Union City Film History

Union City has been used as the location for a number of feature and television movies, including the low budget film “Union City” (1980) starring Deborah Harry; “Out of Darkness” (1985); “Bloodhounds of Broadway” (1989); and “Far From Heaven” (2002).

 In 2010 the City saw the release of the cult art-house independent film, “Vampire in Union City” (Available at Amazon.com at: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aag/main?ie=UTF8&seller=A2QIK6KGW3S9CW  The film lensed all over the City and even held its world premiere with a star-studded red carpet event at the Summit Theatre on Summit Avenue in Union City.

In 2011 the independent short "Massacre in the Woods" was filmed partly in Union City as well as in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania.  The film went on to win first place at the 2011 NoHu International Short Film Festival. Watch it now:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgIKHGbPnTI 

Also in 2011 the documentary "Cubanoson: The Story" rolled in the City, and received a release on January 2012.  Watch it now:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt6qRTI4QcE 

In 2012 a group of young filmmakers from Hudson County banded together to shoot the feature film “The Death of April”, which is to be released Fall of 2012. The feature was shot all over Hudson County with locations in Union City including Botanica “La Milagros” on Bergenline Avenue, and a scene in the Union City Police Department.

“The Death of April” is project of Mojo Creative Group, the film is written and directed by Ruben Rodriguez, and with Humberto Guzman serving as Director of Photography, both from Jersey City.  Cesar G. Orellana, Brit Godish, Dan Lefante, and Lucio Fernandez, all of which are from Bayonne or Union City, are producing it.

The feature stars Katarina Hughes in the role of “Megan Mullen”.  In the film, Megan Mullen, freshly moved into her East coast home, keeps in touch with her friends through a video blog.  As her entries (and her life) become more complex and emotional, strange things begin to happen in her apartment: and the camera captures it all.

Told from the point-of-view of a wireless webcam mixed with documentary footage, The Death of April” explores the unsettling activity in an otherwise average teenage girl’s apartment and the mysteries that surround it.

The film promises to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.  What lurks in Megan’s mind, or in her new home? 

In 2015, the documentary film "Bahia de Cochinos, Nuestra Perspectiva" 

(Available at Amazon.com at: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aag/main?ie=UTF8&seller=A2QIK6KGW3S9CW) dealing with the Bay of Pigs Invasion, was filmed in Union City at the William V. Musto Cultural Center.  The documentary is composed of interviews with members of the 2506 Brigade still living in New Jersey and of raw footage and photographs.  The film premiered in Union City before screenings all over the world.

Union City is rich in its artistic history, and filmmaking has and continues to showcase the city to the world.  The City is also very friendly and welcoming to the film industry.  In the future, it hopes many more films of all genres chose Union City as its backdrop.