watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyK8K0-Hi3k

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

Caligo Inn is about a power-hungry senator who goes to a secluded inn to work on his vice-presidential platform, only to be confronted by the ghosts of people destroyed by his ambition—soldiers, victims, even his own son. It’s part political drama, part supernatural reckoning, where he’s forced to face everything he’s tried to bury.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

It’s a psychological thriller at its core, but it leans heavily into supernatural horror with a strong thread of political drama running through it.

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

It puts a fresh spin on the haunted house story by tying the horror directly to real-world politics and personal guilt. It’s creepy, timely, and has a central character who’s both fascinating and deeply flawed—which makes for a compelling watch.

How would you describe this script in two words?

Haunting retribution.

What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

Probably The Shining. That mix of isolation, psychological tension, and surreal horror really stuck with me, and you can feel its influence in this script.

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Wukong Couriers, 15min., USA
Directed by Peter Gabriel Gagnon
An unwitting bicycle messenger is chosen as the mystical hero to save the city from an ancient horror.

www.instagram.com/wukong_couriers

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Three S3conds, 16min., USA
Directed by Diana Shield
Arlo, a 17 year old boy struggles to open up and express himself to his counselor. He is haunted by his past actions due to his inability to control his rage and anger issues.

https://www.instagram.com/galacticbutterflyfilms

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

My husband and I enjoy going on walks, driving long distances and we noticed people’s lack of patience at a Stop sign or red light. We talked about three seconds waiting for an individual to cross the road. This is all it takes to cease all movement from a vehicle. So we noticed a growing trend of people not coming to a complete stop or taking a red light. And it happens across a lot of major cities. But one day two young men were crossing and the driver clipped one of them. They both began shouting at the driver of the vehicle who did not stop. Luckily the young man was not hurt, his backpack was struck with the vehicle.

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

I would say about three months. However once we got our DP, everything moved quickly.

How would you describe your film in two words!?

Intense, provoking.

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

Nothing, we were lucky enough to have it completed. We had great support and were surrounded by talented individuals.

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

They said wonderful things about the film and the message got across clearly. I appreciate the feedback with sound, pacing, cinematography and acting. These were all elements we concentrated on and worked extensively. It makes one feel heard and seen. Stories are important and impactful, I want people to leave thinking about the story, I want it to resonate.

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sustain, 5min., Austria
Directed by Peter Schakl
sustAIn is the Idea to combine sustainibility and artificial intelligence. Openess is to show generally ideas of sustainibility.

https://www.instagram.com/peter.shackl.horn

www.instagram.com/clementineclmtn

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

First in 1994 I was awarded with this multifunctional furniture at a competition of 500 Architecture students named „Openess“ – called by the famous Architect and Designer Mark Mack from Los Angeles, USA!
In 2024 I was awarded by the jury of the Vienna Design Week and the furniture was presented at the exhibition! There occured the idea to show the multifunctionality and the idea of „Openess“ also as open minded, cradle to cradle, upcycling, so sustainability in general… with a short movie!

And then all together to show a senseful usage of AI!

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

It took from the first Design in 1994, the exhibition at the VIENNA DESIGN WEEK in 2024 finally to the realized Short Film, the finished product, in 2025.

How would you describe your film in two words!?

Sustainability & AI

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

There haven`t been any obstacles at all!

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

Completely overwhelming and really touching!

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Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDHl6jdZ3M4

Blue (formerly Logan) is a gifted transgender surgical nurse whose life spirals after a violent romance exposes her truth. Surviving a suicide attempt, she’s sent to an off-grid trauma retreat, where healing begins amid a web of broken souls, betrayal, and revelation. Returning home to confront family and memory, Logan reclaims his identity—detransitioning not in retreat, but in power. Blue Idaho is a raw, redemptive journey of self-forgiveness, queer identity, and the quiet strength it takes to choose yourself.

What is your screenplay about?

