22nd Brooklyn Film Festival kicks off today

Attention film lovers - the Brooklyn Film Festival begins today, with dozens of handpicked selections in this year's lineup.
The festival, which is celebrating its 22 edition, features 10 days of films at seven different locations across the borough. 

“These filmmakers told a story that’s not only entertaining, but brings a weight to them,” says Brandon Harrison, feature documentary programmer.

After screening thousands of submissions, 133 feature and short films from more than 30 countries will be making their way to the screens. 

“We are looking for fresh talent, young people, first or second film, but also fresh minds so among all these millions of people who make these films now there are talented people and we try to find them,” says Marco Ursino, executive director of the Brooklyn Film Festival.

Michael Dominic is the director of a documentary film called “Clean Hands.” 

“I was a photojournalist on assignment with a newspaper in Nicaragua and a friend of mine suggested I visit the garbage dump and I realized I wanted to tell a story,” says Dominic.

Mariah Wilson is the director of “Silent Forests,” a film about elephant conservation.
“To finally have the film complete and to be premiering and to have our New York premiere at the Brooklyn Film Festival is amazing because it’s not just my hometown festival, it’s my home borough festival,” says Wilson.

The festival runs from May 31 to June 9 at two main venues, the Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg and Windmill Studios in Greenpoint.
Several other venues will also be screening films.