Independent Streak Magazine Sept/ Oct 2017

Film Gat e Wor k sh ops C e l

e b r

ti i e ar s ! ov od m Al n by Ro Hu m an s of New Yor k

Ou t sh in e Fest

M ob Kin g

Spook y Em pir e

FLIFF

Evils of a Fost er Ch ild

I NDEPENDENT STREAK M AGAZI NE Sept ./ Oct . 2017

Hell's Kit ch en

I NDEPENDENT STREAK M AGAZI NE Sept ./ Oct . 2017

"HUMANS OF NEW YORK" DOCUSERIES Now on Facebook

Much like the blog, the "Humans of New York" Facebook series showcases intimate, candid and often surprising conversations with strangers on the streets of New York City.

Stanton began working on the project about four years ago and has, with over 400 days of filming, interviewed more than 1,200 people.

Goldman and her Motto Pictures production shingle teamed up with Stanton through mutual connections and was immediately struck by the material he had collected.

Stanton began "Humans of New York" in 2010 and has featured portraits and interviews of nearly 10,000 New Yorkers in the seven years since.

The blog has also expanded into two "New York Times" best-selling books and a multi-platform social media presence. On Facebook alone, "Humans of New York" has more than 18 million followers. It also has a large Instagram presence, with 7 million followers.

As seen in "The Hollywood Reporter," the docuseries, "Humans of New York," based on photographer Brandon Stanton's popular blog of the same name, has debuted on Facebook's new platform, The Watch.

The 12-episode series from Brandon features interviews with the same diverse subjects often featured on his popular blog. The half-hour series will also be executive produced by Julie Goldman, the Oscar-nominated documentary producer behind such films as "Life, 1 Animated" and "Weiner. "

"Humans of New York" is one of the handful of shows that Facebook is funding for its new Watch video tab, which it announced in August. Watch is currently rolling out to Facebook's 2 billion users and features a mix of short-form content ? produced by video publishers such as Group Nine's Thrillist and The Dodo and Vox Media ? as well a handful of signature, funded projects that are longer in length. These include a competition series, Last State Standing, from American Ninja Warriors producer A. Smith and Co. and others.

I NDEPENDENT STREAK M AGAZI NE Sept ./ Oct . 2017

SCHEDULE Friday Oct . 27t h: Short Fil ms:

HORROR FILM FESTIVAL Oct. 27-29 At Spooky Empire Hyatt Regency, Orlando (The festival will be in the Manatee room ) http:/ / www.spookyempire.com

Found Footage: 1:15? 1:45 p.m.

1. The Nubbening-a young couple investigate a potentially paranormal disturbance in their new house.

2. The Cop Cam-A cop answering a distress call.

Slice & Dice: 1:45 ? 4 p.m.

1. Dual it y- When Eren, a young, college co-ed, starts having her friends murdered one by one around her, she discovers her hidden past has come back for revenge.

2. Hol iday Fear-In the final act of a slasher film, Bruce attempts to reclaim his manliness and impress the final girl by finishing off the killer.

3. Lil y Darl ing-A young man finds himself hostage to a deranged girl whose infatuation is deadly.

4. Phot okil l -A thief steals a camera that he later discovers contains photos of a hideous crime. Now he and his girlfriend fear they are the next target as the photographer seeks revenge.

5. Red Deat h- Unspeakable horrors await a young woman who has been abducted by a Vietnam Veteran with a warped sense of family values.

6. Text-A woman who suspects her ex-boyfriend of 2

cheating has a very long and terrifying night at a friend's house.

7. The Ant hol ogies of Horror- Can Samantha uncover who her blackmailer is and stop him before her relationship and life are turned upside down?

8. The Wat ching-Hotel rooms are naturally creepy places.

9. Three Minut es Wit h Angie-Two teenagers, Paul and Sarah, break into an old abandoned house to test the myth of Angela Claremont, a woman who was supposedly killed in the location decades earlier and who haunts the dwelling.

10. What Met al Girl s Are Int o-Three women going to a three-day metal festival in the desert find something disturbing in the freezer of their isolated vacation rental.

Monster Shorts- 4? 6 p.m.

1. Dan Hel sing Ext erminat or-A Supernatural Exterminator and his new partner are called to remove a vampire from a house.

