Wexford Plaza

Betty is a lonely strip mall security guard, and an unexpected moment with charming deadbeat Danny ends up setting off the unraveling of both their lives.

Directed by Joyce Wong

Starring Reid Asselstine, Darrel Gamotin, Francis Melling, Ellie Posadas

Genre(s) Drama Film

12 Canadian Creatives Selected for TIFF Writers’ Studio 2018/19

Today TIFF announced the 12 selected participants in this year’s TIFF Writers’ Studio. The lineup features six women and six men, highlighting Canada’s best-emerging writers and underscoring TIFF’s commitment to gender parity across the breadth of its talent-development programs. The women in this year’s intake will be supported in part by the organization’s trailblazing Share Her Journey campaign, which champions women both in front of and behind the camera. The 2018–19 TIFF Writers’ Studio participants are: Danilo Baracho, Yung Chang, Martin Edralin, Sarah Goodman, Carinne Leduc, Jennifer Liao, Frieda Luk, Kaveh Nabatian, Celeste Parr, Kazik Radwanski, Lina Rodriguez, and Jorge Thielen-Armand. Launched in 2012, the Industry programme provides a space for mid-career screenwriters to consolidate their skills, exchange ideas, and discuss their challenges in a collaborative and artistic environment. This year’s candidates will develop their chosen screenplay with expert support from international script consultants. “We’re delighted to welcome this exceptionally talented group to TIFF Writers’ Studio,” said Kathleen Drumm, TIFF Industry Director. “Now in its sixth cycle, the program has proved successful in preparing Canada’s best and brightest talent for the global film industry. Candidates will be inspired to take their careers to the next level by developing their creative processes in a series of candid sessions with distinguished local and international writing mentors.” TIFF Studio has helped cultivate exciting new cinematic voices. Notable alumni include filmmakers Pat Mills (Don’t Talk to Irene); Molly McGlynn (Mary Goes Round); Joyce Wong (Wexford Plaza); and Ashley McKenzie (Werewolf). Following their involvement in TIFF Studio, these filmmakers have gone on to success. Pat Mills was named one of MovieMaker Magazine’s 25 Screenwriters to Watch in 2018. His film Don’t Talk to Irene won the Comedy Vanguard Jury and Audience Awards at the Austin Film Festival, and was picked up for distribution in the US by Gravitas Ventures. Molly McGlynn won top prizes at the Annapolis Film Festival and the Santa Barbara International Film Festival for Mary Goes Round in 2018. Joyce Wong won the Jury Award at the Austin Asian American Film Festival in 2017, the Jury Award for best screenplay at the Hell’s Half Mile Film and Music Festival, and the award for the best narrative feature at the San Diego Asian Film Festival. The same year, Ashley McKenzie’s Werewolf won Best Canadian Film at the Toronto Film Critics Association Awards. In 2016 she won Best First Film by a Canadian Director and was nominated for the Best Screenplay for a Canadian Film at the Vancouver Film Critics Circle. TIFF Writers’ Studio will run on a monthly basis from June 15 through January 2019 at TIFF Bell Lightbox. The sessions will focus on script development, pitching, and creating memorable characters. Participants will receive an Industry Pass for the Toronto International Film Festival in September and for Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival in January. TIFF Writers’ Studio is produced by TIFF International Programmer Jane Schoettle and supported by Share Her Journey.
TIFF Writers’ Studio 2018 Biographies:
Danilo Baracho Danilo Baracho is a Brazilian-Canadian filmmaker who studied audiovisual communication at the University of Salamanca in Spain. He has written and directed five short films, which have been screened at over 100 film festivals around the world. He is an alumnus of TIFF Talent Lab and the Reykjavik Talent Lab. Yung Chang Yung Chang is the writer and director of Up the Yangtze (07), China Heavyweight (12), and The Fruit Hunters (13). He is completing a screenplay for his first dramatic feature, Eggplant, and in production for a feature documentary about Robert Fisk. Chang’s films have screened at Sundance, the Berlinale, TIFF, San Francisco, Vancouver, and Hong Kong and have screened theatrically in cinemas around the world. Martin Edralin Martin Edralin is a Toronto-based filmmaker whose films have screened at TIFF, Sundance, VIFF, and Festival du nouveau cinéma. His film credits include Hole (14), which won a Canadian Screen Award for Best Live Action Short; Emma (16), which was selected for the Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival; and Building History: The Story of Benjamin Brown (16), which was nominated for a Heritage Toronto Public History Award. Edralin is an alumnus of the Locarno Film Festival Filmmakers’ Academy and the Reykjavik Talent Lab. Sarah Goodman Sarah Goodman is an award-winning director, producer, and writer whose works have played at TIFF, IDFA, and Hot Docs. Her credits include Army of One (03), When We Were Boys (09), Hidden Driveway (11), and Porch Stories (14). She is an alumna of the TIFF Talent Lab and the Berlinale Talent Campus and a member of Film Fatales. Her next feature, Lake 239, is currently in development, and she is a consulting producer on a scripted series that is also in development. Carinne Leduc Carinne Leduc is an award-winning French-Canadian actor, writer, and director. She co-wrote and starred in her first feature film, 3 Saisons (08), which was nominated for three Genie Awards, including Best Motion Picture. Leduc has directed a number of short films, music videos, and commercials and has two features in development. Jennifer