GDIFF 2017 Program

⸙

⸙

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Note from Our Founder ........................................................ 3 About the Festival ................................................................ 4 Board Members ................................................................... 5 Meet the Judges ................................................................... 7 Screening Schedule ........................................................... 11 Official Selections Guide.................................................... 16 Film Blocks ........................................................................ 17 Feature Films ..................................................................... 31 Short Films ......................................................................... 36 Venues............................................................................... 37

⸙

⸙

A NOTE FROM OUR FOUNDER, BILL SORVINO

⸙

⸙

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

⸙

⸙

BOARD MEMBERS Executive Board Officers:     

Advisory Board Members:                      

⸙

⸙

      

   

⸙

⸙

⸙

⸙

⸙

⸙

⸙

⸙

⸙

⸙

THE 2017 GOLDEN DOOR INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL SCREENING SCHEDULE

Landmark Loew’s Theatre, 54 Journal Square 6:00 PM

OPENING GALA

8:00 PM

The Girl Who Invented Kissing

Page

16

PJ Ryan's Squared, 4 Path Plaza 10:00 PM

AFTER PARTY

Landmark Loew’s Theatre, 54 Journal Square JC Filmmakers of Tomorrow: A Very Bad Day / Dread / Dream On / Eye Contact / Family Torn / Go To Guidance / Grief / Honest Beauty / 4:00 PM Is Cheer-leading a Sport? / Reverie Train / Spot / The Revision / Where R U From RED CARPET: Five-Finger Discount / The Beacon of Jersey City / 7:00 PM Derek's Friends

PJ Ryan’s Squared, 4 Path Plaza 10:00 PM

AFTER PARTY

⸙

⸙

Page 18-19

17

Saint Peter’s University, Pope Lecture Hall, 115 Glenwood Ave

Page

4:00 PM

A Blind Hero - The Love of Otto Weidt

31

6:00 PM

I Am Still Here

31

Saint Peter’s University, Dinneen Hall, 2641 JFK Blvd

Page

4:00 PM

Urbex: A Memoir

31

6:00 PM

Reach for the SKY

32

The Beacon Paramount Theater, 20 Beacon Way 4:00 PM

Programming Hope with Working on the Spectrum Panel

JCTC Merseles Studios, 339 Newark Ave

Page 28

Page

4:00 PM

Entrepreneurs Block: Pizza Shop / Rake / Silent Heroes

27

6:00 PM

The Race of Gentlemen

31

Landmark Loew’s Theatre, 54 Journal Square 12:00 PM Life Hack / Wake

Page 31, 36

2:00 PM

Heather Booth / We Breathe Again

33

4:00 PM

Blue Eyes Block: Shoot Me Nicely / The Pleasure of Being Served / Dead Ringer / The Immaculate Misconception / Young Blue Eyes

26

7:00 PM

RED CARPET: Almost Paris

17

⸙

⸙

PJ Ryan’s Squared, 4 Path Plaza 10:00 PM AFTER PARTY

Saint Peter’s University, Pope Lecture Hall, 115 Glenwood Ave

Page

1:00 PM

BIRD / Sleepwalker

32, 36

3:00 PM

I AM SHAKESPEARE / Brooklyn in July

33, 36

5:00 PM

On the 7th Date Block: FAW / Easy, a 3 minute love story / On the 7th Date Saint Peter’s University, Dinneen Hall, 2641 JFK Blvd

1:00 PM

3:00 PM

Student Dark and Lonely Block: BLURRY / Question 3 / Rabbit Blood / Running Condition / 555-SEXY / Big Joe's Big Slice / Lonely souls of microbes Inspirational / Christian Block: Blind Faith / The Last Doctor / A Battling Body / Family Rewritten / Fueling Fierce: The Shannon Heil Story / The Mustard Seed / Roll Call: A Dance Story The Beacon Paramount Theater, 20 Beacon Way

12:00 PM

3:00 PM 5:00 PM

Autism Block with Sibling Panel: To Speak on Canvas / Pousette and the Pirates (The Journey of A Show) / The Spectrum / Amazing Things Happen / Off the Rails / Twin Brothers Worlds Apart / Grounded Freeman Velocity Dark Side Block: Based on True Events / Millennials & Hypochondriacs / Flush The John / Lost Dogs / Shit List / Danni Good Bones / Frame of Reference

25

Page 21

24

Page

29

22 32, 36

JCTC Merseles Studios, 339 Newark Ave

Page

12:00 PM

Finding Eden / Addle Strife

32, 36

2:00 PM

Let's Kill Grandpa This Christmas / The Other Side of Love

34, 36

4:00 PM

Cassette / Jersey Christmas

35, 36

6:00 PM

Black Luck

34

⸙

⸙

Liberty State Park Train Terminal, 200 Morris Pesin Drive

Page

1:00 PM

Date Night Block: Rolling / The Tramcar Girl / Language is Dead / The Waiting Room / The Turtle

