Month: March 2025

Poet Euphamia Mature (LIGHT POLLUTION)

festreviews Uncategorized

Get to know the poet:

1) What is the theme of your poem?

It’s about body dysmorphia, the Belgian slave trade, and the first time I ever went to Paris.

2) What motivated you to write this poem?

The boy who kissed me in Paris was real. I wrote this poem after the best date of my life (so far, I hope). His name was Gustave, he was an architecture student. On my last night in Paris he gave me a tour of all his favorite spots, explaining the architectural history, the designers and the materials they used and why, and so on. Our first kiss was in front of the Eiffel Tower, no joke. The next day I had to return to Luxembourg and he ran alongside my train as it left the platform. I wrote the very first draft of this poem sitting on that train, contemplating my own dysphoria alongside the way Gustave made me feel. About two years later, I wrote the final version of the poem and premiered it at a slam competition in Portland, where I placed 4th. Gustave and I still talk to this day.

3) How long have you been writing poetry?

I started writing when I was maybe 5 or 6 years old. I remember sitting in the hallway between my mom’s bedroom and mine in the middle of the night, writing when I couldn’t sleep. I had a deep fascination with Edgar Allen Poe as a kid and started submitting poetry to youth contests at local libraries and my school newspaper. I won some awards in middle school and published various pieces with my high school creative writing magazine. In college I minored in poetry and wrote for a literary magazine. So, in summary, I’ve been writing poetry for just about my entire life.

4) If you could have dinner with one person (dead or alive), who would that be?

Mitsuki Miyawaki. Artistic inspiration all around. Did my senior thesis on “Your Best American Girl”. I would love to talk to her about music and poetry both.

5) What influenced you to submit to have your poetry performed by a
professional actor?

As a slam performer myself, I was eager to hear how someone else might interpret this piece. Most of my poetry is meant to be performed and written as such, and I was excited for the opportunity to have a professional approach my work. I was just happy to have this piece published in any capacity. It’s one of my favorite poems I’ve ever written.

6) Do you write other works? scripts? Short Stories? Etc..?

Music! Although I haven’t written any in quite a while. I have a background in classical music starting with violin as a kid. I studied Music Composition in college and have written mostly for string instruments and electronics. In the realm of words, I don’t really do much other than poetry and academic writing.

7) What is your passion in life?

Queer liberation. I have a working theory on Queer Nationalism and how radical queer acceptance is how we will fight the global rise of fascism and anti-immigration policy. Gender is a form of colonization enforced by the police state to exert control over the population. Be gay and do crimes, but like, for real. Academic paper(s) about this and related topics coming soon…

Writer/Producer Katie Evans (THANK YOU FOR HER)

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THANK YOU FOR HER, 150min., USA
Directed by Peyton Savington
When aspiring fantasy novelist Anna Drake accidentally runs cyclist Lance off the road, she has no idea this chance encounter will change both their lives. As their romance blossoms, Anna finds herself falling for Lance’s free-spirited nature and determination, while keeping her brother Cam’s protective instincts at bay.

http://fourlightsfilms.com/
https://www.instagram.com/fourlightsfilms/

Get to know Writer/Producer Katie Evans:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

As a company, we knew we wanted to create a coming of age narrative centered around young adult women who identified as lesbian and bisexual. After that I as the screenwriter, Katie Evans ( pen name K.Evans), took inspiration to form the themes of family penance and healing/forgiveness from my own personal coming out journey. As the script developed I also began taking inspiration from the Knights of the Round table as the script progressed.

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

The film began its filming in January 2024 and wrapped in late spring the same year. Editing took place in the months after and we had a final product by October 2024.

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

Charming &

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

The length of the film and its fantasy sequences were a big challenge for us as a very new company full of young artist not having a film education.

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

It was amazing. Hearing how the audiences appreciated the overall story and the performances of our actors was truly wonderful to hear as those are aspects we truly do pride ourselves on and view as some of our greatest strengths.

