2022 Winners

2022 Screenplay Winners

Please note that selection of any and all published winners is at the sole discretion of the Garden State Film Festival (“GSFF”) judging panel. The GSFF reserves the right to select or not select a “winner” or award for any particular category in a given year and are under no obligation to do so.  By participating in the GSFF, the participant acknowledges this disclaimer and waives his/her/their right to contest any decision by the judging panel to award or not award in a category.

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FEATURE WINNER:

SHELTER IN SOLITUDE

Written by Siobhan Fallon Hogan

Siobhan Fallon Hogan is a known as a comedy actor in Hollywood. The actress has been in several blockbusters over the years including “Men in Black”, “Forrest Gump”, “Holes”, “New in Town”, “Going in Style”, “Charlotte’s Web”, “Clifford the Big Red Dog, and “Funny Games”. Her televisions credits include SNL, Seinfeld, Billions, Wayward Pines, 30 Rock, Law & Order and many more. Recently she has added writer and producer to her long-acting resume. Siobhan and her husband Peter Hogan established Emerald Caz Productions in 2019. “Shelter In Solitude” now in production, stars Robert Patrick, Peter Macon, Peter Hogan, Dan Castellaneta and Siobhan Fallon Hogan. Fallon Hogan and Peter Hogan have been married for 29 years and have three talented children.

Synopsis: Shelter in Solitude is the story of a wannabe country singer, Val, and her unconventional relationship with Jackson Marcus. It is an American, faith-filled, country western, prison love story told during Covid times. This screenplay is a social commentary on the inhumane conditions of the American prison system. If one determined, uneducated woman can bring humanity to the system, why can’t the US government?

Short Screenplay Winner:

OVERDUE

Written by Penny Jackson and Melissa Skirboll

Penny Jackson is a playwright, screenwriter and novelist who lives in New York City. Jackson has written and produced too many award-winning short films and theater plays to mention. In addition, she her novel Becoming The Butlers, published by Bantam Books, was chosen as one of the best novels for young adults by The New York Public Library and was optioned for film by Warner Brothers.
 She is a proud member of New York Women In Film and Television, The Actor/Directors Unit of The Actors Studio, The Dramatists Guild, The League of Professional Theatre Women and The International Center of Women Playwrights. And now a winner at GSFF! Big congrats Penny!

Melissa Skirboll is an award-winning writer, director, producer and actor. OVERDUE is the third film she and co-writer Penny Jackson have collaborated on. They also co-wrote MY DINNER WITH SCHWARTZEY. 
 
The short films they have collaborated on (SCHWARTZEY and GREETINGS FROM SARAJEVO) have screened at close to 70 festivals worldwide, won 26 various awards and have been nominated for 45 others. Prior to their film collab, Skirboll directed a number of plays that Jackson penned including PHOENIX, BOWERY STREET BLUES, and LA CHILD AND OTHER STORIES.
 
She has a number of her own scripts at various stages of development including the feature SOMETHING BORROWED and shorts BLOOD IS THICKER and BE CAREFUL!
 
Synopsis: Maureen and Jason are both having a really bad night. When Jason stumbles into the bar Maureen is working at; they discover a shared past. reconnecting to each other and to the version of themselves the other recalls, they manage to throw each other a life line of hope and passion.

Movie Music Winners

MOVIE MUSIC COMPETITION PLAYLIST

 

Best Homegrown Pop Song

“I Need Your Love”

Composer: Paul Perrina

Performed by: Pat Guadagno

 

Best Song from Homegrown Short

“Start Again”

Composer: Griffin Berger

Performed by: Griffin Berger

 

Best Song from a Feature Film Drama

“Somewhere New”

Composer: Eddie Tadross

Performed by: Eddie Tadross

 

Best International Short Documentary Score

“The Last Minute”

Composers: Alfred Phakathi and James Bassingthwaite

Performed by: The Mzansi Youth Choir of Soweto, South Africa

 

Best Main Theme from a Feature Documentary

“The Red River Flood”

Composer: Brian Katona
Performed by: Brian Katona; Featuring Samantha Tomblin

 

Best Homegrown Country Song

“How Long”

Composer: Karen Phillips

Performed by:  Karen Phillips, Jeff Levine ,Gary Oleyar, Mike Mizwinski, Paul Avrutin, Joe Chirco

 

Best Orchestral Theme

“Ashley’s Theme”

Composer: Benjamin Krause
Performed by: Benjamin Krause

2022 ACTOR NOMINATIONS

BEST ACTOR IN A FEATURE

Jerry H. Sroka – Our almost completely true STORY

Ben Begley – Fourth Grade

Aaron Monaghan – Redemption of a Rogue

 

BEST ACTRESS IN A FEATURE

Miya Cech – Marvelous and the Black Hole

Mariette Hartley – Our almost completely true STORY

Mena Suvari – Fourth Grade

Aisling O’Mara – Redemption of a Rogue

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A FEATURE

Peter MacNicol – Our almost completely true STORY

William Baldwin – Fourth Grade

Kieran Roche – Redemption of a Rogue

Leonardo Nam – Marvelous and the Black Hole

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A FEATURE

Morgan Fairchild – Our almost completely true STORY

Teri Polo – Fourth Grade

Liz Fitzgibbon – Redemption of a Rogue

Rhea Pearlman – Marvelous and the Black Hole

 

BEST ENSEMBLE (FEATURE)

Redemption of a Rogue

Fourth Grade

Our almost completely true STORY

Marvelous and the Black Hole

  

BEST ACTOR IN A SHORT

Timothy Hornor – Bernard Checks In

Ian Morrison – Parrot 

Lucca De Oliveira – You’re Now Beyond Hope, Arizona

Xander Berkeley – The Little Drummer Boy

Robin Lord Taylor – Skeletons

Tosin Morohunfola – Ride

Brian Keane – Matthew

 

BEST ACTRESS IN A SHORT

Anna Camp – GraceLand

Lainie Ventura – En Suite

Bonnie McKee – April Kills the Vibe

Karlijn Koel – Game Über

Katie Vincent – HomeBound

Jameelah Nurridin – Aftermath

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A SHORT

Conner Marx – Bernard Checks In

Daniel Nguyen – April Kills the Vibe

Geordie Kieffer – You’re Now Beyond Hope, Arizona

Michael Graziadei – The Little Drummer Boy

Ezra Knight – Matthew

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A SHORT

Ashley Platz – Bernard Checks In

Elyse MIrto – You’re Now Beyond Hope, Arizona

Scarlett Lewis – Operation: Cavity

Louisa Erlich – Matthew

Eileen Davidson – Aftermath