2023 Festival Schedule
The following films will be screened in-person at the 2023 Short. Sweet. Film Fest.
Buffy and the Balloon
Director: John Maslowski
A dog meets a special balloon.
Getting Through
Director: Mason Beck
Vee (Joanna Ferbrache), a deaf woman, feels her life's mishaps and mistakes are due to her inability to hear. Her boyfriend Aiden (Cory Kays) does his best to communicate with her and show her the truth of how he feels.
The Stupid Boy
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (suicide, terrorism)
Director: Phil Dunn
London is being terrorised by christian white supremacists. While a broken man is groomed for the next attack, a boy from Brixton sees the world in a different way. But seeing things differently can be dangerous.
If Wishes Were Fishes
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (implied sexual assault)
Director: Scott E Brosius
A young girl has to travel out of state for an abortion and is conflicted about if she should go through with it.
Falling Up
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (suicide, violence)
**WARNING: This film may potentially trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is advised.
Director: Davis Cameron Chu
College student Davis clings joyfully to his childlike surroundings. Video games, stuffed animals, singing eggs - who could want anything more? He is content in his current stage of life, and has no intention of growing up, due to the notion that being an adult kind of sucks. Therefore, when adulthood is literally delivered to his doorstep, Davis responds appropriately. He freaks out. In an effort to cope, Davis traverses through several examinations of change, innocence, and fear—all in a desperate effort to preserve his childhood.
The Hunted
Director: Arman Taheri
Following his kidnapping, Kyle must escape the forest before he’s killed by a vicious serial killer in a game of cat and mouse. After receiving a mysterious call about the disappearance of her brother, Anna must track him down before it's too late.
Wild Boars
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (rape, abuse)
Director: Nathan Hannawin
After the death of her estranged mother, Nora knows that she has been left something in the will, something that could ensure the future for Nora, and her daughter Arabella. But to claim that future, Nora is forced to go back and face Artemis, her foster father, the man she ran away from, and the man who harbours many dark secrets.
Kassandra
Director: ivar wigan
Five girls born to French families of the African diaspora are confronted with a murder. On an uninhabited island near Marseille the girls battle to find the truth and escape back to civilisation. Power dynamics within the group are tested and their mascot, partially sighted, Kassandra, could be the only one who can divine the crime and lead them back to safety.
The Prince and the Goblin
Director: Cory Byam
A young boy and a homeless man have formed a unique friendship, meeting nightly to exchange gifts of toys and food. But as the boy grows older, his interest wanes, and he eventually forgets their happy routine. Desperate to find the perfect toy to win back his friend's attention, the homeless man falls ill, and the state of their kinship is changed forever.
Drown
Director: Benjamin Hollinger
After the drowning death of one of her co-workers, college lifeguard Abby Miller (Danielle Meyer) is accused of negligence by her manager Liam (Alan Tyson). Now with the help of her coworker Jules (Elisabeth Mies), Abby must prove her innocence before she is expelled or loses her job.
Dead and Gone
Director: Sam Michael
Detective T.K. Brimley follows up on a 50-year-old bank robbery case and ends up in Nampa, ID.
It Only Hurts When I Cry
Director: Gwendolyn Bueche
Juliet, a stand up comedienne, has been struggling to workout her comedic act after parting ways with Emilia, her longtime comedic partner. At the same time, Juliet is brainstorming ways to save her family's theater. Juliet considers reaching out to Emilia for help, but ultimately decides not to. After Emilia's sudden death, Juliet must must a way to reconcile with her regretful feelings.
The Cellist
Director: Jacob Marzluf
Casey, a dead-end, mid-20's graduate returns home in the wake of his father's funeral. Inheriting his dad's cello resparks an interest that died in him years ago. Just when his talent begins to crescendo, his will-they-won't-they foil, Amber, informs Casey that she is pregnant with his child. The two navigate what this means for their relationship while attending a party hosted by Casey's best friend and Amber's older brother, Parker. Tensions come to a head when Amber's secret is revealed and Parker is forced to make a choice.
Lost in Yesterday
Director: Emma Grosklos
When her best friends graduate, Lizzy is left alone to continue her schooling. A story about life’s transitional periods as a young adult, and the contrasting loneliness and hope that accompanies it.
Half Nelson
Director: Mike Stockwell
Two hitmen have a falling out as they discuss their complicated relationship over a dead body.
Dreams
Director: Madison Ledyard-King
After receiving a promotion at his job, Adrian must choose between living a life of practicality or following his passion of becoming a musician.
Chop! Chop!
Director: Keanu Sousa Mendes
Fred is Coming at 3 pm! Will our protagonist be ready on time? Dial in for a fast-paced fun adventure of intense Pumpkin carving and spooky surprises!
To the Boy Who Hurt Me
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (disordered eating, drowning)
Director: Maris Wirt
An open letter to a past relationship and the aftermath that follows.
Dream of Life
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (significant blood)
Director: Daniel Bowling
Adeline and Henry are very much in love, until one day when a wound develops in Adeline's head that constantly bleeds.
Fleeting
Director: Becca Cheryl Harlan
A girl documents the memories made in a highschool summer through the lense of her camera subsiquently reminding herself just how quickly childhood goes.
Bear
Director: Brianna Chapman
As her estranged husband moves out, a grieving mother fights with him over the death of their child when he tries to take a teddy bear.
Talent Show
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (mature language)
Director: Jake Harness
After breaking up with his band, Craig must enter a life-changing talent show by himself.
Worthless
Director: Shireen Ayache
Two best friends stumble upon a worthless art piece that they soon discover is worth a fortune.
Where is it at?
Director: Emily Wilson
Ethan is building a LEGO AT-AT walker when he realizes that something is missing.
Lull
Director: Emily Wilson
A girl taking a night swim in her pool realizes there’s something lurking near the water.
The Key Detail
Director: Danny Konecny
A guy is about to leave his house when he loses track of his keys.
Star Player
Director: Greer Miller, Jimmy Brick, and Van Wornkey
A teenager from another world crash lands on earth and joins the high school baseball team. But will his secret identity be revealed, causing the town to turn on him?
Showman Showdown
Director: Jennifer Sakura Felts
Racing to the girl of their dreams, two mimes fight for her love but only one wins. Later the other finds love in the sweetest way.
Young Folks Home
Director: Brian Lachowski
After getting kicked out of his apartment with his friends, an immature college freshman disguises himself as an old person in an attempt to live in the only affordable place around: an Old Folks Home.
Fuel the Fire
Director: Monique Cobbin
When an argument gets a little too heated, Arthur and Lance find themselves transported back to where it all began.
Orla Home for Christmas
Director: Aidan Driscoll
Hiding from a family argument on Christmas morning, Orla confides in her teddy bear Stuffy.
