{"id":2670,"date":"2019-01-20T20:09:21","date_gmt":"2019-01-21T01:09:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/demosite.gsff.org\/?page_id=2670"},"modified":"2024-02-11T07:18:20","modified_gmt":"2024-02-11T12:18:20","slug":"honorees","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.gsff.org\/honorees\/","title":{"rendered":"2024 Honorees"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
Janice Kovach first was elected Mayor of Clinton, NJ in November of 2011. She was sworn in for her fourth term in January 2024, and remains a strong vocal advocate for her residents and residents of other NJ communities.\u00a0 In 2021 she served as the President of the NJ League of Municipalities representing all 565 cities, towns, and villages.<\/p>
From 2006 to September 2010 Janice was Director of the New Jersey Division on Women. Janice believes women will be underrepresented in business and government until women become part of the decision-making process. She happily mentors women who want to run for office.<\/p>
In 2017, she and her business partner established the River Town Film Festival, (RTFF) a non-profit in Hunterdon County that explores the theme of community through independent films. She has also worked with the Hunterdon County Economic Development to establish the Hunterdon County Film Commission, which she chairs.\u00a0<\/p>
In 2019, Janice was appointed by Governor Murphy and received Senate confirmation as a member of the NJ Motion Picture and Television Commission where she assists productions navigating local NJ government.<\/p>
Janice has served on various boards and advisory committees such as: Girl Scouts, Heart of NJ and the Women\u2019s Heart Foundation, the United Way Women\u2019s Leadership Council, the Planned Parenthood Action Fund of NJ, and the Global Advisory Board for Honor Diaries as well as being an executive board member and chair of the Education & Training Committee of the NJ Women\u2019s Political Caucus.\u00a0 She has also served in leadership roles with NatWest Bank and Prudential.<\/p>
She, her husband Stephen, their two boys Zachary and Hunter and her Portuguese Water Dogs Sadie and Reign, live in Clinton while her daughter Taylor, son-in-law Joseph and grandson Bastian live in Colorado.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Ron Vidor\u2019s envious career in cinematography spans five decades and twenty-seven westerns, setting him apart as a landmark artist, still active in his craft. Ron says, “I will never give up that ride until dying in the saddle.”<\/p>
His numerous movie credits include Rocky III, Stand by Me, Lethal Weapon, Romancing the Stone, Boogie Nights, Revenge of The Nerds, Fast Times At Ridgemont High, Grease II, The Sting II, Mean Streets, Carrie, Jaws, Pretty Woman, Hello Dolly, Funny Girl among others.\u00a0 His television career includes gems such as The Waltons, Charlies Angels, Star Trek-(The original 1966 series) Hitchcock Presents, ER, Dallas, The Green Hornet, Batman, and The Lucy Show to name a few.\u00a0Check for a great deal more on\u00a0Ron\u2019s IMDB listing<\/a>.<\/p> Ron was the only cinematographer to become a union member of all three camera union jurisdictions in the U.S. at the same time and has worked in all genres of camera including features, TV, commercials, music videos, documentaries, news, specials, reality shows, and Multi Camera Sitcom. He has worked with over 101 different types of cameras from film 16mm to 65mm to video AND digital.\u00a0Ron is noted to have specialized in all cinematography related specialty venues.<\/p> Throughout his storied career, Ron has worked with many notables including five different Steven Spielberg projects, and with numerous directors including Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Brian De Palma, John Huston, Robert Zemeckis, Rob Reiner, Mel Gibson, Mel Brooks, and many more.\u00a0<\/p> Ron was one of the first four Steadicam Operators in Hollywood. He helped design the first Panaflex Camera at the request of the original head owner of Panavision. His honors include cinematography nominations and awards including Academy, Oscar, Emmy, ASC, and TV Commercial and Documentary Awards. In 2018 Ron was awarded the rare “Honorary Lifetime Member- Gold Card” of the I.A.T.S.E and International Cinematographers Guild. We are honored to add Lifetime Achievement Award for Cinematography from The Garden State Film Festival to that prestigious list!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Golden Globe winning actor Ron Perlman can currently\u00a0be heard in\u00a0the Academy Award nominated film PINOCCHIO directed by Guillermo del Toro and seen in POKER FACE for Peacock.\u00a0 Prior to that, he was in NIGHTMARE ALLEY opposite Bradley Cooper & Cate Blanchett and Adam McKay\u2019s DON\u2019T LOOK UP opposite Leonardo DiCaprio & Jennifer Lawrence.