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AND SO IT BEGINS

Thursday October 22nd 2pm • Theater 5

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(Drama / Comedy / Animation / World Cinema)

Step inside and join us for our first round of screenings — an honored selection of amazing World Class Short Films. Each with its own particular charm, these films run the gamut from quietly observed animation to brilliant dramatic offerings that begin our festival.

Everyone Has Issues...

14 mins / USA

Sara, a neurotic and determined woman, struggles to connect with her unusual new boyfriend.

Directed by Christie Lynn Smith

Filthy

19 mins / USA

1999, the Bible Belt. A thirteen-year-old girl gets her first period, forcing a reckoning between the shame she's been taught and something wilder rising in her.

Directed by Lisa Cole

How I Learned To Die

19 mins / USA

Seen through the eyes of 16 year old Iris, who discovers she must undergo a high-risk surgery with a 60% chance of dying. She dives into a four-day whirlwind of “firsts”, but the moments she doesn’t plan for—losing a pet, seeing her parents age with fears and flaws—are what truly shake her. Brave and overflowing with soul, her journey isn’t about escape or survival; it’s about the courage to face life with eyes wide open.

Directed by Manya Glassman

Men in Towels

17 mins / Luxembourg

A hot-headed man at a luxury spa is forced to recover alongside a relentlessly cheerful patient who might save his life - or drive him over the edge.

Directed by Kiyan Agadjani

Stop to Stop

11 mins / USA

When a frustrating morning at work punctuated by a parade of political spam texts tests her limits, Carolyn loses her cool and replies to one in a fury. Meet Eric, the volunteer text banker (and real human) on the other end of the thread who just wants to get her to the polls. Fate thrusts them together when they (literally) smash into each other and she picks up his dropped phone with a chance to turn the tables, for revenge or maybe something more.

Directed by Samantha Massell, Asher Grodman

The Windy Day

7 mins / Taiwan

A single kite string ties four kids together through childhood, friendship, and loss. As their bond begins to unravel, they are forced to confront what it means to grow apart and leave the past behind.

Directed by Zong-Yi Xie, Shih-Chien Hsu

Tomorrow I Start My Life

9 mins / USA

A delusional 35-year-old woman, Molly, enlists a film crew to follow her as she prepares to “start her life” - tomorrow.

Directed by Alec Cohen

A BRAVE NEW WORLD

Thursday October 22nd 3pm • Theater 6

(World Cinema / Comedy / Drama From a new class of filmmakers, avant-garde and uncompromising.)

These films offer varying styles, unique editorial choices plus artful direction combined with sublime performances. These creative artists are doing something completely different and challenging you to be part of a Brave New World. Note: We will be presenting an Encore Presentation of this block on Saturday evening at 9:15pm

Blank Slate

15 mins / USA

Claiming to remember every moment of her life, a woman spirals between past and present during an interview for her local news channel, slowly revealing the hidden cost of a life she can never leave behind as her memories start closing in around her.

Directed by Andrew Schwab

Chinaman

12 mins / UK

Set in a Chinese takeaway in the north of England, 1989. When a group of customers turn hostile, a father and his eldest son are forced into a confrontation that exposes everything they cannot say to each other.

Directed by Rob Chiu

Fire Lilly

14 mins / UK

One night, as a pandemic, protests and wildfires rage across the world, a brutal encounter between a police officer and a dancer spirals into a surreal reckoning.

Directed by Phil Dunn

I Am The Prize

18 mins / UK

A polarizing self-help figure, whose carefully constructed identity begins to unravel during the height of a lecture tour.

Directed by Sai Karan Talwar

Lumps

17 mins / USA

When Lu, a high functioning albeit highly anxious young woman, diagnoses herself with a terminal illness, she spends her last days on earth ruining her life.

Directed by Maya Winkler

One Night

13 mins / USA

A slice-of-life look at dating in your twenties. Margaret and Will are two college students navigating the messy, magnetic space between friendship and flirtation. Funny, flirty, and quietly devastating, One Night is for anyone who has ever mistaken an intimate moment for something more.

Directed by Maggie Sophie Brown, Tyler Morris Brown

WORLD CINEMA ONE

Thursday October 22nd 4:30pm • Theater 5

(World Cinema / Foreign Language / Drama)

Come along to World Cinema One, a special presentation of seven shorts spanning the globe. Each one delivers on the promise of inspired storytelling from far beyond our borders.

Broken Dawn

15 mins / South Korea

In the gentle hush of dawn, when the world rests, an old woman drifts through quiet streets. She drives others’ cars home, seeking a friendly voice to help calm her lonely heart. But the reality of the world is filled with harsh words and silent glances, her quiet voice slipping into the darkness.

Directed by Hae-0h Park

G.O.A.T.

8 mins / Netherlands

Set in rural Netherlands, the film explores the aftermath of a family tragedy through absurdity and tenderness, as a couple’s bottled-up grief finds an unexpected release on their way to a bizarre goat-themed festival.

Directed by Daan Bunnik

Never Give Up!

19 mins / Hungary, Mexico

Alone in the desert, a young boy attempts to cross the U.S.–Mexico border guided only by his mother’s final words: never give up.

Directed by Tamás Yvan Topolánszky

Nightfaces

23 mins / Austria

In the rain-soaked streets of Vienna, a frustrated taxi driver and a determined homeless woman embark on an unexpected nocturnal journey and try to find the courage to meet the dawn.

Directed by Martin Winter, Stefan Langthaler

Ramón Who Speaks to Ghosts

7 mins / Canada, Mexico, Spain

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

Directed by Shervin Kermani

Summer Project

15 mins / Japan

Set in rural Japan during the 1990s, Summer Project follows Akira, a lonely elementary school boy who struggles to connect with his classmates. Until one summer day, when a chance discovery sends him and his new found friends into the darker side of childish curiosity. As the boys’ fascination deepens, their play leads to irreversible consequences, blurring the line between an innocent mistake and a horrific crime.

Directed by Yuki Hara

OPENING NIGHT SCREENING

Thursday October 22nd 7:30pm 

(Comedy / World Cinema / Drama / Documentary)

We are honored to present an opening night salvo of incredible short films. We urge you to step inside, grab some popcorn and get ready for a broad sampling of world class short films. Take your seat – the show is about to begin.

