SCREAMING SILENCE, 17min., UK
Directed by Kalyn Elizabeth Wood, Hal Waghorn
In the hauntingly enigmatic and dialogue-free short film, ‘Screaming Silence’, Elizabeth, a young woman in the aftermath of a traumatic event, navigates her world through a haunting soundscape of everyday noises, which ‘peoples’ her world and forces her to face her reality of circumstances and her fear of reaching out for help. As the audience intimately experiences her journey, Elizabeth’s silence becomes a bittersweet force, echoing the profound emotional depth that empowers her to move forward in an altruistic twist of an ending.

https://www.screamingsilencefilm.com/

Get to know filmmaker Kalyn Elizabeth Wood:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

This film first started out as my dissertation project for my masters program in London. I was the only one in my class who was doing a digital piece. I knew when beginning to write my piece that I wanted to examine women’s relationships, mainly womens relationship to trauma, sexual assault, loss, isolation and also to dive a little into the mother-daughter relationship dynamic. The film’s first iteration was completely different from its final iteration that it is today and to be quite honest I am glad I went the route that the film is now rather than what it was ‘supposed’ to be. It challenged me and pushed me to places I had never been before as a performer intrinsically, technically, and emotionally. What started out as a quest to fulfill or rather rewrite my story as a gift to my mom and it then became something in singularity. From women, to women. A singular and multifaceted relationship with trauma, the aftermath, loss, isolation and more importantly silence. I investigated the notion of: the power of female silence in films through the lens of trauma. I want anyone who watches this film to feel as though they are allowed in Elizabeth’s world to experience and observe her life in that present moment. I want people to be inspired by the lack of Elizabeth’s voice to find their own voice. To open up and out and maybe even scream.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

From start to finish the film took about 2 months. Because of circumstances out of our control we had to shoot the entire film in two days. The editing took about 3 days.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?

Powerful. Liberating.

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

I think the biggest obstacle we had was the time constraint we were on when it came to filming. Due to our schedules and circumstances out of our control we only have a two day time frame to film everything.

When it came to editing we were able to take our time, which was nice because we were able to really focus on what we wanted to do with the film in terms of editing and the effect it would have on the film overall.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

I mean you never know what people are going to think about a film that is so close to your heart, and you have to remind yourself that most people don’t know you or understand your heart behind the project. So in watching and hearing the feedback my heart was overwhelmed with joy and gratitude. Each individual had their own way of connecting with the film and understanding where they fit in, in their own understanding and circumstances within the film. It was a joy to see male individuals feel that the film also speaks to them and their own understandings and dealings with mental health. The feedback was everything and more than I could imagine and I am so thankful.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

Well don’t think I ever had a realization that I wanted to make films. I always knew I wanted to be in them. The way this project started was simply for my dissertation for my Masters degree. I knew the story that I wanted to tell and I well I had to do the project in order to graduate, but I knew how films worked and how to act so I took a deep dive, head first and plunged myself into the unknown… and I am so thankful that I did. During this entire process I have fallen deeper in love with my craft of acting and filmmaking.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

I think the film I have seen the most in my life is ‘Titanic’ probably because I had a massive obsession and crush on Leonardo Di Caprio.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?

One of my favorite things about this festival is the feedback element. It allows for me as the filmmaker and my producer the ability to get different perspectives and reinforce our confidence in the film we have made. Fostering artists and allowing up and coming actors to have a place to shine and also connect with other industry professionals is paramount in someone’s young career. Fostering new relationships and mentorships is something that I think should be implemented more in the festival circuit because when one of us wins, we all win!

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?

Fantastic!

10. What is your favorite meal?

Ohh that’s a tough one. Being originally from New Orleans, I’m a girl who loves her food. I have a top three.
-Jambalaya
-Steak from Musso & Franks in Hollywood
-In n Out Burger

11. What is next for you? A new film?

I have a film coming out this year called ‘Molar’ directed by Jonatahn Rose at Foam Soda Productions. We will continue to show ‘Screaming Silence’ at festivals across the US, UK and Europe

MELIORA, 20min,. Estonia
Directed by Kristin Hildebrand
Emma is a perfectionistic painter with a rich husband and great style. But it soon becomes clear that her perfect life is merely an illusion. Emma is forced to navigate self-doubt, jealousy and to face the darkest parts of herself. Her repressed emotions come to life in the form of a Monster, who shows no mercy to those who have wronged her. In the end, Emma must choose between staying in her gilded cage or facing the Monster.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32384134/

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

This film began as something completely personal, a result of spiraling mental health and feeling unable to express myself artistically. I was trying to capture a certain emotion and then built a plot and message around it. As the themes became more clear I became more motivated to see the project through; when I discussed the idea with people, especially other women, I realized that I wasn’t alone in many of the things I felt. I met with several female painters to learn more about the struggles they’ve faced in their careers and it was uncanny how similar their stories were to what I had written, down to a similarly abusive relationship. It made me feel like I was on the right track, that it wasn’t just a selfish ego project but something that could resonate with audiences and make people feel heard.

