EARLY RETIREMENT

A 30-something year old man, on the heels of a breakup with his boyfriend, moves in with his parents who live in a 55+ adult community. Through confronting his own insecurities and examining family relationships and dynamics, he's able to move forward.

ANTISEMITE

Seth, a college senior, is home for winter break. He’s spending a day relaxing and shopping on Fairfax Avenue when he’s suddenly confronted by an Orthodox Jewish man asking Seth if he’s Jewish. Seth’s chance encounter leads to a profound spiritual experience with life-changing implications.

https://www.airebedd.com/antisemite
https://www.instagram.com/mbossydirects/

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=FS6mHBwRaf8

When a police detective, hunting a serial killer, gets too close, the killer murders his wife and two children, sending him into a downward spiral of alcohol, suicide, and a near-death experience where God tells him to become a priest. Years later the serial killer reappears – in his confessional.

From the Screenwriter:

Good vs. Evil Not in the more orthodox religious view of Christianity, but in a Manichaean vision Norman Mailer discussed in my film, “Norman Mailer: The Sanction to Write.” The Manichaeans saw God and the Devil as brothers caught up in a battle til the end of time – a battle of good vs. evil. There exist an important third element at play and that is mankind, human beings. How we act (for good or for evil) will determine if God or the Devil wins. So as humans we bear an awesome responsibility, a terrifying duty, in determining the outcome of this cosmic battle.

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 art of making a short comedy.

http://www.thejoemcgowan.co.uk/
https://instagram.com/joe_mcgowan88

TAKEAWAY - A couple can't decide what takeaway they want for dinner.

PISS UP - Two men meet in an alley after a few too many.

From the filmmaker:

Getting the edit right. There were a few shots that were left on the cutting room floor so it wouldn’t feel too bloated. The film needed to get to when the classical music kicked in as soon as possible and the build up between the two characters took some time to get things as smooth and as funny as possible. I remember feeling at one point that the film wasn’t good, so I stripped a lot of shots back and it benefitted from being cut down immensely.

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.wildsound.ca/videos/goofy-foot-screenplay

Eliot Glassman, 15, openly gay and precocious, becomes emancipated from his suburban parents and friends, following incidents of physical abuse. Freed from his troubled suburban origins, he navigates (often on a skateboard) the dangers and delights of his new urban surroundings. Through it all, Eliot remains a positive life-force -– the ultimate wise ass, the enemy of poseurs, the ironic (often unreliable) narrator of his own amazing story.

CAST LIST:

Narrator: Geoff Mays
Eliot: Sean Ballantyne
Alison: Hannah Ehman
Ms. Benton: Elizabeth Rose Morriss

Get to know the screenwriter:

Along with my three other completed (and refined) pilots, it should be produced to tell the truth about LGBTQ lives, without the offensive stereotypes that usually appear on network tv. It also is an attempt to show the myriad of pitfalls faced by teenagers, whether LGBTQ or straight, in a society that uses fear and misrepresentation to label people (e.g., urban skateboarders).

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 THINGS I FEEL, 12min., Australia
Directed by Jean Ngooi
As an android nanny, Hadley takes care of a young, inquisitive boy named Charlie. When a malfunction causes her to develop sentience, they embark on an adventure to find a real-life animal, a scarcity in their world. On their trip, Hadley faces what it means to feel things for the first time.

https://sites.google.com/view/thethingsifeel/home?authuser=1
https://www.facebook.com/thethingsifeel.film
http://instagram.com/thethingsifeel.film/

Get to know the filmmaker:

I really love sci-fi films that bring to light questions revolving around humanity and its boundaries so I wanted to challenge myself to tell a story that would do just that but also be achievable as student filmmakers. I believe the limitations that we had in regards with being a student film helped me shape aspects of the story and really focus it on the main two characters.

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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RESTLESS, 15min., Canada, Drama/Thriller
Directed by Dhun Sharma
A sex worker is coerced into a situation that gradually becomes more violent.

https://www.instagram.com/sharma.dhun/

Get to know the filmmaker:

I was looking to do something interesting after my last short. I had just finished writing Restless as a feature and I wanted to use it as a pitch to fund the larger project. The part that i turned into a short is actually just an introduction to Rebel and as redemptive as it was in the short, the feature version is very different.

