Author Archive

Climate Change Student Action Kit

The Climate Campaign Partnership is an integrated STEAM program sponsored by MFF and partnered with the Montclair Cooperative School and National Geographic’s Years of Living Dangerously that focuses on the critical scientific, political, economic and social issues of climate change through powerful and provocative films, art, conversation, and social action. Click here to view the […]

MFF16 Closing Night!

Filled with incredible performances, laughs, tears and plenty of inspiration, Montclair Film Festival 2016 was thrilled to present Miss Sharon Jones!, last Saturday, May 7th as our closing night film. In 2014, on the eve of Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings launching a new album, Ms. Jones faced her greatest challenge yet; a cancer diagnosis that brought her career to […]

Norman Reedus Conversation

If you’ve seen the footage from The Beatles’ famed appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show — the swaying, spellbound audience shrieking, beaming, quaking, hyperventilating — then you have a pretty good idea of how things went when Norman Reedus joined Montclair Film Festival 2016 for a spirited discussion, part of MFF’s In Conversation series. When moderator […]

Young Voices Conversation

What do young people have on their minds today? The subjects that teens and pre-teens explore when creating films provide fascinating insights into their ideas, hopes, dreams, and deeply felt concerns. Using a selection of submissions to MFF16’s Emerging Filmmaker Competition as a platform for discussion, Young Voices: A Community Conversation held last Wednesday allowed us to talk […]

Rob Reiner Conversation

Montclair Film Festival 2016 was thrilled to welcome the inimitable Rob Reiner last Sunday, May 1, for a laughter-filled and memorable discussion with Late Show host Stephen Colbert as part of our In Conversation series, presented by Audible. THIS IS SPINAL TAP. THE PRINCESS BRIDE. WHEN HARRY MET SALLY. STAND BY ME. MISERY. A FEW GOOD MEN. All Rob Reiner films, […]

Masters of the Score

Montclair Film Festival 2016 hosted an informative, fun and free community conversation, Masters of the Score: Sound Design for Film, Audio, and Games, last Saturday at the Audible Lounge, presented by Audible. The score is a narrative workhorse. It can establish mood, focus attention, illuminate the inner life of characters, and announce structure. In the hands of a […]

Richard Curtis on Love Actually

In Richard Curtis’ LOVE ACTUALLY, nine intertwined stories examine the complexities of the one emotion that connects us all: love. Montclair Film Festival 2016 was privileged to present a special screening of the film last Saturday as Richard and his life partner Emma Freud provided live commentary, sharing stories and secrets from behind the scenes of this […]

Patrick Wilson Conversation

Patrick Wilson is one of our most versatile actors, with many memorable roles on Broadway, including Tony Award nominations for his roles in Oklahoma and The Full Monty and in film and television, including his brilliant, Golden Globe-nominated performance as police officer Lou Solverson on season two of FX’s Fargo. PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, LITTLE CHILDREN, WATCHMEN, INSIDIOUS and THE […]

Margo Martindale Conversation

The incomparable Margo Martindale has been seen in countless notable films of the past two decades including MILLION DOLLAR BABY, DEAD MAN WALKING, NOBODY’S FOOL, LORENZO’S OIL, THE HOURS, PRACTICAL MAGIC, and AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY. Martindale’s work on The Americans most recently won her an 2015 Emmy for “Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series,” and […]

THE WRONG LIGHT: Who Is Mickey?

Local filmmaker Dave Adams discusses the unexpected twists in his and Josie Swantek Heitz’s daring documentary.

Our Nation’s Heroes Return

Montclair Film Festival was pleased to host a free community conversation, Our Nation’s Heroes Return: What’s Next?, last Sunday at the Audible Lounge. The panel discussion focused on services for veterans and followed the screening of Tom Donahue’s THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, a documentary about the plight of veterans after returning home from war. The moderator […]

BOOGER RED: Truth and Fiction

Director Berndt Mader gives insight about his intriguing narrative/doc hybrid and the fascinating creative process behind it.

MFF16 Opening Night!

