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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
71 Hamilton Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901

Screening at the New Jersey International Film Festival - available online for 24 hours starting at midnight with an in-person screening at 7:00pm

8 films in this package

Godzilla’s Day Off - Myra Sito Velasquez (New York, New York). Even monsters need to chillax! 2025; 3 min.



Miracle Under 34th Street - Owen Andrejco (Jersey City, New Jersey). Deep in depths under 34th Street Herald Square subway station, two meager rats spark an explosion of joy, warmth and material goodness. Miracle Under 34th Street is a hand-drawn with pencil on paper, created while I was living in Astoria, Queens. During my daily commute, I would sometimes bring my drawings to animate while on the W Train, the MTA line that plays a starring role in this short animation.2025; 2 min.



Paper Crane – Michael Amter (Somerset, New Jersey). A humble effort to honor Sadako Sasaki for the 80th anniversary of the historic events in Hiroshima and Nagasaki forever changing the world. Profoundly moved by her tremendous story. The creation of 1000 paper cranes to obtain a special wish, an attempt to save one’s life. An extraordinary display of grace, courage, dignity, and creativity in human history. This experimental animation is intended to be childlike as a reflection of Sadako Sasaki’s youth - as well as short in duration to contemplate this brief life. A memorial study inspired by the devotion to the traditional origami art form. 2025; 3 min.



Prison and Time – Evan Bode (Syracuse, New York). Filmmaker Evan Bode animates excerpts of an essay by writer & activist Marvin Wade, who speaks personally about his 25 years of incarceration—and the growth he achieved in spite of, not because of, the inhumane prison system around him. This collaboration was produced by Project Mend, an organization in Central New York which celebrates the lives and creative work of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people as well as other individuals impacted by the criminal legal system. 2025; 7 min.



35 Days – Heidi Kumao (Ann Arbor, Michigan). 35 Days is an experimental, stop motion animation about what happens when a coalition of strangers answers the call to locate a missing cat during the pandemic lockdown of 2020. Created frame-by-frame using fabric cutouts and thread. 2025; 7 min.



I Exist – Martin Del Carpio (New York, New York). Jordan wakes up in a hospital after another night full of decadence and finds himself facing two very mysterious strangers who are not what they appear to be. Will it be too late for him? An existential horror film. 2025; 15 min.



Pizza Man – Sebastian Hunt (New York, New York). Overwhelmed by the evil forces of apathy and ennui, a struggling cartoonist is visited by his first (and greatest) creation: The Phenomenal Pizza Man. 2025; 16 min.



Dustsceawung – Matues Luna (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). A frustrated and heartbroken writer discovers that his robot vacuum shredded his rejected book into his own poetry, dedicated to the house’s Alexa. Fascinated, the man feeds the new author with the classics, but claims the work as his own, sparking a surreal clash between authorship, love, and cleaning. In Portuguese, subtitled. 2025; 21 min.




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UPCOMING EVENTS




 

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EVENT PREVIEWS

(NEWARK, NJ) -- New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) presents a Spring Season of Jazz with free monthly jazz jams at Clement's Place and two special concert events inside the Victoria Theater. This series, running from September through June, is co-presented by NJPAC's Jazz Advisory Committee and Rutgers University–Newark's Institute of Jazz Studies (IJS). Immerse yourself in the relaxing sounds of jazz music that stimulate the players’ and listeners' minds.



PBS'

PBS' Independent Lens Launches 20th Season of Free Pop-Up Screening Series in Teaneck and Nationwide

(TEANECK, NJ) -- The award-winning PBS documentary series, INDEPENDENT LENS, presents the launch of the upcoming season of Indie Lens Pop-Up in partnership with the Teaneck International Film Festival and the Puffin Cultural Forum. The season kicks-off on February 4, 2026 with The Librarians and continues through May. The series is free for all but sign up is required.



State

State Theatre New Jersey presents The Sound Studio Series 2026

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey proudly presents The Sound Studio Series, an immersive musical experience that places concertgoers at the very heart of the performance. Held in STNJ's intimate Studio space, limited to just 80 attendees, The Sound Studio Series features a dynamic mix of both classical and rock performances. Each concert concludes with an exclusive post-show meet-and-greet with the artists, offering fans a rare opportunity to connect directly with the performers. Tickets for the series are $20-$30.



Megan

Megan Thee Stallion to make her Broadway debut in "Moulin Rouge! The Musical"

(NEW YORK, NY) -- Producers of the Tony Award®-winning, record-breaking Broadway hit Moulin Rouge! The Musical have announced that three-time Grammy Award-winning superstar and actress Megan Thee Stallion will make her Broadway debut in the production as "Zidler", impresario of the titular nightclub. Taking the stage for a strictly limited 8-week engagement, Megan will light up the Al Hirshfeld Theatre from Tuesday, March 24th to Sunday, May 17, 2026, promising an unmissable, moment in the show's legendary run.



Paper

Paper Mill Playhouse presents "1776"

(MILLBURN, NJ) -- Paper Mill Playhouse presents 1776, the Tony Award-winning musical, from April 1 through May 2, 2026. It brings the story behind the creation of the Declaration of Independence to the stage with witty satire, compelling drama, and a thrilling score. With music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards and book by Peter Stone, 1776 follows John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and their fellow delegates as they navigate fiery debates, political tensions, and personal conflicts in their struggle to unite thirteen colonies.












LATEST COLUMNS


This Week in Comedy: April 21-27, 2026

Here's a look at comedy shows taking place across the state from April 21 to April 27, 2026. New Jersey Stage compiles this list from comedy clubs, casinos, and performing arts centers.




BlowUpRadio.com's New & Notable NJ Music 4/20/26

Lazlo, founder of BlowUpRadio.com (an online radio station based around New Jersey artists), shines a light on some of the many new releases from NJ based musicians each week with this column. This week Lazlo takes a look at new releases by Petal Aggression, Francesca Fuentes, Loose Panic, Fate-Touched, Rhonette Smith, ILL-ADVISED, and 1adam12. Plus a look back at "Jerry Ryan" by The Deafening Colors.




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The Makin Waves Song of the Week is "Once I Wake Up" from "The Sting of the Blade," the recently released sophomore full-length from Central Jersey singer-songwriter Sam Tunkel.




This Week in Music

Here is a look at shows taking place this week along with our featured listings and a look at some upcoming shows. New Jersey Stage offers previews of concerts throughout the Garden State as well as select shows in New York City and Philadelphia areas