ETERNAL LINES: William Shakespeare’s Verse in Music and Motion., 5min., USA
Directed by Yazan Al-Hajari
Eternal Lines: William Shakespeare’s Verse in Motion and Music” is the second part of a series where I delve into Shakespeare’s vast Canon, handpicking songs and sonnets that resonate deeply with me. I’ve woven these pieces into a narrative that, while personal in selection, unveils a connected story, reflecting the universal themes and emotions Shakespeare so masterfully depicted. This project is a heartfelt tribute to the timeless beauty of Shakespeare’s poetry, crafted with deep admiration for his poetic genius. While delving into Shakespeare’s poetry, my goal was not only to breathe new life into these classic texts but also to capture and reflect my own emotional journey as I navigated through the myriad of themes and expressions found in his work. Through a fusion of original music, captivating AI and real footage and visuals, and immersive sound design, I’ve endeavored to present Shakespeare’s poetry in a contemporary light, offering a fresh perspective that honors the essence of his work while inviting modern audiences to experience its magic anew.

https://yazanalhajari.com/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063482441871
https://www.instagram.com/yazanhajari/

Get to know the filmmaker:

My drive to create this film sprung from the enchanting layers within Shakespeare’s poetry—their timeless beauty and the myriad interpretations they invite. Each sonnet, with its rhythmic musicality and vivid imagery, became a cornerstone for the film’s narrative and aesthetics. This project was more than an academic endeavor; it was a personal voyage into the heart of these verses, exploring their resonance within my own life and experiences.

The process was two-fold: a devoted study of Shakespeare’s sonnets to honor their original spirit, coupled with a deeply personal journey to discover their significance to me. This wasn’t just about bringing academic analysis to life; it was about letting these verses breathe and speak through my creative lens, intertwining Shakespeare’s insights with my own. In essence, this film was fueled by a blend of fidelity to Shakespeare’s work and my introspective engagement with his poetry, striving to create a visual experience that is as rich and multifaceted as the sonnets themselves.

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TOTEM, 3min., France
Directed by Emeline Castaneda
The day had started badly for Alice. But that was without taking into account the old saying “in the jungle you must wait, 13 helps yourself liberate”

Get to know the filmmaker:
It was originally for a contest. We had tell a story around the theme “number 13”. I have always expressed my self best with choreography and I already had this idea of a choreography about animal transformation. It was the perfect opportunity.

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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AN INTERMISSION, 13min,. France
Directed by William Georges-Garcia
After receiving a letter and questioning everything he took for granted, Rufus prepares to leave everything behind when a chance meeting with Amelia, his childhood love, forces both of them to come to terms with the end of their young adult lives.

https://www.instagram.com/anintermissionfilm/

Get to know the filmmaker:

This is my first short film, so it was very important to me to be able to work on a project that allowed me to work with the actors as much as possible. I’ve always been a fan of dialogue-heavy, character-driven films, so when I started writing this script it seemed like the perfect opportunity to collaborate closely with my actors, working on the intention of each line the way one would with a play.

About the story itself, one of the things that interested me the most was this idea of “what you want” versus “what’s expected you”. The inevitable conflict of it. Sometimes you do everything you’re supposed to do in life and it still doesn’t turn out right, so you have to decide to prioritize pleasing other people or pleasing yourself, knowing that it’s often a lose-lose situation. We all play different roles in life and it’s difficult to find a more appearance-based society than 19th century England. I thought that if I could frame this dilemma with a love story– two people that found “an intermission” from their respective roles when they were with each other— that maybe that could be interesting.

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APHASIC DREAM, 24min,. Bolivia
Directed by Leo Rojas
Fernando, a guy with a messy life, starts having strange dreams of a kid in an abandoned warehouse.

http://leorojas.me/
https://www.instagram.com/steverojas00/

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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RENEGADE EPISODE 1: REDEMPTION, 20min., USA
Directed by Nicholas T Collier
After learning the mob controls the city, detective Daniel Graves decides to become the newest vigilante in Westwick City, Renegade.

https://www.instagram.com/34_nicholas_34/

Get to know the filmmaker:

Growing up, I have always loved comic book movies, and they’re the reason I decided to become a filmmaker. This was my love letter to the genre, my way of taking all these films and stories I grew up with, and telling my perspective of 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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TEAM OCEAN, 40min., USA
Directed by Bethany Teague
10 nonprofits along both U.S. coasts fight for a better future for our one ocean, and therefore our world. Team Ocean is a celebration of how each organization’s talents, expertise and passions weave together a beautiful tapestry of teamwork from every sector – fisheries, species protection, food security, arts, education, recreation and more.

