Director/Cinematographer: André Musgrove
Writers: André Musgrove, Ariadna Hafez
Country: Bahamas
Genre: Action, Dance, Underwater, Sport, Fantasy, Music, Indie Film
Overview: In the crystal-clear waters of the Bahamas, underwater performer and professional dancer Arianda Hafez conducts a choreographed dance routine at depth on a variety of sunken shipwrecks while holding her breath. Directed and filmed underwater by Bahamian filmmaker André Musgrove, he combines his years of local knowledge and underwater expertise with the skills of Hafez from Spain to bring this performance of underwater mastery to life.
Director: Richard Thompson
Country: United States
Genre: Animation
Overview: A machine comes to life in a 3D animation short inspired by Charlie Chaplin.
Director: Priya Woods
Producer: John English
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Documentary, Short, Student
Overview: Grief has many unsuspecting customers. A stoic Scottish father and his daughter sit down for a pint, 18 summers after a life altering diagnosis which changed everything and nothing at all. Through the use of interview and archive, the film contrasts between a past life of warm chaos and the cold, still, reality of the present. This short is the story behind the “local” in the pub, exploring the crippling effects of love and loss, of which we all hold within.
Director: Ryan Bijan
Producer: Ron L Perrin
Country: United States
Genre: Documentary
Overview: Sediment that collects on the floor of potable water storage tanks is often overlooked. It can go for years, sometimes decades, "Out of Sight and Out of Mind". The USEPA has identified sediment as being a habitat that bacteria, protozoa, and even viruses can use to get a foothold in a water system. Neglecting the housekeeping of a water storage tank can become a threat to the health of any water system and as a result, can threaten the health of their customers.
Director Statement: The subject of clean water and its accessibility is something I've been passionate about for years. In creating this documentary, even my eyes were opened to the realities faced by many communities in our own backyard.
Director/Writer/Producer: Antonio Orbe
Country: Spain
Genre: Drama
Overview: Parents adore their children but they can't handle it all. Four different couples of parents with children of various ages suffer from their children's addiction. They start by forgiving them and helping them. Years go by and the children's lies and deceptions continue. More than 100,000 (one hundred thousand) deaths from fentanyl overdose in 2021 in the US
Director: Ryan Bijan
Producer/Writer: Ron L Perrin
Country: United States
Genre: Long Short, Documentary
Overview: There is a serious danger lurking in America's water systems. Join Potable Water Diving Contractor Ron Perrin, along with microbiologists and a former EPA employee as they discuss the problem. Ron Perrin is a diving contractor in Fort Worth Texas. Specializing in diving in potable water. Since 1997 his company has been inspecting and cleaning potable water storage tanks and towers. They have worked in 14 states. This has given him a very unique perspective on the country's drinking water distribution systems. Last year they inspected over 850 potable water storage tanks and cleaned about 150. The problem is about 700 needed to be cleaned. Many had never been cleaned. There is no regulation that requires water tanks to be cleaned in most states. Why does it matter? A water storage tank is the last stop water makes between the water treatment plant and your tap. Over time sediment builds up on the floor of most storage tanks. This can add up to inches or even feet of sediment. Tank sediment can become a safe habitat for bacteria, protozoa, or even viruses. Keeping the tank clean allows treatment chemicals to do the job they were designed to do. It is important that water utility managers understand the importance of keeping water storage tanks clean.
Director Statement: The subject of clean water and its accessibility is something I've been passionate about for years. In creating this documentary, even my eyes were opened to the realities faced by many communities in our own backyard.
Director: Sam "Gebar" Gebremiche
Producer: Star Soltan, Tadashi Sayres
Country: United States
Genre: Documentary
Overview: Dive into the captivating narrative of HoodTrophy Bino - a California hip-hop artist from the projects of South Central and Palmdale, discovered by Soulja Boy in jail, and destined to overcome the generational curse of poverty and incarceration plaguing all of the males in his immediate and extended family. Bino opens up about the trials and triumphs that shaped his life - offering insights into the challenges of growing up in a tough environment. From overcoming adversity to pursuing his dreams, Bino shares poignant stories that resonate with authenticity and resilience. Join us as we explore the powerful narrative of self-discovery, perseverance, and breaking free from the chains of the past. Don't miss out on this inspiring tale of transformation into a Trophy!
