CARVED IN STONE, 30min., USA
Directed by Porter Justus
Cast out by the academic community at her college for her extreme beliefs that artifacts belong with their cultures, not locked up in some museum, young historical photographer AMELIA SLOANE is shocked to learn a former and beloved professor has bequeathed to her a collection of valuable and rare artifacts – including the legendary sword Excalibur – and a mysterious message “You’ll know what to do with this.”

Get to know the filmmaker:

There were a number of reasons for this film. I learned a long time ago that sometimes to com up with good story is turn one on its head, and so I wanted to explore a character who’s mission was the opposite to what is usually expected. In this case, what if Excalibur needed to be returned instead of claimed, so that just turned into a exploration into culture reclamation and restoring history to its rightful origins.

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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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Santa Fe & Esmeralda - Crossroads, 16min., USA
Directed by Christel Veraart
In the transformative backdrop of Argentina's evolving democracy and vibrant art scene from 1987 to 1996, "Santa Fe & Esmeralda - CrossRoads" chronicles the profound and enduring friendship between Kita, a young Dutch woman, and Lorenzo, the gay son of a prominent Argentine family. United by their love for music, they navigate complex family dynamics and the harsh realities of AIDS, with Kita becoming Lorenzo's caregiver and preserving their bond through storytelling after his death, celebrating a love that transcends boundaries.

https://www.christelveraart.com/
https://www.facebook.com/christelveraart
https://www.instagram.com/christelveraart/

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KILLING R, 15min., Sweden

Directed by Irene Altagracia Perez Lopez

In a not-so-distant future where AI technology is part of everyday life, Rebecka (41), a successful architect and mother to Nonno (5), works from home with her sick daughter while her partner Carl (39) is away.

http://irenelopez.se/killing-r/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087540991321

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ECHOES OF DREAMS, 84min., USA
Directed by Vanessa Mariveles
Reyna, a struggling DJ in Silicon Valley, has to pivot her career in order to survive. Having the worst year ever, she is forced to join the “gig economy” so she can pay rent while living with her pushy mother. While dating women for the first time, she finds herself in comical situations. Through determination, self-discovery, and the power of faith, Reyna learns to overcome adversity and finds her true calling and love.

http://marivelesproductions.com/
https://instagram.com/mariveles.productions

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated me to make Echoes of Dreams was wanting to tell an underdog story mixed with romance and comedy since those are my favorite genres. I wanted to write something quickly and get it made in 2023 so I decided to tell my own story.

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Al Chang, a distinguished filmmaker from Los Angeles's Koreatown, is passionately pursuing his dream of crafting authentic narratives in the film industry. With a background that includes 10 years of service in the U.S. Army and a deep connection to the post-L.A. riots culture, in addition to being a dedicated husband and father of four, Chang brings a unique perspective to his work. Currently pursuing his Master of Fine Arts (MFA) with an Editing emphasis at Chapman University, Chang is an emerging talent in the world of filmmaking. His journey began with a passion for editing, which eventually led him to write and direct his own short films, driven by the desire to create entertaining short films. Despite the challenges of balancing life as a full-time student, husband, and father of four, Chang continues to push on, proving that creativity can thrive even in the busiest of lives.

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

Listen to previous podcast interview with Al Chang: https://www.wildsoundpodcast.com/the-film-podcast-by-wildsound/2024/1/18/ep-1091-filmmaker-al-chang-viral

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Patrick McCarthy is a self taught animator who went from being a comedian sleeping in his car to becoming a Storyboard Artist at Family Guy. Patrick made multiple animations that went viral amassing millions of views on YouTube, and he has spent the last 6 years developing Paraland.

Watch his viral films on his YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PatrickMcCarthyAnimations

PARALAND: THE PROLOGUE, 4min., USA

Directed by Patrick McCarthy

Paraland is the story of three heroes charged with rebuilding the realm following the reign of a hateful tyrant. As they struggle to unite the land and bring together the twelve races, they must also solve magical mysteries, defeat legendary foes, and endure the gods’ twisted sense of humor.

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THE NEXT BELLS, 16min., USA
Directed by Joey LaFrance
In this musical, Lily is waiting for an important phone call and navigates life assuming the worst, leading her down a dance-filled, spiraling path of self-discovery.

https://www.instagram.com/the.next.bells_film/

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THE DESTRUCTION OF JANE, 12min,. USA
Directed by Drue Pennella
The Destruction of Jane is a campy, over the top, erotic, outrageous comedy which follows Miss Jane Parker to the African Jungle where it all began. Witness Tarzan and Jane’s first encounter, in what now has become a rather heralded expedition in the African Jungle, and one of our greatest love stories.

http://www.youtube.com/@thedestructionofjane9756
https://www.instagram.com/destructionofjane

Get to know Writer/Actor Paul Pecorino:

A1: I was motivated by an unstoppable combination of caffeine, an overactive imagination, and a jungle of weeds in my backyard that screamed “cinematic masterpiece.” I thought, why not turn my backyard chaos into a hilarious, campy adventure? Plus, playing both a gorilla and a damsel in distress was just too good to pass up.

