Abrams joins a group that includes the likes of Jon Stewart, Jimmy Fallon, Steve Carell, and Jonathan Alter, all of whom have previously participated in similar Q&A sessions with Colbert. The new face of The Late Show hosted two sessions at the 2014 MFF. He’s been a supporter for years, which isn’t surprising considering that his wife, Evelyn, is the festival board’s vice chairman.
“We remain incredibly grateful to Stephen Colbert for his unwavering support of our organization,” said MFF executive director Tom Hall in a statement. “To be able to host a visionary filmmaker like J.J. Abrams is a dream come true and we could not be more excited.”
John Schreiber, the president and CEO of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, where the event will take place, referred to Colbert as a “national treasure” and shared his organization’s excitement about the MFF. “Montclair Film Festival has quickly established itself as America’s most important new celebration of movies and moviemakers,” he said.
The Monclair Film Festival publicized the event on its Twitter account on Sept. 2, including a comic book-style drawing of the director and the host.
Just Announced! The 2015 #MFF Fundraiser Stephen Colbert & J.J. Abrams 11/21/15 @NJPAC #ColbertAbrams #LSSC #StarWars pic.twitter.com/BhN6Gs8QV5
— Montclair Film Fest (@MontclairFF) September 2, 2015
The “Celebrity Nerd-Off” will be held on Saturday, Nov. 21, at 8 p.m. at the NJPAC in downtown Newark. Tickets, which benefit the MFF, go on sale on Friday, Sept. 11, at 10 a.m. They can be purchased here through Ticketmaster, or by calling 1-888-GO-NJPAC.
