KITE, 6min,. Canada
Directed by Jerry Trieus
A short film about a dancer on a mission to experience flight. The journey is disappointing and filled with challenges. The result is a transformation as the dance artist finds strength through perseverance and ultimately freedom.

Get to know writer/producer Virginia Duivenvoorden:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

Kite began as a stage piece where I incorporated film on stage in the form of projections. I knew that I eventually would like to also see it as a film on its own. It all began as a photograph by Brooke McAllister. in one of the photos, I was wearing a black skirt and dancing with a 7 yard piece of tulle fabric. I loved the photos. In 2021 I decided to choreograph a dance to match them. That’s when Kite was born. When I started the choreography, I was in too much physical pain to think about performing. That’s when Brynne Harper started working on KITE. We spent two years developing the stage piece and we shared it in three different performances two were outdoor performances and one on stage for a work in progress showing. I approached Kites in all aspects from building and flying them to studying the history. All of the processes became part of the kite story from the failed kites that never flew and then to the handmade windsocks , which were actually amazing. It became a story about transforming from looking outside oneself to looking inside and finding that sense of flight and freedom from within the body. That was a journey that I really needed to make in order to process what was happening in my body with the pain and other medical conditions that I was coping with during the creation process.

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

3- 4 years

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

Wind watching

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

For me it was being new to many aspects of film making and having to continuously learn along the way.

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

I felt emotional seeing that the piece was clear in its message and was being received very much in the way that I had hoped for. It was rewarding to see that the message of resiliency and strength had shone through.

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

The first time that I tried editing my own camera work. It was a film with my students and we had a film permit for a public plaza in North Vancouver. Editing felt like choreography in so many ways and I could become completely immersed in the process.

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

In all honesty I believe it’s Elf 😆

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 am always on the look out for interesting professional development opportunities to help round out my skills and knowledge of the film industry.

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

So far so good. I think the big challenge is choosing which festivals to apply to.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Turkey Dinner

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

Completing a second film and collaboration with Jerry called Seams and incorporating imagery from it into a new stage piece with a solo dance project called Echo Chamber.

I am also dreaming about a new concept for a dance that could potentially become a film. I would love to take that journey again towards developing another dance film.

STRING HEAD, 7min., USA
Directed by Matthew Vargas
A man in bed, after failing to fall asleep, is forcefully kept awake by String Head – an entity made of string that psychologically tortures him by wrapping him in a cocoon made from the deepest, darkest thoughts of his mind.

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?
One night at 3:00 AM I had a vision of String Head walking into my room. A thread of red string was on top of me. Thinking of String Head at the end of my bed was a creepy fascinating image – I had to make it and explore it. I also wanted to push the boundaries with Production Design as I never have before and use it to really convey symbolism and tell a story.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
I wrote the script entirely in December of 2023. I started pre-production and crewing up & casting the film between January and February of 2024. We shot for 3 days in February of 2024. It was a very accelerated process – from script to shooting in a month and a half basically. Post-Production took the longest, lasting from February to August of 2024. Sound Design alone took 4 months after picture lock because we wanted to get the tone just right.

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

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
The costume was the biggest hurdle. I purchased 4000 yards of red yarn for this film and the costume used more than half of it – both String Head and the cocoon. My friend Eunbi and I had never set out on something this difficult to create but we loved the challenge. In the end we found a solution to create a sectional costume that was easy to remove but still made the wearer look like they were wrapped in thousands of yards of yarn. The trial was worth it in the end.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I love the reactions and I feel so giddy about the different analyses. The positive reaction to the final song made my sound designer, Rochelle, very happy as they wrote + sang the song themselves under their artist name La Roche. The comparison of the film to night terrors that occur in real life was so on point that I felt a great sigh of relief. Many ideas had to be conveyed in this film and I feel as though they all landed. I was worried because there is no dialogue, but that is intentionally so in the film because these terribly anxious moments usually occur wordless and in the brain.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
In High School. I made gaming videos for myself and other video content for my school. I really enjoyed the creative expression it gave me and I decided to pursue filmmaking as a career option. I now work professionally as a 1st AC in the Washington DC area and create/write/direct films when I am able to for self expression!

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
Bit of a boring answer but unfortunately I don’t watch many films twice. Some films are fun to revisit like Fight Club but otherwise there aren’t many.

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 like the options you’ve provided in your last email! Honestly I just like meeting other filmmakers in person. I’m looking forward to an in-person festival if you all are hosting one. If you’re looking for a real suggestion though, there is one festival I’ve been to where award winning films got a chance to meet with established industry professionals (tv show writers, directors, etc.) to give advice on their career.

