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.

Get to know the filmmakers:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

Alexa: To tell a story people can relate and connect to. I’ve always been passionate about dance so l loved using movement verse a script to tell that story.

Ashley: I had always wanted to create my own work on film but didn’t know how or where to start. I was associate choreographer last year on another artist’s project. That experience gave me the inspiration to want to create my own work with cameras and sets verse just creating choreography for stage

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

Alexa: About 2.5 months.

Ashley: About 2.5 months

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

Alexa: Heart wrenching and ruthless.

Ashley: Raw and relatable

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

Alexa: Ensuring that there weren’t a ton of people in the background when on the Brooklyn Bridge or making sure the transitions were smooth and made sense from scene to scene.

Ashley: Being on set doing both the performance and directing. Perform as the talent and making sure I stayed in character and conveyed the message we set out to portray was one challenge. Then also stepping away after takes and making sure we captured all those details we wanted to see were exactly what we imagined timing wise, choreographically, camera angles, etc.

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

Alexa: I was in awe to hear how people felt about it and how they portrayed it. It feels like what we set out to do was accomplished.

Ashley: I was speechless the first time watching. I just laughed out load out of excitement. I couldn’t believe we created something of this caliber on our first try and people had such a positive response to it. I was so proud of us to see we really conveyed the message we wanted to tell the audience without them knowing anything about it beforehand.

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

Alexa: I realized I wanted to make films after the connection I formed with Ashley. We have a certain creative connection that works and we will continue to make masterpieces together.

Ashley: Ever since I was younger I wanted to tell stories. I’d imagine how music videos should look when I’d hear a song I liked especially on long car rides as a kid. I never really acted on it or found the right person to create work like this with. When Alexa reached out to me about creating a film together I was ecstatic I found another creative who shared the same interests in storytelling on film.

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

Alexa: The Breakfast Club OR Good Will Hunting

Ashley: Jumanji

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

Alexa: Unsure at the moment

Ashley: I think adding some kind of mentorship event with past winners could be beneficial. Or a mixer with industry professionals and the selected participants of the festival for q&a’s.

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

Alexa: Great! An easy process.

Ashley: Incredible, and easy to navigate. This is our first time using FilmFreeway and I really enjoy it.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Alexa: A good slice of NYC pizza

Ashley: Mac and cheese – even though I’m lactose intolerant its worth it

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

Alexa: Yes! A new film that is light and fun will be released towards the end of the summer

Ashley: Yes! We will be shooting a new film this summer with an entirely different message and feeling. It will be upbeat, fun, and make you want summer to never end.

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.

https://www.fenderbenderfilms.com/
https://www.instagram.com/fenderbenderfilms/

Get to know actors & creators Marco Labate and Gica Pucca

What motivated you to make this film?

M: Coming from pretty intense personal journeys, we wanted to work with the idea of fantasy vs. reality, and we chose to use grief as a vehicle. At the end of the day, you can always make the choice to either acknowledge or ignore what you feel, but the latter can lead to confusion, and reality always catches up to you.

G: We liked exploring the concept of artificial intelligence and the modern world, conflicting with art and human emotion.

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

We initially didn’t have much of an idea of how long this would take. We just kept fleshing out the concept by ourselves until we brought Fender Bender Films in, which was essential in making the project actually happen. From start to finish, Project 405 took us around 7 months to complete.

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

M: Human nature
G: System failure

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

To put the idea into paper. The initial concept was pretty broad so we had a hard time pinpointing how and what we wanted to show the audience. Thanks to our director Josie coming in, we could finally finish what we started and get the production going.

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

It was heartwarming to see how this film was able to resonate with the audience. This is the part that we eagerly wait for from the beginning of a project, to find out what people take from our piece. After all, this is who we’re making it for.

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

M: I was always very inspired by movies, especially as a kid. I always came out of the movie theater hypnotized by the new ways a movie has taught me to look at things, like my world was broadened a little bit every time. In a way, I was raised by films. Now, all I want to do is to provide that feeling of innocence to other people, almost as a thank you to the people who made me feel the same way.

G: I like the quality that movies have to transform the imaginary into reality. For me, it’s a way to keep playing “what if” but in the adult world. I realized that I never wanted to let go of my imagination growing up. So making movies became a way to collect a part of it and put it into frames, with the possibility of sharing those stories with the world.

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

M: I don’t know if I should be proud or ashamed, but it was either The Incredibles or Monsters Inc.

G: I’ve seen The Witch by A24 more times than I can remember. It’s my favorite horror tale.

