What started as casual dinner conversation has morphed into something beyond three Greenwich moms’ wildest dreams. A year and a half ago Carina Crain, Wendy Stapleton Reyes and Colleen deVeer agreed that Greenwich would be an ideal venue for a film festival and decided to harness their creative energy.
The result is The Greenwich International Film Festival, which is poised to be a major influence in the independent filmmaking industry—bringing affluent supporters of the arts together with creatives in the film business.
GIFF will take place June 4-7, 2015 and will feature over 25 films, world premieres, exciting opening night parties, an honoree event and screening, and an awards ceremony to celebrate some of the best works in film. Greenwich magazine is proud to be the exclusive media sponsor.
So just who are these ladies? We caught up with the masterminds behind GIFF to find out where they shop, eat and spend time with their loved ones. Read on to find out.
Carina Crain
What has you most excited about this upcoming year?
To see the film festival come together is incredibly exciting. To see the film selection, to watch the town take part in a celebration of film
Favorite film of all time…
The Thomas Crown Affair
On your reading list…
There are books that have been on my night stand for years hope to read them someday when not planning a film festival.
Favorite weekend getaway…
In the US Napa, in Brazil Angra dos Reis
Most memorable vacation…
Belize – where my husband proposed on New Years’Eve
Ideal date night…
Dinner with Chris
My style is…
Uncomplicated
Biggest fashion splurge…
Alaia
Favorite store to shop…
Alaia
Never caught wearing…
Gym clothes outside of a gym
Style icon…
Jane Berkin
Favorite restaurant…
It’s a tie Le Bernadin, Karuma Sushi
Unfulfilled ambition…
Painter
Guilty pleasure…
CVS – Shampoo aisle
Little known quirk…
Too many. My quirks have quirks
Which non-profit event(s) do you most look forward to…
Unicef Snowflake Ball
Wendy Stapleton Reyes
What has you most excited about this upcoming year?
The excitement from the town and from the national and international film and finance communities has surpassed our expectations. We are going to create a film festival model, with our philanthropic partner (to be announced shortly), that will be truly transformative. It will not be like any film festival that has come before.
On your reading list…
Me Before You, I Know This Much is True, River of Doubt, I Am Malala
Favorite weekend getaway…
Ski weekend in Snowmass, CO
Most memorable vacation…
Honeymoon South Africa and the Seychelles
My style is…
Hopefully classy: Audrey Hepburn
Favorite store to shop…
Net-a-Porter
Favorite restaurant…
Nobu
Favorite cocktail…
White Grapefruit martini from Katsuya
On your iPod…
Justin Timberlake, JZ and Maroon 5 (not ashamed!)
Guilty pleasure…
People Magazine
Which non-profit event(s) do you most look forward to…
Anything to do with UNICEF. It is such an amazing organization!
Colleen deVeer
What has you most excited about this upcoming year?
This last year has been such an education for me. I have traveled with Carina and Wendy to various film festivals and we’ve met with such interesting people in the movie business and in the town. The whole process has helped me learn a lot about the people who live here and what they desire. I guess what makes me so excited is the pace of it all. We’ve given ourselves two years to make it happen and one has flown by so fast. We’re going to pull this off and I think we are going to make something really fun happen here.
Favorite films of all time…
OH NO! You asked me the hardest question! Hard to say. I love “The Graduate” the most (all around). It has it all- drama, humor, wonderful acting, great writing, beautiful cinematography- it is superb…
As for comedies, I would go with “The Jerk”, I’ll watch it any time it is on. I also love “Caddy Shack”, “Fletch” and “Stripes”. I love the Farrelly Brothers films and I thought “Wedding Crashers” was pretty great.
As for dramas, I would go with “Ordinary People”. It was filmed in my hometown and I have always felt a connection with that film because of that. It had shots of my friends, their houses, my high school- it was beautifully directed and written and the ensemble cast was perfect. I loved that Mary Tyler Moore was cast against type. I love when a director takes a risk like that. She was amazing. I also would go with “Sophie’s Choice”, Meryl Streep is my hero and Kevin Kline was brilliant. “You Can Count on Me”, “Nebraska”, “Slum Dog Millionaire”, and “The Deer Hunter” are also big standouts.
As for horror films… I would go with “The Exorcist” or “The Shining” both of which I saw far too early in life since I was the fourth child out of five. They still terrify me.
As far as directors I love: anything that Adrian Lyne, David Lynch, The Coen Brothers, Francis Ford Coppola, Stanley Kubrick, Robert Redford, and Sophia Coppola have directed have always caught my eye. They are wonderful.
On your reading list…
The Glass House
Favorite weekend getaway…
Martha’s Vineyard. Casual, fun, artsy, relaxing- my favorite place in the world- and where I met my husband and see my family most.
Most memorable vacation…
My honeymoon in Italy. All over Rome, Positano, Tuscany, Capri, Florence. I’m dreaming of bringing my kids there one of these days.
Ideal date night…
A picnic on the beach with my husband or a movie and dinner with him.
My style is…
Whatever I feel like that day. I don’t like to plan that stuff or think about it too much. My clothing reflects my mood and energy that particular day most of the time. I’m pretty simple when it comes to fashion.
Favorite restaurant…
Gramercy Tavern in NYC or Le Penguin in Greenwich- great food and always great energy all around
Unfulfilled ambition…
I’ve secretly always wanted to be a casting director. I’m pretty good at determining whether someone has imagination from the get-go. I’m also pretty good at judging whether or not someone will be easy to work with!
Alternatively, I’ve always fantasized about being a criminologist. Crime stories are very interesting to me. I’m fascinated by the psychology of one’s behavior. When I’m working on a role or watching people on the street, I’m always writing their stories based on their behavior.
On your iPod…
I love The Police. I love Radiohead. I love The Smashing Pumpkins. I love U2. I adore Patsy Cline- that is what I sing in my private moments. I’m a fan of a lot of different types of music, but those are my favorites.
Guilty pleasure…
Umm… watching movies, of course!
Which non-profit event(s) do you most look forward to…
American Museum of Natural History dinner dance in NYC every year, BGCG in Greenwich, Red and White Ball in Greenwich, The Avon Theatre Gala, Family Centers… I’m pretty new here, but those were wonderful events- really anything that means a lot to a friend and that she is passionate about supporting makes me very happy to be a part of.