The 2026 Monmouth Film Festival (MFF) is set to transform the historic Bell Works campus into a bustling hub for independent cinema, launching its highly anticipated three-day event on Friday, May 29. Striking the opening note is an exclusive East Coast premiere of the music-driven comedy-drama Power Ballad, selected by Lionsgate Studios ahead of its upcoming wide release.
Written and directed by filmmaker John Carney (Once, Sing Street), Power Ballad stars New Jersey natives Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas. The film follows a past-his-prime wedding singer who strikes up an unlikely partnership with a fading boy-band star, leading to a magnetic exploration of friendship, ambition, and the music industry.
The special opening night screening will debut at 8:00 p.m. inside the 285-seat Bell Theater.
Running from May 29 to May 31, the festival brings a seamless, all-in-one cinematic experience to the massive two-million-square-foot Bell Works “metroburb” in Holmdel. Famous to millions of television viewers as the retro-futuristic backdrop for the hit Apple TV+ series Severance, the self-contained campus will house all screenings, industry panels, dining, and networking events under one roof.
“MFF is about bringing people together through powerful storytelling,” Nicholas Marchese, founder of the Monmouth Film Festival, said. “Whether you’re an independent filmmaker, a dedicated film lover, or someone discovering these stories for the first time, the festival is designed to create meaningful connections and celebrate great cinema from New Jersey and around the world.”
Ralph Zucker, president and CEO of Inspired by Somerset Development (the developer behind Bell Works), expressed pride in how the campus has evolved since the theater’s opening two years ago. “Our vision was to create a destination where culture, community, and extraordinary experiences could thrive, and the Monmouth Film Festival is exactly that,” Zucker said.
While high-profile titles like Power Ballad, I Want Your Sex starring Olivia Wilde, and Union County starring Will Poulter anchor the marquee, the festival remains deeply rooted in its mission to amplify independent and homegrown creators.
The 2026 slate features a dynamic range of feature-length films, documentaries, and shorts, including:
- Untouchables: An inspiring documentary following Newark fencing coach Derrick Hoff and his championship-winning team.
- You Know What You Are: A chilling New Jersey–set horror feature that reimagines classic vampire mythology within a desolate, winter beach town.
- Vienna: An emotional short exploration of a family coping with the tragic loss of a child to Sudden Unexplained Death in Children (SUDC).
- Greetings From Seaside Heights: A documentary examining the complexities and culture of seasonal Jersey Shore tourism through the eyes of locals and visitors.
The festival’s international reach expands even further with selections such as Happy Birthday from Egypt and HEN from the Mediterranean region, bringing global perspectives straight to Monmouth County.
Beyond theatrical screenings, the festival features an array of community-focused, open-access events. The New York Film Academy will present a series of free educational panels and workshops covering everything from directing and visual effects to casting, pitching, and auditing.
For tech enthusiasts, a free Digital Film Expo will run through Saturday and Sunday in the iconic central atrium at Bell Works. Attendees can get hands-on experience with cutting-edge production tools, cameras, and lighting equipment from industry leaders like Blackmagic Design, DaVinci Resolve, and SmallRig.
The weekend will close out with the 2026 MFF Awards Ceremony, free and open to the public, hosted by celebrity guest Eric Eremita to honor breakout independent talent.