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

It was at the end of our senior year of college that the four of us realized that we were drawn to theatre. 3 of us had done theatre before, 2 of us having a degree in theatre. We had decided to turn one of the final

Plays we did in college into a film once we had graduated despite not knowing initially how and taught ourselves and haven’t looked back since.

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

The film I, Katie Evans, have seen the most in my life is The Greatest Showman.

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 feel the feedback and the posting of the feedback is a wonderful advancement tool and wish other festival had a similar option.

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

Filmfreeway is a wonderful tool for filmmakers experienced and new filmmakers. It’s easy to use and has many festivals to chose from.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Steak 🙂

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

Our next film is another feature, this one a thriller inspired by Edgar Allen Poe poems, in a modern technological setting titled “Left Down Raven Street” that follows 3 coding grad students as they work through betrayal, greed, and ambitions amongst themselves and others to come out on top.

Filmmaker Roni Skaly (Redundant – Official Music Video)

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Redundant – Official Music Video, 3min., UK
Directed by Roni Skaly
Redundant is a queer activism fan funded project raising awareness to abuse done on transgender and non-binary youth through conversion therapy. At the time this project was produced, the gay conversion therapy ban in the UK did not include a ban on conversion therapy done on transgender and non-binary youth, today the ban includes gender as well. ‘Redundant’ had also been reviewed by Pink News.

https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/06/02/skaly-redundant-music-video-trans/

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film? I’ve seen content posted online about the conversion therapy bill in the UK (I was living in London at that time) only being passed on banning this abusive practice on gay youth, but not on trans and non-binary youth. That made me feel redundant, as clearly the government recognized this practice is abusive and harmful, but they didn’t bother to include us in the ban on it. Gladly, by now they do.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film? The idea was at least half a year before we could produce the project, and then it took about three more months to fundraise and produce, so approx. 9 months in total.

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

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film? There were a few, it took very long to fund raise for it, to be able to produce it from fan funding was a huge achievement for us.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video? Feeling appreciated as a visual creator, feeling grateful, understood and seen.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films? Since childhood I’ve always wanted to produce music videos, I’m happy this dream can come true now with the help of fans and collaborators.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life? Probably Avatar, it inspired me a lot when I was a kid, the way it made possible visuals like I’ve never seen before, and the visual representation of connection with nature.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career? Your work is wonderful! It could be great if there was more ways to connect with other nominees and professionals through the festival.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site? Very easy and straight forward.

10. What is your favorite meal? Sushi.

11. What is next for you? A new film? Currently my focus is working with this project’s co producer, Zach Pettingill, on his super viral internet series the America Wizard (find it @madmanfenrir on TikTok) that reached over 86 million viewers over the past year. We hope to produce it fully some day, hopefully sooner rather than later. Producers – reach out if you’d like to take on a comedy action fantasy show that already has a mass fanbase and is currently entirely independent.

Filmmaker Colin D’Amelio (THE LAST HOUSEBOAT)

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The Last Houseboat, 31min., USA
Directed by Colin D’Amelio
The Last Houseboat is a heartfelt short documentary that delves into the history of a unique wooden vessel, lovingly crafted by a family patriarch in 1970. Anchored on the Rhode Island coast for over 50 years, the houseboat became more than a structure—it was a landmark, a cherished family tradition, and a symbol of connection across three generations. When unforeseen circumstances force the family to dismantle the beloved vessel, they confront a profound sense of loss while celebrating its enduring legacy. A poignant tale of resilience, memory, and the ties that bind, The Last Houseboat invites viewers to reflect on the traditions and stories that shape their own families.

https://www.instagram.com/cdproducshins/

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

I’ve been in love with the Houseboat and everything it represents since I first set foot on it as a child. It felt like a true escape from the world—an experience unlike any other. From the start, I believed this vessel had a beautiful story that deserved to be told. Having always been close to the Sola family, who own this beloved houseboat, my initial goal was simply to create a short piece as a keepsake for them—a tribute to their tradition. But that idea quickly evolved, growing into The Last Houseboat, a deeply personal short documentary spanning over 30 minutes.

