A Look at Premieres at the 2026 Teaneck International Film Festival

Published by New Jersey Stage
originally published: 10/26/2026

(TEANECK, NJ) -- The 2026 Teaneck International Film Festival takes place November 5-12. During the festival, several films will be seen for the first time in the area. Some are Bergen County premieres, some are New Jersey premieres, and some are being seen for the first time on the East Coast!

Here is a look at the special screenings.

Alien: American Dream Denied - New Jersey Premiere! This film spotlights the emotional journey of high-skilled, documented immigrants as they seek permanence in a country that benefits from their talent, but denies them a home. Directed by Vidyut Latay, there will be a talkback with the filmmaker and NPZ Immigration Law Group. The screening is sponsored by NPZ Law Group.

Annie Turnbo Malone: The Untold Story - Opening Night - East Coast Premiere! Annie Minerva Turnbo Pope Malone is the Mother of the African-American Hair Care and Beauty Industry. Against rampant racism and sexism, she built an international enterprise in St. Louis, Missouri, in the early 20th century. By 1920 she was one of the wealthiest women in America. At the height of her success she employed an estimated 75,000 agents, mostly women, including Madam C. J. Walker. Her amazing but largely forgotten story comes to the screen in Annie Turnbo Malone: The Untold Story. Directed by Kim Love, there will be a talkback with the filmmaker, Demetrius Davis (executive producer), & Giovanni Joseph (executive producer). It will be moderated by Rehema Ellis (NBC News). The screening is sponsored by National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Bergen/Passaic Chapter.

Bea Arthur: The Documentary - "I've Done Everything Except Porn" - Centerpiece - New Jersey Premiere! This film reveals a more personal Bea Arthur: intensely private yet remarkably compassionate, wickedly funny, fiercely intelligent and deeply committed to causes she believed in. Featuring a never-before-seen interview, the film offers audiences a rare opportunity to hear the Emmy and Tony Award-winning star reflect on her life, work and extraordinary career. Directed by Dan Watt, there will be a talkback with the filmmaker, film’s producer/editor Lon Garelick, and Carl Siciliano, Founder and Executive Director of the Ali Forney Center. It will be moderated by Broadway producer Marc David Levine (Gemini Theatrical Investors). The screening is sponsored by Gemini Theatrical Investors, Marc David Levine.

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Buried Under Years of Dust - East Coast Premiere! How does someone go from not communicating for 25 years to narrating her life story? Buried Under Years of Dust traces the remarkable journey of Emily Grodin, a woman silenced by autism, finally finding her voice. Despite Emily’s increasing frustration, physical outbursts, and violent meltdowns, Emily’s parents never abandoned hope that their daughter would one day share her thoughts, feelings, and deep intelligence. Then, using a controversial assisted-typing technique, Emily had an extraordinary breakthrough. One of her first sentences was “I have been buried under years of dust.” In a time when American health officials call into question the value and contributions of people with autism, Emily has the mic, and she’s got a lot to say. Directed by Sophie Sartain, there will be a talkback with the filmmaker, Emily Grodin (subject of documentary) & Anna Villa-Bager (President of Marble Jam). It will be moderated by Maria Trice Jenkins (Marble Jam). The screening is sponsored by Marble Jam.

Call Me Micky - Bergen County Premiere! Executive produced by Dominique Jackson, CALL ME MICKY follows larger-than-life New Jersey native Micky Angelo Petrillo as he barrels into his next act after transitioning at 59. Now 62, he navigates reinvention, unexpected friendships, and the everyday absurdity of finally being seen — with humor, candor, and no intention of doing it quietly. Directed by Andrew Rasmussen, there will be a talkback with the filmmaker, subject of documentary, Micky Petrillo, and Executive Producer, Dominique Jackson (POSE/FX). It will be moderated by Brian Harlan Brooks.

The Choice - New Jersey Premiere! A haunting yet life-affirming film about reframing pain and the radical power of choice. It follows grieving mother Iris Haim as she mourns the loss of her son in the aftermath of October 7th and forms an unexpected bond with Dr. Edith Eger—a renowned psychologist, author, and Auschwitz survivor—whose hard-won wisdom guides her toward transformation. Directed by John David Coles, there will be a talkback with the filmmaker moderated by Barry Lichtenberg. The screening is sponsored by The Jewish Link.

The Dads - New Jersey Premiere! A group of dads building a movement to support their trans and gender expansive kids are forced to make an impossible choice amid a shifting political landscape: stay and fight or flee the country. Directed by Luchina Fisher, there will be a talkback with the filmmaker moderated by Brian Harlan Brooks. The screening is sponsored by Steven Finkelstein at Russo Real Estate of Teaneck, NJ.

