The 2026 Slamdance Film Festival, the artist-led organization “by filmmakers, for filmmakers,” has unveiled its 2026 lineup. Celebrating its second year in Los Angeles, the festival continues to discover and champion industry-changing talent. The festival will run in-person from Feb. 19 to 25 and virtually from Feb. 24 to March 6 on the Slamdance Channel.

A celebration of emerging filmmaking talent from around the world, this year’s lineup consists of 141 films — 50 of which are World Premieres — hailing from over 50 countries, including Australia, Brazil, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iceland, Iran, Palestine, Spain, Sudan and Vietnam among others. 

The 2026 programming was selected from 10,000 submissions, 28% of which were submitted by LA area filmmakers. As in previous years, all films selected in the Narrative Features and Documentary Features competition categories are directorial debuts without U.S. distribution, with budgets of less than $1 million. 

“At a moment when our industry is facing real uncertainty, Slamdance remains deeply committed to supporting filmmakers and bringing our community together,” said Peter Baxter, Slamdance co-founder. “This year’s Slamdance program celebrates filmmakers from across the globe and the discovery of new artists who shape our cultural future. By offering free industry programming and creating space for meaningful conversation, we’re supporting artists, sharing new ideas in filmmaking, and working together to strengthen independent film.”

Slamdance is proud to offer a diverse lineup of voices with 50% of the 2026 films helmed by female, trans and non-binary directors and 41.4% of this year’s films are by BIPOC creators. In addition, 9.7% of Slamdance’s program is made by creators with visible and non-visible disabilities. 

This year’s lineup includes Narrative and Documentary Features in competition as well as Spotlight Features showcasing premieres from established directors. Also unveiled are episodes, shorts across multiple categories — narrative, documentary, Unstoppable, animated, 99 Specials, experimental, Project Involve and Revolution — as well as the innovative DIG (Digital, Interactive, Gaming) program.

Slamdance has formed a powerful jury for its 32nd edition including alumni and Academy Award-nominated filmmakers Erick Oh (“Opera”) and Adam Pertofsky (“The Witness form the Balcony of Room 306”), actors Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine (“The Lincoln Lawyer”), Chris Bauer (“The Wire”) and directors Marie Jamora (“What Isn’t There”) and Rosanna Xia (“Out of Plain Sight”). 

Championing filmmakers with visible and non-visible disabilities, the 2026 Unstoppable program includes 4 features and 13 shorts from around the world. Now in its sixth year, the Unstoppable Program continues to challenge stereotypes and explore unique narratives. Feature films in the lineup include “Back on Track,” “The Tallest Dwarf and “You Look Fine.” Shorts include “Bear,” “The Bear Hunt,” “Becoming Ollie,” “Blindsided,” “Everhand,” “Explant/Implant,” “Familiar Stranger,” “Girl of Wind,” “Going Nowhere Fast,” “Here We Go Again,” “Murphy’s Ranch, ‘The Knight” and “Unlimited, Forever and Ever, No Matter What.” 

In addition to the Unstoppable lineup, Slamdance is proud to offer a fully accessible festival with accessibility services generously sponsored by returning Disability Inclusion partner Easterseals. 

Celebrating the creative spirit of Los Angeles, Slamdance’s Made In L.A. program is back for its second year, highlighting projects from the local community. The Made In L.A. program consists of 41 projects – 12 features, 23 shorts, 3 episodics, and 3 DIG projects. Film Independent’s Project Involve has curated 5 of these shorts from their 2025 program to be showcased at Slamdance ‘26. Since 1993, Project Involve has mentored filmmakers from historically underrepresented communities, spotlighting their unique perspectives and bold storytelling.

In addition to a strong film lineup, Slamdance will continue to offer free community events throughout the festival, including the popular Market Monday. Held on Monday, February 23rd, this year’s programming by Ted Hope and the many participants in the growing NonDē Film Movement will be entitled “The NonDē Way: Fun & Dangerous Ideas To Disrupt What Once Was ‘Indie’ & To Separate From A Lame Ass Corporate Film Industry” and focuses on the paths to a sustainable non-dependent cinema ecosystem that prioritizes the art, artists and audiences.

Additional festival events include Femme Film Friday, Writers Day, Slandance’s Student Symposium, and Programmer’s Day. On Feb. 20, Femme Film Friday will feature screenings of films by female, trans and non-binary directors as well as a panel presented by Women Independent Producers entitled “Navigating Self Care as a Producer.” Presented in collaboration with PageCraft, Writer’s Day on Feb. 21 features panels on everything from practicing the craft to getting in the writer’s room. Held on Feb. 22, Slamdance’s Student Symposium offers workshops and networking opportunities to local SoCal film schools. Programmers Day will also be held on Feb. 22 and includes events and panels involving nationwide festival and museum curators. 

Slamdance ‘26 will be located at the DGA, Landmark Sunset and 2220 Arts with the closing night ceremony held at the legendary Egyptian Theater. In addition to hosting screenings and events, the DGA will serve as festival headquarters.

Slamdance is honored to be a part of a vibrant and collaborative community and the festival wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of our sponsors and community partners. The festival is presented by the Directors Guild of America and sponsored by LUMIX Panasonic, Easterseals, Eventive, DCPforALL, First Entertainment Credit Union, Magenta, NBCU Launch, Netflix, Pessah Law and SAGindie, with generous distribution support offered by Utopia.

Slamdance community partners include 2220 Arts, ARRAY, Compton Unified School District, Fest Forums, Film Independent, Landmark Theaters, Los Angeles Arts & Culture, NonDē, Occidental College, University of Southern California, Women in Film and Women in Production.

In-person accessible passes priced at $50 each, industry bulk passes, and Slamdance Channel subscriptions can be purchased now at slamdance.com/festival-passes/. Pass sales close on Jan. 31st with individual ticketing going on sale February 1st. 

More information regarding Slamdance programming can be found on the festival’s website: https://www.slamdance.com. 

Slamdance’s 2026 Full Festival Line-up

Narrative Features

Danny Is My Boyfriend (Made in LA) (USA)

Directors: Mechi Lakatos, Lucy Sandler

Producers: Lucy Sandler, Mechi Lakatos, Rachel Brunner, Joey Fitzsimmons, Trace Le

Cast: Lucy Sandler, Mechi Lakatos, Brooke Smith, Rachel Brunner, Maleah Goldberg, Michelle Thompson

After discovering they’re dating the same man, a recovering codependent living with her mother and a socially awkward babysitter fumble their way through a series of misguided schemes, enlisting a parade of eccentric and unqualified accomplices in a half-baked mission to get revenge.

Dump of Untitled Pieces (İsimsiz Eserler Mezarlığı) (Turkey) – North American Premiere

Director: Melik Kuru

Producers: Hilal Şenel, Fahriye İsmayilova, Simla Güran (co-producer)

Cast: Manolya Maya, Ekremcan Arslandağ, Tuğrul Tülek, Tülin Özen, Ceylan Özgün Özçelik, Emrah Özdemir, Okan Avcı, Cüneyt Yalaz

Facing imminent eviction, an idealistic young photographer and her hapless roommate attempt to sell her work to galleries for the first time, embarking on a bumpy journey through the collapsing art market of Istanbul.

Matapanki (Chile) – North American Premiere

Director: Diego “Mapache” Fuentes

Producer: Tomás Santelices

Cast: Ramón Gálvez, Diego Bravo, Antonia McCarthy, Rosa Peñaloza, Rodrigo Lisboa

After obtaining superpowers that are activated by alcohol, a young punk will try to make a change in society, but due to a serious mistake, he will end up unleashing an international conflict against him.

TEN WILL (Made in LA) (USA) – World Premiere

Director: Max DeFalco

Producers: Max DeFalco, Cheyenne Slowensky

Cast: Mikul Robins, Donna Dymally, Alicia Hecht, Terrell Lamb, Kathleen Deming, Sonny Frank, Peggy Fields Richardson, Harvey Fisher

When his van breaks down, a recently released convict tears through the streets of LA, colliding with everyone in his path in a desperate attempt to register on time as a sex offender.

THE KEY (LA CLEF) (France) – North American Premiere

Director: Paul G. Sportiello

Producer: Emilie Huynh

Cast: Sylka, Bruno Clairefond, Alain Guillot, Dorothée Deblaton

The True Story of Real Hidden People.

The Old Man and the Parrot (El Viejo y La Cotorra) (United States) – World Premiere

Director: Gabriel de Varona

Producer: Kevin Ondarza

Cast: Ruben Rabasa, Serafin Falcon, Rene Lavan, Isabella Bobadilla, Mia Rose Chamaro

With a taxidermy parrot and pistol in hand, Praxi, breaks into the home of a mute spiritual guru who trapped his lover’s soul inside the parrot years ago. Praxi must convince the guru’s estranged daughter to guide her father in freeing his lover’s soul in this darkly comedic tale of love and the afterlife.

The Plan (Made in LA) (United States) – World Premiere

Director: Jessica Barr

Producers: Jessica Barr, Alexander Spenser Gould, Sarah Whelden, Kelly Wilcox / Executive Produced by Madhouse Films and Firestarter Productions

In one unbroken take, a group of disillusioned young adults readies themselves for an irreversible act they believe will change the world.

Three Colors: Pan-African (Made in LA) (USA) – World Premiere

Directors: Elijah Davis, Allison A. Waite, Tyler Ocasio Holmes

Producers: Elijah Davis, Dami Olatunji, Jack McMann, Joseph Agboola, Ben Ephraim, Christen Vanderbilt Ellis, Asar Saint Lamont, Jaala Alston, Amy Roach

Cast: Loretta Devine, Bashir Salahuddin, Peyton Alex Smith, Sibongile Mlambo, Stephen Bishop, Lathan Ava, Kimrie Lewis

A college football star scrambles to save his career after a devastating injury fractures his self-worth; an African immigrant mother evades deportation as an unlikely group of heroes rally around her; the star of a Black family sitcom questions his role as the studio forces his show into racist caricature to boost ratings.

Tony Odyssey (Made in LA) (Antônio Odisseia) (Brazil) – World Premiere

Director: Thales Banzai

Producers: Thales Banzai, Camila Cornelsen, Mario Peixoto

Cast: Kelson Succi, Iraci Estrela, Sandro Guerra, Antônio Pitanga, Leci Brandão, Teuda Bara, Luiz Bertazzo, Chico César

Tony and his best friend, Ivy, rob the bar where he works and steal a new drug that takes them into a surrealist Brazilian odyssey to meet God.

WHISPERINGS OF THE MOON (Made in LA) (Hong Kong, Cambodia, India) – North American Premiere

Director: Yuqing Lai

Producers: Siddartha Jatla, Lily Yang, Esther Li

Cast: Sopheanith Thong, Deka Nine

Nisay, an actress haunted by loss, returns to Cambodia and to Thida — a love once forbidden. Bound by the weight of family and society, their passion survives only in memory and performance, until it must fade away.

Documentary Features 

50 Meters (Egypt, Denmark, Saudi Arabia) – US Premiere

Director: Yomna Khattab

Producer: A.A. Films

Cast: Yomna Khattab, Akram Khattab

Through a complex and emotionally layered father-daughter journey set in a Cairo community swimming pool, Yomna explores her existential questions surrounding career, parenthood, and mortality.

A Free Daughter of Free Kyrgyzstan (Switzerland)

Director & Producer: Leigh Iacobucci

Cast: Zere Asylbek

A fearless young singer challenges her oppressive culture through bold music videos, risking everything to amplify women’s voices despite dangerous opposition.

HOUSE 4 (Haus 4) (Germany) – World Premiere

Director: Philipp Schaeffer

Producers: Paul Hartmann, Franzis Unger

With exceptional access, HOUSE 4 documents a year in the life of inmates at Berlin’s youth prison — can therapy change their lives?

KINGS OF VENICE (Made in LA) (USA)

Directors & Producers: Sveinn Ingimundarson, S.D. Saltarelli

Cast: Scotty Freedman, Ernesto Russo, Sonia Ode Lucci, Carl Tabor, Brian Wan, Larry Nagler

As pickleball sweeps the nation, the paddle tennis diehards of Venice Beach dig in for one final, ridiculous stand.

Silver (Poland, Norway, Finland) – North American Premiere

Director: Natalia Koniarz

Producers: Maciej Kubicki (TELEMARK), PIRAYA, IV Films

A visual look at the inhabitants of the highest mine in Bolivia, whose deaths weigh as much as the mined silver, exploring human endurance, spirituality, and labor costs.

SNOWLAND (USA)

Director & Producer: Jill Orschel

Cast: Cora Lee Witt, Becca Fischer

A former child bride from a notorious polygamous sect escapes her dark past by creating a fantasy world as a way to survive.

The Bulldogs (USA) – World Premiere

Directors: Ori Segev, Noah Dixon

Producers: Drew Johnson, Alexander Hyde

Following a catastrophic train derailment, The Bulldogs follows the residents of a small rural community in East Palestine, Ohio, as they navigate an uncertain path to recovery.

The LeMieurs (USA) – World Premiere

Director: Sammy LeMieur

Producers: Collin Colaizzi, Sammy LeMieur

Cast: Beverly, Tim, Seth, Kyle, Steve, Mikey, Eli, Jim, John LeMieur

Fearing regret and desperate to keep hold of their history, the five sons of a small-town Minnesota matriarch must reconcile her aging, while her three grandsons running a funeral home face death head-on.

Spotlight Features (previously announced) 

The Projectionist (USA) World Premiere

Director: Alexandre Rockwell

Producers: Quentin Tarantino and Jack Auen

Cast: Vondie Curtis-Hall, Karyn Parsons, Kasi Lemmons, David Proval, Kevin Corrigan, and Michael Buscemi.

A reclusive projectionist is haunted by a wrongful conviction and the loss of his wife. He lives in solitude inside a fading art house theater until one fateful night when his past resurfaces, forcing him to confront the truth, rekindle love, and find peace in the glow of the final reel. 

Under The Rainbow: The Curious Crimes Of The Ruby Slippers (Made in LA)  (USA) World Premiere 

Directors: Seth Gordon and Nikki Calabrese

Producers: Seth Gordon and Nikki Calabrese 

When the original Ruby Slippers from The Wizard of Oz are stolen from a small-town museum in Minnesota, a maze of clues and calamities unfolds—colliding the heartland with Hollywood and big-time crime

Breakout Features

11 (Philippines) – World Premiere

Director: Bebe Go

Producer: Martika Ramirez Escobar

Cast: Gabby Padilla, Tona Lopez, Joanne Cesario, Jao San Pedro, Vi-an Tan

When an ongoing apocalypse halts the production of Gabby’s new film, she escapes to see her artist friend Tona in La Union, a former booming beach town and strategic site for a US military base.

A Story About You (USA) – World Premiere

Director: Joseph E. Austin II

Producers: Denise Yolén, Jeremy Harris, Joseph E. Austin II, Shannon Wallace, Kimberly Hines Cast: Shannon Wallace, Pernell Walker, Denise Yolén, Monique Lindsey, Adwoa Duncan-Williams, Shiree Adkins

A man is forced to come to terms with his past as he navigates his week with various love interests.

BRB (Made in LA) (USA) – World Premiere

Director: Kate Cobb

Producers: Kevin Bigley, In The Rye Productions, Chicago Media Angels

Screenwriters: Michael Waller, Sydney Blackburn

Cast: Autumn Best, Zoe Colletti, Beth Lacke, Keith Kupferer, Richard David, Dan Haller, Cristian Lager

Set in the era of dial-up and AIM away messages, a love-sick teenage girl and her older sister embark on a road trip to meet her online boyfriend, spiraling into chaos as secrets are revealed.

CLOVERS (Made in LA) (USA)

Directors & Producers: Jacob Hatley and Tom Vickers

Cast: Jennifer Paschal, JD Cranford, Sharon McNeill

The denizens of a strip-mall casino in Asheboro, North Carolina endure two tumultuous years.

Santa Zeta (Spain) – North American Premiere

Director: Antonio Munoz de Mesa

Producer: Jordi Monedero

Cast: Nekane Otxoa, Africa Giron, Arlette Torres, Ivan Villanueva, Darci L. Strother, Izoko, Jordi Monedero

YouTuber by day, vigilante by night.

Zumeca (Dominican Republic) – World Premiere

Director & Producer: Maler

Cast: Angela Canó, Ruben Ochandiano, Miguel Dionisios Ramos

Based on the true story of the first Family of the Americas between a Taino and a Spaniard, which started the colonization of the “New World.”

Unstoppable Features

Back On Track (United States of America) – World Premiere

Director: Peter Tkac

Producers: Peter Tkac, Peter Gilbert

Cast: Chris Rivera, Bri Solomon, Tamirat “T” Ives-Rublee, The Triad Trackers Wheelchair Basketball Team

After a random shooting left him paralyzed, Chris Rivera rediscovered life through the Triad Trackers, a wheelchair basketball squad that redefines success beyond wins and losses.

BRAILLED IT (Made in LA) (USA) – World Premiere

Directors: Salome Cummins, Isaiah Gauthier, David Grabias, Christopher Morgan, Brendon Schulze

Producers: Anne Edgar, David Grabias, Alison Kohlhardt

Cast: Salome Cummins, Isaiah Gauthier, Christopher Morgan, Lynn Wu, Brooke Petro

Blind and low-vision kids take control of the cameras and capture their own experiences at the annual Braille Challenge — a weekend of high-pressure competition and raw coming-of-age moments.

The Tallest Dwarf (USA)

Director: Julie Forrest Wyman

Producers: Lindsey Dryden, Shaleece Haas, Jonna McKone, Julie Forrest Wyman

Cast: Julie Wyman, Sofiya Cheyenne, Rebecca Cokley, Chandler Crews, Sarah Folkins, Matthew Jeffers, Katrina Kemp, Mark Povinelli, Aubrey Smalls

Visually striking, humorous, and touching, THE TALLEST DWARF is both personal and political – inviting audiences to rethink identity, disability, and what it means to belong in a world that wants to change who you are.

YOU LOOK FINE (Made in LA) (USA) – U.S. Premiere

Director: J. Snow

Producers: Aaliyah Williams, Marlon Wayans, Rick Alvarez

Cast: J. Snow

Trapped in a hospital bed during a sickle cell crisis, a comedian turns the camera on himself — and his disease — to document the brutal, funny, and deeply human story behind the pain no one sees.

Episodes

Cat & Nat (USA) – World Premiere

Director: Aaron Hughes

Producer: Aaron Hughes

Cast: Natalie Labarre, Tom Bayne, Nina Kiernan, Susan Hwang, Nora Feher, Elise Raven, Jo Palazuelos-Krukowski, Aaron Hughes

Disturbing fortune cookie predictions send a girl and her cat into a surreal spiral.

Daddies Boi (Made in LA) (USA)

Director: Jason Avezzano

Producers: Louie Rinaldi (Executive Producer), Zoe Tyson (Executive Producer), Kimberly Parker, Gregory Kasunich

Cast: Louie Rinaldi, Zoe Tyson, Todd Sherry, Tarek Ziad, Milan Patel

As youth and options dry up for two aging sugar babies, they must plunge into the bizarre “desire economy” via a provocative app.

Disc (USA)

Director: Renzo Montoya

Producer: Renzo Montoya

Cast: Prentice Myles, Soulo Smith, Dominic Wong, Whitney Sarah Louis

A street rapper promotes his latest single in the Big Apple, but he is challenged by the arrogant competition around the block.

Puke Bitch (United States)

Director: Sam Tricomo

Producers: Sam Tricomo, Brandon Fecteau, Jaclyn Iskow

Cast: Kimberly Cruchon Brooks, Jaclyn Iskow, Brandon Engel, Jalen Wilson Nelem, Olivia Kiefer, Zakiyyah BG

Siblings Dove and Larry revel in wild nights and mocking their foster mother in a bleak small town harboring many connections to death.

Soft Boil (Made in LA) (United States)

Director: Alec Goldberg

Producers: EP: Camille Wormser, Alec Goldberg; Producers: Hannah Connery, Vivian Kerr, Clayton Susick, Don Ohmer, Drue Robertson, Hunter Milano

 Cast: Camille Wormser, Madison Shamoun, John Gemberling, Vivian Kerr, Patrick Tabari

Soft Boil is a comedy about the chaotic life of Lulu, who takes a job as a nanny, only to discover that her new boss isn’t who she expected.

The Human, Will : Will’s Will (United States) – World Premiere

Director: Edward Bursch

Producer: Edward Bursch

Cast: Joe Pera, Will Sterbenz

A depressed insurance claims adjuster vows to exercise Free Will after his pet goldfish Frodo is shot and killed.

Vicky Wakes Up (Made in LA) (USA) – World Premiere

Director: Victoria Blade

Producers: Victoria Blade, Aaron Pagniano, Lisa Anderson, Sheila Kennedy, Dani Abraham, Maria Mercedes

Cast: Victoria Blade, Mario Silva, Yvonne Senat Jones, Matt Wool

Stuck in a dead-end office job, Vicky lives an uninspired existence until she’s confronted by a mystical pop star.

Narrative Shorts 

After That (在那之後) (Made in LA) (United States) – World Premiere

Directors: Xinhao Lu & Mufeng Han

Producers: Savory Liu & Yuqin Hong

Cast: Jim Lau

A man named Xinhao wanders the uninhabited city of the future. After memorializing his past, he disappears.

Beaks (Becs et Ongles) (France) – North American Premiere

Director: Xavier Demoulin

Producer: Melcoton Films

Cast: Lauréna Thellier, Raphaël Thierry, Michel Masiero

When 20-year-old Anaïs, burdened with debt, inherits her father’s last fighting rooster, she has no choice but to learn how to make it fight. And mourn the past.

Beneath the Night (Germany) – North American Premiere

Director: Maximilian Karakatsanis

Producers: Maximilian Karakatsanis, Linus Krömer

Cast: Peter Schneider, Daniela Holtz, Flavia Hunziker, Fehmi Göklü, Stefan Lampadius

A metro driver with colorful hair is unexpectedly chosen as the face of a public transport advertising campaign, blurring the lines between the visible and hidden. Shot on 16mm analog film.

Charlie is Not a Boy (Made in LA) (USA) – World Premiere

Director: Pol Kurucz

Producers: Judit Stalter, Pol Kurucz, Ernest Faisztl, Gabor Rajnai

Cast: Brooks Ginnan, Máté Mészáros, Gigi Spelsberg, Ágnes Bánfalvy

In a crumbling household ruled by a perverted father, a hushed soul clings to the magic of his eccentric grandmother until his safe haven unravels, forcing him to choose between the masks he wears and the truth of who he is.

Child’s Fare (United Kingdom) – U.S. Premiere

Director: Kirsty McLean

Producer: Kieran Pádraig Smyth

Cast: Neil Leiper, Kate Bracken, Amy Williamson, Isla Mercer

When lonely twelve-year-old Abby is left outside the pub by her dad, her feelings of rejection worsen throughout the day, leading to a violent outburst.

Clarities (USA) – World Premiere

Directors: Daniel Jaffe & Michelle Uranowitz

Producers: Chloe Sabin, Daniel Jaffe, Michelle Uranowitz

Cast: Michelle Uranowitz, Nigel Defriez, Julia Crockett, Katie Porter, Michael Potts, Jayne Uranowitz, Nicolas Noréna, Matthew Wilkas

An ominous chain text spreads across the world as Earth’s first hotel rocketship prepares for launch.

Closer in Strife (Canada)

Director: Alec Nikoghossian

Producer: Alec Nikoghossian

Cast: Rosalia Evereklian Vassilian, Lilit Ani Jabrayan

A grandmother and her grandchild’s distant relationship is momentarily disrupted after an unforeseen devastation occurs in Beirut.

Crazy For You (Loquita por ti) (Spain)

Director: Greta Díaz Moreau

Producer: Pau Pérez Puig

Cast: Irene Balmes, Jon López

Rural Spain, Y2K. Alma is 16 years old and desperate to be seen by José, the star bullfighter, but it will be harder than she expects.

Deadweight (Dögsúly) (Hungary) – North American Premiere

Director: Bese Komáromy

Producer: Gábor Osváth

Cast: Csilla Pásztor, Gáspár László, Gergely Váradi, Bálint Kuttner

A young woman attempts to connect, even as bodies pile up, while something lurks behind her and eats everything.

Dyspepsia by Salty Biscuits (Jonmo Theke Jolchi) (Bangladesh) – North American Premiere

Director: Ahsabul Yamin

Producer: Emon Bin Anwar

Cast: Saroar Mim, Aung Shing Thowai Marma, Moin Khan

A paranoid young man, convinced a bug he swallowed is living in his stomach, embarks on a darkly absurd quest with his friend to find relief before his mind and body spiral out of control.

Fantasies of a Rescue Dummy (UK)

Director: Adrian Maganza

Producers: Adrian Maganza, Alisa Tritenko

Cast: Jack Worsnop, Ginevra Casati, Cary An, David Blair

A rescue dummy gets forgotten at the bottom of a swimming pool.

Harajuku, FL (United States / Japan) – World Premiere

Director: Andrés Gimenez

Producer: Lakshmi Ruiz

Cast: Orlando Urdaneta, Tomas Ryu Perez, Eric Taveras, Daniela Llanes, Eigo Tanaka, Eita Ishizaka, Mica Moses

Miami, Tokyo, expensive fish eggs, and father–son turmoil… in a blender.

In Another Life (Made in LA) (United States of America)

Director: Tristan Blue

Producer: Tristan Blue

Cast: William Robert Jackson, Tristan Blue

An elder queer hermit searches through coastal soundscapes in pursuit of a mysterious cave they believe will allow them to commune with a past self.

It Means Hope (Yani Omid) (Iran) – World Premiere

Director: Shadi Karamroudi

Producers: Shadi Karamroudi, Pooyan Sholevar

Cast: Shadi Karamroudi, Sonia Sanjari, Esmail Kamali Dehghan

An encounter between two women—one forced to appear in a confession video, and the other, a member of the video crew.

Jonathan (Belgium / Kenya / Ethiopia / South Sudan) – World Premiere

Director: Lieven Corthouts

Producers: Lieven Corthouts, Zippy Kimundu

Cast: Nyawel Maluth Meth, Nyabile Biel

After years of war, Nyawel, a South Sudanese woman living in Kenya, travels back to her hometown in search of her missing son and mother. On the long bus journey, she meets others with broken ties. As the landscape slips by, so does time, will she find them, or is everything already lost?

KARUPY (Canada) – U.S. Premiere

Director: Kalainithan Kalaichelvan

Producers: Shaista Roshan, Alison Almeida

Cast: Sumathy Balaram, Arrthami Siva-Kuruvinth, Smrithi Dhanasekar, Unnikannan S S, Umeash Siva, Ranjith Joseph

At her 65th birthday, Karupy makes an unexpected announcement: she will be ending her own life that very night, sparking a whirlwind of emotions amongst her family.

Levantamuertos: Cumbia for the Dead (Levantamuertos) (Mexico)

Director: José Eduardo Castilla Ponce

Producers: Magnolia S. Orozco Osegueda, Claudia Garcés, Jose Eduardo Castilla Ponce

Cast: David Illescas, Vitter Leija, Lyn May, Ruben Cristiany, Kala Martínez

With his unique gift of communicating with the dead, a cumbia-loving embalmer sets out on a highway road trip with a corpse, searching for the money that the deceased had hidden.

