What has 2009 brought us? KiptonART explored not only the business of emerging artists, but the entire creative market encompassing art, music, fashion, film and soirées. 2009 -- the year of change -- has prepared art mavens for the coming decade. Reflecting on the seasons past here are influential events that are sure to impact the coming year(s) ahead.  Let the countdown begin!

#10. Let us get the dreaded term out of the way: recession. The weed that spewed from our credit fertilizer haunted the globe thereby weakening an already challenged art arena. As third quarter trudged around the market gradually rallied amidst the buzz surrounding the early November Sotheby’s New York auction of an Andy Warhol painting, sold at $43.8 million.

However, morale was low due to a failed auction held at New York’s Christie’s the same week. This may have left a dark cloud brooding over art auctions had it not been for $48 million dollar sale of a drawing by the old master Raphael at Christie’s London in early December.

#9. Early December opened with Art Basel in Miami. The lack of sun and party funds left the majority of attendees interested in only one thing, the fairs which fared far better than last year. High sales made gallery representatives giddy, while on-lookers enjoyed works by international talents. Much on displayed felt familiar and sellers were fixated on those that they knew would bring in cash flow. In this economy, why not? Though events were at a minimum, KiptonART hosted an event with Whitewall Magazine and attended parties and events over the four day fair including a highlight of the Lanvin boutique opening.  In November, Art Dubai drew significant crowds and attention.

#8. Parties elsewhere seemed to have been doing just fine this year (though there was a definite lack of food trays circulating). KiptonART threw several with partners such as Longchamp and Saks Fifth Avenue and even debuted on MTV. The Coalition for the Homeless held their annual ArtWalk Benefit raising $650,000, their most successful event to date. Patrons attended all the major museum galas from the Metropolitan Costume Institute to the Frick Young Fellows. However, the Whitney Studio Party was said to have been the best of them all, where A-list New York supporters wore sponsored Versace gowns to the nines.

#7. Spring/Summer 2010 Fashion Week set the standards for a new era: digital prints, nude hues, and underwear-as-outwear. Chado Ralph Rucci gave the show of New York’s season with a flawless presentation.  Finally be rid of the dirty indie look and step into fantastic crab claw Alexander McQueen heels, as Mrs. Gaga did in her epic video “Bad Romance.”

#6. Undoubtedly, Lady Gaga is this year top musician, bringing glam rock gender bending aesthetic backs from the trendy 80’s grave of on stage Madonna masturbation and Freddy Mercury. Opposite, of Gaga is the baby-face Taylor Swift who swiftly swept up the awards at every ceremony she attended (and didn’t for that matter as she won several AMA’s while preparing for an upcoming tour in London). KiptonART continued to collaborate with emerging musicians Joyce DiDonato, Saeunn Thorsteinsdottir, Eldar and Orba Squara. Most heartbreaking was the loss of music legend and pop king Michael Jackson.

To Read The Top 5, please visit KiptonART Online Magazine

Photo 1: Kipton Cronkite attends the 2009 Whitney Museum Gala at The Whitney Museum of American Art on October 19, 2009 in New York City. (October 18, 2009- Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images North America)

Photo 2: Aqua Art Miami Basel entrance

Photo 3: Chado Ralph Rucci's incredible Spring/Summer 2010 collection

Tonight is the NY and LA theatrical release of Across the Hall, starring Brittany Murphy, Danny Pino and Mike Vogel. This past week, I posted a review from the NY private screening and had the pleasure of interviewing Danny Pino (Terry), Director Alex Merkin and Brad Greenquist (the Porter).

After returning to his hometown of Miami this past summer to perform in a play at The Actors Playhouse, Danny was kind enough to take some time from production for the hit television series, Cold Case, in Los Angeles.

Scene B Seen: How did you get involved in Across the Hall?

Danny Pino: Mike Vogel, who plays Julian in the movie, called and said he had read the script and was involved with this film and they were looking for someone to play his best friend. You know, Mike and I are very good friends and have known each other for a while and we always wanted to find something to work on together. So I read the script and thought that the character was something that would be challenging, interesting and had something that was very different from what I usually do on the TV series [Cold Case]. And so that and meeting the director Alex Merkin and speaking with him about what his ideas were with the script and the writer Jesse Mittelstadt. I felt like it was going to be a good fit for me. I was actually nervous.

