–– First Hybrid Festival in 2021 ––

2021 Annual Report

1 2

Honorary BoardEd Asner** Armand AssanteSid Bernstein**Brian FrankishSiobhan Fallon HoganCeleste Holm** Chance KellyRichard KindDiane LaddBebe NeuwirthAustin Pendleton

FoundersRobert PastorelliDiane Raver

Lauren Concar SheehyExecutive Director

Board of DirectorsEric AscalonChairpersonHeather Brittain O’ScanlonVice ChairpersonStephanie ClinemanSecretaryDiane RaverTreasurer

David Angstadt Sr. Ming Chen David HoltzmanCharlene HorneRobin Kampf Tess O’DwyerRosalie Rosen *David Schoner Jr. Joseph SernioBrian J. Sheehy Sr.

Federal EIN: 481280505Reg #: CH 2246300*Emeritus **In Memorium

OUR FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PRESENTSTEP ONE IN THE SHOW CONTINUES

Making Dreams Come TrueAfter a sudden transition to our streaming platform in 2020, we hoped for an in person 2021 event but March 23 - 28, 2021 found us presenting the first hybrid film festival in the world. We tracked both in-person and virtual attendees; in-person capacity at our live venues was limited to a max of 3,179 people due to capacity mandates and with 2,732 attendees. Our online streams were an astonishing 590,000+ viewers. This year also differed from other years as not only was our festival hybrid but most of our outreach was virtual including our presentation at the 2021 School Board Association Convention where we presented student films from all over the state to the virtual attendees. Besides the attendance figures above, our Festival included:Presented Virtually

• Total Films screened 300• Talk Backs, winning screenplay reading and other events

In Person• 41 Screening Blocks with 180 films in person over 4 days

Our hybrid festival presented in 5 live venues with simultaneous programming for 300 films on our streaming platform. The importance of the in-person screenings cannot be overstated as they were held this past March and gave our community their first semblance of normalcy as we were among the first entertainment organization to resume programming. We gave new and veteran fans a six-day hybrid festival producing both an in person and live stream experience. And after each screening block, we invited viewers to take the short trip over to Facebook in order to participate in filmmaker talkbacks as well as in-person talk backs where possible. We exhibited the energy and ingenuity of Thomas Edison, the godfather of filmmaking, who started the engine of the film industry in New Jersey, the state we hold so dear. Once again, we relied on Jersey grit and determination to do the impossible while all around us was news of festivals cancelling. We set aside none of our long-held commitments, celebrating the next generation of filmmakers on Saturday and Sunday morning by screening over 40 High School films and presenting every one of our coveted awards that was also presented in a hybrid fashion.Yes, we basked when it was all over knowing that we’d attracted three fifths of our typical in-person audience during the first days of nationwide chaos while expanding our reach from fairly local to undeniably global. Once again, we’d curated the very best of independent filmmaking and took iit safely across borders, time zones and political divides. We believed in continuing to venture into a digital frontier that serves as a blueprint for festivals worldwide long into the future. While it was another demanding year in our history, it remains among the proudest.

Diane Raver Lauren Concar Sheehy1 2

3 4

2021 FESTIVAL AT A GLANCEASBURY LANES HYBRID

209 Fourth AvenueASBURY HOTEL HYBRID

Asbury Hall210 Fifth Avenue

BERKELEY HOTEL HYBRID

Kingsley Ballroom1401 Ocean Avenue, First Floor

BERKELEY HOTEL HYBRID

Berkeley Johnny & June Room1401 Ocean Avenue, First Floor

THE MAYFAIRWEB Virtual Events Only

BROOKDALE PAC WEB Virtual Events Only

THE ST. JAMES WEB Virtual Events Only

THE PARAMOUNT WEB Virtual Events Only

THU3/25

7:30–9:30pm AL3 · Ave Maria · Elephants Purr Like Cats Do · Le Prince Oublie · Manifest · The WBGO Story... Bright Moments from Newark to the World

FRI3/26

7:00–8:20pm · Gala Cocktail Reception at Asbury Lanes

8:30–10:30pm AL4 · Rushed (Trailer) · Final Moments · Lay Down (Candles In the Rain) by The Asbury Park Love Contingent

· 7 Days to Vegas

SAT3/27

1:15–3:45pm WEB AL5 · Not Yours · Arlan Feiles “ If I Were A Dinosaur”