Lost Wax (Canada / Nigeria) – U.S. Premiere

Director: Omorose Osagie

Producers: Grace Shutti, Momo Spaine

Cast: Eyiyemi Olivia Rogbinyin as Osas; Wumi Tuase as Mercy’s Mom; Diana Egwuatu as Mercy; Pamilerin Ayodeji as Egie

When a young girl disappears from a Benin city apartment complex, a bronze caster is haunted by grief for this stranger in unexpected ways.

SPEEDY! (South Korea / USA) – North American Premiere

Director: OH Jiin

Producer: OH Jiin

Cast: Kim Gyuna, Lee Kyoung Hoon, Hong Sung Choon, Leem Seung-min, Ban Hae Young, Bae Yeonwoo

Seoul, 1989. Jung-min wants to become a speed-reading prodigy, just like Dong-hyun—the coolest guy in town, who can finish an entire book in just 60 seconds!

The Chair (Made in LA) (USA)

Director: Dustin Tan

Producers: Maleah Goldberg, Davin Tan

Cast: Al Warren, Jakob Longcob

A carpenter makes a chair for a customer, but it’s not a normal chair.

The Fan Man (Canada) – World Premiere

Director: Austin Hutchings

Producers: Zenna Davis-Jones, Liam Vanderploeg, Austin Hutchings, John Comeau

Cast: Nathan Hare, Fergus Moore, Elijah Freshco, Cleve Jones, John Comeau

A lonely tenant finds a man in his bathroom ceiling fan.

To All The Girls I Never Banged: I’m Sorry (United Kingdom) – World Premiere

Director: Harry Plowden

Producer: Harry Plowden

Cast: Joe Pass, Billy Hinchliff, Thomasin Lawson

A dark secret is exposed when Ed and Nath, two Brits abroad, compete for the same girl while leading a hostel bar crawl in Budapest.

To Continue Knowing (You) (Switzerland) – World Premiere

Director: Beth Barnes

Producer: Zurich University of the Arts

Cast: Isabelle von Stauffenberg, Jakob Fessler

As an irritable young couple travel home, a misunderstanding occurs and relationship issues surface.

We Used to Take the Long Way Home (Vietnam / U.S.A.)

Director: An Nguyen

Producers: Max Retik, Hoa Pham

Cast: Thao Hien, Cong Thanh, Thu Giang, Thien Hoang

Returning to Vietnam for the first time since middle school, a teenage girl reunites with old friends for a nostalgic summer roadtrip to ‘Lake Perfect’.

Documentary Shorts 

_____ in Paris (USA) – World Premiere

Director & Producer: Mark Elijah Rosenberg

Cast: Mark Elijah Rosenberg, Anonymous

When we took a trip to France to decide our future, I filmed everything but you—shielding our affair lest your husband find out. Do these secrets still sting?

Correct Me If I’m Wrong (如你所愿) (Germany, USA)

Director: Hao Zhou

Producer: Tyler Hill

Torn between love and tradition, a southwest Chinese family tries to purge a mysterious entity from their queer heir.

Domestic Demon (Ընտանեկան Հարաման)  (Made in LA) (USA, Portugal) – North American Premiere

Director & Producer: Anahid Yahjain

Cast: Anahid Yahjian

A housebound mother’s hunger for agency and control among the mutating textures and temporalities of her home sets off an uncanny transformation.

For Every Apricot (Canada, Iceland)

Director & Producer: Kaia Fortis Scott

Cast: MaryBeth Ryan Larone

The unlikely story of a daughter in search of a ‘miracle’.

In Exchange For Flesh (USA)

Directors: Sandro Ramani, Corey Devon Arthur

Producer: Sandro Ramani

When two incarcerated artists secretly document a routine prison practice, they risk their lives to expose a state policy that blurs the line between safety and sexual abuse.

La Mayordomía (Canada)

Director & Producer: Martin Edralin

In Xochimilco, families wait decades for the opportunity to care for a Baby Jesus icon at home for one year.

Leveret Road (Rang du lièvre) (Canada) – US Premiere

Director: Tim Bouvette

Producer: Jeanne Gourd (Cadeaux Studio)

Cast: Jeanne Baribeau, Geneviève Allard, Daniel Baribeau

10-year-old Jeanne, diagnosed with dysorthographia, ADHD, dyscalculia, and a developmental coordination disorder, must still learn to succeed in school.

Mother’s Influence (UK) – North American Premiere

Director: Meg Wriggles

Producer: Léa Luiz de Oliveira

A young filmmaker tries to get a better understanding of her unconventional mother.

No Matter The Weather (Beau temps, mauvais temps) (Canada) – US Premiere

Director: Florence Lafond

Producers: Patrick Francke-Sirois, David Francke-Robitaille, Florence Lafond

Cast: Renée Lafond Matte, Monique Lafond, Florence Lafond

After Renée, 83, breaks her ankle, her granddaughter Florence steps in as her caregiver: an intimate reflection on aging, love, grief, and the heartbreaking awareness that their time together is slipping away.

Panther Pat (USA) – World Premiere

Director: Ashley Brandon

Producers: Dennis Hohne, Nevo Shinaar, Mark Mitten

Cast: Patricia Palinkas

In 1970, Patricia Palinkas became the first woman to play professional football. Panther Pat traces this high-stakes moment in sports history and the shattering of the gender barrier in America’s game.

Ramón Who Speaks to Ghosts (Spain, Canada, Mexico) – US Premiere

Director & Producer: Shervin Kermani

Cast: Pedro Moisés Herrera Concepción, Ida Joa Langer López, Tamara Batista Moreno, Tiziana Maio

After a volcanic eruption, Ramón walks the island of La Palma with his microphone, looking for ghosts.

STILL STANDING (USA)

Directors & Producers: Victor Tadashi Suarez, Livia Albeck-Ripka

After the Los Angeles wildfires leave thousands of homes contaminated with toxic ash, residents face an impossible choice: should they risk their health to return home?

SWEET WATER (Maya Hilwa) (Iraq) – World Premiere

Director & Producer: Ali Nabeel

Cast: Qisma

Sixty-year-old beggar Qisma wants to end her life. But her dog, Bobby, is holding her back.

The Good Farmer and the Failed Son (Ireland) – North American Premiere

Director: Ailill Martin

Producer: Peter Kilmartin

Cast: Jack Rogers, Bryan Rogers

A drag queen and his father consider the traditions around inheritance and what they may mean for the future of their family farm.

Animated Shorts

A Bloody Situation (ميـمعة دمويـة) (UK, Palestine) – US Premiere

Director & Producer: Nerian Keywan

Cast: Aida Kaadan, Mouna Hawa

Through radio snippets and salon chatter, teen Nara meets Ms Moodswings, the personified menstruation blood blob. A tapestry of interrupted life, where growing up unfolds amidst implied socio-political chaos.

A Flame the Colour of Air (Canada)

Director, Producer, Screenwriter: Emily Pelstring

Cast: Jessica Mensch

A speculative vision exploring femininity and eroticism, based on the texts of a medieval Catholic mystic.

blinks in mimi’s singing voice (USA) – US Premiere

Director, Producer, Screenwriter: Natalie Xie

Cast: Christy Karacas, Isac Su

Sleep paralysis and glimpses of wonder.

Bootstrapping for the Boobied (USA)

Director & Producer: Stella Chen

Cast: Stella Chen, Keaton Jordan, Sharada Venkateswaran

Maxed out, burnt out, and sex-starved, Amber Su submits to a glamorous self-help guru whose mentorship transforms repression into possession, birthing a new self: the worksona.

Brain to Meninges (머리에서 뇌척수막까지) (South Korea)

Director & Producer: Chaehyeok Lim

After living with holes in my meninges for 10 years, I felt that there was a passage through which memories are passed between my brain and meninges. Through this, my memories flow by my brain like water.

Busy Bodies (Made in LA) (USA)

Director: Kate Renshaw-Lewis

Producer: Eric Ackerman

Screenwriter: Kate Renshaw-Lewis

Tiny workers run a domesticated factory under the supervision of giant hands. This absurdly inefficient yet fantastically convenient solution to disposable creation poses a question: how do we get rubber gloves?

How To Build A Sand Castle (UK)

Director: Nour Khamis

A shore, a call, a castle, and what is carried back.

Hungry Hollow (USA)

Director: Sarah Ruyle

Cast: Sarah Ruyle, Phillip Walker

A girl left for dead gets devoured by forest spirits.

ima wa ima (now is now) (UK, Taiwan, Hong Kong)

Director & Producer: Greg Keung Chun Yam

Cast: Hebe – Ting-Jui Chen, Mike – WeiFan Wang, Brocaster – MCJJ

An office worker’s encounters with a caterpillar unlock childhood memories, looping through time, blending the mundane and the magical.

One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six (淼淼) (Made in LA) (USA) – North American Premiere

Director: Yingdan Lai

Producer: Kangmin Kim

Cast: Jenny Jingyi Wang, Zhen Li, Lydia

In a confined world of discipline, a girl’s quiet longing unfolds through a box of chocolate, where desire and control begin to dissolve.

Play Fight! (USA)

Director & Producer: Katrina Larner

Cast: Anna Macleod, Jewel Lee-Johnson, Sophia Gatti, “Creature”, Katrina Larner

Five little girls play games, tell secrets, run, jump, and giggle… and jump and jump and jump and jump and—

Starlit (Made in LA) (USA) – World Premiere

Director & Producer: Shannon Lee

Cast: Molly Blakowski, Shannon Lee, Alan Jennings, Beth Murphy

Three teenage girls sneak out into the night to meet up with a crew of energy drink bootlegging aliens.

Tears (Rozdarcia) (Germany, Poland) – North American Premiere

Director: Paulina Ziolkowska

Producers: Karsten Matern, Piotr Szczepanowicz

A film about the impossibility of making a decision. A world filled with possibilities and a lost woman who may not want to choose at all.

Transitional Object (USA) – World Premiere

Director: Shayna Strype

Producer: Steve Cossman

A young girl’s beloved stuffed snowman guides her through imagined landscapes of memories, fears, and dreams.

Wan Wan (USA, Japan)

Director & Producer: Mayuko Kobayashi

Cast: Noriko Ooshima

A film about a grandmother, a little boy she named Neepo, fireworks, and a magical flying dog.

Witness: An Organima Film (Canada)

Director & Producer: Nik Arthur, Ben Wittkugel

Meticulously hand-animated with organic matter, the film renews our child-like ability to see hidden life in small universes.

Spotlight Short

OKAY (Made in LA) (United States) – World Premiere

Director: Andrew Kightlinger

Producer: Lila Yacoub

Screenwriter: Andrew Kightlinger

Cast: Kathleen Quinlan, David Warshofsky, Amy Huckabay

Struggling with the loss of her husband, a widow processes her grief by searching for him amidst the cosmos.

Experimental Shorts 

Climate Control (USA, Germany)

Director: Sarah Lasley

Producer: Nicola Waugh

Doc Cast: Hannah Huber, Branden Brown, Andres Barajas, Mallory Merlo, Luke Wilson

A director making a documentary about the perils of fossil fuel extraction is subverted by an AI agent that wants to tell a generic love story.

Diana & Minerva (Italy) – World Premiere

Director: Francesca Occhionero

Producer: -orama

Cast: Chloe Crawford, Patricia Bermúdez, Diana Arevalo De Barrenechea, Minerva Juarez De Facundo

In a retro pink Mexican kitchen, the never-told encounter between mythological goddesses Diana and Minerva resurfaces in two contemporary women whose drifting voicemails unravel a new debate around empathy, civility, and the natural world.

Ghost of Home (家的幽灵) (China/USA) – World Premiere

Director: Chen Xie

Producer: Guang Ren

Cast: Meiyue Huang, Qingsheng Xie, Chenke Xiao, Feiping Huang

On the day my grandfather’s spirit was to depart and enter his new home, I began searching for the traces he left behind through different visual forms.

I Was There (UK, Poland)

Director: Kamila Kuc

Producer: Reed O’Beirne

Cast: Kamila Kuc

A haunting exploration of familial bonds, intergenerational memory, and the enduring impact of shared narratives. Filmmaker Kamila Kuc steps into the emotional stream of inherited family history as the lines between documentary, testimony, and fiction blur.

I would have liked to make a different film (Ich hätte lieber einen anderen Film gemacht) (Germany) – North American Premiere

Director: Suse Itzel

Producers: Academy of Media Arts Cologne & Suse Itzel

How can I talk about sexual violence? How can I live after a childhood full of violence? How do I remember?

Now That We Are Sending You to The End (United States) – North American Premiere

Director: Blake Knecht

Producer: Isaac Knecht

Cast: Finley Berkabile

A young girl predicts the end of time as the desert begins to disappear, and direct-on-film techniques parallel the landscape’s collapse.

SOMEONE TO STEAL HORSES WITH (USA, Italy) – North American Premiere

Director: Dylan Pailes-Friedman

Producers: 56 Bones, Il Varco Cinema

Cast: Masaki Ishikawa, Anna Lawrence, Tino Martyn Kellighan, Corey Hughes, Cara Jocelyn Delevingne

A horse reflects on memory, disturbing the daily routines of citizens in Los Santos, San Andreas, during the press release for his new book “Someone to Steal Horses With.”

Whose Woods Are These (USA)

Director: Kate Nartker

Producer: Kate Nartker

A haunting family mystery unfolds through woven fabric, exploring memory, heritage, and the connection between cloth and narrative.

Unstoppable Shorts 

BEAR (Scotland, UK)

Director: Kate Hammer

Producer: Isabella Bassett

Cast: Kate Hammer, Hannah Jarrett-Scott, Susannah Laing, Joshua Haynes

When Jude wakes up and remembers she has a job interview that she’s already late for, she must try to get across town to land the job, along with the giant, sentient teddy bear that follows her everywhere.

Becoming Ollie (England) – World Premiere

Director: Annalise Valentino

Producer: Annalise Valentino

Cast: Ollie Robinson, Lisa Robinson, Matt Robinson, Victoria Kendrick-Mcgavigan, Poppy Parker

At age nine, a childhood stroke reshapes a family’s world; creating a film together gives two siblings a way to share what had previously been difficult to explain.

BLINDSIDED (Made in LA) (USA)

Director: Patrick Hogan

Producer: Ana Krista Johnson

Cast: Crystal Loverro, Florence Wilder, Jaime Lewis

The most terrifying things are the ones we don’t see coming.

Everhand (United States)

Director: Shane Hillier

Producers: Sarah Beth Budd, Lee Cleaveland

Cast: Sarah Beth Budd, Lee Cleaveland, Ron Williams

When a one armed farmer orders a mysterious machine, he and his wife must face off with a company rep in order to reclaim their humanity.

explant / implant (USA)

Director: Josh Weissbach

Producer: Josh Weissbach

A lifetime of surgeries continues with an upgrade in battery life and a downgrade in scar tissue when the filmmaker has his original pacemaker replaced after sixteen years.

Familiar Stranger (UK)Doc 

Director: Ace Mahbaz

Producer: Sophie Stacey

Cast: Rachel Shenton, Duffy

First date. Unexpected Plot Twist.

Girl Of Wind (吹梦无踪) (China) – U.S. Premiere

Director: Nanxi Yuan

Producer: Wu Yujie

Cast: Yangyang

Yang Yang, a solitary deaf girl with a passion for free climbing skyscrapers, lives in a silent world without wealth or power, driven only by her untamed and free spirit. 

Going Nowhere Fast (Made in LA) (Canada / USA) – World Premiere

Director: Dylan Paffe

Producers: Dylan Paffe, Andres Torres, Sofia Bonami

Cast: Margo Mooney, Austin Robert Smith, Patrick Trudeau

Three adults living with disabilities navigate an unconventional love triangle in this bittersweet portrait of resilience and connection.

HERE WE ARE AGAIN (Made in LA) (United States of America) – World Premiere

Directors: Hughes Ransom, Justin Lee

Producers: Veronica Kompalic, Gia Rigoli

Cast: Eros de la Puente, Shiv Nadkarni, Lizzy McGroder

A depressed man decides to finally get out of bed, except his bed won’t let him.

Murphy’s Ranch (Made in LA) (USA)

Director: John Michael Riva Jr.

Producers: Indeana Underhill, Hosea Chanchez, John Michael Riva Jr.

Cast: Lee Pugsley, Hosea Chanchez, Edward Fletcher, Jack Doke

A routine pool-cleaning job leads two brothers into a hidden compound where curiosity quickly becomes a threat.

The Bear Hunt (Australia) – North American Premiere

Director: Lily Drummond

Producer: Sarah Moulton

Cast: Alexandra Davis, Lauren Koopowitz, Chrissie Page

A 12-year-old’s attempt to make her teddy bear “normal” before her birthday becomes a poignant journey toward embracing difference.

The Knight (Australia) – North American Premiere

Director: Lotte Sweeney

Producers: Morgan Wright, Ben Golotta, Lotte Sweeney, Maiah Stewardson

Cast: Isadora Sweeney, Sidney Debba, Tamara Lee

Claude has urges that need to be explored – in private. A hot, disabled teenager concocts a world of medieval pleasures in her bedroom.

Unlimited, Forever and Ever, No Matter What (United States) – World Premiere

Director: Jayme Coveliers

Producers: Mitchell Camarda, Kaustubh Singh, Kamal Sehrawy, Jesse Schroeder, Sofia Voss

Cast: Lisa Coveliers, Adelaide Leonard, Mitchell Camarda, Elizabeth Robbins

When a chronic pain flare-up throws her life off balance, a former athlete must decide between muscling through or putting her daughter first.

99 Special

DEAD GRANDMA (USA) – World Premiere

Directors: Rachel Kempf & Nick Toti

Producers: Rachel Kempf & Nick Toti

Cast: Dawn Linneman, Barron Scott, Ashley Rae Spillers

Grandma died at the worst possible moment.

Monkey Bar (Canada)

Director: Mya Van Dyk

Producer: Jacinta Gaspar

A sad monkey grapples with their harsh reality while having a smoke.

Paul’s Portrait (Made in LA) USA) – World Premiere

Director: Andrea Gonzalez Mereles

Producers: Rebecca Blumhagen, Andrea Gonzalez Mereles; Associate Producer: Jessie Epstein

Cast: Paul Chiou, Kun Sheng Hou

Paul has a physical disability: he’s paralyzed from the neck down. He cares about helping others and works on digital accessibility.

Pickup (Пикап) (Russia, USA) – World Premiere

Director: Viktoriia Lapushkina

Producers: Anzhelika Tokar, Viktoriia Lapushkina

Cast: Elizaveta Ishcenko, Arseny Sergeev, Evgeniya Lazareva

Trying to complete a pickup-class assignment, a shy girl slips past her confident rivals and ends up on a rooftop smoking area where she finds a guy about to jump.

Staring Contest (USA) – World Premiere

Director: Courtney Sposato

Producers: Mark Sposato, Courtney Sposato

Two friends are having a staring contest when something enters and everything changes.

The Stars, and All the Planets and the Moon (USA)

Director: Shayna Strype

Producers: Lisa Cisneros, Mark Roberts

Cast: Mark Roberts

A man reflects on losing his best friend.

Three Thousand Five Hundred (Trois mille cinq cent) (Canada) – World Premiere

Director: Jèrèmi Roy

Producers: Jèrèmi Roy, Camille Demers-Lambert, Patrice Lavoie

Cast: Rose-Anne Lavoie, Patrice Lavoie, Camille Lavoie-Beaudoin

When the housing market comes knocking on a cardboard house door.

You, Rock (Made in LA) (USA)

Director: Daniel Maggio

Producer: Leo Lauchere

Cast: Leo Lauchere

An angry man makes an important discovery while skipping rocks.

Revolution Short Film Program 

an excision spell (USA)

Director: Kearra Amaya Gopee

Producer: Kearra Amaya Gopee

Cast: Kearra Amaya Gopee

an excision spell (2020) is an intra-communal call to arms and self-determination in the face of white supremacist violence.

ANIMIST UNCONSCIOUS (Turtle Island / Lenape Territory)

Directors: Zion Estrada, Emanuel Admassu

Producer: Zion Estrada

When sound, abstraction, and LiDAR imaging awaken Metro Atlanta’s animist unconscious, a displaced landscape is compelled to reckon with its histories of erasure as Black life resurfaces through animist persistence and collective splintering.

Auras (Made in LA) (Tibet / India / Mexico / Turtle Island) – World Premiere

Director: Tenzin Phuntsog

Cast: Tenzin Phuntsog

an experimental self portrait

DZATA: The Institute of Technological Consciousness (South Africa)

Directors: Francois Knoetze, Amy Louise Wilson, Russel Hlongwane

Producers: Francois Knoetze, Amy Louise Wilson, Russel Hlongwane

Cast: Thulisa Mayalo, Jacques Lukoji, Anesu Alex, Philimon Rukodzi, Ragel Mahera, Peacemore Patsika, Nicole Goto, Gomez Bakwene

In fabricating a fictional institute and its archive, the artists explore and imagine vernacular technological practices operating across the African continent.

I AM (Nigeria / Ghana / Turtle Island)

Director: Ijeoma Iloputaife

Ijeoma Iloputaife’s filmic poem attesting to autonomy, spiritual expansiveness, spacetime and belief in one’s self reflects on life over the sounds of Fela and the Africa 70 while luxuriating in the aesthetic beauties of nature.

maono mzimi / unbroken spaces of vision (Canada / Uganda)

Director: Sonya Mwambu

Cast: Sonya Mwambu

Maono Mzimi is a 30-minute 16mm and digital hybrid performance in which loss is explored through space and motion.

Nsala (Democratic Republic of Congo) – U.S. Premiere

Director: Mickael-Sltan Mbanza

Producer: Petna Ndaliko

Colonialism, Extractivism, Body and Land

You Do Not Exist (Made in LA) (USA) – North American Premiere

Director: Dwayne LeBlanc

Producer: Dwayne LeBlanc

Cast: Barrington Darius, Maurice Powell, Andrea Ellsworth, Cam Lee

A young man lingers in his yard beneath the flight paths of South Central Los Angeles, listening to planes overhead as he reflects on distance, memory, and the worlds just beyond his reach.

Za Mwezi (Made in LA) (Turtle Island / Tovaangar) – North American Premiere

Director: Matazi Weathers

A true happening of some things i remember in ritual or songs of the mind and moon mesmerize in the hypnosis of orbit

DIG – Digital Interactive and Gaming

A Voice from the Hut (USA, Nepal) – World Premiere

Director & Producer: Prashanna Subedi

Cast: Medhavi Pandit, Sophiya Karki, Rachit Pandey, Sukriti Dhungel, Kshitij Kayastha

A talented 13-year-old village girl dreams of winning a music contest hosted by her idol, but is isolated in a hut by tradition during menstruation. She must find a way to reach her idol with her singing.

Before Closure (遗忘清单) (Made in LA) (USA)

Director & Producer: Haocheng Liu, Bryan Sng

Cast: Kehara Edirisinghe, Emanuel Pangilinan-Lane, Lydia Jialu Li, Morin 默伶

While Murph is moving out of her apartment after ending a long-term relationship, she finds a box of her ex-boyfriend’s old things and sorts through them to find closure.

Corpse Pose (Made in LA) (USA)

Director & Producer: Sean Hucknall

Cast: Jaed Footitt, Brendan O’Brien, Auden Day, Roy Gentes, Kadence Johnson, Ivka Boguszewski, Nick Gordinier, Ethan Richmond

An experimental musical following a heartbroken man’s nocturnal odyssey.

The Time Before (UK) – North American Premiere

Directors: Leo Metcalf, Mike Golembewski (Interactive Design)

Producer: Leo Metcalf

Cast: Anouk Lawless-Monnot, Simon Chambers, Bean Downes, Leo Metcalf

Caught between waking life and dreams, Olly delves into his childhood memories, navigating fantastical dream worlds his sister created to shield them from family strife.

This is buzz (Made in LA) (USA)

Director: Mark Pellington

Producers: Mark Pellington, Liza Hughes, EB George

Cast: The Edge, Adam Clayton, Chris Gore, Michael Franti

A mind-blowing music documentary about the first immersive TV show on MTV when MTV was cool.

WebDoc Memoria Rocas (Forging Dreams) (Chile)

Director & Producer: Ivan Torres Zagal

Cast: Ana Becerra, Cosme Caracciolo, Jorge Silva, Miguel Lawner, Javier Rebolledo

MemoriaRocas uncovers the silenced history of a former Chilean detention and torture center, tracing the origins of state repression during Pinochet’s dictatorship through an immersive interactive documentary experience.

Shorts curated by Film Independent’s Project Involve to showcase at Slamdance 2026

In Sickness and In Health (Made in LA) (United States) – World Premiere

Director: Alexandria Collins

Producer: Masora Fukuda

Screenwriter: Montserrat Luna-Ballantyne

Cast: Yumarie Morales, Rufino Romero, Luis Fernandez-Gil

While on a romantic getaway to reconnect as a couple after her husband’s grueling exorcism, a devout wife must confront her fears that the ritual failed and her husband is still possessed.

Keepsake (Made in LA) (United States) – World Premiere

Director: Ritvik Dhavale

Producers: Eduardo Ayres Soares, Connie Qin

Screenwriter: Bushra Burney

Cast: Nida Khurshid, Anna Khaja, Behzad Dabu, Samiya Khan

A year after her father’s passing, Saira tries to connect with her mom and brother but struggles as they seem to have moved on without her by starting a Pakistani Drama podcast.

Pack (Made in LA) (United States) – World Premiere

Director: Peiqi Peng

Producer: Aishwarya Sonar

Screenwriter: Jax Ball

Cast: Kory Mann, Amalya Barseghyan, Saffron Rose, Erika Marks

A young werewolf tries to befriend a group of werewolf hunters while keeping their identity hidden.

Seaweed Snacks (Made in LA) (United States of America) – World Premiere

Director: Sylvia Ray

Producer: Andrés L. Correa

Screenwriter: Brandyn Johnson

Cast: Patrick Cage II, Kamal Bolden, Jaxon Compas, Cambridge Compton, Taehee Kim

A hard-edged dad just wants to survive another birthday party, but when a try-hard super dad won’t take “no” for an answer, things get real awkward…real fast.

Tradwife (Made in LA) (United States)

Director: Jacob Combs

Producers: Casey Naranjo, Jaycie Luo

Screenwriter: Laura Hunter Drago

Cast: Madeleine Arthur, Alex Rich

An actress turned tradwife influencer finally finds her dream audience, but when a troll exposes the cracks in her picture-perfect marriage during a livestream, she stages a high-stakes dinner that might just save her show–or end the act for good.

The post Slamdance announces 2026 festival lineup appeared first on Park Record.

Slamdance Film Festival, the artist-led organization by filmmakers for filmmakers, announced the World Premiere of Alexandre Rockwell’s “The Projectionist” as the Opening Night selection for its 32nd edition.

