GENERAL CATEGORY

"Choose Life” by Laurie Collins (4 min.)

Choose Life was born first as a song and then grew to the vision of a music video. It profiles three people in between life choices, affecting not only themselves, but us as the viewer. A pregnant woman; a depressed, suicidal man, and an elderly suffering woman at the end of her life are given the grace to choose love, choose life and choose God. Collins is a resident of Point Pleasant, N.J.

“Crossroads” by Sal Petrosino (17 min.)

A father, (the local bookie in an Italian neighborhood) has a learning disabled son about whom he blames God for punishing him for his own life choices. As a member of a local social club, he is selected to carry the crucifix in the Good Friday procession. He doesn’t know that the church celebrating its 100th anniversary of the event, is receiving a special crucifix from the Vatican that was carved from a tree where Christ was crucified. He is about to journey into his own personal crossroads. Petrosino is a resident of New York, N.Y.

“Drops of Hope” by James W. Parker (11 min.)

This documentary tells the story of the myriad challenges faced by children growing up in Uganda today. In a land plagued by the scourge of AIDS, malaria and a host of other ailments, the children suffer more from an entirely preventable disease, poverty. It is a land of over 2.2 million orphans, with children raising themselves, and their brothers and sisters. It is a land of desperation, and of hope. Parker owns Riverview Studios in Bordentown, N.J. He is active with the Diocese of Trenton’s Global Solidarity Project, as well as his own charity, Parker Mother and Child Foundation, which aims to help support families and children in Uganda.

“Eucharistic Adoration: Reverse Momentum” by Rob Kaczmark (3 min.)

The world in which we live does not make it easy for us to move forward spiritually. If we don’t do anything we will be moving backwards in our spiritual life. This film shows how to go against the mainstream, and move forward with Christ in the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Kaczmark lives in Worth, Ill., and is co-founder, partner and production manager of Spirit Juice Studios, which seeks to bring Catholic media projects to a higher level of quality.

“Nature: God’s Love in our World” by Rudy Moni (6 min.)

The producers spent many hours recording various nature scenes for over 10 years. They have chosen some of their best footage that details how nature is manifested by God to inform us of his love for his family here on Earth. In addition to the images used, an original soundtrack was composed and recorded to heighten the experience of this work. Moni is a resident of Shark River Hills, N.J.

“One Human Family” by Terrence McCorry (12 min.)

Through the vehicle of a Campus Fair Trade Sale, college students share the Gospel values of Matthew 25. Catholic Newman Club students and young adults play all the roles in spreading the good news of our call as Catholics to be our global brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. Scenes of the students explaining Catholic Relief Services Fair Trade products like coffee and chocolate are intercut with footage of the co-ops where the products originate.

Various forms of technology are employed and the cast itself is a model of diversity. Shot on a secular South Florida campus during class time the film lives its title as “One Human Family.” Its grass roots feel was not only a necessity, it also serves the film’s dual purpose which is to motivate parish and school groups to find creative ways to evangelize.

McCorry, a resident of Boynton Beach, Fla., is a campus minis ter, formerly employed in the film industry. McCorry is an alumnus of St. Rose Grammar and High School in Belmar. He was assisted by several professional youth adult filmmakers, as well as members of Catholic Newman Clubs from Lynn University and Florida Atlantic University.

“Stills of the Movement” by Patty Wittenberg and Dr. Shawn Kildea (20 min.)

Flip Schulke was one of the most prolific photojournalists of the 20th Century. He was a pioneering underwater photographer accompanying Jacques Cousteau on expeditions. Flip was one of the few elite photographers invited by NASA to document space flight. He took pictures of the Berlin wall as it was going up, and returned some 27 years later to document its fall. But many of his colleagues and friends feel Schulke’s most important work was done during the civil rights struggles in the 1960s. “Stills of the Movement” is a film that explores Flip’s work during this time. Family, friends and colleagues who knew Flip best are interviewed about his motivations as a documentarian. Viewers will learn about his experiences as a youth and how those formative years shaped his world view.

This film also explores the importance that media played in the civil rights movement. Former and current professional journalists as well as academics and civil rights leaders explain the impact photojournalism had in the ’60s.

Dr. Shawn P. Kildea is an assistant professor in the Department of Communication and Journalism at Rider University and worked with his students in the making of this film. Born and raised in Trenton, Dr. Kildea was a member of St. Anthony Parish, Hamilton, where he attended St. Anthony Grammar School and McCorristin High School. Kildea currently lives in Lawrenceville with his wife and four children. The film’s producer/director Patti Wittenburg is a 2010 graduate of Rider University. She currently works for IDC Digital in New York City. She screened “Stills of the Movement” at the Cannes Film Festival’s Short Film Corner last May.

“Street Justice” by Donna Roman Hernandez (5 min.)

