Max Joseph
Montclair Film Festival has announced their season, and it is filled with many of the more awards buzzy films we’ve seen so far. Their opening night film will feature Chloé Zhao’s, Nomadland. The Fiction Centerpiece is the upcoming Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan film, Ammonite. The festival will close with Regina King’s, One Night in Miami.
In even more exciting news, our very own Joey Magidson will be on the Documentary jury!
Here’s the full press release:
MONTCLAIR FILM FESTIVAL
ANNOUNCES FULL 2020 PROGRAM
Full Slate of Screenings, Competitions Unveiled
Program Features 14 Drive-In screenings, 34 Virtual Features, 53 Virtual Short Films, 11 Conversations and Special Events
October 2, 2020, MONTCLAIR, NJ – Montclair Film has announced its full slate of films and events for the 9th annual Montclair Film Festival (MFF), presented by Investors Bank, taking place October 16-25, in Montclair, NJ. The program features over 100 films, conversations, and special events, from drive-in screenings at Montclair Film’s Carpool Cinema to screenings on Montclair Film’s new Virtual Cinema platform, powered by Eventive. Programs in today’s announcement join the previously announced Opening, Closing, and Centerpiece films, as well as the Storyteller Series, presented by Audible. Passes and individual tickets are available beginning October 5 for Montclair Film Members, and October 8 for the public. To become a member or purchase tickets, please visit montclairfilm.org.
Each film in the MFF’s Virtual Cinema will have a unique set of screening availabilities, with some being available only to residents of New Jersey, others to the entire United States, some scheduled for a certain date and time, others available on demand throughout the festival. Patrons will find a full set of information for each film at montclairfilm.org and are urged to check their availability and viewing location prior to purchasing tickets.
“We want to recognize everyone who supported Montclair Film in bringing the memorable films, events and discussions to our communities during this year’s film festival,” said Investors Bank Chairman and CEO Kevin Cummings. “The opening night of the ninth annual festival, which we are proud to co-present, celebrates the successful efforts of the Montclair Film staff to share a showcase of exceptional films with our neighbors.”
“This year’s program is a tribute to the generosity and tenacity of filmmakers from around the world,” said Montclair Film Executive Director Tom Hall. “These films represent a diverse range of ideas, stories, and experiences, and we hope our audience will take some time to explore the program and come together as a community around the power of cinema.”
Competitions
The festival’s annual feature film competition line-ups will all screen on Montclair Film Virtual Cinema and join Ramona Diaz’s previously announced A THOUSAND CUTS, winner of the festival’s 2020 David Carr Award for Truth In Non-Fiction Filmmaking, as the films eligible for the MFF’s juried prizes.
The Documentary Feature Competition, featuring three non-fiction films competing for the Bruce Sinofsky Prize, is COLLECTIVE, directed by Alexander Nanau, CRAZY, NOT INSANE, directed by Alex Gibney, and US KIDS, directed by Kim A. Snyder. The Documentary jury is comprised of Alex Billington (Now Showing), Kerensa Cadenas (The Cut / New York Magazine), and Joey Magidson (AwardsRadar).
The Fiction Feature Competition, featuring three fiction films from international filmmakers, competing for the Fiction Feature Prize, is THERE IS NO EVIL, directed by Mohammad Rasoulof, THIS IS NOT A BURIAL, IT’S A RESURRECTION, directed by Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese, and UNDINE, directed by Christian Petzold. The Fiction jury is comprised of Scott Mantz (Film Critic), Clarence Moye (Awards Daily), and Alison Stewart (WNYC / All of It with Alison Stewart).
The Future/Now Competition, featuring three films by independent fiction filmmakers competing for The Mark Urman Prize, which includes a $5,000 cash prize and over $40,000 in in-kind film services, is FREELAND, directed by Mario Furloni and Kate McLean, THE OUTSIDE STORY, directed by Casimir Nozkowski, and REUNION, directed by Jake Mahaffy. The Future/Now jury is comprised of Deborah Davis (Author), Jeva Lange (The Week), and Wilson Morales (BlackFilmandTV).
The Documentary Feature Competition, featuring three non-fiction films produced in New Jersey or made by New Jersey-based filmmaking talent competing for the New Jersey Competition Prize, is THE ANTIDOTE, directed by Kahane Cooperman, BEAUTIFUL SOMETHING LEFT BEHIND, directed by Katrine Philp, and TWO GODS, directed by Zeshawn Ali. The New Jersey Films Competition jury is comprised of Amy Kuperinsky (New Jersey Star Ledger), Rafael Motamayor (The Playlist), and Tambay Obenson (Indiewire).
Carpool Theater
Including the previously announced Opening Night (NOMADLAND), Closing Night (ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI…), Fiction Centerpiece (AMMONITE), and Documentary Centerpiece (IN & OF ITSELF), the full schedule of MFF’s Carpool Theater drive-in screenings, located at 3 Cherry Lane in West Orange, NJ, is:
OPENING NIGHT
NOMADLAND
Director: Chloé Zhao
Producers: Chloé Zhao, Frances McDormand, Peter Spears, Mollye Asher, Dan Janvey
Cast: Frances McDormand, David Strathairn, Linda May, Charlene Swankie, Bob Wells
USA/107 min
Following the economic collapse of a company town in rural Nevada, Fern (Frances McDormand) packs her van and sets off on the road exploring a life outside of conventional society as a modern-day nomad. The third feature film from director Chloé Zhao, NOMADLAND features real nomads Linda May, Swankie and Bob Wells as Fern’s mentors and comrades in her exploration through the vast landscape of the American West.
Friday, October 16, 9:30 PM
Presented in partnership with Investors Bank
US KIDS
Director: Kim A. Snyder
Producers: Kim A. Snyder, Maria Cuomo Cole, Lori Cheatle
USA/98 min
When a gunman entered the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Valentine’s Day 2018, gruesome images of the deadliest high school shooting in US history quickly emerged. In the massacre’s aftermath, students unite in their frustration at the inaction of elected officials. Over the next month, their actions grow into the nationwide March For Our Lives movement, the largest youth protest in American history. Peabody Award-winning director Kim A. Snyder (NEWTOWN) follows the teenage activists as they fight for gun control and compel the political system into action. Insightful and rousing, US KIDS chronicles a new generation of youth leaders and their remarkable dedication to enact change.
