GARDEN STATE FILM FESTIVAL Victory + Award Winners
For its 19th iteration, the Garden State Film Festival (GSFF) presented more than 300 independent films to 585,000+ viewers, with the first hybrid event including in-person events as well as connecting to film lovers virtually through dynamic digital streaming in light of the global COVID-19 crisis. But not even an underground gas explosion, followed by a power outage, a tornado—and all during a pandemic—couldn’t stop the Garden State Film Festival from presenting its film slate.
When the pandemic began a year ago, GSFF, a grossly underfunded 501(C)(3), executed what other larger and much healthier funded festivals could not and transitioned to a digital experience. For 2021, we built upon our streaming platform with F&S Digital to present our films securely. GSFF team worked around the clock to be the first film festival during the COVID-19 Pandemic to present a hybrid film festival, including in-person events and live streaming over 300 films to an audience of over 585,000 viewers globally.
The festival, which typically draws more than 25,000 attendees to the Jersey Shore town of Asbury Park, screens local, national and international movies. GSFF brings in the latest indie films, and in 2021, our filmmakers were able to reach film lovers all over the world, with our data showing people watched in Canada, Israel, India, South Africa, Cayman Islands, Netherlands, Philippines, Colombia, United Kingdom, Ireland, Georgia, Japan, France, Iran, Taiwan, Argentina, Singapore the UAE, the UK, Russian Federation, and Belgium, to name a few. It brings great joy to the team to have brought a film event to your living room—with some in-person events—at a time when we needed it.
Fans who participated in an unprecedented four-day livestream event on their computers, tablets, and mobile phones found the perfect antidote to a pandemic-weary world thanks to streaming hundreds of feature-length films, shorts, documentaries, animation, student films, premieres, and more top-quality cinematic showmanship right at their homes. Fans even had a chance to interact with the filmmakers virtually on talkbacks on Facebook. GSFF conducted pre-event interviews, happy hours and one-on-one interactions to connect to filmmakers before they arrived in Asbury Park.
In addition, GSFF plays a vital part in educating and showcasing the next generation of filmmakers, and had over 48 high school films screening
During a time when mental health challenges continue to increase, GSFF teamed up with New Jersey’s own Jillian Pransky for a virtual wellness event called Meditation, Yoga, and Creativity, as a way of helping us tap into our creative selves. The event focused on how simple practices can bolster and nourish your mental and physical health, particularly in the time of covid. Pransky led an inspiring conversation with New York Times best-selling writer Dani Shapiro. Their conversation was followed with a practice meditation geared to all levels. Audience members learned a simple technique you can practice in just a few minutes, anywhere, anytime.
GSFF’s 2021 hybrid event blended numerous live screenings with a rich virtual platform. Some of the in-person events included a size-restricted Friday Night Cocktail Gala and Closing Night Awards Presentation in addition to live events and even a screening at the Cranford Theater.
Additionally, attendees were able to hear the festival’s Movie Music Competition’s award-winning musical composers as they played before the screenings and on the GSFF website. Notable actors took part in the winning feature screenplay “The Boy Roach” by Rob Thorp.
Photo by Tom Zapcic
Vice Chair Heather Brittain O’Scanlon, Board Secretary Stephanie Clineman, Founder Diane Raver, Director of Operations Kristen Dirato, Daniel Baldwin, Executive Director Lauren Concar Sheehy, Avis & Finley Baldwin
AWARDS
GSFF Executive Director and filmmaker Lauren Concar Sheehy livestreamed the GSFF Awards Ceremony alongside director Paul Porowski, formally the news operations manager and producer of Chasing News, camera operators Peter Normandia of Edit Cellar and Sergey Kornienko of Brookdale Television. The awards included the best in various categories of films and celebrity honorees were recognized. A list of winners is included below.
The 2021 Garden State Film Festival, which brings over 25,000 attendees annually, took place over 6 days in Asbury Park and Cranford, NJ, from Tuesday, 23 to Sunday, 28 March 2021. Although GSFF is an international festival that screens locally within venues in and around Asbury Park, the GSFF 2021 digital experience once again provided a new reach, global in scale, to a legion of film fans.
