CECIL B. DEMILLE, Our Hometown Hero

On August 12, 1881 Cecil B DeMille made his grand entrance into this world - in a house on Main Street in Ashfield. DeMille would go on to become the “Greatest Showman on Earth.”  In 1913 he formed a motion picture company with Jess Lasky and Samuel Goldfish (who later changed his name to Goldwyn.)  Their first film “The Squaw Man” (1914), filmed in a rural settlement in California known as Hollywoodland,” was a giant hit. DeMille would go on to turn out hit after hit for decades to come.  In the 1920’s he was known for sex comedies, in the 1940’s action adventures, and for the remainder of his career he would be hailed for his sword and sandal biblical epics including “The Ten Commandments” which he made twice, the more famous of the two being the 1956 spectacle starring Charleton Heston.

TAMSEN MERRILL, FilmFest Founder

Tamsen has lived in Ashfield for 25 years and is the current chair of the Ashfield Cultural Council. She helps run Sangha Farm, a diversified organic farm with a goat dairy, sheep and a vegetable CSA. Her work with the Ashfield Film Festival is a venue for her to hone her skills as a videographer.

HARRY KERAMIDAS, FilmFest Chairman

Harry came to Ashfield about 4 years ago from Los Angeles where he was an editor of Motion Pictures for thirty years, cutting over 100 films, including such classic and iconic films as “Back to The Future” and “Children of the Corn.”  Three years ago while serving on the Ashfield Cultural Council he worked to create the Ashfield Short FilmFest. He continues to work on local Film projects and is Chair of the Fourth Annual Ashfield Short FilmFest. 

ABBOT CUTLER

Abbot has lived in Ashfield since the early eighties and has served on the Youth Commission and the Local Cultural Council. He has published two collections of poems and teaches writing and literature at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams.

PETER HEALEY

Peter was born in Boston, MA and graduated from Tufts University with a degree from the Museum of Fine Arts. He worked freelance in commercial photography in Boston and in Northampton before moving to Ashfield in 1983. He now maintains a studio where he does his own personal photography and artwork as well freelance work in commercial photography. 

SARAH HOLBROOK

Sarah moved from Buckland to Ashfield in 1982.  She served as treasurer of the Ashfield Cultural Council for 6 years.  She works in both traditional and pinhole photography.

TONY JILLSON

Tony Jillson is a local musician and producer from Ashfield, Ma. After graduating from Greenfield Community College, he moved to New York City to pursue a career in Art and Music. During this time he also wrote and illustrated a comic book, The Electric Ballet, published by Caliber Press. Upon moving back to Ashfield in 1995 , he formed the group Ostrich Farm, which has several CDs and cassettes to its credit. Ratite Studios serves as his office for his freelance Web Design, Macintosh Computer Help business, and Music Production. 

JOANY KANE

True love brought Joany to Ashfield ten years ago. She wrote a screenplay, The Christmas Card, inspired by her true love that went on to become the highest rated movie in the history of the Hallmark Channel and received an Emmy nomination.  She writes screenplays in her little cottage on Ashfield Lake and has several projects winding their way through the Hollywood jungle.

JIM MURPHY

Jim, a native of Norwood, Ma, returned to the Valley in 2004, in part to paint the area’s landscapes in oil.  He exhibits in Maine, Vermont, Western Massachusetts, and on Cape Cod.  Jim likes to run, even when he’s not being chased by art fans.

DRE RAWLINGS

Dre graduated from Rhode Island School of Design in1991 with a BFA in Glass. She spent the next few years doing flower work with design teams in NYC and New Jersey before opening her own shop in Stonington, CT in 1994.  After some travel, Dre settled down and started a family with her husband in Ashfield. She co-founded the Ashfield Farmers Market in 2001. Currently she is the owner/designer of TINYcrush Society, a women's clothing line that is produced in the fabulous Garment District of New York City.