25

3:00 PM

Family Issues Block: Coney Island Dreaming / NO TIME TO CHANGE MY MIND / Secrets, A Coming of Age, Selfie Film / The Last Visit / Etymology / Bardo /Here's The Story: A Family Disease / Guin

23

5:00 PM

I, Timon

32

Landmark Loew’s Theatre, 54 Journal Square 12:00 PM

Refugees Block: Cries from Syria / Dignity for Immigrant Detainees / Hotel USA

Page 28

PJ Ryan's Squared, 4 Path Plaza 10:00 PM

AFTER PARTY

Saint Peter’s University, Pope Lecture Hall, 115 Glenwood Ave 2:00 PM

The Last Smile

Page 35

Saint Peter’s University, Dinneen Hall, 2641 JFK Blvd

Page

12:00 PM

I Can't... I Have Rehearsal

34

1:00 PM

Student Society Block: Grassroots Cabaret: the Story of La-Ti-Do / Happy Birthday Luke / The Next Epoch Seed Library / Unforgotten Thinking Body Positive / Give Love / Prom?

19

⸙

⸙

2:00 PM

Student Family Matters Block: Fitzgerald / Images / Addictions / Someone's Hero / Runaways

20

4:00 PM

The Bullish Farmer

35

The Beacon Paramount Theater, 20 Beacon Way 12:00 PM

Attitude Live Block: My Perfect Family: Meet the Asners / Philip's Puppets / Being Me: Alix / Josh Flannagan: Horse Whisperer

3:00 PM

One By One / Imaginary Mothers

Page 30 34, 33

JCTC Merseles Studios, 339 Newark Ave

Page

12:00 PM

Dominika Block: Andy Wooff's Birthday / Surrender / DOMINIKA

22

2:00 PM

THRU Block: THRU / SOUP / Power of Prayer

27

More detailed maps for Saint Peter’s locations and the Beacon Theatre can be found online via our film schedule and in the “Venues” section of the program

⸙

⸙

© Google Maps 2017

2017 OFFICIAL SELECTIONS GUIDE OPENING GALA FEATURE The Girl Who Invented Kissing

A nameless, pill-popping drifter girl steps off a bus and into a New Jersey neighborhood bar owned by two middle-age brothers, Jimmy and Victor. She quickly befriends older brother Victor-a good-natured lummox whose mind was affected as the result of a childhood accident. The mysterious Girl soon upsets the delicate balance of the brother's lives while bringing both trouble and new life into the world of these resigned characters.

THURSDAY, 10/05, 7:00 PM AT THE LANDMARK LOEW’S THEATRE

⸙

⸙

FRIDAY NIGHT RED CARPET FEATURE Almost Paris

Almost grown-up. Almost sorry.

Almost love. In the wake of the mortgage-lending crisis, a former banker returns to his hometown.

Faced with his family and childhood friends— and seeing the impact of his actions— our hero learns to show up and give back to those he loves in ways that are priceless.

SATURDAY, 10/07, 7:00 PM AT THE LANDMARK LOEW’S THEATRE

SATURDAY’S RED CARPET SELECTIONS FIVE-FINGER DISCOUNT BLOCK Derek's Friends

The Beacon of Jersey City

Derek must let go of peculiar friends, in this tale of arrested development.

A short 12 minute Documentary that explores the history of this hidden gem of Jersey City, NJ

Five-Finger Discount: A Crooked Family History

Growing up in a family of crooks in a city emblazoned with crime and corruption is one thing; getting out is a whole other story. The documentary Five-Finger Discount is based on Helene Stapinski's best-selling memoir about growing up in a family whose 4 generations of murderers, swindlers, bookies, corrupt politicians and mobster wannabes made their way in Jersey City, New Jersey, the poster child for 20th century urban sleaze.

FRIDAY, 10/06, 7:00 PM AT THE LANDMARK LOEW’S THEATRE

⸙

⸙

FILM BLOCKS JERSEY CITY FILMMAKERS OF TOMORROW Where R U From

Dread

Dream On

WhereRUFrom (2016) is a selfportrait of the artist‘s origins, her true beginning. Curiosity about childbirth and chromosomal sex determination inspired the project‘s narrative.

Dread is about a girl who is trying to find an extracurricular activity that she excels at. Unfortunately, her search proves to be far more difficult than she originally imagined.

An inspirational, New York and sports centric short film that describes the struggle of actually making it big as an athlete in the city. It describes the reality of how difficult things are.

Eye Contact

Family Torn

The Revision

While in the school library, students are forced to communicate using only eye contact and body language.

Short film about a young girl who goes through the struggle of losing her father to the deportation services.

The Revision is about a high school boy who has an encounter with Death, herself.

Grief

Honest Beauty

A Very Bad Day

Wes Donovan, a college freshman, is confronted with the suicide of his high school love, and must face what her actions mean for his future.

This documentary portrays brief interviews with beautiful girls found at Bayonne High School.

Though they all have different personalities, they're united by a common voice; each one of them has been burdened with insecurities. So now, they gather up the courage to explain how the popularized definition of beauty has affected them.

A story of a young boy who wants nothing more than to have a good day. Even if someone else ends up having a bad day.

