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This year's centerpiece film is Slanted, by Director Amy Wang. The closing film is American Sweatshop by Director Uta Briesewitz. Special to the festival this year is the film Just Looking, directed b Jason Alexander (aka George Costanza). He will do a talkback after his film and also headline "A Conversation with Jason Alexander, The Artist Behind George Constanza". Both will happen at the Surflight Theater, making it an intimate experience.
By: Markos Papadatos
By: Markos Papadatos
By: Markos Papadatos
Starring Karl Barbee, Dan Frederick, Jamie Dougherty, Ava Wallace, Tierney Violet Joyce and Olivianna Vanesko, the film follows four teens who seek refuge in a mansion, where the host offers safety and treasures in exchange for hearing haunting tales from his past.
Cabrales shared her thoughts about the making of the film:
“As a Mexican-American artist, my mission is to create art that not only resonates but invites the audience to immerse themselves in its essence. With the help of my talented community, we crafted a film that’s rich with meaning from beginning to end."
By: Markos Papadatos
By: Markos Papadatos
Bergen County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) urgently calls on the community to rally behind its mission at the upcoming Casino Night Fundraiser on May 7, 2025. Due to a significant reduction of over $150,000 in federal and state grant funding, this year’s event is not just a celebration—it’s a lifeline. “Funding cuts of this magnitude threaten our ability to be there for some of Bergen County’s most vulnerable children,” said Executive Director Lucy Rosen. “Now more than ever, we need the community’s support to ensure no child in foster care goes without a voice in court, in school, and in life.”
The elegant evening will take place at Season’s, 644 Pascack Road, Washington Township, from 6:30–10:30 PM and features gaming tables, a silent auction, basket raffles, and abundant food and drink. Tickets are $235 per person, including open bar, gourmet food stations, dessert, and $100 in casino play money.
By: Markos Papadatos
By: Markos Papadatos
Interviews are popping up daily on the festival's Youtube Channel here. This year you can watch interviews of filmmakers Cynthia Cai, Pat Batistini, Theo Dona, Maddy Freeman, Emily Statler and more.
You will also find interviews and classes all for free on the channel. For instance, see last year's interview with award-winning author Harlan Corban. There are also interviews and panels with award-winning actors and producers. Some of the free panels on the channel include:
- Panel on "Production to Premier"
- Music for Film
- Making a Documentary Panel
- Marketing Master Class
I always enjoy attending the New York Women in Film and Television MUSE Award in New York City, I think I have been going for about a decade, and that is because this awards event is aptly named. One always leaves the event feeling inspired, and the women chosen are not just inspiring for anyone in the creative fields, but really for any career - and life itself.
Held again at Cipriani's the room was packed and full of vibrant energy, the kind of energy in my opinion, only New York City elicits. It was mostly women - and a few dozen men, attending to network and listen to the stories of the Muses. The theme of the event was "metamorphosis" with the room being filled with women in many stages of development and also those wonderfully spreading their wings.
The 45th Annual MUSE AWARDS for Vision and Achievement were given to the following women (see bottom of article for complete bios):
For complete info/tix visit: AxialTheater.org.
Three couples and a guest meet for a weekend respite from the city at a well appointed home. Discussions lead to revelations and unanticipated events change lives forever.
The reading will feature Dan Walworth (South Salem), Lev Harvey, Marisa Lowe (Beacon), Marilyn Collazo, Duane Rutter, Quinn Warren, Anthony Barresi Jr. (Peekskill), and special guest Elizabeth Narciso with stage directions read by Gail Greenstein (Katonah).
In the heart of North Jersey in downtown Ridgewood, NJ is a gem of a film festival, known for being filmmaker-friendly and also movie fan friendly, as tickets for multiple films are less than the cost of a movie theater ticket. And for this price you get a selection of over 40 International Films and shorts.
Headlining the festival for 2025 is Space Cowboy, the award-winning documentary about Skydiving by Joe Jennings. This inspiring film follows former Ridgewood resident Joe Jennings, a pioneer of skydiving cinematography, as he looks back on creating iconic moments in film and television while trying to turn a dreamlike vision into reality.
The Ridgewood Guild International Film Festival spans three evenings, showcasing independent films from around the world. Tickets are required for the main program on April 24; $15 for adults and $10 for students and senior citizens. They can be purchased through Film Freeway by clicking the link. 2025’s RGIFF schedule includes:
The Garden State Film Festival kicks off on March 27th and presents a wide variety of feature films, documentaries, shorts, panel discussions and celebrity appearances. Whether you are a movie fan or an aspiring filmmaker, the festival offers a host of opportunities as a reasonable price. Read on for highlights and details or visit https://www.gsff.org/
By: Markos Papadatos
17TH ANNUAL FESTIVAL RUNS APRIL 1 TO 28 IN VENUES ACROSS NEW YORK
FISHAMBLE’S “FIGHT NIGHT” OPENS FESTIVAL
Origin 1st Irish 2025 is presenting 5 Irish imports and 6 locally-produced plays as part of this year’s theater festival. The 17th annual edition of the only festival of its kind devoted to producing and presenting the theatrical work of contemporary Irish playwrights from around the world takes place from April 1 to April 28 in three boroughs. Read on for the complete schedule.
IN COMPETITION FROM IRELAND AND NORTHERN IRELANDCOMPETITION FROM IRELAND AND NORTHERN IRELAND
By Suzanne Ordas Curry
I had the pleasure of meeting Pamela Weiler Grayson at a lovely New Year's brunch on the Upper East Side in Manhattan. I found out we had some mutual friends, and also about her new album for Urban Momfare that would be streaming which she was very excited about. Read on to see what it's all about and how this mom finds inspiration to keep creating.
SuzeeBTS: You are a prolific writer and lyricist. Please tell me about Urban Momfare, how it came to be and where it played.
Pamela Weiler Grayson: I used to be a freelance writer for many years, and I mostly wrote essays and humor pieces about being a mom on the Upper East Side. I grew up there and also raised my kids there, too (and still live there!).
Women's Rights Information Center (WRIC), a nonprofit organization based in New Jersey, invites the community to attend a FREE BOOK FAIR and author’s showcase in honor of Women’s History Month on Thursday, March 27th, at 11:00 a.m. - 2 p.m. This is a FREE event and will take place at Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC) located at 30 North Van Brunt Street in Englewood, New Jersey.
This event is presented as part of Women in the Arts Day 2025 by the Women In Arts Coalition in collaboration with Herflix.com, WomenArts, SAG-AFTRA, The School of Visual Arts BA Program Department and New York Women in Film and Television.
Lilly stars Patricia Clarkson as a factory worker who stands up to corruption in her workplace, an Alabama factory. It is the true story of a courageous woman, Lilly Ledbetter which will inspire anyone who fights for justice and equal pay. See below to RSVP.
Danielle Sherman-Lazar: In Mother’s Are Made I talk about how mothers are not simply born alongside their babies; instead, we are shaped by time and experience. It is through facing difficulties—going through the fire—that we develop resilience, bravery, and courage.
On Saturday night, I was lucky enough to experience an incredible new Musical called “Operation Mincemeat”. It won 2024 Oliver Awards for Best New Musical, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, and Best Company Ensemble in London and has now travelled across the pond to Broadway! Set in Britain during World War II, this comedic and yet deeply moving production takes its audience through the inner workings of one of the less known, but incredibly important, military operations the Allied Forces undertook.
For a time steeped in so much tragedy, this musical is able to balance the care and sensitivity needed whilst also bringing great comedic moments that will have you laughing off your seat. There were many times when I was not sure if I was crying from sadness or laughter. It truly exemplified the human condition.