Montclair Film Festival 2024 Catalog by Montclair Film Festival

Immerse Yourself

MEMBERS GET MORE

THE MONTCLAIR FILM FESTIVAL

Member ticket presale begins Sept. 30

Public ticket sale begins Oct. 4

At the Montclair Film Festival, members enjoy:

+ Early access

+ Discounts on tickets, concessions, and MFF merchandise

+ Invitations to festival parties

The satisfaction that your taxdeductible donation supports independent cinema and arts education in your community.

THE CLAIRIDGE

Year-round members enjoy:

+ $4 off tickets at The Clairidge

+ $6 matinee tickets

+ $5 Member Tuesdays all day

+ Merchandise and concession discounts

+ Members-only events

+ Early access to sneak peek screenings

Ticket Information

PURCHASE TICKETS

Member Presale* begins Monday, September 30 at 10:00am

General Public Sale begins Friday, October 4 at 10:00am

Online at MontclairFilm.org

In person at The Montclair Film Festival Box Office located inside the lobby of the Hinck Building at 486 Bloomfield Avenue. Open Monday–Saturday, 12:00pm–5:00pm with extended hours October 18–27.

Venue box offices open thirty (30) minutes before the start of the first screening and close fifteen (15) minutes after the start of the last screening.

*BECOME A MEMBER FOR PRESALE ACCESS AND DISCOUNTS!

PRICING

Opening Night (Film + Party) $175 regular/$150 member (Floor + Loge seating)

Opening Night (Film Only): . . . $35 regular/$30 member (Balcony seating only)

Closing Night Film + Q&A

Filmmaker Party:

Standard Events:

Matinees:

$35 regular/$30 member

$60 regular/$50 member

$17 regular/$15 member

$12 regular/$10 member (Films beginning prior to 5:00pm, weekdays only) Panels Free (donations welcome)

In Conversation: Ina Garten

$100 regular/$95 member (includes premium seating and pre-signed book) $75 regular/$70 member (includes ticket and book)

For tickets and more information about our 2024 Filmmaker Tribute, please visit MontclairFilm.org

All screenings at The Wellmont are “pick your own seats” at the time of purchase

All other venues are general admission

All ticket sales are final, no refunds or exchanges.

STANDBY LINES

For shows with no online tickets available at The Clairidge, MKA, and Cinema505, there is a high probability tickets will become available via the Standby Line five (5) minutes prior to show time on a first-come, first-served basis at the venue. Standby lines will form thirty (30) minutes prior to show time Ticket holders must arrive no later than ten (10) minutes prior to the event start time to be guaranteed entrance . Any available seats will be released to the Standby Line at that time

Please note: All Standby tickets will be sold at regular pricing only. Box office will only accept cash for Standby.

QUESTIONS

Email: BoxOffice@MontclairFilm.org Phone: 973 .783 .6435

Venues + Plan Your Festival

VENUES

PARKING

Festival Box Office

486 Bloomfield Avenue

Montclair, New Jersey

Montclair Film’s Cinema505 505 Bloomfield Avenue

Montclair, New Jersey

The Clairidge 486 Bloomfield Avenue

Montclair, New Jersey

Montclair Kimberley Academy (MKA) Upper School Campus, 6 Lloyd Road

Montclair, New Jersey

The Wellmont Theater 5 Seymour Street

Montclair, New Jersey

Parking meters in the Central Business District will be extended to 4 hours from October 18–October 27. Thank you to the Township of Montclair for their support!

Pay-by-Phone parking app: We suggest downloading this app at us.parkmobile.com for use at metered parking spots throughout town. Please allow plenty of time to find parking, obey all parking regulations, and consider ride sharing when possible For updated parking information, please visit MontclairFilm.org/Plan-Your-Visit

ACCOMMODATIONS

The MC Hotel 690 Bloomfield Avenue

Montclair, New Jersey

For a 10% discount, go to Marriott.com, select “Corp/Promo Code”, and use code S3907 (based on availability) . select “Corp/Promo Code”, and use code: S3907 INTERACTIVE FESTIVAL MAP

The easiest way to plan your Festival . Includes festival venues, parking, local businesses, and more Brought to you by Montclair Center BID and Urality

Accessibility

Montclair Film is committed to improving universal accessibility in order to make our programs and facilities available to all patrons. To request specific accommodations, we ask that you contact us at least 72 hours prior to the event, with the exception of ASL requests, or visit our website for the most comprehensive list of film accessibility features.

ACCESSIBLE PRINT

All of our programming, including the festival guide, is available on our website where you can enlarge and view it for better clarity

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY AND MOBILITY

Wheelchair seating is available in all venues Please note this seating option in the Accessibility Requests box during checkout when purchasing your tickets

HEARING ASSISTANCE

All of our venues will provide wireless radio frequency hearing assistance receivers . We are working hard to provide additional hearing assistance opportunities and will have an updated list at MontclairFilm.org/Accessibility

Upon request, a certified ASL interpreter will provide a sign language-interpreted translation of conversations or panels Please contact us at least two weeks prior to the scheduled program at 973 .783 .6435 or email ADA@MontclairFilm.org

SUBTITLES

All foreign language films will be presented with subtitles.

CLOSED CAPTIONING

Closed Captioning (CC) has been requested from every film admitted to the festival. For an up-to-date list of all films that include captions, please check out our website There will be captioning devices provided at each venue, available at the box office.

During select conversations, speech-to-text real time captioning is provided by TotalCaption and Globetitles . These will be available for use on your personal device which will give the ability to read live transcriptions Events which include this feature will be noted on our ticketing site

AUDIO DESCRIPTION

Audio Descriptions (AD) to aid those with visual impairments have also been requested from every film admitted to the festival. For an up-todate list of all films that include audio description, please visit our website Montclairfilm.org/Accessibility .

THE ACCESSIBILITY SCORECARD

For the third year, Montclair Film will participate in the Accessibility Scorecard Survey This will provide documented feedback from attendees (filmmakers, professionals, and audience members) on the current state of accessibility so film events can identify strategies to make their events more inclusive Look for an email with the survey at the end of the festival

Dear Friends,

On behalf of the State of New Jersey, I am pleased to welcome and extend a warm greeting to everyone gathered for the 13th Annual Montclair Film Festival

Residents of Essex County and New Jersey as a whole are so fortunate to have events such as the Montclair Film Festival to showcase and celebrate the challenging creative process that goes into creating a film. Since its founding, Montclair Film has been devoted to teaching, entertaining, and inspiring audiences through film. I applaud those who have given countless hours of their time to the visual arts, and I am grateful to the Montclair Film Festival for its hand in showcasing such diverse artistic talent for us all to appreciate As Governor, I commend all who have dedicated themselves and their time to helping make this festival the special occasion it is, further solidifying New Jersey’s stellar reputation for excellence in the arts

Best wishes for a successful and memorable event

Philip D. Murphy Governor

Governor Philip D. Murphy

Dear Friends,

It is a pleasure to extend my warmest greetings as you gather for the 13th Annual Montclair Film Festival!

For more than a decade, the Montclair Film Festival has played an important role in celebrating local filmmakers and supporting our state’s talent and creativity. Through a rich variety of film screenings, live performances, workshops, and community programs, Montclair Film has expanded our access to the arts and given filmmakers an opportunity to share important stories. This festival not only brings together movie makers and movie lovers, but also provides important arts education and enrichment for young people all over our state As a proud member of the Senate Cultural Caucus, I am well aware of the profound impact the arts can have on people’s lives I am grateful for all you do to cultivate introspection and empathy for others by introducing people to unique and diverse viewpoints through film.

Once again, congratulations! I hope you have a successful event and look forward to celebrating your future achievements

Sincerely,

Cory A. Booker United States Senator

Stephen Colbert with Senator Cory A. Booker

Dear Friends,

I am pleased to welcome you all to the 2024 Montclair Film Festival! This Festival showcases filmmakers from our local community and from around the world. Since 2012, the Festival has provided a platform to bring together a large community of professionals and film lovers alike. I want to extend my sincerest appreciation to the wonderful Montclair Film Festival board, staff, members, and volunteers who continue to dedicate their time and effort to putting on another engaging program that we can all enjoy

It is an honor to acknowledge the extraordinary work that the Montclair Film Festival and the talented filmmakers do to bring our community together. The Festival connects us with brilliant artists who open our minds to new perspectives as they engage, entertain, and educate I look forward to this year’s event and the creative inspiration of the artists and organizers

I hope everyone enjoys this year’s Montclair Film Festival and I encourage festival attendees to enjoy all that Montclair has to offer while you are in town for this wonderful event!

Sincerely,

Mikie Sherrill Member of Congress

Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill and Evie McGee Colbert

Dear Friends:

Welcome to the 13th Annual Montclair Film Festival!

This dynamic event is a wonderful opportunity to view high quality films from veteran, emerging, independent and cutting-edge artists. Whether you are a film enthusiast or come to watch just one movie, the broad and extraordinary lineup offers something for everyone

We thank the committee for highlighting the extraordinary artistic talents of the filmmakers and actors, the importance of film as an art form and for adding a generator of economic development to our vibrant community

But Montclair Film has evolved into more than just a festival to watch movies Montclair Film has grown by leaps and bounds, organized a year-long schedule of events, programs, educational and family-oriented workshops, making it a dynamic resource and year-round asset for the community They have cemented their role in and commitment to Montclair by taking over the operation of The Clairidge theater and returning the venue into a downtown destination and incubator for the arts

Essex County knows that the arts are a cultural and economic driver, and strongly supports efforts like the Montclair Film Festival Together we will continue Putting Essex County First

Sincerely,

Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. Essex County Executive

Montclair Film’s “Movie Night Under the Stars” in Essex County Anderson Park

Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr.

“I’m so excited, and I can’t hide it!”

It’s that time of year again when our friends, neighbors, guests, and film lovers from across the region get on board for our 10-day film festival… the Montclair Film Festival!

For the 13th year, this festival will bring so much energy and creativity to our already vibrant multicultural township It offers opportunities to showcase diverse independent films often followed by conversations with guest speakers, actors, and/or directors Sometimes these conversations highlight and uplift the talent right in our backyard. Come see these filmmakers connect with audiences in such impactful ways

Thank you Montclair Film, and thank you to all the filmmakers, actors, storytellers, and all who bring this iconic festival to Montclair. Thank you to the filmgoers who come out and fill our streets, walk around with Montclair Film merch, and have delicious meals in our restaurants after their films. I haven’t missed a year! I know that this year, lucky 13, will surpass all previous years

“Anticipation is keeping me waiting!” See you there!

Sincerely,

Dr. Renee Baskerville Mayor, Township of Montclair

Dr. Renee Baskerville

Dear Friends,

On behalf of the Board of Trustees of Montclair Film, we are excited to welcome you to the 2024 Montclair Film Festival!

Now in its 13th year, the Montclair Film Festival remains the centerpiece program of Montclair Film, our year-round non-profit organization that serves Montclair, the State of New Jersey, and the film industry. Our year-round programming includes our incredible Education Department, community partnerships and events, and of course, The Clairidge, our six-screen art house cinema that delivers a world-class moviegoing experience 365 days a year

None of that work would be possible without you The support of our patrons, sponsors, donors, students, and families are essential to everything we do, and we hope that your experience with our programs conveys our tremendous gratitude for your participation. Our films, classes, and events are created to inspire conversation, to build connections, and foster community in ways that only film can.

As the film industry continues its transformation into new business models and modes of storytelling, we at Montclair Film remain excited to explore these emerging possibilities. This year’s festival program is filled with ideas, creators, stories, conversations, and experiences that reflect the ways in which our industry continues to evolve Our staff spends the year engaging with the industry and with our community, bringing them together to build a unique festival experience for all .

This is what makes the Montclair Film Festival such a special event: each year features new films, new talent, and new stories that will come to shape the year ahead We hope you’ll join us as we celebrate the best in cinema Your support makes everything we do possible

See you at the movies!

Evelyn McGee Colbert

Mary Anne Vaughn

Board President

Board Vice President

Montclair Film

Mary Anne Vaughn and Evelyn McGee Colbert at MFF 2023

Board of Trustees/Advisors

We are very fortunate to have such thoughtful and dedicated Trustees and Advisors. Thank you for your time, talent, and commitment to Montclair Film— your dedication and generosity makes all we do possible.

BOARD OFFICERS/EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Evelyn McGee Colbert, President

Mary Anne Vaughn, Vice President

Matthew Iversen, Secretary

Don Zief, Treasurer and Committee VP, Finance

Sarah Barrack, Committee VP, Community + Artistic

Yana Collins Lehman, Committee VP, Education

Trevor Gandy, Committee VP, Nominating + Governance

Yana Gutierrez, Committee VP, Development

Warren Ross, Member-at-Large

TRUSTEES

Bob Feinberg, Founder + Chairman Emeritus

Daniel Battsek

Susan V . Bershad, MD

Rose Cali

Chris Cerf

ADVISORY BOARD

J . J . Abrams

Jonathan Alter

Stephen Colbert

Kahane Cooperman

Jeff Cooperman

Richard Curtis

Abigail Disney

Myesha Tess Fils-Aime

Conrad Fink

Greg Kahn

Yuting (Darlene)

Patterson

Shelley Phillips

Prem Ramaswami

Holly Shakoor Fleischer

Stephanie Sherline

Matthew Smith

Jon Sobel

Dagmara Dominczyk

Chiwetel Ejiofor

Ruben Fleischer

Emma Freud

Laura Linney

Raphaela Neihausen

Thom Powers

John Schreiber

Jon Stewart

Joel Stillerman

Julie Taymor

Patrick Wilson

CORPORATE SPONSORS

Thank you for your generous support of the Montclair Film Festival

Executive Sponsors

Signature Sponsors

Presenting Sponsors

Leadership Sponsors

Don and Marla Cussen

CORPORATE SPONSORS

Thank you for your generous support of the Montclair Film Festival

Premier Sponsors

HANSEN, JACOBSON, TELLER, HOBERMAN, NEWMAN, WARREN, RICHMAN, RUSH, KALLER, GELLMAN, MEIGS & FOX, LLP

Producing Sponsors

ERIN CRAWFORD

CORPORATE SPONSORS

Thank you for your generous support of the Montclair Film Festival

Corporate Friends

Thank You

CORPORATE SPONSORS

Thank you for your generous support of the Montclair Film Festival

Sustaining Advertisers

WITH GRATITUDE

We extend our deepest gratitude to our amazing advertisers, sponsors, supporting organizations, and community partners for their support of all we do at Montclair Film Your generosity enables us to create events that bring together filmmakers, artists, and audiences in celebration of the power of storytelling . Your support ensures that the Montclair Film Festival remains a vital and dynamic part of our community each year!

