COOP, 19min., USA
Directed by Moriah Doepken
After sustaining a bad injury, a stubborn retired sheriff must learn to talk with his estranged son as they build a fence together, or risk losing the relationship.

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

I love Western films and one day had the idea of “What happens to the sheriff of the town after he’s retired and the town no longer needs him?” And working with the brilliant writer Jeffrey Hein, we expanded this idea into what you see now. We both loved the idea of a man stuck in the past and whose toxic masculinity could be the basis of a lot of problems for him in a more modern world.

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

I loved seeing people take all sorts of interpretations away with them after watching it, because what x, y, and z may represent to me comes across totally differently for each viewer, which is so cool. And I want there to be discourse on if the characters made the right choice or what the coop itself represents!

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EP. 1452: Filmmaker Moriah Doepken (COOP)

Matthew Toffolo

SERPENTINE PINK, 78min., USA
Directed by Vivian Sorenson
A dark surreal experience. A first of its kind, vortex of a lesbian?? John Waters film meets Yellow Rose meets early Almodóvar on a Lynchian induced trip??in the Mojave desert.??Serious Lost Highway vibes!

https://hardknockprod.com/serpentine-pink/
https://www.facebook.com/serpentinepinkfilm
https://twitter.com/HardKnockProdCo
https://www.instagram.com/serpentinepinkfilm

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?
What motivated me to make this movie was the beauty and raw emotion embedded in Megan Breen’s words (Screenplay writer and playwright). The pain these characters endure is both devastating and strangely beautiful, and I felt compelled to bring their experiences to life. I love the desert and the visuals you can capture there. I wanted dance to be a part of the film and the strangeness, hostility of the desert to be a character as well. I knew it would require a unique approach—boxing gloves to tackle the challenging, brutal scenes, and soft mittens to smooth, coax, and nurture the words, scenes, guiding them into a compelling narrative flow. I also always love a good driving scene!

I’m drawn to horror, the starkness of wilderness and desert landscapes, and the emotional complexity they evoke. I also love working with actors as sensitive and talented as this cast. This project offered the unique challenge of transforming a piece that began as a play and evolved into a film script into a cohesive and captivating narrative that offered a perspective not usually seen in cinema.

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EP. 1406: Filmmaker Vivian Sorenson (SERPENTINE PINK)

Matthew Toffolo

THE DESTRUCTION OF JANE, 12min,. USA
Directed by Drue Pennella
The Destruction of Jane is a campy, over the top, erotic, outrageous comedy which follows Miss Jane Parker to the African Jungle where it all began. Witness Tarzan and Jane’s first encounter, in what now has become a rather heralded expedition in the African Jungle, and one of our greatest love stories.

http://www.youtube.com/@thedestructionofjane9756
https://www.instagram.com/destructionofjane

Get to know Writer/Actor Paul Pecorino:

A1: I was motivated by an unstoppable combination of caffeine, an overactive imagination, and a jungle of weeds in my backyard that screamed “cinematic masterpiece.” I thought, why not turn my backyard chaos into a hilarious, campy adventure? Plus, playing both a gorilla and a damsel in distress was just too good to pass up.

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EP. 1319 - Writer/Actor Paul Pecorino & Director Drue Pennella (THE DESTRUCTION OF JANE)

Matthew Toffolo

TESOCO NUEVO: LAND OF JAGUARS, 37min., Mexico
Directed by Camilla Daldoss, Fernando Costantino Martinez Belmar
In a remote mayan community called Tesoco Nuevo located in the selva of Yucatan – Mexico, people have a special relationship with nature. The forest that this village protect is home of the largest wild cat in America and one of the most endangered: the jaguar. The documentary shows how they all have the important role to preserve it.

https://tesoconuevo.wixsite.com/documentary
https://www.facebook.com/tesoconuevotierradejaguares
https://instagram.com/camilladaldoss_videographer

Get to know filmmaker Camilla Daldoss:
I was filming my first short documentary about Sea Turtle Conservation in Puerto Escondido, when the biologist Fernando Martinez Belmar contacted me to see if I was able to film something in Yucatan about his conservation project with jaguars. I moved to Yucatan pretty excited and ended filming and editing for months and years.

