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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REVOLUTION X, 92min,. UK,
Directed by Matthew Philip Cannon
Revolution X is a time-twisting film of good against evil. It tells a story of humanity and the grounding, undeniable power of human will. Through the juxtaposition of positive and negative forces, the consequences of disregard to our individual purposes, parallels the liberation that comes with empathy and connection. By transcending time and reality, the dual narrative explores the debate of nature vs nurture, and their impact on the film rejects conventions of mainstream sci-fi that conforms to an action orientated spectacle, and instead focuses on the why rather than the what, allowing for a thought provoking production.

https://www.planetxltd.com/revolutionx

Get to know the filmmaker:

I love anything to do with time travel, but I wanted to try and make a film that reject the conventions of mainstream sci-fi films, and instead focuses on the why rather than the what. To produce a really gritty first film, a caustic collision of beauty and abrasion, where the abrasion slowly grinds it’s way deep into the human soul, to produce a thought-provoking kick ass Sci Fi film. Something quite cruel in parts, that mirror life at times, but then also had the sun shine, daydream. I also feel as a society we have lost connection with our spiritual side, so I wanted hints of the importance of the human soul through the film, like the Daydream charity, and I left little easter eggs in the film for people to figure out, what my next film is about, and also the three door theme that runs through the film. Ancient lost civilizations used this in most of there pyramids, it symbolizes our third eye, and the importance of balance in the world. Did you also notice the connection to the last supper painting.

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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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TO BELONG, 18min., Canada
Directed by Sarah Uwadiae
A Somali-Canadian mother and daughter share their experiences as first and second-generation immigrants in Canada on their journey to belong.

Get to know the filmmaker:
My experiences as a Nigerian immigrant in Canada, and my curiosity about the experiences of other immigrants as they adapt and try to create a home and community in a new land. It was my way of processing my journey while creating a space for others to do the same.

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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DIRT DON’T HURT, 4min., USA
Directed by Orlando Torres
After seeing the red flags more clearer, BEEBO builds up the courage to finally leave her boyfriend, regaining control to her life & valuing her self worth within her own beautiful skin.

https://www.instagram.com/otcinema

Get to know the filmmaker:

Beebo and I have both been into music videos that tell a visual story that amplifies the message to the song. So we chose Dirt Don’t Hurt from her EP and started to brainstorm who the character is in this story and what her arc would be as she goes from being a timid young lady to a confident and bold woman. We wanted to pull nostalgic elements by setting the locations in a 1950’s style diner, in an early 2,000’s photo studio, and also choosing different mediums like 16 mm film for the flashback scene to give it that subtle texture to the experience of the story.

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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KILL SHOT, 3min., USA, Thriller
Directed by Joe Petito
A man finds his grandfather’s old camera with a bizarre message

.

Get to know the filmmaker:

The Russo Brothers’ company AGBO started a film contest called No Sleep Til Film Fest. They were going to release a prompt and you had 24 hours to make a film and submit it. The prompt was something along the lines of taking something in reality and changing the way it works which inspired my idea for a camera that kills.

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.

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Watch the Comedy Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tes3KjVmO6

From the writer:

‘Down At The Val’ is about a down on his luck young man who left his family’s golf course business and tried striking out on his own only to have it all go bad when his fiancée dumps him and his bank fires him. He returns to the course to find he’s been replaced by a sixteen year old girl with an incredible talent for the game and he soon realizes his dreams of making millions may not be as important as his new respect for family and friends. But the course is teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, so he has to find a way to save ir or he will not only lose his newfound friends but he will destroy his family’s legacy.

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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MURO, 12min., Mexico, Drama/Thriller

Directed by Jimena Huesca

Bruna wakes up from a nightmare due to some noises coming from her room.She suddenly hears a woman's voice as she approaches one of the ancient walls that surround her. They start talking cautiously as Bruna tries to get information in order to rescue her unaware that the woman on the other side is trapped between the wall and time.

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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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PEOPLE, 9min., Brazil
Directed by Maria Lagemann
“People” tells two parallel stories. On a Sunday afternoon in Madrid, two young women have big decisions to make. While one tries to work up the courage to propose to her partner, the other keeps a secret that makes her question everything. This is a story of humor and love, with a pinch of chaos, as it portrays the dynamics of a group of friends in their twenties.

Get to know the filmmaker:

Well, I always liked writing funny stories, from a female perspective, that take place in common and usual circumstances. For me there is something beautiful and inspiring in the simplicity of day to day life. Also, I believe that it is when we least expect, in the small moments, that life really changes. Therefore, my motivation was to tell a story that could portray this type of situation and focus on relationships and their complexities. To show that we have no control over everything and this is also part of living, even more so when you are twenty something years old. I was motivated to do something universal and funny, but at the same time personal. To achieve that, I was inspired by my lifelong friends in real life to create the characters and the dialogues.

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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WHAT I NEED, 13min., Romance
Directed by Jake Skrok
Two lifelong friends try to reconnect a year after breaking up. But on their snack run for one who is now pregnant and married they find there are still feelings between them.

https://www.instagram.com/whatineed_short

Get to know the filmmaker:
The origin of this story came from a break-up I had in 2019. It had a moment when we tried to reconnect a few months later, and there was still a scary connection there. So I found myself feeling many things I felt out of control and I wanted to explore a character making a choice I was struggling to accept myself.

