(RED BANK – APRIL 8) The Count Basie Center’s Breakthrough Filmmaker Fest was held on March 22, with more than 20 official selections being screened and dozens of students from across the state participating in industry networking opportunities, an expert Q&A and workshops designed to give emerging filmmakers an idea of the creative and business landscapes before them.

Filmmakers between the ages of 11 and 25 can submit work and participate in Breakthrough if they’re either residing in New Jersey, or living in New Jersey while attending college out of state. This year’s Breakthrough Fest, sponsored by Netflix, Sony Entertainment and Sony Pictures Classics, received nearly 60 entries, making 2025 one of its biggest years yet. Forty total titles were chosen as official selections, with nominees and winners revealed in the following categories:

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
HIGH SCHOOL

You’re Gonna Pay For That
PARK RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL

The Start
COMMUNICATIONS HIGH SCHOOL

WINNER – The Making of ‘The Better Man’
HOWELL HIGH SCHOOL

Unsealed
DONALD M. PAYNE SR. SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY

Into the Spotlight
DONALD M. PAYNE SR. SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY

HONORABLE MENTIONS
ALCROFT ENTERPRISES • MONTCLAIR HIGH SCHOOL

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
EMERGING FILMMAKER

American Ghosts
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY

Followers
SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS

WINNER – Loverboy
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY

Good Enough
SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS

Rotting Unseen
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY

BEST EDITING
HIGH SCHOOL

WINNER – Kimberly Higgs
The Weight of Goodbye
DONALD M. PAYNE SR. SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY

Marlee Marte
Círculo
EAST BRUNSWICK MAGNET SCHOOL- SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

Josias Ortiz
Depraved
EAST BRUNSWICK MAGNET SCHOOL- SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

Michael DeMar
You’re Gonna Pay For That
PARK RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL

HONORABLE MENTIONS
RAY VIOLETT • THE MAKING OF ‘THE BETTER MAN’ • HOWELL HIGH SCHOOL
ANDI ARROYO, MINA BIXBY AND KAYLA FARINE • ARRIVED • CAPE MAY TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL

BEST EDITING
EMERGING FILMMAKER

Ashley Morales
Niña Linda
RIDER UNIVERSITY

WINNER – Justin Marinelli
TAKEOUT
SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS

Sophia Consalvo
Terms of Reference
SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS

Jacob Kelly
Rotting Unseen
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY

Colin Christopher Hankenson
Loverboy
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY

HONORABLE MENTIONS
RYAN BEMBEN • INSPIRATION • HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY
JUSTIN MARINELLI • FUNNY SEEING YOU HERE • SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS

BEST SOUND
HIGH SCHOOL

Josias Ortiz
The Wiccan
EAST BRUNSWICK MAGNET SCHOOL- SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

Belle Nichols and Sophie Burden
Eat It
HOLMDEL HIGH SCHOOL

WINNER – Michael DeMar and Caroline Sheridan
You’re Gonna Pay For That
PARK RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL

Michael Puma and Ethan Castro
Solitary
MIDDLETOWN HIGH SCHOOL SOUTH

Trenton Konopack
The Making of ‘The Better Man’
HOWELL HIGH SCHOOL

HONORABLE MENTIONS
JOSIAS ORTIZ • DEPRAVED • EAST BRUNSWICK MAGNET SCHOOL – SCHOOL OF THE ARTS
KIMBERLY HIGGS • THE WEIGHT OF GOODBYE • DONALD M. PAYNE SR. SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY•
CAROLINE SHERIDAN • VAMPIRE • PARK RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL

Photo gallery: 2025 Count Basie Center Breakthrough Filmmaker Fest

BEST SOUND
EMERGING FILMMAKER

WINNER – Clara Montgomery and Justin Marinelli
Funny Seeing You Here
SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS

Justin Marinelli
TAKEOUT
SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS

Xander Paradise and Marcus Moore
Rotting Unseen
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY

Emily Irizarry-Rosario
Loverboy
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY

Kevin Fann, Emily Hu and
Christian DeKnatel
Good Enough
SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS

HONORABLE MENTIONS
SOPHIA CONSALVO • FOLLOWERS • SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS
RYAN BEMBEN • INSPIRATION • HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY
SOPHIA CONSALVO • TERMS OF REFERENCE • SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
HIGH SCHOOL

WINNER – Marlee Marte
Círculo
EAST BRUNSWICK MAGNET SCHOOL- SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

Jayden De Jesus
The Wiccan
EAST BRUNSWICK MAGNET SCHOOL- SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

Andre Paras
Just Like Heaven
HOWELL HIGH SCHOOL

Michael Puma and Ethan Castro
Solitary
MIDDLETOWN HIGH SCHOOL SOUTH

Desiree Osborne
Into the Spotlight
DONALD M. PAYNE SR. SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY

HONORABLE MENTIONS
RYAN MATTEO AND MAX O’REILLY • A VERY HALLMARK CHRISTMAS • COMMUNICATIONS HIGH SCHOOL
JULIANNE CHEN • PIGGY BANK • FORT LEE HIGH SCHOOL

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
EMERGING FILMMAKER

Ryan Bemben
Inspiration
HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY

WINNER – Oscar Vazquez
Loverboy
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY

Hayden Klein
Good Enough
SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS

Vinny Albano
Funny Seeing You Here
SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS

Keith Kasper
Rotting Unseen
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY

HONORABLE MENTIONS
SOPHIA CONSALVO • FOLLOWERS • SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS
VAUGHN BATTISTA • AMERICAN GHOSTS • RUTGERS UNIVERSITY
TERMS OF REFERENCE • SOPHIA CONSALVO • SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS

BEST WRITING
HIGH SCHOOL

WINNER – Caroline Sheridan
Vampire
PARK RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL

Charlotte Mathias and Juliana Harary
The Start
COMMUNICATIONS HIGH SCHOOL

Josias Ortiz
Depraved
EAST BRUNSWICK MAGNET SCHOOL- SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

Erika Ordonez
UNSEALED
DONALD M. PAYNE SR. SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY

Ryan Matteo and Max O’Reilly
A Very Hallmark Christmas
COMMUNICATIONS HIGH SCHOOL

HONORABLE MENTIONS
RAY VIOLETT • THE MAKING OF ‘THE BETTER MAN’ • HOWELL HIGH SCHOOL
ASHLEY RINGEL • TILL DEATH DO US PART • HILLSBOROUGH HIGH SCHOOL

Photo gallery: 2025 Count Basie Center Breakthrough Filmmaker Fest

BEST WRITING
EMERGING FILMMAKER

Justin Marinelli
Funny Seeing You Here
SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS

Sophia Consalvo
Followers
SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS

Colin Christopher Hankenson
Loverboy
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY

WINNER – Chrissy Nicks and Jacob Kelly
Rotting Unseen
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY

Sabrina Zoe Geffner
Good Enough
SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS

HONORABLE MENTIONS
SELMA MEHMEDAGIC • RUBBER DUCKING • SYNDICATE FILM SCHOOL / BROOKDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

BEST PERFORMANCE
HIGH SCHOOL

Lin Pyae Hein
Piggy Bank
FORT LEE HIGH SCHOOL

Juliana Harary
The Start
COMMUNICATIONS HIGH SCHOOL

Tamir Sears
The Weight of Goodbye
DONALD M. PAYNE SR. SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY

WINNER – Josias Ortiz
Depraved
EAST BRUNSWICK MAGNET SCHOOL- SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

Grace Larson
Vampire
PARK RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL

BEST PERFORMANCE
EMERGING FILMMAKER

Meredith Jones
American Ghosts

WINNER – Jack Tomlinson
Good Enough

Sean Maher
Funny Seeing You Here

Brendan O’Dwyer
Loverboy

Chrissy Nicks
Rotting Unseen

BEST DOCUMENTARY
HIGH SCHOOL

WINNER – Midnight Madness
Directed by Bea Wernerbach
MIDDLETOWN HIGH SCHOOL SOUTH

The Iron Ladle
Directed by Benjamin Cohen
EAST BRUNSWICK MAGNET SCHOOL- SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

CISNEROS
Directed by Traysten L. Korpi
EAST BRUNSWICK MAGNET SCHOOL- SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

