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2021 New Jersey International Film Festival Winners Announced!

By Al Nigrin

originally published: 06/14/2021



Still from Full Circle

The 2021 New Jersey International Film Festival Competition has just concluded! 
We had a very good festival this year despite it being done virtually again. I want to thank the thousands of people who attended. We couldn't do what we do without such tremendous support!  

All the works that were part of the 2021 New Jersey International Film Festival Competition were selected by a panel of judges including media professionals, journalists, students, and academics. These judges selected the 25 finalists which were publicly screened at our Festival. The finalists were selected from 547 works submitted by filmmakers from around the world. Here are the Winners of the 2021 New Jersey International Film Festival:



Still from Bone Cage

Best of Festival Winners

Best Feature Film: Bone Cage - Taylor Olson (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada)

Best Documentary Film: Full Circle - Anne Via McCollough (Norfolk, Virgina)

Best Short Film: Space Case – Zachary T Scott (Austin, Texas)

Best Animated Film: First Light - Amy Lee Ketchum/Ellen Boscov (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

Best Experimental Film: S T O P – Marieli Froehlich (Vienna, Austria)



Still from First Light  




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Honorable Mention Winners

The Heartland – Marquise Mays (Milwaukee, Wisconsin); Just Being Here – Matteo Moretti (Middlebury, Vermont): Stolen Fish - Gosia Juszczak (Madrid, Spain): Who the f... is Roger Rossmeisl? – Luc Quelin (Paris, France); Sweethurt – Tom Danger (Turramurra, NSW, Australia); The Dark Odyssey – Michael Lavine (Germantown, New York); Into the Light – Benjamin Schwartz (New York, New York); Two Little People – Xin Li (Melbourne, Australia); The Process of Recovering – Nora Mandray, Jonathan Bulette (Santa Monica, California)



Still from S T O P
                   

About the author:

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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EVENT PREVIEWS

Al Nigrin, Executive Director and Curator of the New Jersey International Film Festival, sits down at EBTV with Ashley Gerst -- Director and Animator of the film Sundays for a filmmaker interview. Sundays will be screened on Saturday May 30, 2026.
2026 New Jersey International Film Festival Interview with Middle Life Director Pavan Moondi

2026 New Jersey International Film Festival Interview with Middle Life Director Pavan Moondi

Here is Festival Director Al Nigrin’s interview with Pavan Moondi. Pavan is the director and writer of the terrific Canadian feature film Middle Life. Middle Life screens with two shorts at the New Jersey International Film Festival on Saturday, May 30, 2026.
2026 New Jersey International Film Festival Interview with Counterfeit Kids Director/Writer James Sclafani!

2026 New Jersey International Film Festival Interview with Counterfeit Kids Director/Writer James Sclafani!

Here is Festival Director Al Nigrin’s interview with Counterfeit Kids Director/Writer James Sclafani! Counterfeit Kids screens at the New Jersey International Film Festival on Saturday, May 30, 2026.
Terrific animation Godzilla’s Day Off screens at the 2026 New Jersey International Film Festival on May 30!

Terrific animation Godzilla’s Day Off screens at the 2026 New Jersey International Film Festival on May 30!

I loved the introduction to the short animated film Godzilla's Day Off by Myra Sito Velasquez. It was very retro and fun. I love, love, love this style of animation, it's very South Park which is the reason I was so drawn to this piece. It's very nostalgic for me as my dad was always watching South Park when I was growing up #cartman #godzillabuiltlikecartman #southparkxgodzilla #cartmansdayoff.
Trenton Filmmaker Phillip McConnell to Premiere New Short Film "Tell Me Where We Stand"

Trenton Filmmaker Phillip McConnell to Premiere New Short Film "Tell Me Where We Stand"

(HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, NJ) -- Independent filmmaker Phillip McConnell will premiere his new short film, Tell Me Where We Stand, at Mill One on Sunday, May 31, 2026, bringing together local artists, performers, and members of the community for an evening celebrating independent film and storytelling.
2026 New Jersey International Film Festival Video Interview with What We Dreamed of Then Director Taylor Olson