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

We really appreciate the possibility of getting as much feedback as possible, either through text, audio or video!

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

Our experience was pretty straightforward and rewarding. The platform is really simple to work with.

10. What is your favorite meal?

M: I’m a huge fan of rice and beans with fries on the side and a good steak.

G: I’m deeply missing my grandma’s cod recipe right now…

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

Hopefully we get to keep working on as many passion projects as humanly possible in the future and to find even more ways of telling stories that we love.

M: I’m currently writing a script for a feature film. The idea is to have a mix between Due Date and Good Will Hunting!

G: I currently have The Last Encore (2024) and Three Card Pull (2024) on festival runs. I’m also looking for talent representation as an actress and a distributor for my future feature film.

MERCY OF OTHERS, 105min., Australia
Directed by Damien 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.

https://www.sixplacedpictures.com/mercy-of-others
https://www.facebook.com/88to1productions
https://www.instagram.com/sixplacedpictures

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?
Stepping into my 2nd feature film project I wanted a film that will impact those who watch it. In our own world we are the heroes of our own story, but unbeknownst to us, we are villains in the eyes of others. Our actions, small and big impact the people around us, whether we intend to or not we can end up doing a lot of damage.

Mercy of Others is a story that has been brewing for some time. It took on many shapes and forms but in 2022, I decided to pull no punches. The film tackles a lot of uncomfortable and intense subject matter. We leave no stone unturned to drive home the point that every action causes an unintentional reaction.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
There was an older version of this script that was more of a cat and mouse thriller. It was shelved for several years until early 2022. I did a reimagining/rework of the original concept to make it more slower, darker and tragic. From that moment I did the rewrite in about 4 weeks. Pre production was about 3.5 weeks, 17 nights to shoot and 1.5 years in post.

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

Intense Consequences

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

Being under resourced, lack of time, the long night shoots and the long haul of post production. There are many stories to tell in the making of, but we’ll go with those few.

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

Thrilled. Great to hear from them, amazing feedback and great to know we are hitting the right notes we aimed for.

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

When I was early teens, watching films from Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez, made me want to get into filmmaking.

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

The original Halloween, Desperado

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 audience feedback is the biggest one. Festivals can be quite known to filmmakers and folks in the arts, but a challenge for all filmmakers is to have a direct response from everyday audiences. It can be hard for a filmmaker to find their audience this helps.

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

Yeah great so far, nice and easy.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Pasta!

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

Writing my next project to hopefully head into production in 2025.

SOLITUDE, 87min., USA
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.

http://www.brownspacefilms.com/
https://www.facebook.com/solitudefilm2023
https://twitter.com/brownspacefilm
https://www.instagram.com/solitude_film_2024/

Get to know filmmaker Jeremy Brown:

What motivated you to make this film?

“Solitude was born from my fascination with the human psyche under extreme conditions. I wanted to explore how isolation can unravel even the strongest characters, and delve into the terror lurking within our minds. I was also a huge fan of the TV series on the History Channel called “Alone.” It was the perfect catalyst to move forward with writing this film”

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

“It took us approximately three years from conception to completion. It was a journey filled with creative challenges, but each step brought us closer to realizing our vision for Solitude.”

How would you describe your film in two words!?

“Intense. Isolation.”

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

“Balancing the atmospheric tension with the emotional depth of the characters was a significant challenge. We wanted to ensure that the horror elements resonated while maintaining a compelling narrative arc.”

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

“It was incredibly rewarding to see how our audience connected with the characters and themes of Solitude. Their insights and reactions were cool, and it was nice to hear from someone not directly tied to the film.”

When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

“I’ve been captivated by films since childhood, but it was during my teenage years that I realized the power of storytelling through filmmaking. After my first viewing of “Return of the Living Dead”, I knew then that I wanted to craft stories that provoke thought and evoke emotions.”

What film have you seen the most in your life?

“I’ve watched ‘Jaws’ countless times. It’s a masterclass in suspense and character-driven storytelling, and it never fails to captivate me with each viewing.”

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

“Creating opportunities for networking and mentorship sessions with industry professionals would be invaluable. Additionally, platforms for filmmakers to engage directly with their audience post-screening can foster meaningful connections.”

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

“FilmFreeway has been an essential tool for us to reach a global audience of film enthusiasts and industry professionals. The platform’s user-friendly interface and robust features have streamlined our submission process and expanded our film’s reach.”

What is your favorite meal?

“My wife makes amazing comfort food, but her scallop potato/ham/cheese/peas is probably my favorite food. It’s comfort food that fuels both creativity and unadulterated happiness.”