⸙

⸙

Reverie Train

Spot

A man gets on a literal train of thought and reflects on a past relationship.

A lonely housewife has unexpected guest for dinner.

Go To Guidance

an

The struggles of a high school student as they tackle junior year.

Is Cheer-leading a Sport?

The age old question. Is cheer-leading a sport? You decide!

FRIDAY, 10/06, 4:00 PM AT THE LANDMARK LOEW’S THEATRE

STUDENT SOCIETY BLOCK Grassroots Cabaret: the Story of La-Ti-Do

Prom?

An inside look at the process of putting together a weekly Washington DC cabaret show that combines musical theatre and spoken word performances

Inspired by true events, "Prom?" tells the story of two girls who have to choose to keep their pride or give in, in order to go to the prom together.

Unforgotten

Thinking Body Positive

A girl, haunted by the death of her best friend, must learn to forgive and forget.

A short film about loving your body and yourself.

⸙

⸙

The Next Epoch Seed Library

Two artist activists use the seeds of 'spontaneous urban plants' as a lens for discussions about land use, climate change and evolution, challenging the anthropocentric notions of value, ownership, and indigeneity along the way.

Give Love

Answering the troubling events that led to the rise of Black Lives Matter.

Happy Birthday Luke An awareness short film for "Drunk Driving" among youth.

SUNDAY, 10/08, 1:00 PM AT SAINT PETER’S UNIVERSITY DINNEEN HALL

STUDENT FAMILY MATTERS BLOCK Fitzgerald

Images

Runaways

Years after the end of their relationship, famous photographer Phil Fitzgerald is visited by an enigmatic woman who changes his life forever.

A young man dealing with his affliction is faced with a choice between normalcy and happiness.

After making a rash decision, Emma is faced with the harrowing consequences, so she reaches out to her boyfriend, Lucas, for help.

Someone's Hero

Addictions

Darren Hale a strong-willed young man struggles with his direction in life while living in the overwhelming shadow of his older brother‘s heroics and untimely death. Overzealous and inept, Darren washes out of the police academy yet again and fails to prove himself to a disappointed and demanding father. Alone, adrift, and forced to move on, Darren finally finds his path when an unexpected accident brings his true calling into focus.

Peter: a narcissistic lawyer who found mechanical happiness in power, money, and sex. Betsy: a depressed young woman smashed by fast paced, individualistic society, who passes the time getting high and being miserable. Annette: a want-to-be artist who is too scared to challenge herself. She spends days and nights in front of screens. All begin their New York City day as usual, nothing but surviving, but Betsy can't bear this non-living anymore.

⸙

⸙

SUNDAY, 10/08, 2:00 PM AT THE SAINT PETER’S UNIVERSITY DINNEEN HALL

STUDENT DARK AND LONELY BLOCK Lonely souls of microbes

Question 3

Rabbit Blood

A person is constantly changing in every moment of their life and yet remains the same. No matter how lucky, young or even in love we are, we bear our loneliness inside at all times.

17 year old William, with an extraordinary love for maths, struggles to work out the equation with his childhood friend.

Just an ordinary day at an old mysterious Turkish country house where its residents have an extraordinary way of brewing tea.

Running Condition

555-SEXY

Big Joe's Big Slice

An obscure birth defect left Julian‘s eyes highly sensitive to light. When he hires Katherine, a short-term assistant, an unexpected friendship blossoms.

But his carefully constructed world begins to destabilize when his feelings for her intensify.

―555-SEXY‖ is an absurdist dark comedy following dysfunctional middle-aged couple the Brussells, who both participate in extramarital affairs on the same night.

In an effort to reconnect with his ex-girlfriend, August makes a surprise trip to New York City. With his overnight bag packed and guitar in hand, he sheepishly knocks on her door.

BLURRY

A young man cannot see his demise.

SATURDAY, 10/07, 1:00 PM AT SAINT PETER’S DINNEEN HALL

⸙

⸙

DARK SIDE BLOCK Millennials & Hypochondriacs

Shit List

Flush The John

Kira and Grace are two off beat med students who moonlight as hired assassins for a black market organs broker. They select their victims from a list of people who've wronged them.

A devoted wife and mother deals with the repercussions of her husband‘s public arrest. Flush the John takes us through the aftermath of a highly publicized Long Island prostitution sting and the impact it has on one marriage in particular.

An aimless hypochondriac visits a doctor and gets some horrendous news. Startled, he finally tries to make the most out of his life, or what‘s left of it.

Lost Dogs

Based on True Events

Danni

A woman ridiculed by her family longs to escape. Striking a deal with her brother to clear his illegal debt, she delves deeper into darkness

A writer struggles with her marriage as she connects deeper with her story than with her husband.

Danni goes on a journey to explore relationship addiction and seeks to find out at what cost does one become "clean" - or not

SATURDAY, 10/07, 3:00 PM AT THE BEACON PARAMOUNT THEATRE

DOMINIKA BLOCK Andy Wooff's Birthday

Surrender

DOMINIKA

Andy Wooff wakes up every day stuck in a cycle. Rest, get money, shoot up heroin and repeat. Today is his Birthday.

