Short Films List - Raindance Film Festival

 RAINDANCE FILM FESTIVAL 2015 -­‐ SHORTS 0300 Hours (USA) Director: Hamlet Sarkissian, Donatella Gomelsky-­‐Guichard Cast: Justin Loyal, Carter Scott Synopsis: Not giving up on passion and confronting their fears, the two lovers give a chance to re-­‐birth. A Hole in my Heart (Netherlands) Director: Mees Peijnenburg Cast: Henri Leblanc, Leyla de Muynck, Rodrigo Vissers Synopsis: Sometimes things happen that turn everything to silence. To the point that nothing makes sense anymore. As if everything got stuck. A Reasonable Request (USA) Director: Andrew Laurich Cast: John Ennis, Stephen Ellis Synopsis: A desperate son reconnects with his estranged father to ask an unspeakable favor that will change their lives forever. A Riot Of Our Own (UK) Director: Tali Clarke Cast: Barnet Mark, Vince McCann, Charlie Chog Synopsis: It was never going to end quietly, was it? An intimate look at one community that’s being ripped out of London, alongside it’s cultural heritage. A Solitary Mann (USA) Director: Loic Zimmermann Cast: Jeremy Mann, Halszka Kuza, Kara Nova Synopsis: Peeled back and exposed, “A Solitary Mann” is a trip into the heart and soul of a modern master. A Warm Spell (Japan/USA) Director: Toshimichi Saito Cast: Shinnosuke Fukushima, Makiya Yamaguchi, Wakana Matsumoto Synopsis: On a windy winter day in the Japanese countryside, people gather to attend a funeral, where they recover the sense of connection. A Well Designed Plan (USA) Director: Will Lowell Cast: Jeff Corbett, Zac Titus, Mason Alban Synopsis: After a chance encounter at a bar, a businessman swimming in debt convinces a local fisherman to stage a robbery of his home. Absence (UK) Director: Rob Savage Cast: Paul McGann, Carolina Giammetta Synopsis: A short film about the grieving process, starring Paul McGann. Adam Imitating Art (USA) Director: Chris Hogan-­‐Roy Cast: Eric Maira, Veronica McClive, Edward Prunella Synopsis: A delivery boy searches for the projectionist at a crowded film festival, where one decision leads to an epic case of mistaken identity and the opportunity of a lifetime. After School (France) Director: Guillaume Renusson Cast: Solal Forte, Ernst Umhauer, Alice Isaaz Synopsis: A boarding school student, Gerald, is a shy and asthmatic teenager. One night, he decides to follow his roommate Theo and his gang to try the game they secretly play at night… All Fight (Canada) Director: Matthew Philip Downs Cast: Matthew Philip Downs, Jordan Morris, Jack Butler Synopsis: Craig has stolen a lot of money from the wrong person. He follows demands and enters into a battle of wits with a hit-­‐man. An Urban Myth: Incision (UK) Director: Oliver Waters Cast: Rikki Lawton, Carla Harrison-­‐Hodge Synopsis: Franks drink-­‐fuelled night landed him in a dark place. So what happened the night before? And It Was Good (USA) Director: Graham Chychele Waterston Cast: Louis Cancelmi, Jessica Joffe, Sam Waterston Synopsis: The story of two lovers who, after spontaneously getting married, face what comes after; life and its inevitable end. Asha (USA/Kenya) Director: Meena Nanji Cast: Mumbi Kaigwa Synopsis: In an era when violence is met increasingly by violence by State and non-­‐State actors alike, Asha is a woman who offers an invitation to conciliation Austerity (Cyprus/Greece) Director: Renos Gavris Cast: Antonis Katsaris, Christina Christodoulou, Dimitris Xiros Synopsis: The story of a man's personal uprising against the severe austerity measures imposed on the people of Greece. Inspired by true events. Automotive Landscape No. 1 (USA) Director: Arthur Hurley Cast: Murielle Zuker, Richard Neil, Jordan Simkovic Synopsis: Audrey Steele, a conventional 1960’s housewife, undergoes experimental therapy in an attempt to recover her memories of the car accident that claimed her daughter’s life. Bad at Dancing (USA) Director: Joanna Arnow Cast: Eleanore Pienta, Keith Poulson, Joanna Arnow Synopsis: A perpetual third wheel and awkward outsider, Joanna increasingly inserts herself into the relationship of her more charismatic roommate Isabel. The two women test each other’s sexual and emotional boundaries in this surreal dark comedy. Behemoth, or The Game of God (Lesotho) Director: Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese Cast: Tseko Monaheng Synopsis: An itinerant preacher declares to his followers: their God is in the coffin he is dragging along. Best Man Wins (USA) Director: Stéphane Dumonceau Cast: Tim DeKay, François Vincentelli, Nadia Farès Synopsis: When a celebrated New York chef discovers an affair between his super-­‐model wife and his best man, the owner of France's finest vineyard, he devises a plan to deal with each of them. Bestial (Mexico) Director: Diego de Haro Cast: Mercedes Nasta, Andrea Galante, Salvador Ortega Synopsis: Long after the fact, two sisters seek moral redemption through avenging their father's murder, each one completely ignorant of the other's true motivation. Birthday Boy (USA) Director: Andrew Saunderson Cast: Brendan Meyer, Shanica Knowles, Logan Kishi Synopsis: A young man steals a car but is unprepared for what he finds in the back seat. Blue Thunder (Canada) Director: Jean-­‐Marc E. Roy, Philippe David Gagné Cast: Dany Placard, Sandrine Bisson, Isabelle Blais Synopsis: Bruno, in his thirties and in desperate need of a purpose, ends up homeless after a breakup. Without despairing and under the watchful eye of his motherly big sister, this sawmill worker will find the drive to put his beloved blue suit back on and to rekindle an old flame. Bronco's House (UK) Director: Mark Jenkin Cast: Henry Darke, Mae Voogd, Mary Woodvine Synopsis: One man's quest for a roof. A contemporary moral tale of love, lust, birth, death, infidelity, murder, revenge, redemption...and the housing crisis. Brother (Norway) Director: Tommy Naess Cast: Tobias Santelman, Kyrre Hellum Synopsis: When the two brothers Paal and Erik meet at a coffee shop, Paal finds that his agenda is threatened. He finds a solution that makes sense to him even though he hurts the one that needs him the most. Chelem (Canada) Director: Charles Grenier Cast: Rosalie