Montclair Film Festival isn’t just back. It’s leveling up. With the long-awaited reopening of the historic Bellevue Cinema and a slate that ranges from prestige awards hopefuls to buzzy panels (hi, Spike Lee and Stephen Colbert), Artistic Director Tom Hall says this year’s 10-day cine-celebration (October 17–26, 2025) is built for movie lovers who want to take a chance—and maybe line up for the next screening right after.
A Classic Returns to the Bellevue
The very first screening in the Bellevue will be a nod to local history. On October 18, audiences will gather to watch a newly restored 4K print of The Sound of Music.
When Montclair Film announced it had acquired the Bellevue, longtime residents flooded the organization with memories of seeing the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic there in the 1960s, when it ran for years as both a matinee and a first-run feature.
Hall wanted to honor that connection. There was one catch: Disney, which owns the film, usually prohibits theaters showing new Disney releases from screening retrospectives. But Hall made his case, sending the studio screenshots of community reactions.
“The Disney team was like, we love this so much. You can absolutely have the film for this exception,” Hall says. “So The Sound of Music will be the first film in the new Bellevue, and I’m really excited.”
Opening Night Goes Meta with Clooney
The festival’s official kickoff takes place on October 17 with Noah Baumbach’s J. Kelly, starring George Clooney as (what else?) a movie star grappling with the cost of fame.
“It’s about all of the sacrifices that he’s made in his life and the people that he sort of hurt along the way,” Hall explains. Adam Sandler co-stars as the hyper-attentive manager who makes sure the star’s life runs seamlessly…until it doesn’t.
If the premise feels like art imitating life, that’s the point. “It is the most meta opening night film possible,” Hall says. “It’s really quite perfect as a commentary on what we’re up to as an organization as well.”
Adding to the prestige: Nicholas Britell, the acclaimed composer behind Succession and Moonlight, will attend opening night. Hall calls Britell’s score for J. Kelly “really quite beautiful,” shifting styles as the film moves across Europe and the U.S.
From Montclair to Colorado
Local filmmakers remain a cornerstone of the festival. Among the highlights is Creed USA from Montclair-based documentarian Kahane Corn Cooperman. The film explores a small Colorado town where a hippie theater troupe founded by Mandy Patinkin coexists with a newer, more conservative community.
“Given the political climate of the country and sort of the divisiveness that’s going on, it’s really timely,” Hall says. “Kahane’s work has always been about looking for film subjects that bring people together and can bridge divides.”
Montclair Shorts, New Jersey Shorts, and Montclair State University programs will also shine a spotlight on emerging filmmakers. Hall admits that hundreds of worthy submissions had to be turned away due to space. His message to local directors: don’t give up. With two cinemas running year-round, Montclair Film wants to keep building those connections.
Colbert Meets Spike, and Other Must-See Panels
Film buffs won’t just be watching movies—they’ll be hearing from industry heavyweights.
One of the biggest conversations of the week pairs Spike Lee with Stephen Colbert at the Wellmont Theater. Hall, a self-professed Gen Xer, calls Lee’s Do the Right Thing “a definitive movie of my generation.”
Also on the docket: Pam Abdy, co-head of Warner Bros. Pictures, whose blockbuster streak includes everything from Minecraft to Paul Thomas Anderson’s upcoming One Battle After Another. Hall will sit down with Abdy to trace her career, which began in Danny DeVito’s production office and led to producing Garden State.
Panels hosted by The Ankler will dissect the state of the industry and awards season, while Montclair Improv and a beloved Story Slam keep things fun. Best of all? Every panel is free and open to the public.
The Joy and Pain of Too Many Movies
If there’s one problem Hall has, it’s abundance. On Sunday, October 19, festivalgoers will face what he calls “an absolute murderer’s row”: the Palme d’Or winner from Iran, It Was Just an Accident, the new Knives Out installment, Wake Up Deadman, the awards contender Hamnet with Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, and Left-Handed Girl, produced by Sean Baker.
“You can go to two of them, but you’ll never be able to go to all four,” Hall says. “Every time you have to do that because of the scheduling issues, it breaks my heart.”
Festival Life, Montclair Style
For Hall and his team, the week is a marathon of introductions, sponsor shoutouts, and sprinting between auditoriums. Audiences looking to unwind can grab a table at Porta, pop into the Audible Lounge for a happy hour, or, like Hall, line up for the next screening.
“I always say: if everyone in Montclair bought one ticket to see one movie, it would be exponentially the greatest film festival in the history of Montclair Film,” he says. “Just take a chance.”
Montclair Film Festival runs October 17–26, 2025. For tickets and the full schedule, visit montclairfilm.org
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