13th Annual Winter Film Festival

Winter Film Festival Is New York City. Like the city itself, we showcase the eclectic diversity and excitement of the independent arts world.

We are an all-volunteer, minority and women-owned registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 2011 in New York City by a group of filmmakers and enthusiasts. Our mission is to promote diversity, bridge the opportunity divide and provide a platform for under-represented artists and a variety of genres, viewpoints and approaches. We believe that only by seeing others’ stories can we understand each other and only via an open door can the underrepresented artist enter the room.

For our 2025 Program, Winter Film Festival is proud to screen an outstanding selection of 87 films of all genres and lengths - shorts and features, animation, documentaries, comedies, romance, thrillers, dramas, music videos and horror. Filmmakers come from 20 countries, including 15 student films and 26 works from first-time filmmakers.

Winter Film Festival is dedicated to showcasing the amazing diversity of voices in indie film and our 2025 lineup is half made by women and half by people of color.

Tickets are $12.50/In Advance, $16.50/Door, $5/Door with Student ID. Screening blocks run 1½ to 2½ hours and include a mix of shorts and feature-length films. Most Screening blocks include a 20 minute Q&A Session with the filmmakers.

Social Mixers, Education Sessions and Parties are free an open to the public.

Thank you to Winter Film Festival staff, volunteers, screeners, judges, writers, panelists, friends and helpers! This event couldn’t happen without our army of support! And thank you to our amazing sponsors, partners and venues whose support make this event possible.

Winter Film Festival programs are supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

WFF2025 Official Artwork was designed by Kervin Brisseaux (www.brisseaux.com).

Winter Film Festival is led by George Isaacs (CEO & Founder), Steffanie Finn (Executive Director), Lesley Sigall (Treasurer), Joseph Mauceri and Vaughn Murphy. Winter Film Festival is grateful for the tireless support of Michael Joseph Murray and Lisa Wilf.

Dear Friends,

February 2025

I am pleased to join you in celebrating the 13th Annual Winter Film Festival and the diverse, independent artists who are changing cinema.

The Winter Film Festival is a wonderful tradition of supporting emerging filmmakers across genres and helping bring new voices to the silver screen. By shedding light on issues that are often overlooked in mainstream film, you add immense value to the cultural landscape in New York City. You are also inspiring the next generation of imaginative filmmakers, a powerful legacy that I am proud to support.

With a mission of diversifying the film industry, lifting up underrepresented artists, and giving a platform fo stories that normally go ignored, your schedule of more than 80 films is sure to leave a distinctly positive impact on the city and Hollywood.

On behalf of the Borough of Manhattan, I wish you success in the years to come.

Sincerely,

Mark Levine Manhattan Borough President

WINTER FILM FESTIVAL

FILm sCHEDULE

Anémone

Desync

Dig

Dreamful

Encouraged-Building the Future

Es La Vida

19 mins

12 mins

12 mins

Documentary, 14 mins Sarko Meené, Vahan

Documentary, 43 mins

Documentary, 29 mins Alfonso O’Donnell

Everywhere Animated, 10 mins Step Cheung, Tommy

Fighting Back

Documentary, 10 mins Xiaoying Su

Finding My Voice Documentary, 10 mins

Flame

8 mins

Flocky Animated, 12 mins

Girls Aren’t Funny Web, 20 mins

Girls in Trouble: The Series - Vashti

Web, 15 mins Alicia J. Rose

Go To Bed Raymond Horror, 7 mins Nikki Taylor-Roberts

Grace Short, 14 mins Natalie Jasmine Harris

Groupies

Web, 26 mins Courtney James

Here After Short, 15 mins Min Yeong Kwak

Homunculus

Short, 13 mins Golnoush Ansari

Humanzee Horror, 24 mins

I Am Here You Are Not I Love You

Juggernaut

Lapse

Listen Not

Taro O’Halloran

Documentary, 38 mins Aidan Ryan

Horror, 20 mins Emanuele Ricci, Daniele Ricci Sat Feb 22 - 5:10 PM

Horror, 6 mins Katie Colwell

Music Video, 5 mins Hao Li

Malti Short, 16 mins Mrunal Mestri

Matter of Mind: My Alzheimer’s

Mm, Uh, Oh, Ah

Mobility Rights

My Heavenly City

Documentary, 54 mins Anna Moot-Levin, Laura Green Sat Feb 22 - 2:50 PM

Short, 16 mins Nahye Choi Thu Feb 20 - 8:40 PM

Documentary, 20 mins Changhee Chun

Feature, 120 mins Sen-I Yu Sat

Never Too Late Music Video, 4 mins Alesia Glidewell Sat

No Longer / Not Yet

Documentary, 17 mins Jacquelyn Elder Sat Feb 22 - 12:15

No Wolves No Lambs Short, 13 mins José Luis Acosta

Our Uniform Animated, 7 mins Yegane Moghaddam

Pina

R.E.S.C.U.E.

Ray of Hope

Reflections in a Room

Animated, 24 mins Jeremy Depuydt, Giuseppe Accardo Thu

Documentary, 25 mins Keenan Ferguson, Martha McGuinness Sat Feb 22 - 12:15 PM

Documentary, 96 mins Ryan Singh, Nikila Cole

Feature, 72 mins Ceres Machado

Right to Privacy Short, 12 mins Julie Herlocker

Room Service Horror, 18 mins Nieves Garcia Perchin

Run

San Francisco Bae

Say Something

Feature, 96 mins Bernard Kordieh

Feature, 94 mins Cephra Stuart

Music Video, 4 mins Lonnie Iske, Nathan Talan

Shaka Shams - Balrog Music Video, 2 mins Yoann Stehr, Alice Khol

Slayer Horror, 18 mins Eileen McQueen

Slumber Party Short, 8 mins Sebastian Kim

Smoking Tigers

Feature, 90 mins So Young Shelly Yo

Sound of the Divine Bell Horror, 28 mins Ji-Eun Hwang

Steps Short, 19 mins Dan Bricker, Eytan Millstone

The Anarchist and The Fridge Documentary, 14 mins Yunchang Zhang

The Canon Short, 20 mins Martín Seeger

The Constructor Short, 10 mins Scott Morris

The Cursed Land Horror, 131 mins Panu Aree

The Dawn Short, 30 mins Alicia Mendy

The Deep Rolling: Magma

The Dog Tied to the Shed

Video, 10 mins Robin Scovill

4 mins Clove Lee

The Fix Feature, 98 mins

Kelsey Egan

The Genie Short, 15 mins Enricka M.H

The Hypermnestic Short, 20 mins Julien Mouquet

The Imposter Short, 8 mins

Yangxi Chen

The Lovers Animated, 13 mins Carolina Sandvik

The Moon and Back

6 mins Zoe Poppenga

The Night Inside Short, 24 mins

The Prison Show Documentary, 57 mins

The Roaring of the Carabao

The Splint

Animated, 8 mins

Animated, 5 mins

The Strange Dark Feature, 84 mins

Two Breaths Short, 20 mins

Ultimate Citizens

Antonio Cuesta

Kessler

Angeline Meitzler

Mehdi Sedighi

Chris Messineo

Kateryna Kurganska

Documentary, 53 mins Francine Strickwerda Sat Feb 22 - 7:15 PM

Villain Short, 10 mins

Vivir Horror, 9 mins

Vomiting On An Open Wound Horror, 25 mins

Sparky Tehnsuko

Gerardo Maravilla

Alireza Sharifi

Waiting for the Bus Documentary, 7 mins Beth Graczyk

What Are You Supposed To Do With Your Hands? Short, 13 mins

When It’s Your Kid Music Video, 4 mins

Larissa Thompson

Daniel Henry Smith, Paco Silva

Windows Music Video, 5 mins Carol Bash, Christopher Fox

Yellow Short, 13 mins

You Don’t Have to Like Me Short, 10 mins

Elham Ehsas

Safiyah Chiniere

DOCUMENTARY

AboUt tHE FILms

A PHANTOM SONG

UNITED STATES ENGLISH 45 MINS

SATURDAY FEB 22 2:50 PM-4:50 PM

Haunted by the ghosts of Moby Dick and the memory of all those lost to the opiate epidemic, A PHANTOM SONG takes us down to “the crossroads” where the past and future collide in a dramatic struggle for the soul of a long-abandoned theater and its surrounding community.

In a blues opera cast directly from the recovery, reentry, and unhoused community, playwright and advocate Michael Gorman and his “Phantoms” create an inspiring chorus of faces and voices that are often unseen and unheard to confront the bias and resistance that often lead to the destructive power of stigma.

Michael Gorman and Donna Daly are co-directors of “The Forty Hour Club”—a theatrical production company dedicated to creating original productions that focus on the social, economic, environmental, and systemic challenges facing working communities, and the paramount issue of sustainability.

Michael and Donna co-directed and self-produced the short documentary film A PHANTOM SONG—based on their on-going work with the addiction/recovery and reentry community in their home State of Maine.

Directed by Michael Gorman, Donna Daly

Produced by Michael Gorman, Donna Daly

A WONDERFUL WAY WITH DRAGONS

FEATURE UNITED STATES ENGLISH 112 MINS

FRIDAY FEB 21 9:10 PM-11:40 PM

There is an old house, surrounded by a dense forest, set in the middle of a vast lake. One can find no way into or out of the property, except by boat, and there is no boat to speak of. Beyond the lake, there are no signs of human life: no sounds of distant trains, no emissions coming from factories, no smoke wafting from far away chimneys and no church bells sustaining notes during evensong.

Within this house there are six children of varying years. They were brought to the property by their parents to be kept safe from a deadly pandemic that has swept the world. However, years of isolation has begun to affect the children. Disagreements sprout out of nothing and nowhere. Until finally, their paradise is on the verge of destruction.

Delfine Paolini’s interest in visual arts began when she became engaged in the New York punk scene as a teenager, photographing live shows. She met legendary photographer Mick Rock and gained the opportunity to become his intern. This experience encouraged her to study visual arts as a means to accompany her writing with imagery. Her work was discovered by famed WME agent Johnnie Planco, who set her on a path toward becoming a director.

Directed by Delfine Paolini

Produced by Rene Bastian, Adam Lukens

ALBINA DREAM SURVEY

MUSIC VIDEO UNITED STATES ENGLISH 3 MINS FRIDAY FEB 21 5:25 PM-7:30 PM / FRIDAY FEB 21 2:45 PM-5:05 PM

A mystical being receives the dreams of Black children via a mysterious phone number. The Dream Collector, the dashing “Honk-Shoo Hero,” does what he can to protect them from the forces that seek to destroy them. If you have a dream worth sharing, please call the Dream Collector’s hotline at 971-266-0341 to share it anonymously.

This film is supported by a grant by Oregon Film. Visit https://oregonfilm.org/ for more information.

Spencer Garland is an interdisciplinary artist and educator operating in Portland, OR. His work encompasses animation, video games, and films. Garland has been featured at the Portland Art Museum, BlackStar Film Festival, with upcoming collaborations with the Smithsonian and Xbox. He aims to tell Black stories that have never been told through animation while showing the process of making the project in real-time with his students. Their feedback and questions drive his own personal curiosity.

Directed by Spencer Garland

Produced by Spencer Garland

ANÉMONE

HORROR BELGIUM FRENCH 11 MINS SATURDAY FEB 22 5:10 PM-8:20 PM

Anemone is a modern mermaid. Every night, she sings at a bar, seduces a man and invites him over to her place, where she kills him. Her seven roommates have the same routine, as they all share the same mission: ridding the world of as many cishet men as possible, by killing them, one by one.

Mila Lignel is a French director. She grew up in Paris, where she earned a bachelor in philosophy, before changing path and moving to Brussels to study directing at l’INSAS.

Directed by Mila Lignel

Produced by Mila Lignel

AYALA

MUSIC VIDEO ISRAEL HEBREW 3 MINS THURSDAY FEB 20 8:55 PM-11:15 PM / FRIDAY FEB 21 2:45 PM-5:05 PM

Music video for the song “Ayala” by Yehudit Ravitz, based on the illustrations of the singer. The gazelle wanders around the house from the coffee table to the music studio. The gazelle is the song,that writes itself. Yehudit Ravitz is an Israeli cultural icon - she has created the soundtrack of our lives, being the most beloved, well-known, and admired singer in the country for over five decades.

