12th Annual Winter Film Awards Int'l. Film Festival - Feb. 21-25 2024-NY

2024 INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

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WINTER FILM AWARDS

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2024 INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

WELCOME TO THE 12TH ANNUAL WINTER FILM AWARDS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL W i nte r F ilm A ward s Is N ew Yo rk City. Like t he cit y it self, we showcas e t he ecle ct ic d ivers it y a n d exc i tem ent of th e independent art s world.

We a re a n a l l -vol unteer, m i norit y and women-owned registered 501(c)3 no n -p ro f it o rgan i zat i o n founded i n 2011 in New York Cit y by a group of filmmakers an d ent h u sia st s . O u r m i ssi on i s to promote diversit y, bridge t he opport unit y div ide and p rov id e a p lat fo r m for under- represented art ist s and a variet y of genres, v i ewpo int s an d ap p ro ac h es . We bel i eve that only by seeing ot hers’ stories can we unde rstan d e ach o th er a n d o n l y vi a a n open door can t he underrepresented art ist enter t he ro o m .

Fo r o u r 2 024 Prog ra m , Wi nter F ilm A wards is proud to screen an out standing s e lect io n o f 8 2 f il m s o f a l l genres a nd lengt hs - short s and feat ures, animat ion, d o c u m enta r i es, com edi es, rom anc e, t hrillers, dramas, music v ideos and h o r ro r. F i l m m a kers com e f rom 23 count ries, including 13 st udent films an d 2 6 wo r ks f rom f i rst- ti m e film makers.

Winte r F i l m Awa rds i s dedi cated to showcasing t he amazing diversit y of vo i c e s i n i n d i e f i l m a nd our 2024 lineup is half made by women and half by o r ab o u t p eopl e of col or.

WFA 2024

Ti cket s are $12.50/In Adva nce, $16.50/Door, $5/Door wit h S t udent ID. Scre e n in g b lo c ks r un 1½ to 2½ hours a nd inc lude a mix of short s and feat ure-length film s . M o st Scree n i n g b l o c ks i nc l ude a 20 m inute Q&A S ession wit h t he filmmakers.

M e et u ps, Ed u cat io n S essio n s and Parties are free an open to t he public.

Vis it w w w.WFA2024.E vent Comb o.com for Ti cket s!

THANK YOU

Wi nter Fi l m A wards is grateful for t he t ireless support of o u r yearround tea m : Michael J oseph Murray, F ulden Kologl u On e r, Pau l M a rengo a nd L isa Wilf.

T ha nk you to Winter F ilm A wards staff, volunteers, screeners , ju d ges , wr i ters, pa ne list s, friends and helpers! This event couldn’t h ap p en wi thout our army of helpers! A nd finally, t hank you to our am az in g sp o n s o rs , p a r tners a nd venues whose support make t his event possible.

Winte r F il m A wa rds prog ra m s are supported, in part , by public funds from t he New Yo r k C ity D ep a r t m ent of C ul tura l Affairs in part nership wit h t he Cit y Council and are m ad e p o s s ib l e by t he New Yor k State C ouncil on t he A rt s wit h t he support of t he O ff ice o f th e G over n o r a nd the New Yor k S tate Legislat ure. Promot ional support prov ided by t h e NYC M ayo r ’s O ff i c e of M edi a & Entertainment .

WFA 2 0 2 4 O ff i c i a l Ar twor k wa s designed by J ohana Kroft (htt ps://johanakroft . n et ) .

Winte r F i l m Awa rds i s l ed by G eorge Isaacs (CEO & Founder), S teffanie F inn (E xe cu t ive Di rec to r ) , L es l ey Si ga l l ( Trea surer) , J oseph Mauceri and Vaughn Murphy.

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WINTER FILM AWARDS

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2024 INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Dear Winter Film Awards Attendees, On behalf of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME), I am honored to welcome you to the 12th annual Winter Film Awards International Film Festival!

I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as I am the newly appointed Commissioner of this Office, where I will continue to support our city’s creative economy, including its world-renowned independent filmmaking community.

MOME is pleased to support this diverse celebration of film, which features work by emerging filmmakers hailing from 23 different countries. With a line-up of films where half are created by women and half are by or about people of color, the Winter Film Awards International Film Festival serves to amplify the diversity of voices in independent film. With the recent resolution of the labor stoppages, we are excited to say that film and TV production is back in NYC, and festivals like this one help shine a light on our creative talent pool and production infrastructure to a global audience.

MOME’s mission is to support and strengthen New York City’s creative economy and make it accessible to all. In 2019, the creative industries accounted for more than 500,000 local jobs and had an economic impact of $150 billion annually. MOME comprises four divisions: The Film Office, which coordinates on location production throughout the five boroughs; NYC Media, the City’s official broadcast network and production group; the Press Credentials Office, which issues press cards; and Creative Sector Programs to advance industry and workforce development across NYC’s creative sectors.

To learn more about MOME’s programs and services for New York City’s creative community, please visit nyc.gov/MOME and follow us on X and Facebook at @madeinny and on Instagram @madein_ny.

Congratulations to Chairman and Founder George Isaacs, and the entire team, on this year’s festival.

Enjoy the show!

Sincerely,

Pat Swinney Kaufman Commissioner NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment

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WINTER FILM AWARDS

WFA2024 FILMS

12 Weeks................................................. Feature, 105 mins.............. Anna Isabelle Matutina......................... Thu Feb 22 - 9:15 PM, Theater 5 All My Scars Vanish in the Wind.............. Animated, 14 mins............ Carlos Velandia, Angelica Restrepo....... Sat Feb 24 - 4:40 PM, Theater 4 ........ Fri Feb 23 - 3:40 PM Birdie....................................................... Horror, 13 mins.................. Andrew Edison...................................... Fri Feb 23 - 9:00 PM, Theater 5 ....... Thu Feb 22 - 3:15 PM Blyth........................................................ Music Video, 6 mins.......... Tom Dream............................................ Fri Feb 23 - 6:15 PM, Theater 5 ......... Fri Feb 23 - 3:40 PM Breakthrough........................................... Documentary, 12 mins....... JaMar Jones.......................................... Thu Feb 22 - 9:15 PM, Theater 5 ....... Fri Feb 23 - 1:15 PM Catching Spirits........................................ Horror, 12 mins.................. Vanessa Beletic..................................... Fri Feb 23 - 9:00 PM, Theater 5 ....... Thu Feb 22 - 3:15 PM Chimera................................................... Short, 18 mins................... Kryzz Gautier......................................... Sat Feb 24 - 12:20 PM, Theater 4 City of Tigers............................................ Feature, 91 mins................ Jan Vardøen.......................................... Sat Feb 24 - 4:40 PM, Theater 4 Colchique................................................. Animated, 3 mins.............. Céline Blondat, Blanche Dion................ Fri Feb 23 - 8:30 PM, Theater 4 ......... Fri Feb 23 - 3:40 PM Creep....................................................... Music Video, 5 mins.......... Naomi Saito, Evan Silver........................ Sat Feb 24 - 5:30 PM, Theater 5 ........ Fri Feb 23 - 3:40 PM Doorway.................................................. Short, 10 mins................... Siddharth Gautam................................. Sat Feb 24 - 12:20 PM, Theater 4 Dreamy Fragrance of Spring Blossoms.... Short, 13 mins................... Hera Khanmirzaei, Amirhosein Saqafi... Fri Feb 23 - 6:15 PM, Theater 5 Extinct...................................................... Animated, 9 mins.............. Raúl Díez Rodríguez.............................. Thu Feb 22 - 8:30 PM, Theater 4 ....... Fri Feb 23 - 3:40 PM Fatih the Conqueror................................ Short, 16 mins................... Onur Yagiz............................................. Fri Feb 23 - 8:30 PM, Theater 4 Fire Flower............................................... Animated, 7 mins.............. Stephan Leeper..................................... Sat Feb 24 - 3:15 PM, Theater 5 ........ Fri Feb 23 - 3:40 PM First Wednesday...................................... Short, 22 mins................... Jasmine Huggins................................... Sat Feb 24 - 12:20 PM, Theater 4 Fly in Power............................................. Documentary, 79 mins....... Yin Q, Yoon Grace Ra............................ Sat Feb 24 - 7:45 PM, Theater 5 FragilExpress Presents: Prologue I........... Web Series, 9 mins............ Eric Louis Jimenez................................. Thu Feb 22 - 6:00 PM, Theater 4 ..... Thu Feb 22 - 1:10 PM Glass Works............................................. Short, 23 mins................... Norman Ng............................................ Thu Feb 22 - 6:00 PM, Theater 4 Gone........................................................ Horror, 15 mins.................. Fabian Archondo, Valeria Mancheva.... Fri Feb 23 - 9:00 PM, Theater 5 ....... Thu Feb 22 - 3:15 PM Grass on Your Class.................................. Short, 25 mins................... Claire Barrault....................................... Fri Feb 23 - 8:30 PM, Theater 4 Headless.................................................. Short, 8 mins..................... Bason Baek............................................ Sat Feb 24 - 2:25 PM, Theater 4 Hold You Down........................................ Music Video, 5 mins.......... Jean-Charles Charavin........................... Thu Feb 22 - 6:00 PM, Theater 4 ....... Fri Feb 23 - 3:40 PM How Not To Date While Trans.................. Short, 14 mins................... Nyala Moon........................................... Sat Feb 24 - 12:20 PM, Theater 4 .... Thu Feb 22 - 1:10 PM I Cherish Women..................................... Music Video, 4 mins.......... Judith Lynn Stillman.............................. Sat Feb 24 - 5:30 PM, Theater 5 ........ Fri Feb 23 - 3:40 PM Just A Friend............................................ Short, 15 mins................... Courtney Deelen................................... Thu Feb 22 - 6:00 PM, Theater 4 Just a Rehearsal....................................... Short, 9 mins..................... Hugo Sanz............................................. Thu Feb 22 - 8:30 PM, Theater 4 Lady in Ermine......................................... Short, 8 mins..................... Donna DiGiuseppe................................ Fri Feb 23 - 6:00 PM, Theater 4 Leaving Yellowstone................................ Horror, 22 mins.................. Kayla Arend........................................... Fri Feb 23 - 9:00 PM, Theater 5 ....... Thu Feb 22 - 3:15 PM Life of Riley.............................................. Short, 15 mins................... Lisa Datz................................................ Sat Feb 24 - 12:20 PM, Theater 4 .... Thu Feb 22 - 1:10 PM Little......................................................... Short, 12 mins................... Meka Ribera, Álvaro G. Company......... Thu Feb 22 - 8:30 PM, Theater 4 Living Loud.............................................. Documentary, 40 mins....... Carin Van Der Donk, Isabel Vega........... Sat Feb 24 - 3:15 PM, Theater 5 ........ Fri Feb 23 - 1:15 PM Lover Boy’s Little Dream.......................... Animated, 15 mins............ Ritvick Mehra........................................ Thu Feb 22 - 6:30 PM, Theater 5 ....... Fri Feb 23 - 3:40 PM Maoussi................................................... Feature, 75 mins................ Charlotte Schiøler................................. Fri Feb 23 - 8:30 PM, Theater 4 Marcel The Muscle Man.......................... Showcase, 14 mins............ Michael Joseph Murray......................... Thu Feb 22 - 6:30 PM, Theater 5 Matter of Mind: My Parkinson’s.............. Documentary, 55 mins....... Anna Moot-Levin, Laura Green............. Sat Feb 24 - 12:45 PM, Theater 5 Musica Quarantena................................. Animated, 4 mins.............. Lilian Mehrel......................................... Sat Feb 24 - 12:45 PM, Theater 5 ...... Fri Feb 23 - 3:40 PM Neon Rage............................................... Short, 13 mins................... Alejandra Parody................................... Sat Feb 24 - 12:20 PM, Theater 4 .... Thu Feb 22 - 1:10 PM Never Fade Away..................................... Documentary, 12 mins....... Donna Weng Friedman......................... Sat Feb 24 - 5:30 PM, Theater 5 ........ Fri Feb 23 - 1:15 PM Night Sweats............................................ Feature, 100 mins.............. Andrew Lyman-Clarke........................... Sat Feb 24 - 2:25 PM, Theater 4 Oddities................................................... Horror, 15 mins.................. Tyler Savage.......................................... Fri Feb 23 - 9:00 PM, Theater 5 ....... Thu Feb 22 - 3:15 PM Ovo.......................................................... Animated, 7 mins.............. Stiv Spasojevic....................................... Sat Feb 24 - 6:55 PM, Theater 4 ........ Fri Feb 23 - 3:40 PM Part-Time................................................. Horror, 11 mins.................. Anthony Misiano................................... Fri Feb 23 - 9:00 PM, Theater 5 ....... Thu Feb 22 - 3:15 PM Photo of the Day..................................... Short, 12 mins................... Mac Eldridge, Tom Dean....................... Thu Feb 22 - 6:30 PM, Theater 5 ..... Thu Feb 22 - 1:10 PM Pianoman................................................ Documentary, 60 mins....... Sunny Liu............................................... Sat Feb 24 - 3:15 PM, Theater 5 Pier 35..................................................... Short, 9 mins..................... Raina Yang............................................. Thu Feb 22 - 6:00 PM, Theater 4 ..... Thu Feb 22 - 1:10 PM Pigsy........................................................ Animated, 95 mins............ Li Wei Chiu............................................ Sat Feb 24 - 9:10 PM, Theater 4 Playing Sam............................................. Feature, 89 mins................ Ramon Pesante..................................... Sat Feb 24 - 6:55 PM, Theater 4 Pontianak................................................. Horror, 11 mins.................. Kayla Aalia............................................. Fri Feb 23 - 9:00 PM, Theater 5 ....... Thu Feb 22 - 3:15 PM Puerto Rican Jew..................................... Short, 12 mins................... Louis Carrasco....................................... Fri Feb 23 - 6:15 PM, Theater 5 ....... Thu Feb 22 - 1:10 PM Quick....................................................... Music Video, 3 mins.......... Belle Butler........................................... Sat Feb 24 - 9:10 PM, Theater 4 ........ Fri Feb 23 - 3:40 PM Real Estate Sisters.................................... Feature, 83 mins................ Reabetswe Moeti-Vogt......................... Fri Feb 23 - 6:00 PM, Theater 4 Room For Rent Season Two..................... Web Series, 12 mins.......... Steven St. Pierre.................................... Fri Feb 23 - 6:00 PM, Theater 4 ....... Thu Feb 22 - 1:10 PM Shitty Therapy......................................... Documentary, 12 mins....... Javier Polo............................................. Sat Feb 24 - 12:45 PM, Theater 5 ...... Fri Feb 23 - 1:15 PM Simona..................................................... Music Video, 6 mins.......... Alberto Baldini, Víctor Luiz Riona.......... Thu Feb 22 - 8:30 PM, Theater 4 ....... Fri Feb 23 - 3:40 PM Sleep Study.............................................. Horror, 10 mins.................. Natalie Metzger.................................... Fri Feb 23 - 9:00 PM, Theater 5 ....... Thu Feb 22 - 3:15 PM Stuntwomen............................................ Documentary, 84 mins....... Elena Avdija........................................... Sat Feb 24 - 5:30 PM, Theater 5 Talk.......................................................... Music Video, 3 mins.......... Zishan Sun............................................. Fri Feb 23 - 6:00 PM, Theater 4 ......... Fri Feb 23 - 3:40 PM The Ball.................................................... Documentary, 94 mins....... Malgorzata Saniewska.......................... Sat Feb 24 - 9:45 PM, Theater 5 The Dreamed Life.................................... Animated, 14 mins............ Alvaro Rozas Leiva, Aurelio Lamas........ Fri Feb 23 - 6:00 PM, Theater 4 ......... Fri Feb 23 - 3:40 PM The Judgment.......................................... Horror, 14 mins.................. Ángel Pazos........................................... Fri Feb 23 - 9:00 PM, Theater 5 ....... Thu Feb 22 - 3:15 PM The Other Side-A Portrait of Nikki Bell.... Documentary, 13 mins....... Aubrey Franchell................................... Sat Feb 24 - 7:45 PM, Theater 5 ........ Fri Feb 23 - 1:15 PM The Photographer................................... Short, 21 mins................... Alexander Graeff................................... Fri Feb 23 - 8:30 PM, Theater 4 The Pointy Slippers.................................. Horror, 8 mins.................... Christina Acevedo................................. Fri Feb 23 - 9:00 PM, Theater 5 ....... Thu Feb 22 - 3:15 PM The Sticky Side of Baklava....................... Feature, 88 mins................ Maryanne Zehil..................................... Fri Feb 23 - 6:15 PM, Theater 5 The Storm................................................ Short, 16 mins................... Wendi Tang........................................... Thu Feb 22 - 6:00 PM, Theater 4 The Waters.............................................. Short, 12 mins................... S. C. Teles.............................................. Thu Feb 22 - 8:30 PM, Theater 4 The Wu.................................................... Music Video, 2 mins.......... Maxwell Carrier..................................... Sat Feb 24 - 9:45 PM, Theater 5 ........ Fri Feb 23 - 3:40 PM Ties.......................................................... Horror, 13 mins.................. Esteban Bailey....................................... Fri Feb 23 - 9:00 PM, Theater 5 ....... Thu Feb 22 - 3:15 PM TransGenerations.................................... Web Series, 11 mins.......... Brady Peeti............................................ Thu Feb 22 - 6:00 PM, Theater 4 Unicorns.................................................. Feature, 94 mins................ Alex Lora Cercos.................................... Thu Feb 22 - 8:30 PM, Theater 4 Unite For Bissau....................................... Documentary, 40 mins....... Iara Lee................................................. Sat Feb 24 - 12:45 PM, Theater 5 ...... Fri Feb 23 - 1:15 PM Unpacking................................................ Feature, 81 mins................ Michal Sinnott, Alexandra Clayton........ Thu Feb 22 - 6:30 PM, Theater 5 Unravelling Anxiety EP01......................... Web Series, 7 mins............ Charlotte Wanhill, Soana Aholelei........ Sat Feb 24 - 6:55 PM, Theater 4 Uptown Oasis.......................................... Documentary, 7 mins......... Ian Phillips............................................. Sat Feb 24 - 12:45 PM, Theater 5 ...... Fri Feb 23 - 1:15 PM We’ve Only Just Begun............................ Short, 11 mins................... Meneka Das.......................................... Fri Feb 23 - 6:15 PM, Theater 5 When the Sky Falls.................................. Animated, 4 mins.............. Caroline Ho........................................... Fri Feb 23 - 6:15 PM, Theater 5 ......... Fri Feb 23 - 3:40 PM While We Were Here............................... Short, 15 mins................... Sunčica Fradelić.................................... Thu Feb 22 - 6:00 PM, Theater 4 Wonders.................................................. Short, 17 mins................... Huriyyah Muhammad........................... Thu Feb 22 - 6:00 PM, Theater 4 ..... Thu Feb 22 - 1:10 PM Wuss........................................................ Short, 13 mins................... Nadine Wilson....................................... Sat Feb 24 - 12:20 PM, Theater 4 Yours........................................................ Short, 9 mins..................... Flaminia Graziadei................................. Thu Feb 22 - 6:30 PM, Theater 5

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2024 INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

ABOUT THE FILMS 12 WEEKS FEATURE

PILIPPINES ENGLISH, TAGALOG THURSDAY FEB 22 9:15 PM-11:35 PM

BLYTH 105 MINS

MUSIC VIDEO AUSTRALIA ENGLISH 6 MINS FRIDAY FEB 23 6:15 PM-8:50 PM / FRIDAY FEB 23 3:40 PM-5:30 PM

After ending her toxic relationship with her boyfriend, 40-year-old Alice discovers she is pregnant. With her age and current relationship status, her first instinct is to have the pregnancy terminated. As her body undergoes dramatic changes, Alice struggles and needs to decide what to do.

Anna Isabelle Matutina, the director and editor of ‘i-Witness’, has garnered acclaim with awards including the UNICEF Asia-Pacific Child Rights Award and the Peabody Award. Her international recognition includes an International Emmy Awards nomination in 2013. Her debut feature film, ‘12 Weeks’, produced by Jules Katanyag and Danzen Santos Katanyag under Digital Dreams, further cements her status as a prominent figure in filmmaking.

Directed by Anna Isabelle Matutina Producted by Jules Dan Katanyag, Danzen Santos Katanyag

This short film/music video hybrid is an exploration of the witch burnings and the dancing plagues of the 16th Century which swept across Europe like wildfire.

It is a permission to be wild, to lose oneself in the chaos magic of the unknown and to answer the howling of our inner call to dance to our own blaze of individual heart fire we each contain. Shot in the moorland of Cornwall, Liana’s patriarchal ancestral lands, nature plays a large part in the creation of this world, as do the wonderful performers hired to encapsulate the witches and townspeople who seek to destroy them.

Tom Dream creates truly original commercials, documentaries and fashion films. He has made work for Gucci, DAZED, Nowness, High Snobiety, and artists Arlo Parks, Art School Girlfriend, and Celeste.

Directed by Tom Dream Producted by Liana Cornell

ALL MY SCARS VANISH IN THE WIND

DOCUMENTARY UNITED STATES ENGLISH 12 MINS THURSDAY FEB 22 9:15 PM-11:35 PM / FRIDAY FEB 23 1:15 PM-3:30 PM

TODAS MIS CICATRICES SE DESVANECEN EN EL VIENTO ANIMATED COLOMBIA NO DIALOGUE 14 MINS SATURDAY FEB 24 4:40 PM-6:45 PM / FRIDAY FEB 23 3:40 PM-5:30 PM

Among intrusive and sought-after memories, a woman hears a disconcerting call from the depths of her being. A cryptic cry for help that becomes intelligible guides her to the original wound, to her inner child, becoming her own protector.

Carlos Velandia and Angélica Restrepo are Colombian filmmakers with backgrounds in Film Programming and New Media. Their work focuses on feminism, anti-hegemonic representation and expanded animation. Their films have premiered several times at the Annecy International Animation Festival and have won the Oscar qualifying ZINEBI Grand Award at the International Festival of Documentary and Short Film of Bilbao and the Silver Lynx Experimental Award at FEST - New Directors | New Films.

Directed by Carlos Velandia, Angelica Restrepo Producted by Carlos Velandia, Angelica Restrepo

BIRDIE HORROR UNITED STATES ENGLISH 13 MINS FRIDAY FEB 23 9:00 PM-11:45 PM / THURSDAY FEB 22 3:15 PM-5:40 PM

A troubled teen takes his childhood babysitter hostage after she uncovers his deadly plan.

Andrew J. Edison is a writer, actor, producer and editor, known for his breakout feature film ‘Bindlestiffs’ (2012), which won the Audience Award at Slamdance, and was subsequently purchased and distributed by Kevin Smith. He is also known for his short films, including ‘Birdie’ (2021), ‘Tile M for Murder’ (2007) and ‘My Darling Clementine’ (2008), as well as for his improvisational standup. This native Texan currently resides in Brooklyn, NY, with his french bulldog Peewee.

Directed by Andrew Edison Producted by Night Maire

BREAKTHROUGH Witness a conversation about identity crisis and how the pressure to succeed plagues athletes when removed from the sport. Watch as former NFL Colts cornerback, D’joun Smith, as he tells his story for the first time in group therapy.

JaMar Jones, who grew up in West Baltimore and graduated from an HBCU, started his career in filmmaking with a desire to bring attention to systemic issues. He worked initially as a cinematographer, and his love for film led him to collaborate with major companies such as Disney, ESPN, and HBO. Today, he has taken up the role of a director to continue his mission of creating human-interest films.

Directed by JaMar Jones Producted by LaTonya Joyce, Jared Johnston

CATCHING SPIRITS HORROR UNITED STATES ENGLISH, HAITIAN 12 MINS FRIDAY FEB 23 9:00 PM-11:45 PM / THURSDAY FEB 22 3:15 PM-5:40 PM

Since childhood, Destiny has been told she has seizures when she dances, an unexplained phenomena that’s resulted in deep fear and her refusal to dance - despite being drawn to it. What she doesn’t know is that she has an ancient ability - a birthright of the Haitian women in her lineage going back for ages. Today, in LA, Destiny is still in the dark about her ancestral power but strange things are happening; Destiny is tormented by voices in her head, calling her to “test the waters” and compelling her to stalk someone. When she’s challenged to face her fear and dance, Destiny makes a decision that could reveal a secret she doesn’t yet understand. Will dancing kill her or unlock something magical?

Haitian born and raised, Vanessa Beletic is an award-winning writer and director. Her first narrative short ‘Catching Spirits’ won the Jury Award Live Action Short at the New Hampshire Film Festival 2022, making it Oscar eligible in 2023. Vanessa is one of eight filmmakers selected for the AFI DWW+ 50th Anniversary Class of 2024, where she filmed her 2nd short ‘EVIL, I’.

Directed by Vanessa Beletic Producted by Natalie Mattozzi, Vanessa Beletic

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WINTER FILM AWARDS CHIMERA SHORT

UNITED STATES ENGLISH SATURDAY FEB 24 12:20 PM-2:25 PM

CREEP 18 MINS

MUSIC VIDEO UNITED STATES ENGLISH 5 MINS SATURDAY FEB 24 5:30 PM-7:35 PM / FRIDAY FEB 23 3:40 PM-5:30 PM

Haunted by the past, a brilliant tech-addicted developer faces an impossible dilemma: recreate her ex-girlfriend in virtual reality or hold onto the crumbling relationship with her current one.

Kryzz Gautier is a queer, Afro-Latina, formerly undocumented writer/director from the Dominican Republic. Kryzz was on The Black List 2021, has written on an HBO series, and on 2K Games’ ‘BioShock 4’. She’s sold shows and features to studios, some of which have her attached as director. Kryzz has been a fellow in prestigious programs like Netflix’s ‘Directors On The Rise’, NBC’s ‘Female Forward’, Ryan Murphy’s ‘Half Initiative’, Joey Soloway’s ‘Disruptors’, and the Sundance Institute, among others.

Directed by Kryzz Gautier Producted by Kryzz Gautier, Corsica Wilson

A mountain sings.

Evan Silver aka Tiresias is a hybrid writer, director, composer, performer, mythmaker and ritualist based in Brooklyn. Naomi Saito is a born-and-raised Chicagoan and a real-life bird lover. She graduated with a BA in Film Studies from Wesleyan University and is now living and working in NYC. Directed by Naomi Saito, Evan Silver Producted by Evan Silver

SHORT

CITY OF TIGERS SULT2020

FEATURE

NORWAY NORWEGIAN SATURDAY FEB 24 4:40 PM-6:45 PM

DOORWAY

91 MINS

‘City of Tigers’ is based on the 1896 novel by Knut Hamsun and is widely considered to be the world’s first modern novel. The main character is a starving artist roaming the streets of Oslo during the presentday pandemic, a situation that only exacerbates his feeling of estrangement from a society that is separated from him. On his travels, he meets a host of characters who both help and impede him and follows a woman he met in his previous life who he names Yljali, after a fictitious Iranian princess. The artist desperately searches for authenticity in his work even if it means he might not survive. This film is an unapologetic love letter to the city that “leaves its mark on all who have lived there”.

This is Jan Vardøen’s sixth feature. He was born in Rotherhithe, London, grew up in West Cork, Ireland, but is Norwegian and lives and works in Oslo. His previous features are ‘Heart of Lightness’, ‘Autumn Fall, ‘House of Norway’, ‘Oslo Copenhagen’. He also directed the Philip Glass documentary ‘Descent into the Maelstrom’. He writes, produces and directs all of his films as well as scoring them. (His musical alter ego is ‘Ian Senior’). He is the author of many books, fiction and non-fiction.

Directed by Jan Vardøen Producted by Jan Vardøen, Christine Robsahm

COLCHIQUE A child, on a hot day, goes to pick flowers in order to make a bouquet. She is followed during her journey by a mysterious cat...

Céline Bondat, Blanche Dion and Héloïse Nivart are three young directors and ‘Colchique’ is their graduation film. They hope to be able to make other films in the future.

Directed by Céline Blondat, Blanche Dion and Héloïse Nivart Produced by Thomas Debitus

PAGE 7

10 MINS

‘Doorway’ is a captivating blend of drama, fantasy, and magical realism that delves into the intricate layers of family bonds and personal transformation.

Stephen, grappling with the weight of a broken family, stumbles upon a mystical doorway. As he steps through, a mesmerizing journey unfolds, intertwining his present with poignant echoes of his past.

Guided by the enigmatic doorway, Stephen relives cherished childhood memories and encounters his younger self, igniting a profound exploration of identity and healing. The fantastical interplay between reality and memory blurs as Stephen navigates through the vivid landscapes of his past, painted in vibrant hues of emotion and nostalgia.

Siddharth Gautam is an accomplished filmmaker and an architect. Born and raised in India, with a unique perspective and a keen eye for detail, his approach to both disciplines is rooted in the power of storytelling and the ability to shape a narrative. In Siddharth’s view, architecture and filmmaking are not so different, as both require a narrative to shape and design one’s vision.

Directed by Siddharth Gautam Producted by Siddharth Gautam

DREAMY FRAGRANCE OF SPRING BLOSSOMS SHORT

ANIMATED FRANCE ENGLISH 3 MINS FRIDAY FEB 23 8:30 PM-11:15 PM / FRIDAY FEB 23 3:40 PM-5:30 PM

UNITED STATES ENGLISH SATURDAY FEB 24 12:20 PM-2:25 PM

IRAN PERSIAN FRIDAY FEB 23 6:15 PM-8:50 PM

13 MINS

A dead family lives in a house for a long time - a mother, a father and a son. War’s taken the son, the heart of this family; every bullet kills more than just one man.

Hera Khanmirzaei is a 20-year-old Iranian film student at Tehran University of Art. Her main interest is filmmaking, and she works as a screenwriter, director, and editor. She has directed several short films and documentaries so far; she is joyful and hopeful in this extraordinary journey.

Amirhosein Saqafi studied Urban Engineering and has a BA in Cinema and an MA in Dramatic Literature from Tehran University of Art and a certificate with the 36th FIFF Talent Campus 2018. He is an actor, editor and director and founded the first low & no-budget short film event in Iran in 2019.

Directed by Hera Khanmirzaei, Amirhosein Saqafi Producted by Hera Khanmirzaei

2024 INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL EXTINCT

FIRST WEDNESDAY

ANIMATED SPAIN SPANISH 9 MINS THURSDAY FEB 22 8:30 PM-11:15 PM / FRIDAY FEB 23 3:40 PM-5:30 PM

SHORT

An astronaut returns from a failed mission to an Earth extinct due to contamination. It torments him to be the last of his kind. He is a magical identity - the last breath of Nature, with a breath of pure air, water, the sea.

Raúl Díez is from Spain and is a specialist in stopmotion animation who has won international awards. In 1999, he developed chapters for ‘Sesame Street’ (CTW). In 2003 he filmed the short film ‘Sr. Trapo / Mr. Cloth’, with prize from the Goya Spanish Film Academy for winning best animated short film. In 2004, he filmed the Disney series ‘Felix At The Machine’. In 2018, he filmed the short film ‘El Ermitaño / The Hermit’, which was nominated for best animated short at the Goya Spanish film academy.

Directed by Raúl Díez Rodríguez Producted by Raúl Díez Rodríguez

Eleni, a Greek graphic designer, lives in Prague with her Canadian husband. After a random attack by a young man in Prague, Eleni experiences ongoing, unresolved trauma. She decides to go in search of her attacker, against the wishes of friends and family.

Johan, raised in Sweden by a Czech mother now lives with Babi, his warm, but indulgent grandmother in Prague. Babi cannot compensate for Johan’s fraught relationship with his emotionally distant American father. Reclusive Johan is often prone to outbursts of volatility, despite his guilt about what he did to Eleni that day in the tunnel. Eleni and Johan’s lives connect in Prague in a manner which tests relationships with people all around them.

Jasmine Huggins was born in France to a French mother and Trinidadian father. She was raised and educated in Trinidad and Tobago and completed ongoing studies in France and the United Kingdom. After working in the humanitarian sector in the UK and US for more than twenty five years, she decided to pursue film studies. She graduated from the Director Program at Prague Film School in May 2023. ‘First Wednesday’ is her 2nd Year Diploma Film.

Directed by Jasmine Huggins Producted by Jasmine Huggins, Nina Bhatt

FATIH THE CONQUEROR FATIH LE CONQUÉRANT

SHORT

FRANCE FRENCH, TURKISH FRIDAY FEB 23 8:30 PM-11:15 PM

16 MINS

This Saturday is a Turkish wedding day at Espace Venise. Huddled in a car in the parling lot, Fatih, 21, wants to get married. He has set his sights on Ipek, Recep’s sister. But neither Murat, his best friend, nor Recep, nor even Ipek are aware of this yet.

Onur Yagiz was born in France to Turkish parents. He studied literature, theatre and film at the SorbonneNouvelle University, before directing ‘Patika’ (2013) and ‘Toprak’ (2017). ‘Fatih the Conqueror’ is his third film.

Directed by Onur Yagiz Producted by Pierre-Louis Garnon

FIRE FLOWER ANIMATED UNITED STATES ENGLISH 7 MINS SATURDAY FEB 24 3:15 PM-5:20 PM / FRIDAY FEB 23 3:40 PM-5:30 PM

A nun, four orphans and a glitchy robot on a quest for beauty. . . what could possibly go wrong?

Princess, Fabio, Pigtails and Curly from St. Mary’s Home for Unfortunate Children are on a fieldtrip to the botanical garden to celebrate Princess’ birthday.

On the way they meet a curious groundskeeper and the fireworks begin –– quite literally.

In the autumn of 2014, the Advanced Studio Production class at Huntington University launched the ‘Fire Flower’ film project based on a 1-minute story reel by Kayla Mitchell. The experiment was to see what would happen if a talented group of student animators set out to make a short film with the time, budget, and resources of a commercial stop-motion studio.

The results, five years later, is a beautifully crafted and irreverently funny 6-minute stop-motion film for all ages to enjoy.

Stephan Leeper is a storyteller, animator and educator. He started his career as a Chicago-based Stop-Motion Animator and 3D Layout Supervisor on ‘Jonah: a VeggieTales Movie’ and is the founding professor of two university-level Animation Programs in the Midwest. In 2017, Steve started teaching at Central Michigan University where he continues to produce award-winning animation using stop-motion, pixilation, laser cut-outs and drawn animation. You can see examples of his personal and commercial work at www.jsleeper.com.

Directed by Stephan Leeper Producted by Stephan Leeper, Curtis Wood

CZECH REPUBLIC CZECH, ENGLISH, SWEDISH SATURDAY FEB 24 12:20 PM-2:25 PM

22 MINS

FLY IN POWER DOCUMENTARY

US ENGLISH, KOREAN, MANDARIN SATURDAY FEB 24 7:45 PM-9:35 PM

79 MINS

‘Fly in Power’ spotlights the work of Asian migrant massage and sex workers of Red Canary Song, a mutual aid, abolitionist collective based in Flushing, NYC. We follow the stories of Charlotte (a Korean massage worker/poet), KhoKhoi (bodyworker/ healer), and Prof. Elena Shih (Brown University, global human trafficking researcher) as well as the broader Red Canary Song community.

The film is a glimpse into their practices of care, autonomy, and survival against the oppressive systems that face Asian massage parlour workers and sex workers. Calling for ‘rights, not rescue’ these women and non-binary queers fight for their community, for decriminalization, and debunking the myths of sex trafficking that pervade the Asian diaspora. This film has been produced entirely by women, non-binary, trans and queers of the Asian diaspora – more than half of the production team are former sex workers.

Yin Q is a Queer, Chinese American parent, writer, and sex worker rights advocate. They are a core organizer of Red Canary Song and Founding Director of Kink Out. Their work can be seen in ‘We Too’ (pub Feminist Press), ‘Mercy Mistress’ (pilot), and the ‘Fly In Power’ short. www.yinq.net Yoon Grace Ra is a cultural organizer working with audio/visual media.

Their filmmaking practice is formed in relationship with movement communities, soil + decomposition studies, and Korean shamanic folk music.

Directed by Yin Q, Yoon Grace Ra Producted by Xen Nhà

PAGE 8

WINTER FILM AWARDS FRAGILEXPRESS PRESENTS: PROLOGUE I WEB SERIES UNITED STATES ENGLISH 9 MINS THURSDAY FEB 22 6:00 PM-8:20 PM / THURSDAY FEB 22 1:10 PM-3:00 PM

Lex is a black market dealer in NYC. He shows us how he de-stresses.

Eric Louis Jimenez is a father, husband and filmmaker. He is a native New Yorker from East New York, Brooklyn currently residing in The Bronx. After his daughter was born, he decided to make a career change from an ironworker to chase his dream as a filmmaker. He plans to pursue a career in film for the rest of his life Directed by Eric Louis Jimenez Producted by Jennifer Maddox Jimenez

GRASS ON YOUR CLASS LA COUR DES GRANDS

SHORT

HONG KONG CANTONESE THURSDAY FEB 22 6:00 PM-8:20 PM

23 MINS

A lyrical reminiscence of an innocent childhood friendship in Hong Kong in the 80s, when being kind to someone did not require a reason like today.

Shing’s dad despises Chi, who he regards as rude.

Shing sights Chi, who suffers from polydactyly, being bullied by hooligans. He comforts Chi by secretly letting him do glassblowing at his dad’s workshop.

His enraged dad finds out and beats him up. Shing eventually wins his dad’s trust, but unintentionally spurs Chi’s low self-esteem, and Chi walks out on him. How will the two boys reconcile?

Norman Ng was born and raised in Hong Kong before the handover of the British colony to China in 1997. He studied business in college and worked in various industries.

Since obtaining an MFA degree from the Hong Kong Baptist University’s Film Academy in 2022 (at the age of 58), he has been actively preparing for his first feature film.

Directed by Norman Ng Producted by Shuk Fong Chong

GONE

DESAPARECIDA HORROR MEXICO SPANISH 15 MINS FRIDAY FEB 23 9:00 PM-11:45 PM / THURSDAY FEB 22 3:15 PM-5:40 PM

A young woman lives a quiet life, with a new romance at hand, until she finds her own image on a missing person poster.

Fabián Archondo is a writer of the TV series ‘Falco’ (International Emmy Winner 2020), ‘The Search’ (Netflix mini-series) and writer-director of the Disney+ TV series ‘Marvel Lucha Libre Edition’. He is the director of short films including ‘Gone’, ‘Toxic’ and ‘Gill’.

Valeria Mancheva is a sound designer for many films, including ‘Treasures’, ‘Ya veremos’ and ‘Biodegradable’. ‘Gone” is her directorial debut.

Directed by Fabian Archondo, Valeria Mancheva Producted by Sergio Livas, Miguel Tafich

PAGE 9

25 MINS

At the Victor Hugo High School, French teacher Leila Al Bachir has called a disciplinary hearing for one of her students: Simon Petit. In her quest to find a fair sanction for Simon, she realises her workplace is in serious trouble.

Born in 1992, Claire Barrault wrote and directed her first short fiction ‘T’es con Simon’ in 2017, followed by ‘Hasta Luego’ in 2018. She writes and consults on various screenplay and video game projects and is currently in development for her first feature.

‘Grass on your Class (La Cour des Grands)’ is her third short film.

Directed by Claire Barrault Producted by Jonathan Hazan

GLASS WORKS SHORT

FRANCE FRENCH FRIDAY FEB 23 8:30 PM-11:15 PM

HEADLESS SHORT

KOREA KOREAN SATURDAY FEB 24 2:25 PM-4:30 PM

8 MINS

Most people in this world are headless. DuSeong is a police officer; one of the few who still have a head. He takes on a sexual assault case, where both the perpetrator and the victim lose their heads.

