April 18th, 2015 —
If you dream of hobnobbing with movie stars at Sundance and Cannes, there’s a brand new film festival much closer to home. The Greenwich International Film Festival kicks off its inaugural edition in June.
This swanky Connecticut town on the Long Island Sound is the perfect location for a shiny new festival. Besides catching some great flicks, you’ll be supporting a good cause, with a percentage of the festival proceeds going to UNICEF. It’s just a short and sweet ride away on Metro-North.
When: June 4-7, 2015
The Scoop: Dozens of narrative and documentary shorts and features are the foundation of this festival’s discriminating lineup. You’ll find movies you won’t be able to see at your local indie cinema as well as mainstream choices. Highly anticipated films include Entourage, inspired by the HBO series and Jane Wants a Boyfriend, the story of a young woman on the autism spectrum. Screenings cost a reasonable $15. Plan to attend a few of the insightful panels and workshops on subjects like Women in Production, Inside Film Financing and A Conversation with Pussy Riot. Panels are free, but do reserve a spot in advance. The opening night premiere of All Things Must Pass promises a red-carpet entrance and a paparazzi-worthy after party. Colin Hanks make his directorial debut with this documentary, which tells the story of the meteoric rise and fall of the Tower Records Empire. It’s sure to make papa Tom proud.
Where: The screenings and events will be held at Greenwich venues within walking distance of each other to create an authentic festival village atmosphere. When hunger strikes, you’ll find yourself surrounded by dozens of dining options, from shabby chic to ultra-posh.
Stay the Night: Tap into your inner celebrity and stay at the glam waterfront Delamar, the festival hub. Room rates during the festival start at $419 per night.
How to get here: The Metro-North New Haven line from Grand Central to Greenwich takes approximately 50 minutes. Metro-North deposits you in the thick of it all.
For more information visit www.greenwichfilm.org.
Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributes travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She is fluent in Italian and Spanish and laughably adequate in French. Her background as an Early Childhood Educator gives her an added understanding of what it takes to travel with kids in tow. She firmly believes that the most important part of education takes place outside of the classroom, on the road, around the world. She never misses a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. Follow Allison at @gourmetrav.
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram