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Awesome festival, can’t wait to see what you do in the future and how you grow! Very honored to have won best story!!!! Wukong Couriers!!!
Great festival! Much appreciation and many thanks
Absolutely 💯 the BEST FESTIVAL I’m ever been involved with. Definitely submit again
This festival includes so much for the creators and is all about getting the word out about their work. It was an honor to be a part of the festival, and they made me feel like an A-lister right off the bat. Would highly recommend!
Extremely well structured and organized! I truly enjoyed being part of it and I am looking forward to submit my next project!!!
We were happy to participate in this festival. We are happy that our project was liked and that it obtained a good rating. Thanks for the interview. We hope to participate in the future with new projects.
EXCESS BAGGAGE, 22min., UK Directed by Landon Vago-Hughes After murdering his friend Luke, Kevin is ready to skip town to get rid of the evidence. As he is about to leave, Eric, a concerned friend, shows up looking for Luke begging for Kevin’s help in finding him. Little does he know, Luke is closer than he thinks.
DIMENSIONS: The Interrogation, 8min., USA Directed by Robert James Harden Jr. During an interrogation for the murder of his mother, a man pleads for his release in fear of his life. Two special detectives grill him in order to solve their case. In the shadows of these men’s dimension, the answers to all their mysteries live.
Aeolus 15, 11min., USA Directed by Diego Ugalde Haunted by his past, an old man waits for a cosmic phenomenon that could let him communicate with a young astronaut from the past – that astronaut is himself.
Wukong Couriers, 15min., USA Directed by Peter Gabriel Gagnon An unwitting bicycle messenger is chosen as the mystical hero to save the city from an ancient horror.
Super Villain Coffee, 15min., USA Directed by Leonard Frank Smith “Supervillain Coffee” is a satirical comedy about Maximum “Chaos” Maxwell, a once-feared supervillain now slinging espresso in a hip downtown coffee shop. Max trades doomsday devices for latte art, grumbling about his past while perfecting milk foam with the precision of a mad scientist.
Dante’s Inferno – The Ascension, 29min., UK Directed by Sofian Francis Dante, a regretful ex military contractor and his companion, his horse, search for his missing wife and daughter in the remnants of civilization decimated by thousands of malevolent entities known as ‘ Reapers ‘,
I hadn’t directed a project of my own in over a year, and I was at a wrap party for a short film that I was an extra in (SPRINKLES, directed by the Andrew Korzenik, written by Riley Stockard, and produced by Sky Mattioli, all great talents). I tend to be off in my own world a bit at parties, and the image of a wild, tuxedo-laden man forcing tea on a guest at a table in an empty room came into my head. It was kind of out of nowhere, and seemed like a really simple, filmable idea for an unsettling story. It was an eerie, but also amusing to me since I grew up with an English father (who naturally was cast as the Englishman in this film).
From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
I initially had the idea around September 2023, we filmed in February 2024, and I had the final edit in December 2024, so it was a total of about 15 months from conception to completion.
How would you describe your film in two words!?
Uncomfortably funny.
What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
It was probably the audio editing. It really felt like everything came together fairly easily, everyone who worked on the film is a close friend or relative. Eric Alcaraz, our incredible cinematographer, is well educated in audio engineering and really saved me with that when I was editing.
SAVE $40 off the regular submission for full novel submissions. Garner FULL FEEDBACK on your novel by our committee of industry professionals. Get a transcript of your novel performed by professional actors at the Thriller/Suspense Festival.
This festival has a guaranteed 4-tier set up for each accepted script. (No matter what, all screenplays submitted receive FULL FEEDBACK on their work.) 1) Full Feedback on your script 2) Actors performance video reading of your script 3) Blog interview promotion. 4) Podcast interview on the Film Festival ITunes show
I was delighted that The Window Washer was named Audience Favorite, and for the opportunity the Toronto Comedy Film Festival provides for film makers. The hospitality, communication and organization are excellent, with pricing an encouragement as well.
Thanks for selecting my silly little film and giving it the Best Mockumentary award!
FEEDBACK are incredibly detailed regarding the communication with their film makers. We are absolutely chuffed to have won an award, and hugely grateful to receive their video reviews. Such a wonderful film festival! Will definitely submit to them with any future work!
Great film festival! They delivered above and beyond. Amazing experience !! Thank you for all the awesome perks 🙂
Right from the start, I was excited to see “Selected” under judging status. This festival is the best one I have been part of, because of the public’s feedback. It warms our hearts to hear comments from people we don’t know and the video is very usefull for our futur in the industry.
The theme of the poem is the comeuppance and downfall of a politician who literally lied his way into office and was then found out.
2) What motivates you to write this poem?
What prompted me to write it? I suppose it was to see how I could express my opinions on the matter in a comic verse form. As I like the comic verse of writers like Swift, Lear and Lewis Carrol.
3) How long have you been writing poetry?
I’ve been writing poetry, on and off, and of varying quality, for some decades. Though poetry isn’t the main focus of my literary work.
4) If you could have dinner with one person (dead or alive), who would that be?
My literary guest. Merlin the magician. If he ever existed?
5) What influenced you to submit your poetry performed by a professional actor?
I would do an awful job of reciting any of my works, so I was interested to hear how someone else would read it. And she did a far better job than I could have done.
6) Do you write other works? Scripts? Short Stories? Etc..?
Yes, I have written other things. I have had stories and articles published in anthologies and literary magazines. A volume of my short stories, entitled, Seven Tall Tales, has been published on Amazon. Have had four one act plays published in separate anthologies published by the Fresh Words publishing company, and a one act play has been performed at a theatre comedy festival.
7) What is your passion in life?
Passions in life. Literature, movies, photography and art.
POEM:
He won his election through lies and deception. And it soon became known, across the nation, that all he had claimed was a fabrication. A web of lies he had woven, to forge the career he had chosen. He said he just wished to do his job, but was hounded by the whole press mob. He was no rogue, he wasn’t a clown, and it was the liberal media that was doing him down. He became a joke, a figure of fun, his career unravelled, and he was undone. He then stepped down, he did claim, to fight for his honor and clear his name. But with his reputation sunk so low, his only option was to go. Though those he did dupe and deceive were all too happy to see him leave. He said his opponents had been spiteful and unfair, and he had merely embellished his resume, here and there. It was tough to be in the news spotlight, every day, and every night, to be constantly doorstepped by the fourth estate, and asked to set the record straight. His career was a ruse and a con, on such an epic scale, that now he’s ended up in jail. Was it worth it, George, to win your election, by such chicanery and deception? To have your name dragged through the mud, and to be seen as a grifter, and a dud? To lose, would have been better by a mile, than to win in such a wretched style.
– The poem celebrates the vibrant, scenic, and lively essence of San Francisco. Its themes include:
Natural Beauty and Scenic Charm: Descriptions of the bay, the Golden Gate Bridge, green ridges, beaches, and starry nights highlight the city’s picturesque landscape.
Joyful Experiences and Leisure: References to lounging on the beach, savoring the coastline, drinking, dancing, and enjoying the night emphasize a theme of relaxation, pleasure, and communal joy.
Nostalgia and Friendship: The tone suggests shared memories and companionship, evoking a sense of warmth and togetherness amid the city’s lively environment.
Celebration of Life: The imagery of dancing daffodils and the lively atmosphere reflect a theme of vitality and appreciating life’s simple pleasures.
Overall, the poem’s central theme revolves around the celebration of San Francisco’s natural beauty, lively culture, and the joyful experiences shared with friends in this iconic city.
2) What motivates you to write this poem?
– I wanted to share with my friends, whether in Korea or around the world, the natural beauty of San Francisco, its vibrant culture, and the charm of this iconic city.
3) How long have you been writing poetry?
– I started writing poetry when I was young and have been writing for over 50 years.
4) If you could have dinner with one person (dead or alive), who would that be?
– If I had the chance, I would like to have dinner with novelist Alexander E. Braun Alex.
5) What influenced you to submit your poetry performed by a professional actor?
– I asked a professional actor to perform my poetry to better introduce San Francisco to many people.
