Oscar Race Is On! Montclair Underdog Film Festival Set On Feb. 20

With the 83rd Academy Awards coming up on Feb. 27, the Oscar race is on! But it's not only a big film such as The King's Speech or Black Swan that will come away with a gold statue.

Indeed, there are a wide range of nominated films—short films—that aren't likely to show up at any nearby cinema. But you have a chance to see them anyway.

On Feb. 20, the public is invited to view the 2011 Oscar-nominated short films at the Montclair Underdog Film Festival, sponsored in part by Montclair Patch, on Feb. 20 at Montclair State University in the state-of-the-art screening room in University Hall from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The films featured will be the 2011 Oscar-nominated short films in the Documentary, Live Action, and Animated categories. Underdog is the only festival and venue in New Jersey where you can see these films before the Oscar telecast. There will also be another treat, a special screening of the Oscar-nominated feature documentary “Exit Through the Gift Shop”.
 
Tickets are $10 for the morning, $15 for the afternoon, $20 for the whole day, and $10 for the special screening. Afternoon and all day passes include the price for the special “Exit Through the Gift Shop” screening.

Montclair State University students and faculty attend free with valid ID. For tickets, exact times, schedule, additional information, and the films to be screened, go here or call Corinna Sager at 973-233-1773.
 
The Montclair Underdog Film Festival is produced in cooperation with the Montclair State University Film Forum and a group of dedicated film, TV, and communication professionals from Montclair and the surrounding community, some of which were formerly affiliated with the Montclair Arts Council (MAC). The idea was hatched originally by Corinna Sager, a director and producer in Montclair.
 
“Last year’s Underdog Film Festival was a big success,” Sager said.

She added: “Even though the Montclair Arts Council was very recently dissolved due to town budget cuts, a group of us vowed not to let a good thing die.”

Hence the Underdog volunteer team from Montclair includes Sager as well as Anthony Batson, senior producer at CBS; Jeanne Reilly, Senior Producer of Kraft Foods Creative Services; Emma Justice, Marketing Communications Consultant; Veronique Ramsey, graphic artist and art teacher; as well as former MAC Director Jim Peskin of South Orange.
 
“The Montclair State University Film Forum is proud to be part of the event. It’s a rare opportunity for our students, faculty, and the general public to ever see these films”, says Roberta Friedman, Director of the Film Forum.

Batson said that the response to last year's festival "was awesome."

“The response we got from last year’s festival was awesome. People loved seeing these inspiring films, but never get the chance to do so," Batson said. "It’s the only place and venue in New Jersey that screens these films before the Oscars. That’s why it’s important to keep the festival going."
 
Watch for the mascot, Lucky the “Under Dog,” (designed by Ramsey) on your travels in and around Montclair in the coming days! Festival organizers say they are delighted to have sponsorship from Montclair Patch, which is supporting the afternoon reception at the event. Additional sponsors are needed. For more information about supporting the event contact: Emma Justice at 973-233-1807 or emma.justice@lifestyleintl.com  
 
Reilly said: “The challenge, as usual, is getting the films since the filmmakers are busy with Oscar obligations. But the specialty of the Underdog Film Festival is that the films screen before the Academy Awards so audience members can make their own choice for a winner.”
 
Sager added: “This is a family friendly event, we prepare the schedule so that children and their parents can attend blocks of films. The kids often enjoy the short animations, while Mom and Dad are reminded of their “cartoon days” too. In the end there’s something for everyone—the filmmaker in all of us!”