Please take a moment to look at all the incredible businesses and organizations featured in this catalog We hope you’ll learn about them and support them knowing that together we can continue to make a lasting impact in our community

Our Team

MONTCLAIR FILM STAFF

Larisa Apan Director of Programming + Curation

Debbi Bernstein

Grants Manager

Linda Bowers

Bookkeeper

Jennifer Cambras Director of Production + Special Projects

Elana Castelli

Membership + Development Manager

Brian Collins

Graphic Designer

Kasey Coury

Marketing Coordinator

Samantha Givone Community Engagement + Volunteer Coordinator

Beth Gottung

Executive Director/ Co-Head

Tom Hall

Artistic Director/ Co-Head

Sue Hollenberg

Education Director

Meredith Ladov

Managing Director

Maureen Leidl Accountant

Jill Montague

Marketing Director

Ryan Moore Education Program Manager

Nickie Murray Production Coordinator

Kayleigh Nardella

Education Program Coordinator

Axel Ortiz Production Manager

Rebecca Sokol Director of Audience + Programs

Michael Stoppay Webmaster

Elena Tapper

Email Marketing

Kathy Walsh

Sponsorship Manager

Kareem Wilder

Digital Marketing

Associate/Social Media

Michael Zembower

Facilities Manager

Zachary Zembower Technology Specialist

Our Team

THE CLAIRIDGE STAFF

Christian Murrell

General Manager

Charlotte Mistretta

Assistant Manager

Amir Muhammad

Assistant Manager

Christine Wisniewski

Assistant Manager/ Special Events

Carla Bello

Floor Supervisor/ Box Office Liaison

Ayana Ayscue

Mariah Ayscue

Kaile Britt

Chloe Chowaniec

Tom Coughlin

Tyler Grisafi

Stella Guzik

Rori Hamer

Julia Heiman

Skylar LeRose

Zoe LeRose

FESTIVAL STAFF/TEAM

Ad Sales

Kasey Coury

Taneisha Pathmore

Artist Services

Dillon Rand

Laura Tressel

Christine Wisniewski

Box Office

Carla Bello

Zachary Hogan

Kids Art Project

Cathi Flanagan

Merchandise Design

Tracey Diamond

Production/Operations

Allyson Morgan

Nickie Murray

Axel Ortiz

Jason Pauloski

Production Assistants

Aram Bavoukian

Gianna Daginis

Tatiana Dominguez

Azul Flores-Gonzalez

Mary Lage

Colin Luderitz

Leslie McFarlane

Daniel Ortiz

Olivia Rabin

Katrina Rodriguez

Photography

Cheryl Corman

Dan D’Errico

Chris Drukker

Neil Grabowsky

Katie Lawrence

Lianne Schoenwiesner

Frank Schramm

Fred Trauerts

Tony Turner

Projection and Tech

Emily Anderson

Brian Denny

Leigh Downes

Chris Hogan-Roy

Carolyn Kaylor

Kimie Kumura-Heaney

Bri Merkel

Dael Norwitz

Chas Phillips

Publicity

Frank PR

Set Design

Jim Fenhagen

Julianne Fenhagen

Kit Lynch

Conner Mattia

Meredith McGrath

Gabriel Michelson

Ally Montalto

Chloe Mortier

Matthew Mortier

Nickie Murray

Armanie Pierre

Arthur Rosu

Micah Shapero

Venue Staff

Danna Boshak

Stuart Bouwman

Kaile Britt

Chloe Chowaniec

Jason Foster

Edgar Garcia

Kevin Haden

Eddie Hall

Wilhelm Kuhn

Gail Leicht

Meredith McGrath

Michael Mejia

Ammiel Moses

Kayleigh Nardella

Nicholas Nardella

Armanie Pierre

David Polinchock

Max Portman

Len Ruvolo

Maxine Stillwagon

Volunteer Coordinator

Paige Ryans

THANK YOU TO OUR DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS

We could not do what we do without you Thank you for continuously showing up with a smile and turning even the smallest tasks into fun activities Everyone who signs up to volunteer for the first time instantly feels welcomed by our veteran volunteers with open arms As our Montclair Film Volunteer family continues to grow each year, we hope you know how much each and every one of you mean to us. Whether this is your 13th festival as a volunteer or your first festival, we are extremely grateful for you and so proud to have all of you alongside us

Interested in joining this incredible team? We are always looking for new volunteers Visit MontclairFilm.org/Volunteer to learn more and register This program made possible with support from the American Express Foundation

Dear Friends,

At Montclair Film, we believe in the power of storytelling to unite us and broaden our view of the world . Montclair Film + Education is focused on providing our diverse community with the resources to craft and share their personal stories

Our year-round Film Academy continues to be a vibrant center of creativity, offering a wide array of classes for tweens, teens, and adults These opportunities reach beyond Montclair, with offsite programs throughout New Jersey and NY Our robust scholarship program ensures that every aspiring artist has the resources they need to bring their stories to life

Signature programs like the Emerging Filmmaker and Emerging Screenwriter Competitions, along with the Junior Jury program, continue to celebrate and showcase new talent The 505 Films + Friends club remains a welcoming space for young adults of all abilities to connect through film.

At The Clairidge, our Impact Series and Film Field Trips have drawn hundreds of middle and high school students and teachers These curated screenings, followed by dynamic discussions with filmmakers and content experts, have sparked conversations on topics ranging from STEM and media literacy to social justice

This year also saw exciting new initiatives We hosted the NJ Film & TV Teachers Conference, uniting educators across the state We also partnered with the Feliciano Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, helping students refine their storytelling skills for a pitch competition. Additionally, we launched our first Production Assistant Bootcamp, training young adults for careers in filmmaking and placing them in paid positions on a feature film set!

None of this would be possible without our outstanding Education team, Ryan Moore, Kayleigh Nardella and Axel Ortiz We are incredibly grateful to our passionate instructors, volunteers, sponsors, and the entire creative community Most of all, we thank our remarkable students, whose enthusiasm and creativity inspire us every day

Whatever story you wish to tell, Montclair Film + Education is here to help you bring it to life For more information about our classes or in-school programs, visit MontclairFilm org/Education

With gratitude,

Sue Hollenberg Education Director

2023 Montclair Film Festival Junior Jury

COMEDY

Winner: MALOVONDO

Logan Corea Hinojosa

Bloomfield High School

Finalist: STARMAN

Emily Kalosieh

Waldwick High School

Finalist: VAMPIRE

Caroline Sheridan

Park Ridge High School

Finalist: GRAPENUTS

Ethan Pinilis

Montclair High School

Congratulations to Montclair Film’s 2024 Emerging Screenwriter Competition Winners

On Saturday, May 11, Montclair Film held the Awards Ceremony for the third annual Emerging Screenwriters Competition. All the finalists were celebrated at a Red-Carpet Reception at Cinema505 The Grand Prizewinning script was read at a professional table read

GRAND PRIZE WINNER

SIRENS

Madeleine Lucile Beetar

West Orange High School

HORROR / THRILLER

Winner: DRUG BUNNY

Willow Dunn Killebrew

Montclair Kimberley Academy

Finalist: THE EYES HAVE IT

Ethan Pinilis

Montclair High School

Finalist: THE COMPLEX, HAUNTING OBSCURITIES OF THE CHILD’S MIND

Paul S . Kim

Livingston High School

Finalist: BENEATH THE SKIN

Luis Edward Zonenberg

Klein High School

ROMANCE

Winner: THE UPS AND DOWNS OF A NEW YORK STUDIO

Emily Kalosieh

Waldwick High School

Finalist: FIRST DATE

Caroline Sheridan

Park Ridge High School

Finalist: QUESTION OF FEAR

Khyla Williams

Technology High School

SCI-FI/FANTASY

Winner: SIRENS

Madeleine Lucile Beetar

West Orange High School

Finalist: GODZILLA’S DAY OFF

Sam Barnes Atkinson

Fusion Academy Montclair

Finalist: THE TRIAL

Joshua Minchala

Technology High School

DRAMA

Winner: FEELING BLUE

Sadie Max Barrack

Millburn High School

Finalist: STRAWBERRY

DAYDREAMS

Willow Dunn Killebrew

Montclair Kimberley Academy

Finalist: THE DYING SUN

Paul S Kim

Livingston High School

SOCIAL IMPACT

Grand Prize: 5,4,3,2,1

Meaghan Krantz, Emmalynne DeRoss, Vinny Albano, Ella Lambiase

Howell High School

Special Jury Prize: ME VS ME Lucas Rodriguez

East Brunswick Magnet School

DRAMA

Grand Prize: SOMEDAY IS TODAY

Congratulations to Montclair Film’s 2024 Emerging Filmmaker Competition Winners

2024 EFC Grand Prize Winner!

YOU’RE GONNA PAY FOR THAT

Michael DeMar, Caroline Sheridan

Park Ridge High School

Shine Global Resilience Award for Young Filmmakers

3AM THOUGHTS

Gabriella Keil

Montclair High School

ANIMATION

Grand Prize: 3AM THOUGHTS

Gabriella Keil

Montclair High School

Special Jury Prize: ROOM

Ian Dani Kim

Bergen County Technical High School

ROMANCE

Grand Prize: MAYA! THE MUSICAL

Meaghan Krantz, Ella Lambiase, Vincent LaRosa

Howell High School

Special Jury Prize: NOTAS DE AMOR

Julia Cazares Alexandre, Adryanna Hope Dinolfo, James Bay Ketley

Middletown High School South

EXPERIMENTAL

Grand Prize: XYLA

Hazel Katherine Moran

Montclair High School

Special Jury Prize: NEON ANGEL

Dylan Meda, Stella Williams

Columbia High School and Willow Dunn Killebrew

Montclair Kimberley Academy

DOCUMENTARY

Grand Prize (Tie): KALEIDOSCOPE

James Leon, Brianna Barnett, Luisa Santos

Donald M Payne Sr School of Technology

Grand Prize (Tie): EAST SIDE MAGS MAN

Reese Wolfinger

Columbia High School

HORROR

Grand Prize: FOR MY NEXT TRICK

Desiree Osborne, Tamir Sears, Kimberly Higgs, Alanis Gonzalez

Donald M . Payne Sr . School of Technology

Special Jury Prize: THE DREAMING Calum Mayberry, Reese Wolfinger, Dylan Little, Malachai Liberato

Columbia High School

Zoey Ness, Morgan Scasny, Gigi Maiorana, Kate Cashion

Middletown High School South

Special Jury Prize: MAYBE I’M DRIVING ME CRAZY

Bryan Lawson, Anthony Dowd Kinnelon High School

Special Jury Prize: THE LAST CALL

Christian Guzzone, Luke Zeveney

Middletown High School South

COMEDY

Grand Prize: YOU’RE GONNA PAY FOR THAT

Michael DeMar, Caroline Sheridan Park Ridge High School

Special Jury Prize: VAMPIRE

Caroline Sheridan, Grace Larson Park Ridge High School

Thank You

We are so grateful to the following donors and members for your generous support of Montclair Film and The Clairidge this past year Your contributions make it possible for us to engage, educate, and entertain through the power of visual storytelling by bringing films, filmmakers, programs, and events to our region We simply couldn’t do it without you, and truly appreciate this support

$100,000 and above

Susan V Bershad

Evelyn and Stephen Colbert

$50,000 – $99,999

Mindy Cohen and David Bershad

Dick and Neil Grabowsky/Grabowsky Development

Josh Weston

$25,000 – $49,999

Christina Cotton and Brian Clarkson

Kate Logan and Edmund Rung

New Jersey Arts & Culture Renewal Fund of the Princeton Area Community Foundation

Show Me What You Got LLC

$15,000 – $24,999

Blanche & Irving Laurie Foundation

LeeAnn Carlson and Steve Van Kuiken

Harold I & Faye B Liss Foundation

Richmond and Josh Rabinowitz

Kirsten Russler and Ian Noble

Elizabeth and Jonathan Sobel

Joan and Donald Zief

$10,000 – $14,999

Lisa and Joe Amato

Marla and Donald Cussen

Candace and Jeff Dobro

S Dillard & Adrienne Kirby Family Philanthropic Fund

Shelley and Keith Phillips

Katherine and Robert Ruberton

$5,000 – $9,999

Sarah and Craig Barrack

Luce and Daniel Battsek

Yana Collins-Lehman and Scott Lehman

Coolidge Corner Theatre Foundation

Daniel Crown

Linda Fan and Will Schaefer

Fannie and Tim Gray

Karen and Robert Gulliver

Yana and Raul Gutierrez

Leslie Larson and Don Katz

Glenda McNeal

The Narula Foundation

Darlene and Ralph Patterson

Shruti and Prem Ramaswami

Ann Rasmussen and Christopher Cerf

Karen and Warren Ross

Holly Shakoor Fleischer and Ruben Fleischer

Mary Anne and Peter Vaughn

Abby and Spencer Wein

$2,500 – $4,999

American Express

Sien and Michael Avalos

Carla M Baranauckas

Sylvia Cohn

Maggie Drucker and Robert Feinberg

Diana and John Fennelly

Cathy and Conrad Fink

Alexis and Clifford Finkle

Queenie and Trevor Gandy

Jennifer M Hanawald and Warren A Rabin

Alice and Matthew Iversen

Janet and Layng Pew

Rebecca Sherrill and Jason Hedberg

Valerie and Matthew Smith

Jessica Sporn and Fred Cordero

Linda and Brian Sterling

Amy Widman and Daniel Koenig

$1,000 – $2,499

AIG

Linny and Rick Andlinger

Anonymous

Anne Anquillare

Sahir Azam

Alison and Douglas Bauer

Emily and Steven Becker

Lisa Callender

Claudia and Jeff Carrie

Jennie and Tom Cherry

Katie and Peter Dancy

Luke DiTommaso

Sybil Eng and Tad Roselund

ExxonMobil

The Galiardo Spencer Family

Lynn Glasser

Carolyn M Gould

GrubHub

Jen and Mike Halchak

Susan and Albie Hecht

Helen & William Mazer Foundation

Sharon Hendee and Diane Hughes

Tracy and Scott Herrick (continued)

(Continued)

Mary O’Donnell Hulme

Michelle Y Johnson-Lewis

JPMorgan Chase

Lauren and Doug Kaplan

Kristine and Matthew Kelly

Angela and Andy Larkin

Edmund Lefevre and Keith Wiggs

Sally and Jay Lehman

Maureen A Leidl

Debbie and Sean Looney

Lana Masor

Tracy McVeigh and Andrew Melitz

MediaFeed

Susan and Reimer Mellin

The Montclair Foundation

Polly and Marc Murphy

Alexandra and Tom Nammack

Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers

Margaret O’Kane

Judy and Eric Pai

Bridget and David Placek

Jillian Pransky and Brad Finkel

Rachael Grochowski

Diane Ridley

Jill Rooney Carr

Denise and Paul Silverman

Jon Stewart

Lynne and Vincent Toye

Laura and Willard Tressel

Karen and Chris Turner

Margo and Frank Walter

Stephanie and Rich Wilkins

Dagmara and Patrick Wilson

Leslie Meek-Wohl and Ethan Wohl

$500 – $999

Apple Inc

Debbi and Steve Bernstein

Andrew Bly

Julie and Monty Cerf

Marie Cottrell

Elizabeth and Daniel D’Errico

Maureen and Doug Dykstra

Priscilla and Doug Eakeley

Jaynthi Gandhi

Holly and Robert Gregory

Heidi Grothaus and Anthony Fears

Michelle Golden

Briga and Rene Gube

Ira Haber

Monique Hall

Sue Hollenberg and Joel Stillerman

Lois Hull and William Harrison

Julianne Hunt and David Korfhage

Jacqueline and Richard Jenkins

Edgar N Kaplan

Carol and Michael Kurtz

Kirsten Lagatree

Thank You

Joanne and Fred Langbein

Stephanie Lurie

Nicholas Masucci

Helen and Thanassis Mazarakis

Ann and Dan McCarthy

Thomas McDonough

Amanda and Scott Milleisen

Constance Mortell

Maria Moser-Meister

Nancy and George Newcome

Christopher Palmer

Joseph Pannullo

Stephen Pohl

Liza Poor and Michael Pielocik

Ishita Rapino

RELX Inc

Elizabeth Rizzotti

Melissa and Angelo Rotondi

Lisa and Matthew Russman

George Schulz

Rhonda and Bob Silver

Victoria and Christopher Skowronski

Emily Van Do

Abby Walsh

Kathy Walsh

Lela Weems and Shaka Rasheed

Fred Williams

Melissa Williams

$250 – $499

Christine and Luke Adams

Fran Adler and Martin Berkowitz

Antonio Aiello

Amari Allah

Jennifer Amore

Angela and Rangan Anandan

Audrey Anderson

Eileen Anderson

Anonymous

Andrea and Jamie Antonelli

Elizabeth Arenberg

Gina Asprocolas

Melissa Moore and Richard Abate

Katherine Bailey and Benjamin Selkow

Jill Baker

Matthew Baldwin

Risa Barash-DiLorenzo

Jennifer and Victoria Barbetta

Shari and Jack Baron

Jennifer Bell and Kazys Varnelis

Laura Benanti

Kenneth Berman

Vanessa Biondo

Mark Blake

Margaret Bodde and Don Fleming

Janet Boltax

Carolee Bol and Scott Rosenberg

Thomas Borkowski

Thank You

(Continued)

