Director/Writer: Matthew Camfield
Producers: Peter Svatik, Matthew Camfield
Key Cast "Dr. James Alston": Peter Svatik
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Sci-Fi, Emotional Thriller
Overview: In 2048 Earth's sun began it's solar maximus cycle, increased solar activity caused massive coronal mass ejections, decimating communication, electronic systems and the earths magnetosphere, scorching the surface of our once vibrant planet, the only escape - underground re-purposed nuclear bunkers built centuries ago at a time long since forgotten. The remaining survivors, biophysicist Dr. James Alston (Peter Svatik), along with his companion, Aeryn (Nansie Nsue) fight against the odds of a failing, dilapidated hydroponic farm, struggling to keep the last crop stores and themselves alive, in the hope that one day, they may be able to return to the surface. Fighting against his emotions, Dr. Alston must decide if mission success and the inevitable loneliness that would follow, is more important or bearable than his life.
Director Statement: I wanted to put forward a sense of a bleak post apocalyptic future that is happening already or at least could realistically happen. I also wanted people to feel something that was very potent for me, after reading the works of Philip K. Dick (predominantly - Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep) - it was a sense of emptiness and yet a certain clarity of realisation, that if we do not work together, then this world, even the human race itself is inevitably doomed to extinction.
Writer/Director: Nicolas P. Villarreal
Producers: Nicolas P. Villarreal, Alessandro Squitti
Music: Michael Brennan
Country: Argentina
Genre: Animation
Overview: Endless distractions threaten to destroy creativity.
Director Statement: ON / OFF relays my view of today's technology and how social media can be a considerable distraction to creative minds and discipline. Something that can derail you inadvertently from a passion that you may have and dedicate less time to neglecting it. It's my imagination and perspective of how geniuses like Frida Kahlo, Da Vinci, Beethoven, and Tesla would have interacted with it as well as their attitude and decision making towards their work with their counterparts today. My favorite films, shorts, features, documentaries are the ones that leave me thinking about the content after the fact, questioning my life and or inspiring me. I hope this film does the same about how we interact with technology and social media and shows us how there could be a possibly different future utilizing it for something productive, creating things that we feel we have to get out there. Hopefully, it will make them go back to that passion that they have and the urge to create something that they have been keeping in the back of their minds. You can use social media and technology for your work, but it can also be a black hole that sucks you in it. I hope the film's message leaves the audience questioning their attitudes towards their passions and thinking if they are letting aside something great that they could be doing by inconsequential and ephemeral social media content that won't affect their lives positively.
Director/Writer: Rashad Haughton
Producers: Toshi Sasahara, Alex Lai
Country: Japan
Genre: Action, Thriller, Fantasty
Overview: A mysterious drifter wanders into a bar owned by a psychopathic yakuza gang on Halloween night.
Director/Writer/Producer: Eswar Polanki
Country: India
Genre: Drama, Romantic, Emotion, Comedy
Overview: "I AM ARJUNA - STILL A VIRGIN" (ARJUNA SANYASI) is a romantic and fun film about the protagonist Arjuna. Arjuna is a newly married rickshaw driver, hails from a lower middleclass family and living with his parents. He tries to enjoy the perks of being married but miserably failed due to his family circumstances of living in a small house. Life takes him through a roller coaster of a ride and he goes through varied experiences at several stages. Does Arjuna finally enjoyed the perks of being married ?
Director Biography: Eshwar Polanki is an Indian film producer and director who works predominantly in Kannada film Industry. “I AM ARJUNA - STILL A VIRGIN” is his first film as a producer.
Director/Writer: Charlie White
Producer: Oliver Holmes
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Drama, Horror, Romance, Mental Health, Psyschological
Overview: After Elliot arrives home late, his already volatile relationship with Isla takes a turn for the worse, resulting in an argument that could be fatal.
Director Statement: This film helped me work through a lot of emotions I'd struggled to deal with in the wake of a break-up. It deals with the cycle of abuse, and aims to shine a light on the lesser explored topic of men as the victims in abusive relationships.
Director/Writer: Björn Granberg Ahlmark
Animator: Björn Granberg Ahlmark
Country: Sweden
Project Type: Animation
Overview: In the tv show, What a Match, the old man and woman, seek to find an answer to their longing and hope for deep love! The blind date takes place in front of an enthusiastic live audience in this new successful show!
