Wednesday, 2021
ALL FILM SCREENINGS ARE VIRTUAL WEDNESDAY 12 PM to THURSDAY 12 PM
BLOCK 1
FLUSH LOU
Short, Comedy (9 min) USA
Directed By: Madison Stewart Leonard
Written By: Madison Stewart Leonard
Produced By: Madison Stewart Leonard, Harrison Holland-McCowan
Synopsis: A daughter, mother and grandmother battle one another after a baffling turn of events – the accidental cremation of their beloved, Lou and his unwelcome, shoebox urn. But, if accepting the urn means learning to be together, they’d rather fight and seek out a replacement.
HARD WORK
Short, Comedy (11min) USA
Directed By: Julie Pacino
Written By: Max Meisel
Produced By: Julie Pacino, Max Meisel, Aron Meinhardt
Synopsis: Hard Work is a comedic voyage into the adult entertainment industry, where an assistant navigates the grunt work that comes with being a low-level employee on a porn shoot.
FROM THE GROUND UP
Student, Documentary (15min) USA
Directed By: Will Brenninkmeyer, Trent Zulkiewicz
Written By:
Produced By: Michelle Kimura, Kate Costanza, Mallory Arthurs
Synopsis: In the semi-arid village of Malolo in Singida, Tanzania, Adija and her surrounding community rely on one water source, a single hole in the ground no larger than the size of an average puddle.
THE LAST QUEEN ON EARTH
Short, Comedy (16min) USA
Directed By: Michael Shumway
Written By: Lex Hogan
Produced By: Michael Shumway, Lex Hogan, Jonathan Steven Green
Synopsis: A farmer wakes up one morning to an unexpected apocalypse. As the last man alive, he decides to throw caution to the wind and start living his very best life.
TEN TRICKS
Feature, Comedy (88 min) USA
Directed By: Rick Pagano
Written By: Rick Pagano
Produced By: Robert J. Litz, Randall Miller, Rick Pagano, Stephen A. Silverman
Synopsis: A tale of questionable morality, in which a woman tries to get pregnant. On her birthday. Surrounded by men trying to have sex.
BLOCK 2 at 3:15 PM
SHQIPONJA
Short, Drama (14min) USA, Kosovo
Directed By: Daniel Clark
Written By: Daniel Clark
Produced By: Erblin Nushi
Synopsis: Behar and Rozafa grapple with the cost of freedom in Communist Albania. When presented with a chance to escape, they must decide if they will flee the country, knowing they will condemn their remaining family members to internment camps.
RECEIVER
Short, Drama (15min) Canada
Directed By: Cavan Campbell
Written By: Cavan Campbell & Luke Higginson
Produced By: Cavan Campbell, Sedina Fiati, Emily Andrews
Synopsis: Sriyani, an idealistic and overtaxed Sri Lankan-Canadian social worker, is a counsellor at a telephone help line. Who is going to defend Sriyani when she is hypnotized by a caller on the phone tonight?
CODE KARIM
Feature, Drama(98 min) Italy
Directed By: Federico Alotto
Written By: Federico Alotto, Egidio Eronico, Massimo Galimberti
Produced By: Valentina Di Giuseppe, Massimiliano Leone
Synopsis: CODE KARIM is a foreign fighter who is sent to Italy from the Middle East to join up with Hassan’s terrorist cell. Gala Sattler of the Italian government’s elite Secret Service must do her best to stop Hassan’s plans before it’s too late.
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BLOCK 3 at 3:45 PM
THE CONFESSION OF BEUNINGEN
Short (6 min) The Netherlands
Directed By: Arjen Schotel
Written By: Arjen Schotel
Produced By: Robin Bruinsma & Arjen Schotel
Synopsis: “The Confession of Beuningen” is the story of Marius Beuningen (Jack Wouterse): a man with two faces who has things on his conscience that cannot bear daylight.
MAMMAN
Short, Drama (8 min) Sweden
Directed By: Farzad Farzaneh
Written By: Farzad Farzaneh, Jesper Cederstrand
Produced By: Martina Stöhr, Petra Jönsson
Synopsis: Annika, a mother, makes a desperate attempt to rescue her daughter from just sitting in her room
and skipping school. But Annika’s feelings take over and the situation escalates into something
ugly.
