Sweet Dreams, 34min., USA

Directed by Gary Alvarez

Set in the near future when most people can no longer dream, "Sweet Dreams" follows the story of Esperanza, a young woman who's excited to be a mom for the first time. Weeks before the baby is due, her partner Kiké goes missing. As she searches for him and her savings dwindle, she comes across an opportunity to make some quick money: surrogate dreaming, a new technological advancement which allows her to sell the dreams of her unborn child through a dreamcatcher clinic. After a trial run, Esperanza begins to suspect that the clinic is somehow connected to Kiké's disappearance.

https://www.instagram.com/sweetdreams_film/

What motivated you to make this film?
A conversation I had with my wife when she was about 6 months pregnant with our son, Sol. We discovered that he was dreaming in the womb and that idea blew my mind! I thought it would make a good story and I started writing the script later that night.

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
3 years and 5 months.

How would you describe your film in two words!?
Must watch!

What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
Post-production: from false starts on VFX to losing an AE to scheduling sound design and raising funds to pay for all of it! 

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Shame, 5min., USA
Directed by Kelly Lynn Warren
When a woman is sexually assaulted by a mutual friend the night before, her confrontation with her best friend leads to tragic consequences.

https://www.instagram.com/shametheshortfilm/

Get to know actor/writer/produer Ashna Sharan:

What motivated you to make this film?

I was a peer counselor in college and know of people in my life who have been sexually assaulted. I wanted to raise awareness of the issue and show it from the perspective of two friends instead of focusing on the assailant. The ultimate goal of Shame was to take it to universities and spark dialogue among students.

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

9 months

How would you describe your film in two words!?

must-see, impactful

What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

One of our actors had an emergency and had to back out of filming on Day 1, so I had to recast the same night because we were shooting the next day. Our actor, Sophia Cofino, stepped in and nailed the part.

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Tendon, 13min,. USA
Directed by Jannik Ehret
Recovering addict Rene sees a creature poison the city’s water supply and has to convince his skeptical sister and her no-nonsense boyfriend to stay away from the tap water.

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

I grew up in Germany from where Los Angeles always felt like a mythical place in another world. Through a street racing video game I was first introduced to the LA river; a concrete channel that splits Los Angeles in such a crude and inorganic way. At the time I thought it was an invention of the game designers. Why else would there be a perfect drag racing track going right through the city. Ten years later, when I first saw the LA river in person, I became enchanted by its otherworldly existence.

My parents are spiritual teachers. Witnessing their clashes with “the regular world” has forced me to contemplate the role of “the real” in our emotional lives. To an extent, the “real” is irrelevant if its effect is tangible. The fear we feel from the monster under the bed is happening regardless of the presence of the monster. With that in mind, people should treat the fears of others, no matter how otherworldly, with empathy. Tendon is the merging of my love of sci-fi, the LA river, the homelessness epidemic and my take on the deep seeded fear of not being believed.

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

I played around with the script for about five years. Once I landed on something I liked it only took about a month to get the project to the editing stage. Sound designing and composing was tricky since the film lives between genres but after another 4 months the project was done.

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She Loves Her John, 7min., USA
Directed by Ivan Alejandro Rivero
“She Loves Her John” is a story about redemption, the feelings that arise after betrayal, and the thoughts of moving forward.

https://facebook.com/shelovesherjohn

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Seconds in Eternity, 42min., Estonia/Germany
Directed by Christian Schu
An elegant woman in her later years feels the relentless march of time as she mourns her lost youth and missed chances. Alone in a dimly lit room, her life seems to fade with each cigarette she smokes. She observes a vibrant young woman, envying her youth and vitality. Through her introspections, we explore her deep desires and regrets. The narrative, rich with poetry and flashbacks, takes a dramatic turn with a potential murder, leading to a surprising twist. Despite its dark beginnings as a Film Noir, the film transforms into a celebration of life, ending on a hopeful, life-affirming note.

Hannah Ehman chats with the lead actress of the award winning film “Seconds in Eternity”.

