When it comes to documentaries, I often prefer those with a distinctive narrative, something provocative or emotional. Yet, The Storm & The Boats won me over in the first five minutes in a much different manner. The filmmaker Jody Small did not come with tissues, prepared to tell a heartfelt tale, but rather a calm and collected story where she presents a more objective, comprehensive view of what has happened in the past. It feels like someone you come across at the train station who has no makeup, no jewelry, no extravagant clothes or attitude, she looks at you with a peaceful look in the eyes, speaking with an even tone: “Wanna hear some stories?” And then, she would share with you the most heart-touching experiences.

In this documentary about COVID-19, the lens is focused on the ordinary people living in New Jersey who fought hard battles. Some share their fears as a mother witnessing her son facing the disease alone and herself having no power over the unexpected; some tell the hardship of families having limited food supplies; and some recall the day-to-day wars combating as medical workers. The narrative is anything but grand and phenomenal. But when movies don’t bother to feature an epic orchestra as the background music, the true voices become even clearer.

The filmmakers approached the topic with a scientist’s exploring spirit and conducted the research like a war correspondent. I find it hard to believe that the producer/director, Jody Small, began her filming during the first year of the pandemic to pursue authenticity to capture the still vivid memory. I was immediately impressed by the interviewees’ varied backgrounds, participation, and experiences in the pandemic from all perspectives – can you imagine the consideration it must have taken to find the best representatives? Just like the name of the film suggests, we are in the same storm but not the same boat. But for a documentary with compressed stories, filming the right person is like looking for a pearl in the ocean. Furthermore, a topic such as this touches people’s softest spots, sometimes even needing to tear off healing scars in front of the camera. It takes effort to find the speakers, and it takes bravery to speak up.

Despite Small already giving an explanation of the film’s title in an EBTV interview with the New Jersey Film Festival, I cannot help but connect this documentary to The Old Man and the Sea, which oaths the perseverance, resilience, and the human spirit’s ability to endure hardships in the face of the nature, a power that lies within all. I was genuinely touched when I saw Small’s passion for capturing ordinary New Jersey residents' personal stories and raw emotions. It reminded me of why I, like many others, wish to pursue a career in individual filmmaking or journalism: Whether it’s under the gigantic wave of the times or the dust of trivial life, the highlight is too often on those who stand out, and the vast majority somehow become muted. For the most common yet nonetheless lovely neighbors not to be marginalized and forgotten, there needs to be cameras and filmmakers considerate and caring enough to dig for the diamond hiding in each and every one of us.

The Storm & The Boats screens with the two shorts Joy Waldinger’s Embryo and Alexander S. White and Cynthia N. White’s Crowboy at the Spring 2025 New Jersey Film Festival on Saturday, February 8. All these filmmakers will be present to do a Q+A after the screening. There will also be a panel discussion on The Storm and The Boats. The film will be Online for 24 Hours on this show date and In-Person at 7 PM in Voorhees Hall #105/Rutgers University, 71 Hamilton Street, New Brunswick, NJ.

Tickets are available for purchase here 

The Rutgers Film Co-op/New Jersey Media Arts Center, in association with the Rutgers University Program in Cinema Studies, is proud to present the Spring 2025 New Jersey Film Festival which marks our 43rd Anniversary. The Festival will be taking place on select Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays between January 24-February 21, 2025. The Festival will be a hybrid one as we will be presenting it online as well as doing in-person screenings at Rutgers University. All the films will be available virtually via Video on Demand for 24 hours on their show date. Each General Admission Ticket or Festival Pass purchased is good for both the virtual and the in-person screenings. Plus, we are very proud to announce that acclaimed singer-songwriter Renee Maskin will be doing an audio-visual concert on Friday, October 18 at 7PM! The in-person screenings and the Renee Maskin concert will be held in Voorhees Hall #105/Rutgers University, 71 Hamilton Street, New Brunswick, NJ beginning at 5PM or 7PM on their show date.  General Admission Ticket=$15 Per Program; Festival All Access Pass=$120; In-Person Show Student Ticket=$10 Per Program. Ticket buyers will also have special access to Filmmaker Introductions and Q+A Sessions for many of the films.  

For more info, go here