Short Films

  • HBO to Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month With ‘Visionary’ Short Film Program [Video]

    [caption id="attachment_28669" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]From left: HBO APA Visionaries finalists Huay-Bing Law, Feng-I Fiona Roan, and Maritte Go. From left: HBO APA Visionaries finalists Huay-Bing Law, Feng-I Fiona Roan, and Maritte Go.[/caption] In celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, HBO will premiere the second installment of Asian Pacific American Visionaries, a short film program featuring the works of emerging Asian American directors on May 7th.  The trio of films, which explores historic – and timely – issues of immigration, racism and assimilation, will be available to stream across all of HBO’s on-demand and digital platforms (including HBO NOW®, HBO GO®, HBO On Demand® and streaming partner platforms) through the end of the month.

    About the films

    [caption id="attachment_28670" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Remittance Remittance[/caption] ‘Remittance’ by Maritte Go, is the story of a Filipino cruise worker who receives a call informing her that her son is in the hospital. [caption id="attachment_28671" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]June June[/caption] ‘June,‘ directed by Huay-Bing Law, is set on an American college campus during the 1960s and chronicles the experience of a young Chinese woman as she attends her husband’s graduation. [caption id="attachment_28672" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Jie Jie Jie Jie[/caption] ‘Jiejie,‘ directed by Feng-I Fiona, is a portrait of two young sisters being raised by a single immigrant mother in Los Angeles during the 1990s. The three shorts are the top finalists of this year’s HBO Asian Pacific American Visionaries, a national competition that offers emerging directors of Asian and/or Pacific Islander descent the opportunity to showcase their work. Launched in 2016, the contest was created to help further the dialogue about race, diversity and representation in Hollywood while also identifying new cinematic storytellers who offer unique perspectives of the Asian Pacific American experience. The winner of this year’s competition will be announced on May 7 at HBO Asian Pacific American Visionaries. “HBO is proud to provide these young artists the opportunity to showcase their talents and share their unique stories through Asian Pacific American Visionaries,” said Jackie Gagne, VP Multicultural Marketing at HBO. “As a leader in the conversation about diversity in Hollywood, initiatives like Asian Pacific American Visionaries enable new voices to be seen and heard.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJeAi4Z84Mc

    Read more

  • 21st American Pavilion Emerging Filmmaker Showcase at Cannes Film Festival to Feature 27 Short Films

    [caption id="attachment_28594" align="aligncenter" width="960"]Dirty Bomb Dirty Bomb[/caption] The 2018 lineup for the American Pavilion Emerging Filmmaker Showcase will feature an impressive program features 27 short documentary and narrative films by up-and-coming filmmakers from the U.S. and around the world, all of which will screen at The American Pavilion during the Cannes Film Festival. The showcase encompasses five sections, including: Student Short Films, Student Documentaries, Emerging Filmmaker Short Films, Emerging Filmmaker Documentaries, and Emerging Filmmaker LGBTQ Showcase films. In a second year partnership with KCETLink Media Group, a leading national independent nonprofit public broadcast and digital network, three of the films from the Emerging Filmmaker Showcase will be featured in the FINE CUT broadcast television series, which will begin airing in the fall on  KCET independent public television in Southern California. A flagship program for Los Angeles’ KCET public television since the late ‘90s, the Fine Cut festival was founded by actor Jack Larson, best known for his portrayal of photographer/reporter Jimmy Olsen in the 1952-1958 television series “Adventures of Superman,” on the idea that public television was an excellent platform for providing critical visibility to student and emerging filmmakers. The films in this year’s Emerging Filmmaker Showcase focus on themes as diverse as the sexual violence, Alzheimer’s, bullying, holocaust, father/daughter stories, falling for Mr. Wrong, women entrepreneurs, online dating, coming to terms with sexual orientation, the impact of social media, werewolves and zombies to name a few. A variety of stars are featured, including: Jamie McShane, Marlyne Barrett, Elizabeth Guest, Mary Kate Wiles, Maya Kazan,Charlotte Ritchie, Ed White, Shawn Ryan, Candi Milo, Scott Cooper Ryan, Bernard White, Meera Syal, Doug Tompos, Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Petersen, Ido Samuel, James Babson, J. Michael Trautmann, Shani Atias, Leif Gantvoort, Bart McCarthy, Ioanna Meli, and more. Female directors are once again well represented in The Showcase, with more than half of the films directed by women. Student filmmakers hail from schools across the United States, including: School of Visual Arts, Santa Monica College, Chapman University Dodge College of Media Arts, USC, Yale School of Drama, Florida State University, UC Berkeley School of Journalism, Brooklyn Film College, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Art Center College of Design, AFI Directing Workshop for Women, and The Young Actors’ Theatre Camp. “This year’s showcase promotes a wide selection of themes, cultural diversity amongst the films and filmmakers and I’m excited that again this year, more than half of the finalist films are directed by women,” said Monika Skerbelis, Programming Director.

    STUDENT DOCUMENTARY

    HALE  2017, 20:24 min., USA, Documentary, UC Berkeley School of Journalism Producer/Writer/Director: Brad Bailey Cast: Hale Zukas, Judith Heuman, Zona Roberts Born with cerebral palsy, Hale Zukas is the grandfather of disability movement, started in Berkeley, California. Every morning, he still wakes up for the fight to live independently with dignity, strength, and courage. PEACEKEEPER 2017, 13 min., USA, Florida State University, Documentary Producers/Directors: Nicholas Markart, Tyler Knutt Cast: Judith LeBlanc, Lewis Grassrope, Ray Taken Alive, William Brown Otter, Margaret Landin Native Americans from Standing Rock speak out on the pipeline, the repetition of history, and their roles as water-protectors in a struggle for modern sovereignty. BUILD RAMPS NOT WALLS 2018, 13:20 min., Documentary/Sports, USA/Mexico, Brooklyn Film College Director: Brian Adamkiewicz Producer: Rebecca Frances Scotti Cast: Emilio Fernandez, Nathaniel Rabinor Shown through the eyes of an 8-year-old American-Mexican boy, Build Ramps Not Wallsdocuments a bi-national skate community in Mexico seeking a positive response to the negative rhetoric between Mexico and the USA after the 2016 presidential elections. JESSICA CLARK RACING  2017, 4:57 min., USA, Documentary, Art Center College of Design Producer/Writer/Director: Ellen Houlihan Cast: Jessica Clark Jessica Clark, a 21-year-old race car driver from Ventura, California dreams of racing in NASCAR one day. As a confident and driven woman in a male-dominated career field, she is an empowering example of a woman defying the odds and resisting any challenge she encounters on and off the track.

    STUDENT SHORT FILMS

    THE RISEN 2018, 7:43 min., USA, Drama/Thriller, The Young Actors’ Theatre Camp Director: John Ainsworth Co-Directors: Monica Jeon, Olivia Ingram, Sarah Whalen Writers: Sarah Elizabeth Whalen, Brad Griffith Producers: John Ainsworth, Shawn Ryan, Valerie Dohrer Cast: Marguerite Williamson, Reed Wylie-Chaney, Jolie Orban Without warning or any explanation, all kids on earth have woken up to an overtaken planet. The kids retreat to live in the forest until they receive a signal that the threat has receded… but has it truly? Can the kids get along with each other long enough to survive the destruction of earth? A CHRISTMAS DINNER 2017, 5:41 min., USA, Comedy, University Nevada Las Vegas Writer/Director: Tyler Yarbro Producer: Melissa Del Rosario Cast: David Kurtz, Spiro Siavelis, Kevin Fitzpatrick A family’s nutcracker Christmas dinner is interrupted when the narrator unveils their darkest secrets. BROADSIDE 2017, 3:25 min., USA, Animation, School of Visual Arts Writer/Director: Jodi Chamberlain Producer: Jimmy Calhoun Cast: Lisa O’Hara She just wants to enjoy a snack, but when this salty old sailor is attacked by a beast many times larger than her boat, she must think and act fast in this spaghetti-western sci-fi monster movie about wit, grit, and cunning. NIGHT CALL 2017, 17:39 min., USA, Drama/Action, Chapman University Dodge College of Film & Media Arts Writer/Director: Amanda Renee Knox Producers: Phabillia Afflack-Borja, Miriam Anwari Cast: Marlyne Barrett, Rachael Holmes, Delaney Williams, Matthieu Jean-Pierre When on a routine patrol, a Black female cop living in and patrolling Inglewood gets called to a disturbance she is forced to make an unprecedented life altering decision. GLORIA TALKS FUNNY 2017, 18:27 min., USA, Comedy/Dramedy, Chapman University Dodge College of Film & Media Arts Writer/Director: Kendall Goldberg Producer: Michael Stanziale Cast: Candi Milo, Ryan Stiffelman, Shawn Ryan, Jon Heder, Jeremy Shada When struggling voice actress, Gloria, discovers her agent failed to tell her that her claim-to-fame cartoon is being remade, she sets her sights on reprising her role as the famous BioBoy.

