By Mary Ann Bourbeau
HOLMDEL – The three-day Monmouth Film Festival returns May 29 with the New Jersey premiere of “Power Ballad,” starring Jersey native Paul Rudd as a past-his-prime wedding singer and Jersey-raised Nick Jonas as a fading boy-band star. It’s one of many films on the schedule that have Garden State connections.
“Monmouth Film Festival is about bringing people together through powerful storytelling,” said founder Nicholas Marchese. “Whether you’re an independent filmmaker, a dedicated film lover or someone discovering these stories for the first time, the festival is designed to create meaningful connections and celebrate great cinema from New Jersey and around the world.”
The festival takes place this year at Bell Works in Holmdel, which keen viewers know as the home of the fictional Lumon Industries in the hit Apple TV series “Severance.” Its 2-million-square-foot atrium boasts several restaurants, lounges and shops as well as the 285-seat Bell Theater.
Films of all genres, including shorts, documentaries, horror, animation, comedy, drama and student films, will be screened. Marchese founded the festival in 2016, and it was last held in person in 2019 in Red Bank. The pandemic resulted in a couple of years of virtual participation, and the festival has now returned after a five-year hiatus during which the nonprofit Monmouth Film Institute to promote independent cinema was established, according to online sources.
Among the spotlight features are “Union County,” starring Will Poulter as a man on a journey toward recovery amid the opioid epidemic in rural Ohio. Previously seen at the Tribeca Film Festival, “Happy Birthday” is about 8-year-old Toha, who works as a child maid for a wealthy Cairo family and forms a special bond with her employer’s daughter, Nelly. Having never celebrated her own birthday, Toha becomes determined to ensure Nelly has a perfect party, secretly hoping to experience the joy she’s never known. Also up is the New Jersey premiere of “I Want Your Sex,” starring Olivia Wilde and Cooper Hoffman.
There are even two entries focused exclusively on poultry. “Hen” is the story of a chicken who escapes from a farm and finds refuge in the courtyard of a crumbling restaurant. There she discovers love, confronts the pecking order and, in a touching quest for motherhood, fights to protect her eggs from a greedy owner. The short film “Cooped Up” follows a lonely rooster grieving the loss of his flock and caretakers on a deserted farm. Haunted by memories, he must confront his fears and rediscover his purpose before isolation consumes him.
This year’s lineup includes many films rooted in New Jersey. “VIENNA: Suddenly an Angel” explores the experiences of a Holmdel family coping with the loss of their 2-year-old daughter to Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC), which can happen to seemingly healthy children from 1 to 18 years old. In 2017, Vienna Savino fell asleep at home watching TV and never woke up. Her parents, both physicians, are advocating for research to find a cure for this medical mystery, which claimed more than 400 children in 2024.
“It’s a film about loss, love and resilience,” said Denise Wunderler, Vienna’s mother, who served as one of the film’s producers. “Our family has moved forward but has never moved on. My husband and I are both physicians and we never learned about this in medical school. The worst thing that can happen to a parent is to lose a child. It’s even worse when you don’t know the cause.”
The short film “Greetings from Seaside Heights” examines the complexities of seasonal tourism through the voices of locals and visitors. Tourists flood money into the town but at the same time leave behind frustrated residents.
Shot in New Jersey, the dark comedy “ ’Twas the Night” tells of a Christmas Eve when a mischievous monster springs to life from Santa Claus’ enchanted bag and escapes into a home. The monster indulges in cookies and his newfound freedom – until Santa spots him. A tense game of cat and mouse unfolds as the monster races to not only secure his freedom but to take down Santa Claus altogether.
“Backstory: The Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music” focuses on the unique facility scheduled to open next month on the Monmouth University campus. It will store over 40,000 items documenting Springsteen’s career and illustrate his place in American music. The center was the vision of two fans who thought to collect valuable artifacts and archive them all in one place. “Backstory” takes audiences behind the scenes as they turn this small idea into a museum and research center for future generations.
In addition to the films, audiences and industry professionals can participate in panels, networking opportunities, industry conversations and filmmaker Q&As. Opening night includes a red-carpet Industry Mixer where filmmakers, producers, actors, creatives and distributors can mingle while enjoying live jazz and cocktails. A digital film expo May 30 and 31 offers a hands-on showcase of cinema cameras, production technology, lighting, audio, post-production tools and creative exhibitors.
Sunday, May 31, offers workshops on screenwriting, directing and selling content to networks. The NY Film Academy will present a workshop on “The Art of the Story,” exploring the fundamentals of powerful storytelling across film and media and how to craft compelling narratives from idea to execution. “Your Shot at Hollywood East” is a live audition workshop presented by Axelrod Arts. Off-Broadway and indie film producer/director Thomas Ryan Ward leads this interactive workshop that provides live audition practice, personalized feedback and insights into what casting teams are really looking for. Attendees will learn how to make strong choices, handle direction and bring confidence to every audition.
“I’m thrilled to be part of the Monmouth Film Festival this year and share any insights I’ve gleaned from years of caffeine, chaos and callbacks,” Ward said. “If attendees leave feeling more confident, prepared and a little less intimidated by the audition process, then I’ve done my job.”
The weekend concludes with an awards ceremony honoring standout films and breakthrough performances, hosted by designer and general contractor Eric Eremita, best known for his role on the HGTV show “Love It or List It.”
Tickets start at $15 for short-film blocks, $150 for an all-access pass and various prices for day passes, workshops and events. Bell Works is located at 101 Crawfords Corner Road, Holmdel. For more information, visit monmouthfilm.org.
The article originally appeared in the May 21 – 27, 2026 print edition of The Two River Times.
