Tickets still available for film festival weekend
Black Bear celebrating ninth year MILFORD Black Bear Film Festival (BBFF) planners are looking forward to another thought-provoking, entertaining lineup of independent cinema at the ninth annual festival, slated for Oct. 17 through 19, at the historic Milford Theatre, in Milford. “We have an excellent selection of films this year,” says BBFF Executive Director Nancy Pitcher. The festival opens with “The Cake Eaters,” a finely observed ensemble drama set in rural, small-town America, directed by Mary Stuart Masterson. Special guests, Producer Jesse Scolaro and Writer/Actor Jayce Bartok, will attend. BBFF Gold or Gala Passes are needed for this film; no individual tickets. The weekend includes several films with local connections, such as the documentary “Dreams with Sharp Teeth: A Film About Harlan Ellison.” The film spins a gamely tail of Ellison, a hugely gifted and equally opinionated writer whose passion for writing and life bring him both fierce devotees and enemies. Ellison will be familiar to some Milford area residents as a member of the Milford Science Fiction Writers Group in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Special guests from Virginia Kidd Agency will attend. The thriller “The Poker Club,” filmed in and around Milford, will include a post-film discussion with Director Tim McCann. “The Poker Club” follows the frightening spiral of violence, menace and mayhem that occur when a burglar intrudes upon four friends at their weekly poker game. “Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson,” narrated by Johnny Depp, creates a riveting portrait from interviews and choice excerpts of the boundary-breaking gonzo journalist’s work. Thompson, who once wrote for the Times Herald-Record, was an audacious writer who was also a gun-toting libertarian and a marathon drug and alcohol abuser. Thompson’s 1959 coworker Chris Farlikas will attend. On the greener side, the festival will include a free EnviroFest on Sunday, Oct. 19 at Grey Towers National Historic Site, and the documentary “Fuel” at BBFF’s main venue, the Milford Theatre. “Fuel” is a sweeping overview of the most critical issue facing America: the effect of oil and energy use on health, environment, global warming, foreign policy, and national security. It features a large and lively collection of interviewees from business, politics and entertainment. A special guest representative of a leading biodiesel producer will attend. If you go Tickets are available for $8 in advance at the BBFF office at the Upper Mill (across from The Waterwheel) or by calling 570-409-0909. Tickets are NOT available online. If still available, tickets can be purchased during the event for $10 at the Milford Theatre box office. If sold out, seats usually become available by waiting in the “Rush Line” outside the theatre 10 minutes prior to show time. BBFF Gold Passes, available for $200, allow unlimited admission to all festival screenings throughout the entire weekend including the opening night gala and film. Gala Passes, available for $150, include admission to the Friday, October 17 opening night gala at Hotel Fauchere and the much coveted opening night film. For the complete festival lineup or more information visit www.blackbearfilm.com or call 570-409-0909.