Saturday, October 17, 6:30 PM
FICTION CENTERPIECE
AMMONITE
Director: Francis Lee
Producers: Ian Canning, Emile Sherman, Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly
Cast: Kate Winslet, Saoirse Ronan, Gemma Jones, James McArdle, Alec Secăreanu, Fiona Shaw
UK/117 min
In 1800s England, acclaimed but unrecognized fossil hunter Mary Anning (Kate Winslet) works alone on the rugged Southern coastline. With the days of her famed discoveries behind her, she now searches for common fossils to sell to tourists to support herself and her ailing mother. When a wealthy visitor entrusts Mary with the care of his wife Charlotte Murchison (Saoirse Ronan), she cannot afford to turn his offer down. Proud and relentlessly passionate about her work, Mary initially clashes with her unwelcome guest, but despite the distance between their social class and personalities, an intense bond begins to develop, compelling the two women to determine the true nature of their relationship.
Saturday, October 17, 9:30 PM
Presented in partnership with William H. Connolly & Co.
FIREBALL: VISITORS FROM DARKER WORLDS
Director: Werner Herzog, Clive Oppenheimer
Producers: André Singer, Lucki Stipetic
UK/Austria/USA/97 min
The non-fiction films of director Werner Herzog (GRIZZLY MAN) are a unique body of work that demonstrate how the power of the natural world has both framed and challenged the aspirations of humanity. In the new film FIREBALL: VISITORS FROM DARKER WORLDS, Herzog joins with British volcanologist and co-director Clive Oppenheimer to undertake a globe-trotting exploration of meteors that fell to Earth, both ancient and recent, the powerful impact they have had in shaping civilization, our connection to cosmic time, and the possibilities they harbor for a devastating blow to our fragile planet.
Sunday, October 18, 6:30 PM
THE AUSTRALIAN DREAM
Director: Daniel Gordon
Producers: John Battsek, Sarah Thomson, Nick Batzias, Virginia Whitwell
Australia/UK/106 min
From Colin Kaepernick taking a knee during the national anthem to the recent wildcat strike by NBA and WNBA players in support of Black Lives Matter, sport has become a powerful platform for Americans to challenge racism. But America is not the first nation to face this reckoning. The story of Adam Goodes, an aboriginal superstar of the Australian Football League who stood up against racist abuse in the sport, THE AUSTRALIAN DREAM is a profoundly moving, universal story of personal and social responsibility and the long, difficult fight for equality, understanding, and justice for all.
Sunday, October 18, 9:30 PM
KINDRED
Director: Joe Marcantonio
Producers: Dominic Norris, Jack Lowden
Cast: Tamara Lawrance, Jack Lowden, Fiona Shaw, Edward Holcroft
UK/101 min
A psychological thriller rippling with suspense, director Joe Marcantonio’s KINDRED follows vulnerable mother-to-be Charlotte (Tamara Lawrance) as she is taken in by her recently deceased boyfriend’s mother (Fiona Shaw) and her stepson (Jack Lowden), who seem increasingly obsessed with her every move. Plagued by mysterious hallucinations, Charlotte’s suspicions grow about Margaret and Thomas’s intentions for her unborn child, sending her into a downward spiral that forces her to question her own sanity. KINDRED is a classic tale of dread that draws you in through slow-burning storytelling that will have you on the edge of your seat.
Wednesday, October 21, 6:30 PM
THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH (1964)
Director: Roger Corman
Producers: Roger Corman
Cast: Vincent Price, Hazel Court, Jane Asher
USA/UK/86 min
In celebration of the 30th Anniversary of The Film Foundation, dedicated to protecting and preserving motion picture history, the 2020 Montclair Film Festival is proud to present Roger Corman’s 1964 horror classic THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH! Vincent Price stars as the diabolical Prince Prospero, who isolates himself among his sycophantic enablers and hosts a
masquerade ball as a plague roams the countryside, terrorizing his subjects. Corman’s film, widely considered a gothic horror classic, finds new resonance today, a must-see experience restored to its beautiful, big-screen, cinematic glory.
Restored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Film Archive and The Film Foundation, with funding provided by the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation.
Wednesday, October 21, 9:30 PM
THE SOUL OF AMERICA
Director: Katie Davison
Producers:
USA/ 90 Min
Katie Davison’s new documentary THE SOUL OF AMERICA, based on Jon Meacham’s 2018 bestselling book of the same name, illuminates our present-day, fraught political reality by exploring historical challenges of the past. Examining the women’s suffrage movement, the incarceration of Japanese Americans, McCarthyism, and the struggle to pass Civil Rights legislation in the 1960s, the film brings America’s legacy of political exclusion and struggle into sharp focus, calling upon citizens of today to embrace the “better angels” of our shared national ideals in order to create a democracy that works for all of us, together.
Thursday, October 22, 6:30 PM
OUT OF THE BLUE (1980)
Director: Dennis Hopper
Producers: Jean Gontier, Gary Jules Jouvenat, Leonard Yakir
Cast: Linda Manz, Dennis Hopper, Sharon Farrell, Don Gordon, Raymond Burr
Canada/94 min
After serving time for a devastating drunk driving accident. Don Barnes (director Dennis Hopper) tries to reconnect with his wife Kathy (Sharon Farrell). In his absence, their daughter CeBe (Linda Manz) has grown into a traumatized teen misfit, fascinated both by Elvis and the punk rock movement. Each of these lost souls dreams in their own way of forming a united family again, struggling against the dark past that still tears them apart. One of the most powerful, moving works of Dennis Hopper’s legendary career, and featuring a timeless, heartbreaking performance by the great Linda Manz, the Montclair Film Festival is proud to present the new 4K restoration of OUT OF THE BLUE, which makes its drive-in premiere at the festival.
Thursday, October 22, 9:30 PM
BLITHE SPIRIT
Director: Edward Hall
Producers: James Spring, Meg Leonard, Nick Moorcroft, Hilary Bevan Jones, Peter Snell, Tuni Pinnous
Cast: Dan Stevens, Judi Dench, Isla Fisher, Leslie Mann, Aimee-Ffion Edwards, Emilia Fox
UK/95 min
In this light-hearted comedy, best-selling crime novelist Charles (Dan Stevens) suffers from terrible writer’s block and is struggling to finish his first screenplay. His picture-perfect new wife Ruth (Isla Fisher) is doing her best to keep him focused, so they can fulfill her dream of leaving London for Hollywood. Charles’s quest for inspiration leads him to invite the eccentric mystic Madame Acarti (Judi Dench) to perform a séance in his home. He gets more than he bargained for when Madame Acarti inadvertently summons the spirit of his first wife: the brilliant and fiery Elvira (Leslie Mann).
Friday, October 23, 6:30 PM
GUNDA
Director: Victor Kossakovsky
Producers: Anita Rehoff Larsen
Norway/USA/93 min
Through encounters with a mother sow (the eponymous Gunda), two ingenious cows, and a scene-stealing, one-legged chicken, GUNDA movingly recalibrates our moral universe, reminding us of the inherent value of life and the mystery of all animal consciousness, including our own. Shot in luminous black-and-white from the perspective of the animals, without dialogue, narration, or music, the natural world comes alive on its own terms. GUNDA is a unique cinematic experience, a gorgeous meditation on the value of life from master filmmaker Victor Kossakovsky, reminding us of our role as stewards of life on this planet.
