FILMMAKER MAGAZINE SUMMER ISSUE RELEASE PARTY Thursday August 4, 2005 Temple Written by Frank J. Avella Photographed by Ramon Estevanell

Sometimes it seems like everyone in New York City has either made a film, written a screenplay or is contemplating writing a screenplay. The crowd at Temple in Midtown on August 4th certainly fit that bill, with emphasis on the former.

Filmmaker Magazine, the leading indie bible, tossed a swanky soiree in honor of the “25 New Faces of Independent Film,” on that particular Thursday night.

Keith Bearden

As the Boru Vodka flowed, guests mixed ‘n mingled ‘n boasted about projects--current and future-- as well as the exciting state of independent cinema.

A few of the “25” spotted at the event included: Chase Palmer (the upcoming feature The Young Hitchcockians); Mary Jordan (docu: Jack Smith and the Destruction of Atlantis); Marshall Curry (the political docu: Streetfight) and Keith Bearden (short: The Raftsman’s Razor). Bearden’s goal is to make a movie every two years and proclaimed that: “film school is bullshit.”

JUNEBUG director Phil Morrison

Feeling just the opposite was NYU alumnus Phil Morrison, director of the terrific Junebug. Morrison spent over a decade trying to get the film made, but his persistence is finally paying off as Junebug is emerging as an indie favorite among critics and audiences.

Scott Hammon & Ben Sandomir

A number of up-and-comers could be spotted at the bash. They included Lyndon McCray and Victor Cruz, both member of the Imagine Nation Studios (www.imaginenationbiz.com) as well as Scott Hammon and Ben Sandomir who just completed a feature titled Fortune Cookies & Glory. The film took four months to shoot and has a very intriguing plot that involves: three unlucky pregnancies, masochistic tribesmen and, yes, fortune cookies (www.hammomir.com).

Temple is located at 240 West 52 nd Street.