An alcoholic struggles to get through the day in a surreal and frightening world where his inner demons appear real. Haunted by his worst fears, his sanity starts to slip, as does what little control he has left over his addiction.

An unusual baby, a girl named Dominica, was dumped off to a perspective architect Kostia. Every time Kostia gets angry - the baby grows up...

SUNDAY, 10/08, 12:00 PM AT THE JCTC MERSELES STUDIOS ⸙

⸙

FAMILY ISSUES BLOCK Coney Island Dreaming

BARDO

Secrets, A Coming of Age, Selfie Film

A young girl is attracted to the magic and beauty of Coney Island as she dreams of escaping the harsh reality of her circumstances.

After a long night working the New York City streets as a taxi driver, Johnny finds himself frustrated, on edge, and seeking an escape.

The Last Visit

Guin

NO TIME TO CHANGE MY MIND

An accidental meeting between a recently widowed man and a young girl will change both of their lives forever.

A 20-something comes home to visit at Christmas after losing her dream job in New York City.

Tom is alone in the house they shared and contemplating leaving his partner, Adam.

Here's The Story: A Family Disease

Based on Secrets, Diary of a Gutsy Tween, this 10 minute film takes the audience on the complicated roller coaster ride of being 13.

Etymology SATURDAY, 10/07, 3:00 PM

When she was 19, Alicia Cook lost her cousin Jessica to a heroin overdose. Before she died, Jessica, fearing she wouldn't make it out alive, asked Alicia to write about the disease of addiction and the epidemic of heroin abuse. Jessica's story will be told on Here's The Story: A Family Disease.

AT THE LIBERTY STATE PARK TRAIN TERMINAL

⸙

⸙

Etymology follows Catherine and her daughter Millie during the build-up to an important spelling bee.

But as preparations gather pace, so does the pressure, and soon the veil of perfection begins to slip.

INSPIRATIONAL / CHRISTIAN BLOCK Roll Call: A Dance Story

Fueling Fierce: The Shannon Heil Story

A Battling Body

This documentary film follows a group of young wheelchair-using ballroom dance students through the day to day challenges and joys of their passion for dance as they transcend their various disabilities to put on an originally choreographed gala dance show with the help of a U.S. Champion dancer.

In July 2013, Shannon Heil was killed in a car accident in Burrillville, RI. She was 18.

"Fueling Fierce" is about how people chose to honor her tragic death by inspiring and investing in humanity.

"A Battling Body" is the story of a fight : a one minute choreography to illustrate a whole life, a young life, hampered by multiple sclerosis , stopped in its tracks by violent and unpredictable outbreaks. A musical and poetic short film to talk about the disease another way.

Blind Faith

The Last Doctor

The Mustard Seed

Imagine meeting Jesus. What would you say to him? Would you recognize him?

That‘s the conundrum facing a man like Henry Mickels.

This documentary carries a story from a 76 year-life, a life that has spanned being a 16 year-old high school drop out to being one of the best diagnosticians in the world.

In The Mustard Seed, a woman devastated by the loss of her husband, son and his family, struggles to heal and unexpectedly discovers a separate spiritual dimension.

Family Rewritten

Painful portrait of circumstances precipitating foster care and those offering help.

SATURDAY, 10/07, 3:00 PM AT SAINT PETER’S UNIVERSITY, DINNEEN HALL

⸙

⸙

DATE NIGHT BLOCK The Waiting Room

The Tramcar Girl

Language is Dead

A woman waiting for her husband to arrive in heaven is surprised when he shows up with his second wife.

A young woman rescues a man buried up to his neck in sand on the beach. She is immediately smitten, but he runs away before she can say anything.

Music and misadventure in the haze of the boardwalk lights.

When words fail to describe his feelings a man seeks the aid of a therapist; the two then embark on a journey exploring human connectivity and its limitations.

Rolling

The Turtle SATURDAY, 10/07, 1:00 PM

Unable to commit to a serious relationship at a young age, Ben keeps his best friend Molly at a distance. After their relationship inevitably hits a wall and he sees her once again years later, Ben is forced to reconcile with the decisions he made in his past.

AT THE LIBERTY STATE PARK TRAIN TERMINAL

Leo, ten years old, is getting ready for school by himself.

Bastien, Leo's big brother, is still at an after-party. He knows everybody here, he's in his element. But this morning, in the grim bathroom of this nightclub, he meets Julie.

ON THE 7TH DATE BLOCK FAW

Easy, a 3 minute love story

On the 7th Date

Frida receives a call from an ex-boyfriend.

She goes with the hope of reviving what they left months ago, but the game turns out to be something totally unexpected for her.

Two high school guys are in love.

One's Christian, one's Jewish. A father disapproves, the other's parents are thrilled. Who cares that it's not perfect? They got this.

On the 7th date, Tara and Shawn find that their relationship is going nowhere.