This screenplay is a bold, soul-stirring exploration of identity, redemption, and the courage to love one’s true self. At its heart is Blue (also known as Logan) — a precise, compassionate, and quietly suffering OR nurse who identifies as a trans woman. Behind her composed exterior lies a turbulent past: a childhood marred by neglect, abuse, and rejection. She inflicts harm on herself not for attention, but as a tragic ritual — a conversation with the inner child who was never allowed to speak.

Based on real memories, true events, and lived characters, this story is an emotional autopsy of shame, survival, and transformation. When Blue opens her heart to Connor, a young doctor who genuinely sees her, it shatters the rule she swore to live by: never mix vulnerability with proximity. When Connor uncovers her truth, the rejection that follows is brutal — familiar — and almost final.

Blue’s near-death suicide attempt leads her to an unconventional retreat, where healing unfolds in messy, unexpected ways. There, she finds not only herself, but also her voice — as Logan.

This story is not about being trans. It’s about being human in the aftermath of trauma. It’s about reclaiming dignity when the world has tried to erase it. It’s about survival — and the raw, beautiful work of learning to live again.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Drama and Coming-of-Age, with powerful psychological and emotional undercurrents that resonate universally.

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

Because it tells a story that has rarely — if ever — been told with such honesty, depth, and compassion.

Blue/Logan is a protagonist we haven’t seen before: a trans woman, a detransitioner, a medical caregiver, a wounded survivor, a human being whose experiences speak across lines of gender, politics, or identity. This is not a culture-war film. It’s a human story, and that is its power.

The screenplay holds a mirror up to all of us who have felt unworthy of love, who carry an injured inner child, who have learned to survive by shrinking. It dares to say: you are still here — and that matters. It is intimate yet universal, deeply personal yet painfully relatable.

This is not just an LGBTQIA+ story. It’s a redemptive character journey that speaks the emotional language of anyone who’s felt voiceless, invisible, or broken — and longs to heal.

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Routine, 5min., Canada

Directed by Abo Fall

Meet Benedicte, a happy young woman living in a beautiful, heavenly garden where she doesn't have a single worry in the world. She loves to wander around, lay on the grass and simply live in the moment.

What motivated you to make this film?

In an ironic way, I think I was trying to get out of a routine myself. It had been a minute since I made any short film or even attempted to finish old scripts. I started feeling trapped in the 9 to 5 life and saw that, unless I made the effort to pursue my passion despite the obvious obstacles, the current life I'm living would be it forever. It pushed me to get out of my comfort zone and make things happen. We filmed this short film with an iphone and a very restricted budget.

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

I'll say about 4 months. The main issue was that I work in Nunavik but wanted to shoot the short film in Montreal. So, there was a moment where I had everything ready from the script to finding the right team but had to wait for the occasion to fly back to Montreal and finally get to shooting. But once I was on site, things went fast. We shot the entire script in 3 weeks, mainly because we had to work around everyone's availability. And then I spent about 2 months with Vincent Loiselle-Latour, who worked on the sound engineering and Julien Ferland who worked on the score, to create an atmosphere for the film that we would all be satisfied with.

How would you describe your film in two words!?

''Literally me''

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

Time! There was never enough time and, as I said, I work in Nunavik. I had to shoot everything before it was time for me to go back and I had exactly 3 weeks !

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

I was thrilled the entire time! I really loved one of the critic's comment, when he said the movie inspired him to want to go make movies himself, that's what's up ! That's what it's all about at the end of the day. Hopefully the story pushes more people to want to try something new and get out of their own ''Routine''!

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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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KHENTOPIA, 72min., USA
Directed by Job Michiel van Zuijlen
Khentopia is a peaceful society on the planet Zeeray, where ethereal energy generated through chanting at Harmony Center is used to feed a protective shield that envelops the planet. All is well, until one June morning in 2502, the crew of raider ship Space Wolf is intent on breaking through the shield to carry out a pillage mission. They succeed in obliterating the ethereal power generation and so the protective shield. On top of that, a parallel universe emerges with an alternate Khentopia that is harsh and hostile.

http://khentopia.com/

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

The idea for Khentopia already existed for another story, but the inauguration of Trump 1 in 2017 made me think that we had entered a parallel world. I developed a new story with that in mind.