I researched a lot about emotional abuse and the effects it has on victims. The common denominator is that they get isolated, cut off from loved ones and dependent on their abuser, in Emma’s case both emotionally and financially. When your self-worth becomes so tied to another person’s opinion of you, the smallest look or word can cut deep and drive you insane, yet leaving the relationship feels impossible. I think there is a certain power in art and especially film language to communicate things that we might not otherwise be able to put into words. We worked hard with my cinematographer Luisa

Valgiste and sound designer Venla Rummukainen to put viewers in Emma’s headspace.

20 minutes is a very short time to dive deep into something but I hope that if nothing else we managed to capture that feeling of being trapped.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

Meliora was my bachelor’s thesis film, but I started developing the idea already in my second year of university. Back then it was just a vague idea of a painting coming to life and doing the things that the protagonist was unable to do. At first I shelved it as an idea for a novel, as it seemed too ambitious for a film school budget. If you’ve ever been to Estonia you know that what you see in the film is not how it generally looks like in terms of architecture and aesthetic, so finding suitable locations was a huge challenge. Getting the film produced in my second year would have been too difficult but I was advised by professors to keep it as a thesis idea. The extra time really benefited the project and I was able to get a passionate crew around me who made it all possible. In total, it took about 1.5 years to get from initial thought to finished film.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?

Beautifully horrific

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

The biggest obstacle was that this was my first time directing — I had directed two short documentaries as part of the curriculum before, but I quickly realized that narrative films are something else entirely.

It was a struggle to find my footing and there were times I felt I’d bitten off more than I could chew. I was 20 when I started working on the film and it’s difficult to take yourself seriously at this age, much less to find the confidence to lead a crew and make all the decisions that you have to make as a director. Somehow we got it made though and I’m thankful to all the people who helped me along the way from professors, crew, crowdfunding donors and friends who lent a shoulder to cry on.

It’s strange looking back on the experience now, everything feels so distant. But yeah, I think I speed-ran through some character development because of this film. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and all that.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

I used to be terrified of showing my art to anyone, as a child I’d always cover my drawings so no one would see them, but the more I share the more I grow to like it. I think a film really needs that final stage of actually being screened and discussed. Hearing everyone’s thoughts gives me a better understanding of my own work and sometimes viewers have such apt remarks that it makes me realize all the choices I made subconsciously. It was lovely seeing the feedback video and I’m glad people seemed to connect with the film.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

It’s hard to say because I’ve always loved films but I didn’t see myself as someone who could fit the job. When you think of a director, the stereotypical image is a confident middle-aged man with a loud voice and commanding aura, which as much as I admire it, is not something I could relate to as a young girl. But I loved making silly home videos with my friends and experimenting on iMovie. In high school I joined a film club and when it was time to apply to universities I ended up applying only to one – Baltic Film, Media and Arts School. My idea of what a director is and should be has developed since, and I now think there is space for people like me to also get their ideas on the screen.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

I’m a huge Lady Gaga fan (like to an unhealthy degree), so when A Star is Born (2018) came out I must have seen it in cinemas at least 10 times and many times at home since. I also really love Damien Chazelle’s directorial style and keep coming back to his films, La La Land and Whiplash have altered my brain chemistry at this point.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?

The whole experience has been great and I have no real recommendations, just a hearty thanks!

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?

FilmFreeway has been a joy. It was intimidating at first because I didn’t know much about the process of submitting to festivals, but once my producer and I put our heads together, we were able to come up with a strategy and fill out all the necessary information. After that everything has been easy to navigate.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Pasta Carbonara.

11. What is next for you? A new film?

Well, after Meliora I told everyone that I would never make another film… but I’ve had a year of rest and relaxation and I think I’m ready to get back in the saddle now. My head is buzzing with different ideas and currently I’m developing a new short, something completely different from Meliora. It’s exciting to work on a creative project again.

JACK, 5min., USA
Directed by Julian Curi
An art connoisseur finds himself on the run after he steals a priceless item from a ruthless man in this fun twist on a classic tale.

