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Opening Night Premier Screening

Thursday  7:30pm (Red Carpet Begins @ 6pm / Seating @ 7pm)

opening night

Come walk the red carpet for our Opening Night Premiere Screening! Kick off this years festival in style.

2024 Opening Night Films:

Favourites / The Letter / My Week with Maisy / Lichtblick -Glimmer of Hope

Maggie’s Not Okay / We Have Notes

AND SO IT BEGINS

Friday 11:45am

and so it begins

(Drama / Assorted Genres)

To launch our festival we have selected an assortment of films that highlight the stellar storytelling skills of these amazing filmmakers. Let us begin at the beginning, grab your popcorn and get ready as we explore the unknown.

Bibi's Dog is Dead

12 mins / Canada

Bibi's dog is dead. But Bibi's ex is alive. She should call him, right?

Directed by Shervin Kermani

Echoes in the Dark

14 mins / USA

Sarah, a woman struggling to come to terms with the recent loss of her fiancé Josh. As she battles with grief, her mind becomes plagued by twisted and distorted memories from her past, causing her mental health to deteriorate rapidly.

Directed by Connie Jo Sechrist

Mouse!

16 mins / UK

A young boy who falls in love with a mouse which his dad is hell bent on killing - but does the mouse actually represent something more?

Directed by Max Fisher

Proof of Concept

6 mins / USA

An aspiring auteur tries coaxing her dad and uncle into financing her first short film but winds up raising more questions than dollars.

Directed by Max Cohn, Ellie Sachs

Shoebox

12 mins / USA

Overcome by abuse, a teenage boy is forced to choose between pulling the trigger or not in an effort to protect himself. In turn, we are split between two realities of fate - the dream or a dream deferred.

Directed by D'Angelo "D'Lo" Louis

The Stranger I Love

13 mins / UK

A mother finds herself suddenly torn from her son, she must fight to get answers or risk losing him forever.

Directed by Martin Gooch, Theresa Godly

A HARD DOC’S LIFE

Friday 12:00pm

(Documentary Shorts)

We are pleased to screen our first block of documentary short films this weekend. Take a seat and let us reveal our first salvo of these seven incredible true stories.

Balance

4 mins / USA

Following a group of performers whose stage is the Subway and whose family is their fellow dancers. A glimpse into their world shows the excitement, fun and danger of a career underneath New York City. The film offers intimate access to the fast pace of the dancers' movements in real time. A moving snapshot of the ever changing New York City Subway.

Directed by Tim Kellner

Daughter of Mine

36 mins / USA

Rosemarie D’Alessandro recounts the story of her daughter Joan’s brutal murder and the nearly 50-year battle to keep her killer in prison. The film examines the crime that left an enduring mark on a quiet suburban hometown and how the community rallied behind the strength of a mother to make landmark changes to the justice system.

Directed by Vanessa Martino

Pride of Texas

7 mins / USA

A look at the Texas Gay Rodeo Association and its participants who prove that rodeo, and Texas, is a place for everyone.

Directed by Ashley Seering

Swimming The Rock

7 mins / USA

A man overcomes his grief by swimming, to the shore from Alcatraz.

Directed by Nicolas Collins, Alex Zajicek

The Hearts of Bwindi

8 mins / UK

With a spotlight of the harmonious efforts of wildlife rangers and local communities safeguarding Uganda's biodiverse, UNESCO-recognized Bwindi National Park.

Directed by Charli Doherty

The Human Component

6:30 mins / Switzerland

We head to Mogotio, a township in Kenya, where 11-year-old Leddy is captivated by space exploration and has a chance to meet with a former NASA Aerospace Engineer and future Blue Origin Astronaut. Someone who is expanding the frontier of possibility for all women. For Leddy and her classmates, the experience is eye-opening – because if you can see it, you can be it.

Directed by Daisy Squiers, Megan May Wilson

Yellowstone 88 - Song of Fire

5 mins / USA

In the summer of 1988 dry lightning sparked a fire in the parched and drought ridden landscape of Yellowstone Park, igniting a blaze that would scorch over 1.5 million perimeter acres of the park.

Directed by Jerry van de Beek, Betsy De Fries

FESTIVAL REWIND ONE

Friday 2pm 

festival rewind

(Comedy / Drama / Assorted Genres)

This is our chance to bring back a few of our festival’s favorites and audience award winners. Each of Festival Rewind blocks will have a mix of genres that will be sure to thrill and surprise you.

FESTIVAL REWIND TWO

Friday 2:15pm

festival rewind

(Comedy / Drama / Assorted Genres)

Join our second block of festival’s favorites and audience award winners. Each of Festival Rewind blocks will have a mix of genres that will be sure to thrill and surprise you.

FAMILY MATTERS

Friday 4:30pm 

family matters

(World Cinema / Suspense / Intense Drama))

Your greatest potential, your greatest failures. No one understands the way your operate better than your family, direct ties to who you are and who you will become. These are the ties that bind and Family Matters offers a direct look inside.

Big Sur

15 mins / USA

Big Sur follows Faye on the eve of her 40th anniversary, as she and her husband return to the beloved place they eloped to many years before.

Directed by Lila Dupree

Did You Eat Yet?

