The Trenton Film Society will host a two-day Regional Documentary Film Festival on May 1-2 at Mill Hill Playhouse, offering audiences a wide-ranging look at locally produced nonfiction films exploring community, culture and social issues.
Screenings begin at 6:30 p.m. Friday and continue Saturday at noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., with filmmaker Q&A sessions planned after select showings and a closing reception and awards ceremony following the final program. Tickets are $7 per screening block ($6 for students) or $14 for an all-access pass ($12 for students), available online or at the door.
Opening night includes the short film “Dare to Declare,” directed by Chris Cotter, commemorating the nation’s 250th anniversary through community readings of the Declaration of Independence, followed by the feature “Ridge Army,” about a group of skateboarders reclaiming an abandoned industrial site.
Saturday’s noon program focuses on themes of community and identity, with films including Anne Cieko’s “Keystone/Limestone,” Joe Duca’s “The Dying Business,” Robert Mandelberg’s “Extra Innings: The Story of the Over-the-Hill Gang,” Dan Preston’s “The TEDI Story,” and “Twin Tongues/Lenguas gemelas,” directed by Illiana Pagán Teitelbaum.
The 3 p.m. block highlights stories of resilience and belonging, including “Brewing Possibilities,” directed by David Y. Block, “Mercy at the Gates,” directed by Dan Tarrant, and “Fading Frequencies,” directed by Matt Dixon.
The festival concludes with a 6 p.m. program celebrating music, featuring “Why I Love You: Meet the Ultimates,” directed by Shontel Horne, and the feature “Listen Up—Trenton Makes Music,” directed by Art Varga, which explores the city’s musical legacy. Awards for best feature, best short, best Trenton-based film and audience favorite will be presented at the closing reception.
The Mill Hill Playhouse is located at 205 E. Front St. in Trenton. Online: trentonfilmfestival.org.
