Screenings take place in the Continental Ballroom
Dead Birds - Caught between being one of the boys and respecting the girl next door, a teenage boy must decide what kind of man he wants to be. Directed by Joe Thayer (00:08:21) World Premiere
The FAME Project: Journeys in Science - This documentary trailer follows New Jersey high school students over two years as they are welcome in Rutgers university science labs. Join these inquiring students as they meet researchers conducting cutting-edge science and direct short video stories featuring the scientists solving real world problems. Directed by Xenia K Morin, Sean Feuer, Dena Seidel (00:04:00)
Game Boys - When characters of her favorite video game come to life, Imani must choose between fighting and friendship or risk losing the game for the last time. Directed by Millie Munoz, Kylie Mundell, Ava Schneiderman (00:04:50)
Missy's Voice - Missy, a shy and bullied child, discovers her extraordinary singing voice, sparking a journey of perseverance and empowerment. As she grows, her voice becomes a beacon for children worldwide, transforming bullies into allies and proving that every voice matters. Backed by an original song and concept video, Missy’s Voice blends inspirational drama with social impact, making it ideal for schools, NGOs, families, and streaming audiences. It’s not just a story about overcoming bullying, it’s a movement designed to inspire global change. Directed by Joe Gawalis (00:17:02) Asbury Park Premiere
Piegirl - Chelsea Frost, better known as "PIEGIRL", brings the feeling of nostalgia one slice of pie at a time. But this is not your grandma's pie. It is an adventure of flavor, friendship, and joy. Directed by Daniel Quiyu (00:05:38) New Jersey Premiere
scapeG.O.A.T. - In this high school comedy, trivia master and future valedictorian Caimile Badu unfairly takes the blame for a school-wide cyber scandal, placing her college dreams and aspirations at risk. Her best friends Santiago Zayas and Ananya Wani must decide if they will exonerate Caimile or allow tensions in their friendship to take hold. scapeG.O.A.T. captures teen awkwardness, loyal friendship, and coming-of-age growth through a fresh POV, showing students of diaspora answer to the authority figures who unfairly misunderstand them. Directed by Erika Lobati (00:21:36) New Jersey Premiere
You Need To Smile More - Cassie, a recent university graduate, is struggling to find a job in her field. She feels stuck in her soul draining job, where her manager doesn’t care about his employees, he only cares about profits. Her home life is just as horrible, she lives with her narcissistic, unemployed father, who belittles her constantly even though he relies on her to pay the bills. Cassie feels powerless and trapped, the only place she feels solace is her car, where she can breathe. She soon comes to realise that she can’t keep living like this, that if no one will stand up for her, she must do it herself. Directedby Jasmine Lo (00:09:29) New Jersey Premiere
