film festival reviews

Q&A After Screening: ANIMATION Toronto September 2025 Festival

festreviews film festival, film festival reviews, Today's Film Festival

Question & answer session after the festival screening with filmmakers from the September 25th, 2025 festival at the Carlton Cinemas, in downtown Toronto, Canada.

Conversation with creators:
– Deb Ethier (The Once Upon a Time that Never Was)
– Ash K Tysowski (After the Spread)
– Atoosa Moshashaee (10min. More)

The Once Upon a Time that Never Was
Directed by Deb Ethier
Animated experimental music video for the original song “The Once Upon a Time that Never Was”. With words and music by Deb Ethier and sung by Belén Mariscotti, the song evokes those compelling (and often disquieting) moments from childhood fairy tales, challenging our memories of them.

After the Spread, 3min., Canada
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”

https://www.ashtanimation.com/animation/after-the-spread

10 min more, 9min., Canada
Directed by Atoosa Moshashaee
A schoolgirl is waiting for her mom to pick her up from after school and the last 10 minutes seems very hard to get through, until her drawing comes to make her companionship.

Advertisement

https://www.instagram.com/artatoosa/

Winner: September 2025 FANTASY/SCI-FI Festival

festreviews film festival, film festival reviews

A showcase of the best fantasy/sci-fi shorts from around the world today.

AUDIENCE AWARDS:
Best Film: THE OUTCASTS
Best Visual Design: The Adventures of Captain Atom: Chapter 7
Best Direction: 2042

THE OUTCASTS, 15min., USA
Directed by Jenn Page
An unlikely team of gifted misfit kids battle against a corrupt government organization to save other kids like themselves. They must harness their powers and fight for justice, pushing the limits of friendship, family, and sacrifice.

https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/audience-feedback-the-outcasts

The Adventures of Captain Atom: Chapter 7, 11min,. USA
Directed by Eli Hutchinson
An Atomic Age superhero and a rocket scientist’s daughter attempt to stop a sinister military junta from launching a missile strike on the Earth

https://instagram.com/elihutch_1138

https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/audience-feedback-the-adventures-of-captain-atom

2042, 18min., Italy
Directed by Alessio di Lallo
A man wanders through a deserted and ruined world, feeding on the only prey that is not extinct

https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/audience-feedback-2042

Q&A After Screening: EXPERIMENTAL/DANCE/MUSIC Toronto September 2025 Festival

festreviews film festival, film festival reviews

Question & answer session after the festival screening with filmmakers from the September 11th, 2025 festival at the Carlton Cinemas, in downtown Toronto, Canada.

Conversation with creators:
Cassandra Myers (EVERYONE WANTS A TIGHT PU**Y)
Maziyar Khatam (with producer and actor) (THE SWEATER)

——

The Sweater, 9min., Canada, Experimental
Directed by Maziyar Khatam
Pressured into giving away his clothes, an emasculated young man obsessively attempts to reclaim his cherished sweater before it vanishes into the donation abyss.

https://edge.aditude.io/safeframe/1-1-1/html/container.html

https://www.instagram.com/funnybonepictures/

Everyone Wants A Tight Pussy, 1min., Canada, Poem
Directed by Sofia Auza
A poetry video about living with chronic vaginal pain.

——

Q&A After Screening: Action/Crime/Mystery Toronto July 2025 Film Festival

festreviews film festival, film festival reviews

Question & answer session after the festival screening with filmmakers from the July 31, 2025 festival at the Carlton Cinemas, in downtown Toronto, Canada.

Conversation with directors:

  • Sohil Chhabra (OBSIDIAN)
  • Malcolm Jack (THE CALLBACK)

THE CALLBACK, 10min., Canada
Directed Malcolm Jack
ISAAC is one of several actors auditioning for the lead in the globally renowned action franchise: MAX STORM. Every actor has been invited into the audition room, which is empty aside from a table with a black covering. Suddenly, they’re greeted by the voice of director DEAN WEST over the intercom. “Do whatever it takes to secure the role.” The tablecloth comes off, revealing a massive collection of deadly melee weapons. Everyone is skeptical, but distrust is already growing. When one of the actors sets his sights on Isaac, snatches an imposing knife off the table, and begins to close in, Isaac is forced to fight to survive.

OBSIDIAN, 18min., Canada
Directed by Sohil Chhabra
David Smith, a deeply troubled detective grappling with a brutal murder case and the collapse of his personal life, finds himself spiraling into darkness—only to uncover a path to unexpected self-discovery.

https://www.instagram.com/abortedcinema/

HIGHLIGHTS: July 2025 Action/Crime/Mystery Festival

festreviews film festival, film festival reviews

AWARD WINNERS:
Best Film: BAD BLOOD
Best Story: HWANDO
Best Direction: OBSIDIAN
Best Performances: THE CALLBACK
Best Cinematography: THE DROWNING POOL
Best Sound & Music: DESIRE

EE THE LINEUP OF FILMS:

OBSIDIAN, 18min., Canada
Directed by Sohil Chhabra
David Smith, a deeply troubled detective grappling with a brutal murder case and the collapse of his personal life, finds himself spiraling into darkness—only to uncover a path to unexpected self-discovery.

https://www.instagram.com/abortedcinema/

HWANDO, 25min., South Korea
Directed by Will LeForestier
An assassin enhanced with a brain-to-computer interface and controlled by a dark organization must turn against her creators to protect her family and destroy the AI-driven system that enslaves her.

