(Lunch is served pool side at the beautiful Levy Estate)
It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood of 90210: food, fun and frozen margharitas, all in the name of a great cause the 6th Annual Bag Lunch for P.S. Arts — hosted by Elizabeth Stewart, George Kotsiopoulos and Pamela Skaist-Levy. Various designer handbags were on sale through silent auction, with 100% of the proceeds going to the non-profit organization that dedicates itself to restoring arts education in underserved public schools. Can’t go wrong with that…
(Joy B, in designer Andrew Gn, with writer Marshall Heyman)
Allison (Starworks LA), my date for the afternoon, had been to this event before and suggested that we hit the bag tables first to make our bids on the ones we liked. Damn, margharitas would have to wait.
(Co-host George Kotsiopoulos with Joy Bryant)
We moved through the rose garden, “ooh-ing” and “aah-ing” from table to table, but I had yet to find the bag that said “You need me…you must possess me…I must go home with you today…We look good together.” I ran into the gorgeous Kerry Washington, one of the event hosts, and she had found her bag: a bright green leather clutch that oddly went very well with my outfit. She took a break from our catchup to check on her bid. She was still in good standing, and she was making sure of it. Clearly I was running behind and needed to get my bidding on because the kids need to express themselves through art and momma wants a new bag.
(C Magazine Founder and Editorial Director Jennifer Smith Hale with Monique Lhullier)
I circled back, and just as I got to the end, on my right hand side, I heard, “Psst psst, over here.” And there it was, basking in the sun, nestled amongst big leather hobos and giant tassles, a quiet palm-size, clam-like clutch that whispered, “I’m the one for you”. It looked vintage, almost art deco-ish; antiqued gold metal with polished wood or bone and what looked like pressed snakeskin, but I couldn’t tell exactly. The name: R & Y Augousti. Fierce… “It’s a good one, isn’t it?” said the woman standing beside me, both of us admiring the piece like it was a work of art — which it was — and would most certainly look at home on display as such.
(George Kotsiopoulos A.K.A. “Kotsi” with Kerry Washington)
We wondered how much could fit inside: blackberry, lip balm, two non-applicator tampons. So much for the essentials. I looked on the bid list: not one bid, and there was 10 minutes to go before closing. What’s the best way to secure your bid? Surround the table like a vulture and if that doesn’t work or you feel you need to step it up, hide desired item. I won’t say which one I decided to go with, but my new clutch and I will be making our debut together on a red carpet near you.
– Joy
(Cast by Starworks Editorial)
Carolyn Murphy is gracing the cover of C Magazine’s “The Best of Summer” issue, out on newsstands mid- June through August. She is the “Ultimate Golden State Girl” dressed in an Oscar de la Renta bathing suit, accessorized in Lanvin and Gucci. This fashionista makes us all want to move to the sunny beaches of Malibu.
–Chelsa
Submissions for Blackout Film Festival!
by Jauretsi
Hark, another festival is coming to town. They even made a little short film called Downturn Upturn to entice people to pick up their camera… even during a recession. The festival was created by Thomas Hand Keefe, a Brooklynite. I asked him a few questions:
(Click link at bottom of this post to see this film)
Jauretsi: What is your background regarding film business (if any)?
Thomas Hand Keefe: After graduating from The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, I started as a Production Assistant on The Manchurian Candidate and then as an assistant to Jonathan Demme. My last job in the film industry was as an assistant/associate producer to Ellen Kuras on her documentary The Betrayal (which garnered an academy award nomination). It was a great couple of years, and I was fortunate to work with some of the best filmmakers in New York.
As for experience with film festivals, the closest I have gotten was in college when I unofficially interned for atomfilms. I had moved to LA for the summer for the internship, but when I got there, atom had closed their LA office. They were a victim of dot com bubble, and apparently things came crashing down so fast that no one remembered to tell me. At that point, it was too late to scramble and get a new internship, so I printed some business cards, bestowed the title “Director of Acquisitions” on myself, and went to work scouting films for the (defunct) company. I don’t think the management at atomfilms had a clue that they had a rogue intern working in LA, but I did find some great films. I also had the opportunity to speak to filmmakers while learning about the industry. I learned some good lessons about finding films that I am now using while promoting the Blackout Film Festival.
Why take on the loving but grueling task of organizing a film festival?