Returning for its second year in Los Angeles, Slamdance will take place in-person Feb. 19-25 and virtually from Feb. 24 to March 6 on the Slamdance Channel. 

“Celebrating our second year in LA, Slamdance is proud to shine an even brighter spotlight on the independent filmmakers who are redefining storytelling. With Rockwell’s masterful new film ‘The Projectionist’ kicking off our slate, we can’t wait to bring new creative visions and new ideas in filmmaking to the LA community and beyond,” stated Peter Baxter, Slamdance cofounder. “At the same time, we recognize the seismic shift of the media landscape, and we’re honored to join with partners like Utopia, the DGA and Landmark to deliver a meaningful platform for new voices and together champion the art of independent film.”

Produced by Quentin Tarantino and Jack Auen, Rockwell’s “The Projectionist” follows a reclusive projectionist who is haunted by a wrongful conviction and the loss of his wife. He lives in solitude inside a fading art-house theater until one fateful night when his past resurfaces, forcing him to confront the truth, rekindle love and find peace in the glow of the final reel.

The film stars Vondie Curtis-Hall, Karyn Parsons, Kasi Lemmons, David Proval, Kevin Corrigan, and Michael Buscemi.

“‘The Projectionist’ is a love letter to the quiet power of cinema as a refuge where our stories are held, remembered, and reborn — and we couldn’t be more honored to screen our film at the opening night of Slamdance, a festival that embodies the vital spirit of independent film better than anywhere,” stated the film’s director, Alexandre Rockwell.

Also featured in the festival’s Spotlight section is “The Untitled Ruby Slippers Documentary,” directed by Seth Gordon.

“We’re honored to be premiering this documentary at Slamdance 2026. It’s a homecoming of sorts for us on a few levels: 20 years ago, Seth’s first documentary, ‘The King of Kong,’ premiered at Slamdance, and that’s also when he shot the first interview for this film,” stated directors Seth Gordon and Nikki Calabrese. “This film has been two decades in the making and along the way we’ve uncovered some remarkable and harrowing stories connected to a larger-than-life true crime more bizarre than we could possibly dream up, layered with trauma, mafia entanglements, hope and reinvention. It took all of those 20 years for the truth behind the crime to emerge, and we can’t wait for the world to see it.” 

Slamdance will also host the return of Market Monday on Feb. 23, bringing the Los Angeles film community together for a full day of interactive panels and workshops focusing on distribution, film production in Los Angeles and finding an audience. The full schedule will be announced at a later date.

With a commitment to launching new careers and providing a platform for unique voices, Slamdance is taking their filmmaker support one step further and partnering with Utopia, the award-winning independent studio, to offer theatrical distribution opportunities to the Slamdance award winners.

Known for arthouse gems such as “The Last Showgirl,” “Pavements,” “Red Rooms,” “Shiva Baby,” as well as Slamdance premiere “Therapy Dogs,” Utopia will offer a traditional theatrical distribution deal to a 2026 Grand Prize Winner.

In addition, Utopia’s technology suite including Powerflix and Altavod will offer aggregation and bespoke digital distribution opportunities to all competition films.

“Peter and the Slamdance team have always been innovative and forward-thinking when it comes to their offerings for filmmakers whether through technologies, resource sharing or partnerships,” said Utopia Cofounder, Cole Harper. “Our company is thrilled to collaborate with Slamdance to continue on that mission and bring a timely solution to the biggest issue filmmakers face — receiving meaningful distribution services and tools to bring their movies to the masses, from a theatrical strategy that elevates the film to a long-term approach that creates visibility wherever audiences are, both real-world and online. Utopia is uniquely positioned and excited to extend our services to Slamdance’s films and their entire filmmaker community, and we know this is just the beginning of a new offering that benefits everyone, with no ceiling on its potential.”

Sponsors for this year’s festival include returning champions Directors Guild of America, Easterseals Disability Services, and Panasonic LUMIX. 

Festivities kick off one day early, on Feb. 18, with the return of the Indie Awards. Now in its second year, the ceremony honors the spirit of truly independent filmmaking in the face of significant barriers around resources, visibility and access to the broader marketplace. Winners will be announced during the ceremony.

Celebrating its second year in Los Angeles, Slamdance is thrilled to partner with iconic L.A. venues such as the DGA, Landmark Sunset and 2220 Arts.

The festival is proud to be a part of the L.A. community and is looking forward to supporting local artists — with a record 28% of the total 2026 submissions hailing from the greater Los Angeles area. 

In keeping with accessibility, Slamdance passes are now on sale for the affordable price of $50. In-person passes, industry bulk passes and Slamdance Channel subscriptions can be purchased now at slamdance.com/festival-passes.

Additional information on this year’s lineup can be found at the Slamdance website: slamdance.com.

The post ‘The Projectionist’ will open the 2026 Slamdance Film Festival appeared first on Park Record.

The 30th Slamdance Film Festival, the artist-led “by filmmakers for filmmakers” organization, has announced its full film lineup for 2024. Celebrating 30 years of discovering industry-changing talent, the festival will come full circle, returning to the Yarrow Hotel in Park City, where it all started. 

Kicking off with a screening of Oscar-winning filmmaker Carol Dysinger’s documentary, “One Bullet,” this year’s festival will showcase a lineup of 32 features, of which 17 are world premieres, 75 shorts, and five episodics. 

On-site screenings and events will be held in Park City and Salt Lake City from Jan. 19-25, and online screenings will be available on the Slamdance Channel from Jan. 22-28. 

“Our 2024 Slamdance lineup is a testament to filmmakers who dare to push their stories to the very edge of filmmaking, making it deeply personal yet globally resonant,” said Festival Director Taylor Miller. “Their raw passion and risk-taking echo our commitment to exploring uncharted territories of cinematic expression. This year, we proudly host the most inclusive and accessible festival we’ve ever had, staying true to the core objectives I aimed to cultivate with our programmers when I took this job.”

The 2024 programming was selected from more than 9,000 submissions, 1,729 of which were features. As in previous years, all films selected in the Narrative Features and Documentary Features competition categories are directorial debuts without U.S. distribution on budgets of less than $1 million. 

Closing the festival on Jan. 25 will be Vanessa Hope’s “Invisible Nation,” a seven-year odyssey into the heart of Taiwan’s political arena.

Slamdance’s commitment to elevating diverse voices in the film industry is reflected in its festival lineup and its ongoing dedication to accessibility, representatives said. Over 40% of this year’s films are by BIPOC creators and 43% are by female or non-binary filmmakers, making 2024 the most diverse lineup in Slamdance history. 

Slamdance also announced the lineup for its fourth annual Unstoppable program, a showcase of new films by creators with visible and non-visible disabilities. Unstoppable will be headquartered at the University of Utah in the Student Union Theater from Jan. 22-24 with subsequent screenings at the Yarrow. All Unstoppable screenings at the university will be free. 

In-person passes for the festival range from $125 to $250 and are available for purchase at Slamdance.com. Virtual Festival passes are now available on the Slamdance Channel for $50 and include an annual program subscription. 

In-person passes and Slamdance Channel subscriptions can be purchased at https://slamdance.com/passes. Individual tickets go on sale Dec. 14 at https://slamdance.com

Additional information on this year’s lineup can be found at the Slamdance website: https://www.slamdance.com. 

Slamdance’s 2024 Festival Line-up:

Narrative Features:

AFRICAN GIANTS (USA) World Premiere 

Director: Omar S. Kamara

Producers: Leo Blumberg-Woll, Omar S. Kamara, Jordan Tyner

Over a weekend visit in Los Angeles, two first-generation Sierra Leonean American brothers navigate the changing dynamics of brotherhood after a surprise announcement.

Cast: Dillon Daniel Mutyaba, Omete Anassi, Tanyell Waivers, Josh Lopez, Kathleen Kenny, Scott Bender

All I’ve Got & Then Some (USA) World Premiere

Directors: Tehben Dean, Rasheed Stephens

Producers: Tehben Dean, Rasheed Stephens, Amaka Onwuta, Lissa Mazzotta, Josh Mitchell

Based on a true story, All I’ve Got & Then Some follows a day in the life of Rasheed, a homeless stand-up comedian living out of his car in Los Angeles, giving everything he’s got to make his dreams come true.

Cast: Rasheed Stephens, Avis Parsons, Naiya Armour, Boo Kapone, Glen “Big Baby” Davis, Charles Constant, Armie Hicks Jr.

BRANDO WITH THE GLASS EYE (Greece, Australia) World Premiere

Director: Antonis Tsonis

Producers: Tia Spanos Tsonis, Blake Northfield

A talented method actor commits a heist that goes wrong; he befriends the critically injured victim and tries to reconcile his guilt before his one-shot scholarship audition in New York.

Cast: Yiannis Niarros, Kostas Nikoulis, Xenia Dania, Alexandros Chrysanthopoulos, Maria Kallimani, Yiannis Tsortekis, Chara Mata Giannatou

Darla In Space (USA)

Directors: Susie Moon, Eric Laplante

Producers: Erik Mygrant, Hunter Schlesinger

Darla Peterson teams up with a sentient orgasm-granting kombucha scoby named Mother to pay off a huge tax debt.

Cast: Alex E. Harris, Constance Shulman, Rasheda Crockett, Thomas Jay Ryan, Jenn Lyon, Woody Fu, J.S. Oliver

HELL OF SE (Japan) World Premiere

Director: Sawa Kawakami

Producer: Ikuya Onodera

School girl “Momo Amano” falls in love with her classmate boy “Hayasaka”, but he loves someone else. Amano’s best friend, “Yoshiyuki”, is opposed to her love. “Hayasaka” is a menstruophile, and one day he took all the used napkins in the school and ran away. From that day on, he never returned to class.

Cast: Yura Tsuduri, Watashinoyouna Tenki, Himari Hitomi, Miu Kainuma, Rukapi, Itsuka Hashimura, Tengo Saito

Sam’s World (USA) World Premiere

Director: Lily Lady

Producer: Dan Lalor

Sam–a non-binary mid 20s sex worker–navigates romantic, sociality and an impending pregnancy-related decision over the course of a weekend in New York City.

Cast: Annie Conolly, Ajé Brown, Riley Mac, Quinn, Coco Gordon Moore, Maddie Vasquez, Aurora O’Greenfield

The Accident (Italy) North American Premiere

Director: Giuseppe Garau

Producer: Cristina Trio

After being fired, Marcella, a gentle-hearted mother going through separation, buys a tow truck; she gets trapped deeper and deeper in a cynical and aggressive world until a terrible opportunity shines in front of her.

Cast: Giulia Mazzarino, Anna Coppola, Alice Dente, Nathalie Bernardi, Elena Savio, Toni Pandolfo, Elisa Denti

The Bitcoin Car (Norway) North American Premiere

Director: Trygve Luktvasslimo

Producers: Trygve Luktvasslimo, Anze Persin

After pimping out her old Toyota with money she got when a crypto investor started bitcoin mining on her parents grave, a morally challenged goat farmer fears that activity at the mine is endangering everyone.

Cast: Sunniva Birkeland Johansen, Henrik Paus, Zoe Winther-Hansen, Johannes Winther Farstad, England Brooks, Espen Beranek Holm, Marianne Jakobsen, Irene Sundsfjord

The Complex Forms (Italy) US Premiere

Director: Fabio D’Orta

Producers: Fabio D’Orta, Mariangela Bombardieri, Maria Cristina Bombardieri

The anxious wait, in an elegant villa, of a group of desperate people who have sold their bodies to unknown creatures.

Cast: David Richard White, Michele Venni, Cesare Bonomelli, Enzo Solazzi

The Washer (Germany) World Premiere 

Director: Nils A. Witt

Producer: Nils A. Witt 

While doing the laundry, the young lawyer Jan discovers that the washing machine creates phenomena. The effect can be reproduced and he massively expands his experiments. The machines run 24/7. Is he the only one who knows about it?

Cast: Sebastian Bös, Loredana Linglauf, Stephanie Jost, Henry Meyer, Elikem Anyigba, Can Arduc

Documentary Features:

Citizen Weiner (USA) World Premiere 

Director: Daniel Robbins 

Producers: Elliot Allen, Michael Gelfand, Daniel Goldschmidt, Joey Lyons, Daniel Robbins

Zack Weiner is an actor residing on New York’s Upper West Side. When the film industry shut down due to COVID-19, Zack and his friend Joe embarked on a unique project: to make a film about running for city council, while actually running for New York’s city council.

Cast: Zack Weiner, Joe Gallagher, Sarah Coffey, James Watson, Aaron Dalla Villa, Cherie Vogelstein, Dan Bright

Demon Mineral (USA) 

Director: Hadley Austin

Producers: Nevo Shinaar, Emma Robbins

An account of life in the wake of uranium mining on sacred lands. Shot over 4 years with Diné (Navajo) community oversight and guidance, the film examines the legacy of uranium extraction from the perspectives of both the landscape and its inhabitants.

Cast: Emma Robbins, Lisa Robbins, Jesse Holiday, Deb Haaland, Tommy Rock

I’m “George Lucas”: A Connor Ratliff Story (USA) World Premiere

Director: Ryan Jacobi

Producer: Annamaria Sofillas

Five years into performing as renowned filmmaker George Lucas in the NY cult comedy show “The George Lucas Talk Show”, comedian Connor Ratliff questions the need for its continuation and his own drive for success and fulfillment in show business.

Cast: Connor Ratliff, Griffin Newman, Patrick Cotnoir

On The Way Home (Georgia, USA) World Premiere

Director: Giorgi Kvelidze

Producers: Nino Shengelaia, David Michael, Giorgi Kvelidze, Charlotte Savage

A documentary feature that follows two Georgian families, displaced by war, squatting in an abandoned former Soviet sanatorium as they await government housing.

Cast: Nikusha Berulava, Iamze Giorgadze

Petro (Spain, Colombia, USA) US Premiere

Director: Sean Mattison

Producers: Trevor Martin, Sean Mattison, Jeremy Gardner, Fernando Monzon, Jessica Millstone

A charismatic former guerrilla’s historic bid for president divides Colombia, a nation weary of conflict and yearning for change.

PUNISHMENT (Norway) North American Premiere

Director: Øystein Mamen

Producer: Ingvil Giske

Four inmates on maximum security have chosen to enter a three-week Jesuit silent retreat in prison. They are guided by two priests. The film slowly observes this paradoxical situation, while looking beyond the question of religious belief: How do ethical exercises, rituals, and communal silence affect us? The setting evolves into a prism for gauging a portrait of the existential landscape of the convicted. 

Roll Bus Roll: A Jeffrey Lewis Documentary (USA) World Premiere

Director: Ilya Popenko

Producer: Ilya Popenko

Musician Jeffrey Lewis, one of the chief figures of  NYC’s anti-folk scene, grapples with crippling anxieties and questions his sanity while embarking on a quest for love. Along the way, he explores the intersection of art and human existence.

Cast: Jeffrey Lewis, Adam Green, Jim Testa

The Death Tour (Canada) World Premiere

Directors: Stephan Peterson, Sonya Ballantyne

Producers: Chris Jericho,  Stacey Tenenbaum, Sergeo Kirby

The Death Tour follows wrestling hopefuls across remote indigenous communities in Canada’s far North on ‘the most grueling tour in pro wrestling’. This test of strength and grit will show how far some are willing to go to live their dreams.

Cast: Tony Condello, Sage Morin, Sean Dunster, Dez Loreen, Sara McNicholl

Breakouts:

Anna’s Feelings (Russia) US Premiere

Director: Anna Melikyan

Producers: Anna Melikyan, Ekaterina Ryzhaya, Natella Krapivina, Ekaterina Kononenko, Dmitry Litvinov

The story of a simple worker in a provincial factory in Russia, who begins to hear the voices of extraterrestrial civilizations. Now she has to transmit the most important information for humanity.

Cast: Anna Mikhalkova, Timofei Tribuntsev, Oleg Yagodin

Bike Vessel (USA) 

Director: Eric D. Seals

Producers: Donnie Seals Jr., Resita H. Cox

Bike Vessel follows a father and son, 35 and 70, as they cycle from St. Louis to Chicago. Film director Eric Seals’ father almost died after three open-heart surgeries. However, he makes a miraculous health recovery after discovering his love for cycling, bringing his son Eric along with him.

Cast: Eric D. Seals, Donnie Seals Sr., Sharon Seals, Donnie Seals Jr. Curtis Cotton.

CHAPERONE (USA) World Premiere 

Director: Zoe Eisenberg

Producers: Alison Week, Devin Murphy

Alienated by friends and family for her lack of ambition, 29-year-old Misha finds a dangerous acceptance in a bright 19-year-old athlete who mistakes her for a fellow student.

Cast: Mitzi Akaha, Laird Akeo, Kanoa Goo, Jessica Jade Andres, Krista Alvarez, Ioane Goodhue

Love And Work (USA) World Premiere

Director: Pete Ohs

Producer: Pete Ohs

Diane and Fox love to work. Unfortunately, they live in a polarized world where having a job is illegal.

Cast: Stephanie Hunt, Will Madden, Frank Mosley, Alexi Pappas, John S. Davies

One Bullet (Afghanistan) 

Director: Carol Dysinger

Producers: Ashim Bhalla, Su Kim, Carol Dysinger

This story of female friendship forged amidst America’s longest war is told by a filmmaker who spent 18 years in-and-out of Afghanistan. In this war movie, the battlefield lies behind the curtains of an Afghan home as Bibi Hajji struggles to survive the loss of her youngest child, and the impact of a brother’s death on her remaining sons. A haunting image of that boy surviving a bullet wound prompted director Carol Dysinger to investigate, what happened to him, who fired the shot?

Slide (USA)

Director: Bill Plympton

Producers: Rachel Braga Jones, Wendy Cong Zhao, Sean Davis, Natasha Villegas-Cordero, Owen Andrejco

What if Clint Eastwood and Mel Brooks became cartoonists and united to create the wackiest, most surreal musical western ever? That’s “Slide.”

Cast: Maureen McElheron, Jim Lujan, Tom Racine, Daniel Kaufman, Sasha Odesa, Ana Sophia Colon, Ken Mora, Simone McAlonen

Spotlight Features:

Bliss (USA) World Premiere 

Director: Joe Maggio

Producers: Paula Killen; Matthew Myers; Larry Fessenden

An opioid addicted fugitive living off the grid in the desert canyons north of LA plays a twisted game of cat and mouse with a sexually repressed holy-roller in search of her missing sister.

Cast: Clint Jordan; Faryl Amadeus; Juan Fernandez

Invisible Nation (USA, Taiwan)

Director: Vanessa Hope

Producers: Sylvia Feng, Cassandra Jabola, Ted Hope, Vanessa Hope

With unprecedented access to Taiwan’s first female president Tsai Ing-wen, director Vanessa Hope crafts a fascinating portrait of Taiwan and the country’s struggle to preserve its hard-won democracy. Invisible Nation is a living account of Tsai’s tightrope walk as she balances the hopes and dreams of her nation between the colossal geopolitical forces of the U.S. and China.

Cast: President Tsai Ing-wen, Human Rights Commissioner Chen Chu, Taiwan’s Representative to the U.S. Bi-khim Hsiao, Legislator and Heavy Metal Rock Star, Freddy Lim, Taipei City Councilor Wu Pei-yi

The Herricanes (USA) 

Director: Olivia Kuan

Producers: James Lee Hernandez, Brian Lazarte, Lisa France, James Short, Justin Baldoni, Andrew Calof

The Houston Herricanes, a women’s professional full-tackle football team, find camaraderie and strength as they controversially open a new door in the world of sports.

Unstoppable Features:

DARUMA (USA) 

Director: Alexander Yellen

Producers: Kelli McNeil-Yellen, Alexander Yellen, Jodi Binstock

Patrick (bitter wheelchair user) must enlist the help of his cantankerous neighbor Robert (double amputee) to transport the four-year-old daughter he never knew he had to live with her maternal grandparents on the other side of the country. 

Cast: Tobias Forrest, John W. Lawson, Abigail Hawk, Barry Bostwick, Victoria Scott, Joy Nash, Sandi McCree, Austin Basis

Good, Bad Things (USA) World Premiere

Director: Shane D. Stanger

Producers: Steve Way, Shane D. Stanger, Danny Kurtzman, Sean Crampton, Manuel Gonzalez, Mel McGinnis

Danny, a young man with muscular dystrophy who is disillusioned by failed relationships, steps out of his comfort zone and into the world of online dating.

Cast: Danny Kurtzman, Brett Dier, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Timothy Granaderos, Samantha Robinson

Leilani’s Fortune (Canada) 

Director/Producer: Loveleen Kaur

Producer: Loveleen Kaur

After a decade of struggling as an independent artist, “Leilani’s Fortune” follows the blossoming career of queer, Ethiopian-Eritrean artist, Witch Prophet while finally gets the validation and support she needs to create the album of her prophecies. 

Cast: Witch Prophet, Sun Sun

Look At Me (Location) World Premiere

Director: Taylor Olson

Producer: Taylor Olson

A fictional autobiography about an insecure, awkward, and lonely actor who goes on an unwitting journey of self-love in the midst of an eating disorder relapse.

Cast: Taylor Olson, Koumbie, Stephanie MacDonald, Sam Vigneault

NINA is an ATHLETE (Israel, USA) World Premiere  

Directors: Ravit Markus, Livi Kessel

Producers: Ravit Markus, Livi Kessel, Janine McGoldrick

On the cusp of turning 40, wheelchair badminton champion Nina Gorodetsky aspires to conquer greater competitive heights by representing Israel in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. However, she also wants to conceive, which puts her at a critical career crossroad negotiating a ticking biological clock both as a mother and as an athlete. 

Cast: Nina Gorodetsky, Dor Kessel, Leon Pugach, Boris Gorodetsky, Tamara Gorodetsky, Reuven Moses, Amir Levy, Ron Bolotin

Episodes:

Dog Spelled Backwards (USA) 

Director: Richie Soto

Producer: Tim Almeida

A Professional Dog Trainer gives viewers an inside look at the American animal shelter system as never seen before.

Cast: Tim Almeida, Tipsy, Alger

Eindis Ends It All (USA, Taiwan) 

Director: Tamara Rosenfeld

Producers: Tamara Rosenfeld, Anita Tung

After finding herself inexplicably alone in a post-apocalyptic world, a young woman working through some anger issues must learn to survive the most terrifying thing of all: herself.

Cast: Weslie Lechner, Yen Tsao, Stephanie Tang

Lucy & Sara (Chapter 1: Suicide)  (UK) World Premiere

Director: Susan Park

Producers: Susan Park, Ryan Gage

A darkly comedic exploration of two unlikely sisters as they learn to navigate through the vulnerabilities and challenges of life after the passing of their beloved father.

Cast: Susan Park, Nicolette Morrison, Jeremy Joyce

Night Drives – Season 2 Collection (Canada) 

Director: Jono Hunter

Producer: Jono Hunter

An animated sketch comedy series about the joy and futility of life.

Cast: Alex Stypula, Chris Sandiford, Ajahnis Charley, Miguel Rivas, Rodrigo Fernandez Stoll, Lory Mpiana, Jono Hunter, Madeline Leon

Restorage (USA) 

Director: E’an Verdugo

Producers: Caleb Davis, Alana Rood

In the light of his estranged father’s passing, Chase inherits an old storage unit that has the ability to fix anything that’s been broken… except for him and his dysfunctional family.

Cast: Connor Boyd, Olivia Clari Nice, Jacob Daniels, Joan Deschamps, Stephen Miller, Francis Juarez

Narrative Shorts:

AFFENTANZ — HUNTER (Germany)

Director: Cyprian Hercka

Producers: Cyprian Hercka, Martin Hillebrand

The story of a hunter who suddenly finds himself in a world of reversed roles when the weaker ones and nature strike back as a parable with a socio-critical commentary with provocative images that leave a lasting impression.

Cast: Fritz Fenne, Thomas Brandlmeier, Paweł Procek, Georg Weber, Maximilian Schneider, Moritz Zielke, Martin Hillebrand

Blockbuster (Brazil) World Premiere

Director: Rafael Toledo

Producers: Felipe Enio, Vitor Acácio

Obsessed with the practical effects of classic cinema, an amateur director decides to orchestrate a real building explosion for his next film.

Cast: Luiz Gomide, Rute Vianna, Enedson Gomes

Burnt Milk (Jamaica, USA, UK) 

Director: Joseph Douglas Elmhirst

Producer: Ruby Elmhirst

As an isolated maternity nurse living in 1985 suburban London, takes a moment of solace to make her traditional condensed milk pudding, burnt milk, she is flooded with spiritual imagery that takes her back to Jamaica. 

Cast: Tamara Lawrance, Clover Webb, Xavier Alexander Keating

Complications (Norway) North American Premiere

Director: Ivar Aase

Producer: Ivar Aase

An intimate cam session unexpectedly turns into a suspenseful, life-and-death situation for Lotte – a webcam dominatrix.

Cast: Anna Ladegaard. Sven Henriksen.

Deserter (Canada) US Premiere

Director: Aidan Lesser

Producers: Robert Burns, Samatha Stermer

A desperate woman who can no longer support her elderly mother with dementia takes her for one last drive.

Cast: Joan Gregson, Suzanne Pratley

Dissolution (USA) World Premiere

Director: Anthony Saxe

Producers: Sebastian Jurd, Thomas Lopez, Anthony Saxe

A woman is forced to confront her elderly husband’s physical deterioration when they meet to sign their divorce papers.

Cast: Eddie Saxe, Linda DiVirgilio

European Man…American Beach (USA) 

Director: Rex Shannon 

Producer: Henry Bock

A nude European brawls with an offended American on the beach.

Cast: Bogdan Szumilas, Henry Bock

Fettyland (USA) World Premiere

Director: Vincent Dale

Producer: Eric Cook

After being kicked out of their flophouse, four addicts struggle to come up with rent money in an infamous area of Southwest Florida known as “Fettyland.”

Cast: Brian Lee, Two Dorz, Pablo Maldonado, Rhonda Ditonno, Lenny Herhey, Jeane Jaeschke

fishing (UK) World Premiere

Director: Josie Charles

Producers: Esme Allen, Josie Charles

Sixteen-year-old Lola has been stuck in her room for three days; she confesses to a camcorder the secret keeping her locked inside.

Cast: Esme Allen, Lucy Reynolds, Olivia Klein, Odhrán McNulty

Invasive Species (USA)

Director: Annie Ning

Producers: Ruby Rose Collins, Aisha Amin, Shuyuan Liu

Young sound artist Maggie attempts to enter the off-kilter world of an artist’s residency, where her own repressed nature and frustrations begin to boil up to the surface in strange and intrusive ways.

Cast: Emily May Jampel, Pascal Yen-Pfister, Katya Golvin, Stuart Green, JJ Paul, Eve Austin

Je Ne Suis Pas Une Star de Cinéma (USA) North American Premiere

Director:  Hugo De Sousa

Producer: Hugo De Sousa

An actor is asked to play an unsettling game of improv during an audition for an undisclosed film project.