    DOCUMENTARY

    ZEBRAFISH: PRACTICALLY PEOPLE, TRANSFORMING THE STUDY OF DISEASE 2018, 9:54 min., USA, Documentary Producer/Director: Jennifer Manner Writer: Dr. Wendy Leonard Healthcare spending is out of control. What if we could get better biomedical data, spend pennies on the dollar, and get results in a fraction of the time? Zebrafish, a proven but under-recognized and underutilized biomedical research model, can do that. Zebrafish are human avatars. GUNS FOUND HERE 2018, 10:05 min., USA, Documentary Director: David Freid Producer: Mor Albalak An American paper trail. When there’s a gun crime in America, there’s only one place to go to trace the gun back to its owner: Martinsburg, West Virginia. That’s where the ATF’s National Tracing Center handles roughly 8,000 active traces per day

    EMERGING SHORT FILMS

    ALL THE MARBLES 2017, 17 min., USA, Family, Drama, Fantasy Director: Michael Swingler Producers/Writers: Michael Swingler, Carl Petersen Cast: Carl Petersen, Christopher Franciosa, Cole Sand, Helen Sadler, Micah Fitzgerald A little boy challenges a villainous bully to a game of marbles in a bizarre and fantastical world where marbles are as precious as gold. G[R]O[W]ING UP 2017, 9:55 min., USA, Romance Producer/Writer/Director: Annabelle K. Frost Line Producer: Cherryl Siena Espinoza Cast: Mary Kate Wiles, Billy Beck, Scott Cooper Ryan, Larry Clarke, Fran Bennett, Terri Ivens, Evan Arnold A naive elevator operator becomes smitten when she meets a winsome new tenant in the spring. She falls deep in love over the summer only to hit troubled times in the fall. Frozen by her predicament, she withdraws through the winter. Will she find love before spring returns? DIRTY BOMB 2017, 14:59 min., USA, Drama/Action/History Writer/Director: Valerie McCaffrey Producers: Brian Kelly Jones, Jennifer Tung, Stefan Simon Cast: Ido Samuel, J. Michael Trautmann, Dallas Hart, Hunter Doohan, James Babson, Clayton Haymes, Stefan Simon, Robert Arce, Connor Linnerooth, Matt Otstot, Windy Hamilton, Tara Soojian Signing his own death wish, a concentration camp prisoner sabotages the construction of the V-2 bomb against the Nazis, while American soldiers struggle to advance against the Germans during “The Battle of the Bulge”, Hitler’s last chance for winning the war. THE FIRST OF MANY 2017, 12:39 min., USA, Drama Producers/Directors: Pamela Guest, Elizabeth Guest Writer: Pamela Guest Cast: Elizabeth Guest, Lawrence Michael Levine, Kristen Slaysman In 1971 a young actress goes on her first audition with surprising, life-changing results. MAN OF THE HOUR 2018, 17:51 min., United Kingdom, Drama/Mystery/Comedy Directors: Linda Ludwig & James Curle Writer: Tom Palmer Producers: Tom Palmer, Linda Ludwig, James Curle Cast: Charlotte Ritchie, Ed White, Oliver Chris, Richard Durden, Tom Palmer, Harriet Green, Tom Stourton, Natasia Demetriou Gemma receives a mysterious invitation to the birthday party of an enigmatic millionaire, Jeremy. She must pass herself off as Jeremy’s old friend and mingle with his glittering guests. But Gemma cannot help but wonder who Jeremy is and why he has tasked her with such a peculiar job – there’s something more to him than meets the eye. SCARLETT-ANGELINA 2017, 9:55 min, Family/Drama, USA Director: Lorette Bayle Writer: Jacqueline K. Ogburn Producers: Nicolas Emiliani, Stephanie Nilles, Lorette Bayle Cast: Madison Calderon, Leif Gantvoort, Anthony Jensen, Rachael Markarian, Thomas Ashworth Scarlett-Angelina is a little girl who knows how to take care of herself, much to the dismay of the small-time crook who kidnaps her. TZEVA ADOM: COLOR RED 2017, 20:25 min., USA/Israel, Drama Director: Michael Horwitz Writer: C. Ashleigh Caldwell Producers: Todd Felderstein, C. Ashleigh Caldwell Cast: Shani Atias, Jack Pitchon, Jonathan Arkin, Danny Boushebel, Kenzie Caplan, Sima Galanti A female Israeli soldier forms an unlikely connection with a Palestinian boy over social media. GOOD MORNING 2017, 12:26 min., USA, Drama/Horror Writer/Director: Elaine Mongeon Producer: Julie M. Anderson Cast: Maya Kazan, Jamie McShane A young woman and her father adapt to terrifying challenges they never expected.

    LGBTQ FILMS

    LADY EVA 2017, 10:45 min., USA/Tonga, Documentary/LGBTQ Directors: Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson Producer: Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu A brave young transgender woman sets off on a journey to become her true self in the conservative Pacific Island Kingdom of Tonga – with a little inspiration from Tina Turner along the way. COMING OF AGE 2018, 7:26 min., USA, Drama/Romance/LGBTQ Writer/Director: Doug Tompos Producers: Risa Bramon Garcia, Steve Braun, Doug Tompos Cast: Doug Tompos, Adrian Gonzalez In the afterglow of sex, a generation gap opens between two men as they struggle to define trust in the age of open marriage and NSA hookups. CANDACE 2017, 9 min., USA, Comedy/Drama/LGBTQ, Yale School of Drama Director: Emma Weinstein Writer: Emma Weinstein, Stella Baker Producers: Emma Weinstein, Alix Masters, Michael Breslin, Stella Baker Cast: Stella Baker, Moses Ingram Through race, sexuality and dolphin suicide, this 9-minute short looks at the erotic and messy intimacy of childhood best friends trying to figure out how to say goodbye. PRETTY 2018, 9:30 min., USA, Drama/LGBTQ, Young Actors’ Theatre Camp Director: Jim Fall Writer: Jeremy Pitzer Producers: John Ainsworth, Shawn Ryan, Valerie Dohrer Cast: Jeremy Pitzer, Ava Vukic, Sean McCrystal, Riley Blum, Karen Moore, Matt McCoy, Shawn Ryan, Brad Griffith Sam strives to be accepted but worries he will be rejected for being himself. He loves pretty gowns, fancy makeup and sneaking into the local drag show. He soon realizes the only thing holding him back is himself. LIFE IN COLOR 2018, 21 min., USA, Drama/LGBTQ, Santa Monica College Director: Bishal Dutta Writers: Bishal Dutta, Matt McClelland Producer: Olivia Shapiro Executive Producer: Scott Carper Cast: Bart McCarthy, Ioanna Meli, Sean McBride An aging, closeted gay man with Alzheimer’s struggles against his strong-willed daughter to hold on to the memory of the long lost love of his life. EMPIRE ON MAIN STREET 2018, 24 min., USA, Documentary/LGBTQ Director: Jessica Congdon Producer: Eric Holland Cast: Crista Luedtke A tireless entrepreneur jump-starts the transformation of a neglected vacation town, until her ambition pushes her to the brink. THE HOMESTAY 2017, 11:45, USA, Comedy/LGBTQ Writer/Director: Priyanka Mattoo Producers: Priyanka Mattoo, Ursula Camack, Meghan Malloy Cast: Meera Syal, Bernard White, Max Jenkins, Ravi Patel, Sujata Day, Gabe Delahaye A sheltered Indian couple visits their son in the U.S. for the first time and bungles their apartment rental, ending up in close quarters with their hosts, a gay couple and their dog. HAIRCUT: THE MUSICAL! 2017, 6:25 min., USA, Comedy/Musical/LGBTQ, University Southern California Writer/Director: Jason Phillips Producer: Adrian Vega Albela Osorio Cast: Matthew Manhard, Finley Polynice, John Skoubis, Kate Enggren Before Brian Mills leaves for his first year at Princeton University, he must come to terms with his sexual orientation and be honest with himself after some guidance from his trusted barber.

    Read more

  • Bryan Powers’s ‘TIME IS THE LONGEST DISTANCE’ has Iowa Premiere at Julien Dubuque Film Festival [Trailer]

    Time is the Longest Distance at Julien Dubuque International Film Festival BAFTA-scholarship winner Bryan Powers’s film, Time is the Longest Distance, featuring actor Andreas Damm (Off the Rails, Oscar Pistorius), is an Official Selection of the Julien Dubuque International Film Festival 2018, and will celebrate its Iowa premiere this week. A bittersweet tale of an estranged son’s journey to reconnect with his Alzheimer’s­ stricken father, and an unexpected meeting with a teenaged boy along the way, Time is the Longest Distance conveys the importance of family love and acceptance through the story of three generations of men: thirty-something Adam, his aging father Jack, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, and Xander, a teenaged boy who serendipitously crosses their path. Adam arrives at his father’s nursing home to share news of a major change in his life, hoping to bridge the distance that has opened up between them before Jack’s Alzheimer’s becomes too advanced. While things do not go as planned, Jack’s chance encounter with Xander provides Adam with an unexpected way to find the acceptance he seeks. Time is the Longest Distance  was written and directed by New York City-based Bryan Powers and is a co-production between Powers Productions and Cup of Joe Film, Inc. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxYxZufmjbA Time is the Longest Distance Iowa Premiere will be at the Julien Dubuque International Film Festival, scheduled for Thursday, April 26 at 5:45 PM at Five Flags’s Bijou, with an encore screening on Sunday, April 29 at 11:45 AM at Mississippi River Museum’s Journey Theater.