Skating Away
Director: Richard Bryer
Kelly is a high school student, who is forgetful but means well. Due to his alarm clock malfunctioning, Kelly believes he's late for school on a day he absolutely needs to be in attendance for a big assignment. Kelly arriving to class extremely early sends him through a chain of events that leads to him having to encounter his problems with stage fright.
Procrastination
Director: Richard Bryer
Alex procrastinated until the very last day of the semester to write their final three-page screenplay. Under a massive time crunch and desperate for ideas, a friend shows up and tries to give useful advice.Alex procrastinated until the very last day of the semester to write their final three-page screenplay. Under a massive time crunch and desperate for ideas, a friend shows up and tries to give useful advice.
My See-Through Friend
Director: Stella Gabrielle Smith
A young person and a ghost spend their time together and find out what it means to have someone and to lose them.
BlockBusted
Director: Maizy Windham
A film festival goes awry when the award for best picture is stolen! Now, host Cin E. Ma must interrogate festival attendees about their part in the crime. The catch? They're all in character, all the time.
Deadline
Director: Benjamin Nestor
Average student Alex finds himself in a pickle when he wakes up to realize that he fell asleep while writing his philosophy paper due later that morning. He has 18 minutes to turn in a physical copy of his paper before he fails the assignment, and the class! Can Alex overcome dodgy campus printers, faulty electric scooters and disappearing graduate students to pass his philosophy course?
The Breakwater
Director: James Williams
A grieving mother spends a night in an old lighthouse in hopes of connecting with the ghost of her son.
Plan B
Director: Ryan Chester
Family upheaval ensues as an anxious son receives an acceptance letter from his father's alma mater.
11 O'Clock: a Sense of Imminent Calamity
Director: B. R. Tatalovic
A simple conversation between two friends reveals something far more disturbing. Based on a short story by Ambrose Bierce, it's a mystery tale about an aging pianist who holds a secret from his family's past; a secret closely connected to his old Soviet watch.
The Encounter
Director: Zach WIlson
A man has had too many drinks. He spots a beautiful woman who gestures for him to come over to her. This begins a strange and bizarre fantasy of a seemingly normal man. One look will change the course of his life forever.
Hey, Regina!
Director: Aaron Kasunic
Meet Regina, everyone's new friend. She's always ready to help but what does she want in return? Come along and see what she's willing to do for you.
Kill World Episode 1
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (significant violence)
Director: Johnny K. Wu
Compete and win a $1 Billion dollars, but at the cost of your life. A worldwide gaming show to help reduce population.
Granny Panties
Director: Crissy Kolarik
Granny Panties is the tale of average middle-aged women living incredibly mundane lives who stumble into the secret underworld of panty-selling. With the help of a tech saavy geek with a shoe fetish and a washed up stripper the ladies build a lucrative empire with an army of panty-wearers. Realizing life is too short , they develop a new-found confidence and the courage to make their own Happiness.
Kill World Episode 2
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (significant violence)
Director: Johnny K. Wu
In the near future, an official sanctioned game to control Earth's population, a game where people fight to survive and win. Who will be the champion? Story 2 Filmed with BMPCC4K with Sirui Anamorphic lenses in 4K.
Brad’s New Job
Director: B.J. Halsall
Brad screws up at work and needs a new job.
Kill World Episode 3
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (significant violence)
Director: Johnny Wu
In the near future, people fight to win $ and it's a way to ease the population.
Unforgettable Memories
Director: James W Ford
A wife trying to come to terms with her husband who is suffering from dementia.
Kill World Episode 4
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (significant violence, infant death)
Director: Johnny K Wu
In the future, the world have a way to minimize population by having people to apply and fight to their death for a game show that the final winner will take home a billion dollars. This is Story 4, best friends Chris and Vern were selected to fight against each other.
The Patrol
Director: Sydney Van Leeuwen
Set in 1812, a youth (Seth Vreeland, played by Clayton Hayes) finds himself in the company of THE PATROL, quickly learning that life in the military is not as glorious as he believes.
Kill World Episode 5
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (significant violence)
Director: Johnny Wu
Story 5. Compete and win a $1 Billion dollars, but at the cost of your life. A worldwide gaming show to help reduce population.
The Mayor Jones
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (discussion of racism)
Director: Ethan Avery
A new mayor faces a major dilemma when he is forced to choose between following his family’s values or siding with his political party. Things heat up when he must decide if he will support the construction of a for-profit prison in his city. Will he cave-in to political pressure or will he change course and follow his heart?
You’re Alright Hun
Director: Katie-Ann McDonough
Orla is on the brink caring for her terminally ill Dad, Darragh. While waiting in the pharmacy for his pain medicine, all hell breaks loose when Orla's ex-girlfriend shows up to return a potted succulent.
ALFI
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (adult-minor relationship)
Director: Raz Bdv
Sixteen year old Noga is trying to write her speech for ALFI, the Animal-Liberation-Front-Israel, with the help of Lea, an older, true activist. Noga imagines freedom for herself and for all living beings, but in the meantime she is struggling with her own words.
Jouissance
Director: Sadeq Es-haqi
Official Selection of BUSAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Arash and Rahi are a gay couple from Tehran. They’ve recently moved into a new house. However, their everyday routine is disrupted by the ghost of Rahi’s ex-boyfriend, who died six years ago and is now asking Rahi to continue living with him.
Placenta Pate
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (consumption of body part)
Director: Tia Salisbury
New mum Libby has breastfeeding woes, but when her wife, Erin suggests a traditional placenta remedy is the answer, underlying tensions rear their head and it's not just the kitchen getting messy. Comedy drama, Placenta Pâté, was funded by Exeter Phoenix, after the script won the South West film commission in 2021. The film stars award winning actress Bethan Nash ('Black Mirror') and Georgia Frost ('This is going to hurt') and features an original score by Suvi-Eeva Äikäs ('Devs', 'Hanna').
Crashing at Your Place
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (some gore)
Director: Tyler Nelson Thomas
After a falling out with his partner, Douglas crashes at an old friend's place. Things don't turn out as expected.
Imaginary Friends
Director: Houston Rex Diaz
2 teenagers meet in a park in Italy. After a series of events unfolded something more significant than them both was created.
A Tree Fell Today
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (self harm, suicide, infant death)
Director: Oliver Crawford
Elise starts a form of experimental therapy to revisit the trauma and history of her wife, Jessica, taking her own life. With the death of their child surfacing in the sessions, Elise has to escape the loop of anguish and misery.
Transmission: Lisa Stephen Friday
Director: Emma Underwood
A transgender glam rocker must overcome her struggle of self-acceptance to share her story, a story of hard fought, hard won self-actualization and power in order to preserve an important part of transgender history.
