Inaugural Cranford Film Festival: April 17– 25
Calling all film buffs! Cranford’s non-profit organization, Friends of the Performing Arts, along with Cranford resident and director of the acclaimed Nassau Film Festival, Lew Goldstein, have teamed up to present Cranford’s first-ever film festival. The festival, which will be held virtually this year due to COVID restrictions, celebrates the best in short films from around the world and locally.
This year, a collection of 50 films from over 200 submissions, has been chosen for the festival. The films range in length from three to 40 minutes, and will be available by category over the week of Saturday April 17 – Sunday April 25. Categories include: fiction, documentary, animation, music videos, and student films, with two nights being dedicated to New Jersey-based selections including a Martin Sheen-narrated documentary The Heart of Camden: The Story of Father Michael Doyle.
Several Cranford filmmakers’ works will be featured in the festival as well including: Diego Colon’s Hostman: The Aftermath, Ryan Rosenthal’s Straight to Voicemail and Rolling with the Punches, Rick Walsh’s, Akita – Ten Carat Purrsuit, Eric Forman’s The Muralist, Peter Collier’s Santa Force, and Stephen Ruppell and Kevin Brodie’s Bearly Getting By. The final film schedule will be posted on the festival’s website in early April. A jury-selected “Best of the Fest” featuring the best film in each category will close the festival.
“I’m so excited to be bringing a film festival to our hometown,” states Lew Goldstein. “We have so much talent in our community and I wanted to take my experience running the Princeton-based Nassau Film Festival to showcase our local filmmakers along with those from other areas.”
Chris Hoffman, Board Member of Friends of the Performing Arts, adds “We were thrilled when Lew approached us to partner on the festival in order to raise money for the performing arts programs in our middle schools and high school. While our inaugural run this year will be virtual due to COVID, we plan to hold the event in person in future years. Not only do we wish to raise money for our schools and build awareness of local talent, we want to boost visibility and support for our local merchants as well.”
A $25 pass allows virtual viewing of all the films across its one-week run. The festival is also seeking sponsorships from businesses with recognition in the festival program, the festival website, and the opportunity to film a promotional video depending on the level of sponsorship.
All proceeds from the festival will benefit Friends of the Performing Arts (FOPA), the nonprofit that provides financial assistance to the performing arts programs in Cranford schools. Past funds have gone to purchase tents to allow the performing arts groups to continue practicing amidst COVID concerns, a new curtain for the Cranford High School stage, and chorus performance gowns. For more information on the film festival, to sponsor the event, or to purchase tickets go to the festival website: cranfordfilmfestival.org.