https://clickandpledge.com/project-ocean/
https://www.facebook.com/clickandpledge
https://twitter.com/clickandpledge
https://www.instagram.com/clickandpledge/

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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CIRCLES, 6min., USA
Directed by Alijah Johnson
“Circles” is a visually stunning short film that takes the audience on a symbolic journey of personal transformation. The protagonist undergoes a profound metamorphosis, depicted through allegorical scenes representing different stages of self-discovery and growth. “Circles” explores the intricate dance between self-discovery, vulnerability, determination, sacrifice, and artistic power. Through its rich symbolism and powerful visuals, the film invites viewers to reflect on their own journeys of transformation and the circles they navigate in becoming their true selves.

https://www.instagram.com/alijah.aj/?hl=en

https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/circles-review

Get to know the filmmaker:

Well, the inspiration behind “Circles ” stemmed from a deeply personal experience I went through a breakup with my ex-girlfriend. Instead of letting that experience crush me, I decided to channel that energy into something transformative. It was like becoming an alchemist, transmuting pain into creative fuel. As I delved deeper into exploring energies and self-discovery, I realized the power we have over our own filters. I believe we create filters we have a process of interpreting information that we’re not fully aware of and become aware of we choose to let in and how we process it. Which takes a lot of self exploration to become aware of. This journey of self-awareness and transformation became the driving force behind the film. I wanted to emerge from that dark phase as a completely new person, (dark night of the soul double entendre for the mountain scene) and this film captures that journey of metamorphosis. This film was like medication for me, especially during a period of depression and profound personal transformation. Going through a metamorphosis is very uncomfortable, much like many processes in nature where growth is necessary. For instance, plants breaking through soil or butterfly coming out a cocoon. It’s not pretty or comforting, but it’s necessary for growth. A lot was Inspired by Dante’s Inferno, the theme of circles reflects the idea that we can get stuck in one perspective or state of consciousness, trapped by our irreplaceable filters. This film served as a reminder that exploring new perspectives is essential for personal growth, even if it means destroying old aspects of ourselves. The process of making the film was just as therapeutic as the final product. It taught me that I have the power to bring my visions to life and that the journey as an artist brining things from the unseen world that you only have access to, to reality is challenging but rewarding. Ultimately, “Circles” became a message to myself, guiding me through my own transformation and helping me learn valuable lessons not only when I was making it but also for myself in the future.

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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WATER ALWAYS GOES WHERE IT WANTS TO GO, 5min., Romania
Directed by Yiou Wang
“Water Always Goes Where It Wants to Go” is an ecoperformance CG art video of the body in synergy with the storied landscape of water. How can we go back to something we already have? We are born out of water, and water constitutes our body, our territories, and our myths. Mapping water through the body, in between transitory space for waters, the short film investigates the relationship between the self, its embodied and somatic dialogues, and these physical and symbolic waters, questioning how we can return to our first water, the common body.

http://yiouwang.org/
https://twitter.com/YiouWang1
https://www.instagram.com/yiou_wang_/

Get to know the filmmaker:
This short film is the natural product of a very rich and interesting conversation Alina and I have. Many of our ideas clicked and crosspollinated. Alina is an actress and performance artist, who expresses through her body; I am a visual artist who expresses through image and form. We are both empaths who share an intuitive, embodied connection to a larger, more-than-human world. Alina has been introducing to the world the method of ecoperformance for many years, where she embodies a forest, a river, a crow, or an ancient mythic being and shapeshifts in synergy with the consciousness of the embodied. We began to focus on water, as water is our first body – the amniotic fluid is where we come from, and our common body. In many precolonial cultures and epistemologies, the land is often also corporeal. In Tuva, the mountain peak is the heart of mountain ranges, where rivers are the aortas, the soil’s blood vessels.

Alina and I wanted to create a branch of artworks embodying water combining her ecoperformance and my virtual filmmaking. She performs embodying water from our animistic perspective, and I do the motion capture, transferring her movement to the avatars of water. The scenography is designed with a root in theatre arts, where I put my 3D scanned natural environment pieces in the scene reminiscent of stage.

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
It is hard to pinpoint the start of this project, since Alina and I have been communicating for a year and our minds grew into this rich constellation. Since the beginning, we agreed to draft some proposals to apply for certain live performance art grants. After that, we thought why not make a film to further illustrate our proposal? And the actual production and editing of this film was about three weeks. But it’s hard to say it’s only three weeks, because a lot of the models I put into the environment were from my longtime habit of 3D scanning in my forest hikes.

