Bronx Actress Selected As A Presenter

Samantha Tuffarelli

Samantha Tuffarelli, a Pelham Gardens actress, has been selected as a presenter at the 28th Long Island Film Festival Awards scheduled for Saturday May 12th at 7 p.m. at the Seatuck Estate in Islip, New York.

She will be presenting the award for Breakout Performance, won by Bryan Williams, who is a Hempstead native, but ironically was playing the role of Chris Brown, a Bronx native in the film, "Night Club," which will receive 4 awards on the evening including Best Picture, Ralph Ince Director's Award (Sam Borowski) and Frank Currier Actor's Award (former Bronx actor and Academy-Award Winner Ernest Borgnine).
 
"We wanted to get a rising actor to present that particular award and Samantha Tuffarelli is bursting with talent," said Thomas Santorelli. "The fact that she is a Bronx native and is presenting an award to an actor who was playing a Bronx native is kind of ironic, and fun."
 
Tuffarelli, who recently appeared in the Damian Chapa film "Night Bird," starring Bronx native Vinny Vella, was a regular cast member on the long-running show "Sesame Street," as a child, and has been acting for over 20 years.
 
"I've been acting since I was a young child," Tuffarelli said. "It's wonderful to be recognized as a presenter and to have the chance to present an important award, one that recognizes breakout performances from rising actors. Kudos to Thomas Santorelli for giving this award out, and giving another young actor in myself, a chance to be a part of the ceremony."
 
Tuffarelli is next slated to play the character of "Nola" in "A Place for Heroes," filming in Iowa this summer.