Agenda 2100, 15min., Brazil
Directed by Stéphanìe Habíb, Thais Guisasola
When a rare solar storm creates a fleeting opportunity to transmit data into the past, Gaia and a small resistance group send a message to 2020 — a final warning and a final hope.

https://www.instagram.com/agenda2100

Get to know the filmmaker Stéphanìe Habíb:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

In 2010 I was studying International Relations, and a class on environmental policy put the IPCC reports in front of me. What unsettled me wasn’t the severity of the scenarios — it was how close they were, and how directly they followed from decisions being made right now. I wanted people to feel that the way I had felt it, and a scientific report can’t do that. A story can.

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

Sixteen years. The idea arrived in 2010, the project was approved for funding in 2016, and the film was completed in 2026. In between: a pandemic that held the resources, a world that changed while we waited, and a screenplay I rewrote from the ground up because the science had moved.

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

Climate warning.

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

Making an independent dystopian science-fiction film — a genre built on scale — on a small budget, without compromising the world we had to build, and without abandoning sustainable production methodology, which costs more. We solved it with partnerships instead of spending: all vehicles were electric, costumes were built from reused materials, and the set was constructed largely from materials recovered from landfill.

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

Development and production — for opposite reasons.

Development is where this film actually lived. Years of reading, revising, going back to the science and back to the screenplay. It is solitary, slow, and it is where everything gets decided.

Production is the reverse: a hundred people turning that into something real in a handful of days. After all those years alone with the research, standing on a set built from reclaimed materials and watching 2100 exist in front of the camera is a kind of vindication nothing else gives you.

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

The same day. I didn’t want to make films and then go looking for a subject — the subject found me, and film was the only way to deliver it. I enrolled in film school for one reason: to put this story into the world.

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

The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars — and, on the other side of my shelf, The Day After Tomorrow and An Inconvenient Truth.

Looking at that list now, it explains the film I ended up making. Two of them taught me that an invented world only works if its rules are absolutely consistent. The other two are about this world, and about a warning nobody wanted to hear in time. Agenda 2100 sits exactly between those two shelves: the scale and craft of the first pair, the urgency of the second.

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

Leonardo DiCaprio. Not for the name — for the track record. Over the last five years he has produced a run of environmental documentaries that are as rigorous as they are cinematic: Yanuni (2025), on Indigenous chief Juma Xipaia’s fight against illegal mining in the Brazilian Amazon; We Are Guardians (2023), on deforestation and the Indigenous forest guardians resisting it; Ozi: Voice of the Forest (2023), which carried the same subject to an animated family audience; Path of the Panther (2022); and The Loneliest Whale: The Search for 52 (2021).

What I admire is that none of them settle for being worthy. They are made with real craft — and they reach audiences that would never open a scientific report. That is exactly what Agenda 2100 is trying to do, and two of those films are set in my own country. Working with someone who has already committed that deeply to Brazilian environmental stories would be the natural place for this project to go next.

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

Wonderful, and for a specific reason: I’m dyslexic, and forms are one of the hardest parts of this work for me. FilmFreeway keeps everything in one place — the materials, the submissions, the festival replies — so I’m not rebuilding the same information from scratch every time, which is exactly where things go wrong for me.

And they have. Submitting to festivals outside the platform, I once completed everything, paid the fee, and forgot to attach the film. Another time I filled out an entire form, then paid for and submitted the empty one instead. Neither mistake had anything to do with the film. Having a single place where I can go back and see precisely what was sent, and what wasn’t, is what makes this part of the work possible for me at all.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Japanese food. I could eat it every day and never get tired of it.

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

A feature. Agenda 2100 continues: the short becomes the opening of a longer story, and the research that built it carries over.

The Hirsch Effekt, 28min., Germany
Directed by Florian Glock
Alone in a dusty rehearsal room, Nils Wittrock writes the most personal album of The Hirsch Effekt—caught between parenthood, post-pandemic pressure and self-doubt, he searches for air, meaning, and a way back to the band.

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

I have been working with The Hirsch Effekt for several years and have always been fascinated by the way they create music. With Der Brauch, I wanted to get closer to that process and show the people behind the music – not by explaining everything, but by observing them while the album was taking shape.

