The Insides of our Lives + Shorts | New Jersey Independent Film Festival 2026

This screening features 2 short films + 1 feature film. All films are in English and/or have English subtitles.

Greetings from Seaside Heights (Germany) by Klara Schmickler

Nuclear Daydreams (United States) by Alex Swetlitschnyj, Lorenzo Graziano

The Insides of our Lives (Netherlands) by Misja Pekel

The Insides of Our Lives is a poetic blend that combines fiction with found footage. A selection from thousands of hours of found footage - mostly 8mm material - tells the coming-of-age story of two girls growing up along a border in Europe, as the border gradually drives them apart. The story sensitively portrays what it means to grow up in a world where one day fences appear, creating an 'us' and a 'them'. The film, though composed with footage of hundreds of different lives that have been filmed, is crafted in such a way that it feels like the life of one person.

Running…