Reyna, a struggling DJ in Silicon Valley, has to pivot her career in order to survive. Having the worst year ever, she is forced to join the “gig economy” so she can pay rent while living with her pushy mother. While dating women for the first time, she finds herself in comical situations. Through determination, self-discovery, and the power of faith, Reyna learns to overcome adversity and finds her true calling and love.
This feature, Echoes of Dreams, was a moving exploration of how hard work, persistence and the support of a loved one can allow for dreams to become a reality. Across the board, the performances of the cast were true to life. The awkwardness of the lead’s initial failures both professionally and socially was believably painful. The added frustration of constant parental pressure to succeed made the lead’s desperation even more dire. Another hardship was the lead’s exposure to a lover whose family’s homophobia would demand their lesbian relationship be a secret forever. In contrast, the depiction of the joy and freedom between the lovers Reyna and Tiya was heartwarming.
The pulsing soundtrack and stirring vocals below textless scenes of either frustration or sensual passion (enriched with erotic slo-mo camera shots) worked seamlessly. Various dating locations were well-selected, such as a bike path, a bowling alley, restaurants, an inviting couch and a comfortable bedroom. The screenplay was sensitive and thoughtful, as the central relationship was rich in caring, trust and support, which allowed for Reyna’s character arc – moving from failure to success in both work and love. Reyna’s dreams were no longer just distant echoes, but now were tangible and real.
Conversation with writer/producer Ken Barrett about the Opera Film “BRAINLAND”
In 1935 Egas Moniz, renowned Portuguese neurologist, visit psychiatrist Sobral Cid in order to persuade him allow his patients to be act as subjects for Moniz’s experiemntal treatment – frontal leucotomy. After some resistance Cid agrees. The first such operation is staged, but Moniz’s exhaltation is cut short by an attempt on his life. This self-contained chamber opera is actually scene 7 from a longer opera of the same name that tells three stories from the history of 20th century brain science (rather than a screenplay we worked with a libretto). it was filmed very quickly with little resources and involved professional and non-professional cast & crew. The music is by Stephen Brown. Directed by Chiara D’Anna
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BRAINLAND, 13min., UK Directed by Chiara D’Anna In 1935 Egas Moniz, renowned Portuguese neurologist, visit psychiatrist Sobral Cid in order to persuade him allow his patients to be act as subjects for Moniz’s experiemntal treatment – frontal leucotomy. After some resistance Cid agrees. The first such operation is staged, but Moniz’s exhaltation is cut short by an attempt on his life. This self-contained chamber opera is actually scene 7 from a longer opera of the same name that tells three stories from the history of 20th century brain science (rather than a screenplay we worked with a libretto). it was filmed very quickly with little resources and involved professional and non-professional cast & crew.The music is by Stephen Brown.
COLORS OF THE AMAZON, 7min,. Belgium Directed by Francisco Barboza Some time after performing “Amazonas,” a composition for piano and orchestra, at the beautiful Teatro Amazonas in Manaus, I returned to visit the indigenous people of the Brazilian Amazon forest where I had the exceptional opportunity to make a recording of a traditional song. In “Colors Of The Amazon,” I use that song in its original and unfiltered form as a framework. The result is a composition that allowed me to explore a fascinating sound world where world music and orchestral tradition embrace each other ????????.
DAYLIGHT, 12min., USA Directed by Yaa Asantewaa Faraji A ballet dancer struggles to cope with the realities of her new life after one night goes terribly wrong.
SLOWLY, 4min,. France Directed by Christophe Dachy Paris, Place de la République, July 2022. Alone, facing the trampling crowd, the march of time, the freezing rain, she dances.
OUT OF THE DARK, 3min,. USA Directed by Alexa Ruggiero, Ashley Carrizo A screendance film that portrays how certain relationships in ones life can cause turmoil. The process of letting someone go can be freeing while also being an emotional rollercoaster full of sadness, anger, and relief.
POET, 5min,. China Directed by Mofei Wei, Yang Sun “Poet” is a dance film inspired by Chinese poet Yu Xiuhua, a rural woman with cerebral palsy, who recently became famous in China. Many started to know her works from her audacious Poem “Crossing Half of China to Sleep with You”. Living in a conservative rural village in southern China where prejudice against women, disability, and divorce are high, she managed to break free from an unwanted marriage and live her life as a writer despite the satirical voices around.
