The Annual Barrymore Short Film Festival returns for its fourth showcase on Friday, Nov. 13, and Saturday, Nov. 14, at the Barrymore Film Center in Fort Lee, New Jersey.
Fort Lee, the birthplace of American cinema, introduces “exceptional independent films” across genres while connecting filmmakers with audiences in an intimate, state-of-the-art venue, according to the Barrymore website.
All tickets to the Barrymore Short Film Festival include the Saturday, Nov. 14 Awards Ceremony at 8 p.m.
Films and programs are subject to change. No refunds or exchanges. For general questions, email info@Barrymorefilmcenter.org.
The festival was created to serve several core goals:
- Promote Independent Cinema: Provide a dedicated platform to showcase short films across diverse genres and put independent works on the big screen.
- Foster Creative Connections: Bring together actors, producers, directors, and cinephiles for networking, panel discussions, and Q&A sessions.
- Celebrate Local Film History: Draw attention to Fort Lee’s historical legacy as the original “first Hollywood”, paying tribute to early motion picture pioneers and the area’s deep ties to the Barrymore acting dynasty.
Making Connections, Celebrating Short-Form
The festival brings filmmakers, actors, producers, and industry professionals together to screen official selections while fostering creative connections and celebrating the art of short-form storytelling. Special events and featured talks will recognize outstanding work from emerging and established filmmakers worldwide.
What qualifies as a Short Film?
According to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, considered the world’s premier film organization, a short film is defined as an original motion picture with a running time of 40 minutes or less (including all credits). The organization is home to a global membership of more than 11,000 of the most accomplished film industry artists and leaders.
Not launched as a distinct medium, cinema in the late 19th century began as short films. From the 1880s–1890s, the earliest moving pictures lasted only a few seconds to a minute. While no single person invented cinema, in 1891 Thomas Edison and the Edison Company demonstrated a prototype of the Kinetoscope, an early device that used a peephole viewer for short films, allowing one person to watch at a time
Among the most famous is a 1894 clip of assistant Fred Ott sneezing, which received one of the earliest U.S. motion picture copyrights. Officially titled Edison Kinetoscopic Record of a Sneeze) is a short, 5-second silent film recorded on Jan. 7, 1894, by William K.L. Dickson at Thomas Edison’s Black Maria studio in West Orange, New Jersey.
Day 1 Schedule, Nov. 13
🕕6:45 p.m. – 11 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 13
🎟️$35 All-day pass, including Day 2 awards ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 14 at 8 p.m.
- 6:30 p.m. Registration
- 7 p.m. Opening reception with networking and light bites
- Film screenings + Q&A
- 8:30 p.m. Screening Block 1
- 10:30 p.m. NYU Tisch Emerging Filmmaker Premiere + Q&A
- Includes Awards Ceremony on Day 2 at 8 p.m.
Day 2 Schedule, Nov. 14
🕘9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 14
🎟️All-Day Pass $45
- 9 a.m. Check-in + continental breakfast
- Film Screenings, Industry Panels, Q&As, Networking
- 9:30 a.m. Screening Block 2
- 11:30 a.m. Panel 1
- 2:30 p.m. (2:15 p.m. check-in) Screening Block 3
- 4:15 p.m. Filmmaker Q&A
- 4:30 Panel 2
- 8 p.m. Awards Ceremony and Pictures
More Ways to Attend
🎬The $65 All Access Pass includes everything for both days.
🎞️Morning-only and afternoon-only passes for Day 2 are available for $25. See details here.
🎥For group sales contact Matthew Geraci, mgeraci@barrymorefilmcenter.org, 201.585.0601 ×1704, or click here
Fort Lee Filmmaker Shows Documentary “Call Me Micky”
“Call Me Micky,” directed by Andrew Rasmussen and executive produced by acclaimed actress and transgender advocate Dominique Jackson, will be screened on Day 2. Jackson is best known for her role as Elektra Evangelista on FX’s groundbreaking television series POSE.
The film tells the extraordinary true story of Fort Lee, New Jersey entrepreneur and author Micky Angelo Petrillo, whose decision to transition at age 59 transformed his life and inspired a powerful documentary about courage, identity and self-discovery.
Petrillo grew up in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, and has long-standing business ties in Oradell, where he owned Baskets-N-Beyond for more than three decades.
Emerging Filmmaker Premiere: Ana A. Alpizar
Ana A. Alpizar is a Cuban filmmaker, writer, producer, and editor based in New York, whose work has been recognized at leading film festivals worldwide. A native of Havana, she is screening her short film Norheimsund (2025).
Her short film Norheimsund (2025), which she wrote, directed, produced, and edited, premiered at the Orizzonti Short Films International Competition at the 82nd Venice Film Festival, screened at Sundance and Clermont-Ferrand, and is currently selected among numerous other international festivals, according to the Barrymore website.
The film was also named the 2026 Sony Future Filmmaker Awards Student Winner, selected from more than 8,400 filmmakers across 162 countries, and earned the First Prize Graduate Film Award at NYU’s 2026 First Run Film Festival.
About The Barrymore Film Center
The Barrymore Film Center is operated by Friends of Fort Lee Film, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The nonprofit cultural destination is rooted in Fort Lee, the birthplace of American cinema. Since opening in 2022, it has brought people together through visual media, exhibitions, live events, and education, serving as a “multidisciplinary cultural space dedicated to storytelling, education, and community connection.”
Programming includes live events, educational workshops, family and senior programming, accessible and sensory-friendly screenings, and community-based partnerships.
In addition to the festival and special events, The Barrymore Film Center offers daily showtimes; call 201.585.0601, Option 1. See the calendar for upcoming films and events.
For additional information about gala tickets, sponsorship options, journal ads, or auction donations, please contact Robin Gold at rgold@barrymorefilmcenter.org or 201.585.0601 ×1703.