Director: Carlos P Beltran
Producers: Maria Alicia Ruiz, Hector Do Nascimento, Priscilla Torres
Country: United States
Project Type: Documentary, Feature
Overview: All I Ever Wanted is a riveting 7-year journey through the high-stakes world of professional basketball, showcasing NBA icons like Kevin Durant, Kyle Lowry, and Manu Ginobili. This deeply personal documentary unveils the untold story of Greivis Vasquez, former star of the Toronto Raptors and Brooklyn Nets, as he confronts the challenges of a sudden, career-ending injury. The film reveals the emotional, physical, and financial challenges that emerge in the aftermath of an athlete's worst fear coming true.
Director Statement: This is not the film I wanted to make. Not at first. When we began production in the fall of 2016, we set out to document a comeback story. As a young Latin American pro-athlete raised in some of the poorest parts of Venezuela, Greivis Vásquez would inspire millions by overcoming a debilitating ankle injury and finding his way back to the National Basketball Association. As a fellow Venezuelan, I wanted to tell this story. But, over the years—after every conceivable hurdle—we ended up with something more powerful. By 2018 experts had deemed his condition “career-ending.” After six-years in the NBA, it was clear he would never play professional basketball again. But Greivis Vásquez kept on pushing. And, behind the camera, so did we. The story then became an intimate character study: What happens to Icarus after he gets burnt? It was a gamble. We continued filming—with minimal funding and an even smaller crew—stretching every resource at hand. And so, the seven-year-long production followed Greivis through three surgeries, one political uprising in South America, countless meetings with the best orthopedic doctors in the world, a pandemic, and a divorce. This film is the product of stubborn perseverance. We believed that, regardless of the outcome, we would learn something from Greivis’ blind ambition. Ultimately, I am proud of what we’ve accomplished. I am proud of what this film stands for. We are certain that this story will both inspire and guide youth (Hispanic and otherwise) to fight for their dreams while holding on to that what matters most: family.
Directors/Writers: Ali Moniri, Philip Kaat, Bertan Can
Producers: Sten Toom, Ali Moniri
Country: Estonia
Genre: Drama
Overview: In the quiet expanse of the countryside, an unlikely relationship forms. The film opens with a young runaway, cloaked in leather and exuding a naive bravado, who encounters an eccentric, old homeless man. The boy, in his silent rebellion, plans to escape his old life, not knowing this strange encounter will shift his course. The old man, with a twinkle of mischief in his eyes, begins to weave a captivating story about a friend of his, an escapee from prison, who made his way to the city in search of freedom. As the narrative unfolds, the boy becomes deeply engrossed, finding a mirror to his own tale of adventure. However, the story takes a grim turn when the old man's friend meets a tragic end, devoured by a pack of city dogs. This jolts the boy back to reality, making him question the path he's on. The old man, with a shrug of his shoulders, departs, leaving the boy at the crossroads of decision. In a moment of clarity, fueled by frustration and a newfound wisdom, the boy curses under his breath and decides to return home, leaving audiences to ponder the old man's intentions. Was the story a cautionary tale to guide the boy, or just a ramblings of a lonely old man? "Country Dogs" is a short comedy that treads the fine line between humor and absurdity, exploring themes of freedom, fate, and the unexpected mentors we find in the most unlikely places.
Director Statement: Even the very process of this film seemed destined. Faced with the difficult challenge of finding an English-speaking old man in Estonia for our cast, we received only one response - from an Englishman who had never acted before, recovering from a recent stroke. His unexpected perfection for the role and our collective improvisation brought the vision to life in a matter of weeks, embodying the essence of our storys tribute to life's fateful twists.'Country Dogs' is a testament to the magic of spontaneous decisions and the incredible stories they conjure. All you have to do is trust your gut.
Director/Writer: Chaa Ustaoglu
Producer: Dominic Ko
Country: United Kingdom
Project Type: Microfilm
Overview: In the crucible of the Straight 8 competition emerges 'My Cuppa Tea', shot exclusively on one Super 8 cartridge. Bound by competition rules, it was shot chronologically, without retakes or editing. Against the backdrop of an increasingly polarised world, 'My Cuppa Tea' strives to be a poignant reminder of the value of cross-cultural exchanges and open-mindedness. During her odyssey to obtain milk for her tea, a British lady is introduced to a milk-free tea tradition by a Turkish man. More importantly, his benevolent invitation offers our protagonist what she really needed – a friend to enjoy her tea with.
