An encore: Thursdays at 10 p.m. on NJ PBS, starting January 13.Do you love independent films? Are you enjoying your entertainment at home these days? Have we got a new popcorn-worthy series for you! NJ PBS and Montclair Film have collaborated on Front Row Festival, featuring six nights of independent films.  Some of the hour-long episodes are full documentaries, others are collections of shorts. Many of the films feature New Jersey-based individuals (like Jesszilla, a short doc about a pre-teen girl with a passion for boxing),  local subjects (like the Cowtown Rodeo and the Pine Barrens) and settings (like Grind – about post-prison positivity in Newark). The Front Row Film Festival premiered in fall 2021 and begins its encore Thursdays at 10…

Less is more was the lesson learned by viewers at New Jersey Shorts 2 presented at the Montclair Film Festival on Saturday, May 9th. Although films ranged in length from only 6 -18 minutes, they were all thought provoking and had a long lasting impact on the viewer. These films had a dark edge, in some cases lightened by ironic humor and plot twists. The viewer was not merely told a story, but asked to interpret often ambiguous action. A mood was created and the audience was hooked, becoming emotionally involved. We thought we knew what was coming next, but weren’t always right about that. Justine is less than 7 minutes long, but manages to convey…