North Fork TV Festival Reborn In Pandemic As Drive-In At Winery

NORTH FORK, NY— The pandemic can't stop the arts from flourishing on the North Fork: For its fifth year, with innovative vision, the organizers of the North Fork TV Festival have teamed up with the Castello di Borghese Vineyard for a drive-in event.

The event, celebrating the "evolution and craft of television," takes place Saturday at the vineyard, located at 17150 County Road 48 in Cutchogue. Parking opens at 5:30 p.m., with food on sale at 6 p.m. and the program set to begin at 7 p.m.

“2020 has been a year no one expected, but we are proud to have found a safe way to celebrate the 2020 North Fork TV Festival at the Borghese Vineyard with our great community and partners,” said festival founder Noah Doyle. “This year’s festivities will feature great conversations, screenings, and more from the socially distanced comfort of your car."

The festival will premiere “Freeze,” a thriller about a woman with a failed fairytale romance who finds herself trying new things on the eve of her 35th birthday; and “Slayed by Divya,” about a mobile hair stylist struggling to expand her business — two of the winners of the 2020 competition for independent pilots.

The pilot screenings will be followed by a Q &A with the filmmakers.

The festival will also feature a "sneak peek" of the pilot premiere of the recently announced winner of the second-annual Alfred P. Sloan Science + Tech Pilot Script Competition “Superuser Do” by Sudanese-American filmmaker Zuff Idries.

That competition, organizers said, invites writers to submit pilot scripts for a television series that’s rooted in science and technology and that "challenges existing stereotypes about scientists and engineers" that may exist.

A drive-in at the winery was a perfect way to keep the festival alive during the pandemic, all involved agreed.

"Since its inception as Long Island’s first-ever established vineyard, Borghese Vineyard has been a huge proponent of the arts,” said Giovanni Borghese, co-owner of Castello di Borghese Vineyard. “We’re delighted to partner with the North Fork TV Festival and welcome everyone to Long Island's founding vineyard."

In adherence social distancing protocols outlined in New York's Phase 4 reopening guidelines, the festival will provide designated parking spaces for each vehicle, set at least 6 feet apart and requiring all to wear masks. Food and drink from local vendors will also be available for purchase via contactless payment, placed from within individual vehicles.

Tickets starting at $20 per vehicle can be purchased here.

According to organizers, the North Fork TV Festival "celebrates the evolution of television and independent television while convening the innovative minds of executives, directors, writers, and actors alike."

Also on Saturday, this year's recipient of the Canopy Award will be Jeremy Sisto, "Law & Order" and "F.B.I" star; a formal ceremony will be included in the festivities.

“We are truly grateful for Jeremy Sisto’s extraordinary contributions to the entertainment community,” said Doyle. “It is an honor to present him with the Canopy Award and recognize his enthusiasm for the future of independent scripted television.”

The Canopy Award honors a member of the New York television community. "The winner’s persistence and integrity, bound by the twin spirits of independence and collaboration, stoke the creative ambitions of diverse people who have important stories to tell," organizers said.

The ceremony will feature an interview with Sisto and an audience Q & A to follow; Kelsey Grammer was last year’s recipient.

Speaking with Patch, Doyle described how his dream for the festival was born: Five years ago, he and his wife Lauren were living in Greenport, dividing their time between the North Fork and Manhattan. "We wanted to create a festival celebrating independent television production. The reason we picked Greenport is because that’s where we live and we love the village. We've been going to the Sundance Film Festival for years, and Greenport reminds us very much of Park City, Utah, with its local independently-owned theater and waterfront."

The NFTV Festival, Doyle said, was about creating a destination, an annual weekend where attendees could celebrate independent artists.

Over five years, he's seen his vision flourish, due in large art to talented artists and the quality of the "phenomenal" TV pilots submitted, as well as an engaged community, Doyle said.

"It keeps getting bigger and bigger," he said. And even during the coronavirus pandemic, the vision hasn't wavered. "You have to roll with the punches. And what the team has put together this year, in an extraordinarily difficult scenario, is still going to be a lot of fun and keep this artistic community going— so there will be a Year 6."

Going with the drive-in format, and a one-night festival for 2020, was a decision that came after months of uncertainty, Doyle said. "In late spring, we faced the reality, as much as we wanted it to work, the way the world had change, the movie theater in Greenport was not going to be able to open. We had two options, to do it virtually or to do something else."

The idea of the drive-in resonated, he said, a way to still instill a sense of community and give residents something to do at a time marked by a dearth of entertainment.