One day, he discovers his daughter has also become headless, and is faced with a choice.

Bason Baek majored in design at Seoul Tech and has been working as a video producer and director since 2015. From 2020, he has been living in Shanghai and making films between Shanghai and Seoul.

Directed by Bason Baek Producted by Hyeong Jun Ahn

HOLD YOU DOWN MUSIC VIDEO UNITED STATES ENGLISH 5 MINS THURSDAY FEB 22 6:00 PM-8:20 PM / FRIDAY FEB 23 3:40 PM-5:30 PM

‘Hold you down’ is a poetic short film that explores the theme of grief through the expressive art of dance. Through graceful movements and powerful choreography, the dancers embody the deep emotions associated with mourning, allowing their bodies to express what words cannot.

Jean-Charles Charavin is a 31-year-old French director based in Paris. Cutting his teeth in the world of music videos, he has, over the past years, collaborated with French and international artists on over 80 video projects. Venturing into different realms such as fashion and narrative work, his style is distinguished by a highly visual and mastered approach in each of his films, while giving particular importance to storytelling and the emotion of his characters.

Directed by Jean-Charles Charavin Producted by Dov Eagle

2024 INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL HOW NOT TO DATE WHILE TRANS SHORT UNITED STATES ENGLISH 14 MINS SATURDAY FEB 24 12:20 PM-2:25 PM / THURSDAY FEB 22 1:10 PM-3:00 PM

‘How Not To Date While Trans’ is a break-the-fourthwall dark comedy that follows the dating life of a black trans woman and the problematic men she meets along the way.

Nyala Moon is a graduate of City College with her MFA in film production. After working in the nonprofit community helping other transgender and queer people of color access affirming health care, Nyala took a leap of faith and pursued her passion for filmmaking.

JUST A REHEARSAL SOLO UN ENSAYO

SHORT

SPAIN SPANISH THURSDAY FEB 22 8:30 PM-11:15 PM

9 MINS

Two sisters, seven and eleven years old, are hiding inside a closet in a house. The little sister thinks they are rehearsing for a game but the older one knows that a terrible threat lurks outside.

Hugo Sanz is a screenwriter and director of six short films with great international impact.

Directed by Hugo Sanz Producted by Gaizka Urresti

Directed by Nyala Moon Producted by Nyala Moon

I CHERISH WOMEN MUSIC VIDEO UNITED STATES ENGLISH 4 MINS SATURDAY FEB 24 5:30 PM-7:35 PM / FRIDAY FEB 23 3:40 PM-5:30 PM

‘I Cherish Women’ is a pro-women short film, by Judith Lynn Stillman of Artists & Activists productions, that packs a powerful political punch in four minutes. Thirty artists and activists join forces to deliver a bold statement to “defend human rights and address human wrongs.” ‘I Cherish Women’ puts Trump’s reverberating words into women’s voices, underscoring trauma induced.

Judith Lynn Stillman, renowned pianist, composer and filmmaker has a distinguished international career. With a doctorate from The Juilliard School, she is Artist-in-Residence and Music Professor at Rhode Island College. She is celebrated for her film scores and music videos, with showings in 48 countries. Stillman’s album with Wynton Marsalis was on the Billboard Top Ten. Winner of a Pell Award for Excellence in the Arts and PBN’s Creative Services Industry Leader, Stillman’s first love is scoring films.

Directed by Judith Lynn Stillman Producted by Judith Lynn Stillman

CANADA ENGLISH, CANTONESE THURSDAY FEB 22 6:00 PM-8:20 PM

ITALY ITALIAN FRIDAY FEB 23 6:00 PM-8:20 PM

8 MINS

‘The Lady in Ermine’ dramatizes the day in which Sofonisba Anguissola (1535-1625) found her calling as a portraitist and envisions her future masterpiece, the portrait of King Philip II. Donna DiGiuseppe was inspired by her Italian roots to write about an historic Italian woman, Sofonisba Anguissola. DiGiuseppe studied the Italian Renaissance at the University of California, Berkeley, and Sofonisba Anguissola at San Francisco State University. The novel ‘Lady In Ermine: The Story of a Woman Who Painted the Renaissance’ was published in 2019 and is found at sofonisba.net. This short film is a proof of concept for a feature film adapting the novel as a 104 minute biopic feature.

Directed by Donna DiGiuseppe Producted by Donna DiGiuseppe, Giuseppe D’Angella

LEAVING YELLOWSTONE

JUST A FRIEND SHORT

LADY IN ERMINE SHORT

15 MINS

Lynn is a thriving, 40-year-old woman set to marry her soul mate, Sarah in a time where love is love, and her right to be in a relationship with whomever she wants is accepted and celebrated fully. Well... by everyone but June, her traditional Chinese mother.

Our story begins the day that Lynn decides to take a stand for herself. After journeying through her childhood memories, and with Sarah by her side, Lynn walks into the retirement home where her mother is living to confront her with a 40-year secret. What neither of them expect is June’s response to the news.

Courtney Deelen is an award-winning director, actor and producer from Toronto, Canada. She is a Norfolk County native with a degree in Musical Theatre Performance who was once a famed Dawson City Gertie Girl and now Co-Founder of DEELEN with TROUBLE, Inc. Courtney is a proud member of both ACTRA Toronto and the CMPA, whose on-screen credits include: ‘Good Witch’, ‘Suits’, ‘Murdoch Mysteries’, ‘Becoming Burlesque’, ‘Blink Twice’, ‘Reign’ and ‘12 Monkeys’.

Directed by Courtney Deelen Producted by Shantelle Bisson, James Gilchrist

HORROR UNITED STATES ENGLISH 22 MINS FRIDAY FEB 23 9:00 PM-11:45 PM / THURSDAY FEB 22 3:15 PM-5:40 PM

Tessa is excited to visit Yellowstone National Park with her new boyfriend, Mark. However, when they arrive, Mark changes, aggression and cruelty building as Tessa starts finding disturbing artifacts around the cabin. What begins as an idyllic winter weekend slowly becomes a nightmare as Tessa realizes she’s alone in the woods with a man she really doesn’t know at all.

Kayla Arend is a Luxembourger-American film director. Her films are noted for their surreal, quiet and suspenseful elements accompanied with strong leading female characters and unique wilderness settings. Echoing the cinematic textures of David Lynch and Lynne Ramsay; her work demands attention. Kayla studied film, photography and entomology at Montana State University before earning her Master’s degree in writing-directing at NYU Tisch School of the Arts.

Directed by Kayla Arend Producted by Dominic Stewart, Katie Chew

PAGE 10

WINTER FILM AWARDS LIFE OF RILEY

LOVER BOY’S LITTLE DREAM

SHORT UNITED STATES ENGLISH SPANISH 15 MINS SATURDAY FEB 24 12:20 PM-2:25 PM / THURSDAY FEB 22 1:10 PM-3:00 PM

ANIMATED CANADA ENGLISH 15 MINS THURSDAY FEB 22 6:30 PM-9:05 PM / FRIDAY FEB 23 3:40 PM-5:30 PM

When Riley witnesses a suspicious act involving her Dominican partner, later confiding in her police officer best friend, she is pushed into uncertainty setting off a chain of events that leads to a profound exploration of trust, trauma, unconscious bias, and its unforeseen consequences in love and friendships.

Lisa Datz, acclaimed for her roles in the original Broadway casts of ‘Titanic’ and ‘The Full Monty’, as Yitzhak in Off-Broadway’s ‘Hedwig And The Angry Inch’, also starred regionally in ‘Three Days Of Rain’.

She is known for TV appearances in ‘FBI: Most Wanted’ and ‘Elementary’, and films such as ‘The Perfect Holiday’, and in the gaming world for her role as Jessica LeClerk in ‘Red Dead Redemption 2’. Her directorial debut, ‘Life Of Riley’ won the Jury Prize for Best Short Film of 2023 at LAIFF. Directed by Lisa Datz Producted by Erin Glass, Dan Lawler

‘Lover Boy’s Little Dream’ is a classic love story between Lover Boy and his longtime crush, Mimi.

Ever since highschool, Lover Boy has secretly admired Mimi from afar. His affection, however, never blossomed into anything more. Years passed and both graduated, never to see each other again... that is until Lover Boy starts an internship at the local office and finds out Mimi is working there as well! Now given a second chance, Lover Boy must overcome his own self-doubt in order to have a potential shot with Mimi.

Born in India, Ritvick Mehra started producing and shooting his own films at a very young age. Most recently, he received the Harold Greenberg Fund and established his own production company Butter Chicken Films Inc. to produce and direct his latest film “Lover Boy’s Little Dream”.

Directed by Ritvick Mehra Producted by Ritvick Mehra, Gerard Jacinto

LITTLE

PEQUEÑO SHORT

SPAIN SPANISH THURSDAY FEB 22 8:30 PM-11:15 PM

12 MINS

When they are born they are precious, almost perfect. But they grow so fast. I wish there was a way to enjoy that unrepeatable age forever. Petit Toujour combines the latest advances in gene therapy and selective hormone blocking to extend your time with the most beautiful thing you have in the world, your baby. Álvaro G. Company studied cinematography at the Ciudad de la Luz Study Center. He has directed award-winning short films, and currently directs the audiovisual department of Grupoidex, producing and directing advertising spots for well-known brands.

Meka Ribera studied Audiovisual Communication at the Ciudad De La Luz Study Center. He is co-founder of the production company “Bilby” based in Alicante and Madrid, where he combines his work in advertising with the development of fiction projects Directed by Meka Ribera, Álvaro G. Company Producted by Meka Ribera, Álvaro G. Company

LIVING LOUD DOCUMENTARY UNITED STATES ENGLISH, PORTUGUESE 40 MINS SATURDAY FEB 24 3:15 PM-5:20 PM / FRIDAY FEB 23 1:15 PM-3:30 PM

‘Living Loud’ is about the collaboration between two different drumming groups with a lot in common, following them as they build community and empowerment through samba reggae. In 2016, Stacy Kovacs formed Fogo Azul. The band brought together drummers of every age, race, sexuality, and gender identity. In February, 2020, Stacy took 40 members of Fogo Azul to Salvador, the center of the Afro-Brazilian community and the birthplace of samba reggae. There, they learned from Banda Didà, the first all-woman, all-Black samba reggae drum line, run by Adriana Portela. ‘Living Loud’ follows Stacy, Adriana, and drummers Selma, Sara, Velma, and Bia as the trip to Brazil transforms their lives. Adriana then travels to New York to work with Fogo Azul.

Carin van der Donk is a Dutch photographer and camerawoman, based in New York City. At 15, she became an international fashion model. After settling in NYC, she became an assistant-producer for Art + Commerce, followed by becoming an agent and producer at Julian Meijer et Associes.

She is a 2021 graduate of the International Center of Photography program in Documentary Practice and Visual Journalism. The short documentary ‘Living Loud’ is her directorial and producing debut.

Directed by Carin Van Der Donk, Isabel Vega, Sarah Teal Producted by Carin Van Der Donk, Sarah Teale

PAGE 11

MAOUSSI FEATURE

FRANCE FRENCH, LAARI, DANISH, ENGLISH FRIDAY FEB 23 8:30 PM-11:15 PM

75 MINS

Two strangers, Edo, a Congolese refugee, and Babette, a Danish dancer, unexpectedly find themselves thrust into the confines of a Parisian apartment. When Maoussi, an escaped lab mouse, makes itself known, their lives are turned upside down as they try to navigate cultural misunderstandings and conflicting expectations about what love and parenthood are supposed to look like in 2023.

Danish born Charlotte Schiøler started her career as a dancer in Paris and now spends her time between NYC, Paris and Copenhagen. She has established her personal style in satire and social commentary over the themes of diversity and toured internationally with her plays and performances in London, Toronto, Vancouver, NYC and Paris. Her last short film, ‘SLØR aka By Any Means A-Veilable’ won multiple international awards. ‘Maoussi’ is her first feature film.

Directed by Charlotte Schiøler Producted by Charlotte Schiøler, Benjamin Darius Gordon

MARCEL THE MUSCLE MAN SHORT

UNITED STATES ENGLISH THURSDAY FEB 22 6:30 PM-9:05 PM

14 MINS

A muscular but meek fella strains under the pressures of masculinity and struggles to find work.

After serendipitously landing a circus strongman gig, he proves a talented performer, but is he really man enough for the job?

Before his MFA in Filmmaking at City College of New York, Michael Joseph Murray studied Film and Theatre and graduated with honors at North Carolina State University. He has performed on Off-Broadway and regional theatre stages, and can be seen in TV, film, and video games. He roots for the Yankees, is an Aries, an Eagle Scout, can dock a pontoon boat, and is the same height as George Clooney.

Directed by Michael Joseph Murray Producted by Yaari Nadav Tal, Sara Minisquero

2024 INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL MATTER OF MIND: MY PARKINSON’S DOCUMENTARY

UNITED STATES ENGLISH SATURDAY FEB 24 12:45 PM-3:00 PM

NEVER FADE AWAY

55 MINS

DOCUMENTARY UNITED STATES ENGLISH 12 MINS SATURDAY FEB 24 5:30 PM-7:35 PM / FRIDAY FEB 23 1:15 PM-3:30 PM

Three people navigate their lives with resourcefulness and determination in the face of Parkinson’s disease. An optician pursues deep brain stimulation surgery; a mother raising a pre-teen daughter becomes a boxing coach and an advocate for exercise; and a cartoonist contemplates how he will continue to draw as his motor control declines.

Anna Moot-Levin and Laura Green are awardwinning documentary filmmakers with a focus on telling stories about health and healthcare.

Their debut feature documentary, ‘The Providers’, premiered at the 2018 Full Frame Film Festival and aired on PBS’s Independent Lens in 2019. They are currently directing ‘Matter of Mind’, a 3-film series about people living with neurodegenerative diseases. Anna is based in Brooklyn, and Laura is based in San Francisco.

Directed by Anna Moot-Levin, Laura Green Producted by David Alvarado, Jason Sussberg

‘Never Fade Away’ is the moving true story about a young Chinese immigrant who escapes his homeland in the 1940’s during the Japanese Invasion, comes to America with nothing but his hopes and dreams, and how a radio and a waltz changes his life. Told through narration, music and dance, this short film shines a light on the healing power of music as well as the power of the immigrant experience. Featuring history-making dancer Chun Wai Chan and the exquisite ballerina Xiaoxiao Cao, their stunning pas de deux at the end will take your breath away. This story of heritage will bring you to tears and the music and dance will make your heart soar. Stories like this are the ties that bind, and should Never Fade Away.

Donna Weng Friedman enjoys a distinguished career as a pianist, educator, curator, producer and filmmaker. She was inducted into the 2023 Steinway & Sons Teacher Hall of Fame. Donna wrote, directed and produced the award-winning documentary short ‘Never Fade Away’ featuring history making dancer Chun Wai Chan, and won the Women Who Innovate Grant 2023 for her “impactful and meaningful” work. Her EP ‘Heritage and Harmony: Silver Linings’, won two Silver Medals at the 2022 Global Music Awards.

Directed by Donna Weng Friedman Producted by Donna Weng Friedman

MUSICA QUARANTENA ANIMATED UNITED STATES ENGLISH 4 MINS SATURDAY FEB 24 12:45 PM-3:00 PM / FRIDAY FEB 23 3:40 PM-5:30 PM

A little girl’s love for her bedridden Papa inspires a town in lockdown to make music from their windows.

Created by Lilian T. Mehrel & Danielle Rhoda.

Written & Directed by Lilian T. Mehrel. Animation Direction by Danielle Rhoda Lilian T. Mehrel is an award-winning writer and director with a visionary sense of feeling and humor. Her films have premiered at Tribeca and Clermont-Ferrand. She earned her MFA from NYU Tisch Grad Film, and her BA from Dartmouth with a Senior Fellowship. A mixed-ethnicity daughter of immigrants, she also authored/illustrated a family memoir and is a PD Soros Fellow. www.lilianmehrel.com Danielle Rhoda is an accomplished illustrator and animator. A Masters student in Animation Direction at the National Film & Television, her work has been featured in the New York Times, BBC, CNN, at the UK’s People’s History Museum, the Bologna’s Children’s Book Festival, and the AOI World Illustration Awards. She has also been written up in ‘It’s Nice That’, ‘Creative Boom’, and ‘People of Print’. https://daniellerhoda.co.uk/ Directed by Lilian Mehrel Producted by Danielle Rhoda

NEON RAGE SHORT UNITED STATES ENGLISH 13 MINS SATURDAY FEB 24 12:20 PM-2:25 PM / THURSDAY FEB 22 1:10 PM-3:00 PM

Camila, a young aspiring-and-struggling illustrator, meets Madison, a teenage girl, when Camila is hired

by Madison’s (very) wealthy family as her tutor.

Unlike Camila, Madison is confident, popular, and has never experienced rejection. Though Camila initially dismisses the teenager as vapid and out-oftouch, they connect over their shared struggles as artists at heart. Camila becomes seduced by Madison’s can-do-attitude and naïve drive. The short interaction ultimately sparks a new fire inside of Camila and moves us to reflect on the themes of wealth, privilege, and what it takes to be successful.

Alejandra Parody is an NAACP Image Awards nominated film director and writer based in New York City. Originally from Colombia, she moved to the U.S. to major in Film and TV and in Religious Studies at NYU, where her thesis film ‘Rosa’ earned her a King Prize Award.

Her work has appeared in media outlets such as Billboard and Huffpost, as well as a number of festivals worldwide such as NBCUniversal, Urbanworld and Tribeca.

Directed by Alejandra Parody Producted by Jake Murphy

NIGHT SWEATS FEATURE

UNITED STATES ENGLISH SATURDAY FEB 24 2:25 PM-4:30 PM

100 MINS

The sudden and mysterious death of his roommate leads a young skateboarder to investigate the inner workings of the suspicious self-help company where his friend worked. When he takes a job there, he uncovers the company’s scheme to spread a new virus that could devastate the city.

Andrew Lyman-Clarke’s films have included two feature documentaries about alternative psychiatrists, which played in festivals and conferences around the world. He directed and edited the thriller short ‘Follow the Leader’, as well as the documentary ‘Island Lobsterman’ which played the festival circuit. His work has appeared on MTV, PBS, Discovery and other major outlets. Andrew currently works as a Producer/ Director at JPMorgan Chase, where he creates advertorial and other content for the brand.

Directed by Andrew Lyman-Clarke Producted by Jason Abrams, Seth Panman

ODDITIES HORROR UNITED STATES ENGLISH 15 MINS FRIDAY FEB 23 9:00 PM-11:45 PM / THURSDAY FEB 22 3:15 PM-5:40 PM

When a drugged-out duo attempts to rob an antique store, they realize the older woman running the shop isn’t as defenseless as she seems.

A graduate of NYU Tisch, Tyler Savage was a Story Editor at Warner Bros before going on to work for Terrence Malick on four back-to-back features. He went on to write full-time for a few years before directing his first feature (‘Inheritance’, 2017), which was lauded by genre critics after premiering at Brooklyn Horror Film Festival. His second feature (‘Stalker’, 2020) premiered at Fright Fest, won an audience award at the Austin Film Festival, and went on to be acquired by Vertical Entertainment.

Directed by Tyler Savage Producted by Chadd Harbold

PAGE 12

WINTER FILM AWARDS OVO ANIMATED FRANCE ENGLISH 7 MINS SATURDAY FEB 24 6:55 PM-9:00 PM / FRIDAY FEB 23 3:40 PM-5:30 PM

This is the story of a meeting between an astonishing robot from outer space and an adorable little bird just hatched from its egg.

After studying art in Paris VIe, Stiv Spasojevic started as a character designer for animation and as a motion designer in advertising for brands such as Greenpeace, The Economist, World’s Fair French Pavilion. He has participated in numerous awardwinning projects at international festivals.

Directed by Stiv Spasojevic Producted by Philippe Monerris

PART-TIME HORROR UNITED STATES ENGLISH 11 MINS FRIDAY FEB 23 9:00 PM-11:45 PM / THURSDAY FEB 22 3:15 PM-5:40 PM

Everyone’s got a back-up gig these days. As Skip’s job interview starts to sink, the truth about his other occupation begins to surface. ‘Part-Time’ delivers surprising turns and unforeseen chills, while asking the timeless question, “what if you were a carrot?”

Anthony Misiano is an award winning filmmaker multi-hyphenate living in New York City. As an actor he’s kept the lights on by working in television, independent film, commercials and voice over. As a director he doesn’t believe he has any particular style, yet all his projects tend to look alike which he finds hilarious and bizarre. Anthony takes his work very seriously, but feels if nobody’s laughing on set, something’s terribly wrong.

Directed by Anthony Misiano Producted by Eric Ford-Holevinski, Kris Maxx

PHOTO OF THE DAY SHORT UNITED STATES ENGLISH 12 MINS THURSDAY FEB 22 6:30 PM-9:05 PM / THURSDAY FEB 22 1:10 PM-3:00 PM

A photo from their past ignites a conversation about the possibility of an open marriage between a husband and wife.

Tom Dean and Mac Eldridge met in film school. Tom wanted to be Franois Truffaut and Mac wanted to be John Carpenter. Though they couldn’t be more different, they bonded over a shared love of film and started to expand each other’s tastes. Over time, a shared grammar took hold, and after graduating, while Tom was writing studio features and Mac was directing spots, they decided to make their collaborations official in 2017. They’re preparing to make their debut feature ‘Charlie Harper’ in 2024.

Directed by Mac Eldridge, Tom Dean Producted by Mac Eldridge, Tom Dean

PAGE 13

PIANOMAN DOCUMENTARY

UNITED STATES ENGLISH SATURDAY FEB 24 3:15 PM-5:20 PM

60 MINS

‘Pianoman’ is a poignant portrayal of an undocumented family’s resilience, delving into universal struggles through a sensitive cinéma vérité style. It navigates themes of justice and resilience, evoking raw emotions intertwined with tender moments.

This heartfelt narrative prompts reflection on social justice and inequality, fostering empathy for marginalized communities. The film invites contemplation, inspiring action for a more inclusive world. The dedicated team believes David Avendaño’s story resonates deeply, offering connections to viewers’ own experiences. It appeals to those interested in civil rights, social justice, immigration, music’s power, or the artistry of piano making.

Sunny Liu, a versatile filmmaker, pianist, and animator based in NY, champions marginalized voices through compelling storytelling. With degrees from Emerson College, The New School and the School of Visual Arts, her talent spans diverse creative realms. Her films received acclaim at Doc NYC and The Nepal American International Film Festival, highlighting her commitment to impactful narratives that resonate globally. Sunny Liu’s heartfelt stories consistently inspire audiences worldwide.

Directed by Sunny Liu Producted by Sunny Liu

PIER 35 SHORT UNITED STATES ENGLISH, CANTONESE 9 MINS THURSDAY FEB 22 6:00 PM-8:20 PM / THURSDAY FEB 22 1:10 PM-3:00 PM

60-year-old Alice Lin leads a group of senior dancers on a bustling New York City pier near Chinatown. As Christmas approaches, she prepares eagerly for her family’s visit - even though work commitments may prevent them from coming. Yet Alice lives her life with humor and lightness, even as loneliness and old age catch up with her.

Raina Yang (she/her) is a Chinese writer and director based in New York City. She has made multiple short films highlighting Asian stories, voices, and perspectives. Her short film ‘Sink’ was supported by the Panavision New Filmmaker Program and the 2023 NYC Women’s Fund. Raina is a TV writing fellow in the Thousand Miles Project. She is an MFA candidate in the Film Directing and Screenwriting program at Columbia University.

Directed by Raina Yang Producted by Michael Kim

PIGSY ANIMATED

TAIWAN CHINESE SATURDAY FEB 24 9:10 PM-11:10 PM

95 MINS

Pigsy is a street-smart loser who often messes things up. One day, he is chosen to enter the new world to become a symbol of success; he can finally make grandma proud. Soon after, though, everything turns out to be a mistake. Pigsy doesn’t want to be treated as a joke anymore. He makes a secret deal with Bull Demon King. He stays in Sanzang’s group, and gives the information to Bull Demon King who wants to achieve eternal life. In exchange for information, Bull Demon King promises to show him a secret passage to the new world. Adapted from the classic novel ‘Journey to the West’ as science fiction.

Li Wei Chiu graduated from Tainan National University of the Arts and received his PH.D at Beijing Film Academy. His works have won numerous awards, including the 2011 China International Cartoon & Animation Festival, the 2012 SICAF / Special Jury Award, the 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2021 Golden Bell Awards / Best Animation, the 44th Golden Horse Award for Best Short Film, the 54th Golden Horse Award for Best Animation Feature film and the 2008 Golden Harvest Award for Best Animated Film.

Directed by Li Wei Chiu Producted by Phil Tang, Bruno Felix

2024 INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL PLAYING SAM FEATURE

UNITED STATES ENGLISH SATURDAY FEB 24 6:55 PM-9:00 PM

QUICK 89 MINS

MUSIC VIDEO AUSTRALIA ENGLISH 3 MINS SATURDAY FEB 24 9:10 PM-11:10 PM / FRIDAY FEB 23 3:40 PM-5:30 PM

‘Playing Sam’ is a semi-autobiographical independent film that follows the story of Samantha, a non-Spanish-speaking Latina actress from the Bronx, struggling to fit into Hollywood’s narrow standards of beauty and ethnicity. The film explores themes of heritage, mental health, and sexuality with a frank and unapologetic depiction of an empowered Latina woman.

Rising from foster care to producing television, Ramon Pesante overcame the pitfalls of generational trauma through the escape of movies, sitcoms, and comic books. He implemented the skills he developed working in television to create his first feature, ‘Playing Sam’.

Directed by Ramon Pesante Producted by Jessica Hernandez, Burton Lewis Jr.

A little leaf goes on a big journey of change, experiencing loss, grief, nostalgia, resistance and acceptance along the way.

Belle Butler is a multi-disciplinary artist and storyteller from the Blue Mountains, Australia. She is a musician, writer and photographer with a fresh interest in film. While much of her work falls strictly within the boundaries of each chosen artform, she also enjoys mix-and-matching them and finding new ways to tell stories. ‘Quick’ is her first attempt at stop-motion animation as well as her first attempt at filmmaking. She intends it not to be her last!

Directed by Belle Butler Producted by Belle Butler

REAL ESTATE SISTERS PONTIANAK HORROR UNITED STATES ENGLISH 11 MINS FRIDAY FEB 23 9:00 PM-11:45 PM / THURSDAY FEB 22 3:15 PM-5:40 PM

Nakia, a young woman trapped in an abusive relationship, finds herself at a crossroads when she discovers she is pregnant with her boyfriend’s child.