Liao Jennifer Liao is a director, writer, and producer. Her credits include the social-media storytelling project Crushing It! A Social Media Love Story (10), the feature film Sex After Kids (13), episodes of the crime drama Blood and Water (15–), and End of Days, Inc. (15), which was supported by Telefilm Canada. She was also a creative consultant on the TV adaptation of the Ava Lee novels. Frieda Luk Frieda Luk is a director and screenwriter. Her credits include Delicacy (12), which screened at Telluride and Tribeca, and American Sisyphus (12) and The Encounter (14), both of which premiered at TIFF. In 2011 she was nominated for a New York Women in Film and Television award, and in 2013 she received a scholarship to study in France that was supported by the Carla Bruni-Sarkozy Foundation. She has an MFA in directing from Columbia University and is an alumna of TIFF’s 2016 Talent Lab. Kaveh Nabatian Kaveh Nabatian is an Iranian-Canadian director and writer. He has spent the last decade directing and shooting fiction films, music videos, television series, and documentaries all over the world, including Montreal, Nunavut, Haiti, Mexico, and South Africa. Recent projects include a feature-length documentary about Leonard Cohen, commissioned by the CBC, and collaborations with Arcade Fire, Leif Vollebekk, Kahlil Joseph, and Half Moon Run. Celeste Parr Celeste Parr made her television debut writing for CBC’s This Life (16), for which she was nominated for a 2017 WGC Award for Best Writing for a Television Drama. In 2017, the pilot for her original drama series The Brac was selected for the TV writing program from the ATX Television Festival and The Black List. Parr is currently developing a television show and several features. Kazik Radwanski Kazik Radwanski studied film at Ryerson University and co-founded the production company MDFF in 2008. His films have screened at Berlin, Locarno, TIFF, Venice, NYFF, and the BFI London Film Festival. His credits include Tower (12); How Heavy This Hammer (15), which was nominated for Best Canadian Film of the Year by the Toronto Film Critics Association; and Scaffold (17). Lina Rodriguez Lina Rodriguez is a Colombian-Canadian filmmaker. Her short films have played the Images Festival and NYFF, and her film and video installations and performances have been exhibited in festivals such as Nuit Blanche. Her first feature, Señoritas (13), premiered at the Cartagena Film Festival. Her second feature, Mañana a esta hora (16), premiered at Locarno, was released in six cities in Colombia, and opened theatrically in New York City and Toronto. Jorge Thielen-Armand Jorge Thielen-Armand is a director and producer. His debut feature film, La Soledad (16), premiered at Venice and screened at over 50 festivals, including the Durban International Film Festival, where it won Best Screenplay. His documentary Flor de la Mar (15) received the Jury Award for Best Documentary Short at Cine Las Americas International Film Festival. In 2015, he founded La Faena Films with Rodrigo Michelangeli. Image: 1st row (left to right): Danilo Baracho, Yung Chang, Sarah Goodman, Martin Edralin 2nd row (left to right): Carinne Leduc, Jennifer Liao, Kaveh Nabatian, Frieda Luk 3rd row (left to right): Celeste Parr, Kazik Radwanski, Jorge Thielen-Armand, Lina Rodriguez
Read more
Toronto Film Critics Association Names THE FLORIDA PROJECT Best Film of 2017

[caption id="attachment_23729" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] THE FLORIDA PROJECT[/caption] The Florida Project, Sean Baker’s drama about kids growing up fast in a welfare motel in the shadow of Disney World, was named the year’s Best Picture winner by the Toronto Film Critics Association. Willem Dafoe was chosen Best Supporting Actor for his role as the empathetic motel manager. Greta Gerwig was named Best Director for her coming-of-age comedic drama, Lady Bird, while the film’s co-star Laurie Metcalf, was chosen Best Supporting Actress. The TFCA chose Frances McDormand as Best Actress for her portrayal of a driven and tormented mother in Martin McDonagh’s Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Faces Places, a whimsical journey through France directed by Agnès Varda and muralist JR, was given the Allan King Documentary Film Award. Art-world satire The Square, directed by Ruben Östlund, was chosen Best Foreign-Language film. Nora Twomey’s The Breadwinner, based on Canadian author Deborah Ellis’ award-winning novel about an 11-year-old Afghan girl who provides for her family in difficult times, was named Best Animated Feature. The membership also chose the three finalists for the Rogers Best Canadian Film Award: Hello Destroyer directed by Kevan Funk, Werewolf directed by Ashley McKenzie and Wexford Plaza directed by Joyce Wong. The winner will be named at the 21st TFCA awards gala, to be held in Toronto, on January 9, 2018, hosted by Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of the Toronto International Film Festival. Other awards include the 2017 recipient of the Technicolor Clyde Gilmour Award is Inuk director, producer and writer Zacharias Kunuk. Kunuk has earned international acclaim for his dramatic work, including winning the prestigious Caméra d’Or for Best First Feature at Cannes 2001 for Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner. He has chosen Montreal-based Inuk filmmaker and visual artist Isabella Weetaluktuk to receive $50,000 worth of services from Technicolor. She will accept the award at the gala. Weetaluktuk, a graduate of NSCAD University in Halifax, premiered her short Three Thousand, her first film with the National Film Board, at the 18th annual imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival in October.
