New Milford: a Film Festival and Weekend Escape
Now that autumn Is here and leaves are changing daily, I recommend a trip to the town of New Milford, Connecticut, a place that recalls a simpler time.
Located in Litchfield County near Danbury, New Milford’s downtown area has several unique stores, fine restaurants, and even an independent retro movie theatre, The Bank Street Theatre, first opened in 1902.
This Saturday and Sunday, the New Milford Film Festival will take place at that very theatre. Yes, the small town of New Milford produces an annual film festival, and even has its very own film commission. Now let me explain how unusual that is. Film commissions are usually established by the state or county. But for a town with a population of under 30,000 people, founding a film commission is surely an oddity. There is a reason.
In 2002, the film, Mr. Deeds, starring Adam Sandler and Peter Gallagher, was shot in New Milford. Town officials decided if one major film can be shot there, why not others? And so, the film commission was born. Brilliant!
Since then, numerous movie producers have used New Milford, Connecticut as a location. And to further the branding of New Milford as a film-friendly town, the New Milford Film Festival was created.
Returning to an in-person event, The Manhattan Short Film Festival will be shown during the New Milford Film Festival Saturday and Sunday at noon.
All profits from ticket sales for Manhattan Shorts will go to scholarships for local high school students.
Then on Sunday evening, there will be a free showing of “Night at the Eagle Inn” at 6:30PM. The film screening will be followed by a Q&A with writer/director Erik Bloomquist.
New Milford: a film festival and weekend escape all in one.
Valerie Smaldone is a 5-time Billboard Magazine Award winner and is well known for her unprecedented success holding the #1 on-air position in the New York radio market on 106.7 Life-FM, an iHeart station. She has hosted, produced, and created several award-winning nationally syndicated programs featuring in-depth interviews with stars like Paul McCartney, Celine Dion, Rod Stewart, Elton John and Mariah Carey among others. Her radio talk show "Bagels and Broadway" highlighted theatre and food personalities. She is an accomplished interviewer and voice artist heard on commercials, narrations, promos and audiobooks, as well as a sought after live announcer.
Most recently, Valerie produced and directed a film, The Thursday Night Club, featuring pop diva Gloria Gaynor in her movie acting debut. She is one of the creators and producers of a docu-series, Divine Renovation, starring Erik Estrada, on streaming networks soon.
