In each episode, the C.E.O. of WILDsound, Matthew Toffolo, chats about all things storytelling and film. Conversations with talented individual from all around the world.
MORNING ROUTINE, 2min., Canada
Directed by William Thibodeau
Inspired by the epic true story. After sleeping in, Jack must go through his morning routine before it’s too late…
Get to know the filmmaker:
I wanted to turn something seemingly boring into something exciting. We are all in a rush during our morning routine and I wanted to depict it in the most epic way possible.
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PARROT, 24min,. Canada
Directed by Cameron Faulkner
After forcibly being sold a parrot, Ollie is thrust into a surprise birthday party hosted by his roommates. The night spirals into chaos as he tries to regain control and sort his life out. Based on an unbelievable true story.
https://www.instagram.com/parrotfilmofficial/
Get to know Oliver de la Harpe:
Covid is the short answer. Charles (co-writer) and I were isolated across continents and in many FaceTime conversations we finally started to commit to a film project we had been talking about for a few years. It lived mainly as a script we would work on until Charles showed it to our director Cameron for notes. To which he signed on immediately and said he wanted to shoot. From there the only question was when.
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SCREAMING SILENCE, 17min., UK
Directed by Kalyn Elizabeth Wood, Hal Waghorn
In the hauntingly enigmatic and dialogue-free short film, ‘Screaming Silence’, Elizabeth, a young woman in the aftermath of a traumatic event, navigates her world through a haunting soundscape of everyday noises, which ‘peoples’ her world and forces her to face her reality of circumstances and her fear of reaching out for help. As the audience intimately experiences her journey, Elizabeth’s silence becomes a bittersweet force, echoing the profound emotional depth that empowers her to move forward in an altruistic twist of an ending.
https://www.screamingsilencefilm.com/
Get to know filmmaker Kalyn Elizabeth Wood:
This film first started out as my dissertation project for my masters program in London. I was the only one in my class who was doing a digital piece. I knew when beginning to write my piece that I wanted to examine women’s relationships, mainly womens relationship to trauma, sexual assault, loss, isolation and also to dive a little into the mother-daughter relationship dynamic. The film’s first iteration was completely different from its final iteration that it is today and to be quite honest I am glad I went the route that the film is now rather than what it was ‘supposed’ to be. It challenged me and pushed me to places I had never been before as a performer intrinsically, technically, and emotionally. What started out as a quest to fulfill or rather rewrite my story as a gift to my mom and it then became something in singularity. From women, to women. A singular and multifaceted relationship with trauma, the aftermath, loss, isolation and more importantly silence. I investigated the notion of: the power of female silence in films through the lens of trauma. I want anyone who watches this film to feel as though they are allowed in Elizabeth’s world to experience and observe her life in that present moment. I want people to be inspired by the lack of Elizabeth’s voice to find their own voice. To open up and out and maybe even scream.
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Conversation with writer/producer Ken Barrett about the Opera Film “BRAINLAND”
In 1935 Egas Moniz, renowned Portuguese neurologist, visit psychiatrist Sobral Cid in order to persuade him allow his patients to be act as subjects for Moniz's experiemntal treatment - frontal leucotomy. After some resistance Cid agrees. The first such operation is staged, but Moniz's exhaltation is cut short by an attempt on his life. This self-contained chamber opera is actually scene 7 from a longer opera of the same name that tells three stories from the history of 20th century brain science (rather than a screenplay we worked with a libretto). it was filmed very quickly with little resources and involved professional and non-professional cast & crew. The music is by Stephen Brown. Directed by Chiara D’Anna
https://www.brainlandtheopera.co.uk/
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CIAO, BELLA, 8min., USA
Directed by William Quinn Dover
In this modern film noir romance, a young stalker can’t seem to get over his ex lover, until finding out the double meaning of "Ciao Bella".
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4oPE1juDqh/?igsh=MXh4anVtMTFrMGM4dA%3D%3D
Get to know the filmmaker:
As much as it sucks to say, I caught somebody I was seeing on a date with another guy. I didn't take it in a bad way though. Seeing that just sparked the idea, I'm glad it happened. I was also watching "A Boy Meets Girl", a french noir movie that is absolutely stunning, and got directly inspired by that.
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HEART WORN OUT & AGAINST THE WALL, 6min., Romania
Directed by Izabella Sandra Alda, Ovidiu Claudiu Moldovan
This short “Heart Worn Out & Against The Wall” is a short movie about loneliness and fear. Fear of losing a loved one, of being superficial, of being unlovable. About the struggles of filling a void that can never be filled and mannerisms used to cope with these feelings. About wanting affection but not being able to deal with human interactions. About feeling disconnected, but never allowing this to be seen, and thus, constantly having to deal with the inauthenticity.
https://www.facebook.com/midoristarsmidore
https://twitter.com/midoristars24
https://www.instagram.com/midoristars/
Get to know director/singer Izabella Sandra Alda:
Ren's music video for "Hi Ren" ahaha. When I saw his video, it really gave me the confidence to make a similar music video, as I already had a piano version of "Against The Wall" and the "Heart Worn Out" spoken word poetry. It was meant to be something really simple, a one-shot type of video filmed from different angles, but while working on the script, it naturally shifted into what it is now.
