“Once upon a time on a very snowy day… yes, that’s exactly how we can start off the story of the 2015 Garden State Film Festival! While rain could be a good thing, bringing people out to see films on a weekend when over 150 are shown in a single city; snow? Well, I guess you can say that snow just added to the ??fun??
This was the Garden State Film Festival Executive Director, Diane Raver's last year at the helm. This photo captures her true love and spirit for the arts and her inner light of love and energy that she placed into every aspect of the event. [Photo credit: Patrick Zehr]
My GSFF kick-off cocktail party shoes by Jimmy Choo are allergic to snow. [Photo credit: Patrick Zehr] So here I was, not traipsing through the snow in my sparkly Jimmy Choos (Hey, you never sacrifice the shoes!), scraping snow off my car in a designer dress, then driving [read: plowing] through snow down the Atlantic City Expressway in a convertible, to the red carpet cocktail party of the year, wrapped in a very unmatching winter coat, my hiking boots on, and heels in hand. I truly felt like Superman doing a quick change in the car in the Resorts parking garage, one of the venues that hosted the festival. If you witnessed some brunette wiggling around a stick-shift in a tight dress, taking off a coat, and slipping on shoes in the front seat of a car, on March 20th in Atlantic City, yes, that was me – at the height of glamour. Red carpet here I come!
Panoramic shot of the Resorts ballroom before the cocktail party began.
Actors Kresh Novakovic, Ed Asner and Armand Assante with former GSFF Executive Director Diane Raver at the kickoff cocktail party [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
Selfie Day 2 @ GSFF: Me and my photographer, Patrick [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr] By some miracle my photographer, Patrick Zehr, also made it through the winter weather, and both of us arrived before the start of the event. My phone was beeping with texts and messages from various V.I.P.’s that were stuck in traffic on trains, the Parkway, or counting how many hours they have already spent on the road, determined to touch down at the gala come hell or high…snow. All arrived safely, and most made a perfectly-timed fashionably late entrance. Perfection! It actually gave me and my crew a little lead time to take some snapshots before it all went off with a bang, testing the lighting, hooking up to Wi-Fi, and getting all set up to rock ‘n roll on the red carpet coverage.
Surrounded by the cast and crew of The Antwerp Dolls is Diane Raver at the helm of the festival [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
 Me with actor Joe Sernio, past Rising Star Award recipient and part of the cast of Meet Mario  Director Robert Rothbard scoping out the scene at GSFF Day 2 [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr] |  Actor Ed Asner always knows how to make a girl laugh. [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]  Diane Raver greeted guests as Friday night started the festival in full swing. [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr] |
Diane Raver (center) with the cast and crew of Charlie, Trevor, and a Girl Savannah [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
The most energetic, enthusiastic, and organized (now former) Executive Director of GSFF, Diane Raver, was welcoming guests including film makers, fans, and celebrities such as Ed Asner, Armand Assante, and James Wilder, as they paused for photos and enjoyed cocktails and complimentary hors d’oeuvres accompanied by a fashion of food. A long list of well-known names paused for red carpet camera clicks and made their way to the bar for cocktails and conversation.
Actors James Wilder, Armand Assante, Ed Asner and Kresh Novakovic
Some of the cast and crew of Charlie, Trevor and a Girl Savannah [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
A room full of fans, filmmakers, actors, and press- all with a passion for movies. [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
Cast and crew of The Painting. Left to right: Actors Joe Dalo and Robert Mollohan, Producer/Writer Sally Lamb, Robert Mollohan's mother, Director/Writer Robert Rothbard, and Actor Henry Hereford [Photo Credit: PatrickZehr]
Stu Grant and Mariana Conde of C.T.R.L. being interviewed by Qui Santewa on the red carpet. [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
Actor Kresh Novakavic (left background), Actors Ed Asner and Robert Mollohan, and Director Robert Rothbard (right background)
 Here I am with actor Robert Mollohan at the cocktail party. Photobombing in high speed is GSFF Chairman of the Board Nick Falcone on the left! Faster than a speeding bullet! :) [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr] |  Now the new Executive Director of GSFF, Margaret Fontana, with Chairman of the Board, Nick Falcone, and me on the red carpet at the kick off cocktail party. Yes, Margaret and I managed to color coordinate outfits every night - it was totally unplanned! :) [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr] |
The first red carpet moment for some of the cast and crew of The Painting. [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
 Above: Filmmaker Brian Tice having fun at the cocktail party. Right: One of the guests having a good time. [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr] |  |
My martini! Nails by Yess Nails in Raritan, NJ. :) [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr] The minutes flew by in a matter of seconds and everyone was being ushered into the theatre for the screenings of NJ Art Matters in Atlantic City, The Girl and the Gondola, and As The Crow Flies.