    Read more

  • Hollywood Comedy Shorts Film Festival Announces 2018 Winners + 2019 Fest Dates

    Hollywood Comedy Shorts Film Festival Announces 2018 Winners + 2019 Fest Dates The 3rd Annual Hollywood Comedy Shorts Film Festival Presented by the Laugh Factory came to a close this past Sunday to a rousing success held at the TCL Chinese 6 Theaters. The festival announced the 2018 Award Winners in a special sold-out ceremony hosted by comedian Allene Quincy. The night’s big winner was  “THE ACCOMPLICE” by Directors Jon Hoeg and John F. Beach who took home Best of Fest Award. Best Short Script went to Alexandra Marshall for her film “TIL DEATH,” and Best Feature script winner was Cedric Shelton for his script “I AM MY BROTHERS KEEPER.” Best Rom Com went to “REKINDLED” by Erin Brown Thomas, Best Web Series went to “STRUT” by Michelle Cutolo. The festival run April 20-22 and kicked off with a special panel at the Laugh Factory Featuring executives from YouTube, Warner Bros. Blue Ribbon Ent., Legendary Digital Studios, Ginsberg Daniels, Collab Studios and DigitalLA. Fabric Media Studios hosted the official after party for opening night. Powerhouse held several events for the filmmakers throughout the week. Sponsors included: Bitpix, TCL Chinese Theater, Laugh Factory, Color Space Finishing, Final Draft, Tech Rentals, and TCD The Camera Division. The next year’s Festival will expand with the dates: April 19-21, 2019. The winners and films can be currently viewed on the streaming channel BITPIX.

    HOLLYWOOD COMEDY SHORTS FILM FEST WINNERS 

    SHORT SCRIPT WINNER- ‘TIL DEATH”-Alexandra Marshall FEATURE SCRIPT WINNER- “I AM MY BROTHERS KEEPER” by Cedric Shelton HONORABLE MENTION- “EVIL WOMAN” by Danny Turkiewicz BEST HORROR- “KELOID” by Brendan Pollecutt BEST DARK COMEDY- “PARENT TEACHER” by Jim Cummings BEST INTERNATIONAL- “ORDEAL” by Sacha Barbin BEST CRINGE- “DICK HEAD” by Brecht Vanthof BEST ALTERNATIVE- “SIX PACK” by Madeline Mack & Michael Lincoln BEST WEB SERIES- “STRUT” by Michelle Cutolo BEST SPOOF- “CLASS DISMISSED” by Edward Marks, Joe Godreault BEST ROM COM- “REKINDLED” by Erin Brown Thomas BEST OF THE FEST- “THE ACCOMPLICE” by Jon Hoeg and John F. Beach

    Read more

  • 30th Filmfest Dresden Announces Award Winners, Amar Kaushik’s GRANDFATHER Wins 2 Golden Horseman Trophies

    [caption id="attachment_28339" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Grandfather (Aaba) Amar Kaushik Grandfather (Aaba) Amar Kaushik[/caption] A total of ten Golden Horsemen and four special prizes were awarded at the Awards Ceremony on Saturday, for the 30th Filmfest Dresden. The Indian director Amar Kaushik received two Golden Horseman trophies for his short fiction film Grandfather (Aaba) and Jon Frickey, who lives in Hamburg, scooped up one of the special prizes, in addition to a Golden Horseman trophy.

    30th FilmFest Dresden Award and Prize Winners

    International Competition

    Golden Horseman Best Animation Film International Competition (7.500 Euro) “LUPUS” from director Carlos Gómez Salamanca (Colombia / France, 2016) Jury comments: “Starting from real events taking place in its home country, through the use of different animation techniques, this film overcomes the border of a local story to become a metaphor of a disease spreading out in many societies around the world.” Special Mention:  “YAL VA KOOPAL – MANED & MACHO” from director Shiva Sadegh Asadi (Iran, 2017) Golden Horseman Best Short Fiction International Competition (7.500 Euro) “AABA – GRANDFATHER” from director Amar Kaushik (India, 2016) Jury Comments: “Set in an exotic landscape the film tells a classic story of the eternal circle of life. After the final verdict from the local physician, an old man carefully prepares for his ultimate journey. With few words spoken and in a rich visual style the director warmheartedly touches a serious topic in a humorous way.” Special Mention: “PŘÁTELSKÉ SETKÁNÍ NAD SPORTEM – FRIENDLY SPORT MEETING” from director Adam Koloman Rybanský (Czech Republic, 2017) Golden Horseman of the Audience International Competition (3.000 Euro) “THE THEORY OF SUNSET” from director Roman Sokolov (Russia, 2017) Golden Horseman of the Youth Jury International Competition (2.000 Euro) “AABA – GRANDFATHER” from director Amar Kaushik (India, 2016) Jury Comments: “The film recounts a story about life and the end to it in a calm and loving way, revealing an unusual insight into a warm-hearted world where few words are spoken. The plot is borne by the three powerful characters and their impressively authentic portrayals. Between bamboo and American TV shows for children, the film finds a realistic, almost humorous response to the self-evident nature of the occurrences in life.” Special Mention: “LUPUS” from director Carlos Gómez Salamanca (Colombia / France, 2016) Jury Comments: “The special mention of the Youth Jury in the International Competition goes to the film LUPUS for its complexity, its unique idea and its multi-layered adaptation, the combining of documentary elements and its differing animation styles, as well as the soundscape and editing concept selected.”

    National Competition

    Golden Horseman Best Animation Film National Competition (3.000 Euro) “SOG” from director Jonatan Schwenk (Germany, 2017) Jury Comments: “This animation film, which knowingly incorporates analogue and digital animation techniques, reveals how something completely extraordinary can emerge when two worlds are combined with each other. Regrettably, its characters are excluded from this marvel and permit fear to prevail, rather than create something incredibly new. A moving parallel to current affairs.” Special Mention: “HALMASPIEL” from director Betina Kuntzsch (Germany, 2017) Jury Comments: “Exposed to the fortunes of life like pieces in a game…” Golden Horseman Best Short Fiction National Competition (3.000 Euro) “JOY” from director Abini Gold (Germany, 2017) Jury Comments: “Left alone and having to fend for herself, the protagonist defies her situation. The hope that tomorrow – when all is well again – is abruptly shattered. Disappointment, betrayal and anger: These we read in her face like an open book. Which is the very strength of this social drama. Superbly cast and portrayed, and set within the tightest space, the conflict between a daughter and her mother inevitably ends in catastrophe.” Special Mention: “ATTAK” from director Ruben Meier (Germany, 2017) Jury Comments: “A film with the courage to confront male clichés and archaic fantasies of violence, that humorously deconstructs then at the same time without exposing its protagonists in the process. We can’t wait for more to come.” Golden Horseman of the Audience National Competition (4.000 Euro) “ATTAK” from director Ruben Meier (Germany, 2017) Golden Horseman of the Youth Jury National Competition (2.000 Euro) “U MEĐUVREMENU – MEANWHILE” from director Mate Ugrin (Germany, 2017) Jury Comments: “A story of farewell and hopelessness is told in the streets of a desolate small town. Doing so, juxtaposed light-intensive visual compositions prevail over the dialogue and plot. Permitting the filmmaker to achieve the creation of a dense, atmospheric and sensitive portrayal of this uncertain stillness. With the viewers becoming observers drawn helplessly into the situation.” Minister of Fine Arts Promotion Prize (20.000 Euro) “LINK” from director Robert Löbel (Germany, 2017) Jury Comments: “In less than eight minutes, we dive into a world full of metaphors that manages with the simplest of narrative means to pose the great question in life: Where do we want to live? Two figures seem to be taking their own individual way in life, and yet everything they do also has consequences for the other one. For where we come from is who we are.” DEFA Promotion Prize Animation (3.000 Euro) “MASCARPONE” from director Jonas Riemer (Germany, 2018) Jury Comments: “In a skilfully abstracted and lavishly adapted declaration of love to the great dream factory of Hollywood, the winning film embodies an accomplished balancing act between technical perfection and deliberately haptic simplifications. Brilliantly interwoven animation techniques and real-film elements impel the audience onto a high-speed filmic rollercoaster.”

    National and International Competition

    ARTE Short Film Prize (6.000 Euro) “NEKO NO HI – CAT DAYS” from director Jon Frickey (Germany / Japan, 2018) Jury Comments: “The animated film convinced the ARTE Jury with its simplicity and carefully crafted details, as well as through its vibrant colours. This powerful aesthetic is combined with a fable-like tale that flirts with absurdity so as to grasp the subject of identity. A positive and gentle father-son relationship works its way through the film that teaches the acceptance of others and being different.” Audience Award Regional Film Night (3.000 Euro) “MIN BÖRDA – THE BURDEN“, Music & Sound: Hans Appelqvist (Sweden, 2017) Jury Comments: “This film’s soundtrack is distinguished by its humour, depth, creativity and versatility. With all of these elements at the highest level and perfectly combined with each other and with the image. The handling of the music, sounds and language goes far beyond merely illustrating the storyline and forms the soul of the film. Through the innovate use of experimental effects and disassociations, the traditional musical becomes a mirror on the surrealism of everyday life in our society.” Golden Horseman* for Gender Diversity (1.000 Euro) “NEKO NO HI – CAT DAYS” from director Jon Frickey (Germany / Japan, 2018) Jury Comments: “The development of a gender identity presupposes the freedom of self-definition. In medical diagnoses, this freedom is often not permitted to inter and trans persons. The prize-winning film challenges this with a heartening “Be whatever you want to be!” Animated for children, the film calls upon every human to have self-confident authenticity.” Special Mention: “MRS MCCUTCHEON” from director John Sheedy (Australia, 2017) Jury Comments: “A school ball dancefloor is transformed into a social ideal, in which each and every heteronormative pressure to conform seems to be suspended for one evening. With gender identity, sexual orientation and ethnic origins no longer playing a role, true to the motto: Just be yourself and be proud of it!” Regional Film Night 2018 Audience Award (2.000 Euro) “OCCUPIED SUMMER” from director Berit Toepfer (Germany, 2017)