Marina Welsch Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iammarinawelsch/

https://secondsineternity.com/
https://instagram.com/christian_schu_film

——-

Follow Interviewer Hannah Ehman on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ehmanhannah/

Watch Hannah’s commercial spots: https://www.ispot.tv/topic/actor-actress/bP8/hannah-ehman

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Beat Keepers: The Next Chapter, 43min., Canada
Directed by Cindy Goldberg
A powerful and inspiring documentary that follows a group of talented female drummers as they unite for a life-changing three-day retreat in Dallas, Texas. Through the raw energy of rhythm, unwavering mutual support, and a shared passion for music, these women forge deep, lasting connections and celebrate the transformative power of music to heal, empower, and unite.

https://beat-keepers.com/

https://www.instagram.com/cindygoldbergdrummer

https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/audience-feedback-beat-keepers

Get to know the filmmaker;

What motivated you to make this film?
I wanted to spotlight female drummers—many of whom are breast cancer survivors—who lift each other up through rhythm and resilience. Their stories deserved a stage, and I wanted to give them one.

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
Just under a year. It’s a sequel to my 2019 film, building on that foundation with a new chapter, new faces, and a deeper focus on community.

How would you describe your film in two words!?
Bold. Uplifting.

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
Staying true to a tight indie budget.

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Grandpa's Got A Brand New Pill, 9min,. USA

Directed by Jacob McCaslin

Written by Jeffrey Molina

Grandpa's Got A Brand New Pill is a short musical film that features an original song inspired by writer, producer, performer Jeffrey George Moline's eighty year old mother. Grandpa's Got A New Pill tells the story of Tootie, a headstrong, independent woman on the eve of her ninety-sixth birthday. Tootie feels unseen and constrained by the rules and regulations of Shady Nook Retirement Home. With a little help from her friend Awesome Lee Bodacious Queer Country Superstar - Tootie decides to make sure her party has a happy ending!

Interview with: Director Jacob McCaslin, Writer/Performer Jeffrey Moline, Producer Terrence Mark Franklin.

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serpentine, 19min., USA
Directed by Annie Young, Madeline Mack
After leaving an abusive relationship, a woman seeks refuge with a trauma treatment facility that promises healing. But as she learns more about their treatment methods, she starts to realize that the organization’s motivations may be far more sinister than they seem.

Get to know the filmmaker Annie Young:

What motivated you to make this film?

In my 20s, I was in a deeply toxic relationship with someone who spent most of his childhood in a cult. After I managed to leave the relationship, I started to see the parallels between the way I was treated and the ways in which cult leaders attract and keep their followers. I started to take a deep dive into learning about various different cults, consuming as much information I could find. The film was made as an attempt to understand my own experiences, and how easy it is for a vulnerable person to find themself in a situation not dissimilar to this one. There’s much judgment placed on those who experience emotional abuse and psychological manipulation, as if it’s easy to identify in real time, so I was curious how I could portray that feeling to an audience and perhaps elicit some of those emotions in themselves.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

Feedback can always be intimidating to receive, but is so essential for creative growth. I was pleased to hear the feedback received, and I look forward to applying it to the feature-length version.

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Beehold, 18min., USA
Directed by Ben Berry
From his work with local nuns looking for answers about their barren apple trees to his consulting with golf courses in natural habitat management to classrooms, and his own design workshop – he is a true beeliever in the good story – the gospel of abundance as taught by bees and he’s helping protect Wisconsin’s beloved pollinators. It’s called Behold and our story starts here. Humm Productions, in collaboration with Mtn Craft Productions, has pioneered a new media format called DocuPod™. It combines the power of short, immersive documentaries with engaging podcast audio to create a captivating 360-degree experience for audiences.

https://www.hummproductions.org/episodes/
https://www.instagram.com/impactually_show/?hl=en

Get to know Director Ben Berry & Producer Brooke Bechtold:

What motivated you to make this film?