So they decide to come to terms with it and spend their last night together being their true selves, but as the evening unravels and things begin spiraling out of control, the two begin to realize that their ideal selves may not be who they imagined.

SATURDAY, 10/07, 5:00 PM AT SAINT PETER’S UNIVERSITY, POPE LECTURE HALL ⸙

⸙

BLUE EYES BLOCK Shoot Me Nicely

The Pleasure of Being Served

Dead Ringer

Shoot Me Nicely starring John Behlmann, William Sadler, Linda Hamilton and Tasie Lawrence, is the story of a fashion photographer who loses his elite magazine job, plunging him into a downward spiral of odd jobs and celebrity chasing.

ROSA, an undocumented immigrant from the Philippines is a single mother trying to save enough money to bring her young son Richard in to the U.S. She works for HUDSON, a rich, young American as a domestic worker.

Part of her job is to juggle logistics between his two girlfriends LYNN, a fellow Filipina, and JEN an American who don't know about each other and visit him on alternating weekends.

Madeline's twin sister has gone missing. In order to find clues to her sister's whereabouts, Madeline impersonates her twin, entering a nightmarish world full of sex & dangerous suspects.

The Immaculate Misconception

Belief, family and honor. Sinead, underage, pregnant and a virgin, lives with her grandparents. Her grandmother, the matriarch of this dysfunctional family and a pious Catholic, will stop at nothing to get this birth proclaimed immaculate.

Young Blue Eyes SATURDAY, 10/07, 4:00 PM It was 1938 and Frank Sinatra's troubles with women were just beginning.

⸙

⸙

AT THE LOEW’S LANDMARK THEATRE

THRU BLOCK Power of Prayer

SOUP

THRU

A lone cowboy comes across an innocent girl as two men try to rape her. After he saves her, they swear they'll be back with more men and guns. When he brings her back to her kin, he learns that they are pacifists.

They claim they "don‘t not need guns; they have the power of prayer.‖

A pregnant woman struggles with frightening illusions brought on by birth pangs as she makes a pot of soup.

A series of late night massacres at local bars has a neighborhood on edge. With the culprits still at large, it's a dangerous night to be out drinking at Franks Tavern.

Nevertheless, a few die-hard regulars decide to tempt fate and take their chances.

SUNDAY, 10/08, 2:00 PM AT THE JCTC MERSELES STUDIOS

ENTREPRENEURS BLOCK The Silent Heroes

Homegrown screen-printing company shares their story.

Rake: Stories from the clam-digger

Pizza Shop: An ItalianAmerican Dream

Highlands, New Jersey is the leading producer of hand harvested clams on United States east coast.

Commercial Clamdiggers share their story of a life dedicated to clamming on the Sandy Hook Bay.

What is an immigrant's typical experience in America? How does he envision the American Dream, how does he strive towards its promise of a better life for himself and his children? What does he sacrifice, and what does he gain?

FRIDAY, 10/06, 4:00 PM AT THE JCTC MERSELES STUDIOS

⸙

⸙

REFUGEES BLOCK Dignity for Immigrant Detainees: First Friends of NJ & NY

Dignity for Immigrant Detainees: First Friends of NJ & NY chronicles the heart-wrenching journey of asylumseekers and refugees who have found themselves in the clutches of New Jersey's for-profit immigrant detention centers, as well as the courageous activists who are seeking to restore their dignity from the other side of the prison walls.

Filmed over the course of two years

by Mike McLean, an award-winning activist, filmmaker, and teacher, this short documentary illuminates the gamut of emotions endured in New Jersey's struggle for immigrant rights, and challenges audiences to confront the hidden injustices of our region‘s detention centers.

Hotel U.S.A.

Cries from Syria

An airport motel off of I-95 is an unlikely haven for asylum seekers during their first hours in America. And yet, after their long journeys, this is where many refugees will spend their very first night in this country, before taking connecting flights to their final point of resettlement. Their journeys, organized by the International Organization for Migration, a non-governmental agency, are long and exhausting. When they finally arrive on our shores, a new life filled with uncertainty lies ahead.

CRIES FROM SYRIA focuses on child protesters, revolution icons, activists and their relatives, and high-ranking Army generals who defected to join the fight of the people. It tells the story of the Syrian people who have never lost hope. This film will take the audience on a unique journey in time, from Syria to Turkey, through Jordan, Lebanon and Europe. We will see the situation from the inside out, and through the CRIES FROM SYRIA

SUNDAY, 10/08, 12:00 PM AT THE LANDMARK LOEW’S THEATRE

PROGRAMMING HOPE BLOCK Programming Hope

Working on the Spectrum Panel A discussion centered on the autism spectrum; the panelists will share their work experiences and take questions from the audience.

Inspired by his son, a race-car driver's life suddenly shifts gears when he embarks on a hi-tech mission to employ adults with autism.

THURSDAY, 10/05, 7:00 PM AT THE LANDMARK LOEW’S THEATRE

⸙

⸙

AUTISM BLOCK WITH SIBLING PANEL To Speak on Canvas

Corey Williams, a young autistic artist, learns how to express herself in colorful ways at The Enrichment Center, a non-profit in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Pousette and the Pirates (The Journey of A Show)

Margot Fitzsimmons creates a theater for young audiences show over the course of a year for children on the autism spectrum.