2026 New Jersey International Film Festival Video Interview with What We Dreamed of Then Director Taylor Olson

Al Nigrin, Executive Director and Curator of the New Jersey International Film Festival, interviews What We Dreamed of Then Director, Writer and Actor Taylor Olson. What We Dreamed of Then will be screened on May 31, 2026.
Moving feature What We Dreamed of Then screens at the 2026 New Jersey International Film Festival on May 31

Moving feature What We Dreamed of Then screens at the 2026 New Jersey International Film Festival on May 31

It is rare for a film to capture a major social issue and equally rare for a film to burrow its way into audiences’ hearts. What We Dreamed of When does both and on a budget that wouldn’t even cover lunch on a Hollywood film set.
Come soar with Pizza Man at the 2026 New Jersey International Film Festival

Come soar with Pizza Man at the 2026 New Jersey International Film Festival

Pizza! Pizza! I scream. You scream. We all scream for Pizza!!! I am obsessed with the opening animation in Sebastian Hunt’s short film Pizza Man, very retro, very I watched this on my box TV when I was younger. The color grading felt real and not like a GLP-1 commercial on Hulu, which is always a plus in my book. It gave off “depressing work place that I hate to work at and just wanna go home.” IF I saw some weird old man dressed in a pizza costume 7 hours into my shift at my box office job that I am for sure carrying on my shoulders, I’d lowkey be pissed though, like boy get out my face and let me go home, girl I don’t wanna deal with this right im tired and the only thing getting me through the day is knowing I have a california king waiting for me at home. Pizza Man gave off Thor from Avengers: Endgame, like bitch we have work to do go save a pizza I don’t know. ALSO, I’m reallllllly hoping that is not Mitchell’s handwriting as an adult because honestly not even Pizza Man can save that.
2026 New Jersey International Film Festival Video Animation Panel

2026 New Jersey International Film Festival Video Animation Panel

Here is the 2026 New Jersey International Film Festival Video Animation Panel featuring Festival Director Al Nigrin and Filmmakers Owen Andrejco, Myra Sito Velasquez, Evan Bode, and Heidi Kumao.
Emmy-nominated, Tony and Grammy Award-winning actor/director Jason Alexander to Lead Acting Masterclass on Long Beach Island

Emmy-nominated, Tony and Grammy Award-winning actor/director Jason Alexander to Lead Acting Masterclass on Long Beach Island

(LONG BEACH ISLAND, NJ) -- The Lighthouse International Film Festival (LIFF) presents a rare five-day acting masterclass led by acclaimed actor and director Jason Alexander, taking place June 7–11, 2026 on Long Beach Island, New Jersey, just prior to the opening of the Festival's 18th edition, which runs June 10–14.

 

MORE EVENTS

Click on the listing to bring up its webpage


Middle Life, Sundays & Counterfeit Kids – In-Person at 7PM!

Saturday, May 30, 2026 @ 7:00pm
NJ International Film Festival
New Brunswick, NJ


Phenomenon of Ivan Marchuk & Theater of the Absurd – Online for 24 Hours!

Saturday, May 30, 2026 @ 12:00am
NJ International Film Festival
New Brunswick, NJ


Shorts Program #1: Godzilla’s Day Off, Paper Crane, 35 Days, I Exist, Pizza Man, Prison and Time, Dustsceawung & Miracle Under 34th Street – Online for 24 Hours and In-Person at 7PM!

Saturday, May 30, 2026 @ 7:00pm
NJ International Film Festival
New Brunswick, NJ


Star Wars: The Last Jedi in Concert with New Jersey Symphony

Sunday, May 31, 2026 @ 2:00pm
State Theatre New Jersey
New Brunswick, NJ


What We Dreamed of Then – Online for 24 Hours!

Sunday, May 31, 2026 @ 12:00am
NJ International Film Festival
New Brunswick, NJ



 

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