· Life In Kensington, Philadelphia Through the Lens of Jeffrey Stockbridge

· Pooling To Paradise

5:00–7:30pm AL6 · Illipino · Exit Package · My Promise to PJ

8:00–10:30pm AL7 · 3 · 1 Block · Hey, It’s Me · Victim No. 6 · Reboot Camp

9:30am–12:00pm TA11 · High School Films SEE LAST COLUMN �

12:30–2:15 PM TA12 · We Stand Together · Ghosts (Girl In All My Songs) · NSAMour · Amálie · Unpaid · Patrice · The Other Night · Donut Shop · Anacronte

2:45–4:45pm TA13 · NEUL ND: The Unknown · Sideways · Waste Away · King · The Shack · My Daughter · Reclaimed Relics · Stepson · The Lost Son

5:15–7:30pm TA14 · What You See · Gratuitous · The Loop · Happy Thanksgiving · Wink · Don’t Jump · The Dream Catcher · Disarray Days · The Killer Across The Street

8:00PM–10:00pm TA15 · The Door · A Comedy of Horrors Volume 1

11:45am–1:45pm BK18 · Áine · The Chair · HomeGrown: The Series · A Year Ago Yesterday · Alaska Long Hunters

2:30–4:30pm BK19 · Mistletoe · The Stamp Collector · You Wouldn’t Understand · Either Side of Midnight - One Night in New York

6:15–7:45pm BK20 · Plastic Pollution & Easy Solutions

· The Andy Baker Tape

8:15–10:15pm BK21 · Happiness Isn’t Canceled · Living Lyrics: An Experimental Arts Installation

· Jersey Christmas · Broken · What The… Cluck??! · Hotline · The Calling · Marty’s Calling · Quarantine In Pink · Biff & Me · We Are The Prototypes · Born Still

12:00–1:15pm BJJ24 · Sequester 2020: A World Away · Departure · Against the Tide: A Surfers Journey

1:45–3:30pm BJJ25 · Dear America · De-Eschatology · Boarder Search · Portrait of a Rocker: B-Side · Fuzzy · Half Life · Noc - Non-Official Cover

4:00–6:15pm BJJ26 · The Announcement · No Loss Here · Blood Hana · Nowhere

6:45–8:30pm BJJ27 · Enough · Miniature Chess · Withdrawals · Sins · Household Demons · Dangerous Fantasy

9:00–11:15pm BJJ28 · Bromance · HEROES · Matched · FKTF (French Kissing Tooth Fairy)

· The Flatus Scale · Procedural Justice · Sunday Dinner · The Tall Bike Joust · The Bright Side of Things · The Cafone

KIDZ FILMZ 11:00am–1:00pm TM31 · Artichoke Boy · RenaiDance · I Wanna Be An Eagle · I Need Hope · Detention Adventure, Season 2 · Shaking A Singapore Spear · The Mayor (McKissick) · Arthur Futuro

1:30–3:45pm TM32 · Love-All · Downeast · The Messenger (Figueroa)

4:15–6:30pm TM33 · The Block · The Sleepless · Gossamer Folds

7:00–9:00pm TM34 · Uncle Zsiga · Goodbye Honey

10:00–11:30am BPAC38 · The Keys · Appetite · Knight · PIVOT · 24HR Chef · 3rd and 4th Chapters

12:15–2:30pm BPAC39 · Paterson: A Delicious Destination

· Two Trentons: An American City Speaks

3:00–4:15pm BPAC40 · Oh Crappy Day (Trailer) · The Perfect Cup · Collier Youth Services: An Overview

· Fantasy Master · As We Are

5:00–7:00pm BPAC41 · The Long Hair · A Real Job · A Peacock Dance · Ethel Lawrence: The Rosa Parks of Affordable Housing

· Anthony Crawford - The Man The South Forgot

· The Heart of Camden-The Story of Father Michael Doyle

7:30–9:30pm BPAC42 · Not So Alone · Man Drops Dead · Blood Is Thicker · Iron Head · Into The Honeycomb · Esther’s Choice

10:30–11:45am STJ46 · Estrangement · Confidant · Those Who Move Mountains · Sol Amour · Ronnie’s Story

12:15–2:15pm STJ47 · Just A Taste · When Everything’s Gone

3:00–5:15pm STJ48 · Pandemic Fix · Haunt · Wisper

6:00–8:00pm STJ49 · The Keepers · Cyanide · Man On The Tower · Bury Me In Armor · The Change Project · The McHenry Trial - Don’t Judge a Kid By Their Hoodie