2. Fl y Away-Uncle is teaching nephew to fly FPV Drones; in the process of learning, nephew loses signal and the drone flies away and crashes. Now they're on the hunt to recover the Drone, and what they find as they get signal again will make your skin crawl!

3. On The Wal l -A young girl seems to encounter strangeness. Is it in her mind or something else?

4. Pl ease Love Me Forever-Obsessed with her own appearance, Claudie regularly replaces aging parts of her face alone in her operating lab.

5. Somet hing Wit hin-A young woman encounters an unusual occurrence in a house she's watching over, but soon learns there's something sinister hiding within.

6. The Madame in Bl ack-After playing the infamous urban legend game "Madame in Black,? Alex and his sister, Emma, experience the wrath of the evil witch Madame in Black.

7. Under The Bed- A monster-loving little girl finds a true friend in an imaginary creature.

Up & Arise-The story of a man who was raised by his 3 8.

Master as a dog.

Feat ure Fil ms: Devot ion- 6 ? 7:15 p.m.

A rough cut experimental feature starring Linnea Quigley.

Ful l Moon, Inc., 7:15 ? 9:15 p.m.

Nick Moon, P.I. (Paranormal Investigator) delves into a hidden world of monsters and creatures of the night as he takes on a case to retrieve an ancient artifact with astonishing power.

The Chil d Remains- 9:15? 11:15 p.m.

An expectant couple?s intimate weekend turns to terror when they discover their secluded country inn is a haunted maternity home where unwanted infants and mothers were murdered.

3 Dead Trick or Treat ers-11:15 p.m. ? 1 a.m. (Sat urday) After stumbling upon the graves of three murdered trick or treaters, a small town paperboy discovers a series of handwritten horror stories tacked to the children's headstones.

Sat urday Oct . 28t h: Nightmare Shorts-11:15 a.m. ? 1:30 p.m.

1. Cryst al Lake Memories- While attending summer camp, one young counselor recounts a tale of bloodshed that has gotten her to this point.

2. Low Budget Night mares- A series of four short stories take our hero on a paranoid journey through nightmares fed on horror movies and television.

3. Pedest rian- A girl must learn that there are consequences in every bad decision, as she is forced to face her guilty conscience.

4. Pol t erheist - Two small time criminals kidnap a psychic medium and force her to contact the gang boss they murdered.

5. Repl icat or- Dan is a successful film producer, known for his hit remakes. After being fired for his first mistake, he realizes that everyone in his life is due for a remake as well.

6. Rewind- A young college girl comes to her faculty, amid a thick fog, prepared to study while everyone is celebrating Halloween night.

7. Rot t en Love- After a hard day of work, a visibly stressed young man by the name of Leo heads home to find that something is disturbingly wrong.

8. Want ed Dead Or Abduct ed- After robbing a small bank in Dodge, two cowboy bandits lose a posse and encounter very weird events in their new hideout.

FILMMAKER PANEL- 1:30? 2:30 p.m.

Meet Spooky Empire's Filmmakers and join them in a discussion on making independent horror films. Hosted by Rachel Galvin.

And You Films Horror Parody Shorts- 2:30 ? 3:45 p.m.

1. Diary of a Wimpy Al ien- ?Alien? parody 2. Diary of a Wimpy Al ien 2 PREDATOR RULES- ?Alien?/ ?Predator? parody 3. It Perf ect - ?It?/ ?Pitch Perfect? parody (This will be followed by a lengthy Q & A with filmmakers.)

Feat ure Fil ms: Charismat a- 3:45 ? 5:45 p.m.

As a rookie detective, things go from bad to worse when the chief suspect in a series of brutal ritualistic murders challenges Rebecca to a game of cat and mouse which quickly spirals out of control.

Fool ish Mort al s- 5:45 ? 7:30 p.m.

Foolish Mortals is a documentary that focuses on the fan culture surrounding Disney?s Haunted Mansion!

Lou Simon's "3"- 7:30 ? 9:15 p.m.

A man and a woman kidnap her rapist in order to extract a confession, but how far are they willing to go for justice?

Cl ose Cal l s- 9:15 ? 11:45 p.m.