Lesley Boyd

Patricia Bratt

Harley Brown

Timothy Brown

Linda and Marty Brumbach

Simone Butler

Annette Carr

Kathleen Carroll and Steve Twomey

Clayton Castellanos

Nicole Chalfoun

Michele Chiles-Hickman

Holly and Joe Christovao

John Chasse

Stephen Chukumba

Jackie Chung

Cathy Cipriano

Michael Cocco

Margot Cochran

Cathleen Coffey and Rick Snow

Devon Corneal and Tim O’Brien

Joshua Crowley

Sherry Curtis

Robert Davison

DeLorenzi Family Fund

Meredith Deupree

Gretchen Devinsky

Michael DeVita

Nicholas DeVita

Nicolino Di Benedetto

Karen Dias-Martin

Dianne Doctor

Jared Donnamiller

Jill and Barry Edinburg

Richard Eisenberg

Hilary Elliot

Mitchell Engelmeyer

Dawn and John Fabbro

David Feldman

Anthony Ferrante

Jennifer Fidlon-Bugat

Brian Fielding

Jessica and Michael Fiorito

Carolyn and Joseph Fleischer

Sean Flynn

Marina Font

Gina and Jon Fortt

Elizabeth Fuqua and Howard Kerbel

Liz and Adam Gale

Barbara Ganin

Aimee and Sargent Gardinier

Emily and Adam Gasthalter

Yolanda Gawler

Jill Gillespie

Debra Glessner

Paul Gold

Google

Alyce Gottesman

Cynthia Green

Timothy Greenberg

Maritza Guzman and Steve Abrahamson

Sarah Hadley

Robert J Hall

Susan and Arthur Hatzopoulos

Deborah and Peter Hirsch

Jan Hoffman and Dan Nachman

Kelley Holland

Brittany Hosay

Karen Hudson

Linda Hughes and Steven Napolitano

Stephanie Imperato

Mfreke Inyang

Davida and Steven Isaacson

Jessica Johnson

Nik Johnson

Grace Ju

Julia Kaplan

Barry Katz

Barbara Kauffman

Daniel Kaufman

Tom Kazmark

Joan Kelly

Granvilette Kestenbaum

Connie and David Keys

Saiful Khan

Stacy Kilkenny

Colleen Kilpatrick

Carla and Paul King

Helen Kleinman and Alan Bell

Melissa and Paul Kneuer

Rona Korman

Agnes and Jeffrey Kuschner

Kathryn Sachs

Sarah and Todd Larson

Amy Lauren

Jonathan Leff

Theodore Leo

Todd Levin

Jennifer Leyden

Karina Linch and John Randall

Liz Livaccari

Daryl and Robert Lubin

Vera and Jason Lynch

Lorri Maake and Phillip Bahramipour

Kathleen MacDonnell

Alice and Edward Magdziak

Brian Maguire

Michael Maher

Bethany Major

Tanya Marks

Andrea Mayes

Kristin McCracken

Brian McDonough

Deirdre McGarrigle

Gretchen McGowan

Vern McKinney

Lily Mehl

(Continued)

Oneida Mendez-Laws and Thomas Laws

Alexis Mendoza

Luz Miranda-Crespo

Sara and Michael Moaba

Per Arne Moi

Lorijeane Moody and Drew Fessenden

Nancy Moore

Daniela Moya

Rachel Murphy and James Glossman

Barbra Murtha

Amy and Keith Myers

Edwin Naamon

Ian Nuzie

Marcia O’Grady

Connie and Kevin O’Keefe

Jane and Kevin O’Leary

Kionnei Obeng-Dompreh

Deirdre Ogden

Carrie Ortiz and John Werner

Christine and Jason Osborn

Andrew Page

Willie Parker

Anthony Pemberton

Elizabeth Peters and Richard Segal

Stacey Pinilis

Ruby Pizzini

Susan Pozner

Prudential

Amy and Don Putman

Joseph Redl

Michele B Reichstein and Robert Reichstein

Jeanne Reilly

Hillary and John Reimnitz

Joseph Reynolds

Dana Ricci and Matthew Davis

Jonathan Richards

Jackie Rider

Nina Rifkind

Tara Roberts

Lyn Rosensweig and Bruce Schnelwar

Yashas Roy

Aaron Rudelson

Jodi and Gary Rudoren

Dale Russakoff and Matthew Purdy

Patti Samper

Marie Sanchez

Sarah Scalet

Rebecca Schaefer

Carole A Schaffer and David Waggett

Lisa and Torr Schmey

Kevin Schmidt

Erin Schwitter

Molly Scott

Thank You

Katie and David Seawell

Arti Shah

Joy Shih and Joe Nelesen

Mark Siegel

Matthieu Silberstein

Clare and Nicholas Skyles

Joanne Slaman

Cheryl and Marc Slutzky

Kathleen and Steve Smith

Joanne and Kevin Smith

Marie Spiegeland

David Steinke

Caren Stern and Andrew Topf

Brittany Storie

Missy Sullivan

Susan Sullivan

Luke Taeschler

Debra Taffet

Monica Taylor

Sharyn and Paul Taylor

Sara and Steve Thode

Kerrie Tiedemann

Tiffany Tipton

Betsy True

Mackenzie Tuite and Jake Cecil

Deborah Turvey

Carolyn and Kevin Twitchell

Judith and Elias Typaldos

Adrienne Villondo

Jose Virella

Paul Vitolins

Danielle Voda

Denise and Ira Wagner

Mary and Joseph Walsh

Ryan Wangner

Jonathan Wasserman

Pamela Weber-Leaf

Lela Weems and Shaka Rasheed

Alexandra White and Mitchell Dowling

Laurena White

Wendy Whiting

Bryn Whittle

Linda and Todd Wieseneck

Carine Williams

Jennifer Williams

Melissa Woertz

Leah Wolchock

Owen Wolfe

Michael Wolfson

Melissa Woronoff and Michael Atkins

Mimi and Steve Wrede

Alice Young

Etti Zeldis

June Zimmerman

Donations made after September 8, 2023 and before September 4, 2024 are listed If your name has been misprinted or omitted in error, please accept our apology and let us know by emailing Development@MontclairFilm org

Dear friends,

2024

We are incredibly proud to share the 2024 Montclair Film Festival program with you!

Our goal is to build a program that brings the wonderful diversity of our community together with the best in contemporary cinema, fostering conversation, celebrating emotion, and creating connections between our lives and works of cinematic art that help us see the world in new ways We have worked diligently with our friends and partners in the industry; filmmakers, producers, distributors, and teams behind the scenes who, by sharing their work with our festival, demonstrate how much they value you, our patrons and audiences

So, we hope that you will make some time to sit with the program and explore the wide range of great films we’ve been able to bring to the festival. From international dramas and award season hopefuls to low budget independent comedies to impactful, thought provoking non-fiction films, we hope you find several opportunities for exploration and discovery in our lineup

It is our deep belief that films can open up new ways of seeing and understanding one another, that, by sitting in the dark with strangers and being attentive to the work of these artists, a meaningful connection between people can be created The impact of that experience is what made us fall in love with films in the first place– it is our own sense of empathetic understanding that keeps us engaged in the work we do, and we look forward to seeing how you–your ideas, experiences, and feelings– will contribute to the wonderful community that the festival fosters

Thank you so much for taking the time to join us, we hope you have a great time and discover films that you love. We’ll see you at the cinema!

With gratitude,

Tom Hall Co-Head + Artistic Director

Montclair Film

Larisa Apan Director of Programming + Curation

Montclair Film

Rebecca Sokol Director of Audience + Programs

Montclair Film

OPENING NIGHT FILM

CONCLAVE

Friday, October 18

7:00pm The Wellmont

Friday, October 18

Immediately following the film at The Wellmont

Director: Edward Berger

Producers: Alice Dawson, Robert Harris, Juliette Howell, Michael Jackman, Tessa Ross Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Isabella Rossellini UK/USA, 120 min

Edward Berger’s CONCLAVE follows one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events— selecting a new Pope Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with running this covert process after the unexpected death of the beloved Pope . But when the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders, gathering from around the world, are locked together in the Vatican halls, Lawrence finds himself at the center of a conspiracy and discovers a secret that could shake the very foundation of The Church On the heels of his multiple Academy Award® winning ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, CONCLAVE continues Edward Berger’s ascent as one of our leading directors The Montclair Film Festival is proud to present CONCLAVE as our 2024 Opening Night Film

A Focus Features release

OPENING NIGHT PARTY

Kick off the 13th Annual Montclair Film Festival with a dance party at The Wellmont Once the film concludes, the room will transform to a dance party with a DJ spinning your favorite tunes Each ticket includes delicious food and treats from Events By Joni and Little Daisy Bake Shop Also included are two drink tickets to be used at the bar which will feature our sponsors New Jersey Beer Co., Ironbound Hard Cider, and Ruffino Sparkling Wines in addition to a full bar A cash bar is also available

FAMILY CENTERPIECE FLOW

Saturday, October 19

4:00pm

Clairidge 2

Saturday, October 26

12:45pm

Clairidge 2

(Sensory Friendly Screening)

Director: Gints Zilbalodis

Producers: Ron Dyens, Matiss Kaza, Gregory Zalcman, Gints Zilbalodis Latvia/Belgium/France, 84 min

A wondrous journey, through realms natural and mystical, FLOW follows a courageous cat after his home is devastated by a great flood. Teaming up with a capybara, a lemur, a bird, and a dog to navigate a boat in search of dry land, they must rely on trust, courage, and wits to survive the perils of a newly aquatic planet From the boundless imagination of the awardwinning Gints Zilbalodis (AWAY) comes a thrilling animated spectacle as well as a profound meditation on the fragility of the environment and the spirit of friendship and community Steeped in the soaring possibilities of visual storytelling, FLOW is a feast for the senses and a treasure for the heart The Montclair Film Festival is proud to present FLOW as our 2024 Family Centerpiece film.

Please visit MontclairFilm.org for more details on our Sensory Friendly Screening of FLOW A Janus Films & Sideshow release

BETWEEN THE MOUNTAIN AND THE SKY

Saturday, October 19

4:00pm The Wellmont

Director: Jeremy Power Regimbal

Producer: Jeremy Power Regimbal, Mel Eslyn, Mark Duplass, Eric Tu

Subject: Maggie Doyne Canada, 94 min

In 2005 after graduating high school, Maggie Doyne embarked on a gap year, where she met Tope, a now grown Nepalese orphan, caring for orphaned children . United in purpose, Maggie and Tope pooled resources to establish a children’s home, women’s empowerment program, and school in Nepal Years later, their relentless efforts led to Maggie being honored as the 2015 CNN Hero of the Year, but soon after, tragedy struck, re-shaping their world BETWEEN THE MOUNTAIN AND THE SKY explores resilience, love’s impact in loss, and a family’s enduring strength to find hope in the darkest times.

Featured Events

FICTION CENTERPIECE

UNSTOPPABLE

Saturday, October 19

8:00pm The Wellmont

Saturday, October 19

9:00pm Porta

Director: William Goldenberg

Producers: Ben Affleck, David Crockett, Matt Damon, Andy Fraser Cast: Jharrel Jerome, Jennifer Lopez, Don Cheadle, Bobby Cannavale, Michael Peña USA, 116 min

UNSTOPPABLE is the inspiring true story of Anthony Robles (Jharrel Jerome) who was born with one leg but whose indomitable spirit and unbreakable resolve empowered him to defy the odds and pursue his dreams With the unwavering love and support of his devoted mother Judy (Jennifer Lopez) and the encouragement of his coaches, Anthony fights through adversity to earn a spot on the Arizona State wrestling team But it will demand everything he has, physically and mentally, to achieve his ultimate quest to become an NCAA Champion

The Montclair Film Festival is proud to present William Goldenberg’s UNSTOPPABLE as our 2024 Fiction Centerpiece Film

An Amazon MGM release

FILMMAKER PARTY

Hosted by our friends at Porta, join us for our annual Filmmaker Party to celebrate the incredible talent represented in this year’s festival. Stop in after your last film, grab some food and drinks, and engage with other movie-goers and industry professionals about your favorite films and events of the day.

Featured Events

The Storyteller Series

Presented by

Sunday, October 20

12:00pm The Wellmont

Sunday, October 20

3:15pm MKA Upper School

CONVERSATION

INA GARTEN

Ina Garten is a New York Times bestselling author of thirteen cookbooks and the James Beard Award-winning host of the Emmy Award-winning television shows BAREFOOT CONTESSA and BE MY GUEST, on Food Network and Discovery+ She lives in East Hampton, New York, with her husband, Jeffrey Her memoir, Be Ready When the Luck Happens, is available now All tickets include a copy of her memoir

Moderated by Stephen Colbert

Presented in partnership with Watchung Booksellers

THE END IN

Director: Joshua Oppenheimer

Producers: Joshua Oppenheimer, Tilda Swinton, Signe Byrge Sørensen Cast: Tilda Swinton, Michael Shannon, George MacKay USA, 148 min

Joshua Oppenheimer’s THE END is set deep underground in a world that has been destroyed by an unnamed climate catastrophe There, among what has been salvaged from the world above, a small group of survivors carries on as best they can, seeking to preserve the world they once knew and form a new kind of family But the past is always present, just beneath the surface of everyday life, and it threatens to destroy them all . THE END is a musical (yes, musical) unlike any other, an unforgettable story of survival where the truth remains inescapable

A NEON release

Featured Events

MARTHA

Sunday, October 20 3:30pm The Wellmont

Director: R J Cutler

Subject: Martha Stewart USA, 115 min

Rising from a career as a model to a job in finance and then launching her own catering business, Martha Stewart built a media empire around the concept of elevated entertaining, bringing the tools, techniques, and beauty of home entertainment to the masses on a global scale. But when a financial scandal made headlines, the carefully crafted world she had built was transformed How could this savvy, experienced leader transcend the narrative and reinvent herself? R J Cutler’s MARTHA is a biography that explores our shifting perceptions of the pioneering woman who defined the “personal brand.” A NETFLIX release

PANEL

Sunday, October 20 4:00pm Cinema505 FREE (ticket required)

HOLLYWOOD AWARDS SEASON: WHO WINS AND WHY IT MATTERS

The annual ritual of Hollywood’s film awards season, kicking off with the flurry of fall festivals and picking up steam through the Oscar® telecast, creates endless fodder for pundits and an exciting horse race for movie fans But for industry insiders, there’s much more at stake than statuettes: the awards campaign cycle drives big dollars at the box office and in TV advertising, fuels a robust ecosystem of red-carpet events from L A to London, and has the power to make or break artistic and executive careers

Join Katey Rich and a panel of awards-season insiders for a lively discussion of this year’s race, the buzziest contenders, and their impact on the business and culture of Hollywood Rich is the awards editor at The Ankler, where she writes the biweekly Prestige Junkie newsletter and hosts the Prestige Junkie podcast Presented in partnership with The Ankler

Featured Events

ANORA

Sunday, October 20

7:15pm The Wellmont

Sunday, October 20

7:30pm MKA Upper School

Director: Sean Baker

Producers: Sean Baker, Alex Coco, Samantha Quan Cast: Mikey Madison, Paul Weissman, Mark Eidelshtein USA, 139 min

Anora (Mikey Madison, in a breakout performance) is a young sex worker from Brooklyn who gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and impulsively marries the son of an oligarch Once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as the parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled Sean Baker’s (THE FLORIDA PROJECT, RED ROCKET) Palme D’Or winning ANORA is a brilliant leap forward, continuing Baker’s project of exploring the human hearts of those hustling on the margins of society

A NEON release

THE ORDER

Director: Justin Kurzel

Producers: Bryan Haas, Stuart Ford, Justin Kurzel, Jude Law Cast: Jude Law, Nicholas Hoult, Tye Sheridan USA, 116 min

A series of bold daylight bank robberies and armored car heists in the Pacific Northwest leaves law enforcement baffled. As the attacks become increasingly violent, FBI agent Terry Husk (Jude Law) becomes convinced that the robberies are the work of a domestic terrorist gang planning to use the loot to finance an armed uprising against the U.S. government. Based on a true story, THE ORDER follows Husk and his team into the tangled world of white supremacists to head off a violent uprising that could shatter the nation

A Vertical Entertainment release

MONTCLAIR’S OWN SERIES ABOUT THOSE MISCARRIAGES AND OTHER MESSES I’VE MADE

Tuesday, October 22

7:00pm

Cinema505

Wednesday, October 23

7:30pm

Cinema505

Bethany Hall’s one-uterus comedy show is a hilariously savage glimpse into the realities of motherhood and miscarriages Raising kids, and building a family, is so complicated and invigorating that it makes you want to shout and cheer and cry all at the same time About Those Miscarriages and Other Messes I’ve Made rejects the isolation, shame and guilt surrounding miscarriages and parenting With great humor, it thoughtfully combines pain and grief with the thrilling, breathtaking (and exhausting) joy that is parenthood

This show came together through the combined talent of three Montclair moms living on the same street

Written & Performed by: Bethany Hall

Directed by: Maureen Towey

Music by: Anne Eisendrath

Q&A to follow

STORYSLAM – BEHIND THE SCENES

Join us for an evening of real, raw, and riveting stories that show life from a whole new perspective “Behind The Scenes” explores stories that stray from the bigger picture, showing that things aren’t always as they may seem Share your behind-the-scenes experiences and let the audience in on what may have happened when no one was looking

Featured Events

MONTCLAIR IMPROV COMEDY: THE MOVIE!

