ASBURY PARK PRESS :: MONMOUTH EDITION APP.COM $2.00

12.13.15

VOLUME 136

NUMBER 297

SINCE 1879

@ISSUE 1AABUSINESS 6AACLASSIFIED 1DSUNDAY BEST 1ELOCAL 3A

LOTTERIES 3AOBITUARIES 14AOPINION 4AASPORTS 1CWEATHER 10C

‘Like’ us on Facebook and join the conversation on APP’s hottest stories: facebook.com/asburyparkpress.

THE FORCEIS WITH YOUA local look at “Star Wars”mania, from books to toys tothe movies. In Sunday Best

ONLY ON NEWSTANDS: COUPON SAVINGS UP TO $1,321 INSIDE

Delegates from 195 countries approve a historicclimate accord. STORY, 1B

Tom Bernard, the Jersey Shore-raised co-presidentof Sony Pictures Classics, attended the inaugural As-bury Park Music in Film Festival in April.

He liked what he saw.“It reminded me of Asbury Park when I used to work

on the boardwalk in the early ’70s,” said Bernard, whoworked the cigarette wheel and was a guard at the for-mer Casino ice rink. “It was real spontaneous, all differ-ent types of people: movie people, people who were partof the local scene, a part of the art scene — all gatheredat this event.”

As one of cinema’s top movers and shakers, Bernardhas been to a few film festivals.

“This was not like other festivals,” Bernard said.“The people there were into the music of Asbury Park.They were into the movies and it was all for charity.There wasn’t anyone trying to be the star of the festival— it was a celebration of what Asbury Park’s been aboutfor so many years.”

Bernard’s films have garnered more than 100 Acad-emy Award nominations, and he and partner MichaelBarker were called Kings of the Art House by the Holly-

ASBURY PARK MUSIC IN FILM FESTIVAL

Music, filmmoguls back2016 Asburyarts festivalTom Bernard of Sony Classics signs

on for upcoming Music in Film fest

PHOTO COURTESY OF SAMMY STEINLIGHT

Chairs of the Asbury Park Music In Film Festival Advisory BoardTom Donovan (from left), Danny Clinch and Tom Bernard.

See FESTIVAL, Page 6A

CHRIS JORDAN @CHRISFHJORDAN

“This was not like other festivals. The

people there were into the music of

Asbury Park. They were into the movies

and it was all for charity.”

TOM BERNARD, CO-PRESIDENT OF SONY PICTURES CLASSICSIn recent days their candidate for president has beendescribed as “unhinged,” “unsuited” to lead, even an“existential threat” to the GOP — and that’s just by fel-low Republicans.

The Democrats have been no gentler, calling DonaldTrump a “racist,” a “xenophobe,” a “bigot” and worse,this after the GOP frontrunner proposed banning Mus-lims from entering the country.

The backlash, however, only has Trump backers dig-ging in their heels, threatening to bolt the RepublicanParty if GOP leaders — many have soured on his candi-dacy — try to derail his campaign.

Trump supporters in New Jersey, where he leads theGOP pack by a wide margin, view his candidacy as abreath of fresh air, never mind the doubters.

In interviews, they likened his candidacy to a heap-

THE TRUMPSUPPORTERSNEXT DOOR

GETTY IMAGES

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump greets guests after speaking at a campaign rally at BurlingtonMemorial Auditorium on Oct. 21, in Burlington, Iowa.

Why he’s catching fire in New Jersey

GETTY IMAGES

Trump shakes hands and signs autographs withhis supporters after speaking at a campaignrally on Nov. 23 in Columbus, Ohio.

BOB JORDAN @BOBJORDANAPPNICQUEL TERRY @NTERRYAPP

See TRUMP, Page 8A

IF THE 2016 REPUBLICAN NOMINATION WERE TO BE DECIDED TODAYAccording to the Dec. 10 Rutgers-Eagleton Poll, Donald Trump would gain the Republican presidential nomination

among New Jersey Republican and GOP-leaning registered voters, with Gov. Chris Christie finishing a distant second.

DONALD TRUMP

30%CHRIS CHRISTIE

14%MARCO RUBIO

13%TED CRUZ

10%