The 12th annual ReadingFilmFEST is bringing filmmakers, actors and audiences together in downtown Reading for a weekend of independent cinema, offering opportunities to explore new stories, meet the people behind them and learn more about the filmmaking process.
Running November 6–8, the festival features documentaries, independent features, short films, animation and locally connected productions at GoggleWorks Center for the Arts and R/C Reading Movies 11 & IMAX.
Beyond the screenings, festival organizers say the event is designed to create connections between filmmakers and audiences while highlighting the growing opportunities for film production in Berks County and the surrounding region.
Eliza Taylor, festival director, said one of the defining characteristics of ReadingFilmFEST is the number of filmmakers who attend in person. More than 40 filmmakers are expected to participate throughout the weekend, many accompanied by cast and crew members.
Taylor referenced a saying from festival board president Tracy Schott that captures the organization’s approach: “We bring the filmmakers here because without filmmakers, you’re just going to the movies.”
Rather than simply presenting films on a screen, the festival encourages audiences to participate in question-and-answer sessions, connect with directors and learn about the experiences involved in bringing a story to life.
Taylor said those interactions also serve a larger purpose. By bringing filmmakers from different areas to Reading, organizers hope to introduce them to the region’s production resources and encourage them to consider Berks County for future projects.
“I think the idea behind it is that there’s a lot of production and filmmaking happening in this area,” Taylor said.
She explained that the region offers a variety of filming locations, experienced crews, production talent and accommodations that can support projects of different sizes. Bringing visiting filmmakers into the community allows them to see those resources firsthand.
For larger productions, Taylor said, that interest can eventually translate into economic activity through hotel stays, restaurant visits, local employment and other services.
“All of that money just gets poured back into the area,” she said.
Organizing the festival itself is an extensive process. Taylor said preparations take many months, from reviewing submitted films to coordinating schedules, communicating with visiting filmmakers and arranging the various events.
Approximately 50 jurors help review submissions before films advance through the festival’s award selection process.
The result is a weekend that brings together experienced filmmakers, emerging directors and independent artists working with a wide range of resources and creative approaches.
Among those participating this year are Mark Clauburg, writer and director of A Son’s Burden, and Tony Melanson, director of Iron Maidens: Wrestling for Glory. Both filmmakers spoke about their projects, the challenges of independent production and what it means to bring their work to Reading.
A Son’s Burden: A story of family conflict and independent filmmaking
For filmmaker Mark Clauburg, returning to ReadingFilmFEST provides another opportunity to share his work with audiences and reconnect with a festival that has previously screened two of his films.
His latest project, A Son’s Burden, is a 14-minute dramatic short exploring the complicated relationship between an estranged father and son.
The story follows Vincent, who reunites with his dying father, Frank, a longtime gangster figure suffering from cancer. Facing the end of his life, Frank makes a desperate request of his son: to end his suffering.
What follows is an intense confrontation shaped by years of separation, resentment and unresolved family conflict.
Clauburg said the project developed partly from earlier scripts containing similar characters, but the opportunity to work again with familiar actors was an important motivation.
“It was just another excuse to work with Dan Burke, who I’ve worked with twice before,” Clauburg said, referring to actor Daniel Martin-Burke.
Clauburg also reunited with actor Jim Thalman, who plays Vincent, after previously collaborating with him on another production.
The film was shot over three days in April 2025 in a rural area of northern New Jersey near the Vernon Valley and Great Gorge region.
“It’s not so much about acting as it is about being part of a team that does the impossible,” he said.
Thalman described independent filmmaking as a constant challenge of balancing limited resources with ambitious creative goals.
“The old joke in indie film is it’s the battle of never enough. Never enough time, never enough money, never enough equipment, never enough personnel,” he said.
Despite those limitations, he said, filmmaking brings together artists from multiple disciplines who collaborate toward a shared vision.
Actors, cinematographers, lighting technicians, production designers and other crew members each contribute something that can transform a written script into a finished film.
Thalman said that collaborative process is often more meaningful than any individual performance. It also makes finally watching the completed work on a theater screen especially rewarding.
Clauburg estimated that approximately 12 crew members worked on the production, with additional people involved in post-production. The project was somewhat larger than his usual films and included professional audio mixing.
He said the film’s emotionally charged subject matter has already generated strong reactions from audiences.
During a previous screening at the Chain Film Festival in New York, audience members expressed concern about the director’s well-being after experiencing the film’s difficult themes.
“It’s a very rough movie. It’s very intense,” Clauburg said, explaining that the confrontation between the father and son is deliberately uncomfortable.
For aspiring filmmakers, Clauburg emphasized the importance of collaboration and surrounding oneself with people who have knowledge and experience.
He said he regularly returns to trusted collaborators after positive experiences on previous projects, rather than attempting to handle every aspect of filmmaking himself.
“So just look for your people,” Clauburg said. “Tell personal stories. That’s what comes easiest to me.”
Thalman offered a similarly straightforward piece of advice for anyone pursuing creative work: “Replace ‘I know’ with ‘I’m curious.'”
A Son’s Burden will screen Saturday, November 7, at 2 p.m. in IMAX 2 as part of the festival’s Saturday Shorts program.
Iron Maidens: Wrestling for Glory captures a historic season for Pennsylvania athletes
While Clauburg’s film explores a fictional family confrontation, filmmaker Tony Melanson turned his attention to a real-life story unfolding in Pennsylvania high school athletics.
