Awesome Con Short Film Festival 2024
Day 1 – March 8
Sci Fi , Action, Horror
1.Not Us – Directed by James Kautz – 10:40
Inside a mysterious group audition, pressure mounts for approval from a god-like director. As one performer cracks, another must decide whether to fall in line… or break the toxic pattern and offer comfort.
NOT US is a visceral psychological thriller, reckoning with the abuses of an industry at odds with the transformative power of empathy.
Director Bio
James Kautz (he/him) is a multifaceted artist of stage and film, hailed by The New York Times as “fearless” and as “fiercely talented” by Time Out New York.
James is the Founder of Red Seed Films, an independent film production company whose stories focus on personal transformation, gender, and identity. Red Seed’s films have been accepted into over a hundred film festivals, including Oscar, BAFTA, and Canadian Film Award qualifying festivals.
He is the Founding Artistic Director of the award winning, critical darling, Off Broadway theatre company, The AMORALISTS.
As an actor, James has worked in television (HBO, CBS), theatre (Playwrights Horizons, Second Stage), independent films, webseries, and voice-over.
He is a graduate of NYU’s Sight & Sound Filmmaking Program and has taught and directed in NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and The Atlantic Theater Company Acting School.
2.Siege of Paris – Directed by Darren O’Mahony – 6:00
War is a fire that just needs a spark. It’s 885 AD and the kingdoms of Francia have been united for the first time in a century. Charles the Fat, great-grandson of Charlemagne currently wages a slow war against the Viking settlers in Francia. If he is not stopped, soon he will turn his eyes to England. Legendary Viking clan chief Eivor Varrinsdottir has been sent for in the hopes she can help the settlers fight back and protect their people.
Siege of Paris is a short no-budget fan film that acts as an unofficial prequel to Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s Siege of Paris DLC
3.Forgotten – Directed by Tom Barrows – 6:45
Synopsis:
A man confronts his girlfriend’s stalker, but is taken aback when he discovers the stalker has a mysterious device…
Bio
Tom Barrows is a versatile director, screenwriter, and VFX artist, currently based in Maryland/DC. He received his Bachelors in Electronic Media and Film from Towson University. Among his notable earlier projects was Stems of a Breakup (2012), a poignant drama about a young lesbian couple navigating the aftermath of their relationship. Stems earned its rightful place in numerous film festivals across the country.
Tom’s zany horror-comedy Legend of Pumpkin Face (2014) most recently screened at the DC Comic-Con “Awesome Con” Short Film Festival. Another project screened at Awesome Con was Tom’s 2020 Star Wars short film Beyond the Outer Rim. His latest short film Forgotten (2024), currently on the festival circuit, explores the uncertain nature of memory, and the boundaries between reality and illusion.
Tom’s additional credits as a VFX artist and editor include the popular series Life as a Mermaid, as well as Our Lady Rosario (2019), Ente (2023), and Save State (2023).
4.Future Tense – Directed by Samuel Carrillo – 13:17
Miles Oblander, a quantum physicist stationed at the South Pole discovers a coded warning emanating from the ice and must decide if he is brave enough to follow the clues in face of unknown peril.
5.Skitter – Directed by Ted Hogeman – 3:09
FILM SYNOPSIS
Hearing strange noises coming from his attic, a man goes to investigate. What’s the worst that could happen?
DIRECTOR’S BIO:
Ted Hogeman is a freelance filmmaker, sound designer, and writer based in the Washington DC area. He’s the founder of laughing with the storm, a mixed-media storytelling project, as well as Orange Line Sound Design, a provider of location sound services, video-editing, and educational resources for filmmaking.
6.DeadHead – Directed by Virginia Powers Hendry – 14:30
DeadHead synopsis:
Wendy is a middle-aged woman who is constantly dismissed and made to feel invisible by the men in her life. One day while working in her garden, she pricks her finger on a thorny cocoon, and is infected with something… inhuman. After she is suddenly let go and replaced with a younger woman by her boss at a job she’s enjoyed for decades, her rage, (along with alien DNA), transforms her into a powerful creature, hellbent on revenge.