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?
I’ve always loved adventure films, and this concept had been floating around it in my head for some time when 2020 hit. My co-producer Adam Lau said we should use our time as wisely as possible and start writing. Jack was one of the scripts that came out of that time. I’ve always loved movies that were untouchable by time. As this one is set in the early 1940s with our style, we thought it could be enjoyable for quite some time. And I also wanted to tell a story that was fast and engaging while also being easily digestible.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
All told, from writing to final product, this took about four years to make. A good chunk of that time was postproduction as we were trading a lot of favors to put the film together. But as long as it took, it has been so fun seeing the final product out there in the world.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?
Fantastical Adventure

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
There were two big obstacles for our team. The first was location. For the outdoor scenes, we had to find a place away from the city that took us into this fantastic world while also being close enough to film in a day. We visited a number of locations around Los Angeles and hiked many trails. We found our ideal spot, and then got the price tag. With production dates already set we had to adjust our thinking and try new places. Eventually, we wound up at a state park and our production down to fit the rules for a low budget shoot.

The second hurdle was our post production. We were plagued by technical issues as well as the fact that our team also had day jobs to fulfill. That pushed our ability to work back further and further. And for a time I was worried, Jack would never make it out, but everyone’s persistence brought the film to life .

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
Honestly, I couldn’t keep the smile off of my face. The comparisons we received from fellow filmmakers and enthusiasts was inspiring. I felt like I had done it!

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
I realized I wanted to be an actor at a young age. I had grown up watching movies and loving them, dancing around to Singing In The Rain and other colorful fun. In high school I found that a lot of the intro Star Wars pursuing were because I had seen it in TV or movies, and I realized that I could just go into TV and movies and do all those things. From there, I focused on acting and getting myself out to LA, and more recently I found that if I wanted to, be in the projects that excited me, I might just have to make them myself. This began my producing and writing journey.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
There are a couple of movies that could fall into this answer. The first is Home Alone, which I’ve watched just about every Thanksgiving since I was a kid. It’s funny, adventurous, and was filmed not far from where I grew up. The next one is Indiana Jones and the last Crusade. As much as Raiders of the Lost Ark is a perfect movie, there’s just something about The Last Crusade that I love and can watch at any moment. The third movie is The A-Team. I don’t know that it got as much love as it should’ve, but it is something that I can put on and know that I’m gonna have a good time.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?
I wish more festivals engaged like this one. I think the ability to have creatives’ voices heard is great, and the feedback from the community is so valuable.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?
I’ve enjoyed working with FestivalFreeway. It’s helped me engage with festivals around the world which has been amazing. The only thing that might be smoothed out a little bit, there is their search function, as I found I didn’t necessarily fit the bill for every festival that popped up from a specific search, but that just goes to show how many festivals they provide.

10. What is your favorite meal?
Homemade chicken paprikash and dumplings. My grandma used to make it and my mom learned her recipe. One of the moments I knew my wife truly loved me when we were dating was when she made it as well, because it is no easy task. There’s just something about that meal that makes me think of home, and it’s one of the few meals that I will eat until I can’t eat anymore.

11. What is next for you? A new film?
Personally, I’ve been doing a lot of writing. My co-producer Adam Lau and I are working on developing a number of series, as well as fleshing out concepts into feature films. I’ve also had the joy of working with another company, Digital Wizards, writing short form animation and a feature film, so we’ll see what gets put into production first!

DEJA VU, 14min., Canada
Directed by Jean Frenette
John is convinced he’s been on this planet for longer than his lifetime. This feeling of knowing more than what meets the eye troubles him deeply.

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?
JF: I had this idea mind for many years and always wanted to bring it to the big screen; I love telling stories.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
JF: 8 months

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?
JF: Mind bugling!

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
JF: time

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
JF: very excited as people understood my vision and saw exactly where I am going with this concept.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
JF: since I was a teenager, I always wanted to tell story via moving images.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
JF: many, Enter the dragon, Matrix, Enemy of the state, 7 samourai, Yojimbo, Operation Condor, Good fellas, so many more.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?
JF: more exposure within the entertainment industry.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?
JF: Everything went very smoothly, the platform is very well structured and easy to comprehend.

10. What is your favorite meal?
JF: Japanese food

11. What is next for you? A new film?
JF: I have wrote and developed 3 more film project, so 1 of theme is up next !

SHATTERED, 22min., USA
Directed by Kory Getman
In this suspense-filled drama dissecting the complexities of abuse through the lens of an LGBT relationship, “SHATTERED” exposes the chilling psychology behind love’s darker shades.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28546517/

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?
I was raised in an abusive home, to a stepfather that regularly assaulted my mother, and bore witness to the cycles of abuse she went through. Carrying that with me, combined with my LGBT identity culminated in the writing and creation of SHATTERED, a film about domestic violence in a gay relationship.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
The film, from first draft to final edit, took roughly seven months, with a few re-edits to realize the vision.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?
Breaking cycles.

