The Architect’s Dream, 8min., Israel
Directed by Einat Graitser
In a future where happiness is mandatory and grief is flagged as a system error, the architect of the city’s ‘Serenity Algorithm’ faces an impossible choice: purge the memory of her late sister to survive, or destroy the perfect utopia she built to remind humanity that pain is proof of life.

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

For the past two years, I have been teaching cinema with a specific focus on science fiction and AI. After teaching the theory and exploring these generative tools with my students, my fingers were simply burning to create something of my own and put everything into practice.

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

It took about a month. This is actually the first film where I functioned as a complete one-woman studio—from the initial story and script to the final visual execution.

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

Digital Dreamscape.

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

The biggest challenge in producing a film 100% with AI is maintaining visual consistency. The real obstacle was forcing different generative models to create a cohesive narrative and stylistic continuity, ensuring it looks like one unified cinematic piece rather than a collection of separate images.

5. There are 5 stages of filmmaking: Development, Pre-Production, Production, Post-Production, Distribution. What is your favorite stage?

When working with AI, the traditional stages tend to blend together. I would say my favorite parts are Development and Post-Production—the magical process of taking the world I imagined in my head and rendering it into a precise visual reality.

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

Since I was a little girl. I used to watch a movie every Friday with my dad, so it’s basically his fault that cinema flows in my blood! I worked as a video editor for years and loved it, but the arrival of AI tools completely unlocked my creativity, allowing me to fly higher and faster than ever before.

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

The Fifth Element by Luc Besson. The number of times I’ve watched it is completely insane.

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

Directors like Luc Besson or Steven Spielberg—I absolutely love the clear, masterful way Spielberg tells a story. As for an actor, I would love to collaborate with Tommy Lee Jones.

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

The platform is highly convenient and efficient. It centralizes all the bureaucracy smoothly in one place, which leaves me with much more time for actual creation and development.

10. What is your favorite meal?

My dad’s stuffed peppers, or a really great breakfast that my husband makes when he wants to spoil me.

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

I am currently focused on developing my sci-fi series, “Memory_LEAK”. Alongside that, I am in a continuous state of creation I recently developed and built four independent tech applications and two computer games.

THE FORGOTTEN DOOR, 20min., USA
Directed by Anzor Mulkoev
On the edge of town, next to a landfill, lives a man, broken and forgotten. His life seems empty until he finds a discarded door among the trash. This door opens to any place on Earth, as long as there is a door there too. With each step through this door, the joy for life returns to him. But he discovers an even more astonishing turn in his life when he finds himself in the very place he once decided to leave – his hometown.

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

I worked at a construction site and after work tired I had to go home for a long time. Then I thought to myself “if only to open the door immediately home or somewhere on the sea to relax” and from this the idea of the film was born.

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

We had two three pauses in post-production, our sound engineer fell ill, then they were looking for a new person who would deal with visual effects, and I also decided to move. It all took more than a year.

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

I think this is a film about a man who was tired and broke but got hope.

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

The biggest obstacle was communication with the team on post-production after my move. Communication with the team was through the producer, I could not communicate with them directly and it was strange and difficult, I do not know why it was done, but it seems to me that it worsened and stretched the work, many ideas were not fully understood, some details were lost somewhere in communication. In general, it was difficult to work like that.

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

It was very exciting and pleasant. It’s a pleasant feeling that someone is not near you and not from your acquaintances, but somewhere in another city watching your movie and sharing their impression of it. You feel like a director.

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

I have been fond of films since childhood. My uncle had a small grocery store and there he had video tapes with films for rent and I reviewed all the films, I also sometimes did editing when I was at school. I am from Chechnya and my childhood and adolescence fell on two wars with Russia. Our people at that time had no idea that they could make a movie and do it professionally, and I also thought so. At that time, the choice of professions for us then was not great: a lawyer, an accountant, a physician, a builder. My parents wanted me to study as a builder, and already at the university I realized that we can also be engaged in directing and cinema.

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

Consciously, I myself most often revised the film “Equilibrium” Kurt Wimmer.