Filled with anger and a desperate need for justice, Nakia resorts to a forbidden path in her quest for revenge. However, her intentions unknowingly set in motion a series of events that spiral out of control.

Kayla Aalia is a Chinese-Indian filmmaker born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. After completing an internship at the award-winning production house ‘Double Vision’, she made the decision to move to Los Angeles to continue her studies and pursue a career in filmmaking. Coming from Malaysia, Kayla’s art has always been influenced by Southeast Asian culture including her fascinating directorial debut, ‘Pontianak’.

Directed by Kayla Aalia Producted by Arina Sakun

FEATURE

SOUTH AFRICA ENGLISH FRIDAY FEB 23 6:00 PM-8:20 PM

83 MINS

Get ready for a wild ride as two feisty real estate agent sisters, down on their luck and high on sass, aspire to go from selling shabby apartments to high-end real estate in Pretoria. When an exclusive mansion falls into their hands, it seems like their big break has finally arrived, but life takes an unexpected turn when they stumble upon a dead body. With wit, charm, and a touch of chaos, these sisters will stop at nothing to seal the deal of a lifetime.

‘Real Estate Sisters’ marks Rea Moeti-Vogt’s highly anticipated debut in the world of fiction feature films. Her writing and directing credits include the South African adaptation of ‘Ugly Betty’ titled ‘Ubettina Wethu’ and the successful female prison series ‘Lockdown’, which earned her a South African Film and Television Award for her outstanding television writing skills.

Directed by Reabetswe Moeti-Vogt Producted by Reabetswe Moeti-Vogt, Zoe Ramushu

ROOM FOR RENT SEASON TWO PUERTO RICAN JEW SHORT UNITED STATES ASL, ENGLISH 12 MINS FRIDAY FEB 23 6:15 PM-8:50 PM / THURSDAY FEB 22 1:10 PM-3:00 PM

A Puerto Rican man finds out he is half jewish.

Louis Carrasco is a videographer and photographer from the Bronx, NY. He has worked on numerous films from PA to Director; his focus is now more on directing. He recently received a grant from the Inwood Arts Festival for his latest short film, ‘Puerto Rican Jew’. Louis films usually blend drama with comedy.

Directed by Louis Carrasco Producted by Carlos Hiciano, Alfonso Rodriguez

WEB SERIES UNITED STATES ENGLISH 12 MINS FRIDAY FEB 23 6:00 PM-8:20 PM / THURSDAY FEB 22 1:10 PM-3:00 PM

Steven tries his hardest to rent a room in order to live a rent paid stress free existence in NYC. A series of head-scratching encounters with roommates and potential suitors leads him to have to rent the room again and again and...you get it.

Steven St. Pierre is an actor raised in Queens by hardworking Haitian immigrant parents. Steven had a career working with the special needs population until he discovered acting. Having played lead and supporting roles in a number of short and feature films, Steven embarked on producing and directing his first short, ‘Corey’, which he also wrote. St. Pierre continued to direct both on stage and on screen.

Fun fact: Steven shares his birthday with Spike Lee and are both suffering Knicks fans.

Directed by Steven St. Pierre Producted by Steven St. Pierre

PAGE 14

WINTER FILM AWARDS SHITTY THERAPY

STUNTWOMEN

DOCUMENTARY SPAIN SPANISH 12 MINS SATURDAY FEB 24 12:45 PM-3:00 PM / FRIDAY FEB 23 1:15 PM-3:30 PM

DOCUMENTARY SWITZERLAND ENGLISH FRENCH GERMAN 84 MINS SATURDAY FEB 24 5:30 PM-7:35 PM

In 2012, two biology students created fecomagnetism, a parody of pseudotherapies that claimed to cure all kinds of diseases by mixing poop with magnets. All they wanted was a funny review, but shit gets out of hand. How long would it take for people to realize that it was all fake?

Javier Polo is a Valencian filmmaker who shares his passion for documentaries and fiction productions with the world of advertising. He made his first documentary film, ‘Europe in 8 Bits’ (2013), which was broadcast in more than twenty countries and world premiered at IDFA, and ‘The Mystery of the Pink Flamingo’ (2020) which world premiered at South By Southwest, recognized with three Berlanga’s and nominated for best documentary at the Gaudí’s. He is now working in his first fictional film ‘Pequeños Calvarios’.

Directed by Javier Polo Producted by Juanjo Moscardó Rius, Jorge Acosta

Being thrown down a flight of stairs, hit by a car or beaten up is the everyday life for stuntwomen. We follow Virginie, Petra and Estelle during training sessions and on film sets in France and the US. What does all this pretend-violence do to their bodies and minds? There is always a trade-off between the desire to perform as realistically as possible and their own boundaries. Scenes with cars are spectacular, but the roles in which they are beaten up are much harder to watch. Few action movies have female heroes so they usually play the role of victims; stuntwomen are hired to endure violence, while the task of their male colleagues is to inflict it.

Elena Avdija has a degree in Sociology from the EHESS in Paris, with a focus was on gender studies. She worked for several years as assistant director in documentaries, notably for Point du Jour in Paris where she developed screenplays for the historical documentary series ‘Arte’. She also directed two self-produced short documentaries. On her return to Switzerland, she began working as assistant director on fiction films. ‘Stuntwomen’ is her first documentary feature.

Directed by Elena Avdija Producted by Agnieszka Ramu

UNA TERAPIA DE MIERDA

SIMONA MUSIC VIDEO SPAIN SPANISH 6 MINS THURSDAY FEB 22 8:30 PM-11:15 PM / FRIDAY FEB 23 3:40 PM-5:30 PM

Inspired by the figure and work of Simone de Beauvoir, this piece explores the historical condition of being a woman. Simona is born into a masculine world and fights to claim herself as a free subject.

The Rayo Verde Collective was born in Madrid in 2021 by its members Alberto Baldini and Víctor Luiz Riona. After studying directing at ECAM, both focus their careers on the creation of fiction, video clips and advertising.

Directed by Alberto Baldini, Víctor Luiz Riona Producted by Alberto Baldini

SLEEP STUDY HORROR UNITED STATES ENGLISH 10 MINS FRIDAY FEB 23 9:00 PM-11:45 PM / THURSDAY FEB 22 3:15 PM-5:40 PM

A restless new mother confronts a dangerous terror whenever she tries to sleep.

Natalie Metzger is an award-winning director, writer, and producer, whose work is visually rich and thoughtful. Her directing credits include feature documentary ‘Alone in the Game’ (AFI Docs, Outfest), horror short ‘Sleep Study’ (Best Horror Indy Shorts, Hulu’s Bite Size Halloween), sci-fi short ‘Immortal’ (Best Narrative Short - Eastern Oregon Film Festival), and feature documentary ‘Special Blood’ (Dolores Huerta Award for Best Director).

Directed by Natalie Metzger Producted by Matt Miller

PAGE 15

CASCADEUSES

TALK MUSIC VIDEO UNITED STATES ENGLISH 3 MINS FRIDAY FEB 23 6:00 PM-8:20 PM / FRIDAY FEB 23 3:40 PM-5:30 PM

Deacon Phillippe encounters someone seemingly perfect in ‘Talk’ The music video delves into the delicate interplay between self-love and the pursuit of genuine emotional connections. As the narrative unfolds, the universe guides Deacon on a mysterious journey, challenging him to find the balance needed to ground himself amidst the complexities of relationships.

Zishan Sun is a Chinese filmmaker from Shanghai and Seattle, who graduated from NYU Tisch School of the Arts in 2023 with a B.F.A. in Film & TV Production and a minor in Business, Entertainment, Media, and Technology. Her cinematic journey started with songwriting and acting, transforming into a dedication to directing and producing authentic, emotionally rich stories that prompt reflection and invite new perspectives.

Directed by Zishan Sun Producted by Grey Smoley, Jonathan Sim

2024 INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL THE BALL DOCUMENTARY

UNITED STATES ENGLISH SATURDAY FEB 24 9:45 PM-11:50 PM

THE OTHER SIDE - A PORTRAIT OF NIKKI BELL 94 MINS

DOCUMENTARY UNITED STATES ENGLISH 13 MINS SATURDAY FEB 24 7:45 PM-9:35 PM / FRIDAY FEB 23 1:15 PM-3:30 PM

‘The Ball’ takes you on an intimate journey into the underground Ballroom culture created by marginalized LGBTQ people of color in early 1970s NYC. Thirty years after ‘Paris Is Burning’, the Ballroom is thriving worldwide, and ‘The Ball’ gives you an in-depth perspective of courage in the face of adversity.

Narrated by Ballroom icon Jack Mizrahi Gucci, the film features some of the Ballroom’s most influential and larger-than-life personalities, including Kelly Gucci, Omari Oricci, Chi Chi West, Meah West and Trace Gucci, opening up about family rejection and acceptance, introducing the chosen family concept, its importance to the LGBTQ community and its contribution to the entertainment industry.

Malgorzata Saniewska is a Polish-American photographer, documentary filmmaker, and video editor. Making her home in NYC in 2003, she shot for modeling agencies, designers & NYFW. In 2011, she began her first passion project, photographing the world of NYC Burlesque, which inspired her to leap into filmmaking with her film ‘PlayMe Burlesque’, winning the Coney Island FF and Dona I Cinema FF. After the success of her movie, Saniewska began a career as a video editor in adverting and entertainment.

Directed by Malgorzata Saniewska Producted by Jack Mizrahi, Daniel Marracino

‘The Other Side’ is a portrait of Nikki Bell and her journey from a teen sex trafficking survivor to a powerful advocate for other survivors in Worcester, MA. Over the past 8 years, she’s set up an extensive network of support services to help women in her community overcome addiction, trauma, isolation, stigma, and violence associated with the commercial sex industry.

Then the world changed seemingly overnight. When the pandemic began, Nikki’s drop-in center was forced to close, preventing her team from providing food, clothing and support services to those in need.

Nikki and her staff of survivors began risking their own health and safety to continue providing invaluable aid.

Aubrey Franchell believes in the power of stories. Through both her shortform documentaries and scripted works she shines a light on the hidden narratives that surround us. Her work is grounded in the idea that by creating opportunities for viewers to look more deeply into a subject they will become activated to make positive change in the world.

Directed by Aubrey Franchell Producted by Aubrey Franchell, Cs Wallace

THE PHOTOGRAPHER LA PHOTOGRAPHE

THE DREAMED LIFE LA VIDA SOÑADA

ANIMATED CHILE SPANISH 14 MINS FRIDAY FEB 23 6:00 PM-8:20 PM / FRIDAY FEB 23 3:40 PM-5:30 PM

Alberto is trapped in a monotonous life. He falls in love with Mariana, a woman who only exists in his dreams. Medicated and increasingly disappointed with the reality in which he lives, he decides to escape and live a dreamed life.

Alvaro Rozas was born in Santiago, and studied Architecture, Fine Arts and Film Postproduction. He has been a scriptwriter and director of several short films, both live action and animation.

Directed by Alvaro Rozas Leiva, Aurelio Lamas Producted by Aarón Navia Campos

THE JUDGMENT LA CONDENA

HORROR SPAIN SPANISH 14 MINS FRIDAY FEB 23 9:00 PM-11:45 PM / THURSDAY FEB 22 3:15 PM-5:40 PM

A tale of mothers and daughters where nothing is what it seems to be; ‘The Judgement’ is Franz Kafka’s very first literary work. It has an oppressive, deeply disturbing atmosphere that will make you feel uneasy. With an added gender perspective, this is the first time this unsettling story is properly adapted to film. Ángel Pazos is a Spanish director. He studied filmmaking at Complutense University and New York Film Academy. He has directed many short films, music videos and Spanish tv series. He has also worked as an editor in many feature films and is currently working in his first full length movie as a director.

Directed by Ángel Pazos Producted by Ángel Pazos

SHORT

FRANCE FRENCH, GERMAN, ENGLISH FRIDAY FEB 23 8:30 PM-11:15 PM

21 MINS

France, 1936. Gerta, a young German photoreporter, lives in exile with her companion, the Hungarian photographer André Friedmann. Due to widespread xenophobia, no newspaper wants to publish them. When the Spanish civil war breaks out, they are determined to cover the events and thus to fight fascism. Faced with the newspapers’ reluctance to send them to Spain, Gerta decides to invent a new identity for them.

Alexander Graeff is a German film director living in France. He studied philosophy, history and German literature in Cologne and Paris, while also attending workshops in film making. Since 2013, he has worked as an assistant director, production manager and location manager on short films, feature films and documentaries. ‘The Photographer’, his first produced film, focuses on two important figures in photojournalism and their little-known history.

Directed by Alexander Graeff Producted by Caïmans Productions

THE POINTY SLIPPERS HORROR UNITED STATES ENGLISH 8 MINS FRIDAY FEB 23 9:00 PM-11:45 PM / THURSDAY FEB 22 3:15 PM-5:40 PM

Holding in pain can be deadly. ‘The Pointy Slippers’ tells the story of a woman who, on a date, conceals the excruciating pain caused by her new shoes, only to discover that her hidden suffering takes on a life of its own, becoming impossible to ignore.