Cast: Anna Seregina, Hugo De Sousa, Hugo Armstrong, Emily Green, Manny Spero and Scott Monahan

Kayla Baby (USA) World Premiere

Director: Clark Comstock

Producer: Claire Foley

When a teenage girl and her older sister are forced to relocate to an abandoned housing development, they befriend a teenage boy and an old man.

Cast: Kenny Rayborn, Nora Kovasckitz, Cyrus Fontenot, Ayla Cole, George Alexander 

Lan’s Garden (USA) 

Director: Jennifer Ru Zhou

Producer: Jennifer Ru Zhou

A matriarch has become old so now her children come to help her, but she does not accept this reversal of care.

Cast: Lan Miao, Kathy Wu, Ning Jiang, Ryan Jiang

My Son Went Quiet (Canada) World Premiere 

Director: Ian Bawa

Producers: Ian Bawa, Markus Henkel

After the death of his wife, a South Asian father and his son begin seeing a shadow around the walls of their home, who the son believes to be his mother.

Cast: Harkaran Jhinger, Jay Vaidyanathan

Shadow (USA) US Premiere 

Director: Kamell Allaway

Producers: Kamell Allaway, Adam Tyree, Ashley Rosenberg, Tim Smith

A young mother’s shadow takes on a life of its own, terrorizing her and her daughter over the course of one night.

Cast: Katy Wright-Mead, Valentina Gordon, Christy St. John

tape. (Singapore) World Premiere 

Director: Alistair Quak

Producer: Alistair Quak

Thrown into a violent and surreal situation, a Lady is forced to deal with the inevitable mortality of her Girl.

Cast: Kelly Lim, Annalisa Pickles

The Steak (Iran, Canada) 

Director: Kiarash Dadgar

Producer: Kiarash Dadgar

A birthday ceremony preparation gets upside down as something horrible takes place.

Cast: Faranak Khamis, Amin Simiar, Panisa Peyvakht, Mehran Naabi, Ali Narimani

The Year of Staring at Noses  (Canada, USA) World Premiere 

Directors: Karen Knox, Matt Eastman

Producers: Karen Knox, Matt Eastman

A hybrid narrative/doc about a woman who undergoes plastic surgery (for real) in an attempt to become a contestant on a beloved reality television show. 

Cast: Karen Knox, Taylor Hanson Whittaker, Gwenlyn Cumyn

Tokyo Animals (Japan) North American Premiere 

Director: Toshiki Yashiro

Producers: Nick A Jones, Eucari

Peculiar people in a peculiar city.

Cast: Sho Mineo, Naoyuki Fernandes, Naoyuki Miyahara, Emi Nata, Koshi Uehara

Virus (USA) 

Director: Will Duncan

Producer: Will Duncan

A complete dumbass accidentally downloads a deadly virus directly into his computer.

Cast: Will Duncan, Ian Abramson

We are all dogs (Iran) World Premiere 

Director: Aminreza Alimohammadi

Producer: Amin Rafiei

It’s about a small family a Grandma Grandson and a dog trying to get a house but because of their pet nobody accept

Cast: Afshin Hasanloo

*666 (Canada) 

Director: Abby Elizabeth Flavo

Producers: Abby Elizabeth Falvo, Lar Violet

Two women perform a dark ritual and discover that some calls are better left unanswered.

Cast: Angie St. Mars, Karlee Liljegren, Lar Violet

Documentary Shorts:

A Home on Every Floor (Norway) 

Director: Signe Rosenlund-Hauglid

Producer: Signe Rosenlund-Hauglid

A poet uses her voice to excavate the lost home of her childhood.

Cast: Hanna Asefaw

A Short Film About a Chair (Palestine) World Premiere 

Director: Ibrahim Handal

Producers: Ibrahim Handal, Wissam Aljafari

A lonely chair on an abandoned balcony, a photographer watching it for days and nights, a strange thing happens that will change the life of the chair forever.

Cast: Michele Contani, Wanda handal, Karam Alsalaymeh, Bisho elMesmes

Ask The Plantain (Canada, Greece) World Premiere 

Director: Jaime Leigh Gianopoulos

Producer: Shelby Manton

Alternating between myth and reality, Jaime Leigh Gianopoulos unravels the intricate tapestry of grief and the liminal space that exists between not belonging to the lands one was born on nor the lands one’s ancestors once came from.

Cast: Jaime Leigh Gianopoulos, Milva Spina, Georgia Glymenakis

Dicks That I Like (Germany) 

Director: Johanna Gustin

Producer: Johanna Gustin

Visual artist Daniela Torres creates colorful ceramic dick sculptures inspired by the men who have been dicks to her.

Cast: Daniela Torres

Dumpster Archeology (USA)

Director: Dustie Carter

Producers: Stolen Sun, Bruton Stroube, Kiley Enno

Self-proclaimed “Dumpster Archeologist” Lew Blink embarks on dumpster diving excursions to uncover the last true stories within the refuge left in the alleyways. 

Cast: Lew Blink

Fortune (USA) North American Premiere 

Director: Shirley Yumeng He

Producer: Shirley Yumeng He

An embodied camera searches for the “truth” hidden behind the facade of the oldest alleyway in San Francisco Chinatown, finding its way between past and present, imagination and reality, and the seen and seer.

Friends on the Outside (Scotland, UK) North American Premiere 

Director: Annabel Moodie

Producer: Lea Luiz de Oliveira

The story of an incarcerated man called Jamie who finds joy and comfort inside by foraging for weeds and caring for birds.

Lady with Lipstick (Switzerland / Italy) World Premiere 

Director: Francesca Coppola

Producers: Andrea Lavagnini, Francesca Coppola

Made with archival footage of the director’s family, Lady with Lipstick is a powerful essay on womanhood in a southern Italian town plagued by the steel industry.

Madeline (Canada)

Director: Raquel Sancinetti

Producer: Raquel Sancinetti

Every week, two friends born 67 years apart share their life stories in a senior home’s living room. The younger friend convinces the 107-year-old lady to join her in an adventure: a road trip to the sea.

Cast: Raquel Sancinetti, Madeleine

Porta d’Europa (Italy, Germany) North American Premiere

Director: Samuel Mueller

Producer: Samuel Mueller

Stranded for 30 hours off Lampedusa, a migrant boat’s calls for help go unanswered. The Sea-Watch Crew, an NGO, launches an urgent search. In “Porta d’Europa,” audiences confront Europe’s dire human rights failures in the Mediterranean crisis.

Cast: Meret, Samira, Lollo

REMEMBER, BROKEN CRAYONS COLOUR TOO (Switzerland) US Premiere

Directors: Urša Kastelic, Shannet Clemmings

Producer: The Zurich University of the Arts

Shannet, a Black Transgender woman from Jamaica, shares her journey of healing as she wanders the empty streets of a European city.

Cast: Shannet Clemmings, Romincio Cayol, Eric Dormoy, Ahmad Kron, Jelena Pavlović, Lateena, Moritz Sauer, Kathrin Schweizer

Say Something (USA) World Premiere

Director: Agustina Aranda

Producer: Gustavo René Sanabria

A young filmmaker explores her fraught relationship with her father—a Paraguayan immigrant, workaholic, and amateur videographer— using his VHS tapes spanning over forty years of his life.

Cast: Agustina Aranda, Panfilo Aranda

The Cactus of Klaus (USA)

Directors: Tony Blahd, Lydia Fine

Producers: Jeremy Summer, Double Solitaire, Little Moving Pictures

Pioneering conceptual artist Klaus Rinke’s collection of ‘living sculptures’—an otherworldly Los Angeles cactus garden—inspires philosophical musings on his life in art, obsession with time, and his surprising, yet deeply felt connections with the cacti soul.

Cast: Klaus Rinke

Vision of Paradise (Brazil, UK, USA) 

Director: Leonardo Pirondi

Producer: Leonardo Pirondi

A journey in search of the island of Hy-Brasil, turns into a meditation on contemporary ideas of virtual reality and their ambition to expand the frontiers of the physical world into a ‘New World.’

Cast: David OReilly, Douglas Goodwin, Jackson Fletcher, George Tramell, Dan Dixon

You Were Never Really Here (USA) World Premiere 

Director: Florencia Portieri

Producers: Eddy Moon, Olivia Timmons

Years after a harrowing sexual assault, a young filmmaker aesthetically reconstructs the complexities and contradictions of her trauma in this rhythmic non-fiction short detailing a search for healing.

Cast: Victoria Baldwin, Jake Melamed

Animated Shorts:

Acid Green (USA, Singapore)

Director: EXYL

Producer: EXYL

A person brushes the teeth of a dog and turns into a bus.

Butterfly (USA) World Premiere 

Director: Soo Park (Yeonsu Park)

Producer: Soo Park (Yeonsu Park)

Have you ever deep-fried butterflies? Well, you’re going to find out what happens.

Chutes (USA) 

Director: Kenzie Sutton

Producer: Kenzie Sutton

A young girl navigates a capitalist world through the lens of childhood toys.

Demons in the Closet (Germany) 

Director: James Smith

Producer: James Smith

A resident is challenged by demons from another realm in his closet.

Cast: James Smith

edith and the tall child (USA) North American Premiere 

Director: Kohana Wilson

Producer: Kohana Wilson

An anxious recluse fends off stir-craziness, gender reckoning, and visions of a massive prehistoric ground sloth.

Flutz (USA) 

Director: Ryan McCown

Producer: Ryan McCown

Two rival figure skaters under the same coach compete for the top spot.

Hills for the Head (USA) 

Director: Hyun Kim

Producer: Hyun Kim

A guy is forced by his therapist to run, facing the physical and mental hurdles of a marathon.

Cast: Hyun Kim, David Sanchez, Jeff McCready, Christy Karacas

I Would’ve Been Happy (USA) World Premiere

Director: Jordan Wong

Producer: Jordan Wong

This film is about my dad but it’s really about my mom.

lil sherbet (China/USA) World Premiere 

Director: Xinhe Zhao

Producer: Xinhe Zhao

My body is mine, but not all mine.

NOHOMO (USA)

Director: J.Santos

Producer: J.Santos

A young man is tormented by a phallic creature, sending him off the rails.

The Expectation of the Observed (USA) 

Director: Stephanie J. Williams

Producer: Stephanie J. Williams

This experiment stop motion considers unrecognized labor featuring puppets of disembodied meaty legs, flayed of skin, dance in repetition even as they start to disintegrate.

This Is a Story Without a Plan (USA) 

Director: Cassio Shao

Producer: Cassie Shao

Two people, and an explosion.

Tony’s Dilemma (USA) North Premiere  

Director: Nathan Sonenfeld

Producer: Nathan Sonenfeld

Cyberhacking psychos are wreaking havoc on their old teammate Tony’s hometown and Tony must decide between the life he loves and the life he used to live.

Cast: Alec Van Staveren, Brin Gordon, Cameron McManus, Jonah Primiano, Se’Belle Bronson

VACATION (USA) 

Directors: Yifan Jiang, James J.A. Mercer

Producers: Yifan Jiang, James J.A. Mercer

Barely surviving a volcanic eruption, a road tripping college student steps into an absurd fable on the nature of nature.

Cast: James J.A. Mercer, Henry Anker, Hayley Dawn Muir, Eve Essex, Tonee Harbert

Experimental: 

Entrance Wounds (USA) 

Director: Calum Walter

Producer: Calum Walter

Entrance Wounds is a meditation on the image and the bullet.

Goddess of Speed (Canada, USA)

Director: Frédéric Moffet

Producer: Frédéric Moffet

A rehearsal for a reenactment of a missing film by Andy Warhol starring Fred Herko.

Cast: Stevie Cisneros Hanley

Light of Light (Greece) North American Premiere 

Director: Neritan Zinxhiria

Producer: Efijeni Kokedhima

Before his death in 1932, a monk created his own camera in one of the most isolated places in the world. 90 years later, a filmmaker discovers and reconstructs the found footage.

Lotus-Eyed Girl (Sri Lanka, USA) 

Director: Rajee Samarasinghe
Producer: Rajee Samarasinghe

A hauntingly evocative, experimental rumination on the effects of colonialism on human desire.

Monolith (Mexico) 

Director: Teresita (Teri) Carson

Producers: Teri Carson, Mark Holt

An encounter with a volcano culminates with the theft of a stone and a reckoning with disgruntled gods.

Nobody Wants to Fix Things Anymore (USA) 

Director: Joseph Wilcox
Producer: Joseph Wilcox

Nobody Wants to Fix Things Anymore is a short film about a lost man who finds a special rock.

Nowhere Stream (USA) 

Director: Luis Grane

Producer: Tomas Basile

A man gets trapped in the labyrinth of his own mind while seeking meaning in the virtual world.

Welcome to the Enclave (USA) 

Director: Sarah Lasley
Producer: Sarah Lasley

Two Texas sisters fight to save their digital utopia from demise amidst an onslaught of Reddit trolls.

Cast: Brenna Palughi

Spotlight Shorts:

In C, Too (USA) World Premiere

Directors: Dean Winkler, John Sanborn
Producers: Dean Winkler, John Sanborn

“In C, Too” illuminates how close our dreams are to a common reality.

Cast: KJ Dahlaw, Erin Yen, Jamielyn Duggan, Caitlin Hicks

Unstoppable Shorts: 

A Perfect Morning Situation (UK) 

Director: Alex Gwyn Davies

Producer: Alex Gwyn Davies

A goat battles his decision paralysis, anxiety, and internal critics in an attempt to make the most of the one hour he has to get ready in the morning.

Cast: Alex Gwyn Davies

Baby (Australia) World Premiere

Director: James Di Martino

Producers: James Di Martino, Llewellyn Michael Bates, Daniel Facciolo

A young woman with Down syndrome sets out on a quest to get pregnant and have a baby.

Cast: Erin Kearns, Michael Buxton, Yiana Pandelis, Daniel Facciolo, Sarah Dute, Albert Goikhman, Daniel Reader

Baggage (USA) World Premiere 

Director: Tim Hendrix

Producer: Zoe Rosenberg

In a world where everyone brings their Baggage to the table in the form of actual suitcases, a blind date goes awry.

Cast: Horace Gold, Michelle Ortiz, Allen Marsh, Skarlett Redd, James Tang

DOSH (USA) 

Director: Radha Mehta

Producer: Gabriel Gutierrez

When her son’s life is put at risk at their family’s pre-wedding ritual, a hard-of-hearing mother must decide how to seek help for her husband in order to keep her family safe.

Cast: Renu Razdan, Nikhil Prakash, Tyler Anton, Mona Sishodia, Asit Vyas, Neel Agrawal, Nadine Naidoo, Shristi Birla, Dev Patel

Hair or No Hair (Canada)

Directors: Janessa St. Pierre, Courtenay Mayes 

Producers: Geoff Manton

A young Black woman has been hiding behind wigs for years until her Alopecia is exposed publicly; She uses this experience as a catalyst to break free of the shame she feels towards her baldness.

Cast: Janessa St. Pierre, Shaun Morse, Samantha Clarke, Quincy Thomas

Legend of El Cucuy (USA) 

Director: Cynthia Garcia Williams

Producer: Landi Madro

A visit from El Cucuy and she pays the ultimate price for her indifference.

Cast: Diana Sanchez, David Jofre, Obriella Witron, Effie Cacarnakis, Isabella Fell, Hannah Zamora, Vanessa Arcia

Makayla’s Voice: A Letter to the World (USA) World Premiere 

Director: Julio Cesar Palacio

Producers: Julio Palacio, Sam Hanson

In the heartwarming short documentary, “Makayla’s Voice: A Letter to the World”, we are introduced to a remarkable young girl whose spirit and determination defy all expectations. Makayla, a black teenage girl, has spent her life grappling with a rare form of autism that rendered her essentially nonverbal. However, her parents, filled with unwavering belief in their daughter’s potential, embarked on a transformative journey to discover the true depth of Makayla’s inner world.

Cast: Makayla Cain, Khari Cain, Manana Cain, Roxanna Sewell

PU EKAW TNOD (UK) North American Premiere 

Director: Rebecca Culverhouse

Producers: Pamela Pifferi, Sergio Falchi

A couple watching a horror film try to stop events from repeating as they are sucked into a waking nightmare.

Cast: Dorothea Jones, Harold Addo

Saving Art (UK) U.S. Premiere 

Director: Remi R.M. Moses

Producers: Victor Nauwynck, Jing Zhao, Dami Adeyeye

A father tells his terminally-ill son that the chemotherapy will give him a superpower.

Cast: Michael Salami, Pierre-Laurent Vawah, Alex Walton, Niamh Lewis, Oxa Hazel

Smash or Pass (USA) 

Director: Cory Reeder

Producers: Cory Reeder, Val Harvey

Dating pool or cesspool? They both stink!

Cast: Joci Scott, Drew Timberlake Hill, Diana Elizabeth Jordan, Andrew Simmons, Atif Hashwi

This Body Is A Shell (USA) World Premiere 

Director: Ashley Eakin

Producers: Ashley Eakin, Matt Sakatani Roe

Wandering through a desolate internal world, disabled women wrestle with self-image and fight to uncover meaning beyond what is skin deep.

Cast:Kelsey Johnson, Celia Flores, Nathalia Freitas, Cherie Louise, Hanneke Talbot

Young People, Old People & Nothing in Between (Thailand) 

Director: Parida Tantiwasadakran
Producer: Parida Tantiwasadakran

7-year-old Juice has one mission this year: to help Grandma Lovely retain as many memories as possible in order to halt the onset of her early dementia.

Cast: Suwinya Kungsada, Deedee Piamwiriyaku

Revolution Short Film Program, Curated by Gabriel Misla:

Marungka Tjalatjunu (Dipped in Black) (Australia) 

Directors: Matthew Thorne, Derik Lynch

Producers: Matthew Thorne, Patrick Graham

An Anangu Yankunytjatjara man escapes the city life to return to the country for spiritual healing.

Cast: Derik Lynch

Nos Persiguen (Puerto Rico) 

Director: Paulis Cofresi

Producer: Camila Reus

SynopsisIn the 1950s, 16-year-old Celia is forced to face the fatal reality of Puerto Rico’s colonialist oppression after an unexpected visit from a classmate.

Cast: Veronika Perez, Ilan Guerrero, Magali Carrasquillo, Israel Lugo, Kisha Burgos, Yan Christian, Elivan Martinez, Paola Vazquez

Our Grandmother The Inlet (Canada) 

Directors: Jaime Leigh Gianopoulos, Kayah George

Producers: Shelby Manton, Angelica Stirpe

A poignant documentary featuring Kayah George and her grandmother Ta7a, illustrating the hardship of industry dominance on the mental health of Indigenous youth and their enduring spirit of gentle reclamation as they strive to reconnect with their culture, water, and land.

Cast: Kayah George, Amy George

Urpi: Her Last Wish (US, Peru) 

Director: Sisa Quispe

Producers: Sisa Quispe, Suni Sonqo Vizcarra Wood

Urpi travels to the sacred valley of the Incas to fulfill a promise to her grandmother. She meets Sayri, an indigenous Quechua young man, who offers his motorcycle for a journey that will challenge her understanding of identity.

Cast: Sisa Quispe, Juan Abel Ojeda Llanos

DIG – Digital Interactive and Gaming (Online Only):

AI History 1890-2090

Artist: FutureZoetrope

This is an experimental animation in which AI tells the history from before the advent of AI to the as-yet-undiscovered future as if it existed. 

Fukushima – The Home That Once Was

Artist: Timo Wright

Meet the former residents of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Accidents Exclusion Zone, who share their experiences of the loss of home and community, and the fragility of memories.

Lucky Yu

Artist: Mike Ren Yi

Lucky Yu is a meditative fishing game that transports players to a world filled with stunning hand-painted Chinese black ink art. 

Migrant Sea

Artist: Stephane Grasso

“Migrant Sea”, is a multimedia documentary focusing on the voices of Sub-Saharan migrants who survived the harrowing journeys from their home countries to reach Europe. 

Mother, Player

Artist: Angela Washko

“Mother, Player”, is an experimental narrative video game featuring pregnancy and early parenthood stories from artists during the global pandemic. 

My Own Private Apocalypse

Artist: Visu_AI_Poetry

“My Own Private Apocalypse”, delves into the concept of individual existential desolation. 

Synchronization Station

Artist: Allen Riley

Synchronization Station is a participatory performance about mediated intimacy that uses analog video mixing as a counterpoint to everyday communications technologies.

Tethered

Artist: Julianna Johnston

“Tethered”, is an immersive projection and sound installation that is controlled by the gameplay of a tetherball match. 

The post Slamdance goes back to its roots for 30th year appeared first on Park Record.

The 29th Slamdance Film Festival, the premiere film festival and organization “by filmmakers, for filmmakers,” today announced its lineup for Narrative Features Competition, Documentary Features Competition, Breakouts, Unstoppable, and Spotlight Screenings.

With titles hailing from all over the globe and jam-packed with premieres, the 2023 festival continues its legacy of discovering fresh and influential new voices. 

Dedicated to providing accessible programming both in-person and online, the 2023 hybrid festival will return this year with events in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah from Jan. 20-26 and online on the Slamdance Channel from Jan. 23-29.

“From the streets of Seattle to the psychedelic skies of a unicorn-run dystopia, our filmmakers are transporting audiences to new dimensions with stories that explore the nuance of disability, immigration and gender. This year’s lineup represents a generation of new directors who are breaking boundaries and redefining what filmmaking looks like in 2023,” stated Festival Manager Lily Yasuda.

This year’s lineup was chosen from over 7,600 total submissions, 1,522 of which were features. All films selected in the Narrative Features and Documentary Features competition categories are directorial debuts without U.S. distribution, with budgets of less than $1 million USD – a feature that has been unique to Slamdance since its founding in 1995. While Slamdance’s main competition remains exclusive to first-time directors, the Breakouts program – launched in 2019 – is designed to serve directors beyond their first films who maintain distinct visual styles and a unique cinematic voice.

Slamdance is global. In the spirit of bringing audience members a diverse and colorful array of stories, this year’s lineup represents projects from 13 different countries from around the world with projects hailing from The Netherlands, Japan, South Korea, Serbia, Poland, Germany, Laos, India, and the Philippines among others. A collection that defies convention and categorization, this year’s lineup offers experimental and exciting films that will introduce audiences to unique and spirited voices they can’t experience anywhere else.

In addition to Slamdance’s Opening Night Film Moby’s PUNK ROCK VEGAN MOVIE, the festival will also showcase two additional Spotlight Feature Screenings – DOWNWIND (dir. Mark Shapiro and Douglas Brian Miller) and the festival’s Closing Night Film FREE LSD (dir. Dimitri Coats). Narrated by Martin Sheen featuring Lewis Black and Michael Douglas – DOWNWIND is a must-see documentary about nuclear fallout in the United States – specifically in the region of Utah. The film includes members of the Shoshone Nation whose sacred land, despite a treaty, continues to be cordoned off as a nuclear test site, where, for 40 years, large-scale atomic weapons obliterated the landscape and exposed people (Downwinders), the environment and livestock to deadly fallout.

Continuing in the punk rock spirit is the World Premiere of FREE LSD which is this year’s Closing Night feature. Featuring appearances from Keith Morris and Jack Black, FREE LSD follows one man’s inter-dimensional journey where, after using an experimental drug to cure a personal problem, he is provided a glimpse into a parallel universe where he is not only the singer of the band OFF!, but also the target of an evil alien species that will stop at nothing to prevent the group from making a new album which holds the key to an awakening of human consciousness. In concert with Moby’s PUNK ROCK VEGAN MOVIE, FREE LSD will ensure that music-themed films bookend the 29th edition of the DIY festival.

Whether onsite or online, Slamdance 2023 remains committed to accessibility throughout the festival. Not able to travel to Park City for the festival? No problem. The full array of Slamdance’s titles are available on the Slamdance Channel which can be accessed worldwide on Roku, Amazon Fire Stick, and Apple TV. Subscriptions are $7.99 per month and grant access to the festival’s full lineup. More information about the Slamdance Channel can be found online at slamdancechannel.com

In addition to the festival’s online offerings, its in-person programming is also committed to accessibility with the Unstoppable program will be held for the first time in person at the Student Union Theater at the University of Utah from January 23rd to 25th and will be free to the public. Founded in 2021, the Unstoppable Program includes a showcase of new films by creators with visible and non-visible disabilities.

“For Slamdance Unstoppable 2023, our programmers are excited to present a dynamic lineup of films that span not just different genres but also various time periods, cultural groups, stages of life, and modes of expression. Our community contains multitudes and this year’s films reflect that! The vigor and spirit of the filmmakers in our program prove that no attempt to marginalize disabled people will ever defeat our human capacity and drive for storytelling, or stop us from authentically being ourselves,” said Beth Prouty, Unstoppable co-captain and programmer

The remainder of the Slamdance Film Festival’s 2023 programming including the Animated, Experimental, Unstoppable, Narrative, and Documentary Shorts programs as well as the Digital, Interactive and Gaming (DIG) and Episodes lineup will be announced on Dec. 12.

In-person passes and Slamdance Channel subscriptions can be purchased now at slamdance.com/passes. Individual tickets will begin going on sale from December 12th at slamdance.com

Additional information on this year’s lineup slamdance.com.

2023 features programming includes:

Spotlight Feature Screenings:

Downwind (United States) World Premiere. Directors: Mark Shapiro and Douglas Brian Miller; Screenwriters: Warren Etheredge and Mark Shapiro; Producers: Matthew Modine, Adam Rackoff, Mark Shapiro

Hiroshima. Nagasaki. Mercury, Nevada? The latter was the site for the testing of 928 nuclear weapons on American soil from 1951 to 1992. The fallout is still lethally impacting Americans today. Martin Sheen narrates this harrowing exposé of the United States’ disregard for everyone living… DOWNWIND. Downwind is topical and global in context — but it’s also very deeply tied to Utah and the American West. The film includes members of the Shoshone Nation whose sacred land, despite a treaty, continues to be cordoned off as a nuclear test site, where, for 40 years, large-scale atomic weapons obliterated the landscape and exposed people (Downwinders), the environment and livestock to deadly fallout. Despite a moratorium, the Nevada Test Site remains operational and testing could even resume. Cast: Michael Douglas, Lewis Black, Ian Zabarte, Darlene Graham, Mary Dickson, Claudia Peterson.