Director Biography: I am a 57 year old teacher in 3d animation at a High School in Stockholm. One of my favourite 3d movies is Ice Age, because of how it deals with the principles of animation. During my spare time I´ve been working on my own 3d animation called "What a Match". I started this project after I had finished my animation "Art is Angst"! I enjoy creating odd characters and using (dark) humor in my stories. Aside from creating 3d animations, I spend the rest of my spare time with my two inspiring kids, and I have a need to run at least three times a week. Except for my teacher's degree, I attended a two year long 3d animation course at Graphic Studio in the year 2000.
Director/Writer/Producer: Bil Richardson
Country: United States
Project Type: Short
Overview: An exploration of dance from a century ago. This film unearths 100 year old dance footage from the silent film era and adds a little 21st Century magic. A fun look at where we've been and how far we've come in the art of movement.
Director Statement: Most people want you to be just one thing, but unfortunately I’m not. I work in many genres, many media and many voices. I’m an award-winning filmmaker, an artist, playwright, poet, historian and author. I do humor, horror, poetry, history and more. I create work that is serious, uplifting and explores important questions and I do things that are just pure entertainment. Some of the things I’ve done have been deep and thoughtful, and some just plain silly and fun. If there is a unifying thread, it is that I am a storyteller. And one of the main functions of stories is to aid us in making sense of the world. Stories help us deal with things we are frightened of - whether that’s a creature in the night or death. Stories also help us deal with the cares of life by understanding them or just being distracted from them. Our lives are varied and complex. At times we are happy or sad, challenged or victorious, high or low. So it is not surprising that the things we create should reflect that complexity and diversity. That’s how it is with me.
Director/Writer: Chia-Hung Kao
Country: Taiwan
Project Type: Short, Student
Overview: YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW is a proverb that means future consequences are inevitably shaped by present actions. Ocean plastic pollution is not an abstract issue anymore. On the contrary, it is related to our lives and diets. Single-use plastics that are abandoned by humans often drift into the ocean, decompose themselves into microbeads which sea creatures often mistaken for food, and eventually put those lives in danger. However, not only those animals but humans will be affected and harmed by plastics through the food chain. For example, we accumulate those plastics in our stomachs by eating fish or seafood. We hope this film can visualize the situation,”buy fish, put it in plastic and eat them in the end.” With irony and fantasy, we hope the audience will be aware that the situation is now happening to us and encourage them to reflect on the importance of environmental protection and plastic reduction!
Director/Writer/Producer: Robin Herrmann
Country: Germany
Project Type: Animation
Overview: An ingenious mouse must find a way to get to his favourite cheese
Director Biography: Robin Herrmann is a post-graduate student at Buckinghamshire New University, studying the art of computer animation. This is his second film.
Directors: Vache Garabedian, Vahe Garabedian
Writer/Producer: Jeffrey Rector
Country: United States
Project Type: Drama, Short
Overview: A homeless man with no memory of his past or who he is, helps save people on the gritty streets of Los Angeles. "John Doe" stars Martin Kove ("Cobra Kai"), Crystal Allen (Star Trek: Enterprise") and Jeff Rector ("American Horror Story").
Director/Writer/Producer: Sebastian Pink
Key Cast "Michael Wagner": Sebastian Pink
Country: Germany
Project Type: Drama, Short
Overview: When his parents Michael and Sarah quarrel, Nils runs away from home and is hit by a car. As a result, the boy is in a coma. It is just before Christmas and the doctors give little hope that the boy will ever wake up again.
Director/Producer: Brendon James O'Loughlin
Writer: Harry ter Haar
Country: United Kingdom
Project Type: Comedy, Short
Overview: The Consultation
Director/Writer: Britt Coker
Producers: Britt Coker, Barry Sangster
Country: New Zealand
Project Type: Comedy, Short
Overview: Lost For Words is a superhero send up inspired by the Bechdel Wallace Test where Hollywood movies are ranked following a 3-step formula. How many films (1) have at least two women in it who (2) talk to each other about (3) something other than men. John and Steve are off to save the world but need Anna’s assistance because if she’s not in the scene, communication gets a little difficult.
Director Statement: I enjoy the transformation of little words to big screen. A film's genesis may be a scene of a woman sitting hunched over her laptop, but bringing the words to life is a collaborative process. This comes with challenges but is pretty much unavoidable. Lucky I like people.