7.Overclocking – Directed by Alexander Vikulov – 7:00
A hero awakens in a mining farm powered by human brains, with no memory of who he is or how he got there. Under pressure from aggressive orderlies trying to administer a mysterious injection, he discovers superhuman reflexes and intellect, allowing him to overcome his adversaries and escape to freedom.
Director Bio
Alexander Vikulov entered the film world with a distinctive background in information technology, providing him with a unique perspective on storytelling. His educational journey includes studying at the Higher School of Economics (HSE) and the ARKA Film School, where Alexander deepened his understanding of the language of cinema.
His debut short film, “Overclocking,” which also serves as his diploma project, showcases his ability to craft captivating narratives and express his own vision. The film was entirely self-financed and produced with the help of a dedicated team of students, demonstrating great enthusiasm and belief in the project.
“Overclocking” is not just an individual work but also an introduction to a larger TV series script that Alexander is developing.
8.The Stranger – Directed by Jonah Manibusan – 12:00
A young professor is visited by a man who knows more than he appears.
Bio
Jonah Manibusan is a filmmaker in the DMV area pursuing a Film and Video degree from George Mason University. He’s excited to have his first film The Stranger be shown alongside his most recent film Feung Schwey: The Act of Being a Hero! which will premiere for the first time at this festival!
9.Word of Oda – Directed by Nesha Jackson – 10:37
A member of Club Oda – an underground cult of “One Piece” extremists – kidnaps and rehabilitates his girlfriend after date night, doesn’t go as planned.
Director Bio
Nesha Jackson stands as a rising force in the realm of filmmaking, driven by an unwavering commitment to bold, quirky, and bizarre storytelling from the black perspective.
A graduate of Morgan State University with a degree in Science, Nesha’s intellectual curiosity initially led her down a scientific path. However, fueled by a creative fervor and a desire to reshape narratives, she has shifted her focus to the world of cinema.
Currently, Nesha is deepening her understanding of the industry through the Film and TV Industry Essentials certificate program at NYU.
Her cinematic approach is a testament to her determination to challenge norms and broaden the spectrum of black narratives. As she navigates the exciting landscape of filmmaking, her journey promises to bring forth narratives that captivate, inspire, and redefine the boundaries of black representation in cinema.
“Word of Oda” is a testament to Nesha’s unique perspective and paving the way for a new era of compelling and authentic storytelling as a first time filmmaker. She takes pride in seizing the opportunity to pursue her passions as a black woman who loves anime, emphasizing how this interest has ignited the filmmaker within her.
10.Out of Body – Directed by Joseph Le – 13:36
“The sexual terror of X & dread of IT FOLLOWS meets the effective simplicity of LIGHTS OUT.”
Out of Body is a short film about a sheltered woman, Lily, who wants to express her sexuality and freedom.
However, she finds herself haunted by a possessed vagrant, whose spirit tries to take over her body. Lily battles her date’s growing expectations and the vagrant’s body snatching attempts as she tries to retain control of her body.
Director Bio
Joseph Le is an award winning director based in LA with over a decade of creative agency experience working with clients like SONY, BETHESDA STUDIOS, and PUMA. He’s mostly known for his genre-busting action design (Shang-Chi, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Knights of the Zodiac).
His martial arts hood drama, Twisting Tiger, explored the shared struggle and cultural tension between the Black and Asian gang community. It won the Warner Media Action Short Film Competition in 2022. Currently, he’s managing an action filmmaking group called Team Red Pro which has garnered over 120k followers on Instagram and 56k subscribers on YouTube.
http://josephle.squarespace.com/
11.The Summoning – Directed by Caitlin Kleppinger, Christina Kleppinger – 7:00
Max is desperate to find the truth about her sister’s death, but gets in over her head when she turns to local witch Avery for help.
Director Biography – Caitlin Kleppinger, Christina Kleppinger
Caitlin and Christina Kleppinger are sisters, writing partners, and bear wrestlers (they might have made that last one up). Originally from the mountains of Wyoming, they currently live and work in Los Angeles, CA. As the youngest sisters in a large family, Caitlin and Christina spent most of their childhood creating and playing in fantastical make-believe worlds.