Thursday, October 24

7:30pm Cinema505

Friday, October 25

7:00pm MKA Upper School

Montclair Improv Comedy will celebrate “A Night of Movie-Themed Improv Comedy ” From short forms to never-seen-before movie trailers to a fully improvised movie, the entire night will be created completely in real-time, right before your eyes, and inspired by YOU and your suggestions Join us during the Montclair Film Festival by celebrating a night of moviethemed comedy with Montclair Improv!

CREATOR SPOTLIGHT

THE VALUE OF CREATOR CONTENT

Join us for an engaging and insightful conversation into the art and strategy behind creating compelling content on YouTube In this program, YouTube will present an early look at the first-ever feature-length episode of creator Michelle Khare’s docuseries, CHALLENGE ACCEPTED In CHALLENGE ACCEPTED: 90 DAY BLACKBELT, Michelle Khare attempts to earn a black belt within 90 days with no prior training under the guidance of worldrenowned taekwondo Grandmaster Simon Rhee

Following the screening, star and creator of the hit YouTube series, Michelle Khare, will be joined by other members of the CHALLENGE ACCEPTED creative team and a YouTube executive for a discussion on various aspects of the craft, including the creative process, audience engagement strategies, and the impact of storytelling that have catapulted YouTube as the #1 streaming platform in the US

Post-Screening Conversation with Creator Michelle Khare

Presented in partnership with Google YouTube

The David Carr Award for Truth in Filmmaking

Each year, the Montclair Film Festival honors the legacy of New York Times reporter and longtime Montclair resident David Carr by presenting an award to an outstanding film that honors Mr. Carr’s passion for the truth and his commitment to great journalism. The Montclair Film Festival is proud to award the 2024 David Carr Award for Truth in Filmmaking to APOCALYPSE IN THE TROPICS.

Friday, October 25

7:15pm Clairidge 4

Saturday, October 26 2:15pm Clairidge 4

DAVID CARR AWARD FOR TRUTH IN FILMMAKING

APOCALYPSE IN THE TROPICS

Director: Petra Costa Producers: Petra Costa, Alessandra Orofino Brazil, 110 min

When does a democracy end, and a theocracy begin? In APOCALYPSE IN THE TROPICS, Petra Costa investigates the increasingly powerful grip that faith leaders hold over politics in Brazil Costa gains extraordinary access to the country’s top political leaders, as well as to Brazil’s most famous televangelist: a larger-than-life pastor who seems to play puppet master to the latter Weaving past and present, she immerses us in the contradictory realities of a young democracy that is hanging on by a thread, holding up a mirror to the rest of the world

In English and Portuguese with English Subtitles

PANEL

Saturday, October 26

1:00pm Cinema505 FREE (ticket required)

ANNUAL REPORT: STATE OF THE FILM INDUSTRY

Film has the unique power to shift culture, change hearts and occasionally blow minds But after several years of disruption to the cinema pipeline—pandemic shutdowns, a broad industry pivot to streaming, plus the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes that put a full stop to nearly all production—Hollywood is retrenching and exploring new strategies to get movies to the screen and to audiences

Sean McNulty will lead a discussion with film insiders about production, distribution, exhibition, and everything else it takes to make movie magic happen in a changing industry landscape McNulty is the author of The Wakeup, the Hollywood and media newsletter from The Ankler, and the host of The Ankler podcast

Presented in partnership with The Ankler

Featured Events

EMILIA PÉREZ

Saturday, October 26

3:15pm MKA Upper School

Saturday, October 26

3:30pm Cinema505 FREE (ticket required)

Director: Jacques Audiard

Producers: Jacques Audiard, Pascal Caucheteux, Valérie Schermann

Cast: Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez France, 130 min

From renegade auteur Jacques Audiard comes the dazzling EMILIA PÉREZ, an audacious fever dream of a film that defies genres and expectations. Through liberating song and dance and bold visuals, this odyssey follows the journey of four remarkable women in Mexico, each pursuing their own happiness When the fearsome cartel leader Emilia (Karla Sofía Gascón) enlists Rita (Zoe Saldaña), an unappreciated lawyer stuck in a dead-end job, to help fake her death so that Emilia can finally live authentically as her true self, sparks fly that will transform the lives of both women forever

A Netflix release

PANEL

ARTISTS, AUDIENCES & ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Since ChatGPT’s debut in 2022, Hollywood and other creative industries have been racing to understand, capitalize on, and defend against the emergence of artificial intelligence tools. AI has the capacity to drive immense creativity in storytelling, but many industry stakeholders remain wary of its impact on the art and craft of cinema As the tech itself continues its rapid evolution, companies and creators must adjust to how AI will remake the execution and distribution of filmed entertainment.

Join Erik Barmack and a panel of top media executives and AI innovators for a discussion of how AI has disrupted filmmaking and where the tech is going next. Barmack, who writes the Reel AI newsletter for The Ankler, is the founder of AI in Hollywood and the CEO of Wild Sheep Content

Presented in partnership with The Ankler

Saturday, October 26

7:15pm

MKA Upper School

Saturday, October 26

9:30pm Clairidge 2

Director: Steve McQueen

Producers: Tom Bevan, Eric Fellner, Steve McQueen, Arnon Milchan

Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Elliott Heffernan, Harris Dickinson, Paul Weller UK/USA, 114 min

London. The most difficult days of World War II. Under constant bombardment by the German Luftwaffe, the citizens of the city decide to send their children to the countryside in order to keep them safe from the danger But when George (Elliott Heffernan) decides to escape from the safety of his relocation, he heads back to London alone, determined to reunite with his mother, Rita (Saoirse Ronan). Steve McQueen’s BLITZ finds the director in expansive form, showing us the personal costs of war and the determination to carry on

An Apple TV+ release

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW BLITZ

Director: Jim Sharman

Cast: Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, Richard O’Brien

UK/USA, 100 min

When sweethearts Brad (Barry Bostwick) and Janet (Susan Sarandon) get stuck with a flat tire during a storm, they discover the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry), a transvestite scientist As their innocence is lost, Brad and Janet meet a houseful of wild characters, including a rocking biker (Meat Loaf) and a creepy butler (Richard O’Brien) Through elaborate dances and rock songs, Frank-N-Furter unveils his latest creation: a muscular man named Rocky

The Montclair Film Festival is proud to present the 1975 classic, #1 cult-film of all time, THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW, featuring the The Ordinary Kids Floor Show! The Ordinary Kids were formed in 2020 during the height of the pandemic, as a virtual Rocky Horror experience and have made the transition to a live performing troupe made up of die hard fans. Get ready to dust off your high heels and slip on your fishnets! Let’s do the Time Warp again!

For ages 18 and up

Featured Events

THE 2024 MONTCLAIR FILM FESTIVAL TRIBUTE

Host Stephen Colbert

Each year, the Montclair Film Festival welcomes a special guest to the stage for an evening of conversation and celebration in honor of their career Hosted by Stephen Colbert, these evenings are legendary—in-depth discussions with artists who have shaped not only the year in film, but our own love for the movies Relaxed and often hilarious, the experience is one of being in an intimate setting and listening in on stories of creative inspiration and personal experience

Join host Stephen Colbert for this once-in-a-lifetime event, as Montclair Film celebrates the work of the cinema’s leading lights, and support the work of Montclair Film in the process Our Tribute provides critical support for our organization, allowing us to bring the film festival, our world class film education programs, and films to our six screen arthouse cinema The Clairidge year-round But this is no ordinary night, so be with us in the room where it happens, and you’ll not only have a great evening of conversation, but will help sustain the art of film in our community.

For tickets and more information on our 2024 Filmmaker Tribute, please visit MontclairFilm.org

Sunday, October 27

1:00pm

Cinema505

FREE (ticket required)

LIGHTS, CAMERA, GROWTH: ECONOMIC IMPACT OF NJ FILM CREDITS

Moderator: Elizabeth Parchment

Panelists: Jon Crowley, Matt Sestrich

Discover how New Jersey’s film tax incentives are creating economic growth and engaging local workers! Join experts from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) and the Montclair Film Festival as they explore the transformative effects of these incentives Learn how the Film and Digital Media Tax Credit is creating jobs, attracting productions, and revitalizing towns across the state Also learn how the Film Ready NJ Program is helping communities reposition themselves to maximize the positive effect of local productions. Local success stories will illustrate how New Jersey’s vibrant film scene is energizing communities

Events

The Storyteller Series

Presented by

CLOSING NIGHT FILM

THE PIANO LESSON

Sunday, October 27

5:00pm

MKA Upper School

Sunday, October 27

7:00pm

Clairidge 2

Director: Malcolm Washington

Producers: Todd Black, Denzel Washington

Cast: John David Washington, Danielle Deadwyler, Samuel L . Jackson USA, 125 min

In his stunning debut feature, Malcolm Washington adapts August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize winning masterpiece The Piano Lesson in order to grapple with the past and to understand how it continues to haunt us When Boy Willie (John David Washington) leaves Mississippi with a truck full of watermelons to sell, he heads to Pittsburgh to find his sister Berniece (Danielle Deadwyler) hoping to convince her to sell the family’s beautiful heirloom piano But the piano is no ordinary instrument; hand carved with the faces of their ancestors and telling the story of the family’s history, it is the only living document of their enduring legacy In a society riven by its refusal to remember, THE PIANO LESSON is a powerful reminder that the past is not something to fear, but a truth with which we must continue to wrestle The Montclair Film Festival is proud to present Malcom Washington’s THE PIANO LESSON as our 2024 Closing Night Film

Q&A with Performance Award winner John David Washington and Breakthrough Director Malcolm Washington. Moderated by Stephen Colbert

A NETFLIX release

NIGHTBITCH

Director: Marielle Heller

Producers: Amy Adams, Anne Carey, Marielle Heller, Sue Naegle

Cast: Amy Adams, Scoot McNairy USA, 98 min

Making the decision to stay at home with a young child is always fraught; the career that is put on hold, the creativity, the freedom, the time available to pursue spontaneity In Marielle Heller’s (CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?) NIGHTBITCH, a mother (Amy Adams) pauses her career to be a stay-at-home mom seeking a new chapter in her life when her maternal routine takes an unexpectedly surreal turn At once hilarious and knowing, NIGHTBITCH is a tour de force of maternal anxiety, a search for the inner self that once walked on the wild side

Q&A with Director Award winner Marielle Heller

A Searchlight release

The 2024 Montclair Film Festival Honors

Each year the Montclair Film Festival presents awards to filmmakers and performers whose work demonstrates outstanding artistry. We are proud to celebrate these creative artists with our 2024 Montclair Film Festival Honors:

2024 PERFORMANCE AWARD

2024 DIRECTOR AWARD

THE DAVID CARR AWARD FOR TRUTH IN FILMMAKING

2024 BREAKTHROUGH DIRECTOR

2024 DOCUMENTARY DIRECTOR AWARD

Malcolm Washington – THE PIANO LESSON

John David Washington – THE PIANO LESSON

Asif Kapadia – 2073

Marielle Heller – NIGHTBITCH

Petra Costa –

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION

The Documentary Feature Competition is a collection of the five most cinematic and engaging non-fiction films in our program.

APOCALYPSE IN THE TROPICS, directed by Petra Costa, page 71

DAHOMEY, directed by Mati Diop, page 93

A NEW KIND OF WILDERNESS, directed by Silje Evensmo Jacobsen, page 103

NIGHT IS NOT ETERNAL, directed by Nanfu Wang, page 105

SOUNDTRACK TO A COUP D’ETAT, directed by Johan Grimonprez, page 115

DOCUMENTARY SHORTS COMPETITION

ALOK, directed by Alex Hedison, page 125

CHRISTMAS, EVERY DAY, directed by Faye Tsakas, page 125

DEATH BY NUMBERS, directed by Kim A Snyder, page 125

TR(OL)L, directed by Yourgo Artsitas, page 125

FICTION FEATURE COMPETITION

The Fiction Feature Competition is a collection of the five finest, most ambitious, international and domestic auteur-driven films in our program.

ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT, directed by Payal Kapadia, page 87

GRAND TOUR, directed by Miguel Gomes, page 97

I’M STILL HERE, directed by Walter Salles, page 101

THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG, directed by Mohammad Rasoulof, page 111

UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE, directed by Matthew Rankin, page 117

FICTION SHORTS COMPETITION

THE BROWN DOG, directed by Jamie-James Medina, Nadia Hallgren, page 127

DEEP IN MY HEART IS A SONG, directed by Jonathan Pickett, page 127

DISSOLUTION, directed by Anthony Saxe, page 127

ECHOES OF POMEGRANATE, directed by Alex Bijan Zandi, page 127

RELATIONSHIP TO PATIENT, directed by Caroline Creaghead, page 127

WORKING SUMMER, directed by Lily Weisberg, page 127

FUTURE/NOW COMPETITION

The Future/Now Competition celebrates low-budget independent filmmaking by first or second time feature film directors who are creating innovative, challenging films.

The winner will receive the Mark Urman Award for Fiction Filmmaking

CHRISTMAS EVE IN MILLER’S POINT, directed by Tyler Taormina, page 91

EEPHUS, directed by Carson Lund, page 93

EXTREMELY UNIQUE DYNAMIC, directed by Ivan Leung, Harrison Xu, Katherine Dudas, page 95

GAZER, directed by Ryan J . Sloan, page 95

MICRO BUDGET, directed by Morgan Evans, page 103

NJ FILMS COMPETITION

The New Jersey Films Competition is a collection of non-fiction films made, produced, or featuring talent from New Jersey

BEYOND THE GAZE: JULE CAMPBELL’S SWIMSUIT

ISSUE, directed by Jill Campbell, page 89

HOMEGROWN, directed by Michael Premo, page 99

SONGS FROM THE HOLE, directed by Contessa Gayles, page 113

SPACE COWBOY, directed by Marah Strauch, Bryce Leavitt, page 115

ZURAWSKI V. TEXAS, directed by Maisie Crow, Abbie Perrault, page 121

NJ SHORTS COMPETITION

ALL THINGS METAL, directed by Motoki Otsuka, page 135

THE BELIEVERS, directed by Evan Newman, page 135

BREAK/FIX, directed by Amanda Pinto, page 135

INCOMING CALL, directed by Lisa Molinaro, page 135

THE SACRIFICE, directed by Christopher Werner, page 135

STEADY, directed by Joey Rogoff, Brian Yuran, page 135

AUDIENCE AWARD

Voted on by MFF audiences, the Audience Award is one of the most prestigious prizes at the festival Prizes will be awarded in the Documentary, Fiction, World Cinema, and Short Film categories

Films

Director: Payal Kapadia

Producers: Julien Graff, Thomas Hakim

Cast: Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam France/India/Netherlands/Luxembourg/Italy, 110 min

The light, the lives, and the textures of contemporary, working-class Mumbai are explored and celebrated by writer/director Payal Kapadia, who won the Grand Prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival for ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT, her revelatory fiction feature debut. Centering on two roommates who also work together in a city hospital, Kapadia’s film alights on moments of connection and heartache, hope and disappointment ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT is a soulful study of the transformative power of friendship and sisterhood, in all its complexities and richness

In Malayalam, Hindi, and Marathi with English Subtitles

Saturday, October 19, 5:00pm, Clairidge 4

Sunday, October 20, 12:00pm, Clairidge 4

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

AND SO IT BEGINS

Director: Ramona S Diaz

Producer: Ramona S Diaz USA/Philippines, 113 min

Director Ramona S Diaz follows up on her David Carr Award winning A THOUSAND CUTS, which explored the battle of Nobel Prize winning journalist Maria Resa to tell the truth about the Duterte regime, with AND SO IT BEGINS, which examines the impact of autocratic politics on the process of democracy Amid Filipino elections, a grassroots movement emerges to protect truth and democracy from growing threats People unite in joyful acts of resistance as they seek to support politicians who bring hope, while campaigns embrace spectacle, clouding the realities of everyday life

