Best Shorts
FALAFEL
Directed by Nikita Hattangady
Two young professionals having an awful morning suddenly meet at a cafe in London. A day that starts out terrible does not have to end that way. The Internationally award-winning film plays like a mini feature, with action, music, romance, moments of humor, and a touch of Bollywood. Falafel is a story about dreams coming true.
Alice & Lucy
Directed by Darius Quinn
Two women discuss life and its woes, while rummaging through the contents of a mysterious apartment.
Common Place
Directed by Terrance Michael McLeod
A young man goes to a common place him and his father use to visit to reconcile their relationship.
35 Minutes
Directed by Stephanie Alecia Rose
Brian (Taylor Harvey) loves cheese but his love for cheese is causing his roommate, Tony (Brandon Smallwood), some problems. Tony is over it. Now Brian only has 35 minutes.
Jump
Directed by Stephanie Alecia Rose
Trouble finds Gino the night before the championship game.
A Juddering
Directed by James Lantz
Through his bare feet, a troubled teen feels something wrong with the Earth. Granddad won't listen. Featuring music by Bob Dylan, Nancy Sinatra, Ernest Tubb and a twenty-seven member children's choir, A JUDDERING is about a teen experiencing Climate Anxiety.
dog
Directed by Mohammad hassan yassaee
A mullah that think dog is unclean one day in its trip in desert faced with a dog
Blaming and Shaming
Directed by Joya Joseph
In a modern portrayal of events following Sita's rescue from her abductor Ravana, as detailed in the Hindu epic poem The Ramayana, Sita finds herself in therapy and wrestles with the psychological effects of her abduction and slut shaming, leaving her with even more questions than answers.
Love Transparent
Directed by Deon Green
A unique young man imagines the perfect afternoon.
Mamma With A Vengeance
Directed by Robert Underhill
Bojana arrives to check up on her daughter, Andrea, at a remote motel where Andrea is holed up with an abusive S.O.B. named Max. Mamma's come for a little smackdown of her own. As things escalate we learn that something much deeper has been plotted by mother and daughter now set in motion...
Fine Lines
Directed by Jim McQuaid
A mom wakes up and makes a decision - whether or not to look at her phone. What follows is two versions of the same day, exploring how this small difference affects her interactions with her teenage daughter, Lina, and sets off a cascade of events.
The Manager Position
Directed by Craig Trow
Months after losing his job, a man is still unable to tell his wife.
From Oscar winning Producer ANDREW CARLBERG (Skin) and starring Emmy nominated JACKIE HOFFMAN (Only Murders in the Building) we present to you, THE MANAGER POSITION. Months after losing his job, a man is still unable to tell his wife. Philip was let go from his job five months ago due to a recession that led to his company's closing. While he has used the time to seek employment, it's been all dead ends and rejections. To make matters worse, he has yet to tell his stay-at-home wife about his termination. With no job on the horizon, and nowhere to go during working hours, he returns to his old office building to remind him of his former self. At a breaking point, he commandeers the vacant manager's office, and his world starts to open up with new opportunities as he finds himself among others that are also experiencing financial and employment hardship.
The Writer's Grief
Directed by Rodney Worthy WilliamsA gifted writer, Donovan Man grieves the loss of his beloved wife. He finds himself detached from everyday life no matter how hard he strives for some semblance of normality and sanity. As he copes with his new reality, an Entity comes to him. It challenges Donovan’s perspective on life, death, and how to move forward. The conversation is meant to not only save Donovan’s mind, but his life and serves as the starting point for healing his tainted and broken heart.
Adiyah Grace
Directed by Brenda Jean Williams
“Adiyah Grace” a short film that navigates the discussion of Black Live Matter discussed in the workplace. The workplace setting is a hospital, a place where LIFE most certainly matters.
The Mourner
Directed by Daniel Mercer, Matthew Vermilyea
Lonnie Walker finds lonely work as a professional mourner at sparsely attended funerals. But when he meets the granddaughter of the recently deceased, he sees an opportunity to set his life on a new path.
Lore
Directed by Christina Russo
The passing of a parent from a Childs point of view.
Survival Job
Directed by Monica McCarthy
Tessa Wren is a struggling New York actor in a Method acting class. When her sense memory exercise gets derailed with an appointment from her agent,Tessa’s training is put to the test as her audition for Chekhov’s THE SEAGULL goes very, very wrong. Now Tessa must act as if her life depends on it... literally.
Got Your Back
Directed by Mitch Hudson
In the 1960s, a group of high school buddies decide to climb their local water tower...
Based on a true memoir, and produced in loving memory of Steve Cruea and Jim "Turd" Swanson.
The Voice Actress
Directed by Anna J. Takayama
Kingyo, a veteran voice actress working in Tokyo, possesses a unique ability to see the soul in all things, living and inanimate. The voice acting world is changing and Kingyo must find a way to reconcile her way of living with the modern industry.
The Old Saturday
Directed by Rondrell McCormick
The Old Saturday is an abstract look at love, loss and what letting go looks, sounds and feels like. Booker, after the death of his wife Charli, has been muting himself every day for the past seven years. For seven years his goal has been to only give his kept words to her. And every Saturday, he's kept his promise. But in an unexpected turn, we learn that his life is the life contemplated by the love he left behind. And his memory is cherished.
Us or Them
Directed by Traci Loper
In the course of 2-minutes, "Us Or Them" brings the debate on how to address gun violence in schools powerfully center. A woman, on the job, trained to respond instantly and violently to any threat.
"Us Or Them" encapsulates the absurdity of the American gun control debate, and specifically how we choose to protect our children.
Fall Dance
Directed by Estes Tarver
Middle school is hard enough, but when Lily has her first ever school dance, her world gets turned upside down.
Defective
Directed by Brady Jacquin
A trained killer faces an impossible choice when his best friend, becomes his next target....
Trick
Directed by Kael Razzaq
A romantic man goes on a date with an intriguing woman who is more than what she seems, and it goes on a killer level. Who survives?
Blue
Directed by Elec McCready, Isaac McCready
A relationship in three parts, intertwined with the music that came from it.
Fish Head Blues
Directed by Kevin Muenzer
A young man gets his heart broken only to discover that life has a funny way of turning out in the most splendid of ways.
Relationshirt
Directed by Joshua Paul Radford
While staying the night at her new boyfriend's place, Sarah asks to wear a shirt to bed. Subsequently opening up a portal inside his closet that leads to a 1980's Dating Show, where 3 lucky shirts await.
