THE CALLBACK, 10min., Canada
ISAAC is one of several actors auditioning for the lead in the globally renowned action franchise: MAX STORM. Every actor has been invited into the audition room, which is empty aside from a table with a black covering. Suddenly, they’re greeted by the voice of director DEAN WEST over the intercom. “Do whatever it takes to secure the role.” The tablecloth comes off, revealing a massive collection of deadly melee weapons. Everyone is skeptical, but distrust is already growing. When one of the actors sets his sights on Isaac, snatches an imposing knife off the table, and begins to close in, Isaac is forced to fight to survive.

Get to know filmmaker Malcolm Jack:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

As someone who’s beginning to look into pursuing a career as an actor, the extremely competitive nature of the industry is becoming increasingly evident. I often find myself wondering what I would do to secure a career in the art form I am so passionate about. What lengths would I go to if given the opportunity? There are many instances of powerful individuals in the entertainment industry exploiting ambitious artists like myself. What would happen if they truly pitted us against each other with the promise of success dangling over our heads?

I was inspired to explore themes of ambition, betrayal, manipulation, desperation, and survival. It strives to be engaging, surprising, and captivating for the audience. Simultaneously, it attempts to comment on how individuals in positions of power, especially in the entertainment industry, take advantage of those with less power and influence who are desperate to improve their situation. The film also explores the extreme actions desperate individuals take in pursuit of personal gain. Finally reflects on the ramifications of sacrificing the well-being of others to achieve personal success.

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

I began writing in December 2024. We wrapped in early April 2025. I have been playing with the idea ever since I started auditioning as an actor.

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

Thriller, Satire.

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

This film was an incredible learning experience. The main takeaway was how deeply a director must communicate and collaborate with other humans involved in a film. That is the main goal. The most essential element needed to succeed in this medium. It doesn’t matter how much a director understands the story or structure if I don’t communicate effectively with everyone involved.

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

Gratitude for how generous and detailed the feedback was. Gratitude and relief that the themes and ideas I was attempting to explore were picked up on.

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

My parents have always been extremely supportive of my interest in storytelling in the arts. They put me in community theatre at a young age, and since then I have been interested in every aspect of the film and theatre process. I am eternally grateful for their support.

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

The empire strikes back. This film moves me like no other. I’m a massive fan of film scores, and John Williams’s score in this film is a masterpiece. On its own, this score is able to articulate the profound themes of human connection, resistance, betrayal, and resilience that ESB deals with. The film only works mainly thanks to John Williams’s brilliance.

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

I would love to see more in-person screenings in the city of Toronto!

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

This was my first time submitting to festivals. I’m somewhat technologically challenged, so navigating the site and submitting was definitely a learning process at first, but I overcame the learning curve relatively quickly.

10. What is your favorite meal?

My father makes an incredible avocado omelet.

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

My creative partners and I are currently launching our production company: PITMEN PRODUCTIONS. The Callback will soon be premiering on the Pitmen Productions YouTube channel along with new shorts and sketches.

The Line We Crossed, 110min., US
Directed by Liz Smith
A British story of dissent, drawn from the frontlines of climate resistance. Through the experiences of those who stood in defiance, it traces the quiet unraveling of our protest rights. The film challenges audiences to question what makes dissent effective and where the line of acceptability is.

http://www.thelinewecrossed.com/
https://www.instagram.com/p75investigates/

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

I was developing a film about polarisation and democratic backsliding, and how that intersects with the climate crisis. Just Stop Oil were a very polarising group in the UK so I went to find out more about them and then I heard about climate activists being sent to prison for contempt of court for saying the words “climate crisis” in front of the jury. I couldn’t believe it. So I started following what was going on with my camera and it all just flowed from there.

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

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?
We’re screwed.

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
No distributors would get behind it because the topic was too toxic for them to handle and there was a perception in the industry that “no one wanted to watch films about climate change anymore”. (We’ve already proved them wrong on that last point!)

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
This was the first time we got feedback from viewers outside the UK and it was really encouraging that all of them, with one exception, had “got” the film. It shows it is a universal issue, even though the story is a very British one.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
2002, or at least that’s when I made the decision to apply to film school

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
No idea!

