The Montclair Film Festival Announces An Evening With Stephen Colbert and J.J. Abrams

New Jersey Performing Arts Center to host The Montclair Film Festival’s 5^th Annual Fundraiser on Saturday, November 21, 2015

September 2, 2015, Montclair, NJ— The Montclair Film Festival today announced that Stephen Colbert, host of CBS’ “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,”  will host an evening with director J.J. Abrams (“Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” “Lost”) on stage at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in downtown Newark, NJ on Saturday, November 21, 2015 at 8:00 PM.

Stephen Colbert and J.J. Abrams: Celebrity Nerd-Off! will be held in support of the Montclair Film Festival (MFF), New Jersey’s leading non-profit film organization, and will feature the pair in a wide-ranging on-stage discussion of their influences, ideas, and creative work.

Tickets range from $59.50-$250.00 and will go on sale Friday, September 11 at 10:00 AM and will be available by telephone at 1-888-GO-NJPAC (1-888-466-5722), at the NJPAC Box Office at One Center Street in downtown Newark, and online at www.njpac.org and Ticketmaster.com

In addition, the MFF, in partnership with Omaze, has announced a special Stephen Colbert and J.J. Abrams: Celebrity Nerd-Off! fan experience launching later this month.  This unique opportunity will be raffled off to support the MFF’s year-round film and education programs. Visit www.omaze.com/nerdoff to sign up for the program’s launch, prize details, notifications, updates, and to donate to win an extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“We remain incredibly grateful to Stephen Colbert for his unwavering support of our organization. To be able to host a visionary filmmaker like J.J. Abrams is a dream come true and we could not be more excited,” said Montclair Film Festival Executive Director Tom Hall. “This promises to be a great night.”

"Stephen Colbert is a national treasure and the Montclair Film Festival has quickly established itself as America's most important new celebration of movies and moviemakers. We're delighted to welcome them back to the Arts Center for a unique night of fun and fundraising," NJPAC President and CEO John Schreiber said.

ABOUT STEPHEN COLBERT

Stephen Colbert is the host, writer and executive producer of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” on CBS.  Previously, he was host, writer and executive producer of the long-running Emmy® and Peabody® Award-winning series "The Colbert Report" on Comedy Central.  The series ran for 9 years and was nominated for 40 Emmys, winning a total of 6.  The show was also twice honored with the prestigious Peabody® Award for Excellence in Broadcasting.  Colbert is also a best-selling author and accomplished actor.

ABOUT J.J. ABRAMS

J.J. Abrams is Founder and President of Bad Robot Productions, a film and television production company.  He is a writer, director and producer of such television series as “Felicity,” “Alias,” “Lost,” “Fringe,” and “Person of Interest,” and films such as, “Mission Impossible: 3,” “Super 8,” “Star Trek.”  Abrams is currently in post production on "Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” which he also co-wrote with Lawrence Kasdan.  Bad Robot is also producing the upcoming series “11/22/63,” “Westworld, “ and “Roadies.”  Abrams and his wife, Katie McGrath, live in Los Angeles with their three children.

ABOUT THE MONTCLAIR FILM FESTIVAL

The Montclair Film Festival, Inc. (MFF), a non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization, nurtures and showcases the talents of filmmakers from around the region and world. MFF unites, empowers, educates and celebrates our region’s diverse cultural heritage and robust artistic community by presenting an annual spring festival and a growing assortment of engaging programs and events all year long. The fifth annual spring festival will take place from April 29 through May 8, 2016. MFF 2016 is made possible through generous support from Investors Bank, Audible, Audi, HackensackUMC Mountainside, Chubb, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, among others. For information about MFF, visit www.montclairfilmfest.org.

About NJPAC

New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark, New Jersey, is among the largest performing arts centers in the United States and is the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of New Jersey -- where great performances and events enhance and transform lives every day.  As New Jersey’s Town Square, NJPAC brings diverse communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the State’s and the world’s best artists while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city.  Through its extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts enthusiasts.  NJPAC has attracted nearly 8 million visitors (including more than one million children) since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents.  Visit www.njpac.org or call 1-888-G-NJPAC for more information.

About Omaze

Founded by writer/filmmakers and friends from college, Matt Pohlson and Ryan Cummins, Omaze is an online social good platform that gives anyone the chance to win once-in-a-lifetime experiences that also support social missions. Omaze offers its community of donors transformative experiences, remarkable causes and compelling content. For more information, please visit www.omaze.com.