Surge of Power: Where There’s Smoke, 68min., USA

Directed by Vincent J. Roth, Jeff Rector, Mario DeAngelis
Enjoy the latest installment of the “Surge of Power” indie superhero movie franchise known for having lots of celebrities from the sci-fi and superhero genres! “Where There’s Smoke” follows Surge as he teams up with guest superhero, The Smoke (former pro wrestler Eric Moran), as they uncover a mysterious plot of the villain group called The Council. Who is Falling Apple, struggling with childhood trauma and abuse, out for revenge over her father’s murder, and what is her role in The Council’s evil scheme?

Get to know filmmaker Vincent J. Roth:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

“Surge of Power: Where There’s Smoke” is our 5th movie. We started screening it in film festivals on the 20th anniversary of the film festival screening start of our first movie, “Surge of Power: The Stuff of Heroes.” The movies in between have been building out the Surge of Power world with new characters and subplots. The immediately preceding movie, “Surge of Dawn,” was a collaboration with a fellow filmmaker to crossover our worlds where one of his flagship characters, Dawn, a vampire witch, teams up with Surge and Mavis to take on a new threat. This trio of Dawn, Mavis and Surge indicated it is time for Surge to form a superhero team. I have had a few new characters in mind for some time, Kid Dynamo, Falling Apple and Grok. This natural evolution in Surge’s development to start teaming up with other heroes was an ideal progression to introduce these new characters and bring them into the fold. “Where There’s Smoke” was our “Avengers assemble” moment where a team forms. We are excited to reach this point where the stage is set for bigger adventures with our team of superheroes.

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

“Where There’s Smoke” was probably the most planned out Surge of Power movie to date. We were very careful laying out the story, making props and costumes, and filming in phases to allow us to focus on groups of scenes at a time. It took almost 4 years since “Surge of Dawn” for us to be ready to exhibit “Where There’s Smoke.”

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

Avengers assemble.

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

I find indie film crew members often don’t have a lot of experience shooting visual effect intensive movies. It takes a lot of planning, explaining, storyboarding and demonstrating for me to convey what’s needed. “Where There’s Smoke” is a very VFX heavy – almost 500 VFX shots. Even with all the planning we did for this movie, errors were made during filming, causing us to go back to do reshoots. Reshooting is expensive and time consuming. Even after reshoots, some shots were still not quite right, which was very frustrating. Fortunately, we have some clever VFX designers who were able to fix and work with the footage. This also caused extra work plus added time and cost to production. Thankfully, in the end we arrived at a product that was appealing and satisfying and has won 33 awards so far in film festivals. So, we got something right.

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

I was very pleased with the reviewer comments. I think they were very honest. I’m glad the reviewers appreciated what we accomplished with a low budget. They picked up on deeper elements and appreciated the complexity and heart that when into it, which sounded genuine. I’m glad the audience members enjoyed the humor woven in with dramatic stakes. It was also heartwarming to hear viewers notice the meta aspects of the story that touched on social themes as well as paying tribute to the superhero genre that they noticed from comics, TV shows, and movies.

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

For years I made costumes for myself of other properties’ characters before “cosplay” was a common word. Then there was a time when I was working in my second job as a corporate attorney where the company I was working for was promoting a new device with a marketing campaign that had a dark haired, muscular superhero character, they named Commander X. One of the marketing staff knew I liked superheroes and asked me if I’d make a costume, which I did. I really wanted this to turn out good. It was my pièce de resistance at the time. Management liked it so much, they would transfer me out of the legal department into the marketing department when they had trade shows and took me with them to be Commander X. I generated a lot of activity and sales opportunities. Having a company make me its mascot made me things that I should do something with characters of my own. That’s when the ideas of bringing Surge to the screen and making Surge of Power movies started.

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

When I was young, in the early days of HBO, my family and I watched many movies repeatedly. Also back then a movie could last in theaters for quite some time. I think Steve Spielberg’s “ET” lasted 11 months in our local theater. ET, Star Wars (A New Hope), and 9-to-5 were movies I saw many times. In more recent years, I went to see the first “Avengers” movie 4 times in theaters. I also saw the last Avengers movie, “Endgame” 3 times in theaters.

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 enjoyed the festival experience and appreciated the collaboration and communication with staff to coordinate.

