Short Film MUSIC IN THE AIR to Screen at Opening Night Gala for Jersey Shore Film Festival

The short film Music in the Air from Tom Cavanaugh and AJ Ciccotelli will screen on Friday, June 28th at 6:00pm for the Gala Opening Night Shorts Program at Jersey Shore Film Festival. The screening will be held at the Baronet Rooftop at the Asbury Hotel.

Tom Cavanaugh & AJ Ciccotelli are accomplished New Jersey Filmmakers and Playwrights that met while working on their Masters in Playwriting at The Actors Studio Drama School under the guidance of Romulus Linney. Best friends ever since, both playwrights have been creating films and stage plays in New Jersey from Jersey City to Cape May since they met in 2000 while working on the Masters in Fine Arts at The Actors Studio Drama School in New York City. MUSIC IN THE AIR is a short film inspired and created for the APin3 Film Making Challenge sponsored by the Asbury Park Arts Council last summer. On August 7th, 2023 they were given a list of requirements that had to be in the script and film including the line "ASBURY PARK IS MUSIC TO MY EARS!" Cavanaugh used that to build the script while Ciccotelli helmed the project as director! Ciccotelli brought Cavanaugh a multi-divergent, local NJ talented cast that inspired Cavanaugh to write the script. Cavanaugh put on the producer hat while Ciccotelli went to work behind the camera and computer where Ciccotelli also edited the film! The team created a three-minute film that was completed and submitted by August 27th. Cavanaugh & Ciccotelli's film, MUSIC IN THE AIR has been a Finalist in several Film Festivals throughout the United States.

Cavanaugh & Ciccotelli are no strangers to the film festival landscape, both have world premiered short films in festivals from Los Angeles to New York including, Cavanaugh's THE SHIFT at the 2007 Garden State Film Festival in Asbury Park. In 2017, Cavanaugh's POKER NIGHT that he wrote and produced won Best Comedy Short Film at the Culver City Festival in California. Ciccotelli's feature RIPPLES OF WATER is currently on Tubi, Amazon Prime and Apple TV. His shorts THE DANCE, I.W.SK., 5:25 to 5:45 (or something like that) and THE DEVIL'S PLAYGROUND won multiple best short film awards and recognitions in Germany, England, Canada and all over the U.S.A.

Tom Cavanaugh received his M.F.A. in playwriting from The Actors Studio Drama School, NY in 2000. Tom's full-length play, BEHOLD was a 2010 finalist New American Playwrights Program at Utah Shakespearean Festival and won a 2011 Pickering Award for Excellence in Playwriting. ADAM & YOSHI was a finalist in McKinney Repertory Play Competition, Texas, finalist 2013 New American Playwrights Program Utah Shakespearean Festival and won 2012 Make the House Roar Prize at the Lionheart Theater, Georgia. 2014, INLAND EMPRESS, Tom's full-length play, World Premiered, at The Lounge Theatre, Los Angeles. 2017 MISTER PICMAN, premiered at the Short & Sweet Play Festival, Hollywood, CA, & Theatre of Note's Alternative Acts in Los Angeles. THE FIELD a short play by Cavanaugh premiered at The CTI Theatre Festival in Independence, MO. In 2018, Theatre of Action in Los Angeles Plays About Immigration listed Tom's short play, COYOTE. Tom won the Artists & Playwright Festival at The Know Theatre in Binghamton, NY in 2018 with his short play, ROCKS ON THE PLAYA. Tom was a member of the 2019 & 2022 National Playwrights Symposium at Cape May Stages in New Jersey and has been a member of the Dramatist Guild of America since 1998.

A.J. Ciccotelli received his M.F.A. in playwrighting from The Actors Studio Drama School, NYC in 2000, his M.A. in directing at Roosevelt University in Chicago in 2016 and M.F.A in screenwriting from the David Lynch School of Cinematic Arts in 2020. He was born Bangkok, Thailand, raised in Queens, NYC, and for the past twenty-years a New Jersey resident. He won numerous awards for his plays and directing. His feature Ripples of Water won the audience award for Best Feature Film at qFlix Philadelphia film festival, a silver award at Philadelphia International film festival and Market and nominated for best feature at Block Island Film Festival. His short The Dance, I.W.S.K. and The Devil's Playground each won best short film at Block Island. His short film 5:25 to 5:45 (or something like that) won best animated film at the Iowa Motion Picture Association. His screenplay Tic-Tac-Toe won the grand jury prize for best of the festival for Show Low Film Festival in Arizona. His screenplay Tic-Tac-Toe, The Dead Movie Star and the Boys and Fab & Ren each won best screenplay at Round Reel Festival in New Jersey.

MUSIC IN THE AIR AT THE 2024 JERSEY SHORE FILM FESTIVAL

The Jersey Shore Film Festival is one of the marquee film festivals in New Jersey. It is a lucrative opportunity for filmmakers, directors, actors, production crew, and of course, producers/filmmakers; who are showcasing their work, and networking with leading industry individuals, as well as company mainstays, in order to make significant contacts as well as achieve recognition in the industry. JSFF will attract audience members, filmmakers, and industry leaders within direct reach of New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Connecticut, as well as across the country, and around the world. JSFF is proud to feature cutting-edge work from the rising stars of today's up-and-coming as well as established filmmakers.

Festival attendees, enjoy everything the Jersey Shore has to offer, from the beaches to the boardwalks, the restaurants, the shopping, and so much more! We welcome Summer with a fun-filled festival, screening cutting-edge films, as well as mingling with other filmmakers, and industry leaders at various partying events, workshops, and networking gatherings. Selected Filmmakers, will be called on to address their fellow filmmakers, as well as the general public, in order to share their experiences, and journeys while making their films.

MUSIC IN THE AIR

Friday, June 28th at 6:00pm
GALA OPENING NIGHT SHORTS PROGRAM
Baronet Rooftop at Asbury Hotel
210 5TH AVE, ASBURY PARK, NJ 07712

FOR TICKETS: Gala Opening Night Shorts Program | Jersey Shore Film Festival

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