BEIRUT PORT BLAST STORIES, 30min., Lebanon

Directed by Chérine Yazbeck

This is the story of four people who lost a family member in the Beirut port explosion on August 4, 2020. A fifth person who worked nearly half a century explains the rise and fall of a port that was in the heydays the flagship of the Lebanese economy. The documentary gives voice to the families of victims who bring their brother or sister back to life for a few moments.

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WE ARE LEGENDS, 9min., Brazil
Directed by Bruna Valentini
Time as we know it first came from a young man, but little did he know, he wasn’t the only one with powers and time on his hands.

Get to know the filmmaker:

The story was created when I was younger, because when I was going through tough times, I became upset with how “time” was moving around me. The concept came from a requirement of my university in order to get my degree. There, all the students in the last year in Fashion Design had to make a fashion film as our final project and I always wished to make a short film, so I took this opportunity and joined my story and the project.

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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GUESS MY PET?, USA, Drama/Horror
Directed by Grace Charles
A girl and her old friend our catching up after a falling out. Over ice cream and a guessing game it’s revealed there’s a more sinister plan to this friendly reunion.

Get to know the filmmaker:
I always wanted to make a female-driven film that revolved around a female character who just wanted to be treated fairly. In all my life I felt very similar to the main character Lilac in the sense of feeling used and not knowing what to do about it. When I came up with the idea I realized how important it was for me to give this character her chance at revenge. I thought giving her this playful and camp revenge would be a perfect way to make a story that makes you think and wonder what drove this character to want this revenge. Being able to sneakily force the audience to think about what drive someone to exact this crazy revenge was my main motivation.

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 MAN IN THE RED BERET, 104min., USA
Directed by Derek Bridges
Chess Master Jude Acers has set up his “World Chess Table” on Decatur Street in the New Orleans French Quarter since 1981, where he continues to play all comers for $5 a game. This is his story.

http://judeacers.com/
https://instagram.com/themanintheredberet/

Get to know the filmmakers:

I wanted to learn how to make a movie, and I’d already written a long article about Jude Acers and I knew he would be a great subject for a documentary. And I was inclined to make a documentary rather other genres because it’s perhaps the most forgiving genre when it comes to technical proficiency, which seemed important since I didn’t know what I was doing.

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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PAGAN VIRTUES, 5min., Australia
Directed by Kaylia Jade McGarry
This is a very selfish experimental film reflecting on my lust for shiny things in every way, shape or form. This project explores the virtues of divinity, devotion and despair; natural forces worshipped religiously in the human condition. I aimed to capture the energy of a pagan fire ritual. The film is carnivorous, grotesque, elegant and sinister; celebrating what becomes after the death of innocence. This is also a tribute to the last three years of oscillating between enemies and soulmates with someone until an ill-fated end midway through production, giving the film a personal depth. All footage was shot on my iPhone with me and a tripod. I intend to haunt and hypnotise viewers regardless of my lo-fi production methods.

https://www.youtube.com/@kayliajade
https://www.instagram.com/kayliajade/

Get to know the filmmaker:

• There were a number of factors that evolved over time to create this film. My love of experimental film was evoked by my film teacher at school who taught me about surrealism and how to defy conventional narratives. Covid took away my class’s opportunity to make an experimental film project, so now that’s what I desire to create the most. Ideas for this project started over a year ago when I entertained the thought of making a music video for one of my favourite songs, Say The Name by Clipping. The visual inspiration of fire, gore and a young female’s corrupted innocence were derived from the lyrics. Fast forward to this year and I was motivated to finally make this film just with my iPhone and a tripod in my apartment. I initially intended it to be somewhat of a twisted romance film, as I was living with a partner at the time. Our history resonated with a lot of the spiritual and sadistic themes present. They were featured in a few scenes, however, certain tragedies post-production caused me to remove them, giving the film a slightly vengeful context. Some of the film’s visuals, like the drawings and heart stabbing, were ironically filmed before events occurred. Nevertheless, this film was made purely for creative merit with the grotesque, surreal aesthetic I admire. I wanted to defy all the polished short films my film peers make on expensive equipment with large teams. Film is my favourite medium of art.