A Night Alone With Mr. Pembroke
Directed by Marc Haas
After a series of misfortunes, young Mr. Pembroke finds himself in isolation inside his box-shaped home in the early '70s. He is all alone, or at least he thinks he is. He's convinced someone is watching him, which is of course disregarded by our narrator. Is someone really there? Is our narrator to be trusted? Can Mr. Pembroke escape his own mind by the end of the night?
Resilience
Directed by Jerod Wood
James finds it impossible to trust anyone after two different families choose themselves over him, leaving him abandoned to the system.
Escape Artist
Directed by Justin Meckes
A man with too many things to do decides to make his escape.
Katherine's Chosen
Directed by Will Rooney
On a mundane Sunday afternoon, Katherine has found peace in a hometown bar. Her momentary escape from attending to her students in the classroom, as well as her ill mother at home, is jarringly interrupted by a mysterious young man, Jack. When Jack reveals himself to be a retired magician, Katherine finds herself in the midst of a trick. If Jack's magic card trick fails, he will pay Katherine's bar tab and go his separate way. As cards are eliminated and the conversation gets more personal, Katherine becomes captivated by Jack's charisma. When the reveal of Jack's card trick goes awry, he fulfills his end of the bargain and pays Katherine's tab and leaves. But the actual unprecedented finale of Jack's ruse is so powerful that it rocks Katherine's very own reality.
On the Eve of Destruction
Directed by Thomas McFadden, Cole Harp
Set in pre-war France during the late 1930s, four young and adventurous women attend a cocktail party in the French countryside. One of them doesn't know it, but she's about to meet her true love.
blue jay
Directed by Anthony Matos
The stories of Ryan, Pat, and Natalie; three strangers looking for varying escapes from their mundane lives. Their journeys bring them together at an old motel, where they learn from each other how to confront their own demons.
Cabarrus
Directed by Andrew Huggins
Cabarrus offers a glimpse in to the life of a struggling family in North Carolina.
The Wise Guys
Directed by Jonathan Smathers
Two hit-men have an intimate conversation while having a killer day at work.
Toni. Mamie. Connie.
Directed by Ashleigh B. Curry, Samantha Hawkins, Monica Cooper
It is centered around three African American women in the 1950s as they play their last game with their baseball team. It shows their trials and tribulations as they become front runners in a game that has no place for them. It goes from their childhoods to where they are now.
The Thrift Shop
Directed by Kiya Sabet
Thrift shops can be fun. You can find the funny, weird, rare and creepy items you wouldn’t find anywhere else. But sometimes the lure of the find can lead to other more sinister discoveries. Young ladies in a college town have begun to go missing and the only link between them may be Sid’s, a local dark and dingy thrift shop that is a maze of aisles, tiny rooms and endless items of the unique and macabre. Some people go in and come out with their hearts desire and some enter only to discover themselves to be the latest treasure on display at Sid’s Thrift Shop.
Good Listeners Anonymous
Directed by Stefan Kei DiMuzio
Based on a dream, short narrative comedy Good Listeners Anonymous is a surreal, absurdist look into the support group for those who listen but who do not get listened to in return.
Dr. West’s Fervor
Directed by Maria Katre Osler
When Dr. Anthony West, a quirky psychiatrist meets Rose, an awkward patient who suffers from a mysterious mental illness, he's forced to face his own cloistered demons of self-reluctance.
Off-Key
Directed by Michael McCallum
A down and out trombone player finds himself at a crossroads with his career and life in a dark, wet alley at night.
Beaver Boys
Directed by Jeffrey Ho
The Beaver Boys follows the journey of two quirky characters as they attempt to save the planet from plastic pollution and are determined to protect Mother Nature. Kow, played by actor Jeffrey Ho, is feisty, outspoken and ambitious in his mission. Situated at the fictional Balls Lake, Kow first meets Desiderio, played by actor Michael Perez. Battling with feelings of worthlessness, Desiderio attempts to drown himself but is guided by Kow to instead take-up arms against plastic and to save the planet. While offering a positive message, the comedic juxtaposition of these two endearing characters and their developing friendship will draw you into their offbeat little world
Respect the Theater Space
Directed by Elijah Waldon
In the middle of a showing for the latest zombie thriller, a guest receives an untimely phone call.
YOUTH
Directed by Trey Riley
It's a Friday night in the summer of 98'. For two teen girls, tonight is everything. Because tomorrow, it all changes.
Orientation
Directed by Jordan C Gibson
Jimmy embarks on his new career, though he can't be certain what he's actually expected to do—maybe he can ask another version of himself.
God Bless
Directed by Kempson Bellington
A mentally ill man, in an attempt to gain control of the city that has wronged him, rebuilds it. In miniature.
Bruja
Directed by Emory Rice, ommar guiterrez
The forest is your friend. Until it decides that it isn't.
The Kid Named….
Directed by T.J. Harper
Julius is the odd kid in school. He is being physically bullied by the school jock. After a physical altercation at the local diner, Julius believes the only way out of hell is through suicide.
Fleur de Sel
Directed by Albert Newberry
Grace Davenport, a woman late in years but fierce in spirit, struggles to save her gourmet chocolate shop--a life's work--from closing down. She hopes that her brother, who runs a successful upscale restaurant, will help her stay afloat.
Roger That
Directed by Inkar Maxutova
An inventor reveals his invention to his girlfriend but she uses it to reveal a surprise to him
The Arbors
Directed by Matthew Smitley
It's the last bus ride of the school year. Walker, recovering from a recent traumatic event, meets a deeply troubled kid named Noah. The two form a unlikely friendship that eventually leads to something dangerous.
Saturday Night
Directed by Michael C Perry
What is a blank canvas if not anything we desire it to be? What is silence if not the blank canvas to the composer, the empty room to the dancer, or the sunrise to the living? “Saturday Night” blends art, music and movement in a simple vignette that reminds us of the most important of all truths; that life is the blank canvas upon which we must paint our desires.
Promises of Snow
Directed by Matthew Ramsaur
An FBI agent arrives in a small Louisiana town to investigate a sex trafficking ring, prompted by the arrest of a girl whose situation seems terribly familiar.
APPLE TREE
Directed by Olya Azhnakina
Kolya gives a sudden and unusual birthday present to his son, which turns out a momentous one for the kid.
Lioness
Directed by Molly E. Smith
Barricaded in a motel room, a mothers determination and primal instincts kick in to protect her child's innocence.
Litter Police
Directed by PJ Barnes
Walter, a struggling artist has reached his limits. All it will take to push him over the edge is one cigarette butt.