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EP. 1235 - Filmmaker Camilla Daldoss (TESOCO NUEVO: LAND OF JAGUARS)

Matthew Toffolo

CONSERVING MOUNTAINS, 10min., USA
Directed by Kaitlyn Leach
An educational short documentary discussing some of the wildlife conservation efforts happening around the state of West Virginia. Throughout the film you will listen to a local DNR Assistant Chief, Wildlife Biologist, and Park Rangers talk about West Virginia’s varying wildlife. The specialists will further talk about the local wildlife’s importance to our ecosystems, and the conservation projects they work on to help ensure their protection and educate the public about them.

https://www.wildkat-media.com/conserving-mountains
https://www.instagram.com/wildkat_media/

Get to know the filmmaker:

I was motivated to make this film because I grew up in West Virginia and I wanted to share the beauty I grew up knowing with others. All together it took me five months to complete this film. The idea was pitched and approved in April. Everything was booked and planned out in May then the film was shot in June. Editing, foley production and music production all took place in July and August.

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EP. 1223 - Filmmaker Kaitlyn Leach (CONSERVINNG MOUNTAINS)

Matthew Toffolo

A DIFFERENTLY – CURATED WORLD, 2min., USA
Directed by Kiersten White
In this age of Black nostalgia, as we see the remake of classic Black sitcoms and the reimagining of Black excellence using the tools, fashion, entertainment, and mediums of yesteryear– we find that one particular community of Blacks is missing from the mainstream conversation, the LGBTQ+ community. Reimagine, with us, a Black and Queer utopia– through the eyes of Black America’s most famous coming-of-age sitcom.

Get to know the filmmaker:

It is truly a passion project with the intent of highlighting the images and subjects who have helped shape our Black queer experience and honor those who we look to for guidance in their literature, work, and art. We hope to shed light on our queer predecessors who lived and loved openly in a time of less understanding. We aspire to give them their due diligence while pushing for a reemergence of interest in Black queer culture, outside of tokenization and fetishism.

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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EP. 1162 - Filmmaker Kiersten White (A DIFFERENTLY – CURATED WORLD - LGBTQ+ Festival)

Matthew Toffolo

BARBETTE + FONTAINE, 14min., USA
Directed by John-Carlos Estrada, Zak Zeh
A century apart, two Texas icons unite through art, resilience, and a shared legacy of self-expression and freedom.

https://instagram.com/barbette.fontaine

Get to know filmmaker John-Carlos Estrada:
The idea for Barbette + Fontaine came from an award-winning TV news profile I reported on for CBS Austin. After the broadcast story aired in June 2022… I was Inspired by a dream where the legendary Texas drag icon Barbette urged me to tell their story. We’re honored to provide Barbette with their final performance and take pride in doing so. Here’s the link to the CBS Austin story: bit.ly/3CeAXTG

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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EP. 1131 - John-Carlos Estrada & Zak Zeh (BARBETTE + FONTAINE)

Matthew Toffolo

REUNITED, 12min,. Canada
Directed by Marie Queenan
Two exes reconnect over an evening. One wants to get back together, but the other has a secret that could separate them forever.

https://www.instagram.com/reunitedshort/

Get to know the filmmaker:
—- I made this film months after a break up, and I was thinking about how I missed them and wanted to get back together, even though I didn’t. The film is about how sometimes even though it’s so beautiful, some love is not the right love.

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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EP. 1100 - Filmmaker Marie Queenan (REUNITED)

Matthew Toffolo

ONCE AND AGAIN, 5min., USA
Directed by Jessica Q Moore
Tasha, a woman in her mid 40’s, trudges through the end of her day until she sees an old flame on the train platform. The lovers reminisce and rekindle feelings towards each other only to realize that circumstance continues to keep them apart.