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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DAY FLIPPERS, 16min., USA, Dark Comedy
Directed by Isaac Cushman
The production of a home renovation TV series is disrupted by the presence of a malevolent spirit.

Interview with:

Director Isaac Cushman

Producer Dylan Samson

Cinematographer Brendan Parker

Production Designer Alex Royston

Makeup/Sound Sarah Sweet

From filmmaker Isaac Cushman:

Honestly, it was my buddy Alex Royston, who was the Production Designer on the film. I first shared the idea with him and Dylan Samson (Producer) when we were out shooting a fake Mountain Dew ad for a class. It was an idea that was inspired by films like Grave Encounters (2011) and Ghostwatch (1992), both of which feature the crew of a television program encountering actual paranormal activity. Having most of my experience in comedy writing, I thought taking an HGTV-style show and putting those characters into a similar situation would be ripe for a hybrid of comedy and horror. It was an idea I proposed as a non-school project because it seemed too “big” to do as an assignment but since we had no other ideas we liked for our upcoming final project, we moved forward with it. I was skeptical at first but Alex championed the idea and rallied the troops. I couldn’t be more grateful for that, I was right that it was going to be difficult but because of Alex’s enthusiasm for the idea, I was given an opportunity to prove to myself that I was capable of more than I thought and we made something that I am really proud of. I now see just how possible even the most insane ideas can be with the right people and a little ingenuity.

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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LOCK, 3min., Canada,
Directed by Kody Zimmermann
For some kids, the garage is an oasis away from parents, homework, and chores. But sometimes, there may be something hidden amongst the junk and clutter. Something that makes ‘alone time’ not what it seems.

http://www.ghostwoodfilms.com/

Get to know the filmmaker:
First of all, I felt I needed to feed my filmmaking addiction again, to be behind the camera again. It had been a while since I did a short, as I committed the last couple of years to developing feature films. And every aspect of making a short film is a taxing endeavour. It taxes your finances, your scheduling, your relationships, your commitments. Anyone who does these often enough knows there are only so many times you can go back to the well to ask for donated gear, volunteer cast and crew.

So the second part of my motivation came from a very simple question: How much of this can I do on my own? On the quest to answer that question, I became a huge, huge fan of filmmaker David F. Sandberg (LIGHTS OUT, SHAZAM) and his Youtube channel devoted specifically to do-it-yourself filmmaking.

It rewired my way of thinking. My short film THE FAMILIAR was run like a well-oiled feature film with dozens of crew members, multiple locations, multiple actors, and top-of-the-tier gear. For something as bare-bones as LOCK, I allowed myself to let go of that mindset. It was liberating. But it did mean brushing up on skills I hadn’t exercised in years and learning new ones I had never touched on before.

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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PERSISTENCE, 12min., Canada, Drama
Directed by Neil Schell
Persistence is a story about what happens when romantic intentions cross over into stalking. The ?lm explores what happens when trusts are broken but laws aren?t, and just how much damage can be done to someone’s life in that space between.

https://www.persistenceshortfilm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/PersistenceShort
https://instagram.com/persistenceshortfilm

Get to know the filmmaker:
This project has kind of taken on a life of its own. Initially, I just knew that I wanted to make the most out of quarantine life by taking that time to write and produce my first short film. I was always raised with the principle that if something is worth doing, it is worth doing well, so I knew that whatever I chose to do, I would throw myself into it completely. That made me really take the time to consider what story I would want to devote that kind of energy to.

Persistence is based on my real life experiences with stalkers. When I came up with the idea, I had a visceral reaction to the mere thought, so I knew there was more there that I needed to explore. I initially thought I was just doing it as a therapeutic exercise for myself, but the more people I spoke to about it, the more people approached me with their own similar stories. Understanding that I wasn’t alone in what I went through was heartbreaking and also so encouraging. From that moment, I started to realize that there is a bigger purpose to telling this story; to start important conversations and hopefully help others feel less isolated 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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Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjWe3zqFzqk

In the afterlife, a murdered man meets a grieving mother who died during the Great Depression and has been ferrying souls through purgatory ever since for the chance to rescue her daughter’s soul from damnation.

