By Scott Alessi, Managing Editor, Lois Rogers, Features Editor and Mary Stadnyk, News Editor

What better way to spend a rainy day than taking in a movie?

For an audience of more than 200 film fans who braved driving winds and pelting rains April 16, the Algonquin Arts Theater in Manasquan was the perfect safe haven from the storm and the second annual diocesan RE:IMAGE Film Festival was an ideal destination for the day.

Despite the storm, the festival drew an audience who came from around the Trenton Diocese and as far away as northern New Jersey, Camden, New York and Harrisburg, Pa., to the historic Algonquin. There, they had the opportunity to view the 23 films in competition in the high school, college/young adult and general categories, and to vote on their favorite entries for the Viewers' Choice award. In the end, attendees were buzzing with positive reviews of the works they saw on screen and the overall experience of attending the festival.

Click HERE for a gallery of photos from the Film Festival

Throughout the event, which commenced at noon and stretched well into the evening, festival goers also had the opportunity to attend panel discussions with filmmakers in each of the categories and to meet Hollywood screenwriters Barbara Nicolosi and Vicki Peterson, who shared insights and information on the life of Christians in Tinseltown and the intersection of faith and the arts. Peterson also offered individual consultation sessions to any attendee interested in learning more about the ins and outs of filmmaking and how to navigate the waters of Hollywood.

In addition to two non-competition screenings – a music video by the local brother and sister duo of Justin and Alina Zimmerman and an excerpt of filmmaker David Ranghelli’s vocations documentary “The Calling” – a new addition to the festival this year was the showing of an acclaimed independent film, “Get Low,” starring Robert Duvall, Bill Murray and Sissy Spacek. The day was also capped off with a closing reception, which afforded the fans a chance to meet one another and exchange opinions and insights.

The festival is a collaborative project of the diocesan Offices of Radio and Television, Communications and Public Relations, Youth and Young Adult Ministries, The Monitor and the Catholic Campus Ministry of The College of New Jersey, Ewing.

The Envelope Please…
A highlight of the festival was the awards ceremony. Cash prizes of $500 were awarded for Best Picture in each of the three categories, while prizes of $200 were given for Mission Excellence and $100 for the Viewer’s Choice selections.

Taking home the top prize for the general competition was “Adler’s Bus Stop,” a striking eight-minute drama by Christopher Morgan of Mountain Green, Utah. The film offers a subtle look at the struggles of living with Alzheimer’s disease and the challenges faced by family members who serve as their caregivers.

Although Morgan was unable to attend the festival in person, he stated that he was “truly honored and humbled” by the award in a short acceptance speech read by awards presenter and diocesan chief communications officer Rayanne Bennett.

“I’d like to thank the Diocese of Trenton for putting on this wonderful festival for inspirational and uplifting films,” Morgan wrote. “‘Adler’s Bus Stop’ is a simple story, but I hope it showed a small glimpse into the touching, brave, loving moments that happen every day in families affected by Alzheimer’s.”

Among young adult entries, the Best Picture award went to “Cores e Botas” (Colors and Boots), a dramatic portrayal of the struggles faced by a young Brazilian girl whose dreams of being a dancer on a popular television show are hindered by racial prejudice.

Filmmaker Juliana Vicente of Sao Paolo, Brazil, said in an acceptance message read at the festival that she had hoped to communicate an important message through her movie.

“This short film talks about part of my history and probably about the history of many kids,” she said. “I really believe that in front of a problem there are important things that you can learn and also transform in your life. In Brazil, unfortunately we are still having this kind of prejudice but its changing and I believe that we are going to have more changes in a near future.”

In the high school competition, Kristina Sullivan of North Hollywood, Calif., accepted her award on behalf of the film “More Than Meets the Eye,” via a video message shown on the big screen. Sullivan said she hoped the film inspired viewers and reminded the audience that “there is always hope.”

Films were also honored in all three categories with the Mission Excellence award for their ability to reflect the festival’s stated mission. Awards were presented in this category to the film that “best explores the glory of God’s creation, captures the perseverance for justice and truth, and upholds and defends the dignity of the human person,” according to the festival’s website.

Fifteen-year-old Drew Goldsmith sent a video acceptance speech for his film “No Pity,” which looks at fundraising for the disabled that relies on generating feelings of sympathy. Goldsmith, who is himself handicapped and communicates by typing his thoughts and having them verbalized by a computer voice, said that he was pleased to know his film resonated with viewers and expressed his appreciation for having the forum of the film festival to share his work.

A film that took home two awards in the college/young adult category was “Fred’s Amazing Story” by Philip Carroll, a documentary that tells of a young African child who is touched by the generosity of Mary Goss, director of the diocese’s Global Solidarity Partnership. Although Carroll was not in attendance, Goss, whose work in the partnership between the Diocese of Trenton and the Diocese of Kasana-Luweero, Uganda, inspired the film, accepted both the Mission Excellence and Viewer’s Choice awards on Carroll’s behalf.