Friday, October 23, 9:30 PM
DOCUMENTARY CENTERPIECE
IN & OF ITSELF
Director: Frank Oz
Executive Producers: Evelyn & Stephen Colbert
Producers: Glenn Kaino, Vanessa Lauren, Jake Friedman
USA/90 min
Derek DelGaudio’s IN & OF ITSELF, directed by Frank Oz, is a performance film unlike any you have seen before, capturing DelGaudio’s intimate, mind-boggling story of identity and illusion. Filmed live and harnessing the collective experience of the audience to create an allegory of the events, ideas, and roles that define who we are, DelGaudio uses his skill as a storyteller to craft a moving story of redemption, one which forces us to explore the boundaries of our own identity. The Montclair Film Festival is proud to present IN & OF ITSELF as our 2020 Documentary Centerpiece Film.
Saturday, October 24, 6:30 PM
Presented in partnership with Mountainside Medical Center
CLOSING NIGHT
ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI…
Director: Regina King
Producers: Jody Klein, Jess Wu Calder, Keith Calder
Cast: Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge, Leslie Odom, Jr.
USA/114 min
On one incredible night in 1964, four icons of sports, music, and activism gather to celebrate one of the biggest upsets in boxing history. When underdog Cassius Clay, soon to be called Muhammad Ali (Eli Goree), defeats heavyweight champion Sonny Liston at the Miami Convention Hall, Clay memorialized the event with three of his friends: Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom, Jr.) and Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge). Based on the award-winning play of the same name, ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI… is a fictional account inspired by the historic night these four formidable figures spent together. It looks at the struggles these men faced and the vital role they each played in the civil rights movement and cultural upheaval of the 1960s. More than 40 years later, their conversations on racial injustice, religion, and personal responsibility still resonate.
Saturday, October 24, 9:30 PM
Presented in partnership with Coldwell Banker Realty
Virtual Cinema
The full line-up of feature films screening in MFF’s Virtual Cinema, including the aforementioned Competition titles, are:
THE ANTIDOTE
Director: Kahane Cooperman
Producers:
Country/RT min
Directed by Academy Award nominee Kahane Cooperman (JOE’S VIOLIN) and six-time Emmy Award winner John Hoffman, THE ANTIDOTE weaves together stories of everyday people who are making the intentional choice to lift others up in powerful ways, taking action in the face of fundamentally unkind realities that are at once unfortunate facts of life in America and deeply antithetical to our founding ideals. Made in response to the times in which we are living, when basic civility is crumbling, THE ANTIDOTE is a film about kindness, decency, and the power of community in America.
Available Saturday, October 17 to Sunday, October 25
Presented in partnership with Little Daisy Bake Shop
THE AUSTRALIAN DREAM
Director: Daniel Gordon
Producers: John Battsek, Sarah Thomson, Nick Batzias, Virginia Whitwell
Australia/UK, 106 min
From Colin Kaepernick taking a knee during the national anthem to the recent wildcat strike by NBA and WNBA players in support of Black Lives Matter, sport has become a powerful platform for Americans to challenge racism. But America is not the first nation to face this reckoning. The story of Adam Goodes, an aboriginal superstar of the Australian Football League who stood up against racist abuse in the sport, THE AUSTRALIAN DREAM is a profoundly moving, universal story of personal and social responsibility and the long, difficult fight for equality, understanding, and justice for all.
Available Thursday, October 22 to Sunday, October 25
BEAUTIFUL SOMETHING LEFT BEHIND
Director: Katrine Philp
Producer: Katrine A. Sahlstrøm
Denmark, 88 min
Filmed in New Jersey and winner of the Documentary Feature Competition at this year’s SXSW Film Festival, Katrine Philp’s BEAUTIFUL SOMETHING LEFT BEHIND explores the way in which children process the loss of a parent or sibling. At Good Grief groups, children meet with one another and with counselors to begin to understand the permanence of loss and to find comfort in the experience of others, creating compassionate, moving territory for storytelling. Filled with thoughtful, touching moments of support and a hopeful perspective on the possibilities of moving forward, BEAUTIFUL SOMETHING LEFT BEHIND examines loss with empathy and compassion.
Available Saturday, October 17 to Sunday, October 25
BEHIND THE STRINGS
Director: Hal Rifken
Producer: Michael Peroff
USA, 57 min
When Mao’s Cultural Revolution ended, China’s door cracked open. Four young, classically trained musicians seized the opportunity to flee to the West and form the Shanghai String Quartet. Relocated to the United States to play the music they love, the quartet have performed for 36 years in the U.S. and around the world. Hal Rifkin’s BEHIND THE STRINGS tells the story of the formation, rise, and success of the Shanghai String Quartet, the price they had to pay to stay on top, and their triumphant return to China to play the music that they love.
Available Saturday, October 17 to Sunday, October 25
Presented in partnership with Ashenfelter, Trembulak, McDonough, Golia & Trevenen, LLP
BLACK BEAR
Director: Lawrence Michael Levine
Producers: Julie Christeas, Jonathan Blitstein, Richard J. Bosner, Aubrey Plaza, Lawrence Michael Levine, Sophia Takal, Jai Khanna, Marina Grasic
Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Christopher Abbott, Sarah Gadon
USA, 104 min
When a young, artistic couple (Christopher Abbott and Sarah Gadon) invite a filmmaker friend (Aubrey Plaza) to their isolated lake house, they engage in a complicated series of mind games that challenge their relationships and creativity, and call into question the barriers they have constructed between their art and their lives. Lawrence Michael Levine’s BLACK BEAR is at once a thriller, a comedy, and a meta-commentary on filmmaking and desire. Levine’s film is a swirling showcase for his actors, who fully inhabit their characters in surprising ways, constantly shifting the ground beneath the viewer’s feet, with dizzying, delicious results.
Available Saturday, October 17 to Sunday, October 25
CITY SO REAL
Director: Steve James
Producers: Zak Piper, Steve James
USA, 118 min
CITY SO REAL is Steve James’s (HOOP DREAMS) epic, multi-part exploration of the dynamic political landscape of the 2018-19 race for the office of Mayor of Chicago. Framed by the decision of incumbent Rahm Emanuel to not seek re-election in the wake of his administration’s response to the police shooting of Laquan McDonald in 2014, CITY SO REAL follows politicians from all over the city, from a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives, as they undertake the process of getting on the ballot, campaign for election, and battle with one another to unite the city.