Celebrating its 19th anniversary in 2021, the artistic philosophy of the Garden State Film Festival is rooted in the celebration of the independent film genre, and underscores this spirit through dramatic screenings and unparalleled film collaborations attracting a diverse audience. Each year the Garden State Film Festival presents world premieres, high-profile films, industry panels, and celebrity guests.
YEAR-ROUND OUTREACH- GSFF Giving Back
The Garden State Film Festival prides itself on the extensive year-round outreach for youth groups, schools, seniors, military and other nonprofit organizations throughout the tri-state area, serving these communities with programs aimed to cultivate imaginations, introduce students to filmmaking careers and expose all of us to the very best the cinematic arts have to offer in a media-saturated world.
SAVE THE DATE! The Garden State Film Festival 20th Anniversary Edition is March 23-27, 2022.
“I am intensely proud of our team. We believed in the opportunity to venture into a new digital frontier that served as a blueprint for festivals worldwide in 2020.”
“We had a blast bringing global film fans GSFF 2021 through online, in-person and virtual exposures. We continue to engage audiences on an emotional level. We wanted to remove barriers and enable those around the globe to access a “gathering” during a time where social distance is mandatory. We know there a positive impact on the relationship between arts and mental health. Events increase positive attitudes, including positive representations of people’s contributions, capabilities and potential to recover and this online event will have the same impact.”
Lauren Concar Sheehy, Executive Director, Garden State Film Festival
The Garden State Film Festival 2021 Winners
Narrative Feature
“7 Days To Vegas”
Kim Waltrip, Adam Weinraub- Producers
Eric Balfour- Director
International Narrative Feature
“The Corruption of Divine Providence”
Canada
Tanya Brunel, Jeremy Torrie- Producers
Jeremy Torrie – Director
Bud Abbott Award for Comedy Feature
“Reboot Camp”
David Lipper, Jim Johnston- Producers
Ivo Raza- Director
M. Carroll Raver Award for Cinematography
“Alaska Long Hunters”
Mark Rose- Director/Producer
Horror Feature
“A Comedy Of Horrors Volume 1”
Ken Arnold, Dan DeLuca, Matt Servitto, Demetrea Triantafillides-Producers
Matt Servitto, Dan DeLuca, Jamie Nash, Ken Arnold, Nick Tucker,
Taylor Hamiliton-Directors
Thriller Feature
“Goodbye Honey”
Josh Michaels, Max Strand, Todd Rawiszer,
Max Strand-Director
Narrative Short-Tie
“You Wouldn’t Understand”
Trish Harnetiaux, Jacob A. Ware- Producers
Trish Harnetiaux-Director
“Alina”
Rachelle Owen, Joshua Owen, Rubber Duck Films, Dorota Puzio,
Nora Mariana, Rami Kodeih-Producers
Rami Kodeih-Director
Science Fiction Short
“Hey, It’s Me”
Courtney Sposato, Mark Sposato-Directors
Lou Costello Award for Comedy Short
“Manifest”
Matthew James Ballinger, Alison Barton, Bonnie Dennison- Producers
Bonnie Dennison, Alison Barton – Directors
International Narrative Short
“The Bigonia Garden”
Israel
Saray Salman, Jordan Sultana, Shahar Tenne-Producer
Ron Goldin-Director
International Comedy Short
“Charon”
France
Marie Sonne-Jensen-Producers
Yannick Karcher-Director
Emanuel “Manny” Berlingo Award for Best Feature Length Documentary
“My Promise to PJ”
Larry Leisure-Producer
Daniel Baldwin-Director
Short Documentary