The event is very locally focused, Doyle said, with all proceeds donated to Community Action of Southold Town; artwork from the VSOP Art + Design Projects in Greenport will be featured, as well as food on sale from local eateries including Mattitaco and the Blue Duck Bakery. The Greenport Harbor Brewing Company will have brews onhand and, of course, guests can purchase wines from Borghese, he said.

"People having a meal, enjoying food and wine, has been such an important part of the festival in part years," Doyle said.

Organizing the festival during a global pandemic was a process marked by new obstacles, Doyle said. "There were challenges in every corner," he said. "Absolutely nothing was easy about this year."

But the results are well worth the efforts of so many, Doyle said: "I think this is going to be a lot of fun. People are in for a treat."

Keeping the arts alive is critical during unprecedented times, Doyle said. "Arts are the key to a community," he said. "Arts is what makes excitement." Everyone, including sponsors and donors, have been very supportive to ensure that the show would, in fact, go on, Doyle said.

And the pandemic has brought a new sense of joy to the process, he said. "Everything that we used to get stressed about, organizing the festival in the past — now, it's okay. It's going to be a great festival. It's been more fun planning this year because everyone is so much more accepting and grateful, as opposed to the little things people used to sweat about."

Lastly, Doyle thanked the North Fork community: "This festival does not happen if not for the community," he said, thanking Giovanni Borghese, Richard Vandenburgh at the Greenport Harbor Brewing Company, businesses including the Soundview and American Beech, and Linda Kessler, BID board member.

Borghese said he was excited to work with Doyle to explore the new drive-in model and format.

"It brings an ongoing support of the arts," Borghese said. "There is a great arts scene developing on the North Fork and this medium accentuates the North Fork art scene in a different way."

The festival's ability to transform itself, Borghese said, is "a true testament to the human spirit, to see how people adapt and find a way to stay social and active," while adhering to social distancing guidelines, he said.

Borghese, a self-professed natural born host, said he is thrilled to host the NFTV Festival, where guests can try his wines while also keeping culture alive. "It's very important to support the arts," he said.

Elias Plagianos, artistic director of the North Fork TV Festival and director of Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and NFTF Science + Tech Pilot Competition winner “Superuser Do”, said the festival represents a "safe way for people to be entertained, through the responsible and fun, innovative idea of a drive-in."

The experience of planning the event has been rewarding, he said. "It's incredibly gratifying," he said. "Part of this job is to provide people with a moment where they can relax and forget about their troubles, fall into some dramatic narrative that's not their own."

But given the changing times, the festival also reflects the changing world, with one script rewritten to reflect months of social change and a global pandemic.

Shooting in the current environment was "an incredible struggle," with a focus on health and safety protocols and all involved having to stay 6-feet apart, wear masks and use hand sanitizer. One location shoot had to be changed due to a protest taking place, he said.

"It was a really challenging spring, with everyone trying to do innovative things, such as hold readings over Zoom," Plagianos said. "But that's what we do. We make films, and we make TV shows and no matter what, we are scrappy and creative and we'll find a way to make it work."

Sisto, too, said he is thrilled to take part in the evening: “It’s an honor to be receiving the Canopy Award from the North Fork TV Festival this year. I’m looking forward to attending the drive-in event and celebrating independent television — celebration is something we all need right now.”

Samantha Brooks, granddaughter of Mel Brooks, and star of "Superuser Do", reflected on this year's festival: "Even under social distancing protocols, Elias created a comfortable and supportive environment and I’m so grateful to him for including me in such a necessary and culturally relevant story. I’m so excited for my first North Fork TV Festival and am looking forward to attending with the rest of the cast and crew.”

Haleigh Raff, co-chair of the NFTV Festival, discussed reshaping the event to fit pandemic times. "We have been discussing ways for the festival to move forward during the pandemic. When we learned that the Borghese Vineyard was a possible destination, we knew that we hit the jackpot with venue. I think everybody is excited about having a socially distant night out. I mean, who doesn’t love a drive in with great food and wine? Even outside of a pandemic, this feels like a great night out watching new independent TV."

Raff, a Shelter Island resident, said she was immediately intrigued when Doyle approached her four years ago about co-chairing the festival. "Shelter Island is such a special place and we are huge fans of Greenport. The idea of showcasing the beauty of the North Fork to others was so exciting to me. The TV festival has attracted talent such as Kelsey Grammer, Constance Wu, Bridgette Moynihan and this year, Jeremy Sisto. It’s such a cool event and I love the mission to promote independent television."

Her dream, she said, is that the North Fork TV festival keep growing and that it "continues to provide a platform for independent television producers to show their work to a larger audience. I think in the years to come festival will continue to bring more people to the North Fork to experience the beauty and culture of the area."

Added Doyle: "It's a great night. And it's our way of saying 'thank you' to the North Fork. I hope everyone has a great evening."