For the second year in a row, FilmAid International gathered film and art celebrities for its award ceremony and silent auction on the Bowery. A crowd of 320 (including Christy Turlington, Liz Lang, and photographer Mick Rock) arrived at Capitale on Wednesday night to see the foundation recognize the efforts of people like actor Danny Glover and journalist Lisa Ling. The evening raised $400,000 for FilmAid’s efforts to assist refugees around the world.
Helping FilmAid coordinate the night was the staff of Dalzell Productions, who decided to take a spin on the night's theme of the “power of film” by making the decor all about the power of light. “You need projector light to show a film,” said vice president and creative director Josh Cicerone, who worked with FilmAid founder and co-chair Caroline Baron, executive director Steve Mendelsohn, and director of communications Caroline Avakian. “Light makes film, and light can illuminate the lives of the refugees. It is also very cost-effective.”Cost is always a strong consideration when the goal of the night is to raise money (and not spend it), so the budget was also spared a heavy burden with the donation of all video gear by Vidicom. While the light show kept the floor and ceiling in a constant state of flux, Dalzell and Craft TV produced clips of refugees and FilmAid’s relief efforts that played on three large screens at the front and on either side of the room.
After most of the guests had arrived and had placed bids on items ranging from film-premiere tickets to Judith Ripka jewelry, the crowd gathered in the main room for the reception. Passed plates of crab cakes, baby lamb chops, and vegetable spring rolls were offered along with more substantial buffets that highlighted Italian and Asian cuisine. The main space in front of the stage had only a handful of tables, encouraging guests to move about the room with the blue, green, and purple strobes of light that swirled around the floor, constantly changing colors.
Singer Angela McCluskey took the stage for a small set before Baron introduced the night's honorees, who included Andrea and Sean Fine, as well as Valentino Achak Deng, whose struggles as a Sudanese “lost boy" were the subject of Dave Eggers’s most recent novel, What Is the What.
Correction: This story has been updated to clarify Vidicom's contribution to the event.
Helping FilmAid coordinate the night was the staff of Dalzell Productions, who decided to take a spin on the night's theme of the “power of film” by making the decor all about the power of light. “You need projector light to show a film,” said vice president and creative director Josh Cicerone, who worked with FilmAid founder and co-chair Caroline Baron, executive director Steve Mendelsohn, and director of communications Caroline Avakian. “Light makes film, and light can illuminate the lives of the refugees. It is also very cost-effective.”Cost is always a strong consideration when the goal of the night is to raise money (and not spend it), so the budget was also spared a heavy burden with the donation of all video gear by Vidicom. While the light show kept the floor and ceiling in a constant state of flux, Dalzell and Craft TV produced clips of refugees and FilmAid’s relief efforts that played on three large screens at the front and on either side of the room.
After most of the guests had arrived and had placed bids on items ranging from film-premiere tickets to Judith Ripka jewelry, the crowd gathered in the main room for the reception. Passed plates of crab cakes, baby lamb chops, and vegetable spring rolls were offered along with more substantial buffets that highlighted Italian and Asian cuisine. The main space in front of the stage had only a handful of tables, encouraging guests to move about the room with the blue, green, and purple strobes of light that swirled around the floor, constantly changing colors.
Singer Angela McCluskey took the stage for a small set before Baron introduced the night's honorees, who included Andrea and Sean Fine, as well as Valentino Achak Deng, whose struggles as a Sudanese “lost boy" were the subject of Dave Eggers’s most recent novel, What Is the What.
Correction: This story has been updated to clarify Vidicom's contribution to the event.
FilmAid's light show
Photo: Courtesy of FilmAid International
Dalzell Productions translated the event's theme and name, the "power of film," into a lighting scheme that involved moving beams of light.
Photo: Courtesy of FilmAid International
Bright lights illuminated the stage where FilmAid's founder introduced the honorees.
Photo: Courtesy of FilmAid International
Vidicom helped keep the budget low by donating video production services for the event, which included clips of the nonprofit's relief efforts.
Photo: Courtesy of FilmAid International
Singer Angela McCluskey entertained with a short set.
Photo: Courtesy of FilmAid International
Auction items included tickets to various film premieres and DVDs.
Photo: Courtesy of FilmAid International
