In each episode, the C.E.O. of WILDsound, Matthew Toffolo, chats about all things storytelling and film. Conversations with talented individual from all around the world.
The Rich Kid Rules (Ep. 1: 362 Rules of a High School Dropout), 59min., USA
Directed by A.L. Pruitt, Makenna Perkal
A new kind of coming-of-age crime drama series with horses, dance, a dysfunctional family, and an upstairs/downstairs romance with a reverse Cinderella story twist.
http://therichkidrules.com/
https://www.instagram.com/therichkidrules
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SNEEZE, 5min., UK
Directed by Gareth Brierley
A woman sneezes and goes on an unexpected journey.
http://www.peopleshow.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/garethbrierley/
Get to know the filmmaker:
What motivated you to make this film?
We wanted to make a film that we could make on an iPhone where we could almost use a ‘Guerrilla filmmaking’ style to the shooting in a day or two. I came up with the idea of Sneeze after a huge sneeze that made me forget for a second where I was…and then the idea of transportation from a sneeze came.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
Amazing comments and such insightful thoughts about the film. We felt humbled and so very pleased. Thank you.
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SCORPION. 10min., USA
Directed by Krstover Luaay
When former gang member Peter’s decision to leave his criminal past behind leads to the ruthless murder of his family by vengeful ex-comrades, he is thrust into a perilous quest for retribution. Fuelled by grief and anger, Peter transforms into the relentless Scorpion, navigating a treacherous underworld to settle the score and confront his past, setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown that will redefine his destiny
https://www.instagram.com/director_krstoverluaay
Get to know the filmmaker:
What motivated you to make this film?
I have always been drawn to action films, and my first short film, Money Greed, was also an action film. The story itself was a strong motivator for me, as I wanted to create something that resonated with audiences while delivering high-energy, impactful sequences.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience discuss your film in the feedback video?
It was an incredible experience. Seeing people engage with my work and share their thoughts was truly rewarding—I couldn’t stop smiling.
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THE MOMENT, 7min., Canada
Directed by Craig Wrobleski
A poem about resilience and strength as a path to peace. The film follows one woman’s extraordinary journey.
https://instagram.com/cwrobleski
Get to know Craig Wrobleski
What motivated you to make this film?
I received the poem that the film is based on as a text message from my friend Irina Lytchak. It arrived at the end of a rough day and the message of the poem really resonated with me. It felt like a universal message that could help others so I thought I’d make a film inspired by it.
From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
Well, that’s a difficult question to answer. From the idea to finishing the one-day shoot was about 3 weeks and then the edit took another couple days. It then went to the composer who spent a couple weeks working on the score and then the mix took another couple weeks. So that process took about 3 months. That is when things get complicated as I then became very busy on a number of projects, lost two close family members and basically had a lot of life happen. For that reason it took about a year and a half to complete the final colour and send the film out to the world. It was a long and difficult time but one in which the message of Irina’s poem became all the more resonant.
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Love Unveiled explores the collision of two different worlds. Sophie, a driven and self-centered woman, dreams of a political career in Washington, D.C., but her plans derail when her father’s gambling debts entrap her with Drago, a ruthless mafia boss in Split, Croatia. Forced into a marriage with Drago’s son, Ivan, Sophie finds herself in a world of crime and moral uncertainty.
Get to know the writer:
What is your screenplay about?
Love Unveiled follows Sophie, an ambitious young woman determined to build a successful political career. Her life gets derailed when she has to marry a conflicted Croatian mobster to settle her father’s gambling debt. The film explores themes of love, sacrifice, redemption, and self-discovery.
. What genres does your screenplay fall under?
Romance
Crime
Drama
Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
The screenplay offers a fresh take on the collision of two vastly different worlds. Currently, there isn’t a film similar to Love Unveiled released in the past 6 years which makes it a unique selling point. Love Unveiled explores universal themes that are compelling to the worldwide audience.
. How would you describe this script in two words?
Unexpected destiny
What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
The Passion of the Christ, I watch it on every Good Friday.
