The conventions of documentary, musical theater, and magical realism are combined and subverted to address issues of personal, national, and artistic identity through the eyes of a composer desperate to pull off one final backer’s audition whilst hounded by a disdainful documentarian named Charon.

Feature Film: Musical, Meta-modernist, Documentary, Meta-fiction, Bardo, Opera, Musical Theater

https://instagram.com/americasinging

https://www.americasinging.art/

Director Statement

This film is the final installment of a project called "The Bardo Trilogy," which begins with "Orson Rehearsed," and continues with "9/10: Love Before the Fall." In the trilogy of features I explore, from the stance of an auteur composer-director-screenwriter-editor, the concept of "operafilm" -- a fusing of the procedures and tropes of lyric theater and cinema in a comprehensively correlative fashion in order to achieve a new form of "gesamtkunstwerk.,

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Herve Marcotte is back on the podcast chatting about his next experimental feature documentary. Without getting TOO flaky, Herve and Matthew take a deep dive into the meaning of life and the human psyche.

Along the Threat of the Other synopsis:

After my first long documentary, “Encounter with remarkable souls”, with focus on the meaning of life, I am exploring the concept of self-realization with two 25 years old young adults. The film is a quest for an unknown treasure that cannot be found alone. Like the red thread of a fulfilled life !

A tightrope walker, a physiotherapist, a sculptress, a researcher and several adults take turns talking about the inner life... and their relationship with others. Throughout the film, fictional scenes resonate with their words. The film is constructed in the manner of an adventure.

Director Statement

In my films, there's a symbiosis between the "actors" (not in the traditional sense) and the director, creating an authentic truth that would otherwise remain undiscovered by them.

I enjoy incorporating elements such as animation, improvisation, experiments, games, self-thoughts. For examples, in "Encounter with Remarkable Souls," I incorporate scenes inspired by the emperor Marcus Aurelius, in "Fraternity is Contagious !" improvisational segments, in “Along the Thread of the OTHER" fictional scenes shot in black & white. Philosophical says constellate my films. I am meticulous in ensuring these elements resonate harmoniously with the documentary's themes, which originate from my thoughts but are never told during filming.

My films, directly or indirectly, revolve around universal love, portrayed by young characters (either in age or spirit), who offer viewers another perspective. I plan to give even more space to the Divine in my future works.

I film alone.

All my documentaries, under small budgets, are of cinematic quality, edited with the assistance of a professional team, including professional editing, music composition, sound design, and mixing.
Last but not least, all my films are films of faith.

——-

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Al Chang is back on the podcast, chatting about his recent award-winning film CINDY.

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

"An aspiring rapper takes a vague driving gig hoping for a quiet night to himself. Instead, he meets Cindy, a bubbly and unpredictable passenger who drags him into an absurd and unexpectedly heartfelt adventure.
"CINDY" is a quirky dramedy about connection, detours, and the strangers who change our lives."

Director Statement

Storytelling, for me, is about finding truth in unexpected places. I’m less interested in delivering a message than I am in creating a space where audiences can feel something genuine and walk away with their own interpretations. Every film I make is a chance to explore a new genre, to challenge myself creatively, and to discover how far we can push with limited resources.
I’ve always believed that good filmmaking isn’t about scale, but about intent. Whether it’s a contained drama, a high-energy comedy, or a tense thriller, I approach each project with the same focus: building honest characters, crafting sharp visuals, and shaping rhythm in the edit until it feels alive. I like to leave room for humor, tension, and vulnerability—because that mix is what makes stories resonate.
At the heart of it, I see filmmaking as community-building. Each project brings together people who might not have otherwise crossed paths, and in that collaboration, something greater emerges. My goal is to keep creating films that entertain, that spark conversation, and that remind us of the power of storytelling to connect us.

——

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Watch script reading: https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/in-the-house-that-elle-built

Elizabeth has her hands full with her two foster kids, a roommate and a new love interest that she's not sure can handle her lifestyle.

https://www.instagram.com/lbe.hackney/

——

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ALL EYES ON YOU, min., UK

Directed by Ted Clarke

Paranoid couple Adam and Claire move to the peaceful countryside for a fresh start, but quickly become unsettled by a series of sinister interactions with their new neighbours, putting their trust - and relationship - to the test…

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The Way Back Home is a two-minute poetic film that unfolds underwater, where a woman’s expressive movements accompany a powerful monologue on identity, womanhood, and self-ownership — written, directed, and narrated by the filmmaker herself. As the performer drifts through silence and resistance, the voice rises against the weight of judgment and expectation — reclaiming scars, softness, and the right to become. A cinematic meditation on finding one’s way back to the self.

https://www.instagram.com/angyaklyjammal/

Director Statement

The Way Back Home is a film I created from a place of deep honesty — not just as a director, but as a mother, a woman, and a human being who has lived through motherhood, silence, pressure, and transformation.
After completing the film, I sat with my daughters and told them: “I want you to watch this film when you are 20, again when you are 30, and again when you are 40.” Because this is not just a short film — it’s a piece of my story that I want to leave behind for them. A reminder that pain, scars, and growth are part of becoming. That they are allowed to own their voice, their truth, their transformation — no matter what the world tries to impose.