The Montclair Film Festival kicked off its fifth anniversary on Friday, April 29 with the remarkable documentary film LIFE, ANIMATED. Directed by Academy Award winner Roger Ross Williams and based on the best-selling book, Life Animated: a story of Sidekicks, Heroes and Autism by Ron Suskind, the film tells the story of Suskind’s son Owen, an autistic child […]

THE PEARL: Courage To Be

Director Jessica Dimmock talks about her thought-provoking film exploring transgender identity.

SILICON COWBOYS: Tech Revolution

Jason Cohen’s SILICON COWBOYS tells one of the great David vs. Goliath stories of the digital age—the birth of Compaq Computer, a small, upstart company from Houston, Texas bound and determined to revolutionize personal computing. Standing in their way? IBM, one of America’s biggest and most valuable corporations, whose dominance of the computing sector was […]

BETTING ON ZERO: Fraud & Dreams

Local producer Glen Zipper’s documentary involves fraud, dreams, uncertainty, deception, hubris, intrigue, and greed.

MFF16: Foreign Language Films

Montclair Film Festival 2016 is pleased to present this exciting selection of international gems from all over the world. WHEN TWO WORLDS COLLIDE In 2007, then-Peruvian present Alan Garcia invited foreign companies to do business with the country by partnering on the extraction of natural resources. But when many of those resources were discovered on protected land […]

NEWTOWN: Pain and Perseverance

Filmed over the course of nearly three years, Kim Snyder’s NEWTOWN is the story of the aftermath of the deadliest mass shooting of schoolchildren in American history. The film details the experience of parents, children, and educators whose community was forever transformed and fractured, driving them toward an unforeseen sense of purpose. The resilience of […]

THE ARBALEST: Inventive Comedy

When an unexpected tragedy befalls an amateur game inventor, his wife and a rival make a pact to share in the spoils of his invention. But when that invention becomes an international sensation, the pair chart different courses in their own lives, until desire brings them together again for one final game. Adam Pinney’s THE […]

JOE’S VIOLIN: The Power of Music

In her beautifully crafted short documentary JOE’S VIOLIN, Kahane Cooperman tells the story of Joseph Feingold, a 91-year-old Polish Holocaust survivor who donates his violin of 70 years to a local instrument drive. When the violin lands in the hands of a 12-year-old schoolgirl from the nation’s poorest congressional district, their lives intersect, changing both […]

MFF16: LGBTQ Themes

Montclair Film Festival 2016 is pleased to present a diverse listing of LGBTQ-themed screenings. HOLY HELL In 1985, filmmaker Will Allen joined The Buddha Field, a spiritual group in California that promised love, acceptance, and enlightenment to its members. As the group’s official documentarian, Allen recorded over 20 years worth of footage, including never-before-seen meditations […]

SLASH: Modern Teen Angst

In this surprising, heartfelt coming-of-age story, Neil (Michael Johnson) is a lonely teenage boy who spends his days avoiding eye contact and his nights crafting erotic fan fiction about his favorite science fiction hero, Vanguard (Tishuan Scott). But when Neil learns that his schoolmate Julia (Hannah Marks) shares his passion for unorthodox storytelling, the pair’s […]

MFF16: African-American Interest

Montclair Film Festival 2016 is proud to present this wide-ranging selection of unforgettable documentary features and shorts, and poignant dramas that depict aspects of the African-American experience. ACCIDENTAL COURTESY: DARYL DAVIS, RACE, & AMERICA Daryl Davis is not your ordinary race-relations activist. His controversial approach to combating racial animus involves befriending leaders of the Ku Klux Klan and […]

TRANSPECOS: Border Patrol Noir

Deep in the heart of the American desert, three officers— Davis (Johnny Simmons), Flores (Gabriel Luna), and Hobbs (Clifton Collins Jr)— patrol a remote border crossing. On a typical day, their routine consists of a few minor stops, an arrest now and then, and a whole lot of boredom. But when a single car stop […]

FREE IN DEED: Blind Faith

A single working-class mom (Edwina Findley) turns to her faith in search of a desperate miracle in Jake Mahaffy’s award-winning FREE IN DEED. Based on real events and set in the distinctive world of storefront churches, where the disenfranchised unite in search of refuge, FREE IN DEED depicts the desperate attempt by a lonely minister […]

