LE SELECT, 10min., Canada
Directed by Raval Alviarez
Le Sélect Bistro opened its doors on Queen St. W. in 1977. It became a community center that many residents of the city would flock to night after night in search of an experience unlike any other. Owners Frédéric and Jean-Jacques helped propel the careers of Canada’s most talented culinary workers such as Matty Matheson. Working closely together, the owners and their 80+ employees sought to deliver a soul to the heart of the city of Toronto. By touching the lives of every customer, the bistro became a landmark for the city. Unfortunately, Toronto quickly began its rise of urbanization. And 45 years later, they were forced to sell the restaurant and abandon their most cherished memories..

https://www.blogto.com/film/2022/12/someone-made-movie-about-one-torontos-most-famous-restaurants/
https://www.instagram.com/ravalalviarez/

From filmmaker Raval Alviarez:

“Food is so much more than just what we eat, and restaurants are so much more than places to eat—they’re community centres. And our city of Toronto is at a very important crossroads right now when it comes to protecting and preserving those businesses. When making a documentary, I was taught that we ought to make something that audiences need to hear and see right now. And I believed that the residents of our city deserved to see what we risk losing when these small businesses are forced out of our communities.”

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 CAPTAIN’S MISTRESS, 4min., USA, Comedy
Directed by Debra Pralle
Staging her Connect Four championship comeback, a 30 something sugar addicted has-been faces her greatest challenge – a pre-teen bubble gum chewing alpha girl who takes no prisoners.

Conversation with: Director Debra Pralle. Writers Corey Alder & Shea Gilchrist-Smith

Quote from director Debra Pralle:

Corey and Shea approached me with this hilarious, absurd spoof of the Queen’s Gambit trailer and I just couldn’t resist the challenge or opportunity. As an educator as well it seemed a perfect opportunity for my film students to work 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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THE CALL, 14min., USA, Thriller
Directed by Ryan Jafri
1965. A small man in a big world works hard to close a deal, doing everything he can to please his boss. But the clock is ticking, and someone is out to get him.

https://www.instagram.com/oneiro_films/

Get to know the filmmaker:

I’ve always been intrigued by films that have compelling stories told within the confines of few settings. So when the image of just one character in a single room came in front of my mind’s eye, I knew it was just a mere seedling of my next film. Despite The Call taking place in 1965, its representation of the effects of corporate culture, work burnout and fear of being replaced for any reason transcends eras. Therefore, I saw The Call as an opportunity to create a depiction of the anxious and paranoid times we live in.

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 DARK FROG EXPERIMENT, 7min., USA
Directed by Gabriel Caro
A woman’s nightmare is turned reality when she is kidnapped by a mad scientist who plans to add her to his collection of monsters.

Get to know the filmmaker:

I didn’t see a lot of 2D horror films out there, which is a shame because animation is in many ways a perfect platform for horror films. I wanted to try my hand at it because I liked the idea of telling mature and dark stories through the medium of animation, and hopefully that would translate into darker more mature stories being mainstream in western animation later on.

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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(UN) SEEN, 7min., India, Dance
Directed by Anjana Ghonasgi, Pratik Iyer
‘Tethered between her own worlds of captivity and escapism, Maya finds herself.’

http://www.anjanaghonasgi.com/

https://www.instagram.com/anjana.ghonasgi

Get to know the filmmaker:
– (UN)SEEN is a deeply personal story. My creative expression has always been about connecting with myself. There are certain stories & experiences that can only be expressed through a visual medium and not told in words. This film was my way of doing just that.

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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HAPPY EVER AFTER, 4min., Musical Animation
Directed by Leyokki
This movie shows and sings the tale of a poet; falling into dreams, travelling in fantaisies. A movie made of images generated by an artificial intelligence, giving to the movie the flickering texture of daydreams and memories.

https://leyokki.org

Get to know the filmmaker:

(the film was made) To explore the possibilities of images generated by artificial intelligence, and how to conduct it.

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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Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80HWDaLb7VA

Logline: A young man falls in love with an ecoterrorist only to discover their pasts are entwined.

Synopsis: Basil Pepper is not ‘the man’, he’s not a doer, or a fighter…or even much of a thinker. World events pass him by, ideology makes him sleepy, and the Prime Minister’s name eludes him. Delia Dengel is determined to take a stand, to succeed where generations have failed, and be the change she wants to see, even if she’ll always be hunted. Basil is smitten. It isn’t long before he begins to see the world through Delia’s eyes…
And that’s when the storm begins.

How far would you go to save the world?

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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PROVENANCE: A LETTER TO MY DAUGHTER, 9min., Dance
A short dance film about a transnational adoptee’s personal experiences struggling with identity, belonging, and inclusion growing up in the Midwest of America. Directed and choreographed by Li Chiao-Ping, dancer Elisabeth Roskopf’s exquisite movement and personal story reclaiming her heritage are captured beautifully by cinematographer and editor Christal Wagner.

http://www.lcpdance.org/
https://www.facebook.com/lcpdance
https://www.instagram.com/lcpdance

Interview with: Director Li Chiao-Ping. Cinematographer Christal Wagner. Dancer Elisabeth Roskopf

From director Li Chiao-Ping:

Elisabeth’s personal story made it a compelling project, as well as the passion and enthusiasm of both my collaborators, Elisabeth Roskopf and Christal Wagner. From meetings and rehearsals to its first screening, it took about 2.5 months (to complete the film). However, since Elisabeth is a dancer in my company, we have been working together for the past 5 years and the subject of her being a transnational adoptee has come up in other choreographic projects.

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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SHRAPNEL: Solitarius Lupus, 8min., USA
Directed by Lael Rogers. Co-Written by Tony Fulgham
We follow a scavenger through a time not too far from our own as they find a way to survive the harsh realities of a world run by economy and conflict.

http://www.laelrogers.com/

Get to know the filmmaker:
NEON Machine asked All is Well, the Seattle film studio I co-founded, to make a film inspired by the world of Shrapnel — a yet-to-be released AAA Extraction FPS game. Writers Tony Fulgham, Peter Edlund, and myself were writing the script as the Shrapnel team was developing their world, so the characters and landscapes really took shape side-by-side.

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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Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wxOOpBCqPs

A closeted teen football star, Harley Harris, discovers his friends and fellow townsfolk are being replaced by demonic shapeshifters, and he is next! Together with, out and proud friend, Tessa, Harley must break the demon’s curse before his identity and life are lost forever.

https://facebook.com/Jcfilmscribe
https://instagram.com/filmscribe

Get to know the screenwriter:

It’s a story with a few themes that teens are going through today, and always have.

On the surface, it’s about a teenage boy coming to terms with his sexuality and the pressures he faces in doing so. These pressures are manifested as a demon forcing him to fit the Mold society would expect him to.

These pressures are not just reserved for teenagers, however being a teenager and discovering who you are can be is relatable for everyone who has gone through it. Plus, you add social media into the mix of hormones and self-discovery and these demons are just icing on the cake.

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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LIES, 5min., Under 5 Minute Festival Film. Drama/Family

Directed by Rachel Taggart

Navika is about to start in 6th grade and is stopped in her tracks when her mom reveals a big lie.

Director Statement

I've been an actress for many years and have been noodling the idea of directing for quite some of them. My father (who was a TV director and producer) passed away in 2020 and this lit something in me.

I feel my dad with me and know that he's with me in this journey as a director and producer. He nurtured creativity and a passion for storytelling, a legacy which I hope to continue.

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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AUTUMN LEAVES, 4min., Canada, Drama Animation
Directed by Elizabeth Lewis
Autumn brings bitter sweet memories. A woman, missing her husband, struggles to control the leaves and her emotions in this fully animated hilarious take on the classic song.

Get to know the filmmaker;
My brother sent me a modern version of the song and rather than take it as a purely sentimental ballad , all I could think of was how annoying it is to have to take up all those leaves . I chose the Pat Boone version to reflect the old fashioned sentimentality.

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 KARENS, 8min. USA, Comedy
Directed by Katie Goodman
Welcome to the support group for people named Karen. Believe it or not, there are some people out there who are named Karen. That’s their actual name. People who must walk through their days knowing the very name their parents gave them is now an insult. This film is for them.

http://www.katiegoodman.com/
https://facebook.com/KatieGoodmanComedy/
https://twitter.com/KatieGoodman
https://instagram.com/thekatiegoodman/

Get to know the filmmaker:
I just fell in love with my husband Soren Kisiel’s script when we did it live last year. I new it would work as a film. I also found my DP and he was massively inspiring. And my cast. I knew how fun it would be. They are just so brilliant. I giggled like a crazy person over and over during editing even after watching the same take 5 times.

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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Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFl77xk6Qzg

A deep and all-consuming romance set in eighteenth-century England between a highwayman and a landlord’s daughter tests their love, loyalty, and willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Logline: He met her on life’s darkest road, and her soul became his moon.

