GIFT, 19min,. USA
Directed by Graham Northrup
A young man escapes through the woods with his barely-conscious sister. Pursued by a warlord and his ruthless tracker, he must prevent her from falling into their hands again. But they will stop at nothing to control her unique gift – the ability heal others with touch.

http://www.northrupstudios.com/
https://facebook.com/northrupstudios
https://instagram.com/northupstudios

Get to know the filmmaker:

I love sci-fi and its ability to ask probing questions of humanity while couching them in a future or alternate reality. Although I have written and directed dramas, comedies, thrillers and more, sci-fi is my preferred genre, and I wanted to do a complete project, from script to screen. I knew I had a gap between productions, so I wrote a short that could be accomplished in that window, and possibly open up more opportunities once it was developed.

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THREE AM, 22min., Canada
Directed by Jeff Wolverton
Sometimes when you pray, it isn’t God who answers.

http://threeamfilm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556319635264
https://instagram.com/threeamfilm

Get to know the filmmaker:

I’m always fascinated with the motivations of the bad guys, as their actions usually set things in motion. Nobody really “wants to be evil” or “wants to take over the world” and in real life? All of history’s REALLY bad bad guys thought they were the hero of the story.

So I wanted to find a way to investigate the motivations of the ultimate bad guy. In reading the various mythologies of the devil, was struck by how they all agreed on some basics: that the Devil was God’s son, he was born in Heaven as one of the first archangels God created and was for a while the best of all the archangels. Originally named “Samael” he became so good at bringing God’s light out into the universe that he was renamed the “light bringer”, or ‘Lucifer’ in ancient latin. He then gets cast out for the sin of Pride, for thinking he should be more than just God’s right hand man, but should be God’s equal, maybe even take over when the old man retires (the mythologies differ here a bit; in some he leads a war in Heaven against God, in other he’s just cast out.)

So I had this idea that if archangels bask in the love of God, for an archangel to suddenly lose that and not be able to feel God’s lover anymore must have driven Lucifer nuts. Then you’ve got this character that just wants the love of his Father and to go back home where he grew up, something we can all identify with. (Then we can literally have “Sympathy for the Devil”, which I kind of reference in the short; The Man in the Hat says “how about some sympathy, like the song? You know nobody’s rooting for ME to win.” Wanted to use the song over the credits but I can’t afford to pay the Rolling Stones.)

And for Lucifer to later God create humankind hear things like “For God so loved mankind that He gave his one and only Son”? I figure that must have REALLY driven him nuts (“…They break His commandments on a daily basis yet still get His love? And “one and only” son? WTF? My & my fellow archangels don’t even count?”)

But then I figure Lucifer hatches a plan: if he can show God that his beloved humanity is actually WORSE than Lucifer? That they will – by their own choices – make the truly unholy choice? In Lucifer’s twisted logic that means if God still loves humanity (once proved worse than Lucifer) then God have to admit He was wrong and love Lucifer again, invite him back home. Every time that doesn’t happen Lucifer gets angry but figures if he keeps upping the game, next time it’ll work.

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THE GIFT OF MAGPIE, 11min,. USA
Directed by Anita George
It’s carpe diem for a couple of small time grifters on Christmas Eve 1934.

Get to know the filmmaker:
I love the genre and thought it might be interesting to tell a story about expectation and balance of power. I wrote the screenplay a few years before filming actually started. Once that was completed it was about 11 months until the film’s first public screening.

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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MORNING AFTER, 21min., USA
Directed by Elijah Chandler
“When a wild night ends rubbing shoulders with the LA mob, a directionless college grad has to get his friend out of danger, or it’ll be her blood on the streets next.”

https://facebook.com/enchandler
https://instagram.com/enchandler

Get to know the filmmaker:

Morning After is my second short film I’ve written and directed after graduating from film school. Graduating from film school initially left me with a sense of defeat, as I felt I hadn’t created enough of my own stories due to imposter syndrome. While in film school, I mainly worked as a cinematographer for my peers’ projects, but I later realized that many of them wouldn’t pursue directing, let alone filmmaking entirely. Only a handful continued to pursue filmmaking and had a unique voice. Imposter syndrome can make us doubt ourselves, but it affects us all differently. Some overcompensate by appearing knowledgeable in film history and having complex visions for their films. Others, like me in film school, may run in the opposite direction due to self-doubt. The film industry’s competitiveness and comparison game, exacerbated by social media, are inherent challenges. However, most artists share the same insecurities, and we’re all trying to overcome them in our own ways.

I gained valuable experience as a cinematographer, enhancing my visual storytelling skills. I enjoyed helping directors with camera movement and actor blocking, as it allowed me to create on-screen dynamics during dialogues. This experience strengthened my passion for filmmaking and my desire to tell my own stories. Despite having fewer resources and fewer connections than in film school, my motivation to pursue filmmaking has never been stronger. My current motivation is to build my storytelling skills through continuous practice, like a workout, so that I’m prepared when opportunities with greater responsibilities arise.