2017 Toronto Film Critics Association Awards winners and runners-up:
BEST PICTURE “The Florida Project” (Elevation Pictures) Runners-up “Phantom Thread” (Focus Features) “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” (Fox Searchlight) BEST ACTOR Daniel Day-Lewis, “Phantom Thread” (Focus Features) Runners-up Timothée Chalamet, “Call Me By Your Name” (Mongrel Media) Gary Oldman “Darkest Hour” (Focus Features) BEST ACTRESS Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” (Fox Searchlight) Runners-up Sally Hawkins, “The Shape of Water” (Fox Searchlight) Saoirse Ronan, “Lady Bird” (Elevation Pictures) BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Willem Dafoe “The Florida Project” (Elevation Pictures) Runners-up Sam Rockwell, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” (Fox Searchlight) Michael Stuhlbarg, “Call Me By Your Name” (Mongrel Media) BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Laurie Metcalf “Lady Bird” (Elevation Pictures) Runners-up Allison Janney, “I, Tonya” (VVS Films) Lesley Manville, “Phantom Thread” (Focus Features) BEST DIRECTOR Greta Gerwig, “Lady Bird” (Elevation Pictures) Runners-up Paul Thomas Anderson, “Phantom Thread” (Focus Features) Jordan Peele, “Get Out” (Universal Pictures) BEST SCREENPLAY, ADAPTED OR ORIGINAL “Get Out” by Jordan Peele (Universal Pictures) Runners-up “Lady Bird” by Greta Gerwig (Elevation Pictures) “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” by Martin McDonagh (Fox Searchlight) BEST FIRST FEATURE “Get Out” directed by Jordan Peele (Universal Pictures) Runners-up “Lady Macbeth” directed by William Oldroyd (D Films) “Werewolf,” directed by Ashley McKenzie (grassfire films) BEST ANIMATED FEATURE “The Breadwinner” (Elevation Pictures) Runners-up “Coco” (Disney/Pixar) “Window Horses” (Mongrel Media) BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM “The Square” (The Archive of Film Inc.) Runners-up “Faces Places” (Cohen Media Group) “Loveless” (Mongrel Media) ALLAN KING DOCUMENTARY FILM AWARD “Faces Places” (Cohen Media Group) Runners-up “Jane” (National Geographic) “Kedi” (Blue Ice Docs) ROGERS BEST CANADIAN FILM AWARD FINALISTS “Hello Destroyer” directed by Kevan Funk (Northern Banner) “Werewolf” directed by Ashley McKenzie (grassfire films) “Wexford Plaza” directed by Joyce Wong (LevelFILM)
Read more
VIDEO: Watch Trailer for Joyce Wong’s Indie Dark Comedy WEXFORD PLAZA, Opens in Theaters on October 27

Joyce Wong’s directorial debut Wexford Plaza, that premiered at the 2017 Slamdance Film Festival, will open in theaters on October 27. The subtle, yet powerful and modern coming of age story featuring breakout performances by newcomers Reid Asselstine and Darrel Gamotin, went on to win the award for Best Narrative at CAAMFest. Wexford Plaza is a slice-of-life dark comedy about a lonely female security guard (Betty) who works at a dilapidated strip mall. Isolated and friendless, a glimmer of hope appears when a charming bartender shows Betty kindness, leading to an unexpected sexual encounter. Although Betty and her deadbeat paramour are well meaning in their intentions, their behavior ends up causing both of their lives to unravel. Wexford Plaza is about two losers who are earnestly trying to improve their condition, but ultimately become deluded by their dreams
Read more
2017 New Orleans Film Festival Reveals Competition Lineup + MUDBOUND is Centerpiece Film

[caption id="attachment_19917" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Mudbound[/caption] The 2017 New Orleans Film Festival (NOFF) selected the Louisiana-shot Mudbound, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year as the Centerpiece Film; and announced the competition lineup. The festival will take place October 11th to October 19th in venues across the city. With 53 percent of films by female directors and 45 percent by directors of color, 2017 boasts the most diverse line-up in the festival’s history. Directed and co-written by Dee Rees, whose previous directorial projects include Pariah and Bessie, Mudbound is an adaptation of the prizewinning novel from Hillary Jordan about racial tension in the 1940s American South. It stars Carey Mulligan, Jason Clarke, Mary J. Blige, Garrett Hedlund, and New Orleans native Jason Mitchell. In addition to being directed by a woman, Mudbound also features women in the lead roles of producer, writer, cinematographer, editor, sound mixer, and head of makeup. Set in the rural American South during World War II, Dee Rees’ Mudbound is an epic story of two families pitted against one another by a ruthless social hierarchy, yet bound together by the shared farmland of the Mississippi Delta. Mudbound follows the McAllan family, newly transplanted from the quiet civility of Memphis and unprepared for the harsh demands of farming. Despite the grandiose dreams of Henry (Jason Clarke), his wife Laura (Carey Mulligan) struggles to keep the faith in her husband’s losing venture. Meanwhile, Hap and Florence Jackson (Rob Morgan, Mary J. Blige)—sharecroppers who have worked the land for generations—struggle bravely to build a small dream of their own despite the rigidly enforced social barriers they face. The war upends both families’ plans as their returning loved ones, Jamie McAllan (Garrett Hedlund) and Ronsel Jackson (Jason Mitchell), forge a fast but uneasy friendship that challenges the brutal realities of the Jim Crow South in which they live. “Mudbound is an epic film that feels like an instant American classic: timeless and yet strikingly relevant to issues our country is facing today,” said NOFS Artistic Director Clint Bowie of the festival’s Centerpiece Film. After receiving a record number of nearly 5000 entries for the 2017 competition lineup—an increase of over 20 percent from 2016—the festival’s seasoned team of programmers carefully curated a slate of original, affecting, and provocative films. Entries came from 109 different countries. Overall, directors of selected films represent 44 different nationalities. This year, Louisiana-made films represent 29 percent of the lineup.
