Prayer of the Sea, 6min., Germany
Directed by Martin Gerigk
A composer recounts a dream from his youth that inspired the slow movement of his first string quartet, Prayer of the Sea. The dream, depicting a peaceful dissolution into the sea and wind, symbolized his future death. Decades later, rediscovering a drawing from the quartet’s premiere – perfectly capturing the dream’s essence – revived its emotions. Now older, he reflects on the dream’s message: a serene acceptance of life’s inevitable end.

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1. What motivated you to make this film?

As a music composer, I occasionally dream of complete compositions. When I
wake up, I simply write them down. When I was about 20 years old, I dreamt
of such a piece for a string quartet. In the dream, I was standing in the
surf of a cold sea, facing north. Then, I dissolved into the wind and the
sea. It was clear that the dream symbolized my own death in the future.
Yet, there was nothing sad about it; it felt good and liberating. It was
like a vision, a gentle prophecy.

This led me to reflect: on one hand, I wanted to bring closure to the
dream’s experience and sensation for myself; on the other, I hoped to make
it emotionally tangible for others – a calm perspective on what lies ahead
for us all. The calmness of a gentle passing, something we can only hope to
experience one day.

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

About one year.

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

Audiovisual elegy.

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

The technical merging of the photos and their subsequent animation.

5. There are 5 stages of the filmmaking process: Development.
Pre-Production. Production. Post-Production. Distribution.

What is your favorite stage of the filmmaking process?

Development and post-production.

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

After that dream 30 years ago, I struggled repeatedly with making the film,
as the subject of one’s own death is not an easy one. But at some point, I
knew it was the right time and began to finish the film.

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

Star Wars…

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 already doing a great job in my opinion!

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

Always positive.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Shakshuka.

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

My current film project is called Spheres. This time an homage to life.
It’s a poetic essay that drifts through a series of expanding spheres, each
revealing a different layer of our shared reality, from the microscopic to
the mythical. To me the new film is a breathing meditation designed to
remind us of the wonders of our incomprehensibly beautiful world.

A rag tag trio of criminals are tasked by the devil, to hunt down an outlaw trying to outrun his debt.

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1. What motivated you to make this film?

This was my college thesis, and my passion project I have been working on for several years. What motivated me was the characters I crafted along the way, and ths wonderful preformances the Voice actors gave to the characters.

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

It took me around 10-11 months of work.

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

Questionable Protagonists

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

My biggest challenge was making time on top of other classes. As a transfer student my senior year I was doing 3-4 animation classes on top of my Thesis. So time management was super hard when you have to do over hundreds of frames for different projects.

5. There are 5 stages of the filmmaking process: Development. Pre-Production. Production. Post-Production. Distribution.

What is your favorite stage of the filmmaking process?

That’s difficult to say, as I love the whole process. But if I had to, I really enjoyed the pre-production, and the production. Once I get my idea I love to tweak and edit it. Polishing and getting all the assets and characters done. I want to say once I got the ok by my professor, I just ran off leash. Made tons of work for the pre-production book, as well as completing the backgrounds.

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

When I was 8 I knew I wanted to do animation. Ever since I saw what people could create and produce, the amount if creativity and imagination used for an animated movie or a kid show. It always blew me away, and I want to be able to share my love for the medium the only way I know how. But animation. 

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

Ohh.. That’s hard. I’d have to say “Sin City” or “Freeway”.

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

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

It has been a wonderful experience! I have been able to send my film and network with others. It was a great opportunity to connect with fellow artists.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Phò I can’t get enough! I could eat it for every meal.

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

More passion projects. I am currently working on a pilot of this series. “The Town Without Laws: What Comes Around” its about the trio coming back home after a massacre only to be treated to karmic justice. I’m hoping with this film I will be able to explore the world, and show the brutality during the wildwest.

Once More, Like Rain Man, 15min., USA
Directed by Sue Ann Pien
‘It’s up to you to make a future that has you in it…’ We follow Zoe (Martinez) and her dad, Gerry (Jones) in a ‘day in the life’ of an autistic actress running the gambit of stereotypes she has to deal with – and her dad’s battle in supporting her forging that path for herself – in a funny, frustrating, painful and sometimes triumphantly sarcastic kind of way.

https://www.instagram.com/omlrmovie

Interview with writer/star Bella Zoe Martinez:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

I was tired of not wising myself or girls like me in media and wanted to do something about that.