Amazing Things Happen

Off the Rails

Raising awareness among young non-autistic audiences, and stimulating understanding and acceptance in future generations, this film underlines that autistic people are neither ill nor broken.

An autistic boy meets a girl with Asperger's. Despite their radically different characteristics, they learn to respect their differences and try to understand the world around them.

Grounded

Freeman Velocity

The Spectrum

Quinn MacLaughlin overcame open heart surgery his first week of life, only to overcome another mountain. The Label of Autism.

Twin Brothers Worlds Apart

Uplifting drama, based on Kevin Healey‘s autobiography, about the lives of two brothers who grew up in 1980‘s Stokeon-Trent with autism.

SATURDAY, 10/07, 12:00 PM On a hike through the woods, a young woman attempts to tell her brother that she is moving across the country.

A young teen unsuspectingly connects with his older brother, whom has Autism, as he chases down his special comic book stolen by a group of bullies.

⸙

⸙

AT THE BEACON PARAMOUNT THEATRE

ATTITUDE LIVE BLOCK My Perfect Family: Meet the Asners

Philip's Puppets

Matt and Navah are passionate advocates for families living with autism. In their blended family of six, three of their children are on the spectrum.

Nothing gets in the way of this irrepressible family including the challenge of finding a new home.

A pair of puppets fronting a story might be an unusual documentary device, but it suits our central character, Philip, just perfectly. He‘s a young guy with Autism, taking us on a tour of his world. We learn about his life, his role as a leader in the community and his wish to move in with his girlfriend

Josh Flannagan: Horse Whisperer

Being Me: Alix

Alix Generous‘s childhood was hindered with undiagnosed Autism until she learned through perseverance to harness her gifts.

Diagnosed with Asperger‘s Syndrome at a young age, twenty-year-old Josh Flannagan can find the world a threatening and confusing place; much like the troubled horses he‘s working with.

SUNDAY, 10/08, 12:00 PM AT THE BEACON PARAMOUNT THEATRE

⸙

⸙

FEATURE FILMS A Blind Hero - The Love of Otto Weidt

The Race Of Gentlemen

With orders from the Wehrmacht and revenues from deals on the black market, business seems to be booming for Otto Weidt, the owner of a small Berlin brush-making workshop. Right under the nose of the Gestapo, he manages to keep his employees – who are nearly all Jewish and blind – from the clutches of the Nazis for many years.

When his secretary and closest ally Alice Licht is deported to Auschwitz, Otto Weidt – himself almost completely blind – embarks on a journey to free her from the concentration camp.

One of his employees was Inge Deutschkron.

Aged 91 years, she acts as eye witness and narrator of the film.

While the world is marching forward in the pursuit of new technology these gentlemen are stepping backwards and embracing the old technology as it relates to their passion for the ―traditional‘ style of hot rodding. Filmed over a three year period, ―The Race Of Gentlemen‖ is a revealing documentary about the men who build hot rods and gow jobs then race them in this annual event.

This subculture has gained recognition through worldwide publicity. Spectators travel from all over come to witness this event.

FRIDAY, 10/06, 4:00 PM AT SAINT PETER’S UNIVERSITY, POPE LECTURE HALL

FRIDAY, 10/06, 6:00 PM AT JCTC MERSELES STUDIOS

I Am Still Here

Urbex: A Memoir

I AM STILL HERE is the story of 10-year old Layla, who was stolen from her family and thrown into America‘s child sex industry. Stories of courage drawn from interviews with trafficking survivors are the foundation for the fictionalized account of Layla‘s journey as she confronts the monsters of her past and embraces the hope of her future.

Urban exploration is defined as the exploration of man-made structures, usually abandoned ruins or not usually seen components of the man-made environment. Join first-time film-maker Mario Mantilla as he navigates through the thrills and dangers of this world, while ultimately aiming to discover just why it is that people are willing to risk so much to explore.

FRIDAY, 10/06, 6:00 PM AT SAINT PETER’S UNIVERSITY, POPE LECTURE HALL

FRIDAY, 10/06, 4:00 PM AT SAINT PETER’S DINNEEN HALL

⸙

⸙

GOOD BONES

I, Timon

Danny O'Brien dedicates one last summer to his family's Hamptons real estate business - and to his father Joe‘s seemingly obsolete values: poetry, integrity, and community.

Shakespeare's forgotten masterpiece of a good man in an evil world.

SATURDAY, 10/07, 5:00 PM AT THE BEACON PARAMOUNT THEATRE

SATURDAY, 10/07, 5:00 PM AT THE LIBERTY STATE PARK TRAIN TERMINAL

Reach for the SKY

Life Hack

Every year, on the 2nd Thursday of November, the entire country of South-Korea is put to the test.