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Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX7enK7_XQU
Amidst holiday chaos, Gaby and Fitz embark on a road trip to a spiritualist commune to confront Gaby’s estranged Aunt Tibby, leading to family revelations, spiritual meltdowns awakenings, and unexpected bonding.
https://www.instagram.com/cristencoppen
https://www.instagram.com/jamielattaluv
Get to know the writers:
What is your screenplay about? Truth Falls is a holiday film about a family secret slowly and hilariously coming to light during the most wonderful time of the year. When Gaby loses her parents in an accident, she learns that her new-age, enlightened Aunt Tibby has been made the executor of her estate. Gaby and her best friend Fitz are forced to leave their swanky Chicago lifestyle for a spiritualist camp, Truth Falls, in Oklahoma to confront Tibby and demand her inheritance.Gaby gets more than she bargained for when she learns there’s way more to her family story than she was told. Like, WAY more… We learn that Tibby is Gaby’s birth mother. This secret has been buried for decades. This is a Film about what happens when a family secret slowly, painfully, and hilariously comes to light causing spiritual meltdowns and epic holiday awakenings.
. What genres does your screenplay fall under? Christmas Comedy
Why should this screenplay be made into a movie? We wanted to write a movie that dug into what the holidays are really about – Family DRAMA. All great stories are about family. The inspiration for Truth Falls was to have a comedy that stems from your deepest secrets and wounds because those are the best stories people can see themselves in. We love a frothy, fun holiday movie and we thought – hey let’s do both. It can be fun, sad, tragic, and hilarious. Most holiday movies don’t look anything like what people experience. We all have family secrets – what better time to unwrap them than at Christmas? Truth Falls is an anti Hallmark Movie.
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AN ADVERT FOR ONE NIGHT, 15min,. UK
Directed by Graham Birch
Lisa responds to a newspaper advert to meet Sarah in a hotel room for a night. They meet and have a wonderful night that sadly uncovers that one was badly abused and the other is currently suffering serious mental and physical bullying from a partner. Will this allow them to bond? What will they do?
What motivated you to make this film?
My friend was going through an abusive relationship at the time and it was terrifying. He was psychologically destroyed. So I flipped it to the more common female perspective as it is simply not acceptable. Domestic abuse isn’t just physical. It’s wider than that and destroys people.
I also wanted to highlight the dangers of getting drunk and thinking you are in control of a situation. I want people to watch the film and maybe question if they should go home with that person. Particularly when you are young and at a night club. I always tried not to let my friends go off alone (male or female) as there are people who are simply not good.
I also wanted to create a film of exquisite beauty and use the lighting to enhance everything. You’ll notice that the colours change in the film, sometimes suddenly, sometimes from scene to scene. Showing differing emotions and settings.
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SEQUOIA SPIRITS, 12min., USA
Directed by Cherie Carson, David Creech
“Sequoia Spirits” is a playful vertical dance film which peers deep into the heart and soul of a Redwood Grove. Under the great canopy of California’s majestic coastal giants, we get a glimpse into the elements that bring life to the woods – fire, water and earth.
http://www.upswingaerialdance.org/
https://www.facebook.com/UpSwingAerialDanceCompany/
https://twitter.com/cc_upswing
https://www.instagram.com/upswingaerial
Get to know the filmmakers:
What motivated you to make this film?
Cherie- The desire to bring awareness to the beautiful Redwoods and to create and share vertical dance merging art and nature.
David – As an artist and filmmaker, it is great fun as well as a great challenge to combine film with other art forms. It is so satisfying when all the elements come together and magic happens.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
Cherie- Wonderfully surprised, happy that it resonated with the audience so well
David- I was pleased to see and hear how much thought went into the viewers answers. I felt proud that they actually felt the way I had hoped they would after watching the film. My definition of successful Art.
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ATLS, 11min., Canada
Directed by Mishka Balilty
In a dystopian future where a powerful elite class prolongs their lives by exploiting young women for their babies’ organs, two women, find themselves on the run from their oppressors. Desperate to escape a fate of forced impregnation and organ extraction, they flee to a remote cabin. Their refuge becomes a sanctuary where they share their dreams and fears, finding solace in each other’s company. However, their fleeting happiness is overshadowed by the ever-looming threat of capture. Their love story, which began in desperation and hope, culminates in a tragic and devastating finale. ATLS is a powerful exploration of love, freedom, and the inescapable shadows of a world that seeks to tear them apart.
https://www.wtfimproductions.com/registration
https://www.facebook.com/wtfim
https://www.instagram.com/whothefuckismishka/
Get to know the filmmaker:
What motivated you to make this film?