Fortier, Martin Dubreuil, Justin Lemay Synopsis: Marianne, torn between her deep desire to be 'one of the boys' and her feelings for her best friend Louis, is confronted by a violence that she didn't know she had in her. Chute Fighter (USA) Director: Laurel Parmet Cast: Kelsey Anderson, Tyler Goodman, Morgana Shaw Synopsis: A teenage cowgirl takes action to get back the last connection she has with her dead father. Circadian Rhythms (UK) Director: Bailey Tom Bailey Cast: Rob Leach, Lin Clifton, Dick Bailey Synopsis: A mysterious condition compels a young man to run at night in a transcendent trance, creating a rift between him and his family. Citizen Day (France) Director: Basile Doganis Cast: Christopher Bécherot Chris, Mohamed Ghanem Momo, Malamine Sissoko Mala Synopsis: A crew of teenagers from a Parisian suburb have to attend their Citizen Day at the military base in Versailles but one of them, Chris, is turned away for arriving too late. Chris wants to go straight back home, but Momo, the hood’s "loser", convinces him to spend the day with him at the Château de Versailles. Clones (Switzerland) Director: Rafael Bolliger Cast: Rutger Hauer, DeObia Oparei Synopsis: On board a spacestation, a highly intelligent professor of quantum physics undergoes a special kind of brain surgery. Cowboys & Engines (US) Director: Bryn Pryor Cast: Richard Hatch, Libby Letlow, Mark Whitten Synopsis: Set in an alternate 1876, Cowboys & Engines follows Cade Ballard, the former Texan ambassador, as he encounters Guinivere Wheeler, a sexy gunslinger and con artist. Damage Control (Australia) Director: Samuel Bartlett Cast: Matt Doran, Steve Bastoni, Anni Finsterer Synopsis: A suspicious man tries to obtain medical supplies from a late-­‐night pharmacy and finds his life in jeopardy when things escalate out of control. dark_net (UK) Director: Tom Marshall Cast: Johnny Vegas, Perry Fitzpatrick Synopsis: Alan searches for answers in all the wrong places and this time he thinks he's found them...on the internet in the form of a highly trained deadly assassin. But he's about to learn the true price of entering the 'dark_net'. Dating Eliza (UK) Director: Peter Lydon Cast: Jane Asher, Selina Macdonald, Toby Maley Synopsis: Meet Eliza, a first date like no other. Well, she says she’s Eliza. But we suspect she’s actually Debbie. But she definitely isn’t Sandra. Death In Bloom (Australia/USA) Director: Dael Oates Cast: Robyn Nevin, Ewen Leslie Synopsis: A dark satire about door-­‐to-­‐door 'death' salesman's struggle to close a routine expiration deal with the wealthy, refined and fabulously picky customer. Deep Gold (Germany) Director: Julian Rosefeldt Cast: Franz Hartwig, Janaina Pessoa, Peaches Synopsis: An homage to Luis Buñuel's surrealist masterpiece L'Âge d'Or, relocated to the roaring Berlin 20's. Dennis (UK) Director: Connor Coolbear Cast: Lucian Charles Collier, Luke Shenton Sharp, Aidan Stephenson Synopsis: Following the death of his brother, Jonny -­‐ a disillusioned young chain-­‐smoker must re-­‐evaluate reality in order to make reparations with his father. Devil (Turkey) Director: Bahadır Arıcı Cast: Selahattin Yıldırım, Bahar Deniz Eriş Synopsis: Murat finds himself under attack of devilish thoughts whilst praying at the mosque. In the world these thoughts took him, he chases a woman in burka who is a very familiar person in his life. Devil Makes Work (UK) Director: Guy Soulsby Cast: Shaun Dooley Synopsis: A visually dark and sinister short film illustrating the devil's twisted view of humanity; our hopes and dreams, life, love and struggle together with the sacrifices we make for success. Dirty Laundry (USA) Director: Renji Philip Cast: Bruce Davison, Tyler Steelman, Rome Brooks Synopsis: One night five lives become linked through a strange series of unfolding events that have irreversible results. Dog Bowl (USA) Director: Gordy Hoffman Cast: Marci Miller Synopsis: A heartbroken girl spiraling through her life stumbles upon the true nature of her existence after stealing the vest off of a service dog. Emma, Change The Locks (UK) Director: Julia Hart Cast: Olivia Williams, Madeline Tynan Synopsis: Emma is stepping up to an extreme decision. She is changing the locks. Will she be able to stand by her decision when the knocking begins? Emory Douglas: The Art of the Black Panthers (USA) Director: Andre Andreev, Dan Covert Cast: Emory Douglas Synopsis: Emory Douglas was the Revolutionary Artist and Minister of Culture for the Black Panther Party. Through archival footage and conversations with Emory we share his story, alongside the rise and fall of the Panthers. Exit Road (USA) Director: Yuri Alves Cast: Dane Sansavero, Julia De Pinto, Demetrios Frangias Synopsis: Dane thought he left his demons and his drug addiction behind him, but his first day out of prison challenges both his promise to go clean and his survival. Ferdinand Knapp (France) Director: Andrea Baldini Cast: Dominique Pinon, Philippe Du Janerand, Dominique Uber Synopsis: Ferdinand Knapp is the pre-­‐eminent actor of French theatre, revered by all. In preparing for a new play, the lines between his character’s malevolent personality and his own begin to blur. Francisville (USA) Director: Jonathan Pappas Cast: Max Margulies, Norm Roessler, Jenny Seastone Synopsis: A battle of wills unfolds as an eccentric Philadelphia tour guide tries to recruit a young apprentice. Gang (USA) Director: Clayton Vomero Cast: Mela Murder, Infinite Coles, Denasia Moore Synopsis: A short film about belonging. Three young people in Staten Island, New York, search for meaning and identity. George and the Vacuum (USA) Director: Chadd Harbold Cast: Fred Armisen, Sophia Takal Synopsis: George and Lacy walk through the streets of Brooklyn and revisit their memories. George Misses The Train (UK) Director: Timothy Hancock Cast: Thomas Turgoose, Lucy Sheen Synopsis: George (This Is England's Thomas Turgoose) is late for the train, and a chance encounter with a strange old woman sets to derail his trip… German Shepherd (Sweden) Director: Nils Bergendal Cast: David Paul Synopsis: Are we born to do good or are we here just to save ourselves? This