<\/p> Next, he is set to star in the latest iteration of the Transformers franchise TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS for Paramount and the reboot of MR. AND MRS. SMITH for Amazon studios.<\/p> Prior to this, Ron can be seen in Paul WS Anderson\u2019s MONSTER HUTER for Screen Gems as well as the incredibly popular film FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM for Heydey and Warner Bros, written by JK Rowling, and based in the Harry Potter world. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p> Ron is a classically trained actor whose career spans over 30 years, having worked with George RR Martin on BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and Nicolas Winding Refn in the hit film, DRIVE, opposite Ryan Gosling, Oscar Isaac, Christina Hendricks, and Michelle Williams. Ron was famously the lead of Guillermo del Toro\u2019s hit HELLBOY franchise for Columbia Pictures and also starred in Guillermo\u2019s highly-successful film PACIFIC RIM for Warner Bros, which grossed over $400mm worldwide. In addition to his studio film success, Ron has also starred in acclaimed independent features including STONEWALL for Roland Emmerich, a Jon Robin Baitz scripted pic about the 1969 police raid at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village that became the flashpoint for gay rights.<\/p> On the TV front, Ron has worked on many successful projects, including the hit BBC One spy thriller, THE CAPTURE, and Kurt Sutter\u2019s hit show for FX, SONS OF ANARCHY, which ran for 7 seasons. Ron was also a series regular on Sony Crackle\u2019s STARTUP opposite Adam Brody and Martin Freeman. His performances always bring a fresh and unique take on his role and his passion for film is why he continues to be one of the most sought-after actors in the business. Ron has an incredible ability to transition from playing a superhero to common man, allowing audiences to not only enjoy his performances but immerse themselves in his films.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Photographs are the universal language of our era.\u00a0 Mastering a tool that calls our attention to the things we miss in our everyday lives and our attention to events and people at a great distance from our own section of the universe.\u00a0 Photographers are dedicated, passionate individuals who bring a vision we would otherwise not see.<\/p> The work of Donald B. Kravitz, has been showcased around the world in publications including Rolling Stone Magazine, USA Today, NY Post, NY Daily News as well as billboards and on buses and hundreds of additional magazines and newspapers. Among Don\u2019s collection includes celebrities such as Mary J. Blige, Sting, Foreigner, Usher, Pitbull, Slash, Aerosmith, Rod Stewart, Billy Idol, Heart, Jason Aldean, and many others.<\/p> After completing service as a Green Beret, Don became a professional performance and special event photographer. He began photographing Miss America in 1994, a project he still photographs. He has been a photographer for Getty Images Entertainment since 2003 and the South Jersey native proudly photographed the Philadelphia Phillies from 2008, through their World Series winning 2012 season. He is a popular photographer of the Atlantic City Casino industry as well.<\/p> Over the years, Don has volunteered his services to non-profits such as The New Jersey Special Olympics, The Sunshine Foundation and the Heart Of Surfing where he is a Board Member, the Children’s Miracle Network and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.<\/p> Don and his wife Carol have been married for 36 years. Both Don and Carol have been great supporters of the Garden State Film Festival over these many years and it is our great pleasure to honor Don.<\/p> See some of Don\u2019s work here<\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Singer, songwriter, music producer, actor, film director– Kenny Vance\u2019s multi-faceted career started when he was a teenager in the 1950s, as an original founding member of the iconic rock group Jay and the Americans. The group released fifteen albums, with many singles hitting the top 10. They also opened for the Beatles at their first American show at the Washington Coliseum, as well as the Rolling Stones, at Carnegie Hall, in their first American tour. Kenny\u2019s work spans music supervision of films, solo album projects and TV, where he was Music Supervisor for Saturday Night Live and brought legendary talent including James Brown, Aretha Franklin and Prince onto the show. His music supervision in film includes, among others, Animal House, Hairspray, the breakthrough film, The Warriors, credited as the first rock & roll full-length feature soundtrack, as well as Eddie & the Cruisers, a New Jersey classic. His collaboration with the young Walter Becker and Donald Fagen is considered foundational to their emergence as the group Steely Dan.