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PLASTIC TOURISM, 18min., Indonesia Directed by Ira Setiawati “Plastic Tourism” is more than a documentary; it challenges viewers to confront uncomfortable truths. It is a call to action and testament of the delicate balance between human leisure and environmental responsibility.
INDIA’S MEGA FESTIVALS, 45min., India Directed by Umang Chaudhri, Vishal Chib India’s glorious past, mysterious ancient kingdoms, colorful rituals and traditions, grand architectural marvels, rich culinary variety, and grand festivities have enchanted travelers through the ages. And one such traveler is legendary chef Gary Mehigan who’s back in India with something unique on his mind – to explore India’s mega festivals! On National Geographic’s new series ‘India’s Mega Festivals’ we go behind the scenes of India’s grandest and biggest festivals that have been celebrated over centuries across the land! Through six episodes, we follow Gary’s adventures as he gets unprecedented access to intimate rituals and spectacles of each festival, over multiple days! Through Gary’s fresh perspective of the pomp and show, we get to experience India and its bounty in an all-new light. In this series, Gary experiences the mega festivals of Holi, Onam, Ganesh Utsav, Eid, Hornbill, Durga Puja, Chithirai and Hemis festivals.
PICNIC AND A LITTLE MUTINY, 39min., USA Directed by Jacek W. Laskus Aboard a sailboat crewed by four blind individuals and a sighted captain, we’re invited to their picnic in this part doc-part fantasy. Sharing experiences and observations of being sightless in a visual world the group collectively rebel.
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WHAT MAKES AN ARTIST?, 10min., Lebanon Directed by Raafat Abou Daka “What Makes an Artist” is an introspective documentary that delves into the lives of the internationally renowned sculptor brothers Assaf, exploring the unexpected paths that led them to their craft. The film peels back the layers of their fame to reveal the human side of their journey, offering a rare glimpse into their early struggles and the alternate careers they nearly pursued.
BLACK & BLUE, 16min., Australia Directed by Hamish MacGregory When Rupert is “up” he paints himself blue and becomes Zarcon. Made by his son, Black & Blue is a character study of a person living with bipolar disorder.
ROCK PAPER PAINT: ART OF THE PEOPLE, 34min,. USA Directed by Audrey Daniel This is a two part film, a story which documents the dynamic flood of public art which occurred during the social upheaval magnified by the pandemic and the history of Public Art and social justice in the Bay Area. This is an ode to the artists that have taken on the role of leaders using art to create awareness in murals, poster art, as well as ground breaking memorials, that have been created to address social change
Introducing a new breed of vampires – More alternative, more sensual, more dangerous. Loosely based on the legends of Draculas wives, the good, bad and the evil bride inhabit an old misty graveyard set in the high mountains, waiting for their beloved master to be resurrected once more. Inspired by original costumes and props by Derby-based designer Liam Brandon Murray, this is a unique film showcasing the finest in Wearable Art for the designer’s cinematic debut.
I had long wanted to do a fashion film based around vampires. I had initially envisioned a very dark classic victorian look, but when I found designer Liam Brandon Murray, a whole new world opened up to me. This was the most unconventional and bizarre kind of fashion I had ever seen the likes of. So intricate, so luxurious, yet so macabre and puzzling in it’s grandness. I knew that I had found something entirely unique and had access to a kind of innovative fashion that nobody else did. I thought to myself, I’ll be a real fool if I don’t jump on this opportunity! Liam and I clicked from the get-go, and it was clear that this would just be the start of many creative collaborations to come. I was able to pick and choose all my favourite pieces from his collection of work. We needed to piece together 4 complete looks and additionally threw in a few more items to showcase as much of Liam’s work as possible. His outfits carry heavy influences of otherworldly flair, his inspiration drawn from mythology, aliens and religious figures into a seamless blend.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
It is such an unreal feeling to have strangers speak about my work, they don’t know me or my team, so their perceptions and notions of the work are completely unbiased, raw and organic. People loved the surprising elements of lavish colour, which I think is rather unusual in the gothic genre. The fashion of course, gains a lot of wow-factor, and the fact it is put together like a music video, driven by sound and music rather than dialogue.
