New Jersey Stage logo
New Jersey Stage Menu



 

The 21st Garden State Film Festival

By Christopher Benincasa, JerseyArts.com

originally published: 03/09/2023


This year’s Garden State Film Festival kicks off Thursday, March 23, and will be serving up a four-day weekend of more independent films and one-of-a-kind events than even the most die-hard moviegoer could take in.

Since the first festival in 2003, GSFF has provided opportunities for aspiring filmmakers and actors to network with industry pros and have their work showcased in one of the country’s most iconic cities – New Jersey’s Asbury Park.

Five venues there, the Jersey Shore Arts Center in Ocean Grove and the Cranford Theater will host a weekend of films.

Jersey Arts recently spoke with Garden State Film Festival’s Executive Director Lauren Concar, festival founder Diane Raver, Associate Director of the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission David Schoner, Director of Communications for New Jersey Public Broadcasting Service Debra Falk, feature screenplay winner Kelly Byrne, and festival host Sophia Lucia about what to expect this year.




Follow New Jersey Stage on social media
Facebook, Threads, Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky




EVENT PREVIEWS

(ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, NJ) -- SModcastle Cinemas presents Horror Fest 2026 on Saturday, August 8. The festival features seven blocks of independent horror, featuring sinister shorts, creature features, dark comedy, supernatural chills, and plenty of blood-soaked surprises.
The ShowRoom Celebrates New Jersey

The ShowRoom Celebrates New Jersey's Cinematic Legacy with "The Jersey Shore on Film" Series

(ASBURY PARK, NJ) -- This August, The ShowRoom Cinema invites audiences to celebrate the Garden State on the big screen with The Jersey Shore on Film, a special three-film series presented in collaboration with film historian and author Marci Mazzarotto. Executive Director of the Bread & Roses Film Festival and Associate Professor of Communication at Georgian Court University, Mazzarotto will introduce each screening and share insights into New Jersey's rich cinematic history. Copies of her acclaimed book, The Jersey Shore on Film—the first and only book dedicated entirely to the region's cinematic legacy—will be available for purchase at each event.
The ShowRoom

The ShowRoom's Annual Summer Camp Series Returns in August

(ASBURY PARK, NJ) -- This August, The ShowRoom welcomes audiences back to its annual Summer Camp series, a celebration of cinema at its most gloriously excessive. Featuring larger-than-life performances, outrageous style, melodrama, and unapologetic bad taste, this four-film lineup showcases the movies that have earned devoted followings through their fearless embrace of the theatrical, the flamboyant, and the fabulously over-the-top.
45th Bi-Annual New Jersey Film Festival will Take Place September 4th through October 4th

45th Bi-Annual New Jersey Film Festival will Take Place September 4th through October 4th

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- The 45th Bi-Annual New Jersey Film Festival will be taking place between September 4 - October 4, 2026. As they have been doing the last few years, the festival will be presented as a hybrid with select in-person screenings at Rutgers University and most of the films available virtually via Video on Demand for 24 hours on their show date. The festival also be offering an Audio-Visual Concert featuring the bands Lawns and Hanging Coats as well as two FREE Filmmaking Workshops.
 

FEATURED EVENTS


Free Movie Tuesdays: Zootopia 2

Tuesday, August 11, 2026 @ 10:30am
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
100 South Street, Morristown, NJ


Free Movie Tuesdays: Jaws

Tuesday, August 11, 2026 @ 7:00pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
100 South Street, Morristown, NJ


Petflix – A Free Pet-Friendly Outdoor Movie at the Hamilton Street Lot

Saturday, August 15, 2026 @ 6:00pm
Hamilton Stage at Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC)
360 Hamilton Avenue, Rahway, NJ


Your Lips Never Left Mine – Online for 24 Hours and In-Person at 7PM

Friday, September 04, 2026 @ 7:00pm
NJ Film Festival
71 Hamilton Street, New Brunswick, NJ


Clan of the Painted Lady - Online for 24 Hours!

Saturday, September 05, 2026 @ 12:00am
NJ Film Festival
71 Hamilton Street, New Brunswick, NJ



 

Advertise with NJ Stage for $50-$100 per month, click here for info