Christina Acevedo is a Philadelphia-based filmmaker, composer, and designer. Her directorial and screenwriting path took off in 2008 with her debut short film ‘Wild Idle’ making waves at the Cannes Film Festival and ICA in Philadelphia. Her portfolio spans narrative shorts, video art, music videos, and experimental music. Passionate about horror filmmaking, Christina is now deep into the research of her next horror project, promising thrilling cinematic ventures with heavy practical effects.

Directed by Christina Acevedo Producted by Emily Hillgren

PAGE 16

WINTER FILM AWARDS THE STICKY SIDE OF BAKLAVA

THE WU

LA FACE CACHÉE DU BAKLAVA

FEATURE

CANADA FRENCH FRIDAY FEB 23 6:15 PM-8:50 PM

88 MINS

The uneventful middle-class life of Lebanese sisters Houwayda and Joëlle spirals into turmoil after Houwayda announces that she is accompanying Pierre, her Québecker husband, on a sabbatical year in France. Joëlle will stop at nothing to keep her sister in Montréal, even if it means exploring the sticky side of baklava. With its humorous treatment of the culture clash of immigration, ‘The Sticky Side of Baklava’ is a heartwarming film that seeks to bring people together by embracing our differences.

Beirut-born, Canadian Maryanne Zéhil is fluent in French, English, Arabic, and German. She began her career as a journalist before directing documentaries for France, broadcasted in over 30 countries. Since 2004, she writes, directs and produces fiction films, screened theatrically in Canada and abroad, broadcast on media platforms and sold to broadcasters around the world. She participates in juries and sits on evaluation committees. She is currently preparing to shoot her fifth film.

Directed by Maryanne Zehil Producted by Maryanne Zehil

MUSIC VIDEO UNITED STATES ENGLISH 2 MINS SATURDAY FEB 24 9:45 PM-11:50 PM / FRIDAY FEB 23 3:40 PM-5:30 PM

An animated music video that follows the rapper Milk through the city streets as he delivers a song that pays homage to the legendary rap group, The Wu-Tang Clan.

Written by Martin Delaney, lyrics contain the names and aliases of each Wu-Tang member, including various album names and song titles.

Maxwell Carrier, a 3D generalist and self-taught filmmaker with a side of formal education, started in film, photography, and graphic design. Creating home videos with siblings sparked an early passion for a wide range of media expression. Initially a jack of all trades, he focused on 3D animation, and draws on over 10 years of expertise to create a space for his imagination.

Directed by Maxwell Carrier Producted by Martin Delaney

TIES HORROR UNITED STATES ENGLISH 13 MINS FRIDAY FEB 23 9:00 PM-11:45 PM / THURSDAY FEB 22 3:15 PM-5:40 PM

A young man meets his girlfriend’s family for the first time.

Esteban Bailey is an award-winning Puerto Rican filmmaker. After graduating from NYU Tisch, Esteban joined several screenwriting fellowships such as the NYU Production Lab Development Studio and Sundance Ignite.

THE STORM SHORT

CHINA MANDARIN, CANTONESE 16 MINS THURSDAY FEB 22 6:00 PM-8:20 PM

In late September 2008, Xiaomin, class president in her elementary school graduating class, is reported by her classmates to have been seen consorting with street hooligans outside the school. Facing questions from people she trusts most in the world, she must challenge the idea of what she really wants.

Wendi Tang is a Los Angeles-based writer/director and producer. Wendi’s work focuses on characterdriven stories that explore various corners of female narratives. Her short films have been selected by numerous film festivals worldwide including Flicker’s Rhode Island IFF, the Norwegian Short Film Festival, Red Sea IFF, and more. She is a 2022 BAFTA Newcomer.

Directed by Wendi Tang Producted by Wendi Tang

THE WATERS SHORT

SPAIN KAZAKH, RUSSIAN, SPANISH THURSDAY FEB 22 8:30 PM-11:15 PM

12 MINS

A woman from Madrid travels to her father’s home in Kazakhstan in order to reconcile with her past.

With a background in writing, photography, performing arts and music, S.C. Teles took up the challenge to direct the short film ‘The Waters’ in the midst of the pandemic, and in a foreign language.

Teles saw this story as one that she could empathize with, and could use her varied skills and experience to bring the film to fruition along with a small but dedicated team. She also worked on writing the script, and music vocals on this film.

Directed by S. C. Teles Producted by Galiya Utepova

PAGE 17

Directed by Esteban Bailey Producted by David Broad

TRANSGENERATIONS WEB SERIES

NEW ZEALAND ENGLISH, MĀORI THURSDAY FEB 22 6:00 PM-8:20 PM

11 MINS

Actress and singer Brady Peeti (she/her) is the host of TransGenerations. As she puts it; “I’m big, I’m brown and I’m a woman – a proud trans woman, so I guess I’m as visible as it gets”. Brady shares her life story, explaining how, despite being raised in conservative, provincial Timaru she managed to become who she truly was with the support of her parents.

She joins protestors in Auckland’s Albert Park to oppose anti-trans activist Posie Parker and reflects on her mixed feelings after Parker is silenced. To make sense of a simultaneous rise in trans visibility and an anti-trans backlash, it’s time, Brady decides, to allow trans people of all generations to tell their own stories.

Brady Peeti (No Ngāti Maniapoto me Te Ati Haunui-a-Pāpārangi, Wahine Māori) is an award-winning trans female director, actress and singer. Brady directed Season One of ‘TransGenerations’.

Directed by Brady Peeti Producted by Naashon Zalk, Ramon Te Wake

2024 INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL UNICORNS FEATURE

SPAIN SPANISH, CATALAN THURSDAY FEB 22 8:30 PM-11:15 PM

UNPACKING 94 MINS

Isa is a Feminist and polyamorous posh girl; she passionately defends her life. When Guillem proposes to be a monogamous couple, Isa is not sure if he wants to change her life and, given her lack of decision, Guillem decides to end the relationship. Living in a world of appearances and comforts, her contradictions come to light and her universe is crumbling at the blow of likes and moral judgments in this web that social networks have become. Àlex Lora is a director, screenwriter and editor, winner of 7 Emmys, 2 Gaudí Awards, and Nominated for the Goya and the Oscars Student Academy Awards. He has screened his work at Sundance at official competition 3 times, and has won more than 100 awards at international festivals.

Directed by Alex Lora Cercos Producted by Adan Aliaga, Valerie Delpierre

UNITE FOR BISSAU: AGROECOLOGY AND FEMINISM IN GUINEA BISSAU NÔ KUMPU GUINÉ DOCUMENTARY GUINEA-BISSAU ENGLISH, PORTUGUESE 40 MINS SATURDAY FEB 24 12:45 PM-3:00 PM / FRIDAY FEB 23 1:15 PM-3:30 PM

This thought-provoking film takes you on a journey in the West African nation of Guinea-Bissau and follows brave local women who defy norms, assert their role through agroecology, stand up against female genital mutilation and forced marriage while challenging patriarchy across the board by building institutions that promote self-sufficiency.

Carrying forward the legacy of Amílcar Cabral, the Bissau-Guinean independence leader who included women’s rights at the center of the struggle for liberation, the women of a rising generation are taking their power back.

Iara Lee, Brazilian of Korean descent, is an activist, filmmaker, and Cultures of Resistance Network founder. The organization fosters global solidarity, supporting agitators, educators, farmers, and artists for a more just and peaceful world through creative resistance. Her films address overlooked topics like indigenous rights, food sovereignty, and environmental justice in Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America and screen globally, from refugee camps to Berlinale and Sundance.

Directed by Iara Lee Producted by Iara Lee

FEATURE

UNITED STATES ENGLISH THURSDAY FEB 22 6:30 PM-9:05 PM

81 MINS

Influencer and wellness guru Keri Hart selects six women in their 30’s to head to Bali for her signature “soul reset” retreat. Claiming “isolation is the heart of our unhappiness,” Keri and her assistant Ni Ketut lead the women through a series of unconventional and sometimes appropriative workshops designed to unpack personal issues surrounding love, boundaries, and purpose. Secrets surface and accusations fly as the women struggle and learn to embrace the ride.

Michal Sinnott is an actor/writer/director/storyteller. She’s performed in 70+ projects for ABC, Sundance, The Whitney Museum and more and is performance capture artist for lead Tracey De Santa in the $3B video game ‘Grand Theft Auto V’.

Alexandra Clayton is a writer/director/actor/creative producer whose work leans into the awkward and earnest experience of being human. She believes the stories we tell create the culture we live in. She lives in LA with her dog Roo. Directed by Michal Sinnott, Alexandra Clayton Producted by Alexandra Clayton, Michal Sinnott

UNRAVELLING ANXIETY EP01 WEB SERIES

NEW ZEALAND ENGLISH SATURDAY FEB 24 6:55 PM-9:00 PM

7 MINS

‘Unravelling Anxiety’ is a 10-part online video series exploring what it means to live with anxiety. It aims to bust myths, confront taboos, and let people who live with anxiety know that they are not alone.

Charlotte Wanhill is an award winning editor and director with more than 20 years of professional experience. She is credited with many New Zealand and international TV programs and documentaries.

Her production ‘Misconceptions - First Trimester Miscarriages’ won a Best Editing award at the New York International Women Festival 2021 and received several nominations at various international film festivals. Her latest documentary series won Best Web Series Episode at the LA Independent Women Film Awards 2023.

Directed by Charlotte Wanhill, Soana Aholelei Producted by Charlotte Wanhill

UPTOWN OASIS DOCUMENTARY UNITED STATES ENGLISH 7 MINS SATURDAY FEB 24 12:45 PM-3:00 PM / FRIDAY FEB 23 1:15 PM-3:30 PM

In 2004, Abdi Abajabal came to the United States from Ethiopia. In 2012, he decided to start a healthy juice shop in Harlem with only five hundred dollars to his name. Ten years later, he is still going.

Ian Phillips was born and raised in New York City. His first Feature Documentary ‘Coach Jake’ premiered at the Urbanworld Film Festival in September of 2017 and was distributed by First Fun Features. He is also a co-founder of Willful Productions along with his frequent collaborator, Otoja Abit.

Directed by Ian Phillips Producted by Ian Phillips

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WINTER FILM AWARDS WE’VE ONLY JUST BEGUN SHORT

UNITED KINGDOM ENGLISH, HINDI FRIDAY FEB 23 6:15 PM-8:50 PM

WONDERS 11 MINS

SHORT UNITED STATES ENGLISH 17 MINS THURSDAY FEB 22 6:00 PM-8:20 PM / THURSDAY FEB 22 1:10 PM-3:00 PM

Thirty-something Indian sisters Rumi and Nina journey from their little town in the mountains of Northern India to London in pursuit of their music dream. But working at an Indian Takeaway wasn’t part of the plan.

Meneka Das was born in India and moved to London to follow her dream to study Theatre and Film. As an actor, she has worked with directors such as Mike Leigh, David Yates and Dexter Fletcher in ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ (mother of Freddie Mercury).

She is the recipient of the BAFTA Rocliffe Feature script award. Her first feature won her the Grand Jury Award for Emerging Talent at HBO’s SAIFF NY. Her feature script ‘The Songs Within Me’ is in development with the BFI and is also being adapted into a musical.

Directed by Meneka Das Producted by Andrew T Mackay, Meneka Das

Two hard-working moms are struggling to make a better life for themselves and their toddler, but their luck turns around when their baby gives them an unexpected gift.

Huriyyah Muhammad is an award-winning director, writer and producer whose projects have been invited to Sundance, Blackfest, Newfest, Outfest, AFI, Austin Film Festival, New Voices in Black Cinema and many others. She’s a director in the AFI DWW with her film, ‘Chocolate With Sprinkles’, a recipient of the SFFILM Rainin Grant for Screenwriting, and Black List Feature Residency. Huriyyah’s work invites audiences on a journey as she tackles tough subjects - death, divorce, eviction - with humor and heart.

Directed by Huriyyah Muhammad Producted by Okema Moore, Snyder Derival

WUSS

WHEN THE SKY FALLS ANIMATED UNITED STATES ENGLISH 4 MINS FRIDAY FEB 23 6:15 PM-8:50 PM / FRIDAY FEB 23 3:40 PM-5:30 PM

A carefree rain god and his loyal companion, a dragon who wishes to be human, have their peaceful morning interrupted by a blazing phoenix.

Caroline Ho is a Chinese American animator from the Bay Area currently studying in New York. As a fan of East Asian web novels, this film takes heavy inspiration from a certain type of Chinese fantasy that has driven their artistic passion for several years.

Directed by Caroline Ho Producted by Yimeng Wang

WHILE WE WERE HERE

SHORT

CROATIA CROATIAN, SPANISH THURSDAY FEB 22 6:00 PM-8:20 PM

Directed by Sunčica Fradelić Producted by Sunčica Fradelić

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YOURS

15 MINS

Cinematic meditation on inevitable changes. Briefly depicted fragments from the characters’ lives, through summer and winter, as each of them suffers a loss.

Sunčica Fradelić’s work experience covers productions, co-productions, workshops, educational programs, and job positions ranging from production, publishing, editorial, mentoring, curating and jury tasks. She has been an independent auteur since 2004 and her works have been shown at exhibitions and festivals worldwide.

13 MINS

Abandoned by his father, young Zach struggles with feelings of loss and self-blame. Despite his mother’s encouragement to express his emotions, Zach shies away, convinced that crying reflects weakness.

At least that’s what Daddy says. However, when his cherished cat goes missing he embarks on a relentless journey to find his beloved pet.

