‘Stronger Than You Think’: Bloomfield Filmmaker Will Premier Her Latest Documentary

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — An award-winning filmmaker from Bloomfield will be premiering her latest documentary, “Stronger Than You Think,” at the Garden State Film Festival in Asbury Park this weekend.

Bloomfield native Janice Molinari co-produced, co-directed and edited the documentary, which tells the story of Ali Truwit, a former collegiate swimmer whose life changed dramatically after a devastating shark attack severed her foot.

The film – produced in conjunction with Impakt Partners – follows Truwit’s remarkable journey of survival, healing, and resilience as she works to reclaim her life and pursue an extraordinary goal: qualifying for the 2024 U.S. Paralympic team just one year after her amputation.

Following her recovery, Truwit founded the nonprofit initiative Stronger Than You Think to support women and girls in need of financial assistance for prosthetics, promote water-safety education and support the Paralympic movement.

The screening will take place from 2:45 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 28 at Asbury Lanes, 209 4th Avenue in Asbury Park. Learn more here.

“There’s something really special about bringing Stronger Than You Think home to New Jersey, because this is where my own story began,” Molinari said.

“Ali’s journey is extraordinary not only because of what she survived, but because of how she chose to move forward,” Molinari said. “I hope viewers walk away inspired by her courage and reminded that resilience can transform even the most devastating moments into a powerful purpose.”

Molinari’s work has earned seven Emmy Awards and more than 17 Emmy nominations. Since launching her career at MTV in 1991, Molinari has worked across major media platforms including Hulu and on high-profile productions such as the New York Yankees’ Ultimate Roadtrip, among other documentary projects.

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