The Cape May Film Society will hold its 15th annual Film Festival Friday, Nov. 13 through Sunday Nov. 15 at the West Cape May Borough Hall and Firemen’s Banquet Hall. The Festival will show two outstanding feature films, over 30 short films and three silent films with live organ music.
The first of the feature films, “Northern Borders,” will be presented Friday evening by its director, Jay Craven, who will hold a talkback afterwards. “Northern Borders” stars Academy Award nominees Bruce Dern and Genevieve Bujold. It tells the story of a 12-year-old boy who is sent to live on his grandparents’ farm in northern Vermont. It’s quirky, funny, heartwarming, and filled with vivid characters.
The second feature film, “Rosewater,” directed by The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart, will be shown Saturday evening. “Rosewater” is the dramatic retelling of the story of an American journalist, Maziar Bahari, who was held in prison in Iran for 118 days in 2009. The film is mostly about his time in prison, where he was falsely charged with being a spy and interrogated and beaten, while he denied the charges and kept his hope alive.
Following the screening of “Rosewater,” the film will be discussed by a panel featuring journalists Roxana Saberi and Omid Memarian, both of whom were imprisoned in Iran, and Bob Dreyfuss, a Cape May journalist who has visited Iran as a reporter.
Saturday morning will include a Filmmakers’ Forum open to all who want to know more about the art of making movies, including screenwriting, filming, post-production, and marketing and distribution. Panelists will be “Northern Borders” Director Jay Craven (Marlboro College), Len Guercio (Temple University) and Robert Steele (Stockton University).
The Festival will also feature over two dozen short films selected from twice as many submittals, including “Verge,” an experimental film that looks at the progression of time, and “Banana Dartboard,” a film about the struggle to create something worthwhile. Presenters will include Stefan Prosky, the festival curator, and Len Guercio who will host a special session of five films from Temple University.
Sunday evening, in partnership with the East Lynne Theater Company, the Festival will conclude with three silent Charlie Chaplin short films accompanied by live organ music by Wayne Zimmerman. This will be held at the Presbyterian Church, 500 Hughes St., Cape May.
To learn more, call (609) 326-3378 or visit njstatefilmfestival.com.