What is next for you? A new film?

“We are eager to gauge Solitude’s reception with audiences before committing to future projects. The current film market presents significant challenges, particularly for indie filmmakers, where financial viability remains elusive. Producing the type of films I envision requires substantial capital investment, yet low-budget productions face daunting odds akin to a lottery. As we navigate these realities, we aim to make informed decisions that align creativity with sustainable business strategies. As robotic as that sounds, it’s a sad reality I’m facing with moving from a passion to a viable work model.”

RESILIENT GENIUS, 73min,. Canada
Directed by Joanne M. Hodges
Resilient Genius gives voice to children and youth affected by war, conflict, and political unrest. 13 children and youth immerse us in memories of Syria, Ethiopia, Ukraine, Rwanda, Afghanistan and Iraq, reflecting on their lives before, during, and after experiences of violence. Their raw recollections, expressions of wisdom and transformative acts provide a powerful call to action.

https://twitter.com/hodgesjoanne

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

I had family members living in Tigray during the height of the violence in the Tigray War. The Ethiopian governments turned off telecommunications, electricity, and water to the 7 million people living in Tigray, targeted items essential for life and destroyed their infrastructure, withheld food and medicine, closed banks, destroyed cultural heritage items, committed massacres, and widespread acts of sexual violence that were genocidal in nature. Nearly a million Tigrayans died; it was clearly a genocide, and yet despite the shocking level of violence and crime, the general public hardly knew anything about the Tigray War. As I walked through my city of Toronto, feeling the impact and weight of the war on the diaspora and myself, I came to realize how important it is to be conscious of the told and untold trauma many refugees have experienced before arriving in Canada. I met Mulugeta Abai, the executive director of the Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture (CCVT), when we both sat on the board of directors of an organization called Ethiopian Canadians for Peace. CCVT wanted to create a short video that profiled and elevated children’s and youth’s voices, highlighting their unique experiences of conflict and war. Partway through filming, I realized I likely had enough content to create a feature-length film. With over 110 armed conflicts around the world right now and so many people seeking refuge in safer countries, I feel it is critically important that we understand the many unique impacts that war and civil unrest have on our children and youth, so I pushed ahead and created this feature-length film, maintaining the original vision of letting the children and youth describe their experiences in their own words.

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

One year

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

Immersive, transformative.

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

It was not exactly an obstacle, but I paid careful attention to the relationships I developed with the families, children, and youth I interviewed. I also carefully selected a small crew. We were working with such a highly vulnerable population, and I really wanted to ensure that we built and maintained trust. Implementing an advanced consent protocol was also important to me so that youth and parents were given multiple opportunities to approve how their stories were portrayed.

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

It was moving, and I really appreciated hearing their observations and reflections. I hope that those of us who watch Resilient Genius remember to suspend judgment when we interact with refugees, that parents remember we don’t know what kids at our local playground or school might have lived through, and that decision-makers remember how many kids with these experiences are living in our communities.

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

I am working on a documentary about the Tigray War. I am also a community organizer and human rights defender. In the coming months, I will likely do a bit of all three.

THE BLUE ANGEL…NIGHT CLUB, 25min., Mexico
Directed by René Pereyra
Set in the 1990s, in a Mexico so turbulent, insecure, and pitiful that we continue to live in to this day, “The Blue Angel… Night Club” tells, In the form of dark comedy, a poignant story about homophobia and a false “machismo” that conceals a latent homosexuality within a northern town, full of “macho” men; and on the brink of disappearing.

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

Well, the fact that I believe homophobia it´s a phenom that cause a lot of crime in our society, but at same time, I believe that those crimes are because of “Macho Men”.

Nowadays, movies treat this kind of problems in a very light or superficial way.

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

The idea of making this film came around 4 years ago; but the shooting took us only 4 days.

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

Complaint and Freedom.

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

Money matters.

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

Was a lot of enjoyment because they understood the problem and the message we wanted to transmit.

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

Since I was a kid; then when I went to New York to study, I definitely knew that that was what I wanted to do in my life, movies.

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

“The Last Picture Show” by Bogdanovich

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

Because the money matters, it would be nice that you offer some kind of economical help to the people who participate.

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

Nice and easily.

10. What is your favorite meal?

“Mole verde” (Mexican food).

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

Of course! We are preparing the long feature film of “The Blue Angel … Night Club”. But at the same time, we have plenty other stories that willing to be shoot.

