Montclair Film Festival to Showcase Powerful Student Short Films

From a family drama, to a psychological thriller, to a creative look at the future of the human race, eight powerful short films created, directed and produced by Montclair State students will be shown at the Montclair Film Festival on Friday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m.

All the students involved with the films are in the Filmmaking BFA Program, which is part of the School of Communication and Media in the College of the Arts.

“This night of films is a chance to show what the BFA students have accomplished during their time at Montclair — writing, directing and producing their own film, said Dr. Keith Strudler, Director, School of Communication and Media. “And it also gives them a sense of the amazing things they will accomplish after graduation.”

The program is entitled New Visions 22 and will feature films ranging from eight to 20  minutes. The films will be shown at The Clairidge, located at 486 Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair. Tickets can be purchased here.

CARICATURE CARL
Director: Ross Stern
Producer: Collin Wehr
Cast: David Hamed, Jayandra Chiluwal
USA, 13 min
A caricature artist’s world is upended when an abstract artist starts working in his park.

CLONE
Director: Ryan M. Kennedy
USA, 20 min
In the future, every U.S. citizen has the right to own one clone of themself. Clones have no rights and can only become citizens if emancipated by their original human. After 30 years together, Alex suddenly elects to emancipate his clone Richie, but his closest friends begin to question his true intentions.

EAT IT UP
Director: Samantha Givone
Producer: Samantha Givone
Cast: Carrie Keating, Isabelle Garbani
USA, 13 min
EAT IT UP is a psychological thriller about what happens when a mother, who believes that fairies are taking care of her, is confronted by her daughter over what is real and what is fantasy.

GOING HOME
Director: Tyler Markham
Producers: Tyler Markham, Ryan Kennedy, Peter Martin
Cast: Jake Chuako, Russ Russo, Forrest Renaissance
USA, 17 min
A boy meets his biological father for the first time and is thrown into a situation where he learns who his dad really is.

GROOVY RUDY MEETS HIS MATCH
Director: Zachary Abbruscato
USA, 8 min
Rudy is known as the coolest girl around, but when Rad Brad appears to challenge that, they will have to dance to determine their fate!

HERCULES
Director: Alec Palumbo
Cast: Elijah Davis, Isaiah Smalls, Shelly Johnson, Richard Haddad
USA, 13 min
A high school wrestler puts his body and family on the line when taking steroids to outshine his younger brother.

EL PORTON
Director: Jose Saborio
Producers: Tom Coraggio, Ethan Reis
Cast: Cassandra Ek Marrufo, Adrian Espinal-Martinez, Michael Sliwka, Sylvia Quesada, Mauricio Saborio
USA/Costa Rica, 13 min
A Costa Rican woman flees her home to stay in New Jersey for her boyfriend, on the condition of taking care of a widower’s kids.

A TASTE OF CHINA
Director: Adam Chhour
Producers: Talia Steinmetz, Allie Lee, Adam Chhour
Cast: Justin Yu, Bing Zhu, Kevin D. Wang, Jaydan Liu, Miss Belle
USA, 14 min
A slice-of-life of a Chinese immigrant who leaves for America with hopes and dreams of a better life for his family.