WIN/WIN, 5min., USA
Directed by Rafael Puga Valega
A group of friends gathers to drink beer and play cards after their national football team suffers a tough defeat in a tournament. While playing one of them mentions an interesting idea on how to confront the team situation

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32642576/?ref_=hm_rvi_tt_t_1

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

I basically wanted to start my first steps as a filmmaker with a short film that wasn’t difficult (or too difficult) to produce and that also had a short runtime. This story fitted well with that.

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

I was afraid of hearing them at first, but I had already seen the film had won an award for best story so I felt they were going to be mostly positive. And I was glad after hearing them most of the time! Still I have to admit I heard them in low volume for the first time just in case hahaha. But I think that’s my way when dealing with reactions or reviews.

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LOW DOWN LARRY CONQUERS THE MOON MEN, 4min., USA
Directed by Sammy Verni
At the height of the Space Race in July 1969, Larry Johnson and his trusty sidekick Spike, endeavor to be the first man (and dog) to set foot (and paw) on the Moon.

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

Low Down Larry Conquers the Moon Men is the first in a series of shorts that I have made based on a comic book character I used to draw when I was about ten years old. I see it as a love letter to that time in my life, as well as an homage to sci fi b movies, classic stop motion and the Saturday morning cartoons that I grew up with.

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

I was happy to see the reviewers understood the style, the inspiration and the humor of the film. They even made me aware of some plot points and themes I hadn’t even considered when I was creating the story!

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SKATE FAST TURN LEFT, 1min., USA
Directed by Mary Hawkins
Two friends, Fifi Fleshwound and Little Mary Switchblade, have a quick conversation about their roller derby years…

http://tookaturn.com/
https://www.instagram.com/thngstookaturn/

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

My friend Andrea came up with Things Took a Turn, and I’d wanted to submit ever since I’d heard about it. It’s an animation anthology for women and gender minorities, and it just sounded like good weird fun… I told Fifi about it, since I’m not a writer-of-things and she is, and we chatted a bunch about ways to react to the prompt for that season: the End of the World. We’d meet in a diner, talk for about fifteen minutes about how we were going to approach the project and then veer off into old derby gossip. Eventually, I told her that we needed to nail things down and while we were at it… why didn’t we make the film about us and our experiences. We’d been coming up with little fictional scenarios, but our actual experience was better and more interesting. We’d put years of work into roller derby. It’s an all-consuming hobby and a really interesting community.

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

I loved the reactions! People put so much love and thought into their feedback and I really enjoyed hearing what they had to say, especially since most of the people who’ve talked to me about my film have been people I already have a connection to, either because they’re friends or also played roller derby or live in NYC. To see that total strangers were also interested in my film and really got what it was about really made my morning. My movie is only 45 seconds long. so nearly any description of the film is longer than the film itself.

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Hannah Enhman chats with Canadian actor J.C. Williams about his leading role in the feature film “Home Swiss Home”.

HOME SWISS HOME, 72min., Switzerland
Directed by Geert Smets
Mike, a defiant New Yorker, is left by his girlfriend Julie, who argues that he doesn't have the necessary means to provide for the future family she so desperately wants. Determined to win her back, he sets out to secure his long-awaited promotion.

Follow Interviewer Hannah Ehman on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ehmanhannah/

Watch Hannah’s national commercial spots: https://www.ispot.tv/topic/actor-actress/bP8/hannah-ehman

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DARK CIRCLES, 4min., USA
Directed by Suswana Chowdhury
“Dark Circles” is a surrealist short poetry film directed and produced by Suswana Chowdhury, and written by Jean-Sebastien Surena.

Get to know the writer Jean-Sebastien Surena & director Suswana Chowdhury:

What motivated you to make this film?

Jean: Sometimes I write poems that I feel beg to be consumed in a different medium. This is a piece I’ve very seldom read out loud, and have never published anywhere. The moment it was written, I knew I wanted to visualize it in some way. I sat on it for a long time, as I don’t like to rush into projects that extend to mediums I’m not as well versed in. But once I started collaborating with Suswana on other projects, and saw the care with which she handles my work, I knew it was only a matter of time until I’d finally be able to bring this work onto the screen.

Suswana: After Jean and I made our first poetry film together, “Unbroken,” we were ready to make more. I’ve always been interested in creating interdisciplinary art as I grew up creating in all these separate mediums – theater, film, poetry, dance, photography – and I wanted to explore where and how these forms can intersect. “Dark Circles” was an opportunity to translate Jean’s beautiful poetic language into cinematic language and push the visual and sonic artistry further than we did with our first project.

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

Jean: My first thought upon hearing the feedback was “they get it.” Which was so important to me, because I know my words will always make more sense in my head than on paper. One of the challenges of a poet is conveying at least some of what you’re thinking to a reader/listener. And I’m grateful to have had an audience that gets it, and was moved by not just the words, but the entirety of our presentation.