    Read more

  • 215 Short Films to Screen at 2018 Nashville Film Festival incl Films by Dev Patel, Justine Bateman

    [caption id="attachment_27967" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]The Treehouse The Treehouse[/caption] This year’s 49th Nashville Film Festival will screen 215 shorts film including films made by Dev Patel, Justine Bateman, and Neill Blomkamp and starring Natalia Dyer, Armie Hammer, Alfred Molina, Sigourney Weaver, and Kerri Kenney. The winnings films in the Narrative Shorts Competition, the Animated Shorts Competition and the Documentary Shorts Competition all qualify for the Academy Awards® as long as they meet all other eligibility requirements. Each of the festival’s last three winners in best Animated Short – Garden Party, Borrowed Time and Bear Story – all received Academy Award nominations. Bear Story went on to win the Oscar. Below are the 2018 selections listed by category:

    Narrative Shorts Competition

    48 (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Vladimir Mitrevski (Macedonia). After Her – Tennessee Premiere Director: Aly Migliori (USA). All that Remains (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Anne-Lise Morin | Solal Berman (Belgium). All the Marbles (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Michael Swingler (USA). Anatomy of the Throat (North American Premiere) – Director: Eric Haviv (USA). Animal (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Bahram Ark (Iran). Audition (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Richard Van (USA). Backstory (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Joschka Laukeninks (Germany). Bonboné (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Rakan Mayasi (Palestine). Caroline (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Logan George | Celine Held (USA). Children Leave at Dawn (North American Premiere) – Director: Manon Coubia (France). CONTROL (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Kimmy Gatewood (USA). The Cowboy of Mount Laurier (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Gabriel Vilandré (Canada). Debris (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Julio O. Ramos (Peru). The Devil is in the Details – Director: Fabien Gorgeart (France). The Door (North American Premiere) – Director: Jenni Toivoniemi (Finland). Drowning Man (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Mahdi Fleifel (Denmark | Greece | United Kingdom). Elegy (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Alba Tejero (Spain). Emergency – Director: Carey Williams (USA). End Times (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Bobby Miller (USA). Everlasting MOM (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Elinor Nechemya (Israel). Falling South (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Lorraine Portman (USA). A Farewell (World Premiere) – Director: Yifei He (China). Five Minutes (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Justine Bateman (USA). Gaze (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Farnoosh Samadi (Iran | Italy). A Gentle Night (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Qiu Yang (Netherlands). Get Bent (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: The Magic Shop (USA). Hair Wolf (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Mariama Diallo (USA). Happy Together (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Marie De Hart | Ellen Pollard (Belgium). Home Shopper (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Dev Patel (USA). Icarus (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Nicolas Boucart (Belgium | France). Into the Blue (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Antonete Alamat Kusijanovic (Croatia). Jodilerks Dela Cruz, Employee of the Month (US Premiere) – Director: Carlo Francisco Manatad (Philippines | Singapore). Kira Burning (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Laurel Parmet (USA). Kiss (North American Preview) – Director: David Priego (Spain). Krista (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Danny Madden (USA). M.A.M.O.N. (Monitor Against Mexicans Over Nationwide) – Director: Alejandro Damiani (Uruguay). Mama Jane (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Lisa Maria Hall (USA). March Fool (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Pierre-Marc Drouin | Simon Lamarre-Ledoux (Canada). Martini Night (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Jacob Halpren (USA). Matria (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Álvaro Gago (Spain). Maude (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Anna Margaret Hollyman (USA). Metta Via (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Warren Flanagan (Canada). Mirrette (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Helen O’Hanlon (United Kingdom). Miss Wamba (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Estefanía Cortés (Spain). Mother (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Rodrigo Sorogoyen (Spain). Painting with Joan (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Jack Henry Robbins (USA). Pre-Drink (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Marc-Antoine Lemire (Canada). The President’s Visit (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Cyril Aris (Lebanon). Punchline (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Christophe Saber (Switzerland). Quiet Things No One Sees (World Premiere) – Director: Andrej Landin | Almog Avidan Antonir (USA). Rakka – Director: Neill Blomkamp (USA). Sacrilège (US Premiere) – Director: Christophe Saber (Switzerland). Sam Did It (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Dominic Burgess (USA). Santa Maria (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Erik Schmitt (Germany). Sauna (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Charlie Polinger (USA). Second Best (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Alyssa McCelland (Australia). Shadow Nettes (US Premiere) – Director: Phillip Barker (Canada). Signature (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Joschka Laukeninks (Japan). Swimming Pool (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Carlos Ruano (Spain). There Is a Salad Standing Between Us (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Alice Von Gwinner (Germany). Time Traveller (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Steve Kenny (Ireland). Tooth and Nail (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Sara Shaw (USA). The Treehouse (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Juan Sebastián Quebrada (Colombia). Turk Shop (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Bahar Pars (Sweden). Two Dollars (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Emmanuel Tenenbaum (France | Canada). Waste (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Alejo Levis | Laura Sisteró (Spain). With Thelma (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Ann Sirot | Raphaël Balboni (Belgium | France). Why the Chicken Crossed the Road – World Premiere Director: John Hamlin (USA).

    Animated Shorts Competition

    149th and Grand Concourse (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Andy London | Carolyn London (USA). Adam – The Mirror – Director: Neill Blomkamp (Canada). Airport (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Michaela Müller (Croatia | Switzerland). The Burden (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Niki Lindroth von Bahr (Sweden). Catastrophe (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Jamille van Wijingaarden (Netherlands). Darrel (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Marc Briones | Alan Carabantes (Spain). The Driver Is Red (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Randall Christopher (USA). Full Story (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Daisy Jacobs | Christopher Wilder (United Kingdom). HYBRIDS (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Florian Brauch | Kim Tailhades | Matthieu Pujol | Romain Thirion | Yohan Thireau (France). Imagined Conversation: Kanye & Hawking (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Sol Friedman | Josh Poole (Canada). Morning Cowboy (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Fernando Pomares (Spain). Poles Apart (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Paloma Baeza (United Kingdom). Take Rabbit (North American Premiere) – Director: Peter Peake (United Kingdom). Tightly Wound – Southeast US Premiere – Director: Shelby Hadden (USA). Vermin (North American Premiere) – Director: Jeremie Becquer (Denmark). Weekends (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Trevor Jimenez (USA). Wishing Box (World Premiere) – Director: Wenli Zhang | Nan Li (USA).

    Documentary Competition

    ’63 Boycott (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Gordon Quinn (USA). Adversary – Director: Scott Cummings (USA). Agave Gun (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Ross Haines (USA). Cats Cradle (World Premiere) – Director: Jonathan Napolitano (USA). Fix and Release (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Scott Dobson (Canada). Footprint (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Sara Newens (USA). The Human Face (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Aline Pimentel (USA). I Heart NY (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Andre Andreev (USA). Jesszilla (World Premiere) – Director: Emily Sheskin (USA). Ligne Noire (US Premiere) – Director: Francesca Scalisi (Bangladesh | Switzerland). Lotte that Silhouette Girl (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Carla Patullo | Elizabeth Beecherl (USA). My Dead Dad’s Porno Tapes (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Charlie Tyrell (Canada). Night at the Garden – Director: Marshall Curry (USA). Return to High Chapparal (North American Premiere) – Director: David Freid (USA). Roadside Attraction (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Patrick Bresnan | Ivete Lucas (USA). Saul’s 108th Story (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Joshua Carlon (USA). Tables (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Jon Bunning (USA). While I Yet Live (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Maris Curran (USA). ZION (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Floyd Russ (USA).

    Episodic Competition

    #WeirdMYAH : #photobomb (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Kelly Greer (USA). Almost Balanced Foodie (World Premiere) – Director: Ted Welch | Natalie Ruffino (USA). Double Date (World Premiere) – Director: Vania Smrkovski (USA). Filth City (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Andy King (Canada). From Jappan (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Raj Trivedi (USA). Millennial Rules (Sneak Preview) – Creator: Heidi Putallaz | Director: Paul Overacker (USA). Paint – Southeast US Premiere Director: Michael Walker (USA). People of… (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Lamia Alami (France). Preschool Poets: An Animated Series (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Josh Kun | Nancy Kangas | Marcus Armitage (Animation) | Henrique Barone (Animation) | Daniel Bruson (Animation) | Carlín Diaz (Animation) | Nica Harrison (Animation) | Ross Hogg (Animation) | Stas Santimov (Animation) (USA). Seeking Sublet (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Katie Tibaldi (USA). Songwriters – Mac Davis (North American Premiere) – Director: Robert Gordon Jr. (USA). Spectrums – Director: Zohar Melinek Ezra | Afek Testa Launer (Israel). Tammy’s Tiny Tea Time (Southeast Premiere) – Director: Peter Gulsvig (USA). The Passage (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Kitao Sakurai (USA). Three’s A Pain Season 2 (World Premiere) – Director: Kenny Garner (USA). Voyage Trekkers (World Premiere) – Director: Nathan Blackwell (USA).