The West Virginian Starfish
Directed by Hyten Davidson, Tommy Martin
After the mysterious exit of her father, Carly is stuck with his old mission- picking up defeated thru-hikers from The Appalachian Trail. One hiker's companionship over the course of a night, however, will set Carly on a new path forever.
Mahogany's Revelation
Directed by April Mial
Is she being used for a global agenda regarding prophesied technology? Mahogany Fox is eager to prove herself for love and makes a life-changing decision that impacts her life forever.
LOOM
Directed by Dylan Powers
A girl's sanity is tested when she becomes strangely connected with a paranormal box television.
Little Package
Directed by Kent Smith
A family gets themselves into hot water after a mysterious package shows up on their front doorstep by accident. Meanwhile, the owners of the package, track it down in an attempt to salvage it before their time runs out.
Growing Peace in the Middle East
Directed by Steven Hoffen
A 7th grader from New York is inspired by a visit to Sindyanna of Galilee in Israel - a unique non-profit organization led by a team of Arab and Jewish women working together to create social change from the ground up. He spends the year during the pandemic inspired to document the new hydroponics project at Sindyanna, which strives to enhance Arab-Jewish cooperation, while creating economic opportunities for Arab women.
Cygnus
Directed by Cara Hagan, Robert Uehlin
A short screendance filmed on location on Battle Lake, MN. Cygnus invites us to revel in the beauty of the sunrise over calm waters as the moon slips behind the horizon. A celebration of the earth, the body, and their kinship.
TouchScreen
Directed by Shaun Mathis
While her husband is away at war, Marqueaux creates a revolutionary device that allows the couple to have physical contact through computers.
Love and Lust
Directed by Rebecca Kirsh, Paula Lauzon
As Carrie struggles to keep the attention of her one and only, she discovers his ex is the distracting culprit. Finding solace in a stranger--Carrie realizes that he too is involved in her wicked love triangle. As the plot thickens, has Carrie found a way to stick it to her boyfriend once and for all or find the way back to him? Let the games begin.
Private
Directed by Steve Blackwood
A down and out Detroit private eye confronts his past and the class system in this up close and personal drama. Sally Danforth (Sandy Bainum) has hired Jim Calloway (Steve Blackwood) to find her missing husband. But when Sally goes in for an update, a waterfall of truth and social issues brings Jim to face the biggest decision of his long and lackluster career.
Interview With Ian
Directed by Janice Baker
Celebrity investigative journalist Kelly Merrick interviews Ian McKeene, a reluctant hero who has seen some horrific deaths in his career as a paramedic. As Merrick asks him the difficult questions, probing into his psyche, his fantasy of a hero is stripped away to reveal the disturbing truth about his actions.
Best Student Film
Yellow's Foghorn
Directed by Anthony D'Eredita
Barry Flynn, a neurotic and highly unpredictable film student, has been off the grid days before the shooting of his first short film, a sitcom. Now, on the first day of the shoot, Barry simultaneously struggles to manage his deteriorating and irritable relationship with his assistant director Clark, his wilting relationship with his girlfriend Daisy, and his cast and crew, who look to him for the guidance he's too incompetent to provide. In a frenetic series of events, Yellow's Foghorn portrays the manifestation of Barry's worst filmmaking nightmares.
Where Ravens Fly
Directed by Charly Lehuédé
Colorado, 1880. Sophie lives peacefully with her father Ernest, a former colonel of the US Army, and their Indian mare Nola, the only remaining vestige of the Cheyenne presence. Their existence is shattered when James and Hank Lewis, the sons of Ernest’s ex-soldier, happen to cross the path of their farm.
Paper Chasers
Directed by Collin Woolford
After a practical joke goes wrong, a group of friends must go on a journey to right their wrongs.
Dream Soda
Directed by Sawyer Pasma
An awkward high school boy who has trouble staying in touch with reality finally finds his confidence after getting noticed by his lifelong crush and agreeing to go to homecoming with her.
Denial
Directed by Evan Melloh
A young man is taken on a journey by a mysterious voice on the phone to find evidence of his best friend’s killer, but the truth is rarely simple.
Dandelion
Directed by Paula Blanco PerezAn exploration of the effects of Alzheimer's through reflections and loss of the notion of time. This movie is for my grandmother (yaya), who suffers from Alzheimer's dementia and passed away last March, 2022.
For Paloma
Directed by Suraj Savkoor
After the traumatic birth diagnosis of her new born daughter, Ally's world is turned upside down. If only she had known the beauty of what was to come.
Ambiguity
Directed by Blake Kinsey
In a small southern church community, Pastor Oliver Hartwell is slowly driven to his wits end when the new Associate Pastor soon turns the church into a breeding ground for conspiracies.
In The Interest of All Mankind: A (Very) Brief History of Humans in Antarctica
Directed by Eliana Miriam Planer
Although Antarctica is the most pristine, untouched place on Earth, humans have been exploring it and it's surrounding waters and islands for hundreds of years. This film looks at how humans have interacted with Antarctica, from the whaling and sealing industries of the 1800's, to the Antarctic Treaty system in place today, and how climate change is affecting the incredible land and wildlife on the icy continent.
Unchangeable
Directed by Derek Nathaniel Alcorn
A young father, plagued by memories of his past mistakes, attempts to cope with the death of his son.
Liminal Spaces
Directed by Jordan N Britt
Liminal Spaces is an experimental short film that follows people's lives as they leave a world they've known for one they cannot yet imagine. It's about finding the joy in the in-between.
RACHEL DE NEVERLAND
Directed by Yuanhao Zhang
Rachel was born with the social anxiety disorder, a total introvert. She fell in love with a guy called Nick on social media, despite they never met in reality. Everything's great until Nick starts to ask Rachel out to meet in person.
Buffoon
Directed by Carter Bowden
While struggling to re-discover his purpose, a disheveled man dives into the world of clowning to feel fulfilled.
Strike A Chord
Directed by Sarah Glas
An aspiring musician struggles with grief after the death of her father, and tries to fill the void that he left with a confusing and toxic relationship with a man.
The Forest Women
Directed by Nell Geer
Told through a reimagining of her daughter, a pregnant woman travels through the woods in search of a community of women she doesn't know actually exists.
Only A Lifetime
Directed by Leslie Uy
A documentary-style short music video covering Only A Lifetime by FINNEAS highlighting the importance and appreciation of family.
