The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) made history this month with the launch of its first-ever Music Documentary Film Festival, held August 8–10 at its Stony Brook location. Over three days, music lovers, filmmakers, and artists from across the globe converged at 97 Main Street to celebrate the art of storytelling through music on film.

A Diverse Global Lineup

The festival’s 24 films—curated by Needham and Artistic Director Wendy Feinberg—spanned a wide range of genres, from classical and jazz to hip-hop, ska, blues, folk, and rock. Feature-length and short documentaries explored everything from legendary bands and industry pioneers to pirate radio, breakdancing culture, and local music history.

“The highly anticipated LIMEHOF Music Documentary Film Festival puts Long Island at the center of the global music documentary scene.”
Tom Needham

Opening day highlights included Coming Home: The Guggenheim Grotto Back in Ireland, followed by a Q&A with director Will Chase, producers Deborah Lopez and Ingrid Michaelson, and a live set by Guggenheim Grotto’s Mick Lynch. Building the Beatles paired its screening with a Q&A with co-director John Rose and a performance by British pop star Billy J. Kramer.

The opening night spotlight, Cat’s in the Cradle 50th Anniversary: The Song That Changed Our Lives, honored LIMEHOF inductee Harry Chapin and featured a discussion with film producer S.A. Baron, Long Island Cares’ Paule Pachter, and Harry Chapin Foundation’s Mike Grayeb, followed by a live tribute performance.

Celebrating Icons and Innovators

The festival also showcased Garland Jeffreys: The King of In Between, with director Claire Jeffreys in attendance, and The Bronx Boys – The Evolution of B-Boy Culture, featuring members of the Bronx Boys Wrecking Crew and director Robert McCullough Jr.

Hip-hop culture was front and center with To My Rescue, It Was The S1Ws (A Public Enemy Story), which included a Q&A and performance by Public Enemy’s DJ Johnny Juice. Other standout screenings featured Goddess of Slide: The Forgotten Story of Ellen McIlwaine, Hello! My Name is Blotto: THE MOVIE, 40 Watts from Nowhere, and String Theory: Guitar Obsessed.

Charlie Loves Our Band – Brady Rymer

The festival also screened Charlie Loves Our Band, directed by Victor Guadagno, chronicling the decades-long journey of From Good Homes. Musician Brady Rymer, a founding member and LIMEHOF education board member, said the film was built from Guadagno’s lifelong habit of documenting the band’s story.

“It doesn’t matter how many people are out there — Charlie loves our band.”
Brady Rymer

He noted the group has now been reunited longer than they were originally together, and offered advice to young bands: “Just keep playing… make one fan at a time.”

Victor Guadagno on Bringing the Story to Life

Guadagno, who grew up with the band’s music in their shared hometown, said the project began with boxes of old tapes he’d saved for years. When he finally recovered them from a friend’s attic in Colorado, he found them in excellent condition and spent months digitizing more than 100 VHS tapes and 200 cassette recordings.

Initially envisioned as a band-focused concert film titled Ride All Night, the project shifted during COVID to a fan-centered celebration and was renamed Charlie Loves Our Band. Guadagno said audiences might be surprised by the band’s history of sharing stages with acts like Bob Dylan, Dave Matthews Band, Spin Doctors, and Widespread Panic — a reminder of how close From Good Homes came to breaking through on a national scale.

Tom Needham on How the Festival Came Together

Festival Executive Director and LIMEHOF Vice Chairman Tom Needham said the idea grew out of the Hall of Fame’s expansion from music into entertainment, creating an opportunity to spotlight music on film. After announcing the event earlier this year, submissions poured in from around the world. “We are America’s first and only music documentary film festival — dedicated exclusively to this genre.” Needham hopes it will become an annual tradition.

