THE CAPTOR, 64min., USA
Directed by Sean De La Nuez
An ex-soldier with PTSD decides to become the vigilante of his neighborhood, taking justice into his own hands against porch pirates.

https://www.facebook.com/alejandra.alanis.ortiz
https://www.instagram.com/alejandra.alanis.ortiz/

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

I was inspired by the growing problem of porch piracy, and I wanted to explore the idea of vigilante justice, questioning where the line is between right and wrong in taking matters into your own hands.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

It was surreal and incredibly gratifying to see the audience connect with the themes of the film, and their reactions gave me a lot of insight into how it resonated with different people.

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FLY AWAY, FROGGY BOY, 8min., Canada
Directed by Mia Lobo
Fly Detective Francis McFly loses his partner to the infamous ‘Croaks’, a frog gang at the centre of his most recent investigation. Stricken by grief, he decides to get revenge, and go head to head with their ravenous leader, The Frogfather.

https://mialobo.com/home

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

Fly Away, Froggy Boy was my final year thesis film. Everyone in their final year at my animation program was required to pitch a film idea, present it to our final year classmates, and the film ideas were chosen based on popular vote. The idea came from a joke between me and my partner (the co-creator, foley artist and voice of McFly), quite literally “Imagine if you pitched a film about a fly getting revenge on frogs”. I decided to pitch it to my class to see if anyone would be drawn to the idea as much as we were. We ended up one of the four films chosen to be made that year! People really love the idea.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

It was a great feedback video!I found it really interesting to see what aspects of the film jump out at people. The whole project is a lot less surprising and fresh for me because I worked on it for so long. Being able to hear people talk about the specific elements of the film that they found really unique, fresh and fun, reminds me of how great the project is, and how I felt the exact same way during the process.

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GIN RUMMY, 17min., USA
Directed by Suzanne Baird
I’m excited to share our project made from love and friendship..
Three best friends have been playing Gin Rummy every week for over 50 years. On this Gin Rummy night they have made other plans as a final bonding of the trio.

Get to know the filmmaker Suzanne Baird:

What motivated you to make this film?

There were several motivators. The biggest was that my mother was dying from Dementia. It was an illness that she had for about 10 years and was in the final phases. At the same time, Roe V. Wade was repealed, and this required an examination of the question of choice on many levels. Do we have dominion over our bodies, male or female, to make choices about our health and existence.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

I was really gratified! They were so positive and thoughtful. It was a great
feature of your festival. So appreciated!!

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CHRISTMAS CREW, 7min., Canada
Directed by Moumita Das
“Christmas Crew – A Story About Collective Kindness” is a heartwarming documentary that follows the inspiring journey of John and Junie White, affectionately known as the Christmas Crew. What began as a simple act of generosity in their living room has blossomed into a remarkable community tradition, transforming the lives of many in Cape Breton’s Sydney and Glace Bay areas.

https://www.facebook.com/dasmoumita

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

I am always drawn to human interest stories. They captivate me because of their realness, and I find immense joy in discovering and sharing the stories of real-life heroes. By pure coincidence, I came across the Christmas Crew, a group of kind-hearted people who spread joy during the holiday season by providing turkey dinners to those in need. Their generosity and compassion inspired me to create a film that would tell their story and share it with the world.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talk about your film in the feedback video?

The audience feedback was invaluable. I am incredibly grateful to everyone who took the time to watch and review my film. I was overjoyed that they appreciated my work, and winning the Best Human Interest Film award, as chosen by the audience, was a truly humbling experience.

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THE BRIDES OF DRACULA, 5min,. UK
Directed by Alexander Miguel
Introducing a new breed of vampires – More alternative, more sensual, more dangerous. Loosely based on the legends of Draculas wives, the good, bad and the evil bride inhabit an old misty graveyard set in the high mountains, waiting for their beloved master to be resurrected once more. Inspired by original costumes and props by Derby-based designer Liam Brandon Murray, this is a unique film showcasing the finest in Wearable Art for the designer’s cinematic debut.