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
We faced a problem with one of the home owners in a location we needed for two days. They’d never rented to a film crew before, and were overwhelmed by the presence of a professional crew. They helicopter-supervised, imposed rules about which rooms we could use mid-shoot, and ultimately screamed at us, cancelling our second day. Luckily, our caterer pulled through and offered her house. We were able to dress her bedroom to look like it belonged in the first location.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
There were a lot of gasps, shock, and awe at the realities of such situations presented.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
I realized it around 2018, when I started a relationship with a film student that introduced me to the world behind-the-scenes. I’d acted and written previously, but never seriously considered directing.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
I’m not sure, and I’m not a big re-watcher, but it’s probably something lame and cliche like Fight Club. Most recently though, Everything Everywhere All At Once blew me away, and I did watch it 3 times in theaters.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?
You guys seem to have it down!

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?
They’re great, and it’s incredible that there’s a single site that aggregates most, if not all, major film festivals.

10. What is your favorite meal?
I eat vegetarian keto and host a cooking show. I LOVE crispy tofu with eggplant and mushroom stir fry.

11. What is next for you? A new film?
I have another film, PULSE, in post production right now, and have started writing my next on the subject of suicidal ideation.

LIKE WATER, 5min,. USA
Directed by Christopher Lopez
In the San Francisco Bay Area, “Like Water” follows André, a 19-year-old photographer, as he navigates modern life. Immersed in his passion for photography, André captures the city’s essence while also exploring dating apps. When André is ghosted, he confronts his insecurities, pushing away friends and grappling with societal expectations. A spiritual experience at the beach helps him realize that self-acceptance comes from within. Learning to let go, André discovers his power to embrace his authentic self.

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

When I was 19 years old I started my self-acceptance journey and would take many beach trips with my friends but also went alone many times. That summer 2021, I was secretive about my experiences and would reflect a lot during this time alone trying to reconcile my relationship with my sexuality, identity, and God. This film started as a way for me to process what I was going through and as I became more vulnerable, I was motivated to share this story so that other young queer adults could understand that they are not alone.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

I started this film around September 2021 so It took about 3 years to complete.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?

Honest and Freeing

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

Definitely finding the story and being super honest with sharing my truth.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

I was super grateful that others were impacted in such special ways. I found it interesting how my story became very universal and how this story is deeper than just my experience because it is so vulnerable

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

Growing up watching so many Pixar and Disney films, I knew I wanted to be part of the team of artists who made these animated movies.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

I think Finding Nemo, that’s still my favorite film.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?

I value any in-person event opportunities to meet other creatives so that would be nice to further implement!

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?

It has been very easy thanks to Sacred Heart Productions for handling these submissions!

10. What is your favorite meal?

I have so many but since I’m working on my second film, definitely Peruvian food since its a huge element of my second film

11. What is next for you? A new film?

Yes actually! I’m in the early pre-production stages of my second animated short film which I hope to release in 2025!

EYE OF JUPITER, 3min., Canada
Directed by Roger Gallant
Eye of Jupiter is a short animated film that follows a lost astronaut contemplating life while drifting in orbit above Jupiter.

http://www.projectaroid.com/

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

There is an annual animation festival in Atlantic Canada called the Animation Festival of Halifax (AFX). I have participated in a few of their community animation projects but have never submitted anything to their main screenings. I was looking for a reason to work on an animated sci-fi project, so I decided to make this short film and use the AFX submission deadline as my target date for completion.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

I started thinking about the story idea in November 2023 but didn’t begin any asset creation or animation until January 2024. It took around four weeks to animate and edit the film.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?

Dire acceptance.

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

I used different editing software and a new workflow for this short film. The workflow caused some issues with camera movements in some scenes. I had to make some adjustments from my original vision to make it work within the software constraints I faced.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

It was really enjoyable to hear what others thought of my short film. It is rare to get feedback from audiences when you cannot attend a festival in person. Seeing the feedback video was a great way to gain insight into whether people enjoyed the film.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

I’ve been working on small film projects for the last 15 years, focusing mainly on time-lapse videos, music videos, and some short animations. In 2023, I decided to create a couple of short films to submit to film festivals.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

For sci-fi films, it’s probably a tie between Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986).

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?