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?
Going to festivals and having your film screened there is mostly a really wonderful experience, but doing the festival circuit is expensive. Entry fees add up, if you attend in person, the travel, accommodation and subsistence costs quickly add up. Festivals present a fantastic opportunity to show your film to audiences you otherwise might not reach, but for indie filmmakers the economics of it rarely add up. I don’t know how we can solve that problem.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?
It makes it so much more efficient for us. I wish every festival used it. It also makes it easier to keep track of your entries.

10. What is your favorite meal?
It’s not a meal as such but to most people’s horror, I love 100% dark chocolate. The good thing is, no one ever steals it from you!

11. What is next for you? A new film?
There will always be a next film for me. There are so many films I want to make.

PEELING, 17min,. Japan
Directed by Ryusei Emi
The main character Shiori, who struggles with her own identity, one day visits a women’s sex club. She has a secret that she cannot tell anyone and is afraid of being rejected, so she has a hard time exposing herself. With the help of her therapist, Takeru, she peels away her insecurities and fears.

Get to know producer Mihoko Suzuki:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

I wanted to burn onto the screen “the exact moment we peel back to our true selves.” There is pain in living beneath the weight of family and social expectations, yet an exhilarating catharsis when that shell finally cracks. My starting point was to let viewers experience that contrast through visuals set against near-silence. The dim, cocoon-like hotel room versus the faint stirrings of an unrestful heart—elements noted in the review—grew from that impulse.

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

The first idea came in August 2023; post-production finished in January 2025—about 18 months in total.

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

“Peeling / Silence”

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

Designing sound for the almost-silent scenes—capturing heartbeats and even the rustle of fabric.

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

My heart swelled. A tiny idea born in a corner of Tokyo had crossed the ocean and touched so many people—that fact moved me deeply. In Japan, indie short films rarely get screen time, let alone fair evaluation. That’s why the warm feedback and this award instantly compensated for every hardship we endured during production; it was the greatest reward imaginable.

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

Japan’s nightlife has fostered a unique sexual-service culture. Desire may be openly affirmed there, yet in mainstream society a powerful demand for conformity still reigns, leaving almost no space for people to speak their authentic selves. That two-layered reality has always unsettled me. I want to visualize, through image and sound, the odd coexistence of places where desire can be voiced freely and everyday lives where people pretend to be “normal,” along with the loneliness and hope of those who live between them. That is my driving force as a filmmaker.

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

Spike Jonze’s “Her.”

Its minimalist portrayal of the space between loneliness and connection amazes me every time.

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

A multilingual subtitle–data exchange platform: Sharing translation resources among low-budget indies would lower the barrier to overseas screenings.Audience-creator mentoring sessions: Direct storytelling feedback from general viewers would be an invaluable opportunity.

9. What is your favorite meal?

Yes—currently in pre-production. The working title is “COCOON.”

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

Its theme is how to embrace the true self left exposed after “PEELING.” A 90-minute feature: from a quiet hotel room the protagonist steps into the wider world—an urban night awash with diverse lights and sounds—on a road-movie-style journey to reclaim their own voice.

Hammerstone Meets Woofstock, 20min., Canada
Directed by Josh Holliday
A film that straddles the line between narrative and documentary, landing squarely on comedy. Steve Hammerstone is a small town radio host and big time buffoon, who’s sent to explore Woofstock: North America’s largest festival for dogs.

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?
My friend and Lisa and I had done these small town radio host characters “Steve and Tawny” on CBC radio and through podcast for many years. Just before the pandemic, we were judges for Woofstock, and had so much fun doing it. Afterwards I had great regret that we had no record of that live event, so I set my sights on the next Woofstock. Unfortunately, COVID-19 came along and threw a wrench in the plan until 2024. I had stayed in touch with one of the founders and organizers over the years, and as soon as I knew a new version was coming, I made sure I was a part of it. I’ve always loved buffoon comedy. After many years working in radio and audio, I finally got around to fulfilling my high school mantra: “I want to write, act and direct for television and film.”

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
Well, outside of the ideation and desire to do this project, pre-pandemic, the time started ticking as soon as I knew there was going to be a new Woodstock event. So that was probably in February or March of 2024. That set a very specific deadline for the actual shoot day. Woofstock generally happens over 2 days of a weekend. The day I was selected to judge was the Sunday. After the shoot, I worked with an editor to chop it down to under 20. Once that was done did some titles, post audio, and some audio cleanup. Had a friends and family screening on August 28th, so about 7 months in total from pre-production to final cut.