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

FilmFreeway is the standard for film festivals. We have been using it for quite some time. It’s very user-friendly.

10. What is your favorite meal?

I love sushi and Brazilian steak houses.

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

We have an ongoing web series, Surge of Power: Big City Chronicles,” that is about to start its 8th season. We also make ongoing, short motivational videos with Surge called “Surge of Power: Code of Heroes.” On the film side, we have one more movie adventure for Surge that picks up after “Where There’s Smoke” that is designed to wrap up the story we’ve been building since the first Surge of Power movie, “The Stuff of Heroes.” This will essentially be our Surge “Endgame.” We hope to be going into production on that soon.

Quench, 14min., UK
Directed by Ande Case
Thirst is a cruel mistress.

Get to know the filmmaker;

1. What motivated you to make this film?

It’s one of those amazing moments as a script writer when a great idea just lands in your head. Of course it had rewrites and great suggestions from the cast and crew but fundamentally the core of the story and visuals remain. I had to get it made 🙂

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

2.2 days filming (budgetary reasons) and about 2 days post. Yes, that is not much time but does show what ‘can’ be achieved when financial reality means you ‘have’ to achieve it.

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

Non Standard

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

Location. Took ages to find the ideal location (one of my 18 roles is location scout) and then negotiate an affordable fee.

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

Absolutely humbling. It is one thing for you to know what you’ve made but to hear others experiencing the same thing (while avoiding spoilers!) was just an incredible experience.

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

About 10 years ago when I had scripts piling up, some winning competitions but absolutely nothing happening. But I only make one when I have enough to pay cast and crew their rates. I cannot abide the whole come work for me at a loss so my vision is realised – just so unbelievably selfish when people have bills to pay. If everyone did that more cast and crew would have a better life.

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

Now then, that’s a challenge but likely a close call between The Blue Brothers [1980] and 2001: A Space Odyssey [1968] with Alien / Aliens and Shawkshank Redemption not far behind.

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

You are doing an incredible job – you give feedback, screen our work, provide viewer feedback and much more – that is about 90% more than some of these festivals bother with. There are too many ‘festivals’ on FilmFreeway that are happy to take your money but offer next to nothing in return. And I don’t mean not winning but the whole you never hear anything from them again.

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

See above. I would love there to be a process where all film-makers get to vote on the Top 10 or 20 Festivals each year and they get placed into a special ‘spend your money on these’ category – so you know your money is going to someone who cares about boosting others.

10. What is your favorite meal?

I really want to say something fancy but honestly a well made Mac & Cheese would be just fine.

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

Yes. More challenging, really go to push my small team / actors but it will (I hope!) be worth it. Just working out how to fund it as apparently Angel Investors don’t really exist 🙂

$13, 8min., USA
Directed by Melissa Skirboll
When a long-time New Yorker introduces her niece to her beloved city, a doughnut and a waterfront view ignite memories of her greatest, but luckiest, loss.

https://www.instagram.com/melissadirectherfilm/

Get to know writer Penny B. Jackson:

What motivated you to make this film?

This film began as a monologue I wrote shortly after 9/11. I live in Manhattan, and I remember every hour of that day. In the aftermath, I kept hearing stories of people who narrowly missed being on the planes. One story stayed with me in particular: a woman who missed her flight because she received the wrong change at a Dunkin’ Donuts. The randomness of survival fascinated and haunted me, and it became the seed for the monologue that eventually became this film.

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

The project had a long gestation period. I originally wrote the monologue shortly after 9/11, but I didn’t return to it until the Covid pandemic, when I was looking for something creative to work on. I shared the piece with my writing collaborator and with my favorite director, Melissa Skirboll.

Melissa first filmed it as a monologue, but it didn’t quite feel right. We let it sit for a few years. Then last year Melissa suggested opening up the piece and turning it into a short film. She helped transform the monologue into a two-person screenplay and found the perfect location by the water in Brooklyn.

I always imagined Melissa in the lead role, and Meghan Martin—our line producer—became the young woman. I had already collaborated with Louis on music, and I knew Bryan Hamilton, our cinematographer. Tracy Boak joined us as a producer, and we assembled a wonderful team. Amazingly, we shot the entire film in one day—on a day when the temperature was over 100 degrees.

How would you describe your film in two words?

Haunting chance.

