Alexander Fezza

Asbury Park Press

This summer is flooded with huge blockbuster productions like the live-action The Lion King, Quentin Tarantino’s star-studded Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and It: Chapter Two on the big screen.

Yet, there are also many opportunities over the next few months to catch viewings of smaller, independent films by fellow New Jerseyans. Here’s a list of some film festivals to check out this summer:

New Jersey International Film Festival: Saturday, June 1 - Sunday, June 9

Held at the New Brunswick campus of Rutgers University, this film festival is now in its 38th year. It’s run by the Rutgers Film Co-op / New Jersey Media Arts Center and features premiere screenings and special guest appearances by film directors, writers, cast and crew and more.

Lighthouse International Film Festival: Thursday, June 6 - Sunday, June 9

The Lighthouse International Film Festival is in just its 11th year, but it has already proven to be one of the most exciting, innovative film festivals in the U.S., let alone New Jersey. It was chosen as one of the "The 25 Coolest Film Festivals in The World" by MovieMaker Magazine in 2018. Throughout this first weekend of June, LIFF features showings of short and feature-length documentary and narrative films at locations all over Surf City on Long Beach Island.

Jersey Shore Film Festival: Sunday, June 23 - Sunday, June 30

12 years in, the Jersey Shore Film Festival continues to enchant its visitors and participants. The JSFF features films of all genres and lengths from all corners of the globe, with special recognition for New Jersey filmmakers. You can catch showings at numerous venues in Asbury Park and Deal over the course of the last week of June.

Newark Museum Black Film Festival: Wednesdays, June 26, July 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31

This film festival, now in its 45th year, is the longest-running and one of the most prestigious African-American film festivals in the nation. It features films of all types that cover the black experience in the U.S. The NBFF is totally free of charge to the public, so feel free to visit on Wednesdays this late June and July at the Newark Museum.

FilmOneFest: Saturday, July 20

FilmYoungFest: Thursday, June 27

This festival truly demonstrates that with film, sometimes less is more. All films at FilmOneFest are under 2 minutes in length. You can catch these super short motion pictures at the Atlantic Highlands Marina in Atlantic Highlands, where they will be displayed on a giant screen right by the Sandy Hook Bay. Also run by FilmOneFest is FilmYoungFest about a month earlier, where films under 2 minutes by talented filmmakers under the age of 18 are displayed.

Monmouth Film Festival: Thursday, August 8 - Sunday, August 11

The Monmouth Film Festival shows films from not just Monmouth County but all regions of the world, in addition to panels, Q&A sessions and workshops. Make sure to stop by and watch films from students and adults the first weekend of August at the Two River Theater in Red Bank.