Ready for Ransom
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (suicide, electro-shock therapy)
Director: Simon Dickel
In "Ready for Ransom," the late protagonist Ransom Bradford (1937-2013) talks about his decision to undergo shock therapy with the aim of becoming straight. At the same time, the filmmaker takes the filmed interviews, which he had kept in his closet for 17 years, as a starting point to reflect on his friendship with Ransom – as well as on their age difference of 36 years. The film invites the viewer to reflect on the ways social norms and stigmatization relate to emotions and are inscribed into bodies. It addresses love and loss and treasures relationality and gay desire.
Dawn: A Charleston Legend
Director: Ron Davis (he/him)
Dawn Langley Simmons was one of the first transgender and interracial marriage pioneers. Dawn’s story was one in which mystery and legend swirled, even to this day. She was the author of more than 20 books. She was the adopted daughter of famed actress, Dame Margaret Rutherford and designated heir to the fortune of painter Isabel Whitney. She lived in a grand mansion filled with antiques and a hidden garden, but ultimately lost it all in order to become who she was in side; a woman, wife and mother.
Harold & Mary
Director: Stephen Gallacher
As a disease takes hold, Harold and Mary are forced to re-assess the journey of their relationship; challenging their love, patience and perseverance after fifty years of marriage.
Tea Towel
Director: Colman Hayes
Based on a true story of a housemate who uses a Tea Towel for everything he shouldn't
One Last Laugh
Director: Gavin O'Herlihy
A successful ghostwriter struggles to find the words for his grandfather’s eulogy when the mischievous ghost of Granddad returns to give him some advice.
Medical Divorce
Director: Scott Danzig
An elderly Jewish couple debates divorce being the best solution to their medical costs.
Babel
Director: Alejandro San Martín
Several people at a given time, are in a situation in which they speak nonsense, only being able to verbalize a disjointed phrase. Society, in the face of ignorance, isolates them to proceed with their study.
Nur and Abir
Director: Manu Gómez
This summer is special, Abir is finally going to the beach thanks to her friend Nur, and behind the back of her dictatorial parents. Together they have come up with a plan to fulfill their dream of swimming together in the sea.
In Between
Director: Lindy Boustedt
Written by a student in the Screenwriting Program at the Washington Corrections Center for Women, this short film is based on a true story -- but through the lens of a what-if. The film depicts the real event of Lisa (biracial) being segregated to a different school from her white sister. But what if that circumstance had a different outcome and Lisa had found community and connection? What if she had been able to find confidence in herself? How different could her life have turned out?
Fitz
Director: Vahan Bedelian
A self-driving car searches for parking in Downtown Los Angeles. But its quest is cut short when a pair of thieves attempt to hijack it, forcing it to choose between self-preservation and following protocol.
Becoming Santa
Director: Dawn Spinella
After an encounter with Santa, a spoiled girl begins to see the world differently.
Boom
Director: Gabriel AUGERAI, Romain AUGIER, Laurie PEREIRA DE FIGUEIREDO, Charles DI CICCO, Yannick JACQUIN
A couple of dumb birds tries its best to protect its eggs from a volcano eruption.
The Sprayer
Director: Farnoosh Abedi
In the land occupied with the sprayers army, no one has the right to grow any kind of plants either in public or private. So many of the people and soldiers do not even know how dose a plant grows or look like, until one day one of the soldiers finds a seed buried deep down in the dust and his curiosity is just the beginning of something extraordinary, something big, something revolutionary.
Code Rose
Director: Taye CIMON, Pierre COËZ, Julie GROUX, Sandra LEYDIER, Manuarii MOREL, Romain SEISSON
In the open sea, a flamingo lands on an aircraft carrier. To keep the runway clear and get the planes to take off, the military have to get rid of it. But the flamingo and its congeners return relentlessly to put pink on the grey war machine.
Thou Shalt Dance
Director: Abtin Yaghmaian
In a normal day a normal man finds an abnormal solution for his problem.
The Buffinator
Director: John Maslowski
A spoof of the Terminator.
Feeling Special
Director: Carlos Hoffman
Animated film adaptation of the children's book, Feeling Special, about a Turtle who believes that all his friends are special, but that he is just ordinary, and finally realizes that he is special too.
Live Forever
Director: Obediya Jones-Darrell
The year is 1505. A Spanish ship is in pursuit of a Pirate ship in a treacherous stretch of ocean in the Mid Atlantic: “The Devil’s Triangle". Somehow a mystical child with eyes of fire is able to guide the ship through the treacherous reefs. Who is this Child?
Met(EYE)morphosis
**WARNING: This film may potentially trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is advised.
Director: Jonathan Riles
A slithering creature evolves into different forms, but also remains the same.
Turning the World
Director: Enrique Garcia
An animated, whimsical look into the underground elements that keep our world spinning.
Ascension
Director: Griffin Roessler
As winter storms collide with crushing debt, a young man begins searching for a way out of his chronic depression. He believes his luck has changed when he stumbles onto a winning lottery ticket that offers a trip to a fantasy island called Ascension. However, when he begins to explore the island, he realizes that it has more in store for him than just a vacation.
Interview 1
Director: Gabriel Ison
Interviewer plays back a clip of a survivor from the backrooms.
Gloire Amere 40000
**WARNING: This film may potentially trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is advised.
Director: Vincent Pistien, Armand Goxe, Florian De Chelle, Marine Corbineau, Alexis Maurice, Tom Rameaux, Valentin Giuili
After completing her quest, an immortal warrior returns to her family. She realizes that nothing is the same as before, and will have to find a purpose for her new life.
La quete de l’Human
Director: Mélina IENCO, Lucie JURIC, Caroline LEIBEL, Faustine MERLE, Claire PELLET
In a fantasy world, a griffin embraces his fate and goes on an epic journey to find a legendary creature : The Human
Last Summer
Director: Nicola BERNARDI, Alessandra DE STEFANO, Gabriela LEWANDOWSKA, Chloé VAN BECELAERE, Camille VAN DELFT, Elodie XIA
As summer ends, Ren’s bandmates and childhood friends are leaving for college. He struggles to write the lyrics of their final song.
100% Guaranteed
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (sexual theme/activities)
Director: Wesley Fleming
To escape the doldrums of their marriage, Oren and Maxine invite a stranger into their home for a threesome. Oren has second thoughts, but Maxine puts her foot down. The stranger claims to have an unusual ability that Oren doesn’t have, and it’s just what she needs to revive her inner joy. But when the stranger arrives and reveals much darker intentions, Oren rises to the occasion and forces the stranger to make good on his claim, giving him and his wife the happy ending they both desperately need.
Just Do It
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (suicide)
Director: Antonia Kinlay, Laurence Dobiesz
Mark’s trying to finish his novel but everyone tells him long-form content’s dead. ‘Make a film instead,’ they say. ‘Something short. Something funny.’ Mark's film may be short, but no one’s laughing about what he shoots…
First Day
Director: Ellis Flurry
Fitting in at a new job gets awkward when a coworker who is reluctant to go rattles those who have found a way to stay.
