<\/p>\n
\u201cTwo men. Gallons of Soup. One Night.\u201d<\/p>\n
Are you intrigued?<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the summary of a 2-minute, 58-second short called \u201cSoup Night,\u201d directed by Jason Hayner Jr., that will be part of the Northeast Pennsylvania Film Festival.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s also part of a \u201ccomedy block,\u201d during which several short films will bring you everything from the story of Elf, who is the sole customer service rep tending the North Pole\u2019s Naughty List Hot Line, to the story of a man attempting to establish a religion based on the \u201cFast and Furious\u201d movies.<\/p>\n
If comedy isn\u2019t your thing, other film blocks offer documentaries, science fiction, and horror. There are feature-length films and workshops, too.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do have something for everyone,\u201d said Gia Tugend, executive director of the Waverly Community House, which will host the Film Festival April 10-12.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn opening night, we do have a lot of filmmakers and their families, and film lovers,\u201d Tugend said, noting the filmmakers come from \u201call over the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe get hundreds of films submitted,\u201d said Waverly events coordinator Kathy Wright, explaining, \u201ca committee of very dedicated volunteers, a very talented group of people, screen all of the submissions and choose the best.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a platform for independent filmmakers, both locally and globally,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019re bringing unique, high-quality films to this area. It\u2019s a convergence of so many creative people. I kind of love that. And it\u2019s a huge networking event for them as they try to learn to be better at their craft.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd if you\u2019re somebody who just enjoys films, this is for you, too,\u201d she said. \u201cYou can buy a day pass, a weekend pass or just a block pass,\u201d she said, adding that there are day-of bargain prices for students with a student ID, and it is also possible to buy a ticket for just one of the full-length feature films.<\/p>\n
Feature films include \u201cOut of Order,\u201d directed by Guy Jacobson, in which a young New York lawyer ends up working at two opposing law firms, representing both sides of the same case in an attempt to win back his ex-girlfriend; \u201cAntarctic Voyage,\u201d directed by Kevin Shrech, which documents a research expedition to the remote island of South Georgia, and \u201cBaseball Mensch: The Mary Lurie Story,\u201d directed by Randy Field and described as \u201cthe story of survival, success, loss, reinvention, greater success, mentorship, feminism, humanity, turtle races and baseball. (Sort of).\u201d<\/p>\n
The festival kicks off at 6 p.m. Friday, April 10, with a reception and panel discussion with award-winning local filmmakers, moderated by WNEP-TV\u2019s Jeremy Lewan. Panelists include R.C. Cordaro, who is based in Scranton; Benjamin Carlucci, who is based in Pittsburgh, and John Bradley, a Dunmore native whose short film \u201cOne Stunning Day\u201d won Best Regional Film at the NEPA Film Festival.<\/p>\n