Available Saturday, October 17 to Sunday, October 25
COLLECTIVE
Director: Alexander Nanau
Producers: Alexander Nanau, Bianca Oana, Bernard Michaux, Hanka Kastelicová
Romania, 109 min
In the aftermath of a deadly fire in a Bucharest nightclub that left dozens dead, Romania’s government pledged that the over 100 citizens left injured would receive immediate and substantial treatment. But in the weeks and months that followed, what seemed like treatable injuries continued to lead to further unexplainable deaths, prompting an unlikely group of investigative journalists at the Sports Gazette to launch an investigation into what went wrong. Uncovering a scandal reaching into the highest levels of government, the team soon discovers that their story is larger than they ever imagined, leading to mass protests across Romania and the toppling of the Prime Minister. Following the investigation as it progresses, Alexander Nanau’s revelatory documentary is a powerful indictment of governmental corruption and a tribute to those working tirelessly to uncover the truth.
Available Saturday, October 17 to Sunday, October 25
CRAZY, NOT INSANE
Director: Alex Gibney
Producers: Ophelia Harutyunyan, Erin Edeiken, Joey Marra, Alex Gibney
USA, 117 min
In his new film CRAZY, NOT INSANE, filmmaker Alex Gibney tells the story of psychologist Dr. Dorothy Otnow Lewis and her research into the minds and experiences of murderers. Using interviews and hypnosis to establish a connection with the early experiences of killers, Dr. Otnow Lewis develops a controversial philosophy of multiple personality disorder, which brings her into conflict with prosecutors and expert witnesses seeking severe penalties for some of the worst crimes in American history. With powerful interview footage and unfettered access to case files, CRAZY, NOT INSANE is a must for fans of true-crime stories.
Available Saturday, October 17 to Sunday, October 25
DOWN A DARK STAIRWELL
Director: Ursula Liang
Producers: Rajal Pitroda, Ursula Liang
USA, 83 min
When Chinese-American police officer Peter Liang kills innocent, unarmed Akai Gurley in a darkened stairwell of a New York City housing project, it sets off a firestorm of emotion and calls for accountability. But when Liang goes on trial, the fight for justice becomes complicated, igniting one of the largest Asian-American protests in history, and bringing two communities into conflict with one another, disrupting a legacy of solidarity, and putting an uneven legal system into sharp focus. DOWN A DARK STAIRWELL is a careful examination of the lines that can divide us and the ties that bind.
Available Saturday, October 17 to Sunday, October 25
FAREWELL AMOR
Director: Ekwa Msangi
Producers: Huriyyah Muhammad, Sam Bisbee, Josh Penn, Ekwa Msangi, Joe Plummer, Bobby Allen
Cast: Ntare Guma Mbaho, Mwine, Zainab Jah, Jayme Lawson, Joie Lee, Marcus Scribner, Nana Mensah
USA, 101 min
Ekwa Msangi’s captivating debut feature is a poignant, tripartite, intergenerational study of the immigrant experience. After 17 years, an Angolan immigrant in New York City welcomes his wife and daughter when their visas are finally approved. Upon their reunion, the family must contend with the strain that years of separation have had on their relationships. Msangi skillfully illuminates the new familial dynamic and explores all the intricate ways in which people drift apart and discover each other again. A personal look at the layered experience of immigration and assimilation in America, FAREWELL AMOR beautifully explores the nature of memories and the meaning of home.
Available Saturday, October 17 to Sunday, October 25
FREELAND
Director: Mario Furloni, Kate McLean
Producers: Laura Heberton
Cast: Krisha Fairchild, Frank Mosley, Lily Gladstone, John Craven
USA, 80 min
In Mario Furloni and Kate McLean’s FREELAND, Devi (Krisha Fairchild, in a stunning performance) has been breeding legendary pot strains for decades, farming by day and getting stoned by night, fully expecting to live out her days on the remote homestead she built herself. But when cannabis is legalized, the fragile balance of her whole idyllic life is thrown into disarray by changing attitudes and social norms surrounding pot. Forced to confront the rapidly changing realities of the weed industry, she fights to go legal in an increasingly hostile landscape that is threatening her whole livelihood.
Available Saturday, October 17 to Sunday, October 25
HUNGRY TO LEARN
Director: Geeta Gandbhir
Producer: Rose Arce
USA, 85 min
Meet the faces behind an American crisis—college students so strapped to pay tuition that they don’t have enough money to eat. It’s not about Ramen Noodles and care packages from home; it’s a life of suffering from having no food at all, eating at food pantries or off the trays of fellow students. Shot in part on the campus of Montclair State University, HUNGRY TO LEARN tells the story of four college students facing hunger and homelessness and how their dreams of success, college degrees, and food security at school remain just beyond their reach.
Available Saturday, October 17 to Sunday, October 25
Presented in partnership with Partners For Health Foundation
I AM GRETA
Director: Nathan Grossman
Producers: Cecilia Nessen, Fredrik Heinig
Sweden, 97 min
In August, 2018, at the age of 15, Greta Thunberg began a “school strike for climate,” sitting in front of the Swedish Parliament in Stockholm to draw attention to her concern about the government’s inaction on the urgent issue of climate change. In the process of speaking up, her actions launched a global revolution in youth activism around the climate that continues to this day. I AM GRETA follows her story from its origins, creating a powerful portrait of a committed thinker and advocate whose decision to speak up in the face of indifference continues to shape our world.
Available Friday, October 23 at 7:00 PM to Sunday, October 25 at 7:00 PM
Presented in partnership with Ironbound Hard Cider
VIRTUAL CENTERPIECE
MINARI
Director: Lee Isaac Chung
Producers: Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Christina Oh
Cast: Steven Yeun, Yeri Han, Youn Yuh Jung, Will Patton, Alan Kim, Noel Kate Cho
USA, 115 min
A tender and sweeping story about what roots us, MINARI follows a Korean-American
family that moves to a tiny Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream. The
family home changes completely with the arrival of their sly, foul-mouthed, but
incredibly loving grandmother. Amidst the instability and challenges of this new life in
the rugged Ozarks, MINARI shows the undeniable resilience of family and what really
makes a home.
Available Tuesday, October 20 at 7:30 PM
Presented in partnership with Chubb
MY NAME IS SARA
Director: Steven Oritt
Producers: Steven Oritt, Justyna Pawlak
Cast: Zuzanna Surowy, Eryk Lubos, Michalina Olszanska
USA, 111 min
MY NAME IS SARA, the powerful new drama from director Steven Oritt, tells the true-life story of Sara Goralnik, a 13-year-old Polish Jew whose entire family was killed by Nazis in September of 1942. After a grueling escape to the Ukrainian countryside, Sara steals her Christian best friend’s identity and finds refuge in a small village, where she is taken in by a farmer and his young wife. She soon discovers the dark secrets of her employers’ marriage, compounding her own great secret; the true identity that she must strive to protect at all costs.
