The 44th season of the renowned Thomas Edison Film Festival (TEFF) will premiere with a screening, a live-streamed discussion with one of the filmmakers, and films available to view on-demand, presented in collaboration with Princeton University’s Lewis Center for the Arts.
Presented by the Thomas A. Edison Media Arts Consortium and Princeton’s Program in Visual Arts. TEFF was recently designated as an Academy Awards Qualifying Festival and a Canadian Screen Award Qualifying Festival.
February 28: In-Person Premiere Screening
TEFF’s in-person premiere opens at the James Stewart Film Theater at Princeton University on February 28 at 6:30 p.m. with a reception, screening of seven 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:
- Sean Pecknold of Los Angeles
- Amir Youssef of Egypt and Antioch, California
- Kate Harpootlian of New York City
- Jack Davison of Hadstock, Essex, United Kingdom
- Brianne Berkson and Miguel Gluckstern of Palisades, New York
- Su Friedrich of Brooklyn
- Misja Pekel of Amsterdam
March 1: Live-Streamed Screening and Discussion
A special screening of The Insides of our Lives, the Jury’s Stellar Award for Documentary, by Misja Pekel. Pekel’s film will be available on the TEFF website to stream on-demand starting March 1, followed by a live-streamed virtual talk on March 1 at 4 p.m. (ET) with Pekel from Amsterdam hosted by Festival Director Jane Steuerwald.
Zoom link available soon. No advance registration required.
March 1-7: Watch Films On-Demand
The seven films will be available to watch on-demand during March 1-7, 2025, on the festival’s website. Link will be posted here on March 1st.
Featured Films
The following films will be shown in-person at Princeton University on February 28:
Film still courtesy Sean Pecknold
Tennis, Oranges
by Sean Pecknold of Los Angeles, California, USA
11 min.; Jury’s Stellar Award – Animation
A robotic vacuum suffering from burnout quits its job at a hospital and sets out to find community and a greater purpose on a quiet street where two lonely rabbits are stuck in perpetual loops.
Film still courtesy Misja Pekel
The Insides of Our Lives
by Misja Pekel of Amsterdam, Netherlands
45 min.; Jury’s Stellar Award – Documentary
The Insides of Our Lives is a poetic blend that combines fiction with found footage. A selection from thousands of hours of found footage – mostly 8mm material – tells the coming-of-age story of two girls growing up along a border in Europe, as the border gradually drives them apart. The story sensitively portrays what it means to grow up in a world where one day fences appear, creating an ‘us’ and a ‘them’.
Film still courtesy Jack Davison
A is for Ant
by Jack Davison of Hadstock, Essex, UK
10 min.; Jury’s Stellar Award – Experimental
A is for Ant is an immersive film by British photographer Jack Davison that explores the alphabet through a captivating blend of live action and animation. This charming and engaging film celebrates concepts of creativity, play, the natural world, beauty and silliness.
Film still courtesy Amir Youssef
Dawn Every Day
by Amir Youssef of Egypt and Antioch, California, USA
20 min.; Jury’s Stellar Award – Narrative
Set in 1956, 8-year-old Nabil navigates through new social norms he cannot fathom that impact his next-door best friend in post nationalized Egypt. While this story takes place during a complicated and difficult moment in Egypt’s history, we never really see the external events happening at that time, as this story is told from the point of view of Nabil. The film relates directly to how today’s political events and social movements tend to separate us rather than connect us.
Film still courtesy Kate Harpootlian
At First Sight
by Kate Harpootlian of New York, New York, USA
8 min.; Jury’s Stellar Award – Screen Dance
In a poignant tale of serendipity and heartbreak, At First Sight follows the fateful encounter between a man and a woman whose lives intertwine in a single, life-altering moment. Drawn together by an inexplicable force, they experience love at first sight, only to have their bond tragically severed by a sudden accident moments later. Before being drawn apart, they are granted a brief glimpse into an alternate reality, where they explore the depths of their connection and envision the future they could have shared.
Film still courtesy Su Friedrich
Jerusalema: From Austria to Zimbabwe
by Su Friedrich of Brooklyn, New York, USA
8 min.; Global Insights Stellar Award
Jerusalema: From Austria to Zimbabwe is a loving look back at a viral phenomenon that burst out during the Covid pandemic: The Jerusalema Dance Challenge.
Film still courtesy Brianne Berkson and Miguel Gluckstern
How I Roll
by Brianne Berkson and Miguel Gluckstern of Palisades, New York, USA
13 min.; Diversity, Equity, Access and Inclusion (DEAI) Stellar Award
Facing unthinkable hardships including murder, loss, and battling Multiple Sclerosis (MS) for 24 years, Robin Cohen impressively defies the odds, finding light despite the darkness.
Admission & Details
The in-person premiere and live-streamed discussion are both free and open to the public. No tickets or registration required.
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 2025 season by the Lewis Center for the Arts, the Thomas Edison Film Festival receives significant support from New Jersey State Council on the Arts; the Charles Edison Fund – Edison Innovation Foundation; the Hudson County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs and Tourism; the Hoboken Historical Museum; Big Sky Edit; Lowenstein Sandler, LLP; the NBA; NJ Motion Picture and Television Commission; Rowan University; Fairleigh Dickinson University; Syracuse University; and East Brunswick Magnet School – Digital Film Program.