The Newtown Road Backyard Film Festival’s 2014 Summer Season

Along with Astoria’s two other outdoor summer movie series—Socrates Sculpture Park’s Outdoor Cinema and CALDC’s Astoria Park Movie Nights—there’s another series, called The Newtown Road Backyard Film Festival. This series, now in its eighth year, takes place in a private backyard, with the series open to the public. Each year founder Frank Zagottis carefully curates the season’s movies, adhering to a specific theme. This year it’s “Your Destiny. Follow Your Dream.” Here’s what Frank says about this season’s films:

The 2014 Summer Season of The Newtown Road Backyard Film Festival is a celebration of iconic films whose characters’ burning desire to “follow their star” defines their journey and ultimately, their destiny – for better or for worse. So many of the films on this year’s list were titles that I had wanted to screen for years because they are among my favorite films of all time created by some of the greatest directors of all time. Above all, they’re a joy to watch and are among those films that either you loved but never had the chance to see again, or always leave on when flipping through your cable remote. This year, I’m proud to put them up on the big screen once again…where they belong.

If you choose to attend, please adhere to the film festival guidelines. This is very important, since these films are shown on private property (Frank’s home).

Here’s the season!

“Your Destiny.  Follow Your Dream.”

• SEASON PREMIERE: Saturday, June 14 – Fame
• Saturday, June 28 – Strictly Ballroom
• Saturday, July 19 – The Purple Rose Of Cairo
• Saturday, August 2 – Rope

Family Weekend*

• Saturday, August 16 – The Godfather
• Sunday, August 17 – Godfather II*
• Saturday, August 30 – Working Girl
• Saturday, September 13 – Midnight Cowboy
• Saturday, September 27 – Amadeus

Finale Week

• Thursday, October 2 – Chicago (1927)
• Friday, October 3 – Roxie Hart (1942)
• Saturday, October 4 – Chicago (2002)

*If schedule allows

Please feel free to join the festival’s Facebook group to get updates on the season as it progresses; Facebook invites are usually posted for each film. Looks like it’s going to be a great movie season!

Newtown Road Backyard Film Festival, 46th Street between 31st Avenue and Newtown Road, Astoria