MFF16: Conversations

Montclair Film Festival 2016 is once again hosting a variety of informative, entertaining and engaging events as part of our signature “Conversation” series, presented by Audible. IN CONVERSATION WITH MARGO MARTINDALE Moderated by Jason Lynch Margo Martindale has been seen in countless notable films of the past two decades including MILLION DOLLAR BABY, DEAD MAN WALKING, NOBODY’S FOOL, LORENZO’S […]

MFF16: New Jersey on Screen

Montclair Film Festival 2016 celebrates New Jersey with our whopping list of films tied to the Garden State in one way or another. ALWAYS SHINE  (director from Montclair) The competition between young women striving for professional success has been fertile ground for filmmakers, but in ALWAYS SHINE, director Sophia Takal takes the tension to a […]

MFF16: Music on Screen

Music has a starring role in this exciting and varied selection of Montclair Film Festival 2016 screenings. MISS SHARON JONES! Two-time Academy Award winning filmmaker Barbara Kopple returns to the MFF with a portrait of one of the most fiery and talented performers working today. In 2014, on the eve of the band launching a new […]

MFF16: Timely Topic

Check out the Montclair Film Festival 2016 line-up of screenings that grapple with the timely topic of gun control. NEWTOWN Filmed over the course of nearly three years, Kim Snyder’s NEWTOWN is the story of the aftermath of the deadliest mass shooting of schoolchildren in American history. The film details the experience of parents, children, and […]

MFF16 Family Films: Bring the Kids!

Check out the Montclair Film Festival 2016 line-up of classic and new Family Films! AN AMERICAN TAIL When the Mousekewitz family— Mama, Papa, Tanya, and Fievel— are forced by circumstance to leave their native Russia behind, they decide to make their way to the promise of the United States. But once they arrive in New York City, […]

MFF Announces Our 2016 Design!

The Montclair Film Festival is thrilled to announce one of the most anticipated events of each festival season: our 2016 festival design! Created by long-time MFF graphic artist Jesse Bussey of Bussey Creative, this year’s campaign will be featured on all MFF materials, including posters, banners, and merchandise. “We are so proud of Bussey Creative’s hard work on our new campaign,” […]

Demme: A Master Filmmaker

Jonathan Demme walked onto the stage dressed in his cool, casual style and looked decidedly boyish for a man of 71. Demme was about to be interviewed by AMC’s Joel Stillerman for MFF’s In Conversation Series, and in preparation, Stillerman asked his office staff to put together a quick summary of Demme’s versatile work. That turned […]

Me & Earl & the Dying Girl, A Winner

There’s a clear appreciation for great films and the art of cinema running through Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. The movie’s protagonist Greg is a high school senior who’s made 42 charmingly horrible movies with his “co-worker” Earl, featuring titles that play off of classic movies like “Eyes Wide Butt” and “2:48 Cowboy.” […]

Deep Web: Deep Into the Darknet

From beyond the friendly internet-based interfaces of Gmail & Facebook, the documentary Deep Web takes a dive into the occasionally murky waters within the “darknet.” This untraceable, hard to access part of the web is home to not only vast databases of private information, but also shadowy black markets hidden by cryptographers. Alex Winter’s new […]

Father & Motherland: DuRant’s Edén

In an early scene in Elise DuRant’s Edén, bearded gringo John (played by Will Oldham) is showing various stones and fossils to his captivated young daughter Alma (played by Paula María Landa Hartasánchez). “It was a shell, but the forces of nature turned it into something completely different,” he tells her. “It’s a representation of […]

Colbert Thanks Mavis For Being

Mavis Staples often starts out a performance with a whisper to bandmate Rick Holstrom, “I don’t have much tonight.” But a few songs later she’ll turn around to him and exclaim, “I got it back!” Staples didn’t need to get it back on Friday at the Wellmont; she brought it. After cheering her performances on […]

The World of Audio Books

Have you even wondered why so many written works seem to be more ‘entertaining’ and informative when you hear them read aloud? Have you ever wondered what it is like creating those little ‘audio books’ that have generated a multibillion dollar industry? And, did you ever assume that you could never do that kind of […]