animated film provides disconcerting answers. Getting There (Ireland) Director: Tim Hanan Cast: Cal Kenealy, Mark Schrier, Carla McGlynn Synopsis: A short film about a stalker, his sister, and his psychiatrist Ghosts and Gadgets (USA) Director: Ronni Thomas Cast: Brandon Hodge Synopsis: Collector Brandon Hodge discusses the Victorian practice of using tools called Planchettes to communicate with the dead. Good Hands (Argentina) Director: Francisco Bendomir Cast: Tamara Garzón, Pablo Greco, Rosario Bendomir Synopsis: A young couple leaves their baby in the hands of babysitter from hell. Good Wolf, Beautiful Witch (Spain) Director: Ainara Porrón Arratibel Cast: Nerea Barros, Juan Carlos Vellido Synopsis: Poetry, music, painting, photography and cinematography intermingle in this paradoxical tale about love stories that can be both possible and impossible at the same time. Guys With Guns (USA) Director: Joel Veach Cast: Joel Veach, Terry Wayne, Lexi Stellwood Synopsis: Two men sit at a dive bar in Los Angeles and talk to a waitress with a checkered past. H Positive (UK/Spain) Director: Glenn Paton Cast: Roger Barclay Synopsis: If you had a prolonged terminal illness and money was no object, would you manipulate euthanasia so that you could die on your own terms? Hades (Germany) Director: Kevin Kopacka Cast: Anna Heidegger, Cris Kotzen , Iman Rezai Synopsis: A woman is caught in an endless dream where she has to cross the five rivers of Hades, each representing different stages of her relationship. Happy Hour (USA) Director: Martin Rodahl Cast: Barret Walz, Ryan Silver, Michael Goldberg Synopsis: Ed Hope had to fire fifteen people today. He leaves work to commiserate with his friend, Roger. At the hideaway bar, Ed recalls an almost forgotten incident from his childhood, and in telling it reveals larger ideas of pain and loss that have shaped his entire life. Harry & Judy (USA) Director: Jordan Michael Blake Cast: Jordan Michael Blake, Elle Malan Synopsis: An innocent love story... twisted and rent by the mighty hand of God. Harvey's Dream (Australia) Director: Alexander von Hofmann Cast: James Hagan, Caroline McKenzie Synopsis: When Harvey tells his wife about his nightmare, she becomes aware that the details eerily, and then terrifyingly, match this very morning. He Works The Long Nights (UK) Director: Luke Carlisle Cast: David Ajala Synopsis: A man whose job places him on the fringes of English society explains his day-­‐to-­‐day life. Taking us through his daily routine, we witness the boredom and repetition that comes with being a ghost in the system. Hell Runs on Gazoline (Canada) Director: Martin Bureau Cast: Robin Allard, Martin Dubois Synopsis: At the Saint-­‐Félicien racetrack, engines are running hot and the excitement has reached a fever pitch. Racecars hit the track, accidents pile up and the flames of burning engines wreak havoc—an infernal vision that soon dissipates into an eerily silent cemetery of abandoned carcasses. Her First Black Guy (USA) Director: Sam Auster Cast: Christopher T. Wood, Caroline Fogarty, James Black Synopsis: Kevin wants a woman of substance. His blind date, Claire, seems to have very little. But we all know about appearances. Her First Black Guy...The story of a man who wanted to be anything but that. High Windows / Death & Co / The Wasteland (UK / France) Director: Onur Sentiurk, David Lobser, Ice Cream Synopsis: The Poetry Movement is a set of short, cutting-­‐edge animated films created for The Josephine Hart Poetry Foundation that aim to introduce people to a new form of poetry consumption that deals in the visual lexicon of the 21st Century. Home (USA/China) Director: Amelie Wen Cast: Cao Maishun, Li Yanxi Synopsis: On his last day of work, an elderly migrant caretaker of an abandoned construction site encounters a young girl who has run away from home. Hotel Terminus (Switzerland) Director: Dorthe Wølner-­‐Hanssen Cast: Isabelle Caillat, Raphael Roger Levy, Claudia Gallo Synopsis: A Bosnian woman hunting a war criminal and a crime scene cleaner meet at a hotel in Geneva. I Am A Pencil (Australia/France/Denmark) Director: Joe D'Arcy Cast: Carol D'Arcy, Pierre Maubouche Synopsis: As the pencil experiences life, it draws the world 'as it is -­‐ as it sees it' because (like the artist) that is what a pencil does. I Exist (Syria / Egypt) Director: Ahmed Abdelnaser Cast: Synopsis: This short film portrays the plight of Syrians and their children in displacement camps after their homes and schools have been destroyed. I Thought I Told You To Shut Up!! (Canada) Director: Charlie Tyrell Cast: Jonathan Demme, Matt Groening, Kevin Pollak Synopsis: In 1977 David Boswell created comic book anti-­‐hero Reid Fleming, the World’s Toughest Milkman. 30 years later, the big screen Hollywood adaptation remains in contractual limbo. If Mama Ain't Happy, Nobody's Happy (The Netherlands) Director: Mea de Jong Synopsis: How can you keep distance from the one that loves you the most? Infinite Horizon (UK) Director: Stephen Simmonds Cast: Michael Brandon Synopsis: Infinite Horizon is a visualisation of a single moment in time, the cognitive shift experienced by an astronaut when viewing the world from a cosmic perspective. Ink -­‐ Written by Hand (Canada) Director: Ryan Couldrey Cast: Tanja Tiziana Synopsis: Handwriting was once taken for granted as something anyone could do. 