WHITE NOISE, 16min,. Australia
Directed by Bryce McLellan
Zoe Marlowe is the Pathfinder, tasked with finding humanity a new home after the loss of Earth to climate change. With her trusty A.I. she explores planet after planet, looking for the perfect combination of conditions that mark a habitable world. But her A.I. is more than she appears to be, and what happens if/

Get to know the filmmaker:
A love of science fiction! A lot of science fiction stories are about finding a new home, a planet just like Earth, for humanity to start over. I wanted to create a film where that’s not possible, where nothing out there in the cosmos, as grand and exciting as it is, can compare to our home.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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MI NINA/MY LITTLE GIRL, 7min., USA, Experimental
Directed by Emanuel Loarca
Laura takes us by the hand on a moving journey through time with her mother. You experience how love overcomes suffering and builds lasting memories that give meaning to life and strengthen the soul.

Interview with Director/Producer Emanuel Loarca & Writer/Producer Laura Isabel Figueroa

Emanuel Loarca: What motivated me to make this film was the love imprinted on the page, this beautiful poem that celebrated and honored their unique kind love at different stages of their lives and beyond life itself. I wanted to honor that.

Laura Isabel: The vision of the director and producer Emanuel Loarca, who fell immediately in love with the poem I wrote to honor my mother’s resiliency and unconditionally love. I also wanted to raise awareness among potential viewers to care for their mothers and loved ones while they are still alive. Originally, I was planning to record myself reciting the poem and share the video on social media for Mother’s Day, but Emanuel believed it was meant to be a film and I decided to go along with the idea. I’m glad I did!

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LIFE ALTERING GENDER REVEAL, 8min,. USA
Directed by Craig Wildenradt
The lives of unsuspecting party guests are forever changed after they learn of their friends’ baby’s gender.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27895666/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk

Get to know the filmmaker:
The vast majority of the time, when I write comedy I’m usually poking fun at things that actually frustrate me. So with that said, it’s probably unsurprising that the bulk of the comedy I write is social critique. It’s kind of a healthy catharsis for me to take those things and make them the butt of a joke. So that’s always a motivation for comedy writing in general. Speaking more specifically to LIFE ALTERING GENDER REVEAL, beyond the aforementioned I personally thought the concept was hilarious, ripe for getting really absurd (which I love to do), and would be a ton of fun to make. I’ve gotten to a point in my life where I predominantly create for myself first. As many challenges as there are to indie filmmaking, one of the luxuries is just being able to do what you want. For me, that’s plenty of motivation by itself. But the rest came when I started sharing the concept and other folks thought it was hilarious too!

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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HIGHWAY, 11min,. USA
Directed by Douglas Alan Cunningham
Betrayed by her husband, Amanda, a former Army Ranger, drives hours to meet a revenge lover but is followed by a mysterious and menacing truck on lonely desert roads.

https://www.facebook.com/highwayashortfilm
https://www.instagram.com/highway_the_movie/

Get to know the filmmaker:
I’ve always been fascinated by neo-noir westerns, films like Steven Spielberg’s Duel (1971), Oren Shai’s The Frontier (2015), and the early works of director John Dahl, especially Kill Me Again (1989) and Red Rock West (1993). John Sayles’ Lone Star (1996), Jonathan Mostow’s Breakdown (1997), and the Coen Brothers’ No Country for Old Men (2007) are three other greats in this same subgenre. Although I wouldn’t call Wim Wenders’ Paris, Texas (1984) a neo-noir western, per se, it shares many of the same aesthetics and was a huge influence on my early thoughts about HIGHWAY. Equally influential were Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1982) and Mad Max Fury Road (2015), both directed by George Miller. Finally, Ridley Scott’s Themla and Louise (1992) also influenced HIGHWAY, not just because of the road movie aspects, but also because of the theme of sisterhood that features so prominently in that film. When I first saw Lindsey Hawkes (who plays Amanda, the lead in HIGHWAY) in a different short film in late 2021, somehow her look–that mixture of physical toughness and emotional vulnerability–brought all those different influences together into one story in my mind. Once that happened, the script was not difficult to write at all, and I was determined to make the film.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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APPARITION GLIMMER, 5min., USA
Directed by Devin Christian
Meanwhile winding down at her home. Yeilda finds her lost foster sister at her doorstep. Their past has caught up to them. Frantically trying to figure out what to do. The connection between them has brought them together again like nothing never happened.

https://instagram.com/devin_christian_

Get to know the filmmaker:

My Actor friend Aixa Tovar came up with the script. I took a look at it and wanted to challenge myself for the piece. Adding Suspense/Drama to the catalog was a great thing for me to experience.

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STATIC, 5min., USA, Music Video
Directed by Jamin Mears
“Static”, the first part of a trilogy, tells the story of Qira and Dr Calvin Pilgrim trying to reconnect as the EPOCH Corporation is hunting them down. Can they complete their quest before time runs out?

https://facebook.com/farewellfortune
https://twitter.com/farewellrocks
https://instagram.com/farewellfortune

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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BABY PROOF, 6min., USA
Directed by David Maddox, David Blood
A troublemaking toddler tests the limits of child safety.

