that Film Fest 919 was helping upcoming filmmakers, Co-founder Carol Marshall said, “We aim to be the film festival with heart”. With films like The Florida Project, a mission to work with student filmmakers, and a passion for bringing films and cuisine together in an exciting way in Raleigh - Durham-Chapel Hill triangle, Film Fest 919 is destined to be just that.
Film Fest 919 will launch in October 2018 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Visit FilmFest919.com for news and updates!
Kyle McMahon is a Millennial who has appeared on a series of the Emmy winning Oprah’s Lifeclass specials on the fatherless. Check out the Kyle McMahon website to start the journey to transform your life. You can follow Kyle on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Instagram. Be sure to check out the new personal development series for Millennials, Kyle2U with Kyle McMahon on YouTube or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.