Film festival wraps

One of the special guests at the Boston Film Festival screening of “The 5th Quarter’’ the other night was musician Andy Mendelson, who scored the drama. Mendelson told us that even though he’s a New Yorker, he lived in Boston for years. And like any good Boston musician, he has a connection to the New Kids on the Block. “I ended up going on tour with them,’’ Mendelson told us on his way to the screening. “I was the musical director and guitar player for their opening act.’’ The year was 1990, and that opening act was Rick West. “He never quite became a household name,’’ Mendelson joked. Mendelson got the gig with the Kids because he owned Synchro Sound, the Boston recording studio that had been owned by the Cars. At Synchro, Mendelson hosted recording sessions for Aerosmith, Paul Simon, and Aimee Mann. Joining Mendelson for the screening at the Stuart Street Playhouse was “The 5th Quarter’’ director Rick Bieber and star Ryan Merriman, who plays former Wake Forest football player Jon Abbate. . . . The BFF ended yesterday, which means it also chose its 2010 winners. Best film went to the Massachusetts story “Conviction.’’ Best director went to Ed Burns for “Nice Guy Johnny.’’ Best actress and best actor went to real-life couple Leslie Bibb and Sam Rockwell for their movies “Miss Nobody’’ and “Conviction.’’ The BFF’s career achievement award went to the late Roy Scheider.