'Ink' follows freelance photographer Tanja Tiziana and her journey to rediscover the written word. Intermission (USA) Director: Mark Tiedemann Cast: Billy Merritt, Bill Dwyer, Allyson De Guigne Synopsis: What begins as an innocent conversation between two fathers at a childrens' dance recital soon turns wildly inappropriate, as hidden truths of their recent sexual past emerge. Into the Surf (UK) Director: Tom Evans Cast: Greg Austin, Adam Rojko Synopsis: Sebastian always lived in the shadow of his older brother -­‐ until his brother became ill and he had to find his own voice. Introducing Brian (UK) Director: Nicholas Keogh Cast: Brian Brown, Katherine Bassett Synopsis: Meet Brian, a storyteller and dreamer, for a trip down memory alley. Is It Your Refrigerator? (USA) Director: David Codeglia Cast: Ellis Court, Gabriel Oliva Synopsis: This weird 1960s educational film teaches you how to tell if it's your fridge. Shot on Super8 film for that classic look, this parody of old homemaker educational films poses a question that nobody would ever ask and provides solutions that make no sense. It's Perfect Here (USA) Director: Tess Harrison Cast: Tess Harrison, Will Harrison Synopsis: A brother and sister spend a beautiful day on a lake together, getting to know each other in the spaces between childhood and adulthood. Ivy Vigilante (Sweden) Director: Nathalie Hallman Cast: Emma Veronica Johansson, Ingmari Lamy, Chantelle Flavet Synopsis: Ivy Vigilante is a character-­‐driven, surreal drama with humorous undertones. The story tells about the self-­‐destructive woman Ivy, who during a visit to a psychotherapist opens her "Pandora's box" when she looks back at her past to understand her destructive personality. Jackie Boy (USA) Director: Musashi Alexander Cast: Jonno Roberts, David Lee McInnis, Devin Brooke Synopsis: In a world morally bankrupt by social media, a stranger lurks in the shadows seeking vengeance on the selfie generation. Jasmine and Macaroons (Canada) Director: Martine Roquebrune Cast: Martine Roquebrune, Catherine Sénart, Vanessa Seiler Synopsis: A woman invites two girlfriends for a perfect afternoon tea, but loses control of the situation when the topic of international relations comes up and reveals the women's secrets and the truth of their relationship. Jus Soli (UK) Director: Simon Jenkins, Michael McLeod, Joshua Llewellyn Cast: Nicholas Pinnock Synopsis: Jus Soli opens up a discourse on the Black British experience; interrupting the emotional transition between generations and questioning what it means to be British. Just Desserts (UK) Director: Michael Yanny Cast: Alex Macqueen, David Schaal, Rebecca Lacey Synopsis: Just Desserts is a dark comedy about a compulsive lottery player, Dennis, on a monthly meal out with his wife and friends. The night turns when a practical joke they play on him horribly backfires. Kapunka (Israel) Director: Tal Greenberg Cast: Shai Avivi, Sun Intusap, Avraham Shalom Levy Synopsis: In order to get around a requirement for Jews to leave their fields fallow once every 7 years, a farmer ‘sells’ his farm to his Thai laborer leading to unexpected consequences. Karroyul (Australia) Director: Kelrick Martin Cast: Chanelle Hawkins, Bruce R Carter Synopsis: An Aboriginal girl, lost and empty after the death of her mother, discovers her past in an unlikely place. Last Day of Freedom (USA) Director: Dee Hibbert-­‐Jones, Nomi Talisman Cast: Bill Babbitt Synopsis: When Bill realizes his younger brother has committed a crime he agonizes over his decision-­‐ should he call the police? Lay Up (UK) Director: Jared Fortune Cast: Jared Fortune, Caleb Marriner, Maiah Marriner Synopsis: Disarmed by the innocence of youth, Mike puts aside his preconceptions of an enemy and allows Adrian and his sister, Leah, to play basketball with him. Leidi (Colombia / UK) Director: Simón Mesa Soto Cast: Alejandra Montoya Villa, Hector Orrego Synopsis: Leidi lives with her mom and her baby, but her boyfriend Alexis hasn’t shown up in days. One sunny morning, she goes on a search. Life After Death (Australia) Director: Sean Capel Cast: Guy Edmonds,Warwick Young Synopsis: A depressed ghost named Joe travels into the nothing of space to end it all, only to find unexpected company with another ghost -­‐ Astronaut Dave. LNS (USA) Director: Rob Lambert Cast: Roberto Cordero Jr, David Mendez, Janelle Marra Synopsis: Los Niños Sicarios refers to the child hitmen working for Mexican drug cartels.This is a day in the life of an American-­‐born child hitman. Lullaby (USA) Director: Stuart Valberg Cast: Rick Kincaid, Jay Booth Synopsis: A man attempts to cope with the over stimulation of contemporary society. Is a mysterious package he purchases the solution? Lux (UK) Director: Chris Chung Cast: Conner Mckenzy, Stephanie Lewis Synopsis: Richard on his latest star light extraction meets Lilly, marvelled by the premise of stellar lifting. Maya (UK) Director: Veemsen Lama Cast: Ashmita Tamang, Suraj Tamang, Aakash Malla Synopsis: Maya, Bikram and Kancha suddenly find themselves trapped in the heart of Kathmandu, vulnerable, penniless and alone, with only hopes and dreams of happiness. Mazal and Bracha (Israel) Director: Idan Shtadler Cast: Rafi Kalmar, Benny Shif Synopsis: Avner and Boris hire an arbitrator to rule over a failed diamond transaction. Each side claims that a diamonds package worth $432,000 is in the possession of the other party. Jacob, the arbitrator, listens to both stories and needs to find out who is telling the truth and who is lying. Meeting Jenny (USA) Director: Tammy-­‐Anne Fortuin Cast: Dylan Stretchbery, Alexa Jansson, Chelsea Lee Joan Synopsis: A soft-­‐spoken writer must get an unknown, foul-­‐mouthed woman, who may or may not be pregnant with his baby, out of his house before his fiance comes home. Michael (UK) Director: Jonathan Kemp Cast: Leon Child, Lawrence Larkin, Lisa-­‐Marie Hoctor Synopsis: A homeless man is promised a better life. He finds himself trapped on a farm, working in horrible conditions and unable to leave. Minimum Wage (USA) Director: Joey Ally Cast: Sarah Ramos, Ian Harding Synopsis: Walking home late at night from being questionably fired from cocktail waitressing, Kit takes a chance when a stranger mistakes her for a prostitute. Moment Of Happiness (Finland/UK) Director: Sakari Lerkkanen Cast: Joonathan Suvanto, Gabriella Rubini Synopsis: A sailor arrives home for a short period to meet his lover. Is the love keeping him home or shall the sea call him back? Mouth Of Hell (UK) Director: Samir Mehanovic Cast: Suraj Mondal, Ramanjit Kaur, Taranjit Kaur Synopsis: Jharia, India, one of the most dangerous places on earth. Fires rage underground, smoke and dangerous fumes belch from cracks in the earth. This is the home of Anant, an 8 year old boy who scrapes a living picking coal and selling it at the local markets to try and feed himself and his sick mother. One day, a