MANCHESTER, NH – Even if the name Kevin Pollak doesn’t immediately register, his face and a venerable list of film and television credentials will ring a bell.
Veteran actor, writer, director and stand-up comedian Kevin Pollak will headline the Manchester International Film Festival on Saturday, Aug. 12 at The Palace Theatres in Manchester, capping off the three-day festival showcasing the best local and independent filmmakers and their work.
Pollak, whose resume includes films such as “The Usual Suspects,” “A Few Good Men,” “Casino” and a role as Moishe Maishel in the popular Amazon Prime series “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” will perform a stand-up routine, followed by a Q&A with the audience. “Hilarity should be expected,” Pollak said in an interview from his home in his native-San Francisco.
For Pollak, his roots as a stand-up comic “served [him] really well” when it came to all his other pursuits in the entertainment industry.
“The instincts honed over decades of stand-up comedy informed every aspect,” said Pollak, who has appeared in 78 films. “When you step on the stage [as a stand-up comedian], you’re living and dying by your own wits on a moment-by-moment basis.”
Pollak added that often misery and pain are essential to the creation of great art, in any form.
“You have to articulate the pain and misery you’ve experienced in such a way that it becomes entertaining,” he said. “The joy of being on stage is being able to share with complete strangers the things you might not be able to share with your loved ones.”
Pollak also believes that independent films and festivals, such as the Manchester International Film Festival, are catalysts for work that circumvents some of the trappings of enormous commercial film budgets and “cast-contingency.”
“I feel there is a lot of personal and potentially extraordinary work being done in the independent film world,” he said. “The independent film world continues to thrive because there continues to be an audience for stories that matter.”
On Friday night, the Manchester International Film Festival will showcase some of the best of 2023 short films from New England-based filmmakers, concluding with the presentation of the Best Short Film of 2023.
Pollak—who appeared in the 2004 Academy-award nominated short film “Our Time Is Up,” directed by Rob Pearlstein—has seen many directorial careers launched through the short film.
“Short films seem to be thriving now more than ever,” Pollak said.
More importantly, these smaller film festivals are an opportunity for audiences to offer their support for cinema, and the arts in general, he said.
“Supporting the arts in any form is the responsibility of anyone who enjoys them,” said Pollak. “If you’re enjoying films, why not participate in keeping them alive?”
“An Evening with Kevin Pollak” will run from 7:30-9 p.m. with tickets—which include a three-day pass to the film festival—starting at $59. A meet-and-greet with Pollack for VIP ticket holders will begin at 6:45 p.m.
To purchase tickets, call the Palace Theatre box office at 603-668-5588, or visit them online at www.palacetheatre.org.
