NFFTY 2023 Festival Guide

In-Person Seattle Schedule

Hop in and Buckle Up!

For our sweet 16, we are taking you all on a global road trip unlike any other. Cruise with us through 32 different states and 28 countries, with over 200 lms to see along the way! From the plains of Kansas to the coast of Malta, our lmmakers are pushing the boundaries of cinema with wondrous sights and an ever evolving storytelling landscape.

When traveling along the road, it helps to have multiple drivers behind the wheel! Each member of the NFFTY team has felt deeply honored to bring our own perspectives, experiences, and enthusiasm to this year’s edition.

One thing has not changed: NFFTY remains the premier destination for young artists to showcase their work, connect with their peers, and lead the community towards a more equitable lm industry. The work never stops, and nobody remains as committed and focused as the next generation of lmmakers.

As we embark on this exciting journey, we want to express our gratitude to you for your continued support. We wouldn't have made it this far without the passion and dedication of our community, and we are honored to have you along for the ride.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

NFFTY Staff

Sponsors 2023

PLATINUM SPONSORS

GOLD SPONSORS

FESTIVAL PARTNERS

SILVER SPONSORS

BRONZE SPONSORS

FUNDERS

How to NFFTY / Virtual FAQ

HOW DO I ATTEND THE FESTIVAL?

There’s more than one way to attend NFFTY this year!

The in-person festival weekend runs

Thursday, April 27 - April 30, 2023. Our global virtual festival runs

Thursday, April 27 - May 7, 2023.

Our virtual festival takes place on the Eventive platform, and you can nd the full lineup at watch.nffty.org. All screening blocks will become available in our virtual catalog at the time that they premiere live in Seattle. (Please see schedule for details)

VIRTUAL VIEWING

To access any of our on-demand virtual screenings starting April 27th, simply “unlock” the screening of your choice with your All-Access Pass, or purchase a ticket for that speci c screening. Passes are good for one unlock per screening. Once a screening is unlocked, you will have ve days

*An All-Access Pass gives you the option to access the entire festival, in Seattle and online.

*An All-Access Virtual Pass is good for all online content for the duration of the festival.

*A Day Pass is good only for in-person content in Seattle on that speci c day of the festival! It does not grant access to any online content.

to begin watching, and 48 hours to complete watching once you have pressed play.

All virtual content will be available online until Sunday, May 7th at 11:45pm PT.

VOTING FOR AUDIENCE AWARD WINNERS

There will be one Audience Award selected from each screening in the festival. In order to be eligible for an audience award, lms must screen both in-person and virtually. Some lms are not in competition for this award, and you will not see them listed on the ballot.

If you are viewing online, simply vote for your favorite directly on the virtual screening page! The cut-off for voting on all virtual screenings is 6:30 PM PT / 9:30 PM ET on Sunday, April 30.

If you are attending a screening in person, you can vote for this award by going to your “My Tickets” page in your Eventive account and selecting the appropriate screening. You will also receive an email or text with a direct link to vote exactly one hour before the screening is scheduled to end.

(Voting for Closing Night ends at 6:30 PM PT.)

Note: If you purchased a Festival Pass, you will need to make sure to “reserve” tickets to the screenings and events that you plan on attending in person, so Eventive knows which events to add to your “My Tickets” page!

For those purchasing individual tickets for screenings in Seattle, or if you do not have an Eventive account, there will be an iPad available in the theater at every screening for you to cast your vote.

NFFTY Merch

Support NFFTY with our limited-edition NFFTY 2023 merchandise!

With our hybrid festival, there are now two ways to grab your new NFFTY threads — online at our Bon re store www.bon re.com/store/nffty or live in Seattle at our festival hub. We’ll have limited edition designs available at each, collect em all!

11x17 POSTER $5

COMBO

one shirt + tote + poster + all stickers / enamel pins

STICKERS $3

T-SHIRTS $30

*Select shirt colors exclusively online

ENAMEL PIN $12

TOTE BAG $20

Jury Members

NARRATIVE

NARRATIVE (Student)

DOCUMENTARY

DOCUMENTARY (Student)

ANIMATION

ANIMATION (Student)

Kasi GaarenstroomKylie Murphy

EXPERIMENTAL EXPERIMENTAL (Student)

MUSIC VIDEO

MUSIC VIDEO (Student)

EPISODIC

STORY STARTS HERE

Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan (NFFTY ‘19, ‘20)

Cyril Aris

Trent Farrington

Ewurakua DawsonAmoah (NFFTY ‘20)

Bryan Wendorf

Celeste Wong-Truffaut

Luis G. Santos

Mario Cabral

Morgan Gruer (NFFTY ‘17, ‘18, ‘19)

Joseph Carr

Luke Gibson (NFFTY ‘18, ‘19)

Kody Kurth (NFFTY ‘17, ‘18, ‘22)

Bri Castellini

Luke Salin (NFFTY ‘22)

Sari Arambulo

Summer PervezNifemi Madarikan (NFFTY ‘20)

Aviv Rubenstein Mike Wells

Jury Nominated Screenplays + Films

BEST NARRATIVE

As You Are

Daisy Friedman - 19 USA

Death and Ramen

Tiger Ji - 21 USA

Half-Light

Lauren Jevnikar - 24 USA

I Probably Shouldn’t Be Telling You This

Emma Weinswig - 24 USA

Ñaños

Emilio Subía - 24 USA

Neon Phantom

Leonardo Martinelli - 22 Brazil

Puck

Rebecca Ozer - 24 UK

To The Lights

Emily Kim - 22 USA

BEST NARRATIVE (Student)

All Night She Hears the Water Sobbing

Nicole Hanzi Zhou - 21 New York University & FAMU Czech Republic

Chicken

Josh Leong - 21 New York University USA

In Your Sheets

Connie O'Connor - 22

Florida State University USA

Paloma

Brittany Young - 22 Florida State University USA

Sammy, Without Strings

Ralph Parker III - 22 University of North Carolina School of the Arts USA

The External-Internal Monologue of an Interdependent Insomniac

Julian Felix Aaronson - 17 Holland Hall USA

Our Highest Priority

Emma Macklin - 23 & Daniel Karan - 24 Toronto Metropolitan University Canada

Where No One Lives

Li Anne Liew - 22 Chapman University USA

BEST DOCUMENTARY

A Slice of Paradise

Liam Tangum - 23 USA

And Still, We Thrive Joy Xing - 17 Canada

For Black Muslim Girls

Niya Abdullahi - 22 Canada

KOOK STREET

Jeremy Kemp - 21 USA

Obtusion

Nathan Cowles - 19 USA

Run With Her

Lia Campbell - 23 Northern Ireland

BEST DOCUMENTARY (Student)

Ambrosia

Isabella Miller - 21 & Gabe Braden - 23 Chapman University USA

Beyond the Void Rafaël Beauchamp - 24 UQAM Canada

En Sus Manos

Elle Rinaldi - 22 New York University Cuba

Fruits of Labour

Ophelia Spinosa - 23 Concordia University Canada

Justice for Vanessa

Audrey Shuppert - 19, Katharine Johnson - 21 & Daniel McGreevy - 20 Chapman University USA

One Never Kills for Love Manon Testud - 23 EMCV Canada

BEST ANIMATION

Colony

Pilar GarciaFernandezsesma - 23 USA

Life of a May y

David Du - 17 USA

Reaper

Eva Ulreich - 14 USA

Sun ower Field

Polina Buchak - 24 Ukraine & USA

The Oubliette

Max Hendrickson - 17 Ireland

Unlucky Charms

Kris Theorin - 24 USA

BEST ANIMATION (Student)

2166

Anna Nguyen - 23, Lilian Cao - 23 & Winston Liu - 22 University of Technology, Australia

Float Jaden Heller - 21 Chapman USA

Frog In My Throat

So a Spinelli - 18 South Carolina Governors School for the Arts & Humanities USA

In Sight

Wendy Lu - 22, Natalie Tran22 & Cindy Zhi - 23 University of Technology Australia

Mileage

Jennifer Wu - 21, Ruyee Lu - 21, Joy Zhou - 21, Ruby Saysanasy - 23, Saul

Benavides - 22, Nicole Taylor

Topacio - 21, Miranda Li - 22 & Christopher Hsueh - 22 Sheridan College Canada

Sonata

Madison Crisp - 22, Abby

Davenport - 23, Fern

Singleton - 22 & Vic Sosa - 22

University of North Carolina

School of the Arts USA

BEST EXPERIMENTAL

Chuu Chuu

Mackie Mallison - 22 USA

Dreams of Home

Justin Kaminuma - 22 USA

In Search of Mount Analogue

Leonardo Pirondi - 22 USA

Snow

Anastasia Arsentyeva - 24 UK

The River

Janay Kelley - 19 USA

Wings of My Youth

Belle Palmano - 21 & Esrom

Solomon - 23 UK

BEST EXPERIMENTAL (Student)

Furo

Julia Roliz - 23

Ponti cal Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro Brazil

Honeydew, Darling

Callahan Bracken - 20

CalArts USA

I Hope You Remember This Moment

Arya Misra - 24

Carleton College

India & USA

I Remember It From Up Close

Jaclyn Goldstein - 20

New York University USA

Slay The Beast From A State of Peace

Miro Alleyne McCarthy - 17 London Screen Academy UK

Contagion

Jaerlene C Quinto - 15 Cleveland STEM High School USA

BEST MUSIC VIDEO

Hold Me When I Think I’m Going Crazy - Ollie

Nathan Ginter - 22 USA

Hunger

Vivian Wolfson - 18 USA

Rodney ChromeThe Money

Zac Dov Wiesel - 22 USA

Tinashe - HMU for a Good Time

Jonah Haber - 24 USA

The Stack

Isabelle Hahn - 24 USA

Treetops - Alé Araya

Tiffany Lin - 23 USA

BEST MUSIC VIDEO (Student)

Death of a Hero

RJ Solomon - 19

School of Visual Arts USA

Forsythia - Pretty Lungs

Eli Williams - 15

LACHSA USA

Runaway

Tara Sekana Zul kar - 20

New York University USA

While We’re Young

Alex Duque - 17, Isabella

Chiappini - 18 & Marcy

Rodriguez - 18

Cypress Bay High School USA

I’m Not Her

Shaman Magic Aponte - 17 New York University USA

BEST EPISODIC

Carly Dolls

Maudie Schmidt - 22 & Jaxson

Power-Thornton - 22 USA

Humanized

Dir. Colin Sevely-Ortiz - 22 USA

Off the Menu

Daniele Sestito - 21 USA

BEST PILOT SCRIPT

Gyopo

Stevie Yun, 23 USA

Honey Boba

Saro Acharya, 24 USA

The SVA Chronicles

Jaden Bakerr, 16 USA

BEST SHORT SCREENPLAY

Carlito

Emilio Miguel Torres, 22 USA

Mareas a la deriva

Camila S. Rodriguez-Lopez, 21 Puerto Rico

Open Casket

Claire Gostin, 24 USA

Recorded Event Schedule

Select workshops and talks will be available via NFFTY’s virtual festival platform Eventive. Some select events may include the opportunity to chat with fellow attendees and submit questions to presenters. Please see the NFFTY website for the most up-to-date information and for event links, or visit the virtual festival catalog at watch.nffty.org.