[This is the point where I guzzle my glass – a martini I think? Patrick, managed to capture my minute-to-minute life so I can look back and remember it after a weekend whirlwind that went by in a blur ;) ] – and realize that I haven’t eaten since, oh, about 3pm. Patrick (my photographer) and I made a dive for the buffet table, scrounging for the last bits of bread, pasta, and salad. It’s eat now, or never (in about 60 seconds flat)! Get the picture yet? Oh, we did – over 2000 pictures in 4 days! The thing is, when you’re capturing the moments, you truly have to schedule time in to do things like let’s say – eat! : )
[This is the point where I guzzle my glass – a martini I think? Patrick, managed to capture my minute-to-minute life so I can look back and remember it after a weekend whirlwind that went by in a blur ;) ] – and realize that I haven’t eaten since, oh, about 3pm. Patrick (my photographer) and I made a dive for the buffet table, scrounging for the last bits of bread, pasta, and salad. It’s eat now, or never (in about 60 seconds flat)! Get the picture yet? Oh, we did – over 2000 pictures in 4 days! The thing is, when you’re capturing the moments, you truly have to schedule time in to do things like let’s say – eat! : )
Yep....that's me on my phone. If you saw me at the film festival you probably saw me doing this 99% of the time. #OccupationalHazard :) The Claridge and Resorts hosting hotels must have been wondering why there was a sudden surge in Wi-Fi usage – yep, that was probably me. *~giggle~*
I am visually blogging and mentally writing everything as I go when I’m working.
My mind races faster than me in my Manolos, and if you’ve seen me run in heels, you know that I’d win a race.
The Superstar theatre at Resorts was one of the screening venues at GSFF. [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr] So now you probably think that I got to sit and relax through a feature film. Hah! I am probably known as the girl with the phone glued to her that lived at the festival. So here goes Laura [codename: TheLadyinRed] vigorously Facebooking, Tweeting, and Instagramming, #tagging #everything #and #everyone that could possibly be interested in following #GSFF #GSFFAC.
Jake Reid, Mani Sohal, and Courtney Winston of The Antwerp Dolls hanging out with me at Bar 1 at Resorts after Day 2 of GSFF was officially over. [Photo Credit: Mani Sohal]
Cast and crew of The Antwerp Dolls taking a moment to toast at Bar 1
I did get to lift my head up and enjoy the films, though, in all seriousness…but I definitely had my head in the game. It’s what I do. I love to give you a glimpse inside spectacular events.
Post film, I went home, put on my pj’s and fuzzy bunny slippers.
The End.
Hah! I joke! Well, first, if you know me, fuzzy bunny slippers won’t touch these Louboutin-esque feet! Actually, some of the best moments that my photographer, Patrick Zehr, and I had, were after the official screenings were over, in the evenings. We stopped at Bar 1 and met up with the cast and crew of The Antwerp Dolls. What a great group of talented guys! Director of C.T.R.L., Mariana Conde, was out and about, too. They came all the way from the U.K. and were so excited to be a part of the film festival. Their enthusiasm was contagious!
Saying hello to one of my favorite actors, Garry Pastore on the casino floor of Resorts [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
Post toast, we crossed the casino floor, and I gave good friend and actor Garry Pastore a hug while he, and actors Joe Sernio (Meet Mario) and Artie Pasquale (The Sopranos, Meet Mario) were getting a little gambling in. Snapping these moments on film was awesome! This is what the stars do when off-camera. They eat, drink, and play just like us!