NARRATIVE FEATURES
After Louie | dir. Vincent Gagliostro Sam worked as an artist and activist through the early years of AIDS, and the younger generation of gay men has left him bewildered. That is, until he meets Braeden. A relationship blossoms between them, reawakening Sam’s artistic soul and wilted heart. Damascene | dir. Freddy Syborn WORLD PREMIERE. Frank and Inez meet while biking to a party. They went out at university, but they haven’t seen each other for nine years. Their journey through the streets of London, captured on their helmet GoPros, brings to light old stories and old secrets. Rift | dir. ErlingurThoroddsen After receiving a disturbing late-night call from his volatile ex, Gunnar drives through the night to a secluded cabin below a glacier, where the two men are haunted by their dead relationship. Sambá | dir. Laura Amelia Guzmán, Israel Cárdenas Cisco returns home to the Dominican Republic after doing time in a U.S. prison but soon finds that the only way he can make a buck is through loosely organized street fights. When a former boxing coach shows interest, they discover there is atonement for both of them in the game. She’s Allergic to Cats | dir. Michael Reich A dog groomer living in a rat-infested Hollywood dive struggles to raise money for an all-cat remake of Carrie. Snowy Bing Bongs Across the North Star Combat Zone | dir. Rachel Wolther, Alex H. Fischer Bing Bong (n. /biNGbäNG/) A pre-historic future lady creature. Soft and dangerous. “Three bing bongs awaken to the morning light, an epic battle awaits them.” The World of Which We Dream Doesn’t Exist | dir. AyoubQanir U.S. PREMIERE. In Central Asia, a Mongolian shaman is visited by an ancient spirit with a message to embark on a grand journey in a world where multiple generations thrive with and alongside shamanic magic. Victor’s History | dir. Nicolas Chevaillier WORLD PREMIERE. A proud son hires a documentary filmmaker to immortalize his father’s legacy. Tensions flare up between filmmaker and subject—a rookie cameraman is caught in the cross fire—as the three travel across France unearthing family secrets. Wexford Plaza | dir. Joyce Wong A dark comedy about a lonely female security guard who works at a dilapidated strip mall. Isolated and friendless, a glimmer of hope appears when a charming make-up salesman shows Betty kindness, leading to an unexpected sexual encounter. Young and Innocent | dir. Jesse Robinson During the hot days of summer, Marion runs away from camp and checks into a seedy motel where she meets a man named Norman. They begin a friendship, though Marion begins to have dreams of another young girl who’s recently gone missing in the area.
DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
Ask the Sexpert | dir. Vaishali Sinha U.S. PREMIERE. 90-year-old Dr. MahinderWatsa is an institution on page 34 of the Mumbai Mirror, doling out on-demand sex advice to a faithful readership. Meanwhile a ban on comprehensive sex education in schools is adopted by approximately a third of India’s states. Burqa Boxers | dir. AlkaRaghuram In a culture that values beauty, delicacy, and submission as the ultimate feminine traits, young Muslim women in Kolkata challenge stereotypes, learning boxing with one of the first Indian women to become a boxing coach and an international referee. Communion (Komunia) | dir. Anna Zamecka Ola is 14 and takes care of her dysfunctional father, autistic brother, and a mother who lives separately; but most of all she tries to reunite the family. Her 13-year-old brother Nikodem’s Holy Communion is a pretext for the family to come together. Horace Tapscott: Musical Griot | dir. Barbara McCullough A poetic meditation on the strength of African American music and activism embodied in the history of Los Angeles through the life of musician, composer, and community activist Horace Tapscott (1934-1999). Love and Saucers | dir. Brad Abrahams The story of David Huggins, a 73-year-old man who claims to have had a lifetime of encounters with otherworldly beings—including a romance with an extra-terrestrial woman, and chronicled it all in surreal impressionist paintings. Olancho | dir. Chris Valdés, Ted Griswold Manuel, a farmer from Olancho, Honduras, seeks fame by making music for the region’s drug cartels. When some of his song lyrics get him in trouble, he must make the most difficult decision of his life: continue the quest for fame, or flee. The Organizer | dir. Nick Taylor WORLD PREMIERE. A feature length documentary about the life, times, and philosophy of community organizer Wade Rathke. Pow Wow | dir. Robinson Devor An elderly Austrian heiress, a Native American family, a bitter Las Vegas comedian, and a cadre of white golfers throwing their club’s annual “pow wow” party, join in a portrait of the garish contrasts of the Coachella Valley in Palm Springs. The Thunder Feast (Truenos de San Juan) | dir. Santiago Maza Stern U.S. PREMIERE.The ancient tradition of a town and its patron saint changes when devotion is mixed with explosives. The World Is Mine | dir. Ann Oren U.S. PREMIERE. A western Cosplayer of cyber diva HatsuneMiku moves to Tokyo to get to know the HatsuneMiku fandom. Her journey explores identity through cosplay and the collective fantasy of this phenom.
LOUISIANA FEATURES
AS IS by Nick Cave | dir. Evan Falbaum Director Evan Falbaum spent 12 months in Shreveport, Louisiana, with visual artist Nick Cave and captured the profound way in which he delivers his message of change to the Shreveport community. Cut Off | dir. Jowan Carbin WORLD PREMIERE. Struggling with his new life in New Orleans, Clive follows Trevor, a former professor, to his country home on the bayou to gain a new perspective. While Trevor helps Clive deal with his demons, Clive is sucked into a mission to kill. Do U Want It? | dir. Josh Freund, Sam Radutzky An exploration and celebration of the musical culture of New Orleans, and the complex nature of success, through the story of beloved New Orleans band Papa Grows Funk. Fat Tuesday | dir. Jorge Torres-Torres WORLD PREMIERE. Behind the mask of Mardi Gras, something sinister stalks the streets of New Orleans. Filmed on-location during the final days of Carnival, a group of friends is picked off one by one by a mysterious killer. Hate Crime | dir. Steven Esteb As a killer is executed for murdering a young gay man, two sets of parents struggle to deal with the consequences of fear and repression. Isleños, a Root of America | dir. Eduardo Cubillo U.S. PREMIERE. A travel in time throughout North American history, dealing with a community in St. Bernard Parish largely unknown by the general public with significant and unique influence on politics, arts, war conflicts, and American society. On Our Watch | dir. Jonathan Evans WORLD PREMIERE. Louisiana is facing a coastal land loss crisis. If nothing is done, Louisiana’s wetlands, industries, people, and culture are in danger of being washed away. The Power of Glove | dir. Adam Ward, Andrew Austin U.S. PREMIERE. Released by Mattel in 1989, the Power Glove was hyped as a device that would change the way humans interact with computers. Thirty years later, a small but dedicated fanbase has brought new life to the Power Glove by hacking and repurposing it. Sick to Death! | dir. Maggie Hadleigh-West WORLD PREMIERE. After drinking radioactive iodine to kill her overactive thyroid, filmmaker Maggie Hadleigh-West catapults into illness only to run smack into the medical corruption that is shredding the fabric of millions of lives all over the world. Small Town Rage: Fighting Back in the Deep South | dir. Raydra Hall, David Hylan Examines the work and influence of the AIDS activist group ACT UP Shreveport and the challenges that come with advocating for people living with AIDS in the conservative Deep South.
