Jake & Pete’s Christmas Special, 20min., UK Directed by Luke Marley When the spirit of Christmas seems to have left a small town in Gloucestershire, Jake and Pete must find a way to restore it in time for Christmas.
So, I did my first short using this art style Henry VIII and it was brutal and I swore to never do stop motion again, then eventually I thought about doing something that really felt character driven, and it had been a few years since Taylor and I have worked together on a project. So I asked if he wanted to work on something and we came up with a Christmas film.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
So, we were thrilled. I think before hand we hadn’t really seen any thoughts on the film or anything. So we’re not sure if people liked the plot or the joke landed. So I think it was great to know that it all worked out in the end.
The Susurrus is about a dollmaker who starts to date a year after her husband abandoned her. The jump back into the dating scene, and the world at large, proves dangerous, and ultimately, she must decide to keep-on despite the world’s evils, or retreat back to the familiar evils of her solitary life.
Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
The Susurrus explores the many forms that abusive relationships take, and how they can be near-impossible to escape from. The subject is unfortunately timeless and universal, across gender, religion, and culture. So, why not now?
In the heart of Bangkok, Detective Aran Chen, a defiant inspector haunted by his past, pursues the elusive “Shadow Killer,” a ruthless serial murderer. Armed with his sharp instincts and lethal martial arts skills, Aran battles through the city’s underworld, uncovering a chilling link between the killer’s motives and his own scars. As the lines between justice and revenge blur, Aran faces a deadly confrontation that will test his resolve and redefine his destiny.
Get to know the writer:
What is your screenplay about? Shadow Killer is a grounded crime thriller set in Bangkok, following a police investigator haunted by his past as he hunts down a mysterious serial killer. As the body count rises, he relentlessly pursues the murderer, relying on sharp detective work and his martial arts skills. His past looms over him, threatening to cloud his judgment, but he pushes forward, determined to stop the killer. The chase builds to a brutal final confrontation, where his skills and resilience are put to the ultimate test.
Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
Shadow Killer is a bold, high-impact reinvention of the action genre, fusing a gripping crime investigation with bone-crunching martial arts combat. In a world where thrillers often fall into predictable formulas, this film keeps audiences on edge with relentless action, shocking twists, and a hero who fights both a deadly killer and his own past.
With one or two game-changing twists leading to a high-stakes, brutal finale, Shadow Killer delivers exactly what modern audiences crave—an electrifying, no-nonsense action experience that’s as smart as it is thrilling. It’s a ride that never lets up, never holds back, and most importantly, never forgets to entertain.
This isn’t just another action movie, it’s the one that will leave audiences breathless.
A fierce forty-something woman tries to escape traumatic memories by participating in the Ironman triathlon, only to be diagnosed with CFS. As her life unravels, she clings to an unlikely friend who helps and then hinders her journey to recovery.
Get to know the writer;
What is your screenplay about?
This film is centered around the protagonist Jade, a 40-something newly single woman who is very driven in her work life and with her athletic pursuits.
On the surface she appears to be chasing her dreams, but in reality, she is running away from a nightmare.
This film explores themes of how people cope with trauma. We’ve all seen stories about people who dive into counselling, others who self-medicate or those who sink into depression. In this story, the character doubles-down on pursuing her goals. We know that society celebrates and admires driven people. In this story Jade’s drive causes her life to unravel, and she sinks into a state of self-loathing.
This film also deals with themes of identity. Jade struggles with the loss of her identity because she defines herself by the things she does, not who she is at the core. Rewiring Jade explores the complex relationships Jade has with unlikely friends who both help and hinder her journey.
What motivated you to write this screenplay?
I struggled with a chronic illness for a decade and my recovery felt transformational. When I came out the other side, I was not the same person as before. Writing this script allowed me to process and release the traumatic memories, making it a cathartic experience! Adding unexpected humour to the story helped me take my power back from an experience that almost destroyed me.
This film is not literally about me – rather it is inspired by what I went through. While the characters are fictional, a few are inspired by a combination of real people and imaginative elements.
While snippets of the story mirror real events, the main similarity that aligns with my experience is how Jade felt in certain situations. I have also tried to be as realistic as possible about the impact of CFS, but it has been toned down for the film.
In the dilapidated streets of Brooklyn, Josh runs a failing employment agency that’s haunted by three ghosts. Josh is reluctantly recruited by them to help solve a series of murders. Of Course, Death’s AKA-Al curiosity is piqued and decides he’s in too.
Get to know the writer:
What’s the screenplay about?
It”s about a guy by the name of Josh, who runs or attempts to run an employment agency in the rough side of Booklyn. Josh’s demeanor on the outside is mild mannered, however, there is another side to him that is better left buried. He is able to see ghosts, for whatever reason, and there are 3 living upstairs who are his friends. Mary, his secretary, likes Josh and although Josh doesn’t show it, he likes her too. The three ghosts, Jazmine, George and Detective O’Shaughnessy, frustrated with their ghost boredom ask Josh’s if they can help somehow solve the crime of the young girls who have gone missing or have been murdered. Reluctantly Josh agrees . As it turns out, Mary can also see ghosts as well to her surprise when she stumble unpon Josh and the ghosts upstairs. To make a long story short, they all embark on plan to save the missing girls, and death, AKA, Al, catches wind and decides to help them as a change of pace. Their adventures begin, Mary winds up getting kidnapped and almost dying, death takes a liking to Jazmine, the Columbian rebels, living under immigrations radar in the area come to help them as well as the Brooklyn Police department. Does everyone live happily ever after? Maybe not, as it turns out Mary works for hell, let me rephrase that, she is the queen of hell, and it’s her job not to let the dogooders do too much good and upset the balance of good and evil. But no one knows Mary’s ulterior motives expect maybe death, AKA, Al.
