By Madeline Orton
NJ Today
On an unseasonably chilly April day, tourists flocked to Asbury Park’s boardwalk — not for surf, but for cinema.
“[My] favorite part is just being able to hang out with some friends and see some great films — films that I would usually not see anyplace else,” shared Mark Schussel of Morristown.
For four days, the Garden State Film Festival takes over five venues in Asbury Park, offering opportunity for artists in New Jersey, the birthplace of the film industry.
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“It’s just nice to come home and be able to have a home base to submit your work,” said actor and winner of the festival’s 2010 Robert Pastorelli Rising Star Award Ronnie Marmo. “The kind of films I like to make, and the stories I like to tell, really play to an East Coast, New Jersey audience.”
One hundred sixty-three films including animated shorts, feature-length films, music videos and PSAs were selected out of approximately 750 submissions.
“[With] the digital media now in the world, almost anyone can make a film,” Marmo shared. “Now that you can make a film, it’s nice to know you have a place to bring it.”
The city sees opportunity in the festival as well. This year, about 32,000 audience members came to enjoy the movies — creating an impact Asbury Park doesn’t take lightly.
“It brings a lot of people to Asbury Park,” said Mayor Ed Johnson. “You have people who have come to every year of the film festival and you have some newcomers, and they come to the film festival and they discover Asbury Park.”
Diane Raver, executive director and founder of the Garden State Film Festival, is proud of the event’s economic impact. “The head of Economic Development in the city of Asbury Park boasts that about $400,000 to $500,000 comes into town just for the four days of the film festival.”
“We’re much busier this weekend than a normal weekend,” agreed Ross Blanco, owner of Asbury Park coffee shop America’s Cup. “It’s a welcome thing, this movie festival. It should happen every weekend.”
It’s a welcome event this year especially as Asbury Park works to rebuild after the damaging effects of Hurricane Sandy. The film festival’s annual benefit raised funds this year for recovery efforts in an event that was filmed to include in future tourism ads.
“To have a regular event take place as scheduled here in Asbury Park after what has been the greatest super storm probably of our lifetime … sends a message,” explained Mayor Johnson. “First of all, the Jersey Shore is open, and we’re getting back to business as usual.”
In this case, that business is show business. Raver gushed about the role independent films, like those in the festival, play in that business. “The independent film is to the film industry what organic food is to the food industry. It has no preservatives, no additives. It’s really pure art,” she said.
“It’s amazing because you just go from film to film, buy a weekend pass if possible,” said Marmo, “and just see what kind of films are out there. It’s so cool to watch other filmmakers. It’s inspiring.”
The call for entries for the 2014 Garden State Film Festival opens on July 1.
Major funding for NJ Arts is provided by The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and the F.M. Kirby Foundation.