A troubled young girl (Morgan) is forced to deal with her crazy grandma and a psychotic caller when her father leaves her

home alone. But before the night is over, Morgan must also face her own fears and inner demons when she believes everyone she knows is plotting against her.

Bl ood Myt h- 11:45 p.m.- 2 a.m. (Sunday) A man's pregnant girlfriend vanishes on the anniversary of a centuries old occult blood myth. Can he find her before she becomes part of a 30 year cycle of disappearances?

Sunday Oct . 29t h Strange Shorts- 11:15 a.m.-12 p.m.

1. Kres- Drug dealer Lucas gets a sudden wake up call when his ex-girlfriend comes back from the grave via the power of a Greek myth.

2. The Wake- A young Englishman is brought to a traditional Irish wake, but not all is as it seems...

3. A Fat hers Day- Unexpectedly reunited with his daughter amongst the ruins of the world as they knew it, a father is determined to make this day special, even if they are already dead.

Doorways To Horror Shorts-12 ? 1:45 p.m.

1. Whit e Agony-A man wakes up attached to a tree in a silent forest in the middle of winter. He does not know how he got there. While trying to break his ties, a voice recorded on a tape recorder tells him that he only has a few minutes left to live.

2. Fearl ess- David, a grieving husband and father, desperately seeks consolation due to a family tragedy which has left him scared and defeated.

3. Hol y F? K- A darkly erotic and comedic short film about a demon and an exorcist?s deadly sexual tangle towards release.

4. Ichor- Hold your water.

5. Levit icus 24:20- A news journalist exposes the truth behind a controversial ground-based drone program known as the Leviticus 24:20 Initiative.

6. Mimes- Two mimes are preparing for the evening's show, but one of them has got something more sinister in 4

mind.

7. Neck & Neck- In the marital bed, the surreal sensuality enveloping Othello and Desdemona is disturbed by a dangling telephone. As the phone pours poison into Othello?s mind, he transforms into a different entity with detrimental consequences for Desdemona.

8. The Art ist St at ement- An artist longs to see his work again.

9. The Bl ack Cat - A black cat and a mysterious woman by the name of Miss Bellows show up at Mr. Bond's quaint cottage after he brings home an old broomstick from an antique shop.

10. The Smil ing Phant asm- Andrea finds a wallet while she is jogging. Inside, she finds a strange note, not realizing she has invited an evil presence into her home.

11. Visit or- A fertility doctor receives creepy texts from a stranger.

Florida Horror Shorts-1:45? 3:45 p.m.

1. Quot ed In Bl ood- Six top criminology bloggers in the nation are invited to a once in a lifetime opportunity to spend a final weekend in a house where a brutal murder scene took place, the same murder they've all blogged about and taken jabs at for years. The question is who will survive?

2. VR Viol ent Real m- When a group of friends get together to play a scary virtual reality game, things start to become too real.

3. Terror In The Dark-A man who finds out his sister is not home, but, yet, hears someone speaking... Once he finds out there's a monster in his house, he tries to make it out of his house alive.

4. Puppy Love- A female serial killer living in seclusion feeds upon her victims until one night she hears a knocking at her cabin door, which unleashes an unexpected evil in her home.

5. Last Night - Three friends break the rules on Halloween night and pay the ultimate price. What happened last night?

6. Famil y Night - Hillary is invited to her boyfriend's house to have dinner with his father, but what she 5 discovers will change her life, or end it.

7. It Fan Adapt ion- George "Georgie" Denbrough celebrates a day of stormy weather by making a paper boat with the help of his older brother Will.

8. Caut ion Spikes- Big game hunter Jack Peterson travels to a small island off the coast of Lousiana to hunt "Big Bubba," a 400-pound wild boar.

And You Films Horror Parody Shorts- 3:45? 4:15 p.m.

1. Diary of a Wimpy Al ien- ?Alien? parody 2. Diary of a Wimpy Al ien 2 PREDATOR RULES- ?Alien?/ ?Predator? parody 3. It Perf ect - ?It?/ ?Pitch Perfect? parody AWARDS- 4:30-5 p.m.

Come out and find out who won!

Make sure to check out the next issue to see more on the festival!

FILM CARPET XI Sunday, Nov. 5, 7 t o 9:30 p.m.

Tamarac Cinema 5 10036 W. McNab Rd., Tamarac, FL For more inf o., visit www.f acebook.com/ event s/ 138851426754003

I NDEPENDENT STREAK M AGAZI NE Sept ./ Oct . 2017

Pu blish er 's Not e Take a look in these pages for some great film fests, including the Ft. Lauderdale Intl. Film Festival, for which I have been selected as a jurist this year. I am very grateful. I also am helping to run the Horror Film Festival at Spooky Empire in Orlando, FL this year.

Needless to say, I have watched a lot of films!

Hey, filmmakers, make sure your stories have a beginning, middle and end! I can't tell you how many films I have watched that have not followed this basic rule, and they are immediately put to the side and not considered as some of my top choices. Break a leg, everyone!

Thanks for reading!

Rachel Gal vin Publ isher

St ay i n -t h e-k n o w : SEE ARCHIVES ...

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Wan t t o adver t ise?

Get an ad as low as $25!

Con t act u s at w r it er r ach el@yah oo.com

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I NDEPENDENT STREAK M AGAZI NE Sept ./ Oct . 2017

FLIFF post er par t y, unveils line-up On Aug. 30 the Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLiFF) held its poster party, earlier than usual. The event was held at Villa De Palma, the fabulous home (mansion) of Steve Savor, for whom Savor Cinema is named (formerly Cinema Paradiso, one of the locations for the fest's activities).

At the soiree, the poster was unveiled and the new commercial was shown.

Directed by Brian Bayerl again, the commercial received an enthusiastic response as popcorn clouds filled the blue sky near swaying SoFla palm trees. The poster and CGI was conceptualized by Zimmerman Advertising.

Cinephiles who attended feasted and mingled, receiving popcorn necklaces and some cute companions were available for photo opps. (See picture on right with Cinema Dave).

In addition to all of the festivity, the line-up for the fest was also unveiled. This year, the fest will take place Oct. 27- Nov. 19 and over 160 films will be shown. You never know who will show up at the festival. Filmmakers come in from all over the world.

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But they do know a few of the celebrities slated to attend, including Burt Reynol ds, who is well-known to Floridians, since he lives and teaches here up in Jupiter. He will be given a Lifetime Achievement Award (Part Deux) and a film he was in, called "Dog Years," will be shown as the opening night film on Nov. 3. It also stars Ariel Winter, with a cameo

by Chevy Chase. It will be shown at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Reynolds was given a Lifetime Achievement Award also in 1991.

Another celeb. who will be revisiting Florida is Karen Al l en (She was here not that long ago at Silverspot Theater in Coconut Creek for an event). Her film "A Tree. A Rock. A Cloud." will be shown, which is her directorial debut. She also will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Also on Nov 3, at 5 p.m. ,at the Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, there will be a special screening of Rumble: Indians Who Rocked the World, revealing the role of Native Americans in pop music history. Actor Graham Greene will receive the FLIFF Lifetime Achievement Award prior to the screening. Greene has appeared in over 80 films, and received an Academy Award Nomination for Best Supporting Actor in "Dances with Wolves." Other memorable films include "Die Hard with a Vengence," "Winter's Tale" and also four films shown at FLIFF: "Casino Jack," "Christmas in the Clouds," "Grey Owl" and "Chasing Shakespeare."

Actress Fanny Ardent will also be receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award, presented to director Charles Garrad on her behalf, who will be here for the screening of the film he directed called "Waiting for You," in which she stars. It will be screened on Nov. 4 at Savor Cinema at 8 p.m. and Nov. 5 at 3:30 p.m. at Cinema Paradiso-Hollywood.

The film deals with a cat and mouse game between Ardent's character and that of Colin Morgan, who plays a grieving young Englishman who escapes to France to search for something he thinks is owed to his dead father. In the process, painful truths and secrets are revealed.

In addition, FLIFF is giving out other special awards . Marti Huizenga is getting a posthumous Humanitarian Award for her great heart for the community as she was involved in so many local causes. Rob Stewart, also beloved among the FLIFF community and known for his film "Sharkwater," will be posthumously receiving an Environmental Film Award.

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with several short film programs and Florida features

Graham Greene interspersed.

Films will screen throughout the festival at the usual spots of Savor Cinema, at 503 SE 6 St, in Ft Lauderdale, Cinema Paradiso, Hollywood, at 2008 Hollywood Blvd. in Hollywood, FL. In addition, films and events will be held at other locations, like the Hard Rock, Sunrise Cinema, Bailey Hall and the Museum of Art. That's right, in addition to films, there will be plenty of parties, giving guests the opportunity to dress to impress and meet and mingle with filmmakers and cinephiles from around the world. And there is even the popular cruise on Nov. 5.

There will be a benefit for those who suffered from recent hurricanes (in Barbuda, Dominica, Puerto Rico & the US Virgin Islands) on Nov. 20 & 21. There will be four benefit screenings and also a silent auction. Tickets are $10 for screenings. Have an item to donate? Email greg@fliff.com.

President and CEO of FLIFF, Gregory von Hausch, said of this 32nd annual film fest, ?The years (count'em, 29 for me!) are beginning to blur, yet despite the frantic, no manic drive to stage FLIFF annually, I do believe this year rates right at the top. And I know what you are saying, 'You said that last year and every year.'..but really, isn't that the way it should be?

Confident your present product is better than your past. And even if that's the reason you buy into my hype, know this ... it's true. No matter your walk of life, circumstance, malady or fortune, we have your ticket."

This year, in celebration of The European Film Awards (EFA)

30th anniversary, FLIFF has been selected to present the 29 past winners of the EFA, and will present the 30th 9 in 2018. The screenings are presented Oct 27 ? Nov 2

THE OFFICIAL OPENING NIGHT FILM Dog Years - Burt Reynolds stars in this bittersweet comedy about a once Hollywood icon who has accepted life in the slow lane with his dog and his one friend, Sonny (Chevy Chase) ? until he?s invited to receive a ?Lifetime Achievement? award at the Nashville Film Festival.

CENTERPIECE FILM FLIFF?s Centerpiece Film on Friday, Nov 10, at Sunrise Civic Center Theater, is Serious Laundry, a madcap comic heist film involving a young man who is seduced into helping with the removal of a dead body. He must discover the truth behind the corpse before he loses his life or gains a fortune.

Attending their Southeast Premiere and post screening party are special guests director/ composer/ cinematographer Ken Webb and stars Jason Zednick, Michele Richardson, Tatiana Grey, Michael Gentile, Jeffrey Alan Solomon and Malcolm Mills.

CLOSING NIGHT FILM The Closing Night film, Sunday, Nov 19 at Bailey Hall, is the witty ballet satire After You?re Gone, directed by Anna

Matison with actor Sergey Bezrukov, who will attend their North American Premiere. The Festival Wrap Party follows the film at the same location.

This witty satire is directed by Anna Matison with actor Sergey Bezrukov delivering an award-winning performance as the renowned and arrogant Russian ballet genius, Aleksey Temnikov. After discovering he?ll soon lose the ability to walk, Aleksey sets out to choreograph a ballet to cement his legacy.

One of the coolest parties this year is a Toga Part y! Karen Allen, who was in "Animal House," will even be there. The party will be held at Villa De Palma on Nov. 18 from 8 p.m. to midnight. Toga attire is mandantory. Live entertainment

by Otis Day & the Knights.

For pricing for all events, visit www.FLIFF.com.

SUNSHINE CELLULOID The segment of t he f est ival f eat ures Fl orida Fil ms which incl ude: The winning films from the 2nd Annual Filmed in Broward competition.

Best Feature: Girlfriend Killer by Alyn Darnay Best Documentary: Poseidon?s Adventure by Dean Robaina Best Short Films: Rankling by Lourdes Roche and Lorenzo M. Ponce de Leon, and Road to Hope by Andrew Coons PSA: Pick it Up by Claudia Borden Sherman Below are additional Florida films selected to screen during the film festival: Feat ures: Kali Mah Tina directed by Tabatha Mudra Racist Rights directed by Jerome-Anthony Larkin Shadow Fighter directed by Alyn Darnay

Rotten Mangos directed by Michael Eldon Lobsinger Short Fil ms: Motherhood directed

by Ann Deborah Fishman Rankling directed by Lourdes Roche and Lorenzo M. Ponce de Leon Pick It Up directed by Claudia Borden Sherman Poseidon's Journey directed by Dean Robaina Chasing Titles Vol I directed by Ryan Egypt District Quarantine directed by Damian K. Lahey Carry That Weight directed by Brian J. Leitten Tiger Sharks Fight for Survival directed by Angela Smith Peace of Heart directed by Josh Hansborough My Loyal Audience directed by Megan Seely For schedule, visit www.fliff.com.