Available Saturday, October 17 to Sunday, October 25
MY REMBRANDT
Director: Oeke Hoogendijk
Producer: Oeke Hoogendijk, Frank van den Engel
Netherlands, 97 min
Rembrandt van Rijn is widely considered to be one of the greatest painters in history, a grandmaster of intimacy and light whose works have been studied and celebrated for centuries. But when a new discovery of possible newly attributed paintings rocks the art world, the elite system of collecting art is turned upside down—aristocrats covet, experts rule, art dealers investigate, collectors hunt, and museums battle. 350 years after Rembrandt’s death, he remains a mystery, his paintings a source of obsession and desire. MY REMBRANDT dives deep into the art world of Old Masters, exploring this elite world of intrigue.
Available Saturday, October 17 to Sunday, October 25
Presented in partnership with RBC Wealth Management
THE NEW CORPORATION: THE UNFORTUNATELY NECESSARY SEQUEL
Director: Joel Bakan, Jennifer Abbott
Producers: Trish Dolman, Betsy Carson
Canada, 106 min
From Joel Bakan and Jennifer Abbott, directors of the hit documentary THE CORPORATION, comes THE NEW CORPORATION: THE UNFORTUNATELY NECESSARY SEQUEL, revealing how the corporate takeover of society is being justified by the sly rebranding of corporations as socially conscious entities. From gatherings of corporate elites in Davos to climate change and spiraling inequality, the rise of ultra-right leaders to COVID-19 and racial injustice, the film looks at corporations’ devastating power. THE NEW CORPORATION is a cry for social justice and transformative solutions.
Available Saturday, October 17 to Sunday, October 25
THE OUTSIDE STORY
Director: Casimir Nozkowski
Producers: Frank Hall Green, Brian Newman, Joseph Stephans, Casimir Nozkowski
Cast: Brian Tyree Henry, Sunita Mani, Sonequa Martin-Green, Olivia Edward, Asia Kate Dillon, Rebecca Naomi Jones
USA, 85 min
In THE OUTSIDE STORY, Casimir Nozkowski’s delightful new comedy, Brian Tyree Henry (ATLANTA) is Charles Young, an introverted video editor, trying to recover from a broken heart. Perceiving a betrayal of trust as a sign his girlfriend Isha (Sonequa Martin-Green) is leaving him, Charles preemptively blows up his relationship and sequesters himself at home. When the fates do not comply, Charles accidentally locks himself out of his apartment and stumbles into a life-changing odyssey, exploring his building and opening himself up to his community, a world of possibility that he had been actively avoiding.
Available Saturday, October 17 to Sunday, October 25
REUNION
Director: Jake Mahaffy
Producers: Georgina Allison Conder, Ainsley Gardiner, Nadia Maxwell, Mike S. Ryan
Cast: Julia Ormond, Emma Draper, John Bach
New Zealand, 95 min
When a pregnant woman returns to her recently-deceased grandparents’ old family home to spend time with her estranged mother, what begins as a tenuous reunion slowly becomes something more sinister, calling into question the fabric of family, legacy, and memory. Shot in New Zealand and starring the great Julia Ormond (HOWARD’S END), Jake Mahaffy’s (FREED IN DEED) new film REUNION is a psychological thriller that preys upon perception, sending his characters down the rabbit hole of family secrets and into a chilling examination of maternity, anxiety, and the ways in which our history frames our experience.
Available Saturday, October 17 at 8:00 PM and Saturday, October 24 at 8:00 PM
SURGE
Directors: Hannah Rosenzweig, Wendy Sachs
Producers: Hannah Rosenzweig, Wendy Sachs
USA, 93 min
Hannah Rosenzweig and Wendy Sachs’s SURGE is a documentary about the record number of first-time female candidates who ran, won and upended politics in the historic 2018 midterm elections. Following three candidates in Texas, Indiana and Illinois who each were looking to flip their red district to blue (including Lauren Underwood, the youngest black woman to ever be elected to Congress), SURGE explores the dynamic campaigns of this new generation of politician, driven to service and representation as a way of counteracting the historical underrepresentation of women in the American political landscape, while inspiring hope for enduring change.
Available Saturday, October 17 to Sunday, October 25
TEST PATTERN
Director: Shatara Michelle Ford
Producers: Shatara Michelle Ford, Pin-Chun Liu, Yu-Hao Su
Cast: Brittany S. Hall, Will Brill
USA, 82 min
Committed, happy, and out with a friend for a night on the town, Renehsa (Brittany S. Hall) survives a sexual assault at the hands of a stranger. Seeking to report the assault, Renesha and her boyfriend Evan (Will Brill) are forced to engage with the health care system in their community of Austin, TX, a system that seems incapable of addressing the trauma of her experience or her full humanity. Shatara Michelle Ford’s striking debut film raises questions about race, gender, and power with a profound intimacy, creating a story that resonates with empathetic force.
Available Saturday, October 17 to Sunday, October 25
THERE IS NO EVIL
Director: Mohammad Rasoulof
Producers: Kaveh Farnam, Farzad Pak, Mohammad Rasoulof
Cast: Ehsan Mirhosseini, Shaghayegh Shourian, Kaveh Ahangar, Alireza Zareparast
Germany/Iran/Czech Republic, 150 min
Winner of the 2020 Berlin Film Festival’s Golden Bear for Best Feature, Mohammad Rasoulof’s THERE IS NO EVIL is a powerful meditation on guilt, complicity, and resistance set against the backdrop of contemporary Iran. A series of four interrelated short stories, THERE IS NO EVIL is at once devastating and hopeful, a portrait of a society that must reconcile the deep, enduring humanity of its people against the strict controls imposed upon them by the state. The film’s cumulative power lies in its escalating tensions, as its characters seek deliverance from a system that seeks to silence them.
Available Saturday, October 17 to Sunday, October 25
THIS IS NOT A BURIAL, IT’S A RESURRECTION
Director: Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese
Producers: Cait Pansegrouw, Elias Ribeiro
Cast: Mary Twala Mhlongo, Jerry Mofokeng Wa Makheta, Makhaola Ndebele, Tseko Monaheng, Siphiwe Nzima
Lesotho/South Africa/Italy, 119 min
In his arresting and unforgettable fiction debut, writer-director Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese crafts a beguiling parable of displacement and resilience. In a small village nestled among the imposing mountains of land-locked Lesotho, octogenarian Mantoa prepares for her death, longing to be buried in the centuries-old cemetery with her departed family and ancestors. As she is making arrangements, she learns that the community is soon to be forcibly resettled in order to make way for a reservoir, and their entire village, history and traditions will disappear under water. Dreamlike and hypnotic, the film is an expressionistic elegy for things lost, and for memory itself.
