Juan, an oriental cook in a fast food restaurant in Puerto Rico, tries to make a gourmet dish, to convince his nebulous boss to release him and thus set up a fine restaurant, while Hiu Yan, his co-worker and arts expert supposedly tries to avoid it.
Directed by Javier Santiago
Cast: Shuming Lu Cen, Jimmy K Fung Yeev, Kathy Garcia
Dedicated to the Children of Ukraine, victims of the brutal Russian invasion… Let everyone ask themselves and the leaders of their countries: what else has to happen, what arguments are needed that Ukraine is finally given the necessary military aid for Victory?
Director Biography – Alexander Sparinsky 8afa56d2ec headshot Composer, Musicologist, Producer, the author of music of more than 55 shows, performances, festivities, entertainment programmes, musicals, 37 films (incl. animation), more than 150 songs (for children; choral, pop, rock, folk, etc), 196 instrumental pieces, author of a lot of articles and documentaries devoted to music, musicians and culture. Producer of a range of the Best Ukrainian acts, shows, and artists.
Director Statement People who have been staying in Kyiv and are not going anywhere, they are called people-roots lighthouse people, anchor people. We support our city, and the city supports us. We are his heart and his soul. Kyiv reciprocates us. We will simply die without him, and we will die without us. Someone said that art helps us to live in the hours of peace, and in the hours of war – to survive. So, without looking at the explosions and air raid sirens, we create music and movies; write scripts and pictures, and visit theaters, cafes and museums. We must help everyone we can. We live. We are all needed. Everyone is in their place. There are no extras people. Just find a place for yourself and it will be easier for you. The author of this project, being in Ukraine from the first day of the brutal invasion, like many other people of art, each in our own way, we continue to participate in the social and creative life of the country, trying, to the extent of our own strength and capabilities, to be useful in achieving great the goal is to defeat the invader.
Ten years in the making, “Cookies 4 Jane” recounts the final chapters of the life of a beloved matriarch, Jane, as she battles Alzheimer’s Disease. Filmed, edited, and directed by Jane’s granddaughter, Mary, this intimate documentary condenses four years of raw footage into an hour-long, heart-rending, inspirational, and delightfully educational piece.
Narrated from a unique, second-person perspective, Mary’s vision is clear; “If you can’t remember, I’ll remember for you.” With first hand accounts from Jane’s family, friends, and caregivers, the viewer becomes immersed in the challenges of managing even the most basic of daily routines while living with this progressive and ultimately fatal disease.
While we have yet to find a cure for Alzheimer’s Disease, there is hope on the horizon. Every day we continue to gain knowledge and make scientific advances that lead us one step closer to finding a cure. In the meantime, take one last trip with Jane, and witness directly what the power of love, determination, and lots of cookies can achieve in the hands of a family united for a single cause.
Director Biography – Mary Ell
As a nursing student, I am very passionate about the world of film and its visual ability to reflect the challenges that life presents. My love for visual and narrative storytelling allows me to visually record life as I see it through my eyes and soul.
During the Covid-19 lockdown, “Stigma” explores the emotional impact on Bochra, a young woman living alone in France. Through webcam exchanges with her parents in Tunisia, Bochra struggles with painful memories and a dark past. Confronted with solitude in her Parisian apartment, she faces shadows of her past, gradually revealing a deeply buried trauma. The film delves into themes of resilience, the importance of family bonds, and the quest for self in an isolated world, leading to a poignant revelation.
The short film STIGMA is a powerful narrative that delves into many themes through the use of symbolism and character exploration. It seems to have an element of ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS twist as the story depicts the desperation of parents to save their daughter through a video call when they can’t physically get to her location.
The story is heart wrenching from the first moment when Bochra’s father appears on screen. The filmmaker makes the audience think the film is a science fiction world with the outstanding special effects and makeup design, though quickly makes it clear that this is a dream world of the girl’s father. A symbol of the man feeling powerless and silenced as he can’t save his child from drowning in her own world. He and her mother are desperate to save their daughter from her pain, wanting her to look at them as they literally watch the life drain out of her. Their screams penetrate through the screen and it’s only their love that echoes into Bochra’s drug induced hallucinations.
