(LONG BEACH ISLAND, NJ) -- The 14th Annual Lighthouse International Film Festival takes place June 2-5, 2022. The festival's new DARKHOUSE genre category is for horror movies, thrillers, sci-fi, and fantasy films, including the galactic premier of "MAD GOD" on the big screen at Manahawkin's Regal Cinema. It is scheduled for an exclusive streaming release on AMC's Shudder later this month.  

The reportedly haunted LBI Historical Museum (129 Engleside Avenue) Beach Haven will host four feature films and two blocks of shorts with more than a dozen films on Friday and Saturday nights.

Mad God, Galaxy Premier; Director: Phil Tippett, 2022 (75 min.) The Assassin emerges from underground to explore a freakish city landscape that has monsters and mad scientists of all stripes running rampant. Filmed in stop-motion animation the film was created and directed by visionary and Oscar and Emmy Award-winning stop-motion animator and special effects supervisor Phil Tippett, the creative powerhouse involved in such classics as RoboCop, Starship Troopers, Jurassic Park, Star Wars: A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. Saturday, June 4 at 10:15pm Regal Cinema, Manahawkin Commons, 733 NJ-72, Manahawkin.

Cyber Underground (East Coast Premier); Director: Rudy Cimic. Canada, 1 hour and 15 minutes (East Coast premiere) A paranoid hacker investigates a serial killer he believes is part of a conspiracy targeting members of his online group. * Attending: Director Rudy Cimic. This Darkhouse Opening film will follow two Friends of The Fest shorts: Maschera della Morte; Director: Scott Bekisz, USA, 24 min;  Produced by Rob Karol, executive director of LIFF. Nasty; Director: Paul Chart USA, 22 minutes; Produced by Denise Grayson, LIFF’s board member LBI Museum, Friday, June 3 at 4:30pm.

Freaky Friday Shorts Selections. 120 minutes. Seven short films exploring everything from eternal life to frustrating fishing to the trauma of a barefooted dancer. Also, experience homicidal BFF's, war photographers, and things that go bump in the night. Films: Launch at Paradise (Director: Carrie Ann Quinn, United States, 15 minutes); 2. Shudder (Director: Rob Ride, United Kingdom, 8 minutes); 3. Rosso (Director: Zach Staads, United States, 5 minutes); 4. Void (Director: Claire Marshall, Australia, 15 minutes); 5. Hot Toddy (Director: Mary Sette, United States, 17 minutes); 6. Double Lens Reflex (Director: Arman Meinecke, United States, 9 minutes); 7. Night (Director: Frank Sun, United States 20 minutes). 120 minutes total. LBI Museum, Friday, June 3 at 7:30pm.

A Pure Place (US premiere); Director: Nikias Chryssos 2021 (91 minutes). German with Subtitles. An offbeat coming-of-age tale about two young siblings engulfed in a secret community obsessed with soap, located on a remote Greek island. Funny, bizarre, poetic and tender tale about love, rebellion and what it means to be actually clean. LBI Museum, Friday, June 3 at 10:00pm.

For Roger; Director: Aaron Bartuska. USA, 88 minutes. After receiving word of his partner Clara’s passing, Roger travels to the desolate family cabin where they would often vacation together. As he pours over the home videos recorded during their trips, Roger begins to realize that someone has been watching them from the woods for years. *Attending Director Aaron Bartuska & actor Michael Andrusiewicz. LBI Museum, Saturday, June 4 at 5:15pm.

Saturday Short Blocks Vol. 2 - What happens when a time traveler dies in their past, a house is smarter than you, or its dead former owner is sticking around?  Also, see how kids cope with the death of a parent, or not. And what happens when you paddle into the woods. 1. Tim Travers & the Time Travelers Paradox (Director: Stimson Sneads, United States, 19 minutes); 2. Forest Giants (Director: Augusta Mariano, United States, 14 minutes); 3. Gary (Director: Michael Rognlie, United States, 9 minutes); 4. Face The Music (Director: Noah Lederman Greis, Sweden, 14 minutes); 5. Devils (Director: Bret Miller, United States, 13 minutes); 6. The Molok (Director: Sam Wilson, United States, 15 minutes) 120 minutes total. LBI Museum, Saturday. June 4 at 7:30pm.

The Retaliators; Director: Bridget Smith. USA, 97 minutes.The official synopsis of the film reads, “In 'The Retaliators,' an upstanding pastor uncovers a dark and twisted underworld as he searches for answers surrounding his daughter's brutal murder... There is a high-octane original soundtrack and cameos from some of the biggest names in heavy metal music including Five Finger Death Punch, Tommy Lee, Papa Roach, The Hu, Ice Nine Kills,  Motley Crue, and Escape The Fate." This movie will make a metalhead, blood and guts movie lover's night. LBI Museum June 4 at 10:00pm.

The 14th Annual Lighthouse International Film Festival on Long Beach Island NJ (LBI) takes place June 2-5, 2022. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.lighthousefilmfestival.org

The festival's unique approaches to dealing with the pandemic drew the attention of the press and film buffs from around the world, with LIFF 2020 and 2021 being featured by numerous national and regional media outlets, including CNN, NBC-TV (Rolling Stone magazine, and Variety magazine.  The 2020 Lighthouse International Film Festival was the first drive-in film festival to screen new films under the stars. LIFF screened two features for 5 nights, at 3 locations on LBI.   Other film festivals faced the challenges of 2020 and 2021 by either cancelling their event or going virtual. Only LIFF went big and bold!