His documentary, Iron Maidens: Wrestling for Glory, follows two teenage wrestlers during the 2024 season, when Pennsylvania held its first official girls’ high school wrestling championship.
The film combines the history of girls’ wrestling in Pennsylvania with the personal journeys of two athletes, Leyna and Avry, as they pursue the opportunity to become state champions.
“For decades, girls had to actually wrestle boys in Pennsylvania,” Melanson said. “And this is the first season that girls have their own championship.”
Melanson, who has been involved in filmmaking for approximately three years, said the idea initially developed through a family connection.
A neighbor’s daughter, Leyna, was becoming an accomplished wrestler, and Melanson recognized that the growing girls’ wrestling movement could provide the foundation for a documentary.
He approached her parents about following her during her senior season, and they agreed.
The project took an unexpected turn when Leyna faced another wrestler, Avry, during a tournament.
Avry defeated Leyna in just 43 seconds. However, Melanson noticed something unusual after the match.
“But then they’re sitting at the cafeteria table, laughing and having a good time as friends,” he recalled.
The contrast between their competitive intensity and personal friendship caught his attention.
Both athletes were nationally ranked, and Melanson saw an opportunity to tell a story that extended beyond individual victories and losses.
After Avry agreed to participate, the documentary began following both wrestlers through a season in which their friendship would be tested by competition.
As the athletes progressed, they eventually competed in the same weight class, setting up a rivalry with increasingly significant stakes as they pursued the state championships in Hershey.
Melanson said he wanted the film to capture both the emotional experiences of the athletes and the larger historical changes taking place within the sport.
The documentary explores the challenges female wrestlers faced in gaining recognition, the development of opportunities for girls to compete and the coaches and supporters who helped advance the movement.
Unlike some independent productions involving larger teams, Melanson handled much of the filmmaking himself.
He shot most of the footage, occasionally working with additional cinematographers, and completed the editing and story construction.
The entire process took approximately one year.
Melanson also worked with producer and mentor Nigel Levy, whom he credited with helping him develop his approach to documentary storytelling.
He explained that combining the historical background of girls’ wrestling with the unfolding personal experiences of the athletes required careful attention to how the story developed.
The goal was to create a film that could introduce audiences to a sport they might not understand while maintaining the excitement and uncertainty of an athletic competition.
Melanson said some viewers initially question the significance of girls’ wrestling, but their perspective often changes as they learn about the athletes’ experiences.
“They see how hard they work, and they see the skill that they have,” he said.
He also wanted the documentary to reflect the support female wrestlers received from male coaches and others who helped the sport grow.
That approach influenced decisions throughout production, including the selection of a male narrator to help represent the broader support behind the movement.
For Melanson, the film is not simply about determining which athlete wins a championship. It is also about perseverance, opportunity and the personal growth that can emerge through competition.
He said audience reactions have been encouraging, particularly as viewers become invested in the wrestlers’ journeys and the uncertainty of their final outcomes.
Melanson has already screened the film in Pittsburgh and made it available through streaming services, including Amazon, Apple and Tubi.
He said finding distribution can be particularly difficult for independent documentaries, and his priority was making the film accessible to audiences rather than focusing primarily on awards.
Although the documentary has already reached viewers outside the festival circuit, ReadingFilmFEST represents another milestone in his developing filmmaking career.
Melanson said it is the first film festival in which he has participated, with additional festival appearances expected.
He expressed appreciation for the reception he received in Reading and the opportunity to share the documentary with another audience.
Iron Maidens: Wrestling for Glory will screen Saturday, November 7, at 11:30 a.m. in IMAX 2 as part of the festival’s Sports/Adventure film program.
Made in Reading showcases local filmmakers
ReadingFilmFEST will also highlight local filmmaking talent with its Made in Reading short film block on Sunday, November 8, at 3 p.m. at GoggleWorks Center for the Arts. Among the featured selections is My Last Sin, a nine-minute short film directed by Eric Olmeda. The film follows a woman who discovers her husband’s affair and storms out after a heated argument, only to become the victim of a random crime. The program also includes Affectionately! directed by Santo D. Marabella, Bottleneck by Charles Putt, and Salazar by Andrew Pochan, offering audiences an opportunity to experience a variety of stories from filmmakers featured in the locally focused program.
How to attend ReadingFilmFEST
The 12th annual ReadingFilmFEST continues through Sunday, November 8, with screenings and special events at GoggleWorks Center for the Arts and R/C Reading Movies 11 & IMAX in downtown Reading.
The schedule includes feature films, documentaries, short film collections and opportunities for audiences to hear directly from filmmakers through discussions and question-and-answer sessions.
Among the weekend’s additional offerings is a screening of Flow, the Academy Award-winning animated film, on Sunday at noon. Taylor highlighted the screening as an opportunity for families and younger audiences to experience the festival together.
Individual screening tickets start at $10 and include admission to the selected film or film block, along with any filmmaker Q&A or discussion scheduled for that screening.
Attendees can explore the complete schedule, find screening locations and purchase tickets at readingfilmfest.com
For Taylor, the weekend is about more than bringing movies to downtown Reading. It is an opportunity to build relationships, introduce filmmakers to the region and encourage audiences to experience independent cinema in a setting where the people responsible for making the films are part of the conversation.