<\/p> Kenny\u2019s recordings and live performances with his group, Kenny Vance and The Planotones, express the heart\u00a0 and soul of Doo-Wop, and\u00a0 Heart & Soul: a Love Story, his debut as a film director, continues his mission to illuminate the makers and the magic of the midcentury bedrock of rock & roll.<\/p> Don\u2019t miss Kenny Vance\u2019s film, \u201cHeart & Soul: a Love Story\u201d, about the legendary artists and impact of mid-century Doo-Wop music screening on Saturday at Asbury Lanes! Congratulations Kenny! You are certainly the Spirt of New Jersey!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Carla Raij was born in Minneapolis to Argentinian immigrant parents, the youngest of three daughters. She began her film career in 1994 in New York as bilingual office assistant on the film I Like It Like That<\/em>, shooting in the Bronx. From this experience she built a long and successful career as a sought after East Coast based DGA Location Manager, on multiple productions such as the Academy Award\u00ae winning film The Departed, Kate & Leopold & The Day After Tomorrow<\/em>, among others. After the birth of her first son, she returned to work as a Director\u2019s Guild Unit Production Manager. After her first production management job working for Martin Scorsese on Shine a Light<\/em>, her UPM career took off as she continued working on films such as The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Tower Heist, Fast and the Furious 8<\/em> and the Academy Award\u00ae nominated films Bridge of Spies and The Post<\/em> from the mind of Steven Spielberg.\u00a0 In addition, she added to her resume yet another film for Martin Scorsese, The Irishman and the amazing reimagined story of The Joker<\/em> by Todd Phillips. However, it is her work on West Side Story<\/em>, for Amblin Entertainment, 20th Century Fox and Disney that she currently the most proud of as Latinx Woman in the film industry.<\/p> She recently wrapped production with Steven Spielberg again, on The Fabelman\u2019s<\/em> for Amblin Entertainment.\u00a0 She is married to fellow filmmaker Stuart Dryburgh, and together they have two sons, Joaquin and Mateo, and live happily in Brooklyn.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Sophia Lucia Parola is a first-generation Liberian and Argentinean, born and raised in New Jersey. She is an actress, writer, model, professional host, and reiki practitioner. Since she was five, Sophia knew wanted to be a performer. But with no idea how to begin, and no other performers in the family, she grew up thinking it was just a dream and majored in Mathematics following high school. After taking her first acting class at Brookdale Performing Arts Center, (and tutoring a kid in math who ended up doing worse), she and inner child fell in love again and she never stopped acting since.<\/p> Sophia graduated from Brookdale Community College with an A.A in Journalism, and Monmouth University with a B.A in Radio and Television Communications. During her studies, she trained as an actor and performed in plays, local films, and as a host for Brookdale TV. She also won a contest to be the next MTVU Video Jockey in 2017. Following college, she studied acting privately, at Stella Adler Studio of Acting, Kimball Studio, the Neighborhood Playhouse, and many more. She strongly believes in continuous learning and always adding to her craft and skillset as an artist.<\/p> \u00a0<\/p> You can see Sophia in\u00a0Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire<\/em>,\u00a0FBI: Most Wanted<\/em>, and in Hed PE’s music video, “Waiting.” She has numerous indie film credits including, “Marijuana Minutes” which you can watch on Amazon, and “Last Known Location” that will premiere at the 22nd annual Garden State Film Festival. She has also performed at NJ Repertory Theater, Hip to Hip Theater, Brookdale Performing Arts Center, and others. Check out her IMDB for further and future credits, or her website,\u00a0www.sophiaparola.com<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\tIndependent Spirit Award<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
Ron Perlman<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
lifetime achievement FOR PHOTOGRAPHY<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
Donald B. Kravitz<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
SPIRIT OF NEW JERSEY<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
Kenny Vance<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Exceptional Women in Film<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
CARLA RAIJ\u2028, \nCO-PRODUCER \/ UPM<\/a><\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
MVP<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
THOMAS F. ZAPCIC\u200b<\/a><\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Rising Star Award<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
SOPHIA LUCIA PAROLA<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t