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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BRINK, 27min., Canada
Directed by David VanDyke
Out of work and desperate for money, a struggling family man plots an elaborate scheme to secure a cash grab that would exceed his drug-fueled ambitions.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16899900/?ref_=nm_knf_i3
https://www.facebook.com/brinkofficialpage

Get to know the filmmaker:

I’ve always loved crime films, especially true crime so when I discovered an old newscast on the Brinks truck robbery that my film is based on, I was immediately hooked to adapt it into a 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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B&E, 12min., Canada
Directed by Jamie Robertson
When his ex-con brother, Chris, enlists his help on a break-in, Duncan Fitzpatrick doesn’t know what to do. He’d agreed to run away with his brother, but only under the belief that he had turned over a new leaf. Now stuck, waiting in the car for his brother’s return, Duncan grows restless as his brother breaks into a mysterious suburban home. There’s only one problem with Chris’s plan; someone else is in the house. As the hour grows late, Duncan enters the house, only to discover how truly lost his brother has become.

https://fmtvfilms.wixsite.com/breakingandentering
https://twitter.com/BnE_ShortFilm
https://www.instagram.com/bneshortfilm/

Get to know the filmmaker:

The biggest motivation for this film was really just proving it was something I could do. Humber gave me an excellent opportunity, greenlighting this film with myself as Director and I didn’t want to take that opportunity for granted. Entering the independent filmmaking landscape, it may be some time before I am afforded the budget and resources these capstone films received and so I really wanted to make the most of it and show the world what I’m currently capable of, and what I’m going for with my films. Throughout my time at school, I’d met a lot of great people and filmmakers as well and so, not squandering an opportunity to work with all of them provided excellent additional motivation that I think was felt throughout our year and really brought the lot of us 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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MODUS OPERANDI: BRISBANE’S RIPPER SUSPECT, 8min., Australia, Documentary
Directed by David Hodkinson, Alice Walker
A student film that explores a myth of over 130 years. Did ‘Jack The Ripper’ flee to Australia and lay to rest in Brisbane’s Toowong Cemetery?

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15522038/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.instagram.com/dghfilms

Get to know the filmmakers:

Alice: I think what motivated me to make this film was that I wasn’t always connected to this project – I joined it because I found myself getting invested in the story researching it in my spare time and I thought “oh, this is actually a very cool and unique story that I would love to help actually turn into reality and portray it on a screen.” I also knew I could do it in a really unique way with David, and I really wanted to be able to go in there with his whole crew that had already been established with the story and kind of show them my perspective on it, and introduce our audiences to new angles and nuances about the story and it’s origins.

David: I always feel that Brisbane gets left out of Australian stories compared to Sydney and Melbourne. I wanted to tell something unique to Brisbane and what could tie it to the rest of the world and this ‘myth’ pops up occasionally in our media as a joke. Well that was enough for me to say ‘Hey! Let’s explore it and see for ourselves’. Boy did we see for ourselves with endless rabbit holes and over a century of history to research. I was compelled from the very start and never looked back.

Interview conducted by Matthew Toffolo

Playing on the Film Festival Streaming service later this 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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WE ARE ALL DEAD was the winner of best screenplay at the Crime/Mystery Film Festival. Conversation with writer Arthur Tiersky, followed by the best scene reading of the script.

Watch the script reading: https://www.wildsound.ca/1st-scene-screenplay-readings/videos/we-are-all-dead

When a robbery goes wrong and the getaway driver is killed, the gang’s two leaders become romantic rivals when the driver’s widow shows up to collect her share.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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A DEATH IN THE FAMILY is the winning Crime/Mystery Festival from 2021. Listen to interview with writer followed by a best scene screenplay reading.

WATCH the best scene reading

Former detective August Cavett and his new wife Elizabeth return from their honeymoon to learn that Elizabeth’s father has died. Now the family matriarch is threatening to cut ties with the rest of the family and keep the inheritance. When she ends up dead, the Cavetts are reluctantly drawn into the investigation. Between drinking copious amounts of alcohol and dealing with crazy relatives, August agrees to dig into the family secrets to solve the crime.

CAST LIST:

Narrator: Steve Rizzo
Elizabeth: Julie Sheppard
Auggie: Allan Michael Brunet
Cecile: Allison Kampf
——

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BEAUTIFUL VIOLENCE was the winner of BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY at the November 2021 CRIME/MYSTERY Film Festival. You can watch the film and festival for FREE today HERE.

Conversation with filmmaker Joey Medina on the making of the film. We also explore the “grey areas” of society today and how he puts these elements into his films.

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SERIAL was the winning September 2021 Feature Screenplay from the CRIME/MYSTERY Festival.

Conversation with writer Robert Benjamin on the process writing SERIAL, followed by a best scene reading from the script. We also dive into the feature film, BLOODY HELL, that he wrote, and his past editing for UFC.

You can watch the Best Scene Reading HERE

The peaceful life of a kind, old retiree is thrust into anguish and peril when it is disrupted by a present day serial killer. Following the connections, this otherwise trusting father can only suspect that the brutal killings have been at the hands of his own flesh and blood. His eldest son.

