Monmouth Film Festival Redefines the Festival Experience this August

The Monmouth Film Festival (MFF), New Jersey’s renowned and critically acclaimed international film event is known for showcasing the finest independent films from all regions of the globe. Additionally, the Festival has spotlighted celebrities including Kevin Smith, Sinbad, Michael Cera, Micahel Kelly, Sandra Oh, amongst others, as well as presented and hosted exclusive panels with leading industry professionals from top networks including Viacom, Disney/ABC, Hulu, Netflix, Nickelodeon, Blue Sky Studios, and others.

Due to Covid-19 regulations, the Monmouth Film Festival has expressed sincere regrets that the traditional theatrical experience they have utilized since 2016 (at the Two River Theater in Red Bank) will not be possible this year. However, it has given them the opportunity to branch out and stream the sights and sounds of these incredible films right into your homes and hands. This new and exciting format will allow for the HD high-resolution streaming of ALL this year’s movies and at no cost to the public.

“We are proud of our roots as an integral non-profit arts organization here in Monmouth County, New Jersey. New Jersey, as many across the country have learned, has gotten hit hard over the past months from Covid-19, it’s been equally as heartbreaking as it has been devastating to our communities and quality of life. So we had to do something special this year to give back to our community and help rebuild people’s spirits, creativity, and overall mental well being, without them needing to leave the safety of their homes. We have voted to make this year’s 2020 ‘Hybrid’ Monmouth Film Festival completely FREE of charge. All movies, streams, interactive panels, and workshops will be accessible by simply registering on our website, all for free,” said Monmouth Film Festival Founder and President Nicholas Marchese. “Yes, we rely on funding from our community to help us grow and return each year, but more importantly we rely on our community itself! They’ve always been there for us, so this year we are here for you.”

In addition to the online festival offerings, the Monmouth Film Festival is working closely with public safety and medical professionals to create an opening night (outdoor) Red Carpet event at a location in Red Bank (TBD) on Friday, August 14 at 7:00 pm. This event is catered toward this year’s featured filmmakers, as well as industry professionals and artists who are looking for an opportunity to safely network and connect while enjoying some great food and brews from our friends at Triumph Brewing Company. Please keep an eye on the MFF website for further details.

An exciting lineup of more than 65 films, short and feature-length, can be found by visiting the Monmouth Film Festival website. Note: Some streams may have limited or capped viewing capacity, so please be sure to register as soon as possible for streams and films you don’t want to miss. Virtual interactive panels and workshops will be presented from the website this year, open to real-time questions and feedback from the audience via chat.

The complete 2020 Film Festival Program is available at MonmouthFilmFestival.org.

Feature Films include Grizzly II. Revenge (George Clooney, Charlie Sheen, Laura Dern), Give Or Take (Jamie Effros); documentaries Mentally Al (Al Lubel), In Case of Emergency, and Miracle Fishing.

A rich selection of New Jersey Films, short and feature length, are also featured in the festival this year, like Bruce Springsteen: Hometown.

We are confident that this will still be a year to remember, while also being the safest and smartest option for our community at this time. Your stories are more important now than ever and we want to continue to host a platform for artists to network, connect, learn, and grow.

Visit MonmouthFilmFstival.org for a complete schedule.