Get to know the filmmaker:

The co-writer/co-director, David Blood, pitched the concept to me after coming up with it while sitting in a hotel room. At that point, I had an 11 month old baby who was crawling, but I wasn’t sure for how long. So I said, “Let’s shoot it. But we have to do it right now!”

It also just seemed like a way to point out something ridiculous about society is an unusual way, which I always love doing. In this case, how America is so concerned about product safety, but when it comes to guns, we’ve just given up. A topic which sadly never stops being relevant.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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TWAIN: CANCELLED, 89min., USA
Directed by Jon Silver
An aspiring stand-up comic struggles with stage fright, a demeaning bartender job, and caring for her rebellious nephew; until she is mysteriously visited by a trouble-making Mark Twain.

https://kernelproductions.com/

Talk with director Jon Silver and writer/producer Grant Troyer

Get to know writer/producer Grant Troyer:

I wrote the first draft over in either summer of 2020 or 2021 (time is meaningless at this point) and then sat on it until March of 2022 (I am just the writer and lowly EP). The real credit goes to our director and producer Jon and Jake who, at that time, helped me give Twain mouth to mouth (the script not the man). Production was completed in July, and post the following January. Very grateful for the efficient and talented team who knows eons more than I do.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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DON’T WAIT UP FOR ME, 18min., USA
Directed by Alain Alfaro
A lonely and troubled writer jeopardizes his own life when he hires a hitman on himself.

Get to know the filmmaker:
A passion for filmmaking and a need to tell a personal story through a genre lens (led me to make this film). My mission as a filmmaker is to show Latinos in complex roles that is beyond what we’re used to seeing, but also grounded in truth.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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TRIGGERLAND, 59min., USA
Directed by Sean Edward Neukom
The filmization of Beo String Quartet’s album, triggerLand. The movie, of the same title, is a fairytale-esque gun creation myth. Alvin, a construction worker, discovers a new material. This new material leads to the invention of the first gun. As the use of the gun is explored and expanded, a young girl is accidentally killed when a firearm falls from a table. Alvin is left to contemplate his course of action.

http://www.beostringquartet.com/#beohome
https://www.facebook.com/beostringquartet/
https://www.instagram.com/beostringquartet/?hl=en

Get to know the filmmaker:
— In 2023, Beo (my string quartet) had a string of album releases through our own label. One album was triggerLand. The music and story evoked such strong imagery. Rather than produce music videos, it seemed like a natural step to produce a feature film instead.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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MERCY, 7min., Germany
Directed by Olaf Kollmannsperger, Filipa Cavaco
“Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.” -The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

https://olafk.art/
https://www.instagram.com/kollmanns/

Get to know filmmaker Olaf Kollmannsperger:

After being at the new National Gallery of Berlin I knew I had to make a dance film at this location.
The combination of Max Richter music with David Dawson Choreography and the breath taking location was my motivation.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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THE LOST JEWS OF PAKISTAN, 12min., USA
Directed by Alexander Nilsen
Imagine a scenario where a teenage boy’s compassion shines through for a religious community that was forgotten, transforming a neglected graveyard into a place of beauty and solace. That’s the heartwarming story we captured in our documentary: The Lost Jews of Pakistan. It’s a tale that will inspire audiences and remind them of the incredible power of unifying religions while honoring our ancestors.

https://zeinzuberi.com/

Podcast with director Alexander Nilsen and Writers Eric Brionez & Zeineddine Zuberi

Get to know the writers:

Zein – I wanted to raise attention to the lost Jewish community of Pakistan. Wanted to build bridges between people across faiths.

Eric – Zeineddine’s father randomly called me at 11pm one day and told me about his son restoring a graveyard in Pakistan. I was immediately intrigued by the storyline and compelled to help bring it to life visually! I knew it was going to be challenging as this was my first short film to produce. But his father and I really clicked over the phone, we had this natural chemistry and commitment to see it through. So the motivation for me was to deliver a film his father and Zeineddine could be proud of. While also finding a way to educate the audience and weaving in emotional elements of humanity.

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THROUGH ROSE COLORED LENSES, 5min., USA
Directed by Arie Forma
In the midst of a toxic triangle with the love of his life, and her abusive boyfriend, Shawn Anderson, a college student blinded by love, is seeing his world fall apart.

Get to know the filmmaker:

I was motivated to make this film after living through the events of this film. This film is a culmination of the years of lessons, mistakes and wearing of my pair of “Rose Colored Lenses”. This is a very personal story that I felt needs to be told. Plus, I felt very alone going through this trauma, and felt no one could understand the pain heartbreak and toxic love has on your heart and soul. So, I wanted to reach out to those who may have felt this pain, to let them know they aren’t alone, and that others can relate to this.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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DOM BANGS A ROCKETTE, 19min., USA
Directed by Kelly Diaz
After picking up his nephew from elementary school in the Valley, East Coast transplant and aspiring adult film actor Ray, loses track of the kid, leading to the “New York style” kidnapping of an innocent man.