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

This film was truly a labor of love. Some of the earliest footage dates back to 2016, originally shot for a different project before being archived. Over nearly a decade, this documentary took shape—built through years of gathering resources, footage, and stories to bring it to life.

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

Family Traditions

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

CD Productions is based on the West Coast, while this film primarily takes place on the East Coast, where most of its subjects live. The greatest challenge was navigating the distance and coordinating with four or five different family members to gather assets—whether photos, videos, texts, or phone calls. Managing logistics across time zones and locations added an extra layer of complexity to the process.

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

Hearing that feedback was incredibly rewarding. It brought a smile to our faces to know that people truly understood what we set out to achieve with this film—that at its core, it’s a story about family, even more than it is about the boat itself.

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

I’ve been obsessed with films since I was a kid. My dad would introduce me to classics on TCM, and I would create short films for school projects—whether or not that was what the assignment called for. While my passion truly took shape in college, where I honed my skills, filmmaking has always been a constant in my life and a driving force behind everything I do.

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

That’s a hard one. The Blues Brothers is up there. Grease. But it’s most likely a Christmas movie, The Muppet’s Christmas Carol or Home Alone are probably tied.

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 think you offer a lot for filmmakers, and I appreciate everything you do. I think first and foremost it’s always important to have in-person events to be able to meet and collaborate with our fellow filmmakers.

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

FilmFreeway is a great site. Everything is centrally located and easily accessible.

10. What is your favorite meal?

I’m a meat and potatoes kind of guy.

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

So many things! I’m always writing and collaborating on new projects. Our next big venture is a narrative short film about a Deacon who begins to question his faith following the death of his wife. We plan to launch a crowdfunding campaign soon, with hopes of starting production by the end of this year or early next year.

Filmmaker Hamilton Young Ward (SMILE FOR THE DEAD)

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Smile for the Dead, 54min., USA
Directed by Hamilton Young Ward
True crime meets the paranormal as “Smile for the Dead” uncovers the eerie mystery of William H. Mumler’s spirit photography and his ghostly portraits that baffled the 1800s. This documentary investigates Mumler’s techniques and why society so needed him in the post Civil War era.

https://www.309filmsllc.com/
https://www.instagram.com/ham_on_vvry

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?
I love a good mystery and this one was particularly challenging to follow the threads of it. The more I learned about it, the more i wanted to share this story and mystery out to the world.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
The idea for a film happened back in college but I didn’t feel ready until years later. I wanted to be able to tell this story properly. When I first decided to make the film though, it took a little over a year for everything.

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

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
It’s a boring answer but funding. Funding is always a huge obstacle in films and it was no different for this.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I was extremely nervous about it but my producer said I really needed to see it and was extremely touched when I saw the reactions.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
Senior year of college. I started off as a photographer but realized I could tell the types of stories that I wanted to better through film.

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

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’s been great so far!

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

10. What is your favorite meal?
Cold handcut french fries from the day before, with a hot cup of coffee and fresh bacon. Weird but it’s one of my favs.

11. What is next for you? A new film?
A new film or a continuation of this. I feel like there’s still more for me to explore.

Filmmaker Alessia Ambrosini (CROSSING)

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CROSSING, 3min., Italy
Directed by Alessia Ambrosini
Late evening in Tokyo. A man is on his way home on the subway after a day’s work, lost in his daily routine. Suddenly there is an explosion. The man is catapulted into another dimension.

https://filmitalia.org/en/film/324/207005/

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

This short film came about almost by chance. I was in Japan to promote a feature documentary about the connections between Japan and Abruzzo (an Italian region) when I was struck by the country’s colors and beauty—where everything is in harmony. Crossing was born from the spontaneous organization of images I captured with my smartphone during my journey, which later shaped a story. A story that prompts reflection and offers multiple interpretations.

