On Thursday, September 24, at 6:30 pm, the Hoboken Museum is pleased to host the latest installment of “Meet the Filmmakers,” a specially curated program of award-winning films followed by lively discussions with filmmakers, hosted by festival director Jane Steuerwald.

Program 3 of “Meet the Filmmakers,” presents “Maelstrom,” a 45-minute “found footage” documentary created through the memories of Syrians. It is a poetic, visual essay cut together from amateur videos by various Syrians who fled their country. The story was told by means of videos that were saved on mobile phones, computers, tablets or that were posted online. The filmmakers’ intent was to show the lives Syrians had to leave behind when they fled their country. “Maelstrom” was inspired by the true story of a Syrian who tried to swim from Calais to England in search of a new home.

This event will take place both live in-person (with up to 15 attendees, social distancing and masks required) and as an online presentation. These specially curated programs are also available for viewing on demand, for free, at the Black Maria Film Festival website.

Directions for viewing are described below:

• Go to www.blackmariafilmfestival.org
• Click on “Virtual Festival”
• Click on “Curations”
• Click on Black Maria Virtual Film Festival – Meet the Filmmakers Program 3

Streaming is free, and donations are welcome.

For 39 years, the Thomas Edison Black Maria Film Festival has been advancing the unique creativity and power of the short form. The Festival was founded in 1981 and is named for Thomas Edison’s original West Orange, NJ, film studio, whose resemblance to the familiar black-box shaped police paddy wagons sparked the nickname “Black Maria.” The festival is an international juried competition open to all genres and filmmakers across the globe.

The Festival’s virtual touring program reaches out to diverse audiences in diverse settings with screenings of cutting-edge, cross-genre films — narrative, experimental, animation, and documentary. Subject matter includes issues and struggles within contemporary society such as the environment, public health, race and class, family, sustainability, and much more. These exceptional works range from animation, comedy, and drama to the exploration of pure form in film and video and are the heart and soul of the festival. Learn more at www.blackmariafilmfestival.org

The festival’s Hudson County Movie Tour is made possible through the generous support of The Hudson County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs & Tourism, Gina Hulings, Director/Administrator.