Suswana: To be completely honest, I started tearing up after hearing the first person speak about the film. To know that the intentions of the project really came through and resonated with the audience made me feel like okay, I’m not crazy. Well, I am crazy, but it’s good crazy.

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RESURRECTION UNDER THE OCEAN, 3min., Turkey, Experimental
Directed by Serkan Aktaş
“Resurrection under the Ocean” is about the resurrection of a man who was helplessly sinking to the bottom of the ocean, after falling to the bottom of the ocean, with a symbolic narrative.

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

“Making Resurrection under the Ocean was driven by a deep personal and creative desire to explore themes of human resilience and transformation in the face of adversity. The ocean has always been a powerful metaphor for the unknown, for both the depths of the human experience and the mysteries that lie beyond our comprehension. I wanted to create a story that reflected the fragility and strength of life, much like the ocean itself—where vast, powerful forces exist beneath the surface, often unseen.
The inspiration also came from my fascination with the idea of rebirth. In many ways, the ocean represents a kind of infinite possibility, a place where life can be both created and destroyed. This duality resonated with me on a personal level, and I wanted to explore the transformative power of human experience, especially in the face of environmental change and the shifting tides of society.

The film also stems from my love of storytelling that combines both the physical and emotional realms. The underwater setting allowed me to visually convey feelings of isolation and survival, while also diving deep into the psychological effects of confronting the unknown. Ultimately, Resurrection under the Ocean is a reflection on human survival, connection, and renewal, all set against one of the most powerful and mysterious forces in nature.”

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

“Watching the audience react to Resurrection under the Ocean in the feedback video was both humbling and exciting. It was incredible to hear their thoughts and to see how the film connected with them. The feedback was deeply insightful, and I was moved by the emotions it evoked. It reassured me that the story resonated with people, and it reinforced my passion for filmmaking.”

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STRING HEAD, 7min., USA
Directed by Matthew Vargas
A man in bed, after failing to fall asleep, is forcefully kept awake by String Head – an entity made of string that psychologically tortures him by wrapping him in a cocoon made from the deepest, darkest thoughts of his mind.

Conversation with director Matthew Vargas & Cinematographer Ryan Wilson Subscribe to the podcast:

Get to know Matthew Vargas

What motivated you to make this film?
One night at 3:00 AM I had a vision of String Head walking into my room. A thread of red string was on top of me. Thinking of String Head at the end of my bed was a creepy fascinating image – I had to make it and explore it. I also wanted to push the boundaries with Production Design as I never have before and use it to really convey symbolism and tell a story.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I love the reactions and I feel so giddy about the different analyses. The positive reaction to the final song made my sound designer, Rochelle, very happy as they wrote + sang the song themselves under their artist name La Roche. The comparison of the film to night terrors that occur in real life was so on point that I felt a great sigh of relief. Many ideas had to be conveyed in this film and I feel as though they all landed. I was worried because there is no dialogue, but that is intentionally so in the film because these terribly anxious moments usually occur wordless and in the brain.

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KITE, 6min,. Canada
Directed by Jerry Trieus
A short film about a dancer on a mission to experience flight. The journey is disappointing and filled with challenges. The result is a transformation as the dance artist finds strength through perseverance and ultimately freedom.

Get to know writer/producer Virginia Duivenvoorden:

What motivated you to make this film?

Kite began as a stage piece where I incorporated film on stage in the form of projections. I knew that I eventually would like to also see it as a film on its own. It all began as a photograph by Brooke McAllister. in one of the photos, I was wearing a black skirt and dancing with a 7 yard piece of tulle fabric. I loved the photos. In 2021 I decided to choreograph a dance to match them. That’s when Kite was born. When I started the choreography, I was in too much physical pain to think about performing. That’s when Brynne Harper started working on KITE. We spent two years developing the stage piece and we shared it in three different performances two were outdoor performances and one on stage for a work in progress showing. I approached Kites in all aspects from building and flying them to studying the history. All of the processes became part of the kite story from the failed kites that never flew and then to the handmade windsocks , which were actually amazing. It became a story about transforming from looking outside oneself to looking inside and finding that sense of flight and freedom from within the body. That was a journey that I really needed to make in order to process what was happening in my body with the pain and other medical conditions that I was coping with during the creation process.

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

I felt emotional seeing that the piece was clear in its message and was being received very much in the way that I had hoped for. It was rewarding to see that the message of resiliency and strength had shone through.