That day, more than half a million senior high school students take part in the National University Exam, better known as Suneung. ‗Reach for the SKY‘ tells the story of several South-Korean high school students, their families and teachers, as they prepare for the annual National Exam. The exam will not only determine where the high school seniors will attend university, but ultimately also their status in the Korean hierarchical society.

White hat hacker Charlie (Derek Wilson, "Preacher") finds out that his best friend Bobby (Dylan Pinter) was caught masturbating on video and is now being blackmailed by the infamously unidentifiable Moraler - a glorified cyber bully who many believe is the mastermind behind recent anti-establishment hacks. After struggling actress Carolyn (Jessica Copeland) gets hacked, Charlie and Jack (Mike Giese) decide to embark on a tense and amusing search for the twistedly righteous Moraler before he releases Bobby‘s graphic masturbation video to social media.

FRIDAY, 10/06, 6:00 PM AT SAINT PETER’S DINNEEN HALL

SATURDAY, 10/07, 12:00 PM AT LANDMARK LOEW’S THEATRE

Finding Eden

BIRD

The earth is dying, and those still alive must fight to survive within the wake of unrivaled disasters.

Adam is one of those men.

―Oleg Ptitsyn Died‖, ―Oleg Ptitsyn In Jail‖ headlines in all the newspapers and magazines about the famous rock musician. Actually he is undergoing treatment in one of city hospitals.

SATURDAY, 10/07, 12:00 PM AT THE JCTC MERSELES STUDIOS

SATURDAY, 10/07, 1:00 PM AT SAINT PETER’S UNIVERSITY, POPE LECTURE HALL

⸙

⸙

We Breathe Again

Heather Booth: Changing the World

Long ago survival was not easy for Alaska Native peoples, but we lived full lives. Today survival is easier, but many are dying young.

Heather Booth is a legendary social change organizer who has masterminded 70+ intense, varied, and (mostly) successful community actions and political campaigns. Through her life story and her passionate commitments, the film covers 50 years of progressive movements highlighting civil rights, abortion rights, the feminist revolution, voting rights, and the campaign for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, while creating, in the course of the narrative, a filmic handbook on the art, tactics, strategy and magic of organizing for social and political transformation.

For centuries Alaska Native peoples survived the harsh conditions of life in the far north while our social, cultural, and spiritual practices thrived. In the 1700‘s the battle to claim Alaska and its peoples began, setting into motion disruptive changes for Alaska‘s first peoples.

SATURDAY, 10/07, 2:00 PM AT THE LANDMARK LOEW’S THEATRE

SATURDAY, 10/07, 2:00 PM AT THE LANDMARK LOEW’S THEATRE

I AM SHAKESPEARE (The Henry Green Story)

Imaginary Mothers

I AM SHAKESPEARE (The Henry Green Story) chronicles the true life story of 19 year old Henry Green, living a dual life as a brilliant young actor/honor student and inner-city gang member who was brutally shot and left for dead just shortly after his inspiring performance in Shakespeare's 'Romeo & Juliet'

One filmmaker‘s quest to uncover the history of illegal adoption in Costa Rica reveals secrets about her own family's history. Through the eyes of four birth mothers, a dark history of personal loss is explored. This film is ultimately about healing, redemption for Birth Mothers and the restoring of lost identity.

SATURDAY, 10/07, 3:00 PM AT SAINT PETER’S UNIVERSITY, POPE LECTURE HALL

SUNDAY, 10/08, 3:00 PM AT THE BEACON PARAMOUNT THEATRE

⸙

⸙

Black Luck

one by one

A legendary killer for the mob disappears, leaving behind his violent past to try and carve out a peaceful future for himself. But when his former boss sends a series of goons after him to settle some unfinished business, he finds out that you can‘t keep your monsters at bay forever. With the mob closing in and new enemies at every turn, he has to try and stay a step ahead in order to survive. Sometimes your luck just goes black.

One by One documents one of the many examples of Compassion International childadvocacy ministry, which pairs compassionate people with those who are suffering from poverty.

The documentary shows the visit of children in Haiti by a group of Italian sponsors, their meetings with the sponsored children, which demonstrates the successful reality of Compassion in Haiti. The aim is to sensitize as many people as possible by showing the concrete, lasting and Christ-centered relationship between each sponsor and his/her sponsored child.

SATURDAY, 10/07, 6:00 PM AT THE JCTC MERSELES STUDIOS

SUNDAY, 10/08, 3:00 PM AT THE BEACON PARAMOUNT THEATRE

Let's Kill Grandpa This Christmas

I Can't... I Have Rehearsal

A downtrodden unemployed cuckold attempts to make his family's holiday wishes come true... by murdering his wife's grandfather.

For a select few, the high school musical is sacred. Every year those students come together for the Tonys of New Jersey high school musical theatre: The Rising Star Awards. But first, they have to get their shows off the ground. This is the story of six very different high schools from across New Jersey as they rehearse, perform and compete with the very same supercalifragilistic show.