Free LSD (United States) World Premiere – CLOSING NIGHT FILM. Writer / Director: Dimitri Coats. Producers: Kurt Kittleson, Dimitri Coats, Inge De Bruyn

Keith, a defeated adult store owner, falls for a younger woman who visits his shop looking for a gift. When their relationship turns physical, Keith’s failure to perform leads him to a strange doctor who offers hope in the form of a new experimental drug. The experience gives Keith much more than renewed manhood. It also provides a glimpse into a parallel universe where he is not only the singer of the band OFF!, but also the target of an evil alien species that will stop at nothing to prevent the group from making a new album which holds the key to an awakening of human consciousness. Cast: Keith Morris, Dimitri Coats, Autry Fulbright II, DH Peligro, David Yow, Chelsea Debo, Jack Black, James Duval, Dana Gould, Barry Del Sherman, Chloe Dykstra, Chris D., E.R. Ruiz, Davey Havok, Gill Gayle, S.A. Griffin, Don Nguyen, Angelo Moore, Zander Schloss, Don Bolles, Bree Essrig, Sydnie Mancini, Nathaniel Moore. Cody Renee Cameron, Aleshya Uthappa, Heidi Luo, Jeffrey Damnit, Trent Haaga, Rob Zabrecky, Pete Weiss, Kyle Vogt, Kelly Nugent, Laura James, Chris Hernandez

Narrative Feature Competition:

The Girl Who Was Cursed – (The Netherlands) North American Premiere Director: Zara Dwinger; Screenwriter: Zara Dwinger; Producers: Layla Meijman & Maarten van der Ven

Stoner girl Gizem spends most of her day smoking weed on the couch while spying on her neighbors through binoculars. When the quirky boy across the street disappears, she has to get out of her comfortable cloud of smoke to find out where he is. She gets caught up in a strange quest. Cast: Sinem Kavuz, Victor Ijdens, Frieda Barnhard, Ilker Delikaya

Love Dump – (United States) U.S. Premiere. Director: Jason Avezzano; Screenwriters: Leila Gorstein and Jesse Kendall; Producers: Emily Diego, Matt Mahaffey, Leila Gorstein, Jesse Kendall

Trash-filled love ensues when a quirky antique shop owner searches for her missing father, and falls for a determined dog lawyer along the way. Cast: Leila Gorstein, Jesse Kendall, Rob Grabowski, EJ Cameron, Zoe Agapinan, George Elrod, Lauren Summers, Tyler Davis

MiND MY GOOFiNESS: The Self Portrait – (United States) World Premiere. Director: Alex Michel; Screenwriter: Alex Michel; Producer: Alex Michel

A strange dream; favors for friends; the end of the world. It’s just one of those days for Alex as he runs errands he never needed to, all while making sense of a recurring deja vu throughout the journey of his day. Cast: Alex Michel, Duante Wingham, Symone Holmes, Rob Rice, Perry Goeders, Ian Peterson, Juice Wood, Emara Vee

Mad Cats – (Japan) World Premiere. Director: Reiki Tsuno; Screenwriter: Reiki Tsuno; Producers: Daisuke Urano, Reiki Tsuno, Takahiro Fukuya

Taka, a shiftless young man, sets off on a quest to find his brother Mune. Teaming up with a quirky new friend and an edgy, mysterious young girl along the way, Taka finds himself taking on a pack of vicious monster cats determined to execute unscrupulous pet shop owners. Cast: Sho Mineo, Yuya Matsuura, Ayane, Michael Aaron Stone, So Yamanaka

New Religion – (Japan) North American Premiere. Director: Keishi Kondo; Screenwriter: Keishi Kondo; Producer: Keishi Kondo

Miyabi lost her only daughter in an accident. One day, she meets a strange man. The man demands that she let him take a picture of her spine. Cast: Kaho Seto, Ryuseigun Saionji, Satoshi Oka

Nut Jobs – (Canada) U.S. Premiere. Director: Alexandre Leblanc; Screenwriter: Alexandre Leblanc; Producer: Alexandre Leblanc

Benjamin tells his ex-girlfriend, Angie, that he joined a cell of left-wing terrorists to get revenge on her former boss, who owns a right-wing radio station. His story blends conceptual artists, amateur theater troupes, hallucinogenic vinyl record and other magical powers. All that nonsense leave Angie wondering if he made that up only to win her back. Cast: Jean-Sébastien Courchesne, Sophie Desmarais, Benoit Bourbonnais, Annie St-Pierre, Richard Fréchette, Mathieu Bourque

A Perfect Day for Caribou – (United States) North American Premiere. Director: Jeff Rutherford; Screenwriter: Jeff Rutherford; Producers: Kyra Bailey, Joseph Longo, Jeff Rutherford

An estranged father and son spend the day ambling around a cemetery, wandering the wilderness, searching for family, and stumbling through disharmony and heartache. Cast: Charlie Plummer, Jeb Berrier, Oellis Levine, Dana Millican, Wrick Jones, Rachael Perrell Fosket, Connor Brenes

Stars in the Ordinary Universe – (South Korea) World Premiere. Director: Bowon Kim; Screenwriter: Bowon Kim; Producers: Han Jung, Minji Kim, Dongho Shin

Three stories from three different earths in the multiverse… Cast: Seoyoon Park, Gyoho Shim, Dongmin Oh

Unicorn Boy – (United States) World Premiere. Director: Matt Kiel; Screenwriter: Matt Kiel; Producer: Neil Garguilo p.g.a.

When a heartbroken young artist is sucked into a unicorn-run alternate dimension, they must help conquer a dark force in order to bring peace to the kingdom and themselves. Cast: Matt Kiel, Patton Oswalt, Maria Bamford, Harold Perrineau, Sarah Natochenny, Katie Leclerc, Brett Davern, Parvesh Cheena

Waiting for the Light to Change – (United States). Director: Linh Tran; Screenwriters: Linh Tran, Jewells Santos, Delia Van Praag; Producers: Sam Straley, Jake Rotger, Jewells Santos

Over the course of a week-long beachside getaway, Amy, having recently undergone dramatic weight loss, finds herself wrestling between loyalty to her best friend Kim and her attraction to Kim’s new boyfriend. Cast: Jin Park, Joyce Ha, Qun Chi, Sam Straley, Erik Barrientos

Where the Road Leads – (Serbia) World Premiere. Director: Nina Ognjanović; Screenwriter: Nina Ognjanović; Producer: David Jovanović

Jana runs to save a life of a foreigner who can take her far away from her home town. Cast: Jana Bjelica, Zlatan Vidović, Vladimir Maksimović, Ninoslav Ćulum, Igor Filipović, Svetozar Cvetković, Branislava Stefanović, Eva Ras

Documentary Feature Competition:

Cash Cow – (United States) World Premiere. Director: Matt Barats; Screenwriter: Matt Barats; Producers: Whit Conway & Matt Barats

In the Fall of 2020, a financially struggling actor camps and explores early Mormon historical sites as he anxiously awaits national broadcast for his Domino’s Pizza commercial.

Cisco Kid – (United States) U.S. Premiere. Director: Emily Kaye Allen; Producers: Shannon Fitzpatrick, Elise McCave

In a queer portrait of the contemporary American West, Eileen–a young, solitary maverick–forges a life among the discarded remnants and lingering memories of a desert ghost town called Cisco.

The Mad Writer – (United States) World Premiere. Director: Zach Kashkett; Screenwriter: Zach Kashkett; Producers: Jon Webb, Zach Kashkett, Trevor Metscher, Katherine LeBlond, James Haygood, Michael Raimondi, Michael Tolle

With his star on the rise, Hip Hop phenom, L’Orange, confronts a stunning diagnosis that threatens both his hearing and his burgeoning career.

Motel Drive – (United States) World Premiere. Director: Brendan Geraghty; Screenwriter: Brendan Geraghty; Producers: Brendan Geraghty. Josh Polon. Within a community of motels infamous for illicit activity, the Shaw Family grapples with housing insecurity and addiction while trying to raise their young son. When California’s High-Speed Rail Project displaces them, a glimpse of stability appears within reach. A vérité, street level vantage of post-industrial America, documented over eight years, on one city block.

Silent Love – (Poland, Germany) U.S. Premiere. Director: Marek Kozakiewicz; Screenwriter: Marek Kozakiewicz; Producers: Agnieszka Skalska, Alex Tondowski, Ira Tondowski

After their mother’s death, 35-year-old Aga has to take care of her teenage brother, Milosz. There is one thing she isn’t telling him about: her ongoing relationship with Maja. An unconventional family is being born in a small, conservative Polish village.

Space Happy: Phil Thomas Katt and The Uncharted Zone – (United States) World Premiere. Director: Louis Crisitello; Producers: Louis Crisitello, John Nobbs, Rose Crisitello, Mike Castronova Space Happy: Phil Thomas Katt and The Uncharted Zone is a feature-length documentary about a group of ragtag artists making “so bad it’s good” music and videos in Pensacola, Florida under the direction of the eccentric Phil Thomas Katt. Spanning over five decades of footage, Space Happy is a portrayal of creative minds pursuing art against all odds — and talent.

Starring Jerry as Himself – (United States) World Premiere. Director: Law Chen; Screenwriters: Jerry Hsu and Law Chen; Producers: Jonathan Hsu, Law Chen

A family documents how their immigrant father Jerry, a recently divorced and retired Florida man, was recruited by the Chinese police to be an undercover agent.

Sweetheart Deal – (United States). Directors: Elisa Levine & Gabriel Miller; Screenwriter: Karen KH Sim; Producers: Peggy Case, Elisa Levine

Four sex workers caught in the spiral of addiction turn to a self-proclaimed healer offering friendship and a path to salvation from the streets inside his roadside RV. But just as they begin to rebuild their lives, a shocking betrayal comes to light that will change them all.

With Peter Bradley – (United States) World Premiere. Director: Alex Rappoport; Producer: Alex Rappoport

Seventy-nine years old and overlooked since the 1970’s, abstract artist Peter Bradley reflects on life and shares his artistic process on the cusp of his rediscovery.

Breakouts:

The Art of Silence – (Switzerland, Germany). Director: Maurizius Staerkle Drux; Screenwriter: Maurizius Staerkle Drux; Producers: Aline Schmid, Adrian Blaser, Carl-Ludwig Rettinger, Maurizius Staerkle Drux

The first feature documentary about the legendary pantomime Marcel Marceau. He inspires several generations of artists, among them his grandson and family, who cast a new light on his life’s work. As a child, Marceau experiences the execution of his Jewish father by the Nazis. A trauma that motivates him to join the French resistance and spurs his deep conviction in the art of silence. Cast: Marcel Marceau, Anne Sicco, Camille Marceau, Aurélia Marceau, Louis Chevalier, Rob Mermin, Georges Loinger, Daniel Loinger, Christoph Staerkle

Fuzzy Head – (United States) U.S. Premiere. Director: Wendy McColm; Screenwriter: Wendy McColm; Producers: Rhianon Jones, Frank Oz, Santiago Cervantes, Cooper Oznowicz

Insomnia-ridden Marla is on the run after the murder of her mother. Now, Marla must confront her everlasting void to find out the truth of what really happened and at last, undo all that’s been done. Cast: Alicia Witt, Wendy McColm, Jonathan Tolliver, Numa Perrier, Fred Melamed, Cassidy Butler, Richard Riehle, and Rain Phoenix

Mascot – (The Netherlands, Belgium) World Premiere. Director: Remy van Heugten; Screenwriter: Gustaaf Peek; Producers: Joram Willink, Piet-Harm Sterk, Bart van Langendonck, Robert Kievit

With his radical behavior, teenager Jerry endangers not only himself but his entire family. Cast: Liam Jeans, Maartje Remmers, Leopold Witte, Geert van Rampelberg, Frederike van Oordt, Mouad Nineb, Joes Brauers

Onlookers – (United States, Laos) World Premiere. Director: Kimi Takesue; Producers: Kimi Takesue, Richard Beenen, Sophie Luo

ONLOOKERS offers a visually striking, immersive meditation on travel and tourism in Laos, reflecting on how we all live as observers. Traversing the country’s dusty roads and tranquil rivers, we watch as elaborate painterly tableaus unfold, revealing the whimsical and at times disruptive interweaving of locals and foreigners in rest and play.

The Underbug – (India) World Premiere. Director: Shujaat Saudagar; Screenwriters: Shujaat Saudagar, Abas Dalal, Hussain Dalal; Producers: Vikesh Bhutani, Shujaat Saudagar, Aman Mann

As India is ravaged by sectarian violence on the eve of its Independence Day, two rioters take refuge in an abandoned house. An eerie presence in the house, however, haunts the men to the edge of sanity. Cast: Ali Fazal, Hussain Dalal, Areenah fatima

What is the Lie? – (Philippines) World Premiere. Director: Quark Henares; Screenwriters: Quark Henares, John Bedia; Producers: Armi Rae Cacanindin, Pauline Zamora, Bianca Balbuena-Liew, Ian Monsod

Hopeless romantic Janzen Torres finds another chance at love when she matches with the handsome and seemingly perfect Theo Balmaceda on a dating app. Unfortunately, on the day of their meet-up, Theo ghosts her, leading Janzen into an intricate web of deceit, lies, and catfishing led by sociopathic mastermind Beanie Landridos. Cast: Maris Racal, EJ Jallorina, Royce Cabrera

Unstoppable Features:

American Pot Story: Oaksterdam – (United States) World Premiere. Director: Dan Katzir & Ravit Markus; Screenwriter: Dan Katzir; Producers: Ravit Markus, Dan Katzir, Yael Katzir, Lati Grobman, Rick Rosenthal, Dahlia Guigui, Asher Alkoby, Eviatar Dotan, Ayal Nitzan

American Pot Story: Oaksterdam tells the unknown origin story of how a handful of underdogs risked everything to spark the current worldwide revolution in cannabis policy. Reflecting Oakland, California’s rich history of civil resistance, they opened the first ever cannabis college, Oaksterdam University, and got Prop 19 – a measure to legalize cannabis – on the ballot in California, thus bringing this taboo topic to the mainstream and opening a conversation on its social justice impact. Cast: Dale Sky Jones, Richard Lee, Jeff Jones, Salwa Ibrahim, Governor Gavin Newson

OKAY! (The ASD Band Film) – (Canada). Director: Mark Bone; Screenwriters: Greg Rosati, Andrew Simon; Producers: Andrew Simon, Tamara Sulliman, David Bodanis

Four performers on the autism spectrum form a band and take on the challenge of writing and performing their first album of original songs.Cast: Ron Adea, Jackson Begley, Rawan Tuffaha, Spenser Murray, Maury LaFoy

Sexual Healing – (Netherlands) U.S. Premiere. Director: Elsbeth Fraanje; Screenwriter: Elsbeth Fraanje; Producers: Nienke Korthof, Willem Baptist Evelien (53), spastic from birth, yearns for intimate contact and recognition for who she is. Sexual Healing follows her courageous quest for intimacy: touching, funny, sensual and rewarding. Naughty in all the nice ways. Sexual Healing is a tough, yet light-hearted universal film about the necessity of intimate contact for all of us human beings.

Sign the Show – (United States). Director: Cat Brewer; Producers: Cat Brewer, Matt Maxey, Waka Flocka, Sara Hirsh Bordo, Claudia Lin Cunningham

Sign the Show immerses the viewer in conversations with entertainers (includingKelly Clarkson, D.L. Hughley and André 3000), the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community, and popular American Sign Language interpreters to discuss the DEI & Accessibility movement at live music, comedy, and theater performances in a humorous, heartfelt, and insightful way. Cast: Waka Flocka, Kelly Clarkson, André 3000, D.L. Hughley, Camryn Manheim, Matt Maxey, Nyle DiMarco, Camryn Manheim,

Wisdom Gone Wild – (United States). Director: Rea Tajiri; Screenwriter: Rea Tajiri; Producers: Rea Tajiri, Sian Evans

In this moving and original reflection on aging, mortality, and transformation, Rea Tajiri partners with her mother, Rose Tajiri Noda, to create a film about the final sixteen years of Rose’s life as a person living with dementia. Cast: Rose Tajiri, Rea Tajiri

The post Slamdance 2023 announces full lineup appeared first on Park Record.

The 29th Slamdance Film Festival announced today the festival’s Opening Night film, “Punk Rock Vegan Movie,” directed by Moby, as well as a new partnership with the University of Utah dedicated to the first in-person showcase of the Unstoppable Program, which will be free to the public.

A showcase for raw and innovative filmmaking, Slamdance is the premiere film festival “by filmmakers, for filmmakers,” dedicated to fostering a community for independent emerging artists. The 2023 Slamdance Film Festival will return to in-person programming with events in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah from Jan. 20-26 and online on the  Slamdance Channel from Jan. 23-29.

“2023 represents a new era for the festival, one that integrates online and in-person events to create a more inclusive festival experience. With our in person showcase of Unstoppable for creators with visible and non-visible disabilities and the great support of the University of Utah, we felt it was essential to create a free event for the public and make Slamdance as accessible as possible,” stated Lily Yasuda, festival manager and Michael Morin, festival producer. 

Kicking off the festivities is a screening of the Opening Night film “Punk Rock Vegan Movie.” From the mind of electronic music legend Moby.

The project is the musician’s directorial debut and is a passionate and stylistically idiosyncratic look at the ongoing relationship between the worlds of punk rock and animal rights. Including interviews with some of the biggest names in punk history, including Ian Mackaye, HR, Dave Navarro, Ray Cappo, Steve Ignorant, and Captain Sensible, Moby tells the story of how punk rock became such a fertile and surprising breeding ground for vegan activism. In the spirit of punk rock, Moby will be giving the film away for free following the Slamdance premiere. 

“Punk Rock Vegan Movie” was created to shine a light on the surprising and inspiring history of punk rock and animal rights, but also to remind people of the importance and desperate urgency of adopting the uncompromising ethics and actions of the original punk rock activist,” said Moby. “After it makes its world premiere at Slamdance, it’s yours. It’s my goal to give the movie away, as I can’t in good conscience try to profit from what is essentially a labor of love and activism.”

Slamdance is also honored to continue its support of independent filmmaking and unconventional storytelling with the return of the Unstoppable program in partnership with the University of Utah.

The university has been a long time supporter of the festival and is the perfect partner to provide the first in-person iteration of the program through their accessible campus, which is free to the public. 

Launched in 2021 and founded by Juliet Romeo, Asha Chai-Chang, Gabriel Cordell, Chris Furbee, Steve Way, Peter Baxter and Taylor Miller, the Unstoppable program is a showcase of new films by creators with visible and non-visible disabilities. The program has been a key launching point for filmmakers, including 2021 alumni Doug Roland whose Unstoppable short film “Feeling Through” was nominated for an Academy Award. 

“Unstoppable is excited and grateful for this collaboration with The University of Utah because it allows for a safe space for disabled filmmakers, and an opportunity to bridge the gap between accessibility and film,” stated Unstoppable programmer and co-founder Juliet Romeo. “This is a beautiful first step to creating real change in how films are made and consumed, and we are proud to be a part of it.” 

The lineup for the 2023 Unstoppable program includes feature films and shorts of various genres and the three-day event will include screenings, filmmaker panels, and Q&As which are all free and open to the public. The program marks a return to the University of Utah campus, which hosted Slamdance’s first ever festival in 1995, and is a testament to the successful ongoing partnership between the two organizations.

Unstoppable will be presented by the University of Utah’s Department of Film & Media Arts, chaired by Andrew Patrick Nelson and will be held at the Student Union Theater at the University of Utah from January 23rd to 26th.

“We are thrilled to welcome Slamdance back to campus and to host this pathbreaking program of films,” said Nelson. “Film & Media Arts is one of the most diverse and inclusive departments at the  University of Utah, and we share Slamdance’s commitment to empowering people from all backgrounds to tell their own stories through moving images.”

Now in its 29th year, the Slamdance film festival continues to make its mark on the industry — providing an affordable and accessible festival experience for audiences everywhere to discover emerging talent.

Filmmakers who first presented their work at the festival are now amongst the biggest names in the entertainment industry. Alumni who have shown their early short films and debut features at Slamdance include Bong Joon Ho (“Parasite”), Rian Johnson (“Star Wars: The Last Jedi”), Ari Aster (“Midsommar”), Gina Prince-Bythewood (“The Old Guard”), The Russo Brothers (“Avengers: Endgame”), Jon M. Chu (“Crazy Rich Asians”), Lynn Shelton (“Little Fires Everywhere”) and Christopher Nolan (“Dunkirk”). 

Slamdance 2023 tickets and passes will be available for sale on slamdance.com starting on Dec. 2nd. The online presentation of the 2023 festival can be viewed Jan. 23-29 on the

Slamdance Channel.For information and subscriptions, visit slamdancechannel.com/.

The post Slamdance announces opening night film appeared first on Park Record.

The 28th Slamdance Film Festival announced the winners of their annual Sparky Awards in Audience, Jury and Sponsored categories for 2022.

In addition, the festival also announced the recipients of their AGBO Fellowship from Slamdance alumni Joe and Anthony Russo, the CreativeFuture Innovation Award and a curated Acting Award. All winners were announced during the virtual awards ceremony on Feb. 4.

“We congratulate the winners of Slamdance 2022 and everyone of our filmmakers who together created a showcase that pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in storytelling “, said President and Co-founder Peter Baxter. “The future of film depends on these unique voices who defy simple classification and transcend analytics. Key to supporting this endeavor is accessibility and the major growth of our online audience who’ve tuned into the new Slamdance Channel.”

2022 Audience Awards were given to two films and one episodic that captured the hearts of audiences around the globe.

“The Civil Dead” (USA), directed by Clay Tatum, took home the Audience Award for Narrative Feature, while “Iron Family,” (USA) directed by Patrick Longstreth won the 2022 Audience Award for Documentary Feature.

“The Ember Knight Show: ‘Getting Mad,'” (USA) directed by Bobby McCoy took home the Audience Award for Episodes.

The AGBO Fellowship, presented by Slamdance alumni Joe and Anthony Russo along with their colleagues at their AGBO production company, was awarded to Ethan Eng, director of “Therapy Dogs” (Canada).

The $25,000 prize is designed to enable a deserving filmmaker the opportunity to continue their journey with mentorship from Joe and Anthony as well as development support from their studio.

“We are delighted to announce the AGBO Fellowship 2022 winner is Ethan Eng, whose passion for storytelling is evident in this year’s standout ‘Therapy Dogs.’ Ethan’s ability to connect with the audience in a personal and profound way is effortless while his commitment and work ethic as a filmmaker is inspiring. The fact that this marks Ethan’s first feature as a director shows incredible promise for a bright future ahead, and we look forward to working with and championing him as he continues on this exciting filmmaking journey,” stated Angela Russo-Otstot, president of creative at AGBO.

Juries of esteemed filmmakers and industry professionals determined the Slamdance Jury Awards, which are given to films and filmmakers in four categories: Narrative Features, Documentaries, Narrative Shorts and Animated/Experimental Shorts.

The Feature Awards Jury consists of Steve Way, Merawi Gerima and Erica Jordan. The Shorts Awards Jury consists of Lori Felker, Dominique Oneil, and Kristian Mercado. The Unstoppable Jurors were Asha Chai-Chang, Michael McNeely, Julia Muniz, Cameron S. Mitchell, Juliet Romeo, Catriona Rubenis-Stevens, Bernadette Speakes

The Narrative Feature Grand Jury prize was awarded to “Hannah Ha Ha,” (USA) directed by Joshua Pikovsky and Jordan Tetewsky, with an Honorable Mention given to “Ultrainocencia,” (Spain) directed by Manuel Arija de la Cuerda.

About the section’s winning films, the jury stated: “A beautiful film in the vein of the American working-class cinema from the ’70s and ’80s. This film was chosen for its incredible lead actor and its sensitive portrayal of the quiet eradication of a community by powers beyond their control. ‘Ultrainocencia’ by Manuel Arija earned honorable mention for its artful blend of surrealism, physical comedy and science fiction which captivates the imagination and feeds the senses.”

The Documentary Feature Grand Jury Prize was awarded to “Forget Me Not,” (USA) directed by Olivier Bernier. An Honorable Mention was awarded to “Fury,” (Poland) directed by Krzysztof Kasior.

The jury stated: ‘”Forget Me Not’ was enthusiastically selected by the jury to win best documentary. This important film draws the audience into a compelling story, which moves from personal, intimate moments in a family’s life to national sociopolitical issues around inclusion in public schools. Fury earned our special mention for its visceral portraiture of a woman driven to physical, psychological and moral extremes by her desire to be the best.”

The 2022 Slamdance Unstoppable Grand Jury Prize was awarded to “Straighten Up and Fly Right,” (USA) by directors Steven Tanenbaum and Kristen Abate. The Honorable Mention goes to “Selahy (My Weapon),” (Yemen) directed by Alaa Zabara.

Of “Straighten Up and Fly Right,” the Jury stated the following: “‘Straighten Up and Fly Right’ is a universal story everyone can connect with that is unlike any film we have seen before. It’s a unique portrayal of how relatable isolation, depression and acceptance are while navigating the world with a disability.” Regarding “Selahy (My Weapon),” the Jury stated: “‘Selahy’ is an utterly poignant film that spotlights an often forgotten community in a war zone and the ramifications that War has on the disability community.”

Miami-based nonprofit ASFI and the White Elephant Group film collective are partnering with Slamdance Unstoppable to create the ASFI Slamdance Unstoppable Short Film Commission. This commission will be awarded to Slamdance Unstoppable Co-Founder and Miami native Juliet Romeo as well as Miami-based filmmaker Elizabeth Burbano.

Both creators are notable disabled filmmakers and this commission will total $10,000 ($5,000 per award) in addition to production support provided by the White Elephant Group film collective for the production of original short films.

This award seeks to encourage and support the production of original works by visibly and non-visibly disabled filmmakers in an effort to address the lack of representation and misrepresentation of the disabled community in the film industry.

The Breakouts Feature Grand Jury Prize is awarded to Abed Abest’s “Killing the Eunuch KHAN,” (Iran) with the Honorable Mention going to “Retrograde,” (Canada) by Adrian Murray. The Breakouts jury stated the following about the winners: “‘Killing the Eunuch KHAN’ was chosen for presenting, with monumental cinematography, the socio-psychological ramifications of a great historic tragedy whose consequences reverberate throughout the world to this day. ‘Retrograde’ by Adrian Murray, earned honorable mention for its skillfully crafted script, beautifully realized by Molly Reisman. The director masterfully deconstructs how obsession can unravel a young person’s life.”

The 2022 Narrative Shorts Grand Jury Prize is given to “Ratking,” (USA), directed by Eric Colonna. “See You, Garbage!” (Canada), directed by Romain Dumont, was awarded the Honorable Mention.

The jury stated the following regarding “Ratking,” “This hauntingly funny film delivers feelings of paranoia, frustration, and fear that feel relevant to our times. Natasha Sills delivers a captivating performance that balances humor and drama perfectly.”

The jury also said the following about “See You Garbage!”: “The jury was captivated by this well-orchestrated and performed short film that provided a nuanced look into class structures, behavior, and essential work.”

The Documentary Short Grand Jury Prize went to “The Ritual To Beauty,” (USA) directed by Shenny de Los Angeles and Maria Marrone while “Walls Cannot Keep Us From Flying,” (USA) directed by Jonathan Haff Mehring was awarded the Honorable Mention.

The jury stated: “We wish to recognize Shenny de Los Angeles and Maria Marrone’s poetic and uniquely positioned documentary which provides a vital look into the Afro-Latina point of view and honors their Dominican and maternal lineage. ‘Walls Cannot Keep Us From Flying’ conveys the resilience of Palestinian youth in the face of occupation and the freedom that skating represents. We are grateful to the filmmakers especially for introducing us to Yasmeen Foqha!”

The Experimental Short Grand Jury Prize was awarded to “Chameleon,” (USA) by Ima Iduozee and Jaamil Olawale Kosoko with an honorable mention going to “Compositions for Understanding Relationships,” (USA) by David De La Fuente.