chance encounter changes Anant's life, forever. Moving On (USA) Director: Marcia Fields, Mike Spear Cast: Robin Taylor, Mike Ivers, Ryan Farrell Synopsis: Moving On takes a look at what would happen if even breakups were contracted out. And it's way more embarrassing than getting dumped by text. My Stuffed Granny (UK) Director: Effie Pappa Synopsis: A little girl and her family try to survive in the midst of the Greek economic crisis. Nazi Boots (UK) Director: Debs Paterson Cast: Eleanor Worthington-­‐Cox, Archie Bradfield, Lucie Griffiths, SallyAnn Fellowes Synopsis: Holocaust survivor Janine Webber relives the loss of her family in this viscerally powerful drama-­‐doc short. Needle Town (UK/Norway) Director: Henrik Hylland Uhlving, Kaspar Synnevåg Cast: Joseph Millson Synopsis: Heroin addict Cato is stealing books to fund his drug habit. He has fallen in love with Goth Girl, who works at the local bookshop. But the mall cop, Crab Claw, is about to make the relationship between the two very difficult. Nefertiti's Daughters (USA/Egypt) Director: Mark Nickolas, Racha Najdi Cast: Bahia Shehab, Mira Shihadeh, Salma Samy Synopsis: Queen Nefertiti returns to join revolutionary street artists on the front lines in the fight for women’s rights and freedom in Egypt today. Nelly (Austria) Director: Chris Raiber Cast: Antonella Lenauer, Steffen Höld, Ann-­‐Birgit Hoeller Synopsis: A car drives through the snow. Behind the wheel is Nelly. She is thirteen years old. Nelly wants to go home. Separating her from her goal are three questions, two keys, a diving tower and a racing heart. NO-­‐A (USA) Director: Liam Murphy Cast: Liam Murphy, Andrew Finley, Matthew Benson Synopsis: The world is a desolate, unforgiving place in this action sci-­‐fi with a surprising amount of heart. No Less Than All (UK) Director: Rory O’Donnell Cast: Marina Stoimenova, Chiara Corbetta, Simon Stache Synopsis: They won't be happy until we are. But we want love. North (UK) Director: Phil Sheerin Cast: Barry Keoghan, Emer McCourt, Des McAleer. Synopsis: Isolated on a farm and fighting against his family, Aaron struggles to be heard as he watches his mother willingly die. Not Sophie's Choice (UK) Director: Matt Holt Cast: Catherine Tate, Alex Macqueen, Skye Lucia Degruttola Synopsis: A troubled middle class couple attempt to break some very sad news to their 10 year old daughter, Sophie. Nowhere Line: Voices from Manus Island (Australia / UK) Director: Lukas Schrank Synopsis: An animated short film which tells the stories of two men currently detained in Australia's notorious Manus Island Offshore Processing Centre On Reptile-­‐Saurs in Cafes (Spain) Director: Jaime Gona Cast: Juan Diego, Esther Regina, Tina Sainz Synopsis: Time and again, the quiet routine of a nameless café, located in a town that is also nameless, and in an unspecified era, is unsettled by the attack of a reptile-­‐saurus on the regular customers. Usually there aren't any victims. One Night in Hell (UK) Director: Jason Jameson, James Hall Cast: Cécile Dumont, Rodrigo Peñalosa, Ludovic Pujol Synopsis: A devilish and spectacular animation short that tells the story of a skeleton's journey into a stereoscopic hell. Open 24 Hours (USA) Director: Henry Chaisson Cast: Dale Raoul, Chad Todhunter, Brad Leland Synopsis: A contract killer gets more than he bargained for after a pit-­‐stop at the convenience store. Page's Great and Grand Escape (USA) Director: Micky Levy Cast: B.K. Cannon, Noell Coet, Antonimar Murphy Synopsis: Page is a talented, exceedingly smart teenager, who wants nothing more than to be beautiful. She feels unattractive and trapped in her own body, so she pulls off the biggest escape of all: An escape from herself. Palm Rot (USA) Director: Ryan Gillis Cast: Greg Tonner Synopsis: An old crop-­‐duster discovers a mysterious crate floating in the Florida Everglades, and it ruins his day. Peacock Killer (USA) Director: Boyd Holbrook Cast: Shea Whigham, Elizabeth Marvel Synopsis: A man and his dog go on an unlikely journey of reconciliation. Adapted from a short story by Sam Shepard. Pigs (USA/Malaysia) Director: Laura Mohai Cast: Iseng Mok, Karen Bee Lin Tan Synopsis: A young boy feels neglected by his mother, who grieves the death of a second child. He discovers a sick piglet on the farm where they live, and cares for it in the crib where his mother ceremoniously grieves. This act leads mother and child to a quiet conflict. Pink Grapefruit (USA) Director: Michael Mohan Cast: Wendy McColm, Nathan Stewart-­‐Jarrett, Matt Peters Synopsis: A young married couple brings two of their single friends out to Palm Springs for a long weekend. It does not go as planned. Pinky (USA) Director: Dylan Paffe Cast: Alison Lani, Austin Ray Mincks, Michael Mercurio Synopsis: A young woman's plan to move away from her rural hometown is thwarted by her self-­‐destructive teenage brother. Pinky (USA) Director: Dylan Paffe Cast: Alison Lani, Austin Ray Mincks, Michael Mercurio Synopsis: A young woman's plan to move away from her rural hometown is thwarted by her self-­‐destructive teenage brother. Playing Away from Home (Belgium) Director: Koen Mortier Cast: Francois Beukelaers, Kristine Van Pellicom, Leen Persijn Synopsis: A strange kind of thriller about a man living a double life in fear but doesn't know what to do about it. POWWWO (USA) Director: Keeley Gould Synopsis: “Powwow” documents a central event in Native American cultural that allows tribes to gather and reclaim indigenous rites and expresses the sacred and spiritual. Prosefhi: Greek School Prayer (Greece) Director: Thanasis Neofotistos Cast: Chirstos Karavevas , Stelios Karabinas Synopsis: Two high school students. While seeking their identity through violence, will inevitably test each other’s boundaries. Pussy Chronicles (Germany) Director: Justyna Grzybowska Cast: Emma Drogunova, Nastassja Revvo, Christian Wagner Synopsis: Jenny meets her girlfriend Miri in a café. When the two sit together, Jenny suddenly receives the image of a penis on her smartphone. This and the waiter shamelessly grabing his crotch in front of both girls makes them wonder, what's the deal with dicks anyway and what they would do if they had one? Rattle the Hocks (USA) Director: Cody Dickinson Cast: Alyssa Graham, Douglas Graham Synopsis: Rattle the Hocks documents Americana music group The Grahams as they ride the rails and draw on the deep, recurring sources of American folk culture. Remember (Japan) Director: Shunsaku Hayashi Synopsis: Going out for work, a man got a phone call. Answering it, his house exploded. As if nothing had happened, he goes. Research (Belgium) Director: Koen Van Sande Cast: Martin Swabey, Mélanie Biesemans, Carly Wijs Synopsis: Research' is a short film about the tension between two realms: the mundane and the sublime. The film delves into an individuals' conflict between a perfectly organised, successful, everyday reality and his urge to find a higher awareness in the all-­‐over state of his decent human life. Rita Mahtoubian Is Not A Terrorist (USA) Director: Roja Gashtili, Julia Lerman Cast: Patrick Fugit, Della Saba, Charlotte Ross Synopsis: When Iranian-­‐born Rita Mahtoubian sets out to change her life from ordinary to extraordinary she accidentally captures the attention of a homeland security agent in this satirical comedy about romance, terrorism and trying to be a better person. Rock 'N Roll Island (UK) Director: Helen Walker and Cheryl Robson Cast: Rod Stewart, Steve Hackett, Phil May. Synopsis: Rediscovering Eel Pie Island, the heart of R n B in South -­‐ West London in the 60s and a cornerstone of UK rock history. Rose (UK) Director: Tom Stoddart Cast: Michael Sarne, Katie Pattinson, Amelie Hedger Synopsis: A widowed mother struggling to cope with her daughter's dark secret is offered help by a mysterious doctor, leading to devastating consequences. SAMUEL-­‐613 (UK) Director: Billy Lumby Cast: Theo Barklem-­‐Biggs, Samuel Leibowitz, Letty Butler Synopsis: The story of Shmilu, a Hasidic Jew in crisis, torn between his community and the romantic possibilities of trendy East London. Sea Child (UK) Director: Minha Kim Cast: Rachel Park, Sohhee Kim, Se-­‐jung Shin Synopsis: On the verge of becoming a woman, Sora is woken by a nightmare and decides to follow a group of men into the city in the hope of finding her mum. Shabu-­‐Shabu Spirit (Japan) Director: Yuki Saito Cast: Mitsuru Hirata, Dai Watanabe, Ayaka Morita Synopsis: As a woman’s fiancé, Keita, goes to meet his new family, the father, Shozo, begins his secret appraisal – a test to see whether this fiancé is worthy or not of marrying his daughter. Shadows (USA/UK/Poland) Director: Paul Kowalski Cast: Karolina Wydra Synopsis: A young woman hides out in a house under construction to battle her innermost demons. Share (USA) Director: Pippa Bianco Cast: Taissa Farmiga, Keir Gilchrist, Andre Royo Synopsis: A 15-­‐year-­‐old girl returns to school after someone shares an explicit video of her. She Stoops To Conquer (Canada) Director: Zachary Russell Cast: Kayla Lorette, Julian Richings Synopsis: A struggling talent-­‐show performer wanders into a nightclub disguised in a mask, and is inexplicably attracted to the real-­‐life dopplegänger of her masked character. Skateboarding's First Wave (USA) Director: Don Burgess Cast: Don Bugress, Tim Keller, Colleen Boyd Turner Synopsis: A look at the early days of skateboarding culture in Southern California, and the group of kids that would shape its role in the media and in society. Skin (England) Director: Phil Sheerin Cast: Jonathan Harden, Nancy R Clarkson, Aidan Kelly Synopsis: A true story set over a single night. We follow Leo into a world of violence and manipulation as he foolishly tries to do what he thinks is right. Skinner (Hungary) Director: Gabor Fabricius Cast: Tibot Szoke Synopsis: In economically depressed Budapest, to avoid being evicted from your home means you need to evict others -­‐ and Tibi, a hardcore bouncer with a conscience, soon finds that he must turn against his own to save himself. Slave (Mexico) Director: Amat Escalante Cast: Natalia Guzmán, Donovan Torres Synopsis: As Ana, only 14 years old, tells her story, we can see how she was seduced, deceived and introduced to the world of prostitution. Slingshot (Australia) Director: David Hansen Cast: Ruaumoko Toatoa, Natasha Thompson Synopsis: Slingshot is an amusing analogy on modern love, told through the eyes of one of its latest victims. So Now, What Do We Do? (Puerto Rico) Director: Nirvania Quesada Cast: Efraín López, Alejandra Purcell Aristi Synopsis: Joseph spends all day with a gift in his hands, making all that meet him uncomfortable. But what no one imagines is that he's preparing a very difficult apology for a special someone. Soldiers' Stories (USA/Canada) Director: Jonathan Kitzen Cast: Mickey Rooney Synopsis: The story of war from the soldiers' perspective. A compilation of never before seen 3D images of WWI and interviews with current veterans. Sometimes the Blues (USA) Director: Néha Hirve Cast: Zoe Kypuros, Diana Ebert, Tatsuo Ichikawa Synopsis: A character study of Serafina, a lonely and depressed twentysomething who moves to gentrified Harlem with an eclectic cast of characters. Somewhere Down the Line (Ireland) Director: Julien Regnard Cast: Niamh Moroney, Kevin Mooney, Nora Twomey Synopsis: Somewhere Down the Line follows a man’s life, loves and losses, shown through the exchanges he has with the passengers in his car. South Southwest (USA) Director: Madison Hamburg Cast: Tendal Mann, Angelina Lewis, Matt Bauman Synopsis: An introverted photo enthusiast, tormented by local bullies, is faced with a test of courage when his ailing grandfather's camera is stolen and placed at the top of a fire tower. Stanhope (USA) Director: Solvan Naim Cast: Malik Lockett, Johnnie Mae, Rob Morgan Synopsis: Stanhope, a teenage inner city kid from Brooklyn, NY gets caught up in a web of violence as a paid assassin. Star Cadets (USA) Director: Joe Nicolosi Cast: Jason Newman, Arthur Simone Synopsis: Jax and Bingo are not the most skilled star-­‐pilots that the Earth's Space Force has to offer -­‐ which is why they're stuck patrolling the deep fringes of the known universe. Stella Maris (Italy / France) Director: Giacomo Abbruzzese Cast: Federico