They quickly realized that they loved telling stories together, and that they told bigger, better, and more ambitious stories as a team. Their first feature screenplay was School Spirits, a teen horror/comedy starring Alysia Reiner (Orange Is The New Black), Audrey Whitby (The Thundermans), and Piper Curda (Legacies, The Wretched). It was shot on-location in St. Joseph, MO and released on digital platforms in the fall of 2019. In 2020, their feature project The Old Man In The Mountain was chosen for the Women in Film + Sundance Financing Intensive. The pair wrote, directed, and produced the short film The Summoning, starring Jesse Leigh (Rutherford Falls).
Caitlin and Christina are still playing make believe – now they just take the time to stop and write down their adventures.
12.The 44th Chamber of Shaolin- Directed by Jon Truei – 14:40
A mischievous, prank loving kung fu master creates fake training for a gullible teenager who believes in fantastical myths about martial arts.
The 44th Chamber of Shaolin is a screwball martial arts comedy inspired by the Hong Kong martial arts genre, the films of Stephen Chow, shounen anime, and MTV’s Jackass.
Director Bio
Jon Truei is a Brooklyn-based filmmaker from a quiet suburb in New Jersey where he grew up shooting movies about monsters, aliens, and kung fu.
His past directing work includes SECONDARY EDUCATION, a Japanese Tokusatsu/edutainment homage, and the Chinese sci-fi action eSports television series GAMER’S GENERATION.
He is also the fight choreographer of the silent adventure comedy feature, HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS, which premiered at Fantastic Fest 2022.
Jon’s work has been featured by Nerd Reactor, Geektyrant, Screen Anarchy, IGN, iO9, and Black Belt Magazine.
Day 2 – March 9
Comedy and Drama
1.BOOGER SUGAR – Directed by Chris Austin – 5:37
The lives of two young drug goons are in jeopardy after their latest cocaine shipment is botched due to a gross misunderstanding.
Chris Austin // A native of Fredericksburg, VA, Chris has been working in the film industry for over 10 years. He has made it his mission to work in every aspect of the filmmaking process to better understand each role, and, in turn, has learned what to expect from other departments & how to push the boundaries of what is possible. His philosophy; A bad day on set beats a good day just about anywhere else…
2.Fortissimo – Directed by Victor Cesca -14:53
Guy, a pianist passionate about his music, sees his life turned upside down when the church where he officiates takes in a mysterious little girl.
A true piano virtuoso, the child prodigy will soon steal the show.
A duel of egos then begins.
Victor Cesca
Before I even emerged from my mother’s womb, I had seen – or should I say heard – more movies than any other fetus on this planet. Fed up by movie-loving parents, I spent my childhood, camcorder in hand, making short films with the means at hand, inventing all kinds of stories. From war movies to action comedy to the zombie invasion, I have fun filming my native village from all angles and my friends are not spared.
With an ES baccalaureate with a film option in my pocket, I embarked on film studies in Nantes where I made several films to try out different genres and find my own.
Then I write and I direct several short films trying to breathe my universe into them: a real estate agent who goes after a rat, a settling of scores between a student and his noisy neighbor, a piano duel between a priest and a little girl…
The short film is for me a playground subject to experimentation where I can exorcise the demons of my daily life through themes that animate me such as duel, madness or obsession.
After Fortissimo, which is currently beginning its career in festivals, I continue to develop projects while fighting to continue making the cinema that I like: genre, popular and entertaining cinema. Even if it sometimes involves going through independence and getting by.
After all, as Peter Jackson says: pain is temporary; film is forever.
3.No Way, Bidet! – Directed by Anthony Tallarico – 8:00
Percy’s parents leave him and his friends alone for his first ‘Big Boy’ Birthday Party. The evening’s typical tidings of presents and cake are flushed away, leaving our heroes with a mystery to unroll, “Can a toilet really pee on a person?”
Director Biography – Anthony Tallarico
An actor by origin, Anthony has spent the most of the last decade making the transition from on stage to on set. No Way, Bidet! marks his directorial debut, a feat he would never have accomplished without the years of bouncing between roles both in front of and behind the camera. He is grateful for the inclusion and opportunities over the years both with Oxford Comma and Underscore_Productions, and is fiercely proud of the work both companies create. Sins of the Father, a standout at the 2023 Twin Cities Film Festival is his largest acting role and project to date. After writing No Way, Bidet! and being invited to assist on other scripts, he has found he is looking forward to his next chance to craft a project from behind the keyboard equally as much as he is for the next opportunity as an actor. He challenges everyone who hasn’t to try a bidet the next chance they get.