Read more
Bentonville Film Festival to Open with Transgender Drama “3 GENERATIONS + Announces Competition Lineup

[caption id="attachment_21743" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] THREE GENERATIONS[/caption] The 2017 Bentonville Film Festival will open on May 2 with The Weinstein Company’s transgender drama “3 Generations” starring Elle Fanning, Naomi Watts and Susan Sarandon. Directed by Gaby Dellal, “3 Generations” shares the story of a family dealing with a life-changing transformation by one that ultimately affects them all. Festival co-founder Geena Davis said, “ I’m so excited to be heading into our third annual BFF. The Festival has become an important catalyst for change and we look forward to celebrating the accomplishments of the past year and setting the stage for years to come.” The Festival today announced an exciting slate of films across the following categories: Narrative and Documentary Feature Competition, Short Film Competition, Episodic Content Competition, and Spotlight Narrative and Documentary Feature Competition. Today’s announcement includes 46 of the feature length titles with Showcase films and more titles coming soon. Competing for the Distribution Prize are 19 narratives. Competing for the Documentary Jury Award are 14 documentaries. Currently, there are 12 narrative and documentaries in the Spotlight Competition, 4 in the Episodic Competition, and 18 films in the Short Film Competition.
Narrative and Documentary Competition

Documentary Features
An Acquired Taste, directed and written by Vanessa LeMaire. (USA). Why kill your own food? A new mindful generation of teens defy factory farming and turn to hunting as a way of connecting with the source of their sustenance. To make a humane kill, these animal lovers confront tormenting ethics and their worst nightmares, partly to eat dinner, and partly to carve out their own identities in a world increasingly at odds with reality and nature. Bogalusa Charm, directed by Stephen Richardson and written by Jennifer Harrington. (USA). A loving portrait of a small Louisiana town created at the site of the world’s largest lumber mill that we examine through the lens of a 27 year-old charm school for girls run by Miss Dixie Gallaspy. Blood Road, directed by Nicholas Schrunk and written by Mark Anders. (USA, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam). Although she’s used to pushing her body to its limit, nothing could prepare ultra-endurance mountain biker Rebecca Rusch for the emotional journey she took in 2015 when she pedaled 1,200 miles of the Ho Chi Minh trail in search of the crash site that claimed the life of her father, a US Air Force pilot shot down during the Vietnam War. Cinemability, directed by Jenni Gold, written by Jenni Gold and Sam Reed. (USA). This star-studded documentary takes us on a thought provoking and humorous journey to explore the evolution of disability portrayals in film and television. Late Blossom Blues, directed by Wolfgang Pfoser-Almer and Stefan Wolner, written by Wolfgang Pfoser-Almer. (USA). A 1932-born hard-working poor black man from the Mississippi backwoods becomes an internationally acclaimed Blues star after he releases his debut album at age 81. Letters From Baghdad, directed by Sabine Krayenbühl and Zeva Oelbaum. (USA/UK/France). Gertrude Bell, the most powerful woman in the British Empire in her day, shaped the modern Middle East after World War I in ways that still reverberate today. More influential than her friend and colleague Lawrence of Arabia, Bell helped draw the borders of Iraq and established the Iraq Museum. Why has she been written out of history? Looking at the Stars, directed by Alexandre Peralta, written by Alexandre Peralta and Melissa Rebelo Kerezsi. (Brazil/Nicaragua/USA). “Looking at the Stars” is an intimate glimpse into the lives of the extraordinary ballerinas at the world’s only ballet school for the blind – the Fernanda Bianchini Ballet Association for the Blind. Mothers in the Middle, directed by Lauren Hollingsworth and written by Kaitlin McLaughlin, Inbal B. Lessner and Lauren Hollingsworth. (USA) World Premiere. Five middle-class working mothers juggle parenting and demanding jobs while contemplating major life decisions. Served like a Girl, directed by Lysa Heslov, written by Lysa Heslov and Tchavdar Georgiev. (USA). Five women veterans who have endured unimaginable trauma in service create a shared sisterhood to help the rising number of stranded homeless women veterans by entering into a competition that unexpectedly catalyzes moving events in their own lives to bring them full circle in a quest for healing and hope The Gateway Bug, directed by Johanna B Kelly, written by Johanna B Kelly and Cameron Marshad. (USA). Over 2 billion people on earth eat insects for protein. “The Gateway Bug” explores how changing daily eating habits can feed humanity in an uncertain age, one meal at a time. Unrest, directed and written by Jennifer Brea. (USA). Jennifer Brea is an active Harvard PhD student about to marry the love of her life when suddenly her body starts failing her. Hoping to shed light on her strange symptoms, Jennifer grabs a camera and films the darkest moments unfolding before her eyes as she is derailed by M.E. (commonly known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), a mysterious illness some still believe is “all in your head.” Vegas Baby, directed and written by Amanda Micheli. (USA). Some think an in vitro fertilization contest sounds crazy, but countless Americans desperate to start a family believe this social media experiment is their only hope. Woman On Fire, directed and written by Julie Sokolow. (USA). Brooke Guinan is the first openly transgender firefighter in New York City. As a third-generation firefighter, Brooke has a passion for heroism that runs in her blood. Women of the Silk Road, directed and written by Yassamin Maleknasr. (Iran/Oman/Turkey/Tajikistan) World Premiere. Four women. Four countries. Four stories. Stories of love, struggle and art portraying the unknown faces of the East. “Women of the Silk Road” explores the diversity of individual lives under the broad banner of the Middle East and Central Asia; and the simple truth that all lives are about love.