Pacifici, Bruno Soriato, Guendalina Cardea Synopsis: The story of a light craftsman and his daughter, a one-­‐eyed mayor, fireworks fusing like weapons and street-­‐art as revolution. Strange Men (USA) Director: Andrew Fitzgerald Cast: Hannah Mosqueda, Thomas F. Duffy, Jim Garrity Synopsis: Abby, a penniless young drifter, decides to return home. But her plans change when a strange man begins following her. Strange Weather (UK) Director: Tom Shrapnel Cast: Maxine Peake, Lex Shrapnel, Neil Maskell Synopsis: Two strangers witness a natural phenomenon that reawakens their senses and draws their empty lives together. SuperMum (UK) Director: Lisa Gifford Cast: Juliette Burton, Cameron K. McEwan, Rochelle Dancel Synopsis: Samantha is an average mum. Or at least she likes to think so, but her career makes her stand out. Samantha is a superhero. Take Me to the End of the World (USA) Director: Justin Coyne Cast: Chad Oswald, Mackenzie Glisson, Emily Meyer Synopsis: Three friends overcome the troubles of a road trip as they travel across the country to fulfill the last request of a friend. Talgar the Hunter (UK) Director: Charlie Crane Cast: Talgar Shaibyrov & Tumara, Sary Ata Synopsis: Talgar the Hunter is a beautiful and peaceful short film about loss and reconciliation. Part documentary, part fable, Talgar takes a journey through Kyrgyzstan's bleak landscape. Tempus (USA/CANADA) Director: Ian Clay Cast: Jonathan Kite, Ann Benson Synopsis: A man summons his youth and runs to his faltering wife. The Adept (Canada) Director: Adam Stern Cast: Adam Greydon Reid, Jennifer Spence Synopsis: Ben, a brilliant physicist and amateur magician, gets more than he bargains for when performing his latest card trick for Maddy, his wife and colleague. The Alchemist's Letter (USA/UK) Director: Carlos Andre Stevens Cast: John Hurt, Eloise Webb Synopsis: A late alchemist exposes his estranged son to the truth surrounding his tumultuous life and the dark magic used to power a gold-­‐making machine. The Anniversary (Canada) Director: Angus Borsos Cast: Angus Borsos Synopsis: How mysterious, that drifting through a room so often feels reminiscent of touring through a museum. The Answers (USA) Director: Michael Goode Cast: Daniel Lissing, Rose McIver Synopsis: Upon his death, the victim of a car crash gets answers to every question he ever had and some he never asked. The Bridge Partner (USA) Director: Gabriel Olson Cast: Beth Grant, Sharon Lawrence, Robert Forster Synopsis: A timid housewife is jolted into a fight for her survival or sanity at her weekly bridge club when she thinks she hears her new partner utter a threat. The Champion (USA) Director: Marc J. Perez Cast: Matt Zoller Seitz Synopsis: The story of Fort Lee, New Jersey, the birthplace of the motion picture industry, and the effort to save our fading film history. The Cycle Starts And Stops With You (USA) Director: Chris Buchal Cast: Brady James, Coltron James, Lavenda Memory Synopsis: A short film examining the cyclical nature of child abuse and domestic violence with intense sound design and visual effects. The Earth Belongs To No One (UK) Director: Ani Laurie Cast: Jessica Barden, Alana Boden, Jack Wilkie Synopsis: How far would you go to protect your family? Jessy-­‐May's 14 year-­‐old-­‐sister has stopped speaking since the attack at school. Panic has set in the neighbourhood, forcing Jessy-­‐
May to take matters into her own hands. The Edge of Illusion (USA) Director: Timothy David Orme Synopsis: The Edge of Illusion is a personal essay film that examines the inherent anxiety and apprehension of the filmmaker's pursuit of image (illusion) making. Paradoxically, the investigation takes place through images. The Evolution of a Gen-­‐X Music Purchaser (USA) Director: Jack Marchetti Cast: Matt Pratt, Christina Rose, Hannah Duncan Synopsis: All the significant moments over the last twenty years in Zack's life parallel the changing landscape of music purchasing technology. The Haircut (USA) Director: Alexis O. Korycinski Cast: Bailey Noble, Molly Quinn, Walter Fauntleroy Synopsis: In 1976, Amy defies expectations and joins the first class of female cadets accepted for military service academies. She'll have to prove to all that she has what it takes. The House is Innocent (USA) Director: Nicholas Coles Cast: Tom Williams, Barbara Holmes, John Cabrera Synopsis: Meet Tom and Barbara, the proud new owners of a serial killer’s home. The couple’s attempts to hide the house’s history may be the end of them. The House Job (Brazil) Director: Filippo Capuzzi Lapietra Cast: Tato Gabus Mendes, Fabio Marcoff, João Côrtes Synopsis: In debt with a dangerous loan shark, Paulo plans an insurance fraud to get money. However, a series of events puts his plan in jeopardy. The Jungle Of Jules Levine (Panama) Director: Michael Mileham Cast: John Denos, Peter Cook, Elliott Gould Synopsis: An intrepid scientist ventures into the Darien Jungle, ignoring dire warnings. Unbeknownst to him, Panama is invaded as he struggles to survive against all odds. The Last Round (UK) Director: Danny Baldwin Cast: Luci Fish, Josh Danford, Paul McGuinness Synopsis: With debts piling up and a baby on the way, Jimmy’s last hope is to enter an underground boxing match, despite his girlfriend Sophie’s objections. Determined to stop him, Sophie arrives at the ring, where she is unexpectedly confronted by her past. The Last Suit (Mexico) Director: Diego Graue Cast: Mauricio Escobar, René Reyes Synopsis: Fermin comes back from the dead to see the city one last time in company of his good friend Nico, the tailor who makes his last suit The Liberation Of America Is Near (Put This Egg In My Mouth) (USA) Director: Ernesto Flores Cast: Ernesto Flores Synopsis: The Liberation Of America Is Near (Put This Egg In My Mouth) Is a very short experimental video: A challenge from a mysterious figure. The Lost Mariner (Netherlands) Director: Tess Martin Cast: Hank Botwinik, Kieran Dolan, Tjeerd Knoop Synopsis: The Lost Mariner is an animated interpretation of Dr. Oliver Sacks’ case study found in his book The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. It uses photographs to