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GET ME TO 21 – THE JENNA LOWE STORY, 88min., South Africa
Directed by Diana Joy Lucas
The extraordinary story of a young South African girl, her battle to get to 21 and the lasting impact she has had on the world around her. A riveting and inspiring story of advocacy, rare disease, organ donation, courage and hope.
https://www.jennalowetrust.org/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/710845692340944
https://instagram.com/jenna_lowe_trust
Get to know Executive Producer Gabi Lowe:
PH is a rare, cruel and silent disease and way too many people die from it before even being diagnosed. I know that if I can get Jenna’s compelling story out as far and wide a possible, it will impact thousands of people through earlier diagnosis which equals HOPE for a longer life and better quality of life. But that is not all that this Doccie s about … …illness and suffering aside, there are so many inspirational learnings to be found in this story such as the extreme grace, courage and a fighting yet gentle spirit that Jenna demonstrated that I feel the world can benefit from right now. Finding ways to truly live, make a difference, give back and find meaning even in the face of extreme suffering… now THAT is something we all need to learn and aim for.
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THE SHEPHERD, 14min., USA
Directed by Arie Forma
Struggling with the news of his son’s interfaith engagement, a religious father seeks solace in his estranged brother.
https://www.arieforma.com/the-shepherd
https://www.instagram.com/rosecolored.pictures/
Get to know the filmmaker:
I was motivated to bring The Shepherd to life for a few reasons. The first is that the topic of interfaith marriages is very prevalent in my life. I was confused by the negative reactions to my sister dating a non-Jew. Upon further research, I saw that this issue extended beyond other religions and that there were stories where families could take these reactions a step too far (HINT HINT).”
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OUT OF THE DARK, 3min,. USA
Directed by Alexa Ruggiero, Ashley Carrizo
A screendance film that portrays how certain relationships in ones life can cause turmoil. The process of letting someone go can be freeing while also being an emotional rollercoaster full of sadness, anger, and relief.
Get to know the filmmakers:
Alexa: To tell a story people can relate and connect to. I’ve always been passionate about dance so l loved using movement verse a script to tell that story.
Ashley: I had always wanted to create my own work on film but didn’t know how or where to start. I was associate choreographer last year on another artist’s project. That experience gave me the inspiration to want to create my own work with cameras and sets verse just creating choreography for stage.
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SYNTHETIC HOPE, 16min., USA
Directed by Chris Hinton
Faced with certain death a young girl unleashes a mysterious AI to help her escape.
https://www.instagram.com/synthetic_hope
Get to know the filmmaker:
Listening to the first 30 seconds of Gravastar by Hybrid when I was sick. It sounds like what a robot would hear when it’s booting up. I thought to myself what scenario could I create to have this in live action. So I wrote a story that created this situation. Unfortunately I couldn’t get Hybrid to let me use the song. I was close though, they were talking to me about it. Also I want to say, recent advances in AI motivated this story as well, there are a lot of unknowns as to how this emerging technology will be used.
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Low Down Larry Versus the Giant Reptile, 7min., USA
Directed by Sammy Verni
In their latest adventure together, Larry and Spike set out in a time machine to be the first to bring a living dinosaur back with them to present day. They’ve already been to the Moon and back, but this time have they gone too far?
Get to know the filmmaker:
Low Down Larry Versus the Giant Reptile is the second in a series of shorts that I have made based on a comic book character I used to draw when I was about ten years old. I see it as a love letter to that time in my life as well as an homage to sci fi b movies, classic stop motion and the Saturday morning cartoons that I grew up with.
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CLAIRE, 25min., USA
Directed by Paul Ambe Ngang
Committed to getting his crush to love him, Mark uses an AI to snoop into her private life; but when the AI unexpectedly develops love for him and spite for her, he must choose the AI or lose everything.
https://www.instagram.com/claireshortfilm/
Get to know the filmmaker:
I started to write this when it started to be a hot topic in 2023. Soon after the writers strike happened so I felt like it was now or never to get the story going.
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P IS FOR PENIS, 9min., UK
Directed by Joe McGowan
An overdue catch up down the pub between two old friends is thrown into chaos by the inclusion of a terrifying third wheel with an embarrassing secret.
http://www.thejoemcgowan.co.uk/
https://instagram.com/joe_mcgowan88
Get to know the filmmaker:
I wanted to make a film that focused on an escalating absurd premise. I love a good sitcom that is led by strong, memorable characters who find themselves in a bit of a pickle. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is by far my favourite show for this. The way the characters talk and treat each other always cracks me up and the levels of escalating circumstances in that show are second to none. I approached this film like I was writing a scene from a sitcom, as ultimately that’s what I would love to do in the future.