Narrative Features
A Different Sun, directed and written by Reed Tang. (USA). A Chinese family moves from their native land to a town in Germany and struggle to adjust to the different culture. Marriage hangs in the balance. Cast: Chin Han, Jing Xu, Tessa Keimes, Ashley Gerasimovich and Catherine Jiang A Witches’ Ball, directed by Justin G. Dyck and written by Keith Cooper. (USA) World Premiere. A young witch is ready to jump in feet first to the Witching World but not before overcoming some magical hurdles. Cast: Morgan Neundorf, Karen Slater, Loukia Ioannou and Will Ennis Axis, directed by Aisha Tyler and written by Emmett Hughes. (USA). On the day he is set to star in a career-changing blockbuster, an Irish actor with a rocky past confronts a series of devastating events that threaten his sobriety, his loved ones, and possibly his life. Cast: Emmett Hughes, Thomas Gibson, Ciáran Hinds, Paula Malcomson, Bronagh Waugh, Jerry Ferrara, Aisha Tyler and Sam Rockwell Bloodstripe, directed by Remy Auberjonois, written by Kate Nowlin and Remy Auberjonois. (USA). A dramatic psychological thriller about a female Marine veteran and the struggle to come home. Cast: Kate Nowlin, Chris Sullivan, Tom Lipinski, Rusty Schwimmer, Ashlie Atkinson, Ken Marks and Rene Auberjonois Girl Flu, directed and written by Dorie Barton. (USA). Bird, 12, has to become a woman whether she wants to or not when – in the worst week of her life – she gets her first period, is ditched by her impulsive, free spirited mom, and learns that you can never really go back to The Valley. Cast: Katee Sackhoff, Jade Pettyjohn, Jeremy Sisto, Heather Matarazzo, Judy Reyes and Diego Josef H.O.M.E., directed by Daniel Maldonado, written by Daniel Maldonado and Hector Carosso. (USA). A ‘love letter’ to New York City woven of two stories through its subways and ethnic enclaves. Cast: Jeremy Ray Valdez, Jesús Ochoa, Angela Lin and Carlo Alban Homestate, directed by David Hickey, written by Blaise Miller and David Hickey. (USA). A truly homemade film about a down and out brother that shows up unannounced, altering the routine of his sister’s family. Cast: Blaise Miller, Grace Love, Shaneye Ferrell and David Hickey Imperfections, directed and written by David Singer. (USA). A struggling actress working as a diamond courier conspires to stage a fake robbery, setting up her ex-boyfriend as the fall guy. Cast: Virginia Kull, Marilu Henner, Ed Begley, Jr., Zach McGowan, Ashton Holmes, Chelcie Ross and Jerry Mackinnon Let Me Go, directed and written by Polly Steele. (UK) World Premiere. The film is set in the year 2000 following not only Helga and Traudi’s journeys but the next two generations and how Beth, Helga’s daughter and Emily her granddaughter are confronted with the unraveling of the darkest of family secrets. Cast: Juliet Stevenson, Jodhi May, Lucy Boynton, Karin Bertling and Stanley Weber Little Pink House, directed and written by Courtney Moorehead Balaker. (USA/Canada). A small-town nurse named Susette Kelo emerges as the reluctant leader of her working-class neighbors in their struggle to save their homes from political and corporate interests bent on seizing the land and handing it over to Pfizer Corporation. Cast: Catherine Keener, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Callum Keith Rennie, Colin Cunningham and Aaron Douglas Parkers Anchor, directed by Marc Hampson, written by Ryan and Jennica Schwartzman. (USA) World Premiere. When her plans for marriage and a family fall apart, Krystal finds herself back in her hometown, re-evaluating her life. Krystal soon discovers that you’re never starting over, every step of the journey seems destined in hindsight. Cast: Jennica Schwartzman, Amy Argyle, Christopher Marquette, Ryan Schwartzman, Penny Johnson Jerald, Michael Beach, Sarah Colonna, Brandon Keener, Claire Donald, Peter Weidman and Deborah Smith Quality Problems, directed by Brooke Purdy and Doug Purdy, written by Brooke Purdy. (USA). Family To-Do-List: throw perfect eight-year-old’s birthday party, find wandering grandpa and deal with cancer in the left boob. Cast: Brooke Purdy, Doug Purdy, Max Purdy, Scout Purdy, Mo Gaffney, Chris Mulkey, Jenica Bergere, Ryan Bollman and Michael Patrick McGill Saving Sally, directed by Avid Liongoren and written by Charlene Sawit-Esguerra, Carlo Ledesma and Avid Liongoren. (Philippines/France). A teenage comic book artist who secretly sees unpleasant people as cartoon-like monsters struggles to save his eccentric best friend (and love of his life) from her abusive foster parents—but she becomes involved with an older man who happens to be a monster too. Cast: Rhian Ramos, Enzo Marcos, TJ Trinidad and Peejo Pillar The Archer, directed by Valerie Weiss and written by Casey Schroen. (USA). High school archery champion Lauren has just landed in Paradise Trails, a brutal juvenile correctional facility in the wilderness, after hospitalizing a boy in self-defense. But when Lauren learns how deep corruption runs at Paradise Trails under the pernicious rule of warden and bow-hunter, Bob, she plots her escape, with the aid of rebellious inmate Rebecca. Cast: Bailey Noble, Jeanine Mason, Michael Grant Terry and Bill Sage The Relationtrip, directed by Renée Felice Smith and C. A. Gabriel, written by Renée Felice Smith, C. A. Gabriel and Dana Scanlon. (USA). At an age when everyone around them is settling down and finding love, Beck and Liam are self-proclaimed loners. After bonding over their mutual disinterest in relationships, they decide to go away together on a ‘friend’ trip. That’s when things get weird. Really, surreally weird. Cast: Renée Felice Smith, Matt Bush, Eric Christian Olsen, Linda Hunt, Nelson Franklin, Brandon Kyle Goodman, Sally