14 mins / USA

As Eunice prepares a meal for her mother, she struggles to navigate the blurred lines of what it means to be a “good daughter,” and the sacrifices that come with chasing your dreams.

Directed by Alicia Qian

Experts In A Dying Field

17 mins / USA

Following a botched first date, a young man seeks refuge amongst his 'family'. Upon learning that the 'expert' ways of these knock around guys are incorrect, he stands his ground and is inevitably launched back out in the real world where he truly belongs.

Directed by Mitchell Camarda

Favourites

5 mins / Australia

Two parents face an impossible choice when their family camping trip turns deadly.

Directed by Nick Russell

Hold

14 mins / USA

An early morning phone call propels a mother and daughter on a path toward connection and the mysteries held in the act of letting go.

Directed by Josiah Junqueira Spencer

River of Grass

17 mins / USA

A young soldier returns home from Vietnam seeking a fresh start with his family. His efforts to prove himself collide with his brother’s criminal affairs, triggering his erratic behavior.

Directed by Derek Magyar

World Cinema One

Friday 5pm

world cinema one

(Foreign Language / World Cinema / Intense Drama)

Welcome to World Cinema One. We are proud to present our initial block of International films which detail a brilliant selection of shorts from Serbia, China, Gambia and a few US entries with International flair.

El Último Tramo

17 mins / USA

In Buenos Aires, Argentina, a recovered addict seeking to repair his relationship with his son, returns to the rehabilitation center that saved his life. When a fellow patient runs away, he follows after him to bring the patient back before it’s too late.

Directed by Dominick Cura

One More Day

15 mins / Serbia

Struggling with loneliness, ninety-four-year-old grandmother Smilja fills her devastated country house with memories. Like most of the locals, her children, and then her grandchildren, left the village long ago in search of a better life. Grandma Smilija's only opportunity to talk is the arrival of the postman who brings her a pension once a month.

Directed by Radivoje Bukvic

Playground

16 mins / USA

A Six Year Old Girl’s Adventure At An Adult Night Club.

Directed by Yaxing Lin

Something Blue

15 mins / China

On the eve of her wedding, Lu is taken by surprise when Xiatian arrives unannounced at her doorstep, with a plea for one last adventure: a daring journey across the China-North Korea border.

Directed by Chen Li

The Letter

17 mins / Gambia

In 1945, a young Gambian woman treks across her country to translate a letter written in English, one that tells the fate of her fiancé fighting for the British thousands of miles away.

Directed by James Skinner

You First

6 mins / USA

A Korean family fights to the last crumb when desires clash with manners. Our three polite female cousins play the age old game of "respect your elders" until the boys come along.

Directed by Eliza Shin

The Human Experience

Friday 7:00pm

human experience

(Drama / Suspense / Comedy)

Uncovering the reality behind the human condition, we can reveal the bond between ourselves and our struggle to become the best versions of who we ultimately want to be. Highly recommended.

172 Push-Ups

15 mins / USA

A female soldier and a Vietnam vet confront their differences of opinions and ultimately positively influence each other. Push-ups and proposals are involved.

Directed by Frieda Naphsica de Lackner

4th Dementia

16 mins / usa

Despite Nellie's determination to locate her husband and love of her life, Lou, she keeps involuntarily dimension-hopping, and is forced to deal with eccentric families she's convinced she doesn’t know.

Directed by Ian Wexler

Big George

16 mins / USA

When a middle-aged actor gains too much pandemic weight to pull off his survival gig as a George Clooney impersonator, he finds himself trying to justify to his nine-year-old daughter— and to himself— why he’s still chasing his dream.

Directed by Jamie Effros

My Week with Maisy

18 mins / UK

When uptight retiree Mrs Foster begins chemotherapy she's thrown together in the treatment room with Maisy, a whirlwind inquisitive child aspiring to be a lesbian. As treatment progresses the pair's fortuitous bond offers healing and newfound hope in unexpected places.

Directed by Mika Simmons

What I Am

26 mins / UK

A woman suffers amnesia after an accident at home, embarking on a journey of self-discovery that leads to the reclamation of her agency.

Directed by Jackie Oudney

Make ‘Em Laugh

Friday 7:30pm

make em laugh

(Comedy Short Films)

Join us for this fan favorite block of shorts that is sure to sell out. Our comedy shorts have become a tradition of sorts with an unexpected flair for the hilarious. Please note: drinking before, during and after this screening is highly recommended.

Catherine & Michael

15 mins / USA

An unhappily married couple visits their do-everything-right friends for a supposedly fun weekend upstate, but when their fragile relationship crumbles, they discover an unusual method for reigniting their spark.

Directed by Kathy Fusco

Grave Error

12 mins / UK

Emma embarks on a bureaucratic odyssey to get her life back after an administrative error leaves her legally dead.

Directed by Andrew Jonathan Smith

Knead

11 mins / USA

When an alien landing mysteriously drives people around the world to achieve their deepest dreams, an aspiring baker in an unhappy marriage wonders why she hasn't been affected at all—forcing her to take matters into her own hands.

Directed by Timothy Michael Cooper

La Langue

1 mins / USA

Picture this: you’re about to watch a video on YouTube, but first, you have to sit through a 5-second advertisement. This ad introduces La Langue – a fictional toothbrush that mimics the movements of a human tongue. This bizarre yet meticulously designed product is presented as an essential item for personal hygiene.

