2023 Program
July 30, 2023
Princeton Garden Theater
Jury Favorites
Culture Pop
Music video
3:08
Dir. Sergio Romero
Performed by Adrien Rock
A rock music video focusing on America’s obsession with celebrity status and consumerism.
Light of My Life (Director's Cut)
Comedy
10:35
Dir. Melissa Whitely
​
In dark times, a new friend arrives to shed some light on the situation.
Why We're Single
Comedy
3:51
Dir. Jett Miller
Five different archetypes
of a woman’s personality
argue about going on a date tonight.
The Wall
Dance
13:10
Dir. Liudmila Komrakova
You
A street artist falls asleep after creating gloomy graffiti. His spray cans lay on the ground provoking passersby’s to leave their own mark. The joint creativity produces a wonderful work of art.
Nice Shoes
Music Video
4:00
Director: Jonathan Lawrence
​
Over 40 classic movie references are featured in the epic sci-fi music video extravaganza.
The King in Yellow
Animation
5:00
Dir. Cole Frederick
Li
In a place forgotten by man where time stood still, the inhabitants were driven by fear, death and chaos. They fell into a trance as their thoughts were overcome by something that wasn’t them.
Pressed
Drama
7:41
Dir. Michelle Elise Harding,
Scott "Silent K" Knowlton
In the wake of a deadly shooting,
a seasoned journalist reevaluates
the role she plays in other people’s stories.
A Final Elegant Gesture
Experimental
9:00
Dir. Thomas Pickarski
​
An essay narration
paired with old
B&W found film
footage.
The narrator
describes the horror
from his street-level vantage point
beneath the Twin Towers on Sept 11th.
Each night as he sleeps, he stands on
the ledge of the burning tower and
transcend the intention of one final,
elegant gesture.
Pretend
Music Video
4:00
Dir. Doug Bollinger
Performed by Bryan Wood
A music video about a couple navigating their rocky relationship. Is it over?
Without
Drama
6:40
Dir. Christopher Orangeo
”Without” is a short dramatic film that follows Nathan and an old acquaintance meeting to discuss how to properly deal with grief.
The film was made in September 2022 in Morristown, NJ with a cast of three and a crew of six. This dramatic piece was influenced by the writer Chris Orangeo dealing with the tragedy he faced in 2021.
Tyler
Narrative Film
15:00
Dir. Joel Junior
Youtube
​
Tyler is a hyper intelligent 9 year-old boy, who can outsmart anyone and has no shame on being who he is. On an ordinary lunch, he talks about his new crush, which causes an unexpected reaction.
A Toad Simply Vanished!
Surreal Drama
7:35
Dir. Jarrod McCarthy
A man receives a dollop
of wisdom from his
mailman
that he won’t soon
forget.
Lake Minnetrista
Puppetry
11:22
Dir. Nicholas Mahon,
Katie McClenahan
Everyone knows to stay away from
the lake on Nov 3rd. The kids all know a monster lives in the lake, but adults refuse to do anything about it. This year Nat decides to take matters into her own hands.
The Crossing
Drama
6:04
Dir. Jason Schwaede
IMDBIM
Althea walks through a rapidly gentrifying old neighborhood guilt-stricken over the loss of a friend to mental illness. Can she find catharsis before bulldozers permanently tear down the past?
Time Crystals
Experimental
5:35
Dir. Abinadi Meza
Me
The synthetic narrator describes finding patterns in time which “she” calls time crystals. We don’t know I this enigmatic film is a record, or signal or a dream.
White Iris
Narrative Film
8:00
Dir. James Dalrymple
An end of life love story, inspired by an 18th century haiku.
AYEO
Animation
3:00
Dir. Jacob Updyke
​
In the midst of a desolate wasteland, a farmer boy hopes that he may one day see a real live bird. Amidst the wreckage of climate change and on the heels of mass extinction, little AYEO represents the future of humanity if climate change is not addressed.
​
Jersey Fresh Film Institute
Comedy
3:25
Dir. Melissa Whitely
​
whit
An infomercial promoting one of the hottest film schools in the Tri State area.
Danger
Music video
3:45
Dir. Ned Stresen-Reuter
Performed by John Roberts
Danger, a moody mid-tempo 80’s esq bop, offers an exciting musical landscape filled with pulsating sounds as well as John Roberts’ signature vocal style that brings the music to life.