Regarding Chameleon, the Jury stated: “We’ve never experienced anything quite like ‘Chameleon’ before; its words and images are inventive, refreshing, intimate, and unforgettable. We found it to be a moving hybrid of performance, documentation, poetry and set design.”

They also said the following regarding “Compositions for Understanding Relationships,” “This beautifully crafted animation presents an earnest view of love and romance that is both meticulously structured and vibrantly chaotic as it takes us from fashion to the bedroom to video game fantasy.”

The Animated Shorts Grand Jury prizes went to “I’m Here,” (Poland) directed by Julia Orlik with an honorable mention awarded to “Oldboy’s Apples,” (USA) directed by Brad Hock.

Of I’m Here the Jury stated: “A powerful contemplation of mortality and time, this haunting animated film kept us suspended in the smaller moments and hit us in an intimate way few films do.”

Regarding “Oldboy’s Apples,” the Jury said: “Delightfully odd, whimsical in the most subversive way, ‘Oldboy’s Apples’ is a bold piece of animation that hypnotizes the viewers with its curiously wonderful characters and setting.”

The 2022 CreativeFuture Innovation Award went to “My Parent, Neal,” (USA) directed by Hannah Saidiner.

Slamdance and CreativeFuture have partnered for years to support new talent in the world of film and to educate creatives on the importance of protecting their work. This award is given to an emerging filmmaker who exhibits the innovative spirit of filmmaking.

CreativeFuture shared the following statement on behalf of the Innovation Award “Filmmaker Hannah Saidliner has created an intimate portrait of parent and daughter with ‘My Parent, Neal.’ A look at the complex and loving relationship between a parent and their child, the film evokes the innocence of youth, employing crayons and watercolors for a distinct visual style. For its creativity and incredible heart, it deserves the CreativeFuture Innovation Award.”

The George Starks Spirit of Slamdance Award, voted on by filmmakers and given to the filmmaker who best embodies the spirit of the Festival, went to Sasha Levinson, director of “Sylvie of the Sunshine State” (USA).

The festival’s Outstanding Acting Award, which is curated by the Slamdance team, went to Hannah Lee Thompson of “Hannah Ha Ha,” (USA) with the honorable mention going to Batel Moseri of “Bracha” (Israel).

Dedicated to fostering a community for independent emerging artists, Slamdance’s 2022 feature competition lineup boasted 23 premieres, including 13 World, 6 North American, and 4 U.S. debuts. Chosen from over 8,000 submissions, this year’s lineup hailed from all corners of the globe, including Germany, Australia, Iran, Canada, China, Italy, Poland, and the UK among others. All competition films were feature-length, directorial debuts without U.S. distribution, with budgets of less than $1 million USD.

This year’s festival award sponsors include Blackmagic Design, CreativeFuture, Final Draft, Media Services and Pierce Law Group LLP.

A full list of winners is below:

GRAND JURY AWARDS – FEATURES

Narrative Feature Grand Jury Prize: “Hannah Ha Ha” (Dir: Jordan Tetewsky and Joshua Pikovsky)

Honorable Mentions: “Ultrainocencia” (Dir: Manuel Arija)

Documentary Feature Grand Jury Prize: “Forget Me Not” (Dir: Olivier Bernier)

Honorable Mention: “Fury” (Dir: Krzysztof Kasior)

Breakouts Feature Grand Jury Prize: “Killing the Eunuch KHAN” (Dir: Abed Abest)

Honorable Mentions: “Retrograde” (Dir: Adrian Murray)

Unstoppable Feature Grand Jury Prize: “Straighten Up And Fly Right” (Dir: Kristen Abate and Steven Tanenbaum)

Honorable Mentions: “Selahy” (My Weapon) (Dir: Alaa Zabara)

JURY AWARDS – SHORTS

Narrative Shorts Grand Jury Prize: “Ratking” (Dir: Eric Colonna)

Honorable Mention: “See You, Garbage!” (Dir: Romain Dumont)

Documentary Short Grand Jury Prize: “The Ritual to Beauty” (Dir: Shenny de Los Angeles and Maria Marrone)

Honorable Mention: “Walls Cannot Keep Us From Flying” (Dir: Jonathan Haff Mehring)

Experimental Shorts Grand Jury Prize: “Chameleon” (Dir: Ima Iduozee and Jaamil Olawale Kosoko)

Honorable Mention: “Compositions for Understanding Relationships” (Dir: David De La Fuente)

Animated Shorts Grand Jury Prize: “I’m Here” (Dir: Julia Orlik)

Honorable Mention: “Oldboy’s Apples” (Dir: Brad Hock)

FESTIVAL WIDE AWARDS:

The AGBO Fellowship, presented by Joe and Anthony Russo, Award Winner: Ethan Eng, director of “Therapy Dogs”

Slamdance Acting Award: Hannah Lee Thompson of “Hannah Ha Ha”

Honorable Mention: Batel Moseri of “Bracha”

George Starks Spirit of Slamdance Award Winner: Sasha Levinson, director of “Sylvie of the Sunshine State”

CreativeFuture Innovation Award: “My Parent, Neal” (Dir: Hannah Saidiner)

AUDIENCE AWARDS:

Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature: “The Civil Dead” (Dir. Clay Tatum)

Audience Award for Documentary Feature: “Iron Family” (Dir. Patrick Long streth)

Audience Award for Episodes: “The Ember Knight Show: ‘Getting Mad'” (Dir. Bobby McCoy)

The post Slamdance announces 2022 film festival awards appeared first on Park Record.

Due to concerns around the omicron variant, and for the safety of its staff, filmmakers, and audience, the Slamdance Film Festival will forgo the in-person portion of its hybrid event in Park City, which was scheduled to run Jan. 20-23.

Slamdance will continue its virtual festival program with an accessible and robust lineup of virtual screenings, events, and live Q & A’s running Jan. 27-Feb. 6.

The Jan. 27 start date is a week later than originally planned, which allows the festival team to transition many of the events that were planned for the physical edition to the online format.

“Although we are disappointed that we won’t be able to participate in the communal, in-person experience, we know we can create a unique festival experience for all of our filmmakers through Slamdance’s online platform.” Said Peter Baxter, Slamdance President and Co-Founder. “We are looking forward to utilizing the expertise we’ve already gained in attracting a global audience, building upon our accessibility goals and pushing the boundaries of what a decentralized festival can be.”

For information, visit slamdance.com.

The post Slamdance Film Festival will return to virtual programming in 2022 appeared first on Park Record.

Slamdance Film Festival, the film festival and organization “by filmmakers, for filmmakers,” on Wednesday announced the full lineup for its 28th edition hybrid festival. Known for challenging the status quo, Slamdance and its artist-led community have long held a reputation for discovering talent, often overlooked by the mainstream, that go on to change the entertainment industry. In 2022, the festival returns to its original home in Park City for its physical festival from Jan. 20-23, bridged with an accessible and robust program of virtual screenings that will be available from Jan. 20-30.

“We are anti-algorithm. That’s always been true, but it’s more urgent than ever as we continue to celebrate truly unique voices that defy simple classification and transcend analytics,” said Slamdance President and co-founder Peter Baxter. “This year our programmers gravitated towards films that embody the true DIY spirit of guerrilla filmmaking and push the boundaries of what’s possible in storytelling. The Slamdance team is honored to introduce everyone of these storytellers, who are changing the media narrative and elevating the art form of independent film.”

Dedicated to fostering a community for independent emerging artists, the feature competition lineup boasts 23 premieres, including 13 World, 6 North American, and 4 U.S. debuts. Chosen from over 1,124 submissions, this year’s competition lineup hails from all corners of the globe, including Germany, Australia, Iran, Canada, China, Italy, Poland, and the UK among others. All competition films are feature-length, directorial debuts without U.S. distribution, with budgets of less than $1 million USD – a feature that has been unique to Slamdance since its founding in 1995.

As always, all films in the lineup were selected by a team of Slamdance alumni via a blind submission process and are programmed democratically. This year it received 8,168 total submissions, of which 1,579 were features. Narrative Features, Documentary Features and Episodes sections are eligible for the Audience Award while all films and projects are eligible for the George Sparks Spirit of Slamdance Award and the AGBO Fellowship, the former of which is voted upon by filmmakers at the festival.

The prestigious AGBO Fellowship will continue in 2022. Founded by Slamdance alumni Anthony and Joe Russo (Avengers: Endgame, Avengers: Infinity War), the AGBO Fellowship provides a $25,000 cash prize, mentorship from the Russos and their team, and office space, enabling a filmmaker to continue honing their skills and pursuing their craft. The 2021 fellowship was awarded to Agnieszka Polska for her debut feature “Hurrah, We Are Still Alive!”

In addition to the competition films, Slamdance has also announced the selections for its 4th annual Breakouts section, featuring films by seasoned directors — nearly 50% of whom are alumni of the festival — who demonstrate a determined vision of filmmaking that is distinctly their own. These artists continue to push the boundaries of filmmaking, creating their own genres and forms, and Slamdance is proud to give them a platform to share their work with audiences all over the world.

Building on the legacy it started last year, Slamdance has expanded the Unstoppable program. Now in its 2nd annual edition, this inclusive program showcases films by or about creators with visible and non-visible disabilities. Programmed exclusively by alumni who themselves have visible and non-visible disabilities, this program aims to eliminate the prejudices and gate-keeping that have historically kept disabilities from being represented in the entertainment industry. Launched last year with a series of short films, Slamdance Unstoppable is now including feature films in its 2022 program.

The festival is proud to announce a brand new addition to its unique storytelling program – Blockchain Fairy Tales (BFT). Presented by Columbia University’s Digital Storytelling Lab, BFT is an immersive storytelling experience that invites participants to step into an enchanted world powered by collaborative storytelling, play and world-building. Leveraging Blockchain Technology from the eco-conscious Tezos platform, this two-hour project subverts the current value system of cryptocurrency and uplifts shared community values, collectively questioning: what if happily ever after is not guaranteed? BFT is available both online and in-person in Park City, with participants able to see their collective ideas come to life on the silver screen and become part of a real blockchain ledger, allowing future participants to use these festival-created artifacts to continue the tale.

As always, Slamdance will have an exciting shorts program, showcasing more than 79 films from filmmakers around the world. Shorts in the Narrative, Documentary and Animation sections are eligible for the 2022 Oscar® Qualifying Shorts competition. And returning for its 3rd year is an Episodes category showcasing episodic work in any style, genre and format intended for broadcast.

In addition to showcasing the best in new filmmakers, Slamdance is also pleased to present DIG, a showcase of innovative digital, interactive, and gaming artwork. DIG provides a platform for independent artists who create out-of-the-box media to bring their ideas to life in novel and uncompromising ways. These pieces will be featured at Slamdance events and virtual spaces throughout 2022.

2022 Slamdance features programming includes:

NARRATIVE FEATURES

Actual People – (USA) North American Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Kit Zauhar; Producers: Kit Zauhar, Andrew Nadkarni, Jason Wang. During her final week of college, Riley goes to great lengths to win the affections of a boy from her hometown of Philly, and ends up confronting her escalating anxieties about her love life, family, and future.Cast: Kit Zauhar, Scott Albrecht, Audrey Kang, Vivian Zauhar, Henry Fulton Winship, Isabelle Barbier, Fraser Jones

Goodafternoon Sweetdream – (South Korea) World Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Bang Seung Hyeon. Following her father’s death, Ye Won hangs out with her friends, but her mind is elsewhere.Cast: Son Ye Won, Kim Woo Kyeom, Sung San Hee, Yang Min Ju, Bang Seung Hyeon

Hannah Ha Ha – (United States) World Premiere. Directors/Screenwriters: Jordan Tetewsky, Joshua Pikovsky; Producers: Roger Mancusi, Emily Freire. A woman living with her father is pulled in different directions by her older brother who returns closer to home and imposes his lifestyle choices on the family. Cast: Hannah Lee Thompson, Roger Mancusi, Avram Tetewsky, Charlie Robinson, Jake Stern, Petr Favazza, Peter Cole, and Chuck Fazzio

Honeycomb – (Canada) World Premiere. Director/Producer: Avalon Fast; Screenwriters: Avalon Fast, Emmett Roiko. Five girls stray from society on the hunt for something more special…. you can find them if you follow the sound. Cast: Rowan Wales, Sophie Bawks-Smith, Jillian Frank, Destini Stewart, Mari Geraghty, Jaris Wales, Henri Gillespi, Max Graham

Love Tasting – (Poland) US Premiere. Director/Screenwriters: Dawid Nickel; Producer: Marta Habior. A group of lost (and nowhere near found) high school friends are waiting by the pool for junior prom. After just one week of this utterly horrible phase of human life — the teenage years — nothing will be the same again. Cast: Sandra Drzymalska, Mikołaj Matczak, Michał Sitnicki, Nel Kaczmarek, Kuba Wróblewski, Agnieszka Żulewska

Snow White Dies at the End – (North Macedonia, Cyprus) World Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Kristijan Risteski; Producer: Darko Popov. In a society where almost everybody farts backwards, six stubborn, proper-farting citizens pay a harsh price for being resolute to staying true to their own values. Cast: Natasha Petrovic, Verica Nedeska, Sashko Kocev, Deniz Abdula, Ivica Dimitrijevic, David Janakiev, Valentin Kostadinovski

The Civil Dead – (USA) World Premiere. Director: Clay Tatum; Screenwriters: Clay Tatum, Whitmer Thomas; Producers: Mike Marasco, Kasandra Baruch. A misanthropic, struggling photographer just wants to watch TV and eat candy while his wife is out of town, but when a desperate old pal resurfaces, his plans are thwarted, with spooky consequences. Cast: Clay Tatum, Whitmer Thomas, Whitney Weir, Budd Diaz, Robert Longstreet

Therapy Dogs – (Canada) World Premiere. Director: Ethan Eng; Screenwriters: Ethan Eng, Justin Morrice; Producers: shy kids, EP: Matthew Miller, Matt Johnson. Two best friends set out to create the ultimate senior video for their graduating class of 2019. Cast: Justin Morrice, Ethan Eng, Kevin Tseng, Kyle Peacock, Mitchell Cidade, Sebastian Neme, Andrew Michalko, Jayden Frost

Ultrainocencia – (Spain) North American Premiere. Director: Manuel Arija; Screenwriters: Manuel Arija, David Climent, Pablo Molinero; Producer: Alma Prieto. Does God exist? Two blessed and rather bold test subjects, Orión and Adán, intend to prove it in a scientific experiment run by a mysterious religious organisation. Cast: Sergi Lopez, David Climent, Pablo Molinero

Yelling Fire In An Empty Theater – (USA). Director/Screenwriter: Justin Zuckerman; Producer: Ryan Martin Brown. A young woman moves to New York and becomes entangled in her roommates’ tumultuous relationship. Cast: Isadora Leiva, Kelly Cooper, Michael Patrick Nicholson, Ryan Martin Brown, Colin Burgess, Krista Jensen

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

Doggy Love – (Iran) US Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Mahmoud Ghaffari; Producers: Mahnaz Jarchi. Aslan is in love with Yassi. Together, they run an underground dog shelter in Iran. Cast: Aslan Taheri, Yassaman GhaedPanah

Ferroequinology – (UK and USA) North American Premiere. Director: Alex Nevill; Producers: Keith Haitkin, Alex Nevill. Two artists enthralled by the uncanny lure of locomotion set out on journeys across America, capturing slow travel in today’s increasingly fast-paced society. Cast: McNair Evans, Andrew Cross

Forget Me Not – (USA). Director: Olivier Bernier; Producers: Olivier Bernier, Tiffany Conklin, Patrick Solomon, Ana Lucia Villela, Estela Renner, Luana Lobo, Marcos Nisti. The inclusive revolution starts in the classroom. A family fights to have their son with Down syndrome included in the country’s most segregated school system. Cast: Olivier Bernier, Hilda Bernier, Emilio Bernier, Thomas Hehir, Sue Swenson, Sara Jo Soldovieri

Fury – (Poland) North American Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Krzysztof Kasior; Producer: Adam Slesicki. Aleksandra Rola is a Polish MMA champion with a complicated backstory preparing for the World Championships in Las Vegas. Cast: Aleksandra Rola, Konrad Płaza

Imperfect – (USA). Directors/Producers: Brian Malone, Regan Linton. A professional company of actors with disabilities defies expectations by taking center stage in Chicago the musical. Cast: Regan Linton, Megan McQuire, Leonard Barrett Jr., Laurice Quinn, Lucy Roucis, Adam Johnson

New Jack – (USA) World Premiere. Director: Danny Lee, Noah Lee; Producer: Grant Hyun. Dealing with the repercussions of an extreme & dangerous career, faded professional wrestler New Jack navigates his way through life after the spotlight. Cast: Jerome Young

Sylvie of the Sunshine State – (USA) World Premiere. Director: Sasha Levinson; Screenwriters: Jonathan Sanford, Sasha Levinson; Producers: Katie White, Jonathan Sanford, Chris Brown. Second grader Sylvie navigates the absurdities and emotional turbulence of her eccentric, multigenerational Jewish matriarchy, a dad who lives far away and life gone virtual, seen through the lens of her filmmaker single mom. Cast: Sylviana Bellanca, Sasha Levinson, Aimeee Sherman, Jon Sherman, Phyllis Fratkin

Underdog – (USA). Director: Tommy Hyde; Producers: Aaron Woolf, Kyra Schaefer. The curiously optimistic tale of Doug Butler—a hardscrabble Vermont dairy farmer who risks losing the only home he’s ever known to chase his dreams of dog mushing in Alaska. Cast: Doug Butler

BREAKOUTS

Be Right Back – (Germany) World Premiere. Director: Frauke Havemann; Screenwriters: Frauke Havemann, Peter Stamer, Matthias Wittekindt; Producers: Frauke Havemann, Eric Schefter. With the appearance of a mysterious stranger, the absurd everyday life of four people living in an abandoned vacation resort in the woods comes apart at the seams. Cast: Iris Boss, Inga Dietrich, Effi Rabsilber, Jack Rath, Poul Storm

Facing Monsters – (Australia) US Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Bentley Dean; Producers: Frank Chidiac, Susanne Morrison, Chris Veerhuis, Sonya Rifici. Facing Monsters is a feature length documentary that digs deep into the psyche of West Australian ‘slab wave’ surfer Kerby Brown, a man whose connection with the ocean runs as deep as his love for his family Cast: Kerby Brown, Cortney Brown

Killing the Eunuch KHAN – (Iran) North American Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Abed Abest; Producer: Shahrzad Seifi. A serial killer uses his victims to kill more victims. Cast: Ebarhim Azizi, Vahid Rad, Misagh Zare, Iman Basim

Paris is in Harlem – (USA) World Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Christina Kallas; Producers: Christina Kallas, Josh Mandel. On the eve of New York City’s controversial “No Dancing” Law getting repealed, the lives of several strangers are forever changed by a shooting at a historic jazz bar in Harlem. Cast: Vandit Bhatt, Leon Addison Brown, Ellie Foumbi, Laura Pruden, Lauren Sowa, Souleymane Sy Savane, Steve Vause, Chris Veteri

Retrograde – (Canada) World Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Adrian Murray; Producers: Adrian Murray, Sennah Yee, Priscilla Galvez. A minor traffic citation spirals into an all-consuming obsession for a neurotic young woman. Cast: Molly Reisman, Sofia Banzhaf, Bessie Cheng, Meelad Moaphi, Dean Tardioli, Erik Anderson

We Are Living Things – (USA, China, Italy) North American Premiere. Director: Antonio Tibaldi; Screenwriters: Alex Lora, Antonio Tibaldi; Producers: Fan He, Andrew K. Li, Alex Lora, Antonio Tibaldi. Two immigrants living on the fringes of American society hit the road in search of the truth about a shared UFO abduction. Cast: Jorge Antonio Guerrero, Xingchen Lyu, Zao Wang, O-Lan Jones, Paul Cooper, Manuel René Del Carmen Ordaz, Alfonso Rey, Allison Tibaldi

UNSTOPPABLE FEATURES

Iron Family – (USA). Director: Patrick Longstreth; Producers: Patrick Longstreth, Anne Longstreth, Chad Faries. A creative young woman with a vision rouses her family to perform an original play for their community. Cast: Jazmine Faries, Chad Faries, Kate German, Greg Banks, Holly Harvey, Faith Peterson, Amy Brzoznowski, Carroll Ann Swanson

Poppy – (New Zealand). Director/Screenwriter: Linda Niccol; Producers: Robin Laing, Alex Cole-Baker. A young woman with Down syndrome is forced to employ secret strategies to achieve her ambition of becoming an apprentice motor mechanic. Cast: Libby Hunsdale, Ari Boyland, Seb Hunter, Kali Kopae

Straighten Up and Fly Right – (USA) World Premiere. Directors/Screenwriters: Kristen Abate, Steven Tanenbaum ; Producers: Kristen Abate, Lindsey Cordero, Armando Croda, Steven Tanenbaum. In a funk, Kristen, a physically disabled New York woman, walks dogs for a living but dreams of being a writer and as her life unravels, she must make a choice to fall apart or straighten up. Cast: Kristen Abate, Steven Tanenbaum, AJ Cedeno, Mehret Marsh, Modesto Flako Jimenez, Marianna McClellan, Kerrryn Feehan, Lawrence Jansen

SPOTLIGHT

The Severing – (USA) World Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Mark Pellington; Producers: Mark Pellington, Dana Marshall, Nina McNeely. “Pina” meets “Saw”… A dance film for the body. Cast: Nina McNeely, Courtney Scarr

ANIMATION SHORTS

(Cathedral) – (USA) World Premiere. Director: James Bascara. A first-person journey through a canyon from dawn to dusk, following a trail of ants.

Charlotte – (USA). Director/Screenwriter: Zach Dorn. A pop song transforms the lives of an enigmatic folk singer and her family. Cast: O-Lan Jones, Devin Schlatter, Phoebe Jane Hart, Chase Padgett, Michael Goldfried, Paul Strickland

Crumbs Of Life – (Poland) North American Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Katarzyna Miechowicz; Producer: Agata Golanska. Absurd adventures of three people inhabiting the same small town by the sea.

Dad Tax – (USA) North American Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Ida Lasic. An experimental tribute film to the artist’s relationship to their father and how they contradict each other and yet blend together.

I’m Here – (Poland). Director/Screenwriter: Julia Orlik; Producer: Agata Golanska. An elderly man looks after his paralyzed wife.

Muerte Murciélago – (Spain) North American Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Carlos Saiz; Producer: Maria Soler Chopo. Used to living as an adult from a very young age, Muerte Murciélago, the only child born in a town of infertile men, imagines a future beyond the town limits.

Oldboy’s Apples – (USA). Director/Producer: Brad Hock; Screenwriters: Brad Hock, Sami Graf. Beyond the hedge, beneath the well, ancient spirits sing their song to reawaken the mystery of the hidden apple.

On Time Off Time – (Japan). Director/Screenwriter/Producer: Hirotoshi Iwasaki. Juxtaposed movements resonate with each other, filling the conflict between continuity and fluctuation.

Ontbinding – (Belgium) US Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Dries Bogaert; Producer: KASK. A society of pink creatures live on top of a tower in peace under one unwritten rule: Wait your turn in line to the top. But one citizen refuses to comply.

Open One’s Mouth – (Japan). Director: Akane Murata; Producer: Kei Oyama. Joy and anxiety, daily elusive emotions and the subtleties of interacting with people are sensuously depicted in this contemporary Japanese painted animation.

Plantarium – (Poland) North American Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Tomasz Ducki; Producer: Ewelina Gordziejuk. There is an unusual garden in a dark cave cultivated by a lonely man. One day, while he is pruning the plants, he finds a little boy in a pot.

Sensual Pill – (Greece) North American Premiere. Director/Screenwriter/Producer: Sam3. A satellite time-lapse narration, using Google Earth facilities to travel worldwide.

Somebody Take the Wheel – (USA) US Premiere. Director: Kenzie Sutton. A monotonous cycle highlights the absurdity of everyday life.

Tap Runner – (UK) US Premiere. Director/Screenwriter/Producer: Paolo Chianta. In a dystopian future, it’s one man’s job to check taps for leakage and wastage – but he is not permitted to fix them.

DOCUMENTARY SHORTS

A Few Things I’m Beginning to Understand – (USA). Director/Producer: Xenia Matthews. Surf the glittering channels of Xenia’s mind in this highly saturated, musical spectacular where she and an old friend begin making sense of the issues between Xenia and her boyfriend, Keke. Cast: Xenia Matthews, Keir Martin

A Table Is As Good As Nine Lives – (USA) World Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Christina Leonardi; Producers: Christina Leonardi, Scott Sweitzer. An Italian family prepares for Sunday dinner, unearthing generations of memories and traditions. Cast: Philip Leonardi, Irene Leonardi, Dana Lombardi, Len Lombardi

Freedom Swimmer – (Australia, France, UK, HK). Director/Screenwriter: Olivia Martin-McGuire; Producers: Brooke Silcox, Ron Dyens, Olivia Martin-McGuire. A granddaughter asks her grandfather to recount his journey from China, swimming to Hong Kong in the 1970’s.

Gladiolus – (Iran) World Premiere. Director: Azadeh Navai; Producer: Nathan Meier. An ode to a flower that once enjoyed prominence in Iranian culture, Gladiolus tells the story of its ubiquitous role in life’s important ceremonies and how it became a victim of its own popularity by the same nation.

My Parent, Neal – (USA). Director: Hannah Saidiner. An animated reflection on Hannah’s parent’s gender transition and the evolution of their relationship.

No Soy Óscar – (USA, Mexico). Director: Jon Ayon; Producer: Emily Ruth Smith. A first-generation Latinx father journeys through unrecognizable, unceded lands in the border regions between the U.S. and Mexico in search of the place where Óscar Alberto Martínez Ramírez and his young daughter, Angie Valeria, drowned. Cast: Jon Ayon, Willie White, Lupita Alonso

Telos or Bust – (USA). Director: Brad Abrahams; Screenwriter: Kai Wada Roath; Producer: Matt Ralston. The spiritually enlightened citizens of Mt. Shasta, CA believe that deep inside their namesake mountain is an ancient city called Telos, inhabited by perfect, immortal beings.

The Ritual to Beauty – (USA) World Premiere. Director/Producer: Shenny de Los Angeles. Three generations of Dominican women explore their relationship to relaxing their hair. Cast: Shenny de Los Angeles, Cheny Bright, and Eugenia Marina Belliard Rojas

The Space Between You & Me – (UK, USA) World Premiere. Director: Lily Ahree Siegel. Two Korean-American adoptees navigate their transracial identity through meeting their birth mothers.

The Sticklet Weaver – (USA) World Premiere. Director: James Hollenbaugh. Outsider artist Brent Brown reveals a lifetime of mental health challenges and his ability to overcome them by creating a world of cardboard puppets.