Get to know the filmmaker:

You know that feeling when you’re walking around and you think you’ve seen someone that you know, but you’re not sure? The film started as a prompt in Grad school. We picked three elements out of a bag or hat. The three elements were mode of transportation, color, and object. I chose train, yellow, and a scarf, which was perfect for me because I was already thinking of telling a story about lost love. It was actually a film I thought of in two parts, the first part being when the two characters are younger and we see Tasha jilted by rejection of her initial proposal. The second part, is Once and Again, where they see each other decades later.

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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EP. 1092 - Filmmaker Jessica Q. Moore (ONCE AND AGAIN)

Matthew Toffolo

DADDY, 20min., USA
Directed by Jay Beckett
Rodrigo is an unstable, and materialistic queer man who falls madly in love with his sugar daddy. Rodrigo’s best friend finds out that he is married to a woman and has a new born son. His world collapses along with his mind. Heartbroken and mentally disturbed, he goes on a quest to seek revenge.

https://www.2ndactfilms.com/daddy
https://www.instagram.com/daddy_theshortfilm/

Get to know the filmmaker:
Well, this was my thesis film at LA Film School. I’ve done dramas and documentaries in the past, but never a thriller. So it was a perfect time to explore the horror/thriller genre specially about queer people.

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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EP. 1079 - Filmmaker Jay Beckett (DADDY)

Matthew Toffolo

LET YOU GO, 11min,. Mexico
Directed by Dylan Edgardo Galicia León
Andrea, a girl who’s in a lesbian relationship, begins to have visions of an old love that her heart has not overcome, the guilt she feels for her new relationship causes the memory of this past love to make her question her feelings and her own reality.

Get to know the filmmaker:

-What motivated me was that I recently graduated from film school this year in Mexico, so I just felt ready to do my own things now, with no restrictions, the time was right to make my first 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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EP. 1066 - Filmmaker Dylan Edgardo Galicia León & Actress Ana Paulina Barrera (LET YOU GO)

Matthew Toffolo

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbMw1hpNXDs

A story of abuse and love.

Get to know the writer:

I started this screenplay, with the outline of the story, about twenty years ago. I picked it back up about three years ago and finished the story. I have been working to edit and format it for the last year.

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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Ep. #1016 - Writer Lisa Triano (NOT TONIGHT)

Matthew Toffolo

CLOSET COMBAT EPISODE 2, 3min,. USA
Directed by Augustus Hinton
Ted, a closeted, gay high school boy, imagines literally fighting his way out of an encounter with bullies at a track meet.

Get to know the filmmaker:
I wasn’t seeing my experience of being in the closet represented on screen. I wanted to add something to queer media that I would have liked to have seen when I was younger. I also wanted to push my character animation craft, and used those two motivations to create the piece.

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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Oct. 30, 2023 - Filmmaker Augustus Hinton (CLOSET COMBAT EPISODE 2)

Matthew Toffolo

DAVID, 10min,. Canada
Directed by Matthew Forbes
Based on a true story, “David” follows the life of an openly gay HIV/AIDS activist at the peak of that nightmare pandemic, dividing his time between fighting for justice in an openly homophobic society and helping a total stranger as the virus takes his life away. Tight, compact and full of passion, “David” shows a contrast of terrible, deadly hatred and the incredible compassion that can blossom despite the hatred, if we let it.

https://davidshort.film/

Get to know the filmmaker:

A had a friend named David Shannon. I knew him to be a charming, funny, sweet writer/journalist. When he passed in 2018 (aged only 56), it was only at his wake did someone mention in passing that during the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 80s and 90s, he provided care and companionship to patients who had been ostracized by family and friends after being forced out of the closet by their diagnosis.

