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The New Jersey Film Festival Fall 2009, marking its 28th anniversary, continues this week at Rutgers University.

Showcasing new international films, American independent features, experimental and short subjects, classic revivals, and cutting-edge documentaries, the film festival will feature over 50 film screenings.

This week's schedule:

Thursday-October 8

Ruth Adams Building, 6PM

"Experimental 4"

"Screen Tests" — Andy Warhol Screen Tests are mesmerizing 4-minute portraits of the Beautiful People who filtered in and out of Andy Warhol's New York City studio the Factory. They are amazing time capsules of the l960s. This screening includes screen tests of Salvador Dali, Edie Sedgwick, Cass Elliott and many others. 1964-66; 60 min.

Friday-October 9

Scott Hall, 7PM

"Turf Wars"

"Postcard to Owen Sound" — Jen Di Cresce

A small Canadian town called Owen Sound became the focus of international attention when a hometown waitress was fired from her job because she had shaved off her hair during a cancer fundraising campaign. Filmmaker Jen Di Cresce assesses the conflict between business interests and personal freedom, and small town solidarity under outside scrutiny. 2009; 14 min.

"We Love You" — Jonathan Kalafer

Has the hippie culture of the ‘60s disappeared, with its free food, free love and free-wheeling experimentation with drugs? Hardly. Every summer since 1972, Rainbow Gatherings have taken place in different National Forests, drawing tens of thousands of modern and long-time hippies, their children, and their various entourages into the wilderness where they set up a temporary city. 'We Love You' documents this thriving counter-culture community, as well as the violent harassment the Rainbows face from Federal Agents who target them. 2008; 40 min. With in-person appearances by director Jonathan Kalafer on Fr-10/9!

"A Chemical Reaction" — Brett Plymale

If the little yellow flags with skulls-and-crossbones set on hyper-green lawns make you wonder, or make you worry, you need to see this eye-opening documentary about an ecological movement to change the Great North American Lawn. Is your lawn slowly poisoning you, your children, and your pets? If you don't use heavy chemicals on your grass, what about your neighbors and everyone else? Where do all those chemicals end up if not in the water, air, and soil that we all share? In 1984. Dr. June Irwin's persuasive arguments and data led the town of Hudson to enact a law banning all lawn pesticides and herbicides. Home Depot also stopped putting dangerous pesticide products on it's shelves. The mighty chemical companies in North America fiercely fought the tiny town, and eventually the case made it to Canada's Supreme Court. See the outcome of this court case, which demonstrates the power of people coming together to effect significant social change and learn better ways to design our front lawns. 2009; 80 min.

Sunday-October 11

Scott Hall, 7PM

"Rough Boys"

"Nuttin' For Christmas" — Doug Compton

A hilarious cartoon animation that tells the story of an incorrigible young boy who expects absolutely, positively no visit from Santa this year. 2009; 3 min. With an in-person appearance by director Doug Compton.

"LaWinda" — Ivan Nemergut

In the mountains of South Carolina, two brothers honor the legacy of their father by running the family backyard golf course and uniting their community. 2009; 29 min. With in-person appearances by Ivan Nemergut on Su+Fr-10/11+17!

"Strongman" — Zachary Levy.

A strangely beautiful movie, Strongman is an engrossing portrait of a local, modern-day Samson from South Brunswick, New Jersey - known as Stanley "Stanless Steel" Pleskun -- who can lift dump trucks and bend steel, but can't pull himself out of the rubble of his own dead-end ambitions and expectations. By totally immersing himself in Pleskun's life, filmmaker Zachary Levy delivers a compelling documentary, in which the truth becomes surreal, and the fourth wall is poised for collapse. 2009; 113 min.

Admission:

$10=General; $9=Students+Seniors; $8=Rutgers Film Co-op/NJMAC Friends.

All films are subject to change. Call our information number 732-932-8482 the day of show to confirm titles.

Directions:

Scott Hall: Take the NJ Turnpike to Exit 9 and then take Route 18N (New Brunswick direction) and go for 2 1/2 miles to the College Avenue Campus/George Street exit (immediately after the Route 27S exit) and make a left at the light at the end of the exit ramp onto George Street, then go to the next light and make a right onto Hamilton Street, then go to the next light and make a right onto College Avenue. Almost immediately on your right hand side there is an University Parking Lot (#9) which is made available for our patrons to park in. Scott Hall is adjacent to the parking lot on the right. Patrons can also park in Rutgers Lots #1 (next to Kirkpatrick Chapel) and #16 (next to Murray and Milledoler Hall).

Ruth Adams Bldg.: Take the NJ Turnpike to Exit 9 and then take Route 18N (New Brunswick direction) and go for approximately 1 mile and take the Commercial Avenue exit. Go up Commercial Ave to the 2nd light and make a left on George Street. Then go about 100 yards and make a left into the service road (opposite Jones St. on the right) into the Douglass Campus and park in the University parking lot at the end of the service road. Additional Parking is available on Jones Street and behind the Douglass Student Center near the corner of Nichol Avenue and George Street.