https://www.instagram.com/alezmigz/

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

I had long wanted to do a fashion film based around vampires. I had initially envisioned a very dark classic victorian look, but when I found designer Liam Brandon Murray, a whole new world opened up to me. This was the most unconventional and bizarre kind of fashion I had ever seen the likes of. So intricate, so luxurious, yet so macabre and puzzling in it’s grandness. I knew that I had found something entirely unique and had access to a kind of innovative fashion that nobody else did. I thought to myself, I’ll be a real fool if I don’t jump on this opportunity! Liam and I clicked from the get-go, and it was clear that this would just be the start of many creative collaborations to come. I was able to pick and choose all my favourite pieces from his collection of work. We needed to piece together 4 complete looks and additionally threw in a few more items to showcase as much of Liam’s work as possible. His outfits carry heavy influences of otherworldly flair, his inspiration drawn from mythology, aliens and religious figures into a seamless blend.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

It is such an unreal feeling to have strangers speak about my work, they don’t know me or my team, so their perceptions and notions of the work are completely unbiased, raw and organic. People loved the surprising elements of lavish colour, which I think is rather unusual in the gothic genre. The fashion of course, gains a lot of wow-factor, and the fact it is put together like a music video, driven by sound and music rather than dialogue.

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Watcth the screenplay reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsW9eL6aqck

A woman plays a poker game for a second shot at life, but what are the stakes and what is the real prize?

(NOTE: Podcast stopped abruptly due to a power outage.)

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Watch the screenplay reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fi_5ae85L-M

An artistically-gifted pizza delivery boy, caught up in a criminal enterprise that funds his creative pursuits, confronts otherworldly and possibly dangerous forces when a mysterious girl sprung from his dreams appears at his next drop.

Get to know the writer:

The story centers around Jesse, a gifted artist, who delivers both pizzas and cash for the illicit gambling ring his boss Angelo runs. Shady turns spooky when a girl from Jesse’s drawings manifests in the flesh at one of his cash drops. Only the girl, mysterious and beautiful Taria, is very much real and powerfully psychic. Cryptically, she warns that working for Angelo, the father Jesse’s never had, will have dire consequences. That his true life path is to embrace his calling as an artist. If only Jesse believed Taria really can see the future.

Soon after Taria disappears, broken-hearted Jesse is haunted by a series of strange, even supernatural, encounters, forcing him to make harrowing choices if he ever wants his girl back. If he even wants to live. Only after Angelo is beaten inches from death, and the ring’s big boss is murdered, does Jesse take a life-altering mindf*ck of a journey to the nearly unfathomable truth.

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WEASEL, 2min., Mexico
Directed by Hisham Iyad Hajir

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?
I would like to get rid of a lot of the clutter in my house, but I don’t know how. The film peers into an alternate reality where technology provides a solution to this problem.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I liked how they understood the film. Since it’s an extremely short film about an inexistent technological gadget, then the film didn’t only need to tell the story in its short runtime, but also establish and explain what the device is and how it works. I was happy that the audience wasn’t confused by the film.

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THE BARGAIN, 15min., USA
Directed by Alec Patchin
A young girl summons the Devil to get revenge on her former foster father who abused her. The Devil is willing to make a deal but the cost is more than she bargained for.

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?
I was struck by the strange nature of revenge and the lengths people will go to feel like they “got even”. Often people are willing to go out of their way and further negatively impact their own lives if it means the person who wrongs them also suffers.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I was super flattered and grateful for all their wonderful feedback. Sharing your movie with the world can always be nerve racking but you are never quite sure people will feel the same way about it that you do. But their feedback was so nice and I’m glad the movie we made resonated with them like we hoped it would!

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BRAISING, 19min., USA
Directed by Bryan Ribeiro
Conroy –a crestfallen, fast food cook who dreams of becoming a chef– finds community with a peculiar “charity” organization, all while he strives to deepen his connection with his widower father.

https://www.instagram.com/braisingfilm

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?
I wanted to tell a story about group think. There’s always been a fascination about cults and mob mentalities and I wanted to explore what brings about a need to join the collective. The answers vary person to person but a lot of the cases I found illuminating were the ones where someone lacked a community of their own; they had no family they could rely on. Focusing on someone without a support system and seeing their descent sounded way too fun an opportunity. Food has always been something that brings people together and adapting that idea into a potentially negative tether was the last crux to bring everything together.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I was really floored by the initial reception. The warmth in the reviews were really validating and a lot of the analyses were thoughtful. It’s my very first video review so it was a bit surreal.