I took on the task of organizing this film festival because it is rewarding to me on two levels. On one hand, I made our promotional film, “Downturn Upturn”, and on the other hand, I get to work through the challenge of building a startup organization. I have always been motivated by creating artwork — whether it be film or photography — and by taking on entreprenurial challenges, such as my current day job. I have had to rely on both my experience from the film world, as well as experience I have gained while working at a startup airport spa company, XpresSpa, where I am now Vice President. My goal is to simultaneously focus on obtaining great content while building a strong brand and foundation for a festival that will be very successful and will last year after year. For me, it is very much a creative AND entrepreneurial challenge, and I absolutely love it.
I hear your festival has a theme this year — that is “the economy”.. Can you elaborate on what you mean by this, so filmmakers know what you’re looking for?
The title for this year’s festival is “The Great Recession”, and we are asking filmmakers to respond with films that, generally speaking, reflect on their personal experiences in relation to the current economic recession. So, to be more specific, a film that deals with the recession in the plot would of course be eligible, but we would also consider a film made by someone who, for example, lost a job as a result of the recession and then picked up a camera and made a film – even if that film doesn’t explicitly reference the recession. Our goal is to collect an eclectic program of films that as a whole paint a picture of this moment in history.
Are you looking for short films or full features? Docs? Narratives?
We are specifically looking for shorts. The official tag line is 10 seconds to 10 minutes, but we will definitely consider longer films if they are strong. As for genre, we want to see everything. Docs, narrative, comedies, experimental, animation…pretty much any style of filmmaking interests us.
Will there be an online element to this festival — meaning if you cannot come to the screening, can you see them online somehow?
Yes, we will incorporate official selections onto our website, and we have a few other ideas brewing to collect content on the website, but I don’t want to talk about them just yet. At the end of the day, we want our program to be seen by as many people as possible. One of my goals is to make this festival travel to other cities to increase our audience base.
(Launch Party is Tonight at Sway Lounge, New York City. Email: RSVP@blackoutfilmfestivalnyc.com)
Submission date films are due for consideration?
August 15th, 2009
Selection dates to be announced?
The latest we will announce will be September 1st, 2009.
To see the charming submission film, go to BlackOut Film Festival Short.
J
 | Author: Team | Posted: May 28th, 2009 | Filed under: Campaigns |
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It seems Mango is replacing longtime brand ambassador Penelope Cruz with her Vicky Christina Barcelona co-star, Scarlett Johansson to debut in Fall 2009.
Penelope was not only the face of the brand from 2007-2009, but also designed a limited edition collection with her sister Monica Cruz for MNG.
Love this pic (courtesy of Mango) of Mario Sorrenti shooting Scarlett!
Scarlett is on a roll – with Dolce & Gabbana cosmetics and Moet under her belt for the current season!
Props to Style.com for the tip
–Stacey
The “Who Shot Jesus?” that’s floating around on the internet is my friend, the great rock critic, Nelson George, who happens to be squawked out in his Brooklyn B-Boy Jimmy Cagney accent… “Don’t worry about it”. He passed me a copy of his latest book City Kid (Viking Press), his autobiography of how he became a very fine writer on the streets of Bed Stuy and Brownsville. We got into the conversation of where our influences came from as kids – buying records, The Jackson 5, Elton John, Ohio Players, Ramsey Lewis, and Stevie Wonder — listening to them and making pictures in our minds. Basement and garage parties were the most amazing places to go and everyone in the house could and would dance – most of the time, with the exception of the dads. Do you remember the first cool person you ever saw? For me it was my next door neighbor Mr. Hill. He worked on the assembly line at Chrysler, drove a Mark IV, wore a Borselino hat, red suits, Cuban heels and DJ’d in his garage which he’d converted to a disco. For Nelson it was a group of cyberitic music lovers and party promoters and his young and soulful mother Doll. Nelson’s description is one of best I’ve ever read detailing the recognition and the birth of cool in a young man’s mind: “In the midsixites she befriended a group of groovy guys called Afrodisiacs 3, who promoted parties,” Nelson explains. “They were all tall, lean, cool, as the other side of the pillow, and wore shades as comfortably as tigers wear stripes”.
I love his writing.
Check it out
nelsongeorge.net
-Veronica Webb
7 pages
