Scene in NY

Commanding the foot of the red carpet, Andrew Saffir greets his guests the only way he knows how, with that warm and endearing smile of his, and a hint of excitement peeking through the lenses of his wire eyeglasses. There to personally welcome each arrival—announced by the unmistakable cloud of flickering flashbulbs—he only occasionally jumps onto the carpet to get in a few shots with his friends.

Flashing his trademark smile, Saffir is posing with the actors, editors, directors, producers, supermodels and socialites who consistently turn up at the screenings and after parties hosted by Saffir and the company he founded, the Cinema Society.

The occasion is a screening of the gritty, NC-17-rated dark comedy Killer Joe and the guest list is as star-studded as it is distinct. Actors mingle with directors and designers, editors hover at the bar with models while socialites laugh with photographers. Matthew McConaughey, Gina Gershon, John Stamos, Ethan Cohen, Stefano Tonchi, Terry Richardson and Nicky Hilton have all turned up at the cozy screening room of the Tribeca Grand Hotel for Willliam Friedkin’s flick about a family’s plot to have their mother murdered to cash in on her life insurance. But star-studded crowds are something Saffir is used to. In fact, standing in front of the audience to introduce the film, Saffir is as calm and collected as a host throwing an intimate dinner party for friends in his own home. Read More