THE HUNTER’S EXCHANGE, 10min., Canada
Directed by Aidan Byrne
This 8-minute action film throws an experimental twist on the fight scene genre while taking new directions with popular tropes from fantasy and science fiction films, telling a story about the price of power, with no dialogue.

Get to know the filmmaker:

I had made a minute long lightsaber fight scene years ago, which I had also done all of the VFX for. My brother (and co-star) Mac was looking over my shoulder one day when I was working, experimenting with different lightsaber colour combinations which were unlike anything that had been seen in the Star Wars films. And we both agreed, there was a story in there somewhere. That’s how it started, was finding the story behind this weapon which has been around for decades, that had suddenly been given new life in our eyes.

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PARADISO, 12min., USA
Directed by Jonna Volz
Paradiso is a glimpse of a day in the life of an unhoused couple looking for shelter for the evening. As they find paradise in a vacant apartment they start dreaming big with possibility, until they are caught.

https://www.instagram.com/paradiso_short_film/

Get to know the actor & producer Lenny Hernandez:
Ultimately, it was an opportunity I wanted to challenge myself to create my own work. As an Actor you rely so heavily on other people to see your value, to give you a chance to showcase your skills and talents. It’s a tough industry to devote yourself to. And while I still love the process of auditioning for TV, Films, and hundreds of commercials, the reality is you only book a fraction of a fraction of paid gigs. So, I decided to take some time to shadow industry people behind the camera to learn the process of filmmaking. It was exactly the hands-on information I needed to learn. There I gathered enough knowledge and confidence to attempt to fully produce my own project in PARADISO.

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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A PROPER EDUCATION, 20min,. USA
Directed by MaryLanae Linen
Filmmaker MaryLanae Linen, frustrated by her lack of sex education, sets out to discover if her peers feel the same way. She meets with sex educators, parents, and friends and surveys the streets of Los Angeles to discover that they also lacked an informative and comprehensive sex ed. MaryLanae opens up about her own exploration of sex and reflects on how a lack of knowledge has hurt her. With the encouragement of her mother and peers, MaryLanae redefines her relationship with sex and reimagines a better future where young people can be uplifted and empowered with knowledge regarding boundaries, relationships, and bodily autonomy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuikVtFT7Cc
https://www.instagram.com/propereducation_film/

Get to know the filmmaker:
Growing up I always had a weird and strained relationship with my body and the idea of sex. As a victim of sexuall trauma it was hard for me to see sex as anything other than a bad thing. But as I grew up and met people with similar experiences and questions about sex I felt less alone. I realized that the lack of sex education isn’t just about parents not talking to their kids, it’s about parents not knowing what to say, it’s about the government not providing adequate education. AS seen in the film, there is so much that people don’t know about their own bodies. I wanted this film to open their eyes and make them less afraid of sex and their bodies.

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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WICKED PLANS, 6min., Canada

Directed by Lee Chambers

Style Dayne, the Pizza Guy from Deadpool stars as a foreign extremist from Amadajiya, who accidentally chooses Halloween to enact a moment of terror. To his surprise, he discovers that North American life and culture is truly special, unique and sweet.

http://www.leechambers.com/

http://www.instagram.com/leechambersdotcom

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 NIGHTINGALE, 37min., UK
Directed by Robbi Stevens
Set in London and inspired by real-life events, The Nightingale follows Grace, a second-year university student, on her reckless and dangerous path through the different stages of PTSD. With unflinching honesty, the film explores the lasting impact of sexual assault and the courage it takes to overcome it.

https://raawlondon.org/the-nightingale
https://instagram.com/thenightingalefilm_

Get to know director Robbi Stevens & producer Abbie Elliott:

Robbi: I’ve always wanted to tell stories that asks the audience to contemplate what life is really like for people who have been through injustices like Grace or for anyone who has suffered discrimination. Then around 2019, so many girls and young women I knew were going through different levels of trauma after been sexually assaulted or raped or just having to contend with rape culture. It had become normalised – even decriminalized. It started to feel like an emergency with everyone looking in the other direction and no-one coming to help. Then COVID hit and I sat down and wrote it. It was a call to action! We wanted to shatter the complacency surrounding sexual violence by bringing attention to the lasting impact it has on victims. We refuse to accept a society where violence against women and girls is deemed baseline, and where the burden of preventing assault falls solely on women. Through the raw power of storytelling, we want audiences to witness and truly comprehend the immense struggles victims endure long after the act.

