GARNER Arts Center’s 2021 Outdoor Film Festival Lineup Announced

This 2-day outdoor film festival features a diverse selection of 9 short films by filmmakers from the U.S. and U.K.

Sponsored by GARNER Arts Center August 4, 2021

Films Featured in Outdoor Shorts Film Festival 2021: The New Normal

When the festival first began, 4-6 shorts were selected to showcase. As of 2020, however, the festival features closer to 8-9 films selected by a team of curators. This year’s curators are Wayne Cobham, a longtime GARNER board member, a Grammy Award-winning musician, and technological innovator; Susanna Styron, a television screenwriter, award-winning director, documentary filmmaker, and essayist; and Kristi Zea, an Oscar-nominated production designer, costume designer, and producer and documentary filmmaker.

Curated from nearly 50 submissions, the 2021 film festival lineup features 9 narrative, documentary, animated, and experimental films that “touch upon the kinds of insights and changes, joys and sorrows, adaptations and surprises that the experiences of the last year have wrought,” according to the festival curators. In addition, three of the selected films were made by fellows of the Creative Culture program at Jacob Burns Film Center.

The shorts, each running 5 to approximately 15 minutes, include:

• Ale Libre by Maya Cueva
  A criminalized organizer and unapologetic immigrant prepares for one of the biggest moments of her life—her deportation case—and the risk of being ripped from her home and family.

• An Infinite Feeling by Daniel Aguilar
  A mother and son are forced to understand one another while going through the stresses of COVID.

• Aria by Christopher Poole
  When a young couple install a "smart security system" in their home, they become increasingly paranoid about what might be lurking outside their front door.

• Choir by Aisha Amin
  For the members of the Brooklyn Youth Chorus, singing has brought with it friendship, confidence, and a sense of belonging.

• Full Picture by Jacob Reed
  Actress, comedian, activist, and wheelchair user, Santina Muha is experiencing something new in the age of teleconferencing: choosing when (or if) to disclose her disability.

• I'm Free Now, You Are Free by Ash Goh Hua
  A reflection on the reunion of a young man and his mother, a formerly incarcerated political prisoner—and a meditation on Black family preservation and the struggle for freedom.

• I'm Not Tired! by Brigit Rathsmann
  A series of animated fables told to a puppet who will not go to sleep without being told stories. 

• Teaching in Quarantine by Lydia Cornett
  A violist, barre instructor, and chemistry teacher grapple with the realities of teaching in quarantine. A celebration of—and tribute to—women educators in New York City.

• This Fog by Jeff Stern
  Shot on the harbor islands of New Hampshire’s seacoast, This Fog attempts to capture our strange and lonely, sometimes terrifying, sometimes beautiful pandemic lives.

Details About GARNER Arts Center’s Outdoor Film Festival 

What are the dates of Outdoor Shorts Film Festival 2021: The New Normal?

The 2021 outdoor film festival will be held Aug. 20-21 (with a rain date of Aug. 22). Guests should plan to arrive around 7pm, and the screening starts at 8pm. Guests will need to bring their own chairs, and seating is first-come, first-served.

How much are tickets?

Tickets are $18 in advance and $25 at the door. GARNER is also offering a VIP ticket ($36 per person), which includes prime seating and a voucher for gourmet popcorn and a free drink.

Where is GARNER Arts Center located? 

GARNER is located at 55 W. Railroad Ave., Garnerville.

For more information, visit garnerartscenter.org, call 845-947-7108, or follow Garner Arts Center on Facebook or Instagram.

Main photo courtesy GARNER Arts Center