lorraineportman

[lorraineportman]

Thrilled to be attending film festivals again! World premiere of DOA, a remake of the classic noir film, this version shot in Saint Augustine and starring two of my favorite friends and collaborators, Annie Gaybis and John Byner. Directed by Kurt St. Thomas. Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival.

[lorraineportman]

Nashville and more!

FALLING SOUTH plays in The Nashville Film Festival this Thursday, May 17, at 5:45 pm.  We are in a program of Screenplay Competition winners.  Nashville is an amazing festival, running 49 years. It is one of the top festivals in the country and actively supporting women. It is a dream come true to play The Nashville Film Festival.  The Artistic Director is very excited about our program, that they can show films created from the screenplays recognized in their screenplay competition. If you are in the area, I hope you'll join us.  

Link to Nashville information and tickets:

https://prod1.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=159509~95c7d792-cc78-409e-9556-3d769472d98b&

FALLING SOUTH also plays in West Virginia this weekend in the Enginuity Film Festival. The screening is May 19th at 2 pm in a group of short films. Holiday Inn Express Charles Town 681 Flowing Springs Road Ranson, WV 25438

We also will play: The Hobnobben Film Festival which runs  JUNE 7 – 10 in Ft. Wayne, Indiana

The Intendence Film Festival in Denver, which runs June 8 & 9. We are very excited to finally have a Denver festival!

The Austin Revolution Film Festival which runs  Sept. 17 – 22.

[lorraineportman]

April is a Shower of Festivals!

FALLING SOUTH has a number of festivals coming up in April. The Azalea Film Festival is April 6 - 8. We play Sunday, April 8th at noon.

http://www.azaleafilmfestival.com/index.html

Then... we take MANHATTAN! We have a NYC premiere with The Manhattan Film Festival. We play Friday, April 20th, 9:00 pm.

http://manhattanff.com/event/falling-south/

The same weekend we are also playing The Tupelo Film Festival in Mississippi. The festival runs April 19 - 21.

http://www.tupelofilmfestival.net

We also play The Ozark Foothills FilmFest in Batesville, Arkansas. The festival runs over two weekends, from April 19 - 21 and April 27-28. Falling South plays Friday, April 27th at 8:30 pm.

http://www.ozarkfoothillsfilmfest.org

The same weekend, we play The Bare Bones Independent Film Festival. We play Friday night, April 27th, at 8 pm at the Roxy, a very cool historic theater in Muskogee, Oklahoma.

http://www.barebonesfilmfestival.org

Falling South plays The Milledgeville Eatonton Film Festival in Georgia on Saturday, April 28th at 1:00 pm in a block of films by women. We'll be immediately after a Women in Film panel discussion at noon.

https://www.milledgevillefilmfest.com

More great news coming soon!  We hope to see you at a festival! Stay tuned for more great news coming soon!

[lorraineportman]

FALLING SOUTH will play The Chandler International Film Festival in Arizona on Sunday, January 14th at noon in The Chandler Theater, San Marcos Crowne Plaza Resort. Lorraine will be in attendance. 

FALLING SOUTH will play twice in The Saint Augustine Film Festival.  Lorraine and a special guest will be in attendance Saturday evening, 6:45 PM. January 20th. Flagler College Student Center’s Gamache-Koger Theater. 

Also playing Sunday, January 21, 11:00 am Corazon Theater. 

Before the Saint Augustine Film Festival, Lorraine will be speaking at Flagler College on Indie Filmmaking and Making the Most of Film Festivals, sharing her experiences with Flagler College students and encouraging them to attend film festivals.  

Lorraine will also appear on River City Live Friday morning, January 19th.  WJXT.  

