• By Mabel Pais

The SR Socially Relevant™ Film Festival NY on February 6 unveiled its 12th edition narrative and documentary features.

The Festival opens March 11 at the National Arts Club (15 Gramercy Park S, New York, NY 10003 – 212 475-3424). The festival resumes Uptown at the Maysles Documentary Center (343 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY 10027 – 646 853-1296) on March 12, The Forum (601 W 125th St, New York, NY 10027 – 212 853-6786 and MRHS (100 La Salle St, New York, NY 10027 – 212 666-4000 on March 13, and Cinema Village (22 E 12th St, New York, NY 10003 – 212 924-3364) on March 14-16. The Closing Awards Night occurs on March 16 at the Tenri Cultural Institute (43A W 13th St, New York, NY 10011 – 212 645-2800). The online section of the festival starts on March 17.

The SRFF 2025 Competition Categories are Narrative Feature, Documentary Feature, Narrative Short, Documentary Short, Rejoice Resist: BIPOC Films and Filmmakers, and scriptwriting.

Founding Artistic Director Nora Armani presented the films and synopses. The trailers and film details are posted on the website (ratedsrfilms.org)

under SRFF 2025. The website also offers press and media accreditations and sponsorship opportunities. The festival’s YouTube channel (youtube.com/channel/UCTSz55oZhoPPlhJos82RoSw) has trailers and posts live interviews from Meet the Filmmakers sessions. A BIPOC Filmmakers’ Panel will be held on March 13, followed by networking events and happy hours.

“Twelve years have speeded by. We are proud to have had the opportunity to present over 750 socially relevant films from 40 countries. The work of talented and dedicated filmmakers has offered us the bonus of learning about the human condition and filmmaking while engaging with an audience as a first step toward raising awareness of social issues. We could not have done it without the valuable support of our sponsors, partners, and friends.” Festival Founding Artistic Director Nora Armani.

TICKETS

Early Bird $5 tickets are available for a limited time only @ (filmfreeway.com/SRFF25/tickets). Tickets purchased online at full price are $15, and tickets at the door are $20). Students have FREE access with valid student ID.

SRFF Founder, Origin and Mission

SRFF was founded by Actress/ Filmmaker Nora Armani in 2013 in response to the proliferation of violence and violent forms of storytelling in media and entertainment. Following a family tragedy that cost the lives of two of her dearest and nearest, namely her cousin Vania and uncle Jack Exerjian, Armani founded the festival to commemorate them meaningfully.

This new edition addresses Aging, Art and healing, Climate Change, Disability, Healthcare, LGBTQ, Memory and Identity, The Prison System, Women, and Voices of Canada.

The Mission of the SR Film Festival is to spotlight filmmakers who tell compelling, socially relevant, human-interest stories without resorting to violence or violent forms of storytelling. SRFF believes in the power of film to raise awareness of social problems.

(Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Spirituality, Cuisine, Health & Wellness, Business, and Education)

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MEERA IYER FINALIST AMONG TWO AT REGIONAL ‘POETRY OUT LOUD’ CONTEST

• By Mabel Pais

At  the New Jersey ‘Poetry Out Loud,’ Region 4, 2025 Regional Finalists competition, two of the contestants were named finalists. Meera Iyer from Morristown Beard School in Morristown, and Bianca Diez, from Morris County School of Technology in Denville were named the Region 4 Finalists. This regional contest is part of the National ‘Poetry Out Loud’ recitation program. The contest took place on February 10, 2025 at the Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown.

Meera Iyer and Bianca Diez will represent Region 4 at the ‘Poetry Out Loud’ State Finals on March 12, 2025, at Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank. Participants from 6 regions throughout the state will compete for the title of State Champion. The State Champion will move on to represent New Jersey at the National Finals in Washington D.C. later this spring.

POETRY OUT LOUD

‘Poetry Out Loud’ is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition for high school students across the country. ‘Poetry Out Loud’ is a partnership of the National Endowment for the Arts, Poetry Foundation, and the 55 state and jurisdictional arts agencies.

New Jersey ‘Poetry Out Loud’ is a project of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and the Count Basie Center for the Arts. Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program, led by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, in partnership with the state and jurisdictional arts agencies across the country. In New Jersey, the State Arts Council and the Basie work with a growing network of regional partners to implement the program statewide. Learn more at poetryoutloud.org.

For more information about New Jersey ‘Poetry Out Loud,’ the State Finals, and more, visit njpol.org/what-is-pol.

The Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)

Website:     mayoarts.org

Facebook:   facebook.com/MayoPerformingArtsCenter

Instagram:  instagram.com/mayopac/

Twitter:      twitter.com/MayoCenter

YouTube:     youtube.com/user/MayoCenter

The New Jersey State Council On The Arts

The New Jersey State Council on the Arts, created in 1966, is a division of the NJ Department of State and a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. To learn more about the Council, visit artscouncil.nj.gov.

The Count Basie Center For The Arts

The Count Basie Center for the Arts is New Jersey’s premier center for the cultural arts, dedicated to fostering powerful, inclusive artistic experiences and creative exchange of ideas. The Basie mission is to inspire, educate and entertain through its distinct and engaging cultural and artistic offerings that reflect the diversity of the region. Learn more at thebasie.org.

(Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Spirituality, Cuisine, Health & Wellness, Business, and Education)