The Garden State Film Festival was born in 2002 after a chance encounter in a Sea Girt, New Jersey grocery store by 25- year film industry veteran Diane Raver and the well known Hollywood actor Robert Pastorelli.

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Through their deep ties to Hollywood, Mr. Pastorelli and Ms. Raver were able to bring an all encompassing event to the State of New Jersey. It premiered in 2003 and was immediately deemed a huge success.

Since that time, industry notables such as Glenn Close, Frank Vincent, Batman producer Michael Uslan, Austin Pendleton, Kurtwood Smith, James Gandolfini, Budd Schulberg, Clarence Clemons, Bruce Springsteen, Lainie Kazan, Diane Ladd and others have lent their support.