Train Creative

Seminar Description

What will the attendee learn in this seminar?

There will be question and answer discuss after the viewing with Jane Steuerwald, Executive Director of the Black Maria Film Festival. Light refreshments will be provided. Discussion will include not only the subject matter of the films, but the film processes involved in the making of each film and what made each film a winner by the Black Maria’s judges.

Instructor will provide the following supplies:

The length of the show will be approximately 90 minutes with Q&A afterwards.

Students must bring the following supplies:

Admission is $10 and can be purchased at the door or prior to the event at traincreative.org. Space is limited to 50 attendees. This is not an event for small children, but high school aged youth is welcome. The Sparta Train Station is an ADA compliant space.

Full Description:

Train Creative is pleased to announce the debut of the 37th Annual Black Maria Film Festival at the Sparta Train Station on June 15 with a screening and Q&A, marking the first time that the film festival has been featured in Sparta, NJ. Coffee, tea and light refreshments will be provided by Greene's Beans Cafe. Since 1981, the Black Maria Film Festival, an international juried film competition, has been celebrating and preserving the diversity, invention, and vitality of the short film. The Festival is named after Thomas Edison’s original West Orange film studio dubbed the “Black Maria” because of its resemblance to the black-box police paddy wagons of the same name. The Festival focuses on short films which shine a light on issues and struggles within contemporary society. It advances and exhibits the work of diverse filmmakers from across the US and around the world. These artists often represent an under-served constituency who might not otherwise have the opportunity for live public exhibition nationwide or abroad. The festival travels the world and each presentation showcases a different selection of films depending on the venue Learn more at https://www.blackmariafilmfestival.org

About Black Maria Film Festival

Black Maria Film Festival

Black Maria is an international juried film competition. We have embraced our mission for 35 years by focusing on short films including those, which shine a light on issues and struggles within contemporary society. Our touring programs always include provocative works. We advance and exhibit the work of diverse filmmakers from across the US and around the world. These artists often represent an under-served constituency who might not otherwise have the opportunity for live public exhibition nationwide or abroad. We welcome all genres including narrative, experimental, animation, and documentary that push the boundaries of film. The festival's touring collection addresses topics such as the environment, public health, climate change, substance abuse, gun violence, sustainability, immigration, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ issues. Short films are celebrated as central to the festival - not as a sidebar to feature length films. Black Maria reaches out to audiences in settings including colleges and universities, museums, galleries, libraries, community-based art organizations, art house cinemas, and schools. We visit far-flung inner city, rural, and suburban locations as diverse as Jersey City, NJ; Fond du Lac, Wisconsin; San Francisco, CA and Rome, Italy. Custom curated film programs are showcased in these diverse venues throughout each year.