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VIOLAR, 26min,. USA, Horror
Directed by Sarah Goras
A young pregnant wife encounters her abusive past and unleashes a sinister presence that puts those around her in danger.

http://www.firedrivefilms.com/
https://instagram.com/firedrivefilms/

Get to know the filmmaker:

Originally, it was supposed to be a proof of concept for a feature screenplay but was not working in the short form so I decided to change some elements including the themes. At the time, I was experiencing difficulties with men in my life and trauma from the past so I decided to incorporate those moments in the film. I’ve never gone so personal in a film before so I felt vulnerable but liberated to have a voice about those moments. For example, at a gas station, a man shouted at me to smile, just a day after my mom passed. I literally broke down in tears. Even the sexual experiences I had faced with my first serious boyfriend and my ex-husband. After making the film, so much healing took place and what had been taken from now became something I could share that others had related to. And what better way to express pain and trauma than through horror!! It really gave me powerful metaphors for my experiences.

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ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS KILL ONE GUY, 9min., USA
Directed by Jason Dugre
Two stay-at-home dads who take on some side-hustle assassin work sit and wait for their first target to come home, debating about the best way to do the job.

Get to know the filmmaking team:

Jason Dugre (Director/Writer/Actor): Bryan Coffee and I had an idea years ago for a pilot. We decided to pick the most pivotal scene to write so we could turn it into a proof of concept. The goal was to shoot the scene and have a finished product also be able to live on its own as a short film and sort of lure in the audience and leave them wanting more. It took finding the right Producer, who happens to be a friend of mine from High School, Michael R. Duffy, to realize our project.

Michael R. Duffy (Producer & Editor): The brilliance of Jason Dugré and his commitment to the project. It’s extremely hard to find a writer who, first, is talented, but two, isn’t making up reasons for not committing. When Jay and I had lunch in April 2022, opining being cogs on other’s projects, it became crystal clear we should make something together, as adults, as professionals. I’m very proud of the results of that lunch.

Bryan Coffee (Writer/Actor): like Jay said this idea came to be years ago with a larger story in mind, but when the desire to just make something strikes it strikes hard. I clearly remember sitting across from Jason talking about what was next with the various projects we had, there was a thoughtful quiet moment in the conversation, Jason came to and declared “we are going to film something!” We selected this pivotal scene and from our favorite project and from there things slowly started to click into place. Teaming up with Michael was definitely the biggest click.

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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A DEER CAUGHT IN THE HEADLIGHTS, 22min., Netherlands, Thriller
Directed by Anil Wagemans, Idzi Wagemans
A woman’s night turns sinister when she fears the charming stranger she went home with has very different intentions.

Get to know filmmaker Anil Wagemans:
Due to the on-going pandemic at the time I didn’t make any film for quite some time. Frustrated that no (big) funds were coming through for any other project as well I wanted to just make something again. So I limited myself to just one location and two actors, so keep it producible without a budget. In the end it got kinda out of hand as we got more and more people in, but we were able to shoot something quite remarkable without budget I think.

The idea came that I wanted to play with the aspect of ambiguity. Movies with clear-cut bad guys are always very boring to me, so I wanted to toy with the idea that you’re never really sure whether or not the man is in fact a serial murderer. This way the movie unfolds in the audience’s mind and they can make their own conclusions. Heavily inspired by BURNING and THE EMBRYO HUNTS IN SECRET, but also American films like PRISONERS.

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 DEEP BLUE TOMORROW

Directed by Brandon Normon

A hitman questions his next move after taking a job that tests his boundaries. Made for the 2nd Annual AGBO No Sleep Til...  48hr Film Festival.

