Advanced search

Dane thought he left his demons and his drug addiction behind him, but his first day out of prison challenges both his promise to go clean and his very survival.

This format-bending profile of Robert Wilmote reveals the story of a Liberian refugee forced to flee the most drastic and terrible circumstances imaginable. Having narrowly escaped the ravages of war in Africa, Robert's struggles continue in the U.S. when he succumbs to the gangster lifestyle, only to become a convicted felon in Newark, New Jersey. At his absolute bottom, Robert knew he was meant for greater good. Through dramatic reenactments, featuring Robert himself, we discover how Robert's passion for fitness and helping others empowered him to transcend a life of violence and become a local legend.

Shot on location in neorealist fashion this personal film by, at the time, 21 year old writer-director Yuri Alves remains an authentic portrayal of a New Jersian small time hood named Johnny, who is a liar, slacker and a lost soul, unwilling to grow up. Johnny's history of broken promises has exhausted the wallets of his family, friends, and worse, the patience of his drug partners. With no credit, little dignity, and at the end of his wits, Johnny will do anything to avoid his parental burden even partnering with a local thief. Torn between Jersey street philosophy and American jazz, between boyhood and manhood, between tragedy and hope. Today, destiny grows inside a soul Johnny has never known.

In a not so distant future, plants refuse to grow, and life as we know it ceases to exist. A forsaken survivor miraculously resists death, roaming past the decaying corpses and vestiges of our bygone world. Sustained by the memory of his lost lover he embarks on a mission to plant three seeds - which he is convinced have the power to restart life on this planet. His journey is further challenged by a tense encounter with another lonely survivor, who will test his resolve and his sanity, each increasingly fragile amid the backdrop of human extinction.

Music Director Xian Zhang leads the New Jersey Symphony back on the main stage to masterfully conduct striking selections of orchestral works in part 1 of the award-winning "Emerge: Concert Film Trilogy."

Spoken word poet Mia X, takes us through a waltz of time and memory in this continuous single shot short film.

Professional hitman Xavier is on the run from mysterious assassins, however, his greatest challenge erupts form within his tortured soul. As Xavier desperately searches for his sanity, his destiny unexpectedly becomes intertwined with the fate of an innocent woman. This unrelenting film noir turns memorable by its unique cinematography, raw storytelling, and unforgettable conclusion.

Tommy Cuba, a renowned skateboarder from Newark, has competed in numerous tournaments and been profiled in top skating magazines. He is one of the founders of "Shorty's Skate Park," built by hand from scraps, has become a legendary hub for skating enthusiasts from all over the country. Despite a motherless childhood, Tommy owns a timeless joy for life and generosity of spirit that captivates all those around him. Yet, his deliberately insulated world cannot prepare him for the looming forces of change.

This short documentary explores the melancholic music of Portugal known as "fado", renowned for expressing the unique sentiment of "saudade," and designated as an UNESCO world cultural asset. Nathalie Pires, the first American fado singer to tour internationally, reveals her origins, passions, and fears, while her fado godmother, the legendary Anita Guerreiro, and oldest touring "fadista" in the world, reflects on her epic career. The film includes intimate yet sweeping performances from these inter-generational ambassadors of a musical art form that mesmerizes audiences worldwide.

This documentary follows an upstart indie rock band from a musically diverse neighborhood in Newark, NJ. The film presents a raw, intimate portrait of this band's dramatic journey since it formed in 2010. The band dreams of recording an album, playing at better venues and affording to keep playing music. Rui, Carlos and Kelly not only struggle to break through in the hyper competitive music scene, but their biggest challenge maybe to stay united amid a whirlwind of personal drama and intrigue.

Xavier is plagued by a mind that haunts him with memories of his wife's horrible murder, and burdened by a heart that searches for a new life. Xavier's escape from his nightmarish past seems confusing and futile; until the curse of fate presents him another route to personal redemption. Unable to live with an alternate identity in the everyday, colorless world, Xavier creates a new ego upon returning to his hometown. Darkness again befalls this tragic antihero, who channels his fury into an obsessive plot of revenge that becomes intertwined with the rise of Tony. This shadowy collaborator provides Xavier with the information he seeks, but nudges Xavier to unwittingly descend into a criminal underworld. Xavier's revenge initially comforts him with clarity and purpose, but his chronic torment is magnified as he reflects on the prospect of taking the life of a husband and father.

A metaphorical look at the seasons of nature, as we accompany the tense and ultimately cyclical relationship between the graceful, yet tragic, journey of a leaf and the thunderous, and unforgiving, roar of man's war machine.

A story about friendship, Love, and the pursuit of weed.

As the world grapples with the Covid-19 pandemic, a three year old boy seeks a new beginning on the outskirts of New York.

An introspective abstract short film that explores the notion of our origins through the lenses of life, death, and spirituality.

Experience the visually breathtaking, format-bending 2nd installment of the "Emerge: Concert Film Trilogy." Music Director Xian Zhang and the New Jersey Symphony perform Florence Price's Piano Concerto and Mozart's Symphony No. 39.

Music Director Xian Zhang leads the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and superstar pianist Daniil Trifonov in the 3rd and final installment of "Emerge". Director Yuri Alves fuses timeless music and poetic visuals to an epic conclusion.