[lorraineportman]

Indie Gathering

OHIO PREMIERE OF AWARD WINNING NEW SHORT FILM “FALLING SOUTH” STARRING ERIKA ERVIN OF AMERICAN HORROR STORY FREAKSHOW AND MICRO COMEDY ENDANGERED!!! NARRATED BY COMEDY LEGEND JOHN BYNER

“Falling South” and “Endangered!!!” will have Ohio premieres during The Indie Gathering Film Festival, which runs August 10 – 13. “Falling South” made a world premiere in The Cayman International Film Festival at the beginning of July. During the Fort Worth Indie Film Showcase, “Falling South” was awarded Best Overall Foreign Short, the Audience Choice Award for Short Film, and the “Every Woman” Award for best film, short or feature, about women’s experience.

“Falling South” is a short film about a woman who puts Rochester in the rear view as she runs away from her husband. She has never been on her own and doesn't know if she'll make it as her resources are stripped away. She meets diverse women who offer connection, insight, and laughter on the road to Florida and a possible new life. It is a drama with moments of comedy.   “Falling South” is the first starring role for lead actor Madeline Barr.  She is a graduate of Tisch and has been working as an actor in New York City, primarily creating new plays.

Erika Ervin, who is a supporting actor, played a starring role in American Horror Story: Freakshow. Erika Ervin, known professionally as Amazon Eve, tours the world modeling and making public appearances. At 6'8" without heels, Amazon Eve has been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the tallest model in the world in 2011. Ervin has also appeared in Hemlock Grove, and more.  She is in two feature films that are in post production, Chimera and Dead Squad.

Other cast members include Marlyn Mason and Eric T. Miller. Marlyn is loved the world over by Elvis fans.  She was Elvis’ leading lady in The Trouble with Girls.  Marlyn has also appeared in most of our classic television shows: The Odd Couple, Marcus Welby, M.D., Barnaby Jones, Bonanza, and many more.         Eric T. Miller is a New York City based actor who often brings new plays to life and has appeared on a number of television shows: Person of Interest, The Black List, The Unusuals, and Elementary.

The cast and crew of “Falling South” represent a very diverse group of people, with women in many key positions. Director of Photography Diana Matos has solid credentials as a camera assistant on TV Shows, Younger, House of Cards, and Project Runway, major motion pictures, Ricki and the Flash, Ghostbusters, and more, and has been shooting indie movies as the head of the camera department.

The cast and crew went on a two thousand mile road trip last October to make the film.  They shot on location in Niagara Falls; Rochester, New York; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Tennga, Georgia; Crescent City and Pierson, Florida.  There are worlds in this film that have never been explored on screen before. During the shoot, Hurricane Matthew hit Florida and the filmmakers returned to find locations with downed trees and homes without air conditioning and water. “Endangered!!!” is a spoofumentary, a short spoof of underwater documentary films. Footage shot by Lorraine Portman and her boyfriend while on Grand Cayman for the Cayman International Film Festival plus stock footage were the basis of the comedy, narrated by John Byner, a comedy legend that fans of Johnny Carson and SOAP will be tickled to hear in this new short film.

    Writer/Director/Producer Lorraine Portman is an award winning Playwright, Screenwriter, and Filmmaker. She taught Playwriting and Screenwriting at Flagler College in Saint Augustine, Florida for ten years. She holds a B.A. in Theater from Smith College and M.F.A. in Film from Florida State University. Lorraine also attended the National Theater Institute at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center. She has written and directed seven short films and a feature. Her screenplays have been placing in national and international competitions. Lorraine was presented with the Paul Schrader Screenwriting award by James V. Hart this year at the Cayman International Film Festival. Mr. Hart was presented with a lifetime achievement award the same evening for his work on HOOK, CONTACT, BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA, and many more.

    Falling South playsSaturday, August 12th at 10:00 pm in Screening Room A.  Endangered!!! plays Saturday at 4:30 with a group of Micro Short Films in Screening Room A.  The festival takes place in the Clarion Inn. 6625 Memorial Parkway, Hudson, Ohio.