Bad Blood, 19min., Argentina
Directed by Guillermo Ronco
Abandoned by the state and with his daughter’s life at stake, police officer Rafael chooses to break his deepest convictions and commit a crime to resolve his situation. But when what was supposed to be a robbery turns into a kidnapping, he discovers that there are limits he cannot cross.

https://www.instagram.com/lupacine/

THE CALLBACK, 10min., Canada
Directed Malcolm Jack
ISAAC is one of several actors auditioning for the lead in the globally renowned action franchise: MAX STORM. Every actor has been invited into the audition room, which is empty aside from a table with a black covering. Suddenly, they’re greeted by the voice of director DEAN WEST over the intercom. “Do whatever it takes to secure the role.” The tablecloth comes off, revealing a massive collection of deadly melee weapons. Everyone is skeptical, but distrust is already growing. When one of the actors sets his sights on Isaac, snatches an imposing knife off the table, and begins to close in, Isaac is forced to fight to survive.

The drowning pool, 12min., Spain
Directed by Enrique Novials
Ariadna, a former police officer, is now a detective shocked by the recent death of her mother due to Covid. In the midst of this, she must find a child who has been kidnapped after school.

DESIRE, 7min., USA
Directed by Jason Chu
When a suave socialite lures a beauty back to his yacht for drinks, his hidden, darker passions stir, forcing him to choose whether romance is on the menu or something far more sinister.

Watch Today’s FREE Film Festival: DOC Nature Feature: SOLITARY ROAD

festreviews film festival, film festival reviews, Today's Film Festival, Watch Today's Film Festival

Film goes LIVE at 8pm EST today (May 18th).

Watch the film festival here: https://www.wildsound.ca/events/doc-nature-feature-solitary-road

SOLITARY ROAD, 76min., Sweden
Directed by Johan Palmgren
There is a road in the middle of the wilderness, far North of the Arcitic Circle in the Swedish mountains. It was built 1955 and was supposed to lead to Norway. The work was interrupted and now there is only a fragment of a road of 20 kilometres without connection to the general road system. Along the road there are five villages, where time has stopped. There is no electricity nor any water. The villagers have transported old cars over the ice of the lake Torneträsk from Kiruna to this unique place. The cars date from the 60 ́s and 70s. We filmed big and small aspects of life here for three years.

https://johanpalmgren.com/
https://www.instagram.com/johan__palmgren/

https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/audience-feedback-solitary-road

Watch the best of ENVIRONMENTAL Short Films from around the world today.

festreviews film festival, film festival reviews

Watch the best of Environmental Films from around the world. Award-winning short films in the environmental genre and thematic.

Watch over 25 award winning environmental short films from around the world:

https://www.wildsound.ca/environment-short-films

Go to the Daily Film Festival Platform http://www.wildsound.ca and sign up for the free 3-day trial to watch a new and original festival every single day.

Go to the festival page directly and watch dozens of films:
https://www.wildsound.ca/todays-film-festival/

Watch the best of Environmental Films

WOLF WATCHERS. 15min., Documentary

https://www.wildsound.ca/environment-short-films/videos/watch-wolf-watchers

Braving the realities of the harsh Montana winter and changing hunting regulations, hobby and career biologists track and study wolves in the Northern Tier of Yellowstone National Park. While the fate of wolves remains uncertain, the devotion and passion of Yellowstone’s Wolf Watchers are always a constant.

https://www.instagram.com/wolfwatchersdoc/

REBIRTH. 12min. Animation

https://www.wildsound.ca/environment-short-films/videos/watch-rebirth

Rebirth: Intended to foster environmental climate change awareness by children, Rebirth is A Child’s Environmentally-Friendly Fairytale — a 12-minute animated musical suite depicting the respective seasons in four movements: The mini-symphony features (recorded-live) violins, cellos, clarinet, oboe and timpani, among other instruments, as it gathers momentum to provide a personal experience of nature’s growth cycles – with trees dancing and tendrils triumphantly bursting forth through the soil. Further, it doubles as a meditation mindfulness exercise as it allows us to teach children to move a little bit more methodically – react less and observe more. To pay attention instead of being distracted.

KARIBU NYUMBANI. 15min., Wildlife Photography

https://www.wildsound.ca/environment-short-films/videos/watch-karibu-nyumbani

“Karibu Nyumbani” translates as “Welcome to my Home” in Swahili. Guides in the Maasai Mara have a deep-rooted pride, knowledge, and love for wildlife. This film encapsulates that passion from the perspective of George Osono, a guide in Mara North Conservancy, who completely embodies this spirit of caring for nature.

https://www.instagram.com/matthewwilliamsellis/

Watch Today’s Festival: DOC Festival Feature: THE KENTUCKY COWBOY

festreviews film festival, film festival reviews, Today's Film Festival

Watch the Film Festival HERE: https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/the-kentucky-cowboy-feature

Go to the Daily Film Festival Platform http://www.wildsound.ca and sign up for the free 7 day trial to watch a new and original festival every single day.

Go to the festival page directly and watch dozens of films:
https://www.wildsound.ca/todays-film-festival/

THE KENTUCKY COWBOY, 58min., USA
Directed by Mike Goldberg
Despite becoming a success on the football field, a man struggles internally with mental health issues all his life, as he continuously tries to gain acceptance from his father and legendary football coach.

Watch the Audience Feedback Video:
https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/audience-feedback-kentucky-cowboy