Montclair Film Festival Sponsors 4th Annual Summer Series

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact

Stu Zakim             732-754-9051            stu@bridgestrategic.com
Abbe Harris         908.233.7990              abbe@caramar.net

MONTCLAIR FILM FESTIVAL SPONSORS
4th ANNUAL SUMMER SERIES
Free Outdoor Family Friendly Screenings to Run
Throughout the Summer of 2013

(Montclair, June 1, 2013) – The Montclair Film Festival (MFF) announced today that its free family film summer screening series, has returned for the fourth straight year, bringing the community of Montclair together for five evenings of great films under the stars.  MFF and the Essex County Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs co-sponsored the first film, a special sing-a-long screening of Annie that occurred on Friday, May 31st at the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens.  The event was a resounding success.

Today’s announcement comes on the heels of the highly successful, sophomore year of the Montclair Film Festival, which doubled in both capacity and attendance over its inaugural year, with 80+ films, and 100+ guests.

Two of the films in the series are co-sponsored by the Montclair Public Library, whose summer reading program, “Dig Into Reading” corresponds with the selection of the film Holes.  Said Library Director David Hinkley, “We’re pleased to partner with the Montclair Film Festival for this series.  A movie adaptation is often a good way to introduce kids to a great book.”

“MFF is not only committed to growing our annual film festival, but also to creating free family events throughout the year that bring the community together,” stated Marci Gruber, Co-Chair of the Summer Screenings.  “We’re looking forward to another great season with the Essex County Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs, The Montclair Public Library and Van Vleck House.  We’re also happy to have kicked off the season at the beautiful Presby Memorial Iris Gardens.”

The second film in the series, Sleepless in Seattle, co-sponsored by MFF and The Montclair Foundation, will screen at Van Vleck House and Gardens on June 21st.  The Montclair Foundation was established to support not-for-profit organizations that meet health, educational, cultural, social service and quality of life needs in the greater Montclair community.  It offers concerned citizens a way to assure the continuing vitality of Montclair and serves as a permanent conduit for charitable giving.

Attendance is free to the public and people are encouraged to bring their own chair or blanket.

June Screening Sleepless in Seattle
Co-Sponsored by The Montclair Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization supporting non-profits in our community
Friday, June 21st – 9:00PM  (Rain Date Sunday June 23)
Van Vleck House and Gardens
21 Van Vleck Street
Montclair, NJ 07042

July Screening Goonies
Thursday, July 18 – 9:00PM (Rain Date Friday July 19)
Montclair Public Library
50 South Fullerton Street
Montclair, NJ 07042

August ScreeningMen in Black
Friday, August 16 – 9:00 PM (Rain Date Friday, August 23)
Church Street
Montclair, NJ 07042

September Screening Holes
Friday, September 6 – 9:00 PM (Rain Date Saturday, September 7)
Montclair Public Library
Bellevue Avenue Branch
185 Bellevue Avenue
Upper Montclair, NJ  07043

About the Montclair Film Festival
Montclair Film Festival (MFF), which took place April 29-May 5, 2013, is a community-based organization that produced its first multi-day, multi-venue film festival in May 2012.  MFF was created to nurture and showcase talented filmmakers from around the world while creating a cultural focal point for the Township of Montclair, surrounding communities and the region.  The Montclair Film Festival is a non-profit, tax-exempt (501(c)(3) organization whose 2013 event is made possible through generous support from Audi, our Signature Sponsor, as well as from Chubb, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Official Realtor), Investors Bank, Neuberger Berman, RBC Wealth Management, Clara Maass Medical Center, Egan & Sons (Official Restaurant), Heineken (Official Beer), The Room at TechnicolorPWNY, Whole Foods Market (Official Grocer), Xerox, and Zyr Russian Vodka. The festival is also supported, in part, by a Grant from the New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel & Tourism. Thanks to Media Sponsors NJTV, WNET, WNYC and Yelp, Friends of the Festival and Festival Partners Montclair Art Museum, Montclair Public Library, Montclair Kimberley Academy and Montclair State University. Audi and the County of Essex are Official Sponsors of Summer Series and American Express is the Official Sponsor of Kidz Shortz. For information about MFF, visit http://montclairfilm.org/

About Presby Memorial Iris Gardens
The Essex County Presby Memorial Iris Gardens was established in 1927 to honor Frank H. Presby of Montclair, a leading horticulturalist and a founder of The American Iris Society.  This living museum, listed on the State and National Registries of Historic Sites, offers a spectacular display of thousands of iris varieties to visitors from all over the world.  The Gardens are located at 474 Upper Mountain Avenue in Upper Montclair, New Jersey.  For more information about the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens visit www.presbyirisgardens.org

About Van Vleck House and Gardens
The Van Vleck House & Gardens originated as a 12-acre private estate more than 140 years ago when Joseph Van Vleck Sr and his family moved to Montclair from Brooklyn in 1868.  Like many successful businessmen of the era, Joseph Van Vleck Sr came to suburbs seeking a refuge from industrial living and brought to Montclair a grand vision of a country estate surrounded by acres of landscaped grounds.  For more information about Van Vleck House and Gardens visit www.vanvleck.org

About the Montclair Public Library
Founded in 1893, the Montclair Free Public Library serves the 38,000 citizens of Montclair, New Jersey. It has two facilities:   the Main Library at 50 Fullerton Avenue and the Bellevue Branch at 185 Bellevue Avenue. The Library exists to change lives every day through words, ideas, and
community connections. Additional details for the Montclair Public Library can be accessed via the Web site (www.montclairlibrary.org), Facebook (Montclair Public Library), and the MPL e-Newsletter.