A Silent Scream, 7min., USA
Directed by Isabelle Kalkwarf
A short film following the perspective of a young girl, going through an anxiety attack.

https://www.instagram.com/Isabellesfilms

1. What motivated you to make this film?

I’ve personally struggled with anxiety for quite some time. After a while I realized that not everyone fully understands those feelings internally, I wanted to make this film from the perspective of the Main Character showing what’s going on inside her head.

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

I had the initial idea begin sometime around March 2025, after writing, then re-writing we hit production in August 2025, which only took 1 (long) day of filming, then finished post productions near the end of September. In short, it took 7 months to make this film.

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

Simple & Compelling

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

One of the biggest obstacles that I faced with this film was the screenwriting, the film itself has good dialogue, however the main focus is the feeling, a lot of dialogue isn’t even comprehensive. I originally started with no dialogue written and planned to have the actors improvise, after the first rehearsal I decided to take note of the improvised conversations and write them into the script. With the help of my AD and PA we were able to get those written quickly and put into the script. The reason for doing this was due to the fact we only had one camera meaning every close up was filmed separately this helped the actors have the right flow of the conversation in every take.

5. There are 5 stages of the filmmaking process: Development.

Pre-Production. Production. Post-Production. Distribution.

What is your favorite stage of the filmmaking process?

I enjoy Production the most! During this time, as a director I am seeing my vision come to life by the actors and crew, even with tight schedules I do truly enjoy this time. Especially seeing all the work from pre-production come into play.

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

I think my initial realization was during my senior year of highschool in 2023, where my senior project was a short film, I truly began to fall for the art of filmmaking and since then has grown.

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

I honestly think I have watched Coraline, more times than I can count, I loved this film as a child and since then it has become a comfort movie for me.

8. In a perfect world: Who would you like to work with/collaborate with on a film?

I can’t think of a specific person I would love to work with, however I would love to work with A24, I find that I resonate with a lot of their films.

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

FilmFreeway has been great! It has made it so easy for me to see which film festivals would be good for me, and having everything in one place also makes the submission process very simple.

10. What is your favorite meal?

I really enjoy anything with salmon! Whether that’s with just some rice and veggies or a more elaborate dish.

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

I’ve currently been writing some new screenplays, however producing those as of now may be on pause as I will be going to the Vancouver film school in May 2026, however I may be doing my first feature while studying!