In English and Tagalog with English Subtitles

Saturday, October 26, 5:00pm Clairidge 4

Sunday, October 27, 3:30pm Clairidge 4

Films

Cast: Renate Reinsve, Ellen Dorit Petersen, Janne Heltberg Norway, 117 min

On one of the last days before the school holidays, something happens between six-year-olds Armand and Jon The parents are called in for a meeting, but the school management doesn’t really know what actually happened Was it just a children’s game or something much more serious? The incident between the two boys triggers a series of events, forcing parents and school staff into a captivating battle of redemption—where madness, desire, and obsession arise Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel’s award-winning ARMAND is a fantasia on the troubling uncertainty of parental identity In Norwegian with English Subtitles

Sunday, October 20, 3:00pm, Clairidge 3

Tuesday, October 22, 6:45pm, Clairidge 3

NJ FILMS COMPETITION

BEYOND THE GAZE: JULE CAMPBELL’S SWIMSUIT ISSUE

Director: Jill Campbell

Producers: Jill Campbell, Jonathan Gray, Robert J Lyons USA, 108 min

During her 32-year tenure as founding editor of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, Jule Campbell had to navigate a Mad Men-era sexist workplace while confronting accusations by a rising movement of women who saw her work as objectification. Unyielding in her pursuit of artistic excellence, Campbell’s work created the contemporary idea of the supermodel. In BEYOND THE GAZE, Campbell reflects on her legacy and impending mortality with the grace and intuition that guided her career, her celebration of the strong, beautiful women whose lives she changed forever

Saturday, October 26, 2:30pm, Clairidge 1

Sunday, October 27, 6:30pm, Clairidge 1

FICTION FEATURE

BIRD

Director: Andrea Arnold

Producers: Lee Groombridge, Juliette Howell, Tessa Ross Cast: Nykiya Adams, Barry Keoghan, Fraz Rogowski UK, 119 min

In her new film BIRD, English filmmaker Andrea Arnold takes her unique brand of social realism and her intimate understanding of working-class youth culture to new and unexpected places 12-year-old Bailey (Nykiya Adams) lives with her single dad Bug (Barry Keoghan) and brother Hunter in a derelict squat in North Kent Left to her own devices by a disinterested and confrontational Bug, Bailey sets out on her own and discovers a kindred spirit in Bird (Fraz Rogowski), whose compassion shows Bailey a new way of seeing the world

Saturday, October 19, 4:30pm, Clairidge 5

Sunday, October 20, 6:30pm, Clairidge 5

Cast: Tao Zhao, You Zhou China, 111 min

Jia Zhang-ke is the greatest documentor of contemporary Chinese life, an artist whose use of fiction and non-fiction is driven by his relentless curiosity about the ways in which the nation’s own transformation is reflected in the lives of his own restless generation. In CAUGHT BY THE TIDES, Jia blends documentary and fiction around a fragile love story, as Qiaoqiao (Tao Zhao) searches across the decades for a lost love who abandoned her in a quest to find his fortune in the early days of China’s economic boom

In Mandarin with English Subtitles

Saturday, October 19, 3:00pm, Clairidge 3

Tuesday, October 22, 5:00pm, Clairidge 4

FUTURE/NOW COMPETITION

CHRISTMAS EVE IN MILLER’S POINT

Director: Tyler Taormina

Producers: Kevin Anton, Eric Berger, David Croley Broyles, Calogero Carucci

Cast: Maria Dizzia, Ben Shenkman, Michael Cera, Elsie Fisher, Gregg Turkington USA, 106 min

If, as the famous writer said, all happy families are the same, the holidays provide the opportunity for every family to reveal itself in its own, unique way In CHRISTMAS EVE IN MILLER’S POINT, director Tyler Taormina’s lovingly hilarious portrait of the holiday season, a rambunctious extended family descends upon their small Long Island hometown to celebrate Christmas But before the evening is over, two teenage cousins take advantage of the chaos to sneak out into the wintry night and make the holiday their own

Saturday, October 19, 3:15pm, Clairidge 1

Sunday, October 20, 7:30pm, Clairidge 1

FICTION FEATURE

LA COCINA

Director: Alonso Ruizpalacios

Producers: Gerardo Gatica González, Lauren Mann, Ivan Orlic, Ramiro Ruiz

Cast: Rooney Mara, Raúl Briones, Anna Díaz USA, 139 min

In a bustling Times Square restaurant, dreams, and desperation collide as the staff chases the elusive American dream When money disappears from the till, attention turns to Pedro (Raúl Briones), a passionate dreamer entangled in a tumultuous affair with Julia (Rooney Mara), a waitress grappling with her own commitments As tensions rise and shocking revelations emerge, the relentless pace of the kitchen threatens to shatter the hopes of the workers who keep the restaurant running

In Spanish and English with English Subtitles

Friday, October 25, 5:00pm, Clairidge 3

Sunday, October 27, 6:00pm, Clairidge 3

Producers: Mati Diop, Judith Lou Lévy, Eve Robin France/Senegal/Benin, 68 min

November, 2021 Twenty-six royal treasures of the Kingdom of Dahomey, beautiful sculptures of ancestors, are about to leave Paris to return to their country of origin, the present-day Republic of Benin Along with thousands of others, these artifacts were plundered by French colonial troops in 1892 But how should the people of Benin reconcile these ancestors’ homecoming in a country that had to forge ahead in their absence? Mati Diop’s stunning DAHOMEY explores the legacy of colonialism through the lens of these cultural treasures, bringing the past into profound dialogue with the present In French with English Subtitles

Saturday, October 19, 5:30pm, Clairidge 3

Monday, October 21, 8:00pm, Clairidge 3

FUTURE/NOW COMPETITION

EEPHUS

Director: Carson Lund

Producers: Michael Basta, David Entin, Carson Lund, Tyler Taormina

Cast: Jason Barbieri, Cliff Blake, Lou Basta, Theodore Bouloukos USA, 98 min

When a construction project threatens their cherished smalltown baseball field, two New England Sunday league teams face off one last time. As tensions flare and ceremonial laughs are shared, an era of camaraderie and escapism fades into an uncertain future Carson Lund’s comic, elegiac EEPHUS explores the transformation of a way of life, highlighting the fabric of friendship and community against the backdrop of the sport that defined the country.

Friday, October 25, 8:00pm, Clairidge 3

Sunday, October 27, 3:15pm, Clairidge 3

Alain Resnais, Ghislain Cloquet France, 30 min

Banned in France for 15 years, Chris Marker and Alain Resnais’ early film critiques the Western commodification and exploitation of African culture while challenging colonial ideologies through its innovative aesthetic form

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

ERNEST COLE: LOST AND FOUND

Director: Raoul Peck

Producers: Raoul Peck, Tamara Rosenberg USA, 105 min

Ernest Cole, a young and gifted South African photographer, was the first to expose the horrors of apartheid to a world audience His book “House of Bondage,” published in 1967, led him into exile in NYC and Europe for the rest of his life, never to find his bearings. Raoul Peck (I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO) recounts his journey, his artistry, and his anger at the silence and complicity of the Western world in the face of the horrors of South Africa’s brutal Apartheid regime .

Sunday, October 20, 8:15pm, Clairidge 3

Saturday, October 26, 12:00pm, Clairidge 3

EVERY LITTLE THING

Director: Sally Aitken

Producers: Bettina Dalton, Anna Godas, Oli Harbottle USA, 93 min

Amidst the hustle and bustle of life in Hollywood, a woman finds herself on a transformative journey as she nurtures wounded hummingbirds, unraveling a visually captivating and magical tale of love, fragility, healing, and the delicate beauty in tiny acts of greatness Sally Aitken’s stunning, gorgeous EVERY LITTLE THING brings the often unseen beauty of the natural world into full view, connecting the meaning of the lives of hummingbirds with our own, and showing us how our lives and fates are intertwined within the world we have created for ourselves

Wednesday, October 23, 4:00pm, Clairidge 2

Thursday, October 24, 7:00pm, Clairidge 1

FUTURE/NOW COMPETITION

EXTREMELY UNIQUE DYNAMIC

Directors: Ivan Leung, Harrison Xu, Katherine Dudas

Producers: Noel Do-Murakami, Ivan Leung, Harrison Xu

Cast: Ivan Leung, Harrison Xu USA, 73 min

In this (likely) first-ever and (possibly) award-winning MetaAsian- Stoner- Coming- of- Age- Bromantic Dramedy, directors Harrison Xu, Ivan Leung, and Katherine Dudas join forces to show us the bottled-up secrets that arise as two best friends decide to make a movie… about two guys making a movie… about two guys making a movie. EXTREMELY UNIQUE DYNAMIC is an exploration of love and friendship, of show business dreams and economic realities, and how believing in yourself and your friends can lead to new, creative revelations .

Saturday, October 19, 8:00pm, Clairidge 4

Sunday, October 20, 2:30pm, Clairidge 4

FUTURE/NOW COMPETITION

GAZER

Director: Ryan J Sloan

Producers: Ariella Mastroianni, Ryan J Sloan

Cast: Ariella Mastroianni USA, 114 min

Ryan J Sloan’s GAZER is a debut thriller unlike any other Shot luminously on film on the streets of Essex County, NJ, the film follows Frankie (Ariella Mastroianni), a young mother with a rare brain condition who, desperate for the money she needs to survive, takes a job from a mysterious woman with a dark past But how can Frankie survive in a dangerous world where the stakes keep getting more perilous? GAZER is an edge-of-your-seat puzzle that ingeniously folds itself into knots, a thrill ride that heralds the arrival of two new film artists to watch.

Saturday, October 26, 5:15pm, Clairidge 1

Sunday, October 27, 3:00pm, Clairidge 1

is an unsettling tale about a woman searching for love in an immoral world .

In Danish with English Subtitles

Saturday, October 19, 8:15pm

Clairidge 3

Thursday, October 24, 8:00pm

Clairidge 3

FICTION FEATURE COMPETITION

GRAND TOUR

Director: Miguel Gomes

Producers: Marta Donzelli, Gregorio Paonessa, Filipa Reis

Cast: Gonçalo Waddington, Crista Alfaiate

Portugal/Italy/France/Germany/Japan/China, 128 min

Rangoon, Burma, 1917. Edward, a civil servant for the British Empire, runs away from his fiancée Molly the day she arrives to get married During his travels, however, panic gives way to melancholy Contemplating the emptiness of his existence, the cowardly Edward (Gonçalo Waddington) wonders what has become of Molly (Crista Alfaiate) But determined to get married and amused by Edward’s move, Molly follows his trail. Miguel Gomes’ GRAND TOUR is a travel film unlike any other, a stunningly told story that blends classic Hollywood style with contemporary landscapes, exploring how European empires have framed how we see the world

In Portuguese with English Subtitles

Saturday, October 19, 12:15pm, Clairidge 3

Wednesday, October 23, 8:00pm, Clairidge 3

often darkly humorous study of family and the thorny ties that bind us Pansy (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) is a woman wracked by fear, tormented by afflictions, and prone to raging tirades against her husband, son, and anyone who looks her way HARD TRUTHS takes us into the intensities of kinship, duty, and the most enduring of human mysteries: that even through lifetimes of hurt and hardship, we still find ways to love those we call family

Saturday, October 19, 8:45pm, Clairidge 1

Saturday, October 26, 12:15pm, Clairidge 1

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

I WILL BUILD THIS WORLD FROM LOVE

Director: John Block USA, 70 min

John Block’s I WILL BUILD THIS WORLD FROM LOVE tells the story of several young women and men from the country of Georgia who aspire to practice their Judaism in all its fullness and without limitation While their impending b’nai mitzvah ceremony raises the ire of Georgia’s dominant patriarchal orthodox Jewish community, they find acceptance from Georgia’s former Evangelical Baptist archbishop – demoted for his controversial stand against homophobia and Islamophobia Undaunted, he builds a Peace Cathedral, housing a church, synagogue, and mosque under one roof, all in an effort to advance interfaith relations and global harmony

Sunday, October 27, 1:30pm MKA Upper School

among citizens seem an impossibility, Michael Premo’s HOMEGROWN takes us inside the lives and ideas of far-right Amercians, people whose determination to turn their beliefs into action brings them to the front lines of our nation’s political divide A verité portrait of a fractured America, HOMEGROWN offers an unprecedented look at right-wing activists as they search for purpose and power— with dire consequences

Saturday, October 19, 6:00pm, Clairidge 1

Sunday, October 20, 2:15pm, Clairidge 1

Director: Walter Salles

Producers: Maria Carlota Bruno, Walter Salles, Rodrigo Teixeira

Cast: Fernanda Torres, Selton Mello, Fernanda Montenegro Brazil, 136 min

Brazil, 1971 As the nation faces the tightening grip of a military dictatorship, everyday life remains But when her family suffers a violent and arbitrary act at the hand of government forces, Eunice Paiva (Fernanda Torres), mother of five children, is forced to reinvent herself Based on Marcelo Rubens Paiva’s biography, Walter Salles (THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES) returns with his powerful new film I’M STILL HERE, telling the true story that helped reconstruct an important part of Brazil’s hidden history of political repression and the long fight for justice.

In Portuguese with English Subtitles

Monday, October 21, 7:30pm, Clairidge 2

Thursday, October 24, 7:15pm, Clairidge 4

MEMOIR OF A SNAIL

Director: Adam Elliot

Producers: Adam Elliot, Liz Kearney

Australia, 94 min

In 1970s Australia, Grace’s life is troubled by misfortune and loss After their mother dies during pregnancy, she and her twin brother, Gilbert, are raised by their paraplegic-alcoholic former juggler father, Percy. Despite a life filled with love, tragedy strikes anew when Percy passes away in his sleep The siblings are forcibly separated and thrust into separate homes As the years pass, and despite new sorrows, a glimmer of hope emerges when she strikes up an enduring friendship MEMOIR OF A SNAIL is a moving look at how we find our true selves.

Sunday, October 20, 5:00pm, Clairidge 1

Tuesday, October 22, 7:00pm, Clairidge 1

Wednesday, October 23, 5:30pm, Clairidge 5 FICTION

MEN OF WAR

Directors: Billy Corben, Jen Gatien

Producers: Billy Corben, Jen Gatien, Alfred Spellman USA, 98 min

In MEN OF WAR, directors Billy Corben (COCAINE COWBOYS) and Jen Gatien explore how American foreign policy has become a fantasy of democratic destiny through military might. The film follows a former U.S. Green Beret who recruits financiers and mercenaries to orchestrate a coup against Venezuela’s president When the mission encounters unexpected problems, complications arise at home, where he is pursued by the government he once served A jawdropping look into the heart of overconfidence, MEN OF WAR is a deliriously entertaining cautionary tale

Sunday, October 20, 12:30pm, Clairidge 3

In MICRO BUDGET, Terry (Patrick Noth) discovers he’s about to be a father, and does what any other sane person would do– he moves himself and his nine-months-pregnant wife from Iowa to Los Angeles to shoot a low-budget indie movie and sell it to a streamer Documented by his cousin Devin’s behind-the-scenes camera crew, Terry suddenly finds that his beliefs about diversity, the #MeToo movement, and what technically qualifies as a properly financed film production put him at odds with, well, every single person who meets him

Saturday, October 26, 2:45pm, Clairidge 3

Sunday, October 27, 12:45pm, Clairidge 3

A NEW KIND OF WILDERNESS

Director: Silje Evensmo Jacobsen

Producer: Mari Bakke Riise Norway, 84 min

On a small farm at the edge of a beautiful Norwegian forest, the Payne family seeks a free existence They practice home-schooling and strive for a closely-knit family dynamic in harmony with nature But when tragedy unexpectedly strikes, it upends their idyllic world and forces them to forge a new path into modern society .

