Syracuse International Film Festival 2007 opens on April 18th

posted by Alto on April 19, 2007 at 4:50 am

SYRACUSE, NY — The upcoming Tribeca Film Festival isn’t the only film event that New York has to offer – the 2007 Syracuse International Film Festival will celebrate its official opening night this Wednesday, April 18th at 7 p.m. at the historic Syracuse Area Landmark Theatre (“SALT”) the program will feature a silent film screening along with a live concert performance, followed by a reception.

Award-winning and internationally-acclaimed Native American composer/musician Brent Michael Davids will join the nationally-recognized Society For New Music and members of the Syracuse Symphony to present his orchestrated full score for the 1920 silent film, “The Last of the Mohicans”.

Davids' original score will accompany the screening of the 73-minute classic silent film starring Wallace Beery. During the concert, Davids will perform with a large number of Native American percussion instruments and a handmade flute fashioned from quartz crystal, which he created. Randall Craig Fleischer (of the Anchorage Symphony) will conduct the orchestra, consisting of the Society For New Music core ensemble along with members of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra.

The opening event at the Landmark Theater will begin with Master-of-Ceremonies George Kilpatrick (of WCNY) introducing the attending dignitaries and the evening’s honored guest, award-winning sound designer Ben Burtt. Born in Syracuse and a graduate of Nottingham High School, Burtt has won two Oscars for Best Sound Editing in E.T. – the Extra Terrestrial"(1982) and “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” (1989), and two Special Achievement Awards for sound editing in “Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope” (1977) and “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981).

Admission for this event is $40 per person.

The festival, featuring 140 film and video entries from 30 countries, will take place at venues located throughout the greater Syracuse area, including the campuses of Syracuse University and LeMoyne College. For a complete schedule of events, visit the official website.

The festival will end on Sunday, April 22nd with a 6 p.m. awards ceremony/reception and screening at the Palace Theatre . A single admission for the closing celebration costs $25.

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