Brooke: Our team wanted our proof-of-concept DocuPodTM to be of a very special person serving his community at large with dignity and focus. We had just finished our Beehold podcast, and we knew that if listeners had the opportunity to see Charlie and feel connected to him that a short video documentary would be the perfect complement. We hoped audiences would adore and respect Charlie’s work protecting pollinators as much as we do. 

Ben: As Brooke mentioned, we wanted to shoot a proof of concept for our DocuPodTM. Once Brooke found Charlie, it was off to the races. Our goal is to approach every DocuPodTM we do thoughtfully—with a certain slowness. We want to allow the audience to be with the character and walk a mile in their shoes. Once Charlie agreed, our motivation became about showing Charlie’s passion and how that passion is lived out day to day. 

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SEEK, 93min,. Japan
Directed by Shane Kosugi
Kyohei Aizawa, an assassin for a covert non-governmental espionage group in Japan called “???” or “SEEK”, is grieving over the loss of his girlfriend from a tragic plane accident.

https://www.instagram.com/shanekosugi/

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?
A: I grew up around the movie industry and always had a passion for watching and making films. Furthermore, I love ACTION movies!

. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
A: From pre-production to the final product took about 1 year.

. How would you describe your film in two words!?
A: Kamikaze Action

What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
A: With all the action in this film and the limited time to film it in due to cast and location constraints.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
A: First of all, Honored. I was so happy that they thought it was exciting, the action was top notch, and that they found the story to be intriguing. All feedback good and bad will help make my future films to be even better.

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Pongo Labyrinth [VTuber KawaiiMermaid120’s Final Livestream], 11min., USA
Directed by Nathan William Frost
An eerie glitchy stop-motion video made by Nathan Frost about a Virtual YouTuber’s final livestream.

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?:

I was inspired to make Pongo Labyrinth from growing up on the internet and seeing it evolve and devolve in real time. Mostly devolve, through online parasocial relationships of creators and Silicon Valley algorithms used to suppressed people In actual need of help. This new era of the internet has led to creators having to bend a knee to algorithms and be someone they’re not. Creators are forced to make quick and sanitized art to keep up with the algorithm. It leads to burnout and kills creativity. It also leads to creators getting addicted to likes and followers as a source of dopamine. Due to the abusive algorithm, some creators lean into their audience/viewers’ support for their own benefit. They become obsessed with power. Only then will viewers see the creators’ true colors as the persona starts to slip, one way or another. I made Pongo Labyrinth to express that mind-numbing horror of losing one’s true self on the internet.

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?:

Pongo Labyrinth took a year to make from the idea stage to the ten minute and 30 second finished work. The idea of an orangutan in a fleshy landscape came to me while at college in biology class for some reason.

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GROCERY SHOPPING, 38min., USA
Directed by Harry Roseman
I am at the grocery store three to five times a week. It has become a ritual, picking out the items, going over the shopping list, interacting with the same people year after year. It seems to me, an important aspect of my and many other people’s lives. Something utterly familiar. Though filmed it becomes somewhat mysterious, seen anew, to be rethought about.

Harry Roseman is a sculptor, photographer, draftsman, practitioner of web based works, and professor of art at Vassar College where he currently chairs the Department of Art. In addition to having had many solo exhibitions, Roseman has produced a number of major commissioned public sculptures.

For more info, go to his Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Roseman

https://www.instagram.com/harryroseman/

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

My work takes many forms. An aspect of some of my work in photography, installation, and film centers on my interactions with people in my community as I go about doing errands. I had done some shorter film focused on checking out at the register with my purchases. These interactions are important to me because of the frequent interactions I have with the same people over months and years. They are specific kinds of relationships, These exchanges have an aspect of friendship, though bracketed by the relatively brief interchanges but enlarged by time and repetition. This film stems from those interactions, but also a way of showing a frequent and mundane activity as being worthy and possibly interesting as art. Possibly giving the viewer a new take on their own regular day to day activities, In addition I found aspects of the visual possibilities rather beautiful, as still lives, such as piles of fruits and vegetables. The added addition of bits of conversation that either I had with people or overheard was also interesting to me.