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NEW WORLD, 3min,. USA
Directed by Kevin Brayant Osorio
New World is a chaotic and bizarre song, featuring a stop motion music video just as chaotic and just as bizarre. New World has an angular dark burn and a certain obliqueness. New World is the kind of chaos we all get

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/faine1/faine
https://www.instagram.com/werefaine/

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?
Originally, we were going to make a hand drawn, frame by frame animation for the music video. It was laid out and storyboarded, but it didn’t pan out. The best alternate/immediate option seemed to be making a stop motion music video instead.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
It’s very nice and flattering to see the audience’s reactions. Most times, you know people have viewed something you’ve made, but that doesn’t mean you’ve gotten a “reaction” from them; especially online. Creating can be very one sided. Initial/immediate reactions are interesting to me. You can only make one first impression.

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WAKING CONUNDRUM, 11min., Canada
Directed by Dale Loon, Alyssa-Rose Hunter
Waking up in a room with a ceiling that seems to never end. A man struggles with his memory of recent events but remembers everything else from the past. The man meets a woman and brings him down to great disbelief and shock that shakes every atom in his body. A scheme is planned to escape this room. But is the plan for real?

Get to know filmmaker Dale Loon:

What motivated you to make this film?

Your not gonna be so impressed, but at the time when I was in school. I came to a point where I needed a script in order to advance in the Toronto Film School program. And I only had one class, 4 hours to do it. 20 minutes was spent making beats of the story. Another 40 minutes character building. Then the last 3 hours was spend writing the script in a rush.

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

The one thing I expected for sure was the unseen betrayal from Venora. The audience saw a connection sparking between them, then at the end? They were shocked and shooked. Everything I wrote is what I wanted in the audiences reactions, and it was puuuuurfect!

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Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMJRNPKTfgY

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

My screenplay is about the Hulder, a mystical human-like creature with a cow’s tail, famous from Norwegian folklore, who has to go to Earth on a dangerous mission to con an orphan teenage boy in order to save her young brother from dying.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Adventure/Fantasy (low fantasy)

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

Because it is an action-packed story centred on making impossible choices, woven into a layered mystery where nothing is as it seems.

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TAINTED, 11min,. Singapore
Directed by Ian Wee
In a world driven by corporate greed and unethical genetic experimentation, Darien, the pioneering human clone, finds himself obsolete against a superior 2nd Generation Clone, leading to his and his mentor’s targeting. Following his mentor’s death, Darien’s hidden hybrid nature—combining human and vampire DNA—surfaces during a critical confrontation, granting him unexpected survival. Marked as a “Tainted” failure yet possessing newfound powers, Darien faces an ambiguous future, embodying the narrative’s critique of ambition’s perils and the poignant fallout of manipulative sciences.

http://www.brightvoxelstudios.com/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551387412655
https://www.instagram.com/film_tainted/

Get to know writer/producer Graham John Lamb:

What motivated you to make this film?

I was Virtual Production Supervisor on a film in Singapore, when the IMDA (InfoComm Media Development Authority Singapore) announced that they were funding projects in this particular area. My producer, director and director of photography were at the time over in the UK at the National Film and Television School also attending a Virtual Production immersion program aimed at industry professionals to learn about this new way of film making. So excited with this new surge of enthusiasm I asked Jeffrey about joining this content creation initiative and we all got together and created Tainted.

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

Honestly I got a little teary, when I was looking at the reviews, I am greatly appreciative that the reviewers talk about the whole film in general from stunts, makeup, sound & music to performance and that really shows that the team was really the best – such a dynamic group all around and I have nothing but high praise for everyone involved.

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TURNCOAT, 28min., South Korea
Directed by Jason Montgomery
A shrewd merciless crime boss must investigate the scene of his brother’s assassination for answers, revenge, and to avoid the same fate.

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

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

I had spent the last several years living in South Korea; teaching English and writing screenplays. I got the itch to actually shoot something and direct it, as it had been way too long. Even though I didn’t have much of a network, few resources, and little money, I decided to use what I had and make something. My ex-teaching colleague and neighbor Maurice (Rob in the film) had left our teaching academy to pursue acting, and over some drinks in the local bar the film was shot in, we got the idea for me to write and direct something with him as the lead.

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

It was kind of surreal. I’ve seen, heard, and given reactions like that many times, but to see people I’ve never met giving such deep and intelligent consideration to my film was amazing.

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CATHY & HARRY, 40min., USA
Directed by Marta Renzi, Daniel Wolff
A revealing and humorous double-portrait of Catherine Murphy and Harry Roseman whose work is in collections from the Metropolitan Museum of Art to the Metropolitan Transit Authority. “Cathy & Harry” documents how their lives revolve in joyous, dizzying intensity around work, food, friends, and each other.

Get to know the filmmakers:

What motivated you to make this film?
We thought these two were special people, whose work and relationship should be documented.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
We were pleased that the message came across – and a little surprised that the message seemed to be so much about their relationship.