4.A Little Sun – Directed by Danny Caporaletti – 18:00
Two teenagers skip school and head to the river, where they encounter a mysterious man that forever alters their relationship to one another.
“A Little Sun” is about young love and that inevitable moment when harsh realities of the modern world swallow our youth and propel us into adulthood, whether we’re ready for it or not.
Director Biography – Danny Caporaletti
Danny Caporaletti makes movies about life’s mysterious turning points and those magic moments that linger in dreams. His films have screened in Berlin, New Orleans, Washington DC , Richmond, VA — where he currently resides —and beyond. Pastime, his most recent short, won runner-up award in best cinematography at 2020’s Awesome Con in Washington, DC. He has an MFA in Fiction Writing from the University of New Orleans, is a professor in the Cinema department at Virginia Commonwealth University, and works as a director/producer on a variety of commercial, narrative, and documentary productions that are seen globally. He is currently developing a feature film about rowdy teenagers, ghosts, & halloween parties. caporalettifilms.com
5.20FN20 – Directed by John Beckham – 5:10
Menial tasks become difficult, tense and dangerous in the year 2020.
Director Biography – John Beckham
John Lombardy Beckham is a filmmaker and musician from Prince George’s County, Maryland, best known for Basketball County: In the Water (2020), The Diabetes Solution (2021) and 20FN20 (2022). He was born in neighboring Washington D.C.
In 2021 he directed Pizza People (2021) about his brother’s acclaimed pizzeria in Baltimore, which won best short film at the Seoul International Film Festival.
6.Tina – Directed by Laura Sweeney – 14:20
TINA is a heartfelt, story about two people who knew each other back when and are surprised to meet up again. We think viewers will absolutely relate, especially if they’ve ever encountered someone from their past who influenced them at a key juncture in their life, or if they’ve gone searching online for an old friend, teacher, boss, whoever…and been surprised by how much they’ve both changed!
Director Biography – Laura Sweeney
Laura Sweeney is a screenwriter, director and actress. Her
scripts have been official selections at Vail Film Festival,
Nantucket Film Festival, HollyShorts, Screencraft Script Fund,
Filmmatic, Toronto International Women’s Film Festival and
Cascadia International Women’s Film Festival.
Laura’s self-produced pilot MOMMY MAFIA won Best Comedic Pilot at Manhattan Film Festival and was a finalist at Chicago Amarcord Arthouse Television Awards. She had a feature film in
development with Aloris Entertainment, and two television projects optioned by North South Productions.
She co-wrote the short film SOLSTICE, selected for Genre Lab at Pinewood Studios. She wrote a short film adaptation of John Milton’s PARADISE LOST, now distributed by PBS. Also, she has created and starred in the webseries: The Mothership.
Laura’s short film ACROSS won Best Historical Drama at Manhattan Film Festival. She is currently writing a dark comedy feature called Bidding War based on her own adventures in the RealEstate industry that she plans to direct in 2024.
Laura is a proud member of SAG- AFTRA, Georgetown Entertainment Media Alliance (GEMA) and a Co-Leader of FILMSHOP South Brooklyn Chapter.
Laura has taught screenwriting for Writers Boot Camp and Open Screenplay. She is a graduate of Georgetown University and studied acting with the Moscow Art Theatre.
www.laurasweeney.com
7.The Peach – Directed by Sherwyn Santos – 7:03
Russ catches up with his buddy Dave by watching a film. A certain scene takes Russ by surprise and his night takes a strange turn..
Director Biography – Sherwyn Santos
Sherwyn Santos is a filmmaker based out of the DC area. He was raised in Prince George’s County, Maryland. He has worked on national branded content campaigns for big brands like Ford, Google, Nike, and Gatorade, He has also produced for Discovery, National Geographic, Investigation Discovery, the BBC and Disney+. He also directed campaigns for Wendy’s, Dr. Pepper, Corona, Bud Light, Wilson, AT&T, Nike and Amazon. He has directed several web series: Night School, Mondaze, and PAT and various sketches, which has garnered millions of views. He is currently a member of the Producers Guild of America.
8.The Downline – Directed by Rachel Weatherly – 12:49
A top-earner in a multi-level marketing company struggles to maintain her sanity after one of her recruits commits suicide.
Director Biography – Rachel Weatherly
Rachel Weatherly is a screenwriter and artist based in Richmond, VA.
A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, Rachel’s focus is on creating vulnerable, character-driven films across a variety of genres that are often darkly comedic, thrilling, but always grounded in emotion. She is the winner of the Virginia Screenwriting Competition, has placed in the Top 100 of the Launch Pad Feature Competition, and recently scored an 8 on the Black List, among other accolades.
The Downline, the short film she wrote and directed based on a feature screenplay, was recently featured on the Life After MLM podcast with Roberta Blevins (star of Amazon’s MLM docuseries, LuLaRich).
She is represented by Dash Aiken at Romark Entertainment.
9.Always Together – Directed by Steven Wesley Miller – 14:05
A woman hires a family rental service to help navigate through her troubled past.
Director Bio:
STEVEN WESLEY MILLER is a Cuban-American, Writer/Director of film & TV with a desire to align creative vision with a taste of classic storytelling. Originally from Miami, Steven currently lives + travels between Tennessee and New York City. His portfolio includes work featured on Rolling Stone, “Bill Cosby: An American Scandal” on the Discovery ID network, and his latest narrative short film “Always Together” premiered at the 2022 Sarasota Film Festival and won the Jury Prize for Best U.S. Narrative Short, and was selected for competition in the 2022 Warner/HBO New York Latin Film Festival. His previous short “Shadowland” was given the Tennessee Indie Spirit Award at the Nashville Film Festival and was distributed by Comcast/Xfinity as part of its Film Festival Collective.
10.The Devil is in the Details – Directed by Tayler Macmillan – 6:02
A contract misunderstanding with Devil lands a podiatrist in Hell Court.
Director Biography – Tayler Macmillen
Tayler is a writer, director, and camera operator based in Hell’s Kitchen, NYC. She works primarily as a loader, and has worked on projects like the “The Other Two”, “And Just Like That”, and the recently-announced Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel. Originally from Vancouver, she grew up in Dallas before moving up to New York for college and has not looked back! When not on set, Tayler enjoys making props and cosplays and traveling for fan conventions around the country.
11.Leverage – Directed by Michael Charron – 14:19
Jade Betts and her sidekick Richie must infiltrate the Russian mob’s Christmas party and fight their way through the ranks, using festive weapons and witty one-liners. Leverage combines action and comedy, as Betts settles old scores with her former employer to preserve what’s most important to her.
Director Biography – Michael Charron
Michael sees the movie theater as a place where traditions are subverted–where the status quo gets turned on its head. And this is where his writing sensibilities lie–in taking an established concept or idea and finding a way to turn it into something different. From slasher films where the “sexy” girls are the most competent ones to a rom-com where the meet cute takes place during casting for a snuff film, there’s no trope he’s unwilling to push to its limit.
Michael’s written more than a dozen feature films (and produced four of them) as well as written and produced a series of successful shorts. Michael has had several feature scripts both place as finalists and win in festivals and has had multiple short films win awards in recent years, including several that took top honors.
Day 3 – March 10
And Beyond!
1.Breakthrough – Directed by JaMar Jones – 11:51
Witness a conversation about identity crisis and how the pressure to succeed plagues athletes when removed from the sport. Watch as former NFL Colts cornerback, D’joun Smith, as he tells his story for the first time in group therapy.
Director Biography – JaMar Jones
I’m JaMar Jones- and yes the “M” is capital. I’m a West Baltimore native- and in middle school, I used to cut school with my cousins and we pawned our game systems to buy a VHS camcorder. We would break into abandoned houses nearby and film scenes we thought were funny. Not long after that my cousin passed away and that part of my life was gray for a long time. I decided to invest my energy into music.
