The festival was founded with the mission of establishing a home on Long Island to showcase the work of exceptional filmmakers and provide the public with an insider's view of the film industry.
[2] The 2014 Artist of Distinction Award was presented to Catherine Martin, Academy Award-Winning Production & Costume Designer of Moulin Rouge!
[3] Actor, director, and producer Edward Burns, who was raised in Nassau County, Long Island, was the recipient of GCIFF's 2012 Artist of Distinction Award.
[5] Dern played Tom Buchanan in the 1974 Robert Redford film, The Great Gatsby based on the book by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Notable screenings included Chasing Madoff, The Best and the Brightest, Lucky, Submarine, My Afternoons with Margueritte, Bob and the Monster and Tabloid.