The Rutgers Film Co-op/New Jersey Media Arts Center and
the Rutgers University Program In Cinema Studies present the

New Jersey International Film Festivalsm Summer 2008
Screening Schedule
Click Here For General Information


Cover Art: 4 Eyes collage by Albert Gabriel Nigrin ©2008.

Note: All Friday through Sunday screenings are Area or New Jersey Premieres!

Satuday 5/31 Too Lost To Find + Woven Ways +
Greetings from Asbury Park
Scott 123-7PM


Too Lost To Find - Bonnie Blake (Oakland, NJ)

A moving, short documentary focusing on a group of homeless people living on the streets of Hackensack, New Jersey. 2008; 12 min. With an in-person appearance by filmmaker Bonnie Blake!
Woven Ways - Linda Helm Krapf (Stockton, NJ)
Woven Ways shares the stories of the Navajo people and the environmental issues that threaten their health and well-being. Our nation's thirst for energy is creating deadly consequences for the Navajo as much of the uranium for nuclear power plants and valuable deposits of coal, oil and gas lay beneath their land. Told in their own words, Woven Ways is a lyrical testimony to the resilience of the Navajo in the face of grave environmental injustice. Shot amid dramatic desert landscapes, the film chronicles their steady resolve to hold onto what is sacred. 2007;   49 min. With an in-person appearance by filmmaker Linda Helm Krapf!
Greetings from Asbury Park - Christina Eliopoulos (Eatontown, NJ)  
Is this the last summer before the bulldozers descend on Asbury Park? In this timely new documentary, Christina Eliopoulos profiles a beach town, its citizens, and the vexing conflict between ruin and renewal. Angie is 91and has lived through three decades of rust and riot in Asbury Park, the one-time postcard paradise of the Jersey Shore. Now her tiny bungalow has been seized by eminent domain. Hundreds of homes, apartment buildings, local businesses, are boarded up, ready for the wrecking ball. In fact, 29 city blocks, 56 acres of waterfront property and historic boardwalk attractions now belong to a private developer and will be razed to make way for 3,100 luxury condominiums. But this is welcome progress say city officials and the revitalized Asbury Park will be a thrilling combination of SoHo and South Beach. Meanwhile, the bulldozers are in Angie's backyard. A court case challenge is difficult and costly. This could be the last summer her beloved garden will be in bloom. 2007; 90 min. With an in-person appearance by filmmaker Christina Eliopoulos!
Special Pre-Release Listening Party of the new album by Shearwater at 6PM! Come early and listen to their new masterpiece entitled Rook !


Sunday 6/1

Red Princess Blues+Diorama + Perfect to Begin + Vanaja

Scott 123-7PM


Red Princess Blues - Dan Cregan +   Alex Ferrari (Sunrise, FL)
In this animated short film a 12-year-old-girl finds herself in a strange country looking for her lost father. 2007; 8 min.
Diorama - Ben Kalina (Philadelphia, PA)
Eleven-year-old Izzy moves from one small apartment to another while her mother Caroline, pursues a fledgling career as a singer ,clings to her sobriety, and waits for her big break. When Caroline gets fired from her last regular gig, Izzy is left to figure out how to escape into a world of her own. 2007; 20 min. With an in-person appearance by filmmaker Ben Kalina!
Perfect to Begin - Richard Lawson (Darlington, United Kingdom)
Lisa's new boyfriend takes her and her daughter, Molly, on a surprise holiday. The weekend soon becomes memorable for all the wrong reasons. 2007; 20 min.
Vanaja - Rajnesh Domalpalli (Hyderabad, India)
Set in rural South India, a place where social barriers are built stronger than ancient fort walls, this new feature film movingly explores the chasm that divides classes as a young girl struggles to come of age. Vanaja, the 15 year old daughter of a financially troubled fisherman, goes to work in a local landlady's house and yearns to become a dancer. When the landlady's son returns from the U.S.A., what begins as innocent sexual chemistry turns into a fatal clash between power and innocence. In Telugu, subtitled. 2006; 111 min. Co-sponsored by the Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage Commission/Board of Chosen Freeholders and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/ Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.