CAST LIST:

Narration: Steve Rizzo
Rebecca: Hannah Ehman
Helmer: Geoff Mays
Bradley: Bill Poulin

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THE DECIPIO was the winner of BEST DIRECTON at the October 2021 LA Feedback Film Festival. “After years of working undercover, Agent Victor O'Connor becomes unhinged as he discovers things aren't exactly as they seem.”

You can watch the best of CRIME/DRAMA Short Film Festival right now for FREE HERE

Conversation with the Producer/Lead Actor of the film Alexander Klebanoff on the making of THE DECIPIO.

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“An ordinary day goes South in Los Angeles.” - is the summary of BUST. A 7 minute crime film that is a must watch.

Playing at the Crime/Thriller Festival this Sunday March 14th. RSVP to FREE to stream all day HERE.

Great chat with filmmaker Burak Tatar on how this film got made, why he keeps making films, and moving from theatre directing to film directing.

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

Terrific conversation with the winning writer of the TV Pilot “THE WRONG CANDIDATE” from the Crime/Mystery Festival. John is a former member of the New York State Assembly. (1991 to 2002). The last of the dying breed “Liberal Republican”.

We dive into the current political climate in the USA before talking about this intriguing script and potential great TV show.

Watch the best scene script reading: https://youtu.be/oLsizgucKPY

When a well financed domestic terrorist organization which has breed sleeper agents since they were children, finally have a viable candidate to run for president, the current president sets into motion a plan to put his own successor in the Oval Office.

CAST LIST:

Narrator: Allison Kampf

Dorothy: Hannah Ehman

Paul: Steve Rizzo

Lanky Boy/Man: Geoff Mays

Mr. Smith/Voice Over PA: Allan Michael Brunet

Follow WILDsound Podcasts on all social media channels: @wildsoundpod

Submit to the festival anytime via FilmFreeway: https://filmfreeway.com/WILDsoundFilmandWritingFestival

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Watch more festival videos on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/WildsoundFestivalMonthly

Every Friday Matthew and Kierston meet up to discuss the festival from the night before. Every Thursday at the Carlton Cinema in Toronto, WILDsound screens amazing films from around the world. Last night it was our Drama/Crime and Under-Five-Minute night. Let's hear about what the audience was like, and what the films were like as well! 

A showcase of 12 short films from around the world: 

#1 - UNEARTHED, 9min., USA, Drama/Crime
Directed by Daniel Bergeson

A mother must come to terms with her guilt after committing a heinous crime of vengeance. 

#2 - SNIP, 6min., New Zealand, Drama/Crime
Directed by Kenneth Clark 

A new hair style can change your life. 

#3 - KALTRINA, 10min., Drama/Crime
Directed by Evi Stamatiou

Centers around Kaltrina, a nurse from Kosovo who lives and works in NY and the conflicts that occur when a stranger who breaks into her apartment. 

#4 - THE GHOULIES, 5min., Australia, Drama/Crime
Directed by Harrison Lane 

Two brothers have their relationship tested when 11 year old Cooper wants to become a part of his older brother's gang. 

#5 -PERSONA, 2min., UK, Animation/Experimental
Directed by Thomas Donnelly 

Persona is a metaphorical film which uses masks in order to depict the destructive nature of Communism in pre-Soviet Russia

#6 - GIRL IN YELLOW, 3min., USA, Drama/Family
Directed by Christopher Tjajadi 

A switch in perspective reveals that nothing is as it seems. 

#7 - BROTHERS, 5min., USA, Drama/Family
Directed by Randy Kerr 

Set in the Pacific Northwest, three brothers find refuge and redemption from a troubled home through their love of fly fishing for steelhead and the enduring relationships they forge on the river. 

#8 - KCLOC, 3min., India, Documentary/Animation
Directed by Ninaad Kulkarni 

KCLOC is a 3D animated documentary on people's perceptions of time. A selection of brief interviews provide the voices for ten meticulously designed CGI clock characters, in a variety of real-world settings, as they respond to a single question: "What does time mean to you?" 

#9 - THE CORD, 5min., USA, Drama
Directed by Catherine L. Allard 

Adam and his friends enter the house. The mood is going to turn cold. He is about to do something that will change everything. His mind is made up. He is ready to cut the cord. 

#10 - NOT THE SAME RIVER. NOT THE SAME MAN, 4min., Animation/Experimental
Directed by Michelle Brand 

A fisherman takes his boat out on the river. While he and his surroundings are in a constant flow, the viewer observes the passing of time, watching everything go through movement and change. In an ever-flowing cycle, things come to be, change, evolve, and pass on.... 

#11 - IN THROUGH THE NIGHT, 4min., Drama/Experimental
Directed by Josiah Cuneo 

By recalling a childhood story, a world of daydreams and longing unfold against a quiet backdrop of the quotidian. 

#12 - FIREFLIES, 3min., UK, Drama
Directed by Aram Atkinson 

Camping is a magical time for any child, but for this particular young girl and her father, it is an experience they'll never forget. Fireflies is about the dedication and love of a father to his daughter, and the mysterious and magical things that can happen when you let your imagination run wild