Chicken Soup for the Soil
Directed by Brandon Gaesser
Chicken Soup for the Soil follows the journey of the soil beneath our feet and the efforts of North Carolina farmers Suzanne Nelson and Rachel Herrick to rehabilitate it one pasture at a time. But most unique to this film is that the main cast is not entirely human; the soil and livestock are characters as well. The film depicts the purpose of regenerative farming, which is to restore organic matter and nutrient density to soil destroyed by conventional farming, enabling it to better hold carbon and sequester it from the atmosphere. Both Suzanne’s and Rachel’s missions are to inspire land stewardship and livestock management to help reverse climate change. These are grassroots farms with global impact.
The Snow Man
Directed by Benjamin Brossett
A man goes on a journey through a snowstorm, encountering various wonders along the way.
Veneers
Directed by Matt Scott Jones
Every day is a new series of performances for Trevor, because he believes that the only way to be valued is to be, at all times, the most perfect version of himself possible. It’s a gargantuan task. One that requires so much work, it’s as if he has stagehands to assist in building the facades in his apartment. Throughout the day, his world reorganizes as the people around him come and go. But the exhaustion of performing starts to erode at the perfect illusion he’s constructed.
Downpour
Directed by Alejandra Cristina Manzo
After a terrible loss in the family, a young Afro-Latina girl must confront her patriarchal mother in order to save the last sister she has left.
Prom Night
Directed by Carolin Harvey
A high school girl gets ready for prom, but discovers something is off about her friend and mother.
Where Did The Time Go?
Directed by Quinn Norman
Elise Koscso is a 21-year-old singer-songwriter from Raleigh, North Carolina. In this short documentary, Elise shares her creative process when making new music, like writing lyrics and creating beats. She opens up about many of the struggles that come with trying to make it in the competitive music industry. Although she faces these problems, it is clear that Elise's passion and dedication to her music will get her through in the end.
Lithium
Directed by Michael Foster
A young woman finds herself in a surreal reality face to face with the choice of taking medication. When she refuses to take the medication, she begins to spiral through episodes of mania and depression, questioning the entire time her relationship to this medication.
ULMA
Directed by Kayleigh Daniels
A young man struggles with the rejection from an unrequited love by turning to an AI doll service. Although things seem rosy at first, events quickly take a dark turn.
A Muse
Directed by Jack Crawford
A writer struggles to find the subject for his next book.
Valentine's Night
Directed by Thomas Bozalis
Tom sits in his father's house, drinking a beer and watching TV on Valentine’s Day. His father sits across from him, and Tom's mother is asleep behind them. Tom see's conversation hearts on the table and picks one up that reads “I love you.” He eats the heart and looks at his father, then tells him that he used to love him.
My vulnerable country
Directed by Meryl Eve Golecruz
This short documentary explores the variance between renowned Filipino environmental advocate Mitzi Jonelle Tan's experiences with the direct impacts of climate change, and the filmmaker's own seemingly far-removed relationship to the issue. The piece also reflects on the cultural identity of the filmmaker, a Filipino-American, and the feeling of dissonance between their Asian heritage and American culture.
On the Tracks
Directed by Caleb Orcutt
Carly is a young woman still dealing with the loss of her sister. When she gets called in to help a stranger, she has to overcome her own grief and depression to save someone else.
Witness Perfection
Directed by Connor e Rousseau
Barry Holloway, a cold-hearted geezer from Minnesota, or so he seems, experiences a sudden revelation in his life, which causes an internal battle between him and the mysterious index cards he religiously follows.
The Fruits of Her Labor
Directed by Katrina Montgomery
An aspiring romance author struggles to write a new story but finds inspiration in the place she least expected - her office.
Damascus
Directed by Ethan Denning
Working in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, blacksmith Tommy Carroll completes a decade long project: a blade of Damascus steel forged beneath a solar eclipse. Heat treating the blade beneath the full moon, Tommy must come to terms with the permanence of his work.
Spacation
Directed by Jessica Ecarma
A thousand-year-old couple from the planet Curia spends their yearly vacation traveling through the classic Milky Way galaxy in their vintage space car. After making stops at tourist favorites like Pluto Slurp and Spinning Saturn, disaster hits, causing the couple to decide the outcome of their trip quickly.
When She Was Good
Directed by Margarita Milne
When a young girl discovers that Santa is not real, she questions the lies told by adults and the terrible secret that she has been forced to keep.
Growing Peace in the Middle East
Directed by Steven Hoffen
A 7th grader from New York is inspired by a visit to Sindyanna of Galilee in Israel - a unique non-profit organization led by a team of Arab and Jewish women working together to create social change from the ground up. He spends the year during the pandemic inspired to document the new hydroponics project at Sindyanna, which strives to enhance Arab-Jewish cooperation, while creating economic opportunities for Arab women.
Behind the Mask
Directed by Ece Topcuoglu
A portrait of a tattoo artist based in London who doesn't believe in showing her face to the world nor to social media. Tattoos should be about the art itself, not the artist.
Well, for what it's worth
Directed by Mckenna Haislip
A pair of college students meet up in a park during the pandemic to exchange a pet after their relationship falls apart.
Best Mid-length
Twisted Return
Directed by John V McDermott
Barry and Morgan visit the Westermans after a long vacation and are made uncomfortable once again.
1301
Directed by Corey Maher, Collins Abbott Whit
Michael returns home from work one day to find his wife, Rachel, has disappeared. Michael’s comical search for Rachel and his interaction with neighbors ultimately ends in a bizarre and supernatural thriller, which will leave the audience on the edge of their seats and scratching their heads.
Remnants of Memory
Directed by Michael Arlen Davis
Fine Art Photographer Charles Johnstone explores the vivid canals and ancient passageways of Venice, Italy in search of a new book project. A meditation on artistry and craft, "Remnants of Memory" celebrates beauty in the overlooked, anonymous objects we pass every day.
Embrace Yourself
Directed by Bryan Scott Wolfinger, Victor Alejandro Camejo
Major Haid is assigned to a military mission to infiltrate an enemy country and report on a possible installation of nuclear weapons that could carry out a military confrontation and with it the destruction of the land.
Among the three soldiers recruited by Major Haid for the mission is Sergeant Camejo, with whom he develops a spiritual connection, both Haid and Camejo realize that their lives have more in common than they thought.
Divertimento
Directed by Keyvan Sheikhalishahi
Jonas Olsen (Kellan Lutz), a chess player haunted by a tragic past, is given an opportunity to participate in a mysterious game, Divertimento.
GRIEF
Directed by Tailiah Breon
Grief decides when its done with us.
Best Feature Film
RALEIGH, I KINDA LIKE YOU
Directed by Tor Ramsey
An ensemble cast takes us through an anthology of stories involving mistaken identities and genre-bending tales of couples seeking love and companionship in the city of Oaks.