Far Out: Life On & After the Commune - New Jersey Premiere! This film traces fifty years in the lives of a group of New England writers, activists and artists. It conveys how the 1960s counterculture, embodied in two rural communes, transformed America. The story begins when a group of radical journalists leave New York for a new life in the country and follows them from the back-to-the-land movement to a new discovery of political commitment. Directed by Charles Light, there will be a talkback with the filmmaker, Harvey Wasserman (writer), Verandah Porche (poet), & Patty Carpenter (composer). It will be moderated by Harvey Wasserman.

Free Joan Little - Bergen County Premiere! The story of the 1975 groundbreaking case of Joan Little who was the first woman in U.S. history to be acquitted for using deadly force to resist sexual assault. Joan was a Black incarcerated woman in North Carolina who killed her white prison guard who was trying to rape her. Little’s murder trial became a cause celebre bringing together prominent advocates, black power activists, white feminists and anti-death penalty activists while catalyzing a nationwide discussion on sexual assault. With rare archival footage, contemporary interviews and the folk anthem that carried her cause, Free Joan Little captures the spirit of resistance that made history. Directed by Yoruba Richen, there will be a talkback with the filmmaker. The screening is sponsored by League of Women Voters, Teaneck Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Bergen County Alumnae Chapter, YWCA Northern New Jersey, Ray & Edie Turkin.

Gaslit - Closing Night - New Jersey Premiere! As the world teeters on the brink of irreversible climate disaster, actor and activist Jane Fonda ventures deep into oil and gas country, meeting the people who are exposing the fossil fuel industry’s lies. Directed by Katie Camosy, there will be a talkback with the filmmaker and Paula Rogovin. The screening is sponsored by Teaneck Creek Conservancy.

Jane Elliott Against the World - Weekend Closing Night - New Jersey Premiere! A rural Iowa schoolteacher becomes a national voice against racism after leading a controversial 1968 lesson in discrimination with her all-white third-grade class. Now nearly 90, she refuses to hold back amid today’s fights about race, history, and power after a lifetime of speaking out. The film was directed by Judd Ehrlich. The film is sponsored by Women of Wisdom & Temple Emeth Social Action Committee.

The Lorraine - Bergen County Premiere! Urgent yet deeply joyful, The Lorraine is both a reckoning with the Civil Rights Movement’s unfinished legacy and a celebration of Black excellence and resilience. Acclaimed documentarian Sam Pollard digs into the story of The Lorraine Motel, shedding light on the forgotten history of a Black cultural institution that served as a safe haven for African Americans traveling during segregation and Jim Crow in the United States. With amazing archival footage and interviews, this documentary is an eye-opening experience that finally does justice to the legacy of The Lorraine. Directed by Sam Pollard, there will be a talkback with Alvin Hall (executive producer) and Anthony Johnson (7 ABC News) and other special guests. The screening is sponsored by Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Committee, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Bergen County Alumnae Chapter, ,YWCA Northern New Jersey, & Juneteenth Committee of Teaneck.

We Met at Grossingers - Teaneck Premiere! This is an immersive journey through the Jewish Catskills—once known as the Borscht Belt—reviving the iconic resort that inspired Dirty Dancing and defined an era of Jewish American life. Directed by Paula Eiselt, there will be a talkback with the filmmaker, Paula Eiselt and Susan Etess, granddaughter of Jennie and Harry Grossinger. It will be moderated by Sandee Brawarsky. The screening is sponsored by The Jewish Standard.

Women on Trial - East Coast Premiere! 1972. A landmark trial shakes France as young Marie-Claire is prosecuted for having an illegal abortion with the help of her mother and two other defendants. In a courtroom governed by men, the verdict seems inevitable: prison for the women, while the rapist goes unpunished. Their last hope lies with Gisèle Halimi, a fearless lawyer known for openly challenging patriarchy and confronting the system that condemns victims and lets perpetrators walk free. Alongside the accused, Gisèle will not only change their fate, but, against all odds, transform the condition of women forever. The film was directed by Lauriane Escaffre and Yvo Muller. The screening is sponsored by Senator Loretta Weinberg.

With the support of the nonprofit organization Puffin Foundation, Ltd., a small group of dedicated volunteers set out, more than 20 years ago, to create an event that would present a collection of compelling and imaginative feature-length films, documentaries, and shorts from a variety of cultures that would lead audiences to question, debate, and become caring and involved citizens who recognize the need to institute positive change. The Teaneck International Film Festival has found its niche on the film festival circuit, and, having been dubbed by the Star-Ledger, “the film festival with a social conscience,” is growing in reputation as well as numbers.