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

It was a very fast process—less than a month from concept to completion.

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

Psychedelic, spiritual. It’s a short film that invites reflection on the afterlife and on God—metaphorically represented by the old man in the film who flies and then retrieves the kites, symbolizing souls.

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

None, fortunately.

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

I was fascinated by the different interpretations and nuances that each person perceived in the film.

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

I’ve always loved storytelling, ever since I was a child. Cinema became my means of doing so. In 2017, following a corporate restructuring, the company I was consulting for did not renew my contract. I took that as an opportunity to pursue my passions and train professionally in filmmaking.

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

Dangerous Liaisons by Stephen Frears.

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

This festival is already perfect as it is!

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

A very positive experience! FilmFreeway is extremely user-friendly.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Pizza!

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

I am currently working on a short film that is almost entirely created using digital technologies, both in scene creation and soundtrack composition.

Filmmaker Clint Green (BUG EYE)

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Bug Eye, 4min., USA
Directed by Clint Green
A marriage is tested by a man’s obsession with bugs.

https://www.youtube.com/@imjstudiosproductions
https://www.instagram.com/clintjgreen

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

I’ve always had a profound love for bugs and my wife. It seemed like a win, win.

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

We only had 5 days to shoot. I was stuck in the editing room for a few months until I was challenged to shorten “Bug Eye” to under 5 minutes. That helped me get out of my own way and just tell the story the best I could in that amount of time.

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

Love Bug!

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

Falling in Love with every little moment I shot, and not trusting that less is more most of the time.

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

I loved it!! Film making, especially editing can be very lonely sometimes. Validation from an audience makes me want to get out there and make our next short.

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

I’ve been making short films on and off since high-school. About 10 years ago we rented an old house on 50 acres close to where I grew up in upstate New York. It was the perfect setting for my imagination to thrive. The house has become a central character for my last 5 short films produced by IMJ Studios.

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

Great question. I’m really not sure but I know every Christmas it’s a tradition to watch Elf followed by Bad Santa.

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 think you are off to a great start! This has been of the best experiences I’ve had as a film maker. I would love to meet you all in person at a screening on day!

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

Pretty good! Early on I took a lot of moon-shots and applied to everything like Cannes, Sundance, etc. Now, I’m much more discerning and use Film Freeway to research festivals that truly fit my genre.

10. What is your favorite meal?

My wife Mary’s tofu/chicken enchiladas!!

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

I hope to return to upstate New York to film a new short this summer. We have a great community of family and friends there who, for simply the love of film, help us out. I can’t thank them enough!

Filmmaker Morgan Notari (PUSHING UP DAISIES)

festreviews PODCASTS

Pushing Up Daisies, 2min., USA
Directed by Morgan Notari
Pushing Up Daisies is a 2D Animated Short Film that follows Daisy, a lingering ghost who learns the importance of death after she accidentally kills a flower and observes the new life that sprouts in its place.

https://www.morgannotari.com/pudfilm
https://www.instagram.com/morganimates/

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

So many people have a fear of dying or loss, and considering death is something that happens to every living thing eventually, I wanted to change people’s perspective on the topic! In most media, death is depicted as this intimidating, scary thing to fear, which feeds into that intense nervousness around dying shared by so many. I wanted to portray death in a more healthy and peaceful light through my film by showing that death can be a beautiful thing! Nature is designed in a way where when a living thing dies, it allows something new to grow or be sustained. For me, recognizing that death and life are not opposites, but are a part of the same beautiful cycle, helped me to overcome my fears surrounding death. I hope watching Daisy recognize the importance of death in this film can help others to view death in a more healthy way too!

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

It took exactly 5 months and a day! I started preproduction on July 15th, 2024 and wrapped on December 16, 2024.