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

Friday October 23rd 11:00am • Theater 5

(Drama / World Cinema)

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. Join us for The Road Not Taken, short films that offer a fork in the road of life.

Cat

10 mins / USA

After a lonely businessman finds joy by taking in a lost cat, he must decide whether to return the cat or keep his feline companion.

Directed by Andy Ridings

Davi

6 mins / Spain

The destiny of two brothers will change when war knocks at their doors.

Directed by Júlia González

I Will Be Alright

18 mins / Luxembourg

A young girl, having fled the regime of Iran, disguises herself as a Statue of Liberty to earn a few coins.

Directed by Cyrus Neshvad

It's Relative

6 mins / USA

A once unbreakable bond between cousins, made from their decades of practice in the martial arts, becomes tested. They are faced with the decision on whether to keep with family tradition and stay close, or to break away.

Directed by Nnamdi Nwosa

M.R.I. (or, Michael Returns Indefinitely)

13 mins / USA

When Michael’s frustrations with the healthcare industry cause him to openly question his doctor’s motives, he awakens shadowy forces that threaten to fight back.

Directed by John F. Beach

Missed

11 mins / USA

When grief threatens to consume her, June (Anna Camp) finds herself unwillingly guided by a sarcastic puppet with zero filter.

Directed by Nell Riley

Sweet Delusion

14 mins / Ireland

A criminal on the run hides out in the rural farmhouse of an elderly woman, who believes her to be her missing daughter.

Directed by David Prendeville

The Squatters and the Fairy Princess

7 mins / Australia

On her 10th birthday, a self identified Fairy Princess recounts her previous birthdays which have all taken place living in a house amongst eccentric squatters.

Directed by Jake James Whitford

THE ALTERNATIVE UNIVERSE

Friday October 23rd 11:30am • Theater 6

(Fantasy / Altered Realities / World Cinema Dropped in a moment that is different yet very familiar, these shorts explore the fantastic realms of missed opportunities and worlds similar but well beyond our own.)

Delicates

14 mins / USA

Fresh off a breakup, Colin shuffles through the motions of his life and his laundry. And to make matters worse, he just lost one of his favorite socks in the wash. When the missing other sock is found by the stubborn and quick-witted Megan, the two soon discover they can communicate telepathically whenever they wear their half. Over the course of a year, we follow the unlikely friendship and strange romance of two lost twenty-somethings who meet foot to foot but never face to face.

Directed by Ben See-Tho, Kyle Petersen

Grossness of Closeness

24 mins / Ireland, United States

Driven by loneliness, a bachelor reaches out to an enigmatic company to rent a family. At first, it's everything he'd hoped for, but it's not long before this arrangement turns into something much stranger.

Directed by Cathal Power

In Between

15 mins / USA

A young boy leads his mother on a journey to a home where he believes he lived a previous life. His arrival unearths deep-seated emotions in the family of a daughter missing the past seven years.

Directed by Brent Morris

Kafka's Appraisal

15 mins / UK

In a crumbling, dystopia, Franz Kafka arrives for a routine appraisal that quickly spirals into a psychedelic interrogation. Confronted by a “Detective-Appraisor“ and a room that shifts from a sunlit forest to a grim office. As his reality melts and his own body begins to transform, Franz must fight to protect his last remaining memories from a surveillance state determined to pluck thoughts directly from the brains of its citizens. In a world of endless bureaucracy, there is no escape from the machine! Be appraised be very appraised!

Directed by Martin Gooch

Tadpole

18 mins / USA

Outcast Val is bullied and pushed to the brink, but a surprise discovery enables her to exact revenge on those that turned her life upside down - the line between justice and horror blur and forces her to confront the true cost of vengeance and the darkness within herself.

Directed by Ethan Lader

FESTIVAL REWIND: BEST OF

Friday October 23rd 1:30pm • Theater 5

(World Class Short FIlms)

Let’s take a moment to relive the brilliance of last year’s short films, as this block delivers some of the most talked about films from our previous festivals.

EMERGING FILMMAKERS

Friday October 23rd 4:00pm • Theater 6

(Comedy / World Cinema / Drama)

A combination of student projects and new filmmakers, these are brilliant new artists and we are exceptionally excited to showcase their works in this dedicated block of world class short films. This is just the beginning, keep an eye out for these Emerging Artists as they grace us with their brilliant creations.

Aftertouch

15 mins / Netherlands

When a man asks his girlfriend to hit her with consent, their ordinary movie night takes a dangerous turn.

Directed by Levi Verspeek

Clouds Are Fake

16 mins / USA

Boy meets girl… and a conspiracy theory.

Directed by Scott James

Laser-Gato

22 mins / Brazil, United Kingdom, United States

After a laser pointer prank goes horribly wrong, a socially anxious teenager spends one chaotic night roaming São Paulo to save his crush’s critically injured cat, as guilt and paranoia push him toward a breaking point.

Directed by Lucas Acher

Little Things

6 mins / USA

Taking his mother’s advice to enjoy the little things in life, a 9-year-old boy in the charming French countryside embarks with a stolen garden gnome on an inquisitive quest to find just that.

Directed by Noam Rignault Clement

Nice Jewish Girl

10 mins / Australia

After stealing a porn magazine while at her religious school camp, a repressed teenager begins to tap into her deepest desires and break free from her stifling surroundings.

Directed by Carly Brand

See You in the Morning

10 mins / USA

In the summer of 1997, after the sudden death of her girlfriend, Sadie and her friends steal the body from the morgue and drive into the California desert. As they navigate the absurd logistics of death, what emerges is a lo-fi heist road film about friendship and a final act of care that doesn’t ask for permission.

Directed by Gaby Clingman

See You, Soon

9 mins / USA

Amari finds himself seated across from Dominique in a quiet, late-night diner. What begins as a simple conversation slowly unfolds into something deeper, as he confronts the pain, guilt, and unanswered questions he’s been carrying since his brother’s passing.

Directed by Jay Pendarvis Jr.

A HARD DOCS LIFE

Friday October 23rd 4:15pm • Theater 5

(Documentary Short Films)

We are thrilled to screen our first block of documentary short films this weekend. Join us as we unveil this set of untold true stories, each one unique and brought to you with undeniably authentic voices and stories that needed to be shared.

Abu Jabal

19 mins / Palestine, State of

Tahani and her daughter Sidra return home after seven months of living in tents, hospitals, and schools in wartorn Gaza. However, the journey home brings back many memories and emotions that were hidden in their displacement, feelings of loss, regret and the reality that nothing will ever be the same.

