THE WORLD OF WITHOOS, 10min., Netherlands, Experimental
Directed by Hans Withoos, Inge Theunissen
Together with filmmaker Inge Theunissen of Itmoves, I Hans Withoos made a surrealist film about my quest for the amalgamation of the works of our ancestors and our photography.

https://hanswithoos.com/
https://www.facebook.com/hans.withoos
https://www.instagram.com/hanswithoos/

Get to know the filmmaker:

Working as an photographic artist with so many filch elements it was a need for me to change my artworks into a film. Then I was asked by a museum, during preparation of a museum show if i also could deliver a film about me and my work. I did not want a documentary so asked Inge Theunissen to create a short film together to bring my thoughts 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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THE ART OF SEEING, THE ART OF REMEMBERING, 23min., UK
Directed by Sascha Klamp
Working with two distinct Armenian communities, traditional border villages which hold up the potential resistance from its hostile neighbours, the film explores the set-up of a Community Archive with village Elders whilst juxtaposing how teenagers look at a single polaroid image in the world of social media. The Film explores the communities and the individuals’ understanding of Identity, Memory, and Self in adverse conditions and what Hope & Opportunities exist for their adolescence in particular.

http://www.up2imagination.com/khachik-archive
https://www.instagram.com/up_2_imagination

Get to know the filmmaker:

In mid/late 2020, I was disillusioned by the reporting about the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan. One, the media only fed us typical conflict images with little to no reporting on the historical reasons why these two countries may be at war. And second, I was surprised how quickly the newscycle moved on from what I believe is a war that has reasons for all of us in the West to get nervous about. Remember, I made this movie before the situation in Ukraine emerged. Azerbaijan is one of the largest providers of oil/gas to Europe and the UK is the largest foreign direct investor in Azerbaijan. So I felt that there is a media bias in reporting potentially also.

Most importantly, my wife is of Armenian heritage but has not been back since childhood. So there is an element of showcasing her cultural roots to my three daughters.

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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BOIZ KLUB, 10min,. USA, Satrical Comedy
Directed by Alexis Janae
This satirical comedy follows four powerful white men—Hollywood executives—on their way to the annual Movie Awards in a limousine. They irreverently discuss the current political landscape of the film industry as they partake of fine champahn-ya, and substances more illicit. There’s only one thing… They are portrayed by four young women of mixed ethnicities. Conventions are discarded and tables are turned during this peculiar voyage through the streets of Tinseltown to the film industry’s most glamorous event.

http://haydenlcroft.com/

Get to know the filmmaker:

I enjoyed being able to speak from the female perspective on how men in the industry are perceived . Hayden is our writer and had been working on the script for some time prior but we filmed it in 2 days and editing took a couple months.

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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YO YO, 9min., USA, Drama
Directed by Shuyin Zheng
A 15-year-old girl, Lin, who stays home pretending to be sick, lost her best friend because of a sketch, which also exposed her unrequited love under the summer sunlight.

Get to know the filmmaker:

Yo Yo is an autobiographical story inspired by my own experiences during high school. I was around 15 or 16 years old when it happened, and even now, it is still difficult for me to recall that girl, the archetype of the main character, Lin. She was my best friend back then, and we did everything together, from hanging out and studying to even sleeping over at each other’s houses. I felt like she was my twin sister. But when she confessed that she loved me, I was so overwhelmed that I simply froze. I ran away from her and never found the courage to speak to her again. We went our separate ways after that summer, but the feeling of regret and guilt lingered on. When the opportunity arose to create a short film for my thesis project, this experience immediately came to mind. From there, the production process flowed naturally. This story is one that I had to tell, in whatever form it may take.

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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STROKE OF LUCK, 9min., USA, Drama/Comedy/Fantasy
Directed by Seraphine Terryberry
A young woman in her 20’s deals with her father having a stroke and being hospitalized, by escaping into her imagination and pretending she’s in movie scenes.

https://www.seraphineterryberry.com/
https://www.instagram.com/sissi_tea/

Get to know the filmmaker:
Answer: This film is loosely based on a personal experience of a family emergency and essentially a love letter to my parents about that time. It was during that uncertain chapter of my life, I noticed how much comedy played a role in helping me cope with difficult situations. As time passed, I found I was best able to sort through my feelings best by writing this script and using it as a way to express those tougher to verbalize emotions. As I come into my own style of filmmaking, I’ve discovered I’m drawn to stories that tackle difficult topics wrapped in a warm fuzzy comedy blanket; this was the first of (hopefully) many more stories like that.