Guy Hayout is an animator, illustrator, director and curator. A former New Yorker, he is now based in Haifa, Israel. He was previously Head of the Animation Department at Minshar College of Art. Guy is a creator of animated films, music videos and commercials and participated in the 2019 Winter Film Festival with his graduation film OLD FOLKS.

Directed by Guy Hayout, Harel Etzion

Produced by Guy Hayout

WINTER FILM FESTIVAL

BACK AND FORTH

MUSIC VIDEO UNITED STATES ENGLISH 4 MINS

THURSDAY FEB 20 6:00 PM-8:45 PM / FRIDAY FEB 21 2:45 PM-5:05 PM

The music video for Allie Young’s “Back and Forth” - filmed over the course of two days in Belgrade, Serbia, forged in blues and reds, dredged in silk and smoke and glass.

Clara Gallagher has spent nearly a decade in the film industry and was the Creative Director of Lightfuse & Gettaway, the production company behind Desert Warrior (MBC Studios), The Mosquito Coast (Apple TV+), Captive State (Participant Media, Focus Features), and more, before branching out into her own writing and directing work. She moved to Belgrade, Serbia in 2022 after falling in love with a costume designer on the set of a 7th century desert war epic in Saudi Arabia.

Directed by Clara Gallagher

Produced by Sara Zeljkovic, Cory Douglas Campbell

BIRTHDAY BLUES

SHORT UNITED STATES ENGLISH 10 MINS

THURSDAY FEB 20 6:00 PM-8:45 PM / THURSDAY FEB 20 1:00 PM-3:05 PM

Tony has just turned 26 and is feeling blue that is until he follows his mysterious neighbors through a mystical closet and onto a dance floor where you never have to grow up.

Zinha Morgan-Bennett is a writer/director, a film programmer, and author. Through her narratives, Zinha questions our understandings of apocalypse, kinship, and lives lived in the margins of society.

After winning the prestigious Marshall Scholarship in 2020, Zinha trained as a director at Goldsmiths University of London and she’s currently developing a number of immersive film and narrative short film projects.

Directed by Zinha Morgan-Bennett

Produced by Amani Jiu

BRING ME THE HEAD OF A SMILING PIG USEO DWAEJIYA

HORROR KOREA KOREAN 23 MINS

FEB 22 8:30 PM-11:55 PM

Right before the opening ceremony of the newly opened Ilsung Art Museum, the museum director says that the pig’s head on the ceremonial table is not smiling. A member of the museum staff must find the best smiling pig head, while battling his nervous breakdown.

Wooje Chang was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea. He studied aesthetics and graduated from Seoul National University. To fulfill his longtime dream of making films, he has been an independent filmmaker since 2018, and has written, directed and worked as a production crew on feature films.

Directed by Wooje Chang

CHILDREN OF LIGHT

SHORT UNITED STATES KOREAN 21 MINS FRIDAY FEB 21 6:30 PM-9:00 PM

In the 1960s, a Korean boy (16), kidnapped and assaulted at a juvenile center on a remote island, must escape with his rival to survive.

Minkyu Kang is an award-winning director, screenwriter, and editor based in the United States and South Korea. Minkyu’s most recent short film, CHILDREN OF LIGHT, won the Grand Prize at the 28th DGA Student Awards and the Focus Features Awards. It’s also shortlisted for the 2023 BAFTA Student Awards and the 50th Student Academy Awards Finalist.

Directed by Minkyu Kang

Produced by Bofan Zhang, Minkyu Kang

CHOCOLATE WITH SPRINKLES

On their 25th wedding anniversary, a bickering couple is given one day to do something they haven’t done in 25 years – work on their marriage.

Huriyyah Muhammad is an award-winning director, writer and producer whose projects have been invited to the Sundance Film Fest, Tribeca, Outfest, Newfest, AFI, New Voices in Black Cinema, American Black Film Festival and more. Huriyyah is the 2024 HBO Short Film Competition Winner, a 2024 SeriesFest Winner, a Sundance Creative Producing Award Winner, and an alum of the prestigious AFI Directing Workshop for Women (DWW) and the Film Independent Episodic Directing Intensive.

Directed by Huriyyah Muhammad

Produced by Okema T. Moore, Yha Mourhia Wright

CIRCLE

KOREA KOREAN 7

FEB 20 8:40 PM-11:15 PM / FRIDAY FEB 21 2:45 PM-5:05 PM

The girl draws a circle on the ground. Passersby step into it, one by one.

Soon the circle is full of people, struggling to stay within.

Once the girl returns and erases the circle, people start heading their way.

Director Yumi Joung has been creating animation and picture books with her delicate and distinctive pencil drawing technique. In 2009, her animated work DUST KID was invited to screen at Cannes’ Directors Fortnight. In 2013, LOVE GAMES made its world premiere at Berlinale Shorts and won the Grand Prix at Animafest Zagreb. In 2019, Yumi became a member of the AMPAS (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science).

Directed by Yumi Joung

DEATHLESS

HORROR UNITED STATES ENGLISH 19 MINS

SATURDAY FEB 22 5:10 PM-8:20 PM / THURSDAY FEB 20 3:20 PM-5:40 PM

10 years after people have stopped dying, Florian, a self destructive porn star, tries desperately to understand the point of life after his twin sister announces her pregnancy.

Stacey Maltin is an award-winning filmmaker and performer. She directed, wrote, & starred in the feature film TRIPLE THREAT which, after winning awards on the festival circuit, was distributed by Peacock in 2023. She directed the mini-series MASHED which won best series at Hollyshorts, Nashville Film Festival, and social impact award at Series Fest. Stacey runs the production company Besties Make Movies and the commercial production company WIWU Productions. She is repped by Navigation Media Group.

Directed by Stacey Maltin

Produced by Jackie Schwartz, MARS

DESYNC

SHORT CANADA ENGLISH, TAGALOG 12 MINS

THURSDAY FEB 20 6:00 PM-8:45 PM

Ana, a young Filipina filmmaker, shoots a re-enactment of a fight she once had with her mother - a fight brought on by mutual refusals to communicate. Spurred on by the obsessive need for perfection, Ana “fixes” the fight by rewriting every veiled insult into a chance for forgiveness. As her perfect story diverges further from the reality of what happened, she begins to realise what her mom has been trying to say all along.

Minerva Navasca is a Filipina-Canadian filmmaker exploring narratives of cultural dysphoria and girlhood with intimate specificity. Stating, “I want to make films about subjects that make me uncomfortable,” Minerva delves into perspectives steeped in anxiety and internalized shame, using the medium to interrogate the socio-political roots of these beliefs.

Directed by Minerva Navasca

Produced by Asa Kazerani

HORROR SPAIN SPANISH 12 MINS SATURDAY FEB 22 5:10 PM-8:20 PM / THURSDAY FEB 20

A man is digging a clandestine grave in the middle of the forest at night when he is suddenly discovered.

Jandro has been involved in the entertainment industry for 30 years. He is the Spanish Champion of Comic Magic and the only person on the planet to have won the prestigious ‘Penn & Teller’s Fool Us’ award in Las Vegas five consecutive times. After spending several years studying filmmaking on his own, he decided to attend the New York Film Academy to study directing. DIG is his first short film as a scriptwriter, director, and producer. But it won’t be the last one...

Directed by Jandro

Produced by Jandro, Rafa Piqueras

DREAMFUL

DOCUMENTARY ARMENIA ENGLISH 14 MINS SATURDAY FEB 22 9:30 PM-11:30 PM / FRIDAY FEB 21 1:00 PM-2:30 PM

DREAMFUL is a short documentary that explores life and death through the lens of ease and courage, celebrating the simplicity and beauty of existence. The film follows 80-year-old Persian art collector Farhad, who embarks on a grand project to create an art island in Greece with his friend, artist Fereydoun Ave. Set on the small island of Chiliomodi, owned by the St. John Monastery of Patmos, Farhad hopes to make the island a destination for pilgrims and artists. The documentary captures their enthusiasm and reflections on life’s lessons, focusing on peace, exile, and the joy of pursuing dreams despite age and challenges.

Sarko Meené is an Armenian filmmaker, writer, and multidisciplinary artist. With 16 years as a professional tennis player, she brings discipline and creativity to her storytelling. Her films and artworks have been showcased worldwide, exploring identity, human connections, and nature. Vahan Khachiyan is a filmmaker with 8+ years of experience. Co-founding a video production studio in 2016, he now focuses on filmmaking, believing in the power of storytelling to inspire and connect.

Directed by Sarko Meené, Vahan Khachiyan

Produced by Sarko Meené

ENCOURAGED-BUILDING THE FUTURE

ENCOURAGED - BUILDING THE FUTURE follows Red Bull BMX athlete Courage Adams as he comes good on a promise he made five years prior to the Lagos BMX crew, to help them build Nigeria’s first ever skatepark. Courage was born in Benin, Nigeria but immigrated to Spain as a young child. At age 12, he started riding BMX and by the age of 16 he’d turned pro, taken the BMX world by storm, and made the most of his parents bold move.Now, he returns to his roots in Nigeria, with an eclectic cast of volunteers to realize this shared dream and create a path for the Lagos BMX crew to follow in his footsteps. This film was funded by Red Bull Media House.

Fraser Byrne is the co-founder of Yeow! Films. He is a self taught filmmaker who has a wealth of experience making action sports films before progressing into documentary. He is passionate about narratives that celebrate personal autonomy, freedom, and self-actualization. His work often spotlights resilient individuals and communities forging unique paths against all odds. His recent work for Red Bull Media House featuring the burgeoning Lagos BMX scene generated over 11 million views.

Directed by Fraser Byrne

Produced by Tyrone Bradley

ES LA VIDA

DOCUMENTARY SPAIN SPANISH 29 MINS SATURDAY FEB 22 9:30 PM-11:30 PM

ES LA VIDA is stories of overcoming, of effort and hope, of how the relationship between man and horse exists, are possible and healthy both physically and mentally. Overcoming trauma, alleviating pain, recovering mobility - the power of horses over people is incredible and the bonds that are created are unbreakable. But what if it were a horse that also needed the help of a human being?

Alfonso O’Donnell has been a director, editor and director of photography for over 14 years. He has extensive experience in the world of documentary filmmaking and in his career, he has garnered 50 nominations and 10 First Prizes in national and international festivals.

Directed by Alfonso O’Donnell

Produced by Alfonso O`Donnell

WINTER FILM FESTIVAL

EVERYWHERE

ANIMATED HONG KONG ENGLISH 10 MINS

THURSDAY FEB 20 8:40 PM-11:15 PM / FRIDAY FEB 21 2:45 PM-5:05 PM

Things that we thought were gone may not truly leave us – perhaps they are still with us somehow. Life is full of ups and downs and Death is a natural part of life. This story inspires us to rethink our life and treasure every moment we have, just like the two inseparable little cats enjoying their life and experiencing the grief of death.

Step C. is an animation director, illustrator, educator and art director based in Hong Kong. She loves to use a variety of media to express the world in her imagination. Her animated short films were screened at festivals around the world. Tommy Ng is an animation director. He directed the animation short ANOTHERWORLD (2019) and won the Japan TBS Digicon6 ASIA Awards Grand Prize.

Directed by Step Cheung, Tommy Ng

Produced by Ray Lam

FIGHTING BACK

DOCUMENTARY

FEB 22 7:15 PM-9:20 PM / FRIDAY FEB 21 1:00 PM-2:30 PM

FIGHTING BACK follows Jessica Ng, a first-generation Hong Kong-Chinese American and internationally recognized Muay Thai fighter. Her self-defense classes empower Asian American and Pacific Islander women at a time of an alarming rise of Anti-Asian hate crimes in New York City in recent years. FIGHTING BACK explores themes of love, energy and growth as Jessica navigates her identity, public responsibilities and newfound motherhood.