Select screening Q&As, panels, as well as our Opening and Closing Night ceremonies, will be available for viewing on our YouTube. Please keep an eye on our social media for more information. All times local to Seattle (PST).

IN-PERSON EVENTS

Thu 4/27 6:30 pm | Opening Night Ceremony

Fri 4/28

2:30 pm - 3:15 pm | Seed&Spark: The Distribution Down Low with Bri Castellini

Sat 4/29

10:00 am - 11:00 am | Brunch & Learn with Echobend + My First Job in Film

2:30 pm - 3:15 pm | Bringing Characters to Life

5:30 pm - 6:45 pm | Keynote: From Shorts to Features with Kris Mercado

Sun 4/30

12:15 pm - 1:45 pm | The Universal Model of Storytelling with Aviv Rubinstein

2:15 pm - 3:15 pm | Editing Masterclass with Thomas Engell

8:00 pm | Awards Ceremony

VIRTUAL EVENTS

Tues 5/2

12:00 pm - 1:30 pm | Seed&Spark - Stretch That

Buck: Film Budgeting 101 with Bri Castellini

Weds 5/3

12:00 pm - 1 pm | The Art of Sustainable

Filmmaking: Lars Ostenfeld on Climate

Conscious Cinema

Thurs 5/4 12:00 pm - 1 pm | Panavision: New Filmmaker

Grant Program information session

SCREENINGS WITH RECORDED Q&A

Thu 4/27

Opening Night | Screening starts at 6:30 pm

Fri 4/28

Friday Night Shorts | Screening starts at 9:15 pm

Sat 4/29

Centerpiece | Screening starts at 7:30 pm

Sun 4/30

Closing Night | Screening starts at 6:00 pm

Workshops, Panels, + Keynotes

IN-PERSON

Friday, April 28th

EVENT SPEED NETWORKING

10am @ The Vera Project

Connect with like-minded individuals, gain valuable industry insights and build meaningful professional relationships at this exciting opportunity for young lmmakers and industry professionals. Start your lmmaking career off right and join us for a fun and engaging event!

WORKSHOP

SEED&SPARK: THE DISTRIBUTION DOWN LOW WITH BRI CASTELLINI

2:30pm @ SIFF Uptown 2

Hosted by industry expert Bri Castellini, S&S demysti es the complex world of distribution for independent creators. Learn about the current landscape, different avenues to take, and economics for every window from theatrical through VOD and beyond. Elevate your indie project with these valuable insights!

EVENT HAPPY HOUR SHORTS

Raise a glass for these quirky and bubbly comedies, a ight of lms guaranteed to warm your soul! A bit of childhood nostalgia, a dash of fresh ink, and a heaping plateful of musical mayhem make for a well earned happy hour.

Must be 21+ to drink

IN-PERSON

Saturday, April 29th

EVENT BRUNCH & LEARN: WITH ECHOBEND & MY FIRST JOB IN FILM

10am @ The Vera Project

Echobend and My First Job in Film present a delicious brunch and insightful panel discussion on transitioning from PA positions to more substantial roles on set. Ryan and Noah will provide valuable tips and tricks for nding paid work, advancing your career, and best practices for networking with other industry professionals. As a bonus for attending, you’ll receive one month of free membership to My First Job in Film's platform and a one-on-one mentoring session!

Panelists: Ryan Turner (Chief Creative Of cer), Noah Wagner (EP|Post Production).

PANEL BRINGING CHARACTERS TO LIFE

2:30pm @ SIFF Uptown 2

Discover what it takes to build characters we can’t forget and the diverse techniques used to develop authentic personalities. From conceptualization to nal product, directors, actors, and animators will delve into the challenges and joys of their roles and the importance of seamless collaboration. Whether you're a fan of animation, lm, or video games, this event promises to be an inspiring journey into the world of character creation.

KEYNOTE FROM SHORTS TO FEATURES WITH KRIS MERCADO

5:30pm @ SIFF Uptown 1

Kris Mercado is a rising lmmaker who shares his journey from creating short lms to making his feature debut If You Were the Last at SXSW with a star-studded cast. Get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at his creative process and gain valuable insights from his experience as a lmmaker. This event is a must-attend for aspiring lmmakers, lm enthusiasts, and anyone curious about the creative process going from directing short lms to features.

Workshops, Panels, + Keynotes

IN-PERSON

Sunday, April 30th

SCREENING WORKSHOP THE UNIVERSAL MODEL OF STORYTELLING WITH AVIV RUBINSTEIN

12:15pm @ The Film Center Classroom

Screenwriter Aviv Rubinstein provides a dynamic and thought-provoking workshop on the Universe Model of Storytelling, designed to help your screenwriting resonate with contemporary audiences. Explore the relevance of the Hero's Journey in modern-day screenwriting and learn how to craft stories that captivate and engage audiences on a deeper level through interactive exercises and engaging discussions.

MATERCLASS EDITING MASTERCLASS WITH THOMAS ENGELL

2:15pm @ SIFF Uptown 2

Thomas Engell, editor of the Oscar nominated short lm On My Mind, leads a masterclass on the multiple dimensions of lm editing. Learn how classical storytelling techniques and emerging software editing technologies can be used to re ne character acting and create emotional attachments with the audience. Suitable for anyone interested in improving their editing skills (regardless of software platform), this class combines thought provoking theory with real world, practical examples.

VIRTUAL

May 2nd - 4th

WORKSHOP

SEED&SPARK - STRETCH THAT BUCK: FILM BUDGETING 101 WITH BRI CASTELLINI

Tuesday, May 2nd 12 pm (PST)

How much should you crowdfund for? As much as you need to move your project forward! In this workshop, we’ll teach you how to build a budget, utilize loans to make up your budget (conceptually as well as literally), navigate the task, break down your script, and get creative with ways to cut costs without sacri cing your vision.

MASTERCLASS

THE ART OF SUSTAINABLE FILMMAKING: A MASTERCLASS WITH LARS OSTENFELD ON CLIMATE CONSCIOUS CINEMA

Wednesday, May 3 at 12:00 pm (PST)

Acclaimed lmmaker Lars Ostenfeld leads an enlightening discussion on the intersection of lm and climate change. From exploring sustainable lmmaking practices to the vital role of storytelling in raising awareness about environmental issues, Lars shares his unique perspective on the power of lm to effect change. We invite you to learn from one of the most innovative and socially conscious lmmakers of our time.

WORKSHOP PANAVISION: NEW FILMMAKER GRANT PROGRAM

INFORMATION SESSION WITH AARON SAFFA

Thursday, May 4th 12:00 pm (PST)

Hear from the experts at Panavision and learn their insider tips on how to create powerful and visually stunning imagery for your lms. Through their "New Filmmaker Grant Program," they'll also guide you through the process of funding your project and turning your vision into a reality.Learn from the best in the industry and take your lmmaking skills to the next level!

48 Hour Film Off Challenge

High school teams competed to make the best possible lm, from conception to post-production, in just 48 hours.

These lms will screen during the NFFTY festival, and winners are awarded based on a combination of audience voting and jury deliberation. The winning school gets a cash prize to help support their lm program!

Watch the lms in-person on: Sunday, April 30th, 2023 10:00 am

SIFF Uptown 2 Cinema 511 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109

All submitted lms will screen in our virtual festival from April 30th - May 7th, 2023

PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS

Bremen High School / bdtv228

Gar eld HS

Mount Si High School

Black Hills High School

Chaminade College

Preparatory

Ballard HS Filmmaking

Academy

St. Margaret's Episcopal School

Kingston High School

Video Production

International Community School

Anacortes High School

Burnaby North Secondary School

Ballard High School Digital Film

Episcopal High School / ETV

Filmmaker Exclusive Events

Note to lmmakers: exact times/locations will be communicated via your Filmmaker Logistics Guides.

SPEED NETWORKING

The return of a beloved NFFTY tradition! Kick off your weekend and join us at the for Speed Networking at 10am PT on Friday April 28th to meet industry guests and the NFFTY 2023 lmmaker cohort.

BRUNCH & LEARN

Join us for coffee and light breakfast at 10am PT on Saturday April 29th! We’ll have panel conversations with Echobend production’s Noah Wagner and Ryan Turner. Hear from these industry pros on how to move into more substantial roles on set. Attendees will receive a free trial membership and resume review from My First Job in Film. See p.17 for more information.

FILMMAKER MIXER

NFFTY 2023 wouldn’t be complete without a party meant just for our lmmakers. Celebrate with us after Centerpiece – mixer will start Saturday April 29th at 9:30 pm PT and is co-presented by our friends at House Studios!

OPENING NIGHT

thursday, april 27th 6:30 pm − uptown 1

Now that NFFTY is old enough to drive, let’s hit the road together and celebrate! Our Opening Night collection features stories of daring determination, inimitable intimacy, and a truly iconic wiener dog – proving once again the tireless creativity of the next generation of lmmakers.

I AM HOME

Kymon Greyhorse - 21, NEW MEXICO, USA

A poetic memoir, a love letter that speaks of introspection and what it means to rediscover who you are and cherish where you come from.

To The Lights

Emily Kim - 22, Lindsay Wolf - 22, Kendall Huff - 22, CALIFORNIA, USA

When a young girl is faced with a chance to escape North Korea, she must confront her loving father devoted to his nation.

In Sight

Wendy Lu - 22, Natalie Tran - 22, Cindy Zhi - 23, AUSTRALIA

A young troublemaker and her dog set out on a journey up a mountain to shoot down the brightest star in the sky.

Chicken

Josh Leong - 21, Evie Rose - 21, Catherine Nguyen - 20, Nadera Herbert-Bey - 20, NEW YORK, USA

In a Bronx juvenile prison, a 16-year old boy faced with losing custody of his child must discover what it takes to be a father through the raising of a chicken. Inspired by true stories.

And Still, We Thrive

Joy Xing - 17, CANADA

A Chinese immigrant looks back on the triumphs and struggles of his twenty-three year long journey in Canada.

As You Are

Daisy Friedman - 19, Eve

Robitshek - 21, Aspen

Nelson - 22, NEW YORK, USA

When an interabled queer couple spends the night together for the rst time, they must confront their complex relationships with desire, sexuality, bodily autonomy, and what it means truly to love another person.

Noodles Forever

McKinley Carlin - 23, Connor Williams - 23, Evan O'Brien - 24, CALIFORNIA, USA

En route to his daughter's birthday party, a hapless father annihilates a wiener dog with his car.

REEL IMPACT

friday,

april 28th

11:00 am − uptown 1

Draft up your petitions and prepare to be motivated! Covering such ground as immigration, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, and trans rights, these lms exploring the personal and political will inspire you to keep ghting for change.

An activist drag queen in rural Alabama is forced to keep her identity secret as she ghts for human rights in a race against the systematic erasure of her own history.

One Never Kills for Love

They meet in the dark of the night. Women, sisters, friends: a feminist group gathering to leave writings on the walls of Montreal. Their challenge: raise awareness to end systemic violences endured by women and minorities.

Justice For Vanessa

Audrey

The story of Vanessa Niko, an indigenous woman murdered by her partner, told by the family members who picked up the pieces of a broken community and sought justice for her untimely death.

Matt

"CANS Can't Stand" follows a group of Black trans women in New Orleans who are ghting to repeal Louisiana's unjust Crime Against Nature by Solicitation (CANS) law, which police and prosecutors have used to criminalize LGBTQ+ Louisianians for 40 years.

A family of undocumented immigrants must overcome prejudice and systemic obstacles in order to survive in America.

Shuppert - 19, Katharine Johnson - 21, Daniel McGreevy - 20, CALIFORNIA, USA

Manon Testud - 23, QUÉBEC,CANADA

Ambrosia

Isabella Miller - 21, Emu Haynes23, Gabe Braden - 23, ALABAMA, USA

CANS Can’t Stand

Nadel - 22, Megan Plotka - 24, LOUISIANA, USA

El Soñador

Duncan Heger - 21, Ashley Dash Lee - 21, WASHINGTON, USA

EPISODIC SHOWCASE

friday, april 28th

11:45 am − uptown 2

Experience the beginnings of your next favorite series with these three enticing pilots! You’ll nd stories featuring chefs with grand designs, humanoid robots born from grief, and childhood dolls mysteriously coming to life. Plus, you’ll have the bragging rights of saying you saw them here rst.

*this screening may not be suitable for all audiences

Off the Menu

Daniele Sestito - 21, Cooper Yeager - 20, Eric Dyer - 21, Mackenzie Zambo - 20, MASSACHUSETTS + NEW JERSEY, USA

Chef is a perfectionist, Italian cook who works for an unlikely institution and takes pride in the satisfaction of his clients. When a new client rejects his europeanized version of a native dish she ordered, he hurries to make her an authentic Taiwanese meal before it’s too late.

Carly Dolls

Lindsay Newland - 22, Maudie Schmidt - 22, Jaxson PowerThornton - 22, Isabella Hermelin - 21, CALIFORNIA, USA

When Carly, a homeschooled fourteen-year-old, is forced to face public high school, she turns to her beloved dolls, Lily and Mermia. Sprung from Carly's own vivid imagination and taking the form of lifesize "friends," they guide Carly through the ups and downs of growing up, tting in, and guring herself (and her sexuality) out.

Humanized

Gabriel Guimaraes - 22, Colin Sevely-Ortiz - 22, Radley

Docekal - 22, Benjy Berkowitz - 22, NEW YORK, USA

Posing as a typical teenager, a humanoid robot must navigate the uncertainty of adolescence in order to conceal a haunting secret.

GROWTH SPURTS

friday, april 28th

1:15 pm − uptown 1

The creative landscape of youth lmmaking is so fertile, you don’t even need a watering can! In the midst of our own teenage years, we at NFFTY are always trying not to grow up too fast; join us as we nd ourselves amongst this burgeoning bunch.

*this screening may not be suitable for all audiences

Bodies in motion

Elia Biondi - 20, Mille Gran - 20, NORWAY

We follow a group of boys throughout one evening as they explore boundaries, love, and their own identities. As the night unfolds, they face challenges and make choices that will shape their future.

Girlhood

Jaelyn Ellis - 21, Perry

Cox - 22, Emily Walowski21, Connie O'Connor - 21, FLORIDA, USA

After her rst high school party, freshman Mia questions whether she has the same desires as her boy-crazy best friend.

Run With Her

Lia Campbell - 23, NORTHERN IRELAND

Endurance running creates a secure world for Emmy, where everything can be quanti ed and controlled. As in uences from the outside world start to permeate, we follow the change it might bring to her relationships with the other girls on the team and within herself.

Soft Launch

Sebastian Zufelt - 19, Lex Mettler - 19, Alaine

Farin - 19, Nikki Page - 20, NEW YORK, USA

Soph confronts Chris, the boy she’s seeing, at a party after he announces their relationship to the internet without her permission.

Cordelia!

Melissa Jones - 24, DC Dzoja - 21, CANADA

Cordelia, an unloved girl on the cusp of womanhood, nds playing with re to be an effective coping mechanism. With the ember of hope this new fascination brings, she decides to go one step further-and use that re to protect herself.

Babyface

Anna Virginia Nielsen - 18, Marius Morkholm

Schmedes - 18, Molly

Vedso, - 16, So a Elisabeth Sundorph - 17, DENMARK

Saga is going to her rst rave, but a rejection of her fake ID leads to Saga standing all alone outside. Luckily mysterious drugdealer Ozzy, wraps his arms around her and gets her in.

The External-Internal Monologue of an Independent Insomniac

Julian Felix Aaronson - 17, Ella Janes - 15, Meg Fall - 16, OKLAHOMA, USA

A sleep-deprived lmmaker faces his insecurities by explaining his outlook on various smells. His slew of topics includes sexuality, self acceptance, and gender.

Imran and Alykhan

Shakil Jessa - 20, Kora Vanderlip - 24, CANADA

Two boys fall in love at a Muslim youth retreat but must keep their relationship a secret from those around them.

MUSICAL MEDLEY

friday, april 28th

3:30 pm − uptown 1

It’s about time your playlist gets a remix! Featuring songs from all genres and videos of all styles, our latest tracklist will keep your musical rotation fresh and the vibes immaculate. Come warble into the weekend with earworms galore!

Cypress

Lux Frisina - 21, CALIFORNIA, USA

In the "Cypress" music video, the protagonist explores her haunting future and past selves in hopes of nding Cypress and ultimately being saved... or being the one who saves.

WISH U WERE HERE

Luis Villanueva - 21, Dario Rizzuto - 21, Nour Massoud - 21, NEW YORK , USA

Projection mapping and holograms take the viewer on an ethereal journey through ve different countries, complementing the vocalists' ruminations about an unattainable lover from the past.

Tinashe - HMU for a Good Time

Jonah Haber - 24, Carlos Lopes - 24, Galileo Mondol - 24, CALIFORNIA, USA

The club is a beautiful purgatory where time doesn’t seem to exist and nothing matters except the now. In a perceived oner, Tinashe takes us on this journey.

Don’t Deserve This’Yasmina

Reece Daniels - 20, Jivensley Alexis - 21, Aashish Joshi - 21, NEW YORK, USA

Yasmina, feeling often unheard in her relationship, starts her own one woman show.

Prettiest To Me

Tanaseth (Pong)

Tulyathan - 22, Trung (Jacob) Ho - 22, Chak (Rex) Wong - 22, Justin White - 22, GEORGIA, USA

A girl revisits her old memories.

Runaway

Tara Sekana Zul kar - 20, Kailynne Lee Chiu - 21, Ethan Wen - 20, Nicola Rios - 20, NEW YORK, USA

Entranced, a boy seeks for a lover's attention.

Meet Me @ The AltarSay It (To My Face)

Jack Campise - 24, Taylor Tomlinson - 24, CALIFORNIA, USA

Edith, Téa and Ada have had enough of the online trolling and take action to track down the culprit.

Broke Mine Too

Zayd Ezzeldine - 20, Eliot Lee - 24, CALIFORNIA, USA

After going through the motions of her past relationship, Devon Again must decide what to do with the corpse of her ex-girlfriend.

Sally! I Met A Boy

Caro Knapp - 22, Giovanna Trujillo - 22, Izzy Rael - 22, Mike Nelli - 22, CALIFORNIA, USA

A colorful music video following Maddy calling her sister Sally and telling her about the new boy in her life.

Ho! For the West, “Shakers”

Kaylinn Clotfelter - 21, MISSOURI, USA

Through mix of narrative, performance, and animation we view the life of a young girl in pioneer times.

Death of a Hero

RJ Solomon - 19, NEW YORK, USA

A coming of age parable, this video follows a young boy's realization that the father he grew up idolizing is a very awed mortal.

WHITE TEE BY ROZIE RAMATI

Sophia Liv Macguire - 21, Diane Lac - 24, Vanesa Moreno - 22, CALIFORNIA, USA

Directors found inspiration in handwriting, abstract ink artistry, and the cyanotype process for Rozie's newest single with her melancholic delivery of a farewell love letter.

Hunger

Vivian Wolfson - 18, Romy Murro - 18, Zenzelé Joi Moore-Ysaguirre - 20, CALIFORNIA, USA

An experimental music video featuring indie artist A.O Gerber.

Dust

Evan Siegal - 24, CALIFORNIA, USA

Musician Jeida Woods wanders an ethereal, urban landscape searching for answers about a past relationship.

Higher Way

Miguel Hernandez - 18, Tessa Osborne - 24, MICHIGAN, USA

The dif cult choice young people often face between love and their passions and the journey of nding out if we can have both.

Heavenly Bodies

Caro Knapp - 22, MARIS, Giovanna Trujillo - 22, Kelly Chen - 22, Graham Byers23, CALIFORNIA, USA

As part two of MARIS’ full visual EP, Heavenly Bodies continues to explore the surreal memories of Maris’ toxic relationship in a dream world spanning Los Angeles’ diverse settings.

ForsythiaPretty Lungs

Kaylinn Clotfelter - 21, CALIFORNIA, USA

Surrealism meets suburbia. A girl dreams of an encounter with the sun.

Treetops - Alé Araya

Sophia Liv Macguire - 21, Diane Lac - 24, Vanesa Moreno - 22, CALIFORNIA, USA

Through movement and music, Alé searches for new meaning in the treetops.

COPING FOR THE BEST

friday, april 28th 4:00 pm − uptown 2

Life can be hard, but we persevere and keep soldiering forward. Whether they’re up against systemic injustice, health concerns, or even spiritual malaise, the subjects in these shorts make sure they never lose sight of themselves in the face of adversity.

*this screening may not be suitable for all audiences

Snow

Anastasia Arsentyeva - 24, UK

A woman longs for snowfall to nally see her lover's promise. Snow' is an experimental, nostalgic micro-short, shot on 16mm lm, based on Cherubina de Gabriak's poem 'When the Snow Falls' (written in 1907). A story of heartbreak, it ponders the nostalgic notion of hoping one's life will eventually get better.

