New Jersey Film Festival rolls out red carpet for independent filmmakers

New Brunswick hosts an incredibly diverse and passionate community of filmmakers, reflected in the continued success of the bi-annual New Jersey Film Festival, held every fall and winter. As the festival prepares for its 43rd edition, commencing this Friday and running on select weekends through October 18, it offers first-year students and curious residents an up-close, personal look into the competitive world of filmmaking.

The festival will feature several exciting premieres, notably "Ben and Suzanne, A Reunion in 4 Parts," a sprawling romance making its New Jersey debut after premiering at South by Southwest in Texas earlier this year. The film is directed by Shaun Seneviratne, a former Rutgers student, who sat down with The Daily Targum during the Spring 2024 semester to reveal how important the University's film program was in shaping his career.

He specifically noted the guidance of Albert Gabriel Nigrin, a lecturer in the Cinema Studies Program and curator and executive of the festival, in showing him the power of cinema. 

The festival will also feature films by Rutgers graduates in the shorts program, including "These Years" by Kiana Rosa Fischer, a current dance instructor at the Mason Gross School of the Arts, and "Jacob Grows 6 More Years in 1 Second" by Elijah Reiss. While these connections highlight the growing film program at Rutgers, Nigrin assures that all films are judged purely on their merit.

"It is crucial to screen filmmakers from our community, but they must be very good films," he said. "We won't show a film just because they are from the area. It has to be good enough. We make sure that is the case as the judges don't know where the filmmaker is from when they are watching or evaluating the films."

Other entries in the festival originate from other areas of the world, including the United Kingdom, Spain, Canada, Germany, Austria and Poland. The festival's curation involves 32 judges, including festival staff, previous winners and media members, all united by their shared passion for the medium and celebrating the brightest artists in the industry.

In addition to showcasing independent films, the event will feature a retrospective of Nigrin's projects as a benefit for the New Jersey Media Arts Center. The organization is dedicated to raising awareness of bold and experimental films through its various festivals.

"I am very eager to share this new work as well as screen some old Nigrin experimental film classics," he said. "I think screening the old works will help inform the new films in many different ways."

Although the festival focuses on film, it has recently expanded to include other art forms, particularly music. Last year, it launched a concert series that featured artists like Marissa Nadler and Tim Motzer. The next guest, Jim Haynes, perfectly aligns with the festival's emphasis on showcasing genre-breaking media.

Haynes's performance will feature a collaboration with Nigrin and Marjorie Conrad, director of "Body Issues," which was screened at the spring festival. Alongside Haynes's music, the performance will include visuals titled "Ascension from the Disco Inferno."

"I was immediately struck by the rawness and beauty of Jim's music and began buying up his extensive catalog," said Nigrin. "We subsequently began email correspondence as well as some phone conversations. This led me to pitch the idea of having Jim come to do a multimedia concert."

As the festival evolves, some traditions remain unchanged. While certain films will be available to rent online, the must-see, in-person screenings and concert will once again be held at Voorhees Hall on the College Avenue campus, which has become the festival's home.

Tickets are available for single programs at $15 for the general public and $10 for Rutgers students. But, if you plan on attending every screening at the festival, the all-access pass is available for $120.

Haynes's concert will be held on October 18, with general admission tickets available for $25.

As the New Jersey Film Festival explores new, creative directions, Nigrin hopes that both first-year students and anyone curious about the festival will attend and become part of its long-standing community.

"We have been providing an alternative media culture via our New Jersey Film Festival at Rutgers since 1982," he said. "We are proud to be doing this for over 43 years … We premiere truly independent films from around the world and students will see some really eye-opening, informative and sometimes challenging films!"