Xiaoying Su, known as Echo Su, is a New Yorkbased documentary filmmaker specializing in women’s rights and social justice. With a journalism background, she has directed, produced, and edited award-winning films like First Saké Brewery in New York and Christian Demarco, featured in festivals like DOC NYC, among others. She holds dual MFA degrees in Social Documentary Film (SVA) and Broadcast Television (CUC) and has taught filmmaking in Yunnan, China.

Directed by Xiaoying Su

Produced by Justin Zimmerman, Yunhong Pu, Yaakov Gottlieb, Ashley Lam

FINDING MY VOICE

This short student documentary is a crossed portrait of two transgender women working on their voices to make them sound more feminine and to match the new people they have become. One is 67 year-old Bernie Wagenblast, one of New York’s most famous voices. She is one of the male subway voices, heard by millions of commuters every day and feels comfortable with both of her voices. The other is 25 years-old Jade Stephan, who feels that her “old voice is something that she treasures as a thing she will not be bringing out for company”. She is currently seeing a voice therapist to help her work on her voice. This film explores their relationship to their voices and how voices can be a factor of integration into society.

Rouven Gueissaz is a Swiss TV journalist and filmmaker, working in Bern for the political desk at RTS, the Swiss public TV in French. He has been covering Swiss politics over the past few years, after having spent 6 years in Zurich, as a correspondent for the Swiss French public radio. Rouven, 42, is passionate about people and their stories – what brings them together, what keeps them apart… and why. In 2024, he completed a short term documentary workshop at the New York Film Academy.

Directed by Rouven Gueissaz

Produced by Rouven Gueissaz

FLAME

PM

Caught between the fiery pressures of an upcoming dance performance and holiday celebrations, Ellen navigates the fall out of her parents’ divorce.

Madeline Rose is an MFA Candidate at NYU Tisch’s Graduate Film Program, grew up between the US and UK and spent recent years producing and creating in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Her international background sparked a deep curiosity for diverse human experiences. A lifelong dancer, she blends creative passion with observational storytelling through film. A 2019 Fulbright Scholar to Argentina, she was named one of “14 filmmakers to watch” and has worked with ARTEtv, NOWNESS, and more.

Directed by Madeline Rose Finkel

Produced by Tristen Ortiz, LB Hernandez

FLOCKY

ANIMATED SPAIN CATALAN, ENGLISH, SPANISH 12 MINS SATURDAY FEB 22 2:25

FLOCKY is an animated allegory exploring the evolving bond between a mother and her unborn child. Set against a magical landscape of cold tones, the film artfully explores the journey of pregnancy. The story unfolds through the mother’s evolving visions at each stage of pregnancy, providing insight into her anticipation of their future together. Each scene metaphorically represents a moment in pregnancy, ranging from a symbolic portrayal of conception in the sky to the heartbreaking realization of Flocky’s absence. Embarking on this poignant journey, a melancholic landscape and haunting soundtrack evoke the profound emotional depth of Flocky’s existence—and eventual disappearance.

Esther Casas is a celebrated filmmaker recognized for seamlessly blending metaphorical storytelling with animation, establishing a distinctive cinematic style. Founding Claymaniak Studios, Esther produced three acclaimed short films and commercials, blending traditional animation, stop-motion, and motion graphics. Esther is currently developing her latest short THE MELODY WITHIN and her first feature THE INVISIBLE HEROES, blending her backgrounds as a former scientist and storyteller.

Directed by Esther Casas Roura

Produced by Esther Casas Roura, Juan Carlos Concha Riveros

GIRLS AREN’T FUNNY

WEB SERIES UNITED STATES ENGLISH 20 MINS FRIDAY FEB 21 6:30 PM-9:00 PM

Created and directed by Jasia Ka, GIRLS AREN’T FUNNY is a ground-breaking drama-comedy series that interweaves the hilarious, powerful stories of three incredible young women and non-binary comedians in NYC as they take on the maledominated comedy industry. The series is based on real experiences and features an all star cast of real-life comedians. The pilot episode introduces Amamah as she attempts to balance her blossoming comedy career and her conservative Muslim Pakistani family’s expectations back at home on Long Island.

Jasia Ka is an Emmy and Telly Award-winning director. Jasia is best known for her atmospheric music videos, dark comedies, and character-driven documentaries - and always for turning the lens towards rebels and dreamers. She is the creator and director of BRIC-TV original series GIRLS AREN’T FUNNY and independent comedy series BUSHWITCHES.

Directed by Jasia Ka

Produced by Lou Wang-Holborn

GIRLS IN TROUBLE: THE SERIES - VASHTI

WEB SERIES UNITED STATES ENGLISH 15 MINS

THURSDAY FEB 20 6:00 PM-8:45 PM

GIRLS IN TROUBLE: THE SERIES is an indie web episodic created by two Alicia’s - musician/writer Alicia Jo Rabins and director/editor Alicia J. Roseproduced by Lara Cuddy. After their successful collaboration on feature film A KADDISH FOR BERNIE MADOFF, the team now brings their focus to stories of Biblical women, expanding Rabins’ acclaimed song cycle into a series of snappy storytelling episodes. In each episode, Rabins takes the viewer on a journey into a Biblical woman’s story through a feminist diasporic lens, visits scholars and artists to get their take on the story, and celebrates the resilience and strength of these ancient characters. Episode 1 “Vashti” features the rebellious antihero of the Purim story, Queen Vashti.

Alicia J. Rose has directed over 3 dozen music videos for artists like First Aid Kit, Cake and Bob Mould as well as visually branding popular bands like The Decemberists with her imaginative portraiture. Her approach to directing utilizes her unique sense of visual style, grounded emotion and snappy storytelling to deliver authentic narratives that resonate deeply with viewers. She is known for her 2015 web series THE BENEFITS OF GUSBANDRY and 2021 debut feature A KADDISH FOR BERNIE MADOFF.

Directed by Alicia J. Rose

Produced by Lara Cuddy, Alicia Jo Rabins

GO TO BED RAYMOND

When your kid tells you there’s someone in his room, you might want to listen.

Nicole Taylor-Roberts is a writer-director who completed the Sony Diverse Director’s Program in 2016. An alumna of Columbia University SAO’s Film, her short films have won awards and been featured in festivals. Taylor-Roberts has been recognized by The National Foundation for the Arts; the NAACP; ABC - Disney Talent Development; NYWIF; and The Adrienne Shelly Foundation with a nomination for Best Female Director. Through her company, Rocketlight Films, Taylor-Roberts has done work for Sony Pictures, New York Fashion Week, General Motors and Nike -- a Black History Month campaign featuring Kevin Durant.

Directed by Nikki Taylor-Roberts

Produced by Sarah Wilson

GRACE

SHORT UNITED STATES ENGLISH 14 MINS FRIDAY FEB 21 5:25 PM-7:30 PM / THURSDAY FEB 20 1:00 PM-3:05 PM 1950s, USA. Grace and her older sister spend every summer at their grandparents’ house down south. Now that she’s 16, she’s made to follow her family’s religious tradition and get baptized. When Grace learns that a repentance is required before the ritual, she begins to question the budding romantic feelings she has for her best friend, Louise.

Shot on 16mm film and set within a fleeting Summer in the Black American South, Grace exists in conversation with many works of art created in the Black Southern Gothic genre. This time though, through a queer lens that explores the interiority of a Black queer girlhood.

Natalie Jasmine Harris is a filmmaker from Maryland passionate about telling coming-of-age stories. Her short film, GRACE, premiered at The 2024 Sundance Film Festival, and her previous short film, PURE, received The DGA Student Film Award and was acquired by HBO, now streaming on HBOMax. Natalie is a current Sundance Ignite Fellow and has participated in artist programs with Film at Lincoln Center, GLAAD and more.

Directed by Natalie Jasmine Harris

Produced by Samiyah Wardlaw, Julia Kennelly, Natalie Jasmine Harris, Morgan B. Powell, and Latavia Young

GROUPIES

This suspenseful comedy conspiracy show follows Ryan Ginger, a professional focus group participant and streetwise hustler, as he tries to navigate a mysterious conspiracy he’s accidentally participated in for money. Test groups have become an addiction for Ryan. Falsifying his identity and participating has become an obsession. This ‘identity hustle’ has led him down a dark path of destruction, and things are coming to a head in all facets of his life. There are no extra pieces in the universe. Like a piece in a puzzle, everyone has a unique place in which they fit. Ryan is about to find out where he belongs and might not like it. Get ready for a wild ride!

Courtney James has been working in the Toronto Film and Television Industry for the past 25 years. He works on big budget Hollywood films, Indie projects, and cable network television, doing stand-in work, stunts, and assistant directing. He even occasionally gets to say a line or two with actors and actresses you might know. It’s a fun and unique world he works in; these different roles have taught him a lot about making films and episodic TV. Courtney runs a company called Admit One Productions and loves to tell stories.

Directed by Courtney James

Produced by Jennifer James

HERE AFTER

SHORT KOREA KOREAN 15 MINS

THURSDAY FEB 20 8:40 PM-11:15 PM

In a dark, surreal world, a woman faces her traumatic past to transform into a new self. Guided by a mysterious figure, she navigates through symbolic spaces, confronting her deepest fears and finding hope. HERE AFTER is a powerful tale of resilience and rebirth.

Min Yeong Kwak is an acclaimed South Korean film director and storyteller, renowned for her emotionally resonant narratives and visually compelling works. A graduate of the Korean National University of Arts with a major in Directing, she is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Film Studies at Dongguk University, further deepening her exploration of cinematic storytelling.

Directed by Min Yeong Kwak

Produced by Yui Heo

WINTER FILM FESTIVAL

HOMUNCULUS

THURSDAY FEB 20 8:40 PM-11:15 PM

Living in seclusion and despair, a carpenter tries to escape his misery by fitting himself inside his handmade sofa in order to get himself out of his workshop and live vicariously in a hotel café, but ends up in a famous writer’s house about whom he has been obsessing for a while.

Golnoush Ansari is an Iranian filmmaker. She studied graphic design in art school, then completed both her bachelor’s and masters degree at Art and Architecture Azad University of Tehran in the field Directing/Dramatic Arts. While studying, she directed the play “Hedda Gabler” written by Henrik Ibsen which was performed at the Art Center in Tehran (Khaneh Honarmandan).

Directed by Golnoush Ansari

Produced by Golnoush Ansari

HUMANZEE

Deep in the basement of an old house on a quiet suburban street, Jane Howell harbors a strange little creature named Ziggy. The two share their life in solitude, where Ziggy’s only connection to the outside world comes from black and white movies on an old TV. Their way of life is put into question when an old friend from the past appears at her door, leaving Jane scrambling to preserve Ziggy’s innocence as he starts connecting the dots of his mysterious origins.

Taro O’Halloran is an Irish-American filmmaker based out of Boston, Massachusetts. His work depicts intimate stories through heavily stylized “genre-film” imagery and motifs in exploration of the role escapism plays in human life.

Directed by Taro O’Halloran

Produced by Ren Evans, Brett Melican

I AM HERE YOU ARE NOT I LOVE YOU

DOCUMENTARY

FEB 22 12:15 PM-2:40 PM

IAM HERE YOU ARE NOT I LOVE YOU follows the writer Aidan Ryan as he attempts to make sense of the work and clues left behind by the late visual artists Andrew Topolski and Cindy Suffoletto, his aunt and uncle, who passed away when he was a teenager.

Aidan Ryan is a writer, publisher, and filmmaker. IAM HERE YOU ARE NOT I LOVE YOU is the title of his first book (University of Iowa Press) and an accompanying short documentary film. His nonfiction and cultural criticism have appeared in the Millions, Public Books, Humanities, White Review, Colorado Review, and Annulet. He is a cofounder of Foundlings Press, senior editor at Traffic East Magazine, and literary curator at Artpark. Ryan lives in Buffalo, New York.

Directed by Aidan Ryan

Produced by Aidan Ryan, Mark Dellas

JUGGERNAUT

HORROR ITALY ENGLISH 20 MINS

SATURDAY FEB 22 5:10 PM-8:20 PM

In a medieval dark fantasy atmosphere, a fearless warrior embarks on a painful and exhausting journey to get back what he has lost.

