Essex filmfest /2

Admission is free. Optional donations are greatly appreciated and directly support the Essex Library Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

FEATURED GUEST FILMMAKER

Scott Macaulay is an independent film producer, writer, and the co-founder and former editor-in-chief of Filmmaker magazine, one of the leading publications covering independent cinema. As a producer, he has helped bring numerous acclaimed independent features to the screen. For more than three decades, he has championed emerging filmmakers through his writing, editing, and advocacy. He has also served as a juror, moderator, and speaker at film festivals around the world.

A weekend celebrating independent cinema with one of its most influential champions.

FILM LINEUP

WHAT HAPPENED WAS…

A shy office worker invites a co-worker to dinner, and what begins as an awkward first date gradually reveals unexpected layers of intimacy, loneliness, and vulnerability.

Winner of the Sundance Grand Jury Prize, What Happened Was… is a tender and deeply affecting portrait of two people searching for connection and emotional honesty.

Written, directed by, and starring Tom Noonan | Rated R for language and verbal description of some adult subject matter. | Film will be followed by a special conversation with Karen Sillas and Scott Macaulay.

RAISING VICTOR VARGAS

A charismatic Lower East Side teenager pursues romance with a neighborhood beauty while navigating family, friendship, and the realities of growing up in a vibrant Latino community.

A celebrated breakthrough in American independent cinema, Raising Victor Vargas premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in Un Certain Regard and went on to win the Grand Special Prize at the Deauville Film Festival. With its naturalistic performances and tender, vibrant portrait of adolescence, the film remains a beloved coming-of-age story about identity, desire, and belonging.

Directed by Peter Sollett | Rated R for strong language. | Q&A moderated by Sascha Paladino

THE ASSISTANT

Over the course of a single workday, a junior assistant at a powerful film production company confronts the quiet, systemic abuses of power surrounding her.

The Assistant was acclaimed for its precise, quietly devastating examination of workplace culture and institutional power. The film earned multiple honors, including the Louis Roederer Foundation’s Directing Prize at the Deauville Film Festival, and features a widely praised performance by Julia Garner as a young woman navigating a workplace culture built on silence and complicity.

Written and directed by Kitty Green | Rated R for some language. | Q&A moderated by Sophia Harvey

GUMMO

Set in a small Ohio town devastated by a tornado, this provocative, impressionistic portrait follows a group of alienated teenagers through a series of fragmented encounters that blur the line between realism and nightmare.

One of the most influential and controversial American independent films of the 1990s, Gummo has earned a devoted following for its unconventional structure, unforgettable imagery, and singular vision. Nearly thirty years after its release, Gummo continues to provoke debate—and admiration—for its uncompromising portrait of life on society’s margins.

Written and directed by Harmony Korine | Rated R for pervasive depiction of anti-social behavior of juveniles, including violence, substance abuse, sexuality and language. | Q&A moderated by Alex Calvo

PRODUCING MASTERCLASS

Award-winning producer Scott Macaulay shares the lessons he has learned from decades in independent cinema, breaking down the essentials of guiding a film from concept to distribution. This one-hour workshop is perfect for filmmakers, writers, and anyone curious about the art, craft, and business of producing independent film.

CLOSING NIGHT PARTY

Essex Film Fest supporters and screening attendees will be invited to our Closing Night Party! Location and details to follow.

👉 Click Get Tickets to view the schedule and save your spot!