‘The Nightingale’ is not intended to focus on the perpetrator but rather on the strength and resilience of the survivors as they overcome adversity. It is crucial to shift the narrative away from victim-blaming (‘cover your drink, don’t go home alone, stop wearing short skirts) and instead foster a collective responsibility to address this societal problem.

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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ST. GEORGE, 12min., USA
Directed by Lane Womack, Scott C. Crenshaw, Nickolas Klesmith
A tale of two brothers getting raised by the wrong parents, in this short film part one of a 6 part mini series comes Bodie and Ricki George. Bodie, a cleancut mommas boy gets caught up in his older brother Ricki's troubled past. The two embark on a mission that fails before it started. Bodie gets left with a dead mother, brother in prison and a wife who can't stand him, the only thing standing on the other side of the sun is hope.

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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REUNITED, 12min,. Canada
Directed by Marie Queenan
Two exes reconnect over an evening. One wants to get back together, but the other has a secret that could separate them forever.

https://www.instagram.com/reunitedshort/

Get to know the filmmaker:
—- I made this film months after a break up, and I was thinking about how I missed them and wanted to get back together, even though I didn’t. The film is about how sometimes even though it’s so beautiful, some love is not the right love.

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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MEMORIES OF FUTURE PAST, 9min., USA

Directed by Dale Andree, Claudio Marcotulli

Giving voice to the Everglades through the generational presence of past, present, and future.

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MISSING YOU, 6min., USA
Directed by Anika Jensen
A teenage girl visits a beach where she often went to as a child and reminisces about how things aren’t the way they used to be.

https://filmfreeway.com/anirozai

Get to know the filmmaker:

This might come as a surprise, but the song featured in my film is what came first. I’ve struggled with relatively severe mental health issues this past year and a half and so I wrote a song expressing how I felt about missing the simplicity and innocent joy of childhood. Many people who are in pain use art as a way to express themselves. Honestly, I wasn’t sure whether I would even share the song due to its personal nature. However, in a film class I took over the summer, I was trying to come up with ideas and remembered this song. Even though it’s difficult to be so vulnerable, I knew I could make an impactful story with it. I’m glad I made that decision. Opening up to others always makes me feel less alone and (hopefully) my film will make others who are struggling feel less alone as well.

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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SON RISE, SON SHINE, 10min., USA
Directed by Sasha Marie Speer
A black man struggles to find his place in the world after not meeting society’s expectations. Son Rise, Son Shine is a short film about the journey of Gerald, a black, gay man, as he interacts with himself and the world from ages 6 to 40. Throughout the film, his 9-year-old self is acting as his inner bully, always telling him that the way he is doesn’t meet who he should be as a black man. That he isn’t good enough. That no one loves him. Through his different ages, we see Gerald struggle, but eventually finally find peace with who he is and his place in the world.

Get to know the filmmaker:

I was approached by real-life Gerald to help him make a film for his 40th birthday. After hours of talking, we decided this would be the most authentic direction to go to reflect his journey to this point in life.

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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SOLO DUET: WHO'S ON FIRST, 8min,. Canada

Directed by Paul Michael Snider

Through a unique mix of comedy and visual effects, one actor performs the famous Abbott and Costello comedy routine 'Who's On First'

http://www.soloduet.ca/

https://www.facebook.com/findpaulsnider

https://twitter.com/paulsnidermusic

https://www.instagram.com/paulsnidermusic/

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LOOSEN UP: THE SHORT, 8min., USA
Directed by Maddy Murphy, Evan Macedo
18 year old Charlie is eager to get to college where she can finally escape her overbearing parents and put her obsession with self-pleasure to rest using a more socially accepted pleasure. Unfortunately, it’s there that she discovers sex isn’t quite as easy as it looks. Feeling more like a freak than ever before, Charlie must come to terms with an unexpected diagnosis: vaginismus.