Walls Cannot Keep Us From Flying – (USA). Director: Jonathan Haff Mehring; Producers: Jonathan Haff Mehring, Joe Bressler. Two Palestinian youths seek freedom through skateboarding while growing up under occupation in the West Bank. Cast: Omar Hattab, Yasmeen Foqha

DEPARTMENT OF ANARCHY

Geneva Jacuzzi’s Casket – (USA). Director/Screenwriter: Chris Friend; Producer: Hunter Lee Hughes. Los Angeles 2066AD: The Pleasure-U BioDrone, Kate Shaw’s only assistant, has contrac ted an undiagnosed mental-disease. Cast: Geneva Jacuzzi

It’s Coming It’s Real – (USA) World Premiere. Directors/Screenwriters/Producers: Alexia Oldini, Steven Gray. A politically charged fever dream montage for “It’s Coming It’s Real” by Swans.

Little Berlin – (France). Director/Screenwriter: Kate McMullen; Producers: Paul Waters, Sophie Martin, Nicolas d’Autryve. When the Iron Curtain cuts his tiny German village in half, Peter the bull gets separated from his 36 cows. Based on a true story. Cast: Christoph Waltz

Platform – (Germany) North American Premiere. Directors/Screenwriters: Steffen Köhn, Johannes Büttner; Producers: Patrick Jasim, Phillip Kaminiak, Paola Calvo. Is yesterday’s science fiction today’s social documentary? Real stories from gig-workers in the delivery sector intertwine with Neal Stephenson’s cyberpunk classic Snow Crash. Cast: Roberto Anjari Rossi, Kumar Muniandy, Boris Dikelo, Tyrone Raymond, Yasmin El Yassini, Jan Koslowsky, Lola Abrera

Return of the Action Man – (USA). Director/Screenwriter: Scott Peters; Producers: Roy Chung, Ryan Chung, Michael Figge. A mild-mannered computer programer is spirited away to another world where he encounters a strange cult of religious zealots. Cast: Shun Sakaguchi, Ronnie Clark, Robert Brinkerhoff, Michael Figge, Brandon Corn, Larry Parrish

Scarlet Red – (Belgium). Director/Screenwriter: Toon Loenders; Producer: Geert Van Goethem. A retro-futuristic reinvention of the Edgar Allen Poe story, “The Masque of Red Death.” Cast: Danny Jordens, Jules Jordens, Peronella Van Castel

Visitors – (Japan). Director/Screenwriter: Kenichi Ugana. Three friends visit the home of their band member who’s cut contact with them, and find him behaving strangely. Cast: Shiho, Saki Hirai, Haruki Itabashi, Ryuta Endo

What’s My Name? – (UK) North American Premiere. Director: Arthur Studholme; Screenwriters: Cosmo Wellings, Arthur Studholme; Producers: Uncle Shortbread, Rafe Studholme. A man forgets another man’s name at a party. Cast: Harrison Charles, Cosmo Wellings, Helen Belbin, Simon Kane

Winter Insect, Summer Flower – (USA) World Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Tee Jaehyung Park, Gbenga Komolafe; Producers: Ava Doorley. A trans woman’s journey through the seasons, as she breaks away from her physical shell. Cast: Pierre Davis, Indigo Tolbert

Your Houseplants Are Screaming – (USA). Director: Benjamin Roberds; Producer: Katie Gregg. The tables are turned when a plant monster grows a human houseplant in a torturous room of gore and existential dread. Cast: Benjamin Roberds

EXPERIMENTAL SHORTS

Chameleon – (USA). Director/Screenwriter: Ima Iduozee and Jaamil Olawale Kosoko. Composed of several choreopoems, Chameleon (A Visual Album) reimagines grief as a powerful tool for reimagining the Black body as a spiritual site able to conjure environments of unexpected, dynamic, emotional complexity.

Difficult Donuts – (USA) World Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Trevon Jakaar Coleman. A film about memory, collective and personal, and navigating surrogate spaces.

Compositions for Understanding Relationships – (USA). Director/Screenwriter: David De La Fuente. An animated love letter.

Fireflies – (Brazil). Director: Léo Bittencourt; Screenwriters: Léo Bittencourt and Ricardo Pretti; Producers: Júlia Murat and Léo Bittencourt. As the city of Rio de Janeiro falls asleep, visitors come to Flamengo’s Park. The night side of a modernist icon. Cast: Daniel dos Santos de Andrade, Elisa Lucinda, Gabriel Fernando de Castro, Gleiton Matheus Bonfante, Lino Besser, Lourival Júnior, Niana Machado, Nico Arawá

Paper Bag Test – (USA). Director/Screenwriter: Trevon Jakaar Coleman. Exploring alleyways through camera exposure and examining technological, geographic, and social exclusion, this film uses the “Paper Bag Test” and camera exposure principles to address the language and conventions of cinematographic technology/technique and its implications.

Show Me Other Places – (Sri Lanka, USA). Director/Screenwriter: Rajee Samarasinghe; Producer: Rajee Samarasinghe. Navigating through a multitude of spaces from the natural world to man-made environments as well as virtual planes, traditional relationships between the creator, the tool, and the subject are questioned, shattered and reconstructed. Cast: Delini Malka Samarasinghe

Terrain Behind the Eyes – (South Korea, USA). Director: Sohee Kim. Strata of landscape, of tactile terrains, flow in their own time creating a poetic and meditative space.

NARRATIVE SHORTS

Beyond Is The Day – (Poland). Director/Screenwriter: Damian Kocur; Producers: Damian Kocur, Michał Sadowski. Somewhere in Europe, somewhere in Poland, lives Pawel – a simple man working on a small river ferry close to his village. One day he notices somebody swimming in the river. Cast: Paweł B., Mohammad A. Issa

Blind Spots – (Germany). Director/Screenwriter: Luis Schubert; Producer: Luis Schubert. The shooting of a sex scene triggers a conflict between an intimacy coordinator and a director on a film set. Cast: Julia Effertz, Leon Ullrich, Sarina Radomski, Lia von Blarer, Etienne Bissuel

Bracha – (Israel). Director: Mickey Triest, Aaron Geva; Screenwriter: Batel Moseri; Producer: Ayelet Imberman. Bracha turns up on her anxious mother’s doorstep in the middle of the night holding a mattress over her head, but an argument ensues. Cast: Batel Moseri, Orna Banai

CD-Trip – (USA). Director: Michael Biggs. The surrealistic cyber-adventure that will become your nightmare. Cast: Karley Parker, Aaron Kramer, Sage Paterson, Geoffrey Leonard

Chiatura – (France) North American Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Toby Andris; Producer: Joanna Sitkowska. After the death of her husband in a mining accident, a cable car operator launches a personal battle against the entire city. Cast: Darejan Khachidze, Darejan Kharchiladze

Cosboi – (USA) World Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Gosha Shapiro; Producers: Zoey Pressey, Eli Raskin. A genderqueer teen experiments with their identity in a series of anonymous car rides. Cast: Sonny Golden, Sherry Kear, James Chiong, Hope Raymond

Dear Maslow – (USA). Director/Screenwriter: Elizabeth Godar. A young woman writes a rueful letter to an ex. Cast: Chelsea Debo

Fish Fingers – (Switzerland) North American Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Lars Mulle. Summer is ending at the public pool “Rössli” and it’s hard to let go. Cast: Aurelio Ghirardelli, Monika Varga, Vreni Brun, Brigitte Gautschi, Greta Massie

Foulmouth – (USA) World Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Taylor Thompson; Producer: Trey Braheem. All bark and no bite, Lee is cursed with the mouth of a sailor. Cast: Brian DeMarco, Darrin O’Connell, Blake Sheldon

From Water Comes Melon – (USA) World Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Micah Vassau; Producers: Micah Vassau, Ian McClerin. As Mother Nature’s ice cream melts, the last watermelon washes ashore, forcing a woman to choose between love or inescapable doom. Cast: Miyako Abe, Tomoko Hiraoka, Lanajandra Delrãyon

I Suppose I’m An Inc onvenience – (USA). Director/Screenwriter: Cory Snearowski. A wonderful man who frequently inconveniences others has an epiphany when he recognizes someone from a billboard. Cast: Christopher Hoffman

In the Jam Jar – (Canada) US Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Colin Nixon; Producer: Étienne Hansez. Joan’s musings on death silently echo with those of her son Dan in this tribute to maternal love. Cast: France Castel, Alain Goulem, Martin Stone

Jamal – (Indonesia) US Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Muhammad Heri Fadli; Producers: I Putu Yudhistira. Nur is shocked by the sudden return of her husband, looking lifeless after spending a few months in Malaysia as a migrant worker. Cast: Maezatinnuri, Iq Oja, Wazil Habibi, Bunga Yuliana, Mahrup, Munasip, Yayan Hanapi, Endang, Fadhil Atahillah, Mulyadi, Cindya, Risqi, Salsabila

Kafkas – (UK) North American Premiere. Director: Nick Blake; Screenwriter: Robin Blake, Nick Blake, Marianne Wiggins; Producer: Caroline Dreesmann. In the small hours of the night, a young woman cold-calls men with the surname Kafka in search of a soulmate. Cast: Patsy Ferran, Stefanie Martini, Juan Cely, Mercer Boffey, Sam Douglas

Meat – (Uganda, UK) North American Premiere. Director: Asher Rosen; Screenwriters: Ezra Mugisha, Innocent Niyonzima, Bizimana Hussain, Florenz Mariserena, Asher Rosen, Luke Reilly; Producers: Ian Prior, Ezra Mugisha. When an indigenous woman is torn from her home, she must do anything she can to feed her young son. Cast: Bizimana Hussain, Tuyi Mariserena, Florenz Mariserena

Places – (Lithuania). Director/Screenwriter: Vytautas Katkus; Producer: Klementina Remeikaitė. Two childhood friends are spending their last days in the places where they grew up, trying to postpone their farewell to the district which is changing.

Ratking – (USA) World Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Eric Colonna; Producers: Anthony Lucido, Brian White, Eric Colonna. On days you wake up not feeling like yourself, it’s good to go to the beach. Cast: Natasha Sill, Joey Hirsh, Henry Gerse, Tyler Hammond

See You, Garbage! – (Canada). Director/Screenwriter: Romain Dumont; Producers: Patrick Francke-Sirois, Isabelle Grignon-Francke. See You Garbage! is a dramatic comedy that resembles a revolutionary tale. An attempt to explore the encounter between the well-coated contempt of the political class and a sudden awareness of its people. Cast: Caroline Dhavernas, Steve Laplante, Guillaume Laurin, Hamza Meziani, Hamidou Savadogo et Ralph Prosper

The Bugs and The Slugs – (USA) World Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Greyson Horst; Producer: Lucy Smith-Williams. A human boy embarks on a journey of sexual discovery on an alien planet. Cast: Daquane Cherry, Manny Dunn

The Event – (USA) World Premiere. Directors: Frank Mosley, Hugo De Sousa; Screenwriter: Hugo De Sousa; Producers: Chelsea Bo, Sean Drummond. It’s 2 a.m., and Vince just wants to know why. Cast: Hugo De Sousa, Frank Mosley, Jennifer Kim

Tsugumi – (USA) World Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Shiyu Hu; Producers: Cindy Wu. Tsugumi has a murder plan, which lures her into the repetitive endless cycle of life. Cast: Kyoko Okazaki, Terumi Shimazu, Hidetoshi Imura, Shinichiro Shimizu, Lam Lo, Jizhong Zhang, Akari Harada

True Story: I Feel – (USA). Director/Screenwriter: Matthew Law; Producers: Matthew Law, Rob Smith, Grasie Mercedes, Lashaun Clay. A Black therapist attempts to persuade his patient, who has a history of violence, into saying how he really feels. Cast: Matthew Law, Lashaun Clay

UNSTOPPABLE SHORTS

Broken Hearts – (USA) World Premiere. Director: Alessandra Lichtenfeld; Screenwriters: Alessandra Lichtenfeld, Max Kaplow; Producers: Maggie M. Bailey, Edna Diaz, Annika Horne, Alessandra Lichtenfeld. When a sheltered teenager with congenital heart disease befriends a young rebel set for a heart transplant, she breaks free from her overbearing New Age parents and lives like she never has before. Cast: Maye Harris, Ellie Adrean, Emily Panic, Bryan Felber

Denzel – (UK). Director/Screenwriter: Michael Gamarano Singleton; Producers: Michael Gamarano Singleton. Denzel follows the dating life of a young man on his journey to self-acceptance. Cast: Karl Queensborough, Melissa Collier, Chris Kyriacou, Jordan Persaud-Walters, Ellie Goldstein

Freebird – (Canada, USA). Directors: Michael Joseph McDonald, Joe Bluhm, Nicholas Herd; Screenwriters: Michael Joseph McDonald, Joe Bluhm; Producers: Louis Pilotte, Stefanie Bitton, Jordan Hart, Michael Joseph McDonald, Jennifer Nadeau, Mariana Duran. Freebird is the coming-of-age story of a boy with Down Syndrome who learns to navigate the world with a loving mother, an absent father, a classroom bully, and a life-long crush.

Noche del Infierno (Hell Night) – (USA). Director: Andrew Reid; Screenwriters: Jesenia Ruiz, Roberto Saieh; Producers: Jake Katofsky, Gia Rigoli. Three freshman pledges must denounce cultural stereotypes and survive a magical test to gain entry into the most prestigious Latina sorority. Cast: Natalia del Riego, Cathryn Dylan, Carolina Riesgo, Vivian Lamolli, Kelly Lamor Wilson, Veronica Mclean, Caitlyn Jacquemart

Illustrating Sam Newton – (Australia) World Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Lily Drummond; Producers: Lily Drummond, Payton Hogan. An outgoing New York City art student falls for an introverted photographer who happens to be deaf – and living on the other side of the world. Cast: Jeremy Lowrenčev, Shabana Azeez, Thuliswa Magwaza, Eva Frick, Nick Shanahan, Paris Montgomery

Ipseity – Marisa’s Story – (USA). Directorr: Nicholas Stachurski. The portrait of a mother on a difficult and visceral journey, re-defining beauty, sacrifice and our uniquely human ability to define our own destiny. Cast: Marisa Kimmel, Drew Kimmel, Abraham Kimmel

JamieSonShine – (USA). Directors: Phoebe Jane Hart, Jamieson Hart; Screenwriter: Phoebe Jane Hart; Producers: Phoebe Jane Hart. Through a blend of animation and home videos, Phoebe explores her relationship with her older brother Jamie, who lives with schizophrenia. Cast: Jamieson Hart, Carole Hart, Laurence Hart, Rose Hart, Phoebe Jane Hart

My Brother is Deaf – (USA). Director/Screenwriter: Peter Hoffman Kimball; Producers: Bracken Kimball, Peter Hoffman Kimball. A sweet five year-old learns that his younger brother is deaf and joins with his family in discovering how to embrace and support him. Cast: Lincoln Kimball, Bennett Kimball, Bracken Kimball, Paige Kimball, Anne Bennett

Oreo: The Trilogy – (USA) World Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Cashmere Jasmine; Producers: Bree Jones, Caitlin Arcand. What happens when you have to prove your culture in black jeopardy, and give up on whiteness all together, then deal with all the crazy that happens in between.

Roommates – (USA) World Premiere. Director: Ashley Eakin; Screenwriters: Ashley Eakin,Kelsey Johnson; Producers: Paul Feig, Laura Fischer, Kesila Childers, Erica Fishman, Elle Roth-Brunet, Jesy Odio. When two disabled college students get placed together as dorm roommates, they embark on a quest to experience a hangover. Cast: Kiera Allen, Kelsey Johnson, Harrison Cone, Nicholas Duvernay

Selahy (My Weapon) – (Jordan, USA). Director/Screenwriter: Alaa Zabara; Producers: Pierre Bagley. The story of a young, deaf, Arab girl, born in the ravages of a war zone, whose only weapons are her hearing aids and an old video camera. Cast: Malak Nassar, Mohammad Nizar, Samira Asir, Jamal Meri

Signs and Gestures – (UK) US Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Itandehui Jansen; Producers: Reece Smith. A blind florist goes on a date with someone she met through a dating app. Cast: Grace Whitford, Craig McCulloch, Jack Allen, Rebecca Robin, Charles O Brien

Silent World – (UK) North American Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Charlie Dennis; Producers: Micheal Newton. A creative exploration and amplification of the COVID-19 pandemic through the eyes of Signkid, a deaf-rapper in London. Cast: Kevin Walker (Signkid), Sophia Roberts, Christianah Hodding, Ryan Pendley, Sarah Flowers, Temica Thompson, Paul O’Neill, Sokari Erekosima, Beth Berg, Tim Heath

South – (USA). Director/Screenwriter: Kyle Gibbins; Producers: Kyle Gibbins, Patrick Cone. An artist on the spectrum speaks with clay. Cast: South Walker, Missi Walker, Stuart Walker, Lexie Walker, Katie Walker, Natalie Conway, Duane Coleman

Sparkles – (Australia). Director: Jacqueline Pelczar; Screenwriter: Tina Fielding; Producers: Cody Greenwood. Courtney, a 30-something-year-old with Down syndrome, runs away from her small country town to the city, and befriends an Outback drag queen along the way. Cast: Gary Cooper, Tina Fielding, James Broadhurst

The Multi – (USA) US Premiere. Directors: Storm Smith, Mikail Chowdhury; Screenwriter: Natasha Ofili; Producers: Natasha Ofili, Mikail Chowdhury. An isolated Black Deaf woman has constructed a world of order to keep a childhood trauma buried deep in her psyche, but an unexpected turn of events forces her to confront demons from her past. Cast: Natasha Ofili, Lakishia Grant, Jonah Platt

2022 Episodes programming includes:

Devonte – (USA) World Premiere. Director/Screenwriter: Josh Kahn; Producers: Josh Kahn, Charlie Fritschner, Aron Phillips. After signing a 145 million dollar contract, controversial superstar-quarterback Devonte Mitchell confronts the overwhelming demands and internal demons that come along with playing professional football in his hometown of Chicago. Cast: Julian Parker, Tyrone Phillips, John Leen, Nick Friedell, Jeff Mangurten, Nolis Anderson, Tommy Westbrook

Hidden Kingdom – (US, Colombia, Dominican Republic) World Premiere. Directors: Sunny Lee, Jacqueline Davis; Producers: Emily Backerman. An unconventional and intimate documentary web series that explores the lives of 5 different New York dancers. Cast: Karon “Robin” White, Smarlin Fabian, Yamini Kalluri, Kouadio Davis, Régine Bellinger

Inappropriate Jokes Well Told Presents: “A Priest Walking Through The Woods At Night” – (USA) World Premiere. Director: Mario Garza; Screenwriter: Mario Garza, Hugo Bierschenk, Dean Woodhouse; Producers: Julia Elaine Mills. A short, cinematic interpretation of the jokes we shouldn’t tell. Cast: Ned Record, William Knight

Space Wizards Must Die – (USA) World Premiere. Director/Screenwriter/Producer: Grier Dill. A Space Wizard must fulfill an age-old prophecy to defeat an evil entity before it destroys the galaxy. It’d be a shame if his wizard squire were to #%$! it all up. Cast: Eric Yearwood, Alex Meyers, Brett Glass

The Ember Knight Show: “Getting Mad” – (USA). Director: Bobby McCoy; Screenwriter: Ember Knight, Bobby McCoy; Producers: Ember Knight, Bobby McCoy, Mikey Santos, Clara Murray, Dino Stamatopoulos. When today’s guest suddenly cancels, host Ember Knight falls backwards into a claymation F%$! You City. Cast: Ember Knight, Haley Dahl

Wipe Me Away – (Canada). Director: Eric Picolli; Screenwriters: Florence Lafond, Eric Piccolli; Producers: Philippe Allard, Marco Frascarelli, Mathieu Paiement, Eric Piccolli. In Montreal, neglected children Mélissa, Eddy and Karine live in the same building and have to deal with a crushing environment of debauchery, violence and stealing to survive. Cast: Charlee-Ann Paul, Malik Gervais-Aubourg, Sarah-Maxine Racicot, Julie Perreault, Jean-Nicolas Verreault, Schelby Jean-Baptiste, Anglesh Major, Roberto Mei

Witchsters – (USA). Director/Screenwriter/Producer: Charla Lauriston. In this mockumentary, witch Michelle has to skip lunch with her sister Maya so she can deal with the aftermath of using her magic on her mortal boyfriend Jeremiah. Cast: Jemima Lauriston, Sasha Compere, Jerah Milligan

2022 DIG: Digital, Interactive and Gaming selections include:

Be Your Own Dentist – (USA). Director: Jon Sims; Writers: Katya Zamo, Jon Sims; Producers: Jon Sims, Producer Entertainment Group. Embark on a serene, but horrifying journey of self discovery and oral surgery with drag icon Katya Zamo. Cast: Katya Zamo

Bystanding: The Feingold Syndrome – (Canada, Germany, Israel). Creator: Nim Shapira; Writer: Lior Zalmanson; Producers: Nim Shapira, Roi Lev, Max Sacker, Loulia Isserlis. What prevented people from jumping in the river and saving rowing champion Jasmine Feingold? Step into their shoes and discover their deepest confessions. Cast: Tsahi Halevi, Yiftach Klein, Michael Moshonov, Kais Nashef, Nelly Tagar, Orli Zilberschatz

Dislocation – (Croatia, France). Creators/Writers/Producers: Veljko Popovic, Milivoj Popovic. Dislocation takes a look at an absurd moment of disbelief and fear. It examines the internal processes that develop and offers a visual depiction of a person forced into extreme circumstances – a moment of dislocation.

Greenwood Avenue: A Virtual Reality Experience – (USA). Creator: Ayana Baraka; Directors: Tarik Jackson, Spade Robinson, Talibah Newman; Screenwriters: Spade Robinson, Suzen Baraka, Ayana Baraka; Producers: Ayana Baraka, Osahon Tongo, Kenya Uhuru. “Greenwood Avenue: A Virtual Reality Experience” brings us into the 1920’s world of a 14-year-old Black girl experiencing first love & devastating loss in America’s Black Wall Street. Cast: Heaven-Leigh T. Pettis, Irma P. Hall, Danette Wilson, Jerome Jones, Guinea Bennett Price, Earnest Kellum IV, Reynada Robinson, Qualan Brown

Harold Halibut – (Germany). Creators: Onat Hekimoglu, Ole Tillmann, Fabian Preuschoff, Daniel Beckmann, Ilja Burzev; Writers: Danny Wadeson, Onat Hekimoglu, Ole Tillmann, Fabian Preuschoff. Harold Halibut is a handmade narrative game about friendship, and life on a city-sized spaceship submerged in an alien ocean. Cast: Andrew Nolan, Pat Garrett, Leila Berzins, Sally Beaumont, Edwyn Tiong, Chris Young, Tim Bick, Tiffany Bennicke

Hydrocosmos – (Italy) US Premiere. Creator/Writer: Milad Tangshir; Producers: Francesca Cinalli. A comet brings water to a planet on a remote corner of the universe. Cast: Francesca Cinalli, Aldo Torta, Giuseppe Saccotelli, Paolo De Santis

Incomplete – (USA, UK). Creator/Writer/Producer: Dalena Tran. Has the future already happened? Incomplete invites us to traverse an endless choreography of bodies in perpetual free-fall and updating images that reflect a world in constant change.

Little Pakistan – Future Histories – (USA, Pakistan). Creator/Producer: Sana Akram. An Ensemble of Meanings across Space, Time, and Generations.. Maharaja’s children.

Brave bunch in India. – (Poland) North American Premiere. Director: Tomasz Stankiewicz; Writers: Tomasz Stankiewicz, Monika Kowaleczko-Szumowska; Producers: Monika Kowaleczko-Szumowska, Zofia Pregowska. The true story of 10-year-old Wiesio, one of a thousand Polish children who were saved from the hell of World War II by an Indian Maharaja, Jam Saheb Digvijaysinhji. Cast: Wiesław Stypula, Stefan Szumowski, Zosia Szumowska

Montegelato – (Italy). Director/Producer: David Rappe. Hundreds of cinematic sequences define a three-dimensional collage of the Monte Gelato waterfalls of Rome as they have been filmed in more than 180 productions including films, TV series and commercials.

Patch – (China) North American Premiere. Directors: Wei Huang, Yufei Chen, Juan Hu; Screenwriters: Juan Hu. The short film is made to recall the bodily memories of the pandemic and BLM protests in 2020.

The Mississippi – (USA) North American Premiere. Dire ctor: Keely Kernan; Producer: Dan Frank. The Mississippi is an interactive documentary that explores the relationship between the river and the lives and livelihoods of those living along its shores.

We Are Such Stuff as Dreams Are Made On – (UK). Director/Producer: Sam Crane; Writers: Sam Crane, William Shakespeare. What happens when you try to perform Shakespeare inside Grand Theft Auto? Cast: Sam Crane, Mark Oosterveen

The post Slamdance details lineup as festival returns to Park City appeared first on Park Record.

The 27th ​Slamdance Film Festival today announced the winners of their annual Sparky Awards in Audience, Jury and Sponsored categories.

Top winners include ​”Taipei Suicide Story,”​ ​directed by KEFF, ​”CODE NAME: Nagasaki​,” directed by Fredrik S. Hana and “No Trace​,” directed by Simon Lavoie. (See accompanying list).

“We congratulate the winners of Slamdance 2021 and everyone of our filmmakers who together attracted a record breaking festival audience for their brilliant independent work”, said Slamdance President and Co-founder Peter Baxter. “Many people experienced Slamdance for the first time including over seventeen thousand passholders from fifty-five countries. Accessibility was essential to this endeavor and the spirit in which Slamdance’s artist-led community embraced it was awesome.”

The festival, which ran virtually from Feb.12-25, also announced the recipients of their AGBO Fellowship from Slamdance alumni Joe and Anthony Russo, the new Unstoppable Jury Award presented by Hulu, and a curated Acting Award.

The fellowship was awarded to ​Agnieszka Polska,​ director of ​”Hurrah, We Are Still Alive!” The $25,000 prize is designed to enable a deserving filmmaker the opportunity to continue their creative journey with mentorship from the Russo brothers, as well as development support from their studio.

“We are very excited to share that this year’s AGBO Fellowship 2021 winner is Agnieszka Polska,” said Angela Russo-Otstot, President of Creative. “She’s a wonderful visionary artist from Poland who has shown incredible expression in her art and we look forward to working with her as she moves into a film medium.”

This year’s Slamdance Film Festival was its most accessible and popular festival ever, with all films, the new Unstoppable program, Q&A’s and panels available on Slamdance.com, AppleTV, Roku, Firestick, as well as select programming free on Slamdance’s YouTube channel.

Slamdance’s wide-ranging selection of films this year included a feature competition lineup boasting 20 premieres, with 15 World, four North American and one U.S. debuts.

The 2021 shorts lineup showcased 107 short films in eight categories from 29 countries around the world. The lineup included 27 World, 13 North American and 8 U.S. Premieres.

Shorts in the Narrative, Documentary and Animation sections are eligible for the 2020 Oscar Qualifying Shorts competition.

Slamdance and Hulu partnered to support the launch of the new program,​ U​nstoppable, which featured 22 short films from up and coming disabled filmmakers, feature actors with disabilities, or highlight the conversation of disabilities in today’s world. The accessibility of this new program was also supported by Helen Keller Services and the University of Utah.