SATURDAY, 10/07, 2:00 PM AT THE JCTC MERSELES STUDIOS

SUNDAY, 10/08, 12:00 PM AT SAINT PETER’S UNIVERSITY DINNEEN HALL

⸙

⸙

The Last Smile

Cassette: A Documentary Mixtape

Inspired by true events, the film revolves around the struggles of a bereaved father who searches for answers to explain the untimely demise of his adult son. He gets the help from a private detective to investigate the case and finds out that his son's death was caused by reaction to an over the counter health supplement. He must overcome his grief and fight against the multibillion dollar health supplement company . The film examines the broken system of unregulated health supplement industry in US as well as deals with subject of greed and corruption prevalent in our society.

Where would musicians and music lovers be without the cassette? This feature-length DIY doc tells the story of a once-ubiquitous format through one-on-one interviews with the inventor of the cassette, Lou Ottens. 90 years old and still a stubborn progressive, Ottens views the cassette as a perfect example of obsolescence and feels the same about himself as he lives out a secluded retirement in his native Holland. Musicians and authors like Henry Rollins, Thurston Moore, Rob Sheffield, and many others oppose Ottens by making an emotional case for music's worst format.

SUNDAY, 10/08, 2:00 PM AT SAINT PETER’S UNIVERSITY POPE LECTURE HALL

SATURDAY, 10/07, 4:00 PM AT THE JCTC MERSELES STUDIOS

The Bullish Farmer Over a decade ago, John Ubaldo, aka ―John Boy,‖ a successful Wall Street investment banker decided to call it quits. Distraught over the loss of his best friend in the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center, John traded in his high finance career for 185 acres of land on the Battenkill River in Cambridge, NY, to live a quiet life as a small farmer. John wanted to farm the way it was done 100 years ago, raising a variety of livestock and crops. His only goal was to raise delicious and nutritious food for himself and his extended network of family and friends. But John‘s dream of living an uncomplicated traditional agrarian life gets complicated when he comes up against Big Agriculture (Big Ag) and realizes that his methods are not in sync with today‘s prevailing agricultural methods.

John, the very private farmer, becomes a passionate and outspoken activist lobbying for GMO labeling, animal rights, the preservation of crop diversity and the reduction of chemical fertilizers to help preserve small farms and rural America.

SUNDAY, 10/08, 4:00 PM AT SAINT PETER’S UNIVERSITY, DINNEEN HALL

⸙

⸙

SHORT FILMS Wake

Sleepwalker

The Other Side Of Love

A young woman must face her past mistakes when she returns home for the funeral of her estranged best friend..

When Matt lets his longtime friend Jeff room with him, he witnesses firsthand some of Jeff's bizarre and disturbing sleeping habits...

In a relationship that's going nowhere, a young woman finds new possibilities on the boardwalk.

SATURDAY, 10/07, 12:00 PM AT LANDMARK LOEW’S THEATRE

SATURDAY, 10/07, 1:00 PM AT SAINT PETER’S UNIVERSITY, POPE LECTURE HALL

SATURDAY, 10/07, 2:00 PM AT THE JCTC MERSELES STUDIOS

Brooklyn In July

Jersey Christmas

Addle Strife

BROOKLYN IN JULY is the story of Frank Walker, an AfricanAmerican WWII veteran working as a chauffeur. It is the summer of 1945. The War is all but won. The U.S. is riding a wave of triumph even as the undertow of unresolved issues roils beneath.

Welcome to Christmas Jersey style! Flashback to Christmas in NJ in the mid 1980's. Ben Rauch time travels into the 1980's via a DeLorean car and experiences everything Christmas in the Garden State! Shot entirely in NJ in Jersey City and Asbury Park with references to everything JERSEY!

Two US Paratroopers, who are at odds with each other, agree to track down an injured German soldier after a failed American ambush. It is here where the men learn that revenge comes at a price.

SATURDAY, 10/07, 3:00 PM AT SAINT PETER’S UNIVERSITY, POPE LECTURE HALL

SATURDAY, 10/07, 4:00 PM AT THE JCTC MERSELES STUDIOS

SATURDAY, 10/07, 12:00 PM AT THE JCTC MERSELES STUDIOS

Frame of Reference Classic film and misperceptions come together as a broken-hearted woman and her best friend review her latest relationship through very different eyes.

SATURDAY, 10/07, 5:00 PM AT THE BEACON PARAMOUNT THEATRE

⸙

⸙

VENUES Download a QR Code reader on your smart phone to scan Google Map locations to get more precise directions for each venue!

The Landmark Loew’s Theatre

PJ Ryan’s Squared

JCTC Merseles Studios

54 Journal Square, Jersey City, NJ 07306

4 Path Plaza, Jersey City, NJ 07306

339 Newark Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07302

...

Saint Peter’s University Dinneen Hall

Saint Peter’s University Pope Lecture Hall

Liberty State Park Train Terminal

2641 John F. Kennedy Blvd, Jersey City, NJ 07306

115 Glenwood Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07306

200 Morris Pesin Drive, Jersey City, NJ 07305

The Beacon Paramount Theatre 20 Beacon Way, Jersey City, NJ 07304

⸙

⸙

WITH MANY THANKS…

⸙

⸙