Directed by Béla Baptiste

Le Parrot

12 mins / USA

Three siblings return home for their mother’s funeral. Chaos ensues when they discover she has left behind a bizarre inheritance: Le Parrot.

Directed by Rachael Sonnenberg

Maggie's Not Okay

12 mins / USA

Maggie, a chronic people pleaser, is always getting pushed around. But when she tries to return a lost cat to his owner, Maggie is finally pushed too far and decides to push back… in a most unexpected way.

Directed by Vance Smith

The Orange at the Seder

15 mins / USA

A young queer man upends the traditions of his beloved mentor’s all-LGBTQ Passover seder when he brings his first-ever girlfriend to dinner, antagonizing the chosen father figure who’s only ever known him as gay.

Directed by Jacob Combs

WHAT THE WHAT ?!?

Friday 9:45pm

what the what

(Dark Comedy / World Cinema / Off the Beaten Path)

Strange. Bizarre. Different. Yet intriguing for sure. Not for the slight of heart, nor for everyone. What the What?!? grants you the wish of not conforming to the ordinary. Someone WILL BE offended, enter at your own risk and remember – you were warned.

À toi les oreilles

13 mins / Canada

While the townsfolk are celebrating the village's anniversary parade, Étienne tries the impossible: to show them how beautiful his family’s cacophony really is.

Directed by Alexandre Isabelle

Lumen

13 mins / Canada

It has been raining heavily for months and the sixth wave is depressing humanity. In this prevailing darkness, Claude, 70 years old, compulsively buys lamps online to break his solitude and bring light into his life, at any cost.

Directed by Stéphanie Bélanger

Portland Is the New Portland

17 mins / USA

A lonely musician in a small town creates a thriving underground music scene by inventing and posing as a multitude of bands. When Rolling Stone Magazine takes notice, his life unravels as he struggles to maintain the facade of his fictional bands.

Directed by Christopher Scamurra

Room Tone

9 mins / USA

When a sound guy's attempt to capture “room tone" is constantly thwarted by the noisy antics of his coworkers, he takes extreme measures to achieve silence.

Directed by Michael Gabriele

Serf

15 mins / Czech Republic

A story about a girl, fed up with her room-mate, plans to teach her a lesson, which leads to something completely unplanned. A story of Revenge. A story of Horror. A story of Love. A story of Revenge. A story of a SERF

Directed by Vansh Luthra

The Ghost

11 mins / USA

A woman is ghosted by the man she's dating ...and then the haunting begins.

Directed by Allyson Morgan

I’ve Got A Bad Feeling About This

Friday 10pm

Ive got a bad feeling

(Intense Drama / Suspense / World Cinema)

Something goes wrong. As the feeling gets stronger you hear something and then…we find ourselves in a place unexpected yet oddly familiar. These short films deliver the dramatic thrill we know you have been looking for as a hush of suspense shrouds the theater and you know that something bad is about to happen.

Calf

15 mins / Ireland

A calf is about to be born. The accident that suddenly strikes a remote Irish farm reveals a secret that has long been deafened and leaves Cáit with a terrible decision to make. A gut-wrenching film from way out in the countryside, a place where the worst things are silenced.

Directed by Jamie O'Rourke

Good Girls Get Fed

20 mins / USA

When three captive women are forced into twisted challenges to earn food, they work together to find an escape, not realizing that a new darkness has awakened in their midst.

Directed by Kelly Lou Dennis

The Conjugal Visit

10 mins / USA

A starry eyed, sexy young woman arrives at state prison for a conjugal visit with her soon-to-be husband—a dim-witted, vicious murderer.

Directed by Ryan Lampe

Under the Blue

15 mins / UK

Bruised, hungry and only halfway through her late shift, a lonely and disillusioned police officer forms an unlikely connection with an appreciative and thankful criminal.

Directed by Linda Ludwig, James Curle

Where the Heart Lies

15 mins / USA

When a cautious city girl’s adventurous boyfriend disappears in the midst of a treasure hunt he made for her, she must face her fears and follow the clues he left behind to find him before it’s too late.

Directed by Brianna Chapman

FAMILY FILMS

Saturday 11am

family films

(Family Friendly Cinema / Animation)

Join us for our Family block, a safe haven of quality films for the whole family. Includes both live action with some animated selections.

Be True to Your School

8 mins / USA

Ruby Saint-Fleur finds it takes more than being a genius to save your life. (Executive Producers: Damon Lindelof (Watchmen, Lost) & Lou Diamond Phillips (La Bamba).

Directed by Frank Harts

Goos'd

2 mins / USA

After recieving numerous resident complaints, an overconfident Park’s Department official arrives to find a seemingly harmless lone goose wandering the park’s premises. There is no way this innocent looking creature could be involve in fowl play. Or could he?

Directed by Heeyun Chung

LUKi and the Lights

11 mins / USA

LUKi, a charming and upbeat robot known for living life to the fullest, confronts a life-altering ALS diagnosis.

Directed by Toby Cochran

Scavengers

5 mins / USA

Pinpin, a small tinkerer made of found objects, and Matilda, an origami yellow-billed magpie reside in a backyard full of abandoned items - but one day, an alluring bottle cap flips over the fence which sets off a rivalry. Testing their limits for a treasure they both desperately want.