I was a DJ and music producer for a long time. After working in the radio industry I quickly learned that this is an impending dead-end for what I want with my art and career. I was approached by a rep for Red Bull North America that needed help on the campus of an HBCU looking for students of color to participate in a program. I listened to the guy talk for a min then he invited me to Towson, a PWI not too far from my school Morgan State University. He offered me the opportunity to make a documentary. At the moment I didn’t know what a doc was or the first place to begin creating one. However, I accepted the challenge. Because of that clear decision being made, I believe that God was like, “Ok bet”.
Shortly after I declared this was something I am going to put energy into. The rep from Red Bull gave me $1,300 worth of editing software for free. It gets better. A friend from college was moving and decided to give me his Mac Pro Tower for free. One more thing. My mother who has never spent more than she needed to for anything and has made it abundantly clear that “we ain’t got it” wrote me a check for $700 to buy a professional DV camera. I was reminded of my love for filmmaking and from that moment I knew I was called to do this.
Right away I began producing films as a means to contextualize my environment. My first film, Product of My Environment (POME) was made for that project with Red Bull and it focused on individuals struggling with drug addiction, crime, and impoverished living conditions. In 2007 (POME) was screened at The Charles Theater with a groundswell of support. The moment propelled me to learn more about filmmaking. However, it felt that my location limited my pursuit. Upon graduating from Morgan State University, it seemed all roads for continuing work in the film industry either lead me out of town or to local news.
I chose to stay in Baltimore and do my own thing. Simply put, I wanted to create content showcasing people who looked like me; I wanted to highlight everyday heroes and SHEroes doing positive things for their community. In 2010 I was eager to do everything possible to pursue film but at that time I was evicted from my apartment so I moved into an empty warehouse space I called my home. I had no shower, and no working toilet but I had one client that wanted me to make a short film for her about a local photographer. That project paid me $3,500. From that project, I was able to buy a mattress so I wouldn’t have to sleep on the floor. I purchased a prepaid internet system and I got a membership to a nearby gym so I could bathe. During this process, my home transitioned into a place I now call “the studio”. This place became the home to a burgeoning film company and a group of filmmakers that I call my family. Three years later I launched Six Point Pictures.
Six Point Pictures is a film production company that specializes in emotive visual storytelling. Together we have completed projects for BET, Disney, META, YouTube Originals, Amazon, and more.
As an entrepreneur, filmmaker, and person of color, I have consistently witnessed financial and social-capital inequities which caused me to be overlooked for work opportunities. I’ve spent countless hours over the years developing my skill, my company, and my tribe of filmmakers. Now it’s time to reveal the amazing stories that have been waiting to be told by the filmmakers of Baltimore and beyond.
I am beyond blessed and I have achieved a certain level of success. I understand that my career doesn’t stop here and I have a long way to go. As a cinematographer, I found my love for creating, and as a director, I am still finding my voice. If you are reading this and made it this far please accept my invitation on this journey of mine. I believe that together we can create stories that will make people feel, question, pursue, and engage with life in ways we could have never imagined.
2.Feung Schwey: The Act of Being a Hero! – Directed by Jonah Manibusan – 9:49
A documentary crew follows a young local superhero, with no superpowers, as he navigates what it means to be a hero after his father’s passing.
Director Biography – Jonah Manibusan
Jonah Manibusan is currently a film student at George Mason University majoring in Film and minoring in Communications. Outside of school, he’s a freelance videographer and serves as the Creative Director and Founder of 3017th Studios. 3017th Studios was formed back in early 2022, with the goal of being able to create thought invoking, meaningful, and entertaining pieces. Since its founding, 3017th Studios has helped make and made award winning short fiction films, short documentaries, and music videos!
3.CAKE!- Directed by Erick McCoy – 7:00
A girl who stands out wherever she goes falls for the wrong boy. No, literally she falls for the wrong boy.
Directors Bio: Erick McCoy, a Writer, Director, and Producer from a small town Damascus, MD, would pick up a VHS camcorder at the age of 7 and develop an obsession with filmmaking. After graduating from Howard Community College in 2014 with an Associates of Arts in Television Production, he would go on to create multiple short films such as ‘A Walk in the Dark (2014)’, ’30 (2022)’, and ‘CAKE! (2023)’. His films are self-funded through the production company that he runs with his wife, Eastwell Studios.