Available Saturday, October 17 to Sunday, October 25
A THOUSAND CUTS
Director: Ramona S. Diaz
Producers: Ramona S. Diaz, Leah Marino, Julie Goldman, Chris Clements, Carolyn Hepburn
USA, 120 min
Nowhere is the worldwide erosion of democracy, fueled by social media disinformation campaigns, more starkly evident than in the authoritarian regime of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. Facing down an oppressive government actively seeking to discredit her work, journalist Maria Ressa (one of Time Magazine’s 2018 Persons of The Year) places the tools of the free press—and her freedom—on the line in defense of truth and democracy. Directed by Ramona S. Diaz (MOTHERLAND), A THOUSAND CUTS is a searing examination of the immeasurable value of journalism willing to challenge the powerful in the name of the truth.
Available Saturday, October 17 to Sunday, October 25
TWO GODS
Director: Zeshawn Ali
Producer: Aman Ali
USA, 79 min
Filmed in luminous black-and-white in Newark, NJ, director Zeshawn Ali’s documentary TWO GODS tells the story of Hanif, a Black Muslim casket maker who spends his days ritually cleaning and preparing the bodies of his brothers in faith for burial. Active within the community, Hanif takes an interest in two young men; Furquan, a fun-loving 12-year-old grappling with responsibility, and Naz, a 17-year-old quickly learning the hard lessons of the streets. But will Hanif’s own struggles with his past prevent him from providing help to those he seeks to support and change?
Available Saturday, October 17 to Sunday, October 25
TWO OF US
Director: Filippo Meneghetti
Producers: Laurent Baujard, Pierre-Emmanuel Fleurantin
Cast: Barbara Sukowa, Martine Chevallier, Léa Drucker, Muriel Benazeraf, Jérôme Varanfrain
France/Luxembourg/Belgium, 95 min
Nina and Madeleine are two retired women living across the hall from each other. To the outside world, including Madeleine’s family, they are merely neighbors, but in reality the two have been carrying on a secret love affair for decades. When an unexpected incident intercedes in their previously blissful happiness, their carefully crafted story begins to unravel. Beautifully acted by Barbara Sukowa and Martine Chevallier, Filippo Meneghetti’s remarkable feature film debut is an electrifying, gripping chamber-piece.
Available Saturday, October 17 to Sunday, October 25
Presented in partnership with Java Love
UNAPOLOGETIC
Director: Ashley O’Shay
Producer: Morgan Elise Johnson
USA, 86 min
After two Black Chicagoans are killed, millennial organizers challenge an administration complicit in state violence against its residents. Told through the lens of Janaé and Bella, two fierce abolitionist leaders, UNAPOLOGETIC is a deep look into the Movement for Black Lives, from the police murder of Rekia Boyd to the election of Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Filmed on the front lines in the battle for social justice, police accountability, and social change, director Ashley O’Shea’s UNAPOLOGETIC is a throwback to the documentary films of an earlier era, honoring the experience and perspectives of those lifting their voices in struggle.
Available Saturday, October 17 to Sunday, October 25
UNDINE
Director: Christian Petzold
Producers: Florian Koerner von Gustorf, Michael Weber
Cast: Paula Beer, Franz Rogowski, Maryam Zaree, Jacob Matschenz
Germany/France, 90 min
Legend holds that if the water nymph Undine falls in love with a human and he becomes unfaithful, she must kill him and return to the water. Acclaimed auteur Christian Petzold (PHOENIX, TRANSIT) builds on this myth in his heady, mesmerizing tale of love gained and lost, steeped in magical realism. Undine (a fantastic Paula Beer) works as a Berlin city historian. When her boyfriend leaves her, her world seems to tilt off its axis, but when she unexpectedly falls for another man (Franz Rogowski), she dares hope this powerful new romance will finally shatter the curse. Hypnotic and bewitching, UNDINE is a love story unlike any other.
Available Saturday, October 17 to Sunday, October 25
US KIDS
Director: Kim A. Snyder
Producers: Kim A. Snyder, Maria Cuomo Cole, Lori Cheatle
USA, 98 min
When a gunman entered the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Valentine’s Day 2018, gruesome images of the deadliest high school shooting in US history quickly emerged. In the massacre’s aftermath, students unite in their frustration at the inaction of elected officials. Over the next month, their actions grow into the nationwide March For Our Lives movement, the largest youth protest in American history. Peabody Award-winning director Kim A. Snyder (NEWTOWN) follows the teenage activists as they fight for gun control and compel the political system into action. Insightful and rousing, US KIDS chronicles a new generation of youth leaders and their remarkable dedication to enact change.
Available Thursday, October 22 to Sunday, October 25
WANDER DARKLY
Director: Tara Miele
Producers: Lynette Howell Taylor, Samantha Housman, Shivani Rawat, Monica Levinson
Cast: Sienna Miller, Diego Luna, Beth Grant, Aimee Carrero, Tory Kittles, Vanessa Bayer
USA, 97 min
In WANDER DARKLY, a traumatic accident leaves a couple, Adrienne (Sienna Miller) and Matteo (Diego Luna), in a surreal state of being that takes them on a disorienting journey through the duality of their shared moments. By reliving fond recollections from the beginning of their romance while also navigating the overwhelming truths of their present, they must rediscover the love that truly binds their souls together. Filmmaker Tara Miele offers a profound new perspective on the delicate nature of relationships with this emotionally moving story about a couple who must reflect on their past in order to face their uncertain future.
Available Friday, October 23 at 7:30 PM to Sunday, October 25 at 7:30 PM
WHITE LIE
Director: Yonah Lewis, Calvin Thomas
Producers: Yonah Lewis, Calvin Thomas
Cast: Kacey Rohl, Amber Anderson, Martin Donovan, Thomas Olajide, Connor Jessup
Canada, 96 min
Katie Arneson (Kacey Rohl) is a university student raised in the age of the internet, where online identity allows us to be whoever we wish to be, social media drives perception, and personal needs are fulfilled through crowdsourced fundraising campaigns. Seeing an opportunity to exploit the loopholes in this landscape, Katie begins a campaign to raise money for herself, one that soon spirals beyond her control as lie builds upon lie. Yonah Lewis and Calvin Thomas’s WHITE LIE is a brilliant drama of deception, of escalating consequences, and exploitation, a chilling reminder that things are not always as they seem.