Struthers, Georgia Mischak and Owain Rhys Davies The Space Between, directed and written by Amy Jo Johnson. (Canada). A new father discovers his child is not his own and sets out on a journey to find answers. Cast: Michael Cram, Sonya Salomaa, Michael Ironside, Julia Sarah Stone, Amy Jo Johnson, David Paetkau, Jayne Eastwood and Kristian Bruun The Sun at Midnight, directed and written by Kirsten Carthew. (Canada) US Premiere. Shot at the Arctic Circle, “The Sun At Midnight” tells the story of an unusual friendship between a hunter obsessed with finding a missing caribou herd and a teenage rebel who gets lost while on the run. Cast: Devery Jacobs, Duane Howard, Mark Anderako, Sarah Charlie Jerome, William Greenland, Shayla Snowshow and Jaclynn Robert Unbridled, directed by John David Ware and written by Bonne Bartron. (USA). Inspired by a healing ranch for troubled girls in North Carolina, “Unbridled” tells a tremendous story of redemption and triumph, exposing the atrocities of abuse, neglect and sex trafficking and the healing and redemption experienced by girls and horses who have suffered the same types of abuse. Cast: Eric Roberts, T.C. Stallings, Tea Mckay, Jenn Gotzon, Dey Young, Rachel Hendrix, David Topp and Rusty Martin, Sr. Wexford Plaza, directed and written by Joyce Wong. (Canada). A misunderstood sexual encounter unravels the life of a lonely female security guard and her deadbeat paramour in this slice-of-life comedy set in a dilapidated Scarborough strip mall. Cast: Reid Asselstine, Darrel Gamotin, Francis Melling and Mirko Miljevic
Spotlight Narrative and Documentary Competition
A Happening of Monumental Proportions, directed by Judy Greer and written by Gary Lundy. (USA). During the course of one day, a group of students at a school in Los Angeles find themselves caught up in a plot of sex, lies and dead bodies. Band Aid, directed and written by Zoe Lister-Jones. (USA). A couple who can’t stop fighting embark on a last-ditch effort to save their marriage: turning their fights into songs and starting a band. In Search of Fellini, directed by Taron Lexton and written by Nancy Cartwright and Peter Kjenaas. (USA). A shy small-town Ohio girl who loves movies but dislikes reality, discovers the delightfully bizarre films of Federico Fellini, and sets off on a strange, beautiful journey across Italy to find him. Cast: Maria Bello, Ksenia Solo, Mary Lynn Rajskub and Beth Riesgraf Krystal, directed by William H. Macy and written by Will Aldis. (USA) World Premiere. A young man living a sheltered life develops a crush on a stripper and joins her Alcoholics Anonymous group just so he can be in the same room with her. Losing Sight of Shore, directed by Sarah Moshman, written by Sarah Moshman and Peter Saroufim. (USA/UK/Samoa/Australia) World Premiere. Four brave women set out to row across the Pacific Ocean from America to Australia. Mully, directed and written by Scott Haze. (USA) “Mully” depicts the extraordinary rags-to-riches story of Charles Mully, whose meteoric rise from orphaned poverty in Kenya leads him on an unimaginable journey of selflessness. Pray for Rain, directed by Alex Ranarivelo, written by Christina Moore and Gloria Musca. (USA) World Premiere. When Emma Gardner learns of her father’s untimely death, she returns to her home town to find that the idyllic farming community of her childhood has been ravaged by drought and is now a place tormented by gangs and the ill effects of extreme poverty. She quickly figures out that her dad’s accidental death was not accidental at all and the lists of possible suspects is very long. Cast: Jane Seymour, Annabelle Stephenson, Nicholas Gonzalez, James Morrison and Paul Rodriguez Pure Country: Pure Heart, directed by Damon Santostefano and written by Holly Goldberg Sloan. (USA) World Premiere. When Ada and her sister, Piper, discover a letter about their late father, a Marine who died in Iraq, they embark on a secret quest beyond their life in rural Tennessee to discover the truth about the man they never knew. As they uncover his remarkable past as a musician, the sisters find their own voice, beginning their journey as singers/songwriters. Cast: Kaitlyn Bausch, Cozi Zuehlsdorff, Amanda Detmer, Laura Bell Bundy, Willie Nelson, Shawn Michaels and Ronny Cox Sanctuary, directed by Len Collin and written by Christian O’Reilly. (Ireland). Larry has Down’s, Sophie has epilepsy, in a world that conspires to keep them apart, will love triumph? Cast: Kieran Coppinger, Charlene Kelly, Robert Doherty, Emer Macken, Michael Hayes and Valerie Egan The Black Prince, directed and written by Kavi Raz. (UK/India) World Premiere. The tragic yet fascinating true story about the last King of the mighty Kingdom of Punjab. Cast: Satinder Sartaaj, Jason Flemyng, Shabana Azmi, Amanda Root, Keith Duffy, David Essex and Sophie Stevens
Short Film Competition
Bombing, directed and written by Gloria Mercer. (Canada). A comedian struggles to adjust to taking care of her estranged daughter. Cast: Lauren McGibbon, Annabel Maclean, Daniel Jeffery, Sarah Faye Bernstein, Penelope Good, Michael Bean, Derek Trowell, Steve Waldman and Tyson Storozinski Code Red, directed and written by Sabrina Doyle. (USA) US Premiere. What’s a girl to do when she gets an unwelcome visit from Aunt Flo? A self-conscious teenager uses technology to combat the stigma around menstruation. Inspired by a real-life story. Cast: Elle Winter, Kylee Russell, Sam Evans, Emily Johnson and Carson Boatman Deep Storage, directed and written by Susan Earl. (Australia) US Premiere. Two loners find love in the most unromantic of places. Cast: Miles O’Neil, Alice Ansara, James Lawson and Dawn Klingberg Flip the Record, directed and written by Marie