AFTER ORANGE, 81min., USA Directed by Jennifer Ducker AFTER ORANGE explores the stigma of being an ex-con. The day to day struggle, both external, in trying to do the essentials of everyday life: find a job, care for their family, pay the bills, and the internal: Increasing their self-worth, the guilt of betraying their loyalties and finding the confidence to strive for a better future. Following the lives of ex-gang leader Jeffrey Padilla and fellow cell mate and gang member Jeremiah Otero, we follow the first five years after their release. Can they beat the recidivism statistics and remain free?
Go to the Daily Film Festival Platform http://www.wildsound.ca and sign up for the free 7 day trial to watch a new and original festival every single day.
Go to the Daily Film Festival Platform http://www.wildsound.ca and sign up for the free 7 day trial to watch a new and original festival every single day.
MISS YOU MOM, 10min., Canada Directed by Steve Sugarman Kelsey and Julian meet Marcella, an odd antique store owner, who overhears Kelsey’s regrets about her mom. Marcella offers her a mysterious building permit contained in a curious wooden box. The permit allows them to build anywhere they want, up to an astonishing 68 floors high. They start building the house as described in the permit, much to Julian’s dismay. But what may be driving the insane construction may be something Kelsey has yet to realize about her mom’s death.
ANGELITO, 13min., USA Directed by Brent L. Peterson 12-year-old Angelito dreams of becoming a gang member like his older brother until a tragic accident forces him to grow up far too quickly.
NOWHERE TO GO, 12min,. USA Directed by Annabelle Kumaar A young girl is haunted by her past as trauma follows her in the form of what she thinks is an illusion.
MOISTURE, 25min., Brazil Directed by Duda Gorter Brazil: In a gray city in the near future, religious sects and rats live on the prowl. It rains non-stop.
FEM/DOM – Empowered, 15min., USA Directed by Mitchell Suikess Violet is a resourceful, independent, and modern woman. By day, she works as a soft-spoken assistant for an abusive, and misogynistic boss, Mr. Mann. By night, Violet swaps her powerlessness for power, when she moonlights as a dominatrix in the Los Angeles underground. The almost schizophrenic nature of Violet’s life puts her on the path to facing her demons, and ultimately choosing the type woman she wants to be.
CHHAVA, 39min., India Directed by Anurag Srijit, Arman Shaikh Set in the storied Apshinge Military Village in Maharashtra, ‘Chhava’ offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of families bound by centuries of military service, from the reign of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to today. Crafted with care by first-time student filmmakers, the documentary weaves together personal sacrifices and enduring bravery, revealing the profound human spirit at the village’s heart.
HOME, 16min., USA Directed by Al Chang Seo-won navigates a fragmented reality filled with emotional encounters and haunting memories, seeking solace and clarity in her search for home.
TORII, 13min., Germany Directed by Martin Gerigk Torii ?? is a short film in the form of an audiovisual composition about the traditional Shinto gates of the same name in Japan. The film uses these gates which symbolically mark the transition from the mundane to the sacred as representatives of a personal synaesthetic and spiritual journey through five levels of consciousness, traveling from existentialism to metaphysics, abstraction, and the Shinto deities called Kami, culminating in a final transition that weaves together these diverse philosophical threads.
THE CHASERS OF TORNADO ALLEY, 1min., USA Directed by Martin Lisius The official trailer for the documentary film “The Chasers of Tornado Alley: Touching the Sky” (2024) written and directed by Martin Lisius.
CRY ME AN OCEAN, 1min., Netherlands Directed by Bob Yothers Answering a distress call from a missing cruise ship, First Nations warrior, Shaunta Bear Heart, and the crew of the Ocean Warrior run aground on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch only to discover it teeming with new life. But it isn’t friendly…
THE FOREST THROUGH THE TREES, 3min., USA Directed by Jason Pitts This is the first trailer for the demon cult horror movie, The Forest Through The Trees
CHASING ZOMBIES, 3min., USA Directed by Mike Ancas This documentary was shot at the George A. Romero Filmmaking Program, with special effects by Tom Savini’s Special Make-up Effects Program. The story involves iconic zombie extras from the original Dawn and Day of the Dead who, decades later, find themselves in demand at Pop Culture Comicons. We chase down these zombies to see why these early Romero films resonate so much with fans. Meanwhile, the crew shooting this film set out on a horrifying adventure of their own
THE PRIESTHOOD, 3min., UK Directed by Graeme Thomas Campbell A dark, dystopian thriller set in Scotland. Two opposing forces, right wing Christianity and left wing atheism, fight for the soul of an island nation.