An American Odyssey

“I am an old man, in my life, I have known much trouble and most of it never happened.” -Mark Twain. This quote, which I heard years ago, has become a mantra for me. It has saved me from spending precious time worrying needlessly about things out of my control. This quote has lead me to […]

Unexpected, MFF 2015 Closing Film

The 2015 Montclair Film Festival closed Sunday night at MKA with Unexpected, Kris Swanberg’s tale of two vastly different Chicago pregnancies. In the last decade, Swanberg has contributed to a number of movies about the trials of 20-somethings in the Windy City and this movie felt like the denouement of her characters’ youth. There’s nothing […]

First Ever MFF Awards!

As the Montclair Film Festival continues to grow, this year’s festivities included a slate of awards for the first time in the festival’s history. On the second Saturday of the festival’s 10-day run, audiences, jurors and MFF staff gathered in the Montclair Kimberley Academy auditorium for the unveiling of the inaugural MFF Awards. The evening […]

In Conversation with Abigail Disney

Although heir of the famed Disney family and tradition, Abigail Disney didn’t set out to make films. She set out to make a difference. In a candid conversation about her life and the trajectory of experiences that led to her becoming a documentarian, she laid out the sociocultural and political factors as well as gender […]

Danny Says

What do the Doors, the Velvet Underground, the Stooges, Alice Cooper, and the Ramones have in common? One man: Danny Fields. Fields isn’t a musician, but a press agent, record company executive, and editor who had an eye (and an ear) for groundbreaking bands and the skill to help usher many of them to fame. […]

The Armor of Light: Faith and Guns

The Armor of Light is a documentary film directed by Abigail Disney. Disney puts into question the limitation to pro-life activism and gun rights. We are taken on an emotional and explorative journey of three steadfast individuals who connect through personal tragedy, advocacy and faith. One of those individuals is Evangelical pastor, Reverend Rob Schenk, […]

Thought Crimes: Thought Provoking

Have you ever had an evil thought about someone? A friend? An enemy? Or co-worker? Have you ever wondered if that was a crime, and if you could be prosecuted for it? With the advent of modern technology these thoughts are often laid open for the world to see. And what happens when a person in […]

Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck

For the young protagonist of Nick Hornby’s hugely popular book About a Boy, Kurt Cobain’s suicide in 1994 marks the end of the world, the day the music died—and he is not alone, especially for fans of that generation (the late 80s/early 90s), who helped Nirvana zoom to the top of the charts. One of […]

NJ Shorts 2, Dark and Edgy

Less is more was the lesson learned by viewers at New Jersey Shorts 2 presented at the Montclair Film Festival on Saturday, May 9th. Although films ranged in length from only 6 -18 minutes, they were all thought provoking and had a long lasting impact on the viewer. These films had a dark edge, in […]

Fuller, Green and Yo La Tengo

Thursday night’s headline for the Montclair Film Festival was a film event that fit its subject; it was larger than life and totally outside of the box. The live documentary screened at the Wellmont Theatre was a tribute to R. Buckminster Fuller, who according to a television host, had been called a “genius”, “the Benjamin […]

A Montclair Community Conversation

A roomful of people, either involved in projects dealing with the issues of hunger and homelessness, or interested in being enlightened filled the Audible Listening Lounge for the Community Conversation on Hunger and Homelessness in Montclair. The presentation was inspired by Montclair Film Festival’s screening of Time Out of Mind starring Richard Gere as a homeless […]

Colbert and Gere, Illuminating Convo

Cinema, the philosophy of life, and a truth universally acknowledged that every mother loves Richard Gere: in an extremely lively, funny, and illuminating chat on Saturday at the Wellmont Theater, Stephen Colbert and Richard Gere discussed and debated everything from Gere’s newest film (Time Out of Mind, about homelessness, which premiered directly after this In Conversation series) […]

Montclair Filmmakers Discuss Craft

Tuesday night a collection of up-and-coming filmmakers joined The Montclair Film Festival and the In Conversation audience for an intimate discussion about their films, filmmaking, and the benefits of working at their craft in the Montclair area. The crowd gathered early to chat with one another and to come and meet the Montclair Filmmakers panelists; Daryl […]