In A NEW KIND OF WILDERNESS, the Paynes’ journey, their triumphs, and struggles, invite reflection as filmmaker Silje Evensmo Jacobsen captures an intimate and soulful portrait of love, life, and growing up

In English and Norwegian with English Subtitles

Saturday, October 26, 12:00pm

MKA Upper School

MISERICORDIA. In the film, Jérémie (Félix Kysyl) returns to his hometown for the funeral of his former boss, the village baker He decides to stay for a few days with Martine (Catherine Frot), the man’s widow, but Jérémie’s short stay in the village takes an unexpected turn when a mysterious disappearance, a threatening neighbor, and a priest with strange intentions create a harrowing mystery that could transform their lives forever

In French with English Subtitles

Sunday, October 20, 5:45 pm, Clairidge 3

Wednesday, October 23, 5:15pm, Clairidge 3

NIGHT IS NOT ETERNAL captures the human moments behind the scenes, the complexities of exile and small acts of defiance, to create a narrative without geographical boundaries, exploring the universal struggle for freedom

The Montclair Film Festival is proud to present the World Premiere of Nanfu Wang’s NIGHT IS NOT ETERNAL

Sunday, October 20, 7:00pm, Clairidge 2

Tuesday, October 22, 7:30pm, Clairidge 2

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

family, throwing the traditional proceedings into turmoil that threatens to reframe the family’s legacy and standing in the community. ON BECOMING A GUINEA FOWL is filmmaker Rungano Nyoni’s (I AM NOT A WITCH) surreal and vibrant new film, a funny and profound reckoning with the lies we tell ourselves

Monday, October 21, 5:30pm, Clairidge 3

Saturday, October 26, 5:30pm, Clairidge 3

PAINT ME A ROAD OUT OF HERE

Director: Catherine Gund

Producer: Tanya Selvaratnam

Subject: Faith Ringold

USA, 90 min

PAINT ME A ROAD OUT OF HERE

uncovers the whitewashed history of Faith Ringgold’s visionary painting, “For the Women’s House,” and how its journey is bound to the fate of incarcerated women Director Catherine Gund explores the life and work of two Black women artists: Faith Ringgold, who created “For the Women’s House” for incarcerated women on Riker’s Island in 1971, and Mary Enoch Elizabeth Baxter, who is gearing up to work with women currently incarcerated to foresee a world without barriers to their full potential

Wednesday, October 23, 7:30pm, Clairidge 2

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

PAVEMENTS

Director: Alex Ross Perry

Producers: Lance Bangs, Craig Butta, Danny Gabai, Robert Greene USA, 128 min

The rock and roll documentary is a form defined by its fealty to its well-worn tropes; talking heads, performance clips, backstage drama, hagiographic celebration In PAVEMENTS, Director Alex Ross Perry uses the form to playfully and ironically subvert it A pitch-perfect look at the career of the generation defining band Pavement, the film explores the band through several creative interventions—a fiction film, a stage musical, an art and memorabilia exhibit, archival and performance footage, and ultimately, the film PAVEMENTS itself– to create a rock and roll mosaic unlike any other.

Saturday, October 19, 7:30pm, Clairidge 5

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

POLITICS IS A MOTHER, RAISING HELL IS PART OF THE JOB

Director: Francine Weinberg Graff

Producer: Francine Weinberg Graff

Subject: Loretta Weinberg USA, 71 min

At almost 80 years old, when most women feel invisible, Loretta Weinberg was at her most powerful From Town Council to Senate Majority leader (battling bullies along the way), she faced off against then-Governor Chris Christie and flipped New Jersey on its head when she helped unearth the Bridgegate scandal Francine Weinberg Graff’s POLITICS IS A MOTHER, RAISING HELL IS PART OF THE JOB reveals how the political is always personal and that an adorable grandmother just might be one of the most important politicians of our time

Saturday, October 19, 12:00pm, The Wellmont

RATIFIED

Directors: Sabaah Folayan, Deborah Riley Draper

Co-Creator: Emily Best

Producer: Megan Goedewaagen USA, 85 min

Most Americans believe the US Constitution protects gender equality. It does not. The 100 year fight for an Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) has required the tending of old wounds to forge a truly inclusive movement RATIFIED is about the women building a truly intersectional movement for equality, fighting relentlessly against people who hide behind procedure to deny foundational protections for all people RATIFIED asks: if our ideals—and bureaucracies—can fail, even in support of something as wildly popular as equal rights, what does that mean for our democracy?

Saturday, October 26, 3:45pm, Clairidge 5

Sunday, October 27, 2:45pm, Clairidge 5

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

THE REMARKABLE LIFE OF IBELIN

Director: Benjamin Ree

Producer: Ingvil Giske

Norway, 106 min

When Mats Steen, a Norwegian gamer, died of a degenerative muscular disease at the age of 25, his parents mourned what they thought had been a lonely and isolated life But unbeknownst to them, Mats had a secret world, a place they discovered when they started receiving messages from online friends around the world In the moving and beautiful THE REMARKABLE LIFE OF IBELIN, Director Benjamin Ree takes us into the heart of Mats’ online community, a place where his empathetic heart could escape the demands of everyday life

In Norwegian, Danish, and English with English Subtitles

Saturday, October 19, 12:30pm, Clairidge 1

Thursday, October 24, 4:00pm, Clairidge 1

FICTION FEATURE

THE ROOM NEXT DOOR

Director: Pedro Almodóvar

Producer: Agustín Almodóvar

Cast: Julianne Moore, Tilda Swinton, John Turturro

Spain/USA, 110 min

Ingrid (Julianne Moore) and Martha (Tilda Swinton) were close friends in their youth, when they worked together at the same magazine

Ingrid went on to become a novelist known for her works of autofiction while Martha became a war reporter, traveling the globe to cover the world’s most dangerous conflicts, and they were separated by the circumstances of life After years of being out of touch, they meet again in an extreme but strangely sweet situation Pedro Almodóvar’s first English-language feature, THE ROOM NEXT DOOR is a moving examination of the power of friendship

Friday, October 25, 7:30pm Clairidge 2

Saturday, October 26, 6:00pm Clairidge 2

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

SABBATH QUEEN

Director: Sandi Simcha Dubowski

Producer: Sandi Simcha Dubowski USA, 105 min

Sandi Simcha Dubowski’s SABBATH QUEEN follows Rabbi Amichai LauLavie’s epic journey as the dynastic heir of 38 generations of Orthodox rabbis as he seeks to embrace his destiny by becoming a drag-queen rebel, a queer father, and the founder of Lab/Shul— an everybody-friendly, God-optional, artist-driven, pop-up experimental congregation SABBATH QUEEN joins Amichai on a lifelong quest to creatively and radically reinvent religion and ritual, challenge patriarchy and supremacy, champion interfaith love, and stand up for peace, all while interrogating what Jewish survival means in a difficult rapidly changing 21st century

Sunday, October 27, 12:00pm Clairidge 1

FICTION FEATURE COMPETITION

THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG

Director: Mohammad Rasoulof

Producers: Rozita Hendijanian, Mohammad Rasoulof, Amin Adraei

Cast: Misagh Zare, Soheila Golestani, Mahsa Rostami, Setareh Maleki, Niousha Akhshi France/Germany/Iran, 168 min

Investigating judge Iman (Missagh Zareh) grapples with paranoia amid political unrest in Tehran, but when his gun vanishes, he suspects his wife and daughters, imposing draconian measures that strain family ties as societal rules crumble Shot amidst the recent protests for women’s rights in Iran, MFF Jury Prize winning director Mohammad Rasoulof (THERE IS NO EVIL) has created an incendiary story of state repression and the impacts and compromises it places on private lives Rasoulof was sentenced to prison for making this film, but fled and he remains in exile. A must-see.

In Persian with English Subtitles

Monday, October 21, 7:15pm, Clairidge 5 Saturday, October 26, 6:45pm, Clairidge 5

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

THE SHEPHERD AND THE BEAR

Director: Max Keegan

Producers: Max Keegan, Amanda McBaine, Jesse Moss, Elizabeth Woodward USA, 101 min

Set high in the majestic French Pyrenees, THE SHEPHERD AND THE BEAR explores a conflict provoked by the reintroduction of brown bears in the midst of a traditional shepherding community. The film follows an aging shepherd who struggles to find a successor as bears prey on his flock, and a teenage boy who becomes obsessed with tracking the bears. Through its breathtaking cinematography and immersive storytelling, THE SHEPHERD AND THE BEAR is a modern folktale about tradition, community and humanity’s relationship with a vanishing natural world

In French with English Subtitles

Tuesday, October 22, 7:15pm, Clairidge 5

Sunday, October 27, 12:30pm, Clairidge 4

FICTION FEATURE

SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE

Director: Tim Mielants

Producers: Matt Damon, Catherine Magee, Alan Moloney, Cillian Murphy

Cast: Cillian Murphy, Eileen Wash, Amily Watson Ireland/Belgium/USA, 96 min

Set in Ireland in 1985, devoted father Bill Furlong (Cillian Murphy, in his first role since OPPENHEIMER) discovers disturbing secrets kept by the local convent But with his family and community unwilling to act, and troubled by their continued silence, Bill must confront his own memories of the past and decide if he will let injustice endure In Tim Mielants’s powerful new drama SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE, the past is a call to action in the present, a moving reminder that small acts of compassion may just bring about change

Saturday, October 19, 6:30pm, Clairidge 2

NJ FILMS COMPETITION

SONGS FROM THE HOLE

Director: Contessa Gayles

Producers: Contessa Gayles, Richie Reseda, David Fox Sutcliffe

Cast: Myles Lassiter, Kellie Evans, Devonte Hoy USA, 106 min

A moving chronicle of forgiveness, family, and the transformative power of art, Contessa Gayle’s SONGS FROM THE HOLE weaves music and storytelling into an innovative documentary visual album Incarcerated musician James “JJ’88” Jacobs reveals his innermost struggles as a person who has both committed and experienced violent harm While serving a double-life prison sentence, he searches for healing and peace as he comes of age in this documentary-musical odyssey composed behind bars SONGS FROM THE HOLE is a powerful mix of truth-telling and dreaming that reveals the potential for healing and liberation within us all

Wednesday, October 23, 7:45pm, Clairidge 5 Thursday, October 24, 7:45pm, Clairidge 5

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION

SOUNDTRACK TO A COUP D’ETAT

Director: Johan Grimonpez

Producers: Rémi Grellety, Daan Milius Belgium/France/Netherlands, 150 min

United Nations, 1960: jazz musicians Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach crash the Security Council, Nikita Khrushchev bangs his shoe, and the U.S. State Department swings into action, sending jazz ambassador Louis Armstrong to Congo to deflect attention from the CIA-backed coup Director Johan Grimonprez’s SOUNDTRACK TO A COUP D’ETAT captures the moment when African politics and American jazz collided in this magnificent essay film, a riveting historical rollercoaster that illuminates the political machinations behind the 1961 assassination of Congo’s leader Patrice Lumumba

In French, Dutch, Russian, and English with English Subtitles

Saturday, October 19, 1:00pm, Clairidge 5

Sunday, October 20, 12:30pm, Clairidge 5

NJ FILMS COMPETITION

SPACE COWBOY

Directors: Bryce Leavitt, Marah Strauch

Producers: Bryce Leavitt, Tyler Measom, Marah Strauch USA, 98 min

The art of skydiving has been part of the cinematic imagination since cameras were invented, creating indelible images and scenes that have shaped our experience of film, television, and, of course, commercials Bryce Leavitt and Marah Strauch’s new film SPACE COWBOY is a portrait of Joe Jennings, a pioneer of skydiving cinematography, as he looks back on creating iconic moments in film and television, while trying to turn a new, dreamlike vision into reality Will he pull off his greatest feat of aerial cinematography yet or will the sky be the limit?

Sunday, October 20, 4:45pm Clairidge 4

Wednesday, October 23, 7:15pm Clairidge 4

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

SWAMP DOGG GETS HIS POOL PAINTED

Directors: Isaac Gale, Ryan Olson, co-directed by David McMurry

Producers: Ryan Olson, Paul Lovelace, Isaac Gale, David McMurry, Ben Wu USA, 95 min

Hidden away deep in the suburban San Fernando Valley, legendary cult musician Swamp Dogg, alongside housemates Moogstar and Guitar Shorty, has transformed his home into an artistic playground Together, they navigate the tumultuous waves of the music industry, and forge a wonderfully bizarre and inspiring path across time and space Isaac Gale and Ryan Olson’s SWAMP DOGG GETS HIS POOL PAINTED is a delightful look at friendship, creativity, and the connections we make when we choose to live life on our own terms

Sunday, October 20, 1:30pm, Clairidge 2

Friday, October 25, 7:00pm, Clairidge 1

DOCUMENTARY

TWO STRANGERS TRYING NOT TO KILL EACH OTHER

Directors: Manon Ouimet, Jacob Perlmutter

Producers: Manon Ouimet, Jacob Perlmutter, Signe Byrge Sørensen

Subjects: Maggie Barrett, Joel Meyerowitz

UK/Denmark/USA, 100 min

Thirty years after their chance meeting, Maggie and Joel, now 75 and 84, remain deeply in love but face complications Born in the hard-boiled Bronx, Joel Meyerowitz, a celebrated photographer with major exhibitions and 40 books, contrasts with British-born Maggie Barrett, a talented yet less recognized artist and writer. Confronting the realities of aging, they seek to find inner peace together before time runs out

Sunday, October 20, 7:15pm, Clairidge 4 Monday, October 21, 4:00pm, Clairidge 4

PLAYING WITH:

MY BACK PAGES

Directors: Nick Canfield, Paul Lovelace USA, 10 min

A portrait of the world’s foremost collector of Bob Dylan materials, as he donates his life’s work to the Bob Dylan Center

FICTION FEATURE COMPETITION

UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE

Director: Matthew Rankin

Producer: Sylvain Corbeil

Cast: Matthew Rankin, Mani Soleymanlou, Danielle Fichaud Canada, 89 min

In a surreal interzone between Tehran and Winnipeg, the lives of multiple characters intertwine in unexpected ways Gradeschoolers Negin and Nazgol discover money frozen in ice and attempt to claim it Meanwhile, Massoud guides a group of increasingly-befuddled tourists through Winnipeg’s landmarks, and Matthew quits his meaningless job to embark on an enigmatic journey to see his mother Space, time, and personal identities crossfade, interweave and echo in this surreal comedy of misdirection

In French and Farsi with English Subtitles

Tuesday, October 22, 7:45pm, Clairidge 4 Friday, October 25, 7:45pm, Clairidge 5

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

WITCHES

Director: Elizabeth Sankey

Producers: Manon Ardisson, Chiara Ventura, Jeremy Warmsley UK, 90 min

The historical understanding of women, childbirth, and mental health has always been intertwined with suspicion, terror, and violence fueling the creation of witches and witchcraft in popular culture These concepts have inspired countless films, depictions that have defined our understanding of supernatural womanhood In her new film WITCHES, director Elizabeth Sankey explores this legacy by focusing on women facing postpartum psychological complications Isolated, misunderstood, and without adequate, compassionate health resources, the women of WITCHES share their own experiences as they look to overcome our collective, distorting representations

Saturday, October 19, 9:15pm Clairidge 2

Thursday, October 24, 5:00pm Clairidge 5

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

THE WORLD ACCORDING TO ALLEE WILLIS

Director: Alexis Manya Spraic

Producer: Nicholas Coles

Cast: Mark Mothersbaugh, Patti Labelle, Cyndi Lauper, Mark Cuban, Paul Reubens USA, 97 min

Take one look at award-winning songwriter/artist Allee Willis and you see someone unafraid to be themselves Allee began filming her life in 1950s Detroit and never stopped—Dressed in a cacophony of prints and colors, her signature asymmetrical haircut and famed parties at her real-life Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, Allee didn’t waste any opportunity to tell you what she was about. But privately, Allee struggled with not fitting established gender and sexual norms. She buried herself in her work, until true love manifested her ultimate masterpiece—self-acceptance

Friday, October 25, 4:00pm, Clairidge 1

Saturday, October 26, 8:30pm, Clairidge 1

FICTION FEATURE

YOUNG HEARTS

Director: Anthony Schatteman

Producer: Xavier Rombaut

Cast: Lou Goossens, Marius De Saeger, Geert Van Rampelberg, Emilie De Roo Belgium/Netherlands, 97 min

Barely a teenager, Elias feels attracted to his new neighbor and classmate Alexander, and soon enough, realizes that he’s truly in love for the first time But interactions with his friends and family bring more questions than answers and, confused by his burgeoning feelings, Elias tries to sort out his inner chaos to prove that he is worth Alexander’s heart Directed by Anthony Schatteman and co-written by Lucas Dhont (director of MFF 2023’s CLOSER), YOUNG HEARTS is a warm and beautiful story of acceptance and love

In Dutch and French with English Subtitles

Monday, October 21, 7:00pm Clairidge 1

Saturday, October 26, 3:15pm Clairidge 2

NJ FILMS COMPETITION

ZURAWSKI V TEXAS

Directors: Maisie Crow, Abbie Perrault

Producers: Maisie Crow, Blye Pagon Faust, Amy Flanagan, Abbie Perrault USA, 98 min

Women denied abortions under Texas’ ambiguous and unforgiving abortion bans band together with a fearless attorney to sue Texas While battling in court against the state and its immovable Attorney General, the extent of their traumatic experiences is revealed as they wrestle to regain their reproductive futures and set a precedent for millions of other women and families ZURAWSKI V TEXAS reveals the dire impact of losing access to healthcare—and the extraordinary efforts of the women and men fighting on the frontline to regain those rights.