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SKATE FAST TURN LEFT, 1min., USA
Directed by Mary Hawkins
Two friends, Fifi Fleshwound and Little Mary Switchblade, have a quick conversation about their roller derby years…

http://tookaturn.com/
https://www.instagram.com/thngstookaturn/

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

My friend Andrea came up with Things Took a Turn, and I’d wanted to submit ever since I’d heard about it. It’s an animation anthology for women and gender minorities, and it just sounded like good weird fun… I told Fifi about it, since I’m not a writer-of-things and she is, and we chatted a bunch about ways to react to the prompt for that season: the End of the World. We’d meet in a diner, talk for about fifteen minutes about how we were going to approach the project and then veer off into old derby gossip. Eventually, I told her that we needed to nail things down and while we were at it… why didn’t we make the film about us and our experiences. We’d been coming up with little fictional scenarios, but our actual experience was better and more interesting. We’d put years of work into roller derby. It’s an all-consuming hobby and a really interesting community.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

I loved the reactions! People put so much love and thought into their feedback and I really enjoyed hearing what they had to say, especially since most of the people who’ve talked to me about my film have been people I already have a connection to, either because they’re friends or also played roller derby or live in NYC. To see that total strangers were also interested in my film and really got what it was about really made my morning. My movie is only 45 seconds long. so nearly any description of the film is longer than the film itself.

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KITE, 6min,. Canada
Directed by Jerry Trieus
A short film about a dancer on a mission to experience flight. The journey is disappointing and filled with challenges. The result is a transformation as the dance artist finds strength through perseverance and ultimately freedom.

Get to know writer/producer Virginia Duivenvoorden:

What motivated you to make this film?

Kite began as a stage piece where I incorporated film on stage in the form of projections. I knew that I eventually would like to also see it as a film on its own. It all began as a photograph by Brooke McAllister. in one of the photos, I was wearing a black skirt and dancing with a 7 yard piece of tulle fabric. I loved the photos. In 2021 I decided to choreograph a dance to match them. That’s when Kite was born. When I started the choreography, I was in too much physical pain to think about performing. That’s when Brynne Harper started working on KITE. We spent two years developing the stage piece and we shared it in three different performances two were outdoor performances and one on stage for a work in progress showing. I approached Kites in all aspects from building and flying them to studying the history. All of the processes became part of the kite story from the failed kites that never flew and then to the handmade windsocks , which were actually amazing. It became a story about transforming from looking outside oneself to looking inside and finding that sense of flight and freedom from within the body. That was a journey that I really needed to make in order to process what was happening in my body with the pain and other medical conditions that I was coping with during the creation process.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

I felt emotional seeing that the piece was clear in its message and was being received very much in the way that I had hoped for. It was rewarding to see that the message of resiliency and strength had shone through.

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CATHY & HARRY, 40min., USA
Directed by Marta Renzi, Daniel Wolff
A revealing and humorous double-portrait of Catherine Murphy and Harry Roseman whose work is in collections from the Metropolitan Museum of Art to the Metropolitan Transit Authority. “Cathy & Harry” documents how their lives revolve in joyous, dizzying intensity around work, food, friends, and each other.

Get to know the filmmakers:

What motivated you to make this film?
We thought these two were special people, whose work and relationship should be documented.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
We were pleased that the message came across – and a little surprised that the message seemed to be so much about their relationship.

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AN UNDOING, 10min., USA

Directed by Lyall F. Harris

In this 9-minute and 55-second experimental film, viewers are taken on a journey of "undoing" as the film's author-protagonist unstitches her way to healing and catharsis, one stitch at a time, after the end of an abusive 20-year marriage. The subject: their wedding garments.

http://www.lyallharris.com/

https://www.instagram.com/lyall_harris

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THE VISITOR, 11min., USA
Directed by Nikolaus Aldrich
With his relationship in a rough patch and his career stalled, A man tries to find new purpose by retreating to the Pacific Northwest. While there, strange things begin to happen as he grapples with his sense of reality.

https://www.instagram.com/thevisitor_shortfilm2024/

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

As a kid I was always fascinated by the subject of UFOs and Aliens. But I never really spent much time thinking about it as an adult. Then last year it was in the news a lot. It sort of re-ignited that curiosity I had as a child. There was so much storytelling potential that I drafted out a whole trilogy of films based on an idea that had come to me. I decided to start small and develop this as a short. The short film is essentially the opening prologue for the feature. While writing the short I wanted to make sure that it could work both as an intro to a feature but a self contained story as well.