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

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
Ha! This is a tough one, there are a few. The old wig I’d been using for this character for years had gotten really unruly, so I ordered a new one from this company in BC and what they sent was nothing like what was pictured on their website. They did not answer any emails, or calls, and eventually I had to initiate a chargeback process with my credit card company. I had to make do with the old wig, and put a baseball hat on. I have really bad eyesight, and the glasses I’d used in the past for the character were a pair of my dad’s from the 80s with no lenses. When I did the Woofstock years ago I remember spending most of the day in character in a literal blur. I hunted online for a pair of glasses that were similar that I could get real lenses put in. I did that – and because of my prescription it took awhile. Well, the joke was on me, because the optometrist screwed up, and the lenses were essentially reading glass lenses – super-blurry except reading. It also detracted from the character, because so much of comedy is in the eyes, and the lenses had a real distorting effect. It was too late to get them changed before the event. The new glasses also just didn’t have the same look as my Dad’s old pair. (I’ve since put real lenses in my Dad’s vintage frames.)This was all before the shoot!
Shoot day was a whole new challenge.

The day of the shoot, they were calling for stormy weather. We got a little rain, but it was very windy. You can definitely see some of the wind effects in the stage portion of the short. The plan was to film the stage stuff when it happened, about 11AM to 3PM, and then roam around doing vendor interviews until end of fest at 5. During the stage stuff, there was no real break for crew, as we were at mercy of live stage schedule. After the live event, we took a lunch break, assuming we’d have lots of time to do vendors. The problem was, the wind was so bad, vendors tents were affected, so most of them started packing up early. This meant we were racing around the vendor area at lightning speed, often leaving the 2nd camera behind for some B-roll. Some of the vendors I had targeted were already shut down. It was chaos! If you look closely you can notice it in the background of some shots. And of course, when shooting this way – where people aren’t in on the joke – there are never second takes.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I thought it was interesting to see how different people interpreted the film in different ways and saw the character and comedy.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
I started playing around with a video camera in my teens, and was always interested in film. I mentioned my high school mantra. I went to radio and television at Ryerson for college. After university I spent half a year working as a studio guide at Universal Studios in Los Angeles. A unique and amazing experience.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
Hmm. I know I’ve watched Planes, Trains and Automobiles a lot, but it’s hard to choose one. This particular short owes a bit to Borat, Ali G, Best In Show and The Party.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?
I like the in-person screenings and networking.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?
I found FF a great one-stop site for taking out a lot of the legwork for submitting to fests.

10. What is your favorite meal?
Gnocchi

11. What is next for you? A new film?
I’d like to make a feature with the Hammerstone character and more of a narrative. Other thought is episodic with every episode a Hammerstone Meets ____________.

sustain, 5min., Austria
Directed by Peter Schakl
sustAIn is the Idea to combine sustainibility and artificial intelligence. Openess is to show generally ideas of sustainibility.

https://www.instagram.com/peterschackl

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

First in 1994 I was awarded with this multifunctional furniture at a competition of 500 Architecture students named „Openess“ – called by the famous Architect and Designer Mark Mack from Los Angeles, USA!
In 2024 I was awarded by the jury of the Vienna Design Week and the furniture was presented at the exhibition! There occured the idea to show the multifunctionality and the idea of „Openess“ also as open minded, cradle to cradle, upcycling, so sustainability in general… with a short movie!

And then all together to show a senseful usage of AI!

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

It took from the first Design in 1994, the exhibition at the VIENNA DESIGN WEEK in 2024 finally to the realized Short Film, the finished product, in 2025.

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

Sustainability & AI

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

There haven`t been any obstacles at all!

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

Completely overwhelming and really touching!

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

As a Teenager, but my first short-films I realized with the end of my twenties.

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

There are quite many films I have seen several times, from Directors like Steven Soderbergh, Wes Anderson, Christopher Nolan, Quentin Tarantino, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, …but my most favourite is the movie „Architecton“ by Victor Kossakovsky!

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 get some sponsoring espacially for young filmmakers, or support for finding the best fitting promotions by film institutes! Also great would be to get the opportunity to visit some famous film studios!

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

Excellent! Very comfortable to use due to it`s clear structure!

10. What is your favorite meal?

Caponata (Vegetable stew)!