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

There were a lot of elements at your festival to promote the film and it’s a big job to connect people who will give a video review or write a review of the film. This is both pleasant for the director and also helps him to move closer to the dream of making a big movie. I don’t even know what can be added to the work you do. Well, maybe if there is any opportunity you have to involve producers in the festival (I understand that they are very busy people, maybe they are looking for new talents) to watch the winners’ films at home or anywhere in order to somehow bring them closer to the implementation of a big movie.

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

I like this platform, I would be happy to shake hands with the person who gave this platform.

10. What is your favorite meal?

This is a difficult question for me, it is always difficult for me to answer the question related to what I love. There are always different sushi, pizza or national Chechen.

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

I would very much like to make a new film. There are many ideas.

WHEN FIGHTING MONSTERS, 18min., USA
Directed by Sherill Quinn
A bereaved detective struggles to make sense of his daughter’s untimely death.

https://www.instagram.com/when_fighting_monsters_movie

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

I’ve always believed that to make art is to make sense of the world you live in. The things you’ve experienced and the lessons you’ve learned. When Fighting Monsters was meant as a portrait of grief, and a reminder to be there for your loved ones amidst the growing mental health crisis in America.

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

Two years. The original idea I’d had was a solo scene. I wrote that scene while on an airplane, then basically forgot about it for a year. Then in 2024, I picked it up again and thought, why don’t I just finish this? Once I started writing, I couldn’t stop. I finished the first draft in a few days and reached out to a producer friend to see if he would be interested in working on it. Fortunately he said yes, and pre-production quickly followed. We finished principal photography three months later, and the film was finalized almost exactly a year after I’d finished writing it.

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

Dark, Gritty

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film? I think the biggest obstacle was learning to trust myself. I spent all of pre-production terrified that I was going to screw it up, or that something would go terribly wrong in the middle of filming. Then once we had finished filming, I had to trust myself to edit the film. This was equally daunting, knowing that everyone’s time and hard work was all wrapped up in a tiny hard drive on my desk. I think that’s a natural part of every creator’s journey. You don’t know what to expect until you jump in.

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?

Production. There is nothing more magical than seeing your vision come together on the monitor. I have my producer, Morgan Hamilton-Lee, and assistant director, Mandy Miller, to thank for their tireless pre-production planning and organizing, as well as my whole cast and crew for their expertise and attention to detail. Production would not have been what it was without every single person bringing their A-game to the table.

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

I’ve had the honor of getting to collaborate with so many great filmmakers through acting. It never gets old, taking on a new role and working to bring someone’s vision to life. In 2024, it occurred to me that I have my own stories I would like to tell. Once that spark was lit, I couldn’t ignore it.

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

Silence of the Lambs

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

Jodi Foster

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

FilmFreeway is so intuitive and easy to navigate. It’s been a great experience so far.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Ethiopian Kitfo and Veggie Platter

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

Next I’m slated to direct another short titled Atonement, a psychological thriller about a Silicon Valley tech mogul whose promising future comes under fire after he receives a mysterious text.

TEXAS STRANGE, 9min. USA
Directed by Justin Eugene Evans
After two months on a distant planet, John Thurston returns to his ragtag crew of criminals and thieves. He expects a heroes welcome…instead they’ve held themselves a vote.

https://youtu.be/oxdTxgBC72A

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

I’m an inventor. I’ve invented a light. I call it Nairobi. It is a 6 inch cube that fits in your hand but can light three 30 story buildings side by side. I needed a project to prove its abilities. So, I created the short film, Texas Strange, to prove Nairobi’s abilities. It allowed us to shoot the film with only a 7 person crew.

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

One year. 2.5 nights to shoot with a tiny team of 7 people. I did most of the post production myself on my laptop.

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

Unexpectedly funny.

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

I hired a professional visual effects artist from ILM, Brandon Miletta. I paid him in advance. He then disappeared for a year…completely held the film hostage. He claimed he was going through a divorce and was in a depression. Who knows what the truth was…in the end, he nearly wrecked the movie.