Get to know the filmmaker:

Tom wrote the screenplay for ‘Dom Bangs a Rockette’ a few years before we shot it, a few years before we even moved to LA. It was a project we kept putting off – life events just seemed to pop up in the way. Then March of 2020, I was in my second year of grad school at UCLA when everything shut down. Tom and I sat at home for a few months, like everyone else, and then we thought, “Maybe this is the perfect time to make this movie. Our schedules are certainly open.” And we found that a lot of our friends, who were also grad students and filmmakers, felt the same way. We all wanted to keep working, to get back on set again. And I think making a comedy at that time was perfect. We all had enough stress; it was nice to escape into work, to throw ourselves into a project we cared about and then… laugh.

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WHAT’S BRED IN THE BLOOD AND BONE, 5min., USA
Directed by Robin M Gee
Inspired by the work of Ida Bell Wells, whose writing documented the episodic period of lynching’s in the 1890’s, What’s Bred in the Blood and Bone is a study of space and place, girded by the collective experiences of brown bodies. “Blood” explores “blood memory” as body memory and the ways in which our collective experiences bind and fortify us as African Americans.

https://instagram.com/what’s_bred_in_the_blood

Get to know the filmmaker:

A program began at my university celebrating the suffragette movement. I found the participation of black women in the movement problematic and wrote a grant which I received. This I began to explore more deeply ida b wells as a participant and read The Red Record. It all flowed from there.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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IN THE BACKGROUND, 4min,. USA
Directed by Daniel Gold
This film glimpses the subconscious archetypes surrounding the ideas of consciousness, duality, and reincarnation.

http://aftereverpictures.com/

Get to know the filmmaker:
– I wanted to make this film for many years and it just came very organically. It was a vision of mine that I wanted to see for myself and was intrinsically motivated to finish the film.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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STOKER MACHINE, 12min., USA
Directed by Darieus Legg
Stoker Machine is a must-see animated surf documentary. Chad Campbell, an expert surfer discovers a mysterious surfboard on the big island of Hawaii. The retro board provides only a phone number and an email address as clues to its origin, leading Chad to accidentally uncover a central-coast California surf legend. The man they call, “Stoker”.

http://darieuslegg.com/
https://www.instagram.com/darieuslegg

Get to know the filmmaker:
My motivation to make this film was born out of a deep need to contribute something to the world beyond corporate DEI “content”. I wanted to make a personal film on my own terms with no censorship. I made a feature film in my home state of Hawaii twelve years ago and it was a traumatic experience for me. I spent the next eleven years working in Hollywood learning from experts and avoiding the elephant in the room – doing personal artwork. The pandemic happened and it gave me the space and time to be quiet and listen to what the Universe was asking me to do. Luckily I was paying attention when my neighbor Chad Campbell came home with this mysterious surfboard, the Stoker Machine. I knew immediately this was the story I had to tell.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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ARTBOY, 14min., USA
Directed by Eli Canter
On Halloween night, a shy high school artist navigates social validation and the bittersweet lines between friendship and heartbreak.

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9780775/?ref_=pro_nm_visitcons
https://www.instagram.com/artboyshort/

Get to know the filmmaker:

Artboy was my Boston University senior thesis film. I wanted to create a film where the main character dealt with his emotional life through drawing and imagination, but I also wanted to include 2D animated sequences that could help to capture his internal world. I wanted to capture the feeling of how everything feels like such a big deal in high school and the bittersweet lines of friendship and heartbreak at that age.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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COLLECTIONS, 10min., Canada
Directed by Felipe Urrea
Adelaide, is overwhelmed by the chaos in her own home and turns to her friend Theo for help, but as they dig deeper into the clutter, they uncover secrets and emotional baggage that Adelaide has been struggling to deal with.

https://facebook.com/collectionsmovie
https://instagram.com/collectionsmovie

Get to know the filmmaker:

Initially, my close relationship with the film's writer, Claire Lloyd, drew me to their script. From the moment I read it, I resonated with its themes. Prior to pursuing a filmmaking career, I felt trapped and lost after a previous relationship ended. Seeking solace, I reached out to a long-lost friend and found comfort in the power of connection. 'Collections' in many ways is about that, through the filming process I realized that, that was my primary force behind this film.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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FAIRY FINGERS (DOIGTS DE FEE), 22min,. Canada
Directed by Siham Kortas
Fairy Fingers is a documentary that tells the story of my son, who, despite his difference was able to grow up, take on challenges and realize his potential. It’s a story about how I, as a parent, went from a feeling of helplessness to one of pride and fascination.

https://www.facebook.com/doigtsdefeeparsihamkortas
https://mobile.twitter.com/sihamkortas?lang=en

Get to know the filmmaker:

When my son Paul told me in May 2021 that my daughter-in-law Lilie was pregnant, I immediately thought it was time to tell his wonderful story of hope, confidence and perseverance.
I had to produce a short film to tell his story, our story, with the idea of giving courage and hope to other families who also live with differences.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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