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

There are some projects (Architecture, Art Exhibitions, …), but a real special one is coming up togehter with my brother`s guzzo factory in cooperation with MAK Vienna (Museum & Acadamy of applied Arts), which is „From Sketch to AR“! Short Film Clips to show the development from the Designer`s first sketch to realization, and to be presented with Virtual and Augmented Reality!

A Princess’s Plea, 8min., USA
Directed by Brooke Thornton, Madison Hubler
Princess Circe awaits in her tower when Vince Davenport, crown prince of a rich kingdom, comes to claim her as his wife. But with the beast left unslain and the princess left unimpressed, Vince’s quest takes a dark and unexpected turn.

https://www.instagram.com/aprincesssplea

Get to know filmmaker Madison Hubler:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

I have always loved dragons since I was a little girl. That is what originally drew me to the realm of fantasy, and when I discovered Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones, my world shifted. It was the equivalent of a comic book kid seeing his favorite superhero come to life on screen. I had an epiphany: That is the kind of character I want to play. Being a ‘dragon queen’ became a self-proclaimed part of my identity, and it shifted the way I moved through the world. It gave me confidence and strength- to put myself out there and claim my place. I felt this creative fire inside me, pushing me to write a story that would bring that dream to life. When the idea came to flip a well-known trope on its head, nothing could stop me. All this to say, the story came from deep within my soul. I created it for myself, and everything that comes after is just the cherry on top to one of the best things I’ve done in my life.

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

The film took about one year to make. The writing and filming process went by pretty quickly. I had a very clear vision going in and knew exactly what story I wanted to tell. The bulk of the time was spent with the editor, watching over his shoulder, nit-picking each second, and then working up the courage to actually show it to people when it was finished.

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

Fun and unexpected!

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

My biggest obstacle was getting the perfect crew together. I actually had a lot of people drop out during the making of “A Princess’s Plea” including one or two the same week that we were going to film. It really taught me to believe in myself and persevere at any cost because I knew the right people were going to find the project. And they did! Everything happens for a reason, and everyone who showed up was an integral part of the filmmaking and the story’s success.

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

I absolutely loved it! I think I watched it at least 10 times. Hearing the audience members admire the story and film components was such a great feeling. Every little detail was meticulously planned, and yes, “Shrek” was a big inspiration in creating the style of the project, so it’s nice seeing all the layering really pay off.

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

I knew I wanted to be an actor since high school, but I didn’t discover my love of filmmaking until after college. I was pretty fed up with the auditioning process at the time and hated feeling like my success in the industry lies in the hands of others. It felt like waiting for an opportunity, so I decided to just go out and make it happen myself. I’m so happy I did because I found an immense love for the process of creating my own stories. I was able to develop my voice as a filmmaker, and in turn, I’m a better actor and overall artist. Now, I have so much respect for every role on a set, and I’m able to watch movies with a more appreciative yet critical eye knowing what goes into the making of it.

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

I love a comfort watch. For me, it’s Wicked or the animated How to Train Your Dragon movies.

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 already have many unique elements to your festival, like the audience feedback video, which I now wish every festival would provide. If I had to choose something, I would say an in-person screening or award ceremony would really set your event apart from others.

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

The site has been really helpful having all the information about festivals in one place. It has made the process easy and given me the chance to submit to festivals across the globe which I would’ve never imagined. It has been amazing watching “A Princess’s Plea” be enjoyed by so many people from different countries and backgrounds all over the world.

10. What is your favorite meal?

I’ve got to say nachos. Load it up with everything on it, and I can devour a giant plate all by myself haha. The more authentic the better.

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

Oh yeah! I will continue making movies till the day I die. This time, I’m looking forward to exploring work in other genres as well. Fantasy will always be my home, but my next film will most likely be an action trilogy of shorts because I love doing stage-combat and want to continue making films that I have fun with. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see where the inspiration strikes! Until then I hope you enjoy my very first film, “A Princess’s Plea”.