Our Highest Priority

Daniel Karan - 23, Emma Macklin - 24, Sebastian Marin - 22, CANADA

Bailey, a mentally ill undergrad student is struggling through life. In a last ditch effort to try and salvage her academic career and turn her life around she goes to her school's mental health clinic looking for help.

Luke Harris - 22,Spencer Todd - 22, Alessia Cruci - 23, LOUISIANA, USA

An overweight girl goes to the gym and falls prey to a toxic trainer.

Senseless

Seth Dacio - 22, Lydia Wills - 19, Juliet Lucas - 22, USA

A 19-year-old young man's lung spontaneously collapses. We see him physically and mentally struggle throughout his physical healing process and his mental perspective of the situation during a global pandemic.

Still Here

Mariah Barrera - 19, MICHIGAN, USA

STILL HERE, a profoundly personal lm about a Latino family in the Midwest, tells the story of three brothers whose coming of age was stained by violence, poverty, and prison.

Beyond the Void

Rafaël Beauchamp - 24, CANADA

November 2001: Charles follows his Martin, another victim from the AIDS epidemic of the 90’s, to the end. Twenty years later, we dive back in.

Pam

DIRE STRAITS

friday, april 28th

6:15 pm − uptown 2

These narratives challenge your ght or ight instincts to kick into high gear! Whether you’re escaping a voyeuristic narrator, trapped in a relationship with a pernicious politician, or cornered by a surreptitious sniper, consider these shorts as a survival guide.

*this screening may not be suitable for all audiences

SACRIFICOS

Larissa Salazar - 21, Jessica Stossel - 21, CALIFORNIA, USA

Salvadoran immigrant, Carla Rudas, struggles to navigate her rocky relationship wivth Texas gubernatorial candidate Blake Phillips.

LUCY

Jordana Bleiwas - 22, Michael Loccisano Jr. - 22, Massimo Marchese - 23, USA

Lucy, a frightened and con icted pregnant teenager has a monumental decision to make while simultaneously struggling to maintain her relationship with her religious father.

How to Survive Your First Date

Reese Robers - 18, Otto Tyler - 18, James Lee - 17, VIRGINIA, USA

In this dark parody of 1950's instructional lms, Dotty and her date Darryl try to survive against the voyeuristic narrator manipulating them.

Suga Brown

Clarke Phillips - 23, Shane

Gaber - 23, Blaine McIndoe - 23, Cherise Honoré - 22, NORTH CAROLINA, USA

In a world where free health care requires genetic alterations, a pregnant woman, Eden, must go to extreme lengths to ensure her child is born free of mandated modi cation.

Idle Speed

Yoni Azulay - 21, Zach Rineer - 22, Alex Gehrlein , 21, Evan Miller - 21, PENNSYLVANIA, USA

Duncan struggles to follow his instincts after his best friend is shot by a mysterious sniper in the New Mexico desert.

HAPPY HOUR SHORTS

friday, april 28th 7:00 pm − uptown 1

Raise a glass for these quirky and bubbly comedies, a ight of lms guaranteed to warm your soul! A bit of childhood nostalgia, a dash of fresh ink, and a heaping plateful of musical mayhem make for a well earned happy hour.

*this screening may not be suitable for all audiences

Earth's Second Moon

Benji Tucker - 19, Tatyana

Richaud -18, Luke

Preute - 21, Clare Martin - 20, NEW YORK, USA

In this modern fairytale, a young mother and father discover that their newborn baby is more than they can handle.

Sonata

Madison Crisp - 22, Abby

Davenport - 23, Fern

Singleton - 22, Vic Sosa - 22, NORTH CAROLINA, USA

When a blackout derails a young man’s plans for the perfect rst date, he must navigate if he has any hope of connecting with the girl of his dreams.

Ryan Robinson -19, Zach Shenouda - 19, Teddy Nissen - 20, CALIFORNIA, USA

A behind the scenes look at one of America's most beloved institutions, following the downfall of "hold" musics' greatest jazz band.

Gumball Machine

Eli Staub - 20, Harlow Brooks - 21, CALIFORNIA, USA

When a Gumball Machine is thrown out of the arcade he used to call home, he must search for a new place to live or face a lonely fate.

Annexed

Paul Cosby - 20, Kiara

Lin - 20,John Landry - 21, CALIFORNIA, USA

An oddball girl marches onto the local park grounds and stakes a claim of land for herself; setting in motion a con ict with the county police.

Just Swallow

Alex Smithline - 24, Olivia Gormley - 24, Jake Shiptenko - 24, USA

A girlfriend makes a deal with her picky-eater boyfriend that if he eats a salad, she’ll suck his dick.

Waiting Room

Andrea Kawuloková -19, CZECH REPUBLIC

A story of a young man who overcomes his unpleasant experience with the help of dance.

Poultry Panic

Matias Nygaard

Christensen - 20, DENMARK

A man has promised his girlfriend a duck for dinner, but has to change plans when his co-worker steals it right in front of him.

Impermanence

Vejune Sidaugaite - 21, ILLINOIS, USA

Having grown up in Soviet-occupied Lithuania, Audrone spent her childhood understanding that tattoos were reserved for Soviet soldiers and criminals. But after her youngest daughter, the lmmaker, gets a tattoo in Audrone’s honor, Audrone takes the leap of getting her own rst tattoo at the age of 53.

Zarbalatrax

Ethan Hawthorne-Dallas - 21, Cole Terra - 21, GEORGIA, USA

Two high school kids, at the beginning of their journey into proper adulthood, seek answers about their future and hope to tie up loose ends from the past. They nd exactly what they’re looking for: at a price.

Grump in the Night

Kris Theorin - 24, Nik Theorin - 24, PENNSYLVANIA, USA

One stormy night, a man is awoken by strange noises downstairs and soon nds himself facing off with a TV-loving poltergeist.

Arrive at 6pm for free beer, stay for the screening starting at 7pm. Tasting included with Ticket and valid ID.

Beer provided by Georgetown Brewing Co.

EXPERIMENTAL VISIONS

friday, april 28th

8:30 pm − uptown 2

Venture into new territory with these formally daring and expressive pieces. The conventions of the traditional short lm format are challenged and made elastic in these explorations of family, identity, art, culture, and more!

In Search of Mount Analogue

Leonardo Pirondi - 22, CALIFRONIA, USA

Using 16mm lm to capture computer-generated images, the lmmaker brings to life the imagined, metaphorical, and mysterious island from the 1952 surrealist novel Mount Analogue.

Chuu Chuu

Mackie Mallison - 22, Anahita Amirshahi - 22, Dan Chang - 23, Kelley Grade - 22, NEW YORK, USA

Taking its title from the Japanese onomatopoeia for bird sound, this is a lyrical, dream-like portrait of the lmmaker's grandmother and her deep connection with avian beings.

I Remember it From Up Close

Jaclyn Goldstein - 20, Ariella Hyman-Fessler - 20, Ethan Langenau - 20, Hannah Weis - 20, NEW YORK, USA

A recollection of the moments between a phone call and a plane ticket as a girl packs her suitcase for a funeral.

Lullaby

Irène-Kimberley

Valin-Awashish - 21, CANADA

Lullaby is a documentary essay about coming of age and the power of the unconscious. In the continuity of "Sweatlodge song", this short lm is a message of courage and hope.

Slay The Beast from A State of Peace

Miro Alleyne

McCarthy - 17, UK

A boy nds love amongst the chaos of the city. As an older man, he makes peace with the beast, letting go of the chaos and anger.

Dreams of Home

Justin Kaminuma - 22, Jess Faber - 21, MASSACHUSETTS, USA

A boy skateboards through abstract landscapes and memories in search of a place he encountered in a dream.

Are Dandelions Really So Bad?

Zach Robinson, MONTANA, USA

A brief ode to the humble dandelion, shot on 16mm, hand processed, using developer made from the titular dandelions.

Voyeuristic Tendencies

Vanessa Petrusic - 19, AUSTRIA

A woman is feeling watched in the familarity of her own. Her paranoid thoughts cause the line between reality and delusion to blur.

I Hope You Remember This Moment

Arya Misra - 24, MINNESOTA, USA + INDIA

This lm explores the temporal links between one's past, present, and future and a quest to learn how to live with yourself when every moment that has led to the present, is getting morphed and reconstructed in your mind.

The River

Janay

Beast

Aileen Ye - 24, NETHERLANDS

Honeydew, Darling

Callahan Bracken - 20, CALIFORNIA, USA

Through ceramics, animation, printmaking and 16mm lm, Honeydew, Darling articulates the delicate, interwoven cycles of queer grief, sex and euphoria.

After discovering the drowning of a little girl, an unnamed narrator describes her community's response while battling the memories of her own ght with The River in this experimental take on sexual violence, grief, and trauma.

A martial arts inspired dance- ght between a lion dancer and queer performer re ecting the tension between traditional and modern identities in a dreamscape nightmare.

Kelley - 19, Tya Arnold - 19, Alana Hayes - 19, TENNESSE, USA

FRIDAY NIGHT SHORTS

friday, april 28th 9:15 pm − uptown 1

It’s Friday night and the mood is right for some top tier shorts! This primetime program is abound with affecting lms that will elicit a full spectrum of emotions, from tense frogs in your throat (literally) to the warmth from a shared bowl of ramen with death (also literally).

*this screening may not be suitable for all audiences

Hold Me When I Think I'm Going Crazy by

Ollie Chanin

Nathan Ginter - 21, Aidan Flynn - 20, MICHIGAN, USA

A trip into the subconscious of Ollie Chanin.

Tell Me Something I Don't Know

Neal Suresh Mulani - 24, Kathryn Winn - 24, CALIFORNIA, USA

On his 25th birthday, Cary brings his friends to the desert and requests one gift: for them to list everything they hate about him.

Kook Street

Jeremy Kemp - 21, Jack Lattin - 21, CALIFORNIA, USA

A metal sculptor with a frenzied past spends his nights drilling the word 'KOOK' into the side of telephone poles.

Death and Ramen

Tiger Ji - 21, Peter Gold - 22, CALIFORNIA, USA

On his nal night alive, a ramen chef befriends the Grim Reaper.

In Your Sheets

Connie O'Connor - 22, Aidan Whitman Baker - 21, Emily Walowski - 21, Jaelyn Ellis - 21, Cooper Shapiro - 22, FLORIDA, USA

When Cass’s expectations about her rst time aren’t met, she must confront the boy who took her virginity.

Frog in My Throat

So a Spinelli - 18, SOUTH CAROLINA, USA

A young girl with an anxiety disorder struggles to manage the 'frogs' that make her life dif cult until she reaches out for help.