Black Voices in Film Sheds Light

Conventional wisdom has held that films featuring black actors or focusing on black themes aren’t commercially viable. However, recent successes in black-themed films, from both Hollywood and independent productions, have proven such thinking wrong, while simultaneously revealing some issues. Black Voices in Film, part of Montclair Film Festival’s In Conversation series invited Pete Chatmon (Writer/Director, Black […]

Sex & Broadcasting: Freeform Radio

“I knew that this New Jersey film belonged in this New Jersey film festival,” said Director Tim K. Smith, introducing his film Sex and Broadcasting to the Montclair Film Festival audience. Originally entitled Freeformer Death, Smith later explained that he changed the name of the film because many original audience members did not know that […]

Most Likely to Succeed a Success

Education, it is an integral part of growing up. Whether a young adult is going to school just to learn, or is going to school to get into college so that he or she can get a better job, the question that Most Likely to Succeed is asking is “What are our children learning, and […]

Alter on Media & His TV Series

A highlight of Montclair Film Festival’s In Conversation Series this year has been to listen to Johnathan Alter. Alter is an award-winning author, reporter, columnist, and television analyst. He is the author of three New York Times bestsellers, and spent 28 years at Newsweek, where he was a longtime senior editor and columnist and wrote more […]

MFF’s Happening House Party

House Party is Montclair Film Festival’s annual tradition of connecting filmmakers and film watchers together with great music, delicious food and a fabulous party atmosphere! The DJ really got the party started and gathered everyone up to do “The Wobble” dance. The Audible Lounge was a blank canvas that was transformed into Club #MFF15 . […]

Nina Simone’s Life and Legend

Outspoken, determined, and bursting with talent, the brilliance of an artist like Nina Simone only comes around once in a generation. The Queen of Soul was not only iconic for her music, but was incredibly prominent for her activism during the civil rights movement. However, despite all of her talents, Simone would eventually find that […]

The Nation: An Icon of Old Media

As a mom, I search for ways to support my toddlers in discerning the world around them. To distinguish and strategically sift through myriad messages that are both competing for and congesting their attention. Although I didn’t come to this particular movie searching for solutions to my parental dilemma, by the end, it certainly gave me […]

Let’s Get Very Semi-Serious

Laughing hard, deep from the belly, with many others nearby feels really good. Such laughter became a repeated experience for the audience watching Very Semi-Serious, directed by Leah Wolchok. This film focuses on Bob Mankoff, cartoon editor of The New Yorker magazine since 1997, and the process he uses to select great cartoons. Although the […]

Some Kind of Spark Motivates

Music takes each of us to a different place. For some, it’s motivating. For others it’s comforting. And, if you happen to be a music student struggling to achieve the mastery of a particular instrument, it can be totally intimidating and frustrating. This is the meat of Ben Niles’ wonderful documentary, Some Kind of Spark, […]

Western: Poetic and Intimate

In 2010, documentary filmmaking brothers Bill and Turner Ross ventured deep into Texas on a quest to chronicle the true west in the 21st century. One question in particular nagged them: Did the Old West as portrayed in the classic westerns of their youth still exist? What they discovered was that, yes, the Old West […]

Nelson on The Black Panthers

When looking up the word vanguard it says the following: a group of people leading the way in new developments or ideas. When looking up the word revolution it says the following: a forcible overthrow of a government or social order in favor of a new system. What a fitting title for Stanley Nelson’s film The Black […]

Second Mother/Que Horas Ela Voltar?

