The Brightside Tavern Shorts Fest Film Series

07/02/2025

Some of the selections went out. It has not been easy on here since Facebook took down Cj’s page after getting hacked but we will be sending information and updated emails very soon!

06/27/2025

One day left to get your films in!

https://filmfreeway.com/TheBrightsideTavernShortsFest

06/10/2025

We are into the home stretch for the Late Deadline for submissions, just a few weeks away! So get those short films, and scripts, in NOW!

We even have a 20% discount code going on now through when the portal closes at https://filmfreeway.com/TheBrightsideTavernShortsFest

Code is 20Bright

05/31/2025

Don’t forget! Regular deadline for submissions is today!
https://filmfreeway.com/TheBrightsideTavernShortsFest

05/28/2025

Summertime in Jersey City is coming!

Do you have a completed short film that is festival ready?

Get it in the Brightside Tavern’s Summer (early August) season NOW while there is still a litl time left to submit for the regular deadline (Saturday, May 31st, final late deadline is June 28th)
https://filmfreeway.com/TheBrightsideTavernShortsFest

Keep an eye on our Facebook, Instagram and website for all information about the upcoming season, past and future events

Also, I wanted to quickly shout out a sister fest that’s been growing lately, and you
should keep an eye on.
Round Reel Film Festival
https://www.facebook.com/RoundReelFilmFestival?mibextid=9R9pXO

04/08/2025

03/14/2025

Instagram decided for no apparent reason to suspend accounts and after giving back a main personal one it declined and deactivated Brightside for no reason so we start anew here

0 Followers, 5 Following, 2 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Brightside Shorts Film Fest ()

03/14/2025

https://filmfreeway.com/TheBrightsideTavernShortsFest Season 21, August 2025’s Entry Submissions Portal will be open before you know it! Keep your eyes on our FilmFreeway site!

03/14/2025

03/12/2025

Best Animation
Skate Fast Turn Left
Banana Tree
Mammouth: Chasing the Rainbow Runner Up
Berlin Winner

Best Micro Short
Thank You
The Mud Hole Winner
Find the Right One
Skate Fast Turn Left

Best Short Short
Spaced Invaders
Consequences
The Truth Between Us. Runner Up
Must Be Nice
The Monitor Winner
The Brother In Law

Best NJ Short
A Violet Breakup
The Monitor
The Unorthodox Mr. Haywood Runner Up
Consequences. Winner
Must Be Nice
Wake Up!

Best NJ Director
Tyrell Jason for A Violet Breakup. Winner
Sam Platizky for The Monitor
Ginny Pados for The Unorthodox Mr Haywood
Joey Mosca for Must Be Nice
Tony Carpinelli for Consequences
Christian Cordes and John Sabla for Wake Up!

Best Actress-NJ Short
Angie Hansen for A Rough Start Winner
Jo Gagliardo for Must Be Nice
Katie Walsh for Pierciing Gaze
Ger Glennon for Wake Up!
Susan Gillespie Corbett for Wake Up!
Sabrina Iacobellis for The Truth Between Us

Best Actor NJ
Dan Gregory for Must Be Nice Winner
Maxwell C Blackriver for The Unorthodox Mr. Haywood
Isaac Platizky for The Monitor
Adam Vaugh for It Still Burns
Joseph Hernandez for Consequences
Dan Gregory for The Truth Between Us

Best Film Long Short
The Cafone
Back Story. Runner Up
So To Speak Winner
The Woman in the Room
The Unorthodox Mr Haywood
Sing Me to Sleep

Best Director long Short
Tom Bentey for The Cafone
Seth Reuben Jacobson for Back Story
Celine Parreñas Shimizu for So To Speak
Danny Donnelly for The Woman in the Room. Winner
Mario Valdivieso for Sing Me To Sleep
Ginny Pados and Maxwell C. Blackriver for The Unorthodox Mr Haywood

Best Actor Long Short
Maxwell C. Blackriver for The Unorthodox Mr Haywood
James Ciccone for The Cafone Winner
Bill Sorvino for Back Story
Ryan Cason for Sing Me to Sleep
Eric Crist for The Woman in the Room
Luka Salib for So To Speak

Best Actress Long Short
Ariel Dizon Barish for So To Speak
Dina Aldabbagh for Sing Me to Sleep
Susan Moses for The Woman in the Room
Courtney Coffey for I Love Monroe
Alicia Giangrisostomi for Back Story Winner

Best Film-Medium short
The Concert
Blood is Thicker Winner
Method & Madness
A September to Remember
Cascades. Runner Up
Right To Privacy

Best Director medium short
Elizabeth Bourgeois for The Concert
Melissa Skirboll For Blood is Thicker
Anna Russell For Method & Madness Winner
Sam Gollestani for A September to Remember
Brian Russell for Cascades
Julie Herlocker for Right to Privacy

Best Actor Medium Short
Michael Fedele for The Mansion. Winner
Ariya Gharamani for A September to Remember
Jeff Clark Jr for Career Day
Mark Romeo for Cascades
Mark Montalbano for The Rooftop

Best Actress Medium Short
Mai Benezra for Izzy
Jeanine Bartel for Blood is Thicker
Julia Maggiola for Method & Madness
Nancy Nagrant for Right to Privacy Winner
Viridiana Camacho for Always With You
Delissa Reynolds for Cascades

Best Comedy
The Cafone. Runner Up
Wake Up!
Career Day Winner
A Rough Start
Piercing Gaze
Oh Daddio!

Best Director- Comedy
Tom Bentey for The Cafone Winner
John Vincent Sabia, Christian Attrel Cordes for Wake Up!
John M Kerner for Career Day
Manny Serrano for A Rough Start
Joel Kaplan for Oh Daddio!
Alex Walpole for Piercing Gaze

Best Horror/Thriller
A Rough Start. Runner Up
It Still Burns Winner
Consequences
The Monitor
Coin Flip
A Violet Breakup

Best Horror/Thriller-Director
Manny Serrano for A Rough Start. Winner
Ryan C. Scott for IIt Still Burns
Sam Platizky for The Monitor
P. J. Shager for Coin Flip
Tony Carpinellifor Consequences
Tyrell Jason for a Violet Breakup

Best Ensemble
The Unorthodox Mr. Haywood
The Cafone
So To Speak
Career Day. Runner Up
Right To Privacy. Winner
Method & Madness
The Concert

Best Concept
Copy Cataclysm
I Love Monroe
The Rooftop
A September to Remember
Spaced Invaders Runner Up
Good Buddies
The Mansion
Wake Up! Winner

Rising Star Award
Mai Benezra

Best Documentary
The Greatest Giy You Never Met