I had to get home to gear up for Day 3 of GSFF. It was going to be the longest day of the gathering, and Patrick and I needed to prep.
Some Sopranos cast hit A.C.... ;) These guys are great to hang out with! Artie Pasquale, Joe Sernio and Garry Pastore are a lot of fun off camera, too! [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
 Actors Joe Serino and Artie Pasquale having some serious fun gambling! |  I love this shot! |
The new Executive Director of GSFF, Margaret Fontana and volunteer Lauren Watson worked tirelessly to make sure that all events went off without a hitch. Just so you know – every SINGLE board member [Nick Falcone, Margaret Fontana, Diane Raver, Ann Kneuer, Renate English...etc.] and every freakingly fantastic VOLUNTEER [Rachel Kay, Lauren Watson, Emily Lyons, and so many more!] has a similar tireless tale to tell. They worked their amazing a$$es off, and delivered a film festival that spoke to the core of every single person who attended. If you saw these guys on ground zero, you know that they made the sparks fly and the stars soar. They are the shining and effervescent bursts of synergetic energy that make it all happen. And the tireless filmmakers and actors with their boundless drive and enthusiasm! How do YOU do it? Just WOW!
…ok…back to how we somehow recharged our batteries for DAY 3!...
See, when Patrick got home, he had about an hour’s worth of photo uploads to do every night. DropBox downloading was on my end. I was reviewing snapshots while removing my mascara and picking out accessories to go with the next day’s outfits at the same time. Soon, we realized that if we were to keep up with picking out the best poses on a daily basis, we would have to sacrifice sleep. Sleep won – at about 4 hours each night, max.
…ok…back to how we somehow recharged our batteries for DAY 3!...
See, when Patrick got home, he had about an hour’s worth of photo uploads to do every night. DropBox downloading was on my end. I was reviewing snapshots while removing my mascara and picking out accessories to go with the next day’s outfits at the same time. Soon, we realized that if we were to keep up with picking out the best poses on a daily basis, we would have to sacrifice sleep. Sleep won – at about 4 hours each night, max.
Day 3 Choos. Thankfully the snow had melted by then and they could keep up with me as I sprinted from venue to venue! [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr] With my GSFF bible in hand (a printed version of 2015 Listings At A Glance), that looked like a highlighted cryptic maze of circles and arrows, mapping out venues, with jotted down times, addresses of parking garages, and the hope that I could clone myself so I could attend about 3 different film blocks simultaneously, consistently throughout the day, I got out the door, this time in heels, and a coordinating pashmina that conveniently fit into my Michael Kors purse, so I could cloak myself from the cold, as I froze, jogging in heels down city streets from Resorts, to Claridge, Dante Hall, and back again. [Yes, that’s the longest run-on sentence ever; but I wanted to convey to you how breathless I was at most points running around town, doing what I do and love best. Many joked that they saw me everywhere and wondered how I did it, all the while, in designer glitter (thanks to Ursule Bada) and 5 inch heels. Hey, a girl has to get a workout somehow! ; ) ] My car still officially tries to travel through Atlantic City on autopilot now because its tires wore a path in the road in a three day period.
With my camera crew on board, Patrick snapped this photo that looks like I'm driving with the top down on my convertible through Atlantic City in 40 degrees. I call it trick photography and a closed sun roof! LOL My car wore tracks in the trail we blazed between all screening venues. [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
All of the actors who read the award winning screenplay "Sociopath" were gathering for a group photo when this was taken. Candid smiles, all around. Starting on the left, in the back: Actors Morgan Wolk, Bob Cleary, Ronnie Marmo, Artie Pasquale - and in the purple shirt: Chairman of the Board Nick Falcone, Actors Gary Pastore and Mackenzie English smiled for the camera. [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
The room was ready to go for the screenplay reading. [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr] First stop, the reading of the winning screenplay “Sociopath” by Jess Sussman. I mean, where else can you see a first reading of a great script with a room full of amazing actors!? It was like being a fly on the wall as you got to see the expressions of intensity on everyone’s faces as they read their lines and delivered a great performance of flashback scenes that make sense focusing on the life of the lead character tormented by drugs and a definite deviation from the norm.