“Life in Kensington, Philadelphia Through the Lens of Jeffrey Stockbridge”
Opaque Philadelphia-Producers
Rick Cook, Hunter Siede-Directors
Short Documentary (Tie)
“The Long Hair”
David Kuznicki, Eric Althoff, Brian Katona-Producers
David Kuznicki-Director
International Short Documentary
“In the Shadows”
United Arab Emirates
Mildred Garcerant-Producer/Director
Animated Short
“RenaiDance”
Han Chen Chang, Ada Vaughan, Lucas A Ferrara,
Jorden Samchok, Brian Chapman-Producers
Zhike Yang,Wenjie Wu, Han Chen Chang-Directors
Web Series/New Media
“Reclaimed Relics”
Peter Normandia-Producer/Director/Editor
Web Series/New Media-Comedy
“Procedural Justice”
David Alfano -Producer
Josh Callahan-Director
International Web Series/New Media – Family
“Detention Adventure”
Canada
Ryan West, Carmen Albano, Joe Kicak, Lauren Corber-Producers
Joe Kicak-Director
TV Pilot
“Half Life”
Elizabeth Balla, Patty Carey, Kerstin Glaess
Jonathan Wacks, Jamie Zelermyer-Producers
Nick Minas-Director
Music Video
“Sideways”
Ben Meyers-Director
Trailer
“Rushed”
Patrick J. Clifton, Siobhan Fallon Hogan,
Erin Fraser, Peter Hogan, Robert Patrick- Producers
Vibeke Muasya -Director
TV Series
“HomeGrown the Series”
Brian Broduer-Director
Best Covid Film
“Exit Package”
Melissa Jo Peltier-Producer
John Gray-Director
Narrative Short – College
“Le Prince Oublié”
Chapman University
Hailey Burns-Producer
Chloe Aguirre-Director
Documentary Short – College
“The Mayor”
Rowan University
Paisley Blair-Producer
Claire McKissik- Director
International Narrative Short – College
“The Postman”
Germany
Constantin von Jascheroff, Julius Bräuer -Producers
Julius Bräuer -Director
Animated Short – High School
“Empty”
(Middletown High School South)
Vic Pater, Director
Narrative Short – High School
“Growing Pains”
(East Brunswick Tech School of the Arts)
Jennifer Ruiz-Gonzalez, Director
Documentary Short – High School
“The Mayor”
(Middletown High School South)
Charlie Falotico, Director
Drama – High School
“The Box”
(Palisades Charter High School)
Chelsea Trotti, Director
Student Short – High School
“I’m Ready”
Maya Jai Pinson, Director
The Garden State Film Festival would like to recognize films shot in the State of New Jersey with the following winners in the “Home Grown Award” categories:
Home Grown Feature
“The Andy Baker Tape”
Caitlin Borek, Dustin Fontaine, Bret Lada, Arthur Giamalidis- Producers
Bret Lada- Director
Home Grown Documentary Feature
“The WBGO Story…Bright Moments from Newark to the World”
Chris Daniel, Dorthaan Kirk-Producers
Chris Daniel-Director
Home Grown Short
“The Block”
Marcus Scigliano-Producer
Alex Scigliano, Marcus Scigliano- Directors
Home Grown Documentary Short
“Harness the Dream”
Tom Arnell, AJ Dakoulas, Harry Landy-Producers
AJ Dakoulas-Director
Home Grown Music Video
“Mistletoe”
Daniel Alphonse Boulos, Alexandria “Taurie” Chukwuma, Amede “Piper” Deane-Producers
Daniel Alphonse Boulos-Director
Home Grown Student Short – College
“A World Revisited”
Fairleigh Dickinson
David Zajac- Producer
Brendan Laird- Director
Home Grown Student Short – High School
“Prom”
(Washington Twp High School)
Alyssa Marerro, Director
Home Grown Student Documentary Short – High School
“No One Said It Would Be Easy”
(Collingswood High School)
Josiah Angehr, Director
Home Grown Student PSA – High School
“Mental Health”
(Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology)
Kimberly Santiago, Director
New Jersey Hometown Documentary Short – High School