SBS: Nervous? What were you nervous about?

DP: 1st off, I knew that we were only going to have 17 days to shoot and the way that the script is set up, it’s chopped up, it has different cuts and it shifts out of sequence, some scenes, if you were to eliminate those cuts, and were to read them in a sequential order, they run 10-15 pages long. That’s a pretty long scene when it comes to film and TV world. I mean, when you’re on stage, its par for the course, usually longer then that.

SBS: Right.

DP: When you’re doing a play, you’ve got several weeks of rehearsal… to be able to make that happen. Here we were looking at 1 week before we were going to start shooting. All of those elements made me nervous. But, I was really excited to be working with Mike and I thought the script was in a very good place. Alex and Jesse were very dedicated to what we were doing.

SBS: So, did you shoot sequentially or out of order like the script reads?

DP:  Well when we rehearsed it, we rehearsed in sequence… so, it really felt like there was something going on when you went back into the scene, you were already at that level. There was an intensity there and there was a life flowing through the characters rather than starting at zero again.

SBS: Absolutely.

DP: So, we mostly shot it that way. There were some things that Alex had to do with the camera, and Andrew, the DP, wanted to do with the camera, so we were cut in certain places so that we would have a nice transition into whatever the next scene that they would be cutting into was. We tried to stay within the same “world” and certainly within the same scene as often and much as we could. In essence, we block shot it and shot it very much like a play.

SBS: Interesting.

DP:  You know it’s shot in a very classic noir style, but it has modern elements that are very quick, quick cuts. I think the camera and a lot of the visual elements that Alex has put into the film, really moves the story along, sometimes more then the script does.

SBS: Yeah, except for two shots, I think, everything was eye level and the camera was always moving in the same direction. Cold Case and Across the Hall are very stylistic, does style effect how you take on a character?

DP: I think it’s a consideration, you know, to live within that “Noir World”. Everyone needs to know what the stakes are and all the acting 101 stuff, but then after that, you’re sort of on your own. Then when you come to set, you hope that there’s some sort of harmony to what your bringing to the character and what the camera is doing, the lighting, sound and set design. That’s where the synergy comes in with filmmaking. Especially when shooting within 17 days… hopefully it really comes through.

SBS: I definitely think it did. So, you knew Mike prior to this film, did you know Brittany [Murphy]?

DP: I knew her work and was excited that she was a part of the ensemble, but I did not know her personally.

SBS: The chemistry between all of you is phenomenal. Everyone has a secret and is very devious, so it’s very impressive that only after a week of rehearsal… was Alex a big part of how you all interacted together?

DP: Alex was definitely a big part of that. Alex is very cohesive. He had a lot of considerations to address as we were shooting, some relative to the actors and mostly not. Mostly in relation to the camera or the lighting.

SBS: How much actor directing did he do or was it mostly lighting and camera direction?

DP: What’s interesting though, I can’t really speak for the other actors but, because of the experiences that I’ve had on Cold Case, we work very quickly. We sometimes shoot 8-10 pages a day, which is pretty high when you consider motion picture world… you don’t have a lot of time to rehearse. You basically have to be comfortable with what you’re doing and that everybody is on the same page and prepared.

SBS: Right.

DP: So, thankfully we were when we were shooting. I think all the actors knew that we were on a time crunch and we were under a lot of pressure to bring what we were gonna bring, almost ready to perform. And just search for those “happy accidents” in the scenes and that something real happens, ya know?

SBS: Yes.

DP: I think that happened quite a bit throughout the 17 days, where something real would happen and we would engage within the given the certain circumstances in the scene, that would help us carry through the rest of it. You get enough of those and all the sudden; you’ve got a 90-minute movie that delivers.

SBS: Well, I have to be honest with you, I Tivo Cold Case and watch 2-3 episodes before bed every night [laughter]. I know it’s very strange to watch that type of show before bed, but I didn’t even recognize it was you for the 1st half hour of Across the Hall.

DP: Wow! That’s a compliment.

SBS: It is! The character is so far removed from what you normally do, it didn’t even occur to me. Which I think is pretty cool.

DP: Thank you for that. I really appreciate that. That is something I really love doing- playing against what I’ve been doing, been blessed to be doing for the last 7 years… It’s also fun to challenge yourself by playing someone like Terry. He’s so desperate and going through such a desperate time, that he doesn’t see any other way out.