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

The film was shot and edited throughout 2025 and was completed in January 2026, shortly before the release of the album Der Brauch. In total, I had seven shooting days and around 15 hours of material, followed by roughly ten full days of editing.

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

Intimate. Observational.

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

Finding the film in the material. I work mostly as a one-man crew, so I was responsible for camera, sound and editing. The biggest challenge was turning many hours of observations, conversations and musical moments into a 29-minute film without losing the natural rhythm and character of the band.

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

It was interesting – and also a little strange – to hear people I had never met discussing the film in detail. As a filmmaker, you spend so much time very close to your material that it is valuable to see what remains with an audience that approaches it without that background.

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

I came to filmmaking indirectly. I originally studied medicine, but after leaving university and walking the Camino de Santiago in 2001, I knew I wanted to take a different path. Over time, working with cameras and moving images became my way of telling stories, and documentary filmmaking increasingly became the form that felt most natural to me.

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

Probably Apocalypse Now and Fight Club.

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

For me, the most valuable part of a festival is real exchange: physical screenings, meeting other filmmakers and talking directly with an audience. Personal communication and opportunities to build genuine connections within the documentary and film community are probably more useful to me than additional promotional services.

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

FilmFreeway itself is straightforward and makes it easy to discover and submit to festivals internationally. The more difficult part is evaluating which festivals are genuinely relevant for a particular film, because the quality, focus and actual festival experience can vary considerably.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Pasta.

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

I definitely want to continue working on music documentaries and artist portraits. There is an idea for a larger follow-up project connected to The Hirsch Effekt that would look beyond the making of one album and explore what it means to make independent music today. It is still at an early stage, though, and I am also working on other documentary projects.

HAUNTED HERITAGE, 14min., India
Directed by Surina Narula
“Haunted Heritage” reframes the haunted-house narrative as a power play between past and present, exposing how inherited privilege and unexamined racism persist across cultures and how the ghosts we fight often mirror the ones we carry.

https://www.instagram.com/newbornshortfilmagency/

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

During the pandemic, when prolonged isolation led me to reflect on how fear can revive old prejudices. I started asking myself: can fear and uncertainty awaken biases we believe we’ve left behind? The ghost in this film became a metaphor for those inherited fears and biases that continue to haunt us. At its heart, this film carries an unexpected message. For me, the real exorcism is forgiveness. The ghost isn’t banished by force, it is finally laid to rest through forgiveness and compassion. That’s the lesson I wanted to explore.

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

From idea to finished product, this took time. As it was my first time directing, I wanted to take my time. The shoot was 3 days, plus an extra day later to explore different shots and emotions. This topic is important to me, and I wanted it to be perceived in different ways. Shot end of 2024, completed mid-2025 with editing and sound.

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

Inherited Prejudice.

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

The biggest obstacle I faced in completing this film was that it was my first time handling a crew and being in charge of major decision-making. Every choice felt significant, and there was so much to learn, from communicating my vision clearly to trusting my instincts under pressure. But it was a privilege. I learnt a lot about myself as a director, about collaboration, and about what it truly takes to bring a story to life.

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

Watching the feedback video was surreal and humbling. I want to thank the three women who gave me their thoughts, I am really pleased they understood my intention for making this film: the consequences of family trauma and legacy. That blend of humour and heart was exactly what I hoped for.

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

I realised I wanted to make films when I understood the power of holding a mirror up to uncomfortable truths.

There are so many important conversations happening around us, so many different voices and experiences, yet so much of it is never truly seen on screen. I wanted to change that. Through my experience serving on the boards of different charities and working with street children, I’ve seen firsthand the stories that deserve to be told. That’s what drew me to filmmaking. I want to make impact films, films that do more than entertain, but spark conversations, challenge perspectives and, hopefully, create change.

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

I don’t tend to watch the same films over and over, as I like exploring different genres and directors, but Chicago is probably one of the films I’ve returned to the most. I love Rob Marshall’s direction and the way he combines theatricality with such strong cinematic visual storytelling.