The Portuguese title of the The Second Mother–Que Horas Ela Voltar?–means: what time will she return, or when will she come back? Both the original and the English names illuminate different aspects of this Brazilian film, starring Regina Casé, one of the country’s most vibrant and interesting actresses. The Portuguese title remains vague about exactly […]

The Truth Behind the Lies

Director Yael Melamed’s film, (Dis)Honesty – The Truth About Lies, is a fascinating study of human behavior. Much of the film revolves around the work of Israeli professor Daniel Ariely, who has written several books with regard to irrational behavior. This film studies human being’s capacity to lie and their ability to justify their lies. Through […]

MFF Presents Narrative Shorts

“Audiences give the most important lifeblood to artists,” and festivals such as the Montclair Film Festival give encouragement to filmmakers, explained director Bruce Smolanoff to a crowded movie theatre. Smolanoff, who was one of the creators behind the short film Muck. Indeed, Smolanoff was not speaking to a half empty room, as the community of Montclair […]

Battsek, Humble and Determined

Award winning documentary producer John Battsek joined The Montclair Film Festival and the In Conversation audience at our own Audible Listening Lounge for an intimate discussion about his career in the documentary industry. Introduced by his brother, Daniel Battsek (a Montclair resident and film producer), John made the trip “Across the Pond” to promote his […]

7 Chinese Brothers: Dukakis Delights

“You wanna f**k or you wanna fight?” Olympia Dukakis’ Grandma growls towards the beginning of 7 Chinese Brothers, an introspective look at the ramblings of an Austin ne’er-do-well, directed by Bob Byington. It’s a fine shorthand for the film’s message: do you want to participate in life or do you want to continue to wring […]

Call Me Lucky: Full of Heart & Soul

If comedy equals tragedy plus time, then Barry Crimmins is living and breathing proof. A man closely resembling Fidel Castro, he was at the pinnacle of the ‘80s and ‘90s Chicago comedy scene. Crimmins literally opened the door for his fellow funnymen, including director Bobcat Goldthwait, as we see in this shocking and stunning portrayal […]

Touching Insight into Autism

Ah, yes. The comfort zone. That warm, safe place in our heads where everything is familiar, in control. No fear, no anxiety . . . no personal growth. Performance experts urge us to reach outside the comfort zone. They tell us it’s critical to push ourselves if we want to truly engage life and each other […]

NJ Shorts 1, Diverse and Funny

Montclair Film Festival’s presentation of NJ Shorts 1 is an eclectic collection of five short films celebrating the diversity and humor of New Jersey voices. The films ranged from a sobering look at Rick Barry’s idiosyncrasy that made him a basketball legend (The Charity Stripe) to the overzealous fire-spitter known as Tony “Volcano” Valenci (Down in Flames), who goes […]

In My Father’s House: Ties that Bind

An abandoned son, a homeless father, the ravages of addiction, a suffering community, patterns of abuse and neglect, the healing power of a solid marriage, and the extent to which forgiveness and redemption can be won are just a handful of the themes explored in Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg’s incisive documentary In My Father’s […]

Kidz Shortz, Completely Original

This year, the Montclair Film Festival screened 19 winners of the Kids Shortz contest. Some of the shorts were cute, others were funny and some focused on the editing, yet all of them were completely original. Two of the shorts that had me (along with the rest of the audience) laughing out loud were A Series […]

Girls’ Show, Agony and Ecstasy

In the films’ opening scene, a janitor ambles across the quiet gymnasium of Passaic Valley High School in Little Falls, sweeping the floor and pulling out the bleachers. “I get that it’s the biggest thing in their lives right now, but I don’t understand it,” he shrugs. He is, of course, referring to Girls’ Show—the […]

Bobcat the Happy Auteur

Don’t ask him to do the voice–Bobcat Goldthwait is not the 80s pop culture icon you’re thinking of. Gone are the signature mullet, the raspy delivery, and the neurotic stand-up act. In its place is Bobcat the filmmaker, an older, wiser, more humble Bobcat, who, at age 52, has finally discovered his true passion–directing. On […]

Tears of God, Existentially Creepy

A late night crowd gathered for The Montclair Film Festival’s only horror offering of 2015, Tears of God. People grabbed their popcorn and other goodies and settled in with high hopes for a good old scary ride. Have you ever had a hankering for a horror movie that invokes the feelings that the old Hammer Horror […]

Wilson and DeHaan Chat it Up

Actors Patrick Wilson and Dane DeHaan regaled an enthusiastic audience of fans during a wide-ranging and enlightening Montclair Film Festival Conversation about the art of acting, their love for indie filmmaking and their new projects. Wilson’s impressive film credits include Hard Candy (2005), Little Children (2006), Watchmen (2009), The Switch (2010), Young Adult (2011), The […]

