SOMA Film Festival Concludes This Weekend. See The Schedule

MAPLEWOOD, NJ - The SOMA Film Festival's fourth annual showcase of independent narrative and documentary films comes to a close Sunday and we have a guide to the remaining 100 films left to be showcased.

FRIDAY MARCH 22

FRIDAY 7 p.m. WELCOME PARTY AND SCREENING | The Woodland
Welcome, one and all, to the party that starts it all. Filmmakers and fans will mingle as we serve delicious finger foods and sit and enjoy a program of amazing films for dessert.

The films include -

The Passage (25:00) directed by Nate Dappen
A story about the dreams of aging brothers, fathers and sons, and the wild places that define us.

DOC NYC Feature Selection

Brave Girls (1:30:00) directed by Ellie Walton and Yashaswi Desai
In one of the oldest towns in India, three young women seek to change their futures. Immediately, they are forced to choose between their evolving dreams and their obligations to their community. At once frustrating and inspiring, this film reveals the complexity that emerges on the path to self-determination.

Producer Deborah Marion-Wallace on hand for Q&A following program.

SATURDAY MARCH 23

SATURDAY 10 a.m. KIDS PROGRAM | The Woodland
Once again, our popular Kids Program will bring you and your little ones all-original, never-before-seen, animated content from near and far. This program is suitable for all ages.

Some of this years' highlights' include Academy Award nominee One Small Step, a film by bestselling children’s author Mo Willems, and kid’s favorite PES with Game Over.

Here is the full lineup.

I Really Like Slop
Filmmaker: Mo Willems
Watch Mo Willems skillfully cooks a pot of slop for kids.

Undiscovered
Filmmaker: Sara Litzenberger
There are no photos of Sasquatch, but for reasons that may surprise you.

Kid Snippets - Fast Food
Filmmaker: Bored Shorts TV
Just an ordinary stop at the drive-thru window.

Power
Filmmaker: Dana Sink
An animated film intersecting machinery, life, and media. Power.

Don't Walk
Filmmaker: Dan Angelucci
A man is kept from doing the only thing he loves doing.

La Boite
Filmmaker: Aloïs Mathé, Eliott Belrose, Carole Favier, Loïcia Lagillier, Juliette Perrey, Joran Rivet
An elderly man gets an unexpected visitor.

Strawberries Will Save The World
Filmmaker: Yoko Okumura
Yuko's love for strawberries knows no bounds and she believes they will save the world.

Game Over
Filmmaker: PES
Yard sale items bring us back to our arcade game days.

Island
Filmmaker: Max Mörtl & Robert Löbel
On a small island a bunch of exotic creatures run across each other.

Kid Snippets - Viral Sports Clips 2
Filmmaker: Bored Shorts TV
The Sports Report from your favourite anchor.

Lambs
Filmmaker: Gottfried Mentor
A lamb's parents are shocked, because their little lamb doesn't sound like the other sheep.

One Small Step
Filmmaker: Bobby Pontillas, Andrew Chesworth
TAIKO Studios presents the story of Luna, a Chinese American girl who dreams of becoming an astronaut.

I've Loved You SInce Forever
Filmmaker: Robin Sindler
A celebratory and poetic testament to the timeless love felt between parent and child.

Free treats for the kids and coffee for you will be provided by our very own The Able Baker!

SATURDAY 12 p.m. FESTIVAL FAVORITES PROGRAM | The Woodland
A program of films that have screened at some of the most prestigious film festivals around the world, including SXSW, FilmQuest, and Hollywood Film Fest.

Deep Dish Apocalypse (8:40) directed by Ron Morehouse
Even as the world comes to an end, a man tries to sabotage a woman’s relationship.

Nora Ephron Goes to Prison (8:09) directed by Hannah Elless (New York, NY)
Two women from very different worlds meet in unexpected circumstances. Through their common love of Nora Ephron, an unlikely friendship forms. Watch what happens when Mary meets Ally.

Pet Names (1:15:00) directed by Carol Brandt (Milwaukee, WI) - SXSW Film Festival Selection
When her ailing mother urges her to take a vacation from playing nurse, grad school dropout Leigh invites her old high school boyfriend along on the trip. The two soon find that confronting old wounds during a weekend in the woods is anything but restful.

SATURDAY 2 p.m. WOMEN IN THE WORLD PROGRAM | The Woodland
Four films with women in full frame; their lives, their stories all eloquently told in a realistic light.

Change (5:17) directed by Joe Jennings Jr. (Atlanta, GA)
A late night at the laundromat turns serious for a mother and her daughter.

