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Eight finalists from Bergen County placed in the 2015 Jersey Filmmakers of Tomorrow festival, sponsored by the Fort Lee Film Commission. More than 100 high school students submitted short movies, with the committee narrowing it down to eight.
Anthony Lorelli, 18, of Bergenfield High School placed second for "Generation Z." Classmates Kyle Siringan and Alexander Garcia also finished in the top eight.
The judges included Michael Gandolfini, son of "Sopranos" star James Ganolfini. Tom Meyers, executive director of the Fort Lee Film Commission, said "The Sopranos" highlighted the state's iconic scenery.
"What James and ['Sopranos' creator] David Chase did in New Jersey was terrific," Meyers said.
Ganolfini's sister Johanna, presented the first-place prize to Lodi High School junior Urmil Dalal.
Other finalists included Pascack Valley students Alex Hacopian, Andrew Favorito and Zachary Kaplan, and Alden Etra of Fort Lee High School.
All eight of the finalists were winners, Meyers noted. Nelson Page, executive director of the Fort Lee Film Commission, said he saw tremendous talent in the young directors.
"The submissions this year were better than they've ever been before," he said.
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