Director/Writer: XAVIER GUÀRDIA
Producers: XAVIER GUÀRDIA, ROSER A. KLEE
Country: Spain
Project Type:Documentary, Experimental, Short
Overview: A poem by Arthur Rimbaud contrasts the tranquility of nature with the hectic pace of the big city. A metaphorical journey into nature, love and poetry.
Director Statement: The origin of this project was born and inspired by the poem Sensation by Arthur Rimbaud. A poem full of literary beauty and love for life that seeks total fusion with nature. An inner journey towards the human soul and an attempt to capture a moment that, in my opinion, contains eternity. At no time have I intended to underline the poem with images. In fact, at no point does the recitation coincide with the bucolic images. We always hear the voice-over when we are in the city, with its noise, rush and crowds. What has really motivated me as a filmmaker is the contrast produced by poetic words with footage of the big city. Contrast and counterpoint of two lines that follow opposite directions. I look for the emotional reaction that the mixture of that inevitable clash of antagonistic forces provokes. I must also highlight the work of the pianist Frederic Oller who has composed the piece Somniador / Dreamer, inspired by the poem and the footage of nature, giving balance to the whole film. The proposal to use the poem in four languages is due to my deep attraction to physically hearing four different voices, with their very different cadences, tempos and textures. In French because it is the original of Rimbaud, in English because it is the most universal language, in Spanish because it is my nationality and the second most spoken language in the world, and in Catalan because it is my mother tongue. I also wanted to vindicate the figure of the poet Arthur Rimbaud as well as the visual richness of the Ebro River Delta, showing it as one of the most virgin and paradisiacal places in my country.
Directors: Andrew Syers, Marc Andrew Julien Holmes, James Day
Writer: Andrew Syers
Producer: Marc Andrew Julien Holmes
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Romance, Comedy, Black and White, Silent movie, Slapstick, madcap, Action, Adventure, Comedy Drama
Overview: Hopeless romantic Henry McCloud while returning an extremely late library book falls in love with the world’s toughest librarian, Amy Turbulence. Little does he know that his attempts to woo her will drop him into a mad cap adventure and the murky world of politics.
Director Statement: I produced a silent film comedy set in a library because it appeared to be the most appropriate place for this genre. The genesis for this work was a Film Jam One month challenge; the theme being 'silence'. Film Jam is a film making organization. I aimed to create a film with the humour and sweetness of a silent comedy film by the likes of Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd. At the same time I wanted a library to feature in this story since libraries are at the most risk of extinction than they have ever been. And the library in this story is very much endangered by the politician, Malcolm Darkwell who wishes to bring back the 'Dark Ages'.
Director/Writer: Bryan Young
Producers: Bryan Young, Huston Evans, Ryan Call
Country: United States
Genre: Horror, Drama
Overview: The Lost Boys is a 2024 short film written, directed, and produced by Bryan Young. It tells the story of a young man haunted by the events of his past who embarks on a fateful visit to a familiar grave.
Director Statement: The Lost Boys is an exploration of grief through the lens of film. It aims to stretch the bounds of what we think of the horror genre is capable and aims to tell a story that can only be told with the power of cinema. It's a picture with heart...and perhaps a tear.
Director/Writer/Producer: Saori Kouzuki
Country: Japan
Genres: Sci-Fi, Short
Overview: A story of a man who loses his job due to the propagation of AI, is victimized by and has his life disrupted by AI, but comes to find solace through AI.
Director/Writer: Iago Montgomery-Jarvis
Producers: Iago Montgomery-Jarvis, Dean Bloomfield
Country: United Kingdom
Project Type:Drama, Short
Overview: Blue Snakes delivers a gripping tale of revenge, redemption and the cost of standing up to corruption. It blurs the lines between right and wrong and follows Vince who is battling personal demons and mental health whilst seeking to make amends for past mistakes. Set in a backdrop of escalating crimes and city life encompassing the strains, the hate and the travesties sent to test the strongest of characters.
Director Statement: I had spent nearly two years writing both a novel and the script for the film and knew I had to start the filming process, I had such an amazing time bringing the cast and crew together to make this short film and had to choose some great scenes which I knew could portray the plot and expose some of the character traits. This will appeal to people who love crime dramas and revenge thrillers. The full feature will be packed with intrigue, action and revenge scenes which gather momentum and really expose the characters motives and underpinning agendas.
