CANTON — The St. Lawrence International Film Festival will honor the up-and-coming filmmakers behind the award-winning independent film “Here Alone” at a screening during a gala fundraiser Saturday, Sept. 3.

At the gala event, Director/Producer Rod Blackhurst, a native of North River, will be honored with SLIFF’s 2016 Empire State Filmmaker Award, along with Writer/Producer David Ebeltoft and Producer Noah Lang. The Empire State Filmmaker Award recognizes boundary-smashing creativity in the cinematic arts, with New York State at its heart.

Hosted by film and television star Mark Valley (“CSI”), the gala fundraiser will kick off at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 3, with the exclusive screening of “Here Alone” and an audience Q&A with the filmmakers, followed by a reception featuring live music, hors d’oeuvres and cocktails.

The gala will be held in the Performing Arts Center at SUNY Potsdam. Gala fundraiser tickets are $50 each, available online now at stlawrencefilm.com/ticketing.

The film’s director, Rod Blackhurst, is also on a rising trajectory. In addition to the accolades for “Here Alone,” Blackhurst has also directed a new Netflix Original Documentary that is set to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. Titled “Amanda Knox,” the film explores the notorious Italian murder case—and the American exchange student at its center—that made headlines around the world. “Amanda Knox” will debut on Netflix on Sept. 30.

“Since growing up in the Adirondacks, I've always been attracted to the woods, mountains, and back roads of rural New York and wanted to use it to emotionally connect with the characters in ‘Here Alone’. The area’s settings are often seen as a sanctuary for those seeking to escape and decompress. In our film, these woods are not choices of tranquility for our main character. This natural solitude and beauty becomes her prison, one of torment and no escape,” Blackhurst said.