Naños

Emilio Subía - 24, Adrian Kader - 24, NEW YORK, USA + ECUADOR

In the heart of Corona, Queens, two Ecuadorian siblings are placed at odds with each other when one reveals a sudden urge to leave their home.

BRING THE KIDS!

saturday, april 29th 10:00 am − uptown 2

Handpicked for tastemakers of all ages, this collection of short lms displays the visual variety in the next generation of family-friendly storytelling. From astronomical adventures to saving the bees, you don’t want to miss these sensational stories!

Slam Song

Sophie Harasha - 17, Yezy Suh - 16, Kyra Reilley - 17, CALIFORNIA, USA

San Diego high school band, The Swell, debuts their rst EP with a music video for their song, Slam Song.

Quests Are for the Broke

Jewel Racasa - 22, Sarina Holstein - 23, HAWAII, USA

Penniless Palabok, desperate to buy a brand new cloak, embarks on a quest to battle the Puto Monster and make some quick cash.

Bye, My Captain

Li Luo - 23，XiaYun Liu - 22， CHINA

The father, once a captain, had to give up his job when his wife died and his daughter became seriously ill. After the death of his daughter, the father painted a boat with his daughter's brush out of longing, and the mutual longing made the two meet again...

While We’re Young

Alex Duque - 17, Isabella Chiappini - 18, Marcy Rodriguez - 18, FLORIDA, USA

A group of friends go out for a night of fun, while one person is tired of living the teen dream.

Bee the Solution

Charlotte Quintanar -17, CALIFORNIA, USA

Leading experts explain the causes for declining bee populations around the world and offer approachable solutions individuals can take to support their local pollinators.

Clocked Out!

Katherine Wright - 16, FLORIDA, USA

An alarm clock that runs on a strict schedule tries their best to regain motivation, but their tight schedule gets in their way every time, only restoring motivation after accidentally knocking over a paint can.

Homeseek

Thi M Chu - 20, Kien C Bui - 20,Thao P Nguyen - 20, Son N Dang - 19, VIETNAM

On a sleepless night, a grandmother nds her way back to her childhood home to nish a game of Hide & Seek.

Undaunted

Ella Arlene - 16, Nash McFarlane - 17, Chaos Gortner - 17, Joshua Domrese - 17, WASHINGTON, USA

When a young girl, Ruthie, is left home alone for the rst time, she will have to learn to overcome her fears and face the darkness hiding in the shadows.

Reaching Our Star

A children's book comes to life in color and sound, as the ambitious frog Stottie and the lazy tired dog Plato cross path in their journey to reach the star.

Life of a May y

A may y tries to pluck a berry, but has to do it in its 24 hours lifespan.

Acorn

An elderly man ponders life and death as he admires an oak tree, a seedling, and an acorn. He marvels at the beauty of age as he observes the close his own cycle.

A Trip to the Moon

A boy escapes the realities of poverty by traveling to the moon with the help of his mother (and the power of storytelling).

BRING THE KIDS

Julian Barahona - 17, CALIFORNIA, USA

Emilia Diaz Delgado -13, CALIFORNIA,USA

Jihwan Lee - 16, SOUTH KOREA

David Du - 17, Matthew Blam - 17, CALIFORNIA, USA

PALPABLE PERFORMANCES

saturday,

april 29th 10:30 am − uptown 1

They say folks from all around the world yearn to attend the NFFTY School of Performance, so come get a glimpse into the best our (imaginary) conservatory has to offer. With remarkable rain ceremonies to valiant vengeance, prepare to be enthralled by the power of performance.

*this screening may not be suitable for all audiences

In Situ

Walker Burris Cody - 23, Alexa Tabert - 22, Nate Rinehart - 22, West Givens - 24, KENTUCKY, USA

After discovering an oil spill polluting her land, a lonely woman seeks to avenge the death of her closest companion and punish the guilty through an extreme act of de ance.

Toy Phone

Gabe Braden - 22, Emu Haynes23, Elizabeth Murphy - 20, Edward Pinkava - 21, CALIFORNIA, USA

When her young son starts "speaking" to his recently deceased father on a toy phone, a mother is forced to confront the loss she never quite dealt with.

Where No One Lives

Li Anne Liew - 22, Cynthia Wang - 22, Cooper Lichacz - 22, Annie Harumi Harris - 22, CALIFORNIA,USA

On one night, three lonely next-door neighbors nd themselves in search of connection, forgiveness, and company in an old apartment building.

Jungle Rhythms

Adrian Kader - 23, Emilio

Subía - 24,Renee Nabinger - 24, NEW YORK, USA

A mysterious virus transmitted through pollen ares up, threatening to deafen whoever gets contaminated. A new couple is forced to quarantine together in a small New York apartment.

Why Did the Sunset?

Linda Zuko Malote - 21, Aphiwe

Mabuza - 22,Regopotswe

Matshelo - 22, SOUTH AFRICA

A village of the distant Tswana people of South Africa nd themselves in a 2-year long drought. The time has come for the newly initiated princesses to perform the rain ceremony to their gods.

BREAKING THE MOLD

saturday, april 29th 12:15 pm − uptown 2

Whenever we think we know the possibilities of the medium, some shorts come along that challenge our idea of lmmaking entirely! Watch media get mixed, matched, and made marvelous through mind-bending editing and formal designs.

Nothing, except everything.

Wesley Wang - 18, David Mazouz - 21, Lily Chee -18, NEW YORK, USA

A graduating high schooler navigates a world of seemingly inevitable chaos by nding order in the number 7.

Kamayan

Minerva Navasca - 19, Jay Parikh - 20, CANADA

A documentary showcasing the traditional Filipino way of eating, through a foreign, outdated lens.

Shaman Magic Aponte - 17, Zenzelé YsaguirreMoore - 19, Shaman Magic Aponte - 17, CALIFORNIA, USA

This Music Video captures the essence of the true meaning behind this song: trying to be someone you’re not.

Holding Hands with the Moon

Soah - 18, Zohar - 18, Jack Cosgriff -18, COLORADO, USA

Terra is not only learning to life with her anxiety, but also appreciating the little things and her unwavering (and borderline obsessive) love for the moon.

I Had A Strange Dream Last Night

Mira H Steuer - 19, NEW YORK, USA

An experimental short exploring childhood chronic illness through dreams.

My House is Mine

Kaiya Jordan - 16, Yezy Suh - 16, CALIFORNIA, USA

A young girl re ects on her past while looking into a dollhouse. Pairing childhood nostalgia with the fear of growing up, this lm is an encapsulation of family dynamics and their impact on the young mind.

CONTAGION

Olivia Lee - 17, Jaerlene C Quinto - 15, WASHINGTON, USA

An experimental short lm showcasing a downward spiral.

Transcendence

Lemo Sekiguchi - 16, CALIFRONIA, USA

An individual encounters a transition to a ‘Transcendence’ experience where people’s minds begin to open up and gather information that may not re ect and reinforce as their own.

Light

Nic Chang -17, Riley

Prior - 17, Matteo Russo - 17, NEW JERSEY, USA

Trapped in the dark cell of his mind, The Boy desires an escape to light.

Proof of Residency

Spencer Sabath - 17, ILLINOIS, USA

Memories of fonder times are recounted through the examination of ten items salvaged from a house re.

Aspects of My Gender

Olivia Martinez - 19, TEXAS, USA

Aspects of my gender is an experimental short lm about my personal relationship with femininity and my gender expression as a queer person.

Before It Melts

Ella Cox - 17, Gram Van Buren - 17, Steven Choi - 17, CALIFORNIA, USA

A girl becomes increasingly entranced by the gures inside her television set.

Lover’s Human Tears

Room

The Flesh of Another

Max Davies - 19, Henry

Devine - 19, UK

Two boxers settle their rivalry with one nal match in this tribute to 1920's silent lms.

Liya Zech - 16, CALIFORNIA, USA

Following the suicide of her partner, Thea must go through several stages of grief in hopes to see her love again. Using dance to cope with the pain, Thea escapes to a world of color revealing each stage of her grieving process.

Ian Dani Kim - 15, NEW JERSEY, USA

A teenager struggles with depression and social anxiety, expressing it through locking himself in his imaginary room where his life plays out. The lm is shown from the boy’s perspective in his “room” showing how real life events affect him in it.

Jack Cosgriff - 18, Soah - 18, Porter Hunt - 18, COLORADO, USA

Two forever intertwined lovers, Edwin and Rosko, recollect on their long spanning relationship. They explore their sexuality together, but everything changes once they begin to taste the esh of another...

EXPRESS YOURSELF

saturday, april 29th 12:45 pm − uptown 1

Strike a pose! These lms feature visually-appealing passions, aural artistry, and meticulous movement from performers of all kinds. Whether taking their talent to the streets, the stage, or the circus tent, you’re bound to be blown away by the technique on display.

*this screening may not be suitable for all audiences

BODY LANGUAGE

Leo Pfeifer - 23, CALIFORNIA, USA

A gravity-defying display of dance with crutches.

Dreamers @ Work

Justin Kaminuma - 22, Jess Faber - 21, NEW YORK, USA

Art doesn't just shape the youth, art brings humanity together. Dreamers @Work highlights the importance of allowing children to ourish through art.

Adam’s Song

Nathan Xia - 23, CALIFORNIA, USA

A dangerously ambitious artist descends a self-destructive spiral as he prepares for the release of his next album.

En Sus Manos

Elle Rinaldi - 22,Daviana

Angelo - 22, Kyra Isabella Chen - 22, Payton McCarty-Simas - 22, NEW YORK, USA + CUBA

Three generations of women and girls prepare to perform at the Cuban circus in Havana, Cuba, each for different acts, on different occasions, but all under the same enchanting red and white striped tent, an otherworldly space which pulses with re ections on age, femininity, and dreams.

Unknown Artists

Alexander Brinitzer - 24, Alexandra Leombruno - 23, Samuel Friedman - 23, César Lebourg - 23, NEW YORK, USA + FRANCE

Two Parisian street artists encounter opposing perspectives towards their art.

Neon Phantom

Leonardo Martinelli - 22, BRAZIL

A delivery man dreams of having a motorcycle. He was told that everything would be like a musical lm.

IMMENSE IMMERSIONS

saturday, april 29th 3:00 pm − uptown 1

Intergalactic shipwrecks, nefarious algorithms, and the potential extinction of the human race, oh my! Retreat from this realm, step into these stylish alternate worlds and enjoy awe-inspiring feats of lmmaking fabrication.

*this screening may not be suitable for all audiences

Float

Jaden Heller - 21, CALIFORNIA, USA

A penguin drifting through the polluted waters of a ooded Earth must see if he has what it takes to survive the new ways of the world.