Pressed
Director: Michelle Elise Harding, Scott "Silent K" Knowlton
In the wake of a deadly shooting, a seasoned journalist reevaluates the role she plays in other people's stories.
The Buschers: An Alzheimer’s Story
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (domestic violence)
Director: Chanel Bush
Stan and Shirley Buscher experience an Alzheimer's episode that will change their life forever.
Way & Ward
Director: Taylor Page
After stealing a village relic, a desperate shaman sides with a leery witch doctor's plan to undergo a mysterious ritual in order to discover the secrets of his own vision and reasons behind his friend's death.
A Real Adventure
Director: INGELA (Iggi) E OGARD
Two Dungeons and Dragons enthusiasts are at the funeral of their best friend Björn. As they’re standing by the casket saying farewell to their friend, a mysterious woman appears from out of nowhere. She is dirty and seems confused, but she claims she knows things about the men. Things they did not tell anyone other than Björn. She claims that she is a friend of Björn, and that he is alive and well in another dimension. Luckily she is a dimension pirate. She has a proposition for the two friends: ignore the rest of the funeral and let her take them across the dimensions to their friend so they can go on one last adventure with Björn. But can she really do what she is proposing?
Because I’m Loved
Director: Eymard Altoveros
Music video of hope, love and redemption.
Renaissance
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (nudity)
Director: Victoria Lacoste, Penelope Caillet
The sensuality of being alone.
The Long Way
Director: Godwin Eric Igwebuike
There is a 3% chance an NFL player can miss a full season and make it back on to an NFL roster the next year. There is little to no chance of missing two NFL seasons and making it back on to an NFL roster. To miss two NFL seasons, switch positions, and then make an NFL roster is simply impossible. This is the story of a young man who did the impossible.
Moon Shadows
Director: Hart Ginsburg
An image of a child looking towards the evening moon visited my thoughts one day or maybe it was a dream, from there an imaginary dialogue or dance emerged between the moon and the child. But who is guiding who in this planetary dance, is it the moon or the child? I often wondered how a distant moon could influence the ocean’s rhythms and tides, in a kind of inter-planetary dance beyond distant horizons. From these uncertain thoughts, lyrics and dance followed thanks to the artistic contributions of those near and far. With gratitude to our journey and the shadows that follow us along.
The Wizard
Director: Blake Houston
Here comes the Wizard.
InWaves
**WARNING: This film may potentially trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is advised.
Director: Remy Gareau
“InWaves” by City of the Dead is the scorching new track the from midwest prog-rockers upcoming album, and the music video captures their ethos with an experimental aesthetic and breakneck pacing.
Heart Failure
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (sex)
Director: Paul Sewry
When Frank falls for his one night stand, he must do everything he can to stop his heart from breaking completely, in this musical comedy.
The Backhand
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (violence)
**WARNING: This film may potentially trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is advised.
Director: Ken Amlin
When two mobsters kidnap the wrong guy and need to get rid of him before the boss finds out, they’re distracted over the meaning of a forehand slap vs a backhand.
The Art of Cheating
Director: Matthew Garvin
A fun night of games goes horribly wrong when a spouse's secret is revealed.
The Perfect Day
Director: Virgile Beddok, Daniel Breithaupt, Jonathan Frey
Charlie Hoover, an aspiring ad man living in his van, eagerly answers a job posting to videotape Linda Lindell’s online life coaching series. However, the gig quickly evolves into an indoctrination of Charlie to Linda’s peculiar methodology, as the two form an unlikely bond in pursuit of completing the “Perfect Day”.
Worst of Me
Director: Will Cherry
Mo & Lenny's relationship reaches it's breaking point, and over time we see just flashbacks of their worst moments, from arguments to feeling loneliest together in the same room. The film is written and directed by Will Cherry, who also made the song.
Shaman’s Call
Director: Jon Mancinetti
A depressed poet drunk and alone in the desert receives a life-altering message from a strange yet familiar face.
Cold Brew
**WARNING: This film may potentially trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is advised.
Director: David Kennedy
A young woman is imprisoned by her inner thoughts in a caffeine-fueled assessment of her co-dependent relationship.
Meet Carly W.
Director: A.J. Hartman
Carly, laid off from her side gig at Spatula.com and desperate for a new job, is pushed to the brink when she goes on a virtual interview from hell.
Our Compass
Director: Susan R Lakin
SPCC, originally the “Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children,” was established in 1875 shortly after the “American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals” legally intervened on behalf of a ten-year-old NYC tenement child named Mary Ellen Wilson who had been neglected and severely abused by her guardians. The first child protection case in United States history, it led to Mary Ellen’s relocation upstate to a family in Rochester, New York where she lived until the age of 92. This VR experience follows the story of Mary Ellen through the lens of contemporary survivors of sexual abuse and domestic violence while speaking to the effects of trauma and the positive outcomes that result when communities work together to support the most vulnerable in our society. The experience highlights how the guidance of SPCC, now the “Society for the Protection and Care of Children,” has provided a safe environment to heal and resources to turn lives around in a positive direction.
Unframed: Paul Klee, Hand puppets
Director: Martin Charrière
Did you know that the famous painter Paul Klee built hand puppets for his son? This animated VR experience recreates a puppet theatre using the work of Paul Klee, and especially the authentic puppets rendered in 3D. The short experience tells the story of Paul Klee, from the creation of the puppets to his escape from Nazism in Switzerland, where he died later.
Hold Me, Don’t Touch Me
Director: Adrian Todd Zuniga
Disconsolate over the death of her child, Aidy skips grief counseling and enters a pub on a freezing London evening. Soon, her melancholic night is interrupted by Stella, an eager but ill-equipped stranger intent on helping Aidy. After Aidy refuses her help, Stella tries to leave but then collapses from a seizure brought on by her brain cancer. Aidy helps Stella up and the two women sit together, able to connect over their shared grief.
Lorenza’s Bike
Director: Patricio Mosse
Lorenza (5) lives in an apartment with her mother Cecilia (35), who seems depressed. Lorenza thinks this has to do with the pills she found next to her bed and the absence of her father, dead in an aviation tragedy. She spends her summer with his neighbour Simon (9), trying to understand if her father will ever come back and to get closer to her mother again.
Life Without Me
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (self harm)
Director: Inge Vela
Herminia is an older actress who feels forgotten and ignored by today's society, after everything she has done throughout her professional life with greater or lesser success. Fed up with everyone, she feels the need to demand recognition for all her past effort, even though no one cares anymore.
A Night in the Cosmico
Director: Luis De Val, Diego Herrero
A low-class law student struggles against his destiny: failure. He has to study for an exam, and since he can't concentrate, he goes to the Cósmico bar with the idea of having a coffee and focussing.