Directed by Aliyah Penelope Cruz, Isabella Moreno

Tabby McTat

25 mins / UK

In the bustling heart of London, Tabby McTat and his busker friend Fred delight crowds with their harmonious duets until an unexpected separation tears them apart. Tabby McTat searches the city for Fred, but instead finds solace and a new family with a feline friend named Sock. When Tabby McTat and Fred finally reunite, will their friendship stand up to all the changes in their lives?

Directed by Jac Hamman, Sarah Scrimgeour

Unibrow

14 mins / Canada

Leyla is an Irani-Canadian girl with a complicated relationship with the Irani part-- she does not want to speak Farsi at home to her mother and grandmother, she does not have any Irani friends, and she HATES her unibrow.

Directed by Nedda Sarshar

AN UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTH

Saturday 11:30am

uncomfterble truths

(Drama / World Cinema / Intense Drama)

Perception is sometimes reality, reality is often whatever we make of it. These amazing shorts will provide insight between An Uncomfortable Truth that is hard to accept and the surprising facts that surround them.

Arlo

13 mins / USA

A trans teenager who’s been living on his own for two years, comes face to face with a missing poster of himself that uses his deadname and a school picture taken years before he transitioned.

Directed by Logan Thomason

Dead Cat

12 mins / Canada

What were Catherine and Louis thinking when they chose a cat with distinctive white spots? It would have been much easier to replace if they had picked the all-back one! Now, they will have to tell their daughter Sophie that Nugget’s dead. Unless….

Directed by Annie-Claude Caron, Danick Audet

Kiss

15 mins / UK

Haunted by her past kisses, Annie must confront the one kiss she refuses to acknowledge.

Directed by Katja Roberts

My Obsession with Death

10 mins / USA

Ruby's life had taken a detour into the absurd ever since a gruesome car accident scarred her childhood. The incident left an indelible mark, casting a dark shadow over her adolescent years. Instead of embracing the vibrant beauty of life, Ruby became consumed by an obsessive preoccupation with death.

Directed by Alexis Evelyn

Plastics

7 mins / USA

On her way to a job interview for a plastic pollution non-profit, a woman's inner monologue laments society's failure to be more environmentally responsible until an unexpected event changes everything and forces her to get quiet with her own conscience.

Directed by Kip Calendine

Trapped

15 mins / USA

A high school janitor runs into a set of unexpected obstacles.

Directed by Sam Cutler-Kreutz, David Cutler-Kreutz

WORLD CINEMA TWO

Saturday 1:30pm 

world cinema two

(Foreign Language / World Cinema / Intense Drama)

Join us for World Cinema Two as we unlock another group of incredible short films from across the globe – with destination that include the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Japan and India.

A Night, After All

15 mins / India

A retired couple, a sleepless night, another game played. With a life hanging in the balance, is it wrong not to sacrifice everything? Yet who cares for the caregiver when they are tired of giving?

Directed by Anshul Agrawal

Best Before

14 mins / UK

Helena and Lainie head into their final round of IVF treatment and the stresses of the unknown begin to put pressure on their idyllic farm life. With their chicken, Shakira, laying eggs every day Helena decides to make it a competition.

Directed by Lisa Service

Boys Like You

17 mins / UK

A depressed housewife seeks out a troubled young man from her past, with disastrous consequences.

Directed by Paul Holbrook

Lotus

9 mins / UK

A hot summer’s day in London. Frankie (13) watches a local bike crew from her balcony and suddenly longs to experience the freedom of riding. So she spontaneously steals a bike from the group. Only trouble is, she doesn’t know how to ride it…

Directed by Ollie Wolf

Mai

6 mins / Japan

A coming of age story set in Tokyo where a 9 year old girl draws from the magic and lessons of the blooming cherry blossoms to escape her parents’ fighting.

Directed by Brett Maline

Medicine

15 mins / New Zealand

When Marjorie and Jack offer their help to a passenger and things take an unexpected turn, one wonders who was actually helping who.

Directed by William Amos McKegg

Your Move

12mins / UK

William (Edward Hogg), a decorated Spitfire pilot fallen from grace, is now a notorious heist driver in 1960s London. When something goes wrong in his absence, Patricia (Pearl Mackie), the organizations Head of Talent, must work out exactly what happened on her most recent job.

Directed by Ed Rigg, George Howson

MORE FROM A HARD DOC’S LIFE

Saturday 2pm

more hard docs

(Documentary Shorts)

The projector fills the screen with our second block of documentary shorts, each uncovering a broad assortment of real life stories.

Bearing Witness: A Name & A Voice

29 mins / USA

Four journalists reveal the stories that propel them to amplify the voiceless, challenge the powerful, and answer the call to bear witness.'Bearing Witness' delves into the backstories and convictions of four extraordinary newspaper reporters.

Directed by Dina Jane Rudick

Save the Cat

24 mins / USA

After a Ukrainian refugee family is forced to flee their home, a group of strangers from around the world come together to help their daughter reunite with her beloved cat, Arsenii.