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

Time and heat. We had only one day to shoot the entire film, and it happened to be one of the hottest days of the summer—over 100 degrees. Everyone had to work quickly and stay focused despite the conditions. The fact that the team pulled it off in a single day still amazes me.

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

I was deeply moved. When you make something so personal, you never know how audiences will interpret it. Hearing viewers discuss the themes of chance, survival, and memory—and seeing how the story resonated with them—was incredibly gratifying.

When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

I came to filmmaking through writing and theater. I’ve always been drawn to storytelling, particularly stories that explore the emotional aftermath of historical moments. When I saw how a written monologue could evolve into a visual story with actors, music, and imagery, I realized how powerful film could be as a medium.

What film have you seen the most in your life?

Casablanca. I never tire of its writing, performances, and emotional precision.

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

One of the most valuable aspects of festivals is the opportunity for meaningful conversations—both with audiences and with other filmmakers. Anything that encourages discussion, networking, and collaboration is incredibly helpful. Festivals that create spaces for filmmakers to meet each other, exchange ideas, and build relationships truly help sustain a creative career.

PLUS JAMAIS (NEVER AGAIN), 4min., Switzerland/France
Directed by Valérie de Montmollin
“Plus jamais” deals with the violence I have experienced. I want to encourage women who are still in situations of severe abuse not to lose hope, and to seek help to find a way out—because it is possible to get out.

https://www.instagram.com/valeriedemontmollin/

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?
I released my biography (https://www.valeriedemontmollin.ch/order-form/ ) in November 2025 together with my new song ´Plus jamais’ and its music clip which you awarded as BEST STORY 2026 – thank you so much for this. Why did I make it? I wanted to visualise domestic violence just as I experience it myself. I was and still am the CEO of my own business, I wasn’t exactly the profile you would think would suffer of such circonstances. I want to help break this tabou and stigmatisation.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
I am quite efficient, so maybe 2 months?

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

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
I wanted the actors to be credible and really interpret my true story reflecting our characters and personalities.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I loved the feedback because it was so well worded and said with empathy yet still pragmatic.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
When I wrote the song it was clear to me that a music video needed to be produced too.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
Walt Disney’s / Pixar’s ‘Nemo’ with my daughter when she was small. Again and again.

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

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?
It was easy to submit and FilmFreeway was very supportive when I faced difficulties with one of the Festivals.

10. What is your favorite meal?
I am sitting in Paris in an excellent Indian restaurant as I write these sentences – I love Indian food.

11. What is next for you? A new film?
Tomorrow, that’s why I am in Paris, I am recording a new song ‘Touchée’ (Touched). It is about incest, another topic close to my heart. I might produce a video clip as well – surprise surprise, stay tuned.

Evergreen Misery, 4min., USA
Directed by Ryan Joseph
Music video about artist MOTHICA arriving at “Mothicorp” and discovering hidden truths within herself.

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

Mothica had a compelling concept — her subconscious mind visualized as a corporate prison versus a lush, true inner world. That tension was too cinematic to pass up.

2. From idea to finished product, how long did it take?

About a month of planning, two days to build the set and shoot.

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

Subconscious liberation.

4. What was the biggest obstacle?

The set build. Figuring out how to physically construct two completely different worlds on a tight timeline took the most problem-solving.

5. What were your initial reactions to the audience feedback video?

It was fun. It’s genuinely nice to watch people react to something you made.

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

It started early. Growing up, Star Wars and Indiana Jones hit me in a way I couldn’t quite explain at the time. My dad gave me a Canon camcorder around age 10 and something just clicked — the idea that you could capture life and play it back in front of your eyes was fascinating to me. From that point on, my brother and I were in the backyard basically every day filming whatever we could think of. By high school I was taking every film class available, making shorts, recreations, experimental stuff — anything to understand how it all worked. It never really felt like a decision. It was just what I kept doing.

7. What film have you seen the most?

Hard to pick one — Interstellar, Dune, Mad Max, and Neon Demon have all gotten a lot of rewatches.

8. What elements could festivals implement to better support filmmakers?

Honest feedback from programmers goes a long way. The conversation around the work matters as much as the screening itself.

9. How has your experience been with FilmFreeway?

Straightforward and easy to navigate. Gets the job done.

10. What is your favorite meal?

On a serious sushi kick lately.