Actors Morgan Wolk and James Wilder at the screenplay reading of "Sociopath" [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
Actors Mackenzie English, Joe Sernio and Brian O'Halloran [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
 Hanging out with actor Garry Pastore before the screenplay reading. [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr] |  Ally Mullaney with actor Joe Sernio [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr] |
Actors Gaetano Iacono, Cairo George, Ronnie Marmo, Bob Cleary and others completely focus on executing their lines in the screenplay during the reading of "Sociopath" by Jeff Sussman [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
Actors Garry Pastore, Mackenzie English, Joe Sernio, Brian O'Halloran, Kerrianne Spellman, and Artie Pasquale play their parts at the screenplay reading. [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
Group photo at the reading of "Sociopath" [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
 James Wilder and Ed Asner at the screenplay reading. |  Stealing a few moments with actor Artie Pasquale [Photo Credit; Patrick Zehr] |
 |  Left: Actor Ronnie Marmo; Top: Actor Joe Sernio [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr] |
Pre-screenplay reading of Sociopath by Jess Sussman [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
Actor Garry Pastore getting ready to read [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
You'll have to come back to the blog to find out what was said during my interview with Armand Assante over lunch. [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr] Then, a really cool portion of my day happened. I had scheduled an afternoon interview with Armand Assante. Truly, it felt like more of a conversation. He’s very articulate and intriguing to speak with. Patrick and I met him in a portion of a restaurant that opened early specifically for him and a few people he was with. We were the only ones in there besides staff, and it was perfect, as there were no other patrons making noise and our conversation could be casual without autograph interruptions. Post interview, we enjoyed lunch and dessert with Armand and had off-the-record conversations. Moments like this are the most memorable aspects of my job. I establish trust with people I work with; and never, ever sell them out for 15 minutes of fame. As such, I am extremely grateful for extra time I get to spend with celebrities off camera, enjoying life, and passing time with them out of the public eye. [You’ll have to stay tuned to find out what we ate, drank, and talked about on the record, on the blog, coming soon!]
Dante Hall was a bit off the beaten path to get to at the festival, but the films being shown there were worth the ride. [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr] We wished we could have stayed longer, but time was a-ticking, and we had to get down to Dante Hall. There was a great group of short films we could still see if we hurried, [Communication Breakdown, The Looking Planet (Cool special effects!), A Loan Officer and a Gentleman (Great classic movie references in this comedy!), Flat Brim (Great soundtrack! Funny!), No Love Lost (A Jewish-Muslim-Skinhead love triangle! On par with this year’s festival “trend” of no dialogue!), The Telegram Man, The Devil Goes Down (Nice basketball moves! Metaphorically moving!), and Border Trafficking (So deep, and based upon the unfortunate reality of many missing women), and this was a venue we wanted to check out, as we hadn’t viewed anything here yet.
Two of the actors attending the film screening of their movie A Loan Officer and a Gentleman at Dante Hall along with seven other stellar films. [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr] My GPS decided that it likes to ignore one-way streets, so thankfully Patrick doubles as a navigation system and got us to a parking deck where we didn’t have too far to freeze when it came time to get out and walk about in 40 degree weather. (You don’t travel capturing the best of the fest with winter coats as there’s no place to put them! And coats don’t do after-parties and photo-ops! So yes, we got a few looks walking down the street mid-day dressed to the nines, freezing. But, there’s no time to change before the lights go down in the city!)
Sit. Watch. Photos. Repeat.
The film block ran a bit late, and we had times to keep and places to be, people! There were people lining the streets, boardwalk, and hotel hallways and elevators all buzzing about the best films they had seen during the day. My guess is that many were on-the-go to try to take in as much as possible in one weekend, just like me.