Get Out is another film I’ve revisited several times. It had a huge impact on me and really inspired me to get into filmmaking. I often reference it when starting a project, particularly when thinking about tone, atmosphere and how to tell a meaningful story while still keeping an audience completely engaged.

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

I would value more opportunities for feedback and mentorship from experienced filmmakers and industry professionals. I’m also very interested in networking events and the chance to be fully immersed in the festival environment, meeting other filmmakers, discovering new work and building genuine connections within the industry.

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

NewBornFilm Agency submitted this particular film on my behalf, but I do have previous experience using FilmFreeway myself. I’ve always found it to be a very smooth and straightforward platform.

10. What is your favorite meal?

My favourite meal is really any meal where I’m surrounded by family and friends. I love that sense of community around a table. For me, the people I’m with and the atmosphere matter more than the actual dish.

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

I’m very excited to be making another short film, Guneet Comes Home. It’s a dark comedy ghost story exploring the difficult subject of honour killing. It’s a challenging topic, but one I feel strongly about, and I hope the film can start conversations, challenge perceptions and create some meaningful change.

King Karno, 3min. USA
Directed by Richard Thompson
A clown falls passionately in love with a mannequin, embarking on a mad courtship that is ultimately shattered by a sudden return to reality.

https://www.instagram.com/r_crosbythompson/

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

I am extremely interested in the connection between clowning traditions and character animation. “King Karno” tells the story of a clown who embodies a fusion of Commedia dell’Arte’s Arlequino (through his outfit and mask), Charlie Chaplin and other music-hall–trained comedians (through his bowler hat), and the modern clown (through his oversized, colorful boots). His name honors Fred Karno, an acrobat and comedian who became the most influential producer of British pantomime and discovered both Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel. Throughout the film, I drew on specific clowning traditions, using one of Chaplin’s iconic scenes – demonstrating his mastery of pathos – as a structural and emotional template for the film’s concluding shots.

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

18 months. However, I have responsibilities as a university professor, which include teaching and service. So the way I generally break it down is 10 months of modeling, texturing, and rigging all the 3D models. Three months of performing motion capture and then retargeting the movement data onto the character. And then five months of animating, lighting, and rendering.

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

Comic pathos.

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

Time. Working almost exclusively alone from start to finish. Pixar takes — on average — 170 hours of individual work per second of completed animation. For one individual completing a 180-second film, that would mean working 40 hours a week for a dozen or so years. So sacrifices have to be made, and economical design needs to take place at the pre-production stage.

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

Truly wonderful! It was great to hear what they got out of it, how much they understood since there is no dialogue, and how much they picked up of the vaudeville background. Also, I am thrilled that they picked up on the undying optimism of the main character. The protagonist is, in fact, partially inspired by Charlie Chaplin’s Little Tramp character, who never gives up hope, despite all the obstacles, mishaps, and bad luck that get in his way. And, yes, you ARE supposed to laugh when the mannequin’s head rolls off!

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

Frankly, with the success of my previous short, M0D3RN T1M3Z. It gave me motivation to try something more expansive and complex. And now, the success of King Karno has me planning for even bigger productions.

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

Either Lord of the Rings or the BBC TV series of Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth.

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

An active social media presence, a professional updated website, and recently I very much appreciate festivals that create and post a linked webpage to each selected film that includes imagery and information the filmmaker has provided.

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

Fine. Helpful. However, I still do as much due diligence as possible on any festival I submit to. Unfortunately, there definitely are some fraudulent festivals looking for your entry fee. This time around I focused only on long-standing festivals with in-person screenings.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Ouch. Tough one. Octopus appetizer with steak tartare entree. And chocolate for dessert.

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

Yes, two, in fact. One called Legacy and another called La Piazza — both of which are larger and more expansive than what I have so far produced on my own. So I am applying for funding that will enable me to hire a couple of my students and a performer for the motion capture.

LEGACY OF ELYRIANS, 2min., Poland
Directed by Marcin Zawistowski
Marcus Zane spent his entire life believing he was an ordinary person. Yet ever since childhood, strange and unexplained events followed him wherever he went. He knew things he should never have known, heard people’s thoughts before they spoke, and strong emotions could trigger dangerous phenomena that someone had spent years hiding from the world.

