Manhattan Film Festival Kickoffs Off With Record Number Of Entries

The Manhattan Film Festival (MFF), which was recently named as one of 25 Film Festivals of 2012 by MovieMaker Magazine, received more submissions this year than any other year in its history. MFF will kick off festivities this year from June 21st - July 1st.  A total of 142 films were selected, including 30 international films. Marcio Garcia's "Open Road," which stars Camilla Belle, Andy Garcia, and Colin Egglesfield, has been selected as the opening night feature narrative. Ana Nogueira and Eron Davidson's "Roadmap to Apartheid" was selected as opening night feature documentary.

Open Road is about Angie, a young Brazilian artist, who abandons her old life and embarks on a journey around the country.  Running from her past, and searching for her foundation in life, Angie finds not only herself but love in many forms.

Roadmap to Apartheid is a multiple award-winning documentary. Directors Ana Nogueira (who is a white South African) and Eron Davidson (who is a Jewish Israeli) draw on their first-hand knowledge of the issues to take close look at the apartheid analogy commonly used to describe the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Narrated by Alice Walker (author of The Color Purple), "Roadmap to Apartheid" is as much a historical document of the rise and fall of apartheid in South Africa as it is a film about why many Palestinians feel they are living in an apartheid system today, and why an increasing number of people around the world agree with them.  "We are thrilled to be part of such an exciting and filmmaker-friendly festival," says Nogueira, "and especially honored to have 'Roadmap to Apartheid' selected for the opening night ceremony! It makes all the years of hard work worth it."

Opening night will kick off with a variety of short films including Bryce Dallas Howard's "When You Find Me," Jerry Digby's "Hearts Gamble," and Josh Levy's "The Immigrant," which stars Dave Foley, Deb Theaker, Michael Cera, Margaret Cho, and Will Forte. Closing the festival will be Jesse Wolfe's "Eye of the Hurricane," which stars Melanie Lynskey, Campbell Scott, Grant Collins, and Nicola Peltz. The film tells the story of a small Everglades community struggling to put their lives back together in the wake of a devastating hurricane. The film is told through the eyes of a determined child, a troubled adolescent, a wounded parent and a loyal friend.