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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ROOM OF MEMORIES, 2min., Australia
Directed by Suniva Maya Miller
The story of heartbreak told from the memory center of the brain.

https://instagram.com/caffeinated_dream_dream

Get to know the filmmaker:

It was my first ever animated film that I developed during my first year of university. For some reason I had this feeling that I had to make something so emotional and deep. At the time I had just been through a pretty rough breakup with someone who I had been friends with for much longer. So I wanted to write and make something that would reflect the complicated emotions I had surrounding this person and our relationship.

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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EMERGING FROM THE SHADOWS, 14min., Belgium
Directed by Mark Stas
Takeda was forced to leave Asia after a tragic incident. He travelled but stayed close to the woods in order to remember his heart, but also to live a new life in Europe and tries to forget his past. After three years this peace is suddenly disturbed. While he goes running in the woods, Muto, an Italian gangster discovers suddenly an Asian man in the woods. Maybe this could be the killer his boss, Martello is looking for since many years. Karyudo, a powerful hunter who is also an excellent martial artist, was sent by his corrupt police chief to help the Italian gangster boss. He wants to know where Muto found this Asian man. They have a small issue to arrange and at the woods, Karyudo’s sensitive instinct tells him his prey is there. Karyudo, who has a great sense of honour and justice, doesn’t know the exact details of this hunting, but with the help of Muto, he will track this Asian man in the Italian woods. Doubt will grow in his mind. Martello’s hate during these three years will finally find a reason to be. They will hunt this Asian man down and make him pay, no matter what. Takeda has no other choice than to rise from the shadows, confront his past and fight for his life.

http://www.wingflowsystem.com/
https://www.facebook.com/mark.stas.official
https://www.instagram.com/markstas_wfs/
https://twitter.com/markstaswfs

Get to know the filmmaker:

Since I’ve previously acted in action-packed movies like “English Dogs in Bangkok” and “Haphazard,” the desire to make original fight scenes within a concise narrative motivated me. Collaborating with my friend Ron Smoorenburg, I devised a storyline where he could shine as the main opponent. This project was fueled by pure passion, and the very good fusion between Ron and me in the past, would give us again a very good fight scene effect. Initially, it wasn’t intended for festival circuits.

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 SHATTERING, 20min., USA
Directed by Jan Jalenak
A carefully constructed marriage implodes when an unexpected call unleashes a fragility and pain that have been simmering for years.

http://babydollfilms.com/
https://www.facebook.com/JanJalenak
https://www.instagram.com/janjalenak

Jan Jalenak is back on the podcast after chatting about her previous film "You Can Kiss Me": https://www.wildsoundpodcast.com/the-film-podcast-by-wildsound/2021/11/6/november-7-2021-filmmaker-jan-jalenak-you-can-kiss-me

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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BLUE DANCE, 9min., France
Directed by Elya Randrianaivo
A widow is torn between traumatic terrorist memories and her son’s needs of attention.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29306931/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk
https://instagram.com/lechoduntircourtmetrage

Get to know the filmmaker:
Exploring a space to lament without being consumed with sadness

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=iQ-DmtHBCeU

Out of work actors in LA plan a robbery of a marijuana dispensary in the middle of Covid lockdown.

Get to know the writer:
The plot is a heist of a dispensary during the peak of Covid lockdown. But the story is about who is winning and losing in the modern American economy. In it, a couple young American males have lost faith in the late capitalist system. History tells us that when young males feel lost en masse, bad things can happen. Here, this group takes a crazy risk with their lives over a compartively small prize. By the start of the film, they have lost faith in institutions, dropped out of higher education, and are pursuing moonshots to achieve what they perceive as success. You could read the story as a mini-revolution with real winners and losers.

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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CRISIS, 6min,. USA
Directed by Patrick Wei
Set against the backdrop of a drought-stricken New York City, this gripping short film delves into the harsh realities faced by its residents as the government imposes a stringent water rationing measure, limiting each individual to just 1 gallon and 3 ounces of water daily. As tensions rise and survival instincts kick in, “Crisis” paints a harrowing picture of the potential consequences of our environmental actions and the lengths to which people might go when faced with the direst of necessities. 1

https://www.instagram.com/Ingenious96

Get to know producer Kyle Joshua Jacobs:

The driving force behind this film was the realization of a widespread lack of awareness regarding sustainability. Many individuals tend to view sustainability solely through an environmental lens, overlooking its profound social dimensions. Sustainability is inherently intertwined with social behavior, and failing to grasp this concept could lead to potential crises.