I dropped off my camera crew to get their car, and proceeded to the Claridge. I had time for a quick hair and make-up check, and in come my awesome team, Patrick and John with the best tasting turkey sandwiches and bottled water money can buy. (Did you think I was going to say that I had a gourmet dinner? Not this girl on the go! Hah! Most of the time when I’m interviewing and jotting down notes, posing for pictures, and playing part-time photographer, it gets about as glam as this.) These guys saved me! Not only did they watch my bag when I tossed it to the side while Tweeting and stopping for pictures all day long, but they made sure I ate and didn’t fall over from exhaustion, too. So here we were, in the Claridge lobby, decked out in satin, silk, and sparkles (Ok, my team, Patrick and John (Patrick’s assistant) didn’t wear sparkles… maybe next year ;) ) eating turkey sandwiches from 7-Eleven. Glamourous, eh?
Sit. Watch. Photos. Repeat.
The film block ran a bit late, and we had times to keep and places to be, people! There were people lining the streets, boardwalk, and hotel hallways and elevators all buzzing about the best films they had seen during the day. My guess is that many were on-the-go to try to take in as much as possible in one weekend, just like me.
I dropped off my camera crew to get their car, and proceeded to the Claridge. I had time for a quick hair and make-up check, and in come my awesome team, Patrick and John with the best tasting turkey sandwiches and bottled water money can buy. (Did you think I was going to say that I had a gourmet dinner? Not this girl on the go! Hah! Most of the time when I’m interviewing and jotting down notes, posing for pictures, and playing part-time photographer, it gets about as glam as this.) These guys saved me! Not only did they watch my bag when I tossed it to the side while Tweeting and stopping for pictures all day long, but they made sure I ate and didn’t fall over from exhaustion, too. So here we were, in the Claridge lobby, decked out in satin, silk, and sparkles (Ok, my team, Patrick and John (Patrick’s assistant) didn’t wear sparkles… maybe next year ;) ) eating turkey sandwiches from 7-Eleven. Glamourous, eh?
Producer/writer Sally Lamb and Director Robert Rothbard of The Painting take the stage to answer audience questions post-screening. [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
I think we broke records for how fast we could eat, because then, we were off to our can’t-miss screening of The Painting. Their crew flew out from LA. That’s how strong the dedication is to really being a part of the film premiere process at the Garden State Film Festival. People travel from all over the world to make their mark and meet others in the industry that can make life-long productive relationships.
Left to Right: Actors Joe Dalo, Robert Mollohan, and Henry Hereford with Producer/writer Sally Lamb and Director Robert Rothbard at the screening of The Painting [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
 Actress Jill Reiss with me on Day 3 of GSFF - [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr] |  Catching up with actor Vincent Cucuzza [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr] |
Where in the world is #FlatEd? Did you see #FlatEd making his rounds at the festival? #FlatEd showed up in many popular Atlantic City venues. Here he is with Chairman of the Board Nick Falcone at the Saturday night after party. [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
Fast forward – onto the after-party!
The Claridge had a great room with an ocean view set up with a bar and beats for us to go to. I managed to grab a martini and meet up with a few friends, filmmakers, [a big shout out to the crew and cast of Charlie, Trevor, and a Girl Savannah] and finally around 12:30am, kick back and relax for a while with a few of my favorites.
 The cast and crew from Charlie, Trevor and a Girl Savannah seemed to be everywhere at the festival. [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr] |  Usually celebrity correspondent Whitney Ullman and I meet up in work-mode, but this was one of those rare occasions we got to chill out a little bit - oh, around midnight! [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr] |
I think Patrick and John were grateful I gave them the green light to go. I stayed for a while longer and probably got to bed around 3am after driving back to my house.