https://instagram.com/loosenupofficial?igshid=NTdIMDg3MTY=

Get to know filmmaker Maddy Murphy:
Honestly, my own experience. I have vaginismus and it’s something I’ve struggled with privately for some time. It was a major insecurity of mine, because I didn’t know anyone else who had it as it’s not something people openly talk about. In that insecurity and anxiety, however, I developed a sense of humor, realizing some of my anxious thoughts regarding my vaginismus to be the kind of scenarios that might happen in a sitcom. From there, my ideas developed and we created the “Loosen Up” pilot, later developed into our proof-of-concept short, “Loosen Up: The Short.” Since then, I haven’t had much insecurity about my vaginismus and have found other people I’ve known have started to reach out sharing their own unspoken experiences. It’s an important topic and I’d love to continue raising awareness through the accessible medium of comedy.

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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ONCE AND AGAIN, 5min., USA
Directed by Jessica Q Moore
Tasha, a woman in her mid 40’s, trudges through the end of her day until she sees an old flame on the train platform. The lovers reminisce and rekindle feelings towards each other only to realize that circumstance continues to keep them apart.

Get to know the filmmaker:

You know that feeling when you’re walking around and you think you’ve seen someone that you know, but you’re not sure? The film started as a prompt in Grad school. We picked three elements out of a bag or hat. The three elements were mode of transportation, color, and object. I chose train, yellow, and a scarf, which was perfect for me because I was already thinking of telling a story about lost love. It was actually a film I thought of in two parts, the first part being when the two characters are younger and we see Tasha jilted by rejection of her initial proposal. The second part, is Once and Again, where they see each other decades later.

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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VIRAL, 11min., USA
Directed by Al Chang
In their pursuit of viral fame, a group of young women’s social media recording session turns perilous when they’re stalked by an internet serial killer.

https://www.instagram.com/4lcfilm

Get to know the filmmaker:

The concept of “viral” content emerged during a casual scroll through Instagram reels, prompting contemplation on the proliferation of videos that are presented as genuine but can be easily debunked upon closer inspection. A prevalent trend is the creation of content primarily for entertainment, with the boundaries between fact and fiction becoming increasingly indistinct. In today’s digital landscape, consumers of these bite-sized clips seem less concerned about the veracity of the content and more focused on its entertainment value, readily sharing and liking material that captures their attention.

The consequence of this trend is a world where individuals are swift to post without thoroughly scrutinizing the authenticity of the content, leading to situations where people may willingly compromise their own well-being or that of others for the sake of garnering likes and shares. It is acknowledged that amidst the plethora of content, there exists informative and high-quality material. However, the challenge lies in such content being overshadowed by the deluge of frivolous and misleading content, unless actively sought out by the audience. The aim of this exploration is not necessarily to convey a specific message but to depict the collective inclination to embrace and propagate content, regardless of its authenticity. The viewer’s interpretation of the accompanying short film is subjective, leaving room for varied reactions, from disturbance to indifference, reflecting the prevailing dynamics of our online engagement.

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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MITO, 7min,. USA
Directed by Steve West
Two companions venture through space, negotiating peril and cosmic ennui in search of a new home.

http://lazychief.com/
https://instagram.com/lazychief

Get to know the filmmaker:

My initial motivation for the project was in March 2020 during the first coronavirus restrictions but I abandoned it until around May 2023 when my cat Chief died of kidney failure. The death of the companion had always been part of the story but missing such a big part of my life that had been with me for 17 years encouraged me to finish the project.

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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BEFORE THE OIL, 11min., Netherlands
Directed by Roel Swierenga
Deep in the mountains in southern Norway Odd Kvinen runs a husky farm. Teaching about the energy transition from before the oil was found until the present day, about respect for nature and choices we have to make.

http://www.roelswierenga.com/films
https://facebook.com/roelswierenga
https://twitter.com/roelswierenga
https://instagram.com/roelswierenga

Get to know the filmmaker:
I came across Odd Kvinen and his Norwegian husky farm in preparation for a possible program during one of our events in Scandinavia to showcase sustainable solutions. We got to talk about the energy transition, respect for nature and the choices we as humanity will have to make if we want more energy but at the same time we want to phase out our oil. Odd told me about the history of Norway from the time before the oil was found, before hydro power plants were build. The country was poor at that time. He told about the changes that came with the discovery of oil, with the first hydro power plant built in his area deep in the Norwegian mountains in the beautiful nature, forcing his family to sacrifice their home so that a water dam could be build and their home was put under water. The family was compensated and Norway became rich due to this energy transition. But did they become happier? A story so pure and true and so relevant in our present time that I just wanted to capture his story.

