(BURLINGTON, NJ) -- Film lovers can look forward to this weekend's Burlington County Juried Short Film Festival and its great lineup of imaginative narratives and documentaries. Now in its third year, a total of 23 short films will be screened during the two-day festival scheduled Friday, June 14, and Saturday, June 15, 2024.
The event is organized by the Burlington County Parks Division, with support from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, to provide a showcase for independent filmmakers.
This year’s films were selected from more than a hundred submissions from local filmmakers, as well as others from across the United States, Europe and Africa.
“Burlington County is excited by the growing interest in film and filmmaking that’s occurring here,” said Burlington County Commissioner Director Felicia Hopson. “The Burlington County Juried Short Film Festival provides a fantastic showcase for numerous up-and-coming filmmakers, and this year’s lineup of films is one of our best yet with a mix of reality, horror, comedy and more. The next Steven Spielberg, Greta Gerwig or Christopher Nolan could be from Burlington County, so be sure to come view these amazing short films and help support filmmaking and the arts in our county.”
The festival’s first night of screenings will be held at the Lyceum Hall Center for the Arts at 432 High Street in Burlington City, beginning at 7:00pm.
The second night of screenings will be at the Mount Holly Mason’s Lodge #14 at 15 Garden Street in Mount Holly and will also start at 7:00pm.
During the screenings, the County will also announce the winners and runner ups for the best animation, documentary, narrative comedy and narrative drama.
A panel of professional filmmakers and educators judged the films.
Among the films that will be screened at this year’s festival is The Past, Present & Future of Moorestown High School from filmmakers Victoria DeNittis, Anne Coutinho, Ben Matsko, Chris Panzera, Nate Underwood. The documentary tells the story of Moorestown High’s 125th graduating class and the school’s history through interviews with alumni from the 1950s to present day.
Some of the other standout local films being screened are:
Memories Withered, from Marlton resident Rafael De Moura, a drama about a man with dementia awaiting his wife’s return;
TEDI: Keep on Dancing, a documentary from Bordentown filmmaker Dan Preston about a public school dance program in the city of Trenton;
Eternal Replay from Burlington County Institute of Technology student Brandon English, about a boy who keeps living the same day over and over;
The Odd Man Out from Moorestown students Olivia Sauer, Jayden Weinstock, Katie Bianco, Marina Longo, Sydney Kowalczyk, Masa Sasano, Clare Martin, I’Mara Ford and John Gillespie, about a woman who excels at everything;
Charlieman from Moorestown students Ava Bernstein, Chris Adams, Alex Rahn, Ethan Davenport, Brie Lundgren, Mary Laufer, Grace Hanuscin and Maaia Daria, about a superhero experiencing premonitions of the future;
The Prank Call, from Moorestown students Ava Bernstein, Mary Laufer, Grace Hanuscin and Maia Dara about a girl receiving prank phone calls from inside her own home;
Vampire Dinner, from Moorestown students Chris Adams, Brie Lundgren, Ethan Davenport and Alex Rahan, about a boy watching a vampire movie
Student Again, by Moorestown students Victoria DeNittis, Ben Matsko, Anne Coutinho, Chris Panzera and Nate Underwood, about a teacher’s struggles after becoming a student again.
Vintage, a love story set in a vineyard from UCLA student Mio Hu;
Heart of Gold, from Jack Foley of Morganville, Monmouth County, about a young girl navigating a series of culture clashes;
At a Glance, from Dutch filmmaker Ruud Satijn, about a pizza delivery driver who encounters suspected domestic violence at the home of a wealthy customer.
Admission to the festival is free both nights. Each film is under 30 minutes long, and light refreshments will be served each night.
“The art of filmmaking is flourishing in Burlington County and our Juried Short Film Festival continues to provide a platform for filmmakers from our county and the beyond to showcase their talents,” said Burlington County Commissioner Allison Eckel, liaison to the Department of Resource Conservation and Parks. “The films may have limited runtimes, but they each tell captivating stories that entertain, enlighten and spark conservations. It’s a fantastic way to spend a summer evening and the event’s continued growth is a credit to our Parks staff and their dedication to the arts in Burlington County.”
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