Alumnus filmmaker who teaches at Rutgers aims to create an environment where artists can engage with each other and the community
No matter which artists walk away with honors from the first Atlantic City International Film and Music Festival, its organizers know in their hearts who the real winners are.
That would be the Queen of Resorts itself, as well as the entire state, according to the Rutgers instructor who dreamed of the festival just over a year ago and then propelled it to reality.
Veteran filmmaker John Paxton Jr., who teaches at Rutgers, approached Mayor Lorenzo Langford with the goal of restoring the destination aspect of Atlantic City. “My target is to bring 10,000 patrons into the city,” he said. “Philanthropically, we’re dedicated to making the city holistically better, and to letting people know that Atlantic City has a lot more to brag about than gambling.”
And by a lot, Paxton means more than 85 offerings filling multiple venues, both on the Boardwalk and off, from Sept. 8 to Sept. 12, from super-short films to full-length features and documentaries, as well as 16 musical acts. Submissions to the festival came from France, Israel, Australia, China, Japan, and other points on the globe – more than 800 in all, representing novices as well as longtime veterans.
“It was a truly fantastic response for a first effort,” said Paxton, who sifted through every entry and was blown away by the level of talent he saw. “I watched them all, I listened to them all, and I can tell you, there’s so much quality out there.”
Paxton graduated from Rutgers in 1998 with a bachelor’s of art in psychology, followed by two master’s
A native of Atlantic City, Paxton recalls watching cherished friends and family members fall prey to the violence of the streets, even as the casinos promised financial relief and social redemption. He credits in equal measure his mother’s optimistic nature and his father’s calm disposition for nurturing him toward a successful career.
Today Paxton’s production company, AmmeAifos (the names of his two daughters, spelled backwards), strives to entertain audiences while tackling issues of the day – an approach Paxton is carrying through with this latest undertaking.
“The festival has a socially conscious aspect, in that every year it will tackle a theme,” said the filmmaker, whose movie, Rebecca’s Window, won the 2006 award for Best Directorial Debut at the New York International Film Festival and was honored by the New Jersey Film Commission. This year’s selection will highlight LGBTQ and gender issues, followed next year by women’s issues.
In keeping with his ties to the university, Paxton is taking pains to include an educational component as well.
“With all the cuts in the state this year, I wondered what we could do to help keep the creativity going. Being a Rutgers guy, knowing what the Mason Gross School of the Arts has and what it can do, I wanted to make sure our kids in New Jersey were exposed to that level of talent,” he said.
Paxton created a special category for students, waiving the festival’s entry fee. He also brought in his Rutgers colleague and mentor, Prosper Godonoo, as the festival’s educational arts director.
“My role is to get K-12 schools in New Jersey, Philadelphia, and New York excited and involved in the film festival,” said Godonoo, director of the Paul Robeson Culture Center on the Busch Campus. “I talked with principals, students, and superintendents to ensure that New Jersey talent – young folks with exciting ideas – are challenged productively through the arts.”
The partners created internships open to Rutgers students interested in interacting with filmmakers, producers, and others industry insiders. “This is a way of encouraging all kinds of talents to be honed in the state, giving students access to people who are exploring different career paths,” Godonoo said.
Paxton modeled the extravaganza roughly on the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, with its emphasis on independent films. One big difference in Atlantic City is the focus on music, which includes ethnic bands, Christian contemporary, soul, rock, folk, electronic, hip-hop, and a healthy dose of gospel.
In addition to turning a lens on the city he loves, Paxton also plans to funnel some money into its spiritual development as well: Part of the proceeds will go to the New Hope Baptist Church in Atlantic City, which is building an addition to its school, the Robinson Small Center.
For a preview of the events at the festival and their venues, visit http://acifmf.com/blog/