Bushwick Film Festival Names Circa Brewing Co. Its Official Beer Sponsor

Circa creates specially brewed Lunar Eclipse to be released at launch party on September 18 and only available at the 12th Annual Bushwick Film Festival

BROOKLYN, New York, August 27, 2019 (Newswire.com) - ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The Bushwick Film Festival (BFF) is proud to announce that Brooklyn’s own Circa Brewing Co. will be the Official Beer Sponsor of the 12th Annual Bushwick Film Festival. From October 2 through October 6, festival attendees will have the opportunity to not only enjoy Circa’s rotating supply of expertly made Belgian, German and American-style beers (including the ever-popular hoppy, hazy IPAs), but also taste Circa’s brand new release, Lunar Eclipse, brewed specially for the 2019 Bushwick Film Festival. BFF and Circa are pushing the envelope by merging the arts of filmmaking and beer brewing, providing festival-goers with a one-of-a-kind experience. Lunar Eclipse will make its debut at the BFF Launch Party and Official Beer Release on September 18, at Circa Brewing Co.’s beautiful downtown Brooklyn location. After the official launch of BFF, Lunar Eclipse will only be available for a limited time during the run of this year’s festival.   

Working off of BFF’S 2019 ‘SPACE’ theme, Circa’s head brewer Drew Kostic has conjured up a blueberry-infused wheat beer that will be dosed with “Element X,” a secret ingredient that audiences will be invited to identify during the five-day festival week. The beer will carry a slight pinkish-blue hue from the addition of blueberries, which is reminiscent of the colors generated during the event it’s named after.

“Space exploration has always played a pivotal role in my life,” says Kostic. “From the tender age of 9, I was saving all my money to attend space camp—which I did twice—and reading and re-reading my favorite space travel books until their covers wore off. Since I still tell people daily that my life goal is to be the first person to brew beer in outer space, I consider this collaboration to be an extremely exciting chance to continue building my astronaut resume!” Kostic starred in the documentary Brewmaster, which will have a special screening during BFF, followed by a Q&A session with the audience. 

Circa’s Brand Director, Myriam Lopez, and BFF’s Creative Director, Rah Crawford, teamed up on the vision for Lunar Eclipse’s label, which features the image of a mesmerizing pink lunar eclipse. 

“At Circa, every beer tells a story and finding the right partner to collaborate with is essential to keep growing. When the opportunity came up to sponsor an international film festival with such a presence in the Brooklyn community we are proud to be a part of, it was a no-brainer. I’m so incredibly thrilled for this partnership between Circa and BFF. I hope it’ll mark the beginning of many brewing stories,” says Lopez.

BFF Founder and CEO Kweighbaye Kotee comments, “Creating an independent brewing company, film festival, or film is a moonshot that requires visionary thinking and courage to keep going. That’s why we are so excited to partner with Circa this year to celebrate this ethos and foster a community of dreamers and doers.” In addition to its traditional program of screenings, panels and networking events, festival attendees can also expect a variety of food, art, and tech events.  

Select passes to the 12th Annual Bushwick Film Festival are now on sale, and individual tickets will go on sale September 1. For notifications about ticket sales and/or to receive 2019 festival updates, please visit: https://www.bushwickfilmfestival.com/tickets-on-sale-sept-1]

For press and industry accreditation, please visit https://www.bushwickfilmfestival.com/industry-accreditation.

About Circa Brewing Co.

Circa Brewing Co. is an independent brewery, event space and pizzeria in the heart of Downtown Brooklyn. Circa has adopted a novel approach to brewing and fermentation by brewing dynamic and innovative beer that is rooted in traditional practices and a no-holds-barred approach to Neapolitan-style pizza.

About Bushwick Film Festival

The Bushwick Film Festival (BFF) is an MWBE-certified independent film, media and event production company in Brooklyn, New York. Its annual festival attracts over 3,500 attendees, as well as more than 1,500 film submissions from 60 countries around the world, contributing to the Borough's cultural and economic growth. The festival is committed to community building, empowering storytellers, and increasing diversity in film and other forms of media through year-round programming. Its programming includes free public screenings and events, hands-on film production workshops, and career training for young adults so that they have the tools to enter a successful career in the media industry.

For press inquiries contact:

Tiffany Ruiz

press@bushwickfilmfestival.com 

347-450-3464

B&H Photo, Canon & Bushwick Film Festival Present Bushwick Stories

A Free Five-Day Filmmaking Workshop and Festival Screening for Young Storytellers

Brooklyn, NY— B&H Photo, Canon and Bushwick Film Festival have teamed up to present Bushwick Stories—a five-day documentary filmmaking workshop for young storytellers in Bushwick followed by a screening of the youth-created films at the 11th Annual Bushwick Film Festival (Oct. 10-14). 