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

What motivated me most was the desire to create something new. Combining science fiction with fantasy isn’t exactly a new concept, but I feel that we rarely see extremely powerful characters who also struggle with a deep conflict of identity.

I wanted to create a series where the main character’s greatest challenge isn’t defeating another enemy, but discovering who he truly wants to be.

The idea of choosing humanity over power became one of my biggest motivations for creating and developing “Legacy of Elyrian”.

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

I’ve been actively working on “Legacy of Elyrian” for about two years. During that time, I haven’t focused only on the main story, but also on creating the entire universe, its civilizations, characters, and the relationships between them.

What took me the most time was working out the details, because I wanted everything to make sense and be connected. I didn’t want to create a story where things happen just because they’re convenient for the plot.

The project is still evolving, but over these two years, I’ve managed to shape it into something close to what I originally envisioned.

How would you describe your film in two words!?

Living Legacy.

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

The biggest challenge for me was creating the main character. Marcus is an incredibly powerful character, so I had to find a way to make sure his abilities didn’t take away the tension or sense of danger from the story.

I also wanted his emotions to have a real impact on his power. I didn’t want emotions to be just part of his personality, but something that actually influences what he’s capable of.

Another challenge was creating an opponent who could match his power while being his complete opposite. Both are strongly connected to their emotions, but while Marcus learns to accept his feelings, his opponent draws strength mainly from negative emotions.

The hardest part was finding the right balance between their immense power, their emotions, and keeping the tension throughout the story.

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

My first reaction was a mix of happiness and gratitude. I was really pleased with all three women’s feedback. They were honest, thoughtful, and took the time to talk about both what they liked and what they felt could be improved.

What I appreciated most was how detailed their feedback was. They didn’t just say whether they liked the project or not. They actually explained their thoughts, and that means a lot to me as a creator. Even the criticism was valuable because it gave me a different perspective on my work.

There’s also one thing I’d like to clarify about AI. Right now, I’m mainly using it as a tool to help visualize and bring the world of “Legacy of Elyrian” to life. That doesn’t mean I’m planning to create the entire series with AI. The story, the characters, and the universe itself come from my own ideas and creative work.

I’m genuinely thankful to all three women for taking the time to watch my project and share their thoughts. It was really encouraging to hear their perspectives, and I appreciate their honesty.

When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

It’s hard to point to one specific moment. Over the past few years, I’ve become more and more interested in the whole process of making films and TV series. I love coming up with scenes, imagining how they would look on screen, thinking about which actors could play certain characters, and figuring out how to turn a story into a screenplay.

I’m also really excited by the idea of working with professionals, being involved in casting, and bringing something to life that previously existed only in my imagination.

I think that, over time, I realized I didn’t just want to tell stories. I also wanted to be part of bringing them to the screen and have a real say in how they’re presented.

What film have you seen the most in your life?

Definitely Stargate. And I don’t just mean the original 1994 film, but the entire TV universe as well.

I’ve watched Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, and Stargate Universe many times. I love the combination of science fiction, ancient civilizations, advanced technology, and exploring unknown worlds.

It’s one of those universes I always enjoy coming back to. It was also one of the inspirations behind the creation of “Legacy of Elyrian”.

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

To be honest, I’m really happy with my experience at WILDsound so far. Having the opportunity to share the teaser for “Legacy of Elyrian” with a wider audience has been a really interesting and valuable experience for me.

I also appreciate that the festival gives creators the chance to hear audience feedback and share their stories through interviews.

At the moment, it’s hard for me to think of anything specific that could be improved, because everything has met my expectations.

I think opportunities like these are already a great way to support independent creators, especially those who are just starting out in the film industry.

You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experience been working with the festival platform site?

My experience with FilmFreeway has been great. The platform is easy to use, and the whole submission process went smoothly. I haven’t had any problems with it so far, so I’m really happy with how everything works.

What is your favorite meal?

Definitely spaghetti! It’s always been one of my favorite dishes, and I never get tired of it.

What is next for you? A new film?

For now, I want to focus on continuing to develop “Legacy of Elyrian”. My plan is to turn the story into a TV series spanning three or four seasons.

