Teaneck–Passionate about movies? Get ready for the ninth annual Teaneck International Film Festival, (TIFF) November 7-9. Ticket sales are strong and the line-up of independent movies, thought provoking, diverse and very inspiring. “We live in an extremely diverse community on so many levels. Since inception we’ve seen exponential growth of festival attendees, corporate sponsors and private donors,” said Jeremy Lentz the festival’s director. “We began nine years ago with 13 films and a few hundred attendees, now we have several thousand attendees from all over the area and even other counties. Ours is a community that is engaged, involved and that cares,” said Lentz the festival’s director and cinematic shepherd of the past five years. His expert guidance and dedication has helped TIFF realize its mission as mandated by the Puffin Cultural Forum.
“We want to celebrate the things we as a community have in common,” said Lentz.
The festival is a project of the Puffin Cultural Forum, whose mission is to provide a platform and give artistic voice to creative people to tell their stories. At the same time, they create awareness and reinforce the value of Teaneck as a cultural source for entertainment and commerce.
“Hollywood has changed the standard. Today everything is digital, from how a film is made to how it is played back in the auditorium. When the Teaneck movie theatre went dark from lack of funding and then converted to a digital system, we (TIFF) formed an ad-hoc group called, Save the Cinema.
“We were very involved in making sure that the movie theatre re-opened as a movie theatre because the movie theatre is really an anchor for Teaneck. An important, central component to sustaining our ‘downtown,’ said Lentz. “In New Jersey we are competing with multiplex theatres and mega malls but it’s important that people support independent movie theatres and Main Street businesses so that they can continue to thrive and keep our downtown alive and relevant.” So engaged was TIFF in revitalizing Teaneck Cinema that several months prior to the theatre’s re-opening they validated its relevance keeping it top of mind for the community by holding their 2013 festival there.
Year after year, the festival committee has the tall task of delivering not only engaging thought provoking films, with director/producer talkbacks but also the additional task of producing a high-quality gala for the entire community. This year is no exception, with world-class talent on tap to perform Broadway numbers for a show stopping, dazzling evening.
“You don’t have to cross the bridge because Broadway is coming to Teaneck, literally,” said Lentz. The gala scheduled for motzei Shabbat, Saturday November 8, begins with light refreshments at 8p.m. and is staring Tony Award winner Lillias White and Grammy Award winner Billy Stritch and their band. This incredible show, slated for an upcoming National tour and just weeks after a critically acclaimed N.Y.C. performance at 54 Below (Broadway’s Supper Club) is coming to Temple Emeth, 1666 Windsor Road.
TIFF has adapted an ongoing theme of ‘activism’ which has garnered a lot of attention. “This year we received recognition from the Martin Luther King Committee, and also received the Matthew Feldman Award for our community service and commitment to volunteers. Within the activism theme, we have further defined what we think is relevant: women. Women in Hollywood are very underrepresented. Topics that appeal to women are not so accessible to mainstream audiences, so we wanted to bring these stories to the community. This year the highest percentage of our films are either directed or produced by women or have content related to women’s interests,” Said Lentz.
Tickets can be purchased in person at the theatre #TeaneckCinema, The Teaneck General Store on 502 Cedar Lane or for a full festival schedule and tickets online at www.TeaneckFilmFestival.org. See Sunday’s lineup of films that have specific Jewish themes and ‘Like’ TIFF on Facebook a place to speak up and read up on the festival films and filmmakers in real-time.
By Elyse Hansford
