South Jersey filmmakers, from seasoned professionals to students, made their debut at the inaugural Salem County Film Festival in downtown Woodstown.
Salem County has joined other counties throughout the state in becoming certified through the Film Ready New Jersey Program in partnership with the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission.
On April 25, 2026, rain didn’t deter attendees from enjoying the Hollywood experience, as downtown Woodstown became an active hub for film enthusiasts and industry professionals. Attendees enjoyed menu items from food trucks, offerings from local vendors, and interactive fun at a red carpet photo booth in the parking lot across from The Blue Moon Theatre.
Salem County Economic Development Director Sean Sepsey reported that 360 films were submitted for the festival, but only 120 were selected for showcasing. He noted that approximately 200 attended, and the film screenings, along with the award ceremony at The Blue Moon Theatre, were packed to capacity. The awards were presented by Rachel Plagge, a Salem County resident and Mrs. New Jersey America 2025, alongside Ed Ramsay, a Salem County commissioner.
Attendees who could not enter the indoor venue watched the film screenings on a projector screen, seated at picnic tables beneath a large canopy tent in the parking lot.
After the film screenings and award ceremony, a discussion panel was held at Farmers and Bankers Brewing, which was also standing-room-only. Each panelist spoke about their careers and answered questions during the Q&A session. The panel was moderated by festival producers Dana Yangello and Tina Pezzotta.
During the discussion panel, Latika Sye, an SCC Sports Hall of Famer, comedian, and producer, explained how she found her unique calling in the entertainment industry. Sye, a Salem County native, moved to Los Angeles to chase her dreams. “When I first went to LA, I wasn’t doing anything comedy-related, even though I was the class clown in high school,” Sye said. “I was doing everything but comedy.”
She added, “I created my own web series. I wrote, produced, and acted in it as well. The very first comedic project I ever created was on the ballot to be considered for an Emmy nomination. That was me showing up as myself.”
Nice Guys Finish Last, Sye’s Emmy-nominated web series, marked the beginning of a prosperous career in comedy.
Additionally, Elizabeth Parchment, Team Lead of Marketing and Strategic Initiatives for the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission, shared her thoughts on participating in a program like the Film Ready New Jersey Program, given her background as a government official.
“A few years ago, I was asked by one of our cabinet members to start this program with the film commission, despite not having any experience in the film industry,” Parchment said. “I knew how to handle operations. I knew how to produce initiatives. That is a skill set you can use anywhere.”
Parchment’s experience working with legislators and senators made her an asset in assisting municipalities and administrators in gaining certification for their counties to become film-ready.
In addition to Sye and Parchment, panelists included Ramsay; Michael Licisyn, an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and producer; Mario Cerrito, an award-winning horror filmmaker; Maxwell Collins of Filmmaker Media Company; Eric Herbert, an SEO specialist and lead web mechanic; and Joe Ferrara, co-founder of Mind Set.
Sye was joined by Jataun Gilbert, industry editor and actor; Larry Campbell, award-winning filmmaker; Jamison Reeves, writer and director; and Glenn Rinnier, SCC representative filmmaker, in judging the 12 films showcased at the festival.
The full list of film festival nominees and winners is below.
Salem County Film Festival Nominees
Special Selection
- Salem County, March 18th by Elijah Rappaport
- Morning Songs of South Jersey by Money Island Road
Honorable Mention
- Envy by Hannah Martin
- The Two Voices by Frank Scuderi
Student Film Nominees
- Domino by Jacob Colon
- Paani by Akshita Vashisht
- Morbus Nervosa by Marlo Brown
- The Retrospective by A Dan and Jess Film
Independent Film Nominees
- Blue by Benjamin Horner
- The Day After by tbd llc production
- Cycles by Independent Content Studio
- Gallant Heart by Edwin Masker
- FlirtAIation by Gage Smith
Winners
- Gallant Heart by Edwin Masker — Best Editing
- Gallant Heart by Edwin Masker — Best Cinematography
- FlirtAIation by Gage Smith — Best Original Screenplay
- FlirtAIation by Gage Smith — Best Short Film
- Blue by Benjamin Horner — Best Director
- Anthony Mark Manicin in Blue — Best Actor
- The Retrospective by A Dan and Jess Film — Best Student Film
- Salem County, March 18 by Elijah Rappaport — Salem County Film Champion
- Morning Songs of South Jersey by Money Island Road — Salem County Spotlight
Original Article by Monique Howard: https://www.scoopnewsusa.com/independent-filmmakers-shine-at-salem-county-film-festivals-first-year/?fbclid=IwY2xjawST_6tleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeCPlMacG4sw106rj5oIiTSVm3Y3XEna5JQDehtwJN9KIcpqUcxT9V6wwj_w4_aem_sAVkmPmf3zkUNj7EXHn2fA#google_vignette