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

It was a little over 2 1/2 years. I had the idea near the end of lockdowns in CA, because I wasn’t allowed to go back to high school in person – and it was very hard. My parents encouraged me, and helped me flush it out into a script. From the time we shared the script with producers Suzann Ellis and Darren Dean to shooting – and met and had Sue Ann Pien come of board to direct, it was almost a year to the date. Part of the delay was because of the strikes – but it was also meant we got such an amazing cast. Everyone was unemployed. We signed the SAG and DGA contracts – so were one of the only approved productions at the time.

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

Ice cream. I don’t know

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

Casting Gerry. We went back and forth with Jason Segal’s people – who knows if he got to read it – and it was super cool to say that we were out to Jason Segal! – for like a month on whether he would be able to do it. Then word got out that the strike was ending. The best thing to happen was Matt Jones being available and willing to play Gerry. We didn’t get any rehearsal time before shooting – we met for the first time IRL 30 minutes before the first scene – so everyone was holding their breath on that first shot of day one – until Matt and I had the Batman scene. And we knew the suit fit.

5. There are 5 Stages of Filmmaking: 1) Development. 2) Pre-Production. 3) Production. 4) Post-Production. 5) Distribution.

What is your favorite stage of the process and why?

We haven’t done distribution yet, so not sure.

My favorite part was production. We had a very chill vibe on set – since about 40% of the cast and crew were autistic or living with a different disability, we had accommodations built in – which made it go much smoother than any set anyone had been on – even for the “normal’ people.

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

I kinda always wanted to. My siblings and I would make films together with our toys – and my sister would direct – and she was actually really good. Then I realized you get could get paid to do it – which was amazing.

One of the funniest things was when she made an homage to “Reservoir Dogs’ – just the song at the beginning since we weren’t allowed to watch the movie yet – she used Angry Birds plushies and our Girl Scout troop with the birds on sticks with a green screen. One time one of the birds feel out of the frame and she yelled CUT! That was fantastic just a little. Can we try it again with the bird in the frame?

But it was also my coping mechanism for being severely bullied in middle school for my autism.

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

Only one!? The Great Race. It’s a family tradition – especially the pie fight scene. The Nightmare Before Christmas – my sister memorized the entire movie before she could talk – and so did I. My siblings are also autistic, so my family ended up with a kind of code speak, in movie quotes for context. I didn’t realize that we did that until I was in like middle school.

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’m not sure. Every festival has been so unique.

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

Actually, really good. They made it a lot easier to find and submit to festivals. We’d have been totally lost without them.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Mac and cheese and chicken.

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

We are in pre-production for the feature version of this film. And incredibly, everyone on the cast and crew are excited to come back!

Also developing a supernatural western, a sci-fi, and a complete animated universe. And working on my new original song. (I wrote the song Distant Goodbyes” that I sing in the film.

After being kidnapped and forced into a brutal assimilation camp where the English language is used as control, two teenage girls from different countries must find a way to escape, before they are stripped of their identity.

1. What motivated you to make this film?

I think from my personal experience being an actress and having to deal with cultural differences, how Hollywood wants you to lose your accent. That was the main thing for me and Mary when we wrote it.

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

to make this film?

We started writing in February this year and by the time we finished the script by the end of March, we started to look for the crew and fundraiser parties. Post-production wrapped up at the end of July.

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

Harsh Reality

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

Definitely budget. This short was very independent. But I was extremely grateful that we found a team passionate about telling this story, and together we made it happen.

5. There are 5 stages of the filmmaking process: Development. 

Pre-Production. Production. Post-Production. Distribution.

What is your favorite stage of the filmmaking process?

As a writer, I love the development part because it’s when you get to be so creative and imagine how this world is going to be. As an actress, I love being on set and trying different things in the scene. I like being there ready to play with my scene partner.

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

I’ve always wanted to create and tell stories since I was little, but when I decided that I wanted to do this professionally, I was 13, and I tried every possible way to convince my family to let me pursue this career.

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

Amélie directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. I absolutely love that movie and I’ve probably seen it more than 100 times at this point.

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 so happy Felipe (our director) recommended WildSound. I found you guys to be more than a festival, but a community ready to support artists.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your 

experiences working on the festival platform site?

It has been easy and helpful so far. I love the way it’s very organized.

10. What is your favorite meal?

I am so cheesy, but I have to say Brazilian food.

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

I’m co-writing this next short called Miss Porcelana, and it explores women in this beauty contest world. I’ll also gonna be starring in it.

After making a pact with Mephistopheles, Goethe’s Faust finds . . . redemption and transcendence in the ideal of the Eternal-Feminine.