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PIPPY AND THE TYPIST, 5min., USA
Directed by Rachel Nemez
Our protagonist, Pippy, discovers that a magical typewriter controls the events happening down below.

https://rachelnemez.com/
https://www.instagram.com/rachelnemez/

Get to know the filmmaker:

My studiomates and thesis friends single handedly kept me going. I was going a little bit crazy at the beginning of the process, and I think the fact that I just wasn’t alone in a studio made all the difference. There were three of us in our studio sharing the space, and it was really awesome to be able to just pop in and chat for a bit and then go back to your separate working stations.

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AFROLISTIC: BLACK HEALING FROM ZIMBABWE TO THE BAY, 22min., USA
Directed by Nekia Wright, Shylet Ndarambwa
Black American healer shares about her practice and explores traditional healing, music, and dance in Zimbabwe.

Get to know filmmaker Nekia Wright:

I traveled to Zimbabwe in 2021 to study traditional healing and prepare for the Liberated Learning Teacher Fellowship. The trip had a profound impact on me and I wanted to share this experience with other Black folx. Especially those who haven’t had an opportunity to travel. I recorded entirely on my phone during that trip and began sharing clips during my community performances and sound baths. One audience member was so touched by this one clip from the Binga region that she began weeping. This was the final affirmation for me.

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SHADOW OF THE LIGHT, 7min,. Indonesia

Directed by Tono Wisnu

This short film tells the journey of three generations traditional puppet master and his struggle to preserve the ancient craft of Wayang Kulit (Javanese traditional shadow puppetry).

Interview with writer/producer Jony Yuwono

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ROLL UP FOR EQUITY, 31min., USA
Directed by JM Balbuena
“Roll Up for Equity” is a short documentary that exposes San Diego’s struggle for social equity within its regulated cannabis industry, highlighting passionate local advocates pushing for accountability and change in America’s Finest City.

https://jmbalbuena.com/multimedia/
https://www.instagram.com/_jmbalbuena/

Get to know the filmmaker:
My motivation for this project arose from a deep-seated belief in the power of storytelling to ignite change, foster understanding, and bridge divides. As a filmmaker, I’ve witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of film, and I’m compelled to leverage this medium to spotlight the critical issue of social equity in the cannabis sector—a realm where disparities and barriers persistently shadow the promise of progress and inclusivity.

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THE BRIDGE, 85min., USA

Directed by Evan Jackson Leong

Fifty years ago, our country grappled with widespread discrimination. In Los Angeles, neighborhood leaders challenged these barriers by establishing a community-focused bank, aiming to deliver the American dream to all. The East West Bank Foundation commissioned director Evan Leong to create The Bridge, which explores the struggles, perseverance, and successes of this remarkable journey.

http://www.thebridge-film.com/

Get to know the filmmaker:

As a 6th generation Chinese American I've been fortunate to tell the stories of my community. The Bridge is a story about a humble Chinatown bank that not only grew the community but became a global influence furthering our place in society. For me, I'd be happy to tell these stories for the rest of my career. I was not only inspired but blessed to collaborate with the East West Foundation and Dominic Ng.

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YOUR EVERYDAY HEROES OF COSTA RICA, 25min., USA
Directed by Hernán Salcedo
Your Everyday Heroes traveled to Costa Rica and searched for inspirational everyday people who are changing the world. Jeremy, Tracey, Vernon and Che are clearly all examples of what it takes to be a Hero, and we’re proud to share their stories with you.

http://www.youreverydayheroes.com/
https://www.facebook.com/youreverydayheroes
https://twitter.com/YEDHeroes
https://www.instagram.com/youreverydayheroes/

Get to know producer Albert H. Crane:
One of our film crews traveled to Costa Rica to film Jeremy Levine at Wild Sun Rescue of an episode of season two. Once they arrived, they kept meeting amazing people who were involved with their own non-profits, so we decided to feature all of them in a longer documentary in an effort to draw attention to their causes. To make this film? This production has many legs… Each hero ended up being featured in their own episode, then we decided to combine the 3 animal rescues and recut it from scratch, so to get this far has taken just about a year. That is why you see Che in the after credits, as he was the 4th hero we filmed in Costa Rica, but didn’t hit the theme of this story.