NOT NOW
Short, Drama (15 min) Ukraine
Directed By: Andrew Liulko
Written By: Andrew Liulko
Produced By: Andrew Liulko, Denis Galushka, Aleksander Grankin
Synopsis: A young man finally accepts his cancer diagnosis. Once he realizes that he has very little time left, he decides that he must survive, he must live for the love of his life, and he decides to get the surgery! Now it’s up to doctors’ whether the love or cancer wins.
FORBIDDEN TO SEE US SCREAM IN TEHRAN
Short, Drama (18 min) USA
Directed By: Farbod Ardebili
Written By: Farbod Ardebili
Produced By: Soroush Arayesh, Victoria Razevska Hill
Synopsis: The frontwoman for an Iranian death metal band risks everything as she plots to call the cops on her own underground concert in the hopes that the raid will help her secure her asylum in another country.
THE SILENCE
Short, Drama (22 min) Slovakia
Directed By: Juraj Štepka
Written By: Peter Rajčak, Juraj Štepka
Produced By: Juraj Štepka, Stanislav Mičev
Synopsis: The Silence is the sad legacy of a small country. It accompanied the war years 1939-45 and reigns today, when holocaust deniers are back in parliament. This film was made spontaneously to bring the silent majority to life.
NEBAJ
Feature, Drama (74 min) Guatemala
Directed By: Kenneth Muller
Written By: Enrique Cruz, Kenneth Muller
Produced By: Kenneth Muller, Daniel De La Vega
Synopsis: During the height of the Guatemalan civil war, Tomás Guzaro, a Mayan evangelical pastor, led more than two hundred fellow Mayas out of guerrilla-controlled Ixil territory and into the relative safety of the government army’s hands.
BLOCK 4 at 4:45 PM
THE WAY IT IS
Short (7 min) USA
Directed By: Aline Pimentel
Written By: Rafael Ludgreen, Aline Pimentel
Produced By: Carol Lima, Aline Pimentel
Synopsis: A young boy from the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro shows us how hope can coexist with chaos.
YOU CHANGED ME
Short, Drama (10 min) INDIA
Directed By: Sudeesh Kanaujia
Written By: Dr(Er) Azad Jain
Produced By: Asha Azad Films
Synopsis: It is said that “if you want to change a man’s mind, change mind of the man, next to him first”. You changed me is story of a mid aged, well educated man, who lost himself in daily chores of life. It is also reflection of how someone’s vibes and life influence other’s life.
WE WON’T BE SILENCED!
Short, Drama (16 min) France
Directed By: Sophie-Venecia REYES
Written By: Sophie-Venecia REYES
Produced By: Sophie-Venecia REYES, Sylvain GAUTHIER, Jean-Philippe COLONNA, Patty DAYTON, Madelyn MOST
Synopsis: At the age of 30 Jeanne Loyer finds out she was adopted at birth and sets about researching her origins in Barcelona and Madrid.
She meets Manuela and discovers her destiny is linked to thousands of other victimes such as Ana Molina, a mother who is looking for her daughter.
INTACT
Short, DRAMA (19 min) France
Directed By: Loris Hantzis
Written By: Loris Hantzis
Produced By: Loris Hantzis
Synopsis: In a long spiritual journey, Laura tries to heal the scars left by sexual abuse.
NO PLACE
Short, DRAMA (23 min) Brazil
Directed By: Gabriel Amaral
Written By: Gabriel Amaral
Produced By: Gustavo Morozini
Synopsis: When Nego discovers that the cacao farm he lives and works on is going to be sold, he must face not only the loss of his home and job, but also the daily contact he has with the land he cherishes so much.
BLOCK 5 at 5:45 PM
THE URCHIN DIVER
Documentary, Short (6 min) USA
Directed By: Tyler Schiffman
Written By:
Produced By: Reagan Cook, Ryan Torres, Tyler Schiffman
Synopsis: Conner Rhoads and his family have made a living off of the sea for over 40 years but with the collapse of the kelp forest in California, their living and way of life may never be the same again.