In a surprise result, three films tied for first place in the high school Viewer’s Choice category, with “Maria Goretti,” by St. Veronica’s Lifeteen Ministry, Howell; “Lord Hear Our Prayer” by Our Lady of Mount Virgin Youth Group, Middlesex, and “Building a City of Promise” by Kimel Hadden of Camden all sharing the honor.

Displaying Gravitas
Topping off the awards was the presentation of the 2011 Pope John Paul II Gravitas Award to Nicolosi. The award, presented by Msgr. Vaughan, was named in honor of the late pontiff and celebrates a person who not only works to bring stories of God to life but who possesses Gravitas, which in Latin means a quality of substance or depth of personality.

Nicolosi is a Hollywood screenwriter and the founder and chair emeritus of Act One, Inc., a non-profit program to train and mentor Christians for careers as Hollywood writers and executives. Nicolosi’s credits include serving as a consultant for the film, “The Passion of the Christ,” and as co-writer of the 2011 Aloe Entertainment/Lionsgate release, “Mary, Mother of the Christ.” She has also worked on the television shows “Joan of Arcadia” and “Saving Grace.”

In accepting the award, Nicolosi, who was born in New Brunswick, said she was pleased to return to her native New Jersey and was “astounded” to learn that folks in the Trenton Diocese had become familiar with her work in Los Angeles.

Nicolosi congratulated the diocese for initiating the film festival and said that she is not aware of “any other diocese that has an event like this.”

“I am grateful for the vision of this festival,” she said.

“This whole day was very beautifully handled…very classy,” she added. “Keep this (film festival) going. If we can say to filmmakers that the Church values you, we favor you, we support you, the stories they tell are going to reflect the Church positively and will open up what the Church has to say in a whole other way.”

Meet the Filmmakers
While some entrants had submitted their films from long distances, those who could attend were happy to meet with their fellow artists and to share insights on their films with viewers.

Following each set of screenings, the filmmakers participated in short panel discussions on the stage. Joseph McQuarrie, an avid film fan and senior in Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville, moderated a discussion among high school filmmakers, while Nicolosi led the discussion of young adult entrants.

Four of the film artists in the general category were invited to briefly share their motivation for producing the films and the challenges they encountered along the way.

For first-time filmmaker, Diane Ciccone of West Windsor, creating “Glen Acres: A Story in Black and White” was the result of her blending her interests in photography and African American history, she said. Ciccone told of when Glen Acres, a racially integrated neighborhood, celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2008, and how several residents asked her to videotape interviews with some of the former and current residents.

An Inspired Audience
A clear hit with many attendees was “Get Low,” which generated many positive responses during the closing reception.

For Kathy and Scott Fetch, members of St. Francis and St. Clare Parish, Florence, the screening of “Get Low” was a major drawing card.

“We attended the film festival last year in Asbury Park and found it so interesting that we wanted to come again this year,” Kathy Fetch said. “When we went on the Internet and saw that ‘Get Low’ would be screened, we were very pleased.”

They had wanted to see the film when it was in theatrical release but missed it, said Kathy, who said she particularly appreciated the movie’s message of faith and redemption.

“What we appreciated about the festival overall is that it’s an event that is very welcoming and you get to learn,” she said. “It’s a great way of evangelizing.”

Laurie Strucke, a member of Sacred Heart Parish, Mount Holly, is a fan of independent films who made a day-long commitment to the RE:IMAGE Festival after reading about it in The Monitor.

“I like to write and I wanted to see Barbara Nicolosi and hear what she had to say,” she said. More than that, Strucke said, she came because “I just love seeing films with a positive message.”

Strucke was particularly moved by two foreign entries: “Cores e Botas” and “Doina,” an Italian movie set in Romania. Both of those films focused on the ability of young people to triumph over narrow societal expectations which would limit their ability to pursue their creative interests.

“I was amazed to see these films which had such good stories,” she said.

Many at the event, including Mary Ann Dowd and Colleen Hornblum, expressed enthusiasm over the participation of young people in the film festival. Dowd, lay director of diocesan Cursillo, commented on the importance of having such events to involve young people in the Church.

“It was beautiful to attend the film festival and see all the young people pouring through the doors and showing their films. Their spirit was shining through in those films. It was wonderful,” she said.

Hornblum, a member of St. Peter Parish, Point Pleasent Beach, cleared her schedule when she read about the film festival.

“My son, Dylan, who was a regular on Realfaith TV a couple of seasons back, is studying broadcasting. When I was in college, I was interested in film. To me, RE:IMAGE was a way to tap back into those connections,” she said.

Like many festival goers, Sue and Mike McGuinness said that along with the films, they enjoyed the theater and the town of Manasquan. Sue also had another connection to the festival – she is an alumnus of Act One.

“I went to Act One in 2001 and I’ve written three screen plays,” said McGuinness, a member of Our Lady of Sorrows – St. Anthony Parish, Hamilton. “We went to RE:IMAGE last year. We think that Manasquan is a great destination and that the films were much better this year.”

“When you get films from Brazil and Italy, that’s really saying something,” said Mike McGuinness. “We would like to see this festival as a mainstay during Lent. It’s a great thing to do for Lent.”