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I NDEPENDENT STREAK M AGAZI NE Sept ./ Oct . 2017

OUTShine Fil m Fest ival Did you go to the OUTShine Film Festival? Never hears of it? Well, it was held Oct. 6-15 and The OUTShine Film Festival is the newest name for a film festival that originally began as a mix of The Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, which started in 1998, and the Ft. Lauderdale Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, which began in 2008. The two merged to become The MiFo LGBT Film Festival in 2015 before becoming OUTShine.

This internationally acclaimed, film fest is the largest LGBT cultural arts event in South Florida.

Find out more about this dynamic film festival at http://mifofilm.com and stay tuned for more right here in the pages if Independent Streak Magazine.

Are you a Screenwrit er l ooking f or an out l et ?

There is a new series that runs through Oct. 31 in Miami that is for emerging screenwriters. It is held 7 to 9:30 p.m. at the Downtown Media Center, at 168 SE 1st Street on the 3rd Floor. Check it out... and bring your creative juices!

Got Film New s? Let u s k n ow. w r it er r ach el@yah oo.com

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I NDEPENDENT STREAK M AGAZI NE Sept ./ Oct . 2017

" M ob Kin g" pr em ier Ph ot os by Car ol Por t er St ar r in g Cir o Dapagio, An t on i Cor on e an d m an y ot h er local act or s, t h is TV sh ow h ad it s pr em ier at t h e Gold Clu b. For m or e in f or m at ion on t h is pr odu ct ion , visit h t t p:/ / t h em obk in g.com / abou t .

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I NDEPENDENT STREAK M AGAZI NE Sept ./ Oct . 2017

Hell's Kit chen Cockt ail Par t y

By Rachel Gal vin Is it getting hot in here? It isn't the SoFla sun.

It's the Hell's Kitchen chefs, who were here in Boca Raton, FL on the first weekend of September.

On Sept. 1, five chefs who were on the FOX TV show Hell's Kitchen came to The Loft in Boca Raton to be part of the first ever cocktail party of its kind hosted by Potions in Motion catering.

Pict ured Chef Christ ine Hazel , Pot ions in Mot ion owner Jason Savino & Chef Barret Beyer, and IS f ounder Rachel Gal vin & Chef Robyn Al modovar.

The owner of the catering company Potions in Motion, Jason Savino, said the day after this event, the chefs would go on to create a five course four hour dinner for over 500 guests at his restaurant. The sold out event would allow guests to vote on the courses and who made the best dish. Each chef, he said, would take on one course.

But, before they could get cooking for that event, the chefs had to show their stuff at this cocktail soiree, handing out samples and really getting to spend quality time with the intimate crowd, including this reporter.

Christine Hazel served up chicken and waffles sliders with chipotle aĂŻoli and Maple slaw. She flew in from Philadelphia to attend, but she is used to traveling. Since she was on the show this last season (Season 14), she has transformed from culinary student to private chef. She is influenced by the places she goes and people she meets and enjoys contributing in any way she can. ?I love giving back to the community,? she said, talking about how she just fed 120,000 people through United Way

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and will be helping the American Heart Association next.

Regarding the show, she laughed, saying, ?We were an animated bunch,? adding, ?There were a lot of personalities and I have made a lot of friends.?

She added, ?A lot of people pry into your life [when on a reality show]. People look to you as an example. I realized 'I want to do this career for the rest of my life [so I think before I act].' Every day I want to get a little bit better.?

Barret Beyer, a Long Island, NY chef from Season 11, is also a private chef also enjoys giving back. He helped feed first responders during Hurricane Sandy.

Although he wasn't sure what he was going to make this night until a few hours prior, he whipped together the perfect tasty bite involving brined salmon, cucumber and a lemon caper dill cream cheese.

About Hell's Kitchen, he said, ?The show gave me (Top r igh t ): Ch ef Br et Hau ser & a platform to do what I do, make people happy Ch ef St er lin g Wr igh t . (Bot t om and make sure they eat good food and have a Lef t ): Sexz Ch ef & h is cr ew. good time.?

