Irvington Theater to Present As iFF Virtual Festival October 9-10, Featuring Short Films From Around the World

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September 29, 2020

As iFF you need to travel long to watch a short, Irvington Theater continues its all-virtual fall season with the All Shorts Irvington Film Festival (As iFF) on October 9 and 10. Celebrating its fifth year, As iFF (www.asiffestival.com) will present two evenings of outstanding live action and animated short films chosen from hundreds of international submissions. Originally set to take place at the theater this past spring (before the COVID-19 pandemic halted arts events across the globe), going online offers the opportunity for the the highly-acclaimed, two-night festival to reach its biggest audience yet.

“When we started As iFF, short form films were difficult for the public to access. So we decided to devote an entire festival to these little gems,” says As iFF Co-Director Laurie Chock. “There is no room for excess in a short film. To chisel down a film to its essence is no easy task. But, wow, when done well, it is something to behold! Just ask any of the 3,500 people who have attended As iFF over the past five years!”

In As iFF tradition, ticket holders will vote for their favorite film to determine the Audience Choice Award-winner. Jury Awards will be named by the As iFF Advisory Board in categories including Best Director, Best Cinematographer, Best Original Screenplay, Best Editor, Best Score, and Best Actors.

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“Frog Legs” directed by Irvington Filmmaker Dan Shefelman

Local filmmaker Dan Shefelman is thrilled for the chance to share his work: “I’m very honored to have my film Frog Legs selected for AsiFF — my hometown film festival. Of course I would rather audiences see Frog Legs at Irvington Theater, but I’m glad AsiFF is forging ahead with the online festival.”

The 2020 theme is “Film in Focus” with Official Selections illustrating the limitless range of vision and perspective — from vivid clarity to vagueness and obscurity. The fifth anniversary festivities will include director interviews and special features. This year’s filmmakers hail from Spain, Germany, Ireland, and France, to name a few, with films spanning two to 20 minutes in length. Lauded by Westchester Magazine as one of New York’s top film events, As iFF has screened never-before-seen world premieres, student works, and shorts that have won prizes at other international festivals.

Since its 2015 debut, As iFF has gained a worldwide following; filmmakers and patrons have traveled from abroad to attend the sold-out event in the majestic, 430-seat, historic theater overlooking the Hudson River. The selection process has grown increasingly competitive, and As iFF is now recognized globally as a sought-after festival by renowned and up-and-coming filmmakers.

“Short films can create worlds of their own in a very short period of time,” says festival Co-Director Paula Romanow Etzel. “We are continuously amazed at how the international films we screen at As iFF take us to new places, both real and invented, and to different points in time, within the span of minutes. Yet the images, characters, and stories they tell stay with us indefinitely.”

The two-night festival will stream at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, October 9 and on Saturday, October 10, showcasing a curated program of different films each night. To purchase tickets, visit: https://www.irvingtontheater.com/asiff.

Irvington Theater is home to a “diverse range of innovative programming that entertains, enlightens, and inspires,” establishing itself over its 118-year history as the “cultural heart of the Rivertowns.” The theater continues its tradition of unprecedented reach with “Irvington Anywhere,” an entirely virtual fall season of short films, live concerts, and classic celebrations. To read about the fall season line-up and purchase tickets, visit: irvingtontheater.com/irvingtonanywhere. Only one ticket is needed per household to access each event.

Sentiments Distingués directed by Keren Moriano

In addition to season passes ($60) and individual tickets ($12), the theater is now featuring special “Best Seat in The House” season tickets ($118) for patrons to join in helping support the theater’s future. The theater’s virtual fall season kicked off on Saturday, September 26 with a free streaming for all ages of “Irving the Theater Nut” (visit www.irvingtontheater.com for more information and the full season line-up of events and dates). Irvington Anywhere is made possible with the generous support of Eric Bernstein of Compass, Dobbs Ferry.

To read about As iFF’s upcoming “Film in Focus” program, including Official Selection synopses, visit: http://www.asiffestival.com/october-2020.

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