KISS THE GROUND
Documentary, Feature (86 min) USA
Directed By: Josh Tickell, Rebecca Tickell
Written By: Josh Tickell, Rebecca Tickell, Johnny O’Hara
Produced By: Josh Tickell, Rebecca Tickell, Bill Benenson, Ryland Engelhart, Darius Fisher,
Synopsis: Narrated and featuring Woody Harrelson, Kiss the Ground is an inspiring and groundbreaking film that reveals the first viable solution to our climate crisis, regenerating the world’s soils.
BLOCK 6 at 6:15 PM
HAVEN IN THE BOOTH
Student, Documentary (20 min) USA
Directed By: Leo Pfeifer and Sophie DeGreen
Written By:
Produced By: Samantha Thomas
Synopsis: At a Hip Hop therapy program in The Bronx, 18-year-old Marc Brooks unravels complex truths about life through his own creative expression.
THE KIDS ARE STILL HERE
Documentary, Short (24 min) USA
Directed By: Christopher Ninness
Written By:
Produced By: Christopher Ninness, Jolly Okot, Emmy Andruvile
Synopsis: The Kids Are Still Here is a documentary short film about communities in Northern Uganda affected by nodding syndrome – a rare and deadly disease that’s been infecting children since the 1960s.
THE FINAL FIX
Documentary, Feature (94 min) Scotland
Directed By: Norman Stone, Tim Neeves
Written By: Norman Stone
Produced By: NORMAN STONE
Synopsis: This film explores the claims of an extraordinary new drug addiction treatment, NET, which claims to beat addiction, with no pharmacy, in 5-7 days, and with no more cravings… ever! It will be the biggest game-changer ever. Be prepared to be surprised.
BLOCK 7 at 6:45 PM
16/8
Student, Comedy, Drama (7 min) Russia
Directed By: Sasha Paracels
Written By: Metthew Gilpin
Produced By: Luca Paracels, Alexander Delvig
Synopsis: Chained to a pipe in a dark room, a young woman must fight her way out and discover the dark secret to her imprisonment.
CONTEMPLATION
Student, Drama (9 min) USA
Directed By: Curry Barker
Written By: Curry Barker, Adlih Torres
Produced By: Adlih Torres, Curry Barker
Synopsis: Deep reflective thought…
RETRIEVAL
Student, Sci-Fi (10 min) USA
Directed By: Nick Azzaro
Written By: Nick Azzaro
Produced By: Syuzanna Avetisyan
Synopsis: In the year 2143, a young woman confronts her childhood trauma within a virtual reality therapy session.
RING
Student, Drama (11 min) USA, China
Directed By: Surui Guo
Written By: Surui Guo, Max Corman
Produced By: Surui Guo, Russell Kinscherff, Kenny Tran, Max Corman, Nathan Xia
Synopsis: Jeremy visits his twin brother Jake, only to discover the dark secrets behind the door.
THE PAINTED
Student, Drama (11 min) USA
Directed By: Sasha Sibley
Written By: Sasha Sibley
Produced By: Sasha Sibley
Synopsis: A man undertakes an ancient spirit painting ritual in an attempt to save his ailing wife.
UNTOUCHABLE
Student, Sci-Fi (11 min) USA
Directed By: Jinfeng Ding & Sean Jacobson
Written By: Jinfeng Ding
Produced By: Tye Liu
Synopsis: Can’t bear the loss of his deceased wife, Ryan create a virtual version of her in AI.
PASS LIKE NIGHT
Student, Drama (16 min) USA
Directed By: Benjamin Feldman
Written By: Benjamin Feldman
Produced By: Benjamin Feldman
Synopsis: As an old man struggles in the last days of his life, a caretaker arrives to ease his pain. Based on the stories, “”A Tell-Tale Heart”” and “”The Black Cat”” by Edgar Allan Poe.
INCOGNITO
Student, Drama (29 min) USA
Directed By: Jacky Song
Written By: Jacky Song, Jordan Dotson
Produced By: Tom Wade, Autumn Harrison, Jodi Bianca Wise, Greg Kriek
Synopsis: Mental asylmun patient convinces the staff psychiatrist, that she is from the future. Eventually unveiling an uncanny story from her correspondence after she vanishes in her cell.
