Anjela Pencheva has suffered from Cerebral Palsy since birth, but the difficult diagnosis has never broken her spirit and has turned her into a writer, an actress and a dancer. Through her work and with her computer generated voice, she participates in various initiatives for the rights of the people with disabilities and inspires everyone who has met her.

Director Statement

Anjela's story has haunted me for 13 years, even before I started making films. Life encountered me with it again and again, in different situations, until the time to tell it came. Or not, time she tells it through me came. Her need to communicate with the world has led her to art, where, although snuggled down in a wheelchair, she flies. It was this freedom of spirit that I wanted to recreate with animation - brave, vivid, light as a feather Anjela. The incredible animation artist Dimitar Dimitrov-Animiter magnificently captured that. And so, in 16 minutes Anjela can do everything she has always dreamed of, and we can only benefit from her strength.

Playing on the Film Festival Streaming service later this month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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October 11, 2022 - Filmmaker Vilma Kartalska (ANJELA)

Matthew Toffolo

REALITY CHECK, 24min., Spain, Fantasy/Drama
Directed by Sandro Hernández Ortiz
Reality Check follows Salvador, a young patient suffering from delusional disorder, who during one of his therapy sessions starts experiencing dangerous levels of reality distortion that make him question everything in his life.

https://www.instagram.com/subliminalproductions/

Sandro was also the lead actor in this short. Conversation with the actor/director on the process making the film.

Playing on the Film Festival Streaming service later this month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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October 10, 2022 - Filmmaker Sandro Hernández Ortiz (REALITY CHECK)

Matthew Toffolo

WHERE TEARS, PERHAPS is a music video featuring a dance duet between two female dancers that represents the act of creation. Interview with the Columbian filmmaker Walter Escamilla on the making of the film.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fy7QN8rwGPY

Director Biography - Walter Escamilla

Walter Escamilla is a filmmaker based in Bogotá, Colombia. He studied Visual Arts at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. He's first short film, Video Pulso, premiered in 2008 and was selected in various local film festivals including Cartagena International Film Festival. He's second short film, Prayer for Transformation, premiered in 2012 to further acclaim.

Apart form his artistic career, he has extensive experience as a Director and Editor of TV shows and documentary films. In 2012 he co-founded MONARCA, a young and highly creative team that produces music videos, fashion films and experimental media.

Film playing on the Film Festival Streaming service later this month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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September 7, 2022 - Filmmaker Walter Escamilla (WHERE TEARS, PERHAPS)

Matthew Toffolo

An image of a child looking towards the evening moon visited my thoughts one day or maybe it was a dream, from there an imaginary dialogue or dance emerged between the moon and the child. But who is guiding who in this planetary dance, is it the moon or the child?

https://www.digitaltapestries.site/

Director Statement

In 2015, Hart Ginsburg founded Digital Tapestries in response to his experiences as a psychotherapist. Inspired by the healing potential of art, he aimed to serve the diverse needs of his clients through interactive books and short films. He soon expanded his visual materials by developing a workshop format, offering film screenings as well as panel discussions. Each of Digital Tapestries’ productions – films, books, and workshops – encourages meaningful dialogue and human connection and encourages participants to reach beyond a surface level response by awakening to their own humanistic capacities.

​Since its inception, Digital Tapestries has grown into a team of artists and professionals that draw from digital media, art, social work, psychotherapy, and communications

Film playing on the Film Festival Streaming service later this month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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August 31, 2022 - Filmmaker Hart Ginsberg (MOON SHADOWS)

Matthew Toffolo

Two couples in the same family face a new pregnancy, one for the first time, the other with a sorrowful past. After a miscarriage, the family dynamics change and they must learn to deal with tragedy in a whole new way.

Blog interview: https://matthewtoffolo.com/2022/08/07/interview-with-filmmaker-rachel-jacob-four-on-the-mantle/

Director Statement

I was driven to make this piece because I had the honor and privilege of walking closely alongside several amazing women who have had miscarriages. It's a subject that I find is still taboo and no one knows how to talk about it or bring up their own grief or experience of it. I felt that anguish and eventually it came out in this story. The point of this film is not to tell anyone how to talk or grieve about this experience, but to shed light on its existence in a very real way, with all that can be at stake, and to hopefully open the door so more conversations can start happening. Thank you for watching.

Film playing on the Film Festival Streaming service later this month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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August 28, 2022 - Filmmaker Rachel Jacob (FOUR ON THE MANTLE)

Matthew Toffolo

SOUR played to rave reviews at the Toronto Comedy Film Festival. Conversation with the creative team of the short film.

SOUR is a dark comedy horror exploring one woman’s experience of lockdown whilst isolating with a sourdough starter!