FIELD REPORT | FLACK FAMILY FARM, 15min., USA
Directed by Travis Limoge
Nestled in the hills of Enosburg Falls, Vermont Flack Family Farm has been contributing to the vibrance of their community through their symbiotic work in the soil for nearly a half a century.

https://www.instagram.com/underblkflag/

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?
As a Chef I have spent the last decade of my career dedicated to researching and implementing community based solutions to the industrial food complex. I have made many impactful relationships with farmers who are working hard to revitalize their local food sheds and felt inspired to share their stories as the majority of the documentaries currently available on food and food production are either glossy or focused on a specific problem rather than demonstrating the collaboration between farmer, soil, and community, the struggles they face and the actions of resilience they take on a daily basis.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
We had a good idea of the message we were trying to relay in the film and when we set out on the farm to shoot the story unfolded chronologically as we were working hand in hand from harvest to production of the fermented products, when we got to post it was quick work as we were smitten with the story we had captured, all told the whole film from start to finish took a month.

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

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
The organic nature of the production didn’t really come with obstacles, just lessons, Flack Family Farm welcomed us in and took the reins, we just followed along.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
It was wonderful to receive feedback from the audience, it was touching that they were able to really connect with the message and the feedback let us know that we had captured the story we were trying to tell.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
I have always loved film as a format of art that can trigger emotion, as a child I felt a deep connection with film as an escape to a new world, a window into an alternate reality that can inspire deep thought and inspire change. Although this project has been a dream for a while I would say that I became motivated to share messages of resilience through film while watching the world shake during the global pandemic.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
Taxi Driver, it was as a child and continues to be my favorite film. The story of lonely man in one of most populated cities in the world is something I think many can relate to and the cinematography was is incredible.

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 open, honest discussion is important. I appreciate the feedback aspect of the festival and hope that more festivals take note.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?
FilmFreeway is a wonderful resource, it allowed us to hone in on the festivals and viewers that we felt would connect with our story, the function is seamless, we really appreciate the site and all it offers for Film Makers of all ilk.

10. What is your favorite meal?
I am pretty simple, some sort of organic/regenerative grain, grass fed beef or bison, black beans, plantains, grass fed cheese and fermented vegtables.

11. What is next for you? A new film?
We are currently in post on more FIELD REPORT films and we have a project in pre production called “VENAS ABIERTAS” inspired by Eduardo Galleanos book “Venas Abiertas de America Latina” where we will focus on the effects of industrial agriculture on Latin American farmers, slated for Spring 2026 release.

Trail Mix, 50min,. USA
Directed by Glenn Robert Sweitzer
Trail Mix follows a 2,000-mile journey from Georgia to Maine, uncovering the personal struggles and healing of hikers seeking solace, purpose, and transformation. Directed by Glenn Sweitzer, the film reveals how nature becomes a powerful path back to wholeness.

http://trailmix.film/
https://instagram.com/trailmix_film

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

I wasn’t planning to make a film. I was just dealing with a big curiosity, a bad hip, some extra weight, and a big ol’ question mark about what was next for me in life. The Appalachian Trail kept showing up — like the universe was nudging me. So I grabbed a camera, threw on a backpack I barely knew how to use…, and started walking. I was looking for answers… and I ended up finding stories way bigger than mine.

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

It took about three years from concept to completion — but really, the idea was evolving in me long before that. The physical trail is over 2,000 miles, and I hiked about 1,100 miles of it. But the emotional journey behind Trail Mix was even longer. And to be totally honest… the film almost wasn’t finished. Right after the filming concluded, my mom and then my brother, got sick. They passed away about a year apart, and that destroyed me. I basically shelved the project until a friend re-motivated me.

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

Nature heals.

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

Doing it solo. I mean truly solo. No crew, nobody to give advice, no safety net and no investors. I was the director, interviewer, camera guy, driver, sound guy, and at times, therapist — mostly for myself. But also the emotional weight of it… hearing these raw, beautiful, often heartbreaking stories from hikers — it got to me. And I had to carry them with care. There were times I felt I was not adequate to be the guy opening up these heart felt and truly emotional stories.

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

I got emotional. I did not expect to feel that way. You spend so much time alone with your work, being vulnerable in the film and always wondering if it will connect. Hearing real people respond — seeing that it really touched them — was deeply validating. It made every moment worth it. It truly affected me. It reminded me why I made this in the first place. I especially love the fact that everyone takes something different from the film. The feedback was so positive, that I wondered if they watched the right movie!!

