Film
Emerging Filmmakers Competition 2023
Congratulations to all of our 2023 Emerging Filmmaker Competition winners!
2023 EFC Grand Prize Winner
What’s So Funny?
Jose Santos
Donald M. Payne Sr. School of TechnologyDrama
Grand Prize
Dream Girl
Katie Pak, Sydney Chang
West Essex High School
Special Jury Prize
Between
Gabby DeRugeriis, Isabella Campion, Kate Cashion, Grace Wilson Kirsten Prefer, Nick Kouvaras
Middletown High School SouthComedy
Grand Prize
First Date
Michael DeMar, Caroline Sheridan, Derek Wiener
Park Ridge High School
Special Jury Prize
The Jerry Condition
Harrison Hahne-Lum, Declan Duggan
Newmark Education High School
Special Jury Prize
I Don’t Get It
Rhiannon Rueda
Bergen County Technical High SchoolSocial Impact
Grand Prize
Uncertain
Dylan Graham Baddeley
Montclair High School
Special Jury Prize
Behind The Silence
Brianna Pares
Passaic County Tech
Special Jury Prize
Anxiety
Kristina Ashleigh Decker
Scotch Plains-Fanwood High SchoolAnimation
Grand Prize
Uncertain
Dylan Graham Baddeley
Montclair High School
Special Jury Prize
Wild Animals
Steven Minaya
Perth Amboy High SchoolHorror
Grand Prize
The Perfect Muse
Dezire Hayward, Sarah Monteiro
Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology
Special Jury Prize
Throughout the Mirrors
Luisa Santos, Brianna Barnett
Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology
Special Jury Prize
Sugar Rush
Jay Fielding, Chloe Davis, Mary Rafferty, Kira Johnson
Middletown High School SouthExperimental
Grand Prize
Panic
Maura Collins, Mia Dimitry, Joe DeMarco, Sean O’Grady
Middletown High School South
Special Jury Prize
In the Midnight Rain
Ainsley Holden Fitz
Warren Hills Regional High SchoolRomance
Grand Prize
Love Bites
Maura Collins, Joe Costa, Stephen Sassano, Darla Matches, Ava Romano
Middletown High School SouthProduction Design
Special Jury Prize
Opening Night
Genevieve Cai, Leah Waessa, Willow Killebrew
Howell High School + Livingston High SchoolCinematography
Special Jury Prize
Tunnel Lights
Nicholas Giordano
Pascack Valley High School