The second annual Montclair Film Festival in Northern New Jersey runs from April 29 to May 5 and will screen more than 80 films — many of them directed by women. Here’s just a sample of what not to miss:
Begin your festival week on Tuesday with Gideon’s Army. Directed by NYWIFT member Dawn Porter, the documentary follows three young, idealistic public defenders in the Deep South. Thursday evening, enjoy the grown-up rom-com Love Is All You Need by Oscar-winning director Susanne Bier. It’s back to docs on Friday, with Shola Lynch’s Free Angela and All Political Prisoners about Angela Davis’ struggles in the 1970s.
Saturday afternoon, see Best Kept Secret, chronicling teacher Janet Mino as she prepares students who have autism for life after high school; directed by Samantha Buck. That evening, explore movie trailer-making with Lake Bell’s comedy In a World… Late night, head to NJ Shorts: Passions, which includes Gillian K. Willman’s The New Woman: Annie “Londonderry” Kopchovsky, the story of an extraordinary bicycle journey in 1894; and Elissa Pellegrino’s Photo-Journal-Isms, a profile of Ed Kashi.
Sunday morning, catch Oscar-nominated director Deepa Mehta’s Midnight’s Children, “intertwining magic realism with the history of modern India.” End a splendid festival week with Sundance hit Concussion, directed by Stacie Passon, which follows a married, lesbian housewife who, after a blow to the head, searches for adventure.
For a full schedule and tickets, go to montclairfilmfest.org. (Tickets are now on sale for the general public. Member tickets went on sale Friday, so some films are already sold out. However, tickets to sold-out shows will become available on April 15.)
nywift
Related Posts
Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Meryl Jacobs
Welcome to NYWIFT, Meryl Jacobs! Driven by a lifelong passion for the arts, Meryl Jacobs creative professional has built an inspiring career spanning advertising, Broadway stage management, and post-production as an award-winning video editor and business owner. Embracing challenges with optimism, she believes in the power of self-belief and continuous growth. After returning to New York post-pandemic, she launched her own company, Gotham Edit Inc., confident in the value she provides to clients. Among her proudest achievements are collaborations with Universal Pictures, a corporate branding reel for Tumi, and a recognized PSA for the City of Los Angeles on senior scams. Grateful for every opportunity, she remains dedicated to creating impactful work that helps others. Read on to learn more about her fascinating career!
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Pia Mechler
Welcome to NYWIFT, Pia Mechler! Pia Mechler, born and raised in Germany with German, Chilean, and Polish heritage, is a versatile actress, writer, and director. Studying film in Denmark and beginning her acting career in Berlin, she took her skills to the UK and then New York City in 2010, where she also took up directing. Pia wrote, directed, and starred in the web series Almost Settled and made her feature directorial debut with Everything is Wonderful, which premiered at the Thessaloniki Film Festival and was a finalist at the Chelsea Film Festival. Her latest project, Black Hole, which she wrote to address the challenges of female aging and ageism from a humorous perspective, is currently on its festival tour. Read on to discover her inspiring international background, her dedication to her projects, and her process when it comes to making films.
READ MOREHow to Decide Which Screenwriting Contests to Submit To
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of screenwriting competitions out there — so how do you decide which ones are worth your time and money? As the co-founder of Moonshot Initiative, a nonprofit that works toward gender equity in film and television, NYWIFT Member Katrina Medoff has been on the other side of the application process. Her team reads hundreds of submissions a year for the Moonshot Pilot Accelerator and their newest program, the Moonshot Feature Accelerator. They know that their applicants poured their time, talents, and energy into their scripts, and that every fellowship submission means putting more time and money into your career. So it’s important to carefully consider which labs and contests to prioritize. If you’re ready to submit your feature film screenplay or TV pilot script to screenwriting competitions, here’s how to determine which labs, fellowships, and contests would be a good fit.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Val Dowd
We’re thrilled to welcome our new NYWIFT member, Val Dowd! Val is a film sales manager with a passion for highlighting underrepresented voices. Some of her career highlights thus far include doing outreach for Matthew Heineman’s documentary The First Wave and working with her team on Hulu’s The Jewel Thief. She’s very motivated by community and finding films that can open doors for people and offer fresh perspectives. Read our interview with Val to learn more about the role of a film sales manager, how she approaches selling and distributing projects, and her love for film.
READ MORE