(Bot t om Righ t ): Avi Zenat t i and When it comes to giving back, Nashville's Sterling Il ana Brodt .

Wright (from Season 13) takes the cake. He beamed as he showed an online story on his phone about him donating his bone marrow to save someone's life last year. He also enjoys being a role model for kids.

He said, ?I wasn't always this happy. I was a young man running around in a gang. I got shot. After being in the hospital and in jail, I said I am ready for you God. If I can do it, you can do it.?

Chef Bret Hauser, a Delray Beach chef from Season 14 described what it was like working with Gordon Ramsey, saying, ?Being able to stand next to him and watch him cook was an incredible opportunity of a lifetime ?

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watching a true professional in his element. I was in awe.?

He added, ?This event is a great time. I am looking forward to doing more. I think it is a great turnout.?

Chef Robyn Almodovar, has been busy with her Palate Party food truck since her stint on the show back in Season 10. She has also opened her own brick and mortar called Rumor's Bar & Grill, located at 2426 Wilton Dr., she said as she handed out her tiny crunchy melt-in-your-mouth with just the right spice ahi tuna tacos made with fresh smashed avocado, chile paste and sesame seeds with cilantro.

Robyn will be rejoining Hell's Kitchen for Season 17 ?All Stars.?

When asked what she will do differently this time around, she said, ?Keep my mouth shut, head down and focus.?

Also at the event was Avi Zenatti and Ilana Brodt who brought their Karawan Tahini and Hummus. Ilana has been in the states for 30 years, but her husband Avi just moved here three years ago from Israel. He is a chef and wanted to cook with good tahini so had it shipped in. ?The tahini here just didn't taste right,? said Ilana. ?You look at it and see it separates. Ours doesn't.?

They liked the product, which came from Israel's West Bank, so much they started importing it into America and got global exclusivity to distribute it. ?Chefs buy it in buckets. Costco said, 'People like ready made. Why not hummus? So we came up with four different types of hummus. Others have 7 to 12 percent tahini. Ours has 25-30 percent. No cholesterol, no preservatives.?

The couple, who live in Jupiter, started with the tahini 1 ½ years ago, the hummus a month ago. They have their product in Lucky's Market and some other local places and are working on some other bigger stores.

15 Another participant at this event was Sexz Chef. Yes,

that is his name; that is his brand. Instead of using a ?y,? he put a ?z? just to be different. All of his chefs, he said, have names just to make it more fun. He has eight full time and 20 part time chefs who work with him. He works with Potions in Motion catering and is the Executive Director of Culinary Operations at Prime 7 in Seven Bridges in Delray, which he describes as an Italian American Steakhouse.

Every month, he said, they have a theme at the restaurant: Italian, Mexican, Brazilian, etc.

Food, he said, is not just about the taste, but also the visuals, saying, ?People eat with their eyes.?

Of the event, guest Deonna Gilgion, whose husband is also working with Potions in Motion, said, ?Great event.

Hopefully, they do another.?

On l ef t : Chef Robyn speaks at special event at her rest aurant Rumors Bar & Gril l on Sept . 29, showing premier of "Hel l 's Kit chen" season 17, in which she is a cont est ant once again. The event was host ed by Seph Mason and f eat ured a drag perf ormance by Sasha Lords.

I NDEPENDENT STREAK M AGAZI NE Sept ./ Oct . 2017

Evils of a Fost er Ch ild Congrats to Director Jerome Anthony-Larkin a.k.a. "Tony" and his cast & crew, who showed his latest film "Evils of a Foster Child" at Savor Cinema on Oct.1. The film stars Celine Alva, Karen Chimato, Brian McCormack,

Austin Buda, Steven Aronson, Eddie Poletto, Mireya Kilmon, Charlotte Adams, Luis Ramirez and Carlis Davis. Director of Photographer is Lorenzo Ponce de Leรณn. Summary: Josie Sawyer is a awkward teenager finding herself shuffled from foster home to foster home. Josie is a difficult child, not prone to goodness or molded behavior. But she than meets her rival, her new foster mom, Genevieve Cooper.

(Phot os f rom "Tony")

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