Festival website: http://theindiegathering.com

Falling South: https://www.facebook.com/fallingsouth/?ref=bookmarks

Endangered!!!: https://www.facebook.com/Endangered1435312580100632/?ref=bookmarks

[lorraineportman]

“Falling South” Trailer. Short film starring Madeline Barr, Erika Ervin, Marlyn Mason, Eric T. Miller, Neil Tyrone Pritchard, Ashley Larsen, Hudson Rhotenberry.

[lorraineportman]

World Premiere Falling South at Cayfilm!

TALENT RICH “FALLING SOUTH” MAKES WORLD PREMIERE IN   THE CAYMAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

“Falling South” will world premiere during The Cayman International Film Festival.

Cayfilm is a spectacular annual event that celebrates the Cayman Islands as a world class filming destination, as well as an incredible place to visit and do business. International films as well as local films are shown, with filmmakers in attendance. Workshops taught by industry professionals are presented. Past festival guests include Zoe Saldana, Gary Lucchesi, Robert Watts, Teri Schwartz, Paul Schrader, James V. Hart, Reno Wilson, and Anthony Mackie. 

“Falling South,” a forty minute short film, has a very strong cast. Marlyn Mason is loved the world over by Elvis fans.  She was Elvis’ leading lady in The Trouble with Girls.  Marlyn has also appeared in most of our classic television shows: The Odd Couple, Marcus Welby, M.D., Barnaby Jones, Bonanza, and many more. 

     Erika Ervin has been in American Horror Story: Freakshow, Hemlock Grove, and more.  She is in two feature films that are in post production, Chimera and Dead Squad.  

Eric T. Miller is a New York City based actor who often brings new plays to life and has appeared on a number of television shows: Person of Interest, The Black List, The Unusuals, and Elementary. 

“Falling South” is the first starring role for lead actor Madeline Barr.  She is a graduate of Tisch and has been working with some of the best New York theater talent, Stephen Spinella, Austin Pendleton, and Stephen Adly Guirgis. Madeline is the niece of Philip Seymour Hoffman, who was very supportive of her theater training. Madeline is following in his footsteps in giving her all to her work. 

Making a cameo towards the end of the film is a comedy legend that fans of Johnny Carson, and SOAP will be tickled to discover. 

    Writer/Director/Producer Lorraine Portman is an award winning Playwright, Screenwriter, and Filmmaker. She taught Playwriting and Screenwriting at Flagler College in Saint Augustine, Florida for ten years. She holds a B.A. in Theater from Smith College and M.F.A. in Film from Florida State University. Lorraine also attended the National Theater Institute at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center. She has written and directed seven short films and a feature. Her screenplays have been placing in national and international competitions. The past two years, Lorraine has had screenplays that were finalists in the Cayfilm Screenplay Competition. Her black comedy “eDisharmony” was just awarded Outstanding Comedy by the Sacramento International Film Festival and was awarded Best Black Comedy by the Broad Humor Film Festival. Portman’s closed space thriller “Attic Ashes” has placed in 29 competitions, winning First Prize Thriller in the Film Crash Screenplay Competition, Best Screenplay in the Chicago Genre Screenplay Competition, and Best Screenplay in Beaufort International Film Festival’s Screenplay Competition.  

“Falling South” is about a woman who puts Rochester in the rear view as she runs away from her husband. She has never been on her own and doesn't know if she'll make it as her resources are stripped away. She meets diverse women who offer connection, insight, and laughter on the road to Florida and a possible new life. It is a drama with moments of comedy. The story is about a woman taking control of her  life and circumstances, stepping away from her marriage and a financially secure life. It is a story of hope.  

The cast and crew went on a two thousand mile road trip last October to make the film.  They shot on location in Niagara Falls; Rochester, New York; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Tennga, Georgia; Crescent City and Pierson, Florida.  There are worlds in this film that have never been explored on screen before. 

