Author Archives: dannyashkenasi

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About dannyashkenasi

I'm a composer with over 40 years experience creating music theater. I'm also an actor, writer, director, producer, teacher and general enthusiast for the arts.

3 GOLDEN HORSE AWARDS FOR P&P

Posted on May 19, 2022 by dannyashkenasi

Golden Horse International Film Festival gives three awards to “The Pit and the Pendulum – a musicabre” Best Experimental Short Film Best Actor Best Original Score

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P&P LUIS BUNUEL AWARDS

Posted on May 12, 2022 by dannyashkenasi

“The Pit and and Pendulum – a musicabre” received 2 Luis Bunuel Memorial Awards from L’Age d’Or International Arthouse Film Festival (LIAFF). CRITICS’ CHOICE AWARD The Pit and the Pendulum – a musicabreDirected by Danny Ashkenasi United States Best Film … Continue reading →

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P&P NEW YORK MOVIE AWARD

Posted on May 9, 2022 by dannyashkenasi

“The Pit and the Pendulum – a musicabre” won the Silver Award for Horror from the New York Movie Awards

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P&P KING’S CROSS AWARD

Posted on May 7, 2022 by dannyashkenasi

HI Danny, I am pleased to inform you that “The Pit and the Pendulum – a musicabre” was voted Best Horror Short in our May Competition.  It has also been nominated for Best Horror Short in our main awards ceremony … Continue reading →

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CHERRY BLOSSOMS 2022

Posted on May 6, 2022 by dannyashkenasi

Last Saturday I returned to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden to see the cherry blossoms in its famous esplanade in peek bloom. Took a lot of photos again, of course, as I have before (and before and before), but this time … Continue reading →

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PIT & PENDULUM in the EAST VILLAGE

Posted on May 2, 2022 by dannyashkenasi

UPDATE 5/13/22 “The Pit and the Pendulum – a musicabre” won the award for Music Performance at the Transparent Film Festival UPDATE (5/5/22) “The Pit and the Pendulum – a musicabre” is nominated for Best Actor & Best Music Performance … Continue reading →

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HAPPY SONGS FOR DARK TIMES #4: The “HAPPY” Happy Songs

Posted on April 26, 2022 by dannyashkenasi

If I was hopeful that the dark times might brighten after the Orange Menace was evicted by the people, well, those hopes look if not dashed, surely bruised and battered on the floor. Homegrown fascism and bigotry have only more … Continue reading →

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Pit and Pendulum Image Tease

Posted on April 21, 2022 by dannyashkenasi

This is my favorite screenshot of “The Pit and the Pendulum – a musicabre“, my musical short film Edgar Allan Poe adaptation. I like its visual composition. I like the emotion that radiates from it. I like the mystery that … Continue reading →

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ART EXPO 2022

Posted on April 12, 2022 by dannyashkenasi

Once again (as in then and then and then and then), Ed and I went to the Art Expo (it’s nice to get free tickets), this time not at a pier on the Hudson as previously, but at Pier 36 … Continue reading →

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Central Park at Dusk

Posted on April 5, 2022 by dannyashkenasi

The other day I crossed Central Park from West 72nd to East 79th streets just as night was creeping. I had seen a horror film at the movies, and felt inspired to take some moody photos as I made my … Continue reading →

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BROOKLYN SNAPSHOTS – Part 2

Posted on March 30, 2022 by dannyashkenasi

And we’re back, ambling around the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Gowanus, Boerum Hill and Park Slope. Plus a little bit of Red Hook.

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BROOKLYN SNAPSHOTS – Part 1

Posted on March 25, 2022 by dannyashkenasi

Walking around my neighborhood I’m sometimes struck by an image, a perspective, a detail that compels me to take out my phone and frame a picture. More often than not these shots are posted on my Instagram account. I’ll collect … Continue reading →

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ANTICIPATING SPRING

Posted on March 18, 2022 by dannyashkenasi

Here’s to the Blooms of the Ornamental Pear Tree Spring is just around the corner, this Sunday officially. The crocuses and the daffodils are already blooming in our garden. But the trees are still bare, for now. The first trees … Continue reading →

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P&P – Day 4 & 5 – On the Rack

Posted on March 14, 2022 by dannyashkenasi

I already shared the above picture in a previous blog post about the colors of “The Pit and the Pendulum – a musicabre”, my short film adaptation of the classic Edgar Allan Poe short story. You probably guessed then (and … Continue reading →

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Prospect Park / Grand Army Plaza

Posted on March 7, 2022 by dannyashkenasi

As I was walking in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park towards the Grand Army Plaza exit, I caught this view through the trees and took a picture with my phone. I like this photo so much I decided it is worth featuring … Continue reading →

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P&P – Day 4 – The Pit Beckons

Posted on March 4, 2022 by dannyashkenasi

I stared into the abyss, and the abyss stared back That is a paraphrase of a famous quote from Nietzsche, but doesn’t it read like something Poe might have written? Actually I hear this line in the voice of Werner … Continue reading →

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