4.One Wheel Bandit – Directed by Rick Gonzalez – 3:43
Film Official Synopsis
Allen Woods, otherwise known as the One Wheel Bandit, rides his bike around town, impressing every passerby with his one-wheeled magic.
Director short bio
Rick Gonzalez (b. 1988, San Jose, CA, United States) is a video and mixed media artist who lives and works in Washington, D.C. With a minor in cinema from McDaniel College, Rick has always been drawn to artistic expression that tells a story.
In the last five years, as Rick has added collaging as his main medium, he has continued to experiment with different ways to create connections between unexpected images and visuals.
In both his short films and collages, Rick’s goal is to mix unexpected visuals that draw the viewer in while presenting a new perspective and way to think about everyday objects. The processes for creating films and digital and analog collaging vary but are also connected because of the ability to manipulate images and time through cutting paper for collaging or editing film projects, arranging and rearranging images and photos. The act of intentional placement and integrating of different images, appeal to Rick’s goal of encouraging audiences to view the world from a different angle, appreciating the little things in life and shifting the viewer’s perspective all while creating something new out of old.
5.Extreme Paleo – Submitted by Charlie Puritano – 4:01
Director Biography
Charlie Puritano has created award-winning films, commercials, music videos and documentaries for over 20 years. Before starting the Puritano Media Group, he worked on several feature films, including Forrest Gump, Sleepers, The People v. Larry Flynt and Oliver Stone’s NIXON. He has won many industry awards, including multiple Tellys, CINDYs, National Communicator Awards, US Film Festival and the International Television Association (ITVA) Film Festival. He has been an adjunct professor of Film Production at the American University’s Graduate School of Communications and President of the International Television Association’s DC Chapter.
6.Snap Away: The Search for the Opalescent Arctail – Directed by Cole Goco – 13:29
A scientist and a wildlife photographer embark on a high-stakes expedition into the wilderness to find a super-rare, beautiful (and deadly) bird species.
Director Biography – Cole Goco
Hi, I’m Cole Goco! I’m a filmmaker, animator and cartoonist.
I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember, a passion that quickly extended to making comics, and then to short films — in live action as well as with 2D and stop-motion animation. My artwork has received regional and national recognition, including five national Scholastic Art Medals and a nomination from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. I recently graduated from Wesleyan University, where I studied film and biology.
7.Beautifully New – Directed by Mwita Chacha – 6:14
A story of a young man’s journey to create a new life after losing his memory and mobility in a hit and run accident.
Director Biography – Mwita Chacha
Pronunciation: Mwee-tuh Chah-Chah
Mwita is a filmmaker passionate about sharing the beauty, struggles, and everyday life of often-overlooked cultures. Drawing inspiration from his diverse background and travels, he uses a raw docu-style approach to create authentic commercials and films.
His work has helped raise millions of dollars for empowerment programs around the globe, brought awareness to the impact of climate change on Native Alaskans, highlighted the tragedy of the Holocaust and its denial, and inspired people to create change through visionary causes.
His projects have been featured on Max, Discovery +. CNN, VOX, PBS, and Vimeo Staff picks.
He loves sci-fi, Audible, afro beats, and anything mango flavored.
8.Innermost – Directed by Maing Caochong – 15:00
The background of the stop-motion animation short film Innermost is set in the future featured by highly advanced technologies but collapsed society and civilization system. The cyberpunk-style science fiction world coexists fantastically with the traditional oriental martial arts world. The story follows the emotional entanglement between a long-lost chivalrous couple and a person with regenerated organs starting from a fight for a mystic magic lyre. From the perspective of what regeneration technologies are able of, the short film will arouse the audience to think of how the value of emotions can be magnified or dissolved.
Director Biography
Maing Caochong had been a lover of cartoon and animation from school days to work. When he made up his mind to try animation as his next career direction, he found he had missed the chance to study animation systematically in professional colleges and universities as he was no longer young. With no ability of creating 2D or 3D animation, Maing thought maybe he could make some stop-motion animations. Now, at his own professional stop-motion animation studio, he is producing stop-motion animations for a great number of clients including Disney as director and animator. At the same time, he has never forgotten the original aspiration of his foray into the animation world – presenting those original stories in his heart with his own hands.
