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2017 New Jersey International Film Festival Line Up Announced!


By Al Nigrin

originally published: 04/19/2017




New Jersey International Film Festival Summer 2017


The Rutgers Film Co-op/New Jersey Media Arts Center, in association with the Rutgers University Program In Cinema Studies, Jungle Software, Johnson & Johnson, WriterDuet, New Brunswick City Market, and Jimmy Johns, is proud to present the 22nd annual New Jersey International Film Festival Summer 2017.  Showcasing new international films, American independent features, animation, experimental and short subjects, and cutting-edge documentaries, the New Jersey International Film Festival Summer 2017 will feature 23 film screenings. The Festival screenings will take place on Saturday and Sunday evenings between June 3-11, 2017 with  5PM and 7PM start times.

All the competition films selected were screened by a panel of judges including media professionals, journalists, students, and academics. These judges selected the 23 finalists which will be publicly screened at our Festival. These finalists were selected from over 322 works submitted by filmmakers from around the world. In addition, the judges chose the Prize Winners in conjunction with the Festival Director. Prize winners will be announced after the screenings on Saturday, June 11.

Film Premieres: 

23 films will have their New Jersey or Area Premiere screenings as part of the New Jersey International Film Festival Summer 2017. Some of these include:  Tramcar Girl by Alex Tymchak, Dan Lewinstein, and Gerard Zarra – a charming short film about summer love set on the Jersey shore; Church by Stephen Bodossian – a black comedy about the perils of trying to please prospective in-laws; Glowworm – a touching film about a young woman who says goodbye to a grandfather she hardly knew;  Seppuku by Daryn Wakasa – a short film about a woman fighting her inner demon;  Second Nature by Michael Cross – a hilarious and timely indie comedy feature; two terrific animated films Karma by Zhaoyu Zhou and First Bloom by Tingting Liu;  Kedi by Ceyda Torun – a terrific documentary about thousands of cats freely roam the streets of Istanbul;  Strawman  by Tian Xie – a true story of one Chinese family living in a remote rural village; Jennifer Perrot’s highly acclaimed short from Australia The Ravens; Juan Pablo Martinez’s touching and meditative film Emma from Argentina; Gladys Bensimon’s A Way Out a timely documentary about three young men from Newark, New Jersey, who successfully beat the odds; Shelley Titus’s Sistas Conversation -- a lively documentary about a group of diverse women; Passaic by Douglas Underdahl --  a short film about a murder that tore apart the gritty town of Passaic, NJ; Ilene Dube’s Generations of Artists: Roosevelt, NJ -- loving portrait of a time, a town, and a creative New Jersey community; Beth Kruvant’s documentary Levinsky Park which is about a neighborhood in Tel Aviv, Israel; and many others. For more information on these and the other films go to www.njfilmfest.com.

Special Guest Appearances by Directors, Artists, and Scholars:

This summer there will be over fifteen confirmed special guest appearances by film directors, artists, actors, and writers to the 2017 New Jersey International Film Festival! All visiting artists will introduce their work and do a Question and Answer session after the screenings. For more information on these special guest appearances go to www.njfilmfest.com. Note: more filmmakers will be appearing but were not able to confirm their attendance at this time. Go to www.njfilmfest.com. for updated information.

Special Promotions

There will be Free Food served at the 2017 New Jersey International Film Festival prior to all the screenings courtesy of Jimmy John's of New Brunswick! Free Parking in University lots near the screening space. The primary screening location Voorhees Hall #105 features comfortable, cushioned seats, stadium seating, and hi-definition projection and sound systems! 

Sponsors:

The New Jersey International Film Festival Summer 2017 is funded and sponsored in part by The Rutgers Film Co-op/New Jersey Media Arts Center; The Rutgers University Program in Cinema Studies/School of Arts and Sciences; Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage Commission, Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders through a grant provided by New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a division of the Department of State; The Rutgers University Centers for Global Advancement and International Affairs (GAIA Centers); The Rutgers University Office of Academic Engagement and Programming; Confucius Institute of Rutgers University;  The Rutgers University Zimmerli Art Museum; Rutgers University School of Arts and Sciences Honors Program; The Rutgers Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs; The Rutgers University American Studies Department; Johnson & Johnson; Jungle Software; Writer Duet; Jimmy John’s of New Brunswick; RU-TV; WCTC/WMGQ; WRSU; The Home News Tribune; The Asbury Park Press; New Brunswick City Market; The Rutgers University Digital Classroom Services Office; Design Ideas; Advanced Printing; Steven C. Schechter, Esq.; Share and Harris, Gabrielle Wilders, Lenore Neigeborn, Judi Ayre, Eddie Konczal, Laura Konczal, Dodam Chun,  and Lili Dolly Nigrin.




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Information:

Albert Gabriel Nigrin, Executive Director/Curator, New Jersey International Film Festival

(848) 932-8482 phone; [email protected], NJMAC @aol.com; Web Site: www.njfilmfest.com

New Jersey International Film Festival Summer 2017 Cover Art: Kyle DeVaul x 3 by Albert Gabriel Nigrin ©2017




Albert Gabriel Nigrin is an award-winning experimental media artist whose work has been screened throughout the world. He is also a Cinema Studies Lecturer at Rutgers University, and the Executive Director/Curator of the Rutgers Film Co-op/New Jersey Media Arts Center, Inc.

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