The First Annual Rutherford Film Festival

Words by Orlando Callegari Jr.

Like a Persian rug that really ties the room together, the first annual Rutherford Film Festival was a whole vibe that managed to bridge the gulf between Lollapalooza and the Louvre. The jangly spirit of a music festival truly flourished in the walls of Rutherford’s arts center. 

The festival got the Williams Center brimming with activity this holiday weekend: the days saw festivalgoers chattering in the lobby, coffee in hand, while the nights got filmmakers and spectators alike caught deep in conversation over cocktails in the Black Box theater. All set to the backdrop of over 50 hours of independent film.

With Day (or Festival) Passes in hand, ticketholders were free to dip in and out of various screenings, which is rare if not totally unique. This allowed film fans the opportunity to move from theatre to theatre freely, unencumbered by tickets requiring you to stay planted for each event.

Maybe your friend’s music video was playing at the Rivoli but there was an interesting documentary showing in Cinema 2 during the same screening block. Oh no, what to do? Why not watch both? Such was the nature of this more bohemian take on the film festival format. With this structure the films and filmmakers were more present and more tangible than at most any other festival of its kind.

But the festival’s structure was only a part of what made the event so special. The films, naturally, were the main course.

Some highlights from the weekend:

Thursday:

The well-acted and nicely shot, “Dipsomaniac”, was the standout of the evening. A short that follows two young men desperately trying to celebrate their birthday together in a party bus that goes nowhere. Both funny and touching, the film always had the question hanging in the air: what exactly what is going on here? The answer was poignant and touching.

Friday:

“Site Unseen: Bendix Diner” might have been the highlight of festival for me. Buoyed by an amazing subject, Anthony Scalia’s film introduced the audience to John Diakakis, the blind father of three and owner of Bendix Diner in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ. The film steered clear of telling some maudlin tale of triumph over tragedy but instead, like any great documentary, opted to stand back and let the story unfold in front of the camera. Audiences truly laughed, cried and cheered for Diakakis at every turn.

Saturday:

“Scammers” and “No Witnesses” were a pair of crime shorts that were both fun and funny. “Scammers” told a fuller story of a father/daughter vehicle scam operation that may be winding it’s way to a close while “No Witnesses” was a hilarious take on the most botched mob hit in New Jersey history.

Jordan Fried, the Operations Manager for the Williams Center, said this about the festival, “Our films challenged people to have a critical and artistic eye, while also making them laugh, cry and squirm. Most student filmmakers got to see their films on the big screen in a legitimate movie theater for the first time, and the films were innovative and creative.  A film festival isn’t about celebrities, it’s about creating a culture that celebrates and anoints the next generation of filmmakers.”

Fried also talked about plans for the next Rutherford Film Festival, “We’re going to add best actor/actress awards along with an award for best comedy.  There were so many great comedians, actors and actresses in attendance, and we’d like to recognize them next year.”

Art Director, Michael Olivo, explained that, although he considers the festival a success there is still much to work to be done, “We are clearly at the beginning stage of something that is a much larger promise. So, in that sense, I don't think the Rutherford Film Festival has come close to fruition, it's more akin to a seedling in its present state.” He continued, “But as for the first RFF, our team put together an event that felt genuine in its intent, and intimate in its format. In this sense, it was a success, and I hope it inspired spectators and participants to continue to embrace the potential of film and also the potential of the Williams Center.”

Rutherford Film Festival Award Winners:

Best College Film: Ari Klawans “Dream Factory”

Best Music and Score: Brad Etter “Dead Air”

Best Music Video: Peter Parlegreco

Best Sound Design: Dory Bavarsky “My Jeopaerdy”

Best Art Direction: Stephanie Bencin “Greetings”

Best Short: Daniel Ferrer “Ex Disposer”

Best Documentary: Adam Nawrot “Trenton Makes”

Best Cinematography: Vito Trabucco “Britney Lost Her Phone” 

Best Screenwriting: Pol Diggler “Sincopat”

Best Animated Film: Brad Hock “Oldboy’s Apples”

Best Feature: Doug Bollinger “Rock, Paper, Scissors”

William Carlos Williams Screenplay Award: George Rowan “The Year After the Fall”