Directed by Jordan Matthew Horowitz

Stud Country

11 mins / USA

Stud Country, the largest queer country western line dancing event in America, was created to preserve Los Angeles' little known 50+ year queer line dancing tradition. Despite its success and fiercely committed community, the event is set to lose its venue due to gentrification.

Directed by Lina Abascal, Alexandra Kern

Village of Death: Oradour-sur-Glane 1944*

20 mins / USA

Narrated by actor Jeff Daniels. Oradour-sur-Glane is unique in Europe: a fully preserved, ruined village that was the site of the worst Nazi massacre of civilians on French soil.

Directed by Tim Gray

LIFE INTERRUPTED

Saturday 4pm

life interrupted

(Drama / Suspense / Intense Drama)

Life has a way of staring back at us, reflecting that which we have known all along. Life Interrupted offers brilliant short films that confront our choices, as we explore the events that have the potential to change our lives forever.

Gillyfish

11 mins / UK

When GILLIAN takes on her partner’s identity to confront their father, she finds a connection she didn't expect in the strange exchange she has with him. A short about healing by proxy, and stepping into new identities.

Directed by Sarah Sellman

SilverSizzle

14 mins / USA

A cemetery caretaker embarks on a quest to help two recent widowers find new love among widows visiting their departed spouses.

Directed by Brian Russell

Sleep Training

20 mins / USA

When a new parent’s postpartum depression devolves into bizarre hallucinations, an escape from motherhood becomes necessary to stay sane.

Directed by Sunita Prasad

The Blurring Of Trees

11 mins / Canada

Two incarcerated women in a secured forest of the North of Quebec are subjected to hard labour of reforestation. Confronted to their body’s instrumentalisation and its underhand control, they enjoy a little area of freedom they managed to create thanks to a prison guard particularly empathetic towards them.

Directed by Fanny Perreault

The River

14 mins / USA

A mother struggling with problem gambling is at war with herself and puts her family in the crossfire.

Directed by Clare Cooney

Thomasville

13 mins

A heart-wrenching psychodrama exploring the complex nature of Black legacy in Atlanta. Trapped in a rainswept car, a young man and his ailing father confront their fractured history before it's too late.

Directed by Alex Woodruff

RETURN OF THE INK & PAINT CLUB

Saturday 4:30pm

Ink and Paint

(Animation, CG and Mixed Media)

Our focus on animation. Whether CG and mixed media, hand drawn or experimental – you are entering the world of The Ink & Paint Club. A place where imagination, bold and vibrant meets the heart of storytelling. Highly recommended.

Allure

4 mins / USA

A junior astronaut fulfills a dream of going to the moon. Once there, exhilaration gives way to reality. But what has been left behind? Created in a colorful, prismatic, 2D graphic style with a haunting soundtrack that echoes with loneliness.

Directed by Jerry van de Beek, Betsy De Fries

Chain

5 mins / USA

Chain uniquely tells a story set amongs the flora and fauna, where life meets nature's survival instincts and prompts viewers to ponder life's deeper questions.

Directed by LING HAN

Driftwood

9 mins / USA

"Driftwood" is an animated short film telling the story of Askr and his beloved driftwood - Askr survives the attack on Pearl Harbor by clinging to a floating driftwood log, but when he’s finally rescued, he refuses to let go, leading to a lifelong relationship of sacrifice and respect.

Directed by Christopher Hills Eaton

Extracted

4 mins / USA

A dog's toothache brings them on an unexpected journey, experiencing the uncertainty and disorientation that comes with being snatched from your bed and taken to places unknown.

Directed by Adam Glickfield

Le Charade

3 mins / USA

A psychological comedy set in a run-down 1950s diner. Le Charade follows the final performance of a lonely mime and the psychotic episode that ensues after his imaginary friend breaks up with him and he is forced to re-enter society.

Directed by Erika Totoro

Magic Candies

21 mins / Japan

The other kids at the park never ask Dong-Dong to play. But he’s fine just playing marbles on his own. One day he goes out in search of new marbles, but ends up buying a bag of colorful, marble-shaped candies instead. But the first time he pops one of them into his mouth, he’s astonished to hear his old sofa start talking to him!

Directed by Daisuke NISHIO

Moving Day

12 mins / USA

While a couple is moving out, a smiley drawing on one of their boxes comes to life, falls in love with another drawing across the room and sets out on a box hopping adventure in the hopes of reaching their beloved.

Directed by Sean Mirkovich

Remember Us

14 mins / USA

A journalist documents the experiences of people who lived through the tragic 12-year-long Salvadoran Civil War in the 1980s, exploring themes of childhood loss, violence against women and the indigenous population, and regaining a sense of hope for the future that spans over three generations.

Directed by Pablo Leon

Tennis, Oranges

11 mins / USA

A robotic vacuum suffering from burnout quits its job at a hospital and sets out to find community and a greater purpose on a quiet street where two lonely rabbits are stuck in perpetual loops.

Directed by Sean Pecknold

The Waiting

15 mins / Germany

Karen Lips is researcher and lives for several years in a tiny little shack in Costa Rica to observe frogs. When she leaves the cloud forest for a short time and returns, the frogs are gone. All of them. Karen sets out to find them – and encounters a horrible truth.