Nadine Wilson is a British screenwriter. Her journey has been shaped by her working-class roots and the responsibilities of single motherhood, meaning her pursuit of a Masters in Screenwriting for Film and Television came as a later chapter in life. Nadine’s narratives delve into authentic experiences of individuals facing real adversities of life in modern day Britain. With a deep understanding of storytelling and structure, Nadine’s work is marked by its emotional resonance and relatability.

Directed by Nadine Wilson Producted by Nadine Wilson, Melissa Wilson

DOK SMO BILI TU

SHORT

UNITED KINGDOM ENGLISH SATURDAY FEB 24 12:20 PM-2:25 PM

SHORT

UNITED KINGDOM ENGLISH THURSDAY FEB 22 6:30 PM-9:05 PM

9 MINS

The reality of a dying woman, bedridden in hospice, alternates with a parallel one in which she is finally performing on stage, as she longed for all her life.

Even her nurse becomes part of this vision, incarnating the woman when she was young. Using the highly metaphoric language of dance theatre, she relives the important moments of her life - falling in love, being young, becoming a mother, expanding as a woman. Soon, old age takes over and the end approaches inexorably, till in a suspended, poetic final, life and death embrace in a farewell dance.

Flaminia Graziadei is a British and Italian citizen and award-winning Director, Producer and Choreographer. With her production company, LonRom Film, she directed and produced award-winning shorts, commercials, music videos, web and TV pilots and the feature ‘The Final Haunting’, currently available on Amazon Prime. She has won 28 awards and more than 80 nominations, including at two BAFTA qualifying festivals. She is a member of BAFTA Connect.

Directed by Flaminia Graziadei Producted by Flaminia Graziadei

2024 INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

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WINTER FILM AWARDS

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2024 INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

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WINTER FILM AWARDS

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2024 INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

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WINTER FILM AWARDS

EDUCATION

Winter Film Awards 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

ALL ABOUT FILMMAKING IN NEW YORK Thursday February 22, 12:45 PM - 2:00 PM Planning to shoot a film in New York? You probably have TONS of questions! Join NYC Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment Deputy Director of Film, Thavary Krouch, and Laura Berning, Sr. Project Manager from the NYS Governor’s Office of Motion Picture & Television Development and get all your questions answered.

What resources are available from the City and the State to help me make my film? Where can I shoot in NYC without a permit? Do I need a permit to shoot on the street, Central Park, Times Square or the subway? Do I need special insurance to shoot on the street? Do I need to get waivers from any passersby? As a low-budget filmmaker, can State Tax Incentives help me? I want to shoot a violent scene on the street. Do I need to have police on set? How do I even get that? Are there resources to help with location scouting and finding stages or crew? Are there any locations I can shoot for free? What is the Made in NY program and how can it help me? Does the City provide any training programs for filmmakers?

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MUSIC FOR YOUR INDIE FILM Thursday February 22, 2:15 PM - 3:30 PM You know you need music and sounds to set the mood for your film, but where do you begin? How do you find a composer? How much does it cost? When do you get a composer involved? Can you get away with just using online music? How do you communicate your vision with your composer? How does copyright work?

Come for a lively discussion and get all your questions answered!

FILMMAKING UNVEILED: NAVIGATING THE ESSENTIALS FOR ACTOR FILMMAKERS Thursday February 22, 3:45 PM-5:00 PM Ready to create your own film as an actor filmmaker but unsure where to start? Join Valorie Hubbard, CEO of Actor’s Fast Track, in this workshop that demystifies the filmmaking process for actors. Valorie will share crucial insights on how to begin, what elements you need, and the order in which to tackle them. Explore the roadmap to crafting your own film, with practical guidance from an industry expert to set you, as an actor filmmaker, on the right path.

GRANTWRITING FOR FILMMAKERS Friday February 23, 12:45 PM-2:00 PM Completing a grant proposal is not as difficult as one may think. This class will demystify and help you with the mechanics of writing an effective proposal. However, successful grant writing is more than just writing the proposal. You will also learn tips for increasing your chances of success — such as how to approach funders, following up, etc. Come get all of your questions answered!

DISTRIBUTION STRATEGIES FOR INDEPENDENT FILMMAKERS Friday February 23 3:45 PM-5:00 PM 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 including: Physical Media Elasticity, Digital Distribution and the VOD Vernacular and Is Self-Distribution a Viable Approach? Dan’s seminars are lively and free flowing so Q & A will take place throughout.

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2024 INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 21 - SOMEWHERE NOWHERE, 112 W 25TH STREET WFA 2024 Opening Night Kick-Off Bash & Networking Party - 7:00 PM-11:00 PM

Wednesday night kicks off Winter Film Awards 12th annual International Film Festival!

Come meet our amazing filmmakers and sponsors, make some new friends & industry contacts and get a photo on the red carpet! FREE 21+ with ID

SHUTTLE BUSES run 5:30PM-12:00AM from Columbus Circle Subway station (57th & 8th) to LOOK Cinemas EDUCATION sessions are free and open to the public MEETUPS are free and open to the public. Enjoy happy hour pricing with your WFA screening ticket at Mirabella Lounge @LOOK

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 22 - LOOK CINEMAS, 657 WEST 57TH STREET THEATER 4 THEATER 5

12:45 PM-02:00 PM Education: Filmmaking in New York 02:15 PM-03:30 PM Education: Music for your Indie Film 03:45 PM-05:00 PM Education: Filmmaking Unveiled 04:30 PM-05:50 PM Meetup: NYC Short Filmmakers 06:00 PM-08:20 PM Evening Short Films + QA

*FragilExpress Presents: Prologue I (9 mins) *How Not To Date While Trans (14 mins) *Life of Riley (15 mins) *Neon Rage (13 mins) *Photo Of The Day (12 mins) *Pier 35 (9 mins) *Puerto Rican Jew (12 mins) *Room For Rent Season Two (12 mins) *Wonders (17 mins)

07:00 PM-08:20 PM Meetup: Spain Arts & Culture 08:30 PM-11:15 PM Films from Spain + Q&A

05:00 PM-06:20 PM Meetup: Women in Film 06:30 PM-09:05 PM Evening Films Block + QA

*TransGenerations (Web, 11 mins) *Glass Works (Short, 23 mins) *While We Were Here (Short, 15 mins) *Hold You Down (Music Video, 5 mins) *Wonders (Short, 17 mins) *Just A Friend (Short, 15 mins) *Pier 35 (Short, 9 mins) *The Storm (Short, 16 mins) *FragilExpress Presents: Prologue I (Web, 9 mins) *Extinct (Animated, 9 mins) *Little (Short, 12 mins) *The Waters (Short, 12 mins) *Just a Rehearsal (Short, 9 mins) *Simona (Music Video, 6 mins) *Unicorns (Feature, 94 mins

01:10 PM-03:00 PM Made in NY Shorts Matinee

03:15 PM-05:40 PM Bloody Thursday Shorts Matinee

*Birdie (13 mins) *Catching Spirits (12 mins) *Gone (15 mins) *Leaving Yellowstone (22 mins) *Oddities (15 mins) *Part-Time (11 mins) *Pontianak (11 mins) *Sleep Study (10 mins) *The Judgement (14 mins) *The Pointy Slippers (8 mins) *Ties (13 mins) *Lover Boy’s Little Dream (Animated, 15 mins) *Photo Of The Day (Short, 12 mins) *Marcel (Showcase, 15 mins) *Yours (Short, 9 mins) *Unpacking (Feature, 81 mins)

07:45 PM-09:05 PM Meetup: Philippines Arts & Filmmakers 09:15 PM-11:35 PM Night Films Block + QA *Breakthrough (Documentary, 12 mins) *12 Weeks (Feature, 105 mins)

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 23 - LOOK CINEMAS, 657 WEST 57TH STREET THEATER 4 THEATER 5

12:45 PM-02:00 PM Education: Grantwriting For Filmmakers 02:15 PM-03:30 PM Education: CHECK WEBSITE 03:45 PM-05:00 PM Education: Distribution Strategies 04:30 PM-05:50 PM Meetup: Black Women in Film 06:00 PM-08:20 PM Evening Feature Block + QA *The Dreamed Life (Animated, 14 mins) *Lady in Ermine (Short, 8 mins) *Room For Rent Season Two (Web, 12 mins) *Talk (Music Video, 3 mins) *Real Estate Sisters (Feature, 83 mins)

07:00 PM-08:20 PM Meetup: France Arts & Film 08:30 PM-11:15 PM Films from France + QA

*Colchique (Animated, 3 mins) *Grass on Your Class (Short, 25 mins) *The Photographer (Short, 21 mins) *Fatih the Conqueror (Short, 15 mins) *Maoussi (Feature, 75 mins)

01:15 PM-03:30 PM Documentary Shorts Matinee

*Living Loud (40 mins) *Never Fade Away (12 mins) *Shitty Therapy (12 mins) *The Other Side - A Portrait of Nikki Bell (13 mins) *Unite For Bissau (40 mins) *Uptown Oasis (7 mins) *Breakthrough (12 mins)

03:40 PM-05:30 PM Animation + Music Video Shorts Matinee

*Blyth (6 mins) *Colchique (3 mins) *Creep (5 mins) *Extinct (9 mins) *Fire Flower (7 mins) *Hold You Down (5 mins) *I Cherish Women (4 mins) *The Dreamed Life (14 mins) *Lover Boy’s Little Dream (15 mins) *Musica Quarantena (4 mins) *Ovo (7 mins) *Quick (3 mins) *Simona (6 mins) *Talk (3 mins) *The Wu (2 mins) *All My Scars Vanish (14 mins) *When the Sky Falls (4 mins)

05:00 PM-06:05 PM Meetup: Lebanese & Canadian Arts 06:15 PM-08:50 PM Evening Feature Block + QA

*When the Sky Falls (Animated, 4 mins) *Puerto Rican Jew (Short, 12 mins) *We’ve Only Just Begun (Short, 11 mins) *Dreamy Fragrance of Spring Blossoms (Short, 13 mins) *Blyth (Music Video, 6 mins) *The Sticky Side of Baklava (Feature, 88 mins)

07:30 PM-08:50 PM Meetup: Horror Filmmakers 09:00 PM-11:45 PM Bloody Friday Horror Night Short Films + QA *Gone (15 mins) *Birdie (13 mins) *Ties (13 mins) *Catching Spirits (12 mins) *The Pointy Slippers (8 mins) *Part-Time (11 mins) *The Judgement (14 mins) *Sleep Study (10 mins) *Pontianak (11 mins) *Oddities (15 mins) *Leaving Yellowstone (22 mins)

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 24 - LOOK CINEMAS, 657 WEST 57TH STREET THEATER 4 THEATER 5

12:10 PM-02:15 PM Early Afternoon Short Films + QA

12:45 PM-03:00 PM Early Afternoon Documentaries Films + QA

*First Wednesday (Short, 22 mins) *Wuss (Short, 13 mins) *Life of Riley (Short, 15 mins) *Neon Rage (Short, 13 mins) *Doorway (Short, 10 mins) *Chimera (Short, 18 mins) *How Not To Date While Trans (Short, 14 mins)

*Musica Quarantena (Animated, 4 mins) *Uptown Oasis (7 mins) *Matter of Mind (55 mins) *Shitty Therapy (12 mins) *Unite For Bissau (40 mins)

02:25 PM-04:30 PM Afternoon Films + QA

*Fire Flower (Animated, 7 mins) *Pianoman (60 mins) *Living Loud (40 mins)

*Headless (Short, 8 mins) *Night Sweats (Feature, 100 mins)

03:00 PM-04:30 PM Meetup: Scandinavian Arts & Film 04:40 PM-06:45 PM Midday Films + QA

03:15 PM-05:20 PM Afternoon Documentaries + QA 04:00 PM-05:30 PM Meetup: Stuntwomen 05:30 PM-07:35 PM Midday Documentaries + QA

*All My Scars Vanish (Animated, 14 mins) *City of Tigers (Feature, 91 mins)

*Creep (Music Video, 5 mins) *Never Fade Away (12 mins) *I Cherish Women (Music Video, 4 mins) *Stuntwomen (84 mins)

05:30 PM-06:45 PM Meetup: Latino Filmmakers 06:55 PM-09:00 PM Evening Films + QA

06:00 PM-07:35 PM Meetup: NYU/Tisch Alumni 07:45 PM-09:35 PM Evening Documentaries + QA

*Ovo (Animated, 7 mins) *Unravelling Anxiety EP01 (Web, 7 mins) *Playing Sam (Feature, 89 mins)

07:45 PM-09:00 PM Meetup: Animation Filmmakers 09:10 PM-11:10 PM Night Feature Block + QA *Quick (Music Video, 3 mins) *Pigsy (Animated, 95 mins)

*The Other Side - A Portrait of Nikki Bell (13 mins) *Fly in Power (79 mins)

08:15 PM-09:35 PM Meetup: Drag /Ball 09:45 PM-11:50 PM Night Documentaries + QA *The Wu (Music Video, 2 mins) *The Ball (94 mins

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 25 - CLUB 230FIFTH, 230 FIFTH AVENUE WFA 2024 Awards Ceremony + Gala Red Carpet + After Party 5:00 pm - 11:00 PM

FREE before 10pm - 21+ with ID. Please dress to the occasion- no athletic wear, hats, or sneakers. * 5:00pm-7:00pm: Red Carpet * 7:00pm-8:00pm: Awards Ceremony * 8:00pm-11:00pm: After Party

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2024 INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

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