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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ANYA, 6min., USA, Horror
Directed by Chris Davies
When a sinister entity emerges from the forest on a 1970s Halloween night, a young woman’s true motives are revealed – and her future is decided forever.

Get to know the filmmaker:

Truthfully, it came from a therapeutic place. I felt like I needed to challenge myself and make something from the heart. It had been well over 10 years since I’d directed anything, so I felt it was time to step back into it. I am also a huge horror fan and wanted to make my own love letter to the genre.

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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STATIONHEADS, 17min., Hungary, Crime/Thriller
Directed by Stu Gamble
Three educated (and bored) twenty-somethings are working a dead-end job in a gas station. Their futures are grim. When a group of bank robbers turn up fresh from a heist and fresh out of fuel, things get a bit more interesting.

https://www.facebook.com/StationHeads
https://twitter.com/StationHeads
https://www.instagram.com/stationheads/

Get to know the filmmaker:

I’ve often wondered what happens in the most obscure places of our cities. The places that stay open 24 hours a day, the places in the middle of nowhere, the people that happen to pass through or inhabit such places. So when I met my production partner and we threw ideas around about making a film we landed on this.

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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TURKEY ON RYE, 9min., USA
Directed by Lucas Huie
A short film about a man and his missing sandwich.

Get to know the filmmaker:

It actually started as a fake 2-minute podcast I did for a college project back when I was in community college. I really liked how the podcast turned out so I decided to shoot it live-action. Also, like Winston, I also went through a huge sandwich phase.

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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BRING BACK THE WHISTLE DOG, 18min., Canada
Directed by Bob Simpson
Fast food menu items come and go, but none have ignited lasting passion quite like Canadian restaurant chain A&W’s Whistle Dog. This “hot dogumentary” profiles diehard fans fighting the good fight to bring back the iconic dog.

Get to know the filmmaker:

Most of the team that worked on this film works at Rethink, A&W’s ad agency, and the Whistle Dog has always held a place in our hearts. This documentary came out of our own curiosity about it, the quirky name, the fact it’s an oddball item at a burger chain, and, most of all, the cult-like passion behind it.

When we found out A&W was bringing it back, the initial plan was to show up at a bunch of diehard fans’ homes and surprise them with Whistle Dogs, then use the best of these surprises for a TV spot. But it quickly dawned on us that dragging a film crew across the country just for a couple minutes at each stop seemed like such a waste. We had cameras, we had crew, we had super passionate fans—we had to do more with this. Our art director Ashley blurted out, “We should do a documentary!” We just laughed. A documentary! About the Whistle Dog! How ridiculous! But then we started talking about it and realized, no, there really was a story here. Let’s do it!

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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EARLY RETIREMENT

A 30-something year old man, on the heels of a breakup with his boyfriend, moves in with his parents who live in a 55+ adult community. Through confronting his own insecurities and examining family relationships and dynamics, he's able to move forward.

ANTISEMITE

Seth, a college senior, is home for winter break. He’s spending a day relaxing and shopping on Fairfax Avenue when he’s suddenly confronted by an Orthodox Jewish man asking Seth if he’s Jewish. Seth’s chance encounter leads to a profound spiritual experience with life-changing implications.

https://www.airebedd.com/antisemite
https://www.instagram.com/mbossydirects/

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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The art of making a short comedy.

http://www.thejoemcgowan.co.uk/
https://instagram.com/joe_mcgowan88

TAKEAWAY - A couple can't decide what takeaway they want for dinner.

PISS UP - Two men meet in an alley after a few too many.

From the filmmaker:

Getting the edit right. There were a few shots that were left on the cutting room floor so it wouldn’t feel too bloated. The film needed to get to when the classical music kicked in as soon as possible and the build up between the two characters took some time to get things as smooth and as funny as possible. I remember feeling at one point that the film wasn’t good, so I stripped a lot of shots back and it benefitted from being cut down immensely.

