THE FABULOUS MISADVENTURES OF PIZZA BOY, 18min,. USA
Directed by Trevor Motes
Pizza Boy is the town’s most popular and fun-loving Pizza Delivery Boy. After an encounter with a rude customer, a motivational speaker ad on TV motivates him to face his bullies.

https://www.instagram.com/pizzaboymovie/

Get to know the filmmaker:

In 2022, I began my final year at college/film school. I looked back at the previous 3 years of film school and felt unsatisfied with my experience. I wasn’t known for doing anything cool or creative at my school, nobody asked me to be on their sets, and when they did, they only wanted me as an actor, a grip, or to use my truck to tow equipment. I felt unseen and like I wasn’t valued amongst my classmates. I decided for my senior thesis, I wanted to prove everyone wrong, and I ended up writing, producing, directing, acting, producing music for, marketing, editing, and publicly premiering this on my own, and the effect was way bigger than I thought it would be. The hype leading up to this being released became well known at my school. I was underestimated and underused for a long time, but in the end I finally proved my value and worth.

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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VIRAL, 11min., USA
Directed by Al Chang
In their pursuit of viral fame, a group of young women’s social media recording session turns perilous when they’re stalked by an internet serial killer.

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

Get to know the filmmaker:

The concept of “viral” content emerged during a casual scroll through Instagram reels, prompting contemplation on the proliferation of videos that are presented as genuine but can be easily debunked upon closer inspection. A prevalent trend is the creation of content primarily for entertainment, with the boundaries between fact and fiction becoming increasingly indistinct. In today’s digital landscape, consumers of these bite-sized clips seem less concerned about the veracity of the content and more focused on its entertainment value, readily sharing and liking material that captures their attention.

The consequence of this trend is a world where individuals are swift to post without thoroughly scrutinizing the authenticity of the content, leading to situations where people may willingly compromise their own well-being or that of others for the sake of garnering likes and shares. It is acknowledged that amidst the plethora of content, there exists informative and high-quality material. However, the challenge lies in such content being overshadowed by the deluge of frivolous and misleading content, unless actively sought out by the audience. The aim of this exploration is not necessarily to convey a specific message but to depict the collective inclination to embrace and propagate content, regardless of its authenticity. The viewer’s interpretation of the accompanying short film is subjective, leaving room for varied reactions, from disturbance to indifference, reflecting the prevailing dynamics of our online engagement.

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 PIRATE, 8min., UK
Directed by Ruth Carnegie
A young girl, stuck in the city, dreams of running away to the sea. With the help of her grandfather, she finds a rather unusual way to break free.

https://www.instagram.com/girl_finds_the_sea/

Get to know the filmmaker:

Like so many people during the Covid Pandemic, I was in desperate need of finding a way to get through the day. I joke that I was awful at making sourdough and so I took up writing instead but it’s based in truth. I come from a theatrical background and so I was surrounded by unemployed actors, I asked a few of them to read some of my work and the encouragement I got from those sessions was really the spur to make me want to take what I was doing off the page and actually try and make it.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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TO KEEP YOUR VITAL ORGANS WARM, 14min,. USA
Directed by Sophie Aguila
A troubled young pianist is haunted by the memory of her contemptuous instructor as she practices.

https://www.instagram.com/vitalorgansfilm_

Get to know the filmmaker:
Before I began working in film, I trained as a pianist. I realized that the music felt alive, and began to chase the thrill this created for long after. My determination was slowly taken advantage of by a former mentor. As I began healing, I learned many other artists had dealt with a similar relationship. I wanted to make this film to show the strength of the bond between a person and their art, superseding external conflict.

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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This short documentary explores the troubles surrounding sexual violence among post-secondary students. It highlights the increase in reported incidents of sexual assault among young students, causing concern and anxiety among the student community in different institutions. We follow experts from the Toronto Metropolitan University's Sexual Violence Support (C3SVS), who provide coping services as well as the University of Toronto's PEARS Project, which investigates the underlying causes of this epidemic, exposes misconceptions, and examines how a culture of silence and victim-blaming has perpetuated the problem even beyond the pandemic.

https://www.horizondocproductions.com/

https://www.instagram.com/horizondocumentaries/

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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GUESS MY PET?, USA, Drama/Horror
Directed by Grace Charles
A girl and her old friend our catching up after a falling out. Over ice cream and a guessing game it’s revealed there’s a more sinister plan to this friendly reunion.

Get to know the filmmaker:
I always wanted to make a female-driven film that revolved around a female character who just wanted to be treated fairly. In all my life I felt very similar to the main character Lilac in the sense of feeling used and not knowing what to do about it. When I came up with the idea I realized how important it was for me to give this character her chance at revenge. I thought giving her this playful and camp revenge would be a perfect way to make a story that makes you think and wonder what drove this character to want this revenge. Being able to sneakily force the audience to think about what drive someone to exact this crazy revenge was my main motivation.

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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TURKEY ON RYE, 9min., USA
Directed by Lucas Huie
A short film about a man and his missing sandwich.

Get to know the filmmaker:

It actually started as a fake 2-minute podcast I did for a college project back when I was in community college. I really liked how the podcast turned out so I decided to shoot it live-action. Also, like Winston, I also went through a huge sandwich phase.

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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#1, 8min., USA
Directed by Dante Lundin
A broke comic shop owner and an obsessive collector fight over a rare issue one comic book.

https://sites.google.com/view/number1film/home
https://www.instagram.com/no.1film/

Get to know the filmmaker:

The inspirations for the film came together to create a story I felt passionate about. As a comic fan myself, I understand both arguments the characters in #1 make. It’s something that’s never been brought to screen in this way, and I felt I had to be the one to do it.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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A PLACE TO HIDE, 11min., USA, Drama
Directed by Eámonn Wrightstone
Charlie and his mother, Laura, are on the brink of poverty, living out of a motel room they rent monthly. His mother, in late-stage dementia, requires constant care; leaving him unable to work. Receiving no help from his absent father, Charlie resorts to sex work at night to get the money he needs to care for his mother.

https://www.ejwdp.com/a-place-to-hide

From the filmmaker:

On a thematic level what really motivated me to make this film was just getting older. College is wrapping out for me in less than a year and this was the second to last film I would make in school. Seeing my parent’s over the holidays just reminded me that they’re getting older too. My dad has had cancer 3 times, he’s survived every single time, but what if it comes back? All of these questions surrounding my parents, their well-being, and my future seemed to hit together. I was lost. What does adulthood mean and what do I want my life to be? There has been a lot of loss in my family and at the age of 14 becoming suffocatingly aware of your parent’s mortality is not only frightening, but it’s a stark reminder of your own. ‘A Place to Hide’ sets out to explore how far we will go for the ones we love, the failures of our economic/healthcare systems, and coming into adulthood too soon.

Playing on the Film Festival Streaming service later this month. 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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