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WHAT MAKES AN ARTIST?, 10min., Lebanon
Directed by Raafat Abou Daka
“What Makes an Artist” is an introspective documentary that delves into the lives of the internationally renowned sculptor brothers Assaf, exploring the unexpected paths that led them to their craft. The film peels back the layers of their fame to reveal the human side of their journey, offering a rare glimpse into their early struggles and the alternate careers they nearly pursued.

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?
The idea that people always strive to create something special and achieve a goal. Whether an artist or a doctor, everyone wants to stand out and prove themselves, often to their parents. I believe this is a universal drive, and I wanted to capture it from the perspective of someone famous—showing that even they were once like us.

What were your initial reactions to the audience feedback?
I was happy to hear the details they shared—it showed they were really focused while watching the film.

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CHERRY ON TOP, 15min., Brazil
Directed by Laura Reis
A girl with a bunny head tries to escape from her hunted reality when she discovers a group of colorful and hungry girls to be a part of…but things are not as sweet as it seems

https://www.instagram.com/cerejadobolofilme/

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

I can think that my motivation came from the desire to send an environment message about animal’s safety, global warming, and the problems our future is warning us about. Obviously, I wanted to do this in my own way, full of visual astonishing images and satire, targeting horror movie fans that can walk out of the section and rethink their views of the world. Another part of me wanted to make this film to honor my inter child that always dreamed about becoming a filmmaker and creating my very unique universe were everything is possible, even magical forests filled with pink, cakes and weird girls scouts to be a part of.

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

Not gonna lie, I cried a bit. Is a fantastic feeling to watch people from another part of the world talking about your film, and specially to understand everything you wanned to express. Cherry on Top is a non-dialogue short film, I wanted it to be that way so it was easier to start conversations all around the world, and I’m so beyond happy that is happening. Right after watching the feedback video, I sent it to the entire crew and cast so we could exchange of the same exited feelings.

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THE COREY DAVIS EVOLUTION STORY, 134min., USA
Directed by Corey Davis
The metamorphic journey of Corey Davis, a young filmmaker as he reflects on a decade of his career. Through personal anecdotes and behind-the-scenes footage, the documentary highlights his creative growth and challenges, showing essence of his passion.

https://www.facebook.com/CoreyDjokester?mibextid=LQQJ4d
https://x.com/coreydjokester?s=21
https://www.instagram.com/coreydjokesterdavis

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THERAPY TIES, 30min., USA

Directed by Christine Evette Giles

The effects of Wanda’s unresolved childhood trauma forces a tsunami of events to take place in the her family. This leaves her husband, Malcolm, as the primary caretaker of two children, one of which has a disability. Traditional and nontraditional therapy becomes the epicenter of their daily life.

https://doc.storydoc.com/DJgAFJ

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SING ME TO SLEEP, 25min,. USA
Directed by Mario Valdivieso
“Sing Me To Sleep” follows the story of a young couple by the name of Marc and Julia. Julia has been diagnosed with cancer and she is at the point where her disease has become terminal. Marc decides to take his dying wife home so they can make the most of their last days together.

https://www.instagram.com/sing_me_to_sleep_film/

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

I’ve been with my partner Kira (also a producer on the film) for five years now. We started dating three months before covid. When covid hit, we decided to move in together as she is immune compromised which made the prospect of her getting covid extra dangerous. Unfortunately she ended up getting covid and spent several weeks in the hospital with double pneumonia and even the doctors at the time were unsure if she would survive. She did recover thankfully, but it got me thinking a lot about telling a story about a relationship ending when it was just getting started. The nugget of that concept became “Sing Me To Sleep”. I also wanted to tell a realistic portrayal of what it is like to care for someone who is sick.

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

My reaction to watching the feedback video was relief, relief that what we set out to do with the film was clear to the audience. I was moved by how moved the audience members that provided feedback were. And I was so impressed at how thoughtful all the comments were, the three members really took the time to give us some great feedback. When you make a movie, a filmmaker always wants to feel validated that what they put together will be enjoyed and felt by the audience so watching the reactions was extremely validating.

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PLAIN AS NIGHT, 4min,. Canada
Directed by Seth Mackie
A man witnesses a murder from his dorm room.

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

The initial motivation was an assignment for a digital media program I enrolled in, where I had to make a short film. The idea for the project, however, came from the really late nights I would spend in my dorm room, listening quietly to music and looking out my window, where I would often see a few running cars parked next to each other for long periods of time. I always wondered what they were up to, so I imagined a scenario where someone found out.

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

I was very pleasantly surprised to hear all of the positive things they had to say about the film. Hearing someone say that it was ‘masterfully done’ or that it’s ‘a great work of passion’ was hugely inspiring to hear.

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