Film Festival

ShortFilmFestr2023

Come share a curated cinematic art experience celebrating independent films and filmmaking.


Forty films were showcased over two evenings on April 28th and 29th, 2023 featuring a special red-carpet reception with the premiere screening of “The Scandal at Smithville,” filmed in our own Burlington County Historic Smithville Mansion and Park.


Limited by their runtime but not by their creativity, short films transcend traditional storytelling.

This selection of captivating, powerful, and unexpected stories, all under thirty minutes and some under two minutes, inspire, entertain, and foster conversation.    From documentary to animation, narrative to experimental, this abbreviated form is a great way for filmmakers to connect with their audiences.


Over 1000 films from 70 countries were entered into the film festival, and the top films were selected by our film festival jury. From this selection, a program of over 4 hours of entertaining short films, emotional documentaries to off-beat comedies were selected for screening.


In addition, the highest-scoring films were awarded in various categories, including Best Animation, Best Experimental, Best Documentary, Best Narrative, Best Music Video, and Best Parks Film.

The Scandal at Smithville

Best Narrative & Runner-Up

Best Documentary & Runner-Up

Best Animation & Runner-Up

Best Music Video & Runner-Up

Best Experimental & Runner-Up

Best Parks Film

Judges Choice

Jeff Stewart is a true child of the 80’s, raised just as much by television and movies as he was by his parents. Given his first camera when he was two years old, Jeff has not been seen without one since. His love of photography and what some may say as a gift of storytelling propelled him to attend New York University and Temple University to pursue degrees in filmmaking and creative writing. In his travels Jeff has been a published writer, award winning filmmaker, internationally renowned photographer, radio show host and Instagram influencer. Some of Jeff’s collaborations include Amazon, BET, Ebony Magazine, Drafthouse Films, Pepsi, The Associated Press, Coca-Cola, Netflix and YouTube. 

Currently you can listen to Jeff weekly on his Apple Podcast top 100 film review show “The Film Blerds” Instagram / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / IMDB

 Dr. Brooke Mailhiot , a three-time Drexel Dragon Alumnus, holds a doctorate in Higher Education Leadership, specializing in E-Learning Technologies; an MS in Creativity and Innovation; and a BS in Film & Video Production with a minor in Judaic Studies. Technology, innovation, and cultural diversity are at the center of her philosophies on education and the future.  

She is the creator and host of The Baroness monthly podcast on RCBC’s POD channel, where she interviews successful women who are making a difference in the Burlington County community.

Tony Goggles – Tony runs a production house in Trenton called DIWhyFilms where he makes movies, commercials, music videos and shorts.  His films can be seen at New Jersey’s Horror Con as well as all over the web.  He is the curator of a 24-hour film festival that is part of Trenton’s Art All Night.

Festival Finalists

Student Films