9.Body Prison- Directed by Cameron Kit – 5:59
Logline:
A young woman living in a body-positive matriarchal space cooperative is sentenced to try a vicious new punishment on a correctional satellite.
Summary:
In the future, aboard matriarchal space cooperative “Liberty”, women are born and live their lives without the shadow of the patriarchy over them. So when Sasha Rivera arrives at the correctional facility station to receive chastisement for public nudity, she is stunned at the form of her punishment: 1 hour of body dysmorphia, administered by a new, wicked customized AI program. Having grown up completely loving her body, her first experience feeling bodily shame leaves a bitter taste in her mouth.
Director Biography – Cameron Kit
Cameron Kit is a feminist sci-fi filmmaker based in Brooklyn, NY.
She has directed over 30 short films which have been featured in over 15 international festivals. Her film “Chlorine” was featured in 9 festivals and won best cinematography at the New York Cinematography Awards. She has hosted a sci-fi movie review podcast, “They Came From Outer Space” for over 3 years and 60+ episodes.
Her mission is to create films that inspire women and queer folks to build the future they want.
10.The Funnel Web – Directed by Eric Cullen Hackler – 10:26
In an attempt to be seen as a hero, former child star and embattled real-estate mogul, Eddie Wander, plans the kidnapping and rescue of his own nephew. His lawyer attempts to discourage him, even as the cops and criminals he’s hired begin putting the nonsensical plan into motion.
Director Biography – Eric Cullen Hackler
Eric Cullen Hackler is an award-winning screenwriter, director, & editor. His scripts and films have been featured in festivals in Los Angeles, New York, Europe, & across the United States. His work has been showcased on Amazon Prime, AppleTV & CNBC among others. He’s the founder of Checker Liar Pictures & was TIME Magazine’s Person of the Year in 2006.
11.Horizon – Directed by Brian Pennington – 6:30
Three connected narratives across time and space reflect on hoping for what’s to come while not forgetting what came before. Life moves on and so do we.
12.The Last of Them – Directed by Dylan Hintz – 6:17
Two different groups of apocalypse survivors find themselves in conflict over each other’s dietary choices. When a documentary crew attempts to intervene, a violent battle ensues.
13.Not Alone – Directed by Tommy Duncan 3rd – 10:19
Film Synopsis
Jordan Lally is a singer/song writer living the life of a touring musician, whose band “The Big Infinite” is gaining momentum and acclaim, when it all comes crashing down in an instant when personal tragedy strikes. Forcing him to look at not just life through a new lens, but himself as well.
Director bio
Tommy Duncan 3rd is a Director based in Baltimore, MD, who believes the only shortcut is hard work. Who’s goal as a filmmaker is to touch upon universal truths, through a balance of emotional content and aesthetically pleasing visuals.
14.Operation Wet Paint – Directed by Thomas Nishimoto, Curtis Nishimoto – 8:30
Film Synopsis: An adventurous eighth grader and his friends concoct a daring heist to take revenge on the bullies that have been tormenting them.
Director Bios
Thomas Nishimoto is an independent filmmaker and the older half (by three minutes) of the Nishimoto Brothers director duo. He has been making films with his twin brother since they were children, and has made over a dozen projects with him, including Nurikabe, The Gym Is Now Closed, and Operation: Wet Paint. His screenwriting tends to lean towards genre, and he always tries to do something new with every film he makes. He is concerned with crafting entertaining stories that either showcase underrepresented people and places or explore the familiar in unexpected ways.
Curtis Nishimoto is an independent filmmaker and the younger half (by three minutes) of the Nishimoto Brothers director duo. As a director and cinematographer, his body of work spans multiple genres and mediums, from narrative drama to absurdist animation. His recent work includes A Cup of Flower, Boxsniffer37, and Operation: Wet Paint. Creatively, he is interested in exploring how the combination of filmic elements such as genres, concepts, or visual mediums can be used as a transformative and generative process.
15.Collide – Directed by Rachel Maffucci, Olivia Vessel – 5:28
A struggling couple races against the clock to find one another before the world ends.