“At the Core: The Heart of Appel Farm”
(Washington Twp High School)
Troy Nguyen and Chloe Pecheux, Director
1st Runner Up “Springfield, NJ”
(JONATHAN DAYTON HIGH SCHOOL)
Jorge Rivera, Frank Sarracino, Ryna Sickinger
2nd Runner Up “Flower Power”
(East Brunswick Tech – School of the Arts)
Marlayna O’Brien, Henry Ruiz, Jennifer Ruiz-Gonzalez, Sammy Horan
The Garden State Film Festival
Movie Music Competition Winners
“Love, Love, Love”
Best Performance of an Original Song From A Feature Film
Composers: Chris Corley, Jon D’Agostino
Performed by: Serendipity
“Theme from HomeGrown”
Best Original Score From A Television Show
Composer: Brian Brodeur
Performed by: Brian Brodeur
“Born to be Alphas”
Best original score for a drama short
Composer: Sandrine Rudaz
Performed by: Sandrine Rudaz, Ro Rowan and Luanne Homzy
“Narcisse”
Best Foreign Indie Folk from a short film
Composer-Sonia Schmidt
Performed by-Ohsergio
“Family Life and Childhood”
Best Orchestral Theme from a Documentary
Composer: Raphael Fimm
“Glimpses- “A Day in the Life”
Best Americana Instrumental from a Short Film
Compose: Estelle Bajou
Performed by: Estelle Bajou
“Barbara’s Theme”
Best Score From a Home Grown Feature Film Thriller
Composer: Kyle Ward
Performed by: Kyle Ward and Pongsapak Kiatpreecha
“No Room to Cry”
Best Vocal Theme from a Short Film
Composer: Jesse Anatole
Lyrics & Song by: Jerin Forgie
Performed by: Jerlin Forgie
“Second Chance “
Best Family Original Song and Composition
Composer-Robbie Rosen
Performed by: Sammi Singz (Samantha Horowitz)
“I am Beautiful. I am Strong.”
Best Orchestral Arrangement of a Student Film
Composer: Cristina “Trinity” Vélez-Justo
Performed by: Virtual Instruments
“Ave Maria”
Best Religious Vocal
Composer: Charleene Closshey
Performed by: Charleene Closshey and the Sofia Boys Choir
“Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)”
Best Revival of a Folk Classic in a Music Video
Composer: Melanie Safka
Performed by: The Asbury Park Love Contingent
Garden State Screenplay Competition Winner
Short
“Afternoon”
by Drew Henriksen
Feature
“The Boy Roach”
By Rob Thorp
The Garden State Film Festival (“GSFF”) is proud to announce the winners for its acting awards.
BEST ACTOR IN A FEATURE
Vince Van Patten – “7 Days to Vegas”
BEST ACTRESS IN A FEATURE
Pamela Jayne Morgan – “Goodbye Honey”
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A FEATURE
Rafe Soule – “Goodbye Honey”
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A FEATURE
Eileen Davidson – “7 Days to Vegas”
BEST ENSEMBLE (FEATURE)
“7 Days to Vegas”
Vince Van Patten, Ross McCall, Paul Walter Hauser, Eileen Davidson, James Van Patten, Willie Garson, Lucas Bryant, John O’Hurley, Chad Lowe, Jennifer Tilly, James Kyson, Danny Pardo, Don Stark
BEST ACTOR IN A SHORT
Adam Hirsch – “The Bigonia Garden”
BEST ACTRESS IN A SHORT
Alia Shawkat – “Alina”
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A SHORT
Laris Macario – “The Sleeping Life of Sofia”
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A SHORT
Rebeca Robles – “Alina”
Honorees
Honorary Chair
Arianna Bocco
Independent Spirit
Daniel Baldwin
MVP
Ming Chen & A Shared Universe PodcaStudio
Spirit of New Jersey
Declan O’Scanlon
Educator of the Year
Chris Dudick
The Garden State Film Festival Rising Star Award for Acting
Christian Barber
For more information on GSFF and other Film Festivals visit our our Film Festivals section.