Despite the pandemic, Slamdance has experienced tremendous growth and reinforced its role as a festival of discovery and an important filmmaker incubator over the past year.

Key projects include the Netflix film ​”Day Shift,”​ ​​starring Jamie Foxx and produced by Slamdance alums Peter Baxter, Shaun Redick and Yvette Yates Redick; Andrew Patterson’s ​Slamdance premiere and multi-award nominated “​The​​ ​​Vast of Night​,​” released by Amazon; and Merawi Gerima’s critically acclaimed and award winning film “​​Residue​​” premiered at Slamdance 2020 and was released by Netflix through Ava Duvernay’s ARRAY.

To further support accessibility of independent cinema, Slamdance will host a ‘Best Of Fest Weekend’ from Feb. 26-28 that will highlight its award-winning films. Virtual passes for the extended weekend are available at Slamdance.com now for $10.

The post Slamdance announces 2021 Sparky awards appeared first on Park Record.

The Slamdance Film Festival announces Lynne Sachs’ “Film About a Father Who” will premiere as the opening-night selection for their 26th edition that will run from Jan. 24-30 in Park City.

Over a period of 35 years between 1984 and 2019, filmmaker Lynne Sachs shot 8 and 16mm film, videotape and digital images of her father, Ira Sachs Sr., a bon vivant and pioneering businessman from Park City.

“Film About a Father Who” is Sachs’ attempt to understand the web that connects a child to her parent, and a sister to her siblings. With a nod to the Cubist renderings of a face, her cinematic exploration of her father offers simultaneous, sometimes contradictory views of one seemingly unknowable man who is publicly the uninhibited center of the frame yet privately ensconced in secrets. In the process, Sachs allows herself and her audience inside to see beyond the surface of the skin, the projected reality. As the startling facts mount, Sachs as a daughter discovers more about her father than she had ever hoped to reveal.

“It takes undeniable courage to discover and reveal shocking truths about one’s family,” said Slamdance Festival Manager Alina Solodnikova. “Lynne Sachs has done it with unique style, a dry sense of humor and honesty that captivates our programmers. A generation in the making, “Film About a Father Who” is pulling no punches. We couldn’t imagine a better film to open Slamdance 2020.

Slamdance today also announced a special festival event of Amazon Studios’ “The Vast of the Night,” involving a master class workshop and selected scenes with filmmaker Andrew Patterson. “The Vast of the Night” world premiered out of the Slamdance Film Festival in 2019, where it won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature. The master class discussion will be geared toward the film’s production and its journey from Slamdance to Amazon Studios.

Slamdance is also adding the world premiere of “Shoot to Marry” to its previously announced Breakouts section. From director Steve Markle, a heartbroken documentary filmmaker focuses his camera on interesting women with hopes of meeting the love of his life. Launched last year, Breakouts are films by non-first-time-feature directors who demonstrate a determined vision of filmmaking that is instinctively becoming their own.

The 2020 shorts lineup was also unveiled today by Slamdance, showcasing 81 short films in six categories from 26 countries around the world including Australia, Bermuda, Canada, Finland, Iran, Israel, Japan, Mexico, the Philippines, Poland, Spain, the UK and the United States. The lineup includes 18 World, 10 North American and 11 U.S. Premieres.

Shorts in the Narrative, Documentary and Animation sections are eligible for the 2020 Academy Award-qualifying shorts competition.

The 2020 short film program will include, for the second year, an Episodes category showcasing episodic work in any style, genre and format intended for broadcast – from comedy and drama to documentaries, social commentary and beyond.

The Slamdance shorts program has a rich history of screening the first works of filmmakers who have gone on to highly successful careers in Hollywood, including Rian Johnson, Lena Dunham, Benh Zeitlin, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Don Hertzfeldt, Ari Aster, Andrew Thomas Huang, Jeremiah Zagar, Jon M. Chu and Ana Lily Amirpour.

Slamdance also announced today that it will host two additional Special Screenings.

The first is the late night screening of “Animation Outlaws,” an homage to Spike and Mike of Spike & Mike’s Festival of Animation, from director Kat Alioshin. Two hippie friends unite to start an animation festival that launched the careers of many directors in the animation world. The second is the US premiere of “Lillian,” from director/screenwriter Andreas Horvath, follows an emigrant stranded in New York City, who decides to walk back to her native Russia.

“Lillian” previously screened during the 2019 Cannes Film Festival and has earned several awards in its festival circuit thus far, such as Best Film Award from Young Jury (Montélimar), Golden Anchor Award for Best International Debut Feature Film (Haifa), Seymour-Cassel-Award for Best Female Performance for Patrycja Płanik (Oldenburg), and more.

Slamdance’s 2020 jurors will include Laurence Kardish (former film curator at MOMA), Joe Leydon (film critic), Katja Essen (Miami based filmmaker, 2004 Oscar nominee), Beth Barrett (Artistic Director at SIFF), Al Bailey (head of programming at Manchester International Film Festival), KJ Relth (former programmer at Cinefamily, UCLA film archive, CalArts Professor), Daniel Casey (Slamdance Alum, writer of “Fast and Furious 9”), Meghan Oretsky (Vimeo curator), Andrew Patterson (“The Vast of the Night”); Suki-Rose Simakis (former Cinefamily programmer, founder of Everything is Terrible Collective), Bojana Sandic (New Filmmakers LA, Newport Beach Film Festival programmer), and Trent Harris (University of Utah Professor, experimental filmmaker).

The full list of additional 2020 Slamdance programming includes:

BREAKOUTS

• Film About a Father Who – (USA) World Premiere – Opening Night

Director: Lynne Sachs

For 30 years, filmmaker Lynne Sachs shot film with her father, Ira Sachs, a bohemian businessman from Park City. With a nod to Cubist portraiture, Lynne’s exploration of her father offers a multifaceted view of a man who is always in the center of the frame, yet somehow ensconced in secrets.

• Shoot To Marry – (Canada) World Premiere

Director: Steve Markle

A heartbroken documentary filmmaker focuses his camera on interesting women with hopes of meeting the love of his life.

SPECIAL SCREENING

• Animation Outlaws – (USA) – late night screening, homage to Spike & Mike of Spike & Mike’s Festival of Animation

Director: Kat Alioshin

Two hippie friends unite to start an animation festival that launched the careers of many directors in the animation world.

• Lillian – (Austria) U.S. Premiere

Director/ Screenwriter: Andreas Horvath

Lillian, an emigrant stranded in New York City, decides to walk back to her native Russia. She resolutely starts out on the long journey. A road movie straight across the USA into the freezing temperatures of Alaska. The chronicle of a slow disappearance.

Cast: Patrycja Płanik

ANIMATION SHORTS

• Borrachero – (Canada) U.S. Premiere

Director/ Screenwriter: Gustavo Cerquera Benjumea

After a job goes wrong, a woman flees to her hometown in southern Colombia. Along the way she encounters a mysterious figure, which might be the embodied spirit of an ancient plant.

• Driftless – (USA)

Director/ Screenwriter: Jonah Primiano

Now only a memory, intimate moments with a family pet emerge and evaporate through delicate graphite drawings.

• Don’t Buy Milk – (UK, Costa Rica)

Director/ Screenwriter: Julian Gallese

A whimsical portrait of a small dairy town.

• Gray Body – (Iran)

Director: Samaneh Shojaei Screenwriter: Amin Kafashzadeh

The doctor is calmly visiting the patient. There are some psychiatric patients sitting in the waiting room, but these patients cannot be expected to be calm.

• Hot and Tasty – (UK)

Director: Laura Jayne Hodkin Screenwriter: Laura Jayne Hodkin, Simona Mehandzhieva

Two drunk friends accidentally walk into a crime scene.

Cast: Anna Chloe Moorey, Emmy Rose

• In Her Boots – (UK, Austria) U.S. Premiere

Director/ Screenwriter: Kathrin Steinbacher

A story about Heidi’s attempt to retain her identity and autonomy.

Cast: Verena Altenberger, Marianne Freudenthaler, Jannik Goerger, Bertram Tinhof, Kathrin Steinbacher

• Leaking Life – (Japan) U.S. Premiere

Director/ Screenwriter: Shunsaku Hayashi

Touching the surface of the sea, they grow a new skin. A painted experimental animation meditating on liquid forms.

• The Little Soul – (Poland) U.S. Premiere

Director/ Screenwriter: Barbara Rupik

A human soul leaves the dead body and sets off on a journey through a lush and disturbing post-mortem stop motion world.

• Mate – (USA) U.S. Premiere

Director/ Screenwriter: Chaerin Im

A mating ritual on print, plate, and reflection. An experimental film combining animation, printmaking, and photography.

• Now 2 – (USA)

Director/ Screenwriter: Kevin Eskew

Who’s grooming whom? A glossy glimpse into a meticulously manicured suburbia.

• San – (South Korea) US Premiere

Director/ Screenwriter: Jin Woo

Appa wants to feed his daughter, daughter wants to run away from the table, and the kid is laughing.

• Symbiosis – (France, Hungary)

Director: Nadja Andrasev Screenwriters: Nadja Andrasev, Rita Domonyi

When a betrayed wife starts to investigate her husband’s mistresses, her jealousy is gradually replaced by curiosity.

• There Were Four of Us – (USA, China)

Director/ Screenwriter: Cassie Shao

In a room, there are four people. A dreamstate mystery evoked by obscure characters and a mind-melting blend of digital and analog materials.

Cast: Joseph O’Malley, Cassie Shao

• Zorg II – (Estonia)

Director/ Screenwriter: Auden Lincoln-Vogel

An alien comes to earth in hopes of starring in a sci-fi blockbuster.

Cast: Kirsten Sogaard, Sally Lincoln-Vogel

DOCUMENTARY SHORTS

• 24 – (USA)

Director: Brian Yulo Ng

24 is an experimental documentary and animated retrospective of a young man born between different cultures, it depicts moments of memory through short vignettes of the past.

• A Black Hole is a Black Hole in the Ground – (USA)

Directors: Tyler Macri, Sophia Feuer

An intimate depiction of the strange, ephemeral realities that arise on evenings of play during early youth.

• Gods from Space – (USA)

Director: Annalise Pasztor

Welcome to The Aetherius Society— a religion where prayer can be stored in a battery, Jesus was an alien, and an unusual but kind-hearted community works toward the betterment of humanity.

• Happy Ending – (UK)

Director: EunJu Ara Choi

With real testimony from a Korean sex worker, this beautiful painted animation explores what it is like to be the subject of other people’s pleasure.

• Hayat – (Australia) North American Premiere

Director: Rendah Haj

Hayat documents the lives of Rahma, an Eritrean migrant and her four young children living in Melbourne, Australia.

• In a Lion – (Poland)

Director: Karol Lindholm

In a Danish zoo, visitors can get to know that animals are beautiful on the inside, too. But not all the spectators succumb to the magic of that show.

• Margarita of the River – (USA)

Director: Pilar Garcia-Fernandezsemsa

An animated documentary which showcases moments in the life of a woman from Honduras, who immigrated to the United States in order to support her family back home.

• My Favorite Food is Indian Tacos, my Favorite Drink is Iced Tea and my Favorite Thing is Drumming – (Canada)

Director: Derius Matchewan

A film about courage, and the passion for drumming and traditional singing that young Derius shares with his friends.

• Names for Snow – (Canada)

Director: Rebecca Thomassie

This short follows Rebecca Thomassie, an Inuk woman, around Kangirsuk as she learns the 52 Inuktitut words for snow.

• Old Young – (USA) World Premiere

Director: Emma Baiada

Following 92 year-old Ruth Young and 53 year-old David Maitz, Old Young is a film about companionship, coins, life, and death.

• One Nation Under – (USA)

Director: Justin McHugh

One Nation Under is an investigation into what it means to be an American, questioning idyllic notions of freedom and power by observing the structures around us and hearing from the people overshadowed by them.

• The Real Thing – (USA)

Director: Julianna Villarosa

Using physical media (16mm, VHS) destroyed by Coca-Cola, “The Real Thing” contrasts the famous ad “I’d Like To Buy The World A Coke” with The Coca-Cola Company’s most recent scandal: unconscionable water privatization in Chiapas, Mexico.

• To Calm the Pig Inside – (Philippines) World Premiere

Director: Joanna Vasquez Arong

Ang Pagpakalma sa Unos (To Calm the Pig Inside) is a contemplative film that ponders the effects a typhoon leaves on a small town where myths are woven to help cope with the devastation and trauma.

• Spontaneous – (USA) World Premiere

Director: Lori Felker

You never know when someone is miscarrying; it could be happening right next to you.

• Umbilical – (USA, China)

Director: Danski Tang

An animated documentary exploring how a mother’s abusive relationship shaped the director’s own experiences in boarding school. Through a conversation, a mother and daughter learn to understand and support one another.

• When the Children Left – (Canada)

Director: Charlene Moore

After the untimely passing of her sister, Amelia McLeod, Angelina McLeod travels back home to Shoal Lake 40 First Nation to honour her sister’s spirit and advocate for equal access to education.

EPISODES

• The 410 “Episode Two” – (Canada) U.S. Premiere

Creator/ Screenwriter: Supinder Wraich Director: Renuka Jeyapalan

Hard-boiled noir meets hipster chill in this tale of familial strife and vigilante justice. Desperate to bail her father out of jail, Suri (Indian, blonde and bougie) comes face-to-face with the criminal underworld that operates inside her seemingly quiet suburban community.

Cast: Supinder Wraich, Jade Hassouné, Cas Anvar, Balinder Johal

• Apricot “Popcorn” – (USA) World Premiere

Creators/ Directors/ Screenwriters: Sam Icklow, Jake Thompson

Marrying the verve of social media with sketch comedy absurdism, besties Sam and Jake equally celebrate and lampoon our kaleidoscopic consumer world with wit and whimsy. In ‘Popcorn’, our fashionable jokesters get a hankering for everyone’s favorite movie-time snack.

Cast: Jake Thompson, Sam Icklow

• Bleeding Art “Episode One” – (UK)

Creators/ Directors/ Screenwriters: Pardeep Sahota

Join artist Daniel Crossan as he shows you his journey down the creative process, all the way down.

Cast: Daniel Crossan, Mike Sumpter, Mark Mathews, Caspar

• Candide “Home Sweet Home” – (Hungary) U.S. Premiere

Creators/ Directors: Zsuzsanna Kreif, Oliver Hegyi Screenwriter: Nandor Bera

Behold! Voltaire’s immortal satire remixed for our manic meme age. In this animated adventure, our titular pacifist hero is cast as a vile instrument of war by the nefarious General Pangloss.

Cast: Borbala Zetenyi, Marcell Szenasi, Fanni Nemethi, Zoltan Koska

• Countdown “Overslept” – (USA)

Creator/ Director: Nathan Breton Screenwriter: Joseph Killeen

This anthology series explores the unique challenges of choices made when the clock is ticking down. In ‘Overslept,’ Ellen awakens before her alarm but it’s already too late to undo a bubbling betrayal.

Cast: Cassandra Clark, Matt Hopkins, Tanmaya Shekhar

• Fashion in the Dark II – (Scotland, Poland)

Creator/ Director: Emily Ford-Halliday

This short-form documentary series observes the way individuals with limited sight redefine their style identities and express themselves through fashion. Visiting 24-year old Rae, we are immersed in a sensual cotton-candy world of youthful idealism and tactile magic.

Cast: Borbala Zetenyi, Marcell Szenasi, Fanni Nemethi, Zoltan Koska

• Monday “Pixelface” – (Finland) North American Premiere

Creators: John Lundsten, Melli Maikkula Director: Samuli Valkama Screenwriters: John Lundsten, Melli Maikkula

Nestled disturbingly between ‘Night Gallery’ and ‘Black Mirror’ – each ‘Monday’ installment of this anthology series translates the surreal into a shared dilemma of truth. In ‘Pixelface’ a man’s scrambled face reveals hidden secrets as his wedding day nears.

Cast: Jarkko Niemi, Saara Kotkaniemi, Niina Koponen, Teijo Eloranta

• Take One Thing Off “All the Pretty Bottles” – (USA)

Creator/ Screenwriter: Scout Durwood Director: Bruce Allen

An evolving personal odyssey based on original music from cabaret star Scout Durwood’s debut album, this short form series fuses sketch comedy with music videos as fans follow Scout’s transition from a NYC dive bar star to becoming an LA-based internet legend.

Cast: Scout Durwood, Graham Beckett, Dre Swain, Nikkilette Wright

EXPERIMENTAL SHORTS

• The Eyes of Summer – (Sri Lanka, USA) World Premiere

Director: Rajee Samarasinghe

Made collaboratively with the director’s family shortly after the Sri Lankan Civil War, an improvised narrative develops around an investigation into his mother’s childhood interactions with spirits in the community.

• For All Audiences – (USA)

Director: Josh Weissbach

A trailer of an experiment searches for meaning in a moldy montage.

• Meteorite – (Mexico)

Director: Mauricio Saenz

Bird men suffer mysterious falls in the search for where the sun rises. An altered reality through rites that converge in one objective: dying to generate life.

• No Garden Beyond – (Bermuda, USA) World Premiere

Directors: Rhys Johnevan Morgan, Anna Kipervaser

Scenes from above, below and around the Sargasso Sea, a body of water unbounded by land where ecology and mythology have coexisted since before Juan de Bermúdez’s 1505 expedition. Where spirits whisper through the island’s flora and fauna, only to be interrupted by the alternating currents of manmade ruin and regeneration.

• Patient’s Copy – (UK) North American Premiere

Director: Patrick Tarrant

A hand-made reflection on the underconscious and on the illustration of ideas on plastic.

• Re-Education of the Senses – (USA)

Directors: Erinn E. Hagerty, Adam Savje

An experimental vision of Bauhausian hypnotherapy orchestrated by sentient technology.

• Shooting Stars – (Germany, Poland) North American Premiere

Director: Magda Jaroszewicz

The starting point is an observation, through which I near a picture searching for stories that ultimately emerge in one’s head. That night was a different one. It’s a midnight song about masculinity, joy and rivalry.

NARRATIVE SHORTS

• Ava’s Dating a Senior! – (USA) World Premiere

Director/ Screenwriter: Frederic Da

Silas is a freshman in high school. He’s in love with Ava, a girl in his grade- but rumor has it she is dating a senior.

Cast: Silas Mitchell, Ava Cooper, Archie Thorpe, Loulou Baltz

• Blown Joan – (UK) World Premiere

Director/ Screenwriter: Teva Cheema

A man visits his newlywed brother and sister-in-law and masturbates on their bed.

Cast: Charlotte Mangel, Cael King, Jimmy Gorniak

• Chubby – (Canada)

Directors/ Screenwriters: Madeleine Sims-Fewer, Dusty Mancinelli

A ten-year-old girl struggles with the residual trauma of her sexual abuse.

Cast: Maya Harman, Jesse LaVercombe, Deragh Campbell

• Earth FM – (USA) World Premiere

Director/ Screenwriter: Philip Rabalais

Three scientists search for an elusive signal…their transmissions cross inside the earth, resulting in a mysterious and cathartic discovery.

Cast: Michael Cook, Anna Gebhardt, Dominic Rabalais, Adrien Logsdon

• Greetings, from the Planet Krog! – (Canada, USA) North American Premiere

Director/ Screenwriter: Yani Gellman

A young mother is stolen away to the furthest corners of the galaxy and must escape an alien prison to return home and free her own child.

Cast: Kendall Wright, Oliver Orlovski, Julia Hune – Brown

• Hell and Such – (Spain) North American Premiere

Director/ Screenwriter: Enrique Buelo

A stack of self-help books. A few calendars with pictures of naked women. An illegal store. A costume of Sancho Panza. A young woman who suffers.

Cast: Marian Gotor, Pilar Ponce, Justo Lozano

• It’s Been Too Long – (USA)

Director: Amber Schaefer Screenwriters: David Ebert, Krista Jensen

When two ex-lovers meet at a rarely-used Aspen lodge to reignite their passions, they must first confess their past sins.

Cast: David Ebert, Krista Jensen

• Molly’s Single – (USA)

Director/ Screenwriter: Ariel Gardner

After a devastating break-up, a guilt-ridden amateur singer seeks solace through a series of encounters with prospective suitors.

Cast: Magi Calcagne, Aaron Alberstein, Robby Massey, Brodie Reed

• The Motorist – (Scotland) World Premiere

Director/ Screenwriter: Ciaran Lyons

When a man refuses to get out of his car after knocking someone down, justice takes a bizarre form.

Cast: Douglas Russel, John Cooke, Maria MacDonnel, Dom Watters

• Moving – (USA)

Director/ Screenwriter: Adinah Dancyger

The act of transporting an old mattress into a new walk-up apartment becomes absurdist, cinematic one-woman choreography.

Cast: Hannah Gross; Richard Vetere; John Wilson; Sam Taffel (Voice)

• Museum of Fleeting Wonders – (USA) World Premiere

Director/ Screenwriter: Tomas Gomez Bustillo

A collection of small and magical everyday moments inspired by real people’s stories.

• MyToeShoes.Com – (USA) World Premiere

Director/ Screenwriter: Corey Hughes

A Florida man records an unboxing video for his YouTube channel.

Cast: Corey Hughes, Marnie Ellen Hertzler, Nick Vyssotsky

• Oracle – (Canada) US Premiere

Director/ Screenwriter: Aaron Poole

A child internalizes the chaos of home renovations and his parents’ preoccupation, precipitating a fever dream that catapults his consciousness into adult realms of obsession and dread.

Cast: Carl MH Brooks, Sarah Naomi Campbell

• Our Boy – (USA) World Premiere

Director/ Screenwriter: Kyle Sims

On the eve of a young boy’s adolescence, his community gathers to usher him through a peculiar coming-of-age ceremony.

Cast: Ryan Herzog, Christine Herzog, Mike Dugan, Carol Alaimo

• Out of Tune – (USA, Mexico) US Premiere

Director/ Screenwriter: Aaron With

In an advanced society that worships a musical chord, a maintenance worker who tunes sonic shrines is thwarted by teen vandals.

Cast: Alberto Giacoman, Ezio Mastropaolo

• Pillars – (USA) World Premiere

Director/ Screenwriter: Cameron Bruce Nelson

A Mennonite woman reverts to a secret language when her best friend begins the rites of marriage.

Cast: Madeline Burton, Isabel Lasker, Donna Gafford, Walker Hare

• Pitalev – (Israel) World Premiere

Director/ Screenwriter: Omri Dekel-Kadosh

Kid. Woman. Pita. Heart.

Cast: Shay Litman

• Proof – (USA, India)

Directors: Nishtha Jain, Deepti Gupta Screenwriter: Nishtha Jain

A conscientious young male gynecologist comes face-to-face with the reality of the women’s ward in a government city hospital.

Cast: Ritesh Jaltare

• Somewhere – (Israel) World Premiere

Director/ Screenwriter: Lynn Laor

Two 10-year-old girls are trying to relieve the boredom of Shabbat in Safed, the religious town they live in. And then comes the darkness.

Cast: Emily Maduel, Lior Gallner, Nissim Lagro

• Still Working – (Switzerland) North American Premiere

Director/ Screenwriter: Julietta Korbel

The guardian of a factory doomed to be demolished is faced with the end of his universe…

Cast: Beat Wittwer, Jean-Baptiste Le Vaillant

• They Salivate – (France) North American Premiere

Director/ Screenwriter: Ariane Boukerche

At a party, one guest drinks the last kiss of a couple.

Cast: Olga Riazanova, Nikho Georgiades, Julie Sokolowski, Marc-Antoine Vaugeois

• Third Look – (Israel)

Director/ Screenwriter: Efrat Rasner

A young woman, travelling by bus from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, is suddenly forced to navigate her way through confusion, guilt, relief, compassion, and alarm.

Cast: Yael Finkel, Sasha Netzah Agraunov

• Two Words – (USA)

Director/ Screenwriter: Jordan Michael Blake

A recently engaged couple deals with the stress of competing for $10,000 on a public access gameshow.

Cast: Anu Valia, Jordan Michael Blake & Brendan O’Brien

• A Walk Down To Water – (Canada) U.S. Premiere

Director/ Screenwriter: Levi Holwell

A motel employee awaits the arrival of an ambulance after discovering a guest has passed away in one of the rooms.

Cast: Boban Stojanović, Myla Southward

DEPARTMENT OF ANARCHY

• 400 MPH – (France)

Directors/ Screenwriters: Paul-Eugène Dannaud, Julia Chaix, Lorraine Desserre, Alice Lefort, Natacha Pianeti, Quentin Tireloque

Chimpanzee attempts breaking land speed record.

• Ceremony Night – (Iran)

Director: Behnam Abedi Screenwriter: Hamed Hoseini Sangari , Behnam Abedi

Anarchy games in a ceremony night.

Cast: Pejman Yavari, Amir Ahmad Ghazvini, Navid Nouri

• Hot Pursuit – (USA) World Premiere

Director/ Screenwriter: John Warren

Subjected to a meticulous digital reprocessing, both action and narrative dissolve and are subsumed into a psychedelic, cascading digital texture, presided over by a hypnotic soundscape.

Cast: General Lee

• Karaoke Night – (Portugal, Finland) North American Premiere

Director: Francisco Lacerda Screenwriters: Amarino França, Francisco Lacerda

Two sleazy tourists have the night of their lives at a Karaoke bar in the Azores.

Cast: Rita Borges, Francisco Lopes, Fernando Alle, Eliezer Pereira

• The Message From Space – (USA)

Director/ Screenwriter: Grier Dill

Earth receives a message from deep space, showing us how to create a new miracle substance that can replace every modern material we currently use.

Cast: Anne Smith, Anthony Lund

• Nevermore – (USA) World Premiere

Director/ Screenwriter: Joshua Franco

A paranoid raven writer trying to overcome writer’s block.

• Over/Under – (USA)

Director/ Screenwriter: Dia Jenet

A game for two.

Cast: Dia Jenet

• Piggy – (Spain)

Director/ Screenwriter: Carlota Pereda

For Sara, being a teen can be a real horror story.

Cast: Laura Galán, Paco Hidalgo, Elizabet Casanovas, Mireia Vilapuig

• The Procedure Part 2 – (USA)

Director/ Screenwriter: Calvin Lee Reeder

A man is forced to endure another strange experiment.

Cast: Christian Palmer, Terry Sequel

• Smiles – (Spain)

Director/ Screenwriter: Javier Chavanel

Borja is about to meet his girlfriend´s parents.

Cast: Luis Miguel Jara, Loreto S. Santamaría, Alejando Sigüenza

• Sweep Away Hungry Ghosts – (UK) North American Premiere

Director/ Screenwriter: Zhang and Knight

A wishful reverie of a young Asian man as he struggles to come to terms with his deceased father’s cross-dressing.

Cast: Takuro Hama Cheung, Ken Mai

• Washed – (USA)

Director/ Screenwriter: Michael Bartolomeo

In this stop-motion horror short, a couple enlists the aid of a mysterious figure to help them with their seemingly insurmountable laundry problem.

Cast: Stephen West-Rogers as Man, Sergine Garraud as Woman, Lukas Hassel as The Cleaner

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