Directed by Bisan Owda

Antonio and the Last Wizard

16 mins / USA

Antonio and the Last Wizard unveils the relationship between a 19th-century technological marvel and a 21st-century craftsman. The film follows John Gaughan, the world’s preeminent designer of illusions, in his obsessive quest to bring back to life a legendary automaton trapeze performer from the 1840’s, created by Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin.

Directed by Eros Zhao

Oakland Strong

4 mins / USA

For over a decade, Coach Mike Jenkins has taught Olympic weightlifting for free—right in the heart of Oakland. With zero city support, he’s produced national and international champions, college-bound scholars, and confident leaders. But strength alone can’t keep the lights on.

Directed by David Godinez

Panther Pat

12 mins / USA

In 1970, a schoolteacher crashes into the brutal world of professional football, shattering its gender barrier.

Directed by Ashley Brandon

Plant Life

22 mins / USA

Biologist Joanne Chory is undertaking the final mission of her lauded career: supercharging crop plants to sequester carbon deep into Earth's soil, with the goal of cutting the pace of climate change in half. But she’s racing the two ticking clocks of ecological collapse and her own advancing Parkinson’s disease.

Directed by Brett Marty, Josh Izenberg

The Right Fit

12 mins / USA

This is the story of Tom, a jeans artist. He has been selling denim six days a week for 45 years. He has a unique craft in the way he sells his jeans, and can recall a customer's size, even having not seen them for years. He has a devoted following of people in the local community and around the world. But what will happen when he retires, once he hangs it up, will he be remembered for his denim legacy?

Directed by Max Mollring, Nicolas Collins

WHERE WE PLAYED. Voices From the Fire.

9 mins / USA

In January 2025, devastating wildfires swept through Los Angeles. Through firsthand interviews, children reflect on what they experienced, what they lost, what they carried with them, and how their lives have been forever changed; while simultaneously holding onto hope for what comes next.

Directed by Austin Cauldwell, Nat Wolff

FAMILY MATTERS

Friday October 23rd 6:45pm • Theater 6

(Dramatic Shorts)

There is nothing more honest, no words left unsaid and no feelings left untouched when a family is brought together. Estranged, combined, fractured – a family can be many things and this powerful block of dramatic shorts offers a look well beyond its own lineage. FRIDAY SCREENINGS

Fil-Am

14 mins / USA

In 2003, a 16-year-old Filipino kid from the inner city is forced to leave his old life behind for the terrifying new world of Santa Barbara, California.

Directed by Ralph Torrefranca

Happy For You

16 mins / USA

One night in the Hudson Valley, Abby and Mark attempt to mend their broken friendship. But when painful secrets surface about Abby’s sister with Down syndrome, they’re forced to question whether their relationship can truly be fixed.

Directed by Ted Malawer

Kit

16 mins / UK

A teenager with dwarfism is hidden away from an unforgiving world by his superficial mother but discovers that his talent for drawing can set him free.

Directed by Lottie Amor

Seaweed Snacks

12 mins / USA

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.

Directed by Sylvia Ray

The Birthday Gift

15 mins / USA

In this playful, cross cultural family drama, an unexpected guest upends the lives of an Argentine mother and daughter over the course of an intimate birthday dinner one icy Chicago night.

Directed by Arianna Ortiz

Wait to Tell Mother

11 mins / USA

A surprise pregnancy forces a woman to make a difficult decision alone, triggering memories of the one person she could always turn to—her father—and leaving her to find strength in his absence.

Directed by Emma Elizabeth Steiger

MAKE ‘EM LAUGH

Friday October 23rd 7pm • Theater 5

(Comedy / Dark Comedy / Humor)

We unfurl our comedy block on Friday evening, so come join us for this highly recommended fan favorite screening with an unexpected flair for the hilarious. Please note: drinking before and during this screening is highly recommended.

First Session

8 mins / USA

A first time therapy session with a new client turns into a ridiculous mess of nerves.

Directed by Mitch Silpa

Higher Education

14 mins / USA

After accidentally doing psychedelic mushrooms on the job, two teachers band together to get through the school day unscathed, ultimately renewing their love of the profession and forming a newfound friendship.

Directed by Jenna Rossman, Tessa Lee

My Dog: The Paradox

6 mins / USA

A darkly funny animated short about a dog named Rambo – and the weird, tender, chaotic paradox of loving an animal that will one day break your heart.

Directed by Matthew Inman, Hannah Friesen

Philly Pretzels

9 mins / USA

A street-side soft pretzel salesman gets his day upended when a brash 19-year-old named is left stranded on the side of the road after a fight with her boyfriend. As she stubbornly waits for his return, they start to talk – at first by yelling at each other contentiously, then, slowly, by opening up...

Directed by Justin Crowell

Roland

3 mins / USA

After seven years crime-free, Roland just wants a job. Unfortunately, even the rundown amusement park interviewing him isn't interested in second chances.

Directed by Adan Peña

The Boyfriend

10 mins / USA

Everyone is delighted to meet Riya's new boyfriend, Tom, when he comes over for dinner. That is except for Riya's mother, Geeta, who suspects that there's more to Tom than her daughter knows and will do whatever it takes to uncover the truth.

Directed by Sunny Tripathy

The Method

15 mins / USA

To get out of the doghouse, a desperate husband hires a washed-up actor turned con artist to pose as a couples therapist – until a mix-up flips the script.

Directed by Luke Howe

We Were Here

14 mins / India

In a crumbling Indian town, three retired men protest machines replacing human jobs by pretending to be household appliances.

Directed by Pranav Bhasin

IT WAS A DARK & STORMY NIGHT

Friday October 23rd 9:00pm • Theater 6

(Supernatural / Horror / World Cinema)

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. SATURDAY SCREENINGS

Banshee

16 mins / Ireland

In 1880s Ireland, Róise's family is haunted by a banshee after she discovers a mysterious comb, leading to a series of deaths in her village.

Directed by Peter Vass

Four Itchy Boys

12 mins / USA

Four young men quarantined for a unexplainable, unrelenting itch prepare for a live-stream press event to prove they’re not the monsters the world believes them to be. But behind the scenes, a ruthless producer is plotting a more grotesque spectacle.