Charles Sloan
Directed by Franklin Lowry
After being compassionately released from prison, a terminally ill man navigates through his remaining days trying to reconnect with his estranged son.
Eighteen
Directed by Shaun M Mathis
In 3 days, Percy's father is kicking him out of the house on his 18th birthday. During that time, Percy realizes he's not been prepared by school or his loveless father how to be an adult and he contemplates his limited options as the clock winds down.
The Rush Call
Directed by Trey Riley
A corporate promotion pushes a suburban dad to choose between creative pursuits and career responsibilities, leading him on an unexpected adventure with surprising consequences for his family.
Gospel of Ted
Directed by Alex Wroten
Ferrari Thunderbird Taylor is getting ready to leave South Carolina behind forever and start a new life in the Queen City - until her deadbeat husband exchanges all their hard-earned money for cryptocurrency at the behest of a shadowy cult figure, known only as Ted. Before her new life can begin, Ferra must dismantle Ted's legion of Apocalypse-preppers, restore her husband's sanity, and salvage what's left of her good name.
Lucky Doug
Directed by Eric Alan Rousseau
Doug is your average, everyday door-to-door cat food sales person. When he finds out his long time partner is pregnant, Doug makes the decision to become a millionaire, only to find out it's not as easy as he thought to come up with a million dollar idea.
Best New Music Video
Waiting on Forever
Submitted by Mike Anderson
Moon Shadows
Directed by Hart Ginsburg
An image of a child looking towards the evening moon visited my thoughts one day or maybe it was a dream, from there an imaginary dialogue or dance emerged between the moon and the child. But who is guiding who in this planetary dance, is it the moon or the child?
Grace Like Fire
Directed Brian Michael Suggs
Grace Like Fire is a music video to Cydney McQuillan-Grace's newest single.
Where It All Began
Directed by Stuart Spence
Music video for the song Where It All Began from the forthcoming debut album by Amanda Brown
They Want Everything
Directed by Troy Williams
Popular single single featured on Mahogany's Revelation Soundtrack
Coyote Tears
Directed by Ron Longo, Craig Clement
When I wrote “Coyote Tears”, I wanted to capture a story of a young man that breaks away from his family in anger after they were torn apart by the recent disgusting political mayhem. But there are so many reasons this can happen- conflict over life choices, life styles, religious beliefs, etc. Not all young coyotes stay with the pack…many times there is too much conflict and they must leave and start a new life on their own.
Music Video Of The Year
1955
Directed by Martin Melnick
Award-winning Portland opera singer Onry summons the spirit of Emmett Till and explores the time slippage of Black trauma.
ALHAMDU | MUSLIM FUTURISM
Directed by Abbas Rattani
ALHAMDU is a musically driven experimental vision of Muslim joy as resistance and liberation. It is a colorful and joyous look into a future where Muslims exist unapologetically. A future where our dignity, flourishing, and imaginations as Muslims are actualized—a future where Third Culture is the dominant wave, where Muslims exist loudly alongside each other in their found-families.
FreeWorld - "D-Up (Here's To Diversity)"
Directed by Richard Cushing
Diversity. One of the foremost qualities in nature that defines our planet. Without it, all flowers would smell the same, every creature would look the same, and all people would be the same. Life would not only be incredibly boring, but virtually impossible without the multitude of diverse beings populating our world. The endless variety of colors, thoughts, beliefs, perceptions, styles, desires, hopes, and dreams just within humanity alone is astounding.
I'm A Ukrainian - Bordertown
Directed by Rob Underhill, Evelyn Putnam
I'm A Ukrainian, Bordertown, is dedicated to and made in solidarity with the Ukrainian People.
Best Animated
Bolero Station
Directed by Rolf Brönnimann
The signalman lives on one side of the tracks, the saleswoman on the other. They see each other every day, but it’s not till death comes knocking that they both seize their chance to be together. They do it properly – and it’s enough for a lifetime.
The Social Chameleon
Directed by Alex Ross
Cosmo the chameleon doesn't fit in with the other animals. No matter how hard he tries, he just can't seem to find his place in the jungle. Then, everything changes when he meets another chameleon who shows him how to live by his own true colors!
Pour Games
Directed by Patrick Smith
Diabolical wine glasses participate in a sadistic game of power dynamics, playfully terrorizing a smaller species. The game is interrupted when a self-sacrificial rebellion breaks out, shattering the cycle of abuse.. momentarily.
THE SPRAYER
Directed by Farnoosh Abedi
In the land occupied with the sprayers army, no one has the right to grow any kind of plants either in public or private.
So many of the people and soldiers do not even know how dose a plant grows or look like, until one day one of the soldiers finds a seed buried deep down in the dust and his curiosity is just the beginning of something extraordinary, something big, something revolutionary
The Cloaked Realm "The Knight and the Queen"
Directed by Marisa Cohen, Peter Issac Alexander
Based on and inspired by the 1899 short story "Moxon’s Master," "The Knight and the Queen" follows eighteen-year-old Athena and her twin sister Agatha, as they attend a mysterious ball and technology exhibition during an unexpected solar storm. While at the event, the two sisters discover a remarkable breakthrough that is strangely not receiving the attention it deserves. Later that night, Athena arrives unannounced at the home of her mentor, the Professor, where she makes a startling discovery that forever changes not only her life, but also the course of history.
the game just got real
Directed by Bellopropello
dogs and humans want to play. or not?
Monster News Feed
Directed by Cara Hagan
Monster News Feed follows a central character who, when overwhelmed and attacked by the media they consume (literally and figuratively) through analogue and digital means, decides to fight back to reclaim sound body and mind.
The Search
Directed by Stephanie Sosa
Conflict
Directed by Zeno Phu
Meat Your Maker
Directed by Ben Biedrzycki
Floating Through Life
Directed by Amber Ricker
MAGIC GIRL
Directed by Kaylynn Crowder
Sunk Cost
Directed by Anna Hart
Best Student Animated
A New Cycle
Directed by Allison Gutierrez
The People Who Used to Live Here
Directed by Jan Linville
ARC 9 PIES
Directed by Anna Lee, Kent Ortiz, and Nathan Royall
Common
Directed by Ziyue Peng
Mouse Stays In
Directed by Marc Russo
Animators:
Nathan Royall, RJ Washington, Kaylynn Crowder, Anna Hart, Anna Lee, Kent Ortiz, Lacie Thomas, Laney Menees, Allison Gutierrez, Cynthia Bilal, Ellie Bland. Katie Brooks, Chris Dean, Hannah Hawkins, Gabby Herrell, Gaven Kerr, Jane Linville, Rei Pennington, Meghan Tankersley, and Elijah Umrani
Best Experimental
When It's Your Turn 2 - Surprise Birthday
Directed by Stephanie Alecia Rose, Marquis Smallwood
Oh... It's a surprise!!!
