A still from “Bloodercream” showing at the 2025 Indie Street Film Festival presented by Basie Center Cinemas. (Photo by Brian Donohue. Click to enlarge.)
With the Indie Street Film Festival less than a month away, organizers last week announced a lineup of 70 short films and eleven features — a bounty of films for a fest that now, in its tenth year, can be officially crowned a Red Bank cultural mainstay.
The festival, presented by Basie Center Cinemas will run for a full seven days from August 18th through 24th, 2025.
“ISFF is committed to fostering a space where all stories, big or small, can be shared and appreciated, offering audiences the chance to experience fresh, authentic cinema,” the festival’s press release put out late last week reads.
It continues:
“With a variety of films that push boundaries and spark conversation, organizers promise this year’s festival promises to be the most exciting ISFF yet.
The Tenth Anniversary ISFF 2025 lineup brings nearly 70 innovative short films and eleven of the year’s most exciting independent feature films to screens throughout Red Bank, including features from ten festival alumni this season.
Following last year’s selection of Academy Award®-nominated shorts A Lien and Wander to Wander, ISFF has expanded its shorts programming to include titles from over 15 countries. This year’s lineup will be presented across three narrative programs, two documentary programs, two New Jersey spotlight programs, and one dedicated to animation
Artistic Director Allyson Morgan, who was the first hire of the festival in 2016 says, “I’m so proud to mark a decade of innovative programming and producing with Indie Street. Each year, our filmmakers challenge, inspire, and excite me, and I can’t wait to commemorate a decade with the community this August.”
ISFF 2025 will kick off at the Vogel Theater with the NJ Premiere of the acclaimed feature documentary Checkpoint Zoo, directed by award-winning filmmaker Joshua Zeman (The Loneliest Whale).
Zeman will be in attendance for a post screening Q&A.
The Feature Documentaries in competition include Kip Andersen and Chris O’Connell’s Join the Club, Gabrielle Blackwood and Charles Warburton’s Norman/Norman,David Borenstein and Pavel Talankin’s Mr. Nobody Against Putin, Mark Decena’s Farming While Black, and Mye Hoang’s 25 Cats From Qatar.
The slate of Narrative Feature films in-competition this year are all New Jersey Premieres. They include Heitor Dhalia’s The Ballad of A Hustler,Jacy Mairs’ Trash Baby, Tina Romero’s Queens of the Dead, T.J. Sandella’s Battersea, and Bernhard Wenger’s Peacock.
A still from “Battersea” making its NJ premier at the Indie Street Film Festival in August.
The winning films will be selected by a jury consisting of industry professionals, including David Kimple, CEO and Founder at Tiny Scripted, local artist and gallery owner Michael Mazzeo, Saidah Russell, Programmer for Sundance Film Festival and Rooftop Films, and ISFF Alumni Filmmakers Erin Fleming and Hasan Oswald.
The winning 2025 filmmakers will be honored during a ceremony open to passholders at TRIUMPH BREWING CO. on Sunday, August 24th at 4:30pm.
For a complete schedule of events and to purchase festival passes, please visit www.indiestreetfilmfestival.org.
ISFF offers 7 day All-Access passes for $129.00 that grant access to all films, discussions, parties, art events and complimentary food/beverages from participating sponsors. Individual Film Tickets are also now on sale for $14.95.
Festival sponsor Triumph Restaurant and Brewing Company will host a special toast to a decade of film, arts, and community in Red Bank with a first look at the festival, August 7. The preview party can be attended by making free entry reservation or suggested donation tickets are available that include food and a craft beer: https://indiestreet2025.eventive.org/schedule/686bdc76cec3d7ac9c98e099
The full feature film program for the 2025 Indie Street Film Festival is listed below:
OPENING NIGHT FILM: Checkpoint Zoo (United States)
Documentary Feature
Writer/Director: Joshua Zeman
Checkpoint Zoo documents a daring rescue, led by a heroic team of zookeepers and volunteers, who risked their lives to save thousands of animals trapped in a zoo behind enemy lines in the Russian Invasion of Ukraine.
After the Film: A conversation with the film team.
SPOTLIGHT DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: Join The Club (United States)
Directors: Kip Andersen, Chris O’Connell
Dennis Peron is San Francisco’s biggest pot dealer. But when the AIDS epidemic sweeps through his community, Peron realizes that marijuana is more than a good time—it’s medicine. In the wake of his lover’s death, Peron opens the Cannabis Buyers’ Club, a five-story dispensary complete with rainbow murals, drag shows, and doctors onsite. Following the life of Dennis Peron, Join the Club uncovers the queer history of marijuana legalization in America.