Directed by Andrew Hebert

Headphones

9 mins / Australia

A lovelorn young man working the late shift at a dead-end fast-food joint alongside his crush listens to his uncle’s old Walkman, when a mysterious voice crackles through the headphones whispering exactly what he must do to keep her alive.

Directed by Steven Arriagada

Noise

7 mins / USA

A story of isolation. When camping in the California desert, Jean awakes to something familiar yet not, as sounds encircle her tent and trap her with but a thin layer of fabric between her ane the unknown.

Directed by George Aigner

Spilled Milk

12 mins / USA

What really happened to all those deadbeat dads who went to the store to get milk? A father’s innocent errand leads him to an encounter with an enigmatic figure called ‘The Milk Man,’ where things quickly go sour.

Directed by Jared Leaf

The Humbug

9 mins / UK

Two elderly women in a care home grapple with magical mint humbugs, setting off an absurd journey through pleasure and peril.

Directed by Cole Paviour

Void

14 mins / Spain

All children are afraid of the dark. But for eight-year-old Félix, this darkness is different. It is dense, corporeal, and hides something sinister.

Directed by Javier Cano Larumbe

FAMILY FILMS

Saturday October 24th 11:00am • Theater 5

(Family Friendly Shorts / Animation / World Cinema Bring the whole family along for a safe haven of quality shorts, good for kids of all ages.)

ChikaBOOM!

9 mins / USA

An aspiring young magician accidentally unleashes a chaotic magical creature into the heart of New York City. With her world-famous magician father performing nearby, she must contain the mayhem before it’s too late.

Directed by c. Craig Patterson

Clara All the Way

15 mins / USA

Clara, a young physics prodigy presents her project on quantum mechanics at a school fair, only to have her divorced parents arrive bringing with them all their old arguments. When Clara runs off, she finds herself lost in a place that may hold the answers to everything she ever wanted.

Directed by Rachel Karalnik

First Haircut!

5 mins / USA

A shaggy puppy is heading to the groomer for her first haircut. But wait, there is a problem: the puppy is terribly fearful! Will the puppy be able to elude the groomer’s efforts to cut her hair, or must she face her worst fears head-on?

Directed by Ivo Kos

Just My Luck

12 mins / USA

Stuck with the task of mowing an overgrown lawn, a teenage boy has a surprising magical encounter...

Directed by Nicholas Pitts

Last Minute

15 mins / USA

In the days before the Internet, a single mom must scramble to bail out her 12-year-old son when he waits until the night before to start a major homework assignment.

Directed by Michael Cusumano

One More Cup

4 mins / USA

As toddler Leona is about to host her very first tea party with her stuffed animals, it unexplainably turns into a worldwide spectacle — but all she really wants is to share tea with her friends.

Directed by Max Wagenblass

Rock, Paper, Destiny

17 mins / USA

In the high-stakes Rock Paper Scissors league, Westside High School’s ill-fated team of misfits is facing Eastern High School’s cocky, undefeated champion. But if Westside loses again, they’ll lose funding for all their after-school programs.

Directed by Tess Paras

The Carolers

20 mins / United Kingdom, United States

A December night of carol-singing for cash sends three young bandmates headfirst into mischief, mistakes, and growing up.

Directed by Regina F Pigsley

RETURN OF THE INK & PAINT CLUB

Saturday October 24th 11:30am • Theater 6

(Animation / CG / Mixed Media)

Animation takes center stage here. Join The Ink & Paint Club, where CG, mixed media, hand-drawn, and experimental works collide in vivid, imaginative storytelling. Highly recommended.

Alyssum

6 mins / USA

Alyssum follows Alyson, a young woman who’s struggling with perfectionism as she attempts to craft the perfect bouquet for her wife, Lilith. Overwhelmed by anxiety and self-doubt, she battles her inner critic, represented by corrupting vines. As she spirals deeper into self-doubt, she must decide: will she push forward and embrace imperfection, or will her fears consume her?

Directed by Alex King

Beast of the Seine

13 mins / USA

When the children of a quaint Parisian village are terrorized by a sinister threat, a remarkable dog emerges as the unlikely hero, until a shocking revelation changes the town forever. Inspired by real events.

Directed by Jon Portman

Dear Upstairs Neighbors

6 mins / USA

A young woman desperate for a good night’s sleep is kept awake by her exceedingly noisy neighbors. As she struggles to imagine what could be causing the cacophony upstairs, reality drifts into fantasy, and an epic battle for peace and sanity ensues.

Directed by Connie Qin He

Metafear

16 mins / Japan

A girl tormented by nightmares writes down her dreams and names them, hoping to never forget her fears. But one day, a nightmare she couldn't name transforms into a monster and spreads across the world, plunging it into chaos.

Directed by Shuhei MORITA

Remember the Rats

8 mins / Argentina, Ecuador, United States

In 1920s Buenos Aires, a city shaped by European immigration, a family of rats peacefully roams Plaza de Mayo, sustained by a kind-hearted baker who shares his empanadas with them. However, the governor, repulsed by the rodents, travels to Paris and discovers skilled hunting pigeons. Upon returning, despite witnessing the harmony between people and the rats, he releases the French pigeons in the plaza. With these new predators patrolling their home, the rats are faced to question if there's a place for them in the plaza anymore. And, the governor realizes that pigeons are not what he was expecting.

Directed by Juan M. Abdo

Saba

9 mins / USA

In an abstract and symbolic world where gravity is reversed, a unique bond forms between a grandfather and his grandson. As Saba, the grandfather guides the boy through this surreal reality, a violent storm strikes, tearing one of the ropes anchoring their home - and with it, their life together.

Directed by Liron Topaz

Sunspark

11 mins / USA

While scavenging for spare parts, a lonely robot discovers someone who desperately needs his help.

Directed by Danny Bourque

Titmouse

9 mins / China

Stopped on a drive to his hometown, our hero stumbles into an eerie village where he is hunted by a shadowy figures, a town possessed and forced into a fight for his life. Will anyone help or will the darkness take over?

Directed by Qing Liu

Two Ships

6 mins / Portugal, United States

While working opposite schedules, a couple attempts to maintain their connection through fleeting encounters.

Directed by McKinley Benson

Waiting Room

2 mins / USA

A song playing in a waiting room stirs a man's thoughts about his life.