Listening
Directed by Jonathan Moore
A short documentary/experimental film that gives a lyrical account of what it's like to be hearing-impaired.
JUNE
Directed by Dwayne Cameron
June is a story about the fragility of life; the primal forces that drive and control us and the mystery of hope and new beginnings. Willow and David receive a serious diagnosis from their doctor and attempt to deal with the mundane as their world disintegrates in the following 24 hours. This one day in June for the couple holds raw despair, unleashing carnal natures but a transcendent occurrence offers them the hope of new life.
Landfall
Directed by Kate Weare, Jack Flame Sorokin
Landfall offers a sensory fantasy of naturalism, a hallucinatory look at the human body in nature. Playing with a visual edge between organic and artificial, Landfall wonders, yearningly, whether we humans belong in the natural world…or are we visitors, outsiders, a kind of alien?
420
Directed by Terri Montrel
420 is an experimental, short silent film that tells the story of five black women who get together for a 'smoke session' on the rooftop of an apartment building to take a break from life.
30 Second Thoughts: Volume On
Directed by David Baeumler
A commercial break from another dimension.
Best Documentary
Conducting Life
Directed by Diane Moore
In the rarified world of classical music, the road to success is a daunting one. Especially for young conductors. CONDUCTING LIFE follows the remarkable journey of Roderick Cox as he tirelessly pursues his dream — to secure a top position with a major orchestra. Poignant and revealing, this is a story about the passion, sacrifice, and courage it takes to succeed in an elusive profession with limited opportunities.
Myles Berrio - From Surviving to Thriving
Directed by Anil Dhokai
Myles Berrio shares how a car accident changed his life and how his outlook shaped his journey through recovery.
Never Done
Directed by Ben Proudfoot
Immunocompromised and facing eviction days before Christmas 2021, a single mother of two is at the end of her rope. Overwhelmed with thousands of applications, will the local COVID relief fund administrator get her the help she needs in time?
The People’s Doctor: Herbert Nassour
Directed by Josh Sabey
A Lebanese-American surgeon, Herbert Nassour, tried to provide quality healthcare to the racially and economically marginalized people of Texas, but his heavily discounted procedures threatened the economic foundation of the American Medical Association which tirelessly worked to shut him down.
Amala
Directed by Geleck Palsang
This film tells the story of the Dalai Lama’s younger sister Jetsun Pema, her struggles, loss and success that earned her the epithet Amala or ‘mother’. Using rare footage from her historic visit to Tibet in 1980, the film also gives insight on the state of education inside Tibet. After her sister died, she took charge of the Nursery for Tibetan Refugee Children in a small town in northern India. Under her leadership, the nursery transformed into one of the most successful Tibetan refugee schools – the Tibetan Children’s Village schools.
Giseloo
Directed by Mohammad Sadeq Esmaeili
Zahra is struggling with getting divorced her unofficial husband who is an Afghan refugee. He abandons her and Zahra needs him to sign divorce papers and gets IDs for her two sons. So she travels to Afghanistan to find him.
RECAPTURE
Directed by David Kernodle
Memories are fleeting. Here one day, gone the next. It's been said, photographs keep those memories from running away. Before her father passed away from Alzheimer's, Laurie R. Martin used her photos to reconnect and rekindle their relationship. Now she's using her acclaimed photos to RECAPTURE memories, while composing new ones.
GrandMaster Koh
Directed by Gauri Singh
In this documentary Gauri Singh highlights the importance of Tae Kwon Do and contributions to wellness in the community. The Director, Gauri Singh, interviews the GrandMaster with the concept of Wellness in mind and follows this story interviewing the members of community who were impacted socially, emotionally, mentally by taking this up for their health
Hunger Is Real: Voices of Western North Carolina
Directed by Adams J Wood
Hunger Is Real: The Voices of WNC is a short documentary film directed by Adams J. Wood and produced by MANNA FoodBank to give a real look at the state of hunger in Western North Carolina. The film features four food relief organizations who are part of the MANNA Partner Network, a 200+ strong network of nonprofits, schools, churches, and other community-focused groups who are providing food to people in their community across the 16 western-most counties of North Carolina
Fred Chappell: I am One of You Forever
Directed by Michael Frierson
Fred Chappell is one of our most important Southern writers, but no one is really surprised if you have never heard of him. Fred grew up on farm in Great Smokey Mountains. His early life was marked by the struggle between the old ways of Appalachia that lingered due to the region’s isolation, and the new ways of modern industry. In his hometown of Canton, North Carolina, a mill town dominated by the Champion Paper and Fiber Company, Fred read pulp magazines as a kid and wrote science fiction as a teenager. Chappell went on to help create one of the nation’s first graduate creative writing programs, and later in his life won the Bollingen Prize for Poetry, an award he shares Robert Frost, W.H. Auden and e.e.cummings. Fred was among the first Appalachian writers to challenge the hillbilly stereotype and he remains a galvanizing spiritual leader for the region’s writers. But Fred's work is better known among scholars and poets than the general public. As Fred says, "It may be that I write for an audience of one, and have achieved that according to my publishers."
Unlocking the Doors of Opportunity / The Rosenwald Schools of North Carolina
Directed by Jere Snyder
Thanks to Jim Crow, North Carolina ignored its constitutional responsibility and woefully underfunded schools for African American children in the early 20th century. A scheme hatched by Booker T. Washington, the nation's best-known Black educator, and Julius Rosenwald, a Jewish philanthropist and president of Sears, Roebuck, helped break Jim Crow's grip on school funding practices. As a result, nearly 800 schools for Black children were built in the Tar Heel State, mostly in rural areas. Rosenwald Schools changed the fortunes of hundreds of thousands of African American youth, including some of North Carolina's most famous Black citizens.
Tidal Alert
Directed by Terry Brown
PFAS. GenX. Animal waste and plastics... The fishing community along the coast of North Carolina is sounding an urgent alarm. Tidal Alert explores the impacts of water quality on North Carolina coastal fisheries. The recreational and commercial fishing community identified five areas of concern to the Coastal Carolina Riverwatch organization, who commissioned the documentary film to help educate the public on these impacts that affect all those who live along and enjoy coastal communities. Although specific to North Carolina, these alarming issues are being experienced in many waterways and communities throughout the world.