While standing on a street corner in Brooklyn with his friends, 15-year-old Hashim Garrett was shot by a rival 16 year-old, causing 12 holes in his young body and immediately paralyzing him from the waist down. As Hashim lay alone on the cold pavement, he was afraid, bleeding profusely and on the brink of death. Hashim screamed “God, Please don’t let me die”. The fear Hashim had prior to saying it went away...it was as if the world blinked, God touched him and he felt at peace. Hashim knows that God spared his life for a reason. His mission now is to provide the knowledge, understand ing and skills to inner city youths to help them develop and practice creative alternatives to violence. Hashim’s mission is to change the world for the better, one person at a time. This documentary does NOT contain any scenes of violence or profanity. Hernandez is a resident of Belleville, N.J.

“The RED” By Frank Lettieri (3 min.)

“The RED” is a glimpse into the world of people in our own communities who often feel overlooked...forgotten. Straight from the hearts and minds of patrons from the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, “the RED” takes a poem written by members of the SHARE project, and brings their words to life. At the same time it gives viewers a peek into the reality of being homeless, and brings the attention to those among us who are often forgotten. Lettieri is a resident of Lambertville, N.J.

“The Wheelbarrow” by Philip Della Torre (8 min.)

This film has no dialogue and uses symbolism to convey its message. The protagonist is on a journey of reflection about his past. Throughout his trip he is saddled with an unknown burden (The Wheelbarrow) which he pushes through the deserted streets passing boarded up buildings which represent his empty and unfulfilling past. He briefly pauses at some buildings (People in his Life) to think about how his transgressions damaged those relation ships. Eventually, where he least expected it, his travels lead him to find Christ. With a renewed spirit of hope and faith in the Lord he relieves himself of his burden and walks into the waters (Baptism). Della Torre is a resident of Englishtown, N.J.

YOUNG ADULT/COLLEGE CATEGORY

“Be Somebody” by Michelle Zelazny (9 min.)

The story of a Mexican immigrant living in New Jersey and the differences between his life and his children’s lives.

This is a story of sacrifice and a man’s struggle to overcome obstacles to make a better life for his children. Zelazny is a resident of Dayton, N.J.

“Magical Friend” by Moro Rogers (4 min.)

A story about a girl and her fantastic creature, and their changing relationship. Rogers, a resident of Sylmar, Calif., is a young film professional and has performed project work for Disney, Jib Jab and other animation studios.

“SEEDS” by Andrew Pearson (20 min.)

Six strangers are brought together during the end of the world and faced with a final choice of faith. Pearson is a resident of Piscataway, N.J.

“The Armor of God” by Kait McCarthy (5 min.)

This music video, set to Brandon Heath’s “Fight Another Day,” gives a visual depiction of the battle between the culture of death and the culture of life constantly being waged around us. This mu sic video highlights the need to be prepared to fight for the dignity of the family, the dignity of our sexuality, and truth in the media. McCarthy is a resident of Howell, N.J.

“Twilight News” by Bryan O’Connell (12 min.)

A modern retelling of the Washington Irving short story “The Devil and Tom Walker”. Down on his luck reporter Tom Walker meets a strange man named “Scratch” who promises stories that’ll make the front page, but at the cost of his very soul. O’Connell is a resident of Neptune, N.J. 

NON-COMPETITIVE CATEGORY

“Catholic Underground Chicago” by Rob Kaczmark (3 min.)

A music video produced by Spirit Juice Studios.

“Colette’s Return” by Patrick Dolan (20 min.)

After years of struggling with the unsolved disappearance of their only daughter, a couple debates whether to keep her beloved piano. That is, until she mysteriously returns to them during a power outage. Dolan, a resident of Plymouth Meeting, Pa., is associate director of the Diocese of Trenton’s Office of Radio and Television.

“For the Soul of a Nation” by Father Javier Diaz, Alex Arias and Patrick Dolan (10 min.)

Father Javier Diaz, director of the Diocese of Trenton’s Hispanic Apostolate, thought he knew something about Haiti, but he was not prepared for the suffering and devastation he witnessed in his recent humanitarian trip to the earthquake-ravaged country. Father Diaz shares his life-changing journey to Haiti in this compelling, stream-of-consciousness documentary. Moved by what he sees and experiences among the survivors, Father Diaz questions his own faith in the face of such extreme poverty and suffering, ultimately discovering that he has the power to strengthen his faith through his own response to his brothers and sisters.

Father Diaz is also pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Trenton. Alex Arias, a resident of Plainfield, N.J., is associate director of the Diocese of Trenton’s Hispanic Apostolate and producer of AHTV, a monthly Spanish-language television program.

“Franz Jagerstatter: A Man of Conscience” by Jason A. Schmidt and Father Ron Schmidt (23 min.)

In 1938, Hitler’s army occupied Austria. All men were ordered to enlist in the military. Franz Jägerstätter, a farmer and father of four, went into military training but refused to fight in Hitler’s army, knowing that he would face execution. His neighbors, pastor and even the bishop tried to convince Franz to enlist for the sake of his family. But Franz felt his faith and conscience compelled him to fol low the teachings of God and not the decrees of the Third Reich. He was imprisoned, then executed on August 9, 1943 at the age of 36.

The Schmidts are connected with Hope Media Productions, Los Angeles, Ca., where Jesuit Father Ron Schmidt is a producer. Father Schmidt has produced industrial, promotional and education videos and feature documentaries.