Newburyport Documentary Films 

Letter from Masanjia won the Audience Award at the recent Newburyport Documentary Film Festival. The film played to a full house at the Firehouse Center. When an American mom discovers an SOS note stashed in a package from Kmart, she never imagines it will lead to the closure of Masanjia, China’s most notorious labor camp. When news of the note goes viral, the writer, a Chinese engineer who had been jailed for his spiritual beliefs, fears for his life and his family’s safety. Realizing the spotlight is a chance to further expose the brutality of the Chinese regime, he decides to make a film about the harsh reality of being a human rights defender in China, risking his life in the process. Attending the festival was film maker Leon Lee and some of his answers to audience questions were simply mind-blowing.

After an incredible weekend filled with so many amazing films, we have made a decisions on which film's have been awarded best Feature, Short, New-England Film, First-Time Filmmaker, Audience Award, and Special Jury Cinephile Award.

Local filmmaker Fiona Turner will screen a film currently in production Eat Up which looks at nutrition in Boston Public Schools.

A collaboration between the Newburyport Documentary Film Festival and RAW Art Works. Five student-created short films will screen with an audience Q&A after each one. The best film will be selected by Erin Trahan, one of the festival judges, and will be announced at the close of the event!

On Tuesday, August 21, come to the second floor of the Grog to a first-hand glimpse at the film line-up for this year’s festival!

Please support the NBPT Doc Fest by simply eating dinner at Loretta on August 14th! A portion of the food sales will be donated to the festival to offset our costs.

Summer soiree on June 23 to feature local entertainment and refreshments

Mayor Donna Holaday and the Greater Newburyport Chamber of Commerce and Industry helped celebrate the start of a new beginning for the Film Festival.

What do the most ravishingly beautiful actress of the 1930s and 40s and the inventor whose concepts were the basis of cell phone and bluetooth technology have in common? They are both Hedy Lamarr.

A quirky, engaging film that asks: Will eating insects save our Earth? We follow Nordic Food Labs as they forage, farm, cook and taste insects with communities in Europe, Australia, Mexico, Kenya, Japan and beyond.