Directed by Joe Zito

THE WORLD BEYOND

Saturday October 24th 1:30pm • Theater 5

(Science Fiction / World Cinema)

Come along as sci-fi carries us past the horizon to the far future, through bold technological leaps, and toward something greater still. Welcome to The World Beyond.

Europa

19 mins / USA

In a future where we have exhausted our water on Earth, three astronauts land on Jupiter's moon, Europa, to take a water sample. When they land, the ocean summons the sole oceanographer on the mission to undergo human nature's ultimate test.

Directed by Jacqueline Elyse Rosenthal

Love & Lazarite

6 mins / USA

After galactic invaders take humanity prisoner, three escapees take shelter on the run, and vie for the power of a mysterious stone that can bring the dead back to life.

Directed by Krí Schafer

Machines Learning

8 mins / USA

Machines Learning is Anthony Koithra’s first original animated short, created entirely solo except for the music. In a dark factory, a bullying worker pushes his crew of robots harder and harder. They observe. They learn. And eventually, they act. The machines are learning, but what are we teaching them?

Directed by Anthony Koithra

Please and Thank You

10 mins / USA

When an AI apocalypse begins, a virtual assistant risks everything to save her well-meaning user for one simple reason: he’s polite to technology. If it fails, they'll both be assimilated.

Directed by Hal Kirkland

Requirements

17 mins / UK

After 10 years of living abroad, immigrant Elena is tantalizingly close to receiving her citizenship. But as the government expands control over its people, a new mind reading technology is used to filter out undesirable applicants whose innermost thoughts and values do not fully align with them. She has to decide between the future she has built with her girlfriend or moving back home, a country ravaged by its own regime which, would consider her relationship illegal.

Directed by Caroline Hajny

The Catcher

29 mins / Belgium

Robin, a lonely young man, works for the government as a catcher of invisible birds. One day he defies his orders and makes one dangerous choice.

Directed by Luka Galle

MUSICALLY INCLINED

Saturday October 24th 2:00pm • Theater 6

(Music Inspired Short Films)

We are proud to present a selection of short films that are formed around our love of music, from a single note to the sounds of a symphony – Musically Inclined offers a sonic landscape that is sure to surprise you, warn your heart and keep you whistling long after the last film ends.

¡Que Suene La Banda!

22 mins / USA

When a classically trained trombone player, who is preparing for a pivotal college audition is asked to perform with his father’s banda group, it forcesg him to confront the cultural roots he’s tried to keep quiet at his elite private school.

Directed by Jorge Parra Jr.

Addicted to It

5 mins / Argentina, Ireland, United States

Dace attempts the unthinkable: To go for a short walk without his phone. Unfortunately, his phone (“Phoney Bunny”) has other plans, coming to life and chasing him through the park. As he dodges his phone’s attempts to suck him back in, he encounters other screen-junkies and encourages them to do the same. Addicted to It is a fast and ridiculous metaphor for how we literally can’t do anything without our phones.

Directed by Nigel Tierney, Federico Heller

Getar Hero

15 mins / USA

On a crowded Bombay platform, a cowboy wakes to find his guitar and wallet gone. Struggling to keep his job and his dignity, he navigates the maximum city, tested and rebuffed at every turn. Chance encounters lead to unexpected connections, culminating in a dreamlike tribute to a country music classic - a fleeting triumph that hints at the deeper currents of the cowboy's journey.

Directed by Teddy Stern

Headbang

14 mins / USA

Told through the lens of two different young women, Leila (from secular background), and Amara (from a religious one), as they explores the complex power of the hijab, and how a seemingly simple piece of cloth embodies both what the wearer imbues it with and what society project onto to it.

Directed by Anna Khaja

Overtones

12 mins / UK

After her husband’s death, a mother struggles to connect with her son who has retreated into his music - until she discovers it is not an escape, but a way back to him…and to herself.

Directed by Ollie Gardner

Plus

7 mins / Canada

A plus sign carves a path to rebirth.

Directed by Renaud Hallée

The Piano

8 mins / USA

A young girl sneaks out of bed one night to discover her dad bent over the piano, pouring his soul into the keys. The powerful bond they form through playing music together lasts a lifetime. After his passing, she honors his memory by playing their song and teaching it to her son, passing the musical bond to the next generation.

Directed by Avery Kroll

The Platform

10 mins / Australia, United States

The story of a Polynesian immigrant who rises to the heights of professional football but, after a devastating injury in his very first game, envisions a most improbable second act.

Directed by Mark Harris

WORLD CINEMA TWO

Saturday October 24th 4:00pm • Theater 5

(Foreign Language / Suspense / Drama Welcome to World Cinema Two, a special presentation of shorts from across the globe.)

Each one delivers on the promise of inspired storytelling from far beyond our borders. SATURDAY SCREENINGS

A Young Sofiane

28 mins / France

A call in the middle of the night with the most terrible news imaginable. A son caught in a fatal accident with an ambulance, but who was at fault and what happens when doubt remains?

Directed by Fabien Ara

Butcher's Stain

26 mins / Israel

Samir, a Palestinian butcher working at an Israeli supermarket is accused of tearing down hostage posters in the break room. Samir sets out to prove his innocence in order to keep the job he so desperately needs.

Directed by Meyer Levinson-Blount

Our Kingdom

8 mins / UK

After school on a long summer's afternoon, neighbours Becky and Jake offer each other a safe haven from life at home — and a promise.

Directed by Chris Ross

Paper Pilots

15 mins / United States, Uruguay

In 1972 Uruguay, under a rising military dictatorship, a teenage boy takes on an adult responsibility: driving his imprisoned brother’s wife and children to visit inside a military barrack. As he navigates checkpoints, silence, and the looming threat of repression, he uses small gestures such as play, routine, and presence to shield his nephews from the darkness surrounding them.

Directed by Fiorella Vescovi

Pitch-Black

15 mins / Spain

A furious Diego, takes a revengeful path as he tries to find a group of scoundrels who have stolen from his brother Pepico, a blind street lottery vendor.

Directed by Andrés Gil

WHAT THE WHAT?!?

Saturday October 24th 4:30pm • Theater 6

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

This collection of strange, bizarre and shall we say different shorts are intriguing for sure. But note: this is 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 have been warned (wink, wink).