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DEJA VU, 14min., Canada
Directed by Jean Frenette
John is convinced he’s been on this planet for longer than his lifetime. This feeling of knowing more than what meets the eye troubles him deeply.
Get to know the filmmaker:
I had this idea mind for many years and always wanted to bring it to the big screen; I love telling stories.
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DIPPERS IN THE ALTAI IV; EMERGENCE OF THE CHICKS, 54min., UK
Directed by Andrew Laurie
In the course of his work as a wildlife conservation advisor to the Mongolian government, Andrew Laurie followed up on a childhood fascination with White-throated Dippers on the Teme near Ludlow, by finding out more about their lives in the Altai Mountains. Now resident in Cambridge, Andrew has made four films on Dippers in Mongolia – covering nest-building, incubation, feeding of the chicks in the nest, and this, the most recent one (2023) on the emergence of the chicks and their early lives on the river.
https://www.youtube.com/@andrewlaurie64/featured
Get to know the filmmaker:
Early experience and fascination with the White-throated Dipper in UK as a schoolboy led me to search for its breeding sites in the Mongolian Altai when there on an assignment much later in life – because although sigthings were common, particularly in winter on unfrozen streams, the local ornithologists did not know where it bred.
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HOLLY BY CAPTAIN DANGER, 5min., USA
Directed by Aaron Steinberg
Captain Danger soundtracks interstellar misadventures.
https://www.captaindanger.com/
https://www.facebook.com/captaindangermusic
https://twitter.com/captdanger
https://www.instagram.com/captaindangermusic
Get to know the filmmaker:
Our band Captain Danger needed a music video to accompany our single entitled “Holly.” Our goals included making something fun that pointed to our sense of adventure as a group, musically and otherwise. Along the way, we were super-fortunate to enlist (Emmy-nominated) Dane Lawing as Director of Photography, who was keen on capturing a look for the live band sequences that could somehow complement the overall Sci Fi concept. We were striving to create something that could nod to our appreciation for weirdness and humor while also supporting the song’s underlying, more earthbound themes, which explore missed connections and a sense of alienation.
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BUTTERFLY'S BAQA, 6min., USA
Directed by Abby London, Mariam-Saba Ahmad
This heart-opening dance film Butterfly’s Baqa invites the viewer to drop into their heart and open to an experience of meaningful beauty. Dancers Mariam-Saba Ahmad and Antonio Samayoa move through a European traditional dance, the waltz, to modern American Pop music, expressing ancient Eastern spiritual concepts. The art and music are created and sung by Mariam-Saba Ahmad specifically for this film, to create a cohesive message, a reminder that there is a purpose to the difficulty we all experience, and that freedom and connection we all search for is within our grasp.
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EARTHLOVE, 6min., Sweden
Directed by Felicia Konrad, Johan Haugen
EarthLove is a poetic music/dance film with 6 dancers, filmed in the city of Malmö, south of Sweden. “There’s a revolution that needs to happen and it starts from inside each one of us. We need to wake up and fall in love with Earth. We’ve been homo sapiens for a long time. Now it’s time to become homo conscious.” Thich Nhat Hanh
http://www.istillliveinwater.com/
https://www.facebook.com/www.istillliveinwater.com
https://www.instagram.com/feliciavoiceperformer
Get to know filmmaker Felicia Konrad:
A strong sense of that we need to become aware of the fact that we are not separated from Earth, we are a part of Earth. And the inspiration to find the playfulness in shifting into a wider perspective sensing ourselves becoming with Earth.
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JAYA, 50min., USA
Directed by Mike McKay
It is a rare blessing to meet someone filled with such joy, kindness and inspiration that they leave such a mark on you and your life is changed forever.
Get to know the filmmaker:
The story of evolved over a number of years, but really what began the inspiration was Jaya’s spirit and energy. I always found him to be a great personality in the community and one of the opportunity to get to know him and his life better.
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HIGH LIGHT, 4min., USA
Directed by Anthony Orlando
A young man musters the courage to face an alien lifeform rooting through his garage.
Get to know the filmmaker:
: As I saw my peers in the film industry sharing their new projects and getting laurels for their work, I knew I had to direct a new movie to promote myself so I could move forward in my career as a filmmaker. It had been a few years since I directed my last short, so I knew I had to create something new to showcase all the knowledge and experience in filmmaking I had gained since then. Also, since the short is based on a screenplay I have been working on, I hoped this film would act as a proof of concept that I could pitch to executives and hopefully get it made into a feature-length film.
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