Director: Nischay Madhavan
Writer: Holly Jackson
Producers: Nischay Madhavan, Guto Thomas
Country: United Kingdom
Genres: Drama, Thriller, Horror
Overview: Set in cosmopolitan London, Aikya, a British-Indian blogger believes she is the only person that exists in the world. Continuing her daily life convinced that every interaction with another is purely a construct in her own world, her beliefs and existence are shattered after she witnesses the ultimately suicide of a neighbour. Thrust into a world unknown, Aikya must process unfounded human emotions, grapple with her solipsism and engage with the idea that she may not be alone after all.
Director Statement: The inspiration was initially to write a hard hitting story that spoke about people who are not spoken about. There are certain people in society who are not talked about, I find that they are the ones with the most interesting stories. I initially came up with an idea to write about solipsism when I was about 14 years old and it was after the insistence of my father that we chose to bring the concept to life again almost 12 years later and add a fresh and modern twist to the story. Having had a few bouts with mental health myself, I found this to be the perfect opportunity to weave a mental health related idea with the little known concept of Solipsism. Adding in the horror elements was a stylistic choice to represent the true nature of a mental health struggle; an incredibly disturbing and scary ordeal. Stylistically, we were inspired by A24 studio’s films, especially A Ghost Story, Hereditary and First Reformed.
Director: Felix Wollner
Writer: Robert Bruinewoud
Producer: Benny Schmidt
Country: Germany
Project Type:Thriller, Short
Overview: Returning home late at night after class, a woman finds her partner at the mercy of a desperate burglar.
Director: Adam Kirkey
Writers: Adam Kirkey, Mathieu Lamarche
Producers: Travis Laidlaw, Adam Kirkey, James Carmichael
Country: Canada
Genres: Horror, Thriller, Action
Overview: Five criminals pick the wrong safe house to lay low after robbing a bank. Synopsis expanded: After a bank robbery doesn’t go exactly as planned, a crew of five pick a last minute safehouse to lay low with their take and a hostage. But the safehouse isn’t so safe… Greed & Gore, a film by Adam Kirkey, is a mash of horror and thriller, with practical effects that will please all genre fans. It stars Julie Mainville (Butchers, The Good Doctor), Krishan Dutt (The Boys), Matthew Bell (Curse of the Anti-Quenched), Monica Zelak (Curse of the Anti-Quenched, Chronicles of Blood, The Enigma), and breakout stars Curt Derosier and Nick Dewolfe.
Director Statement: Whether it’s suspense, fear, a laugh, or a tear I love to get a reaction from an audience.
Director/Writer: Richard Lounello
Producers: Richard Lounello, Christopher Gaunt, Steven O'Connor
Key Cast "Jake": Leighton Samuels
Country: United States
Genres: Sci-fi, Romance
Overview: A young physicist lives out his life in search of his greatest scientific discovery and finds one extraordinary truth.
Directors: Ben Cassiani, Daniel Laurent
Writer: Daniel Laurent
Producer: Daniel Laurent
Country: United States
Genre: Drama
Overview: Centered around domestic violence and sexual abuse, this is a story of just how fast small circumstances can escalate and the harsh realities that some live with and unfortunately succumb to. Inspired by a recent tragedy, this is a tale of survival and hopefully the catalyst for change from the perpetrators and for the survivors.
Director/Writer: Kiran Kondamadugula
Producers: Harsha Vardhan Pratap, Bhargava Poludasu, Subhash Ravada
Key Cast "Sid / Anwar": Rakesh Galebhe
Country: United States
Project Type: Feature
Overview: Priya in her fifth month of pregnancy expresses the desire to move back to India and Sid obliges as he sees this as an opportunity to move past his dark secret relationship. The couple throws a big bash before the day of travel to their friends and families/ Sid wakes up in the morning completely naked with the entire house empty and Priya goes missing. Sid will be detained and he requests the cop to search for his missing wife. There comes a shocking twist that Sid never existed in the government records. Sid tries to prove his existence but he loses the battle because he couldn’t provide any sort of evidence that proves his existence. With the beautiful world, Sid and Priya were planning to build collapsing around him, Sid makes a radical from the cops becoming a fugitive and goes on the quest to find out the truth. Sid meets a smart yet broke attorney, Dev who helps him with the quest which quickly escalates into becoming his most challenging and darkest case ever. What happened to Priya? Why was Sid’s Identity wiped out? Is Sid hiding something?