8:30–10:00pm STJ50 · Marasim - Beyond Borders · Dry Leaves · Manasanamaha · Padmavyuha

10:45am–12:45pm P53 · The Wag · Twenty-two · The Recess · In The Shadows · Tikkun Olam · Final Words of WWII

1:15–3:15pm P54 · Freedom A New Jerusalem · Misfits · The Sleeping Life Sofia · “A” for Alpha · Little May

3:30–5:40pm P55 · Brother · Romance · Charon · The Happy Accident

6:30–8:30pm P56 · Willingboro: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

· Trauma To Triumph - The Rise of the Entrepreneur

SUN3/28

9:30–11:15am AL8 · High School Films

SEE LAST COLUMN �

11:30am–12:30pm AL9 · High School Films

SEE LAST COLUMN �

1:00–3:15pm AL10 · Lily In The Maze · The Fall of a Sparrow · The Horror Crowd

7:00–9:30pm · Awards Reception

12:30–2:30pm TA16 · Glimpses- A Day In The Life · Beauty · Marionette Land

3:00–5:00pm TA17 · The Crimson Beret · Eight Count · The Arrangement

12:00–2:00pm BK22 · Feeling Like A Bad Person on a Desert Island

· Will Be Boys · Spin Cycle · Harness the Dream · Mama Drama · Pizza Party · Baladi (My Country) · Winner · The Obituary

KIDZ FILMZ 2:45–4:30pm BK23 · Song of the Sea

11:45am–2:00pm BJJ29 · The Messenger (Cole/Herlihy) · The Drop · I Just Wanted To See You · Hearts of Hope · Please Excuse Our Dad · One All The Way · TAPintoTV

2:30–4:30pm BJJ30 · The Corruption of Divine Providence

10:00am–12:30pm TM35 · Static + Cling · Road Test · Love, Unemployed

1:00–3:00pm TM36 · Our Shot · The Mandrake · Saudade · Second Chance

3:30–5:30pm TM37 · Nearsiders · Haunting Heather · I only miss you when I’m breathing

· How Am I Doing · A Blue Shroud

11:00am–1:00pm BPAC43 · Crumbs · The Bigonia Garden · Alina · Finding Manny

1:30–3:30pm BPAC44 · Doesn’t Fall Far · Rain Beau’s End

4:00–5:30pm BPAC45 · Mime · The Painted · LOCKDOWN: The Emotional Impact of COVID-19

12:00–2:15pm STJ51 · Life On Set: Meta · Girl and Robot · Planet Cozmo · Stalking Chernobyl

2:45–5:00pm STJ52 · The Tuneful Trolley

12:15–2:30pm P57 · The Courtesy · The Blue Light Stays On · Why Wait · Where To Now? · The Other Side of Normal · Still With Us

3:00–4:30pm P58 · The Abandoned Block · Kapaemahu · Showan · The Postman · Glitches

HIGH SCOOL FILM SCREENINGS

ASBURY HOTEL HYBRID

Asbury Hall 210 Fifth Avenue

SATURDAY, MARCH 27 TA11 9:30am–12:00pm · Why Do You Jump? · Relentless · The Box · Isolation · Picnic · Life After Death · Quaran-teen · I Want Them To Know · Empty · The Mayor (Falotico) · I’m Ready · The Bad Guy · Apple Crumble · Return To Normalcy · The White Wood · tHe bOOk · Ultimo latido de vida (Last beat of life)

· Lion’s Den · Caller Unavailable · No Place for Hate · The Void · The Meeting Spot

ASBURY LANES HYBRID

209 Fourth Avenue

SUNDAY, MARCH 28 AL8 9:30–11:15am · The Pandemic · Springfield, NJ · Branch Brook Park · COVID Through Kalideoscope · Ripples in Time...A New Museum Comes to Cape May

· Behind the scenes of Maplewoodstock

· Resilient · Flower Power · At the Core: the Heart of Appel Farm

· No One Said It Would Be Easy · Dare to Dream · This is Home · Space Invaders · Night After Night · Binded · Baseball Boy 2 · Book Talk · Growing Pains · On Repeat · Black Friday · Prom · Norepinephrine · Mental Health · The Red Car · Hey Mom · Nightmare · Revenge On Halloween

SUNDAY, MARCH 28 AL9 11:30am–12:30pm · We’re In This Together · The Immortals

Tuesday, March 23

LIVE IN-PERSON ONLY

CRANFORD THEATER 25 North Avenue West Cranford, NJ 07016

KIDZ FILMZ 1:00–4:00pm PS · Kidz Filmz, Private Screening for the Girl Scouts

KIDZ FILMZ 4:15–6:00pm C1

· RenaiDance · I Need Hope · Detention Adventure, Season 2 · Shaking A Singapore Spear · The Mayor · Arthur Futuro