Get to know the screenwriter:

I think my 1-hour pilot script would make a fantastic television show. Sure, it’s about death, but it’s also about choices, addiction, co-dependency, guilt, loss, forgiveness, and personal responsibility, all wrapped up in a fun, dark, dangerous world where the characters really are down to their very last chance.

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=DfPdZKEVV2s

A smart, but indecisive movie theater owner is about to lose her husband, movie theater and her family’s legacy, but when two forces of nature sweep into her life–a violent tropical storm and a gorgeous and compassionate man–she finally jumps into action to get what she wants.

https://www.facebook.com/janna.jones
https://instagram.com/drjannajones

Get to know the screenwriter:

Shelter is original, funny and sweet. It is truly a love letter to cinema, and it is full of funny, quirky and three dimensional characters who live on a cool, funky island off the coast of Florida. In some ways, it also flips the script of the romantic comedy–because at the end of Shelter, we see the woman chasing after the man; in this case, by way of skateboard and golf cart!

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=Q6lx36tTrjE

In 1350s Florence, an insecure nun unwillingly becomes the Mother Superior after the Plague kills the leaders of her nearly bankrupt convent. To save her convent, she must find the strength to confront the male dominated Church, Guilds and civil authorities, and her own demons.

Get to know the screenwriter:

While set in the past, Mother Superior has great modern-day relevance. The Plague foreshadows the disruptions of our Covid epidemic. Today’s struggles of women with a male dominated Church and civil society, and with their own faith, echo those of the protagonist.

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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T’AI CHI MAN!, 3min,. USA
Directed by Zach Brewster-Geisz
A robbery is foiled by a uniquely incompetent superhero.

http://zachbg.com/filmmaker
http://instagram.com/zachbg7

Get to know the filmmaker:

My wife used to take T’ai Chi, and she told me about a crack someone had made about how they were “learning to beat people up really slowly.” That stuck with me, and the idea came pretty quickly after that. As for motivation, I’m always up to make people laugh.

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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CONFLICT, 3min., USA, Poem
Directed by Nitashia L Johnson
Conflict is a short poetic visual about the struggle of letting go of someone you love when it isn’t working. Instead of releasing, our entities might ignore the signs of a declining relationship. The living and dead organic life shown throughout the video represents the constant tug and pull we might feel from karmic ties, making us stay.

http://nitashiajohnson.com/
https://facebook.com/NitashiaJohnson
https://twitter.com/nitashiajohnson
https://instagram.com/nitashiajohnson

Get to know the filmmaker;

I felt moved to make a film about conflicts in a relationship. The love we foster inside is essential, and letting go can be very problematic. We have to learn when to walk away from things that no longer serve us instead of repeating a cycle that limits our growth.

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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HOME, 13min., USA, Dance
Directed by Shari Coleman
When her parent’s domestic violent relationship comes to a head, Harley must choose between protecting her family and keeping her sanity.

Get to know the filmmaker:

Growing up, I unfortunately witnessed the terror that is a domestic violent relationship. Though it did get me thinking about how the scope of what domestic violence is and who it affects is very spotlighted on the couple but how about the children? What does it do to 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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STRIPEY SOCKS, 5min., UK, Animation/Documentary

‘Stripey Socks’ is the true tale of Michelle Bailey as a young girl dealing with teenage pregnancy, navigating her way through secrecy, blame and catholic school. The film, shot by Diana Stefanescu, is of live illustrators by Cait Buckley which are complemented by the beautiful soundtrack by Sophie Hadlum. The film was made on the same weekend as the Irish abortion referendum which compelled the director to make this film.

DON’T LET THE BASTARDS GRIND YOU DOWN, 4min., UK, Experimental

Michelle Bailey's follow up to her award winning debut film 'Dad' is a personal and poignant depiction of the effects of domestic abuse on a young girls mental health. In her own words Bailey has made this film for 'anyone who has been told they are not good enough'. The British director has drawn upon her own experiences to share her mantra of 'Don't let the bastards grind you down'.