Directed by Voker Schlecht

THE WORLD BEYOND

Saturday 6:30pm

world beyond

(Science Fiction Short Films)

Our love of sci-fi shines through as we travel to the far future, explore technological advances and transcend to something more, as we are thrust into The World Beyond.

Factory Drop

15 mins / Germany

In a bleak future in the year 2118, a gigantic skyscraper called the Factory rises above the ruins of the old world. In the dark lower floors, forced laborers toil tirelessly to produce diamonds. Emotions and contact are strictly forbidden. The worker Mia nearly breaks under this existence until she finds an old music box.

Directed by Petja Pulkrabek

Hold You So Tight

17 mins / USA

At the end of a terrible tele-therapy session, a woman decides to take the advice of a friend and visit two men at a motel where they perform a procedure that frees you from the burdens of this world.

Directed by Eric Rudnick

I'm Not a Robot

22 mins / Netherlands

After several unsuccessful attempts to complete a Captcha, feminist Lara sets out to answer the disturbing question of whether she's a robot, and therefore bought by her own boyfriend.

Directed by Victoria Warmerdam

Lola

11 mins / USA

A thirteen-year-old science prodigy journeys into her grandma's deteriorating mind to save one precious memory they have together.

Directed by Grace Hanna

Technical Support

8:30 mins / USA

Milton, a lonely middle-aged man, is thrilled when his new sex robot is delivered. As he explores all her pre-programmed modes, he begins to become emotionally attached to his new companion. But when he selects dominance mode, she goes too far, leading to the most awkward customer service of his life.

Directed by Kris Lefcoe

MUSICALLY INCLINED

Saturday 7pm

Musically Inclined

(Drama / Music / Musicals)

Music is a core part of the story and while being a focal point for each of these captivating shorts, Musically Inclined delivers a broad selection of genres that will light up the screen in more ways than one.

Bible Camp

13 mins / USA

Young Korean immigrants assimilate to baseball, burnt hot dogs and hostility at a discount daycare. Rocking out to vinyl records at Bible Camp has unintended consequences. A traumatic memory, based on a true immigrant story.

Directed by Philip DeRise

Dion & Denver

15 mins / USA

In the late 1960s, an aging Dion DiMucci, struggling to stay relevant in a rapidly changing America, meets an ambitious young John Denver who helps reignite his passion for music and reminds him of their place in the cultural spotlight.

Directed by Zack Hosseini

En El Bronx Part 2

5 mins / USA

In January 2021, Armani Ortiz released a short musical entitled En El Bronx, set to the song “Del Mar” by Ozuna. Armani directed, starred in, and self financed the entire project.

Directed by Armani Ortiz

Lichtblick - Glimmer of Hope

5 mins / Germany

A cashier’s monotonous day is transformed when the women in the queue form an impromptu choir to soothe an unhappy baby.

Directed by Sophia Tamaro

Oh, Christmas Tree

10 mins / USA

16 year-old Claire and her father Ben try to recreate a few of their favorite Christmas traditions.

Directed by Katie Aselton

The Butterflies of Love

16 mins / USA

It's the present day, and a 20-year-old Alex Murray visits the dying 90-year-old starlet, Judy Mae. Alex unveils an innovative Hollywood studio technology that grants the power of rejuvenation to aging stars.

Directed by Aiden Glikmann

The Fool

16 mins / USA

A forbidden love affair between a rising Black star and a white movie starlet is ruthlessly sabotaged by those who sought to maintain the oppressive status quo in 1950s America.

Directed by Jonathan Primo Ruiz

Cary Brothers_Songs in the Key of Film

18 mins / USA

Bob Blumer (Food Network Chef) presents a conversation & performance with prolific artist Cary Brothers upon the 20th Anniversary of the Garden State soundtrack.

Directed by Philip Coates

THE LONG & SHORT OF IT

Saturday 8pm

long and short of it

(Drama / Documentary)

Every so often we have films that are longer than our average short films, so we have taken them into their own short film block. We are proud to present these three shorts in this special collection for your viewing pleasure.

1001cuts

24 mins / USA

1001cuts explores the careers of the daughters of Title IX through the experiences of surgeons. Social and cultural change in the 1970's allowed for the opportunity to train and be included into this high stakes professional environment.

Directed by Sarah M Temkin

Champions

23 mins / USA

Brothers, Adrian and Sebastian, have qualified to race in The National Track Competition, whose stakes are not just gold medals. They stand to win the contract for the National Training Facility - an investment that would mark a legendary win for the boys and provide unprecedented economic opportunity for their poverty-stricken Island. However, when the terms of winning suddenly change, the boys' unbreakable bond falls into a moral brawl for the greater good. No matter what side they choose, a good and evil emerge.

Directed by The AG Brothers, (Asher and Aaron Goldenberg)

Go For Grandma

35 mins / USA

Inspired by the iconic 80's fantasy films we all grew up on, "Go for Grandma" is a magical journey into the mind of a young boy who escapes a neglectful home life through his grandmother's love and the power of his imagination.

Directed by Sabrina Doyle

MAKE ‘EM LAUGH, AGAIN

Saturday 9:30pm

make them laugh again

(Drama / Suspense / Intense Drama)

Join us for this fan favorite block of shorts that is sure to sell out. Our comedy shorts have become a tradition of sorts with an unexpected flair for the hilarious. Please note: drinking before, during and after this screening is highly recommended.

