WORLDFEST HOUSTON

HOUSTON, TX - Our final film festival took place in Houston, TX, at the 2006 Worldfest Houston. It was an event made even more special thanks to my good friend Mike Hansen and yet another does of support from Georogetown University. The Gtown Club of Houston hosted a pre-screening reception (the third such one so far) at a local Tex-Mex restaurant which featured a special guest appearance by my good friend Tim "Flap" Fording--who was instrumental in cooking up the first Gtown event back in Fairfield County, CT in December.

At the screening in Houston, which was at the gorgeous new AMC theater, I had the pleasure of meeting Festvial Director Hunter Todd and Associate Director Kathleen Haney. Talk about super nice people. After the screening, which was very well attended thanks to Georgetown's efforts and also a positive review in the Houston Chronicle, Hunter presented the film with the Gold Remi Award for Creative Excellence. It marks our fifth major award on the festival circuit. A big and heartfelt thanks go out everyone from Worldfest and Georgetown who helped make the evening so perfect. (Photos)

After the screening, Mike took a slight detour on the way home, stopping by one of my favorite bars in Houston--Blancos--where we enjoyed some cold beers, great country music, and some jaw dropping dancing. I didn't participate in the dancing part due to my lack of rhythm, but it was a great time and Mike managed to get me back to the hotel late enough so that I thankfully missed the room service cutoff time.

The next day it was off the airport, and off to Louisville for the 132nd running of the Kentucky Derby!

IFP CHICAGO PRODUCER'S CONFERENCE

CHICAGO, IL - Our second trip to Chicago was almost as fun as our first. This time around, Christina Varotsis and I were asked to participate in the IFP's Annual Producer's Conference.

More details coming soon, but in the meantime, check out some photos here.

EAST LANSING FILM FESTIVAL

MICHIGAN PREMIERE. Every now and then you stumble on to a really great experience in an unexpected place. And this was certainly the case with the East Lansing Film Festival, one of the most enjoyable and best festivals I've ever had the pleasure of attending.

More details coming soon, but in the meantime, check out some photos here.

TIBURON FILM FESTIVAL

MARIN COUNTY, CA - Wow. Talk about a gorgeous place.

More details coming soon, but in the meantime, check out some photos here.

BOSTON: NACA ANNUAL CONVENTION WITH THE MUCKRAKERS

BOSTON, MA - How appropriate was it that Boston, satirically referenced in This Is Spinal Tap as "nota big college town," played host to the National Association of Campus Activities Annual Convention?

More details coming soon, but in the meantime, check out some photos here.

CHICAGO PREMIERE

January proved to be fairly quiet, but February heated things up again--thanks to a fabulous premiere screening in Chicago hosted by the IFP/Chicago and the local Georgetown Alumni Club. The screening, held Thursday evening February 9th, at the Film Row Cinema at Columbia College was a very special night, as it was attended by nearly twenty KYD crew members who call Chicago home. Check out the photo gallery from this evening and you'll see the likes of Christina Varotsis (producer), Rick LeFevour (Stunt Coordinator), Ron Forsythe (Gaffer), Ben Brammeier (2nd AD), and many others. Combine those attendees with a healthy continget of Gtown alums as well as IFP members and we had all the ingredients necessary for a wonderful evening. The reception before the screening featured beer courtesy of Goose Island Brewery (special thanks to Ken Wright), the film looked and sounded great (big shout out to Super Nick the projectionist), the Q&A went smoothly, and afterwards many of us got togethe for a nightcap at the Wabash Tap.

Thanks to Liz and Molly from the IFP, Laura Anderson and Aileen Furlong from Gtown, all the folks at Columbia College, and of course, all our Chicago crew for making the Windy City Premiere of Keep Your Distance a night to remember!

CONNECTICUT PREMIERE

The final 2005 stop on our U.S. Tour was without question one of the best: A special screening at the Garden Cinemas in South Norwalk, CT, that was organized by two of my dearest friends from Georgetown, Tim Fording and Evan Seideman. To quote Evan and Tim, "This started off as merely an effort to see this film on the big screen and quickly evolved into a much bigger phenomenon." I'll say. With more than 100 people in attendance, the theater was pretty much packed, as was the reception and Q&A that followed at Fat Cat Joe, an establishment right around the corner. The event also managed to raise a decent chunk of change for the Westport Young Women's League.

The weekend was filled with numerous highlights, including a wonderful dinner party--complete with red carpet--hosted by Tim and his wife Kathie on Saturday night in Westport. The Garden Cinemas and Richard Friedman were incredibly friendly and accomodating, and the theater was gorgeous. The pizza, wine, and beer offered up by Tony Ancona of Fat Cat Pie Co./Fat Cat Joe was awesome. Tony also deserves honorable mention for going above and beyond the call of duty to make us all feel right at home.

The screening on Sunday marked a reunion of sorts for many Georgetowners, as classmates traveled from the likes of Chicago, Detroit, Boston, Denver, and St. Louis to attend the screening and reception. According to a representative from DC, the event was the most successful in the history of the Georgetown Club of Fairfield County. Of course, I have no idea how long the club has been around or how many events they've thrown, but that's still kinda cool.

There have been so many great things about taking "Keep Your Distance" out on tour, and certainly one of them is getting to reunite with so many people from my past. Pursuing a filmmaking career is something that has more than its share of ups and downs, and I'm very grateful for such an amazing group of friends who continue to support and inspire my efforts. Thanks to all who organized, and all who attended, for putting together such a perfect event.

Here's wishing all of you the best for a safe and happy holiday season. We'll be back on the road again in early 2006!