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

Accepting mortality

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

It’s hard to say, luckily production was very smooth from beginning to end! The biggest obstacle might just be that I did every part of it by myself, so while I had guidance from my wonderful professor Angela Wu and my peers, I had to execute every piece of the film independently. So everything that you see and hear in the film came from me! Usually with animated films like this, they are made with bigger teams of people, so doing it all yourself is definitely a challenge! I luckily had a very clear idea of what I wanted from the very beginning, so most of the production period was put towards execution of the idea rather than concept.

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

I was a puddle of tears (in a good way!) This is my first film and my first time receiving feedback like this on my work, so I didn’t know what to expect and was pleasantly surprised by the sweet feedback! The audience noticed details and visual elements I included that I never thought anyone would consciously pick up on, it made me so happy! As an animator, I get really attached to the characters I work with so hearing people talk about Daisy in such an insightful way made me so emotional.

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

I can’t pinpoint exactly when I decided I wanted to be involved with filmmaking, I think I’ve always known that I wanted to be a part of the process! I’ve been making characters, watching films, and drawing my entire life so I’ve known for a long time that I wanted to do something in the animation pipeline. The moment I realized I might want to try my hand at being a director or filmmaker was at the very end of my freshman year in college. There was a student film produced at San Jose State that year called A Paw Over Dark directed by Dorian Saisse and Marisa Molson, I remember watching it in the theater as a freshman the night it premiered and just getting full body chills when the credits started rolling, it was that good. Seeing students from my school make something as incredible as that film gave me so much motivation to create my own films and animate for other people’s projects as a student. I fell in love with being an animator specifically during my 2nd year at San Jose State when I started taking 2D Animation classes; while I enjoy working with animated projects in any capacity, animating is the most fulfilling to me because that’s when the characters truly come to life!

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

Although I haven’t seen it in a while, probably Finding Nemo by Pixar! I watched it so many times as a kid that I could recite the whole movie word for word AND the ending credits when I was 3. I definitely can’t do that anymore but my mom likes to say that’s when she knew I got her memorization skills!

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 absolutely love the audience feedback video that this festival creates, I think more festivals should implement that! It’s very useful as a filmmaker to know how audiences are reacting to your work. I also think more festivals should give physical awards or cash prizes; most of the festivals I’ve won do have trophies that winners can order, but they come with a big price tag and festival submissions alone are already pricey. Giving cash prizes would be the most helpful, as it would help support filmmakers to continue creating work!

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

It’s been surprisingly successful! I’m very new to festival submissions as a first-time filmmaker and FilmFreeway makes it super easy to submit and research festivals. I had set my expectations low going into the Daisies festival run so I was floored when it started receiving selections and awards; in short, the platform works well! I am swimming in FilmFreeway emails now so that’s the main downside, but it’s a wonderful website that I will definitely use again for future projects!

10. What is your favorite meal?

A: Sushi hands down, every kind! I don’t have it often so it feels extra special when I get to treat myself!

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

I’m currently in my 3rd year in college at San Jose State University, so in a couple of years my work will be making the festival rounds again with whatever my graduating thesis film ends up being! I am over the moon to actually work with a team instead of by myself next time, my classmates are all so skilled and I am beyond excited to see our talents come together for whatever we create as a team in the future!

Cinematographer Dmytro Lutsenko (FAZA)

festreviews Interview, interviews

FAZA, 14min., Poland
Directed by Weronika Frycz-Zemenka
“PHASE” is a story about a young Ukrainian living abroad, a tale of an intense life, extreme choices, and the thin line between the pursuit of freedom and the perilous consequences of poor decisions. The film paints a portrait of youthful recklessness and the challenging journey toward maturity in a world teetering between exhilaration and abyss.

Filmmaker Interview: Weronika Frycz-Zemenka (FAZA)

festreviews Interview

FAZA, 14min., Poland
Directed by Weronika Frycz-Zemenka
“PHASE” is a story about a young Ukrainian living abroad, a tale of an intense life, extreme choices, and the thin line between the pursuit of freedom and the perilous consequences of poor decisions. The film paints a portrait of youthful recklessness and the challenging journey toward maturity in a world teetering between exhilaration and abyss.