Happy Birthday Mr. Brown (18:55) directed by Eliran Peled (Israel)
A young waitress receives a one-time opportunity to take revenge on a person who hurt her. But now she must decide whether she is going to do it, or whether she will choose to forgive.

Me 3.769 (9:00) directed by Elaine DelValle (Miami, FL)
A pubescent Latina looks forward to her maturing body, but must soon cope with the sexual misconduct of someone she trusts.

River Run Film Festival Selection

Fort Maria (1:24:00) directed by S. Cagney Gentry & Thomas Southerland (Winston-Salem, NC)
As Maria copes with the issues that have led her - a world traveler - into her self-inflicted prison, her daughter Meredith discovers her own identity through a search for her biological family.

SATURDAY 5 p.m. THE WORLD AROUND US PROGRAM | The Woodland
Here's a chance to see the world in a whole new way.

Over the Wall (12:22) directed by Roy Zafrani (Israel)
A coincidental meeting between an Israeli boy and a Palestinian boy leads them to discover that reality is different than what they have been told.

Sea Change (1:16:00) directed by Dana Schwartz (New York, NY)
In a historic self-shot adventure, eight GoPro cameras capture the harrowing 6,689 mile journey of a couple as they attempt to cross the Atlantic Ocean from Morocco to New York in a rowboat.

SATURDAY 8 p.m. U.S. PREMIERE PROGRAM | The Woodland
International award-winning films that cut along the edge of innovative filmmaking. All US Premieres!

Lunch Time (16:00) directed Alireza Ghasemi (Iran)
A 16-year-old girl has come to the hospital to identify the body of her mother.

Sara Jahan Se Accha (5:51) directed by Gurprasad Singh (India)
The story of a little girl who has a little secret stored inside her little heart, a secret that breaks her heart into a million pieces when she thinks about it.

USA Premiere!

IRA (1:25:00) directed by (Italy)
A humble man meets and falls in love with an abused prostitute which ultimately leads them to do something desperate for their survival.

SUNDAY MARCH 24

SUNDAY 9:30 a.m. KIDS PROGRAM - ENCORE | The Woodland
Missed the first screening?

Don't fret, our popular Kids Program will run again and will bring you and your little ones all-original animated content from near and far. This program is suitable for all ages.

Here is the full lineup.

I Really Like Slop
Filmmaker: Mo Willems
Watch Mo Willems skillfully cooks a pot of slop for kids.

Undiscovered
Filmmaker: Sara Litzenberger
There are no photos of Sasquatch, but for reasons that may surprise you.

Kid Snippets - Fast Food
Filmmaker: Bored Shorts TV
Just an ordinary stop at the drive-thru window.

Power
Filmmaker: Dana Sink
An animated film intersecting machinery, life, and media. Power.

Don't Walk
Filmmaker: Dan Angelucci
A man is kept from doing the only thing he loves doing.

La Boite
Filmmaker: Aloïs Mathé, Eliott Belrose, Carole Favier, Loïcia Lagillier, Juliette Perrey, Joran Rivet
An elderly man gets an unexpected visitor.

Strawberries Will Save The World
Filmmaker: Yoko Okumura
Yuko's love for strawberries knows no bounds and she believes they will save the world.

Game Over
Filmmaker: PES
Yard sale items bring us back to our arcade game days.

Island
Filmmaker: Max Mörtl & Robert Löbel
On a small island a bunch of exotic creatures run across each other.

Kid Snippets - Viral Sports Clips 2
Filmmaker: Bored Shorts TV
The Sports Report from your favourite anchor.

Lambs
Filmmaker: Gottfried Mentor
A lamb's parents are shocked, because their little lamb doesn't sound like the other sheep.

One Small Step
Filmmaker: Bobby Pontillas, Andrew Chesworth
TAIKO Studios presents the story of Luna, a Chinese American girl who dreams of becoming an astronaut.

I've Loved You SInce Forever
Filmmaker: Robin Sindler
A celebratory and poetic testament to the timeless love felt between parent and child.

Free treats for the kids and coffee for you will be provided by our very own The Able Baker!

SUNDAY 11:30 a.m. CINEMA ED PROGRAM | The Woodland
Back for its fourth season, Cinema Ed (a local non-profit run by South Orange resident Richard Stephen Bell) presents the Young Filmmakers Track. Come watch some talented local and not-so-local high schoolers strut their cinematic stuff for your viewing pleasure.

The full lineup is -

ANIMATED SHORT - FINALISTS
Colors of the Spirit (3:08) Max Goldstein - Columbia HS (Maplewood/South Orange, NJ)
An artist lacking inspiration and creativity decides to draw in color.

Svoboda (Freedom) (2:00) Zavod ZVVIKS - HS Film School (Republic of Slovenia)
The world around us is so much more fulfilling than virtual reality.