Drum Drum Drum
Sophie Burden
COMMUNICATIONS HIGH SCHOOL

BEST DOCUMENTARY
EMERGING FILMMAKER

From The Ashes: A veteran’s journey
Dario A Vergara and Shane Hecksel
SAVANNAH COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN

WINNER – The Fall Guy’s Fight
George Parker
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY

BEST ANIMATED FILM
HIGH SCHOOL

WINNER – Ethan Castro and Mike Puma
Elder’s Crossing
MIDDLETOWN HIGH SCHOOL SOUTH

Ethan Castro and Mike Puma
You’re Gonna Win Some Money!
MIDDLETOWN HIGH SCHOOL SOUTH

James Ketley, Alex Miller
Grief
MIDDLETOWN HIGH SCHOOL SOUTH

BEST ANIMATED FILM
EMERGING FILMMAKER

WINNER – Kurt Fleischer
FRANK
RINGLING COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN

Shannon Miller
Breaking Pointe

Photo gallery: 2025 Count Basie Center Breakthrough Filmmaker Fest

JUDGES SELECTION
HIGH SCHOOL

Eat It
Sophie Burden
HOLMDEL HIGH SCHOOL

JUDGES SELECTION
EMERGING FILMMAKER

Followers
Sophia Consalvo
SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS

SPOTLIGHT AWARD

HIGH SCHOOL
Middletown High School South

BEST DIRECTOR
HIGH SCHOOL

Erika Ordonez
UNSEALED
DONALD M. PAYNE SR. SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY

Charlotte Mathias and Juliana Harary
The Start
COMMUNICATIONS HIGH SCHOOL

Michael DeMar and Caroline Sheridan
You’re Gonna Pay For That
PARK RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL

WINNER – Ryan Matteo and Max O’Reilly
A Very Hallmark Christmas
COMMUNICATIONS HIGH SCHOOL

Marlee Marte
Círculo
EAST BRUNSWICK MAGNET SCHOOL- SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

HONORABLE MENTIONS
CAROLINE SHERIDAN • VAMPIRE • PARK RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL

BEST DIRECTOR
EMERGING FILMMAKER

WINNER – Sabrina Zoe Geffner
Good Enough
SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS

Colin Christopher Hankenson
Loverboy
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY

Jacob Kelly
Rotting Unseen
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY

Sophia Consalvo
Followers
SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS

HONORABLE MENTIONS
VAUGHN BATTISTA • AMERICAN GHOSTS • RUTGERS UNIVERSITY
LANCE ALBERT DRAKE • RUBBER DUCKING • SYNDICATE FILM SCHOOL / BROOKDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

BEST FILM
HIGH SCHOOL

WINNER – Marlee Marte
Círculo
EAST BRUNSWICK MAGNET SCHOOL- SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

Charlotte Mathias and Juliana Harary
The Start
COMMUNICATIONS HIGH SCHOOL

Kimberly Higgs
The Weight of Goodbye
DONALD M. PAYNE SR. SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY

Josias Ortiz
Depraved
EAST BRUNSWICK MAGNET SCHOOL- SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

Michael DeMar and Caroline Sheridan
You’re Gonna Pay For That
PARK RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL

HONORABLE MENTIONS
THE WICCAN • DIRECTED BY JAYDEN DE JESUS • EAST BRUNSWICK MAGNET SCHOOL
UNSEALED • DIRECTED BY ERIKA ORDONEZ • DONALD M. PAYNE SR. SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY
CAROLINE SHERIDAN • VAMPIRE • PARK RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL

Photo gallery: 2025 Count Basie Center Breakthrough Filmmaker Fest

BEST FILM
EMERGING FILMMAKER

Sophia Consalvo
Followers
SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS

WINNER – Colin Christopher Hankenson
Loverboy
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY

Justin Marinelli
Funny Seeing You Here
SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS

Jacob Kelly
Rotting Unseen
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY

Sabrina Zoe Geffner
Good Enough
SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS

HONORABLE MENTIONS
LANCE ALBERT DRAKE • RUBBER DUCKING • SYNDICATE FILM SCHOOL / BROOKDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
JUSTIN MARINELLI • TAKEOUT • SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS
SOPHIA CONSALVO • TERMS OF REFERENCE • SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS