In each episode, the C.E.O. of WILDsound, Matthew Toffolo, chats about all things storytelling and film. Conversations with talented individual from all around the world.
FOR LUCIE, 12min,. UK
Directed by Amy Louise Pemberton
When a devastating family secret comes to light, Nick and Liz must confront painful truths that will change their lives forever.
https://www.instagram.com/missamypembs/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amy_Pemberton
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The Inga Tree Model 2025, 10min., Honduras
Directed by Adam Wakeling
The Inga Alley-Cropping pilot is in year 13 in rural, northern Honduras and has impressive results for carbon sequestered and avoided--876,000 tons in 12 years--trained and assisted by an all-Honduran team, 500 smallholder families have planted over 3 million native, nitrogen-fixing trees on steep, highly degraded land. The clearing/burning stops when a family plants their alley (a process that destroys 200,000 acres a day).
http://www.ingafoundation.org/
https://www.instagram.com/ingafoundation/
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Sweet Dreams, 34min., USA
Directed by Gary Alvarez
Set in the near future when most people can no longer dream, "Sweet Dreams" follows the story of Esperanza, a young woman who's excited to be a mom for the first time. Weeks before the baby is due, her partner Kiké goes missing. As she searches for him and her savings dwindle, she comes across an opportunity to make some quick money: surrogate dreaming, a new technological advancement which allows her to sell the dreams of her unborn child through a dreamcatcher clinic. After a trial run, Esperanza begins to suspect that the clinic is somehow connected to Kiké's disappearance.
https://www.instagram.com/sweetdreams_film/
What motivated you to make this film?
A conversation I had with my wife when she was about 6 months pregnant with our son, Sol. We discovered that he was dreaming in the womb and that idea blew my mind! I thought it would make a good story and I started writing the script later that night.
From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
3 years and 5 months.
How would you describe your film in two words!?
Must watch!
What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
Post-production: from false starts on VFX to losing an AE to scheduling sound design and raising funds to pay for all of it!
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As Long As You Want, 22min., Canada
Directed by Matt Santos
For as Long as You Want is a tender, conversation-driven short film about two actors, Liz and Brad, running lines in a quiet basement one afternoon. What starts as a simple rehearsal slowly turns into something deeper as they begin to open up about their relationships, their dreams, and the things they’re afraid to admit out loud. Liz is in a relationship that no longer feels right, with someone who doesn’t really see her. Brad’s charming, grounded, and unexpectedly honest. As they talk, laugh, and share food, the connection between them grows easy, real, and a little bit electric. With Liz’s train out of the city approaching, she has to decide whether to go back to the life she’s been trying to make work, or stay in this moment just a little longer. Quiet, raw, and full of heart, For as Long as You Want is about timing, chemistry, and the things we don’t plan for.
www.instagram.com/check_please_productions/
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Triggered 2.0, 22min,. USA
Directed by Mario Ricardo Rodriguez, Marcus Nel-Jamal Hamm
A diabolical madman known as The Director 2.0, with a vendetta against Wolverine, plots a way to take his powers and use him as a distraction as he enacts his ultimate means of destroying all superpowered beings, by pitting him against his one ally, Blade, in a fight to the death. Lucas Bishop must find a way to break free of his control so he can save his friends and the rest of humanity.
https://instagram.com/triggeredfanfilm
Conversation with writer/co-director/actor Marcus Nel-Jamal Hamm.
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La Ghostification, USA, Musical
Directed by Lena Glikson
A surreal and symbolic journey through the inner world of a girl processing abandonment and emotional distress. Through haunting imagery — from mirrored selves red to threads like tears and disturbed dancing — the video explores the psychological aftermath of being ghosted. Set to a dark, emotionally charged track, the visuals blur the line between dream and nightmare, revealing a desperate attempt to communicate with someone who has vanished without a trace.
https://www.instagram.com/lena_glikson_mx/
Get to know the filmmaker:
What motivated you to make this film?
I was going through a very dark and isolating period in my life, where I felt completely abandoned. As a musician, creating music has always been a natural form of healing for me. I wrote, produced, and recorded the song as a way to process those emotions—but it didn’t feel complete. Since I spend most of my professional life shaping music for films as a film and TV music editor, it felt instinctive to add a visual layer to the storytelling. That’s how the music video for La Ghostification was born.
From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
It took around two and a half months to complete the project, with most of that time spent in pre-production. I initially planned for just one shoot day in a photo studio, but during the editing process I realized we needed more footage to fully support the visual story—so we went back and shot additional material.
Since I normally edit music to picture, it was exciting (and intense) to work the other way around—editing picture to music. I’m incredibly grateful to my editor and cinematographer, Eduard Asaturov, who trusted me and gave me the space to be as detailed and specific as I needed to be.
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UNTIL DEATH DO US PART, 15min., USA
Directed by Joseph Kandov
A wife’s dark secret unravels late one night, binding her husband to an intense conversation that may take a turn for the worst.
Get to know the filmmaker:
What motivated you to make this film?
I thought of the opening scene first. It sort of came to me, and I thought it was a killer opening for a story, but I wasn’t sure what I’d use it for at that moment, be it a feature or short film, an episode of a series, ect. I just knew I had an awesome opening that could be used for something, so I wrote it down and put it away until I figured out what to do with it. Over time, as I went back to it and thought about where the opening could go, how it could be used, ect. I had more ideas come to me such as the ending. And after I had the opening and ending figured out, I knew it could be something special, and decided that a short film format for the story would best for the time being, with the potential to become a feature length should the story garner significant interest from audiences. From there, I slowly but surely fleshed out the remainder of the story that would connect the opening and closing scenes.
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PAGES IN THE WIND, 14min., USA
Directed by Lucas Haviland
As Bailey sits in the park, he starts to reminisce about his journal entries over the past month. Through flashes to these entries, Bailey and his boyfriend, Gavin, experience the various intricate elements of their relationship. All the while Bailey takes in the environment around him in the present day. When his best friend, Corrine, stops by to surprise him, they start to catch up on the past week. Bailey quickly remembers that his entries might be less realistic than he wants them to be. And that his roommate, Gavin, will probably never be the man he needs in his life.
https://www.instagram.com/havilandfilms/
Get to know the filmmaker:
What motivated you to make this film?
The film’s exploration of romantic love and the lengths someone would go to experience it are rooted in my own thoughts surrounding the lack of that kind of love in my life. The exploration and need to put an image to these thoughts and showcase yearning is what drives my motivation in making this film. All to answer the question: To what lengths will someone go to feel love? Seeing and working on the creative projects of my friends and classmates, this motivation was kept alive and continued to grow until the final results of the film that was screened at this festival.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
Going into the audience feedback video, I was nervous solely because of my perfectionistic tendencies and the miniscule things I wanted to try to change. This quickly changed to excitement and general appreciation for the thoughts, praise, and constructive feedback from the audience. It was reassuring to hear about parts that I was hesitant about being well-received by the viewers and for the themes to come across even in the ambiguity of the film.
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HOMEPLANET, 26min., USA
Directed by Andrew Pritzker
Barefoot on a country highway, a Disoriented Man is picked up by Two Local Cops who suspect he may be a space alien.
http://qikfingerfilms.com/
https://www.instagram.com/qikfingerfilmsllc/
Get to know the filmmaker:
What motivated you to make this film?
I had a funny idea kicking around in my head about two cops picking up guy on a country road because they thought he was a space alien. But when I fleshed out the story I decided it wasn’t really about the cops but the guy they arrested. So the questioned remained, “Who is he and what is he doing there?” When the script refocused it turned from comedy to a character drama. Once I found the emotional thread, I wanted to shoot the film.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I was really happy by the response. The reviewers spoke positively about the film and connected to it emotionally. We loved their reactions. They had a personal experience with the film and that’s terrific.
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SHADOWS OF THE PAST, 13min., Australia
Directed by Locky Boaretto
A prequel to JUMPING AT SHADOWS.
Also, the origin story for the character “Agent Nixon”.
http://www.youtube.com/@lochnesslegends
https://www.instagram.com/lochnesslegendsproductions/
Get to know the filmmaker:
What motivated you to make this film?
I was inspired by the Noir Sci-Fi vibe of films like James Cameron’s “The Terminator”, and also the character tragedy / fallen hero element of films like “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith”.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I was actually very happy to hear that people not only had a positive reaction to the film, but that they also felt a genuine emotional connection with the 2 lead characters as well, which made me feel extremely relieved because I wasn’t sure how they were going to respond to all the tragedy elements towards the end of the narrative.
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SECRET IDENTITY, 35min,. UK
Directed by Gurjoeth Singh Bassra
A closeted gay actor who’s known for playing a superhero character on an 80s TV show must confront his dual identity.
https://coffeebeanpictures.com/productions
https://x.com/CoffeeBeanPicUK
https://www.instagram.com/secretidentityfilm/
Get to know the filmmaker:
What motivated you to make this film?
I was inspired by the story of Kevin Conroy, who remained in the closet for most of his life, and found it very interesting the way he played a superhero character who had a secret identity of his own, and suddenly it clicked, a light bulb turned on and I could feel a story coming to me. It also helped that I was really bored over my summer break so I essentially locked myself in a room, threw away the key, and started writing the first draft of the script.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
It all made sense to me, the sound issues were also apparent to me, but to be entirely honest I kind of just got tired of trying to make the film exactly perfect and figured it was better to release it now or otherwise it will just never get released, and the time I spend trying to make this slightly better could be time I spend on the next project. Overall, I’m happy with how the film turned out.
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THE VISITOR, 11min., USA
Directed by Nikolaus Aldrich
With his relationship in a rough patch and his career stalled, A man tries to find new purpose by retreating to the Pacific Northwest. While there, strange things begin to happen as he grapples with his sense of reality.
https://www.instagram.com/thevisitor_shortfilm2024/
Get to know the filmmaker:
What motivated you to make this film?
As a kid I was always fascinated by the subject of UFOs and Aliens. But I never really spent much time thinking about it as an adult. Then last year it was in the news a lot. It sort of re-ignited that curiosity I had as a child. There was so much storytelling potential that I drafted out a whole trilogy of films based on an idea that had come to me. I decided to start small and develop this as a short. The short film is essentially the opening prologue for the feature. While writing the short I wanted to make sure that it could work both as an intro to a feature but a self contained story as well.
I wanted to map the films in a way that naturally progresses through the emotions of what I imagine one would go through if they were to experience this. So starting in a Sci-Fi/Horror genre made sense to me. But if I’m lucky enough to expand this further it wouldn’t necessarily stick with that genre throughout the story.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
It was surreal. There were some things mentioned that honed right in on specific points I was trying to make. The idea of the Visitor(s) and how technically all the characters are alien to this location was a very intentional bit. I was happy to see that point come across. It was also so fun to see how the audience brought their own interpretations to it, what kinds of genres it fit into and filmmakers it reminded them of. There was a lot of hard work put into the film from every department and I was very happy to hear that those teams were given mentions. They really pushed the film into the next level.
The reaction to the film has been so positive. With its inception coming from a relatively dark time in my life. I really don’t have words to describe how incredible it feels to hear others talking about the film and engaging with it enthusiastically. My initial reaction was that this whole strange journey was worth it. I couldn’t be prouder of how it turned out and hearing the reactions to it made me a bit emotional if I’m being honest. I was very moved by the whole experience because it’s surprisingly pretty rare in the festival circuit to really get that kind of direct feedback on your work.
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THE DAYS OF KNIGHT, 9min., USA
Directed by John P Martinez
A highly trained operative, belonging to a clandestine ancient group of expert mercenaries, is given a mission to recover a valuable item for one of the 13 most influential families on Earth. As war breaks out and alliances formed centuries ago crumble, survival becomes the top priority for everyone involved.
https://www.instagram.com/1018filmsaz/
Get to know the filmmkaer:
What motivated you to make this film?
This was on my bucket list of things to accomplish. I always wanted to create a short film and decide to just do it! I should have done this long ago…
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
It was a fanatastic experience seeing their reaction. I was stunned, speechless and amazed.
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Watch Małgorzata Szyszka’s films on the WILDsound Platform:
SPIRIT OF SWEETNESS: https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/watch-spirit-of-sweetness
Why, in today's civilized world, do we still use the methods and means of healing bodies and souls used by our grandparents? Who really are Whishperes? How does modern psychology look at rituals and whisherers? The tradition of whispering/praying in the Ortodox Church language is passed down from generation to generation. The film asks many questions and seeks answers from experts in various fields: therapists/psychologists, anthropologists, ethnographers, but also residents of Podlasie.
GREEN SWEATER: https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/watch-green-sweater
When you lose everything, you have nothing And the body will deceive you. It appears like a bird from paradise .. Longing for a green sweater Longing for a parrot blouse Longing for the Mexican frill Longing for a green sweater. For yourself, for all of you.