D.I.Y.L.I. – Mega Infinity & Director Brian Stieglitz

Featured in Brian Stieglitz’s short documentary D.I.Y.L.I., Long Island alt-rock duo Mega Infinity — Michi and Mike DiGiulio — spoke about their deep ties to the local music scene and the reality of thriving without major label backing. “Even though things are hard, we’re building a community — and you can come be a part of it” said DiGiulio.

They described the Long Island scene as having a stronger sense of community than New York City, with more appreciative and engaged crowds. The band funds their work through personal investment, Patreon, merch, live shows, and streaming, likening it to “running a small business.”

Stieglitz said he was drawn to the DIY scene because it has “the most heart and the most passion,” offering a space where inspired artists push each other creatively. “The club scene is not dead… live music is alive and well” said Stieglitz.

Goddess of Slide – Sandra Taylor Tribute to Ellen McIlwaine

Following the screening of Goddess of Slide: The Forgotten Story of Ellen McIlwaine, blues singer and LIMEHOF board member Sandra Taylor performed a heartfelt tribute set in honor of the late slide guitar legend.

Taylor connected deeply with McIlwaine’s refusal to be confined by genre and hopes the film inspires future generations to “be free” in their art.

Live Performances and Special Guests

Beyond the big screen, the festival hosted opening and closing night parties, filmmaker Q&A panels, and live performances from an impressive roster, including Billy J. Kramer, Mick Lynch, DJ Johnny Juice, Naked Blue, Brady Rymer, Jennifer Silecchia-Hackett, Sandra Taylor, and Mega Infinity.

Award Winners

The festival wrapped with an awards ceremony at the nearby Three Village Inn, where Executive Director Tom Needham and Artistic Director Wendy Feinberg presented ten honors celebrating standout films and filmmakers.

“In our very first year, the LIMEHOF Music Documentary Film Festival exceeded all expectations by uniting filmmakers, musicians, and audiences in a shared love of music’s power to inspire,” Needham said. “This is just the beginning of something extraordinary for Long Island and beyond.”

Best Director went to Robert Schwartzman for Hung Up on a Dream: The Zombies Documentary, which closed out the festival on day three.
“Audiences really like music documentaries, and our industry really needs to make it a thing to keep these movies out there in theaters and festivals,” Schwartzman said. “A festival is a moment of sharing people’s work, and I think it’s great to highlight music-specific stuff in documentary format.”

2024 LIMEHOF Music Documentary Film Festival Award Winners:

Spirit of Independent Filmmaking Award – Hello! My Name is Blotto: THE MOVIE, Director Robert Lichter (aka Bert Blotto)
First Time Filmmaker Award – 40 Watts from Nowhere, Director Sue Carpenter (Los Angeles, CA)
Social Impact Award – To My Rescue, It Was the S1Ws (A Public Enemy Story), Director Janol Ture
Best International Film Award – Goddess of Slide: The Forgotten Story of Ellen McIlwaine, Director Alfonso Maiorana (Canada)
Long Island Filmmaker Award – Building the Beatles, Director John Rose (Setauket, NY)
Best Director Award – Hung Up on a Dream: The Zombies Documentary, Director Robert Schwartzman (Los Angeles, CA)
Best Short Film Award – Coming Home: The Guggenheim Grotto Back in Ireland, Director Will Chase (Brooklyn, NY)
Best Feature Award – Cat’s in the Cradle 50th Anniversary: The Song That Changed Our Lives, Director Rick Korn (accepted by producer S.A. Baron)
Audience Award, Best Short – The Bronx Boys – The Evolution of B-Boy Culture, Director Robert McCullough Jr. (accepted by DJ Johnny Juice Rosado of Public Enemy)
Audience Award, Best Feature – To My Rescue, It Was the S1Ws (A Public Enemy Story), Director Janol Ture

“Our winning films celebrated a breathtaking spectrum of music—from groundbreaking hip-hop and timeless folk to genre-defying rock and beyond—each revealing the brilliance of the artists behind them,” Needham said. “This diversity is the heartbeat of our festival and the inspiration for what’s to come.”