The 45th anniversary season of the renowned Thomas Edison Film Festival (TEFF) will premiere at the James Stewart Film Theater on the Princeton University campus in collaboration with the Lewis Center for the Arts with a pre-event reception and screening followed by a Q&A with filmmakers.
The Stellar Award-winning short films to be screened, representing animation, documentary, experimental, narrative and screen dance genres, will also be available to view online Feb. 21- 28, on the TEFF website.
TEFF is a designated Academy Awards® Qualifying Festival and a Canadian Screen Award Qualifying Festival.
February 20: In-Person Premiere Screening
TEFF’s in-person premiere opens at the James Stewart Film Theater at 185 Nassau St. on February 20. Join a pre-screening reception at 6:30 p.m. outside the theater; main event starts at 7 p.m. with a screening of seven Stellar Award-winning films and an audience Q&A. Films to be screened represent animation, documentary, experimental, narrative and screen dance genres, created by the following filmmakers:
- Vanina Feldsztein of Brooklyn, New York
- Laura Iancu of Romania and Blacksburg, Virginia
- Alla Kovgan of Brooklyn, New York
- Anna Niebert of Germany
- Yunchang Zhang of Jersey City, New Jersey
- Nicole Pometti of Bloomfield, New Jersey and Rolando Nieves of Guttenberg, New Jersey
- Oscar Jacobson of Germany
February 21-28: Watch Films On-Demand
The seven films will be available to watch on-demand from February 21 through 28, 2026, on the festival’s website.
Visit the Thomas Edison Film Festival website and click on TEFF 2026 Premiere.
Featured Films
The following films will be screened at the premiere:
Film still from “Grit” by Vanina Feldsztein, Brooklyn, NY, USA
Grit
by Vanina Feldsztein, Brooklyn, New York, USA
Documentary; 14 min.
A film about people who keep going. What does it mean to be old? Once we reach a certain age are we still being seen? “Grit” looks at old age with a fresh set of eyes on three people who defy perceptions.
Film still from “Hollowgram” by Laura Iancu, Romania, and Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
Hollowgram
by Laura Iancu, Romania, and Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
Experimental; 7 min.
Hollowgram conjures varicolored clusters of swirling images and sounds from places real and imagined as if looking through a flip book in a dream. It navigates the tension between the desire to share memories and possibilities with another person, and the failure of the attempt. The soundscape is crafted from wild sounds captured in Romania and are core components of the film’s emotional space.
Film still from “The Oath” by Alla Kovgan, Brooklyn, NY, USA
The Oath
by Alla Kovgan, Brooklyn, New York, USA
Screen Dance; 24 min.
Both communal and monstrous, the human urge to move in a large mass in unison—to bond, to battle, to promise, to intimidate, to gather, to dance; this is The Oath.
“I wondered if it was possible to create a film that could conjure this sharing of energy of live bodies in space. This became my goal for the film.”
– Annie-B Parson, Writer/Choreographer
Film still from “In Warm Waters” by Anna Niebert, Germany
In Warm Waters
by Anna Niebert, Germany
Narrative; 15 min.
Trying to remember the people they once were, a young woman and her mother must dive beneath the surface to find a new form of hope. In Warm Waters accompanies mother and daughter on their journey around the familiar island. Fire jellyfish disrupt the harmony and intensify unspoken conflicts. In the end, they both must accept the changes in each other and the island.
Film still from “The Anarchist and the Fridge” by Yunchang Zhang, Jersey City, New Jersey, USA
The Anarchist and the Fridge
by Yunchang Zhang, Jersey City, New Jersey, USA
Documentary; 14 min.
The Anarchist and The Fridge tells the story of a man named Thadeaus who moved from Boston to New York over 20 years ago to pursue his ideals. Inspired by the organization, “Food Not Bombs” he survived cancer, gained community support, and established New York’s first free fridge in Bed-Stuy. Now, he sees replenishing the fridge as his duty, using free food to unite the community.
Film still from “Randy Wicker— A Portrait” by Nicole Pometti, Bloomfield, NJ and Rolando Nieves, Guttenberg, NJ, USA
Randy Wicker – A Portrait
by Nicole Pometti, Bloomfield, New Jersey and Rolando Nieves, Guttenberg, New Jersey, USA
Documentary; 8 min.
An intimate glimpse into the life and legacy of LGBT pioneer Randy Wicker—told in his own words.
Film still from “The Undying Pain of Existence” by Oscar Jacobson, Germany
The Undying Pain of Existence
by Oscar Jacobson, Germany
Animation; 5 min.
A nude model poses with statuesque stillness for an elite drawing class–until an unfortunate mosquito bite challenges his self-control. Driven to madness by the itch, he’s caught between the ruthless demand for perfection and his most unhinged, animalistic impulses.
Admission & Details
The in-person premiere is free and open to the public. No tickets or registration required. It is also free to watch the films on demand from Feb. 21-28.
Directions
Get directions to the James Stewart Film Theater, located on the first floor at 185 Nassau St. in Princeton, NJ.
Accessibility
The James Stewart Film Theater is an accessible venue. The theater has spaces for wheelchair and companion seating in the top row. A mechanized lift provides access to all levels in the theater for a wheelchair or a patron with a mobility disability. See an event staff member in the theater for assistance using the lift. Please plan to arrive at least 15 minutes in advance of the event start time for this assistance and for best choice of seating locations. Visit our Venues and Studios section for accessibility information at our various locations. Guests in need of access accommodations are invited to contact the Lewis Center at 609-258-5262 or email LewisCenter@princeton.edu at least one week in advance of the event date.
Supporters
In addition to the support provided for the 2026 season by the Lewis Center for the Arts, the Thomas Edison Film Festival receives significant support from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts; the Charles Edison Fund; the Hudson County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs/Tourism Development; the Hoboken Historical Museum; Big Sky Edit; The Puffin Foundation; Lowenstein Sandler, LLP; the NBA; Fairleigh Dickinson University; Rowan University; and the NJ Motion Picture and Television Commission.