Lights, Camera, Action! Alumna Diane Raver Founded the Garden State Film Festival

The Garden State Film Festival, now celebrating its 20th anniversary, kicks off later this month. Attracting thousands of attendees and showcasing hundreds of movies, the annual event blossomed from the mind of alumna Diane Raver.

The Class of 1979 textile design graduate never anticipated that she would create the state’s largest film event during her time at school. A few years after graduation, Raver segued from the textile industry to the film production world, working for several TV commercial production companies. Then, a couple of pivotal experiences two decades ago inspired the third act of her decorated career.

Raver discusses her textile background, move to the film industry, picks for this year’s festival and more.

What are some of your favorite college memories?
The great friends I made. I was Phi Psi and in several plays. The cast and crew became very close.

What kind of work in textiles did you do after graduation?
I went right to the New York City area. I lived in Park Slope, Brooklyn, and commuted in my VW bug to Rockleigh, N.J., to the Klopman Mills division of Burlington Industries until they eventually moved the whole operation into Manhattan. At Burlington, I was the color stylist of their knit division.

How did you transition from a career in textiles to the entertainment industry and eventually founding the Garden State Film Festival?
That’s a wonderful story filled with a lot of luck and some divine intervention. I enjoyed my job at Burlington, but sadly, the pay wasn’t great. My cousin was interning at a commercial production company in the summer of 1982. I had a vacation, but I couldn’t afford to go anywhere so I had some extra time on my hands.

Right around then, my cousin got a call from another production company asking if they knew of anyone who could answer the phone for a few days. She suggested me. I loved them, and they loved me. They found out rather quickly that I could sell. They put a director’s reel—a sample of the director’s TV commercials—in my bag and off I went to the ad agencies to get work for the director I represented.

I worked for several established and well-known TV commercial production houses over the years and had the honor of working with some of the great talent of the time.

In the meantime, I met my husband, who just happened to be an award-winning director/cameraman in the TV commercial business himself. He encouraged me to start my own TV commercial business, and I became the first woman to do so in New York City.

As our children came along, we decided to leave the city, and a few years later, my husband’s business allowed us to live outside of Nice, France. While there, a group of women from my children’s school took me to Cannes for coffee. Over a cappuccino, gazing at the theater where the Cannes Film Festival took place, the idea jumped into my head.

When our time in France ended and we came home to New Jersey, the idea of the film festival just kept gnawing at me. And then it happened: I ran into actor Robert Pastorelli at our local grocery store. With his encouragement and deep Hollywood ties, we founded our event. We knew our state deserved the economic and cultural boost of an all-encompassing, true independent film festival.

I also wanted to pay tribute to New Jersey’s legacy as the birthplace of the American filmmaking industry. Thomas Edison invented the first film cameras and projectors at his Menlo Park laboratories, and Fort Lee served as the first center of the American motion picture industry, boasting 49 film studios at the turn of the century.

The Garden State Film Festival premiered in 2003. Since then, we have shown some 1,000 films and industry notables, including Glenn Close, Christopher Lloyd, James Gandolfini, Laura Dern, Bruce Springsteen and Ed Asner, have lent their support.

What separates the Garden State Film Festival from other film festivals across the country?
There are a few things. First, the far-sightedness. Most fledgling festivals don’t last more than three years. We knew we wanted to be here for our community, filmmakers and audience for decades to come. Every decision we made from the beginning was to build a strong foundation.

Next, independent films. Each year, we present films not made just to make money like studio films. They’re films by independent filmmakers, from their hearts and souls. Independent films are to the cinematic arts what organic food is to the food industry. No additives, no fillers, just pure. Why is that important? We’re on the frontline of freedom of speech and expression in this country. We tell all sides of an issue. We give artists a platform.

And underneath it all: service. Our incredibly dedicated team serves the filmmakers by watching every movie. Most years, this is close to 1,800 submissions. It’s no secret that other festivals relegate the viewing of all but a few films to the people on the lowest rungs of the organization. We believe the days, months and often years a filmmaker puts into making a movie deserve the hours it takes us to watch it.

What are some important films being shown at this year’s festival?
Just to name a few: “Absolute Power: Nasdaq Exposed,” “American Rackets,” “Chasing Childhood,” “The United States of Fashion Designer Elie Tahari” and “Shiny Objects­–The Conductor With ADHD.”

The Garden State Film Festival runs from March 23-27 in person and March 28-April 3 virtually. Visit here for more information.