LIFF Best of the Fest w/ Lighthouse International Film Festival | FREE FOR MEMBERS
Schedule
Sun, 22 Mar, 2026 at 04:00 pm
UTC-04:00Location
Princeton Garden Theatre | Princeton, NJ
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One of the best beachside film festivals in the world! We present the Lighthouse Film Festival’s 2025 “Best of the Fest” selection of short films. Located in Long Beach Island, NJ — this collection of short films from around the world offers a diverse and critically acclaimed lineup of titles that needs to be seen on the big screen! Free for Members. 𝗧𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝘁 princetongardentheatre.org/specials𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗲:
MALKA - 16 min 22 sec. - dir. Stacey Maltin - USA
Malka, a Holocaust survivor, starts to see visions of her life at the camps during a present-day family seder. As time falls in on itself, Malka must find the hope in the present that she did in the past in order to survive.
TIGER - 12 min. 45 sec. - dir. Loren Waters - USA
Dana Tiger was just five years old when her father, legendary Muscogee Creek artist Jerome Tiger, passed away. She turned to his art as a way to know him, the richness of her culture, and the bounty of her family’s artistic tradition. In memory of Jerome's art and to support their family, Dana’s mother and uncle started a booming t-shirt printing business in the 1980s. Then, tragedy struck their family once more. Dana’s younger brother, Chris Tiger, was relentlessly murdered and their business was brought to a halt. Dana and her family have been working for nearly 30 years to revitalize the iconic Tiger t-shirt company, through immense grief and suffering from Parkinson’s. Now, everybody wants their hands on a Tiger T-shirt.
Jury Award Best Documentary Short at Lighthouse International Film Festival 2025
RETIREMENT PLAN - 7 min. 17 sec. - dir. John Kelly - Ireland
At apathy with his life, Ray (Domhnall Gleeson) dreams of the beauty and joy he will find in retirement.
UNPARALLEL WORLD - 22 min. 27 sec. - dir. Mohammed Yaraghi - Iran
Hana is a poor girl, motherless and forced by her father to work as a peddler at a traffic light. She has a dream, but a tragic event sweeps away her hopes.
Winner of the Jury Social Impact Award, Lighthouse International Film Festival 2025
RAVIE (Behind the Mask) - 19 min. 53 sec. - dir. Christophe Hamon - Réunion
Paul and Samy commit a kidnapping, hoping to solve their personal problems. In the trunk of the vehicle driven by this hapless duo, Adeline refuses to behave like a model, silent hostage. When she manages to escape, instead of running away, she negotiates the terms of the continuation of her own abduction.
QUIET LIFE - 10 min. 58 sec. - dir. Ruth Pickett - UK
Geoffrey buries his phone and shuns technology in a one-man silent rebellion against the modern world. After a bruising public breakup, Geoffrey (Luke Rollason) seeks a ‘Quiet Life’. But when potential new human connection comes knocking, Geoffrey is torn between the world he has created and the one he left behind. Physical comedy and farce stumble into existential sadness in this semi-silent comedy for a disconnected world. Winner of the 2025 BAFTA for Best Short Film.
JUSTICE BROTHERS - 5 min. 20 sec. - dir. Kieran Hodges - UK
In Busua, Ghana, a group of young men who taught themselves to surf as children using wooden planks now extend their knowledge and skill to their community. Today, with their own surf school, they are empowering local girls, teaching them how to swim, surf, and embrace the ocean, rather than fear it. This short documentary captures this journey, showcasing the transformative impact of surfing, as well as the joy and freedom that comes with understanding nature and being with your people.
THE MISSING PEACE - 24 min. 20 sec. - dir. Michael Raymond-James - USA
A man desperately searches the bleak, desolate streets of Atlantic City for his missing loved one, lost to the cruel grip of the opioid epidemic. He leads with his own humanity as he fights to keep alive an impossible hope.
Jury Award Winner at Lighthouse International Film Festival 2025
Winner of the Florence Tone and Pete Vanderveen Award at Lighthouse International Film Festival 2025
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Where is it happening?
Princeton Garden Theatre, 160 Nassau St, Princeton, NJ 08542-7006, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
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