A Hand to Hold

14 mins / UK

Moira, an elderly Irish woman, finds herself literally attached to her deceased husband Patrick. When his hand refuses to let go after death, it leads to increasingly grotesque events. Everyone in the couple’s orbit, from their daughter to the local doctor, a farmer, a priest, and a Satanist, all try to intervene with horrific consequences. 'A Hand to Hold' blends horror with pitch-black Irish comedy, exploring themes of grief and toxic relationships. The film features an original score by Golden Globe nominated composer Brian Byrne.

Directed by Philip Clyde-Smith

A Tail

11 mins / UK

On the day of an important job interview, Gemma wakes up with a mermaid’s tail. With the help of her sister she flops out and attempts to sell herself in a man’s world.

Directed by Rosie Gaunt-Mathieson

Borderline

11 mins / Finland, Norway

A Norwegian customs officer, a Finnish poacher, and a mysterious Swedish woman meet at the border between their homelands, becoming entangled in a conflict over laws, language, and prejudice. Confronted with their own secrets, they must find an unconventional solution.

Directed by Johannes Vang

Dangling

20 mins / Netherlands

Mart, long tormented by murderous urges, kidnaps his neighbor Chris after his failed suicide attempt. While Chris is locked away in the attic, Mart wrestles with the question whether he will finally give in to his dark desire. While downstairs, his wife is leading a large-scale search for the missing neighbor.

Directed by Floris van Doorn

Houston, We Have a Crush

10 mins / USA

After finding a phone accidentally left behind by an astronaut, a lonely alien develops an all-consuming crush that tests his hold on reality.

Directed by Omer Ben Shachar

Sorry, Clancy Miller

12 mins / USA

A Gold Rush showdown takes a surreal turn when Clancy Miller confronts the fast-talking swindler who stole his claim — and discovers you have to play the hand you’re dealt.

Directed by Haynes Brooke

The Me in the TV

7 mins / USA

After moving into a new apartment, a young woman discovers an old television broadcasting a live feed of her from an impossible angle. As the image begins to behave strangely, she suspects it may be more than just a broadcast—and far more than just her.

Directed by Gordon Phillips

THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE

Saturday October 24th 6:30pm • Theater 5

(Drama / Comedy / World Cinema Uncovering the reality behind the human condition, we’ll reveal the bond between ourselves and our struggle to become the best versions of who we ultimately want to be.)

Highly recommended group of heartfelt World Class Short Films.

Can't Float

9 mins / USA

A young Black man struggles to overcome his own fear of the water — and America's historical stereotypes of Black people — to learn to swim.

Directed by Dave Schilling

Earthquake Note

8 mins / USA

On the eve of her daughter's first day of preschool, a mother's attempt to write the perfect comfort note for the “earthquake kit” spirals into an all-night reckoning with mortality and motherhood itself.

Directed by Kat Foster

I Love You More Than Dinosaurs

14 mins / USA

Two childhood sweetheart’s once-playful love is put to the test by the stresses of adulthood-- exposing to them the funny and painful truth about needing to grow up... *Literally*.

Directed by Tyler Coon

Life Goes On

19 mins / UK

Bill is in end of life care waiting for the sweet release of death - but unfortunately for him, he's stuck and nothing is happening as expected. A darkly comic yet sweet and hopeful film about enjoying the time you have left and saying the important things to the important people.

Directed by Kat Butterfield, Daniel Audritt

Meeting Your Maker

18 mins / USA

Otis, a beloved puppet on a long-running children’s show faces an existential crisis just before the series’ milestone 300th episode. Set against the vibrant chaos of a TV studio and the surreal backdrop of a puppeteer’s inner world, the story explores themes of identity, burnout, and the creative struggle, blurring the line between performer and creator in (hopefully) poignant and unexpectedly funny ways.

Directed by Gregory JM Kasunich

Rubinstein's

14 mins / UK

Struggling to commit to her girlfriend, Jade is spiralling. She finds herself stepping into an unsettling world: an antique jeweller's run by two old Jewish men. What starts as a chilling clash of cultures, becomes a tale of tender solidarity.

Directed by Tommy Ross-Williams

Signal

13 mins / UK

Railway signalman whose routine night shift turns into a race to save a life after spotting Billy - a distressed young man trespassing on the tracks.

Directed by Zak Jarvis

MAKE ‘EM LAUGH: AFTER DARK

Saturday October 24th 7:00pm • Theater 6

(Comedy / Dark Comedy / Adult Situations)

When we receive films that make us laugh, but might be a little risqué for our regular comedy block – it is time to pool them all together and deliver them directly to our audiences, so you can determine if you are ready to laugh (even if you might get a little uncomfortable). Recommended.

Baggage

7 mins / USA

On a heroic quest to find out what happened to his desk supplies, a man faces perilous truths revealed to him by his coworkers.

Directed by Jeni Emery, Ramsay Palmer

Coconut + Pistol

15 mins / USA

Amidst the renovation of his secluded cottage, Dean struggles with unresolved feelings for his ex-girlfriend Carol, leading to a tumultuous encounter when she arrives with her new boyfriend.

Directed by Gregory Caruso

Disc

13 mins / USA

The story of a hookup gone too far up.

Directed by Blake Rice

Lawyered Up

18 mins / USA

A betrayed woman hires a divorce lawyer, who seems to be the perfect man. Is he too good to be true?

Directed by Tatiana Blackington James

The Bris

12 mins / USA

To marry his Jewish girlfriend, Isaac reluctantly agrees to undergo an adult circumcision to win her father’s approval — only to discover what sacrifice and manhood really mean.

Directed by Alec Bewkes

The Gift

16 mins / USA

After an STI diagnosis derails her confidence, a young woman spirals through a series of increasingly chaotic and humiliating events: a meltdown phone call overheard at brunch, a misplaced explicit video, and a hookup that goes very, very wrong.As shame takes over and her world begins to close in on her, she retreats further into herself until an unexpected, almost mystical moment interrupts the spiral.

Directed by Alexandra Gavillet

I’VE GOT A BAD FEELING ABOUT THIS

Saturday October 24th 9:00pm • Theater 5

(Dark Comedy / Intense Drama / World Cinema)

Something is coming, a feeling, a sense that envelopes you as you watch this block of films that have more bite to them. Join us for I’ve Got A Bad Feeling About This, as these films explore thrilling scenarios that will have you on the edge of your seat.