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

10. What is your favorite meal?
Spaghetti

11. What is next for you? A new film?
I’m focused on writing now – want to figure out my vision as a director and filmmaker.

TAINTED, 11min,. Singapore
Directed by Ian Wee
In a world driven by corporate greed and unethical genetic experimentation, Darien, the pioneering human clone, finds himself obsolete against a superior 2nd Generation Clone, leading to his and his mentor’s targeting. Following his mentor’s death, Darien’s hidden hybrid nature—combining human and vampire DNA—surfaces during a critical confrontation, granting him unexpected survival. Marked as a “Tainted” failure yet possessing newfound powers, Darien faces an ambiguous future, embodying the narrative’s critique of ambition’s perils and the poignant fallout of manipulative sciences.

http://www.brightvoxelstudios.com/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551387412655
https://www.instagram.com/film_tainted/

Get to know writer/producer Graham John Lamb:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

I was Virtual Production Supervisor on a film in Singapore, when the IMDA (InfoComm Media Development Authority Singapore) announced that they were funding projects in this particular area. My producer, director and director of photography were at the time over in the UK at the National Film and Television School also attending a Virtual Production immersion program aimed at industry professionals to learn about this new way of film making. So excited with this new surge of enthusiasm I asked Jeffrey about joining this content creation initiative and we all got together and created Tainted.

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

Well actually I wrote the story of ‘Tainted’ about 20 years ago, thinking it would be a 3D animation, , my background is in 3D/VFX – I do have a VERY mediocre animated trailer that I made back in 2004 – I’ve refined the story over the years but it never saw the light of day and put it on the back burner. So when we decided to take part in this Virtual Production Short Form – I pulled out the script and said “Let’s make this happen” so it was then about figuring out how to create something that is about feature length and then compiling it into a narrative that’s 10 minutes without losing the essence of the story. Ian Wee who directed the film took the story and many, many rewrites later we found that we captured the overall sense of the MUCH larger world of the “Tainted” universe. From start to finish we started planning everything in June 2023, shot the film in 5 days in September and final cut in early December. With Producer Jeffery’s daughter composing and singing our opening them song.

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

I hope that the film resonates with “Exciting” & “Intriguing” – action packed and also the twist in the story.

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

The biggest obstacle completing this film was approaching this film with Virtual Production – BUT the team assembled was absolutely marvelous!! We shot the film in 5 days, 1 day for technical setup with the Virtual Production studio and then 4 days of shoot – The vibe on set was fantastic, everyone had a blast and really came together. Aside from the team who had done some Virtual Production before there the bulk of the crew had never done it before and everyone was very interested to experience it for the first time. I think shooting this method gives the actors a better performance being able to react to the LED wall instead of a greenscreen, the explosion scene for instance – we can keep replaying the explosion over and over again and we just had some crew opening ‘party poppers’ just slightly off camera to give that extra on set practical effect.

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

Honestly I got a little teary, when I was looking at the reviews, I am greatly appreciative that the reviewers talk about the whole film in general from stunts, makeup, sound & music to performance and that really shows that the team was really the best – such a dynamic group all around and I have nothing but high praise for everyone involved.

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

I played around with the really old, large, clunky VHS film cameras in my late teens and then in my mid-late 20’s I wanted to tell stories, when I studied my degree, I was watching alot of South Park and I liked the story of how Matt Stone and Trey Parker came to make South Park. I left my magazine publishing job to study Multimedia, falling in love with 3D as a medium, ending my degree with an animated trailer for ‘Tainted’ then moving to Singapore just working in the education industry while freelancing. I don’t think myself as a filmmaker or even a writer for that matter, I think of myself as a storyteller and I’m aiming to tell more on what’s next for Tainted.

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

Oh this is tricky… I come from a rural town and at the time the best industry was video rentals, this is blockbuster era time line. I would say that I do love a western, despite this genre being sci-fi, action and supernatural. I’m going to go with “Unforgiven” or even “Silverado” as probably the most often films I’ve watched over and over. More recently I’ve watch Infinity War and Endgame back to back many times, you have to watch these together, more likely because of the amount of sheer world building and the culmination of each movie that came to that point, I appreciate the Russo brothers very much right there, especially the scene in Endgame when Antman (Paul Rudd) makes it home and finds his daughter at the door and that moment for some reason really resonates with 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 I would like to meet other film makers / producers online perhaps in a social zoom call – I’m over in Singapore so I’m displaced from the event otherwise I would love to be there. Perhaps also a pitching event for producers/investors to help realise some of the potential of the IP and where they could go to if taken further.