Get to know the filmmaker:

Filmmaking for me is cathartic. It’s a way for me to explore trauma in my life and turn it into something more creative and productive. It helps me process my thoughts and feelings and connects me to people with similar experiences. It makes me feel less alone and less ashamed, breaking down the stigma that surrounds abortion especially in religion.

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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POST (COVID-19) ERA, 3min., USA, Fashion
Directed by Haowei Zhang
This fashion film is the collaboration with jewelry designer Hankunyu Wei, which expresses the jewelry artist Hankunyu Wei’s thoughts and reflections on the aftershocks to human society after the end of COVID-19.As the COVID-19 inevitably hits the workings of the world, each and every one of our lives is marked. Even though masks are no longer a necessity and people’s lives are gradually returning to normalcy, the dramatic changes in life over the past few years are like a wound that reminds humans to think about life, bondage and distance.

Get to know the filmmaker:
The emergence of the epidemic has changed our lives forever. At first, I did not anticipate that the epidemic would change our lives so profoundly. By the time I realized it, our lives were completely unable to go back to the way they were. People are highly adaptable creatures. The government also made a lot of measures to bring order back to people’s world. But no matter what, the existence of the epidemic is like a scar, and even if the wound heals, there is still a part of our lives that is permanently altered. I want to explore the habits that have been subliminally changed in the world after order has been re-established.

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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REQUIEM. GENERATION. BREAKER., 7min., USA, Animation/Musical
Directed by Derwin Hayden
After a father witnesses a murder, Myck, and his family become targeted by an inter-dimensional demon.

Get to know the filmmaker:

I was motivated by a book called “Man’s Unconquerable Mind” by Gilbert Highet. I wanted to write a tragedy where a person was cast into a dark pit of despair but refused to let the fire of their soul flicker away.

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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JALEBI NIGHTS, 13min., UK, Drama/Romance
Directed by Ganesh Sharma
Jalebi Nights follows the journey of a young heartbroken man, named Krishan. He was about to propose to the love of his life, however her mother intervened. 6 months later, Krishan still can’t get over his ex, so his best friend Harry comes up with a plan to help Krishan move on.

https://www.instagram.com/jalebinightsfilm

Get to know filmmaker Ganesh Sharma:

So I’m a filmmaker of south Asian descent, who was born in the UK and I grew up with a passion for watching films and TV shows from the western world. After all, this is where I was raised. However, from an early age I noticed that there weren’t many Asians being represented in the shows or the films that I watched. Additionally, if an Asian person was shown on screen, 9 times out of 10 they were used for a comedic moment. They were hardly an integral part of the story.

Now as a 31-year-old man, I can see that times have changed, and films have become a lot more diverse. There are certainly a lot more Asian faces on TV, which is great to see! However I believe that only a handful of them are ever provided with a lead role. Therefore, as a writer/director of South Asian origin, I decided that I should take it upon myself to change that.

With ‘Jalebi Nights’, I wanted to create a story that felt fitting of the struggles of South Asian people in my age group, in regards to arranged marriages, family pressure, sexual orientation etc. I also wrote the film in a way that people of all backgrounds could relate to. Additionally, another goal for me was to ensure I was giving Asian actors an opportunity to shine, and I’m happy to say I did! My entire cast is of South Asian origin, and for three of them, this is their first ever film credit.

PIANO-SOLEIL, 8min., Brazil, Dance
Directed by Caio Amon
A young woman feels trapped in a claustrophobic reality. She yearns for vast and awe-inspiring landscapes, where freedom of movement and communion with nature are possible. Yet she realizes that the wondrous beauty of these natural environments is threatened by mankind’s seemingly unrelenting exploitation of Mother Earth.

https://montrealmusica.com/album-videos/

Get to know the filmmaker:

The film was an international commission from Canadian pianist Marc Bourdeau to Brazilian filmmaker Caio Amon and thought as an experimental music video for a piano piece in his last album.

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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