|
|
Horror Fans, This One’s for You –
Grab Your Tickets Fast!
| |
Prepare for a wild ride of fear, suspense, and brutal thrills with this collection of horror shorts!
| |
MEET THE DIRECTOR: Kyle Misak
| |
Kyle Misak, a lifelong dreamer, discovered his passion for filmmaking in high school, inspired by his favorite ‘80s and ‘90s films. He began making his own stories with the family video camera in his sophomore year and mailed thousands of handwritten letters to actors and directors, leading to key relationships with character actors he would later work with. At just 19, Kyle wrote and directed his first feature film, and fueled by his optimism, he went on to write, produce, edit, and direct over a dozen short films and four feature films. His 1960s baseball short film, The Autumn Girl, won the grand prize at the 2021 Cannes International Independent Film Festival.
| |
Marjoe Aguiling,
Director
| |
Marjoe Aguiling is an Emmy® and Clio Entertainment Award-winning director and producer, originally from the Philippines. He moved to New Jersey at age 11 and later pursued film school in Los Angeles after graduating high school.
A graduate of Chapman University’s film studies program, Marjoe became deeply involved in the film festival circuit, working with events like Sundance, Palm Springs, London, Woodstock, and Newport Beach. He spent 10 years at CNN, rising from Video Editor to Director of Content Production. Today, in addition to directing independent films, he is an Associate Creative Director for HBO’s Brand Marketing team in New York.
| |
Fokke Baarrssen, Director
| |
Fokke Baarrssen has been directing since childhood, starting with Matchbox cars and action figures before moving on to commercials, corporate films, branded content, documentaries, and short fiction.
His work, known for its authentic storytelling and aesthetic cinematography, has won multiple awards at prestigious film festivals worldwide. He has created content for major brands like Disney, Microsoft, LG, and Spinnin’ Records. In 2018, Fokke made his U.S. directorial debut with the award-winning drama Missed, followed by his comedy Swung, which won Best Comedy Short at the Garden State Film Festival.
| |
MEET THE DIRECTOR: Ramone Menon
| |
Ramone Menon is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker and award-winning director, writer, and producer, known for The Pey, Once Upon a Time in a Haunted House, and The Black Tape.
| |
My Scary Indian Wedding, IMDb
| |
|
Steven Weinzierl, Director
| |
Steven Weinzierl is an Emmy® Award-winning director and creator dedicated to bold, visual storytelling across all mediums. With expertise in media integration and production, he guides content from initial development to final delivery.
Bringing both international and domestic experience, Weinzierl continuously seeks innovative ways to elevate creative projects. His industry reputation is built on a deep understanding of multimedia, allowing him to craft music videos, digital media, broadcast promotions, narrative films, and commercial advertisements.
| |
Born and raised in China, Yinghui Li is a bilingual writer and director passionate about rebellious stories exploring womanhood, identity, and transformation. With an MFA in Film Production from Chapman University, she specializes in visual storytelling across narrative film and episodic television. Inspired by One Hundred Years of Solitude, she blends magical realism and surrealism to craft unique cinematic experiences.
In the past two years, her work has gained national recognition, with selections at Oscar- and BAFTA-qualifying festivals like LA Shorts and her web series pilot Slobopoly (2023) winning Best Comedy Series at the 43rd College Television Awards.
| |
Social classes and generations clash in this dark comedy of manners set in the
stunning English countryside, where the responsibility of conserving the family
legacy is not for the faint-hearted...
| |
MEET THE DIRECTOR: Harry Hadden-Paton
| |
Harry Hadden-Paton is an acclaimed actor with a nearly two-decade career spanning the UK, Europe, and the US across film, television, and theater.
He made his screen debut opposite Marion Cotillard in La Vie en Rose and gained global recognition with SAG Award nominations for Downton Abbey and The Crown. Since 2018, he has been based primarily in the U.S., earning Tony and Grammy nominations for his portrayal of Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady on Broadway. Most recently, he has been filming the upcoming blockbuster Twisters and the new Downton Abbey movie. Now stepping behind the camera for the first time, Harry is embracing his passion for directing and finding a new creative home in filmmaking.
| |
Legacy Official 2025 Garden State Film Festival Poster
| |
 |
Directed by Nicholas Reader
| |
| | |
Kumar Dari, Writer of
The Sanctum of Horror
Kumar Dari is an actor and writer with 30 years of experience in the NJ/PA/NY area, performing in works ranging from Shakespeare to Neil Simon.
His film writing credits include the short The Trouble with Old Friends and Ghostlight, which won Best Picture at the 21 Day Film Competition in Philadelphia. Kumar also co-founded the sketch comedy group The Simian Institute, where he has written and performed in numerous sketches, several of which are available on YouTube.
| |
We hope these incredible films have piqued your interest and that you’re as excited as we are for the festival!
| |
Secure your tickets now and join us for a spectacular celebration of cinema. We can’t wait to see you at the Garden State Film Festival and share these amazing films with you!
| |
|
THE GARDEN STATE FILM FESTIVAL is New Jersey's Premier Independent Film Festival®. Now in its 23rd year, the GSFF, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is a global destination festival that stimulates economic growth in New Jersey through the arts. It also promotes student creativity, makes the arts accessible to underserved populations and preserves heritage arts.
| |
|
|
|
|