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Review by Julie C. Sheppard:

The short, The Redemption of Faust, is a glorious, multi-faceted production – – a modern re-telling of the famous tale, Faust. Every frame is a feast for the eyes and ears. It is unrelentingly beautiful. The cinematography moves at a rapid pace, recounting the experience of the central figure, in this case a gifted photographer. Shots quickly flick back and forth from night to day, to city vistas, to extreme close ups of faces, to wide drone shots. Text is masterfully narrated and sung, and sets the structure of the piece. 

Sound in the project is equally impressive, with stormy eruptions, stirring choral voices and soft orchestral strains. The atmosphere at the water’s edge is eerie, as whispers are layered with a fervent feminine voice.

There is a strong spiritual essence as the central figure is eventually redeemed, despite a checkered past. It is a clever convention to bring this classic tale of sin and eventual salvation into a more recent era.

Performed by Val Cole

—

Get to know the writer:

1. What is your short story about?

What if we could be programmed, our circuitry overwritten, erasing any trace of humanity, or attempts to, and if we stray into uncertainty, a threat to the system, we will be targeted and upgraded to fit nicely back into the societal mode. And if that doesn’t work, lobotomy because the system must remain operational, but you don’t.

2. What genres would you say this story is in?
Dystopian

3. How would you describe this story in two words?
Alternate Reality

4. What movie have you seen the most in your life?
I have seen a multitude of movies, and some I remember, some I don’t. And some will stay with me forever like the movie, The Listener with Tessa Thompson (2022). Do we really remember that we are human, and why does it hurt so damn much? Nobody seems to care about our pain, our suffering, our fears, loss, but someone does. And they are listening, letting us talk, connect, and solitude melts away, even if it is for a few minutes or so. And we remember that yes, we are human, and no, we are not alone.

5. What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to the most times in your life?)
Again, I have found and listened to a multitude of songs, past and present. It takes a certain song to catch my ear, grip me tight, pull me into melody, vocals that drown out the noise, and one song in particular would be Mind over Matter (Acoustic) by PVRIS.

6. Do you have an all-time favorite novel?
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

7. What motivated you to write this story?
It’s routine. Get up. Go to work. Waste your time on mundane things. Go home. Eat dinner. Watch tv, or in my case, Apple TV. Sleep. Repeat. Again and again and again, almost as if I were a real cog in the machine. That doesn’t work for me, but I can’t seem to escape it. It’s almost like I’m programmed to be this way, but what if I want to pull away, tear out the circuitry, and make myself bleed and feel and remember that I am Human.

8. If you could have dinner with one person (dead or alive), who would that be?
Seth MacFarlane

9. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
Photography – People, Buildings, Dystopian/Abandoned Places

10. What influenced you to enter your story to get performed?
I saw that WILDsound was looking for dystopian stories, and this was one of my favorites that I had written. It needed a good home, so I submitted it to them.

11. Any advice or tips you’d like to pass on to other writers?
Don’t let the world shut you down. I realized that I have been in a rut myself, barely writing, thinking, waiting for the world to burn down in civil war and World War III, but I’m wasting myself in doing that. I should be doing something, even if it is small, even if it is only known to me, so at least in the end, I can say, I created that.

In the quirky desert town of Grand River, conspiracy theories, old grudges, and government secrets collide in Un-Cognito, a satirical action-comedy with heart.

Glenn Rancher, a straight-laced FBI forensic accountant facing a terminal diagnosis, returns home to reconnect with his estranged daughter Emma, a competitive college archer. His ex-wife Julia, an Air Force general, urges him to make peace while he still can. But reconnecting with family becomes complicated when Glenn stumbles into a chaotic conspiracy led by a ragtag crew of local misfits operating under the viral alias “Un-Cognito.”

Get to know the writer:

1. What is your screenplay about?

Un-Cognito follows a dad trying to make amends with his college aged daughter and ends up in a confusing, chaotic world of misguided militia and conspiracy kooks. It’s about found family, people connecting with people, whether blood ties or common need, we all need to find purpose and fulfilment in our relationships, although some relationship choices may be more flawed than others.

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Action/comedy

3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

I think audiences need to meet these characters. I like to think the right group of actors will bring life and connection to their world. It’s funny, fast paced and gives us a little hope.

4. How would you describe this script in two words?

Charismatically conspiratorial.

5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

Not the easiest question to answer, and while I haven’t watched it in a while, probably Repo-Man.

6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?

Entering year three and the umteenth iteration.

7. How many stories have you written?

Twenty or so in various stages and formats. Theater, audio, short film scripts and full length.

8. What motivated you to write this screenplay?

I wanted to take a shot at the action comedy genre and I recently had my own health challenge and can now call myself a cancer survivor. facing uncertainty, going through treatments made me realize that I can’t do everything alone and needed to let people, specifically family in. I love my kids and my wife and this story helped me broach the loner mentality. That coupled with exploring how to conspiracies and ridiculous rumors spread, Today its internet, but before that every kid in the 80s heard that “Bubble Yum had spider eggs” …. no internet but coast to coast we all knew the story. Today, those conspiracies can manifest in things like QAnon and I wanted to poke at that.