Thursday 6/5 The Red Shoes Milledoler100 -7:30PM


The Red Shoes   - Michael Powell + Emeric Pressburger    
This enthralling modern adaptation of a dark fairy tale presents the ballet as an exquisite art form    which has the power to destroy its most ardent devotees. Ballerina Moira Shearer is luminous as Victoria Page, a young woman consumed by a will to dance and by the jealousy that seethes between her perfectionist ballet master Boris Lermontov and her composer-husband Julian Craster.    As the three work on a new ballet, The Red Shoes , Vicky is torn between her love for Julian, her respect for Boris, and her need to dance on her own terms. Powell and Pressburger's romantic drama is highlighted by stunning ballet sequences shot on grand sets awash in glorious Technicolor. 1948; 134 min.


Friday 6/6 Scenes Missing + The Stoop + Blinders +
The Promise of New York
Scott 123-7PM


Scenes Missing - Melissa Whitely (Ewing Township, NJ)

A dejected man begs for change on the street in order to connect with his long-lost past. 2008; 10 min. With an in-person appearance by filmmaker Melissa Whitely!
The Stoop – Andrew Liput (Mountain Lakes, NJ)
On the hottest day in July, in the swinging Summer of '69, two men explore the meaning of life in Harlem, worlds away from hippies, war protests, and Woodstock. One man is fighting for community and civil rights, the other is fighting to bring his family back together. For both men, the stoop of their brownstone sets the stage to discuss and explore all of their hopes and dreams for the future. 23 min; 2008. With an in-person appearance by filmmaker Andrew Liput!
Blinders - Donald Moss (New York, NY)
Throughout the year, tourists descend on Central Park to ride in one of New York's legendary horse-drawn carriages. Yet the future of this industry is the subject of a highly charged debate. Carriage operators and politicians say that the carriages should stay as a cherished symbol of the city. Animal rights activists say tradition is no excuse for abuse. As a result of three fatal accidents since 2006, the plight of the carriage horses is now in the public eye. Yet the public doesn't know much more than what they see on the streets and in the news. Blinders takes viewers behind the scenes to expose the truth behind the “quaint” tradition. 2007; 52 min. With an in-person appearance by filmmaker Donald Moss.
The Promise of New York - Raul Barcelona (New York, NY)
In post 9-11 New York, three unlikely candidates decided to run for mayor. Dissatisfied with Mayor Michael Bloomberg, they are: a long-time political activist, a high school math teacher, and a blogger. Together they put their faith in American democracy in order to bring about social and political change. As they soon discover, running for office in America is not all that it's cracked up to be. Faced with a mass media indifferent to their cause, and an electoral system that caters to the rich established parties, these underdogs are determined to change it up, and keep the election from being about the same old, empty promises.2008; 105 min.


Saturday 6/7

The Whole Truth + Glory to the Conquerors of Space + Sent + Under The Snow

Scott 123-7PM


The Whole Truth - Gerald Guthrie (Urbana, IL)
This surreal animated short analyzes 'overly polite' conversation. Three parts of   the conversation between a husband, wife, and an unexpected visitor are edited in order to obtain abstract, discrete monologues. Finally, all three parts are re-assembled to reveal the true implications of the discussion. 2008; 8 min.
Glory to the Conquerors of Space – In 3D - Ryan Suits (Pottstown, PA)
An experimental film about isolation. A lone Soviet female cosmonaut, adrift in space on a long-forgotten mission, crashes into a surreal world full of hopes and fears. 2007; 14 min.
Sent – Alex Feldman (Los Angeles, CA)
Love, loneliness, and lucidity come under the microscope in this existential fairytale. A socially awkward postal worker named Edward walks the thin line between mental stability and an extraordinary insanity. Daydreaming his way through a mundane existence, he struggles to experience true feelings in an isolating and contemporary world. 2006; 28 min.
Under The Snow – Candela Figueira and Maitena Muruzabal (Pamplona, Spain)
An engaging feature film set in urban Spain. With the winter fast approaching and orders piling up in the snow chain division of a manufacturing company, supervisor Javier and shy assistant Jairo are joined by two temporary workers, motherly Karmentxu and feisty Angela. For long, frigid days they pack chains in silence until Angela starts breaking the rules - transforming work into a game and their cold, gray building into a playground. This newfound camaraderie challenges them to look at what they demand of their lives and of each other, but this world only exists thanks to the continuous snow. What will happen when the snow ceases to fall? In Spanish, subtitled 2007; 95 min.