We had to complete all the visual effects ourselves. He never returned the money. And when he delivered our hard drive, he sent it in an unsealed, dirty sandwich bag.

He almost wrecked the film. He’s still credited in the movie because we’d already paid a motion graphics artist to do the closing credits. But, I hired two fantastic artists, Hussar Eissa and Annie Caps-Wightman. They worked incredibly hard to fix about 200 of Brandon Miletta’s mistakes and then finished all the visual effects. Their work is fantastic.

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

I’m grateful they enjoyed the film. I’m particularly happy when people understand it’s a comedy.

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

I saw Star Wars as a four year old kid in Honolulu. But, the film industry is in a state of collapse…I’m not sure what its going to look like in five years.

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

I cannot list them all. Wouldn’t even know where to start.

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 can’t. The festival circuit is broken. Hollywood is broken. But, hey…it is nice that some people saw my movie and enjoyed it!

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

It’s fine.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Excellent sushi. I live in Taipei. I eat sushi about five times a week. I’m also a fan of Teppanyaki.

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

I begin sales of Nairobi in a few months. I might do another short film later this year. You can learn more about Nairobi at www.nairobilighting.com.

ALIENATED, 12min., USA
Directed by Tamara Hernandez
Alienated is a dark sci-fi coming-of-age story about a troubled teenage girl who discovers a strange, greenish-blue growth on her shoulder at a high school party. What begins as an embarrassing secret soon unravels into a terrifying revelation: she is an alien hybrid, the product of a covert extraterrestrial breeding program. As her powers awaken, she is forced to confront not only her fractured sense of identity but the chilling reason she’s always felt like she didn’t belong.

https://www.instagram.com/tamarahernandezdirector/

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

The thing that motivated me to make this film was a crazy dream I had that I couldn’t shake. It haunted me so much that it took me down a rabbit hole that ended up changing my whole life.

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

From the time I wrote the script to post production took about a year. Although I had the actual idea decades earlier.

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

The two words to describe “Alienated” are ernie and precinct.

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

The biggest obstacle was shooting on the boat out in the ocean because the waves were rocking the boat so much that it was difficult to stand and balance the camera. Plus a lot of the crew became sea sick and we had to stop shooting so people could throw up.

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?

Production is my favorite stage of the filmmaking process. Shooting is always exciting to me.

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

I was asked by a producer I was writing a script for to direct a short film because he thought I would make a good director. It was never something I had thought of doing, but after the very first shot it felt like I had put a glove on my hand

7. What film have you seen the most times in your life?
Cabaret directed by Bob Fosse starring Liza Minelli. I love musicals and the choreography, music and story are great. I loved both Liza and Joel Grey’s performance.

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

In a perfect world I would like to work with Isabelle Huppert and/or Laura Dean, or both in the same movie!

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

I like how easy it is to navigate FilmFreeway.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Chia seed pudding with blueberries.

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

I am working on a new story that takes place in Vietnam.

TRIGGER, 33min., Greece
Directed by Haris Gioulatos
If you were told there was an organization that could change your life forever, would you go through with the switch. And if so, would you pull the Trigger?

https://www.instagram.com/peroni_short_film

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

The inspiration came from the anti-war painting by Anastasia Antonova, which was presented at the anti-war festival in Athens in 2023. It is also the painting that appears in the first chapter. The hand holding the heart grenade. The rest of the film is simply a necessity in order to express situations experienced by peoples.

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

2 years

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

Ultimate Teamwork

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

The biggest obstacle was definitely the budget. It is difficult to make a largely independent film in Greece.

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

It created a beautiful smile on my face—especially when people from different cultures understood what I wanted to say. Perhaps this means that I spoke about something that touches everyone on the planet.

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

Hmmm, probably when I watched for the first time, Jurassic Park (1993) I was 7 years old!

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

Difficult question. I think ”The good, the bad and the ugly” by Sergio Leone.

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 truth is that I would say the following: it would be good if major festivals—not only those that support independent films—looked at filmmakers’ work impartially. They should give opportunities to films as cinephiles, not as a lobby doing favors for producers.