Dear Owner

9 mins / USA

When a young married couple meet the owner of the home they hope to buy, they soon learn the meaning of the phrase “Buyer Beware.”

Directed by Jonathan Thomas Coleman

Death Pays Flora a Visit

12 mins / USA

In this both dark and uplifting comedic short film, Death (Eric Roberts) pays an unsuspecting Flora (Mimi Kennedy) a visit telling her it's her time. However Flora doesn't want to go. There's still so much she needs to do. And in surprising and satisfying turn of events, Flora wins the day.

Directed by Tanna Frederick

Dirty Towel

12 mins / USA

A teenage girl grapples with feelings of shame and guilt after having sex for the first time, leading to a thoughtful exploration of generational shame, societal expectations, and self-worth.

Directed by Callie Carpinteri

Fire F*cking Fire

17 mins / USA

When a Type-A, people-pleasing shy girl and homebody thinks she's hit the jackpot after bedding her rockstar crush, the reality is almost more than she can stand.

Directed by Julia Eringer, Rachel Paulson

Jane Austen's Period Drama

13 mins / USA

England, 1813. In the middle of a long-awaited marriage proposal, Miss Estrogenia Talbot gets her period. Her suitor, the dashing Mr. Dickley, mistakes the blood for an injury, and it soon becomes clear that his very expensive education has most certainly missed a spot.

Directed by Julia Aks, Steve Pinder

Stop Whining & Start Winning

11 mins / USA

When a contract killer has a last-minute change of heart inspired by his favorite new self-help book, he triggers a disastrous chain of events amongst his criminal co-workers.

Directed by Emma Raimi

Why Dogs Howl

5 mins / USA

After meeting online, a BOY and GIRL are out on their first date. It rapidly devolves into the BOY vomiting out his life in a Howl that ultimately encompasses the entire universe.

Directed by Sandi Johnson

It Was A Dark & Stormy Night

Saturday 10:15pm

Dark and stormy

(Horror / Intense Drama / Supernatural)

A bump in the night, a bloodcurdling scream. You are stuck in a place both shocking and revealing, where a dark & stormy night is just the beginning of the terror.

Anniversary

18:30 mins / Australia

On the Anniversary of her husband's death, Vanessa and her sister Julie glance at her security monitor and are shocked to see him standing outside.

Directed by Paul De Cinque

Please Leave

12 mins / USA

A late-night pit stop at a gas station transforms into terror when a young woman's path collides with an unwelcome guest.

Directed by Riley Ryan Scott

The Eyes of Marge

14 mins / UK

A self-hating social worker traumatised by his sister’s death from domestic abuse, is plagued by phone calls from an unknown woman looking for her dead sister.

Directed by Lily Howkins

Voyager

20 mins / Spain

When a shy, socially anxious night janitor, cleaning up after Barcelona's affluent party crowd, discovers a mysterious drug that lets her shed the boundaries of her physical self, she breaks out of her isolation and opens herself up to the people she desires... but her newly gained freedom comes at a heavy price.

Directed by Pablo Pagán

Wake

13 mins / USA

With a hurricane raging outside their hospital, two nurses have one last job before evacuating: stow the "dead-on-arrival" corpse of a young girl in the downstairs morgue before the building floods. But the corpse quickly reveals itself to be more than it seems.

Directed by Sean Carter

THE ALTERNATIVE UNIVERSE

Sunday 11:30am

alternate universe

(Science Fiction / Fantasy)

Nothing is as it should be, the world is askew and things feel off, different and our understanding of the possible may be in the need for an update. Step through and enter the alternative universe, a place close to our own – but definitely something more.

Bisected

8 mins / USA

A couple witnesses a paranormal event that separates them into two distinct dimensions.

Directed by Danny Pineros

Doorway

10 mins / USA

Within the fractures of family bonds, a doorway materializes, propelling Stephen through a life-altering odyssey that reshapes his existence and weaves an indelible tapestry of change for his loved ones.

Directed by Siddharth Gautam

Project Penelope

23 mins / USA

Grieving the tragic loss of their young daughter Penelope, scientists Jonas and Elizabeth delve into the world of artificial intelligence to recreate their beloved child. As they work diligently to assemble Penelope's essence from fragmented memories and precious mementos, their relationship is tested. Elizabeth becomes increasingly doubtful about their likelihood of success, while Jonas conceals a haunting secret.

Directed by Felipe Castilla, Alex D Lugo

Universe 25

20 mins / USA

A mysterious entity. A bizarre psychological experiment. Imprisoned in “The Room,” a woman can’t know anyone longer than 30 days. It’s difficult to say what’s worse: knowing that anyone she cares about will disappear, or that they might be replaced by someone worse. With no hope of escape, she must confront the absurdity of her new existence.

Directed by David Tappan

Your time has come

20 mins / Spain

Paula is about to reveal an invention that will change the rules of the world we live in, but minutes before the presentation she will have a streaming interview with her biggest detractor in front of millions of people.

Directed by David Durán

WORLD CINEMA THREE

Sunday 12:30pm

world cinema three

(Foreign Language / World Cinema / Intense Drama)

Join us for World Cinema Three as we unleash another group of incredible short films from across the globe – with scheduled destinations that include the United Kingdom, Norway, Canada and the Russian Federation.