Christmas, Again in May

As Christmas rolls around, again, the Christmas tree stands begin to appear in vacant lots and sidewalks with an array of firs or pines for sale. For many, the holiday brings to mind a time of celebration, but Christmas is also a commercial enterprise with materials to buy and jobs to occupy. Noel (Kentucker Audley) […]

Time Out of Mind’s Realism

“Am I homeless? I don’t exist!” cries George (Richard Gere) as he hits the nadir of despair near the end of Time Out of Mind, a powerful and emotional character study about one man’s desperate struggle with homelessness in New York City. Written and directed by Oren Moverman (who also wrote and directed The Messenger […]

Mavis!

Mavis Staples joins Stephen Colbert for a Post-Screening Q&A on Friday, May 8th! Directed by Jessica Edwards, MAVIS! is the first feature-length documentary on gospel/soul music legend and civil rights icon Mavis Staples and her family group, the Staple Singers. From the delta-inflected gospel sound she helped pioneer in the 1950s, to the “message songs” of […]

An Opening Night to Remember

“There has got to be more to life than going to lectures at the YWCA and stealing cheese!” bespectacled protagonist Doris erupts at her longtime friend—and seemingly at the world—and the packed Wellmont Theater collectively roared with laughter. It is one of several poignantly hilarious scenes in director Michael Showalter’s charming and deeply affecting dramedy, […]

Inside the Film Edén

Inspired by writer-director Elise DuRant’s own childhood experiences in 1980’s Mexico, Edén is an intimately rendered film about coming home. Nine-year-old Alma is forced to leave Mexico with her artifact-smuggling father, John. Years later, after her father’s death, she returns to Mexico to confront the man responsible for their emigration. But she finds more than she […]

The Montclair Film Festival Announces New Guests

The Montclair Film Festival Announces New Guests  David Gordon Green, Dane Dehaan, and Olympia Dukakis to attend the 2015 Montclair Film Festival The Montclair Film Festival (MFF) today announced new guests for the 2015 festival. Director David Gordon Green, actor Dane Dehaan, and Montclair legend Olympia Dukakis will attend the festival to participate in Q&A […]

The Montclair Film Festival Announces 2015 Festival Education Programs And Partnerships Junior Jury, Sensory Friendly, Student Screenings, and Afterparty on The Green

The Montclair Film Festival Announces 2015 Festival Education Programs And Partnerships Junior Jury, Sensory Friendly, Student Screenings, and Afterparty on The Green programs Announced The Montclair Film Festival today announced the final slate of Educational programs and events taking place at the 2015 Montclair Film Festival, May 1-10, 2015. All events are free for participating […]

Inside the Film Jackrabbit

What is the Jackrabbit? And why was it sent to two computer hackers to decipher? Those are only two of the underlying questions that need to be answered in this post-apocalyptic thriller that will grab your attention and hold it for the length of the film. Director Carleton Ranney weaves a gritty emotional story that […]

3/30/15 – The Montclair Film Festival Announces 2015 Conversation Series Presented by Audible

The Montclair Film Festival Announces 2015 Conversation Series Presented by Audible Richard Gere, Jonathan Demme, Barbara Kopple, Stanley Nelson, Michael Ian Black, Bobcat Goldthwait, Abigail Disney, John Battsek, Patrick Wilson, and Jonathan Alter headline the festival’s Conversation schedule March 30, 2015 – The Montclair Film Festival (MFF) today announced the 2015 Conversation Series, presented by […]

Montclair Film Festival Announces Special Live Performance Sam Green + Yo La Tengo To Perform The Live Documentary The Love Song Of R. Buckminster Fuller on May 7th, 2015

Montclair Film Festival Announces Special Live Performance  Sam Green + Yo La Tengo To Perform The Live Documentary The Love Song Of R. Buckminster Fuller on May 7th, 2015 March 10, 2015 – The Montclair Film Festival (MFF) today announced that filmmaker Sam Green and critically acclaimed indie rock band Yo La Tengo will perform […]

