Parents in the Wild – Mating Games and Birth Days, 52min., Germany Directed by Moritz Mayerle, Annette Scheurich In this film, directors Annette Scheurich and Moritz Mayerle offer a captivating glimpse into the love lives of Parents in the Wild worldwide. Highlighting the universal goal of providing offspring a strong start, the film explores the diverse mating and nesting rituals of mammals, insects, and birds, celebrating the intricate dance of love in the heart of the wilderness. Spectacular images showcase also the birth of squirrels, a grey seal pup and a flying fox fighting gravity in its upside-down world. “Parents in the Wild” is an entertaining visual feast that invites audiences to connect with the profound moments of wild parents in their quest for species conservation.
Get to know filmmaker Annette Scheurich:
What motivated you to make this film?
In my career as a filmmaker of documentaries about wildlife and nature I often marveled at the many strategies animals developed to make sure the species survive. Some invest in an enormous amount of progeny in the hope that some survive. Like toads, snails, spiders, etc. Others, like elephants, seals, deer, squirrels, flying foxes, weaver birds or penguins only have very few young and put all their effort in preparing for a safe place before birth and/or in protecting them for a longer time after birth, until they are ready to fend for themselves. My intention was to show all this from the perspective of the parents, pointing out to which lengths parents go to make sure their offspring get a good start. Any similarities to human behaviour are unintentional or purely coincidental 😉
What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
The biggest obstacle was to create a storyline out of the many different stories round about parents’ care for their young. There is so much fascinating behaviour we wanted to have in the film, but only had time for so much episodes. Choosing which parents get a window and balancing the variety of the different strategies was a real struggle. And then is also was a matter of capturing this behaviour. The camera teams out die themselves in delivering the footage that made our storytelling possible.
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
An art and photography novel is a nonfiction book that showcases or discusses art, including photography. Art books can include: The technical aspects of an art form, The life and work of a specific artist, The history of an art form or style, Personal expositions, and Craft and coloring books.
Submit your ACTION/ADVENTURE 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.
Accept only stories that fit into the ACTION or ADVENTURE genres.
Duties of My Heart, 10min., USA, Poetry Directed by Judy Lieff Originally shot on 16mm and remastered in 2024 with additional elements, Duties of My Heart breathes life into Barbara Barg’s poem through the expressive and evocative movement of American Sign Language and dance. It creates a visual and auditory poetic experience and weaves a tapestry of sorrow, resiliance and revival.
CHIMERA, 7min., South Korea, Dance Directed by Minsu Kim A presence curls up behind a thin veil on stage. From below, the serpent’s head—’Chimera,’ a camera—slithers its way up. The red recording light in Chimera’s lens flickers on, awakening the presence.
FRAGILE, 3min., Germany, Experimental Directed by Lucas Buchholz, Bernd Brink Every day, millions of packages are shipped, billions of messages are sent—our world seems more connected than ever. Even in the most remote corners of the planet, we are within reach. But have we truly come closer to one another?
SPARKS, 2min,. France, Dance Directed by David Ravel Alone on a vast stage, a dancer moves through a space sculpted by light. He observes, senses, letting the sensations guide his body. An instinctive dance emerges, visceral, almost organic. Each movement becomes an exploration, a silent quest in resonance with the luminous pulses enveloping him.
ECHOES, 8min., Japan Directed by Yusuke Nakamae The Third World War has left Earth’s resources depleted, pushing humanity to the brink of extinction. Learning from the repeated mistakes of history, humanity turns to the advanced decision-making capabilities of AI to find a path forward. The solution proposed by the AI is an ambitious plan: transporting energy from outer space back to Earth.
What motivated you to make this film? The release of ChatGPT in 2022 really sparked something in me. As a UX designer at Hulu Japan, I’ve always been close to technology and digital experiences—but that moment made me seriously reflect on what creativity means in an age where AI can generate content. That question became the seed of ECHOES. The sci-fi setting naturally came from my own personal taste and the kinds of stories I love to watch and tell.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video? I was deeply moved and surprised by how many people picked up on the symbolism and emotional undertones. Seeing that the themes I care about resonated across borders and cultures was incredibly rewarding.
I am so impressed. I didn’t get my review and wrote inquiring about it. They resent it within the hour and actually called to make sure I received it. The feedback was perfect for my mystery story, where you want to tell enough but not tell too much to keep the story going. I will be sending more mystery screenplays their way. Meanwhile, I can hardly wait to see their reading of 2-4 pages in March or April.
Submit your Romance & Relationships 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.
After the Spread, 3min., Canada, Musical Directed by Ash K Tysowski A group of teenagers navigate their night-life, and their emotions, to the song “After the Spread” by “the Idea of machines”
ECHO, 7min., Germany, Musical Directed by Annekatrin Meyers Echo is a mountain nymph, cursed by Hera to only ever repeat the last words spoken to her. She falls deeply in love with Narciss, who rejects her, leaving Echo heartbroken. Echo‘s unreturned love and inability to express herself causes her to slowly die. Her bones turn to stone and her voice remains in nature.
Iku Ma Pa Mi (Death Don’t Kill Me), 9min., Nigeria, Musical Directed by Akintunde Oluwaseyi Smith Iku Ma Pa Mi is a modern take on a Yoruba death elegy in which the supplicant hails the mothers and spirits that control death and pleads for their mercy so that they live a long and fulfilling life before the eventuality of death. Performed by Ariky, it is the soundtrack to upcoming movie Ifihan Ika (Manifestation of Wickedness.)
Sofia Portanet – Lust feat., 3min., France/Germany, Musical Directed by Béla Baptiste Lust delves into themes of love, passion, self-doubt, depression, and healing. The song expresses the longing for closeness and the desire to heal someone through kisses and love. When we feel unwell, we often withdraw and isolate ourselves, making it difficult to let someone in—both emotionally and physically. Allowing oneself to be held, to be loved, and to surrender in another’s arms requires courage and a willingness to open up. Though not always easy, there is beauty in being truly seen for who we are, beyond self-doubt and difficult times.
Composing Big Sur: John Wineglass’ Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, 35min., USA, Musical Directed by Douglas Mueller Composer in Residence John Wineglass’ creative process of his most recent Monterey Symphony commission, Sacred Land: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra.
Bad Chemistry, 20min., USA Directed by Michael Rognlie, EE Tallent In Bad Chemistry, a traumatized young woman goes to stay with her deceased boyfriend’s parents, only to discover chilling truths lurking beneath their kindness. This horror short explores grief, psychological torment, and the dark side of family.
Bad Chemistry was inspired by a fleeting thought that entered my mind, driving home late one night through a wooded area. An image of a crazed madman running out of the trees with a baseball bat was the catalyst and I built the story around that.
From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
There were around seven days of production on this film, with about a month of post production.
How would you describe your film in two words!?
Psychological thriller
What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
Finding a car to ruin with fake blood.
5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
It’s always insightful to hear what an audience thinks of your film. Makes you smile when they like it.