SBS: Absolutely. It was a great performance and I hope to see you in more of these dark roles. It’s refreshing to see an actor play against “type”. Thank you so much for taking the time to chat.

DP: It’s my pleasure and thank you for taking the time to promote our film.

Danny is currently shooting the episode, "Metamorphosis", which he co-wrote with Adam Glass. The episode takes place in 1971 about a small traveling circus. Set to all Doors music, the segment which is scheduled to air in February 2010, promises to be psychedelic, dark, very desperate, and devious.

*photo 1: Danny Pino

*photo 2: Across The Hall Los Angeles Premiere 12/01/2009 - Laemmle's Music Hall 3: Danny Pino, Brittany Murphy and Mike Vogel

*photo 3: Across The Hall Los Angeles Premiere 12/01/2009 - Laemmle's Music Hall 3: Brittany Murphy

*photo 4: Across The Hall Los Angeles Premiere 12/01/2009 - Laemmle's Music Hall 3: Danny Pino

*photo 5: Across The Hall Los Angeles Premiere 12/01/2009 - Laemmle's Music Hall 3: Mike Vogel, Alex Merkin and Danny Pino

*photo 6: Across The Hall Los Angeles Premiere 12/01/2009 - Laemmle's Music Hall 3: Across the Hall Cast and Crew

Tonight is the NY and LA theatrical release of Across the Hall, starring Brittany Murphy, Danny Pino and Mike Vogel. This past week, I posted a review from the NY private screening and had the pleasure of interviewing Danny Pino (Terry) and Brad Greenquist (the Porter).

Scene B Seen: How did you get involved in Across the Hall?

Brad Greenquist: I read for the role. Just a usual audition. What’s interesting is that Alex cast me at all, because what I did in the audition was not really what the character ended up being. I was muscling it a bit much at the audition. On the set Alex had me back off and make the character very much internal. Good thing he did!

SBS: What was your 1st instinct when you read the script?

BG: Great script! Sharp scenes, economical dialogue, non-linear storytelling – something fairly unusual for a screenplay. I was hooked after two pages.

SBS: I’m sure the limited locations helped, yet how was it shooting a film that required so much energy and emotion in 17 days?

BG: Well, just a word about the set: for me, the set WAS the character of the Porter. All my work had been done by the designers! Also, for me it was very very cool to be filming on the stage where Lon Chaney had shot Phantom of the Opera back in 1924. The Opera House set still stands. Very inspirational!

SBS: The chemistry between all the characters is fantastic, how did you manage that in such a short period?

BG: For myself, the Porter is quite removed from all the other characters. I only had scenes with Danny and Brittany, both of whom were trespassers in a way, so whatever chemistry was or was not there was imminently playable. By the way, both of them were tremendously giving when the cameras were rolling. That’s all an actor needs, really.

SBS: Everyone is so devious; do you think people with those qualities are capable of true love?

BG: Every human being is capable of anything. All humans embody qualities that are contrary to one another.

SBS: Is it love that drives the behavior?

BG: Well, for the porter it’s a love of his Hotel, his idea of the hotel and his fantasy of the hotel. Love of his fantastical idea of his hotel – yeah, let’s put it that way. And that certainly drives his behavior throughout the film.

SBS: What aspect of your character could you relate to personally?

BG: Well, this is an interesting question as far as the porter goes. My job, as an actor, was to be the personification of the hotel Riverview itself. The Porter is a bit obsessed with this odd thing, the hotel and it’s history, that nobody else really cares about. This was easy to tap into, perhaps everyone has something like this- some oddball thing they care greatly about that they really can’t speak about to others. My particular obsession has always been with silent films. Seriously, I could actually tell you the precise recipe that was used for the pies that would be thrown into a comedian’s face! The Porter’s obsession was with this old hotel and his job within it; he has one foot in reality, and one foot in a fantasy world where the Hotel Riverview is a magnificent place where important people stay. The fantasy world crashes whenever a guest checks in. Very interesting.

SBS: Were you aware of the style the director was going for, and if so, how did that shape your character (or not)?

