International whistling champion puckers at festival'

MILFORD n Three times International Whistling Entertainer of the Year Steve Herbst will be whistling on stage after the Black Bear Film Festival’s Oct. 15 screening of “Pucker Up,” a humorous documentary about his competing for the title of World’s Best Whistler. Herbst, who lives in New York City, has been whistling seriously since he was seven and asserts that “whistling is a legitimate musical artform. A retired advertising executive Herbst says he is, as far as he knows, the world’s only full-time professional whistler. Herbst does live performances and has a CD, titled “Broadway and Beyond.” You can hear him on his website, www.stevethewhistler.com. “Pucker Up”, by award-winning directors Kate Davis and David Heilbroner, is set in rural Louisville, North Carolina, site of the annual whistling convention where competitions are held. The directors will also be at the 5:15 p.m. screening, and all will come on stage afterwards to talk about the creation of the film. Tickets ($8 in advance/$10 at the door if available) can be had by calling 570-409-0909. “Pucker Up” is one of five full-length documentaries being shown in the Milford Theatre at the Festival, as well as seven feature films, plus a host of free films and lectures in two “film salon” tents. Farley Granger, 1940’s and 50’s screen star is scheduled to attend a 5:30 p.m. screening and introduce Alfred Hitchcock’s restored “Strangers on a Train, in which he starred. For complete schedule of events, and show times, for this sixth annual festival in the series, visit www.BlackBearFilm.com.