Patrick McCarthy is a self taught animator who went from being a comedian sleeping in his car to becoming a Storyboard Artist at Family Guy. Patrick made multiple animations that went viral amassing millions of views on YouTube, and he has spent the last 6 years developing Paraland.

Watch his viral films on his YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PatrickMcCarthyAnimations

PARALAND: THE PROLOGUE, 4min., USA

Directed by Patrick McCarthy

Paraland is the story of three heroes charged with rebuilding the realm following the reign of a hateful tyrant. As they struggle to unite the land and bring together the twelve races, they must also solve magical mysteries, defeat legendary foes, and endure the gods’ twisted sense of humor.

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The story and forgiveness of José and Maria, 15min., Brazil
Directed by Victor Amaro
After 50 years, José and Maria definitively break off their marriage and agree to give statements to their grandson, for the first time, about the reasons that led them to make such a decision. A story about love, pain and forgiveness.

http://filhounicofilmes.com/
https://www.instagram.com/filhounicofilms

Get to know the filmmaker:

I always found it sad the way the Brazilian family is portrayed in Brazilian cinema. There are countless layers that are never addressed, when I saw my grandparents’ situation I couldn’t think differently. I needed to document this, but I didn’t know I was capturing their last moments.

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WEEKEND RELEASE, 1min., UK
Directed by Susanda Wolf
A woman waits for her son to pick her up from the police station, but he isn't coming.

http://palmanda.com/

Get to know the filmmaker:

Motivation was a really good actress, Barbara. I worked with her previously and wrote it for her. Start to finish it took around an hour to film, a couple of hours to edit and less than hour to write so probably about half day.

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AFROLISTIC: BLACK HEALING FROM ZIMBABWE TO THE BAY, 22min., USA
Directed by Nekia Wright, Shylet Ndarambwa
Black American healer shares about her practice and explores traditional healing, music, and dance in Zimbabwe.

Get to know filmmaker Nekia Wright:

I traveled to Zimbabwe in 2021 to study traditional healing and prepare for the Liberated Learning Teacher Fellowship. The trip had a profound impact on me and I wanted to share this experience with other Black folx. Especially those who haven’t had an opportunity to travel. I recorded entirely on my phone during that trip and began sharing clips during my community performances and sound baths. One audience member was so touched by this one clip from the Binga region that she began weeping. This was the final affirmation for me.

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RUINS WITHIN RUINS, 9min., Greece
Directed by Lefteris Parasyris
A group of dancers positions themselves between the ancient and modern ruins of the island of Crete, Greece. Drawing inspiration from its rich heritage, they craft a series of kinetic forms and patterns influenced by folk dances and Minoan frescoes. These installations, whether harmonising with or contrasting against the island’s culture, offer reflections on historical memory and the Cretan identity.

https://www.instagram.com/lefteris.parasyris/

Get to know the filmmaker:

This film was a tribute to the island of Crete and its complex identity. It started as a photographic project but I quickly realised that these beautiful but peculiar locations would be the perfect “character” in a dance film.

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SHADOW OF THE LIGHT, 7min,. Indonesia

Directed by Tono Wisnu

This short film tells the journey of three generations traditional puppet master and his struggle to preserve the ancient craft of Wayang Kulit (Javanese traditional shadow puppetry).

Interview with writer/producer Jony Yuwono

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ROLL UP FOR EQUITY, 31min., USA
Directed by JM Balbuena
“Roll Up for Equity” is a short documentary that exposes San Diego’s struggle for social equity within its regulated cannabis industry, highlighting passionate local advocates pushing for accountability and change in America’s Finest City.

https://jmbalbuena.com/multimedia/
https://www.instagram.com/_jmbalbuena/

Get to know the filmmaker:
My motivation for this project arose from a deep-seated belief in the power of storytelling to ignite change, foster understanding, and bridge divides. As a filmmaker, I’ve witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of film, and I’m compelled to leverage this medium to spotlight the critical issue of social equity in the cannabis sector—a realm where disparities and barriers persistently shadow the promise of progress and inclusivity.

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THE BRIDGE, 85min., USA

Directed by Evan Jackson Leong

Fifty years ago, our country grappled with widespread discrimination. In Los Angeles, neighborhood leaders challenged these barriers by establishing a community-focused bank, aiming to deliver the American dream to all. The East West Bank Foundation commissioned director Evan Leong to create The Bridge, which explores the struggles, perseverance, and successes of this remarkable journey.

http://www.thebridge-film.com/

Get to know the filmmaker:

As a 6th generation Chinese American I've been fortunate to tell the stories of my community. The Bridge is a story about a humble Chinatown bank that not only grew the community but became a global influence furthering our place in society. For me, I'd be happy to tell these stories for the rest of my career. I was not only inspired but blessed to collaborate with the East West Foundation and Dominic Ng.