Jamora. (USA). In this 1980s coming-of-age story set to pulsing hip-hop music, a Filipino-American teen discovers her identity through a budding talent for turntablism. Cast: Michael Rosete, Courtney Bandeko, Jon Viktor Corpuz, Sammay Dizon, JD Charisma, Olga Natividad and Derek Basco Free to Laugh, directed by Lara Everly. (USA). A comedy workshop in Los Angeles teaches improv and stand up to women recently released from prison, culminating in a show for friends and family. Healing River, directed by Hollie Noble, written by Megan Bannon and Jessica Marcy. (USA) World Premiere. Six years after a tragic accident, 26-year-old Andy and his family struggle to find their footing again. As Andy faces addiction and post traumatic stress, another deeper trauma emerges to threaten his course to recovery. Jonah Stands Up, directed and written by Hannah Engelson. (USA). New Orleans artist and rabble-rouser Jonah Bascle faces his mortality. He leaves behind a legacy of comedy, visual art, and disability advocacy. Kate and Lily, directed and written by Grey Cusack. (USA). Kate seems cursed to make a fool of herself every time she bumps into Lily, an old friend from college. But little does Kate know, not everything is what it seems. Cast: Lindsey Naves, Claudia Crook, Noël Wells, Joey Scoma and Shane Browne Little Hero, directed and written by Marcus A McDougald and Jennifer Medvin. (USA). “Little Hero” is a documentary about a six-year-old boy’s autism as seen through his twin sister’s eyes. Lunch in Lima, directed and written by Gail Gilbert. (USA). An elegant ladies lunch in Peru reveals the dark side of privilege with no conscience. Cast: Rengin Altay, Adrianne Cury, Julie Greenberg, Susannah Kavanaugh, Amelia Lopez, Daniela Lopez and Isabel Quintero Marc Chung Protects His Address, directed by Michael Chan and written by Drew Pollins. (USA). Marc Chung buys a gun to protect his address in this comedic and highly stylized student short film. Cast: Robert M. Lee, Corban Cloward, Christopher Carrillo, Austin Kress, Dante Smith and Scarlett the Corgi Momo, directed and written by Avid Liongoren. (Philippines) US Premiere. A little girl searches for her missing dog, Momo. Nacido de Nuevo, directed by Evan Kaufmann, written by Rick del Castillo and A. Taylor. (USA) On the anniversary of his young son’s death, border patrol agent Ramon Nunez finds redemption at the hands of an illegal alien in a single polarizing and life-altering night. Cast: Juan Pablo Raba, Grace Santos, Johan Luis and Anthony Escobar Pool, directed and written by Leandro Goddinho. (Brazil). On a quest to understand her grandmother’s past, Claudia meets Marlene, an old woman who’s created an homage to her memories inside an empty pool. Cast: Luciana Paes, Sandra Dani, Carolina Bianchi, Marcela Feter, Ester Laccava, Mawusi Tulani and Jane Eyre The Final Show, directed and written by Dana Nachman. (USA). A woman who has lived a long life full of love and loss has to decide, based on all that she has learned, who to take along to eternity. Cast: Marion Ross, Peter Mark Richman, Nancy Dussault, Jerry Douglas, Murphy Dunne, Roger Rose, Elizabeth Hayden, Kay Benjamin and Loren Lester They Charge for the Sun, directed by Terence Nance and written by Eugene Ramos, story by Terence Nance. (USA). In a dystopian future where people live nocturnally to avoid the harmful rays of the sun, a young girl unravels the lie that has kept her and her sister in the dark. Cast: Rylee Nykhol and Jontille Gerard Three Fingers, directed and written by Paul D. Hart. (USA). A young female Marine war veteran navigates her disintegrating life until there is nothing left but to make a choice. Cast: Virginia Newcomb, Benjamin Keepers, Kim Kendall, Jon Winscher and Kinsley Carter Episodic Content Competition Each piece of episodic content contains a progressive perspective that asks viewers to revisit the inviting worlds these filmmakers have created, on a recurring basis. Entertaining voices, settings not often seen, and conflicts centered on the causes near and dear to our hearts, compel all who watch to stay true and stay tuned. Au Pair, directed and written by Enid Zentelis. (USA) World Premiere. A Chinese au pair, Min, is in America “to be the woman she can’t be in China”- a radical, outspoken feminist. But her host mother, newly divorced Cindy, intends to use Min as dating bait. Cast: Wei-Yi Lin, Maeve Fogarty, Naomi Fogarty, Ann Carr, Scott Vicari, Jamie Harold and Mary Kay Place Lost & Found, directed and written by Haroula Rose. (USA). When Stella and Ian host their “unwedding”, all kinds of uncomfortable truths are unearthed for this group of friends. What is intended to be a healthy way of breaking up in fact raises all kinds of issues for this group of thirty-somethings in their own relationships, especially when Stella’s unruly mother Lourdes appears unexpectedly. Cast: Melonie Diaz, William Janowitz, Jennifer Lafleur, Terence Nance, Avi Rothman, Peter Thomson, Laura Lee Botsacos, Nick Thurston, Ethan Gold and Haroula Rose Nosh: Bite-Size Adventures, directed by Dream Kasestatad and written by Jan Epstein Schwaid. (USA) World Premiere. In this smart and funny educational series, two pint-sized cooking show hosts and their hapless young producer prepare their favorite foods, then go on fantastic adventures through time and space to learn more about the recipes’ origins. Cast: Liberty Hayes, Holden Jahn, Ann Zavelson and Sean Callawy Wild Kitchen, directed by Caroline Cox. (Canada) US Premiere. “Wild Kitchen” is a 22-minute documentary TV series about wild food, the people who harvest it, their unique stories that compel them to live off the land. Cast: Tiffany Ayalik, Lawrence Nayalle and Liz Nayalle
Read more