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CHHAVA, 39min., India
Directed by Anurag Srijit, Arman Shaikh

Produced by by Sudeep Mehta
Set in the storied Apshinge Military Village in Maharashtra, ‘Chhava’ offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of families bound by centuries of military service, from the reign of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to today. Crafted with care by first-time student filmmakers, the documentary weaves together personal sacrifices and enduring bravery, revealing the profound human spirit at the village’s heart.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32117939/
https://instagram.com/chhava.official

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CARVED IN STONE, 30min., USA
Directed by Porter Justus
Cast out by the academic community at her college for her extreme beliefs that artifacts belong with their cultures, not locked up in some museum, young historical photographer AMELIA SLOANE is shocked to learn a former and beloved professor has bequeathed to her a collection of valuable and rare artifacts – including the legendary sword Excalibur – and a mysterious message “You’ll know what to do with this.”

Get to know the filmmaker:

There were a number of reasons for this film. I learned a long time ago that sometimes to com up with good story is turn one on its head, and so I wanted to explore a character who’s mission was the opposite to what is usually expected. In this case, what if Excalibur needed to be returned instead of claimed, so that just turned into a exploration into culture reclamation and restoring history to its rightful origins.

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IN THE DISTANCE, 10min., France
Directed by Laëtitia Daché
“In the Distance” is a choreographic triptych presented as short films, offering a perspective on the notions of complementarity and duality, expressions of resilience in the face of challenges.

https://www.instagram.com/contradancecompany/

Get to know the filmmaker:

I have reflected deeply on the duality inherent in certain experiences and emotions that can emerge throughout life. This duality, which manifests itself in countless places and in a variety of forms, became a source of exploration for me. It served as a starting point for my reflections. The complexity and subtlety of the human experience, with its layers of contradiction and harmony, has always been something I’ve sought to convey. There is a richness in these tensions, a constant interplay between opposing forces, which I find both fascinating and challenging to express.

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Santa Fe & Esmeralda - Crossroads, 16min., USA
Directed by Christel Veraart
In the transformative backdrop of Argentina's evolving democracy and vibrant art scene from 1987 to 1996, "Santa Fe & Esmeralda - CrossRoads" chronicles the profound and enduring friendship between Kita, a young Dutch woman, and Lorenzo, the gay son of a prominent Argentine family. United by their love for music, they navigate complex family dynamics and the harsh realities of AIDS, with Kita becoming Lorenzo's caregiver and preserving their bond through storytelling after his death, celebrating a love that transcends boundaries.

https://www.christelveraart.com/
https://www.facebook.com/christelveraart
https://www.instagram.com/christelveraart/

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ECHOES OF DREAMS, 84min., USA
Directed by Vanessa Mariveles
Reyna, a struggling DJ in Silicon Valley, has to pivot her career in order to survive. Having the worst year ever, she is forced to join the “gig economy” so she can pay rent while living with her pushy mother. While dating women for the first time, she finds herself in comical situations. Through determination, self-discovery, and the power of faith, Reyna learns to overcome adversity and finds her true calling and love.

http://marivelesproductions.com/
https://instagram.com/mariveles.productions

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated me to make Echoes of Dreams was wanting to tell an underdog story mixed with romance and comedy since those are my favorite genres. I wanted to write something quickly and get it made in 2023 so I decided to tell my own story.

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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 NEXT BELLS, 16min., USA
Directed by Joey LaFrance
In this musical, Lily is waiting for an important phone call and navigates life assuming the worst, leading her down a dance-filled, spiraling path of self-discovery.

https://www.instagram.com/the.next.bells_film/

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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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Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9umcIT1JMg

A sixteen year old receives an old car as a birthday gift from his stepfather. When he drives it for the first time, he realizes it isn’t powered by conventional gasoline – but instead, an engine of pure evil.

http://www.vanstralenwrites.com/

https://twitter.com/vanstral

Get to know the writer:

Engine of Evil is about a belligerent 16 year old who receives a car for his birthday. Only instead of being ecstatic like most 16 year olds would be to receive such a gift, he doesn’t appreciate it. Little does he know that what powers the car is anything but ordinary – instead, it’s an engine powered by pure evil.

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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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