(RED BANK, NJ) -- The Indie Street Film Festival will return to Red Bank from July 26th through the 30th featuring more than 60 independently produced narrative, documentary and animated films, panel discussions, Q&A’s with filmmakers, live art, an interactive community mural project, a community cookout, and both live and DJ music performances. Two sets of “Jersey Shorts” showcasing the work of local filmmakers and New Jersey locations and subjects will also be featured.
Highlights include the NJ premiere of Unrest, an eye-opening documentary shot and directed by Jennifer Brea, as she tackles the very personal subject of chronic fatigue syndrome. Life Hack, featuring Sean Kleier (Odd Mom Out) and Devin Ratray (Nebraska, Blue Ruin), is an incredibly relevant comedic cautionary tale about our digital privacy or complete lack thereof.
New Jersey talent will of course be showcased, including the world premiere of Brothers, the latest work from Jack Ballo, who directed the critically acclaimed 2016 documentary Destiny’s Bridge, about the plight of a homeless community living off-the-grid in the woods of Lakewood, New Jersey, and Pasquale’s Magic Veal, a dark comedy featuring Vincent Pastore, who played “Big Pussy” in The Sopranos.
Donald Sumpter (Game of Thrones, Girl With The Dragon Tattoo) and Adam Long (Happy Valley), star in The Knackerman, a narrative short funded by Creative England and the BFI Network. In Cul-De-Sac, from the team behind the Academy Award-winning short Curfew, a married couple's bubble of suburban normality is punctured when they find a surprise inside their toddler's teddy bear.
Cop Dog, the sixth animated film in Bill Plympton's Oscar-nominated Guard Dog series, finds its plucky dog-hero with a new occupation: patrolling our airports sniffing for illegal drugs. Several other shorts will make their NJ premiere, including films written by screenwriters for NBC's THIS IS US and SYFY's CHANNEL ZERO, as well as performances from actors such as Jimmie JJ Jeter (Hamilton) and Chris Carfizzi (Showtime's Billions).
Indie Street Film Festival Artistic Director Jay Webb noted that in addition to the incredibly diverse films from around the world that will be screened and discussed, this year’s schedule includes events linked to films showcased in the festival as well as New Jersey themes.
“From a live art performance by local artist Ronnie Jackson, who carves New Jersey landscapes and scenes into surfboards, a cookout after the screening of the documentary Barbecue with local sponsors, to a Liquid Lights creative workshop, we know festival attendees will enjoy what ISFF brings to the community,” Webb added. “What sets this festival apart from other film events is the integration and cooperation of Red Bank’s venues, restaurants and bars, retail shops and the local arts community which all gel to make the ideal atmosphere to celebrate the creativity of independent filmmakers.”
Narrative feature films in competition include:
The Ring Thing, directed by William Sullivan (Provincetown Film Festival)
Like Me, directed by Robert Mockler (SXSW)
Beat Beat Heart, directed by Luise Brinkmann (Slam Dance, Filmfest Munich 2016)
Life Hack, directed by Sloan Copeland (Brooklyn Film Fest, SoHo Int. Film Fest)
Documentary feature films in competition include:
Barbecue, directed by Matthew Salleh (SXSW)
Hotel Coolgardie, directed by Pete Gleeson (Slamdance, Hot Docs)
Olancho, directed by Ted Griswold and Chris Valdes (Brooklyn Film Fest)
Unrest, directed by Jennifer Brea (SXSW, Hot Docs, Sundance Special Jury Award)
The winning films will be selected by a jury consisting of noted film critics, producers and filmmakers. Industry experts including Aaron Hillis (Indiegogo), Alison Willmore (Buzzfeed), Dominic Davis (Rooftop Films), Heidi Reinberg (Producer) and Leah Sapin (Human Rights Watch) will join others in awarding the winning feature films with the prize of a 1 week theatrical screening in New York City and optional online distribution through Indie Street Media. Jury awards and audience awards will be announced at a live ceremony on the evening of Sunday, July 30th.
Indie Street, the world's first co-op distribution brand, is a VOD platform that unites the most talented self-distributing filmmakers to share audiences, resources, and company profits, and home to award-winning members with honors from Sundance, SXSW, and Tribeca film festivals. ISFF is more geared toward cooperation than competition, so all feature films accepted into the festival are awarded the opportunity to join Indie Street as a partner filmmaker and be promoted through its VOD platform. Winners from each feature film category will enjoy a shared 1 week theatrical release in NYC.
Films and events will be held at multiple theatrical venues in Red Bank, including the historic Count Basie Theatre, the Two River Theater, Bow Tie Cinema and Red Bank Middle School. For a complete schedule and to purchase tickets, please visit http://www.indiestreetfilmfestival.org. 5 day Passes are available for films only (Film Buff Pass for $99) or for all films and parties (All-access Pass for $169) and can be purchased by visiting the festival website.
All-access passes are also on sale now that include entry to all festival events, open bar at nightly parties brought to you by sponsors Flying Fish Brewery and Prairie Vodka, as well as discounts at local businesses. Single event tickets will be available soon.