Sammy, Without Strings

Ralph Parker, III - 22, Jenna Cusack - 21, Ariano Treviño

Angelone - 22, Grayson Fisher - 23, NORTH CAROLINA, USA

When a Black puppet named Sammy, falls in love with a Woman in his audience, he sets his sights on freedom from his strings to live a life of dignity and humanity with her.

Algorithm

Octavia Anderson - 20, Maya

Braslaw - 19, Jade Gamez - 19, Guine Alcaraz - 17, CALIFORNIA, USA

High School student Connie grapples with a new crush and learns about his “type” which she doesn’t t the standard of, prompting self image issues, as she experiments with psychedelics, and nds herself trapped in a mirror world controlled by the Algorithm Man.

Furo

Julia Roliz - 23, BRAZIL

Furo emerges through a crack, a ssure in space-time that happens by navigating through the intersections of thoughts, through the corners of memories, between the paths of childhood. A window opens here into a magical universe, where fantastic beings dance, driven by the rhythms of desire.

The Rise

Alesja Suzdaltseva - 23, Pilleriin Raudam - 24, Annika Väljataga - 25, ESTONIA

In a shipwreck, a little girl Lilit, nds herself on a cold planet, where she must quickly repair her ship.

FAMILY TIES

saturday, april 29th 4:00 pm − uptown 2

Whether growing up or growing old, familial relationships are ever-evolving – especially intergenerationally! Packed with the complicated impacts of parenting, this program pulls focus on the observations of offspring as they explore the effects of these beloved bonds.

A ver ponte ahí

Flor Marmolejo - 24, CALIFORNIA, USA

Revisiting a family album and an opportune trip leads to a revelation.

All Night She Hears The Water Sobbing

Nicole Hanzi Zhou - 21, Sirui

Ray Qian - 20, Clair Peck - 22, NEW YORK, USA

After the sudden death of the father, the mother and daughter live their lives in a parallel fashion, but their lives started to get tangled up again as their current relationships fail.

desiderium.

Emma Albrecht - 21, NORTH CAROLINA, USA

Oink

Milky Tran - 24, Em Shafer - 22, CALIFORNIA, USA

A young Vietnamese girl idolizes her mother and follows her daily beauty routine, until her mother unexpectedly gets a surgery.

Parental Orbit

Dara Carneol - 17, WISCONSIN, USA

An experimental documentary featuring found footage from a super 8mm lm my great-uncle made from 1960-1971.

Bawang Merah Bawang Putih

Andrea Nirmala

Dún Laoghaire

Zeena Kubeisy - 20, Kunga Choephel - 20, NEW YORK, USA

A personal account of the Covid-19 pandemic in America and its effects on an immigrant family as seen through the eyes of a student quarantined at his barren university.

On a long-awaited trip to their mother's childhood home in North Dakota, the lmmaker and their mom explore feelings of loss, guilt, and joy on returning home.

Widjajanto - 22, Karina Jesson - 22, CANADA + INDONESIA

As two polar opposite sisters reunite for their grandparents' wedding anniversary, the skeletons lingering in the closet join the family at the dinner table. The sisters grapple for the affection of their grandmother, and their mother does her best to diffuse the volatile situation.

William Lancaster - 22, Shane Bagwell - 22, Will Noyce - 20, Izzy Cassadra-Newsam - 22, CALIFORNIA, USA + IRELAND

A dance of death between a mother and daughter ignites when the daughter attempts to install a new stove in her mother’s house in Dún Laoghaire, Ireland.

This is closest to how the last weeks of March felt like.

OUT OF SYNC

saturday, april 29th 6:15 pm − uptown 2

Intimate entanglements can be tricky to navigate! This passionate program explores tales of missed connections, botched breakups and crossed wires in communication. Made for your inner romantic, come prepared to swoon (and wince) your way through the screening!

Missed Connections

Yuqi Guan - 20, Abigail Ryne - 22, Brendan Hickey - 22, Alexa Karger - 20, NEW YORK, USA

How does one outdated website manage to bring together strangers and foster connection? This lm reveals the humorous and loving true stories of New Yorkers who reconnected with one another -or not- via Craigslist.

Merry Go Round

Ella Fields - 18, Manni Burach - 19, Legyaan Thapa - 19, Marine Savoure - 18, MASSACHUSETTS, USA

June and Pepper meet and have a special connection, but a limited amount of time to spend together. "Merry Go Round" explores how love exists through distance, memory, and a non-linear perception of time.

The Receipt

Harrison Oswald - 20, NORTH CAROLINA, USA

An anxious man attempts to end a relationship over the phone.

Moving Seyma Dag - 20, Roz McCormick - 20, SCOTLAND

An adult content creator runs into her subscriber at an apartment viewing with her parents and nds herself in an identity clash at the least expected time.

The Derivative Outlook on Love From the Perspective of Two Sixteen-Year-Olds

Ella Janes - 16, Julian Felix Aaronson - 18, Ragan Stark - 15, OKLAHOMA, uSA

Ameel and Estella love like adults, healthily and hard, but Estella craves the carefreeness and innocence of being sixteen.

A Reason To

Sari Arambulo -- 24, Cole

Bacani - 22, Brendan Bennett - 22, Porschia Adler - 22, CALIFORNIA, USA

When Anna reunites with an old friend, a hazy intimate memory resurfaces — fueling her fears that their relationship has forever changed.

CENTERPIECE

sunday, april 29th 7:30 pm − uptown 1

Centerpiece, more like Center-pièce de résistance! Featuring exceptional lmmaking air, this stunning showcase is teeming with interpersonal inharmony, thoughtful explorations of self, and radiating desires to better understand the world around us.

*this screening may not be suitable for all audiences

Rodney ChromeTo The Money

Zac Dov Wiesel - 22, Shane Bagwell - 22, Henry Wolf - 21,Katie Balun - 22, NEW YORK, USA

The story of a Ghetto Popstar; After nding a bag of unlimited money in the forest, Chrome’s destiny becomes set in stone.

I Probably Shouldn't Be Telling You This

Emma Weinswig - 24, CALIFORNIA, USA

Minna, a self- agellating in uencer, is concealing her crush and fandom for Frank while invited to be a guest on his famous podcast. Frank eventually strips off her irtatious facade and they discover they’re both more attracted to the honest truth.

Colony

Pilar GarciaFernandezsesma - 23, NEW YORK, USA

A woman scientist’s entomological work creeps into her psyche as her pregnancy progresses and she becomes more hostile towards her partner. As she becomes obsessed with the ant queen of her research colony, the lines between the ant and human experience blur.

Paloma

Brittany Young - 22, Maya Brown - 24, Gege He - 23, FLORIDA, USA

Paloma is a drama that follows the conversation between a teenage girl, who's recently been sexually assaulted, and the skeptical principal she's con ding in to build up the courage to le a report.

Fruits of Labour

Ophelia Spinosa - 23, CANADA

Interplaying the metaphor of grapes, this father-daughter documentary is characterized by the labour of love it is to make wine, but also the labour of love that is love itself.

Birdsong

Hrishi Bardhan - 22, Olivia De Camps - 22, Cece Chan - 23, NEW YORK, USA

Amidst moving homes, a superstitious IndianAmerican girl struggles to bury her pet bird in fear of it haunting her.

Puck

Rebecca Ozer - 24, UK

When the rules of an open relationship allow only casual sex, two new lovers must navigate through their immediate chemical connection over a magical afternoon of root beer oats and living room kisses.

THRILLS + CHILLS

saturday, april 29th 8:30 pm − uptown 2

Parents are asleep, and we at the National Film Festival For Talented Ghouls are staying up past our bedtime! Why not join us for a frightening evening of spine tingling delights full of devious doppelgängers, diabetic vampires, and lethal leprechauns?

*this screening may not be suitable for all audiences

Ring

Jackson Stofka - 20, John Landry - 20, CALIFORNIA, USA

An unresponsive boyfriend, a locked apartment, and a lone phone booth. Is Annie just paranoid or is danger around the corner?

L'abattu Des Vents

Félix-Antoine GarneauChouinard - 24, CANADA

Alone on a secluded island, a lightkeeper is prisoner of his own madness.

Photocopy

Mike Klubeck - 24, NEW YORK, USA

A lonely Brooklyn photographer begins to loose his grip on reality when he spots a mysterious doppelgänger roaming the streets.

Mileage

Jennifer Wu - 21, Ruyee Lu - 21, Joy Zhou - 21, Ruby Saysanasy23,Saul Benavides - 22, Nicole Taylor Topacio - 21, Miranda Li - 22, Christopher Hsueh - 22, CANADA

A story of a taxi that transfers the youth of the passengers to the driver.

Reaper

Eva Ulreich, VIRGINIA, USA

A young girl attempting to escape her own death, only to nd herself facing a new danger.

Things Could Be Better

Carter Kratkiewicz - 22, Camila

Grimaldi - 21, Kylie Murphy - 24, NEW YORK, USA

A waitress works her last night-shift at a diner in the middle of nowhere. After accidentally killing the diner’s manager, she tries to escape the situation unscathed.

There's Something About Ryan

Jesse Padveen - 22, Josh Willick - 22, Tobias Harrison - 21, CANADA

A family falls apart after their diabetic son becomes a vampire.

Unlucky Charms

Kris Theorin - 24, Nik Theorin - 24, NEW YORK, USA

Late one night, a bored cashier collects all three toys from a box of Magic Munchos and unwittingly unleashes the ancient evil that lies within…

EVERGREEN SCREEN

sunday, april 30th 10:30 am − uptown 1

Even on a cloudy day, these Northwest lmmakers shine bright like the summer sun. Trek with us through these local delights, breathe in the fresh pine air, marvel at the old growth forest, and… ah, watch out you just stepped in some Bigfoot droppings!

A Place Like Nowhere Else - Pilot Seat

Quang Nguyen - 19, Suzanne McAuley - 23, Giao Nguyen - 22, WASHINGTON, USA

Three friends attend class, daydream, and jam--coming together to complete their homework of forming a band.

The Big One: The Day Bigfoot Shot Dad

Henry Shriber - 18, William Shriber - 20, Logan Sarzalejo19, Beckett Hobbs - 17, WASHINGTON, USA

A gruff father follows his lifelong dream of tracking down Bigfoot, only to realize that the biggest prize has been by his side all along.

Clairvoyant

Elijah Anthony F. - 18, MaKenzie Slechta - 16, WASHINGTON, USA

A teenage girl with a supernatural sensitivity moves to an old house with a traumatic history.

Somewhen, Again and Again

Tristan C. Pina - 23, Aries Ceta - 23, CANADA

A man with no memories nds a mysterious object that gives him memories belonging to a woman from the present.

Where I Stand

Dani León - 20, WASHINGTON, USA

A short auto-biographical lm about love across two borders, growing up, and learning to accept, and live for yourself.

