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Locally filmed “One Moment” — the directorial debut of Blue Point college professor Deirdre O’Connor starring the late Danny Aiello — is basking in its biggest moment yet.
Film distributor Indican Pictures has acquired the movie and will handle the release of the film, O’Connor confirmed. Deadline reported that Indican plans to release “One Moment” in theaters in May and on VOD in July.
As the distributor, Indican now controls the majority of marketing for the film, as well as distribution to targeted areas. Until now, that burden relied squarely on O’Connor, who was mainly relying on word of mouth and social media to spread the word about her first film.
“With widespread release, it is thrilling to think that people beyond my inner circle will see the film,” said O’Connor, who also wrote the screenplay for “One Moment.”
“It seems cliché, but it really is a dream come true. I hope people like — and I hope it showcases the beauty and charm of Long Island, especially Blue Point,” she added.
Completed in early 2020, O’Connor’s “One Moment” has been well-received at several film festivals, including last summer’s Long Island International Film Expo in Bellmore.
“One Moment” earned the Best Comedy award at the 15th annual Beaufort International Film Festival in South Carolina last March. Aiello, 86, who died in December 2019 two months after filming was complete, was posthumously awarded Best Actor at the same festival.
Aiello, a veteran actor of many big films, including “Moonstruck,” was a 1990 Academy Award nominee for his role as a proud Italian-American and pizza shop owner in Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing.” In “One Moment,” his final film, Aiello plays Joe McGuiness, a recently widowed father of four 40-something adults.
The elderly patriarch struggles with forgetfulness and losing his independence, while his children balance caring for him and looking after their own kids. O’Connor pulled the flick together from soup to nuts, including the screenplay, casting and 20 days of recording in July and August 2019.
O’Connor’s Cape Cod-style home in Blue Point served as a primary film set, while most of the other scenes were shot in locations in Sayville, Blue Point and Patchogue. Filmed entirely on Long Island, there are scenes inside Cornucopia Natural Foods, Dorothy’s Fine Jewelry and Bistro 25 in Sayville, as well at Corey Beach in Blue Point.
A big chunk of the family flick was recorded at the former Blue Goose restaurant in Patchogue.
Indican Pictures acquires and distributes feature films to a broad range of entertainment outlets. Their movies have featured established big screen stars the likes of Kiera Knightley, Ernest Borgnine, Bernadette Peters, Michael Madsen, Malcolm McDowell, Pete Postlethwaite and Chloë Sevigny.
O’Connor said she was thrilled that the deal made news on the front page of Deadline. “That’s big deal for a low budget film and first-time director,” she said.