CLOSING NIGHT FILM: Queens of the Dead (United States)
Writer/Director: Tina Romero
Cast: Margaret Cho, Cheyenne Jackson, Katy O’Brian, Jaquel Spivey, Nina West
When a zombie apocalypse breaks out in Brooklyn on the night of a warehouse party, an eclectic group of drag queens, club kids, & frenemies must put aside their drama and use their unique skills to fight against the brain-thirsty, scrolling undead.
After the Film: A conversation with Tina Romero.
NARRATIVE FEATURES
The Ballad of the Hustler (United States)
Director: Heitor Dhalia
Writer: Bernardo Barreto
Upon his release from prison, Jonathan discovers his ex-fiancee has gone missing, leaving behind her 6-year-old son. The unlikely pair venture into the dangerous underworld of illegal immigration in a desperate attempt to find her.
Battersea (United States)
Directors: John Anthony, T.J. Sandella
Writers: Jad Adkins, T.J. Sandella
Siblings reconvene at their childhood home, where they spend a precarious weekend drinking and talking.
After the Film: A conversation with the film team.
Peacock (Austria, Germany)
Writer/Director: Bernhard Wenger
At MyCompanion, the cultured and confident Matthias is available – for a reasonable fee – to fill any social role you desire, from ‘the perfect son’ to the ‘enlightened boyfriend’, or even ‘pilot dad’ to impress your classmates at Bring Your Parent to School Day. But while Matthias is at the top of his professional game, his personal life begins to crumble as he detaches from his own identity and burrows deeper into his fictitious lives.
Trash Baby ((United States)
Writer/Director: Jacy Mairs
Trash Baby is a coming-of-age drama that follows 12-year-old Stevie as she navigates growing up, getting out, and the art of finding beauty in the ugliest of places.
DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
25 Cats From Qatar (United States)
Director: Mye Hoang
Multi-national rescuers in Qatar team up with a cat cafe owner from America to rescue 25 cats amidst a population crisis.
After the Film: A conversation with the film team.
Farming While Black (United States)
Director: Mark Decena
FARMING WHILE BLACK examines the historical plight of Black farmers in the United States and the rising generation reclaiming their rightful ownership to land and reconnecting with their ancestral roots.
After the Film: A conversation with the film team.
Mr. Nobody Against Putin (Czech Republic, Denmark)
Directors: David Borenstein, Pavel Talankin
As Russia launches its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, primary schools across Russia are transformed into recruitment stages for the war. Facing the ethical dilemma of working in a system defined by propaganda and violence, a brave teacher films what’s really happening in his own school.
Norman/Norman (United States, Jamaica)
Directors: Gabrielle Blackwood, Charles Warburton
After witnessing the brutal murder of his mother 30 years ago, Norman travels to Jamaica to piece together what happened and where he came from by confronting the murderer: his father.
After the Film: A conversation with the film team.
SHORTS PROGRAMS at ISFF 2025:
NARRATIVE SHORTS PROGRAM: THE STRUGGLE IS REAL
We’re all on our own journey. Some journeys are more painful than others.
An Almost Successful Dating App Love Story (United States) Written and directed by Winter Coleman).
I Could Dom (United States) Written and directed by Madison Hatfield.
Little Monsters (France) Written and directed by Pablo Leridon.
Scratch-Off (United States) Written and directed by Tara Sheffer.
Susana (Mexico) Written and directed by Gerardo Coello Escalante, Amandine Thomas.
The Sweater (Canada) Written and directed by Maziyar Khatam.
The Test (United Kingdom) Written by Charlie Dinkin. Directed by Benjamin Sutton.
NARRATIVE SHORTS PROGRAM: WE ARE FAMILY
Families come in all shapes and sizes — and emotional stability.
Esperance To Fremantle (Australia) Written and directed by William Sebastian Turner.
Favourites (Australia) Written by Nick Musgrove, Nick Russell. Directed by Nick Russell.
Geezers (United States) Written by Erik Potempa. Directed by James Kautz.
I Came With Earrings (United States)Written by Hahn Ponder, Jonathan Caren. Directed by Jonathan Caren.
Little Haiti, Miami, USA (United States) Written and directed by XF Serrano.
Punter (South Africa) Written and directed by Jason Adam Maselle.
SweetBriar (United States) Written and directed by Danny Rivera.
The Trap (Poland) Written and directed by Vitalii Havura.
Unholy (United States) Written and directed by Daisy Friedman.
SHORTS AFTER DARK
A collection of genre films that will make your spine tingle.
Alpaca (United States) Written by Sylvia Caminer, Matt Wilkins. Directed by Sylvia Caminer.
The Brides Curse (United States) Written and directed by Alex Kavutskiy and Jerzy Rose..
The Chain (United States) Written and directed by Tom Hipp.
