MONTCLAIR FILM FESTIVAL INC

What MONTCLAIR FILM FESTIVAL INC does

Montclair Film Festival Inc (d/b/a Montclair Film) is a New Jersey-based nonprofit organization founded in 2012 that operates a three-venue cinema network and an annual film festival in Montclair, NJ. Its three venues — The Clairidge (486 Bloomfield Avenue), The Bellevue (260 Bellevue Avenue), and Cinema505 (505 Bloomfield Avenue) — host regular film screenings, special events, repertory series (including B-Sides cult classics and the Matinee Discussion Club), and outdoor Movie Nights Under the Stars. The organization also produces the annual Montclair Film Festival, with film submissions processed through the FilmFreeway platform.

The organization serves multiple constituencies: film enthusiasts and local moviegoers in the Montclair area, independent and emerging filmmakers seeking exhibition and competition opportunities, grade 4-12 students and adult learners participating in filmmaking/screenwriting/editing/improv/podcasting classes, and local businesses purchasing sponsorships, venue rentals, and advertising. It also runs a Filmmaker Lab at Newark, workforce development programs with a job board, and the Emerging Screenwriter, Emerging Filmmaker, and Junior Jury competitions.

Revenue is generated across eight streams: cinema ticket sales, memberships (annual recurring with discounted tickets and early access), festival ticket sales and submissions, donations and sponsorships, education class fees, venue rentals, shop/gift card sales, and cinema/festival advertising. The technology stack is limited to a digital ticketing platform integrated with the website; no proprietary AI, app, or API infrastructure is disclosed. The organization is led by a board of directors (newly constituted in May 2026), operates with 7 employees, and is currently running the "Campaign for the Bellevue" capital fundraising effort alongside a July 2026 website redesign.

Name

MONTCLAIR FILM FESTIVAL INC

Legal name

Montclair Film

Website

https://montclairfilmfest.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Montclair Film Festival Inc is a New Jersey nonprofit that operates three Montclair cinemas (The Clairidge, The Bellevue, Cinema505), hosts the annual Montclair Film Festival, and runs film education and workforce development programs for students, adult learners, filmmakers, and local moviegoers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Exhibition and Cultural Programming

NAICS

Motion Picture Theaters (except Drive-Ins) (512131), Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)

akta.pro primary industry

Film Festivals & Festival Organizers (MPADAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Screening Rooms & Cinematheques (Nonprofit/Institutional) (MPADAKAF), Community & Cultural Screenings (Museums, Cultural Centers) (MPADAKAH), Programming, Booking & Repertory Exhibition Services (MPADAKAL)

Keywords

• Independent film exhibition
• Film festival operations
• Cinema venue management
• Film education programs
• Community arts nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

Montclair

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Cinema Ticket Sales: Revenue from ticket sales at three cinema venues (The Clairidge, The Bellevue, Cinema505) for regular film screenings, special events, and film series. Regular screenings typically scheduled one week in advance.
2. Membership Program: Annual and ongoing membership program offering discounted tickets to cinemas and festival, early access to events, merchandise and concession discounts. Recurring subscription revenue model.
3. Montclair Film Festival: Annual film festival generating revenue through film submissions (via FilmFreeway), sponsorships, advertising, and ticket sales for festival events.
4. Donations and Sponsorships: Charitable donations from supporters and corporate sponsorship packages for festival and ongoing operations.
5. Education Programs: Revenue from hands-on classes in filmmaking, screenwriting, editing, improv, podcasting for grades 4-12 and adults. Also includes workforce development programs and filmmaker lab at Newark.
6. Venue Rentals: Private event rentals of cinema spaces for corporate events, parties, and special screenings.
7. Shop and Gift Cards: Retail sales of merchandise and gift cards through online shop.
8. Advertising: Advertising opportunities at cinema venues and during festival events for local businesses and brands.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Montclair Film Festival Inc operates three community cinema venues (The Clairidge, The Bellevue, Cinema505) in Montclair, NJ, hosting regular film screenings, special events, and themed film series. It produces the annual Montclair Film Festival with film submissions managed via FilmFreeway, and runs a film education division offering hands-on classes for grades 4-12 and adults, workforce development programs, and emerging filmmaker/screenwriter competitions. Revenue is generated through cinema ticket sales, memberships, donations, sponsorships, advertising, education class fees, venue rentals, and merchandise.