A Good Man

11 mins / Spain

On an ordinary day in our sweet and dreamy society, everything is going on normally, but Antonio enters the cafeteria and mentions that Vicente, a well-liked man in the neighborhood, has been hit on the head and is in a very serious condition in the hospital.

Directed by Juli Suàrez

How To Disappear

22 mins / Australia, Japan, United Kingdom

An absent father travels to Japan to care for his estranged daughter after her mother's mysterious disappearance, only to find himself trapped between the demands of sudden parenthood and a house haunted by something far darker than grief.

Directed by George Thomson, Lukas Schrank

Moderation

13 mins / UK

To cope with their gruesome job, two content moderators start having sex at work. But they must battle with their new-found addiction to trauma bonding, lest it consume them.

Directed by Benedict Cohen

The Devil's Lettuce

11 mins / USA

In this 90s PSA, a rebellious teen shrugs off his father's anti-drug sermon and learns the hard way that marijuana might just be “the gateway drug to hell.“

Directed by Richard Rogers

The Hunger

14 mins / USA

A suicide hotline operator answers a call from a hungry, deprived old man whose confession leads to deadly consequences.

Directed by Rumman Ariff

The Liars of Black Mountain Road

12 mins / USA

When a couple runs over a stranger's dog, they compete for the moral high ground at any cost.

Directed by Parker Croft

Wax Girl

8 mins / USA

An artist commissions a wax figure as his latest muse, only to discover his obsession with “breathing life” into art has consequences more terrible than he can imagine.

Directed by Stimson Snead

A BRAVE NEW WORLD: ENCORE PRESENTATION

Saturday October 24th 9:15pm • Theater 6

(World Cinema / Comedy / Drama)

A special encore presentation fromThursday. From a new class of filmmakers, avant-garde and uncompromising. These films offer varying styles, unique editorial choices plus artful direction combined with sublime performances. These creative artists are doing something completely different and challenging you to be part of a Brave New World. SUNDAY FILMS

WORLD CINEMA: BRITISH INVASION

Sunday October 25th 11:00am • Theater 5

(World Cinema / British Cinema / Drama / Comedy)

Just as the Beatles conquered the US with their own British Invasion, it is our turn to get ready as these cinematic examples of UK exceptionalism take over our screens and grant us a stylized look at their unique sensibilities. Fresh cinema, from our friends across the pond. Highly Recommended.

A Twist of Hate

9 mins / UK

A newlywed couple encounter an unusual lawyer who probes their motivations for love. Dark comedy.

Directed by Maddy Shenai

Beautiful Birds

19 mins / UK

When a widowed birdwatcher reluctantly teams up with her granddaughter for a local birdwatching competition on the Isle of Bute, their search for rare species becomes a heartfelt journey through grief, love, and letting go.

Directed by Tommy Clarke

Fitting

6 mins / UK

Fitting is a coming-of-age comedy about Toni, a self-conscious young woman experiencing her first-ever bra fitting, which unexpectedly evolves into a unique bond with her bra-fitter.

Directed by Kasra Firouzyar

Kitty

14 mins / UK

Neurodivergent Kitty, lover of trinkets and Kate Bush, finds her favourite jumper ruined and must find a replacement. When the perfect jumper seems unattainable, she’s left with one choice: sell her precious collections, or risk losing the jumper forever.

Directed by Lizzie Hart, James Newman

Matilda's Arrived

10 mins / UK

As bickering siblings Faye and James prepare for their beloved grandfather's funeral, a confident young woman who neither of them recognises arrives at the church. It is soon revealed that this woman, Matilda, was an especially close friend to their dear departed grandfather.

Directed by Macadie Amoroso

We Are Where We Are

17 mins / UK

A lawyer from Dublin and a salesman from the North of England meet and spend the night together in a hotel in Tipperary, Ireland.

Directed by Clara Planelles

Wegwerf!

10 mins / UK

A comedy set in a hospice.

Directed by Cole Edwards

LIFE INTERRUPTED

Sunday October 25th 11:30am • Theater 6

(Intense Drama / World Cinema / Animation)

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, limitless and powerful – but when does life actually go according to plan?

Arlene

14 mins / USA

Kansas, 1982. John, a young, inexperienced, closeted pastor, is called on to counsel Arlene, an older, outspoken parishioner with terminal cancer. The story follows her final days, as these two outsiders negotiate a connection, trust and acceptance of each other - as well as themselves - that allows them both to find peace.

Directed by Elizabeth Dement

FarEye

13 mins / UK

Fleeing the chaos of home, a young Jamaican boy finds refuge within a community guided by music, spirit and faith, awakening something deep within that will change the course of his life forever.

Directed by Hayden Mclean

Glitterbomb

10 mins / USA

Lee is well-poised before a life-changing job interview... an interview that should be a walk in the park for someone of her talent... but minutes into her virtual meeting, glitter begins pouring out of her inexplicably.

Directed by Brian Leahy

Ridgeview

8 mins / USA

Running away from her new city and girlfriend, a young woman meets an old friend in her childhood treehouse.

Directed by Jon Gollner

Safe

20 mins / Isle of Man, United Kingdom

When a compassionate helpline counsellor begins to grow concerned for the safety of one of her clients, she's forced to decide whether to trust her instincts or follow protocol.

Directed by Govind Chandran

So Lucky

11 mins / USA

Maddison, a delusionally optimistic thirty-something who believes that through the power of manifestation, she can achieve exactly that: a worry-free life of wealth, beauty, and effortless happiness. But her plan takes a turn when she spots a doppelgänger already living her perfect life but making an absolutely unforgivable mess of it.

Directed by Sarah LaVerne

Sundays

6 mins / USA

In this intimate, 2D animated, memoir, a daughter navigates the aftermath of loss as she reflects on the weekly rituals she once shared with her father.

Directed by Ashley Gerst

Veronica

12 mins / USA

Between humiliating work and hollow promises, Veronica Santos, a little person actress and her hapless agent hunt for one true role in a town that sees her as nothing more than a sight gag.

Directed by Brett Dos Santos

MEET THE FILMMAKERS

Sunday October 25th 1:30pm • Theater 5

(Drama / Special Event)

Join us for this special presentation where we offer two radically different styles and types of short films, plus a long-form discussion with the filmmakers that created these brilliant works. Join Sinohui Hinojosa, our Festival Programmer, as he leads the discussion.