9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?

The biggest obstacle has been of my own making – too many characters, too many story lines, needing to cull the narratives in to an accessible story.

10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

Collaborative creation! I love working with artists on theater projects, performance art, music and anything to showcase the brilliance inside us all.

11. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?

Feedback, learning and reading the responses from other entrants on their experience. You also provided some great ideas on how to market your own work as well as put fresh eyes on the projects.

In a galaxy choked by occupation, reluctant leader Sol hijacks a Galactic Union warship—sparking planetary uprisings and thrusting his fledgling resistance into a brutal war against a colonising force that will burn worlds to stay in control.

What is your screenplay about?

This screenplay is about Sol Muqawam, the burdened leader of a galactic rebellion, who leads a desperate mission to hijack a Union Dreadnought for its resources. What begins as a tactical heist transforms into a profound moral crisis when they discover the ship’s true cargo: hundreds of imprisoned civilians from a conquered world – Zaytoon, which is also Timor’s homeworld. Forced to confront his own traumatic past and the weight of his “savior” legend, Sol must choose between the strategic goals of his rebellion and the immediate, human cost of the war, ultimately reigniting his fight not for victory, but for redemption.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Science Fiction: The primary genre, featuring spaceships, railguns, plasma weapons, holograms, and a fully-realized galactic society.

Action: The script is packed with intense space dogfights, explosive boarding actions, and close-quarters combat.

War Drama: At its core, it’s a story about the costs of war, the burden of leadership, and the moral compromises made in a rebellion.

Space Western: Elements like the grizzled, morally-grey crew of a beat-up freighter, the “wanted man” leader, and the frontier-like setting of the asteroid belt give it a distinct Western feel.

3. Why should this screenplay be produced?

With everything that is happening in the world right now, I think my screenplay should be produced because it is a visceral, character-driven sci-fi epic that combines the spectacle of a blockbuster with the heart of a poignant war drama. I have looked at some of the key conflicts that are happening in the world and tried to create an epic that shows a grounded resistance movement against an almost impossible imperial occupation force. It offers:

High-Concept Appeal: A gritty “David vs. Goliath” spaceship hijack is a proven, marketable concept.

Diverse, Compelling Characters: The ensemble cast features distinct, memorable roles that allow multiple actors to shine, from the stoic leader and lethal enforcer to the witty pilot and untrustworthy rogue.

Social Relevance: The themes of resisting oppressive regimes, fighting for freedom, and the moral cost of war are timeless and resonant.

Franchise Potential: The rich universe, deep character backstories, and the open-ended conclusion lay a strong foundation for a potential film series or streaming show.

4. How would you describe the script in two words?

Gritty Opera

5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

Star Wars

6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?

About 1 year. I have a full-time job so I have been mainly working on the weekends.

7. How many stories have you written?

3 Scripts and 14 short stories.

8. What motivated you to write this screenplay?

The resistance movements around the world opposing imperial occupation. I wanted to create an allegory based in space where planets represent countries or regions that are being occupied for their land and resources.

9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?

Time – I have only been writing for just over 1 year on and off. With a full-time day job it’s difficult to find the time and energy to write and complete the script. I have actually created a new version which is 50 pages long and much tighter.

10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

Freedom

11. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?

I had positive feedback from my friends, colleagues and my fellow writers and decided it was time to enter a few competitions. The feedback has been good but would also like to have more!

When an unnamed virus begins to kill off human males, a family takes refuge on a sailboat in hopes they can escape the virus.

Get to know the writer:

1. What is your screenplay about?

This story, like all of the stories I seem to write, is about my daily agony knowing one day I will have to say goodbye to my only Son, and figuring out how to make the most of the little things in life that bond us and my family.

The story itself is about an unnamed, new virus that is causing a mass die-off of human males. A father takes his wife and young daughter to his own father’s sailboat on the Atlantic Ocean to try and evade the virus.

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Drama.

3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

If I can pull this film off, it has the potential to be visually stunning, relying on the simplicity of a sailboat, human drama, moments of levity, grief, and elation. My attached actors, the stellar and criminally underutilized John Conway and a fantastic tiny powerhouse of an actress, Mila Rose, have the ability to push you far into the reaches of emotion. I am looking forward to working with a very intriguing, talented actor, Heidi Danea Crane who is also signed on.

