I'm enjoying the Charleston International Film Festival and I caught a charming flick yesterday called Osso Bucco. It stars Illeana Douglas and Mike Starr (who you'll instantly recognize as a heavy from countless gangster films - he's appeared in almost 100 motion pictures).



Osso Bucco is a character study-type comedy set in an Italian restaurant, with two gansgters forced to sit down to eat with two cops. If you miss it at your local movie theatre, be sure to check out the DVD.






Today I'll be back to catch more movies, including On the Road With Judas and Brad Jayne's short about the Jenkins Orphanage, Song of Pumpkin Brown. It will be accompanied by four other shorts so if you're in town, the festival's definitely worth a look.

This has been the busiest week of the year so far for me and I’m pooped. I started the week with three acting classes in a row, teaching at the Lowcountry Senior Center (where we’re planning a Shakespeare-themed showcase), South of Broadway in North Charleston and in Pine Forest, Summerville.

On Tuesday I directed a music video for Know When to Walk Away. It will be submitted to a competition created by Zach Braff to build a compilation film to accompany the Jay Clifford song.

The catchy tune will be featured in an upcoming episode of Gray’s Anatomy, so hopefully you’ll be hearing it everywhere soon.

By Wednesday I was working furiously on City Paper previews for Piccolo Spoleto. It gave me a chance to interview several cool creative people, including David Lee Nelson of Skinny White Comics and Chris Smith of the sketch comedy group Harvard Sailing Team. Check out their swanky new website!

I also took my eight-year-old son to baseball practice. It’s great to see him involved in the ultimate American pastime (no, i don’t mean video poker). Sam could be a great player if he ever stops lollygaggin’ on third base.

Thursday night I was a judge at Charleston County School of the Arts’ Spring Playfest. Talented high school-aged kids put on ten minute plays and I assessed their merit in terms of vocal ability, stage presence, believability etc.

Friday I appeared on Lowcountry Live to plug Undead on Arrival. I was the last guest on the local chat show, on after the dog. I think that would make a great title for my memoirs.

Today I’ll be signing copies of the novel at Waldenbooks, then racing to the Charleston International Film Festival to usher in audiences and introduce a couple of the films.

Strangely, despite the fact that I’m a film critic for the CP and I’ve covered the festival in depth, I haven’t been contacted by the organizers (I’ve had to chase them up) and I’ve been given no press pass or invite to the awards ceremony. They must know what a party crashing freeloader I am.

In between all that I’ve been auditioning for film roles, chauffeuring my family hither and yon, and trying to catch some zzzs. Of course, I couldn’t do it all without the support of my friends, colleagues and students. Thanks guys.

I've spent the past couple of weeks working on an article about the Charleston International Film Festival, an event I first mentioned in the CP back in October 2007.

The four-day festival at the Terrace Theatre, James Island SC, will show six feature films and loads of short fictive films, documentaries and cartoons.

Part of my article looked at what would happen next year - in particular, how the festival would have to change and grow to continue.

But last night I heard that the first Charleston International Film Festival may also be the last.

Maybe the organizers have a packed schedule next year, or maybe the event isn't looking as profitable as they hoped. Or maybe the rumors aren't true. All I know is, we should make the most of this year's and appreciate all the effort that's gone into its production.

Film Fest Call for Entries

CALLING ALL FILMMAKERS

Now’s the time to enter the fifth Felder Film Festival, created by myself, actor Clarence Felder and cinematographer Michael Givens.

The festival is organized by the Actors Theatre of South Carolina’s Moving Images Group and is part of Piccolo Spoleto. There’s a first prize of $500 for the best film under 15 minutes.

Deadline for DVD entries is May 4. Drop me a line or visit the Actors' Theatre of SC website for full submission details.