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YOUR EVERYDAY HEROES OF COSTA RICA, 25min., USA
Directed by Hernán Salcedo
Your Everyday Heroes traveled to Costa Rica and searched for inspirational everyday people who are changing the world. Jeremy, Tracey, Vernon and Che are clearly all examples of what it takes to be a Hero, and we’re proud to share their stories with you.

http://www.youreverydayheroes.com/
https://www.facebook.com/youreverydayheroes
https://twitter.com/YEDHeroes
https://www.instagram.com/youreverydayheroes/

Get to know producer Albert H. Crane:
One of our film crews traveled to Costa Rica to film Jeremy Levine at Wild Sun Rescue of an episode of season two. Once they arrived, they kept meeting amazing people who were involved with their own non-profits, so we decided to feature all of them in a longer documentary in an effort to draw attention to their causes. To make this film? This production has many legs… Each hero ended up being featured in their own episode, then we decided to combine the 3 animal rescues and recut it from scratch, so to get this far has taken just about a year. That is why you see Che in the after credits, as he was the 4th hero we filmed in Costa Rica, but didn’t hit the theme of this story.

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MITOTE – SMOKEY MIRROR, 9min,. South Korea
Directed by Jana Sturmheit
In today’s world us humans have developed a complex social system of rules and expectations. Children are taught from the day they are born on how they are expected to behave. They are told what is right and wrong, what is possible and what not. That is, by the standards of the children’s parents and other people in their surroundings, in other words the society they grow up in.

https://instagram.com/jaystorm24.mov

Get to know the filmmaker:
It was not a graduate requirement to make a film in my department of video content design, but I felt like it would be the perfect opportunity to create my first work as director and choreographer. I have choreographed stage performances before but never a video and I wanted to portray the vision that I had inspired by the opening excerpt from the book “The Four Agreements” by Miguel Ruiz talking about Mitote – the smokey mirror.
When I have a dance vision, it plays like a movie in my head, rather than a stage performance. Often I find dance visuals intensely focused on the movement rather than the cinematic aesthetics and depth that different camera angles, movement and shot size and cuts add on the final film. I find one of the decisive factors are the intimate closeness that you can create through a camera that is impossible in a stage performance. A second factor is that the camera can move in between the dancers, which a spectator of a stage performance can’t either in most cases.

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SALT IN THEIR VEINS, 16min,. Australia
Directed by Rita Hencke
East Indonesia. Communities of sea people live a life that ties them closely to the marine environment. They are known as Bajo, descendants of former sea nomads who were once roaming the ocean to fish and trade.

https://www.ritahencke.com/film

Get to know the filmmaker:

The inspiration for “Salt in their Veins” came from my passion for freediving. I was captivated by the extraordinary diving and spearfishing skills of the Bajo sea people. During my visit to one of their remote communities in Indonesia a few years ago, I saw how their lives are being transformed by modern influences. This experience motivated me to capture the contrast between their traditional and modern fishing practices.

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Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwV3Uzcjzrg

The climate apocalypse and extinction of mankind is about to erupt when a NASA pilot, recalled to lead her crew and precious cargo to an exoplanet 4,000 light years away, must defeat a vengeful enemy that hijacks her ship to be the first colonists on the new world.

Get to know the writer:

A NASA firebrand challenges personal loss, inner demons, and a vengeful wartime adversary to unite her crew on a perilous journey for humanity to thrive on a new world. Discovering climate change is beyond the point of no return, an international coalition builds a transport ship to send a small crew and 2,500 passengers on a 4,000 voyage to reach Gemini One, an exoplanet thought to be Earth’s “twin”. With all the potential dangers on such a long flight, it turns out that mankind has much to learn about humanity cooperating to save mankind.

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SURVIVING TO THRIVING, 106min., Australia
Directed by Karin Isabelle Ochsner
As a fearless explorer with a disability, surfer and surf coach Karin Ochsner immerses herself in the raw beauty of nature. Her remarkable healing journey unfolds in the face of adversity.

http://www.surfingtosurvive.com/film2
https://www.instagram.com/surfingtosurvive/

Get to know the filmmaker:

This film is the sequel to a documentary about my health challenge, which has been organised by my friends. The purpose was to help me in my incredibly difficult struggles to survive with my countless severe allergies. During the filming, I was very sick and wasn’t able to put the messages in the documentary which I really wanted to pass on, hence I decided to do a second one to do so. The first documentary gave me so much support from my community and clarity in how to manage my disability, it improved my situation so much that I then could focus on filming my own story.

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OTHERS, 19min., USA
Directed by Chris Durr
In a midwest suburb, an aging radio enthusiast becomes suspicious that a lonely hispanic teenager is a response to his interstellar transmissions. As misunderstanding and coincidence collide, Mateo perceives Frank as a potential threat, while Frank becomes convinced Mateo is a response to his message that he transmits to the skies. Their misperceptions are flipped over when they are interrupted by a close encounter with an unexpected guest.

http://chrisdurr.com/

https://www.instagram.com/others.film

Get to know the filmmaker:

The polarization I’ve been experiencing in my country over the past decade has had me pondering what on Earth could drive humanity together…not saying “Others” is the answer, but I wanted to tell a story about two very different people misperceiving one another while experiencing the same isolation or loneliness. The sci fi alien stuff came from an experience I had in 2009 that left me very open minded, so I thought that might be a fun way to get us there in the film.