11. What’s next?

Always working. Just wrapped a Samsonite campaign, heading into a new round of music videos, and finishing up a TV pilot.

The Encarne Trilogy, 16min., USA
Directed by SI Reasoning
The Encarne Trilogy is a series of no-budget shorts regarding the creation of my son and his entrance into the physical plane. It won Honorable Mention for Best Experimental Film at the 2025 Paris Around Films International Film Festival (ARFF), Best Arthouse in the Absurd Film Festival Monthly (Milan) July 2025, and Bangkok Society of Film Critics Award for Experimental Film at the Bangkok Movie Awards for July 2025.

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

This film originally were three separate shorts telling one story that was created as part of the International

“Echoes of Contemporary Surrealism” Festival in 2024 that was held in Birmingham, Alabama, US – Cairo, Egypt – Saint Cirq LaPopie, France – Budapest, Hungary. In 2023, LaDonna Smith, an incredible surrealist and improvisational musician, told me that I needed to create five-minute shorts for the festival. I had been sitting on this incredible performance by CillaVee and my son from the prior international surrealist festival that I shot back in 2018.

I felt there was a story in the performance but I could not find it. When CillaVee visited in late 2023, we did a few improvised skits in several places including a book store and LaDonna’s farm and I was able to find the story with the additional footage and other historical footage I shot in my archives. In 2024, in Saint Cirq Lapopie, the shorts were shown at the summer home of Andre Breton on the 100th Anniversary of his Manifesto of Surrealism.

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

The film itself encompasses footage from 2007-2023. I flirted and played with the footage from the 2018 international Surrealist festival for years trying to find the story and getting very frustrated with it. Once I found the story I was able to complete post-production within a few months.

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

Existential Transitions

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

There were multiple obstacles, but finding the story was probably the greatest.

Although a strong case can be made that a great problem I had in finding the story was that the state of creating effects was way too complicated for many years. However, Resolve had some recent updates that came out that simplified some of the effects I needed to create these films and that allowed me to complete the films in time for the festival.

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

I had some wonderful feedback from the international surrealist festivals and some personal showing to small audiences where they had time to think about each of the three sections independently. That helped give me the courage to put the current film out on the cinema circuit. During this time I had a tremendous amount of success in Europe and Asia but I got nothing from the Americas, which is why I applied to this festival, to see if I can find out why. I was very pleased with the results because it showed the various reactions that I had found with my own prior screenings had shown.

The first person was fully enmeshed with the short and the internal process of discovery through the imagery presented. The second person enjoyed viewing it but had no idea what was going on both visually and auditorially, and the third person was still in the initial process of discovery and trying to put the pieces together while reviewing it.

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

I was always interested in experimenting with video which began with the first video cameras that were sold in the late 70’s. You could see a lot of my playing with the camera when shooting family footage and footage of my first girlfriend, such as finding a color adjustment knob and pushing it to hot pink, as well as very close crops when people were speaking. I then started playing with video feedback and finding way to interact with it such as making the image spin or trail, or making the image dance to music.

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

probably Eraserhead by David Lynch. I met my first girlfriend at Eraserhead during the midnight movie scene. I loved how the story was told with few words and with your own mind interpreting the atmosphere and character quirks and personally creating the backstory for what I was experiencing. I also loved the discussions amongst friends as we explored our versions of what we saw.

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 hoping that I can be part of the public screening in Toronto. In particular, speaking directly with the audience as they process what they have been watching. Possibly, we could show the short as it was originally shown during the Echoes of Contemporary Surrealism festival, as 3 separate shorts, with a pause to discuss each segment before playing the next one.

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

I like having one place to put up all of my material for the film and find festivals that I think would appreciate it or provide a service such as the FEEDBACK festival.

10. What is your favorite meal?

I am spoiled as my wife is an excellent vegan chef, so I have lots of favorites. My favorite meal to make is Lebanese Tabouli and vegan Grape Leaves.