7:00–9:00pm C2

· When In Doubt, Do Something: The Harry Chapin Story

Wednesday, March 24

ONLINE WEBINAR Virtual Only Via Zoom

7:00–9:00pm WEB · Meditation, Yoga and Creativity with Jillian Pransky

Sunday, March 28 SCRIPT READING

Virtual Only Via Zoom

10:00am–12:00pm WEB · Virtual Script Reading

SYMBOL KEY

Venue ID, Block Number ABC123

Private Screening PS

Webinar/Virtual Only WEB

Virtual/In-Person Events HYBRID

• Refer to each individual block to determine which are virtual only.

Subtitles Available for the Hearing Impaired

• Refer to blocks P55 and P58.

STEP TWO:

Do the Impossible with Flair and Ferocity

4

5 6

The event was marketed to over 500K new audience per each press release and tens of thousands of annual attendees through GSFF’s newsletter and socialnetworks. Our extensive mailing list increases each year by capturing emails through our digital media and our ticketing system.

We utilized paid ads in publi-cations all over the tri-state area as well as dozens of event websites for added advertising. In addition, our event draws na-tional attention and has been mentioned on NBC, CBS and ABC networks.

STEP THREE:

Don’t Whisper When You Can Shout

GSFF has been showcased in major international media outlets such as Variety, Vogue Global Network/Condé Nast, Deadline, IndieWire, ET Canada, News Entertainment and others.

An extensive public relations campaign both to the public as well as to the film-making community was executed. The event is marketed through thousands of filmmaking and event websites, blogs and social media throughout the world beginning in June of each year when the call for entries opens and continues throughout and post event.

• The Journal• Two River Times• The Coaster• Irish Central• More Monmouth Musings• TapInto.net• Tapinto TV• Brookdale Community College• Press Communications Radio

• 101.5 FM• Townsquare Media Radio• NJ Stage• 99.1 Star Radio and more• NJ PBS• Brookdale TV• SCAN• Chasing News• and many more

We partnered with A Shared Universe PodcaStudio, were guests on multiple shows by various hosts, such as MingChen, as well as, Eastern Monmouth Area Chamber of Commerce, Board Talk, the Monmouth Ocean Small Busi-ness Development Center and the Talk of Success Podcast with host Jackeline Fuertes along with others. Our spon-sors were thanked on each podcast.

We had significant print/web/radio/TVadvertising with our media partners.

We expanded our reach through multiple distribution channels thanks to our partners.

• New Jersey LGBT Chamber of Commerce

• Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce

• Eastern Monmouth Area Chamber of Commerce

• Social Media posts

• Love Asbury Park

• Asbury Monologues

7 8

GSFF 2021 FACEBOOK+159K IMPRESSIONS(AGE RANGES 13-65+)

#REDCARPETTicketholders had the opportunity to celebrate both in-person and virtually, by viewing the live stream of the GSFF 2021 awards presented live on Youtube.

Social MediaThanks to Vice Chair, Heather Brittain O’Scanlon the numbers and interactions continue to rise.

Complementing our in-person events, GSFF used Facebook Live to allow our global Filmmakers and fans to interact during filmmaker talk backs. Every logo and all program ads were posted across all of our social media platforms. GSFF Podcasts were conducted with our filmmakers to be viewed on Social Media and YouTube.

GSFF 2021 INSTAGRAM+159K IMPRESSIONS(AGE RANGES 13-65+)

GSFF 2021 TWITTER+239K IMPRESSIONS

8

9 10

Audience members utilized the Garden State Film Festival (GSFF)app as a resource to help chart their GSFF experience.

Watch selected trailers of the films, view screening times and venue locations, create their own individualized schedule and much more!

All Sponsors were Featured!

GSFF Event APP

The Garden State

Film Festival App is

FREE to

download through

the App Store

and Google Play.