Project Links

• Facebook

• Twitter

• Instagram

Director Statement

Directing and co-writing SOUR has been an absolute pleasure! I was inspired by the originality of the premise and its fresh perspective on the madness of lockdown. Drawing inspiration from films exploring the anxieties and fears of suburban modern life such as Swallow (Carlo Mirabella-Davis, 2019), American Beauty (Sam Mendes, 1999), Blue Velvet (David Lynch, 1986) as well as the iconic TV series Desperate Housewives, I wanted to make a film that would not only make people laugh and smile during this difficult time but also provide a somewhat cathartic experience. Aside from being a comedic exploration of the effects of isolation, I see SOUR as a cautionary tongue-in-cheek tale about what happens when reality fails to live up to expectation and we upset the balance between the organic and the human!

Film playing on the Film Festival Streaming service later this month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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August 27, 2022 - Director Natalya Mykhaylyuk & Writer Jack Smithies (SOUR)

Matthew Toffolo

BABA is a multiple award winning short film from a talented filmmaking team based in Toronto. Interview with co-director Anya Chirkova, co-director Meran Ismailsoy, writer/star Mariyar Khatam.

https://www.instagram.com/funnybonepictures/

“A middle-aged Iranian man makes a desperate bid to keep his apartment, as his relationship with his son unravels.”

Director Statement

Baba is a fever dream dark comedy that focuses on a father accelerating down a path of narcissism and toxic masculinity. It’s a character study of a middle-aged man whose lifestyle crumbled after an agonizing divorce, leading him into a downward spiral of avoiding consequences. At its core, the story deals with an immigrant who hasn't fully integrated, is constantly dealing with language barriers and is being parented by his own son.

The film aims to examine the aftermath of an individual who escaped from an oppressive society and unwittingly over-indulged in the freedom of his newly found culture.

The shortsightedness of the father’s nature informed us to have the film take place in real-time, fueling horrifyingly awkward moments.

The film's intimate and heartbreaking story comes from the screenplay by Maziyar Khatam, whose real-life father was the core inspiration. Maziyar also portrays the son in the film. This project is a collaboration of three individuals with diverse cultural backgrounds, navigating the psychology of a desperate immigrant father.

Film playing on the Film Festival Streaming service later this month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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August 24, 2022 - BABA short film team (Anya Chirkova, Meran Ismailsoy, Maziyar Khatam)

Matthew Toffolo

Interview with producer/writer Sharlene Royer, and director Lauro Chartrand Delvalle.

“Michael is a investigator Journalist who tries to warn the world about the existence of an alien race that will destroy human existence. He has vision and see things that other people don’t see.”

irector Biography - Lauro Chartrand Delvalle

Lauro Chartrand-DelValle has three decades of experience in the film industry starting out as a stunt performer and coordinator/2nd Unit Director, now turned-director/writer/ producer.

Lauro has directed action, dramas, thrillers, horror and recently one of his favorite genres, westerns. He is currently in preproduction on Mexican Radio, a hilarious action/comedy starring Russell Peters on which he is writer/ director/producer. He also has a gripping Western/Thriller entitled Crimson Creek in development.

Film playing on the Film Festival Streaming service later this month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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August 21, 2022 - THE GUARDIAN short film team (Sharlene Royer, Lauro Chartrand Delvalle)

Matthew Toffolo

With “Temporary Contemporary”, filmmaker Oliver Brand impressively stages this transience by turning it into a stage for contemporary dancers. In doing so, he creates a moving testimony to the ephemeral nature of places that are in precisely that state only on the day the film is shot.

Project Links

• Website

• Instagram

Director Statement

Dance has always been a great avocation passion of mine. Which is why the idea and the concept of showing contemporary dance in places that are hardly accessible to the ordinary mortal, or are in a great state of flux, has been around for a long time. I had a clear idea of the locations. They should not just be abandoned, run-down mystical places as you know them. I wanted to show clear lines in the architecture, which radiate a certain aesthetic and tranquility. I wanted to fill these places with humanity and life in the form of dance.

At the beginning of the film you hear an offvoice that philosophically sums up the essence of the concept of the film. The screen is completely black. The viewer should be able to fully engage with the content of the text and the wonderful voice. Nothing distracts visually. No logos. No credits. I wanted to draw the audience into the world of „Temporary Contemporary“ right at the beginning for the nearly 14 minutes film.
I continue to pull this concept of "kidnapping" into the world of "dance, music and architecture" when the first images appear. I establish all locations in rotating (vortex) slow motion shots. The viewer should lose the sense of up and down, ask himself, where are we? ...what is this?
The vortex shots are later also used as a transition between locations. There however in different speed, in order to catapult the spectator from one into the new location.
With each location, however, the transitions become shorter, since only the ones that are still in the queue are shown. I break this pattern after the fourth location.

