Woodstock Film Fest welcomes “The Messenger”

The 10th anniversary Woodstock Film Festival will kick off on October 1 with the east coast premiere of the powerhouse drama “The Messenger.”

The film is the directorial debut of award-winning screenwriter Oren Moverman, who says, ” ‘The Messenger’ ultimately deals with the desire to live, to let life into the darkness, even to laugh. It definitely makes the point that there are people who have to deal with war in a way that is not strategic or political, but personal.”

The contemporary drama stars Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson, Samantha Morton and Steve Buscemi.

“The Messenger” is quite an appropriate film to be featured at WFF, as both Woody Harrelson (in 2003) and Steve Buscemi (in 2005) have been honored with the WFF Maverick Award. In addition, director Moverman wrote the screenplay for the Bob Dylan bio-pic “I’m Not There,” which closed the festival in 2007.

“The Messenger” will be screened on Thursday, October 1 at the Tinker Street Cinema in Woodstock. The film will be followed by a Q&A and reception with the director and select cast members.

The Woodstock Film Festival will run from Wednesday-Sunday, September 30-October 4. The full schedule of screenings and events will be announced in mid-September.