Casual conversation over cocktails with Robert Mollohan and Joe Sernio. [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
Who's that girl walking through a casino at 11am wearing 5 inch heels? Why that would be me - with no time to change before a black-tie optional awards dinner several hours later. What? You don't wake up wearing these? ;) [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr] Ding, ding! Round 4! Day 4 of GSFF and we were up bright and early! The black-tie optional awards dinner was that evening, so you guessed it, I left my house around 10am sparkling and shimmering. No time to seek out a Superman phone booth to change in that day. (Besides, when people look at pictures, unless you time stamp them, no one really knows you haven’t had lunch yet, but are ball gown ready.) Oh, the looks I got walking through the lobby of Resorts wearing a sequined black dress at 11am! Hah! But seriously, most people loved the dress designed by Ursule Bada, and when I told them I had to attend an awards dinner later that evening, they completely understood. (Either that, or they thought I had been up all night partying – which wasn’t far from the truth!)
Producer / Director Tom Baldinger at the screening for his movie The Midlifers [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
I met up with Patrick and we headed to our first film screening – The Midlifers. This was originally going to be a web series, but a couple of the episodes were consolidated into a comedy. This is the part where I wish I could have cloned myself, but we zipped over to another theatre in the nick of time for C.T.R.L. (A super cool music video with dance moves that tell the story of a young man's attempt at a first contact with a love interest, hijacked in a most entertaining way – this won the International Music Video award, by the way), Cassandra, Agua Blanca, and Meet Mario (A very interesting plot daring to be different involving an African American Italian who does not see “race”).
Mariana Conde and Stu Grant - two of the forces behind C.T.R.L. at their Q&A session post screening [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
One of many smiles at the Meet Mario screening - Photo Credit: [Patrick Zehr]
The makers of Meet Mario engage the audience in Q&A - Photo Credit [Patrick Zehr]
Pause. Pictures. And we eat!
I swear this burger was the best one I’ve eaten in two weeks! Oh, and the pear martini hit the spot! I had followers on Twitter and Instagram comment that they were so thankful I took time to stop, sit, and eat, because those who tuned in for a #GSFF play by play, were wondering how I led the life of the Energizer Bunny! : ) [I love you guys!] And, thank you, Gallagher’s at Resorts. Your food was exactly what Patrick and I needed after going non-stop. Without it, I may have fallen over in my Choos!
 Station identification break for a pear martini! This also hit the spot when it was time for a little relaxation before gearing up for the big awards gala Sunday night. |  Dress by Ursule Bada, Shoes by Jimmy Choo, Bracelet by Alex and Ani [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr] |
#GameFace [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr] We were approaching the final finish line.
[Insert #gameface]
Patrick and I arrived pre-cocktail party at the Holtzman Gallery at the Claridge. This is a photographer’s dreamscape. The lighting is perfect with a gorgeous artistic backdrop, and we were ready to commemorate the big bash. Patrick had started the tradition of selfie’s of the two of us each day, and this time, we took some with his phone, with mine, his camera, and probably the camera of near passers-by, and we just couldn’t get it right. So we finally got so mad at ourselves for not taking a simple selfie that was publish-worthy, and this was the result. Yep – game on! We laughed at our pissed-off poses because we were totally photo’d-out.
Actress Siobhan Fallon Hogan and her daughter at the pre-awards dinner cocktail party in the Holtzman Gallery at the Claridge [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
Actor James Wilder and his date at the pre-awards dinner cocktail party at the Holtzman Gallery at the Claridge [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
Candid at the cocktail party: [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
We were among the first in the gallery and the gala began. Cocktails in hand, the celebs started to unwind. By this time, Patrick and I had become fixtures at the film fest; well, either that, or we were the best groupies on the planet or classified as celebrity stalkers. ;)
Rising Star Award Winner Quinn Shephard enjoyed herself at the cocktail party.
Before the cocktail party officially ended we had to be poised on the red carpet, ready to do our thing. We had previously tested the lighting and knew exactly where to stage ourselves. I probably sounded like a dictator as I forgot my “please and thank you’s” and ordered Patrick around siphoning shots that I seek. [Patrick, please excuse my manners, you rock!]
Click, click, click, flash!
