Showing film results: From 2 to 12
In the twentieth century, there lived a brilliant polymath who wandered the world, a vagabond of immense intellect who taught the likes of Emmanuel Levinas and Elie Wiesel. He was a master of many studies, from theology and philosophy to mathematics and the sciences. His name, while debated among those who know of his existence, is unknown to the world; he known only as Mr. Shoshani. While working on a different film, Director Michael Grynszpan happened to learn of this enigma of a man. As interest turns into obsession, Gryszpan spends a decade of his life trying to unravel the mystery of Shoshani’s life in The Shoshani Riddle.
Over the past decade, producer/director Timur Bekmambetov's name has become synonymous with the "screenlife" sub-genre. For those who are unaware, screenlife movies play out their narratives on the screens of laptops, tablets, phones and similar devices. Watching someone's desktop for 90 minutes may not sound too exciting but the format has proved surprisingly successful in thrillers like Unfriended, Searching and Profile. Much like the American horror movies of the 1970s took the genre out of its traditional Gothic setting of European castles and transferred it to the US suburbs, screenlife thrillers have a relatable immediacy, their thrills playing out on the sort of screens we stare at every day.
Al Nigrin, Executive Director and Curator of the New Jersey Film Festival, sits down with Samuel Freeman, director and writer of the Don't Look in the Dark, for a filmmaker interview. Don't Look in the Dark will be screened on January 31, 2026.
Sun Ra: Do The Impossible, a feature length documentary by Christine Turner, is a cosmic journey into the life and work of the visionary jazz musician, composer and poet, Sun Ra. Poet, philosopher, Egyptologist, bandleader. Jazz visionary Sun Ra was all of these—and more. With his ever-evolving band the Sun Ra Arkestra, he produced more than 200 albums, stretching the boundaries of free-form jazz while weaving ancient Egypt, interstellar metaphors, and scientific musings into a singular musical and spiritual vision of Afrofuturism that continues to reverberate across generations. Director Christine Turner takes us on an illuminating journey through the life of this multi-faceted artist, gracefully balancing recollections from the Arkestra’s still-devout band members and dancers with insightful interviews from music scholars, and unforgettable film and performance footage of Sun Ra himself. The result is a portrait—informative, inspiring, and mind-bending—of a man whose audacious vision, otherworldly imagination, and uncompromising artistry helped shape not only the sound of jazz, but the cultural landscape of the 20th century and beyond.
The 24th Garden State Film Festival (GSFF) takes place March 26-29, 2026 across Asbury Park, Monmouth County & Cranford, Union County, NJ featuring over 200 films from around the world, events, filmmaker parties, live podcasts, industry panels and networking opportunities.
Self Portrait, directed by Samuel DeFrank, is a refreshing, albeit short, entry into the horror genre that tells the story of an aspiring model who is given the chance to be photographed by a famous artist at his cabin, not knowing the true, sinister nature of this photoshoot.
The Shoshani Riddle is a true international movie. Opening his investigation in France, director Michael Grynszpan traveled the globe from Israel to Uruguay, tracking the life of the mysterious Mr. Shoshani. Overdubbing a dramatized animation of Shoshani walking the streets of 1950s France, the film introduces its mysterious star. Shoshani was a great scholar and nomad throughout the mid 20th century. It was reported he spoke over 30 languages and had a perfect memory of the Torah, Talmud, Tanakh, and more. Earning the nickname “The Jewish Socrates,” Shoshani was a figure devoted to inquiry yet steeped in mystery. On his grave it is written, “His birth and his life are sealed in enigma.” While most audiences might be unfamiliar with Shoshani, his students include Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel, who authored the mysterious epitaph of Shoshani’s tombstone.
It's ironic that a terminal diagnosis can often result in the recipient getting a new lease of life. Knowing exactly how limited your time is can make you determined to embrace life and go out smiling. Conversely, the loved ones of such people often sink into depression, unable to adopt the positive outlook of the friend, lover or family member they're set to lose, forced to put on a brave face while dying a little themselves.
I love horror. I’ve loved it since I was twelve and my friends from Boy Scouts showed me Friday the 13th for the first time. With almost a decade of experiencing the genre, I have learned that there are things more terrifying than jump scares and gore, for example, the fear of the unknown. Sure, the monster or crazed killer might be scary, but when you can’t see who- or what- is killing people, the viewer’s mind is left to fill in the blanks, projecting their own fears onto the antagonist and making it seem much scarier. Everything is more frightening when you’re in the dark, and Samuel Freeman’s Don’t Look in the Dark uses this aspect of horror to its fullest effect.
(ASBURY PARK, NJ) -- The ShowRoom and Asbury Park Movie Club present Remembering Reiner, a three-film retrospective celebrating the remarkable, genre-spanning career of filmmaker Rob Reiner, screening Wednesdays throughout February. The series includes screenings of This Is Spinal Tap, When Harry Met Sally, and The Princess Bride.
