Imagine waking up on a day like any other and being told you were going to die within two years, for Agata di Masternak this was her reality. Faces of Agata is an incredibly beautiful film following Agata as she undergoes countless surgeries in an attempt to cure a cavernous hemangioma in her cheek and jaw. Agata is an incredibly captivating subject, sharing vulnerable stories of living with the ever-present threat of death and wearing her heart on her sleeve as she discusses her fears, hopes, and frustrations with her situation.

Not only does Agata’s medical journey keep viewers enthralled and hoping for the best, but her doctor’s appointments and surgeries are consistently intercut with the multimedia artworks that she creates in order to cope with her diagnosis and struggles. These incredibly beautiful and emotionally driven pieces act as a further view into her psyche as she creates self-portraits portraying her feelings about herself, her hemangioma, and her feelings about death. Striking juxtapositions of art supplies with medical equipment further emphasize the interconnectivity of her artistic passions as a method of coping and understanding herself. Furthermore, her emotional and medical journey is paired with some somberly beautiful artistic imagery of Agata in situations where she’s faced near death experiences or gone into surgeries.

Overall Faces of Agata is an exceptional film that I would recommend to everybody. While the imagery is fantastic and the stories she shares are incredibly captivating, it is truly the grace and authenticity of Agata as she continues to get back up after being knocked down and remains determined to live life to the fullest in the face of her death sentence at such a young age that truly makes this film a must watch.

Faces of Agata screens at the 2025 New Jersey International Film Festival on Sunday, June 8th.  The film will be Online for 24 Hours and In-Person at 5 PM in Voorhees Hall #105/Rutgers University, 71 Hamilton Street, New Brunswick, NJ. Tickets are available for purchase here.

The 30th annual New Jersey International Film Festival will be taking place between May 30-June 13, 2025. The Festival will be a hybrid one as we will be presenting it online as well as doing select in-person screenings at Rutgers University. All the films will be available virtually via Video on Demand for 24 hours on their show date. VOD start times are at 12 Midnight Eastern USA. Each General Admission Ticket or Festival Pass purchased is good for both the virtual and the in-person when both are offered. Plus, we are very proud to announce that acclaimed singer-songwriter Mike Kovacs will be doing an audio-visual concert on Friday, June 13 at 7PM! The in-person screenings and the Mike Kovacs 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 Only Student Ticket=$10 Per Program.

For more info go here: https://2025newjerseyinternationalfilmfestival.eventive.org/welcome