Sunday 6/8 Open Window + View-O-Rama +
A Brighter Future + Close To Midnight
Scott 123-7PM


Open Window – Joseph Bierman (Glassboro, NJ)
Adapted from the   macabre short story by Saki this eerie film reconfigures reality and the imagination. 2008; 8 min. With an in-person appearance by filmmaker Joseph Bierman !
View-O-Rama – Chelsea Manifold (Newark, NJ)
All is well in an average suburban household until one day Dad brings home a snazzy new appliance with an antenna on top. Slowly the family forsakes meals at the table for frozen dinners, little Billy gives up playing in the yard to sit on the couch, and Dad no longer reads bed-time stories. It is up to young Suzie to save her zombified family from the clutches of Television! 2007; 7 min.
A Brighter Future – Eve Burris (Sayreville,NJ)
An exhilarating short documentary about the members of a New Jersey choir. The discipline needed for rehearsals and the self-confidence needed for performances has the power to transform lives. 2008; 27 min. With an in-person appearance by filmmaker Eve Burris!
Close To Midnight - Ken Castellano (Cranford, NJ)
Chris Ryan, an aspiring writer, is hopeless and angry after an unexpected loss of his fiancée. Unable to sleep, he takes a night job as a janitor to distance himself from his family and friends. His self-imposed isolation slowly dissipates as he begins to listen and confide in the people around him. 2007; 86 min. With an in-person appearance by filmmaker Ken Castellano!



Thursday 6/12 Drowning By Numbers Milledoler100-7:30PM


Drowning By Numbers
– Peter Greenaway
An ironic black comedy that celebrates the English obsession with game-playing and with serial murder-- expressed with wit, verve, and the multi-layered pictorial style that characterizes the brilliant work of director Peter Greenaway. In addition, audience members become active viewers, invited to follow the film's count-up from 1 to 100. Come join us in the fun of hunting down each elusive number. 1991; 119 min.


Friday 6/13

Marco Polo + Deus Ex Machina
+ FailSafe + cargo + Alicja Wonderland
+
Hell Drivers + Spine Tingler!

Scott 123-7PM



Marco Polo – Kevin Martin (Philadelphia, PA)

An incompetent lifeguard finds his world turned upside down when he discovers a stray eyeball floating in his pool. 2008; 6 min.
Deus Ex Machina - Mitch McCann (Brooklyn, NY)
A dysfunctional tale of a young couple tormenting each other , who live in an apartment above a church in Brooklyn. In desperation, they yearn for their own personal desires, until suddenly their wishes are granted by divine intervention. 2007; 10 min.
FailSafe - Mark Kolu (Edison, NJ)
Bartleby, a wealthy business man, is just about to conclude a deal when a mysterious telegram warns him of the arrangement's failure - and that telegram seems to be signed in his own hand. 2008; 14 min. With in-person appearance by filmmaker Mark Kolu!
cargo - Jennifer Harrington (Los Angeles, CA)
Hidden inside a shipping container on a boat headed to the United States, eight Colombian strangers wait for days in the dark to reach their destination. Their   journey takes a fatal turn when one of the young women makes a shocking discovery. Trapped, she attempts to cling to her sanity as everyone around her falls apart. In Spanish, subtitled. 2008; 13 min.
Alicja Wonderland - Martin Gauvreau (London, England)
A man sits with eyes closed , and half believes himself with Alicja, although he knows if he opens them again, all will change to dull reality -- the grass will be only rustling in the wind, and the pool rippling to the waving of the reeds. In Spanish, Polish, subtitled. 2008; 20 min.
Hell Drivers: America's Original Crash Test Dummies - Peter Koziell +   Darren Garnick
(
North Billerica, Mass )
Meet the last American Hell Drivers, a traveling band of stuntmen who earn a living as real-life crash test dummies. At county fairs and small racetracks across the country, these amateur daredevils smash school buses, mobile homes, and the occasional flaming garbage truck -- with no more protection than a motorcycle helmet and ordinary seatbelt. Harboring no dreams for Hollywood, the Hell Drivers barely earn enough to fill their gas tanks. But for them, almost dying is the only way to live. 2007; 60 min. With in-person appearances by filmmakers Peter Koziell +   Darren Garnick   and Stunt Drivers Jim “Crash” Moreau , Lou “The Rocket” Re, and Doug Danger.
Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story - Jeffrey Schwarz (Los Angeles, CA)
This illuminating documentary chronicles the last great American showman, filmmaker William Castle, who became a brand name in movie horror with his outrageous audience participation gimmicks. In the 1950s and 60s, Castle treated moviegoers to buzzing seats, flying skeletons, luminescent ghosts and life insurance policies. This is a rags-to-riches tale of a modern P.T. Barnum, who was driven by a fear of failure and a longing to be respected among his peers. 2007; 78 min.