Camping in Paradise

23 mins / Norway

A philosopher and his girlfriend involuntarily must spend a night at a nudist campsite, which is far beyond their comfort zone. At the campsite they meet a friendly couple, and this reveals underlying conflicts and creates tension in their relationship.

Directed by Eirik Tveiten

Perfect Anna

20 mins / Russian Federation

Finally able to have a quiet evening alone, Dr Anna is disrupted by a sudden visit from a female stranger, who has come to reclaim a bracelet left there from a recent visit. Disrupted as her life is about to be altered, her beliefs shaken and everything she understands to be true changed in an instant.

Directed by Yana Klimova-Yusupova

Shouting at the Sea

20 mins / UK

A tale of memory, belonging, and vulnerability as two friends reconnect after years apart. Spending time visiting their teenage haunts around the seaside town where they grew up, they confront the past and finally conclude the conversation that tore them apart.

Directed by Benjamin Verrall

Sylvie on the Loose

24 mins / Canada

Sylvie’s out of jail and back in town. People should lock their doors.

Directed by Sarah Bourdeau

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

Sunday 2pm

road not taken

(Drama / Suspense / Comedy)

We have a choice and so often we need to head in a direction that doesn’t seem right. A trajectory that sends us not to where we wanted to go, but instead to where we need to be. Welcome to The Road Not Taken, seven short films that will offer a fork in the road of life.

The Heart of Texas

15 mins / USA

Janie May, an aspiring country singer stuck in the paycheck-to-paycheck grind, gets big news that she’s a radio contest finalist while finishing her overnight shift at a local diner in Waco, TX. She must race to the station to sing for hometown country music hero Harlan Thompson in hopes of winning the opening act spot on his upcoming tour.

Directed by Gregory JM Kasunich

After Midnight

12 mins / USA

A young man, having just skipped out on a bar tab, tries to impress his date with a charming facade.

Directed by Eli Brown

Ambush at St. Mary's

14 mins / USA

Two outlaws disguise themselves as priests for a robbery at a desert chapel, but their plan is disrupted when Hannah, a parishioner, comes by looking for help.

Directed by Anthony Parisi

Mendo's Carousel

13 mins / USA

After the death of her father, a troubled young woman robs a dry cleaning shop, but a secret from the past forces her to the precipice of truth and denial.

Directed by David Michael Maurer

Mondays at the Office

13 mins / USA

The burned-out owner of a male stripping company battles a mid-life crisis while juggling the egos of his dancers... all in one Monday at the office.

Directed by Marco Ragozzino

Neo-Dome

15 mins / USA

Neo-Dome is a short film, starring Anna Camp, that follows a chance encounter between three road-weary travelers on their journeys to a utopian Dome off in the distance.

Directed by Bonnie Discepolo

Not Today, Not Tomorrow

17 mins / USA

After a daring prison escape, childhood besties Bo (Amanda Holquin) and Olivia (Katrina Steele) find themselves stranded in the desert with no water. With the odds stacked against them, Bo and Olivia need to find a way to settle their differences, survive the desert and elude possible capture, all in order to reach Uncle Roger's safehouse. One thing is certain, if they're going to die it's Not Today, Not Tomorrow.

Directed by Neil Miguel Watson

ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE

Sunday 2:30pm

all the worlds a stage

(Drama / Suspense / Comedy)

The performance is the thing and each of these uncompromising short films deliver on the pathos and eloquence that is the art of the performance. Authentic storytelling at its best.

King Ed

23 mins / USA

A wounded romantic hunts for the author of a mysterious, “perfect” playlist he believes was made by his soulmate. But only because a medically licensed witch told him so.

Directed by Nick Fascitelli

Límite

38 mins / Mexico

Sixteen-year-old Manuel lives in Tijuana, Mexico with his grandfather while his mom works in the United States. When he meets a girl, he sees an opportunity to assert his independence, but what he doesn't know about her will push him to the limit. Inspired by real events.

Directed by George Nicholas

Rapt

12 mins / USA

A young woman navigates a surreal audition process where her boundaries are tested in pursuit of a coveted spot in an elite acting program.

Directed by Margot Budzyna

We Have Notes

12 mins / USA

Centered around the making of a single pivotal scene in a prestigious Joan of Arc movie - and then the scene evolves.

Directed by Jordan McKittrick

CLOSING NIGHT SCREENING

Sunday 4:30pm

closing night

(World Class Short Films)

We are pleased to present select films from our festival this weekend, these films have been awarded Best Of in various categories. Join us as we celebrate the brilliance of these World Class Short Films.

AUDIENCE AWARD SCREENING ONE

Sunday 5pm

AUDIENCE AWARDS

(Audience Favorites / Assorted Genres)

Throughout the festival our audiences will have a chance to vote on some of their favorite short films, here is the first of two screenings filled with a few of the Audience Choice Winners.

AUDIENCE AWARD SCREENING TWO

Sunday 7:15pm 

AUDIENCE AWARDS

(Audience Favorites / Assorted Genres)

Throughout the festival our audiences will have a chance to vote on some of their favorite short films, here is the second of two screenings filled with a few of the Audience Choice Winners.

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