Music Documentaries Take Top Honors At LIMEHOF Festival

Films spotlighting Billy Preston, Kenny Loggins, Ann Wilson, Billy Joel and other music icons took top honors as the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame wrapped up its second annual Music Documentary Film Festival.

The three-day festival at LIMEHOF in Stony Brook Village featured 42 short and feature-length documentaries, live performances and filmmaker Q&As, with films connected to 15 countries. Sixteen films made their Long Island premieres, including three world premieres.

“Beyond the music, what really stood out were the stories,” festival Executive Director Tom Needham said. “These films reminded us that music can change lives. It brings people together. It builds community.”

“Billy Preston: That’s the Way God Planned It,” directed by Paris Barclay, scored two major victories, winning Best U.S. Feature and the Feature Audience Award.

“We started this project knowing Billy Preston’s music and came out feeling like we knew the man — and loving him,” Barclay said.

Dori Berinstein won Best U.S. Director for “Kenny Loggins: Conviction of the Heart.”

“This is a tremendous honor,” Berinstein said. “This is such a special festival.”

Central Islip filmmaker Archie Snowden captured the Long Island Filmmaker Award for “The Long Island Underground Legends of Hip-Hop.”

“To win this award in my backyard in Suffolk County is absolutely outstanding,” Snowden said.

Fifteen-year-old Ward Melville High School student Marlow Jean Pinnicia won the Short Film Audience Award for “The Art of Being Different.”

“Thank you, I’m just so grateful,” Pinnicia said. “This means so much to me.”

The festival also recognized filmmakers from around the world, including Maria Diane Ventura, who traveled from Dubai and won Best International Director for “Eraserheads: Combo on the Run.”

Complete List Of Winners

- Best U.S. Director: Dori Berinstein — “Kenny Loggins: Conviction of the Heart” - Best U.S. Short: “Oh Yeah!” — Nick Canfield - Best U.S. Feature: “Billy Preston: That’s the Way God Planned It” — Paris Barclay - Best International Short: “Four Hands” — Hélène Sevaux - Best International Feature: “The Extraordinary Life of Robert Charlebois” — Louis-Philippe Eno - Best International Director: Maria Diane Ventura — “Eraserheads: Combo on the Run” - Spirit of Independent Filmmaking Award: “Summer Tour” — Mischa Richter - Authentic Voice Award: “Ann Wilson: In My Voice” — Barbara Jean Hall - Innovation in Filmmaking Award: “1971: Billy Joel’s Lost Interview” — Adam Ripp - Musical Crossroads Award: “Peter Asher: Everywhere Man” — Daniel Geller and Dayna Goldfine - Social Impact Award: “Newport & the Great Folk Dream” — Robert Gordon, director; Joe Lauro, producer - Long Island Filmmaker Award: Archie Snowden — “The Long Island Underground Legends of Hip-Hop” - Roots and Rhythm Award: “Paquito D’Rivera: From Carne y Frijol to Carnegie Hall” — Juan Mandelbaum - Audience Award, Short: “The Art of Being Different” — Marlow Jean Pinnicia - Audience Award, Feature: “Billy Preston: That’s the Way God Planned It” — Paris Barclay