    Experimental Competition

    Animals Under Anaesthesia: Speculations on the Dreamlife of Beasts (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Brian M. Cassidy | Melanie Shatzky (Canada). Green Screen Gringo (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Douwe Dijkstra (Netherlands | Brazil). Interstitial (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Shunsaku Hayashi (Japan). Scale (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Brian Siskind (USA). Strangers (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Julien Vallée | Eve Duhamel (Canada). Terraform (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Sil van der Woerd (Indonesia | United Kingdom). Think of Something Blue (North American Premiere) – Director: Jerry de Mars (Netherlands). Turtles Are Always Home (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Rawane Nassif (USA). Two◦ C (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Maxime Contour (France). Virginity and Beyond (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Yuhao Chang (USA).

    Graveyard Shift Competition

    After We Have Left Our Homes. (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Marc Adamson (United Kingdom). All You Can Eat (World Premiere) – Director: Cameron Strittmatter (USA). Allen Anders Live at the Comedy Castle Circa 1987 – Director: Laura Moss (USA). Are You Wild Like Me? (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: William Nawrocki III (USA). Back Page Ripper (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Stephen Rutterford (USA). Blood Shed (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: James Moran (United Kingdom). Buzzcut (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Jon Rhoads | Mike Marrero (USA). Call of Cuteness (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Brenda Lien (Germany). Careful How You Go (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Emerald Fennell (United Kingdom). Cupid Prefers a Sniper’s Rifle (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Inbar Marmelshtein (Israel). The Dead Man Speaks (North American Premiere) – Director: Marcos Mereles (Netherlands). DeathHaus (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Dieter Spears | David Buchert (USA). Foxwood (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Trevor Dillon | Ian Hock (USA). Fresh Blood (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Richa Rudola (India | USA). Glitch (North American Premiere) – Director: Richard Bodsworth (United Kingdom). Great Choice – Director: Robin Comisar (USA). Harvest (North American Premiere) – Director: Mohammad Malik (United Kingdom). Haw Hee (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Bret Fetzer (USA). Here Comes the Neighborhood – Director: Michael Charron (USA). In My Room – Director: Michael Trainotti (USA). It Began Without Warning (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Santiago C. Tapia | Jessica Curtright (USA). The Itch (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Timothy Ryan Driscoll (USA). Latched (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Justin Harding | Rob Brunner (Canada). leftovers. (World Premiere) – Director: Chris Schulz (USA). Mongers – Director: Jim Valosik (USA). The Music Lesson (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Adam R. Brown | Kyle I. Kelley (USA). Nocturne (World Premiere) – Director: Marcus Cox (USA). Paralys (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: John Boisen | Björn Fävremark (Sweden). Re: Possessed Homes (World Premiere) – Director: Matt Landry (Canada). She Came from the Woods (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Erik Bloomquist | Carson Bloomquist (USA). Socks on Fire: Uncle John and the Copper Headed Water Rattlers – Director: Bo McGuire (USA). Trespassers (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Johannes Persson (Sweden). We Summoned a Demon – Director: Chris McInroy (USA). Wrong Room (World Premiere) – Director: Duncan McCabe (USA).

    Student Shorts

    Every Grain of Rice (Southeast Premiere) – Director: Carol Nguyen (Canada). Fundamental (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: ShihChieh Chiu (Taiwan). In a Heartbeat – Director: Esteban Bravo | Beth David (USA). Iron Hands (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Johnson Cheng (China). The Last One (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Andrea Banjanin (United Kingdom). Lunch Time (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Alireza Ghasemi (Iran). Onikuma (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Alessia Cecchet (Italy). Schoolyard Blues (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Maria Eriksson-Hecht (Sweden). Snap (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Brittany Woodhull (USA). Three Red Sweaters – Director: Martha Gregory (USA). Towards the Sun (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Monica Santis (United Kingdom). Undiscovered (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Sara Litzenberger (USA).

    Tennessee First Competition

    Black Hog Gut – World Premiere – Director: Warren Lewis Allen | Willie Stewart (USA). BLM Bridge Protest: One Year Later – Director: Yalonda M. James (USA). Clarksville 1937 (World Premiere) – Director: Kafdn Bullis | Kathy Lee Heuston (USA). Dirty Money – Director: Jonas Schubach (USA). Finding America (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Katey Perkins (USA). Gil Veda’s Fishy Tales (World Premiere) – Director: Will Berry (USA). Graham and Zeke (World Premiere) – Director: Cheryl Newsome | Allie Sultan (USA). Heavens – Director: Jonas Schubach (USA). Holden Caleb (US Premiere) – Director: Christopher Dalton (USA). Hunter (World Premiere) – Director: Hilary Bell (USA). GAUNTLET RUN: Breach – Director: Jyo Carolino (USA). It’s Now Or Never: a Race to Save Colonel Parker’s Complex (World Premiere) – Director: Austin Daniel Blasingame (USA). Left Behind – World Premiere – Director: Clay Mortensen (USA). Love, Gwen (Southeast Premiere) – Director: Amanda Young (USA). Modicum of Joy – Tennessee Premiere – Director: John Stavas (USA). Music Lesson (Southeast Premiere) – Director: Adam K. Brown, Kyle I. Kelley (USA). Nashedonia (World Premiere) – Director: Will Berry (USA). The New Mister Princess – Director: Motke Dapp (USA). The Order (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Chad Cunningham (USA). Pilots (World Premiere) – Director: Jason Luckett (USA). Prom Song (World Premiere) – Director: Kendra Baude (USA). Queer and Southern God (World Premiere) – Director: Melisse Tokic (USA). Qwerty (World Premiere) – Director: John McAmis (USA). Rite Of Passage (World Premiere) – Director: Benjamin Skipworth (USA). Sarah’s Dream (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Wendy Keeling (USA). Self Control – Director: Matt Brewster (USA). Shed (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Matt Burch | Andy McEntire (USA). These Boys & Girls (World Premiere) – Director: Charles Dillon Ward (USA). Timely Manner (US Premiere) – Director: Andrew Swisher (USA). Two-Fifty (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Crue Smith (USA). A View from the Inside – Director: Jeff Shoup | Aidan Hoyal (USA). Welcome Home Brother – Director: Isaac Fowler | Tim Morris (USA). Whippoorwill – Director: Tyler Hays (USA). Why You Don’t Send Nudes (World Premiere) – Director: Cale Glendening (USA).

    VR | 360

    I Am A Man (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Derek Ham (USA). If You Go Away (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Soheila Golestani (Iran). Lion 360 – Director: Martin Edström (Sweden). Micro Giants (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Yifu Zhou (China | USA). Where Thoughts Go (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Lucas Rizzotto (USA).

    Young Filmmaker Shorts

    Elliott’s To Do List (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Helena Katherine Drizhal (USA). Goranson Farm (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Sam Marjerison (USA). The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Suburbia (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Alex Alford, Zak Denley (USA). Homo Sapiens (US Premiere) – Director: Ivan Farkas (Australia). The Human Fire Extinguisher (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Robert Gordon (USA). Jasmine Stung (Southeast US Premiere) – Director: Partho Gupte (India). Just Stories (World Premiere) – Director: Ishan Modi (Singapore). Little Voices (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Nathan Ginter (USA). Loop (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Ryan Beard, Stephen Gentry, Eli Hall (USA). The Petition (Tennessee Premiere) – Director: Riley Goodwin | Kibiriti Majuto (USA). Spy Games (World Premiere) – Director: Makaili Calvin | McKenzie Chaffins | Jamison Scott | Kenny Strawn (USA).

    Read more

  • Chattanooga Film Festival Unveils 2018 Short Films Lineup incl. World Premiere of “42 COUNTS” “HAJJI” and “THE AFTER PARTY”

    [caption id="attachment_27962" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]HAJJI HAJJI[/caption] Chattanooga Film Festival unveiled the 2018 short film lineup including the World Premiere of three significant short films – 42 COUNTS from filmmaker Jill Gevargizan, HAJJI from from filmmaker R.H. Norman, and THE AFTER PARTY from filmmaker Colin Costello. Following is the full list of short films, organized by the block they will be presented in.

    SHORT ENDS BLOCK

    42 COUNTS | Jill Gevargizian *WORLD PREMIERE The latest work of talented director Jill Gevargizian (THE STYLIST) is inspired by a true story. Two unsuspecting victims spend their night off watching scary movies in an apartment rented from their boss—until they uncover something much more sinister than what they’re watching on screen. AMY | L. Gustavo Cooper. Set against the backdrop of the deadliest heatwave in recorded history and inspired by America’s most prolific female serial killer, L. Gustavo Cooper’s Amy provides a surreal and distorted glimpse into a killing spree that captivated a nation in the early 1900s. BABS | Celine Held An estranged son discovers an alarming purchase made by his late father. BESTIA | Gigi Guerrero Bestia follows the lone survivor (Mathias Retamal) of a disaster as he awakens on a deserted beach. It becomes clear that there are more dangers lurking in the woods than a hungry beast. GREAT CHOICE | Robin Comisar A woman gets stuck in a Red Lobster commercial. THE AFTER PARTY | Colin Costello Meet Skye Monroe. Reality Show Star. Social Media Queen. And blissfully unaware of how self-centered she is. Skye drinks what she wants, snorts what she wants and takes who she wants. Skye doesn’t really have friends, but followers, tagging along for every moment of her life thanks to her endless streams of posts. But tonight, Skye will be put on trial for her deeds. Her courtroom is a little dive bar tucked away in the corner of any urban decay, appropriately called, The After Party. Her jury will be four sophisticated women shooting a game of billiards. TRANSMISSION | Varun Raman Welcome to Britannia. Together we stand alone. WE SUMMONED A DEMON | Chris McInroy They just wanted to be cool. Instead they got a demon.