What was very special, especially for a dance film, is that the music was not created until the end.
The dancers performed on location to completely different music.
I wanted to break out of the usual approaches a bit for myself and for this film.
What happens when a performer lets you dance and then changes the music?
The composer also found the challenge extremely exciting. Hours of exchanges about mood and atmosphere went into the final product. Each location had to have its own mood, each part its own highlight, and yet everything had to come together as one.

It was an incredibly exciting project and I am extremely happy with the final result.

Film playing on the Film Festival Streaming service later this month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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August 20, 2022 - Filmmaker Oliver David Brand (TEMPORARY CONTEMPORARY)

Matthew Toffolo

From October 15, 1979 to January 16, 1992, El Salvador endured a civil war. More than 8000 people were forcibly disappeared, over 80,000 died, 1 million were displaced, and 500,000 were internally displaced. The Woman in White is a short documentary, produced by Jaberi Dance Theatre, that explores the true story of a nurse and mother, Juana Irma Cisneros Ticas, who was captured and forcibly disappeared in El Salvador during the Salvadoran Civil War.

"What an incredibly poignant film – it’s an amazing piece of work."
—Samer Muscati, Human Rights Watch

Project Links

• Website

• Instagram

Director Biography - Roshanak Jaberi

Roshanak is an Iranian-born Canadian artist, producer, director, and a Dora nominated choreographer and performer with a career that spans over 20 years. She is also the founding artistic director of Jaberi Dance Theatre, based in Toronto. Described as a “force to reckon with,” she has created and co-created over 30 works in dance, visual arts, film and music, has performed in numerous dance works, and has presented her work in Canada and internationally.

Roshanak is the recipient of the ISPA-International Society of Performing Arts Global Fellowship (2020, 2021) and the Chalmers Arts Fellowship (2019), and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours from York University. She has been a guest speaker and lecturer in various forums, and her work has been referenced in adult education courses and in critical pedagogy at the University of Toronto.

Director Statement

We often hear stories about victims of forced disappearance, but rarely do we experience them from the perspective of their families who are still searching. This photo exhibit and film offers an intimate look into a daughter’s journey through love and loss, and her quest for justice. The items featured in these photos–an ID card and graduation cape–hold special memories and are among the few remaining pieces belonging to Juana Irma.

Film playing on the Film Festival Streaming service later this month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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August 12, 2022 - Filmmaker Roshanak Jaberi (THE WOMAN IN WHITE)

Matthew Toffolo

Conversation with directors Christian Montoya Johnson, Anton Ransom & the subject of the film Manny the Tru MC, a poet with Cerebral Palsy.

WHERE THERE'S A WHEEL THERE'S A WAY was the winner of BEST SHORT FILM at the August 2022 LA Feedback Film Festival.

"If you have the heart of determination, there is no such thing as limitations". -- Manny the Tru MC. This film is a testament to human determination and what is possible with a positive outlook and refusal to make excuses for your current circumstances. You will laugh. You will cry. You will leave grateful. Where There's a Wheel There's a Way.

Film playing on the Film Festival Streaming service later this month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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August 11, 2022 - Filmmaking team of WHERE THERE'S A WHEEL THERE'S A WAY

Matthew David Toffolo

THE LAST CHAMPION was the winner of “Best Feature Film” at the Sports & Recreation Film Festival. Conversation with co-writer and actor Hallie Todd on the making of the film from creation to editing.

Project Links

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

“A former championship wrestler is forced to face his past when he returns to the hometown he left in disgrace twenty years earlier. Can he become the hero his town expected… or will he remain a prisoner of his past mistakes?” Directed by Glenn Withrow. Starring Cole Hauser, Peter Onorati, Randall Batinkoff, and Hallie Todd.

Film playing on the Film Festival Streaming service today. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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August 7, 2022 - Actor/Writer/Producer Hallie Todd (THE LAST CHAMPION)

Matthew Toffolo

LAST DAY ON EARTH was the winner of BEST DRAMA FILM at the July 2022 ENVIRONMENTAL Film Festival.

https://instagram.com/lastdayonearthfilm

Director Biography - Christian Jacob Eisenbarth

Christian is from a small town in in rural Wyoming. Majoring in Audio Engineering and Music Technology, it gave him the opportunity to work for some of the biggest recording studios in the world in Los Angeles. Having a background in music, sound design, and photography, gave him a unique story telling perspective. He has always had a passion for nature and protecting the environment.