I was inspired by Romeo and Juliet one day while listening to the soundtrack from the movie, I started to see this film come to life in my mind. I always loved the reading the play when I was younger… and so I began writing a tragic love story and soon I had a script.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I was very nervous how it would be received. But I was overjoyed to see that people understood our creative vision and enjoyed the film.
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KIDS OCEAN DAY / A LOVE PROJECT, 9min., USA
Directed by David Creech
A behind the scenes look at the the educational philosophy of Kids Ocean Day founder, Michael Klubock.
https://www.kidsoceanday.org/
https://www.facebook.com/kidsoceanday
https://twitter.com/kidsoceanday
https://www.instagram.com/kidsoceanday/
Get to know filmmaker David Kreech & Featured Cast Michael Klubock
What motivated you to make this film?
David: I participated in several KOD events and I felt compelled to tell the story of Michael and the volunteers and kids
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
David: I felt the comments were accurate
Michael: I appreciated the time and effort to review the film and the kind words of support,
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LOST DREAMS, 10min., USA
Directed by Andrew Wakeman Proctor
Lost Dreams is about dreams. Scientists have not fully figured out dreams. The ancients believed you could predict the future through your dreams, Native Americans created dream-capturing devices. Some people keep dream diaries. Freud believed that we could fix people’s psychological problems by analyzing their dreams.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32021226/?ref_=ttawd_rvi_tt_i_4
Get to know the filmmaker:
I took an experimental film class at Connecticut College. We studied the works of Maya Dern and Stan Brackage. I was inspired by Anticipation of the Night by Stan Brackage. In the fall of 2009 I received an email inviting me to submit a film to an Experimental film festival in Switzerland. My friend John Prevedini sent me his music “Lost Days” and it inspired “Lost Dreams”.
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BUSTER KEATON: HOME, 83min., USA
Directed by Jim Schaub
Buster Keaton: Home is a documentary that tells the story of Buster’s early life on the road as a child vaudeville star and how he found his home along the shores of Lake Michigan. Illustrated with rare images of family photos, datebooks and Buster’s personal autograph book, the film delves into the personal life of Buster and his family as they traveled the country as a successful vaudeville act.
http://www.busterkeatonhome.com/
https://www.facebook.com/busterkeatonhome/
Get to know the filmmaker:
I was motivated to make this film after learning more about Buster Keaton’s childhood and being fascinated by the fact that he had an entire career in vaudeville – and was a STAR – before he ever entered the movie industry. My co-producer, Ron Pesch, was instrumental in motivating me to make this film as well as actually making it.
You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.
EARLY ADOPTER, 15min., USA
Directed by Matt Szymanowski
After a tech junkie’s addictive research into a new technology that probes the deepest realms of consciousness nearly kills her, her partner decides to do something drastic to prove just how fragile their relationship and life really is.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12937582/
https://www.instagram.com/mattszy
Get to know the filmmaker:
I was inspired by the question about whether the great answers of the universe are either outside of us or within us. Most often people look outside, and their pursuits are even noble and true. And looking outside leads to great discoveries. But paradoxically these discoveries could be external manifestations of the knowledge and wisdom that is also in us. And I wanted to convey this idea in two people who stand on opposite sides of the matter, and these two people are also lovers and partners, and they accept each other regardless of there differences, however difficult it is.
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.
Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL_415N30eg
A woman with mental health issues, pressured by the insults of her own mother, attempts to stage the kidnapping of her daughter to prove she can make money… but the stunt goes wrong.
Get to know the writer:
– “A Dangerous Gamble” is the story of a woman who tries to circumvent her sensitive monetary situation and family peer pressure in risky or illegal ways, and it all goes drastically wrong. It is, ultimately, a reflection of the sinister influence of capitalism in mental health. The concept had been gestating on me for a long time, and it morphed into what it is today as I started becoming more politically aware. Often I would think to myself about people who may not have a choice other than try to survive and yet, their own attempts for survival represent the further deterioration of their health, but they can’t do anything about it because, well, you’re just expected to eat it up and move on. I kept going back to this old “conspiracy theory” elevator pitch of sorts that I came up with as a child, of a mother who faked her child’s kidnapping to earn money from donations. Think I came up with that during the early years of the Madeleine McCann disappearance case (I am Portuguese haha).