BG: Yes. Noir. A contemporary noir thriller. This was really evident in the set design and the lighting. And if you know these films, all those great noir films from the 40s and 50s, the style just kind of falls into place in a subconscious way. My only real concern while we were shooting, the one thing I kept bugging Alex about, was whether or not my performance was too internal for the camera to see. He kept assuring me it was not. Jesse Mittelstadt, the writer, was a great source of inspiration on the set, I think he knows every noir film ever made, and he turned me on to a lot of really great films that I would watch on my days off during the shoot. Perhaps that fed my performance, I don’t know, these things don’t happen consciously. I don’t know that an actor can play a style consciously.

SBS: You rock, any upcoming projects?

BG: For myself, I’m putting off all offers, saving myself only for Alex!

Thursday evening, I attended the Cipriani Wall Street Fashion Series featuring designer Duncan Quinn. Alex Merkin, who relayed the designer’s regrets for not being able to present the collection personally, introduced the menswear collection. Mr. Quinn is currently in Miami in preparation for the opening of his forthcoming Limited Editions pop-up shop in Miami's design district… featuring its own indoor croquet pitch.

The London-born, New York based designer and “recovering lawyer” found inspiration for his featured designs in film and classic works of art; including all things Alfred Hitchcock, The Thomas Crown Affair, James Bond, Eastern Promises and the Mona Lisa.

I found the color palette for the line to be both regal and playful, with heavy plums, burgundy and charcoal tempered by lavender and rose accents in ties, handkerchiefs and dress shirts. There is an intellectual sharpness and meticulous attention to detail in the cufflinks, leather duffels, and umbrellas.

After the show, I caught up with Mr. Merkin, donning Duncan Quinn garb head to toe. The Director of the upcoming film Across the Hall, indulged my questions about the December 4th New York release. He told me that the film, featuring Danny Pino, Brittany Murphy and Mike Vogel, is a thriller about a standoff between a young man, his fiancée and his best friend, who occupy hotel rooms across the hall from one another. I gathered it’s a little dark and scandalous, a delicious combination.

Later into the night, I had a lively chat over drinks with Simon van Kempen and stylist Derek Warburton, who lamented over Editor Britten Heft’s absence. It seems they just missed each other at an earlier charity event. Designer Peyman Umay joined us for a spell, offering style expertise and exchanging opinions of the evening’s presentation.

I left Cipriani picturing how dapper and tailored my man would look in a “bespoke Duncan Quinn suit” while defending clients in the courtroom and for all our upcoming Holiday festivities… I think Christmas may have to come early this year.

As a rule of thumb, I do not go out in NYC on the weekends, especially not to the movies. However, I was willing to elbow my way through the crowds at Regal Cinema Union Square this Friday night to view the New York City Premiere of Splinterheads.

Motivators:a stellar cast including; Lea Thompson, Christopher McDonald, my fave bad boy Dean Winters, Rachel Taylor, and the much buzzed about newcomer- Thomas Middleditch, a frosty Diet Coke, and an after-party at Carnival at Bowlmor Lanes.

The flick deets: Splinterheads introduces Thomas Middleditch as Justin Frost, a twenty-something slacker who has decided that his “thing” is that he has no “thing” at all. When a small-time carnival rolls into town, he meets Galaxy (Rachael Taylor), a gorgeous con artist who has more “things” going for her than anyone he has ever met. Galaxy takes Justin on a geocaching adventure, a GPS based activity that is part hike and part treasure hunt, and he quickly falls for her. Complicating matters are his mom’s (Lea Thompson) floundering relationship with a lovesick local cop (Christopher McDonald) and Galaxy’s insanely jealous boyfriend Reggie (Dean Winters). In order to win her over he’s going to need to step up his game, and maybe even figure out what his “thing” really is.

Move over Jonah Hill, Michael Cera and Seth Rogan. There are some new boys in town that are smashing your schtick. Well, you guys rock as well, but Middleditch, Jason Rogel- who plays Middleditch's best friend, "Wayne Chung", and director/writer Brant Sersen, have brought quirky "man-child" comedies to a whole new level.

The Sersen formula: Take your "sympathetic characters who are sort of out-of-sync with the world", and place them in an unusual subculture. Sersen explains, "A world that coexists within a dominant one will have its own beliefs, rules, and laws. From a comedic viewpoint, the possibilities are limitless because you’re in such uncharted territory. Anything can happen, and anything goes."

That makes sense, especially coming from a man who's first feature, Blackballed, takes place amidst the subculture of paintballing.