Available Saturday, October 17 to Sunday, October 25
YOU ASKED FOR THE FACTS
Director: Mary Blessey
Producers: Mary Blessey, C. Paige Gutierrez
USA, 51 min
This historical documentary film tells the story of Robert F. Kennedy’s historic visit to the University of Mississippi in 1966 and the behind-the-scenes student activism that made it possible. Only four years after the violence surrounding James Meredith’s admittance to the university as its first African American student—and amid a controversial “Speaker Ban” imposed by the legislature and the Institutions of Higher Learning board on Mississippi’s college campuses—a small, interracial group of forward-thinking students at “Ole Miss” devised a plan to get around the Speaker Ban and host a speech by RFK.
Available Saturday, October 17 to Sunday, October 25
ZAPPA
Director: Alex Winter
Producers: Alex Winter, Glen Zipper, Ahmet Zappa, John Frizzell, Devorah DeVries, Jade Allen
USA, 129 min
With a career that spans over 110 albums, multi-faceted composer and musician Frank Zappa remains one of the most prolific artists in the history of recorded music. Director Alex Winter’s new film ZAPPA is a portrait of this beloved, often controversial artist, presented through never before seen interviews, performances, and private movies made available for the first time from the artist’s personal vault. The result is a film that remains true to Zappa’s spirit; compelling, often hilarious, and honest, yet never afraid to question orthodoxy. ZAPPA is a must-see for fans of this unique rock-and-roll icon.
Available Saturday, October 17 to Sunday, October 25
Presented in partnership with New Jersey Beer Company
SHORTS
This year’s line-up features over 50 short films in 10 programs and features the launch of MFF’s first-ever juried Short Film Competitions. The films are:
SPECIAL PROGRAM
THE SACRIFICE ZONE
Director: Julie Winokur
USA/32 min.
The Ironbound district of Newark, New Jersey is one of the most toxic neighborhoods in the country. Maria Lopez, a Honduran-American resident there, is waging a war for environmental justice. Directed by MFF alumna Julie Winokur, THE SACRIFICE ZONE explores the contemporary impact and legacy of environmental racism in our communities, following Maria as she leads a group of warriors who are fighting to break the cycle of poor communities of color serving as dumping grounds for all of our waste.
Following the film, join Julie and a panel of national and local activists and leaders as they discuss the issues raised in the film, from recent actions taken to address the disproportionate impact of industrial pollution on communities of color, to local and national legislative initiatives that look to bring about systemic changes seeking to transform the legacy of industrial waste in our cities.
Montclair Film is proud to partner with NJTV for a special screening of THE SACRIFICE ZONE at 8:00 PM on Thursday, October 15, followed immediately by the panel discussion at 8:30 PM, airing on NJTV stations across the tristate area.
Beginning Saturday, October 17, THE SACRIFICE ZONE film and panel will then be available on MFF’s Virtual Cinema as part of the Main Slate of the 2020 Montclair Film Festival. Viewers may acquire a ticket for the virtual presentation by visiting montclairfilm.org
Presented in partnership with NJTV
DOCUMENTARY SHORTS COMPETITION
ALL CATS ARE GREY IN THE DARK
Director: Lasse Linder
Switzerland/18 min
Christian, yearning for a family of his own, decides to fertilize his beloved cat.
FEED THE BEARS
Director: Jessie Auritt
USA/16 min
A look into what happens when people ignore the signs and “feed the bears.”
HYSTERICAL GIRL
Director: Kate Novack
USA/13 min
A reflection of how Freud’s theory of hysteria continues to shape pop culture today.
MY FATHER THE MOVER
Director: Julia Jansch
South Africa/12 min
African electronic Gqom beats motivate kids to jive through their hardship and find their superpowers.
WHITE MALE SHOOTER
Director: Andrew Norbeck, Jared Callahan
USA/6 min
A father processes his beliefs on gun ownership by creating a sculpture.
YVES & VARIATION
Director: Lydia Cornett
USA/15 min
A NYC doorman wears many hats as he works tirelessly to give back to his community in Haiti.
ENVIRONMENTAL SHORTS
OPEN WATER
Director: Dan McDougall
UK/14 min
A glimpse into the lives of three Greenlanders: a hunter, a ship’s captain and a fisherman, individuals whose very existence and heritage is intertwined with the Arctic Ocean.
THE TOXIC PIGS OF FUKUSHIMA
Director: Otto Bell
USA/35 min
The Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 triggered a tsunami, nuclear meltdown and mass evacuations in Fukushima Prefecture. Today, as part of a Government push to encourage resettlement, local hunters have been enlisted to dispose of radiated Wild Boars that now roam the abandoned streets and buildings.
FICTION SHORTS COMPETITION
ANNA
Director: Dekel Berenson
Ukraine/UK/Israel/15 min
Desperate for a change, Anna goes to a party with a group of tourists who are searching for love.
ARE YOU HUNGRY?
Director: Teemu Niukkanen
Finland/12 min
An overprotective single mother struggles to connect with her adopted teenage son.
BABY KATE
Director: Jennifer Lafleur
USA/12 min
Rebecca and David meet one last time to finalize their divorce.
BLACKHEADS
Director: Emily Ann Hoffman
USA/8 min
A woman copes with bad therapy, heartbreak, and blackheads.
BUCK
Director: Elegance Bratton, Jovan James
USA/14 min
Caught in a depressive fugue, Lynn resorts to debauchery to find joy.
DIRTY
Director: Matthew Puccini
USA/11 min
Marco cuts class to spend the afternoon with his boyfriend, Graham.
EXAM
Director: Sonia K. Hadad
Iran/15 min
A teen gets sucked into delivering cocaine to its client.
MIDNIGHT SHORTS
HAND IN HAND
Director: Ennio Ruschetti
Switzerland/3 min
Two politicians shake hands.
HOSS
Director: Ryan McGlade
USA/14 min
Hoss checks in on his friends’ old house and finds a stranger inside.
MOTEL
Director: Eric Ogden
USA/27 min
Caitlin takes it upon herself to plan a psychological intervention for her distressed younger sister.
OH DEER!
Director: Richard C. Jones
USA/5 min
A father’s attempts to connect with his son doesn’t go according to plan.
TINGLE MONSTERS
Director: Alexandra Serio
USA/11 min
An ASMR vlogger finds out just how hostile the internet can be for women.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Director: Mary Dauterman
USA/7 min
A male stripper has an unusual experience on the job.
YOUR MONSTER
Director: Caroline Lindy
USA/16 min
Sick and brokenhearted, Laura moves back home and rediscovers monsters from her past.
MSU NEW VISION SHORTS
Montclair State University College of the Arts, School of Communication and Media, Filmmaking BFA Program presents New Visions 2020. A showcase of visually compelling, emotionally powerful short films created by MSU’s top student filmmakers.
MONTCLAIR SHORTS
27 YEARS: A JUVENILE JUSTICE STORY
Director: Mackenzie Robertson
USA/20 min
Samuel Gladden readjusts to life outside the system after serving 27 years in prison.