I cannot think of anything else the festival could do to enhance the experience. I am very happy with my experience at the Fantasy/Sci-fi Film and Screenplay Festival.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?

The FilmFreeway experience was great. It was easy to submit to the festival and keep track of the submission.

10. What is your favorite meal?

I don’t know if I have a favourite meal, but It’s hard to go wrong with pizza.

11. What is next for you? A new film?

I’m currently finalizing a script for another sci-fi animated short film. I plan to start production in July and complete it by October.

ISLAND FOR RENT, 30min., Italy
Directed by Salvatore Cubeddu, Elio Turno Arthemalle
2095, the Sardinian national elections are held in an atmosphere of great tension. The island is now depopulated, destroyed, exploited, dismembered, and is permanently rented out to anyone who wants to use it for activities that are forbidden or unlawful in other nations.

http://www.terradepunt.it/
https://www.facebook.com/TerraDePunt

Get to know filmmaker Salvatore Cubeddu:

1. What motivated you to make this film? The current exploitation of Sardinian resources and the preservation of its territory for future generations.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film? About 2 years.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!? Scarily plausible.

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film? Financing.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video? I thought the film really got where it should be.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films? When I was a child.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life? The Shawshank Redemption.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career? Perhaps creating more specific sections focusing on documentaries or even specific themes. Too many good movies tend to be overlooked.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site? Very good but chaotic at times.

10. What is your favorite meal? It’s a typical Sardinian cheese called “caz’e crabitu”.

11. What is next for you? A new film? We are about to start working on a big movie about Caravaggio.

CLAIRE, 25min., USA
Directed by Paul Ambe Ngang
Committed to getting his crush to love him, Mark uses an AI to snoop into her private life; but when the AI unexpectedly develops love for him and spite for her, he must choose the AI or lose everything.

https://www.instagram.com/claireshortfilm/

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film? – I started to write this when it started to be a hot topic in 2023. Soon after the writers strike happened so I felt like it was now or never to get the story going.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film? – 10 month. April 2023 – February 2024

3. How would you describe your film in two words!? – Twisted and Tragic

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film? – the scale. I never made anything with that many movie parts, that many people, and over the whole project.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video? – It felt really good to hear people who don’t know me talk about my film. I was excited to get some feedback too.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films? – During the Pandemic I started to watch a lot of movies with my father. I vividly remember watching the Lethal weapon movies and the movie 2012 with him. I started to watch videos on film and fell in love with the process around that time too. I wanted to tell stories that are personal to me.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life? – I don’t rewatch movies too often but I took a film class in my senior year of highschool and did an essay on “Blazing Saddles” and “Her”. I watched those at least 4 times.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career? – Maybe a mentor. Winners get a mentor or some industry connection. A grant? or Maybe some industry tips?

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site? – the platform has been very helpful for me.

10. What is your favorite meal? – Pizza is alway reliable. I can’t go wrong with it.

11. What is next for you? A new film? – I’m almost done shooting a short film. It was a short and “fun” one. I wanted to get back to directing something after CLAIRE. I am looking forward to writing something else. I have a clear idea of what types of movies I want to make, and have so much more knowledge and experience. I also started acting.

SYNTHETIC HOPE, 16min., USA
Directed by Chris Hinton
Faced with certain death a young girl unleashes a mysterious AI to help her escape.

https://www.instagram.com/synthetic_hope

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film? Listening to the first 30 seconds of Gravastar by Hybrid when I was sick. It sounds like what a robot would hear when it’s booting up. I thought to myself what scenario could I create to have this in live action. So I wrote a story that created this situation. Unfortunately I couldn’t get Hybrid to let me use the song. I was close though, they were talking to me about it. Also I want to say, recent advances in AI motivated this story as well, there are a lot of unknowns as to how this emerging technology will be used.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film? About 4 months.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!? Something New.

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film? Building the Robot’s suit, I am a big fan of practical effects and I knew I didn’t want to CG the Robot into the film so I had to build it from scratch.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video? It’s hard to get honest feedback from friends and family, and sometimes even the cast and crew. Hearing totally strangers with no attachment to the project speaking so positively about my film got me very excited and motivated to do more.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films? Ever since I was a kid, My friends and I would make little movies with my parents camera. This film making never stopped as I went from teen to young adult.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life? That’s a hard one, probably a tie between Aliens, Terminator2, and the Original Predator.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career? It would be great to have your winners film’s played on a large streaming platform like Amazon Prime or something.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site? It was very easy and straightforward.

10. What is your favorite meal? Tacos

11. What is next for you? A new film? Yes!