originally published: 05/08/2022

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- The 7th Annual Nassau Film Festival (NFF) takes place May 21-22, 2022 in person at the Princeton Garden Theatre and online from May 23 to June 8th at nassaufilmfestival.festivee.com. The festival screens short films and music videos (30 seconds to 20 minutes) in the following categories: fiction, documentary, animation, student fiction, horror, music videos, trailers, and episodic. Best of Festival Awards are given in each of the categories and attendees have a chance to network with actors, actresses, directors, writers, producers and directors of photography at a special festival event. Audience members have the opportunity to participate in question and answer panel discussions with filmmakers whose films are selected to screen at the festival.

NFF Founder and Festival Director Lew Goldstein started the festival in 2015 after noticing a gap in the area for filmmakers who focused on short films and audiences who enjoy watching short films. Each year the number of film submissions for Festival consideration has grown. “As the festival has grown more filmmakers are realizing that this is a festival which is drawing serious attention in the film community. We are seeing a growth each year in submissions and the festival going audience has packed the Princeton Garden Theatre knowing that the films chosen to be screened by the judges are of high quality,” Goldstein said. “ While we did a virtual festival in 2021 consisting of the best worldwide short films of 2021, we will be back in the historic Princeton Garden Theatre on May 21 and 22, 2022 again to watch films on the big screen and to enjoy the festival atmosphere in person while maintaining safety protocols. We will also screen the films virtually from May 23 - June 8, 2022. Festival proceeds will benefit the recently established non-profit Lisa Goldstein Education Foundation,” he said.

NFF highlights extraordinary independent films from filmmakers representing countries in six continents. Additionally, films from the USA as well as regional and local filmmakers are highlighted. The works of selected new student filmmakers are also screened.

Over the years, NFF has earmarked funds donated from patrons and sponsors each year to assist various non-profit organizations. Those organizations the Festival has donated to over the years include the American Cancer Society, Womenspace, Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK), the Community Foodbank of New Jersey - a Feeding America affiliate as well as Mercer Street Friends.

In 2022, festival proceeds from festival goers, filmmakers and sponsors will go to the Lisa Goldstein Education Foundation (LGEF). LGEF awards annual scholarships to high school seniors pursuing education, math or sciene studies at a college or university and college/university juniors currently doing their student teaching in a NJ school district in elementary and/or special education. In keeping with the legacy of Lisa Goldstein, a former third grade teacher at Maurice Hawk elementary school in West Windsor, NJ, the foundation strives to assist future educators whose goal is to help students lead lives of joy and purpose through a solid start to their educational journey at the elementary level.