Becoming Black Lawyers
Directed by Evangeline Mitchell
When these five Black lawyers set out on their journeys to receive a professional legal education, they did not realize that they would have to struggle against additional battles even more challenging than the rigors of learning the law in a hypercompetitive environment. They discover the contradictions of studying in an institution that idealistically represents "justice" for all.
Black Daddy The Movie
Directed by Damon Jamal Taylor
Being an artist comes with great responsibility. Being able to control the narrative is even more important. As a father I have come to know some amazing men who use love, great caution and wisdom at the core of their masculinity. A huge component of how they raise their children, the next wave of black brilliance. Oftentimes we celebrate our heroes without ever knowing the backstory of the men and women from which they come.
The B1G Story: George Taliaferro
Directed by Kevin Weaver, Tucker Gragg
He was the first Black American drafted in the NFL, the only man to play 7 positions in the NFL. In college, his popularity enabled him to racially integrate the town of Bloomington, Indiana. He even integrated the local theater with the twist of a screwdriver. So why does no one know his name?
Origami In The Garden Film
Directed by Barbara BentreeKevin Box has always known exactly what he intends to do with his life. In his words, "I want to have a conversation with people now and hundreds of years into the future." "ORIGAMI IN THE GARDEN" documents the career arc of Kevin as he travels the world with his exhibitions of 25 foot tall origami metal sculptures.
356
Directed by Bonnie Monteleone
While filming for the documentary “If the Ocean Could Talk” off the coast of North Carolina, the crew hoped to tell the story of one of the most endangered species on the planet, but were launched into an unexpected journey of something hidden from the world.
From the Soul
Directed by Barry Thornburg
Longtime practitioners of Black Gospel music, as well as their younger predecessors, remind the world that it isn’t simply a fashionable musical aesthetic, but an agent of social change and of spiritual salve.
Crutch
Directed by Sachi Cunningham, Vayabobo
CRUTCH chronicles the gravity defying life of Bill Shannon, an internationally renowned artist, breakdancer and skate punk—on crutches.
Niblets
Directed by Douglas Vuncannon
Yellow, squeaky, buttery. Corn. A film about food aversion, growing up, and the dangers lurking in your own backyard, NIBLETS is a profile of erstwhile skronk-rock star Anne Gomez, an attorney working in indigent criminal defense.
Short Life of Trouble: The Legend of G.B. Grayson
Directed by E. Kelley St. Germain
From Laurel Bloomery, Tennessee, Gilliam Banmon Grayson (1887-1930) was a blind fiddler from one of the most isolated regions on the East Coast. Largely unknown, he may be one of the most influential musicians in the history of bluegrass and country music. His music has been recorded and performed by world-famous musicians including Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger, Doc Watson, Dr. Ralph Stanly, and the Kingston Trio, among many others. Yet, very few people have an inkling of who G.B. Grayson was and what he accomplished in only two years of professional recording.
Best Special Effects
Smell of a Rose
Directed by Antonio Camunas
Her favorite flower mutates into a beast. It's up to a group of kids with wicked skills to stop it.
LOOM
Directed by Dylan Powers
A girl's sanity is tested when she becomes strangely connected with a paranormal box television.
Best Cinematography
SHADOW OF THE NIGHT
Directed by Radhakrishnan Parthiban
A tale about a dark, gloomy man, searching for a tiny speck of light, ignoring the shadow that walks behind him; not realising that the shadow is evidence of light’s existence.
A quiet place in the shadows, where time, thoughts and memories are foes….
When It's Your Turn 1 - The Gospel
Directed by Brandon Smallwood, Stephanie Alecia Rose
When you wake up, and feel like something isn't right...
The Day, at the Beach
Directed by "Cindy" Di Xin
A coming-of-age family drama story about a teenage girl who must reckon with her relationship with her parents when she uncovers her father's deepest secret during his well-intention trip to visit her.
The Crux
Directed by Jeremiah McLamb
The Crux takes a hard look at issues facing today’s teens and families. From sexting and guns to the effects of parental death, it explores the choices that many teens face and the consequences of those decisions.
1955
Directed by Martin Melnick
Award-winning Portland opera singer Onry summons the spirit of Emmett Till and explores the time slippage of Black trauma.
Manhattan Moments
Directed by Chuck Fishbein
A love letter to the greatest city in the world.
Kalamiti
Directed by Glenn Pack
Missy goes to school all day, bartends nights, and raises Kalamiti in between. Chuck chose the wrong day to skip work and toy with his rat rod. Internal combustion sparks a sudden separation.
LOOM
Directed by Dylan Powers
A girl's sanity is tested when she becomes strangely connected with a paranormal box television.
Interview With Ian
Directed by Janice Baker
Celebrity investigative journalist Kelly Merrick interviews Ian McKeene, a reluctant hero who has seen some horrific deaths in his career as a paramedic. As Merrick asks him the difficult questions, probing into his psyche, his fantasy of a hero is stripped away to reveal the disturbing truth about his actions.
Best Trailer
Trailer: Limited Slip
Directed by Jim McCullough, Anthony Ladesich
Trailer for the short film Limited Slip
Embrace Yourself
Directed by Bryan Scott Wolfinger, Victor Alejandro Camejo
Major Haid is assigned to a military mission to infiltrate an enemy country and report on a possible installation of nuclear weapons that could carry out a military confrontation and with it the destruction of the land.
Mahogany's Revelation
Directed by April Mial
Is she being used for a global agenda regarding prophesied technology? Mahogany Fox is eager to prove herself for love and makes a life-changing decision that impacts her life forever.
Interview With Ian
Directed by Janice Baker
Celebrity investigative journalist Kelly Merrick interviews Ian McKeene, a reluctant hero who has seen some horrific deaths in his career as a paramedic. As Merrick asks him the difficult questions, probing into his psyche, his fantasy of a hero is stripped away to reveal the disturbing truth about his actions.
Best Playwright (Short Scripts )
Just US: The Underrated Scapegoat
Written by KJ Lyon, Shakira Williams
A series starring three Black men, who all met while they were kids in foster care. They try to solve what the police call “open-and-shut” cases, where black people were arrested, charged and accused of crimes they didn’t commit. Their goal is to free the wrongfully accused, the cops that set it up, their goal is to stop them. The stories are all told from the POV (point-of-view) of the deceased. Initially solving their own murder.
Shaneeka and Hoss
Written by Glenn L Lissner
An unlikely friendship is forged between a 75 year old landlord and his 25 year old tenant.
Distortion
Written by Chris Kokarakis
A young man on the verge of total breakdown searches for his lost love in his mind.
Visual Artist Of The Year
I AM WIND
Directed by Katayoun Afrooz
Based on a Persian Sufi poetry by Rumi.