With a single performer, a voiceover, and the silence of water as its backdrop, this film holds everything I wanted to say to them — and to the women who might need to hear it too.

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What's Locked Behind That Door?, 4min., USA

Directed by John Gardner

In the visually arresting music video for Lunavox’s “What’s Locked Behind That Door?”, a series of metaphorical doors open onto the full spectrum of human emotion, drawing viewers into a surreal journey through fear, desire, and obsession. These portals also frame the chilling descent of a scientist whose relentless experiments lead him into darkness. Guided by the song’s pulsing rhythm, the two narratives intertwine as human vulnerability and scientific ambition collapse into a single vision of corruption and revelation.

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Versipellis, 26min., UK
Directed by James Rigby
In this spine-chilling horror film, a young girl, Sophia, faces the dilemma of choosing whom to trust when an imposter infiltrates her home.

https://www.instagram.com/versipellis_film

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

I wanted to challenge myself by making my first horror film. I was curious about how to approach the story, its themes, and the craft of building fear in an audience. I researched the genre, studied other films, and asked myself: what do I personally find scary, and why do I react that way? That exploration shaped the direction of the film.

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

The script was originally written and pitched during my time at Arts University Bournemouth. After taking a short break from it, I came back with fresh eyes, refined the concept, and pushed it forward. With the support of people around the world, we successfully crowdfunded £1,500, which allowed us to bring the project to life.

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Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ATnlU8JqBA

The vicious attack that almost killed her erased all that she was. But not what she did. Elyse Tysoni s shocked to learn her taped confessions remove any hope of escaping her nightmare. Desperate for a lifeline, her only option is to be studied by Doctor Steve Bennett, a psychologist who specializes in psychopaths, to prove she is no longer a threat. But as the study progresses, it’sclearthere’smore to herstory than anyone knew.

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

ORIGIN STORY is about a woman, Elyse Tyson, who wakes from a coma to find herself in prison with no memory. Everything that made her who she was is gone; her life turned into a living nightmare. And she’s still responsible for what she did. She’s a serial killer. Or at least she was. We follow Elyse as she tries to piece together who she is now by delving into her past, even if that means losing herself again.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Psychological Thriller

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

Beyond immersing the audience in a thrilling journey into the dark recesses of the human mind, ORIGIN STORY explores what makes us who we are and the meaning of justice. By putting those concepts to the test in a scenario that is an extreme contrast to what most of us experience, it makes difficult subjects easier to digest and provokes discussion.

How would you describe this script in two words?

Relentless suspense

What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

It’s a toss-up between Terminator 2 and The Princess Bride.

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Tale & Bones – Dark Princess, 3min., USA
Directed by Daniella Meggoe, Benson Jackson
Dark Princess is a psychological short highlighting the unique relationship between a grandmother and her grandchild. The innocent yet menacing ques are overlooked as something mysteriously dark is brewing.

http://www.sistastalk.org/talebones
https://instagram.com/Nellamovieproduction

Get to know filmmaker Daniella Meggoe:

What motivated you to make this film?
I love horror and creating. I enjoy being challenged, after creating my first short film in 2021 I decided to a horror film.

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
2 years

How would you describe your film in two words!?
Thriller Suspenseful

What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
Understanding angles and finding the right filming crew

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
Excitement and joy, it’s interesting to see different perspectives on the film.

When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
Since I was 8 years old, my vision and creativity is pretty broad. I grew up watching movies from various genres and wondered “how did they do that” how did they make that look so real? I’m an avid story teller so I’m developing my creative side.