Saturday, October 19, 12:00pm, Clairidge 4

Sunday, October 27, 5:30pm, Clairidge 5

BACK TO THE LAND SHORTS

Friday, October 25, 5:15pm, Clairidge 5

AMERICAN GRAIL: A QUEST FOR THE IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER

Director: Andy Sarjahani

USA, 16 min

Captivated by the elusive Ivory-billed Woodpecker, selftaught expert Mark Michaels seeks to prove its persistence against insurmountable odds

THE FOREST (A FLORESTA)

Director: Brooks Dierdorff

USA, 16 min

An experimental portrait of overlapping histories, extractive capitalism, rewilding, and the tension between nature and its representation—all within the boundaries of Tijuca National Park in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

(MEET ME AT THE CREEK)

Director: Loren Waters

USA, 10 min

In order to revitalize cultural traditions, a Cherokee elder fights to restore the “irreversibly damaged” Tar Creek.

WHAT WE DISCOVER ALONG THE WAY

Director: Rose Vincelli Gustine

USA, 25 min

Journei, an herbalist, tends the Bronx River Foodway and seeks nourishment from the earth

BODIES IN MOTION SHORTS

Saturday, October 26, 11:45am, Clairidge 4

FACING THE FALLS

Director: Celia Aniskovich

USA, 35 min

International disability advocate Cara Elizabeth Yar Khan embarks on a 12-day expedition through the Grand Canyon

A MOVE

Director: Elahe Esmaili

UK/Iran, 27 min

Elahe returns to her hometown to help her parents move to a new place after 40 years

MY DEAD DAD

Directors: Abby Ellis, Erik Osterholm USA, 25 min

Christopher Gray throws his family for a posthumous loop when he requests his body be defleshed and his skeleton preserved for permanent display

Shorts

CALLS TO ACTION SHORTS

Saturday, October 26, 1:00pm, Clairidge 5

51ST STATE

Director: Hannah Rosenzweig USA, 27 min

Exploring the emerging national issue of D C statehood from the personal perspective of one of its youngest and most vibrant Gen Z leaders

DENIAL

Directors: Paul Moakley, Daniel Lombroso USA, 23 min

Arizona’s Republican Chairman, Bill Gates, fights to uphold the integrity of the vote in Maricopa County, setting the stakes for the future of democracy .

PENN F—ING STATION

Director: Claire Read USA, 30 min

In NYC, the debate over how to fix Penn Station erupts between power brokers and residents

SANGRE VIOLENTA / SANGRE VIOLETA

Directors: Edna Diaz, Arturo R Jiménez Mexico/USA, 15 min

A grieving father, an inspiring musician and survivor, and a radical feminist collective illustrate the horrifying realities of gender violence in Mexico

DOCUMENTARY SHORTS COMPETITION

Sunday, October 20, 4:00pm, Clairidge 5

ALOK

Director: Alex Hedison USA, 19 min

Filmmaker Alex Hedison delivers a compelling portrait of her friend, Alok Vaid-Menon, the internationally acclaimed, nonbinary, author, poet, comedian, and public speaker

CHRISTMAS, EVERY DAY

Director: Faye Tsakas USA, 14 min

A slice-of-life glimpse of two preteen influencers as they perform for their online fans under their mother’s watchful guidance

DEATH BY NUMBERS

Director: Kim A Snyder USA, 33 min

As Sam Fuentes prepares to confront her shooter who left her wounded and killed her classmates, she and her teacher examine complex questions of collective hate and restorative justice

TR(OL)L

Director: Yourgo Artsitas USA, 17 min

In 1999, a chain letter matriculated online to get “Hangin’ Tough” on Total Request Live

Shorts

EPISODIC SHORTS

Saturday, October 19, 2:45pm, Clairidge 4

GOOD GUY WITH A PUN

Director: Dmitry Milkin USA, 25 min

A former child star lands a chance to revive his ’90s sitcom after foiling a mass shooting

LOFT AND FOUND

Directors: Pete O’Hare, Phillip Kibbe USA, 30 min

Faced with rising rent and a final chance to live their dreams, five artists in their mid 30s run an event venue out of their sketchy Brooklyn warehouse loft

SH*T ON YOUR LIP

Director: Elvira Ibragimova USA, 15 min

A whistleblower attempts to regain his credibility after going on live television with schmutz on his lip

FICTION SHORTS COMPETITION

Monday, October 21, 7:45pm, Clairidge 4

THE BROWN DOG

Directors: Jamie-James Medina, Nadia Hallgren USA, 14 min

A night watchman clocks into a lonely security booth and spends his nights composing endless security logs to stay awake

DEEP IN MY HEART IS A SONG

Director: Jonathan Pickett USA, 16 min

An aging country musician struggling to make ends meet receives an offer for an unusual private gig

DISSOLUTION

Director: Anthony Saxe USA/Australia, 15 min

A woman is forced to confront her elderly husband’s physical deterioration when they meet to sign their divorce papers

ECHOES OF POMEGRANATE

Director: Alex Bijan Zandi USA, 15 min

An Iranian-American family’s country road trip transforms into a pulsating journey of revolutionary and archival wonder

RELATIONSHIP TO PATIENT

Director: Caroline Creaghead USA, 13 min

A woman visits the man she’s dating in the hospital, and begins to question whether she really belongs there

WORKING SUMMER

Director: Lily Weisberg USA, 14 min

Recent college graduate Nora pays her mother an unexpected visit

Shorts

FRESH PERSPECTIVES SHORTS

Sunday, October 27, 12:15pm, Clairidge 5

DUSK

Director: Emilio Monarrez Mexico, 15 min

Two friends stranded in the middle of the road must rely on each other to fix a flat tire and continue their journey

MEEK

Director: Hannah Sperling USA, 16 min

An eighth-grade girl on the cusp of self-awareness gets more than she bargains for after she steals her first bra.

THE PERFECT TOMATO

Director: Cristóbal Abugaber Mexico, 18 min

An aging farmer refuses to leave his longstanding way of life behind at the risk of losing what truly matters to him

THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT SHORTS

Saturday, October 26, 8:00pm, Clairidge 4

‘98 HONDA

Director: Christian Banda USA, 16 min

A drug dealer is stuck babysitting his girlfriend’s cousin the weekend SPIDER-MAN 2 hits theaters

DREAM CAR WASH

Director: Edoardo Brighenti UK, 13 min

An Iranian-Italian immigrant struggles daily at a desolate car wash while dreaming of becoming a professional dancer

I CAN’T BE SORRY

Director: Robert Machoian USA, 15 min

A woman waits at a diner to meet someone she’s been waiting a long time to meet

PUNTER

Director: Jason Adam Maselle South Africa, 14 min

Brett navigates Johannesburg’s gambling underworld when a seemingly harmless horse-racing bet threatens a surprise for his father

SHINER

Director: Nora Marris USA, 12 min

A young woman stumbles toward reconnecting with her sister in the aftermath of a tragedy

STAY HERE

Director: Marley Rankin USA, 15 min

A girl on the budding edge of teenagehood must come to terms with the harsh realities of being a woman, despite her idealized expectations of growing up

JEDO’S DEAD

Director: Sara Nimeh USA, 11 min

A young Middle Eastern girl is forced to grapple with the earthly rituals and spiritual loose-ends of loss

LITTLE BIRD

Director: Kirsty O’Donnell UK/USA, 14 min

A non-verbal autistic girl and her parents struggle to navigate the unaccepting world of a neurodivergent child

SOMETHING BLUE

Director: Jinsui Song USA, 14 min

Emily returns home to attend her cousin’s wedding

Shorts

MIDNIGHT SHORTS

Sunday, October 27, 6:45pm, Clairidge 4

DEEP TISH

Director: Dave Paige USA, 13 min

A J ’s massage could have been better

DIVINERS

Director: Brian Watkins USA, 17 min

Two siblings find a magic stick that once belonged to their strange, dead mom .

FEMALE CAPTIVE

Directors: Brit Crawshaw, Josh Hayward USA, 12 min

A dive inside the mind of a female captive as she fights for survival

MEAN ENDS

Director: Émile Lavoie Canada, 15 min

A buried body, a missing sister, and an inquisitive neighbor makes for a hell of an evening

MONTCLAIR SHORTS

Thursday, October 24, 7:30pm, Clairidge 2

ANUJA

Director: Adam J Graves India/USA, 22 min

A nine-year-old orphan faces a choice after being offered a rare chance to attend boarding school

LYRICAL

Director: Carter Stewart USA, 18 min

An incident forces a law student to choose between solidarity and separation

THE MEETING SPOT

Director: Lauren Sick USA, 18 min

A skeptical science major scours the streets of New York City, searching for proof of the afterlife

PENTATARMEX RABITULAR

Director: Casey Friedman USA, 13 min

A woman mourning her grandmother takes a job luring an entity from a hole

RAT!

Director: Neal Suresh Mulani USA, 17 min

A music journalist lands himself in hot water with a pop star’s fanbase

SLEEPING ALONE

Director: Kelsea Bauman-Murphy USA, 14 min

Andy attempts to enjoy a night of housesitting in the countryside

STRANGE CREATURES

Director: Nicholas Payne Santos USA, 7 min

A young woman visits the site of her brother’s death

TRAGEDY BABES

Director: Christa Haley USA, 11 min

A young woman’s obsession with social media livestreaming spirals out of control during a night outon-the-town

REALLY GOOD DRIVER

Director: Alex Song-Xia USA, 8 min

An Asian American mom and her daughter confront things they never have before

REPLAY

Director: Phil Mazo USA, 4 min

A man has a chance for redemption

WORKERS’ COMP

Director: Philip Steiger USA, 12 min

After his lover is injured in a workplace accident, Billy is caught between the underpaid workers and the company

Shorts

MSU EMERGING VOICES OF DOCUMENTARY SHORTS

Sunday, October 20, 4:30pm, Clairidge 2

FAITH, FAMILY, AND FIGHTING

Director: Morgan MonFriedo USA, 10 min

Donny Arana shares his journey to God through hardships, passions, and familial support

LIFE THROUGH IMAGES

Director: Sean Thrunk USA, 15 min

After the loss of his wife, radiologist Philip Strax does all he can to prevent further deaths

THE LOTUS: THE JANELLE WILSON STORY

Director: Macy Tartanella USA, 10 min

A woman with Multiple Sclerosis confronts life’s challenges with resilience and determination

MSU NEW VISIONS SHORTS

Sunday, October 27, 1:00pm, Clairidge 2

BETTER THAN HELL

Director: Aidan Callari USA, 18 min

In the Court of the Afterlife, a selfish man fights to prove he deserves the last spot in paradise over a cartoonishly kind man

COLLISION OF CHAOS

Director: Mary Arata USA, 16 min

Two high school juniors are on their way to a party but have to hide a dead body and survive the night themselves

DEATH & BLISS

Director: Derek Grayson USA, 14 min

A troubled young man falls for a charismatic cult leader, but fails to see that he’s just his newest plaything

FILIPINO GOODBYE

Director: Raymond Tisch USA, 16 min

After finishing college and being back home, Zach wants to talk to his family, but family gossip and his insecurities get the best of him

RAÍCES: CULTURE

CONNECTED BY ROOTS

Directors: Victoria Smith, Daniela Mazariegos USA, 12 min

Daniela explores her cultural roots by learning more about her grandfather

THROUGH A NEW LENS

Director: Samantha Gabriele USA, 10 min

Trevor Giesberg channels his love for sports into a new passion

VENDOR POWER: BEHIND THE CARTS OF NYC

Directors: Aylin AlvarezSantiago, Michelle Ruiz USA, 13 min

The daily challenges, impacts, and resilience of street vendors

I SHOULD’VE BEEN THERE

Director: Matt Lee USA, 14 min

A recently divorced dad tries to reconnect with his estranged and emotionally distant teenage daughter

LOVERBOY

Director: Colin Hankenson USA, 15 min

A boxer must navigate his fast paced and changing relationship with his best friend

PIXXA TIME

Director: Stephane Lavazais USA, 12 min

A pizza delivery guy pushes his luck with an odd and wealthy customer

A SET APART

Director: Tom Coraggio USA, 16 min

A plateaued screenwriter downloads an Artificial Intelligence program to aid in his writing

NJ SHORTS COMPETITION

Saturday, October 19, 1:15pm, Clairidge 2

ALL THINGS METAL

Director: Motoki Otsuka USA, 18 min

Three blacksmith brothers operate an iron forge where they explore craft, music, and a life of creativity together

THE BELIEVERS

Director: Evan Newman USA/Thailand, 19 min

One day a year, disciples gather for an ancient tattoo ritual believed to bestow supernatural powers

BREAK/FIX

Director: Amanda Pinto USA, 7 min

Under the influence of anesthesia, Lily meets a grandmother she never knew who helps her think differently about her heritage

OUT SHORTS

Wednesday, October 23, 7:00pm, Clairidge 1

DON’T CRY FOR ME ALL YOU DRAG QUEENS

Director: Kristal Sotomayor USA, 9 min

A striking homage to the legendary New Hope drag queen Mother Cavallucci

GRACE

Director: Natalie Jasmine Harris USA, 14 min

Sixteen-year-old Grace prepares for her baptism in the rural 1950’s South

ILY, BYE

Director: Taylor James USA, 13 min

An exciting job interview comes Siobhan’s way

KASBI

Director: Farah Jabir USA, 12 min

A middle-aged Pakistani housewife hires a young, self-assured sex worker to keep her company for the night

INCOMING CALL

Director: Lisa Molinaro USA, 15 min

Ellie struggles to stay connected to her family on an endless work trip

THE SACRIFICE

Director: Christopher Werner USA, 17 min

A suburban couple’s marriage is tested when a husband’s attempt to plan a BBQ reveals ulterior motives

STEADY

Directors: Joey Rogoff, Brian Yuran USA, 22 min

A troubled teen seeks the tutelage of a former boxer to defend himself against more than just his demons

MY BEST FRIEND

Director: Elina Street USA, 17 min

The events of one fateful night challenge the meaning of Clara and Lea’s friendship

OUT OF THE DARK: CAL CALAMIA

Directors: Sarah Klein, Tom Mason USA, 8 min

Cal Calamia advocates for inclusion in the running world

PERSONAL MYTHOLOGIES

Director: Susan O’Brien USA, 4 min

Dominique Castelano reflects on her trans identity through Filipino folklore

Shorts

SHORTS FOR ALL AGES

Sunday, October 20, 11:45am, Clairidge 1

FREERIDE IN C

Director: Edmunds Jansons Latvia, 10 min

Downhill skiers disturb the white tranquility of mountains

HENRIETTA FINDS A NEST

Director: Hannah McNally USA, 7 min

Henrietta embarks on a journey from a factory farm to friendship

LIVESTREAMS WITH GRANDMAPUZZLES

Director: Emily Sheskin USA, 6 min

A lifelong hobby becomes a lifeline for an unexpected Twitch streamer

TESSA

Director: Megan Dahl USA, 16 min

A 7-year-old girl with limb difference discovers freedom and self-belief through swimming

THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE…

Director: Britney Fan USA, 3 min

Kat meets her biggest rival: her boyfriend’s cat

VELO LOVE

Directors: Sam Méndez, Carlos Cruz USA, 11 min

Two bicycles fall in love while parked outside a café

YELLOW DAISY BUTTERFLY

Director: Diek Grobler South Africa, 10 min

A short film on the metaphorical journey of Cheri-Lee after the passing of her Nanna

BYOB — BRING YOUR OWN BABY

A chance for new parents to watch a film in a theater with their infants Changing table and stroller parking available

SENSORY FRIENDLY SCREENINGS

A moderated theater experience for kids and adults

Both programs offer Relaxed, soft lights will be kept on throughout the film

Volume will be moderated to be lower and more consistent

Limited number of trailers will be shown before the film

Guests are encouraged to spread out and move around as necessary

Open captioning will be on when available

Restaurant + Eatery Guide

Pair your movie with a great meal!

There’s nothing better than a great bite to eat or a delicious drink to take your festival experience to the next level! Stop by one or all of these incredible restaurants and eateries and enjoy all of the delicacies our area has to offer .