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

Oh this site is the best – as a first time film maker / creator, this site has been the go to site for me – it saves alot of time to try search around for various other sites and having everything standardized is something that makes everything ALOT easier to manage.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Ok in Singapore there is a dish called “Curry Chicken” by far this is my favorite meal – it’s basically chick and potato in a curry sauce, you can eat it with rice or bread.

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

Well for me I want to produce the “Tainted” universe, I’ve expanded the story into an 8-episode television series arc, I can only aspire for it to be on a streaming platform, I introduce a plethora of characters not even seen in the short film and you won’t believe the many twists in the story and easter egg rewatch potential that I have planned. I want to be smart with using Virtual Production, although it is expensive to implement, if done right you can bring down your costs by using digital environments but on the investor and producer side, given your story you can pivot to other platforms of media for more ROI and also narrative expansions. For example, I have my short film completed I already have the large training facility environment seen in the film but also using that scene I can create a fighting mobile game, shooting game, animation, comic/graphic novel – so I have 4 more avenues to expand the storytelling, collect the funds to make it, reinvest into a second season and spinoffs. This approach then leads to using it for marketing with AR/VR immersive experiences and Web3/Metaverse social events then to PS5 and Xbox and PC. So I’m looking more towards making content for multi-platform media, so I encourage anyone to just write stories that everyone globally can enjoy.

11 BLOCKS TO GO: THE BET, 10min., USA
Directed by Nathaniel P. Claridad
Samantha, a free-spirited hapless romantic, discovers her 30-something-year-old BFF Drew, a gay high-functioning drug-addled sex addict, hosting an orgy in lieu of honoring his personal commitments.

http://www.11blockstogo.com/

https://www.instagram.com/11blockstogo/

Get to know Actor/Writers Jack Utrata & Ashley Alexander (11 Blocks To Go: The Bet):

1. What motivated you to make this film?

Ashley: Honestly, it started out as a fun excuse to hang out and laugh and create something, but it quickly turned into a passion project. Neither of us expected it to turn into what it is. It went from sketch comedy to feature to TV series because we wanted more of our characters.

Jack: Our friendship happened quickly, and it was quality. You won’t find many lifelong friends in your 30s. That’s just by design. Usually, that happens in your 20s, when you have social opportunities from school, work, and your social life. But we connected on a soul level and connected creatively through improv and then a shared desire to create a love letter to friendship. A story that showcases the highs and lows of best friends in their 30s when they are making those long-term commitments to work, to their love life, and to family. We wanted to explore the boundaries of friendship, where is starts and where it stops. It’s not always a clear-cut answer. 11 Blocks To Go has always been a TV Series in our minds. And making this short was a jumping-off point for us to showcase our chemistry together and also see if the world we created on paper would be meaningful and interesting to others on film. This award clearly shows that this is the case, and we couldn’t be more honored to accept it.

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

Four Years from concept to final product. We started writing our pilot in February of 2020. Once the pandemic hit, we took the entire operation online. By 2021, we were touring the country with our pilot script and even picked up a few awards. It wasn’t until October 2023 that we decided we needed to show the world a little slice of what had been making waves in script form at festivals. We filmed over two days in late October 2023. Jack’s husband, Nathaniel P. Claridad, directed, and we got an amazing team together. Over the months that followed, Jack edited the film himself and then sent it off for color correction and sound design. In March of 2024, we had a locked picture and began the submission process.

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

Wild, heartfelt.

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

Jack: Time was our biggest challenge. As writers, producers, and actors, we often felt like we could do more, but that’s the nature of the creative process—always striving for perfection. Despite those internal doubts, the incredible response from our audiences proves that our instincts and hard work paid off.

Ashley: Time was definitely our biggest challenge. I felt like once we wrapped I was ready to start filming. We were so focused on producing up til the shoot that I didn’t prep enough from my character’s standpoint that I really didn’t feel grounded in my character or in my body. I thought, we wrote these characters, we’ll be fine, and we were, but I didn’t feel like I was in actor mode or ready until the director yelled cut for the last time.

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

Jack: Pure joy, with a few happy tears. Hearing the audience connect with the characters we created and relate to their struggles was incredibly validating. It reminded us exactly why we tell these stories—to create something that resonates deeply and sparks meaningful conversation.

Ashley: I was actually truly surprised that character dynamics and themes were picked up and commented on. I was also thrilled that someone said it’s “BroadCity – esque” because that is very much how I see the tones and dynamic of our show.

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

Jack – For me, I always knew I wanted to be an entertainer. It was always my “what do you want to be when you grow up” answer. But the first time I saw my Dad’s old VHS camcorder was a pivotal moment. Then, in 5th Grade, I got my own, and it was game over! I was hooked!