I wanted to map the films in a way that naturally progresses through the emotions of what I imagine one would go through if they were to experience this. So starting in a Sci-Fi/Horror genre made sense to me. But if I’m lucky enough to expand this further it wouldn’t necessarily stick with that genre throughout the story.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

It was surreal. There were some things mentioned that honed right in on specific points I was trying to make. The idea of the Visitor(s) and how technically all the characters are alien to this location was a very intentional bit. I was happy to see that point come across. It was also so fun to see how the audience brought their own interpretations to it, what kinds of genres it fit into and filmmakers it reminded them of. There was a lot of hard work put into the film from every department and I was very happy to hear that those teams were given mentions. They really pushed the film into the next level.

The reaction to the film has been so positive. With its inception coming from a relatively dark time in my life. I really don’t have words to describe how incredible it feels to hear others talking about the film and engaging with it enthusiastically. My initial reaction was that this whole strange journey was worth it. I couldn’t be prouder of how it turned out and hearing the reactions to it made me a bit emotional if I’m being honest. I was very moved by the whole experience because it’s surprisingly pretty rare in the festival circuit to really get that kind of direct feedback on your work.

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RED, 5min., Canada
Directed by Marlea van Grinsven
Red depicts the story of a romance gone wrong, where paint is used to show the side revenge and how it slowly passes through everyone until revenge has taken over. It follows our couple as they work through their budding romance slowly getting more and more torn on the outcome as they go, until at the end, revenge wins and takes over.

http://www.movementwithmarlea.com/
https://instagram.com/_movementwithmarlea

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?
They always say that the best art comes from the worst trauma, and I was hoping it was right. I went through a very traumatic breakup and I wanted to turn a dark time in my life into something beautiful. Dance has always been how I’ve expressed myself and creating this film allowed me to process my trauma in a beautiful and creative way.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I was overjoyed with emotion. It was an amazing experience to hear people talking about my film and loving it. I always fear that the audience won’t get my story but to hear that they understood the story behind it and appreciated the difficulty of execution to create this film was delightful.

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AMERICANS SMELL GOOD, 66min,. USA
Directed by Emir Cakaroz
The film combines the filmmaker’s story in the U.S.A. with people from different social, racial, and ethnic backgrounds that he wouldn’t have met if he hadn’t come to this country. It explores the experience of being in between many cultures when living in a foreign land.

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?
Immigration, a sense of belonging, connection, and isolation were always occurring themes in my films. However, I was mostly focusing on my family’s immigration from Bulgaria to Turkey and its long-term effects in my previous films. This time, I realized I had enough experience to make a film about my immigration from Turkey to the USA and I made it!

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
It was amazing! It was a great feeling to see people understand what you wanted to do, and they actually enjoyed the film. It was also great to see how the audience made personal connection with the film.

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IN THE DISTANCE, 10min., France
Directed by Laëtitia Daché
“In the Distance” is a choreographic triptych presented as short films, offering a perspective on the notions of complementarity and duality, expressions of resilience in the face of challenges.

https://www.instagram.com/contradancecompany/

Get to know the filmmaker:

I have reflected deeply on the duality inherent in certain experiences and emotions that can emerge throughout life. This duality, which manifests itself in countless places and in a variety of forms, became a source of exploration for me. It served as a starting point for my reflections. The complexity and subtlety of the human experience, with its layers of contradiction and harmony, has always been something I’ve sought to convey. There is a richness in these tensions, a constant interplay between opposing forces, which I find both fascinating and challenging to express.

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