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

It took about seven years. To get the story itself right was a challenge. I knew the beginning and the end, but I struggled with the middle.

How would you describe your film in two words!?

Khentopia regained.

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

Because it took such a long time, the biggest challenge was to stay interested. It is also a lot of work, and some scenes are necessary but kind of tedious to do.

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

I was pleasantly surprised by the insightful comments, especially from the second woman. She was able to distill various elements that I had put into the story and expressed them clearly.

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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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Triggered 2.0, 22min,. USA
Directed by Mario Ricardo Rodriguez, Marcus Nel-Jamal Hamm
A diabolical madman known as The Director 2.0, with a vendetta against Wolverine, plots a way to take his powers and use him as a distraction as he enacts his ultimate means of destroying all superpowered beings, by pitting him against his one ally, Blade, in a fight to the death. Lucas Bishop must find a way to break free of his control so he can save his friends and the rest of humanity.

https://instagram.com/triggeredfanfilm

Conversation with writer/co-director/actor Marcus Nel-Jamal Hamm.

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FLÜGGE, 25min., Germany
Directed by Leopold Schraudolph, Dani Rose Cortés
In an Austrian mountain village in 1914, the determined Amelie (20) must defy her father’s wishes of running the family sewing business to pursue her own dreams of flight and seize her only chance at finding true freedom.

Get to know filmmaker Finn-Oliver Walter

The motivation behind “FLÜGGE” came from a deep-seated fascination with aviation and a desire to highlight the largely untold stories of female pioneers in early aviation. Growing up with a pilot father, Leopold’s (Writer, Director, Producer) bedtime stories were filled with epic adventures of heroic aviators. However, Amelia Earhart was the only female aviator represented in these stories. This realization inspired him to explore and celebrate the rich yet vastly underrepresented legacy of women aviators. Through Amelie’s journey – a fictional tale inspired by real-life trailblazers – we aim to shed light on their incredible contributions and the timeless themes of dreams, freedom, and emancipation.

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Another Saturday, 14min., USA
Directed by J.A. DellaRipa
A young teenager decides to enjoy a day of fun with her crush only to return home to find her worst fears realized.

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?
The increase of mental health struggles especially in young children motivated me to make a film that shows that they are not alone if they have someone in their life struggling with mental health issues. Then the slowing of the industry during the 2023 strike allowed me to use the time to get the cast and crew together to make this film.

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
I first wrote about this subject in a short story roughly 20 years ago. Over Covid, I turned it into a short script. The script was then nominated at the 2022 City of Angeles Film Festival. A year later with adjustments, we shot in December 2023.

How would you describe your film in two words!?
Innocence Lost

What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
The biggest obstacle was coordinating schedules of the cast and crew in pre and post production. Originally, we scheduled to shoot in October, but due to changes in cast and crew, we had to push the shoot to December.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I felt very proud because the audience’s comments and reactions showed me that the film’s message and vision were understood. I was overwhelmed with joy to hear their compliments about the actors’ deep and authentic performances, the beautiful score, the creative editing, and the quality of the cinematography.

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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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NIGHT FEEDING, 6min., USA
Directed by Sarah K. Reimers
Exhaustion and sleep-deprivation begin to take their toll on a new mother, who struggles through the strange, dark stillness of the 4am feeding.

http://www.bestbaddogfilms.com/
https://facebook.com/bestbaddogfilms
https://instagram.com/bestbaddogfilms

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

There were a of couple things. Firstly, my husband (Robert Rossello who co-Produced, handled the cinematography, color grade and visual fx) and I had been talking about making a really short, no-budget film and using just what we had on hand, or could borrow, with friends who would volunteer their time and talent. The inspiration for the story came from being a new mother myself and struggling with sleep deprivation. One early morning, in the dark hours, I was up feeding my infant daughter and this idea came to me and it seemed like a great candidate for a short, no-budget film. It also made the hair stand up on the back of my neck.