Director: Jenny Simpson
Writer: Benjamin Sitton
Producers: Georgia Seymour, Benjamin Sitton
Country: United Kingdom
Genres: Fantasy, Drama, Comedy
Overview: The Mad Hatter grows tired of the fantastical world of Wonderland and seeks to find Alice in modern day London. But by complete accident, Hatter finds himself working a white-collar office job; the CEO of the company? Alice herself.
Director Statement: Inspired by Lewis Carroll’s beautiful stories, ‘Hatter’ is told from the unique perspective of the weird and wonderful Mad Hatter. The film blends realism and fantasy, and grounds one of Caroll’s most iconic characters in a familiar and modern environment to explore ideas about alienation and isolation in the face of a capitalist environment. Also close to both mine and the film’s heart, is the importance of friendship, with Hatter undergoing a similar journey to Dorothy in ‘The Wizard of Oz’, discovering that even though we may feel both disconnected and discontented with our immediate surroundings, our friendships and relationships are always the most valuable part of our lives, as we seek to navigate unfamiliar and hostile environments. ‘Hatter’ is made for lovers of the bizarre, and acts as a love letter to childhood nostalgia and fantasy. It’s for those who feel like they can’t find their place in the world, and for those who know there’s no place like home.
Director/Writer/Producer: Omar Hashem
Country: United States
Genres: Horror, Thriller, Suspense
Overview: In a parking lot, Omar's life takes a terrifying twist when he becomes the target of an unstable abductor. With time running out, Omar must muster all his courage to outwit his captor and make a desperate bid for freedom.
Director Statement: This film is inspired by a true story that happened to the director himself. It motivated him to write it because it contains many emotions we experience in our daily lives and addresses topics we defend and believe in. I am deeply thankful to the team of actors, crew, and family for making this possible. I am also, and always, grateful to the organ donor and their family for donating their lungs, enabling me to fulfill my dreams. This film and all its successes are dedicated to my donor and their family.
Director/Writer/Producer: TSZ YUI FUNG
Country: Hong Kong
Genre: Drama
Director Biography: A story-lover and story-teller, who learned videography and photography during COVID. Just moved to UK from Hong Kong in October 2023.
Director: Michaela Simurdova
Writer/Producer: Ria Huck
Country: United Kingdom
Project Type: Short, Student
Overview: In the Fae Realm where women have their magic taken from them, Nemain is a soldier, rebel and spy. When the information she has been searching for turns up on her doorstep, it unleashes a chain of events that will decide the fate of the Kingdom.
Directors/Writers/Producers: Andreas Bjarne, Fredrik Thelander
Country: Sweden
Project Type: Feature, Student
Overview: The movie is about the somewhat peculiar but spontaneous Maria (28) who wins 250,000 SEK on a scratch-off lottery ticket on TV. She dreams of a typical "Svensson" life, which refers to a common, ordinary Swedish family, but she's not quite sure how to get there. So, when the TV host asks her what she will do with the money, she says, "Anyone who wants to have coffee with me will receive 1000 SEK." Her calendar quickly fills up with people who want to have coffee with her, and one thing leads to another, and somewhere over there, perhaps that ordinary life she desires exists, or maybe not.
Director Statement: In 2006, I met Maria at a theater event. She was someone who didn't fit in. Someone who stood out. She tried her best, but people rejected her. They thought she was strange, and the things she said and did were odd. You could almost see that it made her sad, that no matter what she did, it was wrong. That encounter with Maria stuck with me. I thought about how much she tried and attempted to be herself, but still, it went awry. I started to think that we've all been Maria at some point, and we all are at times. Just like her, we've been told to be ourselves, that's when we're at our best. That's when we become true to everything we do, the person we want to be, and how we want to live. But how do you know that, when everyone keeps rejecting you? When nothing you do is ever good enough? When all your attempts turn out wrong? When you see a goal but don't know the way to get there? When everything you desire is right in front of your eyes, but you can't reach it? No one lets you in, and that panic rises as you are so close, yet you see it slipping through your fingers. It's right there in front of you, and you can't afford to fail, because this might be your last chance. You've never been this close in your entire life and now it's all going wrong. This feeling, this struggle, is what I wanted to convey through Maria to all the boys and girls out there, and let them know they're not alone and it won't be forever. One day they will reach their goals. One day they will be loved. One day they will be let in. One day their dreams will come true.