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

My next project is even more complex than this one. A friend of mine created a filmmaking card game. As I travel the world when showing The Encarne Trilogy, I have been meeting other filmmakers, artists and others (such as people staying in the hostels with me) and play the game with them, where we create a potential film based on the card prompts. I am recording this process and discussions on the potential film and then we decide on a scene from that potential film and have that scene completed in post and sent to me. I will then attempt to create a feature or several shorts utilizing either the completed scene or elements from the scenes. Each segment; playing the game and discussing the potential movie, the scene created by the potential movie, and in some cases the actual movie can create links back to the other segments and potentially open up opportunities to showcase different filmmakers where the success of one segment can ripple into an introduction into other segments….

The windmill and the sea, 12min., South Korea
Directed by Lysia Valentina Gani
In a coastal fishing village, fishermen often find plastic fragments inside their catch. A local child turns these into windmills, treating them as precious toys. One day, a visiting child disdainfully throws a windmill into the sea, shattering the local child’s effort. The child tries to rebuild it but fails, Later, an outsider photographer urges the villagers to change, but survival keeps them reliant on plastic. In the end, the plastic drifts back to the sea, and the child watches silently, trapped in an unending cycle.

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

→ A bit of background on this film, it was actually our graduation project, and why we decided to bring up these issue is that it started off with a documentary that one of the writers watched before that became the source inspiration to talk about this topic. And we’ve noticed that the number of plastic that has been washed up or just lying around at the beach has significantly increased, which brings to our attention to make this film.

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

→ We started developing the story from May 2025, and it kept going until
September 2025, where we finally have the finished script. Then we started preproduction from September until October. Then we did the production for a week, which was during the 2nd week of October. The post production was around 2-3 months. The finished work was finalized on December. So it took us around 8 months to finally finish making the film.

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

→ Two words to describe the film would be melancholic and eye-opening. Since the film is very subtle and implicit in expressing the message, it has a quiet sadness in it that you can’t really describe it why, you have to feel the film to actually know why, because visually, it’s talking about an everyday routine of a family who lives at a coastal village. And it brings up new perspective on the matters of plastic in pollution, such as the perspective of the tourist, the city boy, and the photograph who all have different takes on this matter.

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

→ I think the biggest obstacle would be in terms of language. So an interesting fact about this production is that, I come from Indonesia, and my teammates are from China and Malaysia. During internal team discussions, we would use three languages, and we would like help translate to one another, switching the languages. For example, I understand Chinese, English, and Bahasa, so I would translate the Chinese to English, or even Bahasa, to one of the Malaysians who doesn’t really understand Chinese. But the challenge comes where we were working with Korean actors who doesn’t really speak any of the languages, except for Korean, while my Korean is not that fluent either. Luckily, the other Malaysian speaks fluent Korean, and our camera operator is also Korean who speaks English, and they would help translate how I wanted them to act the scenes out.

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

→ I was genuinely happy and relived that the audience get what I was aiming for, which was to deliver this story in a way where it’s not right on your face, and makes you think whether recycling plastic in how the mom and the little boy do it is the right thing to tackle the problem. And it was very unexpected to be able to get as the winner of best direction because I didn’t really expect or hope much when applying it to the festival.

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

→ It was around 9th grade. I actually did performing arts more as a kid, and at that time I didn’t know that learning to become the one who does behind the scenes in performing arts, not just the one who performs, was actually such a thing, and filmmaking was very famous back then in Indonesia. At least, it was like the new “trend”. So then I started joining workshops and took classes on film-making. And it just sticks on with me until now.

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

→ I used to watch Western movies, then I shifted to South East Asian ones, like Korean movies, Taiwanese movies, and Chinese movies. But recently, as the film industry in Indonesia is also growing rapidly, I start to enjoy watching Indonesian films. One of the Indonesian film-makers that I love watching is Yandy Laurens, who also becomes the source inspiration on how I approach my own film.

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 satisfied with the overall experience as it is very easy and accessible, and very helpful too with the feedback from the audiences, but maybe getting like a soft file of the certificate to make it feel more real would be nice.

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

→ It’s been quiet nice actually, it’s very easy to submit out films to festivals, and the information were all laid out and easy to find, so it’s very helpful.

10. What is your favorite meal?

→ I am not really a picker eater, but there was one dish that I was craving for when I was in Korea for my studies. It is an Indonesian dish called pecel. It’s like a salad, there’s bean sprouts, long beans, cucumbers, spinach, tofu and tempe, and you eat it with peanut sauce and rice. I would say that is my favourite meal.