Daniele and Emanuele Ricci are brothers and directors from Tuscany. In 2013, together with the actor and director Eugenio Krilov, they founded Red Planet Production, a small independent production company. Since then they’ve made several short films and documentaries, participating and winning in some Italian and international festivals.

Directed by Emanuele Ricci, Daniele Ricci

Produced by Eugenio Krilov, Emanuele Ricci, Daniele Ricci

LAPSE

HORROR UNITED STATES ENGLISH 6 MINS SATURDAY FEB 22 5:10 PM-8:20 PM / THURSDAY FEB 20 3:20 PM-5:40 PM

A star competitive swimmer blacks out alone one night in the pool—the same pool a dead body is found in the next morning.

Katie Colwell (she/her) is a director, cinematographer, and former competitive swimmer based in Brooklyn, New York. In the pool, she served as captain for Oakland University’s Division I program, leading the team to championship titles all while earning her B.A. in filmmaking. After retiring her swimming career, she turned her full attention to cinematography and directing. Her newest film, LAPSE, combines her love for horror and swimming for her professional directorial debut.

Directed by Katie Colwell

Produced by Soukaina Alaoui El Hassani

LISTEN NOT

MUSIC VIDEO UNITED STATES CHINESE 5 MINS FRIDAY FEB 21 6:30 PM-9:00 PM / FRIDAY FEB 21 2:45 PM-5:05 PM

This music video portrays a couple deeply in love amidst a tumultuous world. The man promises to take the woman away to a better place, but various obstacles prevent him from fulfilling his promise, causing the woman’s love to turn into resentment. In her desperation to escape, she resorts to extreme measures, leading the man to view her actions as a fall from grace. Eventually, the man finds a way to escape with her, and they reconcile. However, as they are about to leave, he is assassinated. Heartbroken, the woman chooses to die with him. As gunshots ring out, she is transported to another era, where she reunites with the man she longs for.

Hao Li, from Guangzhou, China, discovered videography by chance in 2015. Self-taught, he became a full-time videographer, starting with weddings and learning to capture key moments in unpredictable settings. He expanded to music videos, short films, and commercials, building his skills in each area. As a passionate cinematographer, Li Hao continually strives to produce satisfying work and remains dedicated to his craft.

Directed by Hao Li

Produced by Hao Li

MALTI

SHORT INDIA ENGLISH 16 MINS

THURSDAY FEB 20 6:00 PM-8:45 PM / THURSDAY FEB 20 1:00 PM-3:05 PM

A silent film that encompasses Malti’s constant back and forth between reality and illusion, after discovering her husband’s alleged affair.

Mumbai native Mrunal Mestri started working as a writer and director at the age of 17. She pursued her MA in Film and Media Production from New York Film Academy and graduated in 2022. Her thesis film VOLER has garnered 12 wins and 15 nominations and her debut independent short MALTI has received 18 nominations and 6 wins across the globe. Her stories primarily dominate narratives around identity of a brown women, self love, and relationships.

Directed by Mrunal Mestri

Produced by Mrunal Mestri

MATTER OF MIND: MY ALZHEIMER’S

DOCUMENTARY UNITED STATES ENGLISH 54 MINS

SATURDAY FEB 22 2:50 PM-4:50 PM

MATTER OF MIND: MY ALZHEIMER’S is the final film in a series of three documentaries, each focusing on a different neurodegenerative disease. The documentary follows three families as they confront the challenges of Alzheimer’s disease. The film explores how the disease impacts identities and relationships - when one partner becomes a caregiver or how both parent and child are transformed when the traditional role of provider is reversed. These participants remain anchored by profound and loving bonds amidst financial, logistical, and emotional obstacles.

Anna Moot-Levin and Laura Green are awardwinning documentary filmmakers with a passion for stories about health and healthcare. Their debut documentary, THE PROVIDERS, aired on PBS’s Independent Lens in 2019. Laura Green is an assistant professor at San Francisco State University.

Directed by Anna Moot-Levin, Laura Green

Produced by David Alvarado, Jason Sussberg

MM, UH, OH, AH

SHORT

THURSDAY FEB 20 8:40 PM-11:15 PM

The magical conversation method for modern people, the “MM, UH, OH, AH method”! The CEO of TongHalTong Communications, Bocky Lee, is a linguist and anthropologist who created the MM, UH, OH, AH method. To celebrate its 13th anniversary, a private lecture is held at Bocky Lee Hall.

Nahye Choi was born in April 1998, and loves the color pink. She attended Korea National University of Arts with a major in Multimedia.

Directed by Nahye Choi

Produced by Haeun Lee

MOBILITY RIGHTS

DOCUMENTARY UNITED STATES KOREAN 20 MINS

SATURDAY FEB 22 12:15 PM-2:40 PM / FRIDAY FEB 21 1:00 PM-2:30 PM

MOBILITY RIGHTS is a poetic visual examination of disabled people’s struggle in South Korea. It portrays the fights of the disabled finally being seen after decades of denial of basic rights. As an observation of the their daily lives, the film allows the audience to not only relate to the struggle towards rights they endure, but also reflect on their own pursuit of rights and happiness. This film highlights the experiences and challenges that they face from the general public, despite Korea’s emphasis on being a communal society.

Changhee Chun was a producer and director at several major broadcasting stations in Korea. He produced and directed over fifty television documentaries, commercials, music videos for many Korean pop stars and cooperate videos for major marketing firms. In 1996, his passion for communicating a personal message through the film image finally brought him to the United States. Most of his creative and professional visual projects have been well received at film festivals, juried screenings. He is a Morgan Woodward Distinguished Professor in Film at The University of Texas at Arlington.

Directed by Changhee Chun

Produced by Changhee Chun

MY HEAVENLY CITY

Three interrelated stories about life as transplants in New York City: A lonely Mandarin-English interpreter who witnesses the suffering of others, gains new perspectives on her own life; two young hip-hop enthusiasts who become disenchanted by their New York adventure, find tender love within each other; and a middle-aged couple struggles to keep family intact as they cope with their mentally ill young son. Three sets of characters connect and inspire one another in their journey to find hope in this heavenly city.

Sen-I Yu is a New York based filmmaker originally from Taiwan. She has directed a wide range of productions including short films, documentaries and commercials. Her feature directorial debut MY HEAVENLY CITY was selected in the 43rd Hawaii International Film Festival, nominated for NETPAC Award, and received positive reviews from The Guardian, MovieWeb.com and Asia Movie Pulse. MY HEAVENLY CITY had its theatrical releases in Taiwan, Hong Kong, US (limited,) UK (limited) and Canada (limited.)

Directed by Sen-I Yu

Produced by David Tsai Yang Tang (Executive Producer), Jennifer Jao (Executive Producer,) Joyce Yueyi Xing (Producer), Anne Leigh Cooper (Producer)

WINTER FILM FESTIVAL

NEVER TOO LATE

MUSIC VIDEO UNITED STATES ENGLISH 4 MINS

SATURDAY FEB 22 12:00 PM-2:15 PM / FRIDAY FEB 21 2:45 PM-5:05 PM

NEVER TOO LATE is an empowering anthem about pursuing your dreams regardless of life’s circumstances. BECA escapes a dull reality through a vision of a cyberpunk world, reigniting the passions of two weary souls as they witness a magical phenomenon created by Beca’s journey. Together, they are transported to a vibrant future, celebrating their newfound spark and the magic within themselves. The video ends with Beca returning to her everyday life, hinting that the magic of the dream has carried over into her reality, blurring the lines between what is real and imagined.

Alesia ‘Z’ Glidewell is a mutli-racial director, writer and creator originally from Hawaii. Her filmmaking career began in Seattle, where she was a semi-finalist for the Steven Spielberg and Mark Burnett’s reality show competition for filmmakers. Her latest short film DEMOLITION premiered at the 2024 Pan African Film Festival. Glidewell has been a Sony Pictures Television Diverse Directors Fellow and a Bamazing Collaborator with Stephen Curry and Storm Reid.

Directed by Alesia Glidewell

Produced by Rachel Wilson, Jane Hare, Tema Steig, Becca Schack

NO LONGER / NOT YET

DOCUMENTARY FRANCE ENGLISH, FRENCH 17 MINS SATURDAY FEB 22 12:15 PM-2:40 PM /

NO LONGER/NOT YET is an intimate observational documentary focusing on the very few moments just before a performer steps on stage. In this interval of time and space leading up to a performer’s first step, we are “no longer” rehearsing, and “we are not quite yet” on stage. What happens in this liminal space? This part of a performer’s job is not often seen or spoken of but without a doubt expected. The camera lens makes visible this pre-acceleration removed from the performance itself and aims to expose the invisible labor that goes into taking that first step on stage.

Jacquelyn Elder was a featured soloist of the Martha Graham Dance Company in NYC from 2005-2012. Today, as an MFA graduate from University of the Arts / Bennington College, Jacquelyn is based in Paris and performing with Liz Santoro and Pierre Godard, Olivier Dubois, Lenio Kaklea, Maud Le Pladec and Boris Charmatz. Currently she is a choreographic assistant, collaborator, and rehearsal director for the Ballet National de Marseille, under the direction of (LA)HORDE.

Directed by Jacquelyn Elder

Produced by Le Petit Bureau Virginie Hammel

SHORT SPAIN SPANISH 13 MINS

THURSDAY FEB

Twin brothers have been estranged for years without knowing about each other’s lives. They meet again and face each other in a final duel to try to resolve the deception that separated them and caused the destruction of their family and death of their father, a prestigious chess master. Fenix, a former world chess champion, defeated by a fraud committed in his past, lives trapped in dishonor and guilt. Hector, also a chess master, remains kidnapped by anger and the need for revenge. When they meet again, they must fight a duel in a definitive game of chess.

Among José Luis Acosta’s works are SEVEN FOOTPRINTS, STORY OF AN OWL, THIEVES GO TO THE OFFICE, and BARREIROS, winner of Best TV-Movie at the Houston Film Festival. For Netflix, he directed YOU CAN’T HIDE, winner of Best Series at Festival New York and Emmy-nominated, and THE INMATE.

Directed by José Luis Acosta

Produced by Ignacio Isusi, Katixa De Silva

OUR UNIFORM

ANIMATED IRAN PERSIAN 7 MINS

FRIDAY FEB 21 6:30 PM-9:00 PM / FRIDAY FEB 21 2:45 PM-5:05 PM

An Iranian girl unfolds her school memories by going through the folds and fabrics of her old uniform. This film is a social satire about the clothing conventions imposed on young children.

Yegane Moghaddam is an Iranian animator and illustrator with a strong passion for nature, culture, and the reality she lives in.

Directed by Yegane Moghaddam

Produced by Jalil Moghaddam

PINA

ANIMATED BELGIUM SICILIAN 24 MINS THURSDAY FEB 20 6:00 PM-8:45 PM / FRIDAY FEB 21 2:45 PM-5:05 PM

At the beginning of the 20th century, in a remote village in the Sicilian countryside, Pina, the baker’s daughter, masks her power to regenerate the earth from others. With each harvest, unscrupulous bandits plunder the village, sowing terror. The kidnapping of Pina by the ferocious mafia boss will plunge the hamlet into an era of famine until the fate of the entire country is turned upside down.

Born in Alcamo (Sicily), Giuseppe Accardo works both in Palermo and in Brussels as a scenographer. He discovered the field of animation thanks to his meeting with Jeremy Depuydt as co-author of PINA, on which he acts as a chief decorative artist.

French director Jeremy Depuydt made his first animated film in 2004 (il pleut bergère, les films du nord), then worked as an animator on TV productions. He produces animated advertising videos, co-directs the animation studio Pixileon and teaches motion design in Brussels.

Directed by Jeremy Depuydt, Giuseppe Accardo Produced by Lucas Tothe

R.E.S.C.U.E.

R.E.S.C.U.E. is a heartwarming short documentary about resilience, hope and triumph in the fight to protect a species and to empower women and their communities. The film gives viewers a behind-thescenes look at the groundbreaking work of the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary and The Sarara Foundation in Northern Kenya. It is an inspiring example of what is possible in the realm of community-led conservation.