Oceans Away

Matthew Wilbur - 16, Remy Hirsch eld-Rudy - 16, Siena Gorohoff - 18, Imogen Steele - 16, WASHINGTON, USA

Two teenagers meet and are quickly drawn to each other, forming a relationship. They experience young love until one cheats on the other, causing a rippling of emotions. Set to the song “Oceans Away,” by indie band Dark Dazey.

What A Waste Virginia

Ruby

What A Waste Virginia is based on a dream I had during my rst semester of College: My friend and I sit outside of our abandoned elementary school, as two vampires hiding in the bushes observe us from afar.

Baby Teeth

Alexandra Ansbacher - 21, Luke Skinner - 22, Nathan Silva - 21, Ha'aheo Auwae - 22, WASHINGTON, USA

Two childhood friends grow apart and come back together again in the search for their baby teeth.

Parrish - 20, Caleb Ross - 23, WASHINGTON, USA

Forgotten Childhood

An experimental lm about Nostalgia to spark thinking in what you may have forgotten during childhood

When a young, ambitious ballerina gets rejected from a top-tier ballet program, she must decide if dedicating her entire life to dance is truly worth the blood, sweat, and tears.

A letter to an old friend.

Grief is Quiet

Hailey McGill - 23, WASHINGTON, USA

The Pointe

Morgan Dukes - 23, Corei Flowers - 24, WASHINGTON, USA

Ka'miya Clark - 16, WASHINGTON, USA

LIVELY LOCALES

sunday, april 30th 12:00 pm − uptown 2

Hop in and come sightseeing with us! Traversing international lands, these shorts offer pit stops along the way to soak up Malta’s salty sea air, enjoy Carnival in the UK, t in a few sand green golf holes in Kansas, and scope some places not strictly speaking on the map at all.

*this screening may not be suitable for all audiences

Wings of My Youth

Belle Palmano - 21, Esrom Solomon - 23, Ellis Josebury - 21, UK

Three friends on the cusp of adolescence travel to the heart of west London.

2166

Anna Nguyen - 23, Lilian Cao - 23, Winston Liu - 22, AUSTRALIA

A lm that documents snippets of daily lives and memories within the suburbs of Cabramatta and Canley Vale.

Lost Kid Wanderer

Chelsea Muscat, NEW YORK, USA + MALTA

A lone wanderer reconciles with the idea of love while deciding her future faith as life is coming to an end.

A Slice of Paradise

Liam Tangum - 23, Michael Nicholas - 23, Jake Coury - 23, CALIFORNIA, USA

Three small towns in Kansas work to keep both their communities and some of the last standing sand green golf courses alive in America.

The Last Color of This City

Mobin Dehvari - 18, Fateme

Azimi - 18, Benyamin

Khodabandeh - 17, IRAN

The lm is a conceptual narrative without dialogue, about the author's feelings towards urban life in his city (Saravan).

Mango City

Dana DePirri - 23, Emma Cuba - 23, FLORIDA + NEW YORK, USA

Lou, a curious 7-year old girl, has three days left to say goodbye to the love of her life, Miami. In this love letter to the city that raised her, Lou reveals Miami’s magic through her strange but familiar encounters with Miami locals and the unforgettable landscape.

The Oubliette

Max Hendrickson - 22, IRELAND

After moving into a small apartment in a big city, a man notices strange and mysterious occurrences.

The Cabbage Statue

Megan Lim En - 22, Jessica Goh - 22, Wai Ziying - 22, SINGAPORE

Posters of the famous Cabbage Statue of Ranau, Malaysia, are seen everywhere in Singapore. Swayed by the ads, Kelly convinces her less-than-enthusiastic best friend, Ruth, to take a trip across the Causeway to nd it.

FRESH EYES

sunday, april 30th

12:45 pm − uptown 1

Ever nd yourself daydreaming and wishing you could reclaim the beauty and wonder of childhood divergent thinking? These shorts help shake up your perspective by offering the opportunity to see the world anew through the eyes of youth as they experience what the rollercoaster of life has to offer.

*this screening may not be suitable for all audiences

Lonely Birthday

Kaylinn Clotfelter - 21, MISSOURI, USA

A young girl visits her friends and delivers them each a piece of cake for her birthday.

梅Mei

Yizhi "Izzy" Yi - 20, Grace Lee - 20, Zhengyang "Corey" Tian - 21, Zhen "Freddy" Wang - 21, MASSACHUSETTS, USA

At a dinner with both her parents, little Mei sees the crack in the family as it explodes.

Pink EverywhereFlamingos

Jordan Vescio - 21, Jessica Lueck - 20, Ned Cooper - 20, Maygan Thompson - 21, GEORGIA, USA

Caught in the cross re of a parental war zone, 7-year-old Charlie seeks comfort in the plastic amingos ocking her yard.

Blue Honey

Valeriya Khan - 22, Anastasia Itkina - 24, Peter CS Lee - 21, CANADA

Bon gets ready for her school photoshoot when she gets her rst period.

Camila

Julia

Emma Duvall - 22, Skyler

Verity - 21, Jessica Barr - 24, OREGON, USA

Other Homes

Joseph Youngjune Lee - 23, CALIFORNIA, USA + SOUTH KOREA

In the winter of the Korean War, a North Korean family escapes to the sea, where they must quietly sneak across the water on a sherman’s boat to reach freedom.

Together, Alone.

Lucy Tamarkin - 23, Gus Aronson - 23, Henry Berger - 23, NEW YORK, USA

A young girl in Ukraine awaits a call from her father. As she waits, the day turns into night and she sinks into various dreamscapes from which she must nd her way home.

A young girl faces a test of friendship at an orphanage in 1970 South Korea. Based on a true story.

An 8 year old daughter who witnesses her fathers rst symptoms of Parkinsons. His hand begins to shake and they both notice quietly. The lm addresses the complicated dynamics of a father’s reckoning with his illness while raising a young child.

Sun ower Field

Grimaldi - 24, Mulan Fu - 24, Julia Wang - 21, Polina Buchak - 24, NEW YORK, USA

UNEASY STREET

sunday, april 30th 3:00 pm − uptown 1

Yeah we got a front row seat. Right here on (un)easy street! For reasons why we teach our children lessons like “don’t talk to strangers” and “look both ways before crossing the street” — look no further! These lms will fuel you with ample anxiety and send you to the edge of your seat.

*this screening may not be suitable for all audiences

The Businessman

Nathan Ginter - 22, Shane Bagwell - 22, Vincent

DiFrancesco - 21, Aidan Flynn - 21, MICHIGAN, USA

On the way home from school, a young girl runs into a mysterious salesman who looks to instill the fear of nancial insecurity and coerce her into selling fashion magazines for him.

Latchkey

Quinn McHugh Fluet - 23, Jack Caron - 23, GEORGIA, USA

A skeptical older brother must protect his sibling when he receives a horrifying phone call from him: "something's downstairs."

Those Who Run

Nick Milczarczyk - 16, ARIZONA, US + CANADA

When a track star is caught using performance enhancers by her rival, she takes desperate measures.

Cabbage

Destinee McCaster - 21, Gabby

Fiszman - 21, Maria Paula

Quesada - 21, CALIFORNIA, USA

On a desolate farm, a couple’s prayers are answered after a visitor offers them a sinister deal. Blinded by their joy, they struggle to realize that what they once desired may lead to their own unravelling.

TAMING A SEAHORSE

Raza Tariq - 19, UK

A tired cap driver’s spirit is tested early into his night shift when he picks up an unusual customer.

Nurture

Sasha Argirov - 21, CANADA

An emotionally stunted man and his ailing, narcissistic mother live together in complete desolation. An unexpected visitor triggers the deep-rooted resentment he harbors for his mother, threatening to destroy their marginal co-existence for good.

DAILY GRIND

thursday,

april 30th 4:15 pm − uptown 2

Consider your union dues paid as the NFFTY Local 16 supports your quest to nd that work-life balance you’ve always been seeking! Join us in celebrating the workers of the world as they discover passion in their labor and do all they can to thrive in the face of unrelenting capitalism.

*this screening may not be suitable for all audiences

The Last Page

Kota Nakamura - 22, JAPAN

Due to the recession the pandemic brought on, Kyosuke and Chiseko have decided to close down their vintage bookshop in Tokyo suburbs after 35 years in business. In the week before the closing day, the shop saw an unexpected surge in customers.

Today’s Leaders, Tomorrow’s Heroes.

Dan Lesser - 24, Jake Coury - 24, Gabriel Gaurano - 23, CALIFORNIA, USA

Helping save the planet becomes a lot easier when you do it for your kids. Meet Stu.

Vacationland

Joseph Coleman - 19, Milan Tangirala - 18, Emma Forthofer - 20, Grif n Camens -18, MAINE, USA

A young lobsterman battles an opioid addiction on the Maine coast.

Projectionist

Deniz Akyurek - 19, Noah Matalon - 20, MASSACHUSETTS, USA

A portrait of Tom Welch, lead projectionist at the Coolidge Corner theater in Brookline, MA.

For My Son

Mathilde Jouaud - 23, Loula Renaudeau - 23, Pablo Garrido Carreras - 24, Aurore Bourguet - 21, FRANCE

In our world where buying and owning is synonymous with happiness, a mother struggles to buy a video game console for her son’s Christmas.

Masterpieces

Bridget Johnson - 22, Ronan Morrissey - 23, ILLINOIS, USA

A dedicated team of roofers ght to keep the historic, yet rare, art of slate roo ng alive while also navigating the challenges of the trade through intense labor, safety, and sexism.

Animal Behavior

Adrian Delcan - 21, Rahul

Alexander - 22, Raviteja

Anumukonda - 21, Jen Ledbury - 21, CALIFORNIA, USA

A skilled wildlife foley artist has his methods challenged by a newcomer with an innate understanding of animal behavior.

CLOSING NIGHT

sunday, april 30th

6:00 pm − uptown 1

To say “that’s a wrap!” on NFFTY 2023, we’re closing out the festival with a collection of lms that will stick with you long after you leave the theater. From tender tales of treasured memories to a robust bond between compassionate siblings, come prepared to celebrate the trove of talent on display in this screening – and at the Awards Ceremony immediately following!

*this screening may not be suitable for all audiences

Dhruv - Grateful

Christina Xing - 23, ALABAMA, USA

A singular, vivid lm about Dhruv Sharma's childhood. From dressing up as a princess and waltzing his way around his grandmother’s house, to being completely uninhibited, twirling in his grandma's garden.

The Mess We're In

Jamie Lam - 24, Nadine Widjaja - 21, Rachel Chen - 21, CANADA

Still living in the hoarder’s house she grew up in, young adult Dara contemplates moving forward in life.