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Resonance in the Castle, 17min., USA

Directed by Brandon Katcher

A mysterious castle breathes with light and color, drawing all who enter into its shifting embrace. Stained glass spills vivid hues across ancient stone, golden reflections dance over strange artifacts, and ethereal performances flare up like living paintings. Surreal, electric, and unbound by space or time. Musicians, dancers, and performance artists bring their visions to life, each performance casting a ripple, before fading into the ether. A place of mystery and spectacle, this living museum exists only in the moment it is seen, leaving behind only echoes. Here, the castle is not a place but a state of mind, a dream in motion, inviting us to lose ourselves within its walls.

https://www.lostsummitfilms.com/

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

The opportunity to make Resonance in the Castle came at a key moment in my life, when I felt directionless and depleted. I had just wrapped a grueling, two-year documentary production, and like so many filmmakers, I found myself in that fog of burnout and uncertainty. What’s next? And then, pure coincidence gave me the opportunity to join an artist residency in a century-old castle in Italy. I traveled there with only a few basic ideas, the glimmer of a story. But through collaboration with musicians, dancers, sculptors, and actors from around the world, a film was born through the freedom of creating without expectation.

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

Not knowing what to expect from the location or the artists involved, I arrived in Italy with only basic ideas and visuals in my head. Once I was able to see the castle in person and meet the artists, those ideas became collaborations, and the scenes took shape. Each artist had a plan for their live performance, which we adapted for each room and scene. The actual filming took place over two days and became an improvisation as I learned to “dance” with each performer. During the week in the castle, we also performed live in front of an audience and filmed a documentary of the event. Once I returned home, the editing process took about two months.

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Mariposa, 5min,. USA
Directed by Brook Vitovsky
Mariposa’s world begins to unravel around her when she finds a mysterious butterfly.

Conversation with director: Brook Vitovsky. producer: Cambria Cheney. composer: Chase Miller. artist/writer: EmmaLeigh Fleck. artist: Kiera Vermeal

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?
Growing up, I, Brook Vitovsky, watched my great-grandmother struggle with dementia. From the time I was a toddler until I was thirteen, I saw how the disease slowly affected her mind and spirit. Witnessing that experience firsthand made me realize how deeply dementia impacts not only those who live with it but also their families. My motivation for making this film comes from a desire to honor that experience — to reach people’s hearts and create a sense of shared understanding and connection.

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
My team and I worked on this film for over a year.

How would you describe your film in two words!?
Heartfelt and bittersweet

What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
The biggest challenge we faced was definitely the layout. Matching the perspective from the storyboards to the 3D model in Maya proved difficult, especially when it came to controlling the camera.

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“A Silent Cry” is a two-and-a-half-minute microfilm set in the Himalayan Mountains—one of the world’s most vital and fragile ecosystems. The film uses evocative visuals and music to highlight the urgent need to sustain and protect this unique environment, which is essential for countless species and provides life-sustaining resources for millions of people.

Project Links

•  Website

•  Facebook

•  Instagram

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Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgCnQQd1mmY

In a 1960s rural community, a young girl navigates her coming-of-age only to discover family secrets of mental illness, love, and loss that change the course of her life.

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?
It’s a coming-of-age story about a girl trying to find her place in the turbulent 1960s, a time of women’s rights, civil rights, and gay rights. But what she sees in herself and what others see in her are at odds, and she must navigate mental illness, loss, and the redemptive power of love to find her true self.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?
Drama and coming-of-age


Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
The most compelling aspect of this movie is its strong connection to “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” The story parallels the turbulent ’60s with our political climate today, showing us how far we’ve come and the dangers that await us today if we go back.

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Cast & Brew, 10min., Spain/USA

Directed by Priscilla Zanni Bertran

Cast & Brew is a comedy about an AD trying to manage a film set where coffee has been delayed, and the lead actor, Bruce, refuses to do any takes without his coffee first. Chaos erupts when Craft Services informs the AD and Producer about a worldwide collapse in the coffee supply chain. On the meantime, Bruce demands his detailed coffee order while the director pushes for rehearsals. The scene inside the film happens in a Western field where Bruce proposes to his girlfriend, Sara. He is grabbing her in his arms and as soon as she accepts his proposal, he lets her fall to the ground claiming he lacks the muscle strength without his coffee. The Producer then reveals the truth about the coffee crisis, leading to Bruce quitting the film. This sparks a huge chaotic montage ensues with crazy physical altercations.

https://www.instagram.com/priszanni/

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

"Cast & Brew" came to me in a New York coffee shop. From my window seat, watched people hurrying by, each holding a giant cup of coffeeIt struck me: not a soul without one, just a whirlwind of rush and stress.And I thought to myself "how attached are we to that coffee and why?".

"What would happen if coffee would completely vanish?" 

My hope is that audiences recognize how fast-paced our society has become, where every minute not spent being productive feels like you have committed a crime. We're constantly rushing, and when we add caffeine into that mix, we only accelerate the loss of ourselves. 

We lose the purpose of why we do things. I find this concept of obsession and lost of reality very interesting and I have discovered that I actually love to explore that in my films.

