(TEANECK, NJ) -- Now in its 15th year, the Teaneck International Film Festival, a project of the Puffin Foundation, is going virtual, November 12 – 25. The all-access pass is just $35 for admission to all the films and, for those who don’t want to commit to a movie every night, ticket prices are just $5 per film. The theme Activism:  Making Change has earned the TIFF accolades as the “film festival with a social conscience.”  The 2020 program will include movies and talkbacks about racism, oppression, the environment, the LGBTQ community, women’s rights, immigration, gun violence, and the underserved and forgotten whose stories have not been told.  

One of the highlights of this year’s festival is the premiere of the 20-minute short, Generation Lockdown, inspired by an essay written by Caleb Brown when he was 11 years old and a sixth grader in the Teaneck Public Schools.  His mother, Florence Mitchell-Brown, a PTA mom, is the executive producer of the film, which will be shown (virtually) Thursday, November 19, at 7:30 p.m.  Sponsored by NJ State Senator Loretta Weinberg and Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, this powerful film was shot in the Teaneck Public Schools and features Caleb, and many Teaneck students as extras.  It shows us the terror that is viewed through the eyes of an eleven-year-old boy as he tries to save his friend’s life during an active shooter attack in his school. 

At a time when school lockdowns are the subject of debate and the threat of gun violence is always present, it is a call to action to parents, lawmakers, schools, and community leaders – urging them to work together to protect our children from inexplicable violence, and commit to prevent future mass shootings in schools. The talkback will be moderated by Dennis Hirschfelder, Bergen County Brady Campaign, and will include director Sirad Balducci, Senator Weinberg, executive producer Ms. Mitchell-Brown, Caleb Brown, and student representative Laurence Fine of Students Demand Action, Bergen County.  There will be opportunities for the “virtual audience” to ask questions and participate in the discussion.

For all film descriptions and previews; the schedule; information about talkbacks, guests, and tickets visit www.teaneckfilmfestival.org.  Tickets must be purchased in advance.  Just click the “Buy Tickets” box to be directed to ticket sales on Eventbrite (there is a small service charge on each purchase).  Make your selections and get ready for a thought-provoking and engrossing two weeks.