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

➔ I am currently working on a play that will be produced on June. It is about the May 1998 riot that was happening in Indonesia. In this production, I am the playwright, and I will perform as well as an appearance. As for the film-making projects, I am planning to make a short MV but in the style of short film for my graduation later, just like a short fun project to do.

The Redemption of Faust, 18min., USA
Directed by Genel Mejia
After making a pact with Mephistopheles, Goethe’s Faust finds . . . redemption and transcendence in the ideal of the Eternal-Feminine.

https://www.instagram.com/genelmejia

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

What it really motivated to make this film was one of my current projects call “MUSE” a feature film. I was all warm up after I finished that project and I was going to make some behind the scene video just for fun! but it turned out into “The redemption of Faust” all it happened after telling my my friend Justin Suran on a phone conversation about my plan and he suggested the I should make that short film and he give me some lines from the Book “Faust” which is one of my favorite books. and that’s how this project was born. So I was very motivated! And here we are.

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

It took me 7 months total to make this film.

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

I describe “The redemption of Faust” poetic and wild!

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

The biggest obstacle was make it work in the present modern world, it was very intimidating using some sentences from Goethe and I felt a lot of pressure and responsibility at the same time to make this film. Like I mentioned this film is not an adaptation only an inspiration which still was one of my biggest challenges in cinema to accomplish.

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

It was very surreal and also felt very honored to see how people were reacting and responding to it. Love it !

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

Since I had memory when I was a kid. I remember watching the Movie E.T by Steven Spielberg on 5 inches black and white TV in that very moment I wanted to make movies. That movie was the first introduction to cinema when I was a kid.

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

2001: A Space Odyssey

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

Nothing they I can think about it, I think you guys are doing a fantastic job supporting all indie filmmakers. Thank you from the bottom of

My heart.

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

Yes! Filmfreeway. I really had a great experience! Thank you guys.

10. What is your favorite meal?

My favorite meal is breakfast. Love my eggs and bacon and coffee in the morning.

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

Working on a documentary about “?

On a postproduction for a documentary call “Ironworkers”.

Roxy & The Man, 17min., USA
Directed by Joey Medina
A terminally ill Vietnam veteran finds solace and purpose in rescuing an abused dog no one else wanted, rediscovering the meaning of life and the profound power of companionship.

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

I wanted to make a film about two broken souls that together become whole.

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

From thinking about the project, to the fdinished product probaly took two years.

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

Beautifully sad.

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

Finding the right dog to play the lead. I never intended to use my own.

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

I know they got it. They understood the message.

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

In fifth grade after watching a super 8 film my teacher made with his class the period year.

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

Rocky. Best film ever made.

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

Exposure and feedback are key.

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

The platform is the easiest way to submit and keep track of submissions.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Seafood of any kind

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

Yes , working on my first dramatic animation called, #SAY-HER-NAME.

Avatars of Destiny: The Saga Begins, 20min., South Africa
Directed by Ess-Jee Rautenbach
Step into a universe where ancient prophecy meets futuristic innovation, and destiny is not inherited it’s unlocked. Conceived by visionary author Ess‑Jee Rautenbach, Avatars of Destiny begins as a concept short film, a proof‑of‑vision that blends epic fantasy, spiritual sci‑fi, and techno‑mythic storytelling into a cinematic journey of transformation.

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

I was driven by a desire to merge storytelling with cutting-edge AI filmmaking. I wanted to explore how technology can amplify human imagination and create something that feels both prophetic and deeply personal. At the same time, I wanted to bring my books to screen like Geppetto breathing life into Pinocchio or Frankenstein animating his creation bringing my written works alive. The film became a way to give audiences a cinematic taste of my books and to show agents and producers the possibilities for a book-to-screen adaptation.

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

The journey took several months moving from concept development, through experimentation with AI tools, into production, and finally fine-tuning in post. Each stage was a discovery in itself, and the whole process felt like stepping into the unknown, almost like Neil Armstrong taking that first leap onto new terrain.

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

Visionary Journey.

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

Balancing technical challenges with creative flow. AI filmmaking is still evolving, so shaping raw outputs into a cohesive narrative required persistence and innovation.

5. Favorite stage of the filmmaking process?

Post-Production. That’s where the story truly comes alive editing, refining, and weaving together visuals and sound into something transformative.