Director/Writer: Dezmo DeGano
Producer: Theo Mars
Country: United States
Project Type: Student, Short
Overview: Emma and Alex and themselves in a surreal place,questioning how they got there. They encounter Dan, a man in a Hawaiian shirt, who reveals they are dead. Dan decides to interview them to determine who gets a second chance at life. He asks various questions to determine who is best fit. Ultimately Emma and Alex both score 4251, leaving them with a choice: sacrifice themselves to let the other one live or both face an empty, lonely, painful death.
Director Statement: 4251 was created to share a powerful message that changed my life for the better and it would be great if my audience could get a glimpse of what I have discovered. The message is simple, we only have one chance with this life and although it may not look like it, we can create anything as a possibility regardless of the situation we are dealing with. I watched friend after friend going into college and careers that they did not choose, instead they pleased their parents or took a safe and reliable career path that would give them security. Fortunately, I was surrounded by people that demanded I go after journeys that seemed interesting in which I could see myself doing at a high level and enjoying the work. Never mind the statistics of how many people get to be an astronaut. I went after what would be worth my life and knowing I’d rather go for it and fail than to regret that I never tried. I discovered that I love storytelling and filmmaking and pursue that as my career and craft because I can’t see myself spending my creative energy on anything else. To inspire and be inspired, to feel all there is to feel as a human being the deepest depths and the highest highs in a way that viewers feel alive. Creating films brings all of that alive and real for me personally every time, and my aim is to convey that to my audiences. This film deals with the regret of living a life of safety and comfort in juxtaposition to living a life you love and get to create. No matter what you believe happens after you die, you only live this life once. With that shoving a message in someone’s face isn’t my style and the audience is less likely to take home the message. Comedy makes it easier to process and relate to a challenging topic more easily. 4251 is a dark comedy, dealing with a heavy subject with a fun and dry humor.
Director: Antonis Christ
Writer/Producer: Blanka Holmes
Country: United Kingdom
Project Type: Experimental, Short, Student
Overview: An internal conversation between the past, present and future versions.Born from a place of disappointment and chaos, W, N, and M aim for nothing less than to understand. After all, you deserve closure.
Director Statement: I am jovial about sharing my first dig into films; all of us ugly people are here to stay, offer, and take.
Director/Writer: Jonathan Williams
Producers: Sid Menon, Anaïs Lapeyre
Country: United Kingdom
Project Type: Comedy, Thriller, Short, Student
Overview: When his dream business comes under threat by a predatory loan shark, Welsh restaurateur Dick must take drastic action to protect his beloved, tacky Spanish tapas restaurant.
Director Statement: With a background in English Literature and a strong interest in politics, I am interested in seeing social issues and the state of the nation expressed in film. I find that genre fiction is a compelling method of communicating these messages; a Trojan Horse, wheeling in potent subjects through an unassuming veneer. Growing up with the proliferation of smartphones and the internet, I also find myself drawn to telling stories that grapple with paranoia and self-image that have come with unfettered access to constant information. While such access has opened the world up in many ways, it has also led to a loosening of cultural anchors, generating an instability and restlessness that I hope to explore through my filmmaking.
Director/Writer: Richard John Taylor
Producers: Arthur Lytton, Jude Lytton, Beckett Lytton
Country: United Kingdom
Project Type: Drama, Feature
Overview: Late actor Nicholas Ball delivers a career-defining swan song in his final performance as tensions rise in a small rural community when a grieving young girl finds solace in the unlikely friendship she forms with a reclusive actor, but things quickly spiral out of control when he becomes the target of mass hysteria after being wrongly accused of sexually abusing her.
Director: Nathaniel Akin
Country: United States
Project Type: Animation, Experimental, Music Video, Short
Overview: Music video for the track 'Shogun' by Lord Godfrey - an 80s fever dream.
Writer: Steven A Hart
Country: United Kingdom
Project Type: Screenplay
Overview: After accidentally killing a child murderer, a jaded crime reporter plummets over the edge into a violent journey to rid her city of the criminals that she despises. But what price must she pay as she starts to become the very thing she hates?
Writer: Stephen J Willis
Country: United Kingdom
Project Type: Screenplay
Overview: Two detectives, Tony and Cleo, must defeat a drug cartel whilst learning extrasensory fighting skills to combat an equally powerful and underground satanic foe. A secret wing of London's Magic Circle, help them harness the psychokinetic skills they need to survive.
Writer Statement: He has written his first pilot for a TV script concept, with which he is looking forward to creating with a team of filmmakers.