Strands of Light: Inspired by the Stories of Jorge Luis Borges
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (suicide)
Director: Jay Stern, Joan Grossman, Alan McIntyre Smith
An anthology film inspired by the short stories of Jorge Luis Borges, made with filmmaking students at Rider University during the pandemic. In "The Dream," a writer, obsessed with the image of a coin, tells a psychiatrist the story of a Woodcutter driven to madness. In "The Infinite Library," a young man, obsessed with finding the knowledge of the world by copying down the words of other writers, learns to find his own voice with the help of a young librarian. In "Emma Zunz," a young woman seeks revenge for the death of her father, and gains the courage to tell her story.
Not a Robot
Director: Peter Balint
In 12 seconds it becomes obvious: they are out there and they are outsmarting us.
Holy Shitter
Director: William PC Marsh
Attempting to appease the in-crowd from school, a teen steals a bottle of liquor from a gas station convenience store and retreats to the store’s bathroom, only to accidentally enter into a makeshift bathroom stall confessional booth operated by the owner’s daughter. A coming of age comedy. A directorial festival debut from student Emmy winning comedy writer William PC Marsh, from executive producer James Costa (Lunch Hour, Writer's Block, Time Trap, and many more)-- "Holy Shitter" unabashedly explores a microcosm of the modern teenage landscape while promoting the larger idea that, in order to truly connect with others, it takes being true to one's own self first. Unafraid to make you make you giggle, shield your eyes, and then, mere moments later, genuinely connect; this short carefully and meticulously rides the line between utter irreverence and meaningful catharsis. "This is a film with an outlandish overall concept-- but that concept serves only as the doorway to a more thoughtful flick... and the film works like a charm. Marsh's short film [was] well executed, well written, and excellently presented by the actors. So let your curious nature lead you through the bathroom doorway and stick around for the charming indie that is this film. You'll be glad you did.
That’s Our Time
Director: Alex Backes
Danny's stuck in a dead-end job. It keeps him focused on the clock and unable to connect with those around him. At their final session, his sympathetic therapist tries to help him realize that it's more important to focus on the time you have left than the time you've already spent.
Five Thousand Six Hundred Ninety Seven Pounds
Director: David Merritt II
Ricky, a loving husband, and father, is met with an impossible choice as he faces off with a mysterious armed intruder hellbent on the ultimate revenge.
Kill or Be Killed
Director: Devin Teer
After stealing the wrong man's car, the morality and loyalty of two young hustlers are put to the test when cornered with a decision that will forever alter their lives.
Grave
Director: Martin Tunnicliffe-Squirrell
A supernatural tale about a young boy, Tom’s experience of grief after the death of his Mum and having to live with his Dad, who he barely knows. They share little in common - Dad’s into rugby, and Tom loves ice-skating, but with the help of Mum’s Ghost, Dad’s haunted into making an effort to reconnect with his son.
Anathi
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (suicide)
Director: Keanu Sousa Mendes
Anathi is a young schoolgirl plagued by a presence only she can hear and see. Who is this ghost, why does he follow her, and why won't he leave? Will Anathi confront her demon or will she end up just like him?
Custard Creams
Director: Isabel Steuble-Johnson
Don, an army veteran living under the radar, opens the door to Alison brandishing her glossy brochures. As she delivers the trickiest of news over tea and biscuits, it seems their different worlds are not so dissimilar after all.
Death Jam
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (suicide, gore)
Director: Louis Mommeja
Julie, a wannabe comedian, tries to escape her foster father's funeral through her imaginary world.
Calls From a Bridge
Director: Ali Liebert
Coming down from last nights party, a grief stricken young woman finds herself alone on a bridge and desperate to keep the party going.
Compassionate Caren in the Big, Bad World
Director: Dean Shortland
Caron is a middle-aged control freak who isn’t feeling accepted in the world around her anymore. To feel relevant and useful—or for that matter, to survive—either she will either have to change her ways or society will have to understand her better.
Hope
Director: Mike Timoney
Love Conquers All. Maybe.
Stillness
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (infant death)
Director: Rachel Fowler
A photographer comes to take remembrance portraits for a family who have just suffered a stillbirth.
Dead, but Whatever
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (sex)
Director: Jacob Coburn
A woman escapes from the afterlife to tell off her cheating ex only to find out it’s three years later and she’s stuck haunting the sad-sack subletting her old apartment. The mismatched duo set on a road trip to resolve her unfinished business so she can move on.
Vegan Apocalypse
Director: Patrick Poe, Lolo Loren
The apocalypse has finally come - and it's made getting a good meal really, really hard. WINNER Best Kansas Short Film - Tallgrass Film Festival RUNNER UP Audience Choice Award - Bird Watching Film Festival.
Mr. Mayonnaise
Director: Patrick Rahill
A young adult's imaginary friend returns to remind him of an unfulfilled contract they agreed to as children.
The Line Jumper
Director: Rob Underhill, Hugh Oyake Murchison
Our capeless hero battles the menacing crime of line jumping! THE LINE JUMPER is co-directed by Hugh Oyake Murchison and Rob Underhill. Mr. Murchison is a first time filmmaker and second generation American (Japanese mother and African-American father).
Before Marriage
Director: Courtney Pape
In this spicy romantic comedy a newly engaged couple starts life planning instead of wedding planning but their ideas for partnership may be too far apart.
A Love Worth Fighting For
Director: Toby Fountaine
A German and an English soldier, in the first uneven throes of war, meet by chance. They are interrupted by a French woman who brings them together. When the naïve German later kills the English, his world comes crashing down...
Mom’s Celestial Robe of Feathers
Director: Kazuhiro Taira
"“There are many things that I don’t like.”
The traffic jam on the way to Naha, my debt-ridden father, my best friend’s boyfriend, milk, and my hometown, Shioya-wan.”
Why did my beautiful mother marry my father? Ruri tried to escape from these thoughts as she faced an uncertain future. Then, one day, she learns of her mother’s past, but…"
Watcher
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (gore)
Director: Alan Sanchez
After a bank heist goes awry, a group of four ex-military thieves find shelter in the woods overnight while en route to the Canadian border. Meanwhile, an invisible malicious spirit begins a hunt...for them.
Dark Visitors
**WARNING: This film may potentially trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is advised.
Director: Dylan Roberts
An intruder gets more than he bargained for upon the discovery of a mummified extraterrestrial.
Denali
Director: Alberto Ortega
Marina hires the services of Soul Data, a company that creates digital consciousness through data generated in life, to claim her deceased father for his part of the inheritance until she comes across new secrets.
Teething Problems
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (gore)
Director: Kristian Fitsall
Tired of her housemate stealing her toiletries, Darcy takes a twisted revenge in this darkly comic parody of a 'How To' video. A dark, absurd comedy micro short shot on Super 8mm film with no editing.