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

When I saw how stories could move people beyond words. Early on, I realized film was the most powerful medium to blend emotion, symbolism, and vision. The whole idea really crystallized during my last book launch, when I wanted to create a visual representation of my writing—giving the crowd a cinematic taste of my book and showing movie agents and producers the possibilities for a book-to-screen adaptation.

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

Without a doubt, The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I’ve watched the entire series countless times, not only because of its breathtaking visuals and groundbreaking cinematic achievement, but also because of the way it fuses philosophy, mythology, and timeless storytelling. There’s something deeply inspiring about how J.R.R. Tolkien built a world so rich in symbolism and meaning, and how Peter Jackson, as a visionary director, brought that world alive on screen with such authenticity and grandeur.

In many ways, I feel a personal connection to both Tolkien and Jackson—the writer who imagined entire universes and the filmmaker who translated that vision into a living, breathing reality. Their collaboration across time reminds me of my own journey: taking words from the page and transforming them into cinematic experiences that audiences can feel, see, and live through. Watching The Lord of the Rings is never just entertainment for me—it’s a reminder of the power of imagination, persistence, and the courage to bring stories to life.

8. In a perfect world: Who would you like to work with/collaborate with on a film?

In a perfect world, I would love to collaborate with true visionaries filmmakers who have redefined what cinema can be. Peter Jackson, for example, took Tolkien’s words and gave them life on screen with The Lord of the Rings, creating a world that feels both mythical and deeply human. Steven Spielberg has an unmatched gift for blending wonder with emotional depth, whether it’s in E.T., Jurassic Park, or Ready Player One. Working alongside creators like them would be a dream, because they don’t just make films they build universes that audiences can step into and live within.

I’m inspired by their ability to take literature, imagination, and technology, and fuse them into cinematic experiences that resonate across generations. To collaborate with such minds would mean not only learning from their mastery, but also contributing my own vision bringing stories from the page to the screen in ways that feel alive, immersive, and transformative. It would be the ultimate creative partnership: merging my passion for storytelling and AI-driven filmmaking with their legacy of world-building and innovation.

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

My experience with FilmFreeway has been smooth, intuitive, and inspiring. It’s more than just a submission platform—it’s a global hub that connects filmmakers with opportunities they might never have had access to otherwise. For me, living in South Africa, FilmFreeway has truly been a doorway to Hollywood. It bridges the gap between local creators and international festivals, giving independent filmmakers like myself the chance to showcase our work on a world stage.

The platform makes the process accessible and efficient, but beyond that, it gives hope and possibility. It allows storytellers from every corner of the world to dream bigger, to reach audiences far beyond their borders, and to feel part of a larger creative community. For me, it has been a vital tool in turning vision into opportunity.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Food, for me, is as much about memory and culture as it is about taste. A hearty lamb curry with basmati rice will always be my ultimate comfort food—it’s warm, aromatic, and feels like home on a plate. It’s the kind of meal that brings family together around the table, with spices that tell stories of tradition and heritage.

At the same time, I have a deep love for traditional Afrikaner meals, especially a classic boerewors roll topped with rich smoor sauce. It’s simple, yet full of character—something you’d enjoy at a braai with friends, surrounded by laughter and community. Together, these meals represent both sides of my identity: the soulful comfort of curry and the proudly South African spirit of boerewors. They remind me that food, like film, is about connection, culture, and the joy of sharing experiences.

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

Yes, absolutely. I’m already developing ideas for my next project, and I want to push even further into the frontier of AI-driven storytelling—blending cinematic craft with spiritual and human themes. My first concept film, Avatars of Destiny: Saga Begins, was received so well that it inspired me to challenge myself creatively and technically.

I’ve now completed a fully AI-generated 35-minute pilot episode, Avatars of Destiny: Awakening, based on my books. This project was a massive undertaking—it involved generating actors, environments, and performances entirely through AI, and shaping them into a cohesive cinematic experience. It was tough, it took time, but the result is something I’m truly proud of. The pilot has already been submitted to festivals, and I see it as a stepping stone toward even greater possibilities.

My vision is to keep pushing the boundaries of what AI filmmaking can achieve. Who knows—maybe one day this journey could even lead to the Oscars. For me, it’s not just about making films; it’s about proving that imagination, technology, and storytelling can come together to create something groundbreaking and transformative.