Conversation with lead actor Ron Selmour about the making of the 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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BLUEBERRY SMOOTHIE, 19min., UK, Romance Drama
Directed by Darren Lee Murphy
Karl wakes from yet another dream about his ex, Brad. When making Brad’s favourite blueberry smoothie he is confronted by the past when Brad appears and challenges Karl over the failure for Karl to move on. Memories, both good and bad, bombard Karl’s mind taunting him and making him continue to long and fantasise over what he had with Brad. I

http://www.makingproductions.com/
https://instagram.com/Make_Prods

Get to know the filmmaker:
During the pandemic I penned an outline for a feature film based on the breakup with my ex. There is a scene about him making a Blueberry Smoothie and at that time I really wasn’t a fan of them and I thought I write a short about it. I knew I wanted to turn my creativity towards film – from a theatre background – and thought a good first step would be to write a short and see if it’s any good and see how that goes. From my own emotional experiences during the breakup and withdrawal process I was able to tap into my real life experiences and write the film. I didn’t know at the time if I actually wanted to make it, let alone play the lead role and direct the film. I approached Anto Cassu and Gary Dedman for ideas on music for the film and they both donated such perfect songs to the project. It’s moments like these that inspire me to want to make more films.

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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WE DANCE FOR LIFE, 11min., UK
Directed by Ian George Sciacaluga
A community comes together to express the many affectations of living with cancer and to herald the science that will one day find a cure.

http://www.sciacaluga.com/

Get to know the filmmaker:

I’ve been wanting to get involved in community film projects for a while but I hadn’t found something worth contributing to, until this Cancer Research project came along. And it’s all thanks to the funding from the London Borough of Sutton. This was a film production that embraced all humankind, at a time when we were all breaking out of the isolation invoked by the COVID pandemic. Strangely, the subject matter, came second to my thoughts when undertaking this film, although only because of the sensitivity in handling a topic as affecting as cancer.

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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ASHES, 10min., Canada
Directed by Charles-Antoine Thériault
Over time, nature wilfully and circumstantially adapts to its environment, but when the cyclical clash between evolution and cataclysm occurs, nature’s fight to reclaim its place often leaves scars that endure for many seasons. “Ashes” recounts the tale of a Heron and the 62 Lakes under his watchful eye, of the creation of these watery masses that now encompass the region of Saint-Hippolyte – a tragic tale of self-sacrifice that has become an eternal legend.

Get to know the filmmaker:
The city of Saint-Hippolyte had a project about the 62 lakes in the region, and when I was asked to create something for it, I saw an opportunity to go beyond a traditional visual video. I wanted to offer something more to the people of Saint-Hippolyte and create their own legend. So, I developed a myth around the creation of the unique 62 lakes and proposed to the city’s cultural director to make a movie about it. And here it is!

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LILY, 10min., USA, Documentary
Directed by Chloe Stafford, Suneina Badoni
Desperate for a cure for their daughter’s illness, a California couple finds hope from an unexpected source.

Get to know the filmmakers:

– I think what motivated us to make this film was the story of Lily. Suneina is close to the family so she already knew about the story. We felt like this triumph and these medical mushrooms were something that needed to be shared on a large level.

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 COST OF MONEY, 14min., USA
Directed by Robbie Ryde
Battling with her own emotional numbness, sheltered socialite Serena sets out to experience hardship by joining an NA meeting where she discovers real connection, friendship and personal truth.

https://fitzcarraldopictures.com/

Get to know writer/producer Nikki Apostolidis:

During my time in LA, I was enrolled in AAFTA (American Arts, Film & Television Academy) where the emphasis was on creativity and encouraging students to develop their own projects. It was within this environment that we were encouraged to pitch ideas for short films and work with our fellow peers.
For this particular project, my third short film, I had a personal attachment and a strong vision. I aimed to create a humorous story that could potentially evolve into a TV series, drawing inspiration from beloved shows like “The Office” and “Schitt’s Creek.”
By blending comedy and genuine themes, I aimed to create a show that resonated with audiences, providing an enjoyable viewing experience while also touching upon deeper subjects. This project held a special place in my heart, as it allowed me to explore my creative vision and aspire towards a future where the concept could expand into a full-fledged TV series.