    SALUTE YOUR SHORTS

    A FISTFUL OF PISTOLS | Joseph Heath Two men meet in the wild west for a good old fashioned quick draw shoot ’em up situation. BEANS | Maxwell Nalevansky An idiosyncratic story of an elderly artist who lives and paints alone on a property in the woods. Steve, the painter, decides one day to make a sign that reads “Free Beans,” offering a bowl of steaming hot beans to any drifter who might stumble by. Our Narrator takes the audience through a rhapsodic telling of the day he met the painter who cooked him a life-changing bowl of beans. DAHLIA | Ana Mouyis Through a metaphorical narrative about love, Dahlia explores a relationship between two people which is burdened by mental illness. Journey through a colorful and ever-changing world; a hand-painted realm that shifts and morphs to portray a darkened state of mind. HAJJI | R.H. Norman *WORLD PREMIERE From writer/director R.H. Norman and produced by friend of CFF, David Lawson, Jr. Hajji shows the fateful encounter between two U.S. Marines and an Afghan teenager fuels a wartime cycle of violence in this inspired-by-true-events short starring Ross Marquand (The Walking Dead) and Dayo Okeniyi (Hunger Games). MY DEAD DAD’S PORNO TAPES | Charlie Tyrell In this touching documentary, filmmaker Charlie Tyrell attempts to gain a better understanding of his deceased father through his personal effects—including a stash of VHS pornography tapes—and an exploration of his family history. MY LETHAL WEAPON | Hope Leigh A young blonde must navigate treacherous power dynamics after she’s pulled over by an increasingly “friendly” cop. RALPH AND OLLIE | Thomas Bell Do you ever have trouble relating to other people? No? Yeah, me neither. POISON | Brandt Shandera A Tinder date goes from awkward to frightening when the conversation turns to poison. RETURN FROM DESOLATION | Justin Clifton Garrett Eaton, an Afghan war vet, oilman, and river guide, has fought his way back from addiction and certain death with the help of the wild, serpentine rivers of the American Southwest. This is a story of renewal, forgiveness and healing,  but it’s also a bridge between what we think we know and the nuance of what it means to be human in a complex society. Through Garrett’s experience, we see the importance of wild, public landscapes to help us all find our way home. THE SILVER SCREEN | Paul Williams Film buffs Marty and Anna come into conflict when dreamer Marty’s desire to reopen the local movie theater clashes with the reality of the impending birth of their child.

    WTF (WATCH THESE FILMS)

    ALLEN ANDERS | Laura Moss Found footage of Allen Anders’ famed 1987 performance at New York City’s Comedy Castle offers a revealing window into the troubled comedian’s psyche. BFF GIRLS | Brian Lonano Three dorky American girls magically transform into beautiful Japanese superheroes and fight a tampon monster as they begin their journey into womanhood. COME ON MANDY | Josh Wilmott A doc/fiction hybrid about a dog who refuses to listen. HECTOR FELIX | William Bagley A thriller/comedy with a retro vibe, Hector Felix is about a drunk who stumbles upon a group of thugs playing cards in the back of a gas station. Shot on 16mm, and accompanied by a killer soundtrack; Hector Felix is nothing short of a good time. HOMER_A | Milos Mitrovic Found VHS footage tells a disturbing day-in-the-life story of a broken family. SETACEOUS | Tel Benjamin A group of neighbors, after being awoken in the dead of night by its alarm, investigate a seemingly abandoned car in the middle of their cul-de-sac in the inner suburbs. Slowly they begin to realize the car may not be as abandoned as first perceived and holds something far darker in store for them. SOCKS ON FIRE | Bo McGuire A failed poet takes up cinematic arms when he returns home to Hokes Bluff, Ala. to find his aunt has locked his drag queen uncle out of the family home. STAY | David Mikalson A cult of women summon a demon, but one rogue member, Carol, gets in the way of their plans. THE ACCOMPLISS | John F. Beach, Jonathan Hoeg A man discovers his unwitting participation in a bank robbery across a series of increasingly incriminating (and hilarious) answering machine messages. WEIRD | Fausto MontanarI In this animated film, a young girl explains how personal preference and individuality are the ties that bind us all together.

    THE TENNESSEE FILMMAKER BLOCK

    AIM CENTER SHORTS | Judith Mogul and Trey Forbes A compilation of 12 stop-motion animations created by members of the AIM Center under the direction of artist Judith Mogul and videographer Trey Forbes. AIM is a center for psychiatric rehabilitation located in Chattanooga, Tenn. Using cutout paper in the style of filmmaker Lotte Reiniger, members manipulated their created forms to tell intimate, humorous and often poignant stories. These shorts provide moving insight into the minds, hearts and souls of people living with mental illness. BIG AND TALL | Clint Till A young girl and her best friend set off into the woods to find proof of a mythological creature. BLACKOUT DAY | Graham Uhelski Blackout Day is a mini documentary about people’s experiences on the day of the total solar eclipse—August 21, 2017. A filmmaker collaboration of an incredible celestial event. LEGS | Madeleine Hicks Cara Smart dreams of one day becoming a professional swimmer, but her mother and doctor have plans to remove her body parts instead. This is a tale as old as time. THE ELEPHANT TREE | Judith Mogul Combining live action with stop motion animation, The Elephant Tree reveals the intimate relationship between an artist and the landscape around her. Through sketches, sculptures and puppets, a world evolves in the artist’s studio that reflect her reverie and sadness for the environment, which eventually is threatened when a developer begins to clear the land. THE LOTTERY | Karen Louisa What kind of life can you have when your life is assigned for you by your government? One young woman tries to exercise what little freedom she has in order to change her life. THE ORDER | Chad Cunningham Three young scouts have been selected for a prestigious opportunity, but as they struggle to prove themselves, they realize nothing is what it seems.

    STUDENT FILMMAKER BLOCK

    10 MINUTES TO SHOW | Joshua DeFour Punk-rock drummer Charlotte “Charlie” Howe desperately wants to win an Austin battle of the bands competition, but 10 minutes before her band is set to perform, everything seemingly goes to hell backstage. HEAD ABOVE WATER | Eric Shahinian A devoted husband is forced to confront his doubts about remaining the caretaker of his wife suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. POSERS | Sean Thiessen A coming-of-age creature feature that’s also a story of teenage friendship, budding love, and figuring out how to fit in. REDSHIFT | Benjamin Crane After a bio-chemical attack renders earth infertile, mankind is forced to colonize Mars and mine the earth of its remaining resources. Among the miners is David Cain, who has grown tired of earth and longs for a new life. After the company decides to relocate to the red planet, David is given the option to transfer or remain on earth with his family. As tension rises between him and sister as they care for their dying father, David must weigh his commitment to family and his desire for a better life. THE MEMORY BANK | Andrew Faust Karen awakens to discover that her payment has been declined at The Memory Bank, a cloud-based organization that retains and organizes customers’ memories. She’s then forced to delete memories in order to create new ones. THE SECRET LIFE OF ART | Catherine Mosier-Mills What if art came to life at night? Do works of art have personalities ? Do they wish to escape their assigned interpretations and roles? How do these works hold up in a modern context? This digitally-animated piece brings to life well-known works by masters such as Michelangelo, Raphael, Degas and Gauguin and explores what would happen if they could interact with each other during a chaotic night at the museum. TWINKLE TWINKLE | Mark Winzenburg A young woman named Amy discovers a mysterious record in her home. The record plays the tune “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” but Amy begins to fear for her life when it won’t stop, no matter what she does. In addition to the above blocks, three films will be paired with feature films. EMERGENCY | Carey Williams Faced with an emergency situation, a group of young Black and Latino friends carefully weigh the pros and cons of calling the police. *Paired with LOWLIFE HEARTLESS | Kevin Sluder Based on Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart.” An overlooked associate struggles to complete a corporate presentation as a horrific secret gnaws at her conscience. *Paired with DEMENTIA PART II MY MONSTER | Izzy Lee Christmas is coming. If that’s not stressful enough, Lily (Brea Grant) has to contend with a clueless partner (Adam Egypt Mortimer) and an unexpected, inter-dimensional holiday guest who just wants two things—blood and cuddles. *Paired with ALL THE CREATURES WERE STIRRING

    Read more

  • Horror Short Film THE INVADERS Starring Isra Elsalihie to World Premiere at Vail Film Festival | Trailer

    Horror Short Film THE INVADERS Starring Isra Elsalihie to World Premiere at Vail Film Festival | Trailer Colombian-American filmmaker Mateo Márquez’s film THE INVADERS, featuring actress Isra Elsalihie will celebrate its world premiere this week in Colorado as an Official Selection of the 2018 Vail Film Festival. Jayla, a Muslim-American teen, is being followed as she walks the streets of the neighborhood in which she has always lived. Terror and confusion take over as Jayla attempts to outrun the powerful, swift-moving menace that pursues her even into the supposed safety of her own home. As Anti-Muslim sentiment spreads through Western societies, THE INVADERS imagines a not too distant future in which an exaggerated fear of Islam has replaced moral or humanitarian regard. THE INVADERS has been written and directed by New York City-based Mateo Márquez and is a co-production between Mateo Márquez Films and Cup of Joe Film. THE INVADERS World Premiere at Vail Film Festival on Saturday, April 7 at 1:30 PM at Theater 2 at Blue Starlite Cinema in Colorado.