Splinterheads, produced by Atlantic Pictures, definitely delivers laughter with up to snuff performances by Thomson, Winters, and McDonald, scene stealers from Lennon Parham, Jason Mantzoukas, Rogel, Pamela Shaw, and Edmund Lyndeck (the 116 year old great grandpa), and a breakout performance by Middleditch, who Sersen discovered at NYC's Upright Citizens Brigade (which is "home to all things comedy in New York City and Los Angeles").

Click HERE for showtimes

*Stills courtesy of Atlantic Pictures

*image 1: Thomas Middleditch as Justin Frost

*image 2: Christopher McDonald as Sgt. Bruce Mancuso

*image 3: Rachel Taylor as Galaxy and Dean Winters as Reggie

*image 4: Jason Mantzoukas as The Amazing Steve and Lennon Parham as Wyoming

It's that time of year again... I'm not talking about the flowers being in bloom, or the ability to show off your pedicures (and FYI, it's still not safe to wear white... one more month). I am speaking of the Tribeca Film Festival. This is actually the first year I have been in The City during the fest since its inception in 2001.

Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff founded the Tribeca Film Festival following the attacks on the World Trade Center to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of lower Manhattan through an annual celebration of film, music and culture.

I not only decided to attend a few of the films, I found an opportunity to approach one of my fave actors, Norman Reedus, who will be starring in Deadline, a featured short in the festival directed by Joseph Bakhash and written by Sean McPhillips. With a career spanning over a decade and almost 50 films, I came to discover that this actor with a huge Cult following, is anything but categorical... which made me love to love him even more.

Highly noted for Mimic, Deuces Wild, Beat, The Notorious Bettie Page, Moscow Chill, and his character Murphy McManus in The Boondock Saints, Reedus appeared in a slew of roles that seemed to embrace a side of ourselves most of us don't like to visit very often. But don't call him a dark person, it's gotten very tiresome, and as I quickly learned, he's pretty chill, comedic, and quite the creative visionary.

SBS: You have quite an expansive filmography, but I have found that it is very character driven, meaning a lot of the roles you play are pretty intense with a lot of inner turmoil on various levels. Sometimes this struggle is resolved in some way and is pertinent to the character and the story, and sometimes they remain dark, agree/disagree?

NR:  Yeah I guess I seem to do those dark roles . But I'm not really that dark . At least I try not to be. I'm actually pretty funny and find most people funny or things quite funny. Im so tired of everyone thinking I'm so dark. I just try and pay attention... and I get upset easily and understand being upset and it all comes from a place of unhappiness. But I don't practice that in my life. I try to be happy. That's the big fight I think, right?

SBS: Absolutely, at least for myself. What about your character in Deadline?

NR: It's a good role 'cause it's well written,  it wasn't hard to just stay in those lines. 'Cause those lines are set up and handed to you.  Sometimes its better just to do it then create it I think . Actor schmacter stuff sometimes takes you on a loopty loop I think.

SBS: Maybe this is my idealistic view of you as an artist, but it seems that you are sort of a renaissance type of artist, actor, photography, director, and that you choose a large body of your film work because of the project itself, is this the case? Or some you do for Hollywood sake and some because you like the work?

NR: I'm not sure totally how I choose anything. It may be cause of the script, may be because of the people involved or whatever. Might just be 'cause I'm bored really. I'm not really opposed to anything. Maybe some people but not really an idea you know?  I just wanna have fun and not be bored.

SBS: How does this play into the short, Deadline, how did this come about and why did you get involved?

NR: Kim Callahan at ROAR found that and I trust her so I said yes. It was a fun little movie and I was happy to do it.

A few days after this interview, Norman Reedus was flying out to Vancouver, where some of his photography is being exhibited, which led to him to inform me of his show in Berlin and a recent live show as well. This, obviously, spiked my curiosity of how Reedus, being Reedus, felt about all that is NYC.

SBS: What are your feelings about art scene in NYC, or as I like to call it, Millenism?

NR: I'm not sure about the art scene in New York. I know a lot of artists here and a lot of people claiming to be part of an art scene here. I really haven't been here since the eighties, so I cant compare it to that boom but I do know its my favorite city and I love the people here. Its funny how many people claim to be so part of a scene and cling to it forever. In my opinion people make scenes and scenes move, and that's the point. Not the other way around.  I'm kind of over places being the scene. Berlin or New York. People make important things and groups of people make scenes. The problem, I would think, is that if someones relevant and smart enough they don't want to be held up by other people claiming them and there friends a scene, that would just make a smart person run away.