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

It took a while. I career was in graphic design and music video production, but storytelling — real, vulnerable storytelling — started pulling at me. I found I loved creating “behind the scenes” for music videos more than the actual music video, because there was so much story in those. Why the song was written, what it means to the artist and how the fans embraced the music. All incredible stories. When I made my first doc about wild mustangs years ago, something clicked. I knew I didn’t want to just design things anymore… I wanted to say something… I wanted to affect.

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

Probably The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. It’s that whole leap-into-the-unknown thing. That quiet longing to really live. I get that. Especially at this point in my life. But the cinematography and the locations alone sucked me into it. I can watch it over and over.

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

Connection. The real kind, from the people who put them on, to the audience and their reactions. I think festivals that create spaces for filmmakers to meet, collaborate, share struggles and ideas — those are the ones that stay with you. Oh, and anything that helps with distribution or visibility? Huge.

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

It’s been great. FilmFreeway makes submitting so easy — even when you’re in a van in the middle of nowhere with bad Wi-Fi. It’s been a solid tool for getting Trail Mix out there and custom picking festivals that fit your concept and genre.

10. What is your favorite meal?

This is easy, if you’re talking about backpack food… Campfire chili from Packit Gournet. You need to try this dehydrated camp food. And of course cornbread after a long day on the trail. Add in some stars, a little smoke in the air, and a spoon that maybe I carved myself? Perfect. Yes, I learned how to carve wooden spoons and coffee mugs from wood I find on the trail.

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

Yes! A few actually. I’ve got one brewing about how music heals us — mind, body, and soul — and another exploring the forgotten history (and future) of America’s forests. There’s even a really fun doc about reindeer I have been working on. But whatever’s next, it’ll be rooted in transformation. And probably have a little dirt on it.

Routine, 5min., Canada
Directed by Abo Fall
Meet Benedicte, a happy young woman living in a beautiful, heavenly garden where she doesn’t have a single worry in the world. She loves to wander around, lay on the grass and simply live in the moment.

Get to know Abo Fall:

What motivated you to make this film?

In an ironic way, I think I was trying to get out of a routine myself. It had been a minute since I made any short film or even attempted to finish old scripts. I started feeling trapped in the 9 to 5 life and saw that, unless I made the effort to pursue my passion despite the obvious obstacles, the current life I’m living would be it forever. It pushed me to get out of my comfort zone and make things happen. We filmed this short film with an iphone and a very restricted budget.

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

I’ll say about 4 months. The main issue was that I work in Nunavik but wanted to shoot the short film in Montreal. So, there was a moment where I had everything ready from the script to finding the right team but had to wait for the occasion to fly back to Montreal and finally get to shooting. But once I was on site, things went fast. We shot the entire script in 3 weeks, mainly because we had to work around everyone’s availability. And then I spent about 2 months with Vincent Loiselle-Latour, who worked on the sound engineering and Julien Ferland who worked on the score, to create an atmosphere for the film that we would all be satisfied with.

How would you describe your film in two words!?

”Literally me”

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

Time! There was never enough time and, as I said, I work in Nunavik. I had to shoot everything before it was time for me to go back and I had exactly 3 weeks !

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

I was thrilled the entire time! I really loved one of the critic’s comment, when he said the movie inspired him to want to go make movies himself, that’s what’s up ! That’s what it’s all about at the end of the day. Hopefully the story pushes more people to want to try something new and get out of their own ”Routine”!

When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

I was about 18 hanging out with friends in Senegal (where I’m from) that were just as passionate about videomaking as me. Some of them went on to make a cult classic superhero movie named ”Sandaleman”, a movie about a senegalese super hero who’s superpowers reside in his sandals. I’m not sure anymore at what point I thought to myself that I wanted to make films since up until then I was mainly making short skits, but somewhere around that time, something in me felt like it was the path to take.

What film have you seen the most in your life?

Spider-man! The first one, by Sam Raimi.

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

To be frank, this has been a beautiful adventure and I wouldn’t be sure what to add to it.

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

Intimidating because of my initial lack of understanding of how to get one’s film to festivals (this is my first time). But once you understand how the website works, it’s nice seeing all the different options being offered and it feels like no matter how niche your project is, there’s a festival out there for you that filmfreeway can recommend to you if you know the right filters to use.

What is your favorite meal?

It’s a Senegalese dish called Mbahalu Saloom. Mainly rice mixed with peanut !

What is next for you? A new film?

You bet! I’m very excited for this one, concept wise. We’re still in preproduction, though !