Cyclone Forever – Faiyaz Jafri – 4 mins (experimental, 2013):
Bambi joins several of Coney Island’s archetypical characters as they travel endlessly on the iconic roller coaster enduring both, time and tide.

Last Ride…First Ride – Daniel Turkewitz – 13 mins (doc, 2013):
Bumper Cars. Go-go dancers. And a bitch named Sandy. After one last wild early fall night, the DJ stops the record and the bumper cars roll to a halt. Will they start up again in the spring?

Mission of Mermaids – Susan Rockefeller – 15 mins (doc, 2012):
A closer look at the current state of our waters. With the mermaid as our guide, it’s Mrs. Rockefeller’s hope that we can unite to protect our oceans both to ensure food security for over one billion people who rely on fish for their primary protein and to preserve them as places of regeneration, beauty and boundless dreams. Mission of Mermaids is the representation of the award winning filmmaker, activist, and conservationist’s love for our ocean. Using the archetype of the mermaid, the film presents a poetic ode to the sea as well as a plea for its protection. Demonstrating her own commitment to environmental and ocean health, Mrs. Rockefeller put together a low carbon-emission film production that is comprised of “found” footage from YouTube videos, scanned images, and archival, licensed, or donated footage and music as well as a day and a half of filming on Long Island.

The Zipper – Amy Nicholson – 77 mins (feature doc, 2012):
Small-time ride operator Eddie Miranda proudly runs a carnival contraption called the Zipper in the heart of Coney Island’s gritty amusement district. Eddie and his ride are driven away when the City of New York and an opportunistic real estate mogul lock horns over the future of the “People’s Playground.” A film about greed, politics, land use and public policy, and the battle over an American cultural icon, Zipper captures a market-driven world where growth often trumps preservation, and the Zipper may be only the beginning of what is lost. zipperfilm.com

PHOTOGRAPHY SLIDESHOW
Bruce Handy:
Bruce, aka Pablo Jones, aka Jonesy Boy, is a street photographer, ninja photographer, mermaid grokologist  and co-founder of the People’s Playground Paparazzi.  He is married to Vika and spends his free time taking photos of the dual centers of the universe, Coney Island and Times Square.  He strives to capture characters showing natural emotions.  Jonesy takes this remaining space to thank the Save Coney Island organization and their supporters.  “May you all have sand in your shoes, forever.”Doug Ross:
Doug is an accomplished commercial photographer with over twenty-five years of professional experience.  His personal work in capturing the people, performers and places of Coney Island are his passion and ongoing life’s work.  The area is rich in history, architecture and its residence are the fabric that hold together her boardwalk, amusements, water and sand.  Although Doug grew up on Long Island his desire to photograph Coney Island came from his dad’s strong relation with the area.  All of Doug’s Coney Island work is dedicated to his father’s memory.Daniel Turkewitz:
Daniel is an award winning screenwriter and filmmaker who also works with stills.  He’s worked professionally as a set photographer for several films and also film festivals including the Big Apple Film Festival.  His one minute short on the 9/11 memorial lights was featured on NPR.com and Wired.com.Robert Bailey & Robbie Bailey:
Robert and Robbie Bailey are New York based photographers that specialize in environmental portraiture.  Robert received his BFA in Photography from Ohio University.  Robbie studied at the International Center of Photography.  They are both proud members of the Coney Island Polar Bears club.

Kevin Downs:
Kevin is a Fine Art & Documentary photographer and teacher who works to tell the stories of people who are facing life’s joys and struggles in New York City and in the world.

Alicia Degener:
Alicia is a Brooklyn based artist primarily working in pastel while portraying the urban landscape of New York and particularly, Coney Island.  She has embarked upon an exploration of the inner city by depicting the barriers set before us in our everyday lives often with an ironic sense of humor.  A skewed sense of perspective and bold color often utilizing text are focal points of Alicia’s distinctive artwork.  For the past two years her paintings have been featured as official promo-posters for the Siren Screen Series.