As life begins to drain from the young girl, it begins to get hard to tell what is real and what is fake for her. It gives a Wonderland vibe as Bochra begins to go between the world of the living and the dead. She sees everyone she’s ever loved and everyone who has ever hurt her outside of a train. The story makes the character come to a powerful choice, where it is up to her to decide if she wants to continue to live or if she wants to die.
The biggest question that remains is if the entire film was a hallucination for Bochra as she has a picture frame of a cemetery. It leaves the question open to if she really was talking to her parents on the video call or if she got off the train to join them in heaven. The film shows both realities, her parents crying through the video call and Bochra getting off the train to meet them in the clouds. This leaves it up to the audience to determine what really happened to the fate of this young woman.
Yellow Dress, 4min., UK Directed by Raph Isadora Seymour What is she doing? Trying to make a garden? Trying to make something…and who or what is trying to stop her? Crude stop-motion makes startling and poetic images and tells a story of resilience and the desire for happiness for both the hero and the villain of the piece.
Gravity Bound, 3min., USA Directed by Frankie Lasley The Man on the Moon is bound to the moon by his job; controlling the tides on Earth with a magical box of gravity. His quiet days are spent longing after a Shooting Star, who is bound to forever orbit him from a distance.
STIGMA, 30min., Tunisia Directed by Dali Mansour During the Covid-19 lockdown, “Stigma” explores the emotional impact on Bochra, a young woman living alone in France. Through webcam exchanges with her parents in Tunisia, Bochra struggles with painful memories and a dark past. Confronted with solitude in her Parisian apartment, she faces shadows of her past, gradually revealing a deeply buried trauma. The film delves into themes of resilience, the importance of family bonds, and the quest for self in an isolated world, leading to a poignant revelation.
BREAKROOM, 15min., USA Directed by Ian Wang A offbeat genre-bending comedy where mundane office tensions often unravel into something far more unsettling.
BLANCA, 7min., USA Directed by Carlos Grana During a coup in 1948, Peru’s First Lady must drive her maid and wounded chauffeur to the hospital down a treacherous road in the Andes.
Three S3conds, 16min., USA Directed by Diana Shield Arlo, a 17 year old boy struggles to open up and express himself to his counselor. He is haunted by his past actions due to his inability to control his rage and anger issues.
Moving Out, 20min, Austria Directed by Marlene Auer-Pleyl Ben has a hard time saying no, which is why he is helping at a friends move now. Luckily, he meets Elena, who is busy trying to prevent her sister from moving out. And then, his complicated private life also gets in the way.
Now it’s better, 12min., Romania Directed by Alice Ioana Nicolae In a world where it is easier to tear down than to build, to blame rather than to take responsibility, there are still resources for a better life. Although very painful and seemingly unique to each couple, the stories of our protagonists are almost universally valid, or perhaps very relevant in our current social and political context.Will the protagonist couples save their relationships? We will see in the short film ‘Now It’s Better.’
Frank Barnett in “Love’s Long Shadow”, 26min., USA Directed Daryl Della Frank Barnett, a San Francisco private detective, is pulled into a twisted case in West Texas as he tracks a mythical vial said to hold the secret to true love. As Frank digs deeper, he confronts his past, including a complicated relationship with his fiancée, Lena Mercer, and an unexpected tie to his old friend, Bruce Cummings, Librarian Extraordinaire. With danger closing in and betrayal at every turn, Frank must navigate a web of lies that threatens everything he holds dear. A gripping neo-noir filled with twists, emotion, and suspense.
The Fourth Star, 15min., USA Directed by Carrie Anne Hunt An estranged couple comes to terms with their daughter’s death on the eve of her birthday. Pulled apart by what they love most, Carolyn and Bruce are forced into a situation where they must face what was left unspoken in order to reconcile.
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.
Submit your Literary Fiction Short Story to the Festival here and we will automatically have it performed by a professional actor and turned into a promotional video for yourself.
“Graphic Novel” isa format, not a genre. Graphic novels can be fiction, non-fiction, history, fantasy, or anything in-between. Graphic novels are similar to comic books because they use sequential art to tell a story. Unlike comic books, graphic novels are generally stand-alone stories with more complex plots.
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