    Read more

  • Filmfest Dresden Unveils 30th Anniversary Lineup of 270 Short Films with Focus on ‘Europe’

    [caption id="attachment_27720" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Athina Rachel Tsangari: The Capsule Athina Rachel Tsangari: The Capsule[/caption] The 30th Filmfest Dresden,  one of the most renowned and best-endowed short film festivals in Europe, running from April 17 to 22, 2018, unveiled this year’s anniversary program of 270 short films, as well as panel discussions and other events, enticing short film fans from across the world once more to the capital city of Saxony. One main focus this years is on “Europe”, bringing 30 years of European and the festival’s history together in several programs. Each year, the festival centrepiece consists of the International and National Competitions: 69 short films from a total of 2,200 submissions are in the running this year for the ten “Golden Horsemen” and four special prizes. In the International Competition section, a total of 23 animation and 19 fictional films are going to be screened in seven programmes during the festival week. These include short films from 28 countries, with France and Canada leading the way here, as well as seven co-productions. In addition to its Competition sections, the 30th Filmfest Dresden also has an extensive array of 27 special programs. For young audiences, there are five children and youth programs for differing age groups with the latest and most exciting short films from throughout the world. International short film entertainment under the open skies can again be enjoyed by all at the Festival Open-Air event on Dresden’s Neumarkt square.  This is drawing the crowds on the festival weekend with a special program for the whole family. * The Unfinished Adventure Named Europe The great European dreams after the end of the Cold War are now being overshadowed by crises. And Europe is wrestling with its identity. These conflicts and confrontations, as well as the inner plurality of the European construct are also reflected in short film. In the three “A Path to Freedom”, “Border Regions” and “Europe Is Falling Apart” programs, which embrace both historic and current perspectives and are intended to explore the utopian as indeed the dystopian horizons here, Filmfest Dresden is looking back on 30 years of Europe. Among others, the themes include the euphoria in Germany immediately after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the question about the geographic and formal-aesthetic borders of Europe, as well as the unvanquished nationalism in the fortress of Europe. The films in the “Focus Europe” program debunk their discourse as being “post-truth”, while providing thought-provoking impulses and posing questions: How can the political regression within the EU be brought to an end? And does the Europe project still have a chance?

    Competition nominations of 30 FILMFEST DRESDEN

    International Competition

    (OO), Seo-ro Oh (South Korea) AABA / GRANDFATHER, Amar Kaushik (India) AFTER SCHOOL KNIFE FIGHT, Caroline Poggi (France) AMOR, Isabel  Lamberti (Netherlands) APRES LE VOLCAN / AFTER THE VOLCANO, Léo Favier (France) AURORE, Mael  Le Mée (France) COPA-LOCA, Christos Massalas (Greece) COUP DE GRÂCE, Salomé Lamas (Portugal) DAS GAVETAS NASCEM SONS / THE SOUNDS FROM THE DRAWERS, Vitor Hugo (Portugal) DEER BOY, Katarzyna Gondek (Belgium/Croatia/Poland) HAVE HEART, Will Anderson (United Kingdom) HOT TEA, Marcel Tigchelaar (Netherlands) HYPERTRAIN, Fela Bellotto/Etienne Kompis (Switzerland) KÖTELÉK / BOND, Judit Wunder (Hungary) KUCKUCK / CUCKOO, Aline Höchli (Switzerland) LA SOUPE / THE SOUP, Nicos Synnos (Cyprus) LANCUSZKI / CHAINLETS, Alicja  Blaszczynska (Poland) LE TEMPS QU’IL FAUT / AS LONG AS IT TAKES, Abeille Tard (Canada) LES HOMMES-POISSONS / THE DEEP ONES, Guillaume Chevalier (France) LUPUS, Carlos Gomez Salamanca (Colombia/France) MARFA, Greg & Myles McLeod (United Kingdom) MIN BÖRDA / THE BURDEN, Niki Lindroth von Bahr (Sweden) MR. ANXIETY GOES ON A DATE , 4inaroom (Moldova/Romania) MUTEUM, Aggie Pak Yee Lee (Estonia) NEGATIVE SPACE, Max Porter/Ru Kuwahata (France) NOS DÉSIRS / THE WAY WE LOVE, Raphaël Lefèvre (France) PANTHEON, Ange-Régis  Hounkpatin (France) PAUL EST LA / PAUL IS HERE, Valentina  Maurel (Belgium) PŘÁTELSKÉ SETKÁNÍ NAD SPORTEM / FRIENDLY SPORT MEETING, Adam Koloman Rybanský (Czech Republic) RABBIT’S BLOOD, Sarina Nihei (Japan/United Kingdom) RETOUCH, Kaveh Mazaheri (Iran) RUPTURE, Yassmina Karajah (Canada/Jordan) SCRATCHY, Marv Newland (Canada) SREČNO, ORLO! / GOOD LUCK, ORLO!, Sara Kern (Austria/Croatia/Slovenia) TESLA: LUMIÈRE MONDIALE / THE TESLA WORLD LIGHT , Matthew Rankin (Canada) THE ABSENCE OF EDDY TABLE, Rune Spaans (Norway) VEUILLEZ NE PAS TENTER D’OUVRIR LES PORTES / SEE THE SHADOWS STRAIGHTEN, Baptiste Martin-Bonnaire (France) YAL VA KOOPAL / MANED & MACHO, Shiva Sadegh Asadi (Iran) YOM CHOL / ANOTHER DAY, Daniel Pakes (Israel) теория заката / THE THEORY OF SUNSET, Roman Sokolov (Russia) מכתב אהבה לבחור שהמצאתי / A LOVE LETTER TO THE ONE I MADE UP, Rachel Gutgarts (Israel)

    National Competition

    AND THE MOON STANDS STILL, Yulia Ruditskaya ATTAK, Ruben Meier CHUCKWALLA, Korinna  Krauss DAS SATANISCHE DICKICHT – DREI, Willy Hans ENDLING, Alex Schaad ENTSCHULDIGUNG, ICH SUCHE DEN TISCHTENNISRAUM UND MEINE FREUNDIN, Bernhard Wenger HALMASPIEL, Betina Kuntzsch IMPERIAL VALLEY (CULTIVATED RUN-OFF), Lukas Marxt JOY, Abini Gold KOSMOS Maa, Jakob Mäsel LIEBE, Oliver Adam Kusio LINK, Robert Löbel LOVE ME, FEAR ME, Veronica Solomon MASCARPONE, Jonas Riemer MEGATRICK, Anne Isensee MINDEN RENDBEN, Borbála Nagy NACH DEM FEST, Hannes Schilling NACHTSTÜCK, Anne Breymann NEKO NO HI / ねこ の ひ,Jon Frickey NIKOTYNA, Ewa  Wikiel NOSTALGIC LOVE, Joscha Bongard NOT MY TYPE, Gerd Gockell NY _ THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE OF SPACE, Michał Banisch RÄUBER & GENDARM, Florian Maubach SOG, Jonatan Schwenk THE TRAIN, THE FOREST, Patrick Buhr U MEĐUVREMENU, Mate Ugrin

    Read more

  • Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee’s Short Doc EARTHRISE Featuring Apollo 8 Astronauts to World Premiere at Tribeca Film Festival | Trailer

    [caption id="attachment_27608" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Earthrise The original “Earthrise” image, 1968. Photo credit: Bill Anders/NASA.[/caption] In Earthrise, the short documentary film from Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee, the Apollo 8 astronauts recount their memories of capturing the first image of Earth from space in 1968. The film will world premiere at the upcoming 2018 Tribeca Film Festival on Saturday, April 21, 2018. Earthrise tells the story of the first image captured of the Earth from space in 1968. Told solely by the Apollo 8 astronauts, – Bill Anders, Frank Borman, and Jim Lovell – the film recounts their experiences and memories and explores the beauty, awe, and grandeur of the Earth against the blackness of space. This iconic image had a powerful impact on the astronauts and the world, offering a perspective that transcended national, political, and religious boundaries. Told 50 years later, Earthrise compels us to remember this shift and to reflect on the Earth as a shared home. (Runtime: 29 Minutes)

    The Filmmaker

    Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee is an award-winning filmmaker, musician and composer. His work has been featured on National Geographic, PBS, The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Outside Magazine, exhibited at The Smithsonian and screened at festivals worldwide including Tribeca Film Festival, New York Film Festival, SXSW and many others. He has directed numerous acclaimed films including Sanctuaries of Silence, Marie’s Dictionary, Isle de Jean Charles, Yukon Kings, Elemental, Barrio de Paz and What Would it Look Like. Prior to his work in film, Emmanuel performed with some of the biggest names in Jazz, as well as releasing two critically acclaimed records Previous Misconceptions and Borrowed Time.