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THE LETTER, 6min., USA
Directed by Ruben Rodas
A daughter comes to terms with the loss of her father with a heartfelt farewell letter …

http://skyframepictures.com/

https://www.instagram.com/irene_stepanenko/

Get to know writer/actor Irene Stepanenko:
My motivation to create this film stemmed from a deep desire to honor my father for the immense love, care, and unwavering support he provided me throughout my life.
The idea for the film came to me two months after my father’s passing on May 26, 2021. I wrote the script as a monologue on July 27, 2021—our shared birthday. That day, alone in a Dallas hotel, I began writing a heartfelt letter to him, which later became the script. I held onto the monologue for a couple of years. When I shared it with my dear friend Ruben, a talented producer and videographer, he immediately connected with my vision. Our collaborative efforts led us to shoot the film at a beautiful location by the end of last summer. Overall, the journey from concept to completion took about two years.

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HORNED, 4min,. USA
Directed by Jerrod D Brito
When a cocky cam boy jokingly live-streams a creepypasta dare, he inadvertently summons an ancient demon who craves more than just his soul.

Get to know the filmmaker:

Funny story. I attended Dan Savage’s HUMP Film Festival, a traveling film fest that features short films of an adult nature, and though they had many diverse films, I didn’t see any strictly horror movies. I felt there might be an opportunity there, so I tried to come up with a way to merge horror—my signature genre—with sex. I just started jotting notes and tried to find a way to combine them both, but be fair to both, too, and then I added a little humor. Those were the ingredients for “Horned.” But I really wanted to make sure it stood alone as a horror story, with a beginning, middle, and end, and as much character development as I could squeeze into a short in under five minutes of length. So I cut it two ways—a more explicit version for HUMP with thirty more seconds of content and a better punchline to the film (it was selected, by the way—it tours this fall), and the somewhat censored version we were lucky enough to screen at Horror Underground.

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SOLITUDE, 87min., USA
Directed by Jeremy Brown, Mick Strawn
A famous upbeat survivalist is cast for a popular television
series about surviving in solitude, but survival turns to despair when she discovers a supernatural entity's presence.

Interview with well renowed Production Designer Mick Strawn about his upcoming co-director horror film "Solitude".

http://www.brownspacefilms.com/
https://www.facebook.com/solitudefilm2023
https://twitter.com/brownspacefilm
https://www.instagram.com/solitude_film_2024/

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FIRST GRADE HEADACHE, 13min., Canada
Directed by Jajube Mandiela
A burnt out first-grade teacher finds herself in a night from hell when a group of vindictive parents break into her home.

Get to know writer/producer/star Jacqueline Godbout & director Jajube Mandiela

Jacqueline (writer): I was wanting to make a horror film next, but it seems whenever I start writing anything remotely dark, it always becomes a dark comedy. I’m leaning into it now. Growing up, my mom was a teacher and I also work part time as a music teacher so there were likely some thoughts from that world floating around in my brain when daydreaming ideas. One day, I was just doing my favourite activity of playing around with loglines (no joke) when I came up with the logline of First Grade Headache. Right away, it was very clear to me that I wanted… needed to make this film now.

Jajube (director): It’s quirky, absurd and yet plausible. Looked like a fun script to film, I could relate to it, and genuinely laughed upon first reading it. How to direct it was very clear in my mind, and for a while Jacqueline (writer) and I had been regularly meeting to see how to collaborate on another project together.

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THE HARDSHIPS OF SUMMONING A DEMON, 14min., Canada

Directed by Britt Dallyn

In order to woo his school crush, a determined but highly misguided Stan attempts to summon a demon with the help of his sister stuck at home on Halloween night, by kidnapping a heavily intoxicated young man under the ruse of his own sacrifice being an after party.

https://www.instagram.com/summoning_a_demon/

Get to know the filmmaker:

While attending Vancouver Film School, the course allows six story ideas to be voted on by the class to get made for our "final" projects. With these "finals" we are given our highest budget and longest shooting schedule to film our original 9 page scripts. I had made many short films in the past, but all with minimal (mostly zero) other people, less knowledge and no money. I saw this as a great chance to create a film to showcase my creative voice with the type of resources I never had before.

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LOST DREAMS, 10min., USA
Directed by Andrew Wakeman Proctor
Lost Dreams is about dreams. Scientists have not fully figured out dreams. The ancients believed you could predict the future through your dreams, Native Americans created dream-capturing devices. Some people keep dream diaries. Freud believed that we could fix people’s psychological problems by analyzing their dreams.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32021226/?ref_=ttawd_rvi_tt_i_4

Get to know the filmmaker:

I took an experimental film class at Connecticut College. We studied the works of Maya Dern and Stan Brackage. I was inspired by Anticipation of the Night by Stan Brackage. In the fall of 2009 I received an email inviting me to submit a film to an Experimental film festival in Switzerland. My friend John Prevedini sent me his music “Lost Days” and it inspired “Lost Dreams”.

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