We have been blessed with esteemed guests at our Red Carpet Cocktail Galas, Kathleen Carroll, Russell Banks, Raoul Peck, Barbara DeFina, Jake Krueger, Jonathan and Jill Burkhart, and this year, we get to the heart of matter: propelling and nurturing a dream in our Adirondack Region. This year, we welcome Susie Sofranco, Beth Davenport, and Colin Fickes of Stockade Works, a not for profit, 501 C-3; an educational, networking and development powerhouse, in Kingston, NY, in conversation with Paul Hardart.

We will share our vision of Futures in Film, a glint, we believe, in the future of our Adirondack Region. From the vitality of our Student Summit programs, to the inspiration of our Artists in Residence, we want to let it all hang out in this year’s gala event. In this year’s Behind the Scenes program, we delve into the world of shaping and inspiring film enthusiasts to become film makers.

We invite you to meet and mingle with all our festival guests, our actors, our cinematographers, our directors, our costume designers, our lighting wizards, location scouts, our Monster Maker, our board, our staff, our path, a glistening aspect of our future.

This is an evening to…

…Mingle with friends, colleagues, and our many guest filmmakers, or simply relax and enjoy some good food and complimentary wine and drinks.

…Indulge in mouth-watering hors d’oeuvres and cocktails at our upcoming cocktail reception.

 …Support the work of Adirondack Film in Student Scholarship, Economic development and film arts at the Festival and year-round.

Guest tickets $125 per/person to benefit Adirondack Film*

Our cocktail event is limited-time only, so don’t miss out!

Susie Sofranko– Executive Director, Stockade Works

Born and raised in the Hudson Valley and Catskills region, Susie has over ten years’ experience in fundraising and non-profit management. A passion for arts and culture–and a commitment to diversity, equity, access, and inclusion within those sectors –has guided Susie’s career through positions in New York City at the Frick Collection, the Public Theater, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and Gracie Mansion Conservancy.

Prior to joining Stockade Works as Executive Director, Susie led the fundraising team at the International Center of Photography (ICP) as the Senior Director of Development. She holds a B.A. in Art History from the Macaulay Honors College at CUNY Hunter and an M.A. in Art History from CUNY Hunter. In 2020, after a decade in New York City, Susie returned to her roots and relocated upstate. She now lives in Mount Tremper, NY with her rescue dog Aggie, named after Susie’s favorite filmmaker, the late Agnes Varda.

Beth Davenport – Co-Founder, Stockade Works and Flannel & Blade

Beth has spent 20 years pursuing her passion – using media and technology to create a positive impact on society. She has led departments, launched digital platforms, and implemented crowdsourcing and audience engagement campaigns harnessing the power of media to create change. She has directed and produced documentary films and commercials for BBC, Sundance Channel, PBS, NBC and Arte France, among others.

Beth currently juggles wearing multiple hats as the co-founder of two impact-driven organizations: Stockade Works, a non-profit that trains, mentors, and provides job placements for underserved Hudson Valley, NY residents to work in the film/TV industry; and Flannel & Blade, a creative collective that provides communications services for nonprofits and businesses that do good work for good people. Beth is a former IFP mentor, NAMAC Leadership Institute graduate, and NYFA, Jerome, and Good Works Institute fellow.

Colin Fickes – Program Director, Stockade Works

Colin Fickes is Program Director at Stockade Works, where he leads workforce development and training programs that prepare diverse Hudson Valley residents for careers in film and television. He has spent the past five years building industry-aligned curricula and pathways that move trainees from classroom to on-set work.

Prior to his nonprofit leadership, Colin enjoyed a long career as a film and television actor, collaborating with directors, writers, and crews on various projects – including Transformers, Roger Dodger, One Tree Hill and Law & Order: SVU. Passionate about access and inclusion, Colin is committed to growing a regional industry that creates real, sustainable career opportunities for underrepresented talent.

Paul Hardart- Professor of Marketing, NYU, Founder of Universal’s Focus Features

Paul Hardart is a clinical professor of Marketing at the renowned New York University Stern School of Business. Paul is a partner in the online storytelling platform Witnify, which captures and curates first-person accounts of important world events. He has produced a number of critically acclaimed feature films and documentaries, including Mary and Max, Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens and Before the Rains. He is an active speaker at conferences and panels related to media and technology.

Before joining NYU Stern, Professor Hardart was the founding director of the Graduate Program in Media Management at The New School. He has guest lectured at the University of California Los Angeles, The American Film Institute, Columbia University, Temple University and the University of California at San Diego.

Paul Hardart founded and ran Universal Focus Features, the independent film label of Universal Pictures. During his tenure there, he oversaw the release of such films as Being John Malkovich, Pitch Black, Nurse Betty and Billy Elliot. He also created Universal Pictures’ library management program, overseeing the restoration and re-issue of Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window and the re-edit of Orson Welles’s Touch of Evil.

Prior to Universal Focus Features, he oversaw strategic planning for Universal Pictures, which included launching new businesses and helping shape the Studio’s long-term strategy. He has also held senior positions at Warner Brothers and Turner Broadcasting and began his career at ABC Sports, CNBC and The Newark Star-Ledger.

*Adirondack Film is a public charity under Section 501-c3 of the Internal Revenue Service