New York International Independent Film and Video Festival

The New York International Film Festival (NYIFF) today announced that it will host the much anticipated New York Premiere of Paradise East. The screening will take place on Friday April 29 at 8pm at the Quad Cinema (34West 13th Street) with an afterparty to follow. The film has received an Award for Excellence at The Indie Fest in La Jolla, California and a Silver Lei award for Excellence at the Honolulu Film Awards.

Written and directed by Taylor, who has collaborated with Danny DeVito (Death to Smoochy) and Adam Sandler (Reign Over Me),
Paradise East is a quirky dark comedy about a desperately dysfunctional lower middle class family fiercely struggling to make it in the twentieth century. Lucky, not your typical dad, runs a coffee shop and has a difficult time dealing with the idiosyncrasies of his two deadbeat sons. Ernie, the oldest, is a wannabe pimp and street hustler, forever searching for the perfect angle. Chip, the baby, is unemployed with a passion for French fries and underage girls. He is forever starting grease-fires in the kitchen, driving his father completely up the wall. David, Lucky's fair-haired nephew, is somewhat normal and the Marilyn Munster of the group. A drifter in between jobs, he's been dealing, unsuccessfully, with the fact that his mother was recently murdered. Enter Jane, the luscious older woman who is renting an apartment from David. She is in a relationship with Lisa, a beautiful college girl, but is also deeply interested in her troubled landlord. After several attempts, she successfully seduces him, ending his relationship with Gina, a waitress from his uncle's restaurant, and the two begin an intense, passionate affair. This is frowned upon by the pious, slightly unorthodox, parish priest who does his best to interact with members of his flock, assisting them at times in ways that may surprise you. 'Faith is a blessed gift,' he preaches, 'pray to the Holy Spirit for forgiveness. Turn from the serpent,' he warns, 'swim in the Blood of our Savior. Resist temptation.' Sounds like good advice.

Confirmed cast and crew for red carpet arrivals include Nick Taylor, Franklin Abrams, Bruce Barton, John Borras, Cathy Mc Grath (Production Designer), Laura Shapanus, Fotini Taylor (Producer) and Brian Timmons (DP).

"Paradise East is well written, darkly funny and a smartly acted film, said NYIFF's Stuart Alson. "I enjoyed the dysfunctional, deviant characters and we're thrilled that it is part of the festival lineup. I have no doubt that New Yorkers will find it very funny."

Nick Taylor stated, "If there's a perfect place to premiere Paradise East, it's NYC, near where I studied my craft! I can't wait to access the audience response!  The QUAD has always been a special place to see movies for me, it's where my  wife and I had our first date, so to see Paradise East there is like a dream come true."

Screening Information for Paradise East

Friday April 29 at 8pm

Quad Cinema (34 East 13th street)

Available for Distribution

Dark Comedy, 124mins

To keep up with all activities at the NYIFF, which runs from April 28- May 5 exclusively at the Quad Cinema, please visit www.nyfilmvideo.com. For more information or to request a screener copy of Paradise East, please contact Nick Taylor via email at njnt@earthlink.net or visit www.eaststreetfilms.com.

NYIFF PRESS CONTACT: 

Briege McGarrity Senior VP of  Communications, (718) 474-1212.

BMcGarrityPR@aol.com.