Year: 2026
Short Film Review: DOTTED LINE. Directed by Michael Rognlie, EE Tallent
A reclusive woman is drawn into a waking nightmare when she is stalked by a deranged lunatic, who is convinced that she holds the key to his twisted redemption.
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Review by Victoria Angelique:
The question about a telemarketer’s psyche after constantly being yelled at or hung up on is answered in the short film, DOTTED LINE. Everyone has had the annoying phone call about their car’s extended warranty and just like the characters in the film, most people blow them off without a thought to what it could do to a person that is simply doing their job. This story shows how one man snapped to turn into a serial killer by targeting a loud mouth man, a stereotypical “Karen”, and a reclusive woman with self-esteem issues.
The story itself is satirical and thrilling at the same time. The sound design really adds to the horror elements of the story, with creaking floorboards and breaking glass to accompany the score. This feels like it should be a scary movie, up until the deranged telemarketer comes on screen. His lines are quite humorous for what would actually be a terrifying situation. The satirical elements only add to the story as the “Karen” hostage keeps demanding to speak to the man’s manager.
The prop and set design on this film are cinematic. The skeletons with organs falling out aids the story to show that this isn’t the first time this man has killed someone nor will it be the last, these are simply his latest victims. The props aid to the story of Amber, the reclusive woman, since she is receiving note cards with phrases that at first makes the audience think she is the mentally unwell one and her paranoia is simply in her head. The twist of the telemarketer kidnapping her, along with the two others, gives the theme to always trust one’s instinct because it might just save someone’s life. There is only one way for them to save themselves from this horrifying scenario and that is by signing on the DOTTED LINE to agree to the contract for their car’s extended warranty.
Feature Film Review: SHIFT. Directed by Max Neace
Night security guard Tom monitors storage units in Chicago with only his chair and radio for company, until he witnesses regular tenant Mrs. Jones lead a man into her unit who mysteriously vanishes.
Starring: Angela Alise, Cathleen Kaelyn, Rosanne Limeres
Written & Directed by Max Neace
Cinematographer: Robert Reed Altman
Composer: Crystal Grooms Mangano
Production Designer: Jevon Dismuke
Review by Andie Kay:
Mystery, intrigue and suspense. Shift has them all. Set in the 1990s, a young, newly hired security guard spends the night shift watching several monitors at a storage facility. It doesn’t take him long to realize there is something very, very wrong where he works.
This full length feature film is part Hitchcock and part Five Nights at Freddy’s. The film makers paid a wonderful homage to Alfred Hitchcock’s style of suspense and the Five Nights at Freddy’s human struggle of ‘What do I do?’. Cinematography was absolutely brilliant, as was the meticulous detail to the 90’s era with props, costuming and set dressing. The story was incredibly well done in the way the film makers built up the intrigue and suspense, even adding a touch of humor with the Grace Kelly character that happens to be an office chair. Just when you think you know what’s happening, there’s another twist that draws you more into this mystery.
This group understood how important sound is to a film like this. I loved the various effects they used to bring this story to life, whether it was muffled voices, static on the radio and security monitors to the subtle difference of how someone sounds on the other end of a phone. Plus the original musical score by Crystal Grooms Mangano was beautifully done. I only wish the opening sequence of radio static and changing stations was shorter or it wasn’t done with an all black screen. Kind of made me think the film wasn’t playing properly.
The entire cast blew me away because everyone was so incredibly organic and believable. Angela Wise, who portrays Iris, is the first one we meet and although the majority of her dialogue is voice over, it was done with great inflection, emotion and wonderful presence.
The rapport between Sean O’Bryan ( playing Hal ) and Connor McGill (playing Tom) was infectious and it was such a joy to watch them on screen. Allison McAtee as Mrs. Jones was sensational as being the femme fatale of the film.
If you are a fan of mystery/thriller films, this is one that I highly recommend.
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Short Film Review: LA84: A Neon Legacy. Documentary
Against the backdrop of Los Angeles’ glowing past, LA84: A Neon Legacy uncovers the enduring cultural imprint of the 1984 Olympic Games—a moment when the city redefined itself through design, civic pride and neon color. Through rare archival images and intimate interviews, the film traces how the era’s bold visual language continue to shape L.A.’s identity today. Both a love letter and a critical reflection, LA84: A Neon Legacy captures the city’s luminous contradictions—where nostalgia, commerce, and creativity collide.
Review by Andie Kay:
When you think of the eighties so many things come to mind. New age romantics, punk rock, Nagel artwork and bright neon colors. LA 84: A Neon Legacy centers around the 1984 summer Olympics in Los Angeles California and how the team of designers created and executed a cutting edge design that landed a place in history.
Produced by Paul Elliston, and directed & edited by Khara Cloutier, this film incorporates some amazing past footage. It gives you an inside look into the challenges the designers faced and how they excelled. Cinematography was done by Paul Elliston and Ray Cobo, and getting the chance to see the interviews with the team of designers was informative as well as inspiring.
That new wave design with vibrant, neon colors allowed future artists to take risks they might not have taken in design. This group of individuals and artists were the pioneers of something incredibly special that continues to speak to all of us.
PODCAST: EP. 1656: Writer/Cinematographer Bao Le Cheok (EGGSECUTION)
A woman who loves eggs but one day, she is haunted by an egg monster.