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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THE THINGS I FEEL, 12min., Australia
Directed by Jean Ngooi
As an android nanny, Hadley takes care of a young, inquisitive boy named Charlie. When a malfunction causes her to develop sentience, they embark on an adventure to find a real-life animal, a scarcity in their world. On their trip, Hadley faces what it means to feel things for the first time.

https://sites.google.com/view/thethingsifeel/home?authuser=1
https://www.facebook.com/thethingsifeel.film
http://instagram.com/thethingsifeel.film/

Get to know the filmmaker:

I really love sci-fi films that bring to light questions revolving around humanity and its boundaries so I wanted to challenge myself to tell a story that would do just that but also be achievable as student filmmakers. I believe the limitations that we had in regards with being a student film helped me shape aspects of the story and really focus it on the main two characters.

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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RESTLESS, 15min., Canada, Drama/Thriller
Directed by Dhun Sharma
A sex worker is coerced into a situation that gradually becomes more violent.

https://www.instagram.com/sharma.dhun/

Get to know the filmmaker:

I was looking to do something interesting after my last short. I had just finished writing Restless as a feature and I wanted to use it as a pitch to fund the larger project. The part that i turned into a short is actually just an introduction to Rebel and as redemptive as it was in the short, the feature version is very different.

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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DAY FLIPPERS, 16min., USA, Dark Comedy
Directed by Isaac Cushman
The production of a home renovation TV series is disrupted by the presence of a malevolent spirit.

Interview with:

Director Isaac Cushman

Producer Dylan Samson

Cinematographer Brendan Parker

Production Designer Alex Royston

Makeup/Sound Sarah Sweet

From filmmaker Isaac Cushman:

Honestly, it was my buddy Alex Royston, who was the Production Designer on the film. I first shared the idea with him and Dylan Samson (Producer) when we were out shooting a fake Mountain Dew ad for a class. It was an idea that was inspired by films like Grave Encounters (2011) and Ghostwatch (1992), both of which feature the crew of a television program encountering actual paranormal activity. Having most of my experience in comedy writing, I thought taking an HGTV-style show and putting those characters into a similar situation would be ripe for a hybrid of comedy and horror. It was an idea I proposed as a non-school project because it seemed too “big” to do as an assignment but since we had no other ideas we liked for our upcoming final project, we moved forward with it. I was skeptical at first but Alex championed the idea and rallied the troops. I couldn’t be more grateful for that, I was right that it was going to be difficult but because of Alex’s enthusiasm for the idea, I was given an opportunity to prove to myself that I was capable of more than I thought and we made something that I am really proud of. I now see just how possible even the most insane ideas can be with the right people and a little ingenuity.

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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LOCK, 3min., Canada,
Directed by Kody Zimmermann
For some kids, the garage is an oasis away from parents, homework, and chores. But sometimes, there may be something hidden amongst the junk and clutter. Something that makes ‘alone time’ not what it seems.

http://www.ghostwoodfilms.com/

Get to know the filmmaker:
First of all, I felt I needed to feed my filmmaking addiction again, to be behind the camera again. It had been a while since I did a short, as I committed the last couple of years to developing feature films. And every aspect of making a short film is a taxing endeavour. It taxes your finances, your scheduling, your relationships, your commitments. Anyone who does these often enough knows there are only so many times you can go back to the well to ask for donated gear, volunteer cast and crew.

So the second part of my motivation came from a very simple question: How much of this can I do on my own? On the quest to answer that question, I became a huge, huge fan of filmmaker David F. Sandberg (LIGHTS OUT, SHAZAM) and his Youtube channel devoted specifically to do-it-yourself filmmaking.

It rewired my way of thinking. My short film THE FAMILIAR was run like a well-oiled feature film with dozens of crew members, multiple locations, multiple actors, and top-of-the-tier gear. For something as bare-bones as LOCK, I allowed myself to let go of that mindset. It was liberating. But it did mean brushing up on skills I hadn’t exercised in years and learning new ones I had never touched on before.

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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PERSISTENCE, 12min., Canada, Drama
Directed by Neil Schell
Persistence is a story about what happens when romantic intentions cross over into stalking. The ?lm explores what happens when trusts are broken but laws aren?t, and just how much damage can be done to someone’s life in that space between.

https://www.persistenceshortfilm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/PersistenceShort
https://instagram.com/persistenceshortfilm

Get to know the filmmaker:
This project has kind of taken on a life of its own. Initially, I just knew that I wanted to make the most out of quarantine life by taking that time to write and produce my first short film. I was always raised with the principle that if something is worth doing, it is worth doing well, so I knew that whatever I chose to do, I would throw myself into it completely. That made me really take the time to consider what story I would want to devote that kind of energy to.