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MITOTE – SMOKEY MIRROR, 9min,. South Korea
Directed by Jana Sturmheit
In today’s world us humans have developed a complex social system of rules and expectations. Children are taught from the day they are born on how they are expected to behave. They are told what is right and wrong, what is possible and what not. That is, by the standards of the children’s parents and other people in their surroundings, in other words the society they grow up in.

https://instagram.com/jaystorm24.mov

Get to know the filmmaker:
It was not a graduate requirement to make a film in my department of video content design, but I felt like it would be the perfect opportunity to create my first work as director and choreographer. I have choreographed stage performances before but never a video and I wanted to portray the vision that I had inspired by the opening excerpt from the book “The Four Agreements” by Miguel Ruiz talking about Mitote – the smokey mirror.
When I have a dance vision, it plays like a movie in my head, rather than a stage performance. Often I find dance visuals intensely focused on the movement rather than the cinematic aesthetics and depth that different camera angles, movement and shot size and cuts add on the final film. I find one of the decisive factors are the intimate closeness that you can create through a camera that is impossible in a stage performance. A second factor is that the camera can move in between the dancers, which a spectator of a stage performance can’t either in most cases.

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SALT IN THEIR VEINS, 16min,. Australia
Directed by Rita Hencke
East Indonesia. Communities of sea people live a life that ties them closely to the marine environment. They are known as Bajo, descendants of former sea nomads who were once roaming the ocean to fish and trade.

https://www.ritahencke.com/film

Get to know the filmmaker:

The inspiration for “Salt in their Veins” came from my passion for freediving. I was captivated by the extraordinary diving and spearfishing skills of the Bajo sea people. During my visit to one of their remote communities in Indonesia a few years ago, I saw how their lives are being transformed by modern influences. This experience motivated me to capture the contrast between their traditional and modern fishing practices.

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OTHERS, 19min., USA
Directed by Chris Durr
In a midwest suburb, an aging radio enthusiast becomes suspicious that a lonely hispanic teenager is a response to his interstellar transmissions. As misunderstanding and coincidence collide, Mateo perceives Frank as a potential threat, while Frank becomes convinced Mateo is a response to his message that he transmits to the skies. Their misperceptions are flipped over when they are interrupted by a close encounter with an unexpected guest.

http://chrisdurr.com/

https://www.instagram.com/others.film

Get to know the filmmaker:

The polarization I’ve been experiencing in my country over the past decade has had me pondering what on Earth could drive humanity together…not saying “Others” is the answer, but I wanted to tell a story about two very different people misperceiving one another while experiencing the same isolation or loneliness. The sci fi alien stuff came from an experience I had in 2009 that left me very open minded, so I thought that might be a fun way to get us there in the film.

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THE LETTER, 6min., USA
Directed by Ruben Rodas
A daughter comes to terms with the loss of her father with a heartfelt farewell letter …

http://skyframepictures.com/

https://www.instagram.com/irene_stepanenko/

Get to know writer/actor Irene Stepanenko:
My motivation to create this film stemmed from a deep desire to honor my father for the immense love, care, and unwavering support he provided me throughout my life.
The idea for the film came to me two months after my father’s passing on May 26, 2021. I wrote the script as a monologue on July 27, 2021—our shared birthday. That day, alone in a Dallas hotel, I began writing a heartfelt letter to him, which later became the script. I held onto the monologue for a couple of years. When I shared it with my dear friend Ruben, a talented producer and videographer, he immediately connected with my vision. Our collaborative efforts led us to shoot the film at a beautiful location by the end of last summer. Overall, the journey from concept to completion took about two years.

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HORNED, 4min,. USA
Directed by Jerrod D Brito
When a cocky cam boy jokingly live-streams a creepypasta dare, he inadvertently summons an ancient demon who craves more than just his soul.

Get to know the filmmaker:

Funny story. I attended Dan Savage’s HUMP Film Festival, a traveling film fest that features short films of an adult nature, and though they had many diverse films, I didn’t see any strictly horror movies. I felt there might be an opportunity there, so I tried to come up with a way to merge horror—my signature genre—with sex. I just started jotting notes and tried to find a way to combine them both, but be fair to both, too, and then I added a little humor. Those were the ingredients for “Horned.” But I really wanted to make sure it stood alone as a horror story, with a beginning, middle, and end, and as much character development as I could squeeze into a short in under five minutes of length. So I cut it two ways—a more explicit version for HUMP with thirty more seconds of content and a better punchline to the film (it was selected, by the way—it tours this fall), and the somewhat censored version we were lucky enough to screen at Horror Underground.

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