Quite a Conundrum

Christopher Cooke, the Founding Director of the Long Island Film Festival passed away on April 27, 2013 after a long illness. Cooke started the Long Island Film Festival in 1983, the first festival on Long Island, while he was Suffolk County Film Bureau Chief.

The festival was the first of its kind and since its debut, the LIFF has showcased thousands of independently produced feature length and short films from both America and abroad.

Before working as Director of the Suffolk Film Commission and Office of Cultural Affairs, Cooke appeared as an actor in100 stage productions Off-Broadway in NYC and in Regional Theatres such as the Asolo State Theatre, Commonwealth Stage Company and the Hyde Park Playhouse.

In television he has appeared in Dreamwork’s television production SPIN CITYwith Michael J. Fox, SARDINESS with Peter Boyle and soap operas ALL MY CHILDREN and AS THE WORLD TURNS.
Mr.Cooke appeared in over a dozen films including Hal Hartley’s features THE UNBELIEVABLE TRUTH, TRUST and SIMPLE MEN, Mathew Harrison’s SPARE ME and Sundance winner RHYTHM THIEF, Scott Saunder’s THE HEADHUNTER'S SISTER, Fred Carpenter’s HBO film SMALL KILL and the international award winning Dutch film EXIT produced and directed by Paul and Menno de Nooijer.

Mr. Cooke also acted as producer and “on-camera” host for PBS affiliate Channel 21’s production of OFF-HOLLYWOOD with Jeffrey Lyons, and CINEMA a Cablevision production produced by Larry Davidson.

There will be a memorial service at the Seatuck Estate on his birthday, September 23, 2013. To attend please contact this festival.