Filmmakers Residency / Incubator Week 3 Recap
Our Filmmakers Residency / Incubator with White Feather Farm Foundation is now entering its final week! As they transition into the last stretch of the program, filmmakers Maba Ba, Brooke Pepion Swaney, Set Hernandez Rongkilyo and Eunice Lau continue to juggle a packed itinerary of mentor visits, jovial group dinners and screenings while continuing to develop their individual projects.
On Monday the residents were treated to a guest mentor visit from producer Peter Saraf who delved into the successes and failures of some of his films and gave feedback on the filmmakers’ project pitches. A stalwart supporter of the Woodstock Film Festival, Peter’s recent credits include Robin Wright’s 2021 directorial debut LAND, Marielle Heller’s 2019 Fred Rogers biopic A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD starring Tom Hanks and Lulu Wang’s family drama THE FAREWELL starring Awkwafina.
Participating filmmaker Set Hernandez Rongkilyo crafting an enticing meal at the residency house.
The residents visit producer Bill Horberg (center left) at his Kingston studio.
On Wednesday, filmmaker and program mentor Matty Rich hosted a virtual screening and discussion about his 1991 Sundance hit STRAIGHT OUTTA BROOKLYN, which he wrote, produced, directed and starred in. Later that evening, resident Set Hernandez Rongkilyo flexed their culinary skills by cooking a delicious vegetarian meal composed of traditional Filipino cuisine. The food was accompanied by a presentation of a few of Set’s films including UNSEEN, the project they are developing at the residency.
The next day, the residents made a trip to WFF Advisory Board member Bill Horberg’s studio in Kingston, New York. As a producer, Bill has helped adapt several novels into onscreen hits including last year’s record-breaking miniseries THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT for Netflix, which stars Anya Taylor-Joy as a troubled child prodigy navigating the male-dominated world of competitive chess in the 1960s. Bill spoke about the behind-the-scenes processes of some of his films and provided critiques for the residents’ pitches.
NEON’s Elissa Federoff (second from right) visits the residents.
Producer and head of White Feather Farm Foundation Sarah Johnson (lower row, center) at the reception.
Following a visit from the Sundance Institute’s Rachel Denny on Friday, film distribution executive Elissa Federoff from NEON stopped by the residency house to speak with the filmmakers. Founded by Tom Quinn and Tim League in 2017, NEON has quickly established itself as one of today’s leading distribution companies. They are responsible for bringing Korean auteur Bong Joon Ho’s critical darling PARASITE to American shores, which later went on to become the first foreign language film to win Best Picture at the 2020 Oscars after screening at the 2019 Woodstock Film Festival. Elissa spoke with the residents extensively about her career in the industry and advised them on their project pitches.
The week concluded with an intimate reception at the residency house with film producer, founder and head of White Feather Farm Foundation Sarah Johnson. Later that evening, the residents attended a screening of THE SLAUGHTER RULE hosted by the residency’s Artistic Director Alex Smith, who co-wrote and directed the film with his brother Andrew.
Stay tuned for further updates as we move into the final chapter of this wonderful program!