Product overview

Montclair Film operates a multi-venue cinema network (The Clairidge, The Bellevue, Cinema505) combined with its flagship annual Montclair Film Festival. The organization provides film education classes, workforce development programs, and film competition opportunities. Core services include film screenings and events across its venues, supported by a membership program offering ticketing benefits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Clairidge: Cinema venue located at 486 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair, NJ
• The Bellevue
• Cinema505
• Montclair Film Festival

Products and services

• The Clairidge Cinema venue located at 486 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair, NJ, hosting independent film screenings, the Matinee Discussion Club, and special events for film audiences.
• The Bellevue Cinema venue located at 260 Bellevue Avenue, Montclair, NJ, featuring summer blockbusters, the B-Sides cult classic series, and special event screenings for families and general audiences.
• Cinema505 Cinema venue at 505 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair, NJ, used for screenings, the Matinee Discussion Club, and community events.
• Montclair Film Festival The organization's flagship annual film festival showcasing independent films, hosting competitions for emerging filmmakers and screenwriters, and offering filmmaker programs and festival events for audiences in Montclair, NJ.
• Film Education Classes Hands-on classes in filmmaking, screenwriting, editing, improv, and podcasting offered for grades 4-12 students and adult learners, with financial assistance options.
• Workforce Development Program Industry workforce development program connecting filmmakers with tools, talent, and training, including a job board for film industry positions and the Filmmaker Lab at Newark.
• Emerging Screenwriter & Filmmaker Competitions Competition programs including the Emerging Screenwriter Competition and Emerging Filmmaker Competition for aspiring creators, plus the Junior Jury program for young film enthusiasts.
• Membership Program Annual membership program offering discounted cinema tickets, early access to festival events, merchandise and concession discounts, and exclusive member events at Montclair Film venues.
• Venue Rentals Private event rental of cinema venues for corporate events, parties, and special screenings.
• Shop and Gift Cards Online retail shop offering Montclair Film-branded merchandise and gift cards for purchase.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Broad incumbents

• Alamo Drafthouse Cinema: National dine-in cinema chain known for repertory and specialty programming. Comparable as a multi-screen exhibitor with curated film programming and event-driven revenue.
• Angelika Film Center: Established independent film chain with multiple locations in the NYC metro area. Comparable as an art-house cinema operator overlapping the same indie programming and audience.
• Sundance Institute: Nonprofit organization running the Sundance Film Festival and year-round artist support and education programs. Comparable mission and structure (festival + education + community programming) at much larger scale.
• Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM): Major NYC performing arts venue with a film program including festival-style screenings and series. Comparable as a cultural institution integrating film exhibition with broader programming and education.

Direct peers

• Quad Cinema: NYC four-screen independent cinema showing new releases and repertory programming. Comparable as a multi-screen independent exhibitor serving a defined urban audience.
• Jacob Burns Film Center: Pleasantville, NY nonprofit film center operating multiple screens with strong education programming and a community mission. Closest geographic and mission analog to Montclair Film's venue-plus-education model.
• Cinema Arts Centre: Huntington, NY nonprofit cinema offering curated programming, festivals, and education. Comparable as a community-focused film exhibitor on Long Island serving a similar suburban audience.
• Coolidge Corner Theatre: Nonprofit independent cinema in Brookline, MA running year-round programming plus educational and community initiatives. Comparable as a mission-driven multi-program film exhibitor.
• IFC Center: NYC-based nonprofit-style independent cinema offering curated first-run, repertory, and festival programming. Highly comparable as a community-driven art-house exhibitor with strong programming brand identity.
• The Brattle Theatre: Cambridge, MA nonprofit repertory cinema with curated programming and special series. Comparable as a single-screen nonprofit exhibitor focused on community engagement.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/montclairfilmfest
• Facebookfacebook.com/MontclairFilm
• Instagraminstagram.com/montclairfilm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/montclair-film-festival-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MONTCLAIR FILM FESTIVAL INC