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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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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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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12 ANGRY LESBIANS, 22min,. Canada

Directed by Patrice Leung

A comedic riff on '12 Angry Men' set in the early 1990s, featuring a group of lesbians stuck in their team's annual softball meeting. This short film explores the diversity within 'diversity', and its tortuous need for democracy to triumph at all costs.

Conversation with Patrice Leung about her foray into narrative short film after an unbelievable 40-year career as a First Assistant Director.

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VOICES FOR MADIDI, 24min., Canada
Directed by Jonathan Derksen
Bolivia’s Madidi National Park is considered to be the most biodiverse place on planet earth. The Uchupiamonas people, who call the park home, are in a constant battle against forces eager to exploit the protected area for its hydroelectric potential, hardwoods and gold. In this documentary, we hear from of the eco-warriors at the front lines.

https://www.instagram.com/jonathanderksen/

Get to know the filmmaker:

The Madidi area of the Bolivian Amazon is perhaps the most biodiverse place on earth. I first visited the area in 1982 as a teenager, when a group of friends and I ventured down the Beni River in a motorized dugout canoe during the rainy season, only to almost meet our fate in deadly rapids, whirl pools and a maze of giant tree snags. Fortunately, we were taken in by some Moseten hunters, who fed us and gave us shelter until the rains abated and we could carry on.

I returned to the area in the nineties as a photojournalist on a national parks beat, then, in 2007 as an expedition leader. In 2008, I filmed with National Geographic on Bolivia’s infamous “Death Road” traversing the Andes to the Amazon. In 2016 and 2017, I worked on a coffee table book “Madidi: an uncertain future” with photographer Sergio Ballivian.

On each expedition, I interacted with the extraordinary Uchupiamonas people, who taught me the ways of the jungle and the profound importance of protecting such unparalleled biodiversity. They also educated me about the various existential threats to the region and its indigenous people. This lit a fire under me.

In 2023, I returned with a film crew in hopes of bringing their story to the rest of the world, culminating in “Voices for Madidi”, a bilingual expression of the eco-warriors serving the front lives of a little-publicized battle.

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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AN UNDOING, 10min., USA

Directed by Lyall F. Harris

In this 9-minute and 55-second experimental film, viewers are taken on a journey of "undoing" as the film's author-protagonist unstitches her way to healing and catharsis, one stitch at a time, after the end of an abusive 20-year marriage. The subject: their wedding garments.

http://www.lyallharris.com/

https://www.instagram.com/lyall_harris

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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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