ALLEGORY RESTAURANT AT THE MC HOTEL

690 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair, NJ

973.329.5500

themchotel.com/food-drink/allegory

Open Sunday–Thursday, 7am–10pm; Friday & Saturday, 7am–11pm

Located on the first floor of The MC Hotel, Allegory Restaurant hosts breakfast, lunch, and dinner

DUTCH’S SANDWICH SHOP

16 Church Street, Montclair, NJ

646.256.0506

dutchsmontclair.com

Open Monday–Thursday, 8am-8pm; Friday & Saturday, 8am–11pm; Sunday, 8am–5pm

Dutch’s Sandwich Shop is a gourmet breakfast and lunch spot Home to the best sandwich in NJ, the Dutch Daddy and a top-3 ranked Taylor Ham, egg, and cheese. Cutlets made in house!

EGAN AND SONS

118 Walnut Street, Montclair, NJ 848.203.7619

egannsons.com

Open Sunday–Thursday, 12pm-11pm; Friday–Saturday, 12pm–1:30am

Your Neighborhood Irish Gastro-Pub

FAUBOURG

544 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair, NJ 973.542.7700

faubourgnj.com

Lunch: Monday–Friday, 11am-3pm; Brunch: Saturday & Sunday, 10am–2:30pm; Dinner: 7 days a week starting at 5pm

Seasonal French Inspired Brasserie located in the heart of Montclair . Come check out our indoor, outdoor, lounge, and bar seating! Private rooms available as well

ALTO ROOFTOP

690 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair, NJ 973.329.5533

themchotel.com

Open for Breakfast daily, 7am–11:30am; Lunch Monday–Saturday, 12pm–3pm; Dinner Monday–Saturday, 5pm–10pm

Visit us at Alto Rooftop with beautiful views of NYC and Montclair . Indulge in our seasonal cocktails and Chef’s unique small plates

HOBOKEN FARMS

314 Colfax Avenue, Clifton, NJ 800.854.4644

hobokenfarms.com

Open 24 hours

The only American company that has grown and matured in over 25,000 local farmers markets (outdoors, under tents) to cross the chasm and become a beloved supermarket cult brand

Restaurant + Eatery Guide

JAVA LOVE COFFEE ROASTING CO.

244 Bellevue Avenue, Montclair, NJ

49 Church Street, Montclair, NJ

39 Glenridge Avenue, Montclair, NJ

973.744.2323

javaloveroasters.com

Open Daily, 7am–6pm (store hours may vary by location)

Local, women-owned, artisan coffee roasting company with full coffee, espresso, and tea menus and pastries 10% off purchase with MFF ticket

LITTLE DAISY BAKE SHOP

622 Valley Road, Montclair, NJ

862.202.1922

thelittledaisybakeshop.com

Tuesday–Saturday, 8am–4pm

The award-winning Little Daisy Bake Shop bakes fresh daily! Our menu of cakes, cupcakes, cookies, scones and daily specials are all nut and peanutfree! Visit our website to order ahead!

LUIGINO’S PARMIGIANA

173 Glenridge Avenue, Montclair, NJ

973.352.1511

luiginosrestaurant.com

Open Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday, 11:30am–9pm; Friday & Saturday, 11:30am–10:00pm

Casual Italian restaurant, dine like you were at our home in Italy, from the food to the ambiance From Artichokes alla Giuda to stuffed gnocchi, Carbonara to pistachio tiramisu

MEET

ME AT MADISON’S

121 Watchung Avenue, Montclair, NJ

973.604.2221

meetmeatmadisons.com

Open Friday–Saturday, 7am–10pm; Sunday 7am–3pm; Tuesday–Thursday, 7am–9pm

Relaxed, casual atmosphere serving Mediterranean Cuisine with a Latin influence. Serving B-L-D. Brunch Sunday

MERCADO

605 Valley Road, Upper Montclair, NJ 201.741.1579

mercadomontclair.com

Open everyday 8am–4pm

Mercado is a lively space to grab a quick bite or gather with friends We value genuine ingredients and real food—offering breakfast, lunch menu, coffee, espresso drinks, and cold-pressed juices

MEZOCO CATERING

(973) 744-4749

mezoco.com

Come see us at the Montclair Farmers Market every Saturday (June–November), 8am–2pm, (December–May), 10am–1pm

Catering company with our production facility based right in Glen Ridge We provide taco truck or taco bar buffet services with great variety of fillings, salsas, and customization

MONTCLAIR BREWERY

101 Walnut Street, Montclair, NJ

973.850.0541 montclairbrewery.com

Open Monday, 3:30pm–10pm; Wednesday–Thursday, 3:30pm–10pm; Friday, 3:00pm–11pm; Saturday, 12pm–11pm; Sunday, 12pm–9pm

Montclair Brewery is a microbrewery and tasting room, providing locally made and culturally inspired ales and brews in a fun, communal atmosphere Building community, one beer at a time!

PHARMACIE BAR

398 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair, NJ 973.968.5303 pharmaciebar.com

Open Wednesday–Saturday at 5pm and coinciding with shows at the Wellmont Theater

Crafting timeless cocktails and music vibes, inspired by the Wellmont’s rich history . Unleash your night with us

Restaurant + Eatery Guide

PORTA MONTCLAIR

499 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair, NJ

732.887.1497

pizzaporta.com

Open Monday–Wednesday, 4pm-10pm; Thursday, 4pm–11pm; Friday, 4pm–2am; Saturday, 11am–2am; Sunday, 11am–10pm

Porta is an authentic expression of how we take care of our family Born from the simple desire to gather round a table and share a meal with the people we love with a family-style experience

STAMNA TAVERNA

1055 Broad Street, Bloomfield, NJ 973.338.5151

stamnataverna.com

Open every day 11:30am–9:00pm

We’re delighted to offer a variety of authentic Greek dishes made from the freshest ingredients with generous portions for lunch and dinner

THE CIDERHOUSE AT IRONBOUND FARM

360 County Road 579, Asbury, NJ 908.940.4115

ironboundhardcider.com

Thursday & Friday, 5pm–10pm (last seating 8:00pm, kitchen closes 8:30pm); Saturday, 12pm–10pm (last seating 8:00pm, kitchen closes 8:30pm); Sunday, 12pm–9pm (last seating 7:00pm, kitchen closes at 7:30pm)

TO-GO CIDER AND FARM MARKET

Located in the Tasting Room

Thursday & Friday, 12pm–7pm; Saturday & Sunday, 10am–7pm.

The Ciderhouse at Ironbound Farm sits at the center of a 108-acre regenerative farm where visitors enjoy limited-edition ciders, farmhouse wines, cider cocktails, and field-to-table meals.

7:00pm 120 min page 55 OPENING NIGHT PARTY 120 min page 55

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2024

HOW TO USE THE GRID

Building a festival schedule is never easy, but we hope this grid will help you put together a plan for the films and events you want to attend at the 2024 Montclair Film Festival Here are some tips to know about using the Grid to schedule your festival experience:

Make a schedule based on when you are free, not what is playing. Your time is important, and you can’t see everything . Try drawing lines across the Grid that reflect when you can actually attend, and find a film that interests you when you are available

The boxes do not match the film lengths, but instead, are designed to include extra time for Q&As. Use the end of the box to draw a line to your next film; if they don’t overlap, you should be able stay for the Q&A and make it to your next movie

Always refer to the website to confirm your schedule. Things change sometimes, films and events get added at the last minute, and adjustments to the schedule have to be made Our website at MontclairFilm org will always have the latest, up-to-the-minute information on scheduling

CHRISTMAS EVE IN MILLER’S POINT 3:15pm 106 min page 91

Q+A

THE REMARKABLE LIFE OF IBELIN 12:30pm 106 min page 109 NJ SHORTS COMPETITION 1:15pm 98 min page 135 Family Centerpiece FLOW 4:00pm 84 min page 57

GRAND TOUR 12:15pm 128 min page 97

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2024 11:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm

HOMEGROWN 6:00pm 109 min page 99

Q+A

CAUGHT BY THE TIDES 3:00pm 111 min page 91

ZURAWSKI V TEXAS 12:00pm 98 min page 121 POLITICS IS A MOTHER, RAISING HELL IS PART OF THE JOB 12:00pm 71 min page 107 Q+A

HARD TRUTHS 8:45pm 97 min page 99

SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE 6:30pm 96 min page 113 Q+A WITCHES 9:15pm 90 min page 119

DAHOMEY with STATUES ALSO DIE 5:30pm 98 min page 93

THE GIRL WITH THE NEEDLE 8:15pm 115 min page 97

EPISODIC SHORTS 2:45pm 70 min page 127 ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT 5:00pm 110 min page 87 EXTREMELY UNIQUE DYNAMIC 8:00pm 73 min page 95

SOUNDTRACK TO A COUP D’ETAT 1:00pm 150 min page 115 BIRD 4:30pm 119 min page 89 PAVEMENTS 7:30pm 128 min page 107 Q+A

BETWEEN THE MOUNTAIN AND THE SKY 4:00pm 94 min page 57 Q+A Fiction Centerpiece UNSTOPPABLE 8:00pm 116 min page 59 Q+A

FILMMAKER PARTY 9:00pm 120 min page 59

Clairidge 1

Warren Ross Jr. Theater (Clairidge 2) Clairidge 3

Weston Theater (Clairidge 4) Clairidge 5 Wellmont Porta

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2024

Clairidge 1

11:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm

SHORTS FOR ALL AGES 11:45am 63 min page 137

Q+A

HOMEGROWN 2:15pm 109 min page 99

Q+A

MEMOIR OF A SNAIL 5:00pm 94 min page 101

CHRISTMAS EVE IN MILLER’S POINT 7:30pm 106 min page 91 Q+A

Warren Ross Jr. Theater (Clairidge 2)

Clairidge 3

Weston Theater (Clairidge 4)

MEN OF WAR 12:30pm 98 min page 101

SWAMP DOGG GETS HIS POOL PAINTED with MY BACK PAGES 1:30pm 105 min page 117

Q+A

MSU EMERGING VOICES OF DOCUMENTARY SHORTS 4:30pm 70 min page 133

Q+A

ARMAND 3:00pm 117 min page 89

ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT 12:00pm 110 min page 87

EXTREMELY UNIQUE DYNAMIC 2:30pm 73 min page 95

SPACE COWBOY 4:45 pm 98 min page 115 Q+A

MISERICORDIA 5:45pm 102 min page 103

NIGHT IS NOT ETERNAL 7:00pm 92 min page 105

Q+A

ERNEST COLE: LOST AND FOUND 8:15pm 105 min page 93

TWO STRANGERS TRYING NOT TO KILL EACH OTHER 7:15pm 100 min page 117

11:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2024 Clairidge 5

SOUNDTRACK TO A COUP D’ETAT 12:30pm 150 min page 115

END 3:15pm 148 min page 61 DOCUMENTARY SHORTS COMPETITION 4:00pm 83 min page 125 Q+A BIRD 6:30pm 119 min page 89

ORDER 7:30pm 116 min page 65

For updates to the schedule, please check our website at MontclairFilm.org

CONVERSATION INA GARTEN 12:00pm 90 min page 61

HOLLYWOOD AWARDS SEASON: WHO WINS AND WHY IT MATTERS 4:00pm 90 min page 63 MARTHA 3:30pm 115 min page 63 ANORA 7:15pm 139 min page 65

Clairidge 1

4:00pm

Warren Ross Jr. Theater (Clairidge 2)

Clairidge 3

MONDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2024

Weston Theater (Clairidge 4)

TWO STRANGERS TRYING NOT TO KILL EACH OTHER 4:00pm 100 min page 117

ON BECOMING A GUINEA FOWL 5:30pm 95 min page 105

YOUNG HEARTS

7:00pm 97 min page 121

Clairidge 1

I’M STILL HERE 7:30pm 136 min page 101

Warren Ross Jr. Theater (Clairidge 2)

VERMIGLO 4:00pm 119 min

DAHOMEY with STATUES ALSO DIE 8:00pm 98 min page 93

Clairidge 5

MEMOIR OF A SNAIL

7:00pm 94 min page 101 NIGHT IS NOT ETERNAL 7:30pm 92 min page 105 Q+A

Clairidge 3

FICTION SHORTS COMPETITION 7:45pm 87 min page 127 Q+A THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG 7:15pm 168 min page 111

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2024

Weston Theater (Clairidge 4)

CAUGHT BY THE TIDES 5:00pm 111 min page 91

ARMAND 6:45pm 117 min page 89

UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE 7:45pm 89 min page 117

For updates to the schedule, please check our website at MontclairFilm.org

Clairidge 5

Cinema505

THE SHEPHERD AND THE BEAR 7:15pm 101 min page 113 ABOUT THOSE MISCARRIAGES AND OTHER MESSES I’VE MADE 7:00pm 90 min page 67

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2024

Theater (Clairidge 4) Clairidge 3 Clairidge 3 Warren Ross Jr. Theater (Clairidge 2) Warren Ross Jr. Theater (Clairidge 2) Clairidge 1 Clairidge 1

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2024

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2024 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm

2) Clairidge 1

SWAMP DOGG GETS HIS POOL PAINTED with MY BACK PAGES 7:00pm 105 min page 117 Q+A THE WORLD ACCORDING TO ALLEE WILLIS 4:00pm 97 min page 119

THE ROOM NEXT DOOR 7:30pm 110 min page 109

LA COCINA 5:00pm 139 min page 91

BACK TO THE LAND SHORTS 5:15pm 70 min page 123

EEPHUS 8:00pm 98 min page 93

APOCALYPSE IN THETROPICS 7:15pm 110 min page 71 UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE 7:45pm 89 min page 117

Creator Spotlight THE VALUE OF CREATOR CONTENT Screening and Panel 7:00pm 120 min page 69

For updates to the schedule, please check our website at MontclairFilm.org

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2024

THE WORLD ACCORDING TO ALLEE WILLIS 8:30pm 97 min page 119 12:00pm 11:00am 1:00pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 9:00pm

HARD TRUTHS 12:15pm 97 min page 99 Family Centerpiece FLOW 12:45pm 84 min page 57 Sensory Friendly

BEYOND THE GAZE: JULE CAMPBELL’S SWIMSUIT ISSUE 2:30pm 108 min page 89

GAZER 5:15pm 114 min page 95

YOUNG HEARTS 3:15pm 97 min page 121 THE ROOM NEXT DOOR 6:00pm 110 min page 109 THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW 9:30pm 100 min page 75

ERNEST COLE: LOST AND FOUND 12:00pm 105 min page 93 MICRO BUDGET 2:45pm 89 min page 103

Theater (Clairidge 4)

IN MOTION SHORTS 11:45am 88 min page 123

IN THE TROPICS 2:15pm 110 min page 71

ON BECOMING A GUINEA FOWL 5:30pm 95 min page 105

page 87

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2024

Clairidge 5

PÉREZ 3:15pm 130 min page 73 12:00pm 11:00am 1:00pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm

CALLS TO ACTION SHORTS 1:00pm 95 min page 125

A NEW KIND OF WILDERNESS 12:00pm 84 min page 103 Free Panel ANNUAL REPORT: STATE OF THE FILM INDUSTRY 1:00pm 90 min page 71 Free Panel ARTISTS, AUDIENCES &

INTELLIGENCE 3:30pm 90 min page 73 RATIFIED 3:45pm 85 min page 107

THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG 6:45pm 168 min page 111 BLITZ 7:15pm 114 min page 75

3:00pm 114 min page 95

SO IT BEGINS 3:30pm 113 min page 87

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2024

2:45pm 85 min page 107

ZURAWSKI V TEXAS 5:30pm 98 min page 121 EEPHUS 3:15pm 98 min page 93 LA COCINA 6:00pm 139 min page 91

SHORTS 6:45pm 106 min page 131

GRAB A PIN. GET A DISCOUNT.

Don’t forget to grab a MFF2024 pin on your way out of the theater for access to the incredible discounts and offers from our festival Pin Partners . Businesses marked here in bold and with a pin have a great offer waiting for our Montclair Film Festival patrons

For the full list of offers and discounts, check out MontclairFilm org/PinPartners Great deals are out there. Don’t miss out!

& Real Estate Development

Realtors & Real Estate Development

(continued)

Karin Diana, The Home Collective

Williams NJ Metro Group

Lynne Mortimer, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage

Michelle Schwartz-Clement, Weichert Realtors 161