I’m also currently working on finishing the book, which serves as the foundation for the entire project.

My biggest goal is, of course, to bring “Legacy of Elyrian” to the screen. I know it’s going to be a long and challenging journey, but I’m determined to take the steps needed to get closer to making that dream a reality.

I’m not planning a new film at the moment. I want to give this story a real chance to come to life on screen one day.

I WAS HERE, 5min., Portugal
Directed by José Crúzio, Martin Gerigk
The short film I WAS HERE is part of the Portuguese I WAS HERE project, a series of short videograms conceived as records of visits to “non-places” and “places”—transitional or passing points, whether circumstantial or intentional. Through a process of revision and additional composition, these locations are given new value and meaning, incorporating sound and interpretations from different sources while simultaneously revealing their main references. The project ultimately takes the form of a collaborative work, particularly through the co-production of sound.

https://www.instagram.com/josecruzio/

Get to know the filmmaker José Crúzio:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

On one of my walks along the seashore, I caught a glimpse of this machine at work replenishing the sand on one of the beaches along the Portuguese coast. As I’ve known that beach since childhood, I thought about how thankless this work must be on a beach that is constantly losing sand. That sea has always been fickle and devours that beach day by day. And that machine tries to replenish the lost sand.

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

It took some time, it’s true. I had to let the idea of incorporating this film sequence into the I WAS HERE project settle. I thought of Martin Gerigk and suggested he join me in this world. I told him about my summer walks by the sea, on those very same beaches. I spoke of the camera and the work I was doing there. That, upon seeing it, I was reminded of D.H. Lawrence’s poem. That it would be a wonderful challenge. In other words, just over a month. That’s how long it took us to make this film.

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

Man/Nature

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

The biggest obstacle? It would be best not to regard it as an obstacle, but rather as a rewarding creative act: the merging of three worlds – the visual, the poetic and the auditory – into a single cinematic work.

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

It was a pleasant surprise and quite a shock to see our film being the subject of comments and reactions. To be face to face with members of the audience who have seen the film and are sharing their thoughts with us.

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

Although my work is mainly focused on still digital images, I have always been interested in the visual recording of movement. Alongside photography, I have worked with video. It was a natural progression from capturing images to experimenting with tools and creating potential narratives and visual worlds.

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

I’ve seen plenty. Each one had its own distinctive features and details that made an impression on me.

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

I think it’s a very well-rounded festival. To be honest, I can’t think of anything else that could make the festival any more ‘well-rounded’.

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

It’s been good. It’s even more rewarding when we find out we’ve been selected, of course.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Hmmmmmmmm………..I’m still undecided about which one to choose, and I always will be……..

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

The continuity and expansion of the visual universe of the I WAS HERE project – as with other projects – is of great interest to me and is my main focus.

Podcast: EP. 1811: Filmmaker Selena Alvarez (STAR)

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• Daily new film festival of the best new films from around the world. New archived festival to watch anytime.

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Go to https://www.wildsound.ca and sign up for the free 3-day trial.

CLIP from WILDsound Podcast: EP. 1857: Producer Deborah Coltin (Munkács Miracle)

—

Love for you to try the Indy Film Festival AP.

• Daily new film festival of the best new films from around the world. New archived festival to watch anytime.

• Library of over 500+ award winning films to watch anytime.

Go to https://www.wildsound.ca and sign up for the free 3-day trial.

CLIP from WILDsound Podcast: EP. 1873: Ty Brueilly (7eventh 7irkle)

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Love for you to try the Indy Film Festival AP.

• Daily new film festival of the best new films from around the world. New archived festival to watch anytime.

• Library of over 500+ award winning films to watch anytime.

Go to https://www.wildsound.ca and sign up for the free 3-day trial.

https://youtube.com/shorts/r3p7JaKBaPs

CLIP from WILDsound Podcast: EP. 1880: Filmmaker/Dancer Daniel Han-Shiang Young

—

Love for you to try the Indy Film Festival AP.

• Daily new film festival of the best new films from around the world. New archived festival to watch anytime.

• Library of over 500+ award winning films to watch anytime.

Go to https://www.wildsound.ca and sign up for the free 3-day trial.