Finally, it’s Friday night! Your long week is over and you don’t have the energy to socialize, but believe you could sit through a movie. That’s not a bad idea. Most people I know opt for low-key leisure at the end of the forty-hour-plus workweek. And low-key doesn’t have to mean seeing an overpriced blockbuster with bad acting and an over-blown budget. So, where does one go to support good independent film in the armpit of America anyway? Besides the Clearview Cinema in Red Bank and the Clearview Clairidge Theater in Montclair, to name two, you must add film festivals to the “before I die” list.

As we speak, I am aware of two film festivals hosted in New Jersey. Recently, the Garden State Film Festival and I spent a few hours together in Asbury Park, and the Red Bank International Film Fest is highlighted on my calendar for the fall. It’s not just about Sundance or Cannes after all.

The Garden State Film Festival, which is run mostly by volunteers, celebrated its fifth year in 2007 and continues to make cinematic headway. The festival presented 126 movies from across the world showing at eight different venues (not all of which were play houses) including The Paramount Theater, Asbury Lanes and The Baronet. The festival organized a free shuttle bus plastered with Garden State movie posters to transport filmgoers to the various locations around Asbury. One of the coolest things about these events is the Q&A sessions with the filmmakers after the viewings. You are encouraged to sound off your opinion and ask all about the highs and lows of the film-making process. You won’t find that opportunity at the town multiplex.

For only $8, I enjoyed two hours of short films in which I sat in a folding chair facing a standing screen in the center of bowling lanes. The vibe was similar to your friend’s basement with homemade brown paper bags of popcorn.

Two particular pieces stood out in my mind. Come to think of it, they were both public service announcements and what can I say? I like that stuff! “Eternal High” was a story about a high school boy who survived a suicide attempt to share his homemade documentary with his entire educational institution. Imagine what it took for a seventeen-year-old kid to do that! I was impressed by his courage and will to help others who might be struggling with depression. “Park and Rec Room” was a claymation blip promoting the cessation of smoking. A portion of it showed a cat defecating on the living room floor in front of a couple sitting on the couch. For shock value, the boy walks over to the poop, puts it in his mouth and tries to kiss his girlfriend. After you see the look of horror on the little girl’s face, the words, “Kissing a Smoker is Gross!” flash on the screen. The concept was very clever and we can all attest to that statement, unless for some reason you enjoy foul flavors. The clip should, without a doubt, be bought by The Truth, as it would make for a successful ad campaign.

You would never find flicks like these outside of a local film festival. Some are controversial documentaries, others are student work, but none-the-less all are overflowing with creativity. The movies exhibit amateur acting, crafty animation, interesting lighting and quirky music. Despite the nonprofessional efforts, there is something that touches your heart about these filmmakers, as they create movies out of pure passion for their craft without an aim for commercialism.

Afterwards, maybe you’ll run home to Blockbusters or perhaps you’ll be inspired. Whatever your reaction to the screenings, they will definitely give you something to talk about. That is, after you sleep in and energize for Saturday night’s plans.

— by Michele Santo
Michele, a NJ dweller for twenty-four years, takes exit 120 off the Garden State Parkway. She fears leaving the house without a pen and is known to put way too much ketchup on her food.

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