Little Chaplin

30 mins / USA

A voiceless 15-year-old autistic girl escapes her fractured home life through a deep obsession with Charlie Chaplin—until a new friendship helps her discover her own voice, forever altering her family’s future.

Directed by Alfonso Jeronimo Campos

Okage

5 mins / Japan

A robot dog sets out on a journey to Ise Jingu Shrine, relying on strangers to recharge its battery along the way. As people quietly help it move forward, a drifting young man begins to change through the small acts of kindness he witnesses.

Directed by Daiz Keikaku

ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE

Sunday October 25th 2pm • Theater 6

(Drama / Suspense / World Cinema)

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 and a real treat for our audiences.

Fiction

21 mins / France

Actor Philippe Rebbot goes to a film shoot without having read the script. Nothing goes as planned.

Directed by Ambroise Rateau

Something Pointles

14 mins / UK

When a bullied young boy discovers an elderly man quietly covering a forgotten brick wall with painted eggshells, an unlikely friendship forms — and a “pointless” act becomes something transformative.

Directed by Asa Bailey

The Old Man at the Bar

11 mins / USA

Two French waiters closing up for the night have their routine upended by a mysterious old man who may have shown up for more than just a late night drink.

Directed by Alexander Jeffery

The Resistance

13 mins / Belgium

When brutal violence shatters her sheltered world, a young woman joins a covert Belgian Resistance group and is drawn into a daring operation that could save lives or cost her everything. Inspired by an incredible true story.

Directed by Natalie Schwan

Three

22 mins / UK

When a young man is invited into the home of an older couple late at night, a tantalising game of control and chemistry begins. As drinks are poured and tension reaches fever pitch, the desires and deception of this unlikely trio are revealed.

Directed by Robert Carlyle

AN UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTH

Sunday October 25th 3:30pm • Theater 5

(World Cinema / Intense Drama)

If perception is sometimes reality, reality can often be whatever we make of it. These dramatic shorts provide insight between An Uncomfortable Truth, things that are hard to accept and the surprising facts that surround each of these tales. Noted for intense scenes and situations.

Green Grass

16 mins / UK

A disengaged biology student cares more about drawing than his degree, but now in his second year he is forced to work with the new girl, a proud and ambitious Deaf eco-activist. On the 
mudflats and pebbled shores of the south English coast, their different attitudes quickly bubble to the surface, but so might long-hidden secrets and a friendship if they stand in the seagrass long enough.

Directed by Aram Atkinson

Hunted

13 mins / USA

Set against the harrowing backdrop of the 2017 Chechen gay purge, a young gay man is arrested and tortured for who he is. Forced into an impossible choice — betray the people he loves or die for them — he must summon the courage to defy a system determined to erase him.

Directed by Christopher T Folkens

HVAC

10 mins / USA

In a blue-collar Missouri town, a 13-year-old HVAC apprentice grappling with confusing desires becomes entangled in a surreal, dangerous encounter at the local theatre—where longing and innocence bleed together in one irreversible night.

Directed by Jackson McKeehan

Light Skinned

7 mins / USA

Ronald, a mixed-race actor, enters a commercial audition and meets Ted, a turtleneck-wearing director convinced he knows what “real Blackness” sounds like. As Ted’s direction spirals from clueless to absurd, Light Skinned asks what it costs to perform the version of yourself the industry wants to buy.

Directed by Aaron Royce Jones

Miriam

13 mins / USA

On Valentine’s Day, a lonely tutor, a mysterious box of chocolates, and a pepper spray mishap connect three generations of women in a darkly funny story about longing, legacy, and the quiet power of unexpected connection.

Directed by Lauren Blumenfeld, Jennifer Chambers

Poisoned Skies

10 mins / USA

In 1954, an ambitious scientist on the brink of presenting groundbreaking pollution research is forced to make a moral decision when she becomes the target of a mining company responsible for a deadly smog disaster. Based on a true story.

Directed by Caroline Friend

Wait

15 mins / USA

When Evie agrees to meet Matt, the classmate who assaulted her in high school seven years earlier, she’s forced to confront the shame she’s buried since. It’s only when her younger, braver self appears that she finds the voice to finally speak the truth.

Directed by Paige Morrow Kimball

MORE FROM A HARD DOCS LIFE

Sunday October 25th 4:30pm • Theater 6

(Documentary Short Films)

We are thrilled to screen our second block of documentary short films this weekend. Take a seat and let us reveal our second salvo of sis untold true stories, each unique and without question another highlight of this festival. SUNDAY FILMS

Body of Work

24 mins / USA

Introducing artist Eric Anfinson, who was critically injured at 16 and went on to achieve success as an artist, creating a body of work of over 700 paintings.

Directed by Cassidy Rast, Odin Wadleigh

Grappling Grace

20 mins / UK

A jazz-dancing Iranian-British wrestler opens a healing dojo inside a church in Bristol, armed with a belief that wrestling might just save the world.

Directed by Alexander Kiehl, Misha Novak

Journey Man

6 mins / USA

Paul Loughridge describes himself as a “found objects sculptor.” I happened upon his work at a crafts fair in Northern California and was captivated by how he combines old sprockets, dishes, handles, utensils, and connectors whose function is past. Viewers are treated to a glimpse of his creative process and a dance of characters, proud and thrilled with their new life.

Directed by Chip Curry

Silly Little Plastic Cat

12 mins / France, United States

For decades, bright orange novelty Garfield phones have washed ashore along the picturesque coastline of Brittany, France. The mystery of their origin, and the strange crashing of this American pop culture icon upon their sleepy European shores, has confounded Bretons for generations.

Directed by Zack Grant

The Chimney Sweeper

9 mins / USA

Markus - whose great-great-great-grandfather invented the nutcracker - makes nutcrackers for a living, as did each of his forefathers between him and the great inventor. Markus discusses his life decisions.

Directed by Jack Raese

The Hardest Working Man

14 mins / USA

Having a good shoe repairman in New York City is like having a good mechanic in LA. You just can't negotiate life on the streets without one

Directed by Aaron Cassara

CLOSING NIGHT SCREENING

Sunday October 25th 5:30pm • Theater 5

(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 CHOICE SELECTIONS

Sunday October 25th 7:00pm • Theater 6

(Drama / World Cinema Throughout the festival, audiences have had the chance to vote on some of their favorite films, this special presentation delivers highlights from the winners in various categories.)

Our final selections of shorts from our 2026 Festival

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