Saturday 6/14 Silence + COPY + Denim + P.J. + Crazy Scott 123-7PM



Silence - Kurt Nishimura (Portland, OR)

Clothing comes to life in this music video featuring Olivia Broadfield. 2008; 3 min.
COPY - Michael Griffin + Sean Dowling (Queensland, Australia)
When Glen tries to make a copy of   the woman he secretly loves, his problems only multiply. 2006; 6 min.
Denim - Jeff Lycett, Julie Tortorici + Alicia Arinella (New York, NY)
Based on a true events, “Denim” humorously explores the great indignities people will go through to get into someone else's pants. 2008; 7 min.
P.J. – Russ Emmanuel (West Hollywood, CA)
A man who calls himself P.J. (Howard Nash), has witnessed a horrific accident and subsequently retreats within himself. He barely talks, and doesn't even know who he is. He is brought to a state-run hospital in Brooklyn, New York, where the resident graveyard shift psychiatrist (John Heard) tries to get through to him with the help of his assistant (Vincent Pastore) and P.J.'s bitter ex-girlfriend (Patricia Rae). All the while, the doctor is fighting his own demons involving his family, and an out-of-touch supervisor who wants P.J. permanently committed. An intense and inspiring film is based on Mark McQuown's award-winning play. 2007; 90 min. With in-person appearance by actor/producer Howard Nash!
Crazy - Rick Bieber ( Los Angeles, CA )
Inspired by the life of Hank Garland, Crazy is the story of a legendary guitar player who emerged from Nashville in the 1950's. Blessed with incomparable, natural talent, Hank quickly established his reputation as the finest session player in Nashville. Artists such as Roy Orbison, Patsy Cline, The Everly Brothers and Elvis all sought him for their recordings. Moving effortlessly from country, to rock-a-billy, to jazz, Hank was also recognized by the likes of Dave Brubeck, Gary Burton, Joe Morello and Joe Benjamin. However, his relationship with his beautiful wife, Evelyn, may have led to his demise. Exciting and fascinating, she was not all she appeared to be, and when confronted with the reality of Hank's obsessive dedication to his music, had a desperate need to make him love only her. 43 years after Hank disappeared from the music scene, his guitar lives on in a number of hit records, and one amazing solo jazz effort. 2007; 104 min.


Sunday 6/15 JUMP! + CRITICAL CONDITION Scott 123-7PM


JUMP! - Helen Hood Scheer ( Venice, CA )

JUMP! is a foot-stomping feature-length documentary about competitive jump rope that follows five teams of kids who push themselves to the limit in pursuit of winning the world championship. Part extreme sport, part art form, their moves are masterfully choreographed and bursting with rhythm, sweat and originality. These teens sacrifice everything to get where they are and each has his or her own reason to be so driven. Their rivalries and collaborations have dramatic and unexpected results. 2007; 85 min.
CRITICAL CONDITION - Roger Weisberg (Palisades, NY)
What happens when you're sick and uninsured in America? The patients profiled in CRITICAL CONDITION discover that being uncovered can cost them their jobs, health, homes, savings, and even their lives. Exposing the tragic human dimensions of America's health care crisis, CRITICAL CONDITION addresses this national disgrace at the precise moment when health care reform is being debated during the run-up to the presidential election. 2007;   82 min.


Dinner and a Movie returns this summer to downtown New Brunswick!  
What's your favorite movie of all time?   Do you want to see it on the big screen once again? This year you can be a part of the movie selection by visiting www.NewBrunswick.com; click on the Dinner and a Movie image and nominate your favorite movie title!   Then return to the website on May 20th and vote for the top four movie's you'd like to come and watch. Dinner and a Movie is a great opportunity to explore what downtown New Brunswick has to offer. Whether you are on a date, spending time with friends, or looking for something different, you'll enjoy a summer series of great movies, a cocktail hour sponsored by local restaurants, and entertainment before each movie. – Visit www.NewBrunswick.com for more info.



General Information
 

TIME

All Scott Hall film programs begin at 7:00 PM and all Milledoler Hall programs begin at 7:30 PM. Films are screened in the order listed with a 5-minute intermission for double and muliple-bills.


LOCATIONS

Locations are indicated by the codes listed below. Directions are also listed below.