Director Statement

My name is Christian, this film was inspired by a 2 day solo trip I took to Washington to visit the Olympic Peninsula to go to a rain forest for the first time. I had never seen a place more beautiful in my life; to my dismay, I discovered that most of Washington is victim to commerical logging, completely destroying the natural habitat.  The stark contrast between life and death deeply inspired me that I needed to do something to stop this.  While in the forest, I had a vision of an old man experiencing his last day on earth, an idea I felt could help rebuild this devastated ecosytem and touch the heart of millions. I felt chosen by nature to be the vessel in which this story is brought to life.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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August 2, 2022 - Filmmaker Christian Jacob Eisenbarth (LAST DAY ON EARTH)

Matthew Toffolo

TERMINUS was the winner of BEST FILM at the May 2022 SCIENCE & NATURE Film Festival.

http://www.jamiewestonfilms.com/

“The four elements earth, air, fire and water, meet together in an ancient forest to celebrate midsummer. Their lives change forever as they are polluted by the new world around them.”

Conversation with director Jamie Weston on executing this experimental short film.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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July 16, 2022 - Filmmaker Jamie Weston (TERMINUS)

Matthew Toffolo

POWER OF INTIMATE TOUCH was the winner of BEST FILM at the May 2022 BLACK Feedback Film Festival.

Project Links

• Website

• Facebook

• Instagram

“Power of Intimate Touch is short film was created because there appears to be a pretty global misunderstanding about what intimacy is. Many people think intimacy means physical sex, but true intimacy is first the connection of the heart and soul and then the mind, and then to the physical in many ways than sex. We filmed 2 couples exploring the 6 basic exercises of close intimacy that all beloveds should learn and practice to strength their relationships.”

Film played on the WILDsound TV app next month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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June 16, 2022 - Filmmaker Les Dotson (POWER OF INTIMATE TOUCH)

Matthew Toffolo

BEYOND THE RIVER is an amazing experimental film made at the Savannah College of Art and Design.

Conversation with the creators of the film Wen-Chun Cheng & Hsu-Jen Huang on the process making this film and designing all of the umbrellas.

Film also showing on the WILDsound TV app next month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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April 20, 2022 - Director Wen-Chun Cheng & Creator Hsu-Jen Huang (BEYOND THE RIVER)

Matthew Toffolo

WHEN THE STAGE LIGHTS GO OUT played at the March 2022 Toronto Documentary Film Festival.

“Documentary about six actors from Broadway to Toronto dealing with the issues of COVID all while trying to navigate financial instability, and the complete loss of their industry. This is their story.”

Conversation with filmmaker Gordon Yarley on the making of the film at Humber College.

https://instagram.com/StageLightsDoc

Film also playing at the WILDsound TV app next month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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April 5th 2022 - Filmmaker Gordon Yarley (WHEN THE STAGE LIGHTS GO OUT)

Matthew Toffolo

CUT OFF is the Best Feature Screenplay winner at the THRILLER/SUSPENSE Film Festival.

A paranoid shut -in loses touch with his only contact, but quickly realizes that he’s not as isolated as he thought. Forced to face his greatest fears, he fights to restore balance to his world.

Conversation with screenwriter Christy Price on writing the screenplay, followed by the audio-version best scene reading.

Film also playing at the WILDsound TV app next month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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April 2nd 2022 - Screenwriter Christy Price (CUT OFF)

Matthew Toffolo

HOME CRAG played to rave reviews at the 2022 ENVIRONMENTAL Film Festival. You can watch the film HERE

Conversation with filmmaker Time Behuniak on the making of the film and the core ideas behind the film.

Gnarly Nutrition's “Home Crag,” filmed and edited by Headlamp Studios, features rock climber and Olympic medalist Nathaniel Coleman, Salt Lake Climber Alliance's Executive Director Julia Geisler and USA Climbing's CEO Marc Norman.

Learn more here: https://gognarly.com/

Tim Behuniak - @ timbehuniak / producer, co-director, photographer

Born in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains, Gnarly Nutrition is committed to educating and inspiring athletes at all levels. Gnarly provides honest, effective and great tasting sports nutrition that is NSF Certified and NSF Certified for Sport. Gnarly’s full line features science-backed products free of hormones, GMOs, proprietary blends, antibiotics, or anything artificial.

Film also played at the WILDsound TV app.. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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March 15, 2022 - Filmmaker Tim Behuniak (HOME CRAG)

Matthew Toffolo

ENDED WHEN was produced by the Hubbard Street Dance Chicago

January 5, 2021 - Filmmakers Robyn Mineko Williams, Mike Gibisser (ENDED WHEN)

Matthew Toffolo

Ended When is a short film by acclaimed choreographer Robyn Mineko Williams featuring an excerpt of her popular work Cloudline, performed by Hubbard Street Dancer Alysia Johnson with music by Alencia Norris.

"End of the World” Written by Sylvia Dee and Arthur Kent.

Conversation with co-directors Robyn Mineko Williams & Mike Gibisser

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