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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NUCLEAR!, 14min., USA
Directed by Matthew Beltz
With mom gone, dad in a pit, and the neighborhood watching, Randy is trying to hold it together before everything explodes.

http://www.gonfalonpictures.com/
https://instagram.com/gonfalonpictures

Get to know the filmmaker:

It really came from a desire to keep creating with people that I love to work with. My producing partners, Jimmy Luc and Alex Caimano, and I had made two short films prior to Nuclear (Death March and Four Pins) which both took place during war time and were period pieces and we wanted to complete what we were calling our loose trilogy. So Jimmy and I went away to work on the script for a number of months and we just felt that a family drama taking place against the backdrop of a nuclear war was fitting. The hysteria and absurdity of that time period felt contemporary and relatable.

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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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OUTRAGEOUS: THE QUEER HISTORY OF AUSTALIAN TV, 60min., Australia
Directed by Andrew Mercado
Every LGBT milestone happened on Australian TV in the 1970s, years before the rest of the world. And nobody ever saw it, because the nudity, adult stories and queer themes from these TV series could never have been tolerated on commercial TV anywhere outside of Australia. This documentary event, which includes a specially edited episode of Number 96 to highlight several queer stories, will finally set the record straight.

https://www.instagram.com/outrageousdoco/

Get to know the filmmaker:

On the 50th anniversary of Stonewall in 2019, I kept seeing articles that detailed the biggest LGBT moments in pop culture history ever since , and Australian TV never got a mention. I started rolling that idea around in my head, and by the time of the first COVID lockdown, I was deep into it. Originally I wrote it as a book, but quickly realised it would work best as a documentary.

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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LEAP OF FAITH, 28min., Austria
Directed by Joel Eggimann
A bucket list goal so big that others might think you’re crazy. The stunning journey of Joel Eggimann attempting to do a flip across the gap of a remarkable pinnacle on the Lofoten Islands in Norway.

https://instagram.com/joel_eggimann

Get to know the filmmaker:

I have a bucket list with 100 things that I want to do before I die. Doing a flip across Svolvaergeita was one of those items. The plan first was to make a 10-minute YouTube video but as soon as we got the we noticed that this story deserves a lot more attention and should be shared in a longer documentary to give the audience more context about the process.

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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STILL LIGHT, 3min., USA, Experimental
Directed by Aparna Sharma
Still Light is an experimental short made of photographic stills. The film explores the relation of light to perception. It is entirely shot and edited on a mobile phone.

Get to know the filmmaker:

Over a few years I had been spontaneously making pictures using my mobile phone while on long walks. I had a sense making these images that I was interested to see how light impacts our perception of a space. I kept making these images and storing them on a mobile phone. During the pandemic I had to travel to India for an emergency. This was before the vaccines had come out. So I had to undertake a 10 days quarantine in a hotel. I was locked up in a room and to bring some semblance to that time I started to look at these pictures I had been making. Impulsively I felt like selecting and editing them into some form and that’s how the film really started and came about.

When I was taking pictures, I had no idea that it would result in a 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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PLAY/REPEAT, 8min., Estonia, Dance
Directed by Carlos E. Lesmes
There is a couple. Two bodies. Two beings. 1+1. Sometimes it feels like only one. This film piece wants to explore aspects of a relationship through movement, through the bodies of the performers. The unfathomable distance between two people. Broke but never broken.

Get to know the filmmaker:

The film was born out of real life. It came as the result of a complicated relationship and the desire to express it and live it bodily, but it was shaped together with Real, Alis and Arolin. We worked together about the concept and a wish to explore the notion of loneliness and companionship that exists in a relationship. We all brought our stories and experiences to try and make something that could be expressive in a film form, without it needing text. We wanted the bodies and the images to speak.

This was an exploration process, of getting to know each other and trying something new. Exploring the types of materials and places around us to really connect with our past and present experiences.

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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GOING DOWN, 1min., USA, Action
Directed by Nathaniel Henry
Two guys can’t keep their cool on elevator, and it starts going down.

Get to know the filmmaker:

My actors are both experienced in martial arts and I also wanted to get into more exciting action filmmaking so we came up with this idea and made it happen. We really just wanted to make something fun and exciting to watch.

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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