THE FARMHOUSE, 15min,. Australia Directed by Luke Creely A young woman, living alone in an isolated rural farmhouse, is haunted one night by a mysterious entity which forces her to confront her inner demons and traumatic past.
I have always been drawn to slow-burn horror cinema in the mould of Michael Haneke from Austria. His early films are fascinating explorations of the human psyche. This has inspired me from the beginning of my career. I am also very interested in pain and trauma as key themes in my films. So, my aim was to make a Haneke-style horror film that immerses the viewer and makes them uncomfortable as they observe a character who is alone and grappling with PTSD from a past traumatic event.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
The audience feedback video was excellent because the members who spoke understood the film and my intentions as director. They “got it”. And this means that I did what I needed to do as director. Their interpretations were interesting to listen to as well.
Caught between a suffocating marriage and a passionate affair, Anne Delbridge fights to find her own freedom, independence, and voiceamidst the turmoil surrounding the pro-democracy student uprising in Tiananmen Square, China.
What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
Hard to say. I’ve seen Casablanca quite a few times, and The Apartment. I tend to binge watch films that attract my attention for one reason or another.
How long have you been working on this screenplay?
When I first wrote it, it took me about a week to write the first 60 pages, and then about 4 months to write the next 30 because the script was taking me to a place I didn’t really want it to go. When I finally stopped fighting it, I was able to finish the last act in about a week.
Lucia & Nicole, 10min., USA Directed by Marlene Emilia Rios On the cusp of adulthood Lucia finds her childhood friend Nicole living on the street. Houseless after coming out, Lucia’s mother Ximena invites her into their home. However, Nicole’s re-appearance into their lives raises questions about their own daughter’s identity and how to respond to Lucia and Nicole’s re-connection.
I wanted to make this film because growing up I had this idea of romance that came from my grandparents’ stories of how they met, their serenading—and I’d sit in my living room and watch ‘A Walk in the Clouds,’ and I’d dream of romance. As I grew older, I realized there were no depictions of this for queer love. There wasn’t a vision of the future to latch on to. It seemed to only exist to me in vague, whispered possibilities. Very rarely do we actually get to see romantic films about queer relationships. I wanted to make something that was an ode to those moments and those films I loved as a child, ‘A Walk in the Clouds,’ ‘Pride & Prejudice’ but that existed in a world that was grounded to me. And I knew I wanted to showcase the beautiful community of Albuquerque that had welcomed me as a student and seems to be in constant celebration of identity. I wanted to make the kind of story you could imagine your grandmothers or your cool old aunts telling you someday about how they met long ago, and how their romance blossomed over the years.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I was pleasantly surprised to see how people connected with the story, this film is a departure from my previous work, and I think of this film as coming from the more romantic and idealistic part’s of myself and I’m glad to see that recognized. I’d love to live in a world full of empathy and community care and I very consciously chose to reject certain narratives and stereotypes when writing and directing this project because I wanted to show that, and it’s really gratifying to see people appreciate that. It’s always meaningful to see when your intent comes through and when people are able to connect to a story that feels so personal to you. As storytellers we always strive to connect with people and stir an emotion within them, but with shorts, it’s often hard to gauge impact. Sometimes they live only in private screenings or online. Being able to hear from an audience is especially valuable in this sense.
Beehold, 18min., USA Directed by Ben Berry From his work with local nuns looking for answers about their barren apple trees to his consulting with golf courses in natural habitat management to classrooms, and his own design workshop – he is a true beeliever in the good story – the gospel of abundance as taught by bees and he’s helping protect Wisconsin’s beloved pollinators. It’s called Behold and our story starts here. Humm Productions, in collaboration with Mtn Craft Productions, has pioneered a new media format called DocuPod™. It combines the power of short, immersive documentaries with engaging podcast audio to create a captivating 360-degree experience for audiences.
Get to know Director Ben Berry & Producer Brooke Bechtold:
What motivated you to make this film?
Brooke: Our team wanted our proof-of-concept DocuPodTM to be of a very special person serving his community at large with dignity and focus. We had just finished our Beehold podcast, and we knew that if listeners had the opportunity to see Charlie and feel connected to him that a short video documentary would be the perfect complement. We hoped audiences would adore and respect Charlie’s work protecting pollinators as much as we do.
Ben: As Brooke mentioned, we wanted to shoot a proof of concept for our DocuPodTM. Once Brooke found Charlie, it was off to the races. Our goal is to approach every DocuPodTM we do thoughtfully—with a certain slowness. We want to allow the audience to be with the character and walk a mile in their shoes. Once Charlie agreed, our motivation became about showing Charlie’s passion and how that passion is lived out day to day.
The Rich Kid Rules (Ep. 1: 362 Rules of a High School Dropout), 59min., USA Directed by A.L. Pruitt, Makenna Perkal A new kind of coming-of-age crime drama series with horses, dance, a dysfunctional family, and an upstairs/downstairs romance with a reverse Cinderella story twist.
Festival Reviews 