THE HARDSHIPS OF SUMMONING A DEMON, 14min., Canada
Directed by Britt Dallyn
In order to woo his school crush, a determined but highly misguided Stan attempts to summon a demon with the help of his sister stuck at home on Halloween night, by kidnapping a heavily intoxicated young man under the ruse of his own sacrifice being an after party.

https://www.instagram.com/summoning_a_demon/

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

While attending Vancouver Film School, the course allows six story ideas to be voted on by the class to get made for our “final” projects. With these “finals” we are given our highest budget and longest shooting schedule to film our original 9 page scripts. I had made many short films in the past, but all with minimal (mostly zero) other people, less knowledge and no money. I saw this as a great chance to create a film to showcase my creative voice with the type of resources I never had before.

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

to make this film?

I came up with the initial idea in October 2022 and wrote numerous drafts till December. Once my script was chosen to get made in 2023 I worked on more drafts from March to April. Filmed May 4-6. Then edited picture and sound up to late September.

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

Demonic Superbad

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

The shoot itself was incredibly challenging. As I said earlier, all the resources available for the shoot were so appealing, but it also made it very stressful as I didn’t want to mess up this chance. And my stress was pushed to its absolute limits with the amount of unforeseen obstacles that appeared. Working in a tiny room like a garage was way more time consuming than anyone realized, our plan for rigging lighting did not work, the homeowner went on a drunken rampage at the end of night two, leading us to change locations for day three having to rework the script and completely wing a shot list. It was easily the most stressful three days of my life.

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

I loved how all the wide various tones and feelings I wanted to incorporate into the film came across to the audience. As they mentioned the light but dark humor with an underlying sense of menace, as well as the coming of age comparison with movies like “American Pie”. It was rewarding to see the film was successful in emitting all of the different moods I wanted it to. I was also very joyful to see one audience member in particular seem so excited by my movie. I feel I may be able to call that my first glowing review.

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

When I was 12 and was given an iPad equipped with iMovie, I started making little shorts out of boredom to pass the time but it quickly became my lifelong passion.

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

Probably Batman ’89 or Billy Maddison. Batman ’89 because it was one of those movies I relentlessly watched from birth through all of my childhood and still watch every few years now. Billy Maddison because I watched it, not as relentlessly, but very steadily since I was 8.

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 always be searching for something unique and giving filmmakers the chance to promote themselves, as well as network with others.

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

It has been a great experience because everything about the site makes submitting projects as easy and convenient as it can be.

10. What is your favorite meal?

I’m really starting to love anything Mexican. I’m addicted to the spice.

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

Right now I want to keep building my writer and director resume with short films. I’ve been working on writing my next project since January and am hoping to film it in the fall or early next year.

SOUTH PLUG: LATITUDES, 6min., Spain
Directed by Juan de Dios Valdivieso
South Plug presents “Latitudes”, a documentary series that follows the lives of 5 artists from the Latin electronic music scene and Chile as country of origin. From different cities around the world and under their own gaze or lens, we follow them through an intimate journey through their lives. A tribute to the human spirit and its ability to adapt, a window into the reality of an artist.

https://southplug.com/en/south-plug-presents-latitudes/

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?
The motivation comes from the desire to learn more deeply about people’s inspirations, their creative worlds and realities. It seems to me that each character has a thousand and one things to tell, as well as each story and its possibilities.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
This project was financed and supported by Chile’s National Fund for Cultural Development and the Arts, and was ready to be produced in 2020, just when the pandemic arrived. So, of course, it has taken a while, 3-4 years, but more than anything it has been to understand, both on our side and that of the distributors, that this new reality presented an opportunity worth exploring.

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

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
Directing, possibly it was to achieve a fluid communication with each artist. Each line of conversation had its times and forms, which required a lot of order, firmness and empathy.
From the production side, gaining access to the distributor so that what was agreed upon could be fulfilled, looking for ways that suited both parties.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
It feels great to see that your work has been reviewed and commented on by others. I think that makes it all worthwhile.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
It has always been in me, to record and itnerés for lives, people. I guess it all became more serious about 10 years ago when I got more deeply into the art scene.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
It’s probably somewhere in between The Big Lebowski, Groundhog Day

8. What is your favorite meal?
Smalahove

9. What is next for you? A new film?
That’s right, working on a script for a dramatic fiction series (with some reality), a music video and always under the arm, documentary projects.

MORNING ROUTINE, 2min., Canada
Directed by William Thibodeau
Inspired by the epic true story. After sleeping in, Jack must go through his morning routine before it’s too late…

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

I wanted to turn something seemingly boring into something exciting. We are all in a rush during our morning routine and I wanted to depict it in the most epic way possible.