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

The platform is very easy to promote and send your film to the festival. I think is the best so far!

10. What is your favorite meal?

Lamb chops by far!

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

My dream is to one day manage to make my first feature-length film. I have plans for Trigger, as well as plans for other scripts I have written. I hope I will succeed someday!

SHADOW, 5min., Austria
Directed by Timo Vogt

https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/audience-feedback-shadow

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?
– A good friend of mine, the producer of the Song and Video, reached out. We’re both used to work within certain limitations and out of those limitations the concept grew. As always, some subsconscious part emerged itself and the story grew to where it is now in the video. I love filming, so the only motivation I needed was a friend asking me to come up with a concept and film something.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
About 2-5 days including preparation and cutting, excluding the work on the song itself.

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

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
Time constraint, by far. We filmed this within a day. But we also had other funny obstacles, for example the opening shot is trickier than it looks, and only possible with a guy and a broom who shakes a box we taped to the ceiling!

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I think it’s amazing to see and hear the reactions of others to something you’ve made yourself. I am extremly grateful, that we were able to envoke emotions in others.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
I was talking about it already in kindergarden, that I’d like to become an actor who lives on a airplaine carrier ship, where the whole deck is a meadow and horses run around. Well, that sadly didn’t happen! I then took a big detour in other parts of professional work and eventually joined a film school at 30 years old.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
Must be bladerunner 2049, for the stunning cinematography of roger deakins and insane world building of villeneuve, or the lighthouse by robert eggers, again with stunning cinematography by jarin blaschke.

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 biggest hurdle as movie makers is probably to get to know producers who you can pitch to.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?
I do enjoy FilmFreeway and have used it for multiple projects and will continue to use it. It’s easy to figure out, customer support is good, nothing to complain about.

10. What is your favorite meal?
TTeokkpeokki or anything else with Gojuchang!

11. What is next for you? A new film?
Currently writing a feature movie, and until that is finished I will also make a short movie this year.

Lines of Determination | The David Wagner Story, 25min., USA
Directed by Alex de Montbel
David Wagner grew up as a natural athlete, always in motion, playing basketball, surfing, and chasing a dream of becoming a professional player. At 21, a day of surfing in Redondo Beach changed everything when a wave drove his head into the ocean floor, breaking his neck at the C5–C6 level and leaving him paralyzed. In the hospital, as doctors spoke of “permanent” chairs and “permanent” changes, David confronted the loss of his old life with the support of a fiercely loving family that refused to let him give up.

https://www.instagram.com/youreverydayheroes/

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

I was motivated to make Lines of Determination because as a friend of David Wagner, and a tennis player myself, I knew the importance of shedding light on his story and the sport of wheelchair tennis. It’s a sport that often gets overlooked, as many adaptive sports do; and I wanted to make something that would either inspire athletes looking to get into wheelchair tennis, or give more awareness to the wheelchair tennis community. Working with Your Everyday Heroes gave me the resources and foundation to tell David’s story.

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

It took about 9 months from initial idea to finished product on this film.

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

Relentless resilience.

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

The biggest obstacle I faced making this film was figuring out logistics to capture David at a tournament. While I knew I wanted to include photos from his past, I also wanted to feature as much footage of him playing currently. In 2025 while I was making the film, he was set to play the US Open in New York, which would be logistically easy for me to get to being on the East Coast. However, we ran into setbacks trying to obtain media rights for any footage I could get, so we opted to not include the US Open in our film schedule. Instead, this meant flying out to San Diego to get David on his home courts, and follow him to a tournament at Indian Wells in Palm Springs, California. The resulting footage did not disappoint!

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

Watching the audience feedback made me feel grateful to those who took the time to really embrace the film and it’s purpose. Everything felt really personal and I appreciated hearing such positive feedback!

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

I’ve always been someone who liked to tell stories and I’ve always loved being creative; from problem solving to filmmaking. This career path of mine has let me enjoy telling stories and be creative at the same. I’m also always finding ways to make the prettiest images through the camera, and filmmaking let’s me do that too!