MORNING INTERLUDE, 7min., France Directed by Sirius At daybreak on a country road, a young couple returns from a restless night visibly exhausted. Angry with each other the couple will in a magnetic danse try to reconcile.
KINGDOM, 8min., Poland Directed by Jagoda Turlik Past, Present, Future – Three orders determining the space of life. Distant, but without each other they do not constitute truth. They coexist as a sum, a stream of experience. The past stores memories, evokes sentiments, but also hides demons. There is no future, it may be dangerous. The present forces you to decide in what direction to go “here and now”
MITOTE – SMOKEY MIRROR, 9min,. South Korea Directed by Jana Sturmheit In today’s world us humans have developed a complex social system of rules and expectations. Children are taught from the day they are born on how they are expected to behave. They are told what is right and wrong, what is possible and what not. That is, by the standards of the children’s parents and other people in their surroundings, in other words the society they grow up in.
This art visual film is an homage to the musical piece of Leo Delibes “the flower duet”
Review by Julie C. Sheppard:
The famous musical piece by Leo Delibes, “Flower Duet”, literally blooms to life on screen in this sensual art visual film directed by Artist Eddie Jelinet. The concept of two fresh and lovely floral heads on supple, graceful young bodies does full justice to this soaring, gorgeous piece of music.
The floral hues – soft pinks and purples – give the film a distinctly pretty, delicate, feminine feel. The bright white background presents these two figures in breathtaking, high relief. I appreciate the directorial choice that, at the beginning, the musical piece is solely orchestral and the figures are filmed in solo shots. However, once the joyous choral voices in the piece begin, the figures start to connect and move lovingly, giving one another soft touches and gentle caresses, as if a pair of flowers in a breezy field. They interact in almost a balletic manner – indeed a flower duet. And the delicate floral petals falling on the figures add a vertical dimension to these horizontal figures.
This film was indeed a real feast for the eyes and ears. Per the Delibes quote at the top of the film, these flowers, personified, do indeed “bloom together” as the film unfolds!
THREE Writing Festival Deadlines Today to submit to:
Short Story Performance Reading – Submit your 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. SUBMIT NOW
HAIKU Poetry Contest – Submit a poem that’s a dramatic monologue via Submittable. SUBMIT NOW
TV PILOT & SPEC Screenplay Contest – Full Feedback on all submissions. Get your screenplay performed by professional actors and made into video. SUBMIT NOW
UPCOMING DEADLINES
FAMILY/KIDS Novel Contest – Get Full Feedback. Get chance to have transcript of your novel performed by an actor and made into video. SUBMIT NOW
ENVIRONMENTAL Poetry Contest – Submit a poem that’s a dramatic monologue via Submittable. SUBMIT NOW
COMEDY Screenplay Contest – Full Feedback on all submissions. Get your screenplay performed by professional actors and made into video. SUBMIT NOW
July 21st
VIDEO PITCH Logline – If you like us to do a video of your logline, we’ll peform it using a professional actor and promote it online on our site and popular YouTube channel and VIMEO Channel. SUBMIT NOW
POLITICAL Poetry Contest – Submit a poem that’s a dramatic monologue via Submittable. SUBMIT NOW
FAN FICTION Screenplay Contest – Full Feedback on all submissions. Get your screenplay performed by professional actors and made into video. SUBMIT NOW
July 22nd
ACTOR PERFORMANCE READING – Submit for an actor performance reading transcript of your novel (any 5 pages of your book). Great way to promote the sales of your book if you’re already published. SUBMIT NOW
ELEGY Poetry Contest – Submit a poem that’s a dramatic monologue via Submittable. SUBMIT NOW
FAMILY Screenplay Contest (Features, TV, Shorts) – 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.) SUBMIT NOW
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.
DESIRE, 7min., USA Directed by Jason Chu After a swanky luncheon, a sophisticated gentleman takes a reluctant date on his yacht for a drink. There is something that has been itching him, and he’s just not quite sure how to scratch it.
THE WRITER’S EXTRAORDINARY ACTION, 24min., China Directed by Chao Hao It describes the story of some writers who are bound to each other in their “writing worlds” and fighting against each other to break free from the control of fate.
HIGH-STAND, 15min., Hungary Directed by Péter Karácsony Hawk and Berry are standing on a high-stand, looking for game. It would be a funny joke, if it weren’t so sad.