Writer/Director/Producer Lorraine Portman sought female creatives to make the film with.  Director of Photography Diana Matos and First Assistant Camera Liann Schott made an all female camera crew.  Supervising Sound Editor Ruth Hernandez is a film school friend of Lorraine. Associate Producer Jan Bramlett helped with Georgia production. Former students of Portman's joined the crew in Florida, young women, who learned more about film production. The cast is primarily women.  Any given day, there were more women on set than men. 

During the shoot, Hurricane Matthew hit Florida and the filmmakers returned to find locations with downed trees and homes without air conditioning and water. Madeline Barr and Writer/Director Lorraine Portman will be in attendance at the Cayfilm world premiere. There will be a Q & A after the screening which is Saturday, July 1 at 1:00 pm at the Ritz Carlton on Grand Cayman.  

Link to trailer:

https://vimeo.com/214285124

[lorraineportman]

Short film “Falling South” starring Madeline Barr, Marlyn Mason, Erika Ervin, and Eric T. Miller will premiere in The Cayman Islands International Film Festival on Grand Cayman on July 1, 2017.  We are thrilled! 

[lorraineportman]

Join us at the Saint Augustine Film Festival this weekend!  JORDAN ALMONDS plays Saturday, Jan. 21 at 5:45 pm with the Centerpiece film, MIRAGE D’AMOUR.  Lewis Auditorium, Flagler College.  

[lorraineportman]

Saint Augustine Film Festival

JORDAN ALMONDS comes home! We are thrilled to have a fabulous festival homecoming as we wind up our festival tour. 

JORDAN ALMONDS will play Saturday, January 21 at 5:45 in Lewis Auditorium with the Centerpiece Film MIRAGE D'AMOUR. We are thrilled! Hope to see you there! Ticket and pass information:

http://www.staugfilmfest.com/ticket

[lorraineportman]

ATTIC ASHES won First Place in the Chicago Genre Screenplay Competition as well as Best Horror/Thriller Award.  Thrilled!  And think these are pretty spiffy laurels!  Thank You Chicago Genre Screenplay Festival! 

[lorraineportman]

BEAUFORT INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 

Thank You Rebecca and Ron Tucker! Beaufort Volunteers! Sponsors! Everyone who gives time and energy and makes Beaufort a gem of a film festival! 

Tony and I had the best time at the Beaufort International Film Festival.  Ron and Rebecca run a wonderful festival!  There is only one event at a time so anyone attending can enjoy all the films and all the events.  

Films are very well attended.  The audience is engaged and thoughtful.  I heard the best questions and comments during the Q & A sessions.  Questions about inspiration, about the story, about the process.  Fantastic discussions. 

Writers and filmmakers were warmly welcomed.  We had fabulous opportunities to meet each other and everyone attending.  

Last year my friends Malindi and Lacy attended with their film “Suck It Up Buttercup”.  They suggested I enter the Screenwriting competition as the Screenplay reading event was terrific.  I am so glad they shared their love of Beaufort International Film Festival with me and so glad I entered! 

We had a chance to reconnect with friends from Charleston and other festivals. Friends like Margaret Ford Rogers, Sheila and Tony Watson,  and Xavier Santiago. We had a chance to hang out with fellow North Florida writers, Richard Levine and Marie Bailey.  We loved meeting writers and filmmakers we hope to see again at other festivals and back next year at Beaufort.  

I’ll submit and plan on attending again -- Beaufort Int’l Film Festival is an absolute gem of a festival.  Every day there were great films.  The festival is working hard to make sure every event is on time, every film is shown in a great space where it looks and sounds the best it can. 

The screenplay reading event was fabulous.  Wonderful actors jumping in and creating scenes that show off a piece of each screenplay.  Jeff Evans, publisher of Low Country Weekly, organized a terrific event. Each screenwriter had the chance to answer audience questions after seeing a few scenes come to life.  

