Passaic County Film Festival 2025

Application form can be found here.

Passaic County Film Festival 2024

Congratulations to all of the winners of the 2024 Passaic County Film Festival! 

The Film Commission would like to thank all of our participants, judges, and the County Commissioners for making our 20th year spectacular! 

A full list of the 2024 winners can be found here. And a full program can be found here. 

Click here to watch the films on YouTube. 

The Passaic County Board of County Commissioners supports film education in our high schools and universities.  The Passaic County Board County Commissioners, the members of the Passaic County Film Commission, and the Passaic County Community College Foundation have sponsored a grant in the form of film/video/audio equipment to support film education in our high schools since 2017.

This year, the Passaic County Film Education grant can provide up to $1,000 for the purchase of film, video, or audio equipment to Passaic County high schools to be utilized in the production of student films and for educational purposes.

This year three Passaic County High Schools were selected to receive film equipment.  Hawthorne High School, Manchester High School, and PCTI.  The film equipment was presented at Unique Photo, Fairfield, NJ on April 4, 2024.

Front Left to right: Sarah Abaza, Hawthorne High School; Jody Lazarski, PCTI, Maureen Wacha, PCTI, Deborah Hoffman, Passaic County, Bob Nicholson, Co-Chair ,Passaic County Film Commission

Rear Left to right:  Gemmerton Reyes, Manchester Hight School, Joshua Bayha, Unique Photo, Bill Cress, Passaic County Film Commission

Passaic County 2024 Film Education Grant Award Application

The County of Passaic seeks to foster the development of the motion picture and television film industry in the County in an attempt to increase the image of Passaic County; increase local employment opportunities, and increase revenues for Passaic County companies.

To date, the members of the Passaic County Film Commission have accomplished:

• Development of a portfolio of potential sites throughout the County of Passaic which would be appropriate locales for motion picture and television filming.
• Published two Passaic County Film Resource Directories including a list of Passaic County companies who can provide goods and services to the film industry.
• Sponsored 14 Passaic County Film Festivals: a juried exhibition of 10-minute shorts filmed by high school, university students and independent filmmakers who live, work or attend school in Passaic County.  The objective of the Passaic County Film Festival is to support local filmmakers by providing a public forum in which to showcase their work and provide an opportunity to interact with members of the television and filmmaking community.
• Sponsored 14 Passaic County Film Workshops which provides instruction in the production of films for Passaic County residents.
• Developed a close working relationship with the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Film Commission to respond to requests for filming locations.
• Developed a network of contacts in each Passaic County municipality who can scout for sites and respond to requests for locations.
• Worked with municipalities to develop local ordinances which will enhance motion picture and television filming.
• Developed the Passaic County Film Permit to authorize filming throughout County properties.
• Film Commission members developed a Public Service Announcement (30 second) to promote Passaic County as a positive location for filming.
• Developed two 5-minute films on the benefits and incentives of film production in Passaic County New Jersey, 2006 and 2009.
• Sponsored the Passaic County Film Education Grant which provides film equipment to local high schools through a grant from Unique Photo, Fairfield, NJ