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

I had the idea when I was studying filmmaking back in 2022. Originally, I wanted to make a short to practice different camera techniques and had everything planned on that same year. But as school projects piled up, we were unable to do it then. But as time went on, this idea couldn’t leave my mind. I then asked different people I met on different film sets to help me make this film. From the idea to the finished product, it took about 2 years.

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

Ridiculous and Relatable

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

Time. We had one day to shoot this film. The problem was that we were filming during wintertime, when the days were shorter, and we needed sunlight for most of our scenes.

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

I was blown away by the extremely positive feedback. When I saw the feedback video, I had just learned that the film had won a prize and I cannot express the joy, the pride and the excitement I was feeling at the moment.

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

Oof, that’s a hard one. I realized I wanted to work in the film industry when I was a kid, I’d say around 8 or 9 years old. I wanted to be an actor back then and I worked on a few sets as an extra. I took a break for years and realized in 2018 (I was 15 then) that I wanted to actually create the films.

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

The Simpsons movie, it was a favorite in my family when I was a child. On long trips, me and my sister would watch it together.

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 do not know what more your festival can do. You are helping to promote our films; you are helping us network with other filmmakers and to top it off you are also giving us feedback.

I believe that more festivals should provide feedback. In my opinion, feedback is what helps us understanding our mistakes and helps us improve as filmmakers.

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

So far, my experience with FilmFreeway has been good. The user’s interface is good, and I love the different filters they have while researching festivals. I also love how you can see in real-time the submission status of your projects.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Chicken wings and fries

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

Excellent question. I do have a lot of project ideas that I am currently in the writing phase. I have an anthology series I would like to get started on, perhaps I’ll produce a pilot. But I have no idea on when I would be doing it since I work full-time as a crew member on film sets.

DISSONANCE, 8min,. Canada
Directed by Christian Sweeney
Caught stealing from her family’s safe, Marsha is confronted about her drug addiction.

http://www.sweeneyperspective.com/
https://instagram.com/sweeneyperspective

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

I have personally struggled and have grown up around people who have struggled with substance abuse. Although I am not the most public about these details, I wanted to create something that acted as a testament to those who stood by me in my worst. With this film I wanted to highlight the strength required to care for someone with substance abuse, and remind an audience that they are not alone and to never take their support for granted.

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

This script took about two years to write, going through over seven drafts. We shot it in two day’s with an incredible team. Post-Production took about two month’s to finalize this piece.

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

Purposefully unconditional. A kind of love and support that stretches beyond our instincts but requires dedication and continuous effort.

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

In my past films I find I have always struggled to create a genuine and believable performance from my actors. This was something that I had put extra emphasis on while directing by being intimate with the actors and sharing my own experiences within the context of this script. It was definitely a change of pace for me as a commercial director to be vulnerable and give my actors room to explore their own understanding of the story. I feel this approach will lead the foundations to which I base the remainder of my creative projects. After all, directing is a collaboration between my vision and my actor’s presence and feelings within a scene. Through the creation of this film I have fallen in love with allowing my actors the space to bring their own vision to set.

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

I found it extremely valuable to not only hear about the technical aspects that made up my film but further hear people relate and break down the physical dynamics that underlay it. I am extremely grateful for this deeper understanding of my film that was perceived by the audience and am glad to know the intention of playing with a long history between my two characters was felt.

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

My whole life I have messed around with cameras however it wasn’t until 16 years old in my high school drama class that I realized this could be a viable career path. I fell in love with using my camera to tell stories from my perspective and I have never stopped since. Studying film at York University has only strengthened this continued belief in myself to trust in my creativity and continuously use it as an outlet for exploration.

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

I have watched Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia’s The Platform (2019) more times than I can count. I love the film’s use of foreshadowing, pacing, and the larger than life effect that was created with such a limited space and budget. I admire the production team’s innovations in this sense and have always strived to create more with less.

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 believe offering a public in person screening would be very valuable to a lot of filmmakers who aren’t so lucky to ever witness a live reaction to their film. While Wild Sound provides this with feedback which is undeniably valuable, I think there is always a sense of achievement when hearing an audience’s reaction live whether this be laughs, crys, sighs, etc.

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

So far so good! Although each festival has very different rules that can sometimes be conflicting, I believe having a universal platform for all festival submissions makes it a very inviting experience.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Penne alla Vodka is by far my top dish. I am an Italian after all, haha.

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

I am currently writing a script for another 10-15 minute short film coming to festivals hopefully next summer! It is my final film at York University and I am going all out. Although still in its early stages of the script, we go to camera in late October!