Ditched
Director: Sloan Turner
An impulsive middle schooler playing a game of hide-and-seek soon realizes something sinister is hunting him and his friends.
Hellscape
Director: Sam Sorenson
A mother searches for the spiritual truth about where her daughter's soul went after being murdered.
Enabler
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (mentions pedophilia)
Director: B.J. Halsall
A father searches for his missing son and is shocked by what he finds.
Client Call
Director: Benicio Calo
A telephone repairman is summoned to a mysterious suburban home to fix a phone on his lunch break, only to find out the home may not be as empty as he once thought.
Mirrorty
Director: Serkan Aktaş
This movie is about the mysterious disappearance of a man who lives alone in a city where people are vanished mysteriously, who is alienated from society and ignorant to social tragedies.
The Sneeze
Director: Gerald Haynes
Two men occupy a shared workspace. One of them sneezes and his officemate doesn't say "Bless You". His officemate goes on to explain it was believed that saying "Bless You" prevented you from being possessed by evil spirits after you sneezed. He doesn't believe in superstitions so he refuses to say. Right after that the man who sneezed gets possessed by an evil spirit.
No Pain No Gain
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (human experimentation)
Director: B.J. Halsall, Ryan Chester
Former All-Star high school athlete, Kylie Novotny, seeks revenge on her coach.
Love Letters to the Dreams I had Next to You
Director: Yoni Ben-Haim
A recounting of a summer filled with love and adoration. By the agency of her dreams, the Narrator re-lives moments of a time filled with heightened raw emotions.
Lucas Needs an Agent
Director: Lucas Grabeel
Lucas Grabeel attempts to re-enter the film industry after a long hiatus and global pandemic.
Roya
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (violence)
Director: Mohammad Reza Mohammadi
An Afghan man and his wife want to cross the borders illegally and reach Europe. After bearing many hardships and the trafficker's criticisms, it is time to give birth in a sensitive border situation where the police are around them. When everyone should be quiet; suddenly, the woman starts moaning; her moaning leads to putting other's lives in jeopardy and inflames migrants' protests. Meanwhile, the trafficker threatens that if the woman does not calm down, he will kill her. After a long conflict, suddenly, the baby is born, but the woman dies. The man is deeply shocked due to his wife's death; when he becomes aware, he finds himself alone with a baby and an abandoned corpse. He discovers that other migrants have left him and his wife's corpse without notice.
Syzygy
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (sex)
Director: Tessa Glinoer
Dedicated to my noisy neighbour.
The Mountain
Director: Clare Macdonald
Matthew is tired of feeling down. He wants to get help, get milk, and get back to normal. But his relentless inner voices are not going to make things easy. In fact, they’re going to make sure it’s an ice-cold uphill struggle. A comedy about mental health featuring the voices of Shirley Henderson (Harry Potter, Star Wars) and James Lance (Ted Lasso).
The Beauty of Violence
**WARNING: This film may potentially trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is advised.
Director: Cyrus Adkins
A nameless woman wonders into a punk rock show in an attempt to finally fit in somewhere. Through the music and violent moshing that surrounds her, she finds a sense of self and acceptance that she never had before.
Haystacks
Director: Jake Ames
A young vagabond’s idea of freedom is threatened, after they're caught trespassing on an old farmer’s land.
Ill Street Rap Battle
Director: Bryson Schultz
A rap battle gets a little too personal.
Hold and Secure
Director: Patrick Mulligan
Down on her luck, Lauren gets more than she bargained for while trying to do the right thing.
Lies
Director: Rachel Taggart
Navika is about to start in 6th grade and is stopped in her tracks when her mom reveals a big lie.
The Old Woman Skin
Director: Hiroki Inoue
"""I don't like to be told I'm beautiful.""
Before going to Tokyo from her hometown of Mishima, Fukushima Prefecture, Kyoko stopped by at Tsuchiyu Onsen and was handed an ""old woman's skin."" This allowed her transform herself into an old woman, enabling her to find out what's truly in the heart of the man she cares about ..."
Evolutionary
**WARNING: This film may potentially trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is advised.
Director: Oliver Crawford
The year is 2048, A military-led government 'Hunter' unit is sent out to track down and eliminate an alien being, but very soon they realise all isn't what it seems An engaging ecstasy of sci-fi madness.
The Spider’s Whisper
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (gore)
Director: Scott E Brosius
A spider crawls into the life of a young woman and changes her and her lover's life forever.
Bloody Red
Director: Hossein Abbasi Sharif Abadi
A poor boy buys a strange red t-shirt from a second-hand clothing store with a few drops of blood on it. After that, terrible things happen to him.
Normal
Director: Cody Leveski
A seemingly ordinary middle-aged man harbors a parasitic relationship with his only friend: his evil split personality.
The Other
Director: Negah Sohrabi
Farhad is a young historian who goes to a strange house with a job ad. His job is to organize the memories of an old woman's wife who has been dead for many years. In the process of doing his work, he falls in love with the old woman's nephew, and on the eve of his first romantic date with the girl, he suddenly realizes that he has a resemblance to the man who is busy editing his memoirs, and in his first romantic meeting, he also realizes that the old woman He dissolved in the girl's body and he himself was another person.
The Sweetest Day – Proof of Concept
Director: Doug Hawley
Mindy, the sole survivor of the Sweetest Day Ripper killing spree, has learned of his imminent return and is preparing for the battle of her life.
Achilles
Director: Adam Morris
Even the legendary Achilles has moments of self-doubt. Achilles explores the Achilles syndrome, known as the fear of failure. An experimental micro drama shot on Super 8mm film with no editing.
Canal
Director: Will Rahilly
A woman crossing a bridge on her walk home feels a sudden impulse to peer over at the river below. An otherworldly disturbance transports her through a watery portal into uncanny territory. She emerges in spotlight to the laughter of a self-populated audience demanding entertainment. Perplexed at her new surroundings and at being surrounded by herself, she flees the stage in panic, seeking exit through a labyrinthian course. But can she evade the force that drew her into this grim domain?
Fake Tools
Director: patrick duegaw
This animated short portrays convincingly plausible yet completely fictional tools. Fake Tools is a whimsical response to the desperate persistence of those who create self-serving narratives to solve their problems, both imaginary and real.
Plus
Director: Bohdan Romanko
This Ukrainian short - created using state-of-the-art technology - follows a heart-breaking chat between an ordinary Ukrainian man, compelled to join the defense forces on the front-line of the 2022 Russian War, and his emerging girlfriend who anxiously follows his journey as war rages all around him doing what she can to help.