Keenan Ferguson creates documentary and commercial content in Southern and Eastern Africa. He has worked with various production companies as a Director and Cameraman. Keenan films predominantly nature content, documenting various conservation stories and commercial work ranging from community uplift projects to anti-poaching films, as well as filming three seasons of three conservation series which air on networks around the world.

Martha McGuinness began a career in journalism as a Fashion Editor at The New York Times. She left print journalism to be a freelance fashion and lifestyle correspondent for WNBC News New York and WCBS News

This Morning, then Director of PR for Victoria’s Secret. She continues to freelance write for various lifestyle publications. Martha is a trustee and Director of Documentary Development & Partnerships of Empowers Africa.

Directed by Keenan Ferguson, Martha McGuinness

Produced by Krista Krieger, Martha McGuinness

RAY OF HOPE

DOCUMENTARY CANADA ENGLISH 96 MINS

SATURDAY FEB 22 5:00 PM-7:05 PM

The 26-year Sri Lankan civil war forced countless Eelam Tamils, including former Canadian MP Rathika Sitsabaiesan, to flee abroad. Her experiences of war and displacement ignited her advocacy. In 2013, a return to Sri Lanka unearthed traumatic memories as she faced government surveillance tied to her community’s suffering.

RAY OF HOPE examines the Eelam Tamil diaspora’s struggle for justice and healing. Through Rathika’s journey, the film explores the shared trauma of displacement and the pursuit of accountability and hope.

Award-winning filmmaker, Ryan Singh’s first feature documentary is a labour of love focused on amplifying the story of survival and resilience.

A critically acclaimed choreographer/dancer/filmmaker, Nikila Cole transitioned into film, circling the globe with her 11-year-old daughter to create the Vision TV/PBS documentary WANDERINGS: A JOURNEY TO CONNECT. Her film, INTIMACIES won the Audience Vote for Best Documentary at the Palm Springs Int’l Film Festival.

Directed by Ryan Singh, Nikila Cole

Produced by Ryan Singh, Patricia Scarlett

REFLECTIONS IN A ROOM REFLEJOS EN UNA HABITACIÓN

Berta, a mature woman from the upper class, has been hiring the services of Alberto, a professional escort, for some time. One day, Alberto can’t make it, so he sends another escort, Hugo, a much younger and inexperienced guy from his neighborhood. Berta distrusts Hugo and insists he leave, but Hugo needs the money and wants to finish the job. Berta and Hugo embark on an emotional journey and, despite their differences, mistrust, and prejudices, discover they have more in common than they thought.

Ceres Machado was born in Melilla Spain and moved to Malaga to study Audiovisual Communication at university. She has won more than 90 awards and 350 selections in festivals around the world. In the framework of the Cannes Film Festival in 2022, the prestigious Variety magazine highlighted her as one of the 10 film directors to keep an eye on. REFLECTIONS IN A ROOM is her debut feature.

Directed by Ceres Machado

Produced by Dylan Moreno, Beatriz Bodegas

RIGHT TO PRIVACY

SHORT

FRIDAY FEB 21 6:30 PM-9:00 PM / THURSDAY FEB 20 1:00 PM-3:05 PM

Two women on opposing sides of society’s most divisive issue face off, testing their values. Dr. Jen is determined to provide safe access to abortion as long as the law allows. Melanie stands outside her clinic daily, pleading with all who enter to consider the lives of the unborn. As the two clash, hypocrisies come to light, and we are asked to consider whose rights are being sacrificed.

An LA-based film & TV director, Julie Herlocker started in network television as a post producer working closely with showrunners on several awardwinning series. She made her network directorial debut on NBC’s GRIMM. A graduate of DGA’s DDI Mentorship Program, and a director in the Paramount Directing Initiative, she was recently selected for the inaugural 2024 Alliance of Women Directors Rising Director Fellowship for feature film directors.

Directed by Julie Herlocker

Produced by Nancy Nagrant, Saro Varjabedian, Rachel Mann, Josephine Cashman, Keaton Morris-Stan

ROOM SERVICE

UNITED STATES ENGLISH 18 MINS SATURDAY FEB 22 5:10 PM-8:20 PM / THURSDAY FEB 20 3:20 PM-5:40 PM

Surprise! Oliver reveals a luxurious NYC hotel suite to his blindfolded fiancée Victoria, an extravagant expense made possible with the help of Victoria’s wealthy, manipulative mother. Recovering from depression, Victoria is newly off her meds and feeling uneasy. She attempts to relax and enjoy the evening, but discerning between visions and reality becomes increasingly difficult when eerie events begin to occur - a bathtub filled with blood, a bellhop ushering her into a new, identical room, and Oliver showing up with a gash in his head. Is everything all in her head because she stopped taking her antidepressants? Or is there really a scheme to hurt them?

Nieves Garcia Perchin was born in Madrid, Spain. Because of her passion for storytelling from a very young age, Nieves studied study film directing at Instituto del Cine de Madrid and earned an MFA in Film Directing from Boston University. After graduating in 2018, Nieves moved to NYC where she works as a director, writer, and Script Supervisor. Nieves is passionate about telling stories about mental health, grief, and healing.

Directed by Nieves Garcia Perchin

Produced by Olivia Vessel, Emily McCann Lesser

RUN

A troubled writer running to escape the pain of a toxic relationship, crosses paths with a mysterious drifter living in his car, sparking an unlikely friendship that challenges both men to confront their pasts and find healing.

London based Ghanaian writer/director Bernard Kordieh works across the genres of documentary and drama. Bernard has gained acclaim on the festival circuit with his award winning short films. RUN is Bernard’s eagerly anticipated debut feature film.

Directed by Bernard Kordieh

Produced by Amir Rashidian

SAN FRANCISCO BAE

FEATURE UNITED STATES ENGLISH 94 MINS FRIDAY FEB 21 9:55 PM-11:55 PM

A fresh and fun coming-of-age story, SAN FRANCISCO BAE follows the journey of a failing founder and a med-school dropout who, together, concoct a risky plan to pursue their true passions and achieve the American dream.

Cephra Stuart is a filmmaker crafting narratives that inspire, empower and spark meaningful conversations. Her entertainment career began at the Walt Disney Studios, where she championed strategies to bring authentic representation to screens worldwide. She then helped build Mansa, a groundbreaking streaming platform dedicated to celebrating Black culture and amplifying diverse voices. Cephra’s passion lies in telling stories that matter. Whether she’s diving into the challenges of tech or analyzing modern relationships, she’s guided by empathy and driven by data to create films that advocate for understanding and connect audiences to the heart of the human experience.

Directed by Cephra Stuart

Produced by Cephra Stuart, Duke Sayer

WINTER FILM FESTIVAL

SAY SOMETHING

MUSIC VIDEO UNITED STATES ENGLISH 4 MINS

SATURDAY FEB 22 2:25 PM-5:00 PM / FRIDAY FEB 21 2:45 PM-5:05 PM

SAY SOMETHING is a dance concept video exploring the complex emotions of disappointment, sadness, regret, and humility within relationships. Through movement and raw vulnerability, the piece delves into the shared journey of growing up together— navigating life’s ups and downs, evolving through different stages, and wrestling with the struggles of connection and communication. Through its heartfelt choreography and powerful performances, the film captures the essence of human connection—the fractures, the reconciliations, and the enduring effort to be there for one another, even when it’s difficult to find the right words.

Lonnie Iske and Nathan Talan are a dynamic directing duo. Their latest project, SAY SOMETHING, marks their second dance video collaboration, following the success of their debut, THE CHAIN, which was showcased in select art house theaters across the country. In addition to their work in dance films, Lonnie and Nate are currently collaborating on a deeply personal documentary that delves into Lonnie’s upbringing, with an aim to finish post-production this year.

Directed by Lonnie Iske, Nathan Talan

Produced by Lonnie Iske, Jennifer Vause

SHAKA SHAMS - BALROG

Shaka Shams, a young rapper both shy and charismatic, finds himself transformed into a retro-futuristic warrior and propelled into a mental universe where black and white rubs shoulders with the brightest colors. A labyrinthine and tortuous crossing between dream and reality.

SUPER TCHIP is a young creative production company from Belgium working mainly on mixedmedia music video.

Directed by Yoann Stehr, Alice Khol

Produced by SUPER TCHIP

SLAYER

After missing the bus, three beefing friends take a shortcut through the park, only to face another obstacle – this one of monstrous proportions

Eileen McQueen is a director, writer, editor, and special effects artist living in Brooklyn, NY. She tells visceral stories that blend genre and character. Other past short projects include BLACK MOON WHITE RABBIT, A GIRL AND A GUN, WE NEVER HAD THE ANTIDOTE and a series pilot SAVOIR FAIRE. She is currently working on a feature sci-fi feature project.

SLUMBER PARTY

SHORT UNITED STATES RUSSIAN 8 MINS THURSDAY FEB 20 8:55 PM-11:15 PM / THURSDAY FEB 20 1:00 PM-3:05 PM

In SLUMBER PARTY, two novice criminals, Ilya and Alexei, are sent by their mentor, Nikolai, to steal from a gangster’s mansion. To their shock, they stumble upon a tweenage slumber party hosted by the gangster’s daughter, Oxana. As they attempt the heist, Oxana and her friends foil their plans with deadly force. Disappointed but unfazed, Nikolai abandons his protegés, leaving them to their grim fate in a house filled with danger and secrets.

Sebastian is an award-winning filmmaker and actor based in Brooklyn, NY. He was an Associate Producer of the 2022 feature film ARMAGEDDON TIME, which was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. SLUMBER PARTY is his debut short film as a director. He was also the writer/producer of the 2022 short film DOUG EVER AFTER directed by Anderson Tram and Executive Produced by Patty Jenkins.

Directed by Sebastian Kim

Produced by Alec Van De Bovenkamp

SMOKING TIGERS

FEATURE UNITED STATES ENGLISH, KOREAN 90 MINS

THURSDAY FEB 20 8:40 PM-11:15 PM

Over one summer spent at an elite academic bootcamp, a lonely Korean-American teenager hides her true identity to fit in, only to discover the bittersweet pains of adulthood.

So Young Shelly Yo is a Korean-American filmmaker whose films are supported by HBO, SFFILM, Sloan, CAAM and others. Shelly’s first feature, SMOKING TIGERS was the winner of Tribeca x AT&T UNTOLD STORIES and was awarded best screenplay, best performance and a special mention for the Nora Ephron prize. Prior to SMOKING TIGERS, Shelly created many award-winning short films including SOFT SOUNDS OF PEELING FRUIT and MOONWALK WITH ME.

Directed by So Young Shelly Yo

Produced by Guo Guo

SOUND OF THE DIVINE BELL JONGUI SORI

HORROR KOREA KOREAN 28 MINS SATURDAY FEB 22 8:30 PM-11:55 PM

Susanna, who completed four years of training to become a nun, looks forward to her vow ceremony in three days. However, when she shares a room with an old nun, she is confused if she can complete the ceremony without trouble.

Ji-Eun Hwang directed A SMALL, GOOD THING (2016), A LETTER (2020) and several more shorts.

STEPS

SHORT CANADA ENGLISH 19 MINS

FRIDAY FEB 21 5:25 PM-7:30 PM / THURSDAY FEB 20 1:00 PM-3:05 PM

Tanner Slade, an extremely unlikable bro, is obsessed with counting his steps. On his way to a tropical, solo drug-filled getaway, he is kidnapped, and wakes up in a room with a shock collar on. A voice over a loudspeaker explains that he can only take 50 steps every 24 hours or he will be punished. He embarks on a journey where he must adapt his lifestyle, and conserve every step in order to adhere to his captor’s demands. As this dark comedy unfolds, Tanner is forced to confront his own demons and ultimately decide what matters more... attaining a bunch of trivial steps that no one in the world cares about, or not being a pile of human garbage.

Eytan Millstone is an award winning writer, director, and comedian. In 2004 he was a runner up in the Toronto Star Short Story Contest, and published in a Star that summer. In 2014 he gave a TED Talk at The Crescent School on the African word “Sankofa”.