Clarity (United States) Written and directed by Joseph Oliver Hooten.
Death Drive (Canada) Written and directed by Elli-Bella Wood.
Manny Woulfe (United States) Written by Sean Kennedy Moore, Trevor Neuhoff. Directed by Trevor Neuhoff.
Stomach Bug (United Kingdom) Written and directed by Matty Crawford.
NEW JERSEY SHORTS: FIGHTING BACK
All of these films have a connection to New Jersey — and to a fighting instinct!
Bitter/Jaded (United States) Written and directed by Tess McNulty.
Bloodercream (United States) Written and directed by Elise Valderrama.
Borderline Butterfly: A Summer of Immigration Advocacy in New Jersey (United States) Written and directed by Simon Sønderbo Nielsen.
Canker Sore (United States) Written and directed Max Pearlman.
A Clown Story (United States) Written by Audrey Rose Arnold, Albert Rudnitsky, Directed by Albert Rudnitsky.
Self Clean (United States) Written and directed by Jules Santamauro.
Watch Over Us (United States) Directed by Carlos Garcia de Dios.
NEW JERSEY SHORTS: LESSONS LEARNED
Another crop of home grown shorts, where our protagonists are forever changed.
Baby Fat (United States) Written and directed by Elliot Frances Flynn.
Don’t Be Late, Myra (Pakistan) Written and directed by Afia Serena Nathaniel.
Honk (United States) Written by Vivia Font. Directed by Francisco Zayas.
The Older They Get (United States) Written and directed by Jeanpaul Isaacs.
Storytime(United States) Directed by Katie Cline, Holly Lehren.
Twother(United States) Written and directed by Harrison Kraft.
Underlying (United States) Written and directed by Tim Noble.
DOCUMENTARY SHORTS: PROFILES
An in-depth look at some very special individuals.
Freeman Vines (United States) Directed by Tim Kirkman, Andre Robert Lee.
Gioncarlo Valentine: Exposures (United States) Directed by Zeshawn Ali.
Institution (United States) Directed by Jonathan Wysocki.
Murewa (United Kingdom) Directed by Ché Scott-Heron Newton.
Project Dad (Norway) Directed by Camilla Stefanie Jämting.
Shanti Rides Shotgun (United States) Directed by Charles Frank.
DOCUMENTARY SHORTS: A CLOSER LOOK
An examination of what lies beneath the surface.
Camp Widow (United States) Directed by Laura Green, Anna Moot-Levin.
First Frames (United States) Directed by Ilie Mitaru.
The Sacred Society (United States) Directed by Benny Zelkowicz.
A Vital Sun (United States) Directed by Alison Bartlett.
Welcome Home Freckles (United Kingdom) Directed by Huiju Park.
ANIMATED SHORTS
A variety of styles and stories — but for our adult audiences.
Adiós (United Kingdom) Written and Directed by José Prats.
Baggage (Australia, United Kingdom) Written and directed by Lucy Davidson.
Como Si La Tierra Se Las Hubiera Tragado (France) Written and directed by Natalia León.
Dragfox (United Kingdom) Written and Directed by Lisa Ott.
Enjoy Your Meal. (Germany) Written and directed by Sofie Kienzle and Christian Manzke.
Long Distance (Switzerland) Written and directed by Michael Frei.
My Wonderful Life (Singapore) Written and directed by Calleen Koh.
Retirement Plan (Ireland) Written and directed by John Kelly.
A Round of Applause for Death (United Kingdom) Written by Albert Irwin. Directed by: Stephen Irwin.
TV or the Disturbance on Forest Hill Road (Switzerland) Written and directed by Frederic Siegel.
Venus or Bust (United States) Written and directed by Connor Rea.
View from the Floor (United States) Written and directed by Megan Griffiths, Mindie Lind.
Wandering Horse (United States) Written and directed by Emily Ann Hoffman.
ABOUT INDIE STREET INSTITUTE:
INDIE STREET INSTITUTE is a non-profit organization formed to create interactive art & film experiences that challenge people to connect with and be inspired by new ways of thinking. The organization’s flagship event, THE INDIE STREET FILM FESTIVAL, brings the most talented storytellers from across the globe to the screens of Red Bank, NJ. Born from a cooperative of filmmakers, Indie Street Film Festival combines top-notch independent cinema with industry discussions, live art and music experiences, and social gatherings that look to spark important conversations within our diverse communities. For more details on festival events: indiestreetfilmfestival.org
redbankgreen editor Brian Donohue may be reached via email at [email protected] or by calling or texting 848-331-8331 or yelling his name loudly as he walks by. Do you value the news coverage provided by redbankgreen? Please become a financial supporter if you haven’t already. Click here to set your own level of monthly or annual contribution.