ECHO RHYME, 2min., USA Directed by Caleb Johnson, Jeff Johnson Trailer: for the feature film Echo Rhyme
JIM RICKS, 3min,. USA Directed by Devin Hylton A former police detective investigates mysterious paranormal events in his town and the dubious criminal activities of a local crime family.
WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN, 1min., USA Directed by Cortez Mack An inspirational youth film about the neglect our children face from their parents in the areas of love, affection, attention and security.
ELIJAH RICHARDSON: TRUST YOUR WILD SIDE, 1min., USA Directed by Brian Gregory Trailer for the documentary on Elijah Richardson, the first youth ambassador for CoralWatch.
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BRAINLAND, 13min., UK Directed by Chiara D’Anna In 1935 Egas Moniz, renowned Portuguese neurologist, visit psychiatrist Sobral Cid in order to persuade him allow his patients to be act as subjects for Moniz’s experiemntal treatment – frontal leucotomy. After some resistance Cid agrees. The first such operation is staged, but Moniz’s exhaltation is cut short by an attempt on his life. This self-contained chamber opera is actually scene 7 from a longer opera of the same name that tells three stories from the history of 20th century brain science (rather than a screenplay we worked with a libretto). it was filmed very quickly with little resources and involved professional and non-professional cast & crew.The music is by Stephen Brown.
COLORS OF THE AMAZON, 7min,. Belgium Directed by Francisco Barboza Some time after performing “Amazonas,” a composition for piano and orchestra, at the beautiful Teatro Amazonas in Manaus, I returned to visit the indigenous people of the Brazilian Amazon forest where I had the exceptional opportunity to make a recording of a traditional song. In “Colors Of The Amazon,” I use that song in its original and unfiltered form as a framework. The result is a composition that allowed me to explore a fascinating sound world where world music and orchestral tradition embrace each other ????????.
DAYLIGHT, 12min., USA Directed by Yaa Asantewaa Faraji A ballet dancer struggles to cope with the realities of her new life after one night goes terribly wrong.
SLOWLY, 4min,. France Directed by Christophe Dachy Paris, Place de la République, July 2022. Alone, facing the trampling crowd, the march of time, the freezing rain, she dances.
OUT OF THE DARK, 3min,. USA Directed by Alexa Ruggiero, Ashley Carrizo A screendance film that portrays how certain relationships in ones life can cause turmoil. The process of letting someone go can be freeing while also being an emotional rollercoaster full of sadness, anger, and relief.
POET, 5min,. China Directed by Mofei Wei, Yang Sun “Poet” is a dance film inspired by Chinese poet Yu Xiuhua, a rural woman with cerebral palsy, who recently became famous in China. Many started to know her works from her audacious Poem “Crossing Half of China to Sleep with You”. Living in a conservative rural village in southern China where prejudice against women, disability, and divorce are high, she managed to break free from an unwanted marriage and live her life as a writer despite the satirical voices around.
MORNING INTERLUDE, 7min., France Directed by Sirius At daybreak on a country road, a young couple returns from a restless night visibly exhausted. Angry with each other the couple will in a magnetic danse try to reconcile.
KINGDOM, 8min., Poland Directed by Jagoda Turlik Past, Present, Future – Three orders determining the space of life. Distant, but without each other they do not constitute truth. They coexist as a sum, a stream of experience. The past stores memories, evokes sentiments, but also hides demons. There is no future, it may be dangerous. The present forces you to decide in what direction to go “here and now”
MITOTE – SMOKEY MIRROR, 9min,. South Korea Directed by Jana Sturmheit In today’s world us humans have developed a complex social system of rules and expectations. Children are taught from the day they are born on how they are expected to behave. They are told what is right and wrong, what is possible and what not. That is, by the standards of the children’s parents and other people in their surroundings, in other words the society they grow up in.