Dan Bricker is a Canadian-born director whose award winning films have been shown across the globe. He focuses his energy on shooting narrative fiction and comedy specials.

Directed by Dan Bricker, Eytan Millstone

Produced by Eytan Millstone, Dan Bricker

THE ANARCHIST AND THE FRIDGE

An anarchist establishes and runs New York’s first free fridge while uniting the community and challenging the system.

Yunchang Zhang is a non-fiction film and moving image maker from Hangzhou, China. She is currently a student at the School of Visual Arts, where she focuses on visualizing subtle emotions and complexities through her work. Her explorations delve into raising questions through observation and the interplay between emotion, relationships, and imagery.

Directed by Yunchang Zhang

Produced by Yunchang Zhang

THE CANON

Jean, a Haitian migrant in Chile, is admired everywhere he goes. His body represents all the classical values of the academy. However, in the anonymity of his existence, he is also a canon of marginality.

Martín Seeger (1983, Santiago de Chile) is a Director and Screenwriter. He directs the production company NACROVIA and is also an academic at various universities. He is currently releasing the short film EL CANON and producing his second feature film VENTANAS.

Directed by Martín Seeger

Produced by Rodrigo Muñoz

THE CONSTRUCTOR

SHORT UNITED STATES ENGLISH 10 MINS FRIDAY FEB 21 5:25 PM-7:30 PM / THURSDAY FEB 20 1:00 PM-3:05 PM

Elizabeth, an impossibly precocious seven year old Lego constructor, struggles with “imagination blur” as her three year old sister attempts to free her from her rigid thinking.

Scott Morris is a director, writer & editor based in Los Angeles. He is represented by CAA and studied at Emerson College. He was selected in Variety’s “10 Artisans to Watch” for film editing. As an editor, Scott’s work has been selected for competition at the Cannes Film Festival and Venice International Film Festival. His previous editing projects, AD ASTRA, DON’T LOOK UP and THE CREATOR have been nominated for Academy Awards and BAFTAs.

THE CONSTRUCTOR is Scott’s directorial debut.

Directed by Scott Morris

Produced by Scott Morris

THE CURSED LAND

HORROR THAILAND THAI

A widower moves with his teenage daughter to a derelict mansion in a Muslim-majority suburb of Bangkok after his wife’s death. Ignoring local warnings, he removes protective talismans from the house, inadvertently unleashing a furious djinn and a 200-year-old curse. As supernatural events escalate, his daughter embarks on a journey to Thailand’s deep south to seek help from a Muslim doctor to save her father and confront the malevolent forces they’ve awakened.

Panu Aree is a Thai filmmaker renowned for his works that explore Muslim identity in Thailand. Panu has directed several documentaries, including ONCE UPON A TIME (2000), PARALLEL (2002), THE CONVERT (2008) and BABY ARABIA (2010), many of which have been showcased at international film festivals such as the Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival and the Hong Kong International Film Festival.

Directed by Panu Aree

Produced by Nonzee Nimibutr

THE DAWN BEUTSET

When a parasite contaminates all the drinking water of Dakar, pills are created to neutralize it. Alioune, can no longer afford his pills and is exposed to the symptoms of the parasite - madness and dementia. As the days go by, he realizes that he has never been so lucid, and he begins a journey of political and spiritual awakening.

Alicia Mendy is a young director focusing on genre cinema in Senegal. An alumnus of HEAD-Geneva, she is interested in cinema that represents and valorizes African and Afro-descendant peoples through the fantasy and science-fiction genres. African spiritualities and oral traditions are central to her short films, which explore utopias and dystopias. She also composes her own film scores, ranging from classical to electro and Afro rhythms.

Directed by Alicia Mendy

Produced by Rhea Plangg, Delphine Jeanneret, Iman Djionne

WINTER FILM FESTIVAL

THE DEEP ROLLING: MAGMA

MUSIC VIDEO UNITED STATES ENGLISH 10 MINS

THURSDAY FEB 20 6:00 PM-8:45 PM / FRIDAY FEB 21 2:45 PM-5:05 PM

When an explosive Detroit jazz sextet begins rehearsing in a desolate industrial lounge, their music awakens iconic producer Warren Defever from a transcendental hibernation and, guided by unseen forces, he drives his classic Ford to where they are playing, and utilizing vintage gear and old school recording techniques, captures and inspires—live on tape—the band’s virtuoso, unrivaled performance.

Robin Scovill’s films have premiered at Sundance, Toronto, and AFI. His documentary, THE OTHER SIDE OF AIDS won the Special Jury Prize at the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival and was sold for broadcast to MTV. He has written and directed videos and ad campaigns for numerous clients and is CEO of Paradise Valley Investment Group, a company revitalizing properties in Detroit. Mr. Scovill’s creativity and leadership consistently attracts top collaborators and produces inspiring results.

Directed by Robin Scovill

Produced by Alex Piccolo

THE DOG TIED TO THE SHED

ANIMATED UNITED STATES ENGLISH 4 MINS

FRIDAY FEB 21 9:10 PM-11:40

A mother recounts to her daughter about a childhood pet dog, and the drastic measures taken to survive poverty.

Clove Lee is a filmmaker based in New York, having recently graduated from New York University with a bachelor’s degree in Film & TV and a minor in Studio Art. As a first-generation Hong Kong immigrant, they look to explore the Chinese-American diaspora in relation to family history and generational storytelling in their work.

Directed by Clove Lee

Produced by Clove Lee

THE FIX

FEATURE SOUTH AFRICA ENGLISH, AFRIKAANS 98 MINS THURSDAY FEB 20 8:55 PM-11:15 PM

A dark, dystopian thrill ride with an environmental slant, THE FIX explores identity, perception and autonomy in a frighteningly viable future. A toxic compound infects earth’s atmosphere. Pharmaceutical giant, Aethera, sells immunity to those who can afford the daily dose ... most can’t. When a troubled model takes a new designer drug at a house party, she becomes an unintended test subject. Pursued by a dangerous gang and authorities in cahoots with Aethera, she hunts desperately for a “fix” that will reverse the drug’s effects… only to discover that her mutations could save the human race.

Kelsey Egan’s award-winning first feature – the dystopian fairytale GLASSHOUSE – premiered at Fantasia and Fantastic Fest in 2021. Her second feature, THE FIX – an adrenaline-fueled sci-fi thriller with +600 VFX shots – was selected to close Chattanooga Film Festival (winning the Dangerous Visions Award), opened MIP Africa and was awarded Best VFX at Sognielettrici Festival. Acquired by The Exchange, THE FIX has received distribution worldwide. Kelsey is repped by CAA, 42 and Circle of Confusion.

Directed by Kelsey Egan

Produced by Greig Buckle, Allison Friedman

THE GENIE

SHORT FRANCE FRENCH 15 MINS

FRIDAY FEB 21 6:30 PM-9:00 PM

Adam and Lina are brother and sister, but they fight like cats and dogs. One day, Lina purposely escapes her older brother’s supervision. He goes looking for her in the city and finds her with a strange man named Seydou, who offers to grant each of them a wish.

Enricka M.H wrote and directed her first short film LA K-Z in 2019, a self-production which won several prizes in festivals. DORLIS, her second movie, was written at La Ruche de Gindou Residency, shot in Martinique and produced by Caïmans Productions. The film was selected in more than sixty festivals worldwide and won 42 prizes. THE GENIE is her third short film.

Directed by Enricka M.H

Produced by Marie-Mars Prieur, Jérôme Barthélemy Daniel Sauvage

THE HYPERMNESTIC L’HYPERMNÉSIQUE

SHORT UNITED KINGDOM FRENCH 20 MINS THURSDAY FEB 20 6:00 PM-8:45

Haunted by guilt and regret over her inability to have children, Gaby takes advantage of her husband Jo’s fading memory to create the past they wished they had lived. She fills their home with fake family photos and trinkets of grandchildren, weaving a tapestry of memories to rewrite their shared story. Driven by love and remorse, Gaby reshapes their history, determined to give Jo the life he dreamed of, even if it’s built on illusion. She hopes her efforts will bring him peace, granting him a sense of fulfillment and a life free of regrets.

Julien Mouquet is an awarded filmmaker with a Master’s in Filmmaking from the London Film Academy and a Bachelor’s in Film & Drama from Queen Mary University. He began his career directing short documentaries in Southeast Asia. He blends comedy and drama to craft sensitive, imaginative stories, tackling challenging subjects while highlighting positive aspects. His first film, L’HYPERMNÉSIQUE, showcases his heartfelt approach. He has worked as a production manager on TV shows and feature films.

Directed by Julien Mouquet

Produced by Susanna Newman, Stuart Wilson

THE IMPOSTER LA IMPOSTORA

SHORT SPAIN SPANISH 8 MINS

THURSDAY FEB 20 6:10 PM-8:30 PM

Protective parents, Javi and Rosa, feel compelled to tell their 10-year-old daughter that she is adopted when she starts asking questions. They debate whether they should tell her, and question their legitimacy as parents.

Yangxi Chen (Bilbao, 1995) studied theater and languages but pursued her passion for cinema with a Master’s in Audiovisual Translation at City University London. She trained in Cinematography at Bande a Part and with David Curto, and in screenwriting with Pedro Loeb. As an actress in film, theater, and advertising, she gained experience to direct actors. After a Master’s in Film Directing at Instituto del Cine de Madrid, she created TESORO (2022), SWEET RONG (2023), and THE IMPOSTER (2024).

Directed by Yangxi Chen

Produced by Yangxi Chen

THE LOVERS

ANIMATED SWEDEN ENGLISH 13 MINS

THURSDAY FEB 20 8:55 PM-11:15 PM / FRIDAY FEB 21 2:45 PM-5:05 PM

A man and a woman are having a candlelit dinner at a restaurant. All of a sudden the man’s appearance begins to change. THE LOVERS is a stop motion relationship horror and unromantic comedy about a couple forced to deal with escalating bodily transformations.

Carolina Sandvik is a filmmaker and artist with a Master in Fine Arts. She is based in Malmö, Sweden. Her short film THE EXPECTED won the Best Swedish Short Dragon Award at Göteborg Film Festival and Børge Ring Award at Odense Film Festival 2021. In addition to film festivals, her work has recently been shown at art venues such as Malmö Art Museum and Färgfabriken in Stockholm.

Directed by Carolina Sandvik

Produced by Kerstin Übelacker

THE MOON AND BACK

A little rabbit finds a home with a young boy, and through the child’s artwork, they create adventure in the world they live in. The rabbit knows little beyond the love he shares with the boy, but the dangers they face become increasingly clear. Their kingdom is guarded by a dragon, meant to protect, but is instead their captor. The situation becomes too much to bear, but the little rabbit would run forever, even to the ends of the earth, to stay with his best friend.

As Zoe Poppenga sets her focus on the Film and TV industry, she finds herself drawn to the work of visual and story development. She travels between her California hometown and New York City, but her dream is to exist in a world that took hundreds of hours to conceptualize, storyboard, and pitch, and hundreds more hours to draw. Zoe has an overwhelming love for several mediums of visual expression, and always believes in the power of a good story. Consuming art is how she lives, and creating art is how she feels alive.

Directed by Zoe Poppenga Produced by Zoe Poppenga

THE NIGHT INSIDE LA NOCHE DENTRO

SHORT SPAIN SPANISH 24 MINS

THURSDAY FEB 20 6:10 PM-8:30 PM

Belén, a young nurse, wakes up after being attacked. She is accused of ending the life of a child after giving him medicine. But she claims she injected the right medication and that she can prove it.

Antonio Cuesta (Seville, 1989) is the director, producer and writer of the short films UMBILICAL (2013), ANGÉLICA (2014), THE BULLRING (2016), THE LIFE BETWEEN TWO NIGHTS (2022) and THE NIGHT INSIDE (2023). He’s currently developing his first feature film.