DOCTOR OF THE "POLISH EAGLES": https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/watch-doctor-of-the-polish-eagles
The film tells about the work of doctor Janusz Garlicki of the Polish national football team, which won, among others, the Olympic gold medal during the time of coach Kazimierz Górski.
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BRAISING, 19min., USA
Directed by Bryan Ribeiro
Conroy –a crestfallen, fast food cook who dreams of becoming a chef– finds community with a peculiar “charity” organization, all while he strives to deepen his connection with his widower father.
https://www.instagram.com/braisingfilm
Get to know the filmmaker:
What motivated you to make this film?
I wanted to tell a story about group think. There’s always been a fascination about cults and mob mentalities and I wanted to explore what brings about a need to join the collective. The answers vary person to person but a lot of the cases I found illuminating were the ones where someone lacked a community of their own; they had no family they could rely on. Focusing on someone without a support system and seeing their descent sounded way too fun an opportunity. Food has always been something that brings people together and adapting that idea into a potentially negative tether was the last crux to bring everything together.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I was really floored by the initial reception. The warmth in the reviews were really validating and a lot of the analyses were thoughtful. It’s my very first video review so it was a bit surreal.
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CHHAVA, 39min., India
Directed by Anurag Srijit, Arman Shaikh
Produced by by Sudeep Mehta
Set in the storied Apshinge Military Village in Maharashtra, ‘Chhava’ offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of families bound by centuries of military service, from the reign of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to today. Crafted with care by first-time student filmmakers, the documentary weaves together personal sacrifices and enduring bravery, revealing the profound human spirit at the village’s heart.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32117939/
https://instagram.com/chhava.official
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Al Chang, a distinguished filmmaker from Los Angeles's Koreatown, is passionately pursuing his dream of crafting authentic narratives in the film industry. With a background that includes 10 years of service in the U.S. Army and a deep connection to the post-L.A. riots culture, in addition to being a dedicated husband and father of four, Chang brings a unique perspective to his work. Currently pursuing his Master of Fine Arts (MFA) with an Editing emphasis at Chapman University, Chang is an emerging talent in the world of filmmaking. His journey began with a passion for editing, which eventually led him to write and direct his own short films, driven by the desire to create entertaining short films. Despite the challenges of balancing life as a full-time student, husband, and father of four, Chang continues to push on, proving that creativity can thrive even in the busiest of lives.
https://www.instagram.com/4lcfilm/
Listen to previous podcast interview with Al Chang: https://www.wildsoundpodcast.com/the-film-podcast-by-wildsound/2024/1/18/ep-1091-filmmaker-al-chang-viral
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The story and forgiveness of José and Maria, 15min., Brazil
Directed by Victor Amaro
After 50 years, José and Maria definitively break off their marriage and agree to give statements to their grandson, for the first time, about the reasons that led them to make such a decision. A story about love, pain and forgiveness.
http://filhounicofilmes.com/
https://www.instagram.com/filhounicofilms
Get to know the filmmaker:
I always found it sad the way the Brazilian family is portrayed in Brazilian cinema. There are countless layers that are never addressed, when I saw my grandparents’ situation I couldn’t think differently. I needed to document this, but I didn’t know I was capturing their last moments.
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WEEKEND RELEASE, 1min., UK
Directed by Susanda Wolf
A woman waits for her son to pick her up from the police station, but he isn't coming.
http://palmanda.com/
Get to know the filmmaker:
Motivation was a really good actress, Barbara. I worked with her previously and wrote it for her. Start to finish it took around an hour to film, a couple of hours to edit and less than hour to write so probably about half day.
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JACK, 5min., USA
Directed by Julian Curi
An art connoisseur finds himself on the run after he steals a priceless item from a ruthless man in this fun twist on a classic tale.
Get to know the filmmaker:
I’ve always loved adventure films, and this concept had been floating around it in my head for some time when 2020 hit. My co-producer Adam Lau said we should use our time as wisely as possible and start writing. Jack was one of the scripts that came out of that time. I’ve always loved movies that were untouchable by time. As this one is set in the early 1940s with our style, we thought it could be enjoyable for quite some time. And I also wanted to tell a story that was fast and engaging while also being easily digestible.
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