It feels like the entire city of Beaufort supports the film festival.  While walking downtown, we spotted a sign in the window of Nevermore Books giving times and titles of the movies playing that day.  The mayor of Beaufort was on hand, personally supporting events. 

There were wonderful parties and receptions -- celebrations allowing us to connect and deepen friendships. This is a festival that celebrates films, screenplays, writers, filmmakers, volunteers, and everyone who loves film. Beaufort doesn’t simply support film, it allows us to create friendships and strengthen our connections with each other, which can create new work and new opportunities.  There is an atmosphere of good will and camaraderie that is valuable, tangible, and rare.  

It was great fun to meet Vanna White, who is endlessly gracious.  The festival honored her with The Spirit and Pride of South Carolina award.  Vanna is a native of South Carolina.  The festival put together a wonderful video tribute with messages from the South Carolina governor and Vanna’s friends. 

We were thrilled the festival honored sound professional Jonathan Gaynor.  Papa’s cousin Richard was a sound mixer and I learned that sound is as important as picture before I made my first film.  

The part of the evening honoring “No Greater Love” was especially moving.  Army Chaplain Justin Roberts couldn’t carry a gun while on tour with his unit, so he carried a camera and documented his company’s tour of duty in Afghanistan and their return home.  It was an honor to meet the men that have served our country and served with Mr. Roberts. He was awarded the Santini Patriot Spirit Award.  Having family who have served, it is truly meaningful that the festival honors “No Greater Love”.  

We also loved exploring Beaufort.  The Cuthbert House was especially beautiful.  Many older homes to drool over.  Gardens that were incredibly well tended and lovely. We loved our time in Beaufort. 

Huge Thank You to Rebecca and Ron and everyone who makes The Beaufort International Film Festival such a fantastic and friendly event.  I look forward to next year! 

[lorraineportman]

Vanna White and I win awards the same evening! Beaufort International Film Festival awarded Vanna White the Spirit & Pride of South Carolina Award.  “Attic Ashes” won The Ribault for Best Screenplay.  “eDisharmony” and “Attic Ashes” were both Finalists.  I think I am the first writer to have two Finalist screenplays in Beaufort’s competition.  A judge told me that they judge blind -- no names on the scripts -- and they were floored to discover one person wrote “Attic Ashes” and “eDisharmony”.  One is a thriller and one a black comedy.  I love both genres.  The judge also said of “Attic Ashes”, “I love the action.  You have a movie!” 

Vanna White was the most lovely lady -- kind and gracious.  I feel incredibly honored to meet her.  

#bftfilmfestival #BeaufortInternationalFilmFestival #Beaufort #SC #filmfestival #screenplay 

[lorraineportman]

Poster for screenplay “eDisharmony” designed by Jonathan Chambers.

The screenplay has won five awards and placed in a number of competitions. 

“eDisharmony”

Winner Best Comedy Feature Screenplay Action on Film International Film Festival Written Word Competition 2014

Best Feature Screenplay Winner Austin Indie Flix Showcase Screenplay Competition 2014

Winner Best Dark Comedy Screenplay Broad Humor Film Festival Screenplay Competition 2014

Second Place Horror/Comedy Feature Screenplay International Horror Hotel Film Festival 2015

Runner Up/Second Place Romantic Comedy Feature Screenplay Northern Virginia International Film Festival 2015

Semi-Finalist Richmond International Film Festival 2014 

Quarterfinalist Fresh Voices Screenplay Competition 2015 

Quarterfinalist Scriptapalooza Screenplay Competition 2014 

Quarterfinalist Creative World Awards Screenplay Competition 2014 

Official Selection Houston Comedy Film Festival Feature Length Screenplay Competition 2014

[lorraineportman]

Jonathan Chambers created this poster for “Attic Ashes”.  I’ve gone through several tag lines and we landed on this one... 