THE PRISON SHOW

DOCUMENTARY FRANCE ENGLISH 57 MINS

SATURDAY FEB 22 9:30 PM-11:30 PM

Every Friday night, former inmates and prisoners’ loved ones get together at KPFT in downtown Houston to create “The Prison Show”, a program catered to prisoners and their families. The show keeps prisoners connected to the outside world and allows families to call in and leave messages for prisoners who are listening. In addition, the radio produces a show with live coverage whenever there is an execution in Texas, sometimes airing a prerecorded interview with the condemned prisoner as the State of Texas kills him. Since 1980, the show has shed light on the traumatic and destructive nature of the criminal justice system (even on people who are not behind bars), all the while humanizing prisoners and their loved ones.

Gabriella Kessler is a French-American filmmaker. Her first feature documentary, BRADDOCK AMERICA, co-directed with Jean-Loïc Portron, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in the ACID selection in 2013, and was selected in a dozen film festivals. Gabriella also works as an editor, and has edited documentaries for Canal Plus and Arte, most recently about Robert De Niro.

Directed by Gabriella Kessler

Produced by Constance Ortuzar, Thibault Dufour, Fabrice Coat, Philip Drouin

THE ROARING OF THE CARABAO

ANIMATED UNITED STATES ENGLISH, TAGALOG 8 MINS FRIDAY FEB 21 5:25 PM-7:30 PM / FRIDAY FEB 21 2:45 PM-5:05 PM

Born in the United States, a daughter visits the Philippines for the first time. On the night of her arrival to her mother’s homeland, a volcano erupts. Mesmerized by the land’s turbulence, she wanders through the past, the present, and the hereafter following the glow of an ember. Activating the Taal volcano as a dynamic character reconciling with the land’s history, the film narrates a story of a night of the volcano’s eruption, intergenerational anger and a desire for heat.

Angeline Marie Michael Meitzler is a writer and animator from the Detroit Metro area. Her work and research utilize fiction and myth to deconstruct how power, race and colonialism are entangled in political and personal narratives of worth and value. Her work has been awarded fellowships and supported by Asian Cultural Council, The Studios at MASS MoCA Fellowship, Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship, Philippine American Writers and Artists (PAWA), and Harvestworks.

Directed by Angeline Meitzler

Produced by Angeline Meitzler

THE SPLINT

ANIMATED IRAN ENGLISH 5 MINS FRIDAY FEB 21 7:40 PM-9:45 PM / FRIDAY FEB 21 2:45 PM-5:05 PM

Directed by Antonio Cuesta Produced by Fernando Infante

A robotic truck driver, on a dirt road, is replacing old wooden power poles with new concrete ones when he hits two birds.

Mehdi Sedighi earned a Master’s degree in television production and is the director of three animated films selected by more than fifty international festivals.

Directed by Mehdi Sedighi

Produced by Mehdi Sedighi

WINTER FILM FESTIVAL

THE STRANGE DARK

FEATURE

SATURDAY FEB 22 12:00 PM-2:15 PM

Edgar believes he can see the future, but his wife thinks he’s mad, his daughter thinks he’s strange, and the agents from Double Star Accounting will stop at nothing to get their data back.

Chris Messineo is an award-winning writer and director. As the owner and director of NJ Film School, he has taught the craft of independent filmmaking to hundreds of kids, teens, and adults - who have gone on to win their own awards for writing and directing. THE STRANGE DARK is his first feature length film.

Directed by Chris Messineo

Produced by Anthony Pettine

TWO BREATHS

ENGLISH 20 MINS

After a man-made disaster decimates an evergreen island, a stranded 11-year-old girl must find the tenacity to leave behind her home with the help of an unlikely friend.

Kateryna Kurganska is a Ukrainian-American filmmaker based in Los Angeles, with roots in Eastern Ukraine. She holds an MFA in Film and Television Production from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. Her work has earned recognition at the Hawai’i International Film Festival, St. Louis Film Festival, Catalyst Story Institute, Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition, AmPav at the Cannes Film Festival, and others. Kateryna is a Student DGA Award winner and a College Television Awards nominee.

Directed by Kateryna Kurganska

Produced by Timur Guseynov, Kateryna Kurganska, Don John, c. Craig

ULTIMATE CITIZENS

Jamshid, an Iranian American public school counselor, helps the children of immigrants and refugees in Seattle find belonging on their way to compete in the world’s largest Ultimate Frisbee Tournament. A fiery, funny 65-year-old Iranian immigrant and ultra-athlete, Jamshid does his best work on the playing field with his students. With a Frisbee in hand, he shows that love wins – one kid, chicken, ultra-endurance race, and friend at a time.

Today there are roughly 100 million forcibly displaced people around the world – more than at any time in modern history. The plight of these asylum seekers is increasingly met with antiimmigrant policies and violence. ULTIMATE CITIZENS is a vision of a more welcoming America.

Francine’s Strickwerda’s award-winning independent feature documentaries OIL & WATER and BUSTING OUT screened on Showtime, PBS, Netflix and Amazon. With stories ranging from one of the world’s worst oil disasters, to the politics of America’s breast obsession, and immigrant kids finding belonging in America, her films explore power, trauma and healing. Her work has been funded by MacArthur Foundation and Corp. for Public Broadcasting. She co-owns Hullabaloo, a Seattle creative video agency.

Directed by Francine Strickwerda

Produced by Francine Strickwerda

VILLAIN

FEB 20 6:00 PM-8:45 PM

In the countryside of Iron Age Britain, teenage Georgia makes the unwise decision to seek revenge on the dragon that torched her home and killed her mother; however, her mission is stalled when she unexpectedly discovers a scaly child in the beast’s lair.

Sparky Tehnsuko grew up on England’s south coast, working through minimum-wage cinema jobs before attaining a film degree and relocating to London to pursue silver screen ambitions. He and producer Sej Davé have collaborated on numerous short films, corporate videos, artist showreels and music promos through their company, Cowboy Funfair Productions. Their latest short, VILLAIN, has played and been awarded at festivals across the globe.

Directed by Sparky Tehnsuko Produced by Sej Dave

VIVIR

In her darkest moment, a despairing Latina artist crosses paths with a mysterious vampire.

Gerardo ‘Gerry’ Maravilla is a Mexican-American writer/director based in Los Angeles. Born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, he escaped his suburban, Catholic upbringing through punk rock and horror movies. The bicultural lovechild of Tim Burton and Guillermo Del Toro, Gerardo tells supernatural horror stories with heart. He’s been a fellow in Film Independent’s Project Involve, the New York Film Festival’s Artist Academy, and Hola Mexico’s Tomorrow’s Filmmakers Today.

Directed by Gerardo Maravilla

Produced by Evelyn Angelica Martinez, Ann Valdes

VOMITING ON AN OPEN WOUND

Five young unmarried girls and boys travel to northern Iran, where due to restrictions on renting hotels or safe villas for singles, they are forced to rent a cabin from a motorcyclist who turns out to be a pervert.

Alireza Sharifi is an Iranian writer and director and an MFA Film student in Directing and Screenwriting at Columbia University. A graduate of Tehran University of Art, he directed two acclaimed short films, RUSSIAN ROULETTE and VOMITING ON AN OPEN WOUND, which showcased at festivals. He has completed Oscar-winning Filmmaker Asghar Farhadi’s directing course, and his work merges Iranian drama’s emotional depth with American genre films’ stylistic elements.

Directed by Alireza Sharifi

Produced by Alireza Sharifi

WAITING FOR THE BUS

DOCUMENTARY UNITED STATES ENGLISH 7 MINS

SATURDAY FEB 22 5:00 PM-7:05 PM / FRIDAY FEB 21 1:00 PM-2:30 PM

This short film features Michael Wolfe who identifies “as a black, queer, performance artist with autism”, offering insight into his daily life and inner world through movement, text and song. Through Michael’s narration, the seemingly mundane task of waiting for the bus unfolds into a labyrinth of feelings, sensations, and physical expressions of his body.

Beth Graczyk is a choreographer, director, performer, educator, and scientist based in Brooklyn/ Lenapehoking. Her 22-year career blending creative practice and scientific inquiry offers a unique perspective on art and science. As the Artistic Director of Beth Graczyk Productions, Inc. (BGP), a national nonprofit based in NYC, she creates contemporary dance projects that celebrate LGBTQIA+ and neurodiverse communities.

Directed by Beth Graczyk

Produced by Beth Graczyk Productions, Hilary Headlee

WHAT ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO DO WITH YOUR HANDS?

FRIDAY FEB 21 5:25 PM-7:30 PM

Kendra struggles to fit in at a noisy party, much to the chagrin of her guardian angel, a sharp-beaked and sharp-witted harpy, who really wants her to stop staring at her shoes. Inspired by classic 80’s puppet films like THE DARK CRYSTAL and LABYRINTH, the film explores the unique experience of living as a late-diagnosed autistic woman.

In 2016, Larissa Thompson began working as a voice actor, specializing in audiobook narration. She is also an associate producer for ‘The Sojourn’, an awardwinning sci-fi audio drama, for which she wrote and directed two episodes. It wasn’t until 2023 that she discovered she was autistic, and is excited to share her unique experience of the world through film.

Directed by Larissa Thompson

Produced by Amanda D’Silva, Grace Chin

WHEN IT’S YOUR KID

MUSIC VIDEO UNITED

FRIDAY FEB 21 9:10 PM-11:40 PM / FRIDAY FEB 21 2:45 PM-5:05 PM

WHEN IT’S YOUR KID is the official music video for singer-songwriter Johnny Schaefer’s song of the same name which unflinchingly presents topics of teen suicide due to homophobia and school shootings. The viewer/listener is asked to put themselves in the shoes of parents losing children in these scenarios.

Daniel Henry graduated from HEC-Liege. He started working as a teacher while being involved with several theater companies. His debut as a director was in 1987. He joined Le Moderne Theatre, a famous local company in 1990, where he directed over 20 plays in the course of 15 years. He started experimenting as a filmmaker in 2000 and moved to Los Angeles in 2005 to pursue his career.

Directed by Daniel Henry Smith, Paco Silva Produced by Johnny Schaefer

WINDOWS

MUSIC VIDEO UNITED STATES ENGLISH 5 MINS

FRIDAY FEB 21 9:55 PM-11:55 PM / FRIDAY FEB 21 2:45 PM-5:05 PM

WINDOWS is the music video to the Future One song from the latest album “Do We Need Another Psycho”.

Carol Bash is the Founder and President of Paradox Films, a media production company based in Peekskill, New York. She is an award-winning documentary filmmaker with over 20 years of experience. Her most recent project, BLUEPRINT FOR MY PEOPLE is also on the film festival circuit. Christopher Fox began his film career in audio 20 years ago. His feature, RUB, won several awards and is now available to stream on Tubi. Chris is the Director/Programmer of the annual Peekskill Film Festival.

Directed by Carol Bash, Christopher Fox Produced by Paul JM

YELLOW

FEB 20 6:00 PM-8:45 PM

In Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, a woman walks into a Hijab store to buy her first full body veil from a Talib shopkeeper.

Elham Ehsas is a BAFTA nominated and Oscar-shortlisted writer/director working in Film and Television. He loves stories that explore what it means to be human, how the tiniest of moments can change us forever through connection, and where hope can take us if we are allowed to dream.

Directed by Elham Ehsas Produced by Dina Mousawi

YOU DON’T HAVE TO LIKE ME

FEB 20 6:00 PM-8:45

YOU DON’T HAVE TO LIKE ME delves into the harsh realities of a woman who presents as masculine, grappling with insecurities that threaten to consume her whole being. It captures the moments when disownment can lead to crippling self-judgment, when you feel like nothing more than a shadow of yourself. It’s a testament to the resilience, beauty, and strength of those who defy societal expectations, shedding light on the many facets of being a woman in a world that so often attempts to define and confine us.

Safiyah Chiniere has a deep love for storytelling and filming. She uses film to amplify the stories and the voices of people of color, women and femmes. The specific space of Safiyah’s subject matter gives a firm footing to develop a visual style necessary to operate within the fertile interior spaces of these communities. It presents a stimulating approach to capturing the faces, bodies, and various expressions of intimacy all while maintaining wholehearted and sincere storytelling.