Volunteer Emily Lyons with the C.T.R.L. crew - [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
More of the force behind Charlie, Trevor, and A Girl Savannah at the cocktail party on the last night of the festival [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
Right: Joel Ballesteros enjoying the cocktail party. He is the man behind the magic of events at the Claridge that can transform any venue into an amazing ambiance. [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
Armand Assante, with Chairman of the Board Nick Falcone, and James Wilder pre-awards dinner [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
 Incoming GSFF Excecutive Director Margaret Fontana with Diane Raver on the red carpet, sharing the moments of her last night at the helm. [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr] |  Margaret Fontana coordinating red carpet outfits again with me. :) Totally unplanned! [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr] |
The Lieutenant Governor of NJ, Kim Guadagno, joined the list of red carpet royalty, with many wearing their formal best. Tuxedos and ball gowns, glittering cocktail dresses and supreme style graced the camera lenses that night.
The lovely ladies of Garden State Film Festival gather around Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno (3rd from left) and the recipient of the Impact Award, Deborah Frank (4th from left) [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
Now we finally made it to the much anticipated awards dinner. Event manager, Joel Ballesteros, of the Claridge transformed the ballroom into an elegant scape lit up in dreamy purple-blue hues, light emanating through tables, and sit-down service.
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Three courses of mouth-watering food were served at the awards dinner.
Amazing filmmakers, artists, and actors were presented with awards while a decadent dinner was served.
With Patrick poised in the photographer’s pit, and me - ready to leap at a moment’s notice to capture the emotion and passion of the presentations, we somehow managed to enjoy a three-course meal between running back and forth to our seats.
Ed Asner had guests laughing like crazy with his well-timed humor, upon acceptance of his MVP Award. - [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
Deborah Frank, Lieutenant Governor of NJ Kim Guadagno, and Diane Raver [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
[Photo Credit: Whitney Ullman] You may think I’m making this up, but no, really, my dear friend and celebrity correspondent, Whitney Ullman, is witness to the fact that Laura leaps at a single bound to get the goods, knees nearly scraping the floor, while wearing designer dresses and heels. Laugh, go ahead, laugh, if you must. But this is the glory of being the go-getter. And I love every minute of it! I wouldn’t have it any other way!
Artists Alike receiving their award for Pic of the Flicks Photo Credit: [Patrick Zehr]
To be witness to so many magical moments is something that I hold dear to my heart. The pure emotion of the awards recipients… the passing of the baton from Diane Raver to the new Executive Director of the Garden State Film Festival, Margaret Fontana, was so worth watching. Ed Asner’s speech had everyone in stitches. Quinn Shephard getting all choked up upon receiving her Rising Star award … I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. (Next year… I’ll hopefully be able to pre-screen more movies so if I can’t physically transport myself to a premiere, at least I can enjoy the experience!)
Margaret Fontana is the new Executive Director of the Garden State Film Festival
And this is the part where I do what I don’t do best. I keep quiet and let the pictures speak for themselves. Thank you to my photographer, Patrick Zehr, for not just taking pictures, but capturing moments, and making many, many people happy.
Beth Holtzman having some awards dinner fun with actor Chance Kelly. Oh, and there's me again photobombing them in the background on the right with my classic pose - phone in hand! Don't even ask how many pictures are on my phone! [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
Diane Raver and Joe Sernio giving the Rising Star Award to Quinn Shephard [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
Lauren Watson (left) and Diane Raver (right) with Spirit of New Jersey award recipient Siobhan Fallon Hogan. [Photo Credit; Patrick Zehr]
Diane Raver presenting Armand Assante with a Lifetime Achievement Award [Photo Credit: Patrick Zehr]
After the awards dinner some of us extended the evening together.
For more incredible photographs from the four day extravaganza, here is an album of an eclectic few I published on Facebook. The Garden State Film Festival also has hundreds of photos that attempt to chronologize this beautiful moment in time. Please visit their Facebook page to immerse yourself in the moments more.
I can’t thank everyone enough for allowing me to be a part of the 2015 Garden State Film Fest. It’s only the beginning of bigger and better things to come! There was so much talent in one city at one time. Your lights illuminate the world brighter than any stars could shine!
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