David had never spoken of this; it was only near the end of his life that he mentioned it to his brother. I felt this was a story that deserved to be told. Research was difficult, as he had told no one about it, so I crafted a short script that distilled the experience into a compact 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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August 20, 2023 - Filmmaker Matthew Forbes (DAVID)

Matthew Toffolo

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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July 22, 2023 - Filmmaker Darren Lee Murphy (BLUEBERRY SMOOTHIE)

Matthew Toffolo

PIEDRA DURA, 20min,. USA, Drama

Directed by Rommel Villa

An altar boy is disciplined after being caught watching gay porn at church

Rommel also has his short film, TEDDY MATE, play at our festival back in 2019.

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 27, 2023 - Filmmaker Rommel Villa (PIEDRA DURA)

Matthew Toffolo

GAY CAMP, 10min,. USA, Comedy
Directed by Mark Marchillo
In a world where most of the population is gay, children who exhibit “straight” tendencies are sent to camps in order to convert them back to their natural homosexual lifestyle. Camp Sohomo will convert your child in record time.

Get to know Writer/Star Gabriel Oliva:
-The day after the 2016 US Presidential election I was in total shock and felt powerless. So the best I could do was do some within my control: make film. So I wrote this to see what the world would be like if the power dynamics of the world were completely flip-flopped.

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 19, 2023 - Writer/Actor Gabriel Oliva (GAY CAMP)

Matthew Toffolo

IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, 14min., UK, Drama
Directed by Billy Klotsa
A father and son spend a day at the beach. Bobby’s father wants to share some of his wisdom with his son by taking him away from the city, to reconnect with nature. The two engage in a meaningful conversation that illustrates their strong bond but also the difference of generations and personal experiences as Bobby is a trans ‘millennial’ man and his father a typical ‘baby boomer’. Bobby’s father tragically drowns as the two swim in the ocean. Bobby is left paralysed and disorientated without his validating figure and enters a surreal journey to find his father in the afterlife composed of an intimate childhood flashback, and facilitated by a trio of angels.

Get to know filmmaker Billy Klotsa:

As a filmmaker coming from a fine arts background, my practice naturally evolved towards a more narrative structure. During the pandemic one of my main anxieties was the mortality of my parents and the void this loss would birth. I made this film to fill the void with love.

From writing the script to the final edit, the process took around a year. I was lucky enough to work with an amazing team, notably Rosie Taylor the immensely talented cinematographer, who was so generous in sharing her knowledge working years in the industry, Nigel Barber and Pete MacHale the incredible actors, and Anne Duffau the composer who created the beautiful score that tied the work together.

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 18, 2023 - Filmmaker Billy Klotsa (IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER)

Matthew Toffolo

ROLE PLAY, 8min., USA, Horror
Directed by Bill Neil
A one-night stand goes horribly wrong

Get to know the filmmaker:

Dan Asma, the producer, had been working with Alex Henes and Matt Merenda, on some feature ideas as well as some short film scripts. He sent me a few of their scripts to read. Dan and I have been friends/ film aficionados/ co-workers for decades – and he’s always encouraged me to direct. When I read Role Play, the whole set-up and slow-burn vibe really spoke to me. I loved the creepy note passing scene – that’s what sold me. That weird suspense of hooking up with a stranger in a strange place that seems crazy – but you’re horny so you ignore the weird signs.

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 14, 2023 - Filmmaker Bill Neil (ROLE PLAY)

Matthew Toffolo

The Confessions of Frannie Langton, 1 hour TV Series

Directed by Andrea Harkin

Written by Sara Collins

A beautiful and haunting tale about one woman's fight to tell her story, The Confessions of Frannie Langton leads you through laudanum-laced dressing rooms and dark-as-night back alleys, into the enthralling heart of Georgian London.

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 9, 2023 - Screenwriter/Novelist Sara Collins (THE CONFESSIONS OF FRANNIE LANGTON)

Matthew Toffolo