Get to know the screenwriter:

It’s an adventure, romance set in 18th century England about a lonely highwayman who happens upon a beautiful woman along the coast of Wales. After a couple close encounters, they connect and realize that they are one, and develop an unbreakable, intense soul connection. It’s a story about undying love and that special bond that rises to a twin flame or soulmate level. It’s a story about finally uniting with the one you were meant to be with, losing them, and realizing that you can’t live without them.

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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ROGUE REFLECTION, 5min., USA, Experimental
Directed by Juliet McMains
A tap dancer, discovering that her reflection refuses to mirror her movements, engages in a playful battle with herself.

Get to know the filmmaker:

This film started as a live performance in which the dancer, Rachel Zuraek, performed a duet with a video projection of herself. We were so pleased with the audience response to the live show that I wanted to translate the piece to film. In order to create a similar effect of one dancer engaging with her own avatar, I came up with the idea of dancing with her own reflection. I started researching mirror shots in films and discovered such a rich history and some excellent how-to-videos.

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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EGG DAY, 3min., Australia, Experimental
Directed by Syarisa Yasin, Claudia Dickson, Samantha Oo
A surrealist film in the style of female vaporwave, “Egg Day” explores the complex facets of femininity through scenes that allude to female reproduction. A recurring motif reflects the birth of a powerful warrior from Hindu scripture, Karna, who was born from his mother’s ear. The film’s style takes inspiration from artists such as Maisie Cousins, Petra Collins, and Pipilotti Rist.

Get to know Syarisa Yasin:

We made this film for our final assessment for an experimental film class at university. We first discussed a visual interest in orbies, fruits, eggs, and fibrous/round/soft textured images in general and wanted to layer images of these things—this led to a discussion on our personal connections to womanhood when we realized what their shapes could represent, and added hard and foreign-looking plastic babies into the mix. We had a desire to create a surrealist/mythic environment that expressed our anxieties surrounding femininity and the impact that complex social expectations have on women physically and emotionally.

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 SPACE BETWEEN US, 3min., USA, Comedy Animation
Directed by Julianne Martin
A lonely spaceman’s desperate desire for company seems bound to come true when a mysterious ship arrives at his space station.

Get to know the filmmaker:

I originally wrote and boarded this project in September-November of 2020 as a way to cope with my own emotional distress during the Covid-19 lockdown. We were over half a year into quarantine, and I kept feeling as though I was remote from everyone and living on the moon. I also felt really unmoored by such prolonged isolation and fear, and was very weary of only connecting with broader society through screens. The era also felt really tumultuous and dangerous– the news was full of people protesting mask mandates, there was palpable tension and dread in the air leading up to the US 2020 election, and it felt like society was really fraying at the seams. This project really helped me process conflicting feelings of wanting to be with other people again while also feeling very scared, angry and threatened.

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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REVERENCE, 19min., USA, Dance/Drama
Directed by Rachel Hemsley
“He danced for fame. She danced through pain. For old times’ sake and to new beginnings…in a fleeting moment.” – Set in the world of dance, RÉVÉRENCE is a story of relationships which resonates with audiences of all backgrounds, including the LGBTQ+ community. The story is told through the eyes of two dancers who began on the same path, yet went completely different directions in their careers and their destiny. Through the tragedy and the person who pulled them apart, a new tragic misfortune causes them to reunite, gifting them each a new clarity – even if it is just for one fleeting moment in a dance studio.

Get to know star/producer Steven Byrket:

Kim and I wanted to do a project together that would include dance and tell a good story. She knew the writer and reached out to him, he said yes, we had one short zoom meeting and the script was born. A story that was relatable, has a true to life message, would motivate and inspire people of all ages and walks of life to keep pursuing their passions and dreams no matter what their situation is.

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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Watch the Screenplay Reading of AZALEA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAXG15Ucgmk

A gay couple struggles with the challenges of adoption, while a single woman who runs her own business navigates the complexities of an accidental pregnancy.

https://www.instagram.com/nateraven1/

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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ALWAYS PRESENT, 30min., USA, Musical Dance
Directed by Philip G. Anderson
An artist explores their relationship with fear in the creative process.

https://www.philipganderson.com/
https://www.instagram.com/philipgandersonmusic/
https://www.facebook.com/philipgandersonmusic/
https://twitter.com/panderson91

Get to know the filmmaker:

The things that I imagine motivate all artists, a desire to create, to explore and express artistic ideas, to tell a story. The project’s focus is to illuminate an artist’s relationship with fear in the creative process, how it influences them in conscious and subconscious ways, and how to acknowledge and accept that fear as an always present part of the process. I sought to illustrate that through contemporary dance, music, and 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.

Subscribe to the podcast via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook