b'TAKE FIVE:SOMA Film FestivalCelebrates a Special AnniversaryOur local festival gives independent filmmakers the red-carpet treatmentBY DONNY LEVITSOMA Film Festival team L to R: Richard Stephen Bell, Linda Beck, Jennifer McClory,Photo credit: Jamie MeierMatt Smollon, John Clifford, Susan Greeley and Thomas Hanna.M att Smollon is staring intensely at his phone. Dont get the wrong idea; hes not checking his email or scrolling through social media. In fact, hes work-ing through a detailed list of almost 250 films from around the world from directors vying for his at-tention. And he and his vastly experienced team are going to screen every single submission. Thats the embarrassment of riches you get when youre the founder and director of the SOMA Film Festival.This year, the SOMA Film Festival will celebrate its fifth anniversary, attract-ing local, national, and international filmmakers to the Maplewood and South Orange communities. The screenings, filmmaker Q&As, and a host of other special events will take place at The Woodland in Maplewood.Smollon and his festival team have a lot of reasons to be proud. Last year, they screened more than 100 films over five days, attracted 1,500-plus attendees from Julia Verderosa and Elana Nanscawen at the festival. Photo credit: Jamie Meier near and far, and hosted actor, director, (and, of course, beloved Muppet icon) 28/ matters magazine / winter 2020'