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.
WE ARE THE APOCALYPSE ! was the winner of BEST DIRECTION at the June 2022 WILDsound Festival.
Project Links
“An “arts collective” turns to terrorism to enact a grand scheme of social justice, but their plans go awry when they realize they’ve been conned from within. With nothing to lose, they change tack and return to what they know best.”
Director BIO:
Charles is a New York based television producer, writer and director, living in Jackson Heights, Queens. Working mostly in the true crime genre, he has produced programming for ABC, CBS, NBC, Identification Discovery, CNN and the Oxygen Channel. He also has an extensive background in theater and music, which he draws from in his writing.
Playing at the Festival APP today! 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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Conversation with Writer Ellen C Burr, Lead Actor Allison Norris-Austin, Lead Actor/Editor Giovanni Mocibob on the making of the award winning film “Loves Me, Loves Me Not”. Winner of Best Film at the February 2022 COMEDY Film Festival.
“Two middle-aged quirky singles are at the same restaurant waiting, fretting, getting anxious to meet the other one they connected with on OK-cupid with a 90+ compatibility rating.”
From Double L Productions: https://doublelproductions.com/
Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/doublelfilmproduction/
Film also playing at the WILDsound TV app next month. 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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DISARMED is a musical short that was filmed using real police officers and real members of the community. Film playing at the Free Virtual Festival this Saturday (Streams all day). RSVP HERE to sign up to watch.
Fascinating chat with director Khalid Abdulqaadir on the process and grind to finally make this film.
Follow WILDsound Podcasts on all social media channels: @wildsoundpod
Submit to the festival anytime via FilmFreeway: https://filmfreeway.com/WILDsoundFilmandWritingFestival
Subscribe via Twitter: https://twitter.com/wildsoundfest
March 24, 2021 - Artistic Directors Noelani Pantastico & James Yoichi Moore SEATTLE DANCE COLLECTIVE
Matthew Toffolo
“As young as eleven years old, they are taking care of parents and grandparents who are battling sickness. We call them Care Heroes. And there are five million of them in America.:” That is the summary of the multiple winning feature documentary SKY BLOSSOM, directed by world renowned journalist Richard Lui.
SKY BLOSSOM is playing at the DIVERSITY Film Festival this Sunday March 7th. Get your FREE TICKETS and you’ll be able to stream for free all day.
Terrific conversation with Richard Lui on the process making this documentary through the years and why he made it. At the end we tackle the state of journalism in 2021.
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Submit to the festival anytime via FilmFreeway: https://filmfreeway.com/WILDsoundFilmandWritingFestival
Subscribe via Twitter: https://twitter.com/wildsoundfest
James Kinney’s work can be seen on stages and television screens around the country, with over 50 musical theatre productions choreographed under his belt. He’s become known as a vital asset in creating new and innovative movement for musical theatre, the concert dance world, film and television, and live events, all while staying uniquely true to his artistic vision of smart, meaningful movement, oozing with style.
ANYONE marks James’ directorial debut and features a ensemble of the best dancers in the world today. Playing at our Dance & Music Festival on Saturday February 27th. You can watch all day Saturday for FREE at home. Get your FREE TICKETS now.
Follow WILDsound Podcasts on all social media channels: @wildsoundpod
Submit to the festival anytime via FilmFreeway: https://filmfreeway.com/WILDsoundFilmandWritingFestival
Subscribe via Twitter: https://twitter.com/wildsoundfest
“ALASKA LONG HUNTERS” is a true life adventure set in 60's Alaska, documenting a young pilot’s life (Mark Rose) who through it all, meets his creator God and finds life's true meaning. Playing at our Environmental Documentary Festival this upcoming Friday. Get your FREE TICKETS now and watch all day Friday Feb. 26th.
Great chat with Mark Rose about the process of making this film and the sequel that’s currently in the works. From finding God, to writing the novel, to making the film. You can go to the website to learn more: https://www.longhunters.org/
Follow WILDsound Podcasts on all social media channels: @wildsoundpod
Submit to the festival anytime via FilmFreeway: https://filmfreeway.com/WILDsoundFilmandWritingFestival
Subscribe via Twitter: https://twitter.com/wildsoundfest
