RIDGEFIELD — Ridgefield Independent Film Festival, founded in 2015, has returned to a fully in-person presentation this weekend. Filmmakers with Newtown and Bethel ties are among those looking forward to having audiences see their work this weekend.

The festival (RIFF) is collaborating with six venues — Keeler Tavern Museum, Lounsbury House, The Prospector Theater, Ridgefield Library, Ridgefield Playhouse, and Ridgefield Theater Barn — with its original focus of showcasing independent films.

This year’s festival opens Thursday, May 18, and continues to Sunday, May 21, culminating with an awards ceremony at Keeler Tavern Museum’s Garden House. Awards in multiple categories will be offered including the Emerging Filmmaker Award, which RIFF has been presenting for the past two years.

RIFF this year will have 46 films, filmmaker Q&A events, and parties. Films include documentaries, features, shorts, and more; visit riffct.org/schedule2023 for full details.

Tickets begin at $15 and are available through RIFFCT.org.

Godino’s ‘Every Other Kid’

Newtown native Patrick Godino will continue the celebration of seeing his thesis film, Every Other Kid, win first prize for undergraduate film at NYU’s First Run Film Festival with a screening of that film in Ridgefield.

Godino is now based in New York City. He graduated from New York University in May 2022, having double-majored in Film & TV Production and Spanish.

His passion for filmmaking began at an early age, he said, getting his start making “sequels” to movies such as Harry Potter and National Treasure. As he found his voice, he gravitated toward comedic short films and meaningful dramatic stories. He is currently working as a producer and editor at a production company and developing a web-series to be made this summer.

Every Other Kid is a musical about mental health and gun violence. It tells the story of three high school students as they deal with their mental and emotional struggles.

Coming from three different backgrounds and going down three different paths, the lives of the students intersect in a crucial, heartbreaking way. Over four years in the making, most of the production took place in Newtown last April.

An official selection of Ridgefield Independent Film Festival, Every Other Kid will be screened twice. The first screening was scheudled for this morning. The next is planned for 5 pm Friday, May 19, at The Prospector Theater, 25 Prospect Street.

In addition to its prize at NYU’s First Run Film Festival in March, Every Other Kid is an official selection for an Oscar-qualifying festival taking place next month, according to Godino.

Featured Documentary

Also among this month’s offerings is a documentary feature from Bethel High School alumna Emily Sheskin, whose film JessZilla follows Jesselyn “JessZilla” Silva, a three-time national boxing champion from New Jersey.

The film follows Jesselyn and her father Pedro, who struggles with loving his daughter and wanting to support her in a dangerous sport. Filmed over five years, the documentary chronicles how their father-daughter relationship strengthens as Jesselyn grows from 10 to 15 years old.

Just as Jesselyn is on the precipice of making the Junior Olympic team, she and her father are presented with their toughest battle yet: a pediatric cancer diagnosis.

The film premiered at the prestigious Big Sky International Documentary Film Festival, Atlanta Film Festival, and Fargo Film Festival, where it won Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Documentary.

The Featured Documentary of RIFF, JessZilla will screen on Saturday, May 20, at 4:30 pm, Keeler Tavern Museum, 152 Main Street.