6) Do you write other works? Scripts? Short Stories? Etc..?
– I write mostly poetry, but sometimes I write essays. I also published a collection of essays, “FOUR SEASONS,” in the United States last year.
7) What is your passion in life?
– I think positively in everything, have faith, and do my best in the tasks given to me each day, living passionately and diligently
POEM:
My friend, you’ll see the shore where the blue sky pours its buckets of glaring sunlight; nearby ridges beckon with wings of fresh green foliage.
A chilly wind often wafts in from the Pacific; this is San Francisco.
When you arrive, you’ll find the Golden Gate Bridge, like cherry blossoms, linking north and south.
We could lounge on Baker Beach, and at Fisherman’s Wharf, savor the coastline. At Pier 23 Cafe, we’ll drink and dance.
We could set our chairs facing the waves, gazing at a myriad of stars in the brilliant night sky.
With the fatigue of life’s long journey behind us, we see a crowd, a host of yellow daffodils, fluttering and dancing along the beach like the women we might meet.
My poem’s theme is grief and the lack of understanding of others. This poem centers grievers and how lonely it is at times. People are not taught and often do not know how to interact with people experiencing grief. So many relationships I had changed because of grief. Each day is new. Each new grief experience changes you into a different version of yourself. You’ll never quite be the same as others remember, so they also have to learn to be patient while you accept and learn your new reality.
2) What motivated you to write this poem?
The motivation of this poem was to purge all the things afflicting my spirit that were upsetting me. I needed to write a poem to express the truth of what was hurting me the most during the time I was at my most vulnerable. This poem was written quickly and spilled itself onto the page. The poem is raw and intense because of the truth there– I knew, unfortunately, other grievers knew this was not an uncommon experience of isolation.
3) How long have you been writing poetry?
I’ve been writing poetry as long as I’ve been writing. I remember writing poetry in kindergarten for Mother’s Day. Poetry was always my favorite subject in school. I always craved more of it. Poetry always found me and called me in. Shout out to the poets!
4) If you could have dinner with one person (dead or alive), who would that be?
There’re so many people I’d want to have dinner with. I’d want to eat dinner with Josephine Baker. I’ve always loved learning about how fully she lived her life, but then there’s also Frank Ocean. His lyricism and bravery have always stuck with me and inspired me to live the same way.
5) What influenced you to submit to have your poetry performed by a professional actor?
The arts are so important! Having my work performed by a professional actor is a privilege and an honor. To hear my words given life and performed by another is breathtaking. Thank you for this opportunity.
6) Do you write other works? scripts? Short Stories? Etc..?
I’m dipping my toes into non-fiction. We’ll see what’s next!
7) What is your passion in life?
My passion in life is love. Education is love. Accountability is love. Grief is love. Being able to be in community with one another is love. Showing up for one another is love.
POEM:
Trauma greets me in the morning Growing legs and stretching to lay beside Grief and I My spearmint tea is poured with with tears of solitude steeped into my being
My phone dings, a message from the socials
this “relative” seeking to be absolved “Hey I saw this *grief story* made me think of you (from a person I haven’t heard from since 2 days after Dad died)”
Next a message from 3:06 am… “I know I haven’t been there for you with your grief after your dad. I hope you’re doing better”
The closer to the holidays, the closer I am to the realm of Dante’s Inferno.
So many levels to choose from…
So this is like the ex that called me out of my name once, 4 days after my Dad died. We then broke up.
This is like the man that I thought was a friend when my sister was experiencing that aneurysm (2 months after Dad died) but showed me his unsolicited penis and opinion instead.
This is like the person I thought was a friend told me, I don’t want to be around you when you’re like this. Can we try to see where you’re at in a few months?
This is like when that other “bestie” never initiated contact. Never uttered a word. Nor the other bestie because “I was a downer”.
This is like when I needed support and love and was met with the attention of my lonesome loneliness.
This is the part of the story where I can’t make this shit up,
They’ll say it’ll get better. I’m waiting now like I’m waiting for the 14 trying to get to work. Hummingbirds knew to find the best method of recovery —fly in any direction but love yourself enough to leave