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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DON’T TURN YOUR BACK ON FRIDAY NIGHT, 103min., USA
Directed by Mike Schmiedeler, Michael O’Brien
From EP Tom Morello – Meet former gravedigger turned doorman at the Park Hyatt in Chicago turned frontman to his own band, Ike Reilly. At 40 years old he landed a recording contract with Universal and in true rock & roll fashion he bought his family a dream home in his hometown of Libertyville, IL. Ike took his band out on the road where they became what The New York Times called “one of the best live bands in America.”

https://www.dontturnyourbackonfridaynight.com/the-film
https://www.instagram.com/mikeschmiedeler/
https://www.facebook.com/mike.schmiedeler/

Get to know the filmmakers:

Michael O’Brien: I introduced Mike to Ike and his music about 12 years ago…I showed him a demo/sizzle Ike and I had made for AMC that sadly was given a pass. Mike became a huge fan of Ike’s music and eventually a good friend. It took a few years of persistent cajoling but Ike finally agreed with Mike’s premise that his is a story that demanded to be told.

Mike Schmiedeler: What he said  I came as a fan. I knew how his music touched me and I also knew his story was so unique that it had to be told. He got his first record contract at age 40 while he was working as a doorman at a hotel. And he had been a gravedigger. Literally. But then he also married his high school sweetheart and had these 4 amazing kids. But then wrote some of the most insightful, provocative lyrics on life, death, money, lust, loss and hope that I’d ever hear. It’s like he exists in worlds he should not simultaneously.

VIRTUALLY SINGLE, 15min., USA, Romance
Directed by Amy Gardner, Lorien Haynes
It’s lockdown. Emboldened by red wine, a fortysomething woman braves her first Zoom date with a guy in snowy Montana. A short play devised through improvisation, VIRTUALLY SINGLE explores the tragicomic challenges of dating during the pandemic.

https://www.finitefilmsandtv.com/projects/virtually-single/
https://m.facebook.com/100063726603408/
https://twitter.com/finitefilmsldn
https://www.instagram.com/finitefilms/

Get to know filmmaker Lorian Haynes:

Amy Gardner and I have been working together since my film project – Everything I Ever Wanted To Tell My Daughter About Men – [23 shorts, directed by 21 women, making one feature to support survivors of abuse] and subsequent to that on Good Grief; a virtual interpretation of one of my plays, which Amy approached me to do at the beginning of the pandemic. Our aim was to help sustain theatre during this time and it was doing Good Grief that made us aware of how important it was to develop creative work, despite the extreme restrictions Covid presented.

As friends, we talked a lot about isolation and how on earth people were supposed to find love and break through loneliness during Covid. I had just returned to the UK from living in LA for 15 years and was living in a 10ft square room in my mother’s house – going slightly mad. And it was from these conversations that the idea of a woman’s first ever zoom date emerged and we started trying to work out the challenge of how to do it. What was it? Was it a short? Was it a series? How did we make it with zero budget and no way of leaving the house?

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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DYSMORPHIA, 13min., USA, Thriller/Horror
Directed by Amy Geist
After Isabella fakes cancer to pay for cosmetic surgery she is haunted by a menacing shadow figure.

https://www.facebook.com/dysmorphiahorrorfilm
https://www.instagram.com/dysmorphia_horrorfilm

Get to know the filmmaker:

I had an eating disorder for 20 years and am still in recovery. Whenever I see depictions of eating disorders they are all very clean, clinical, and made to be very digestible with a happy ending and none of this represented my experience. I wanted to make a film that represented the internal experience of an eating disorder and horror was the best way to do 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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PURPLE, 4min,. Australia, Music Video
Directed by Kyan Li Rong Soh
Music Video depicting cold loneliness.

https://vimeo.com/kyans

Get to know the filmmaker:

In the aftermath of a painful, personal experience, I felt really lonely. This is my expression of that. It took my maybe two weeks (to make the film). That’s not normal for me, I usually spend a lot of time conceptualizing things before I shoot/record stuff, but this one flowed really quickly.

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

Get to know the writer:

Here is the synopsis –

Author CJ Billings is under pressure from his publisher to finish a novel. He has an idea that a few days away in the setting of the finale will give him the inspiration he so desperately needs.

After arriving in Bude, Cornwall, a fan of his recognises him and invites him back to her cottage for a bite to eat and to sign her CJ Billings novels. Margaret is an older woman who lives alone. An unfinished painting in her house curiously provides the inspiration CJ was looking for. The harsh, depressing, stormy harbour scene gives CJ the ending for his protagonist.

CJ visits the following day again, and Margaret admits to him that her younger life was far from idyllic, and she escaped to Cornwall for reasons she keeps to herself. Margaret begins to feel tired, and CJ promises to visit again the following day before returning home to London.

When CJ knocks on Margaret’s door the following morning, he is met by a neighbour, Emily, who informs him that Margaret has died. She gives him one of his books that Margaret had marked ‘For Chris’.

On his return home, a shell-shocked CJ finds a letter within the pages of the book. It is a confession by Margaret, albeit that is not her real name. She moved from London to escape justice after murdering a baby in her care when she was a nanny. The confessional story bears an uncanny resemblance to the conclusion of CJ’s book. The conundrum he has is a moral one. Does he submit his manuscript knowing that a real-life murderer inspired the inspiration for ending, or does he delete the whole computer file, preserving his morality but possibly ruining his career? The story ends with CJ’s finger hovering over the ‘delete’ button.

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 LAST SEED, 118min., South Africa, Documentary
Directed by Andréa Gema Heunis
The Last Seed focuses on broad themes relating to the state of food and agriculture in Africa in the 21st century. Placing the struggle over the control of seed at the centre, it explains the processes that have led to this moment in human history and what it would take to interact with the planet in a way that does not threaten the very basis of life on earth.

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

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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