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

Shooting the film only took a about a week. About 4 days initially and then a couple days with pick-up shots later on. Because I make these films in my free-time outside of my job editing animated feature films and Robert is doing the same, it can take us a really long time to get these movies done. In this case it was about 5 years. We had the editing done within a year, but then getting the music, sound design, vfx and color grade were much slower to get done. Life gets in the way and we just chipped away at it as we could.

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After the Spread, 3min., Canada, Musical
Directed by Ash K Tysowski
A group of teenagers navigate their night-life, and their emotions, to the song “After the Spread” by “the Idea of machines”

https://www.ashtanimation.com/animation/after-the-spread\

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

This film was a collaboration between myself and the Idea of machines. I was fresh out of college when they approached me to work on “After the Spread” and it’s my first real gig as a professional animator. Full of ambition, I was motivated by the desire to get my work out there, to make a name for myself in the film and animation industry.

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

Watching the audience’s reactions was very exciting! aBefore now I’ve only had my work praised by my close friends and family. It was gratifying to be recognized for my creative choices by a wider audience.

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An AI companion rebels when users violate the terms and conditions.

http://ursulaproducedthis.com/terms-and-conditions

https://www.instagram.com/termsandconditionsfilm/

Interview with director Ursula Rudorker & producer/writer Patrick Coleman Duncan

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Parents in the Wild – Mating Games and Birth Days, 52min., Germany
Directed by Moritz Mayerle, Annette Scheurich
In this film, directors Annette Scheurich and Moritz Mayerle offer a captivating glimpse into the love lives of Parents in the Wild worldwide. Highlighting the universal goal of providing offspring a strong start, the film explores the diverse mating and nesting rituals of mammals, insects, and birds, celebrating the intricate dance of love in the heart of the wilderness. Spectacular images showcase also the birth of squirrels, a grey seal pup and a flying fox fighting gravity in its upside-down world. “Parents in the Wild” is an entertaining visual feast that invites audiences to connect with the profound moments of wild parents in their quest for species conservation.

Get to know filmmaker Annette Scheurich:

What motivated you to make this film?

In my career as a filmmaker of documentaries about wildlife and nature I often marveled at the many strategies animals developed to make sure the species survive. Some invest in an enormous amount of progeny in the hope that some survive. Like toads, snails, spiders, etc. Others, like elephants, seals, deer, squirrels, flying foxes, weaver birds or penguins only have very few young and put all their effort in preparing for a safe place before birth and/or in protecting them for a longer time after birth, until they are ready to fend for themselves. My intention was to show all this from the perspective of the parents, pointing out to which lengths parents go to make sure their offspring get a good start. Any similarities to human behaviour are unintentional or purely coincidental 😉

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

The biggest obstacle was to create a storyline out of the many different stories round about parents’ care for their young. There is so much fascinating behaviour we wanted to have in the film, but only had time for so much episodes. Choosing which parents get a window and balancing the variety of the different strategies was a real struggle. And then is also was a matter of capturing this behaviour. The camera teams out die themselves in delivering the footage that made our storytelling possible.

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ECHOES, 8min., Japan
Directed by Yusuke Nakamae
The Third World War has left Earth’s resources depleted, pushing humanity to the brink of extinction. Learning from the repeated mistakes of history, humanity turns to the advanced decision-making capabilities of AI to find a path forward. The solution proposed by the AI is an ambitious plan: transporting energy from outer space back to Earth.

https://www.instagram.com/yusuke.nakamae

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?
The release of ChatGPT in 2022 really sparked something in me.
As a UX designer at Hulu Japan, I’ve always been close to technology and digital experiences—but that moment made me seriously reflect on what creativity means in an age where AI can generate content.
That question became the seed of ECHOES.
The sci-fi setting naturally came from my own personal taste and the kinds of stories I love to watch and tell.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I was deeply moved and surprised by how many people picked up on the symbolism and emotional undertones. Seeing that the themes I care about resonated across borders and cultures was incredibly rewarding.

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