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 SLATE, 8min., USA
Directed by Katherine Connor Duff
A struggling actress attempts to film a self tape.

https://www.katherineconnorduff.com/

Get to know the filmmaker:

This film was based on a domestic argument I found recorded on my self tape camera. I lost the argument, I lost the boyfriend, but I won Best Story at TOFFF! After finding said video, I thought it would make for a great short film, where reality is blurred à la cinéma vérité style of the new wave films of the 1960s. I wanted to convey raw authenticity, the unsuccessful balance of career and relationship, and remove the line between fiction and fact. As an actress in LA, I wanted also to explore the audition method where we film so many self tapes using our own homes, our own equipment, and our own readers, in my case, an uncooperative boyfriend.

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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ANDY KEYS CLARK – ‘SHE’S SO SPECTOR-ESQUE’, 4min., UK
Directed by Ignatius Rake
An animated tribute to legendary singer and 60s icon Ronnie Spector (1943-2022), this epic music video for UK soul and ska stalwart Andy Keys Clark (AKC) blasts Space-Race rocketry out to the furthest corners of the cosmos to help a lovestruck astronaut reconnect with his enigmatic lover.

https://www.ninjinart.com/

Get to know the filmmaker:

I had worked with Andy Keys Clark before on a couple of video projects, including a short musical film about the COVID-19 lockdowns, or ‘bang-ups’, in our hometown in Cornwall, UK. He was looking for a video for his song ‘She’s So Spector-Esque’ and I jumped at the chance when he asked me.

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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OJUE, 13min,. USA
Directed by Fernando Alberto Broce
A panamanian fashion designer living in the US, who is embarrassed about her culture, is forced to bring her dad with dementia (who is convinced that he is still in Panama) to her most important exhibition.

Get to know the filmmaker:

Since I moved to Los Angeles two years ago, I have felt a great nostalgia for my country, Panama. I wanted to tell a story whose characters would reflect this. I wanted to tell a story that would serve as a collage of the things I miss most about my country.

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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MARION GRUBER: PREPAREDNESS IS PREVENTION, 30min. USA
Directed by Donald Rayne Mitchell
Dr. Marion Gruber is a world-renowned expert in vaccine development, regulation, and licensure. She worked at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for many years, serving as the director of the Office of Vaccines Research & Review (OVRR) from 2012-2021. In this short film, Dr. Gruber and several of her colleagues describe their efforts to ensure that life-saving vaccines were available during some of the most recent and well-known public health emergencies and why preparing for the next infectious disease threat is critical.

https://hillemanfilm.com/marion-gruber

Get to know the filmmaker:

In collaboration with the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, I helped to create the educational initiative we call the Vaccine Makers Project (VMP). The VMP is made up of K-12 curricula which are supported by a variety of films and animations, the feature documentary, HILLEMAN among them. From the beginning, one of our goals with the project has been to put a human face to the science of vaccines. There’s a lot of noise out there around vaccine science but at the heart of the conversation are people that, in many cases, have dedicated their lives to protecting their fellow human beings through the prevention of disease. Marion Gruber is one of those people and her inspiring career is what motivated us to make this 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.

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YUGO MANCHESTER, 13min., Netherlands
Directed by Daniel Rodrigues Correia
“MARIBOR, YUGO MANCHESTER” is a captivating dance short-film that takes the audience on an immersive journey through the evolution of the city’s industry, rise, and fall in Maribor (Slovenia) during the 20th century. Through mesmerizing choreography and powerful storytelling, the film unravels the transformation of Maribor from an industrial powerhouse to a cultural gem. Each dance sequence illuminates key historical events that shaped the city’s identity, celebrating its triumphs, resilience, and exploring the impact of the changing industrial landscape. Seamlessly blending history and artistry, “MARIBOR, YUGO MANCHESTER” invites audiences to experience the beauty and power of dance as it brings Maribor’s captivating story to life.

https://www.instagram.com/maribor_yugo_manchester/

Get to know the filmmaker:
The goal of this short dance film was to show the journey through the legacy of development, rise and fall of industry in Maribor in the 20th century. We wanted to show, through choreography, the transformation of the city, which was once considered the Yugoslav “Manchester City”.

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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LITTLE EMPTY BOXES, 99min., USA

Directed by Max Lugavere, Chris Newhard

Little Empty Boxes is a feature length documentary from filmmaker Max Lugavere, who chronicles the last several years of his mothers' life as she battles a mysterious form of Dementia. As Kathy's world begins to deteriorate around her, Max consults with some of the world's leading experts in medicine to learn how diet and lifestyle affects our brain.

https://www.littleemptyboxes.com/

https://www.instagram.com/littleemptyboxes/

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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