Interlude
Director: Paul L Carr
"A film you can explain in words is not a real film." -- MIchaelangelo Antonioni." The imagery of a film and the music of a soundtrack convey something that mere words cannot. While I may not aways agree with Antonioni's quote, my primary aspiration for Interlude is that the film is evocative. It can mean different things to different people but I hope it conveys the stunning beauty and fragility of life, the new overtaking the old, and embracing the wonder of the moment. Katherine Terrell toured the world as a professional opera singer. She is also a cancer survivor. After losing my parents and other friends in recent years, mortality has been a constant element not only in my life but the lives of so many others. This is one of the inspirations for Interlude, as was the timeless classic, Alice in Wonderland. My film is yet another trip down the rabbit hole of life and Kathy's performances are part of the cavalcade of imagery of Interlude, as life rushes by like a dream.
Second Gen
**WARNING: This film may potentially trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is advised.
Director: Mike Madigan
The end is actually just a virtual beginning for Aimee- but those cloest to her may not fully understand the last vestiges of herself in this new format.
Resurrection Under the Ocean
Director: 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.
Supervision
Director: Sophie Colquhoun
Bea, an isolated and psychologically abused girl decides that rather than turn into her mother, she will instead become a spider. The decision to transform herself into a spider is one that propels her through an otherwise empty existence until the discovery that her mother too had tried to do the same in her youth. This transgenerational wound, bonds mother and daughter under the shadow of the spider and all that could’ve been.
Our Nature
Director: Scott Danzig
A dance film about a hiker befriending a spirit of nature and fighting to protect her.
Behind Closed Doors
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (domestic violence, suicide)
Director: Elizabeth Juhasz, Sarah Smith
The Man With The Cough
Director: Alex George
A thematic satire on the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and told in a Twilight Zone narrative style, "The Man With The Cough" tells the story of a hypochondriac man who has a series of premonitions of illness and death that cause him to experience great fear for his life.
Good night, Bride!
Director: Nataliia Suprun
Anna is about to marry the perfect guy, go for a honeymoon to Hawaii, and finally get her green card. But the bachelorette night takes an unexpected turn for her.
Tour to McWay
Director: Andrew Kovac
After 15 years of separation, two brothers confront their absent relationship as well as the recent passing of their mother.
Parlay
Director: Rick Pate
On the bad end of a week long bender fueled by the suicide of his older brother, a young man finds himself drowning in grief and debt. He lies to everyone he knows as he hides in a corner bar hoping his big bet hits.
You’ll Never Be My First Kiss
Director: Payton Burkhammer
Anxious about her upcoming date, Gabi enlists the help of her best friend, Matt, to teach her how to have the perfect first kiss.
Awake
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (drug use)
Director: Elle Birdsell
George is in a funk, so he decides to go out and photograph the world until he finds someone in worse shape than him, inspired by true events.
Secret Honor
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (drug use)
Director: Kevin James Hogan
Logline: An ex-boxer must help his friend, a hot young comic, when he gets in trouble with a local big shot. Brief Synopsis: Victor, a tough ex-boxer, and his friend, Demarcus, a hot young comic, are shooting the breeze, waiting to pick up some Laker tickets from Demarcus’s friend. When Victor pries out of Demarcus the true identity of his friend, a laid-back afternoon in LA turns into a grim, comic standoff between old foes. A matter of life and death becomes a matter of true honor in the age of social media.
What’s Best
Director: Zachery Arthur Gosen
An elderly man's reality begins to crumble when he discovers his wife is not who or what she seems to be.
Good Old Days
Director: Darren Latanick
David sneaks away to his lake house in order to rendezvous with an old friend.
Boss of the Toss
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (drug use)
Director: Chris Harboldt
A down and out cornhole player must compete in a high stakes, underground tournament to help his Grammy pay off a loan shark.
Burning River
Director: Logan Lambert
John Fabian knows a thing or two about Northeast Ohio’s rivers. Born and raised in Ohio, he has spent the last three decades studying these waterways. Since then, it’s gone from a relatively unknown waterway for fly-fishing to a regional hotspot stocked with steelhead and trophy fish. Although, It wasn’t always this way. Cleveland had one of the most polluted waterways in the country. The Cuyahoga River was littered with pollution and unregulated industry, often dumping waste in the river. This caused the river to catch fire over thirteen times. To no one’s surprise it caught fire again in 1969, but this time it sparked an environmental movement that prompted President Richard Nixon to pass the Clean Water Act in 1972. Today, the rivers have been restored, but river stewards like John often fight to keep it this way. As an Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide, his purpose to share one of America’s greatest past times and show how beautiful Ohio’s rivers can be. Often providing a sense of escape and relief to his clients. After experiencing loss in his own life, John feels connected by getting out on the river. Wether it’s enjoying the 5am stillness, having a beer, or enjoying one of John’s famous deli sandwiches, fly fishing is about more than catching fish. It’s about enjoying the time on the river with others. He hopes that by sharing his passion, he can help others find peace in this sanctuary as he does. And as a result, it will help protect this beautiful place John calls home.
Vanished in Ohio
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (real life missing people, sex trafficking)
Director: Tatalovic, B. R., Ochwat, Deborah
"Vanished in Ohio" explores the problem of missing women in Ohio, sex trafficking and mainstream media coverage.
Dreaming of a Better Place
**WARNING: This film may potentially trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is advised.
Director: Cameron Thuman
Nestled deep within British Columbia, the Gostlin family finds solace in the spirit of the mountains and culture of powder skiing, after an unexpected tragedy changes the family’s dream forever. The film co-stars Canadian skier Mark Abma (75,000+ IG followers), with a sensational soundtrack recorded in Berlin’s Funkhaus Cathedral by Liam Mour (250,000+ Spotify followers) in partnership with Sony Music Europe. Directed by 24-year-old Cannes YDA nominee Cameron Thuman, this global team and its media partners are actively ready to attend and heavily promote screenings.
Kasama
Director: Nick Cavalier
A documentary portrait of husband and wife culinary duo, Genie Kwon and Tim Flores as they open their first Chicago restaurant Kasama during a global pandemic.
Road to the Ring
Director: Gracie Collins
A Short documentary about how the 2019 Muskingum University women's volleyball team defied the odds to win the Ohio Athletic Conference Championship.
in·spi·ra·tion
Director: Patrick Crellin, Bethany White
in·spi·ra·tion is a short documentary following three Isle of Man artists as they complete a piece of work, discussing their sources of inspiration and identity as artists. The film aims to demystify the artistic process, and demonstrate how everyone works differently, and there is no ‘right’ way to do art; it’s a personal journey.
grief and joy
Director: Shana Lee Gibson
When Mari Lalana's husband dies, she's left to take care of the farm alone. Despite her grief, her commitment to the chickens, donkey and mini horses brings her joy, overriding money concerns.
Unstoppable: Tiara Thomas
Director: Betsy Pike
Singer and songwriter Tiara Thomas recounts her journey through the music industry from student to Grammy and Academy Award winning artist.
Three Souls in Search of an Embrace
Director: Tom Donohue, Greg Shaya
Three dancers, one blind, one in a wheelchair and one born with just one leg, compete to be accepted in perhaps the most exclusive of environments: the World Tango Championship of Buenos Aires. There is no category for "the physically challenged". There is, however, a chance. Tango is danced with the soul.
Closer
Director: Jake Marzluf, Andrew Chope
A musical artist finds a connection with his community and his late father by recording a new album.
Open the Bellows
Director: Benny Flora
In Philadelphia, a stockbroker gives up his high-paying position to follow his dream of opening an accordion store.
The Green Isle
Director: Laura Hartshorn, Joe Edmond, Jessica Llewellyn-Jones
A short documentary about sustainability on the remote Scottish island of Raasay. With a population of only 161 people, this strong island community of the West Coast have come together with the shared interest of creating a greener future.
Love Line
Director: Katerina
Mariann Miller starts a new life in Cleveland and finds the love of her life.
From Trash to Treasure: Turning negatives into positives in Lesotho
Director: Iara Lee
Presented by Unified Filmmakers: Florian Deyle and Patricia Mestanza
Cultures of Resistance Films Profiles a variety of inventive creators, introducing viewers to a fascinating cast of local residents who are using art as a means of communicating a communal desire for positive change.
No Limits
Director: Bill Aydelott
The Bart Adaptive Sports Center of Bromley, VT is celebrating 20 years of helping wounded military heroes and children with disabilities learn to ski. The inspiring story is told here by the vets, the kids and their grateful families.
Fount
Director: Evrim Inci
Presented by Unified Filmmakers: Florian Deyle and Patricia Mestanza
Walid and his family, who had been having a difficult life in Somalia and had to migrate to Turkey, are sent to Burdur. Walid, facing the drought in Burdur, is struggling for his life.
But You’d Be a Great Mom
Director: Hollie Brubaker
The pressure to become a mom is everywhere. Experience the infertility journey of a woman, Hollie, who has decided to come out as childfree. This film is a series of video confessions and interviews with loved ones exploring the twists and turns leading up to her big decision to live childfree, and take back her sense of belonging in the world. An emotional roller coaster leads up to almost becoming foster parents, but this is ultimately a story of changing perspectives. Hollie will share the moment she finally began "celebrating what is right in the world..." and discovered that women can contribute to society in many beautiful ways.
Dulce
Director: Guille Isa, Angelo Faccini
Presented by Unified Filmmakers: Florian Deyle and Patricia Mestanza
In the coastal village of La Ensenada, Colombia, where digging for shellfish is a way of life, everyone must learn to swim eventually — even little Dulce. But as the effects of climate change, marked by swelling tides and shrinking coastlines, begin to threaten the village's livelihood, the carefree swimming lessons led by Dulce's mother take on a sense of urgency.
First Born
Director: Ryan Ribinskas
'First Born' is a mini Biopic Documentary about my oldest brother Andrew as told by my mother Mary on how she and us as a family has dealt with providing for him throughout his life despite challenges he may face with having autism.
Enjoy an encore presentation of our award winning films followed by a Q&A with the judges of the 2023 Short. Sweet. Film Fest.
Plus
Director: Bohdan Romanko
This Ukrainian short - created using state-of-the-art technology - follows a heart-breaking chat between an ordinary Ukrainian man, compelled to join the defense forces on the front-line of the 2022 Russian War, and his emerging girlfriend who anxiously follows his journey as war rages all around him doing what she can to help.
The Sprayer
Director: Farnoosh Abedi
In the land occupied with the sprayers army, no one has the right to grow any kind of plants either in public or private. So many of the people and soldiers do not even know how dose a plant grows or look like, until one day one of the soldiers finds a seed buried deep down in the dust and his curiosity is just the beginning of something extraordinary, something big, something revolutionary.
Denali
Director: Alberto Ortega
Marina hires the services of Soul Data, a company that creates digital consciousness through data generated in life, to claim her deceased father for his part of the inheritance until she comes across new secrets.
Stillness
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (infant death)
Director: Rachel Fowler
A photographer comes to take remembrance portraits for a family who have just suffered a stillbirth.
Heart Failure
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (sex)
Director: Paul Sewry
When Frank falls for his one night stand, he must do everything he can to stop his heart from breaking completely, in this musical comedy.
Parlay
Director: Rick Pate
On the bad end of a week long bender fueled by the suicide of his older brother, a young man finds himself drowning in grief and debt. He lies to everyone he knows as he hides in a corner bar hoping his big bet hits.
Death Jam
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (suicide, gore)
Director: Louis Mommeja
Julie, a wannabe comedian, tries to escape her foster father's funeral through her imaginary world.
In Between
Director: Lindy Boustedt
Written by a student in the Screenwriting Program at the Washington Corrections Center for Women, this short film is based on a true story -- but through the lens of a what-if. The film depicts the real event of Lisa (biracial) being segregated to a different school from her white sister. But what if that circumstance had a different outcome and Lisa had found community and connection? What if she had been able to find confidence in herself? How different could her life have turned out?
Renaissance
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (nudity)
Director: Victoria Lacoste, Penelope Caillet
The sensuality of being alone.
Talent Show
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (mature language)
Director: Jake Harness
After breaking up with his band, Craig must enter a life-changing talent show by himself.
You’re Alright Hun
Director: Katie-Ann McDonough
Orla is on the brink caring for her terminally ill Dad, Darragh. While waiting in the pharmacy for his pain medicine, all hell breaks loose when Orla's ex-girlfriend shows up to return a potted succulent.
Secret Honor
*This film contains the following content that may not be appropriate for all viewers: (drug use)
Director: Kevin James Hogan
Logline: An ex-boxer must help his friend, a hot young comic, when he gets in trouble with a local big shot. Brief Synopsis: Victor, a tough ex-boxer, and his friend, Demarcus, a hot young comic, are shooting the breeze, waiting to pick up some Laker tickets from Demarcus’s friend. When Victor pries out of Demarcus the true identity of his friend, a laid-back afternoon in LA turns into a grim, comic standoff between old foes. A matter of life and death becomes a matter of true honor in the age of social media.
Program 1 - 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Fully Exempt Films
Dark Noontime
Bright Night
SHE
The Cheeseballs
The Sillies
Jesterz Kourt Productions/Those Guys
Groovy Gecko Films
Kidney +
Wild Scarlet Calling
Program 2 - 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Brutal Flowers Films
White Midnight
Team Diggler
Industrial Magic (& Light)
Puddle Hoppers
MMH Productions
Shy Moose Pictures
Team Desmond
Troubadour Films
Program 3 + Awards - 9:00 - 11:00 p.m.
Frog Aioli Films
Scream into the Void
Team Faye
Team Mookie
The Freke Showe
Sweetooth Studios
F-Stop Films