Persistence is based on my real life experiences with stalkers. When I came up with the idea, I had a visceral reaction to the mere thought, so I knew there was more there that I needed to explore. I initially thought I was just doing it as a therapeutic exercise for myself, but the more people I spoke to about it, the more people approached me with their own similar stories. Understanding that I wasn’t alone in what I went through was heartbreaking and also so encouraging. From that moment, I started to realize that there is a bigger purpose to telling this story; to start important conversations and hopefully help others feel less isolated as well.

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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T’AI CHI MAN!, 3min,. USA
Directed by Zach Brewster-Geisz
A robbery is foiled by a uniquely incompetent superhero.

http://zachbg.com/filmmaker
http://instagram.com/zachbg7

Get to know the filmmaker:

My wife used to take T’ai Chi, and she told me about a crack someone had made about how they were “learning to beat people up really slowly.” That stuck with me, and the idea came pretty quickly after that. As for motivation, I’m always up to make people laugh.

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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POST (COVID-19) ERA, 3min., USA, Fashion
Directed by Haowei Zhang
This fashion film is the collaboration with jewelry designer Hankunyu Wei, which expresses the jewelry artist Hankunyu Wei’s thoughts and reflections on the aftershocks to human society after the end of COVID-19.As the COVID-19 inevitably hits the workings of the world, each and every one of our lives is marked. Even though masks are no longer a necessity and people’s lives are gradually returning to normalcy, the dramatic changes in life over the past few years are like a wound that reminds humans to think about life, bondage and distance.

Get to know the filmmaker:
The emergence of the epidemic has changed our lives forever. At first, I did not anticipate that the epidemic would change our lives so profoundly. By the time I realized it, our lives were completely unable to go back to the way they were. People are highly adaptable creatures. The government also made a lot of measures to bring order back to people’s world. But no matter what, the existence of the epidemic is like a scar, and even if the wound heals, there is still a part of our lives that is permanently altered. I want to explore the habits that have been subliminally changed in the world after order has been re-established.

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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REQUIEM. GENERATION. BREAKER., 7min., USA, Animation/Musical
Directed by Derwin Hayden
After a father witnesses a murder, Myck, and his family become targeted by an inter-dimensional demon.

Get to know the filmmaker:

I was motivated by a book called “Man’s Unconquerable Mind” by Gilbert Highet. I wanted to write a tragedy where a person was cast into a dark pit of despair but refused to let the fire of their soul flicker away.

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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JALEBI NIGHTS, 13min., UK, Drama/Romance
Directed by Ganesh Sharma
Jalebi Nights follows the journey of a young heartbroken man, named Krishan. He was about to propose to the love of his life, however her mother intervened. 6 months later, Krishan still can’t get over his ex, so his best friend Harry comes up with a plan to help Krishan move on.

https://www.instagram.com/jalebinightsfilm

Get to know filmmaker Ganesh Sharma:

So I’m a filmmaker of south Asian descent, who was born in the UK and I grew up with a passion for watching films and TV shows from the western world. After all, this is where I was raised. However, from an early age I noticed that there weren’t many Asians being represented in the shows or the films that I watched. Additionally, if an Asian person was shown on screen, 9 times out of 10 they were used for a comedic moment. They were hardly an integral part of the story.

Now as a 31-year-old man, I can see that times have changed, and films have become a lot more diverse. There are certainly a lot more Asian faces on TV, which is great to see! However I believe that only a handful of them are ever provided with a lead role. Therefore, as a writer/director of South Asian origin, I decided that I should take it upon myself to change that.

With ‘Jalebi Nights’, I wanted to create a story that felt fitting of the struggles of South Asian people in my age group, in regards to arranged marriages, family pressure, sexual orientation etc. I also wrote the film in a way that people of all backgrounds could relate to. Additionally, another goal for me was to ensure I was giving Asian actors an opportunity to shine, and I’m happy to say I did! My entire cast is of South Asian origin, and for three of them, this is their first ever film credit.