THIEF, 29min., Kenya Directed by Andrew Odera Omolo, Gregory Kiwo Maole “Thief” follows the gripping story of Oliver, a reformed ex-thief facing the dire reality of his critically ill son, Richie. Struggling with escalating medical bills, Oliver is approached by Edward, a wealthy benefactor with an unconventional proposal – a high-stakes heist targeting Donna, a mysterious figure with a hidden fortune.
PROJECT 405: LOST AT SEA, 12min,. USA Directed by Josie Hull Aspiring artist Alexia, grieves the loss of a loved one and struggles to finish her painting. The-o, her personal AI assistant, who has little understanding of human emotions, tries everything in his power to feed her longing soul.
SHIVA, 13min., Canada Directed by Josh Saltzman Shiva is an unnerving tale about a recently widowed woman who breaks with a long-held Jewish mourning ritual in hopes of connecting with her deceased husband.
Submit your FILM for FREE using the FilmFreeway button
LAST DAY to submit for the April Festival.
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Festival designed to showcase independent politically inclined films from all corners of the world.
Agenda is to help show the world stories with a macro political agenda. This is purely a partisan minded festival. Our goal is to show films from different ideological points of view. (As long as their is no hate filled, racist, sexist, or violent points of view)
It also intends to showcase screenplays that are politically themed. We give full feedback on all entries. Winners get their script performed by professional actors and made into a promotional video (paid service).
In this time of divided cultures, our idealistic agenda is to help bridge the gap in some small way. To entertain and educate by films and screenplays that need to be seen by the world.
Festival will occur every single month.
POLITICAL Film Festival VIRTUAL Events occurs once a month on the Film Festival Streaming Service.
All film submissions are FREE. Opportunity to have your film showcased on the popular streaming service for 48 hours.
(Other opportunities to garner a distribution deal with the company and have your film showcased always on the streaming service.)
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Directed by Daman Giglietta In the haunting shadow of a recent tragedy, “Mercy of Others” unfolds as a close-knit group of six friends reunite to mourn the loss of a friend. This gathering, meant for solace and reminiscence, swiftly uncovers buried tensions and unresolved conflicts within their circle, revealing a complex web of emotions and relationships.
Directed by Jeremy Brown, Mick Strawn A famous upbeat survivalist is cast for a popular television series about surviving in solitude, but survival turns to despair when she discovers a supernatural entity’s presence.
THREE Writing Festival Deadlines Today to submit to:
CRIME/MYSTERY Novel Contest – Get Full Feedback. Get chance to have transcript of your novel performed by an actor and made into video. SUBMIT NOW
(FREE) HAIKU Poetry Contest – Submit a poem that’s a dramatic monologue via Submittable. SUBMIT NOW
HORROR Screenplay Contest – Full Feedback on all submissions. Get your screenplay performed by professional actors and made into video. SUBMIT NOW
UPCOMING DEADLINES:
July 19th
Short Story Performance Reading – Submit your 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. SUBMIT NOW
HAIKU Poetry Contest – Submit a poem that’s a dramatic monologue via Submittable. SUBMIT NOW
TV PILOT & SPEC Screenplay Contest – Full Feedback on all submissions. Get your screenplay performed by professional actors and made into video. SUBMIT NOW
July 20th
FAMILY/KIDS Novel Contest – Get Full Feedback. Get chance to have transcript of your novel performed by an actor and made into video. SUBMIT NOW
ENVIRONMENTAL Poetry Contest – Submit a poem that’s a dramatic monologue via Submittable. SUBMIT NOW
COMEDY Screenplay Contest – Full Feedback on all submissions. Get your screenplay performed by professional actors and made into video. SUBMIT NOW
July 21st
VIDEO PITCH Logline – If you like us to do a video of your logline, we’ll peform it using a professional actor and promote it online on our site and popular YouTube channel and VIMEO Channel. SUBMIT NOW
POLITICAL Poetry Contest – Submit a poem that’s a dramatic monologue via Submittable. SUBMIT NOW
FAN FICTION Screenplay Contest – Full Feedback on all submissions. Get your screenplay performed by professional actors and made into video. SUBMIT NOW
July 22nd
ACTOR PERFORMANCE READING – Submit for an actor performance reading transcript of your novel (any 5 pages of your book). Great way to promote the sales of your book if you’re already published. SUBMIT NOW
ELEGY Poetry Contest – Submit a poem that’s a dramatic monologue via Submittable. SUBMIT NOW
FAMILY Screenplay Contest (Features, TV, Shorts) – 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.) SUBMIT NOW
Festival Reviews 