A Petal Worth Falling For (3:46) Stephanie Cadet, Ivor Clarke - Columbia HS (Maplewood/South Orange, NJ)
The love between a butterfly and flower is put to the test by a jealous intruder.

Unburned (4:50) Alex DeRosa - Millburn HS (Millburn, NJ)
Throughout history, strong and talented women have been attacked as witches.

Friend (2:46) Sofia Simoniello, Stephanie Cadet - Columbia HS (Maplewood/South Orange, NJ)
A lonely wolf searches for a meal, but ends up finding a friend.

DOCUMENTARY SHORT - FINALISTS
The Flyers (5:32) Cameron Lipp - Columbia HS (Maplewood/South Orange, NJ)
The daring young folks on the flying trapeze.

Beyond Dreamers (7:06) Yazemin Yilmaz - Middletown North HS (MIddletown, NJ)
Their dreams of coming to the U.S. are about to become a reality.

Your Name is Britney (7:39) Britney Bautista - Morris County School of Technology (Denville, NJ)
What does having an identity mean to me, and do we let other people define who we are?

Too Young (7:05) Eden Mehrotra, Lucy Sparks Mendez, Anna Keaveny, Rachel Kopelman, Maggie Kasberger - Oakland School for the Arts (Oakland, CA)
A thoughtful look at the prevalence of gun violence in schools across America.

Through the Lens of Society (14:50) Noah Levine, AJ Keenan, Alice Ng, Sammy Indyke - Livingston HS (Livingston, NJ)
An exploration of the history of cinema through a societal lens.

NARRATIVE SHORT - FINALISTS
Robot (9:23) Zack Spangler, Cameron Lipp - Columbia HS (Maplewood/South Orange, NJ)
A top secret military robot is unleashed in an American high school.

Chasing Fate (2:04) AzZahiir Parks, Alexia Medina Orange HS (Orange, NJ)
A classmate finds his friend drunk in the hallway and talks some sense.

Blue (7:21) Clarissa Lam, Olivia Dorrance, Sophie Frey, Sasha Green, Liz Tril, Kayla Wong - Oakland School for the Arts (Oakland, CA)
Euphoria makes everything feel better, but what if you want to feel what's real?

The Party (1:58) Jack Nordstrom - Harvard-Westlake HS (Los Angeles, CA)
A teenager struggles with his anxiety when he is forced to make a big decision.

In the End Flowers Die (2:52) Katrina Davis, Daniella Giwa, Suri Garcia - Orange HS (Orange, NJ)
A young woman battles bullying and self-doubt.

Scales (3:41) Kyle Farscht - Millburn HS (Millburn, NJ)
A girl develops an obsession with mermaids to escape her depressing real life.

Dear America (3:58) Molly Smith, Sage Croft - Montverde Academy HS (Montverde, FL)
Generation Z shares their fears in the age of school gun violence.

Detention 2038 (6:12) Max Goldstein - Columbia HS (Maplewood/South Orange, NJ)
In 2038 new technologies for student punishment are implemented in public high schools.

The Switch (4:56) Garret Ballinger, Megan Heminghaus, Brittany Hope - Northern Burlington HS (Columbus, NJ)
A stuffy teacher and a surfer student run into problems with a new app.

Qualified (8:27) Cameron Lipp, Ivor Clarke, Sarah Marbaix - Columbia HS (Maplewood/South Orange, NJ)
A young student has finally achieved his goal of hall monitor, but his peers aren't so happy.

The Journey (2:38) Sandie LiVolsi - Middletown North HS (Middletown, NJ)
A young woman spends the day traveling to reach her final destination.

An award ceremony will be held after the screening. Tickets will be $15 at the door.

Complimentary popcorn and water served | All VIP Passes will be honored at this event | Please note the schedule is subject to change.

SUNDAY 3 p.m. SETON HALL UNIVERSITY PROGRAM | The Woodland
Our local university (Seton Hall) brings their best and brightest to The Woodland for a collection of innovative student films.

The Spoiler, Comedy (14 minutes) directed by Masood Mohayya, Class of 2019
A hitman who is hired to spoil movies for people faces his toughest challenge yet.

The Art to the Habit, Documentary (6:17 minutes) directed by Jocelyn Rogalo, Class of 2019
Brother John Paul describes how his search for truth lead him to religious life.

Pep Talk, Comedy (:55 seconds) directed by Samantha Innamorato, Class of 2020
To work up his courage, a man talks to a close confidante.

Horizon, Documentary (11:23 minutes) directed by Amber Puig, Class of 2019
An journey into students dealing with their mental health issues, as well as a critical look at the resources provided by Seton Hall University.