    Trailer

    2018 Tribeca Film Festival Screening Info

    Public Screenings of Earthrise at Tribeca Film Festival 2018 Screening in the Shorts Program: Home Sweet Home Saturday, April 21, 2018 – 6:30 PM Regal Cinemas Battery Park Tuesday, April 24, 2018 – 5:30 PM Regal Cinemas Battery Park Wednesday, April 25, 2018 – 5:00 PM Regal Cinemas Battery Park Saturday, April 28, 2018 – 3:45 PM Cinépolis Chelsea

    Read more

  • 6 Indie Filmmakers to Compete in Seattle International Film Festival’s 2018 Fly Filmmaking Challenge

    [caption id="attachment_27596" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]2018 SIFF Fly Filmmakers are Jeff Barehand (Olympia), Graham Bourque (Ellensburg), Myisa Plancq-Graham (Seattle), Elliat Graney-Saucke (Seattle), Kendra Ann Sherrill (Spokane), Masahiro Sugano (Tacoma) 2018 SIFF Fly Filmmakers are (top row: l – r) Jeff Barehand (Olympia), Graham Bourque (Ellensburg), Myisa Plancq-Graham (Seattle), (bottom row: l – r) Elliat Graney-Saucke (Seattle), Kendra Ann Sherrill (Spokane), Masahiro Sugano (Tacoma)[/caption] The Fly Filmmaking Challenge organized in partnership with Washington Filmworks, returns to the 2018 Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) after a three year hiatus. For the first time ever, the Fly Filmmaking Challenge hit the road and invited filmmakers from cities across the state to participate. “As a statewide entity that works closely with creative industries, Washington Filmworks knows first hand how creativity and creative professionals transform communities both culturally and economically,” said Amy Lillard, Executive Director of Washington Filmworks. “The six filmmakers selected for this year’s Challenge have chosen to showcase a diverse group of people and places from their community which make a delightful, inspired, and unforgettable program for SIFF audiences.” Each filmmaker chose a creative professional living in their community as the subject of their documentary film. From a fashion professional to a creative technologist, from a woodworker to a literary artist, SIFF audiences will experience an intimate look inside each artisan’s creative process and understand how their work benefits the quality of life in the city which they live and work. Given only 10 weeks to plan, produce, and complete a short 5-7 minute documentary short within the creative challenges, filmmakers must think on their feet to present the most compelling film. “Documentary projects often afford months to years of production but this year’s team said they are up to the challenge.” said Dustin Kaspar, SIFF’s Education Programs Manager. “The abbreviated production timeline engages their creative instincts and provides a showcase of their visionary talent through another artist’s process. The final program features six short films by filmmakers from across the state, intended to shine a light on Washington’s far-reaching and inspired creative industries. The 2018 Fly Filmmakers are Jeff Barehand (Olympia), Graham Bourque (Ellensburg), Myisa Plancq-Graham (Seattle), Elliat Graney-Saucke (Seattle), Kendra Ann Sherrill (Spokane), Masahiro Sugano (Tacoma). The Fly Filmmaking Challenge is scheduled to premiere on Monday, May 28 and will screen again on Wednesday, June 6.

    The Filmmakers

    Jeff Barehand

    Jeff is an enrolled citizen of the Gila River Indian Community of Arizona. He studied at the Studio Theatre Acting Conservatory in Washington, D.C. and filmmaking at the American Indian Arts Institute’s intensive filmmaking workshop sponsored by ABC/Disney. He is a founding member of the non-profit, the Olympia Film Collective, a South Sound premiere filmmaking hub. He is co-owner of Sky Bear Media, a video production company specializing in producing media for Tribes, Native organizations, and Tribal youth programs. He is a Sundance Native Lab fellow and also the current Board Chair of Red Eagle Soaring, Seattle’s only Native youth theatre program.

    Graham Bourque

    Graham is a filmmaker living in Ellensburg, Washington. He graduated from Central Washington University in 2017 with a degree in Film Production, and has produced a number of short films, documentaries, and commercials. During his senior year, he produced Todd’s Vlog which won 1st place in the narrative short film category at the BEA Festival of Media Arts 2017.

    Elliat Graney-Saucke

    Elliat is a documentary filmmaker focused on equity and cultural knowledge exchange. Currently acting President of the Seattle Documentary Association, Elliat is completing her second feature documentary Boys on the Inside, about ‘boy’ culture in women’s prisons. She is also completing the documentary Art Heart: Children of Riot Grrrl with Celeste Chan, about coming of age in riot grrrl, queercore culture. After seven years in Berlin producing content in eight countries, she is back in Seattle as an organizer and teacher at Northwest Film Forum and Director of Elliat Creative, LLC.

    Myisa Plancq-Graham

    San Francisco native, Myisa, began her photography career exploring the streets of Atlanta in 2011. Her growing appreciation for photography and videography culminated in the creation of Annie Graham Imagery. Creating content by, about and for Black people is her primary filmmaking incentive. Myisa serves as lead director, videographer, and editor for documentary short series UNCODE, highlighting people and stories of the African Diaspora.

    Kendra Ann Sherrill

    Kendra Ann is an award-winning filmmaker from Spokane, WA. Many of her short films have screened at local film festivals such as the National Film Festival for Talented Youth, Seattle Shorts Film Festival, Local Sightings Film Festival, and Reel NW. She is a graduate of the Eastern Washington University’s Film Program, where she received the Best Director and Best Screenplay awards, and was a finalist for the the DGA Student Film Awards. Kendra also serves as the Assistant Director for the Spokane International Film Festival and works full time as an editor and producer for the Emmy award-winning television series Washington Grown.

    Masahiro Sugano

    Masahiro, a Sundance Film Festival alumnus, is an award winning filmmaker whose accolades stretch from a Student Academy Award nomination in 1997 to his most recent 2016 Documentary Award given by the National Asian American Journalists Association. In 2013 he received the Center for Asian American Media’s Innovation Fund for his series “Verses in Exile,” currently hosted on PBS.org. Masahiro’s second feature, Cambodian Son is winner of several awards including the Best Documentary Award at CAAMFEST 2014 and the Audience Choice Award at Bali International Film Festival 2015. As co-founder of artist-ran media lab Studio Revolt, Masahiro creates short films on a variety of societal issues such as deportation. He’s also a pioneering force in the art of spoken word videos. Earning a B.A. in Philosophy from California State University, Northridge, Masahiro went on to earn an M.F.A. in Film from University of Illinois, Chicago. Masahiro currently resides in Tacoma, WA and serves as an Artist-in-Residence at the University of Washington, Bothell.

    Read more

  • Rebekah Nelson’s Award-Winning Short Film “The Shoulder” to Premiere at Queens World Film Festival | Trailer

    The Shoulder The Shoulder, an award-winning short film, directed by Rebekah Nelson and produced by Michael Freeland, will have its premiere on Friday, March 16th 2018, at the Queens World Film Festival. The Shoulder chronicles the harrowing and raw journey of Derrick (Jordan Gwiazdowski), who in a last-ditch effort to save his older brother Jeremy (Jerzy Gwiazdowski) from the grips of addiction, kidnaps him, and drives him cross-country to wean Jeremy off heroin. . The Shoulder is a timely exploration of the complexities of addiction, and the devastation it wroughts on the individual and their family. The film effectively captures the chaos, demoralization and denial of addiction. The film asks the question, “Am I My Brothers Keeper.” The Shoulder also features John Warren (Table Talk, Mister Warren’s Neighborhood) and Tony Andriotis. Rebekah Nelson says, with The Shoulder, I wanted to explore the thin line between survival and devastation. What happens to those who bear witness to the victims of addiction? In the midst of the opioid crisis in the US, I had the opportunity to read the stage play “Hugging the Shoulder”. It gave me some insight into the destructive path of addiction and the impact it can have on those close to the victim. How far should one go to save someone who doesn’t want to be saved?  The Shoulder serves as a window into a broader story, a glimpse into the journey of two brothers searching for deliverance. The Shoulder is based on Jerrod Bogard’s stage play “Hugging the Shoulder”, which premiered at the 2006 New York Fringe Festival.

    Screening Info

    THE SHOULDER will premiere at The Museum of Moving Image during the following date /time: March 16TH at 7:45pm, Q&A with Director Rebekah Nelson, Producer Mike Free and cast.

    The Filmmakers

    Rebekah Nelson is a filmmaker hailing from Queens, NY. She frequently collaborates with The Sparrow Film Project, writing & directing several short films for their festival. Such shorts include Eurydice and…, The Drop, Cytokine Cascade, A Christmas Carol: Stave V and Mister Warren’s Neighborhood. She produced the indie feature Living with the Dead (Lion Hearted Films), which is available to stream on Amazon. Nelson starred in the feature American Bomber, which was promoted by the NYC Mayor’s Office as part of the MADE IN NY campaign. She has been a member of The Queensborough Theatre Project and Taxdeductible Theatre Company. She received a B.A. in theatre arts from Marymount Manhattan College & majored in drama at the Professional Performing Arts School in NYC. Michael Freeland ‘s producer credits include American Bomber and Dead Light Glory, in which he also starred in, as well as the short In Between. He is the producer of The Sparrow Film Project: a festival of three-minute short films. Michael produced the stage play “Hugging the Shoulder”, inspiration for the short film The Shoulder, in the 2006 NY Fringe Festival. Michael attended school at The University of Southern Mississippi and graduated from The American Musical and Dramatic Academy, as well as receiving his B.S. from The New School University. He currently resides in Astoria, Queens and is constantly plotting out the next project.

    The Trailer

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsTMMU_LFDM

    Read more