Ashley – 8 years old. 2nd grade I told everyone in class I’d be in movies but I made sure to let all adults know I’d be a triple threat and to remember my name. ha!

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

Jack – Honestly, this answer is pretty fabulous. I’d say it’s an even split between Frank Capra’s “It’s A Wonderful Life” and the 1st Sex and The City film.

Ashley – If I see something over and over, it’s because of comfort. I would say Burlesque, Ratatouille, and Cinderella w. Lilly James and Kate Blanchett are what I’ve seen over and over and will continue to.

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

Honestly, we love an in-person opportunity. We both live on opposite sides of the country, so it allows us not only to see one another but get to make meaningful and hopefully lasting relationships with other filmmakers. We learn so much from connecting with other artists and creators, and we’re learning the more established an event is, the more turnout, and therefore the more connections.

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

No complaints.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Jack loves beer-battered french fries dipped in Clam Chowder.

Ashley’s changes constantly but can always go for tacos or sushi.

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

Jack is currently writing a two-act play about a queer, formerly unhoused Only Fans performer whose estranged Grandmother shows up at his door after nearly 30 years of no contact to reconcile and throw him a coming-out party!

Ashley is in the middle of writing an adventure novel about soul searching in the midst of grief as well as a podcast series concept about three best friends, each leaving their partner in a Thelma and Louise style… but no one kills themselves.

RED, 24min,. USA
Directed by Corey Davis
In life, everyone is meant to share their adventures with someone special, someone they hold dear to them. Red tells the story of two friends who become lovers in a relationship that develops over the course of 12 years. Love itself is a long journey if you use it properly. Red is the story that will elevate the youth in a way to make them think about their futures and how they want to share it with someone, if they wish to do so. A lot of people today don’t last very long in relationships, especially the generation I live in today. But, Red is the story that can inspire people to love each other through the best times and the worst. It’s pretty rare these nowadays to see people last a long time, but I hope Red will inspire you follow your hearts.

https://www.facebook.com/100004541449317/posts/959713974189975/
https://twitter.com/coreydjokester

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

I made Red back in 2018. I was on the verge of entering my senior year in high school. I had feelings with this girl I had known since Kindergarten. I never told her I was in love with her, so I wanted to project my feelings into my craft as a way to help me process them. I was a young kid longing for something that others had. Maybe I was looking in the wrong place; maybe I was too young to know what I wanted, but I just wanted to express the idea that I wanted someone to love and in return love me back.

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

It took me about 3-4 days to write and create this project. I am a night owl. I tend to stay up very late to work on projects, so sticking with a nightly schedule definitely helped me finish the project more smoothly and efficiently in a reasonable manner.

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

In two words, I would describe this film as colorful and vivacious.

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

The biggest obstacle I faced when completing this film was making the animation believable. I worked on an app that had animated presets that you could use for characters. The animation itself was kind of still in the beginning, so me, who is not at all an animator, had to make something out of the presets that were given to tell a story from it. Every movement the characters make, every piece of clothing they wear, every score placed in scenes. All aspects were all done meticulously in a timely fashion.

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

I got goosebumps seeing the audience give their feedback on my film in the video. I never h had an actual audience give their critique on my films before, so to see that come into fruition was a very humbling and incredible experience. I appreciated their honesty in how they viewed this film as that only told me what worked and what I could improve on as a storyteller. I have asked some of my peers in the past to critique my older works, but it went nowhere, so to see a group of strangers take the time out to watch my film was a very awesome experience to witness.

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

Ever since I was six years old, I always knew I wanted to make films. I always knew that I wanted to use film as an outlet for me to channel my emotions and commentaries on the world in ways I could not do so in real life. I had a very imaginative mind growing up as I would always envision myself portraying these imaginary characters in my head. From that point on, I knew then and there that being in the creative field was my true calling.

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

Out of all the films I have watched in my entire lifespan, the film I have seen the most was Rocky (1976). That film is very inspirational and heartfelt as it has encouraged me to “go the distance” in life and keep pushing forward.

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

To enhance the festival experience, I would say for all the films that have participated in this festival, the best way to enhance the experience would be to share those films on social media to help get the traction they need to boost the experience. It would also be a great networking experience for fellow filmmakers involved.

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

My festival experience on the platform site has been very positive as I was able to locate my film and read about others. It has allowed for me to follow other people and follow up on their films. I definitely did not feel disappointed.

10. What is your favorite meal?

I like some good old-fashioned southern soul food (ribs, chicken, baked beans, etc.).

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

I am planning on making a feature film about a young man trying to escape the metaverse after wearing a dangerous VR headset that transports his mind into the game. I hope to release this sometime next year.