Director/Writer: Dominic Goodie
Producers: Dominic Goodie, Jay Gourdine, Eugene Washington, Vincent M Ward
Country: United Kingdom
Project Type: Crime, Drama, Feature
Overview: Unsure of life and certainly too young to know how to cope in a hostile world, Daniel Ortez is forced to grow up. When his father is killed during an armed robbery, he takes it upon himself to get justice by any means. All while a local detective is only a few steps behind him.
Director Statement: Turn doubt into determination. Make your dreams a reality little by little each day.
Director: Ara Mnatsakanyan
Writer: Amber Karlins
Producer: Manvel Saribekyan
Country: Armenia
Project Type: Documentary, Feature
Overview: This is a story about survivors, about extraordinary people thanks to whom remnants of the Armenian, Greek and Assyrian peoples were saved from total destruction. Their mission was to save human lives. The film is about those American humanists who provided invaluable assistance to the Christian nations during the First World War.
Director/Writer: Sonia Oduwa Aimiumu
Producers: Sonia Oduwa Aimiumu, Kennedy Seed Obioha
Country: Canada
Project Type: Documentary, Feature
Overview: TRACE is a documentary and celebratory project aiming to recognize the work and efforts of seven Black Canadians in diverse sectors including business, entrepreneur, academic, arts and culture, history and philanthropy, as well as front-line workers and more, who have impacted the community with their great accomplishments. The documentary was executive produced by African Women Acting (AWA) & Saimy’s Art, and produced and directed by Sonia Aimy, and co-produced by Kennedy Seed Obioha
Director Statement: We are not just here just for the recognition but also to send a message. A clear message that every child, every youth every woman and man need someone a role model to look up to for inspiration, for motivation for innovation and for a twist. Chance or for a change. A message based in the creation or stipulation of legacy that our children and youth can rely, consult and check-in with. A message as well that Black is not just about Caribbean or African from the continent but a statement that we need each other to grow. To be stronger and to be more Prosperous.
Writer: Madeline Hombert
Country: Canada
Project Type: Short Script
Overview: A YOUNG WOMAN SHOWS UP FOR THE PROM IN 2020 ...WHEN THE PHOTOS ARE PUBLISHED, SHE IS IDENTIFIED AS A TEEN WHO DIED A WEEK BEFORE HER PROM IN 1985.....HER MOTHER STILL HAS THE DRESS.
Writer Statement: I have been on this earth for over seventy years and I have enjoyed many careers- mostly in the creative field. I have written and produced two feature length films distributed worldwide and I have a third one in development. For two decades, I wrote and edited and produced books - biographies for businessmen, case studies/training reference books for pediatric psychologists and tourism photo books among others. Now, I am writing books as well as screenplays with writing partner Michael Markus.
Writer: BRYAN HUYNH
Country: United States
Project Type: Short Script
Overview: Noah and Faith are typical teenagers. Noah is enjoying life at home and school. Unlike him, Faith is autistic and having responsibilities attaching to her personality. During one of her visits to Noah's home, she discovers something worthy to follow up by asking Noah for a favor. Motivated by Faith's requested, Noah accepts it and delivers his promised to her. The friendships ends up changing both their lives.
Writer: Andrea Ash
Country: United States
Project Type: Television Script
Overview: Young Will wants to find his lost sister Jane, but when he unwillingly becomes the Court Jester for King Henry the 8th he is trapped in a dangerous position of exposing the king’s enemies with his jokes. Can Will keep his own secret hidden enough to escape and find Jane?
Writer: Jim Carroll
Country: United States
Project Type: Drama, Action, Thriller, Feature Screenplay
Overview: Brigg, an aging pickleball sensation, with supernatural speed, and dark mysterious origin, becomes the target of the Cartel after he inadvertently rescues a young trafficked girl from their clutches. In an attempt to give Amy a better life, he becomes her father figure and she his daughter. The two develop a touching relationship that turns dangerous when they rescue her sister and other enslaved girls. The cops are closing in, but the cartel beats them and reclaims the girls. Brigg must use his special abilities and all his resources in a suicidal mission to free the girls.
Writer: Grace Melville
Country: United Kingdom
Project Type: Television Script
Overview: After serving fifteen years in prison for a crime she claims to be innocent of, newly released Helen Wilson returns home and quickly becomes enwrapped in an ongoing murder investigation, forcing her to fight for her innocence and her family once again.