Aries, Experimental (6:24 minutes) directed by Trifon Dimitropoulos, Class of 2006
An eclectic journey through a man’s mind.

Three Truths, Supernatural-Drama (11:23 minutes) directed by Angie Loveday Solano, Class of 2019
A grim reaper finds his perception of reality shaken when he meets an unusual soul.

G-Man, Documentary (8:03 minutes) directed by Douglas Woolever, Class of 2019
An exploration of one student’s passion for the innovative, profitable, and highly technical world of “modding."

The Throne, Comedy (11 minutes) directed by Andrew Proctor, Class of 2019
When Justin retires, he wants to give his cherished doll company to his children… but they aren’t as enthusiastic about it.

Seed, Experimental (3:30 minutes) directed by Epifinia Solhir, Class of 2020
You haven’t been buried, you’ve been planted. Bloom.

Paralysis, Psychological Thriller (8:06 minutes) by Kelly Kopec, Class of 2019
After wrestling with the demon in her head, a young college student makes one final push to regain full control of her life.

Good, Drama, (1:18 minutes) directed Eilish Montgomery, Class of 2019
A short drama about an estranged pair with a unexpected reunion.

Cracked, Drama (9:06 minutes) directed by Valerie Qiu Wen Ong, Class of 2019
A college student suffering from OCD excels at school, but the voices in her head won’t leave her alone.

Trance, Experimental (2:46 minutes) directed by Erin Neupauer, Class of 2020
A young girl lost in thought becomes lost in a whole new universe.

Insight, Comedy (10:00 minutes) directed by Frank J. Frasco, Class of 2019
A young college student falls for what he thinks is the perfect girl but instead embarks on a self-reflective journey that allows him to be receptive to new opportunities.

Asbury Park: The Live Music Capital of NJ, Documentary (8:06 minutes) directed by Erika Szumel, Class of 2018
Venues like The Saint and The Stone Pony in Asbury Park are where performers like Springsteen and Southside Johnny got their start and to this day remain staples for artists following in their footsteps.

The Coconut Chick, Comedy (8:00 minutes) directed by Meriden Villanueva, Class of 2009
An entitled white girl prays for true love but is inexplicably changed into a Filipino girl.

Complimentary popcorn and water served | All VIP Passes will be honored at this event | Please note the schedule is subject to change.

SUNDAY 6 p.m. LOCALS ONLY! SHORTS PROGRAM | The Woodland
Now it's the locals time to shine in our all-original, all-local short film selection.

The Guy (20:00) directed by E.J. McLeavy-Fisher (Maplewood)
A journey through the checkered career of veteran stunt actor Brian Donahue.

The Lost Basket (4:00) directed by Kevin Anton (South Orange)
Two men set out on an adventure to discover a seemingly hidden treasure somewhere in North America.

Toil (4:12) directed Steve Harris (Maplewood)
You work your whole life: what does it mean?

Shell Jeff (5:00) directed by Mikey Kampmann (Blairstown)
All day Jeff sees people getting gas to go places, while he is stuck at the place where people go to go places. Going nowhere.

Remnants (12:18) directed by Dana Woods (Jersey City)
Alone in an unending forest, a girl must decide whether or not to help an injured stranger.

Dependence (14:00) directed by Cris Thorne (South Orange)
Despite peer pressure, Zeke has managed to live drug free, but he now finds himself immersed in his girlfriend's family that favors “self-medication” over therapy.

The Night Watchman (4:00) by Chris Messineo (New Providence)
A security guard just wants to listen to the ballgame on the radio, but he may not be alone in the warehouse.

Nepal One Year Later (5:00) by Scott Sinkler (South Orange)
One in a three-part mini docu-series about Nepal one year after the earthquake of 2015.

Vicious Cycles (7:45) directed by Anthony Echo (South Orange)
Tension mounts between two rival "biker" gangs when they butt helmets at a local watering hole.

Drag Mother (14:00) by Brett Boone (Butler)
A drag queen grapples with the terminal cancer of his estranged and ignorant mother, debating whether or not to visit her before she dies.

Ode to an Urn (21:00) directed Zak Mir (Maplewood)
When an old man meets a young boy and a girl, both young musicians, he befriends them and invites them to his home, he is left with disappointment only to later realize these children help him let go of something that he had been holding onto for a long time.

The Bump (8:39) directed Michael Izquierdo (New York, NY)
Betsy and Doug are on a perfect first date and seem perfect for one another until they hit one little bump. PARTIALLY SHOT IN MAPLEWOOD.

Big Things Happening in Maplewood (2:30) directed by Robin Sindler (South Orange)
Change is afoot in Maplewood.

To purchase tickets in advance, visit the website.

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