Milledoler 100

Milledoler 100= Milledoler Hall #100 (Near the corner of College Avenue and Hamilton Street),College Avenue Campus, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey


Scott 123

Scott Hall #123, 43 College Avenue (Near the corner of College Avenue and Hamilton Street), College Avenue Campus, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey


ADMISSION

Milledoler Programs: $7=General; $5=Students+Seniors; $4=Rutgers Film Co-op/NJMAC Friends.   

Scott Programs: $10=General; $9=Students+Seniors; $8=Rutgers Film Co-op/NJMAC Friends.   



  All films are subject to change. Call our information number below the week of show to confirm titles.


TICKETS

Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis only and can be purchased at the door beginning a half-hour before the show


DIRECTIONS



Scott Hall #123/Milledoler Hall #100
Take the NJ Turnpike to Exit 9 and then take Route 18N (New Brunswick direction) and go for 2 1/2 miles to the Rutgers University/George Street exit (immediately after the Route 27S exit; don't take the earlier George Street exit) and make a left at the light at the end of the exit ramp onto George Street, then go to the next light and make a right onto Hamilton Street, then go to the next light and make a right onto College Avenue. Almost immediately on your right hand side there is an University Parking Lot (#9) which is made available for our patrons to park in. Scott Hall is adjacent to the parking lot on the right. Milledoler is about 50 paces from Scott Hall   across the Voorhees Mall. Patrons can also park in Rutgers Lots #1 (next to Kirkpatrick Chapel) and #16 (next to Murray Hall).

INFORMATION

Rutgers Film Co-Op/New Jersey Media Arts Center
Rutgers University Program in Cinema Studies
72 Lipman Drive   (#018 Loree Hall - Douglass Campus)
New Brunswick, New Jersey, 08901-8525 U.S.A.
(732) 932-8482 phone (732) 932-1935 fax; NJMAC@aol.com   e-mail;
Web Site: www.njfilmfest.com

The New Jersey International Film Festivalsm Summer 2008 is funded and sponsored in part by The Rutgers Film Co-op/New Jersey Media Arts Center; The Rutgers University Program in Cinema Studies/School of Arts and Sciences; Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage Commission/Board of Chosen Freeholders and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts; Eastman Kodak; Johnson & Johnson; New Jersey Books; WCTC/WMGQ; The Home News Tribune ;   The Rutgers University School of Arts and Sciences; the Rutgers University Academic Engagement and Programming Department ; The Rutgers University Spanish Department; The Rutgers University American Studies Department; Writers Boot Camp; The Rutgers University Religion Department; Baseline; ProductionHUB.com; Jungle Software; The Pro 8mm;   Super 8 Today ; PAC Lab; New Brunswick City Market; Rutgers University Libraries; Albus Cavus Gallery; The Rutgers University Office of Community Affairs; Rutgers University Presentation Services; The Rutgers University Study Abroad Programs; The Rutgers University Enhanced Classroom Support Department; Design Ideas; Advanced Printing; Mark Hommer; Steven C. Schechter, Esq.; Share and Harris.






Rutgers Film Co-op/NJMAC 2008 Staff
Executive Director/Curator: Albert Gabriel Nigrin
Office and House Managers: Keith Carne, Stephen Dovidas, Rachel Poloski
Volunteers/Interns
: Bradley Berne, Jared Boyd, Tara Deworsop, Marc Esterow, Vic Fern, Brendan Graff, Michael Keane, Scott Laves, Annalise Leonelli, Patrick Murray, Matt Quakenbush, Ted Sazon, Emily Schachtman, Rita Marie Stapleton, Shawn Stidem, Danielle Winter
Advisors: Bob Brodsky, Pam Blake, Victoria Connor, Helen DeMichiel, Dennis Doros, Steve Garfinkel, Steve Gorelick, Charlie Humphrey, Isabel Nazario, Dr. Daniel Nigrin, Toni Treadway, Dr. Alan Williams
Board of Trustees : Dr. John Belton, Dr. Irene Fizer, Bill Harris, Albert Gabriel Nigrin, Steven C. Schechter,Esq.

The New Jersey International Film Festivalsm Summer 2008 is curated by Albert Gabriel Nigrin. Schedule Editor: Irene Fizer. Schedule compiler: Vic Fern. Schedule Designer:   Victoria Connor/Design Ideas. Schedule printed by Advanced Printing.  
Cover Art: 4 Eyes by Albert Gabriel Nigrin ©2008.