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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STAG HUNT, 12min., USA
Directed by Andre Kezzyn
Trapped in a closed timelike curve, our duo is learning to cooperate by running through a paradox inside of an infinite hotel. By doing so, they seek an escape from the loop and meaning in a quantum multiverse.

Get to know writer Michele Reilly:

We started shooting on this plot theme with the two characters, Seth and Michele, in 2021 in our first silent short film, Steeplechase. Steeplechase was well-received and won many awards. So, with “Stag Hunt,” I wanted to put these characters into a situation where they are shown facing their inescapable destiny, and the repeated failed predicament leads to something new revealed to the audience.

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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A CHANCE, 16min., USA
Directed by Jillie Simon, Ange Arabatzis
When Mia and Caroline reunite in a city park, they soon find out that the past is not always quite past. Conflicts are resurrected, sparks fly – and then things get complicated.

http://www.facebook.com/AChance
https://instagram.com/jilliesimon

Get to know Jillie Simon:

JILLIE: I’d been cast in the play version, “Be Still”, which takes place all on a park bench, and thought it was a very compelling situation with a powerful relationship between the two lead characters and clever dialogue – and I suggested to the playwright, Ange Arabatzsis that it could make a really interesting short film if we had flashbacks showing what brought them to this place – and got them off the park bench! The fact that it was a story about a lesbian couple gave me more motivation to make it, because fewer stories are told for the LGBTQ audience, and all groups that are more marginalized should have the opportunity to see themselves up on screen.

ANGE writes: He’d “originally envisioned “Be Still” as a man-woman piece. Then a seemingly unrelated conversation with a dear friend awakened in him the realization that love, true love is a meeting of the hearts. What followed was a reading at the Writers and Actors Group in NYC, where ( he) had the idea- based purely on chemistry to cast the wonderful Jillie Simon and Karen Irwin. The room held it’s breath during the entire read and he knew then, that he was onto something.”

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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EL CAPITAN PACO, 25min., Mexico
Directed by Rodrigo Oliva
Paco is a public transportation driver who deals with his stressful job every day, until the imagination of Sarah, his daughter, turns him into the captain of a spaceship and gives him another perspective on his problems.

https://www.instagram.com/capitanpacocortometraje/

Get to know filmmakers Rodrigo Oliva & Jandy Ayala:

The idea of experimenting in the musical genre was constantly on my mind. After understanding that a significant part of this genre is about the spectacle, I wanted to explore this aspect without neglecting the narrative. On the contrary, I aimed to achieve a balance between audiovisual language and the spectacular. “El Capitan Paco” seemed like a story that needed to be told in this format. After analyzing the situation faced by public transport truck drivers, I felt the need to breathe life into the most monotonous aspects of daily life within public transportation.

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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DANCING HEART, 13min., Mexico
Directed by Amaranta R. Saavedra
Lesbian love has always been a rebel act. But a relationship between two women, teenagers and feminist is pure anarchy. Dancing heart is a pathway over the time Luisa and Violeta have been together, how they have faced discrimination and how with courage and feminism they have hold to go on and get around any obstacle. It is the story about two women who love each other in a world made for straight people, trough acceptation, change and a constant struggle for taken a happiness that seems to be denied for woman who love other woman.

https://cactoproducciones.com/
https://www.facebook.com/CactoProducciones
https://www.twitter.com/Cactoproduccion
https://www.instagram.com/cactoproducciones/

Get to know the filmmaker:

I feel lesbians an LGBTQ community need more love stories with happy endings. So for me it’s important to have positive representation for the younger generation.

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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