What motivated you to make this film?
My name is Bao and Eggsecution is a film born out of my love for eggs and eating eggs. My grandmother has always berated me for eating way too many eggs a human being could handle and often chided me for doing so, warning that one day i would gain an allergy from doing so. When i moved here to the states from Singapore, i was given free liberty to eat all the eggs i wanted since i was no longer living with my family. in that way, i was unleashed. But there was always a nagging feeling at the back of my head telling me that maybe theres some wrong in eating so many eggs a day. Hence, this film was born from that fear that was ingrained in me since young. And because I love horror and genre so much, i decided to put a fun twist into both the visuals and story of this film.
From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
The film roughly had a timeline of 6 to 8 months. Because of the support from American Film Institute., I was allowed access to shoot on 35mm film – the Panavision Millennium xl2, 3 perf and in addition, with the support and generous donation from Kodak, we shot on 50D celluloid film – which was an amazing opportunity. My facility head and mentors, Stephen Lighthill, Sandra Valde-Handsen and Sara Ross Samko were very supportive of the original pitch for my visual essay and we eventually had to tailor it down to smaller ideas and smaller spaces due to budgetary and location restraints. But i am still extremely proud of the team that managed to make this happen! Thank you for selecting Eggsecution as part of your line up in the Experimental Film Festival!
How would you describe your film in two words!?
Disgusting and Delicious!
What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
One of the biggest obstacles i faced was budgetary restraints. Because this film was self funded and i knew i was not working at that time, i had to save and set aside a workable budget for my film. Though equipment was provided by AFI, it was still a big project considering that i wanted to use SFX and practical effects and costume changes, along with the build of the monster in the film. My costume designer – Kai Burns and my SFX artist – Daniel Sukara were the MVPs, coming down to AFI to do countless tests to make sure the colours of the wigs, gooey, eggs and monsters were of the right shades of colour and effects could work seamlessly.
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Filmmaking Collaboration: Improvisation vs. Planning
Conversation with the award-winning dance film creators, director Cherie Carson & DP/Editor Micha Dunston on the planning stage in pre-production. Building choreography with dancer. Doing shot list & storyboards with cinematographer. Prepare. Prepare. But open the doors for improvisation on set. Let the creativity guild your planning.
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SPLIT FOCUS, 6min., Dance/Experimental
Directed by Cherie Carson. DP/Editor: Micha Dunston
“Split Focus” is a captivating dance film that delves into the intricate relationship between self-perception and external projection. Through mesmerizing shadow play, the film explores images of spirit and internal feelings versus outward appearances, prompting viewers to question which aspect demands more attention— the dancer herself or her shadow. Visually poetic, it offers a compelling examination of how we project ourselves into the world and the duality of inner and outer identities.
Revenge and Renewal: The Future of ‘Submerged’ and Brazilian Cinema
Conversation with Brazilian filmmaker Heloísa Cardoso and the making of her REVENGE film at the Academia Internacional de Cinema. What is the future of Brazilian filmmaking. There are a ton of talented artist in the country. Will they get the change to make great films?
LISTEN to the full podcast: https://youtu.be/gI9rS4Q_DpE
A young woman waits for her lover for a secret trip. However, he does not show up and does not respond to her messages. That’s when strange and inexplicable events begin to happen in her house. She asks for help from her lover, who ignores her. Realizing that she is hopelessly alone, she gives up waiting for salvation and surrenders to her own shadow.
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Director Statement
“Submerged” is my graduation film from Academia Internacional de Cinema. This short film is an extension of the research I’ve been developing in theatre and literature, proposing a reflection on the tendency to wait, something encouraged in girls from a very young age. The wait for a great love, a hope for something external that will give life meaning. The horror surrounding this waiting evokes the idea of a monstrous femininity: when left alone, the protagonist of “Submerged” unconsciously materializes her shadow, which ultimately consumes her and breaks the cycle of passivity.
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What is a GROLAR BEAR? (when a polar bear and grizzly bear mate!). Yes, this is happening now.
Conversation with award-winning screenwriter Eric A Vasallo (A Polar Bear’s Nightmare) on the writing of an important Environmental screenplay.
Climate change is effecting the animals. A polar bear and grizzly bear have never met for millions of years on the planet. Now because the polar bear is looking for food and navigating south, we have mating and the GROLAR BEAR.
LISTEN to the full podcast: https://youtu.be/n8qES-OAWEc
Watch the Best Scene Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl_qNRmmZSs
A grizzly bear and a polar bear mate as a result of climate change and in an attempt to find food for their “grolar bear” cub the male polar bear must leave the safety of their ice cave to hunt and find sustenance for his new family in a harsh and increasingly difficult environment. He encounters humans and gets himself into a bit of trouble while simply trying to survive and provide for his family.
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Get to know the writer:
It is a story about the Canary in the coal mine of climate change – Grolar bears. Grolar bears are a new hybrid species, a mutation resulting from the union of a polar bear and a grizzly due to habitat overlap caused by climate change.This is a comical, yet heartfelt story of one father’s mission to feed his young grolar bear cub or face starvation. His nightmare begins when he encounters humans. Will he survive a nightmare lost among humans and get back safely to his family and save his cub? Or will his family be another casualty of our greed and exploitation of our planet’s resources?
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Festival Reviews 