Directed by Safiyah Chiniere

Produced by Trevania LayneProduced by Justin Zimmerman, Yunhong Pu, Yaakov Gottlieb, Ashley Lam

EDUCAtIon

Winter Film Festival believes that education is the primary means for the emerging filmmaker to get ahead in the industry. We are delighted to offer the following educational opportunities. Check website for details and updates.

Education sessions are FREE and open to the public. LOOK Cinemas, 657 West 57th Street, Theater 4

THE SECRET BLOODY TRUTHS – GET YOUR INDIE HORROR FILM MADE!

Get your indie horror film financed, produced and distributed – learn the secret, down and dirty, bloody truth of how to slice and dice it right. Horror has always been a proving ground for emerging filmmaking talent. Now, two independent horror filmmakers with a combined more than half century of experience in the world of horror filmmaking reveal the little known yet vital secrets that can get your indie horror film financed and into production. Avoid the pitfalls and mistakes that slit the throat of most starting out horror filmmakers. Learn the truths they don’t teach you in film school and probably should.

SURVIVING AS A FREELANCER IN THE FILM INDUSTRY

Surviving in the Film Industry as a freelancer is hard and it’s critical that you learn how to protect yourself from scams, ask for payment, price your work and ensure you get paid, understand contracts and set personal boundaries. You also have to figure out how to handle taxes and insurance, and maybe you need to set up an LLC. You may have heard of the “Freelance isn’t Free Act” , but what does that really mean for you? Help is available! You just need to know where to look. Join a townhall discussion with the Freelancer’s Union for a good overview of how to thrive in the industry.

HARNESSING FLEXIBILITY IN YOUR ACTING & FILMMAKING – WITH IMPROV!

Thursday February 20, 3:45 PM-5:00 PM

We’ve all taken an improv class here & there where we play some basic improv games, get silly, and chuckle a bit as part of a larger acting or directing curriculum. But, improv training builds muscle memory for exploring and making fresh choices you may have never considered. Your own limitations are self-imposed because we’ve all been taught to take this art form so seriously. But we want to help you break that habit, loosen up, and find your own style of fun in this amazing work we do as creators!

FESTIVAL FORMULA: HERE TO TELL YOU SOME FESTIVAL TRUTHS (AND BE HONEST)

Friday February 21, 12:45 PM-2:00 PM

Katie and Ian Bignell from Festival Formula will talk you through their company’s process of how to maximise your festival journey. From understanding the different levels of festivals, to the assets that you can explore to be more targeted with your individual film. Honest and realistic – these two industry voices will be on hand to answer your questions and to dispel some recurring myths, and will explain how to figure out what level you should aim for, the materials you’ll need, how to understand premiere status and some do’s and don’ts!

DISTRIBUTION STRATEGIES FOR INDEPENDENT FILMMAKERS

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! 40-year distribution veteran Dan Gurlitz, the founder of Soundview Media Partners, is a specialist in establishing and/expanding distribution for independent features and documentaries. He will be discussing distribution strategies for both physical and digital media exploitation. Dan’s seminars are lively and free flowing so Q & A will take place throughout.

NAVIGATING FILM FUNDRAISING WITH NYWIFT

Raising funds for your indie film is so hard and confusing! You have a great project in-the-making yet the financing options and the state of the industry seem overwhelming. Easmanie Michel from NYWIFT will help you understand how to close your budget gap, find new funding sources, find and submit successful grant proposals that stand out, approaching funders and keeping them interested, sustaining support and understanding fiscal sponsorship.

EDUCATION sessions are free and open to the public. MEETUPS/MIXERS and PARTIES are free (21+). Check website for details!

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 19 - SOMEWHERE NOWHERE, 112 W 25TH STREET

Wednesday night kicks off the 13th annual Winter Film Festival! Come meet our amazing filmmakers and sponsors, make some new friends & industry contacts and get a photo on the red carpet!

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 20 - LOOK CINEMAS, 657 WEST 57TH STREET THEATER 4

12:45 PM-2:00 PM - Education: Get Your Indie Horror Film Made!

2:15 PM-3:30 PM - Education: Surviving as a Freelancer

3:45 PM-5:00 PM - Education: Harnessing Flexibility with Improv!

6:00 PM-8:45 PM - Evening Shorts Program + QA

*Pina (Animated, 24 mins) *Birthday Blues (Short, 10 mins) *Desync (Short, 12 mins) *Yellow (Short, 13 mins) *The Deep Rolling: Magma (Music Video, 10 mins) *Malti (Short, 16 mins) *You Don’t Have to Like Me (Short, 10 mins) *Back and Forth (Music Video, 4 mins) *Girls in Trouble: The Series - Vashti (Web, 15 mins) *Villain (Short, 10 mins) *The Hypermnestic (Short, 20 mins)

8:55 PM-11:15 PM - Evening Feature & Shorts + QA

*The Lovers (Animated, 13 mins) *Slumber Party (Short, 8 mins) *Ayala (Music Video, 3 mins) *The Fix (Feature, 98 mins)

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 21 - LOOK CINEMAS, 657 WEST 57TH STREET THEATER 4

12:45 PM-2:00 PM - Education: Festival Truths

2:15 PM-3:30 PM - Education: Distribution Strategies

3:45 PM-5:00 PM - Education: Navigating Film Fundraising

6:30 PM-9:00 PM - Evening Shorts Program 2 + QA

*Our Uniform (Animated, 7 mins) *The Dawn (Short, 30 mins) *Children of Light (Short, 21 mins) *Right to Privacy (Short, 12 mins) *Listen Not (Music Video, 5 mins) *Two Breaths (Short, 20 mins) *The Genie (Short, 15 mins) *Girls Aren’t Funny (Web, 20 mins)

9:10 PM-11:40 PM - Evening Program 2 + QA

*The Dog Tied to the Shed (Animated, 4 mins) *Flame (Short, 8 mins) *When It’s Your Kid (Music Video, 4 mins) *A Wonderful Way with Dragons (Feature, 112 mins)

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 22 - LOOK CINEMAS, 657 WEST 57TH STREET THEATER 4 - DOCUMENTARY DAY

12:15 PM-2:40 PM - Doc Shorts Program 1 + QA

*I Am Here You Are Not I Love You (D38 mins) *Finding My Voice (10 mins) *Mobility Rights (20 mins) *No Longer / Not Yet (17 mins) *The Anarchist and The Fridge (14 mins) *R.E.S.C.U.E. (25 mins)

2:50 PM-4:50 PM - Doc Shorts Program 2 + QA

*A Phantom Song (45 mins) *Matter of Mind: My Alzheimer’s (54 mins)

5:00 PM-7:05 PM - DoC EVENING Program 1 + QA

*Waiting for the Bus (7 mins) *Ray of Hope (96 mins)

7:15 PM-9:20 PM - Doc EVENING Program 2 + QA

*Encouraged-Building the Future (3 mins) *Fighting Back (10 mins) *Ultimate Citizens (53 mins)

9:30 PM-11:30 PM - DOC EVENING Program 3 + QA

*Es La Vida (29 mins) *Dreamful (14 mins) *The Prison Show (57 mins)

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 23 - CLUB 230FIFTH, 230 FIFTH AVENUE

* 5:00pm-7:00pm: Red Carpet * 7:00pm-8:00pm: Awards Ceremony * 8:00pm-11:00pm: After Party

sCHEDULE

Enjoy happy hour pricing with your screening ticket at Mirabella Lounge @LOOK

7:00 PM-11:00 PM - WFF 2025 OPENING NIGHT KICK-OFF BASH & NETWORKING PARTY FREE before 10pm - 21+ with ID. Please dress to the occasion- no athletic wear, hats, or sneakers.

THEATER 5

1:00 PM-3:05 PM - Made in NY Shorts Matinee

*Birthday Blues (10 mins) *Chocolate With Sprinkles (19 mins) *Flame (8 mins) *Slumber Party (8 mins) *Grace (14 mins) *Right to Privacy (12 mins) *Malti (16 mins) *Steps (19 mins) *You Don’t Have to Like Me (10 mins) *The Constructor (10 mins)

3:20 PM-5:40 PM - Bloody Thursday Shorts Matinee

*Deathless (19 mins) *Dig (12 mins) *Go To Bed Raymond (7 mins) *Humanzee (24 mins) *Lapse (6 mins) *Room Service (18 mins) *Slayer (18 mins) *Vivir (9 mins) *Vomiting On An Open Wound (25 mins)

06:10 PM-08:30 PM - Evening Films from Spain + QA

*The Night Inside (Short, 24 mins) *The Imposter (Short, 8 mins) *No Wolves No Lambs (Short, 13 mins) *Reflections in a Room (Feature, 72 mins)

8:40 PM-11:30 PM - Evening Films from Asia + QA

*Circle (Animated, 7 mins) *Mm, Uh, Oh, Ah (Short, 16 mins) *Here After (Short, 15 mins) *Homunculus (Short, 13 mins) *Everywhere (Animated, 10 mins) *Smoking Tigers (Feature, 90 mins)

THEATER 5

1:00 PM-2:30 PM - Documentary Shorts Matinee

*Waiting for the Bus (7 mins) *Dreamful (14 mins) *Fighting Back (10 mins) *Finding My Voice (10 mins) *Mobility Rights (20 mins) *No Longer / Not Yet (17 mins) *The Anarchist and The Fridge (14 mins)

2:45 PM-5:05 PM - Animation + Music Video Matinee

*Circle (7 mins) *Flocky (12 mins) *Never Too Late (4 mins) *Our Uniform (7 mins) *The Deep Rolling (10 mins)

*The Dog Tied to the Shed (4 mins) *The Lovers (13 mins) *The Moon and Back (6 mins) *The Roaring of the Carabao (8 mins) *The Splint (5 mins) *Say Something (4 mins) *Shaka Shams (2 mins) *Windows (5 mins) *Back and Forth (4 mins) *Ayala (3 mins) *When It’s Your Kid (4 mins) *Albina Dream Survey (3 mins) *Everywhere (10 mins) *Listen Not (5 mins) *Pina (24 mins)

5:25 PM-7:30 PM - Evening Shorts Program 1 + QA

*The Roaring of the Carabao (Animated, 8 mins) *Chocolate With Sprinkles (Short, 19 mins) *What Are You Supposed To Do With Your Hands? (Short, 13 mins) *Grace (Short, 14 mins) *Albina Dream Survey (Music Video, 3 mins) *Steps (Short, 19 mins) *The Constructor (Short, 10 mins) *The Canon (Short, 20 mins)

7:40 PM-9:45 PM - Evening Program 1+ QA

*The Splint (Animated, 5 mins) *Shaka Shams - Balrog (Music Video, 2 mins) *Run (Feature, 96 mins)

9:55 PM-12:00 AM - Evening Program 3 + QA

*The Moon and Back (Animated, 6 mins) *Windows (Music Video, 5 mins) *San Francisco Bae (Feature, 94 mins)

THEATER 5

12:00 PM-2:15 PM - AFTERNOON Program 1 + QA

*Never Too Late (Music Video, 4 mins) *Groupies (Web Series, 26 mins) *The Strange Dark (Feature, 84 mins)

2:25 PM-5:00 PM - Afternoon Program 2 + QA

*Flocky (Animated, 12 mins) *Say Something (Music Video, 4 mins) *My Heavenly City (Feature, 120 mins)

5:10 PM-8:20 PM - Bloody Horror Shorts + QA

*Anemone (11 mins) *Deathless (19 mins) *Dig (12 mins) *Go To Bed Raymond (7 mins) *Humanzee (24 mins) *Juggernaut (20 mins) *Lapse (6 mins) *Room Service (18 mins) *Slayer (18 mins) *Vivir (9 mins) *Vomiting On An Open Wound (25 mins)

8:30 PM-11:55 PM - Bloody Asian Horror + QA

*Bring Me the Head of a Smiling Pig (23 mins) *Sound of the Divine Bell (28 mins) *The Cursed Land (131 mins)

5:00 PM - 11:00 PM - WFF 2025 AWARDS CEREMONY + GALA RED CARPET + AFTER PARTY FREE before 10pm - 21+ with ID. Please dress to the occasion- no athletic wear, hats, or sneakers.