The screenplay has won 5 awards: 

First Prize Thriller Screenplay 

Film Crash Screenplay Competition 2015

Second Place “IndieWood”

Bare Bones International Film and Music Festival 2014

 Third Place Screenplay

Cayman International Film Festival 2015

 Third Place Suspense Thriller Feature Screenplay

International Horror Hotel Film Festival 2015

 Fourth Place Screenplay

Barcelona Film Festival 2015

 And has been a Finalist or placed in 18 other competitions.  

[lorraineportman]

So this does not happen in the movie! Dead guy rising from the casket is on set fun from the “Jordan Almonds” shoot this summer.  We have finished the film and are submitting to festivals.  Aiming for a premier in early 2016.  

In the photo: Angela Gollan, Sally McGhee, Diane Maurno (Hair and Make Up), and our “Dead Guy”, Tony.  My boyfriend. 

I’m thrilled with “Jordan Almonds”.  I fall in love with Angela and Sally, and their work, every time I watch the film.  Sam’s music is perfect.  I am looking forward to sharing the film with audiences and with you! 

[lorraineportman]

Amazing Weekend Filled With Awards!

This past weekend were two of my favorite festivals.  Without the technology allowing me to be in two places at once... I had to pick and I felt almost, not quite, like Sophie.  Or the kid in Modern Family with two dads when the dads fight. If the dads were both totally hot and straight.  

Austin Revolution Film Festival is all about filmmakers and run by indie filmmakers I love and admire.  “Emma and Holly Audition for Sharkpocalypse” won Best Short Comedy Screenplay.  “Jordan Almonds”, the screenplay, was a Semi-Finalist in this category.  “Zelda’s Ever Blooming Flower” was a Finalist in the Feature Screenplay Competition. “Queen of the Okefenokee” was a Semi-Finalist in this category.  “Peace, Love, and Law Enforcement” was a Teleplay Finalist.  

My former student Ashley Ryan won Best Teleplay with a script that started in my classroom, “Leave it to Cleaver”.  I am so proud of Ashley who is currently in the MFA  Producing & Screenwriting program at Loyola Marymount. 

It is incredibly sweet when my students’ work is recognized.  Former student Teresa Warner placed a teleplay in Austin Film Festival’s Second Round.  We’ll be heading to Austin in late October to celebrate. Teresa earned her MFA in Screenwriting from UT Austin after graduating from Flagler.  A fun part of this weekend was connecting Teresa with recent Flagler grads Matt Goodman, Jemeka Delaine, and Ashley Ryan.  

At Action on Film International Film Festival in Los Angeles, “Emma and Holly Audition for Sharkpocalypse” won Best Short Comedy Scene.  “Queen of the Okefenokee” won Best Title.  

I was nominated for Writer of the Year, with some stellar writers, which was a lovely honor.  Four scripts were nominated for awards and seven scripts were Official Selections. 

Also at AOF,  a scene from “Emma and Holly Audition for Sharkpocalypse” was filmed with two actors doing a cold read.  The five minute scene was screened with a short block of films.  Super fun! 

Festival was fantastic.  Great workshops.  New friends!  Time to connect with friends, AOF friends, film school friends, Bare Bones friends, former students.  This festival knows how to support and celebrate writers.  

I came home to find out that “eDisharmony” and “Attic Ashes” are Official Selections of the Film Crash Screenplay Competition and “Attic Ashes” won First Place Thriller Screenplay.  

I had a great conversation with Del Weston of AOF about taking big first steps to making “Attic Ashes”.  I also took on a feature writing project working with Troy and Allie Ruff.  They have a short they would like to expand -- I am very excited to be on board.  And am writing a short script to shoot with Danielle Cole, a very talented actor I met last year.  I love her work and am thrilled to be working with her.  

It has been quite the weekend!  Four awards.  Three projects kicked into gear. Friendships made and deepened.  I am ever grateful. 

Austin Revolution is open for submissions -- submit now! 

https://filmfreeway.com/festival/austinrevolutionfilmfest