Golden Night at MFF Oscar Party

by Beth Wilensky Montclair Film Festival celebrated the Academy Awards by bringing Hollywood Glam to our 5th Annual Oscars’ Eve Party last Saturday. It was a snowy night (again!) but that didn’t stop the over 200 guests who arrived at The Loft in Montclair to walk the red carpet and party like the stars do in Hollywood. […]

MFF Mourns Bruce Sinofsky

Montclair Film Festival friend and local resident, Bruce Sinofsky passed away on February 21st from complications stemming from diabetes. Read more about Bruce and his work in this Variety article, Bruce Sinofsky, Oscar-Nominated Documentary Filmmaker, Dies at 58. And in this Baristanet interview from October 2013, Coffee With…Bruce Sinofsky. MFF screened his film Mettalica: Some Kind of Monster in 2012 […]

Sue Hollenberg Named Education Director Of The Montclair Film Festival

Sue Hollenberg Named Education Director Of The Montclair Film Festival February 24, 2015 – The Montclair Film Festival (MFF) in Montclair, NJ announced today the appointment of Sue Hollenberg as Education Director of MFF. This newly created position will serve to launch and manage the MFF’s year-round film and media education initiatives and community partnerships. “We […]

MFF Mourns David Carr

The Montclair Film Festival mourns the sudden loss of our friend and contributor, David Carr. A well-known and respected columnist for the New York Times, Carr focused on media issues including print, digital, film, radio and television and lived in Montclair, New Jersey with his family. For more about Carr’s life and career, please view the NY […]

Montclair Film Festival Announces February Programs and Events

For Immediate Release Montclair Film Festival Announces February Programs and Events  Oscars’™ Eve Party, Black History Month Screenings, Seymour: An Introduction Headline February Calendar January 15, 2015 – The Montclair Film Festival (MFF) announced a slate of film screenings and events for the month of February. Kicking off with a special pre-release screening of Ethan […]

Montclair Film Festival Annual Poster Contest Winner Announced

Montclair Film Festival Annual Poster Contest Winner Announced Montclair Resident Amanda Ansorge’s Design Chosen for MFF’s 2015 Festival Campaign January 12, 2015 – The Montclair Film Festival (MFF) announced today that Montclair resident and graphic designer Amanda Ansorge’s design has been selected by the festival to serve as the MFF’s 2015 Festival Campaign. The design, […]

Montclair Public Schools and the Montclair Film Festival Announce Broad Based Community and Educational Partnership

New Collaboration to Develop World Class Film Initiatives, Learning Opportunities and Professional Development for Montclair Students December 11, 2014 – Montclair, New Jersey, The Montclair Public Schools (MPS) and the Montclair Film Festival (MFF) announced today the creation of a new broad based partnership that will build a series of community-based professional development and learning […]

The “Stevphens” Together Again

Stephen Colbert and Steve Carell delighted a packed house for almost two hours at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark Friday night. This Montclair Film Festival “Conversation” was our fourth annual fundraising event with Stephen Colbert and will benefit next year’s Festival, which will run from May 1-10, 2015. After a heartwarming introduction by Mr. […]

MFF and MAM Present 90s Films

Come As You Are: Films of the 90’s The 1990’s saw the explosion of independent cinema in America, with artists of all stripes taking to filmmaking as a way of telling new stories. This series focuses on diverse, engaging films that framed the era, launched the careers of important new artists, and defined the 90’s as a […]

The Montclair Film Festival Open For Film Submissions, Fall Education Programs And Partnerships Announced

The Montclair Film Festival Open For Film Submissions, Fall Education Programs And Partnerships Announced Festival Now Accepting Films for Consideration, Kidz Shortz Competition Launch, New Partnership with Montclair Art Museum Announced November 3, 2014, Montclair, NJ— The Montclair Film Festival today announced the opening of its annual film submission process. With opportunities for consideration in […]

Life & Living Features MFF Films

Life & Living with Joanna Gagis airs it’s third Montclair Film Festival episode this Saturday, October 18th at 2 PM on NJTV. Featured on this this program are interviews with filmmakers from MFF 2014 films, The Front Man and Advanced Style.