This story will give the audience a heartfelt, intense and beautiful drama that will hopefully generate deep emotional resonance and stronger appreciation for the people closest to them.

4. How would you describe this script in two words?

Contained heartbreak.

5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

The Outsiders (of course).

6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?

Completed in about ten days.

7. How many stories have you written?

About 13 features, most with Recommend coverage, many festival placements, several optioned, several in development, several I don’t want anyone ever reading again, plus a short I directed, another short that was produced, and a collaboration on a feature in post production.

8. What motivated you to write this screenplay?

I am constantly on the hunt for just the right 1987 Hunter 23 sailboat. One morning while searching for one I came across a one of a kind, 75 foot, steel hull sailboat in disrepair. I reached out to the owner, asked if I could write a movie that takes place on his boat. He said yes, and that was all I needed.

I was also looking to write something for my favorite actors, wanted to write a project I could direct, and would be low budget.

9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?

Often times I just can’t type fast enough to roll a script out between the worst moment of every school day (when I drop my son at school) and the best moment of my day (when I pick him up); so the main obstacle always seems to be time.

10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

Currently I am intensely passionate about my distaste (aka abject fear of) for AI…

11. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?

The very first script I wrote, a short called “Throwaways” was a winner at Wildsound. Mathew interviewed me; I loved the experience! Sadly I haven’t made that movie (it will be very complicated), but I love Wildsound and am happy to support it when I feel I have an appropriate project.

The feedback was definitely constructive and gave me food for tnought; I know the reader “got” the story, and offered insight into an audience perspective.

STALKERS, 107min., Canada
Directed by Paul Thompson
When a former porn star returns to her quaint hometown to raise the now teenage daughter she gave up for adoption, their fragile reunion is shattered by stalkers, secrets, and a string of murders — turning a hopeful second chance into a harrowing fight for survival in a story with a dark twist on a Hallmark story.

https://instagram.com/stalkersmovieofficial
http://stalkersthemovie.com/

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

STALKERS was an idea I had quite a long time back, in around 2013. It was initially a teaser for Cinecoup film accelerator competition, in which one film would receive $1M in funding. The film has changed a lot from that early teaser, but the core thought behind it was inspired by the ways that many of my favourite genre films stand out as being good films in other regards first – in this case I felt like the story of Kate meeting her daughter Charlotte as a teenager was a movie in itself. Then we twist it a little with our slasher and thriller elements.

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

As indicated above, the idea for the film was conceived way back in 2013. Coming out of the pandemic, it became clear that too many things in life are uncertain, and if I were going to see this film made, it would probably take me just going out and making it happen. The process of filming started in early 2022, but even that was beset with challenges, such as some COVID stoppages, and Olivia (Stadler, our lead) having an unfortunate incident with her foot and a kitchen knife at home which stopped filming for months. Principal was finally completed around February 2023, and pickups and flashbacks completed in March of 2024.

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

Family terror

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

Since it was self-funded and produced, the toughest thing was just staying the course throughout the various challenges. Having to cancel a week, or shutting down for months knowing that we still had half a film left to shoot, can be really disheartening. I had to tell myself – not to mention the cast and crew – that we would get to the finish line. And amazingly, even when I was wrestling with doubts, our team really had faith in the film and in me, I guess.

5. There are 5 Stages of Filmmaking: 1) Development. 2) Pre-Production. 3) Production. 4) Post-Production. 5) Distribution.
What is your favorite stage of the process and why?

I’m pretty sure there is nothing quite like being on set making something. It’s a physically exhausting, emotionally draining speed run on adrenaline, but for those few minutes a day when the lights are on, the camera is rolling, and the actors are doing their thing supported by the cinematographer and the crew, it’s magical.

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

Sometime in high school. I was not very advanced in my understanding of how it all worked, but I had a friend who was really into shooting things with his video camera, and somehow I got involved and it was pretty quickly all consuming.

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

There are probably 3 that are in the mix for that title. Star Wars: A New Hope (back when I first saw it in the late 70s as a kid, it was just called Star Wars), The Wizard of Oz, and Halloween.

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

Overall my favourite part of festivals is real screenings with real audiences. The best festivals give the filmmakers a chance to watch their film on a proper screen with a live audience, and hopefully take some questions and get feedback after the movie’s over.

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

Film Freeway has been great. I thing searching and narrowing down festivals could be improved a little, and clarity on whether festivals are real screening festivals or just virtual events or awards only would help.

10. What is your favorite meal?

New York Pizza.

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

Still working on some new film ideas. When we started STALKERS I wasn’t sure if this was one and done, but the festival experiences have made me really want to make another film and show it to festival audiences. What that film will be is still up in the air and a couple of years away.