STEP FOUR:

Face Facts

INCOMETickets & Other Sales $63,774.49

Foundation Grants $33,000.00

Government Grants $16,623.50

Corporate Sponsorships $11,108.39

Individual Donations $70,353.30

TOTAL CASH $280,766.68

In-Kind Contributions $426,944.00

TOTAL INCOME $707,710.68

EXPENSES

Administrative $115,369.58

Development $5,136.54

Programs & Education $112,399.93

TOTAL EXPENSES $232,906.05

SURPLUS/DEFICIT $47,860.63

Covid-19 Loans /Grants Income $85,907.00

INCOME

EXPENSES

11 12

STEP FIVE:

Virus or No Virus, Be Generous

Integrating the Arts into Community Life

GSFF provides a robust arts education agenda for public school students and special audiences. Our annual pre-covid schedule includes screenings at schools around the state, senior and community centers, as well as various VFW halls. While impacted by covid-19 we presented virtually and look forward to more live events going forward.

Each month founder, Diane Raver joins Frontlines of Freedom, the largest military news andtalk radio show in the country designed to address and discuss the most pressing issues facing our armed forces, veterans and their families. GSFF presents a Movie of the Month to their audience and takes comments and questions from listeners. The military is a frequently over-looked and underserved segment of the population and GSFF’s commitment to them is long-standing and unwavering.

Our valued sponsors continue to have exposure both in-person and virtually as we continue our outreach throughout the state and beyond, year-round.

We also have partnerships with the NJ School Board Association that allows us to reach 8,000 students statewide as well as the Girl Scouts and various outreach programs year-round in the tri state area, which speaks to our commitment to youth as the future of film-making.

KEEP MOVING

11

13 14

STEP SIX:

Be Grateful. Be Grateful. Be Grateful. Repeat

Thank you to our supporters:MEGA MOGUL LEVELBrookdale Community College* Jules L. Plangere Jr. Foundation Salt Hotels* Diane Raver and Family F&S Digital*

MOGUL LEVELThe Asbury* NJ PBS* Brookdale Television*

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER LEVELNew Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism

DIRECTOR LEVELNew Jersey State Council of the Arts Star LevelArtists Alike StudiosNJ Transit* Press Communications

PRODUCER LEVELActive Sports Club, Tinton Falls Arbor TerraceBest Coverage Long Term Care/Sandy Essex Manasquan BankNew Jersey Natural GasSupor Studios

FEATURED PLAYER LEVELSenator Declan O’Scanlon SOS Productions*

SUPPORTING PLAYER LEVEL Iron Gate SecurityMcOmber, McOmber & LuberA Shared UniverseInkTip*

RED CARPET LEVELAsbury Park Chamber of CommerceAmdur, Maggs & DuganDaisy ChocolatesIndian Antao, Motor Media Project Write NowSmiles By The SeaEast Main Media*Tap Into*

*In Kind

STEP SEVEN:

Be a Believer

v Mark your calendars now and plan ahead for our 20th Anniversary! March 23-27, 2022

v Join us for a weekend filled with current independent films from around the globe.

v Mix and mingle with filmmakers and celebrities!

v Workshops, professional panel discussions with industry leaders, parties and more!

v See all of the Premieres, Film award winners, Screenplay Competition Winner and listen to the movie music award winners.

WE BELIEVE we will see you up close and personal in 2022, at all our favorite Asbury Park venues with all our amazing film industry pals and volunteers by our sides. Here are some of the plans:

Founder Diane Raver and the GSFF were featured in Helen Chantel Pike’s latest book, Asbury Park: A Century of Change (June 2021). The book notes that after the violence in the late 1960’s, it wasn’t until the “21st century that new business and civic leaders with a more inclusive pioneer-ing spirit started turning Asbury Park’s fortunes around.” The GSFF is thrilled to be included in that definition as we celebrate our 20th Anniversary in Asbury Park in 2022!”

We’re deserving of your support

At GSSF we are a community of people. Your people.

We’re sustainable. For over 20 years we’ve been working with schools, seniors, underprivileged communities, nonprofits, civic groups, and veterans to deliver our mission of providing the highest quality

the cinematic arts has to offer.

We’re on the frontline protecting freedom of speech.

We don’t take sides and we don’t censor.

Only in Jersey. We proudly stake our rightful claim

to the birthplace of the film industry in the United States

Your gift will be put to work immediately.

You can see how your contribution affects others and speak to them face to face

to see how you directly impact lives.

We’re local, giving you the confidence of knowing where and how

your contributions are spent.

You’re giving to a cause that is close to your heart and home.

You’re not just supporting GSFF.You’re supporting local businesses, creating jobs, supporting tourism,

and introducing students to 21st century vocations.

Please join us as we transform lives.

We’re getting ready to roll.

Support GSFF TODAY.gsff.org • Info@gsff.org

Don’t just takeour word for it!