EX DISPOSER
Director: Daniel Ferrer
USA/18 min
Andy tries to reunite with his ex-bandmates but first must confront the bad blood that was shed during his split from the group.
SHARED INTERN
Director: Ross Gibby
USA/10 min
Kami’s dream internship with an all-female social media company is not at all what she thought it would be.
A SPIRIT IN FLIGHT
Director: David Gaynes
USA/13 min
Eric Juardo Diaz, a 56-year-old gay man with a lifetime of hard-won victories and a recent ALS diagnosis, takes up skydiving.
NJ SHORTS COMPETITION
BROKEN BIRD
Director: Rachel Harrison Gordon
USA/10 min
Birdie prepares for her Bat Mitzvah while spending a rare visitation day with her father.
GRAMERCY
Director: Pat Heywood, Jamil McGinnis
USA/23 min
Shaq, a young man grappling with depression, returns to his New Jersey hometown.
AN OCCURRENCE AT ARVERNE
Director: Robert Broadhurst
USA/8 min
A young black man finds himself in an unfamiliar neighborhood.
THE UNDOCUMENTED LAWYER
Director: Chris Temple, Zach Ingrasci
USA/19 min
Lizbeth Mateo fights for a client who has taken up sanctuary in a church.
VIRTUALLY FREE
Director: André Robert Lee
USA/40 min
Unlikely allies work together to transform the juvenile justice system and stop mass incarceration in Richmond, VA.
NJ SHORTS II
BEST PICTURE
Director: Jay Giampietro
USA/7 min
Surprises are in store for a movie-obsessed man who hosts an annual Oscars party at a firehouse in Fairview, NJ.
THE GREAT NOTCH INN
Director: Marcus Swanson
USA/5 min
The story of 92-year-old Chuck Hayden and the relationships he’s built at NJ’s Great Notch Inn.
A LITTLE MESS
Director: Jamie Deradorian-Delia
USA/6 min
Artist Lydia Ricci utilizes scraps from her childhood home to create miniature sculptures of nostalgic objects.
PIZZA PARTY
Director: Tessa Hope Slovis
USA/12 min
An unlikely pair comes together at a pizza party.
SUNDAY DINNER
Director: Kevin Mead
USA/14 min
For one Italian-American family, a major confession threatens to unravel their beloved tradition of a Sunday night dinner.
TIRED EYES
Director: Ryan Martin Brown
USA/9 min
Nothing comes easy for this Brooklyn-based band trying to make it to the center of Manhattan in time for their gig.
THE WOODPECKER
Director: Courtney Bush, Jake Goicoechea, Will Carington
USA/7 min
Richard stops at a CVS and calls a close friend for advice about his costume for a friend’s housewarming party.
SHORTS FOR ALL AGES
Presented in partnership with Horizon Foundation for New Jersey
THE ADVENTURES OF THEO’S STAR
Director: Matthieu Silberstein
USA/9 min
A young star travels the Solar System to help a little boy cope with a childhood tragedy.
BIGBY
Director: Mark Salisbury
USA/2 min
Bigby, a fearless 9-year-old Latino boy, fights evil and injustice all over the world.
DOODLE
Director: Mo Caicedo
USA/4 min
A lonely pencil goes on a journey of self-discovery.
FINAL ACT
Director: Miguel Amendola-Borrallo, Yohan Gantelet, Antonin Geral-Aries, Lucie Krencker, Clara Obeidi, Geoffrey Rakotoarisoa
France/8 min
Cheetah season has arrived.
HOT DOG
Director: Flore Burban, Logan Cameron, Nicholas Diaz, Chloé Raimondo, Hugues Valin
France/6 min
A lonely dog falls in love.
KAPAEMAHU
Director: Dean Hamer, Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Joe Wilson
USA/8 min
A hidden history lives within four mysterious Hawaiian boulders.
LEO THE LIONHEARTED
Director: Evan Tyler Johnson
USA/10 min
A shy, young boy must find the courage to accept himself and his scars with the help of a superhero.
TREE #3
Director: Omer Ben Shachar
USA/20 min
Itai leads a revolution on stage after being cast (again!) as a background tree in his annual middle school play.
STUDENT SHORTS
BLOCKS
Director: Bridget Moloney
USA/11 min
An existential comedy about the mother of two young children who begins to spontaneously vomit plastic toy blocks.
FRIENDS LIKE THAT
Director: Francesca de Fusco
USA/8 min
After getting dumped, Maia seeks solace by crashing with her best ex, Alex.
GRENADINE
Director: Corentin Leroux
USA/15 min
The fraternal bond of three brothers is tested when their parents inexplicably disappear.
MICHELLE
Director: Kenya Gillespie
USA/10 min
A shy 10-year-old girl fights off her bullies with a little help from her idol: decorated US figure skater Michelle Kwan.
PILLARS
Director: Cameron Bruce Nelson
USA/11 min
A Mennonite woman reverts to a secret language when her best friend begins the rites of marriage.
SOMEWHERE
Director: Lynn Laor
Israel/15 min
Two 10-year-old girls try to relieve the boredom of Shabbat in their religious town. And then the darkness comes.
SHORTS BEFORE FEATURES
EVERY DAY’S LIKE THIS
Director: Lev Lewis
Canada/11 min
A family copes with the ongoing health decline of a loved one.
Playing with WHITE LIE
NOTE: HI-RESOLUTION IMAGES FOR THE EVENTS LISTED HERE CAN BE FOUND AT:
http://bit.ly/MFF2020FilmProgram
ABOUT MONTCLAIR FILM
Montclair Film, a non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization connects filmmakers from around the region and world with audiences by presenting films and year-round programs that engage, educate, and entertain through the power of visual storytelling. The ninth annual Montclair Film Festival, presented by Investors Bank, will take place from October 16-25, 2020. The Storyteller Series is presented by Audible. We are grateful for generous support from Craig Newmark Philanthropies; the County of Essex Department of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs; and Hackensack Meridian Health, Mountainside Medical Center. Additional support is provided by Chubb; Coldwell Banker Realty; William H. Connolly & Co.; Hiker; Horizon Foundation for New Jersey; The Nature Conservancy; and RBC Wealth Management, as well as from Ashenfelter, Trembulak, McDonough, Golia & Trevenen, LLP; The Bravitas Group; Genova Burns; Kore Private Wealth; Partners for Health Foundation; and Rao’s Homemade. All programs are made possible with funds from the New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel and Tourism, as well as the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, among many others. Montclair Film provides unique and meaningful ways to engage with diverse, creative, and sophisticated audiences and seeks sponsors for its signature spring film festival and other year-round programs that attract more than 46,000 annual attendees and generate more than 750 million media impressions yearly. For information about Montclair Film, visit www.MontclairFilm.org.
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