I am wind and you are fire,
I enliven you and inspire
Lithium
Directed by Michael Foster
A young woman finds herself in a surreal reality face to face with the choice of taking medication. When she refuses to take the medication, she begins to spiral through episodes of mania and depression, questioning the entire time her relationship to this medication.
ULMA
Directed by Kayleigh Daniels
A young man struggles with the rejection from an unrequited love by turning to an AI doll service. Although things seem rosy at first, events quickly take a dark turn.
Best Movie Poster
A Juddering
Directed by James Lantz
A troubled teen experiencing Climate Anxiety feels something wrong with the Earth — Granddad won't listen.
dog
Directed by Mohammad hassan yassaee
A mullah that think dog is unclean one day in its trip in desert faced with a dog
Blaming and Shaming
Directed by Joya Joseph
In a modern portrayal of events following Sita's rescue from her abductor Ravana, as detailed in the Hindu epic poem The Ramayana, Sita finds herself in therapy and wrestles with the psychological effects of her abduction and slut shaming, leaving her with even more questions than answers.
Just US: The Underrated Scapegoat
Written by KJ Lyon, Shakira Williams
A series starring three Black men, who all met while they were kids in foster care. They try to solve what the police call “open-and-shut” cases, where black people were arrested, charged and accused of crimes they didn’t commit. Their goal is to free the wrongfully accused, the cops that set it up, their goal is to stop them. The stories are all told from the POV (point-of-view) of the deceased. Initially solving their own murder.
A Night Alone With Mr. Pembroke
Directed by Marc Haas
After a series of misfortunes, young Mr. Pembroke finds himself in isolation inside his box-shaped home in the early '70s. He is all alone, or at least he thinks he is. He's convinced someone is watching him, which is of course disregarded by our narrator. Is someone really there? Is our narrator to be trusted? Can Mr. Pembroke escape his own mind by the end of the night?
On the Eve of Destruction
Directed by Thomas McFadden, Cole Harp
Set in pre-war France during the late 1930s, four young and adventurous women attend a cocktail party in the French countryside. One of them doesn't know it, but she's about to meet her true love.
Toni. Mamie. Connie.
Directed by Ashleigh B. Curry, Samantha Hawkins, Monica Cooper
It is centered around three African American women in the 1950s as they play their last game with their baseball team. It shows their trials and tribulations as they become front runners in a game that has no place for them. It goes from their childhoods to where they are now.
Off-Key
Directed by Michael McCallum
A down and out trombone player finds himself at a crossroads with his career and life in a dark, wet alley at night.
Language Games
Directed by Ralph Lewis
Ward Sutton's cartoon artwork for the short film Language Games
Bruja
Directed by Emory Rice, ommar guiterrez
The forest is your friend. Until it decides that it isn't.
Waking Up in Albuquerque
Poster Design by JW Richardson, Greg Gleason
Mahogany's Revelation
Directed by Avae Liyah
Short Life of Trouble: The Legend of G.B. Grayson
Directed by E. Kelley St. Germain
From Laurel Bloomery, Tennessee, Gilliam Banmon Grayson (1887-1930) was a blind fiddler from one of the most isolated regions on the East Coast. Largely unknown, he may be one of the most influential musicians in the history of bluegrass and country music. His music has been recorded and performed by world-famous musicians including Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger, Doc Watson, Dr. Ralph Stanly, and the Kingston Trio, among many others. Yet, very few people have an inkling of who G.B. Grayson was and what he accomplished in only two years of professional recording.
YESTERDAY NEVER ENDED POSTER
Directed by Joi Hiatt
Upon leaving home to be on her own Claire left some of her art works behind for her younger brother. But, something happened a few years after she left, and now he is in reincarnation. She adores him as her "the only exception" to make a visitation.
Little Package
Directed by Kent Smith
A family gets themselves into hot water after a mysterious package shows up on their front doorstep by accident. Meanwhile, the owners of the package, track it down in an attempt to salvage it before their time runs out.
Best Spoken Word Poetry Performance
Flow
Directed by Ockert Greeff
Ockert Greeff, a South African Canadian drummer, uses drums and words to create rhythmic poems, relying on some of the earliest oral and musical traditions - drumming, story telling, chanting and rhymes. His video series employs the most basic filming techniques -- typically hand-held mobile phone and single shots -- to create a dialogue with his stripped-down rhythmic poems.
Dysthymia
Directed by Eva-Marie Kung, Tim Willrich
The Speaker presents her case in court before an invisible judge and jury in an attempt to describe her mental health history, but it isn't always certain which part of her psyche (the sufferer or the cause) is, in fact, fighting to be understood.
The Meeting
Directed by Malkah Bell
What if Clyde betrayed Bonnie? In this modern psychological spin on a classic story, we are asked the big question "what if?"
Seasonal Mood Disorder
Directed by Justin Meckes
A few poems for changing seasons and changing moods..
Weary Blues
Directed by Matthew Winters
Weary Blues is a short film adaptation of Langston Hughes' 1925 poem, 'The Weary Blues.' "The Weary Blues" was first published in the Urban League magazine, Opportunity. It was awarded the magazine's prize for best poem of the year. The poem was included in Hughes's first book, a collection of poems, also entitled The Weary Blues. The central theme of “The Weary Blues” concerns the resilience of the archetypal “common” person who has times of despair or despondency. Music serves as a means of relieving pain or anxiety.
Our Obsession
Directed by Jesse Roth'Our obsession' was written in response to the growing concerns of social media and celebrity culture on young people.
La Dame de Monte Carlo
Directed by Jenn Shadd
La Dame de Monte Carlo is inspired by Francis Poulenc’s art song which uses text by Jean Cocteau. La Dame tells the mysterious story of her last wild night on earth, gambling her life away at the Monte Carlo casino. As her fragmented memories return to her, she reflects on the nature of luck and the cards that she has been dealt.
The Tree and The Hummingbird
Directed by Pam R. Johnson
this video is a recording of the poem "The Tree and The Hummingbird" by Pam R. Johnson Davis, written from a mental health perspective about the power of communit
Best Movie Scene ( 30 - 60 sec clip )
ULMA
Directed by Kayleigh Daniels
A young man struggles with the rejection from an unrequited love by turning to an AI doll service. Although things seem rosy at first, events quickly take a dark turn.
Kalamiti
Directed by Glenn Pack
Missy goes to school all day, bartends nights, and raises Kalamiti in between. Chuck chose the wrong day to skip work and toy with his rat rod. Internal combustion sparks a sudden separation.