SBS: That's truly amazing.

I love large format photo (speaking of gallery exhibits), it completely fascinates me, as well as those "Panda" (referring to the live NYC WTF? show) photos, that just looks... sick (in a good way). Can you tell me a little bit about that? and how did NYC receive it?

NR: Faux Mex are two friends of mine that are DJs and I'm Pandita. I've never mixed live video footage before and was asked to. So I just jumped in, it was actually a lot of fun. It's a good vibe and just about fun. Not a scene, just fun.

SBS: I get what you're saying and above all, respect it. Thank you for being so open with me.

NR: Hey, its my pleasure.

Conclusion: Sometimes the antithesis or the " easy" place manifests itself in characters. I, not having known Norman Reedus at all prior, formulated ideals and I love learning the reality. After all, nothing in life is as you expect it, or rarely. I believe in the unexpected, and laughter...

For more information on Deadline, which will screen as part of the Shorts: Wake-up Call program, please visit www.secrethideoutfilms.com or to purchase tickets please visit the Tribeca Film Festival.

* photo 1 courtesy of: Asia Argento- www.normanreedusonline.com

* photo 2 courtesy of: DP Luke Geissbuhler- Deadline

* photo 3 courtesy of: Norman Reedus © 2008 Copyright Norman Reedus

* photo 4 courtesy of: Norman Reedus (L-R: Faux, Mex, and Pandita (Reedus))

The flashbulbs could not get enough of Jill Hennessy, Alec Baldwin, Kieran or Rory Culkin, Wednesday evening as they arrived to the premiere of Lymelife.

The film, directed by Derick Martini, is the story of two suburban families coming to grips with loss of innocence, economic gains and failures, and a disease that swept through Long Island in the late 1970s.

15 year-old Scott's, Rory Culkin, parents, a workaholic father, Baldwin, and an overprotective and paranoid mother, Hennessy, who longs for the seemingly simple life she had in Queens, are on the verge of a divorce under the dysfunction of family dynamics. All the while, Scott's older brother Jim, Kieran Culkin, is about to be shipped off for war.

As an extra bonus, Scott has fallen in love with his next door neighbor, Adrianna, Emma Roberts, who has her own equally afflicted but less affluent family. Her mother, Cynthia Nixon, is carrying on a love affair, and her father, Timothy Hutton, is slowly slipping away from the effects of Lyme disease.

While we watch this funny and simultaneously heart wrenching film, we learn that coming of age stories not only apply to teenagers (as appropriately marked by Scott's confirmation ceremony... and after-party), but to adults, families, and communities, as well.

Lymelife is a poignant film, which utilizes a subtle film style composed of clean and well thought out shots, a great soundtrack, and a nice palpable play of editing that both highlights and compliments its tremendous cast.

Conclusion: Look out for the New York release next week.

*photos courtesy of Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images North America

One celeb, two celeb, three celeb, four... which celeb will be next through the door?

The 14th Annual Gen Art Film Festival launch party for media and press  took place Wednesday evening at the 7 for all Mankind store Soho.  Littered with Glitterati, the lights were bright and DJ Reach was throwing down some sick tunes... which even got actor Lance Reddick and actress Jasika Nicole grooving.

The kickoff event spotlights a plethora of indie stars, set to grace the screens of the 7 night fest.  The April 1st opening premiere of Lymelife, starring: Alec Baldwin, Kieran Culkin, Rory Culkin, Jill  Hennessy, Timothy Hutton, Emma Roberts and Cynthia Nixon, has already created major buzz and has sold-out.

Actor Rory Culkin was uber casual, in a hoodie and a grown out shaggy do. Miss Teen USA, Stevi Perry, in DKNY, laid low- with sash in had. Meanwhile, actress Chrishell Stause, looking beautiful, chatted with her date and snacked on pita chips.

Three Olives supplied the vodka, which flowed like water.  Overall, a successful eve that definitely set the tone for what was to come next week--the start of Gen Art's Annual Film Festival.

For more information and a complete schedule for film dates, pre, and post parties: click here.

*photo courtesy of Michael Loccisano/GettyImages North America