visualize the rare memory condition of patient Jimmie G. The Mechanical Waltz (France/Belgium) Director: Julien Dykmans Synopsis: The Mechanical Waltz is a story of puppets living in a totalitarian world. They are destined to enact the same routine, controlled by their masters. But today is the day that frees them from the mechanical quotidian, and releases them into a beautiful waltz of freedom. The Night Lives On (USA) Director: Andre Kaplan Cast: Joosje Duk, Melissa Johnson, Neal Arluck Synopsis: A long take about a girl’s dance party that, despite people's efforts to stop, just lives on. The Night The Moon Fell (USA) Director: John Bashyam Cast: Anisha Karur Synopsis: A boy finds the moon. The Other Side (USA) Director: Scott Brown Cast: Dede Drake, Lidiya Korotko Synopsis: For Kate & Abby work is hard, love is tough and bullets are cheap... The Question (UK) Director: Darion Leigh Cast: Alan Wiliams, Andreas Williamson Synopsis: Why are we here? What is it all for? In the infinity of time and space -­‐ how should we spend our single shot at life? The Red House (USA) Director: Jiaqi Lin Cast: Felix Fang, Leann Lei, Makayla Gatmaitan Synopsis: Fangfang, a prostitute, struggles to buy her freedom…her plans change when her child is sold to the house by her parents. The Scarecrow (US/UK) Director: Phillip Rhys Cast: Darren Pettie, Sandra Oh, Sandra Seacat Synopsis: A recently divorced man confronts the rocky shores of loneliness after a day spent with his adolescent son and an encounter with his wife. The Silence of God (USA) Director: Attila Rostas Cast: Amelia Huckel-­‐Bauer, Matt Szymanowski, Brendan Sweeney Synopsis: Silentium Dei is a single and continuous-­‐take film about ritual, chauvinism and human brutality. The Stained Glass Mandolin (UK) Director: Andrew Bullas Cast: Dick Levans Synopsis: Due to the lack of wood on the island, Orkney based musician and instrument maker Dick Levens crafts a mandolin from stained glass to be auctioned off for charity. The Tide (UK) Director: Richard Rudy Cast: Chris Ryman, Joseph Godfrey, Kishen Tanna Synopsis: Facing a ‘fight or flight’ moment in a heated confrontation one night, Joseph is reminded of his violent reaction to being bullied at school. The Voice of Nothingness (Germany/Japan) Director: Thomas Josef Roth Cast: Shizuteru Ueda, Eiko Hanaoka Synopsis: The combination of Zen Buddhism and Western philosophy and its relevance to contemporary problems expressed by two Kyoto School philosophers. A positive approach to nothingness. Three Dalmatians (Norway) Director: Ingrid Stenersen Cast: Monica Borg Fure, Kathrine Kolgrov, Hanne-­‐Marte Soerlie Synopsis: Three single mothers in a small Norwegian town bemoan the lack of single men in the village -­‐ until the day that three hunky new cops arrive, setting the woman on the road to crime. Three Fingers (USA) Director: Paul D. Hart Cast: Virginia Newcomb, Benjamin Keepers, Kim Kendall Synopsis: A female Marine struggles to navigate her disintegrating life after returning home. Confronted with crippling loss, she is left with nothing but one crucial choice. Three Kings (Australia) Director: Mike Schroeder Cast: Josef Ber, Cheree Cassidy, Emily Robins Synopsis: One fateful night, Donnie, a hit man of many faces, attempts to leave all of his troubles behind -­‐ but there is no running away. To Catch a Butterfly (UK) Director: Simon Rawson Cast: Dan Wilson, Chris Wild, Nick Payne Synopsis: A chilling and visually disturbing look into the struggling effects on the relationship between two brothers. Carl, who has autism, and Robert, a violent drunk. Today Is Not the Day (Australia) Director: Goran Stolevski Cast: Darci McDonald, Adam Ibrahim Synopsis: After the loss of a friend, a young couple's relationship reaches a crossroads. Transmitting Thought: The Maimonides Dream Lab (USA) Director: Ronni Thomas Cast: Stanley Krippner Synopsis: Doctor Stanley Krippner recounts his scientific research on Dream Telepathy. Universal Gentrification (USA) Director: The Perez Bros Cast: Ross Turner, Ashley Sullivan, David Espinosa Synopsis: Universal Gentrification is a short film that humorously imagines what would happen if aliens decided to gentrify planet Earth. V.P. (UK) Director: Andrew Nolan Cast: James Wallwork, Sarah Madigan, Chook Sibtain Synopsis: Corporal Matt Parker is becoming insular and increasingly aggressive following his battle with testicular cancer, until he is forced to drop his defences within unexpected arms. Volley (Sweden) Director: Giulio Musi Cast: Abukar Mohammed, Amir Anajim, Assad Al-­‐Roini Synopsis: Abdi tries to keep a promise made to his mother before arriving from Somalia to Sweden, but a violent environment leads him onto another path. We the Mountain, We the Sea (UK) Director: Agi K Cast: Agi K Synopsis: A short film made by Agi K to illustrate and accompany 'We the Mountain, We the sea', a track taken from 'Corpus Mei', a collaborative venture between poet Penny Rimbaud and producer Youth. We'll Find Something (USA) Director: Casey Gooden Cast: Shane Carruth, Amy Seimetz, Julia Farell Synopsis: A couple struggles to choose a restaurant while visiting New York City. Wiglum (USA) Director: Kouros Alaghband, Drew Hoffman Cast: Barry Del Sherman, Ian Boisvert, Maleena Lawrence Synopsis: Wiglum, 51, witnesses the ridiculous routine of human life in mindless motion at his local supermarket. Frustrated and desperate at his company, he interviews applicants for an undefinable job of cosmic importance. Wild One's Run (UK) Director: Ali Rafi Cast: Isa Khan, Pappu, Anil Paul Synopsis: A struggling actor finds himself in the middle of a dangerous cat and mouse story on the back roads of rural India. Winter Light (USA) Director: Julian Higgins Cast: Raymond J. Barry, Vincent Kartheiser, Q'orianka Kilcher Synopsis: An aging college professor is drawn into an escalating battle of wills when he confronts two hunters trespassing on his property. Woman of the World (USA) Director: Allison Cook Cast: Anna Margaret Hollyman, Jonny Mars Synopsis: On a visit to Los Angeles, Rachel has an encounter with a celebrity that reminds her she is right where she belongs.