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DESIRE, 7min., USA Directed by Jason Chu After a swanky luncheon, a sophisticated gentleman takes a reluctant date on his yacht for a drink. There is something that has been itching him, and he’s just not quite sure how to scratch it.
THE WRITER’S EXTRAORDINARY ACTION, 24min., China Directed by Chao Hao It describes the story of some writers who are bound to each other in their “writing worlds” and fighting against each other to break free from the control of fate.
HIGH-STAND, 15min., Hungary Directed by Péter Karácsony Hawk and Berry are standing on a high-stand, looking for game. It would be a funny joke, if it weren’t so sad.
THIEF, 29min., Kenya Directed by Andrew Odera Omolo, Gregory Kiwo Maole “Thief” follows the gripping story of Oliver, a reformed ex-thief facing the dire reality of his critically ill son, Richie. Struggling with escalating medical bills, Oliver is approached by Edward, a wealthy benefactor with an unconventional proposal – a high-stakes heist targeting Donna, a mysterious figure with a hidden fortune.
PROJECT 405: LOST AT SEA, 12min,. USA Directed by Josie Hull Aspiring artist Alexia, grieves the loss of a loved one and struggles to finish her painting. The-o, her personal AI assistant, who has little understanding of human emotions, tries everything in his power to feed her longing soul.
SHIVA, 13min., Canada Directed by Josh Saltzman Shiva is an unnerving tale about a recently widowed woman who breaks with a long-held Jewish mourning ritual in hopes of connecting with her deceased husband.
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THE LOVERS OF AVIGNON, 3min., Spain Directed by Manuel Fernández Ferro The Lovers of Avignon” is the first ever translation of pictorial cubism into motion real image. Is an allegory of cubism as a conceptual symbol that acts as a filter and wall of emotions.
LUNGS, 20min., UK Directed by Adrianna Ewa Polcyn This is a tale about a young woman driven to the edge of heartbreak, who is visited by a ghoul in her sleep and awakens in the mythic woods. Being thrown into swirling turmoil of her own soul, she flounders through the forest in search of truth, freedom and forgiveness. The story is an experimental re-imagined fairytale representing the final phase of the self-healing process.
AWAITING WONDER, 12min., Cyprus Directed by Eleana Theophilou A poetic exploration of a love story, of a widower that is going through the lonely journey of coming to terms with the sudden loss of his wife.
YOU ARE SO CLOSE, 5min., UK Directed by Craig McNulty Short experimental film follows a woman seemingly trapped in a derelict art gallery repeatedly viewing images and gradually becoming more frustrated. Unable to leave, and refusing the offer of help.
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HEART WORN OUT & AGAINST THE WALL, 6min., Romania
Directed by Izabella Sandra Alda, Ovidiu Claudiu Moldovan
This short “Heart Worn Out & Against The Wall” is a short movie about loneliness and fear. Fear of losing a loved one, of being superficial, of being unlovable. About the struggles of filling a void that can never be filled and mannerisms used to cope with these feelings. About wanting affection but not being able to deal with human interactions. About feeling disconnected, but never allowing this to be seen, and thus, constantly having to deal with the inauthenticity.
THE SEED, 3min., Spain
Directed by Màriam Zelaia
The artist Sandra Sangiao is gestated in an earthen incubator to end up being born brighter than ever and captivate us with her sweet and powerful voice
CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso – BAÑO MARÍA, 10min., USA
Directed by Brian Kazez
A full day of touring and lows through Buenos Aires. There’s weed, pills, alcohol, and various moods. Euphoria, dancing, public bathrooms, afters, another after, fights, kisses, another after, more touring, more lows, hallucinations, bodies damaged by the course of the night. In just over 10 minutes, CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso navigate through the underworld of Buenos Aires’s nightlife in this short film.
EARTHLOVE, 6min., Sweden
Directed by Felicia Konrad, Johan Haugen
EarthLove is a poetic music/dance film with 6 dancers, filmed in the city of Malmö, south of Sweden. “There’s a revolution that needs to happen and it starts from inside each one of us. We need to wake up and fall in love with Earth. We’ve been homo sapiens for a long time. Now it’s time to become homo conscious.” Thich Nhat Hanh
Festival Reviews 