Bushwick Stories seeks to empower local youth with the tools to tell their own stories and encourage them to see the film industry as a viable professional pathway. The hands-on workshop will teach up to 15 students between the ages of 16-24 the basics of filmmaking, lighting techniques and how to use professional digital video and audio equipment, while introducing them to inspiring film professionals. Students will learn how to collaborate together to shoot and produce their own mini-documentary to screen at this year’s Bushwick Film Festival.

The high cost of professional video and audio gear, plus the financial straits of many public arts and AV programs often puts filmmaking beyond the reach of many students in underserved areas. The program leverages B&H’s 45 years of experience as a provider of top-level counseling and gear in the photo, video and audio market and Canon’s iconic optical products, granting participants access to top-notch equipment and invaluable insights. Furthermore, participants will benefit from Bushwick Film Festival’s network of film professionals and work closely with the festival’s alumni and staff in the creation of their short doc.

“As a family-owned, NYC-based business, B&H is thrilled to provide aspiring young filmmakers with the chance to kickstart their careers. Investing in our local community is vital to the B&H ethos. We’re thrilled to support New York City as a natural birthplace for independent film and creative expression.”

“Representation in media and film really matters. It's so important for young people to see diversity on screen and to see themselves and their communities in the stories being told. That's why this is one of our most impactful initiatives and we are grateful to have the support and experience of B&H Photo and Canon.”  Kweighbaye Kotee - Bushwick Film Festival Founder and CEO

The three companies are united in their desire to give back and empower storytellers. B&H has a long history of philanthropic work; their long standing support is essential to many local organizations and imaging partners that all bring something unique to the image-making community. Canon is committed to a business approach that is socially responsible and economically logical. It is engrained in their corporate philosophy of Kyosei—which is defined as “all people, regardless of race, religion or culture, harmoniously living and working together into the future.” Bushwick Film Festival was built from the fabric of its community, on the premise that everyone deserves access to possibilities and works to carefully leverage its growing influence to give back to the under-resourced parts of the community. 

Bushwick Stories will be the first major partnership between Bushwick Film Festival and B&H Photo, now the festival’s official Community Partner. The program is a great opportunity for young storytellers to learn about the art of filmmaking, work with industry professionals and create their own short films!

Interested parties can apply online at www.bushwickfilmfestival.com/bushwickstories by August 14th for a chance to attend the free five-day workshop and create a short documentary about Bushwick as they see it.

Important Dates:

• July 25, 2018: Submissions Open

• August 14, 2018: Submissions Close

• August 27-31, 2018: Workshop

• October 14, 2018: Special Bushwick Stories Screening at the 11th Annual Bushwick Film Festival

More news to come via:

Website: bushwickfilmfestival.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BushwickFilmFestival

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BushwickFilm

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bushwickfilmfest

About B&H Photo:

B&H began as a "mom and pop" shop in 1973. After wife-and-husband partners (Blimie and Herman, respectively) opened the doors in Tribeca with one employee, their trademark dedication to candid selling and quality merchandise quickly attracted a loyal following of photo, video and audio professionals. At a time when shysters abounded, we developed a reputation for honesty and ethical business practices, and the word spread.

Today, as the USA's largest non-chain specialty electronics retailer, we deliver that same pioneering integrity via specialized showrooms, classes and tutorials, and as always, unparalleled inventory and service on a daily basis. We continue to expand to meet your needs with showrooms, classes, helpful educational and social media content, serving customers worldwide from our highly rated website, award-winning mobile Apps, catalogs and our 34th Street "SuperStore."

About Canon:

Canon U.S.A., Inc. is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions to the United States and to Latin America and the Caribbean markets. In the spirit of our corporate philosophy of Kyosei—all people, regardless of race, religion or culture, harmoniously living and working together into the future—Canon is committed to an approach to business that is socially responsible and economically logical. Canon seeks to be a truly excellent global corporation. For our customers, we offer the best products possible. Simultaneously, we strive to improve our relationships with local communities and to increase our respect for the environment as we contribute to the prosperity of the world and the happiness of its people.

About Bushwick Film Festival

Founded in 2007, Bushwick Film Festival (BFF) is a leading independent film and media company in Brooklyn. The festival is hailed as one of Brooklyn’s most influential cinematic events for its contribution to the borough’s artistic, cultural, and economic growth. The festival attracts film and entertainment industry leaders at national and international levels and showcases films created by the best and most diverse emerging independent filmmakers in Brooklyn and worldwide. We provide a platform for filmmakers to share their stories and present opportunities for them to make a living doing what they love. We provide spaces for audiences from all backgrounds to connect and discover new independent movies and experience unique cultural events. Please visit our website: www.bushwickfilmfestival.com

Press Contact:

Nathalie Thomas | Marketing Coordinator

nathalie@bushwickfilmfestival.com | o: 347.450.3464