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

The film I’ve seen the most throughout my life would probably be Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.

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

No real requests here, just keep making filmmakers feel welcome, sharing our work with audiences, and we love our networking opportunities!

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

Excellent

10. What is your favorite meal?

As an athlete and tennis player I should probably say something healthy like chicken and vegetables (which I actually do enjoy), but my favorite meal is always thin crust pizza. Preferably made at home from scratch.

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

There will definitely be a new film from me in the near future. As of now, I am still working on getting ideas together, but in the mean time I will continue to work in my main field of work as a cinematographer/editor for TV commercials and social media advertising.

BEST KEPT SECRET, 12min., USA
Directed by Sarah Vansandt
Mattress shopping turns into a nightmare for a couple who find themselves trapped in a furniture store after hours, confronting the store’s dark secret.

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

My husband and I first came up with the idea for Best Kept Secret while we were in the middle of buying a mattress, though the original concept looked a bit different from what the film ultimately became.
I’ve always had a desire to direct and produce, and after spending years in front of the camera on various productions, I felt ready to step behind it. Taking that leap into directing was both exciting and incredibly rewarding, and I’m so glad I did.

2. From idea to finished product, how long did it take?

From the initial idea to the final cut, the film took about eight months to complete.

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

Twisted adventure.

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced?

The biggest challenge was filming in the peak of summer heat. We had to turn off the air conditioning during takes because it interfered with the audio, which meant relying on large fans between shots to cool down. It was definitely uncomfortable and we were all sweating, but the cast and crew stayed positive and committed throughout, which made all the difference.

5. What is your favorite stage of the filmmaking process?

I really enjoy both development and production, but if I had to choose, development is my favorite. There’s something exciting about shaping the story, visualizing scenes, exploring possibilities, and refining the script until it feels just right.

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

I’ve always loved movies and had an interest in acting, but it wasn’t until I took an Intro to Screenwriting class in college that everything clicked. That’s when I realized I didn’t just want to be part of films, I wanted to create them.

7. What film have you seen the most times?

Probably The Family Man with Nicolas Cage. It’s a tradition in my family to watch it every year. I love the story, the performances, and the nostalgia it brings. It’s tied to a lot of great memories.

8. In a perfect world, who would you collaborate with?

I think it would be incredible to work with Bradley Cooper. He has successfully transitioned between acting, directing, and producing, and I would love the opportunity to learn from his process, both in performance and in how he approaches storytelling behind the camera.

9. How has your experience been using FilmFreeway?

It’s been great, smooth, straightforward, and easy to use. I haven’t had any issues.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Grilled salmon with roasted vegetables, simple, healthy, and delicious.

11. What’s next for you?

My assistant director and writer on Best Kept Secret, Jamison Braly, and I are currently developing a feature film together. The project is based on a script I originally wrote in that same Intro to Screenwriting class, and we’re using it as the foundation for something much bigger. It’s definitely ambitious, but I’m really excited about where it’s headed.

Laurel Moon, 20min., USA
Directed by Sarah Sherman
After sharing a walk home with an unexpected companion, a grieving mother leaves all she has left so she can finally live.

https://instagram.com/laurelmoonfilm

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film? I had read several scripts for westerns being made and found myself thinking of characters not seen or mentioned or felt. In all of the violence, something was missing. I began writing and realized I had to know, “Who are the characters’ mothers?”

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

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

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film? Never take a role in a film for which you are the producer.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video? It felt unbelievable that people watched Laurel Moon with the intention of appreciating the story and the filmmaking. I wasn’t prepared to switch to the audience view from the filmmaker view. It was very vulnerable and exciting.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films? I’ve wanted to make films for as long as I can remember.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life? I rarely watch films more than once. Life is short, and there are so many. My last favorite film was Roma.

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 Feedback Festivals seem like a great addition to the festival models.

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

10. What is your favorite meal? Cookies

11. What is next for you? A new film? I’m working to finish a feature screenplay, a biopic, I’ve been packing around for a long time. I may finally have the life experience to finish it.