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

It took a year. Script took me a week to make 1st draft as a visualised it all in that coffee shop in New York. I knew exactly what I wanted the film to be from beginning , middle and end. 

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When struggling creative Christopher Nolan is dumped by his girlfriend upon her discovery that he is not the legendary director of films such as Oppenheimer and Interstellar, he decides to prove himself by staging a play adaptation of The Dark Knight. "The Christopher Nolan Experience" captures the behind-the-scenes efforts leading up to this anticipated disaster.

https://www.instagram.com/thechristophernolanexperience/

Conversation with director/co-writer Matthew Putnam and lead actor Darren Emery.

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Conversation with filmmaker Tom White on the making of CONNECTION - a film he directed remotely.

A government agent is tasked with interrogating a silent prisoner—but the true danger lies in whether the voice in his head is his own… or something else entirely.

https://instagram.com/twch757

Director Statement

I didn’t just direct Connection from my living room — I directed it live, in real time, over an iPad, collaborating with my cast and crew from home.

After being diagnosed with a chronic disability that left me homebound, I feared my days of directing were over. For a long time, I grieved the version of myself who could run a set, work shoulder to shoulder with my DP, and block scenes in person. But this film became the experiment that proved I could still do all of that — just differently.

Remote directing forced me to trust my collaborators more deeply, communicate with absolute clarity, and lean into a process most filmmakers never attempt. The result isn’t just a short film — it’s proof that my voice still has a place, even if the way I use it has changed.

Connection is my reminder that creativity can evolve. That even when life rewrites the rules, we can still tell the stories that matter to us — and maybe tell them in ways no one’s tried before.

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TROPOS, 2min., USA, Environmental Feature

Director/Co-Writer: Peter Andrew Coutavas

In the wake of sudden and alarming climate change, a team of brilliant citizens are assembled by the United States Government to counter the threat. Will they succeed in time? Or will private agendas get in the way?

https://www.instagram.com/ardentroadproductions/

Director Statement

"TROPOS" comes from the Greek prefix "tropo" meaning "reaction", or "change", which is in reference to the moral of this story: People must change before the world can change. Both I and my sister, Christina whom co-produced this film, had developed this project partly out of concern for the state of our planet's future with regard to climate change. I believe it to be a symptom of a much larger problem; the lack of shared responsibility for our collective welfare. My intention with this film to appeal to a younger generation in the hope of inspiring change. The making of this film was also a personal challenge. Having never produced anything even approaching the scope of a full length feature, the production taught me a great deal about the complexity of the craft, and will forever remain an important footnote in my work history. I hope others may have the chance to appreciate it for what it was intended to be: a collaborative passion project that speaks candidly and earnestly about the price of indifference and the virtues of courage.

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SPLIT FOCUS, 6min., Dance/Experimental

Directed by Cherie Carson. DP/Editor: Micha Dunston

"Split Focus" is a captivating dance film that delves into the intricate relationship between self-perception and external projection. Through mesmerizing shadow play, the film explores images of spirit and internal feelings versus outward appearances, prompting viewers to question which aspect demands more attention— the dancer herself or her shadow. Visually poetic, it offers a compelling examination of how we project ourselves into the world and the duality of inner and outer identities.

http://www.upswingaerialdance.org/

https://www.instagram.com/upswingaeriaDirector Statement

I explore the layers of human identity and emotion through movement and visual storytelling.

My choreography and filmmaking are driven by a desire to illuminate the unseen forces that shape our understanding of ourselves and others. "Split Focus" is a dialogue between the physical body and its shadow, using dance and shadow play as a metaphor for the internal and external worlds we inhabit.

I look to challenge perceptions, create imagery that encourages viewers to reflect on the projections, masks, and truths that define us. With a background rooted in both choreography and award-winning filmmaking, I strive to craft immersive, visually compelling narratives that resonate on a visceral level—highlighting the beauty, complexity, and often unseen depths of the human spirit.

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WATERLOGGED, 4min., USA, Action/Crime

A cop gets under water with her CI's and needs to find a way out.

Conversation with director Kent Lloyd on the making of the film.

http://uvselfdefense.com/stunts

https://www.instagram.com/spearheadstunts

Director Statement

Waterlogged is meant to be an auditory experience. I was inspired by all of my live dance music players from college and season 2 of Daredevil to help the audience experience what our hero goes through.

This piece was a giant collaboration from my stunts class. Monica, Rayla and Tennyson did most of the heavy lifting in terms of choreography and costume design. But they asked me to help stunt coordinate and direct and help write the script since the action was developed without any specific dialogue at all.

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