For Black Muslim Girls

Niya Abdullahi - 22, CANADA

For Black Muslim Girls explores the social nuances behind identity expression and what it takes to fall back in love with yourself.

Onán

Diego Toussaint - 24 , Mauricio Díaz - 24, Lorena Villegas - 24, NEW YORK, USA + MEXICO

Tamara, a young nun, nds herself tempted to betray everything she's ever believed in when a vibrator magically appears at her doorstep.

Obtusion

Nathan Cowles - 19, Natalie Cowles - 16, ARIZONA, USA

A documentary following an older brother as he interviews his sister, 4 months after she was diagnosed with anorexia, body dysmorphia and an eating disorder.

Half-Light

Lauren Jevnikar - 24, Elias Ginsberg - 24, CALIFORNIA, USA

A couple debates having unprotected car sex late at night.

Wilfrid

Samuel G. Davey - 21, Max Mezo - 20, Lori Si - 21, Sean Patrick Dolan - 22, CANADA

When a 4 year old boy discovers that his 85 year old friend has memory loss, he learns what a memory is and how he can return them to her.

The Stack

Isabelle Hahn - 24, Steven Xie - 20, HAWAII, USA

“The Stack" recalls the gut wrenching feeling of losing who you once thought to be your forever, and the process of detangling yourself from that.

NFFTY 2023 by the Numbers

203 Of cial Selections

32 States

Alabama

Arizona

California

Colorado

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Illinois

Indiana

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Missouri

Montana

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

South Carolina

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Virginia

Washington

Wisconsin

28 Countries

Australia

Austria

Brazil

Canada

China

Cuba

Czech Republic

Denmark

England

Estonia

France

India

Iran

Ireland

Japan

Malta

Mexico

Netherlands

Norway

Oman

Philippines

South Korea

South Africa

Singapore

Scotland

United Kingdom

United States

Vietnam

Special Thanks

Monique Courcy

Anita Cal

Dan Lesser

Sarah Read

William Butler

Camilo Diaz Caro

Ashraf Hasham

Brian Alter

Lori Seago

Romain Vakilitabar

Ben Kadie

Alex Emerson

Grif th Gustafson

Sue Wiedenfeld

Tiffany Lin

Jennifer Barker

Linda Baumgardner

Chris Newell

Dennis Kim

Frank HARRIS

Lindsey Ann Hoffman

Caelin Homola

Caroline Rensel

Steven Crespo

Laura Lumpkin

Alfredo Jimenez

Cheri Gaulke

Carl Kadie

Naomi West

Alexander Johnston

Rachel James

Sarah Rankin

Alexander Carrigan

Ogugua Agu

So Yeon Kim

Leo Pfeifer

Maja Gans

Amit Awaghade

Kate Becker

Sharon Friedland

Anne Bobroff Boie

Karen Bystrom

Wistar Kay

Beth Barrett

Theresa Robinson

Nanci Vaeth

John Alexander MacLeod

Peter Barnes

Liv Faris

Byron Harris

Additionally, we would like to thank the following funders and agencies who have given support:

Washington State Department of Commerce

Scan Design Foundation

City of Seattle Of ce of Arts & Culture

4Culture

Washington State Arts Commission

National Endowment for the Arts

SITY Foundation

Morgan Family Foundation

Harley Soltes Charitable Fund

ArtsFund

City of Seattle Of ce of Economic Development

The Norcliffe Foundation

James D. Scheinfeld Family Foundation

Lastly, we are grateful to the contributions of the following individuals and organizations who are making this year’s edition possible:

All of our industry presenters and screening hosts

All of our NFFTY 2023 jurors

Stephanie Fonda

Maureen Gans

Mark Albert

Scott Waller

Pranay Patwardhan

Daniel Hudson

Frances Rubio

Sydney Jarol

Donna Brown

Helen Valkavitch

Iona Brindle Daniel Taplitz

Petyr Xyst

Ariel Glassman

Adam Hersko-RonaTas

Joe Dockery

Melissa Jurcan

Erin Katz

Gaelle Bara

Stefanie Malone

Bryan Roth

Vicky Lee

Robert Bojorquez

Karen Bennett

Lorrie Harrison

Jacob Alberts

Phillippa Gustafson

Ronald Klein

Deborah Rustin

John Platt

Xi Tian & Jonathan Shakes

Arielle Friedman

Laurie Frankel

Mark Kilcollin

Iona Brindle

Dawson Taylor

Caelin Moore

Philip Alvy

Jocelyn Chang

Emilio Torres

Lesley Pfeifer

Mark & Jane Eisner

Kim Schwarzkopf

Al Hillel

Kinnon Williams

Frank Clark

Alex Beresniewicz

Susan Thomas

Barbara Trenary

Catherine McCord

Bonnie Trueman

All of our NFFTY 2023 volunteers

All of our interns from the past year, including WLG Participants Gabriella Smith, Andres Muñoz, Eugenia Donkor, Shamoun Osumanu

Our NFFTY Industry Advisory Board, including programming partners Vanishing Angle + Seed&Spark

Our NFFTY Alumni Advisory Board

Our Community Partners, including host venues VERA and SIFF

The Youth Cinema Network, including our friends at FiSH and YAAAS!

Scan Design Foundation and Station Next Tulalip Tribes Charitable Contributions

Ariel Glassman & Caroline Rensel @ Common Great Amy Wheeler @ Valtas Consulting

Joseph Krebs @ Scandiuzzi Krebs

Ashraf Hasham & Alex Rose @ Seattle’s Of ce of Arts & Culture

Chris Swenson @ Seattle Of ce of Economic Development

NFFTY is grateful to the following persons who have contributed since our past festival edition, without whom we would not be able to produce NFFTY 2023:

FAQ

How do I attend the festival?

NFFTY is happening in-person in Seattle AND online. We recommend you purchase an all access pass to get the most out of your NFFTY experience.

What if I am not available to attend in person?

Attend virtually! This portion of the festival is designed so anyone from anywhere can watch lms and connect with us. Virtual attendees even get the added bonus of watching lms even after the in-person weekend is over.

What should I wear on the red carpet?

Dress however your heart desires! NFFTY’s red carpet is known for its vast range in style. Whether you want to show up in a ball gown or jeans, you will still t into the NFFTY vibe.

Can I have copies of my red carpet photos?

NFFTY posts all of our professional photos taken throughout the weekend. Our festival archive will house our program guide, professional photos, and more for you to reminisce on. Visit https://www.nffty.org/festival-archive after the festival to see more.

Where do I nd the ratings or content warnings?

NFFTY features independent short lms from all over the world, as such they do not undergo a rating system like a traditional movie. While our lms are made by young lmmakers, they sometimes contain content that is not suitable for younger viewers. At the top of a screening you may nd a warning labeled: “not suitable for all ages” to help determine where viewer discretion is advised. We suggest parents and guardians review the lm synopses in these screenings to determine if it is suitable for their families. If you have additional questions or concerns about a screening or the subject of a lm please nd a staff member in person or online via info@nffty.org.

Screening Committee + NFFTY Team

NFFTY Screening + Screenplay Committee

NFFTY is a program of The Talented Youth, a 501c3 non-pro t

PROGRAMMING TEAM

Amy Williams

Ryan Saunders

Kevin Conner

Krupa Kanaiya

Leomary Rodriguez

Nabil Aouad

Theresa Robinson

Han-’Naeh Belser

Robyn Bacon

Chloe Rankin

Andy Dieguez

SCREENING COMMITTEE

Laura Kulik

Keen Murphy

Vitória Vasconcellos

Minna Lee

Graeme Jokic

Tanaseth (Pong) Tulyathan

Prem Prasad Adhikary

Eamon Hughes

Amir Sedghi Nir

Claire Gostin

Elijah Anthony Feigner

Andrea Nirmala Widjajanto

Sahar al-Sawaf

Alessa Maiuri

NFFTY STAFF (2023)

Matthew Herst

Olga Maufoy

Daria Litvichenko

Zach Robinson

Angela Kwak

Sophie Somerville

Seán Treacy

Sahar Nourbagheri

Thomas Esposito

Gabriella Smith

Andres Munoz

Eugenia Donkor

Sebastian Varriano

Podcast Producer – Robert Bojorquez

Venue Manager/Senior Programmer –Kevin Conner

Program Coordinator – Theresa Robinson

Festival Design – Duo Design + Media

Trailer Editor – Amy Williams

Public Relations – Smarthouse Creative Event Management – TokitaBethune

Videography Production Support –Ground

Ryan Saunders Managing Director

Krupa Kanaiya Marketing Director

Leomary Rodriguez Program Director

Amy Williams Festival Director

Robyn Bacon Programming Intern

Han-'Naeh Belser Programming Intern

Noelle Hardman Festival Marketing Intern

Zero Radio

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Robert Bojorquez (President) - Media Producer

Frances Rubio (Vice President) - Film Producer + Data-Driven Marketer

Alex Johnston (Secretary) - Filmmaker, Scholar & Media Educator, Seattle University

Grif th Gustafson (Treasurer)Development Finance @ Amazon Studios

Frank Clark - Creative Director @ Square Tomato

Ogugua Agu - Corporate Finance + Strategy

Kim Schwarzkopf - Filmmaker, Producer

Alan Nay - Founder of World Famous, a creative agency

Stefanie Malone - Director, Producer

BOARD EMERITUS

Jesse Harris - Founder

Jocelyn R.C. - Co-Founder

Kyle Seago - Co-Founder

STORY OF NFFTY

2007

Jesse Harris realizes the need for an organization to support young lmmakers and joins with Jocelyn R.C. and Kyle Seago to launch NFFTY as a one-night festival with 14 lms, and to form a 501(c)(3) non-pro t organization, The Talented Youth.

2008-2009

NFFTY expands to a three-day event, screening 113 lms with over 4,000 in attendance, and launches year-round programming, NFFTY 365. In 2009, NFFTY begins accepting international lms.

2010

NFFTY expands again to become a four-day festival, featuring 190 lms from 33 states and 16 countries and additional networking opportunities for lmmakers. A 48-Hour Film Contest is added to the festival weekend.

2011

Now the world’s largest lm festival for emerging lmmakers, NFFTY 2011 screens 225 lms, adds even more programming and opportunities, and is attended by over 200 lmmakers and an audience of 8,500.

2012

NFFTY adds the Future of Film Expo trade show to the festival and features eight panels, 14 workshops, and over 30 exhibitors. Festival attendance exceeds 10,000.

2013

NFFTY features 215 lms from around over 30 countries and launches NFFTY Creative, connecting brands with NFFTY alumni to work on original projects. NFFTY alumni are now working for prestigious companies such as Pixar and HBO.

2014

NFFTY launches a Young Women in Film initiative, a year-round effort to support young female lmmakers. Of the 214 lms that screen, over 40% are

ALUMNI ADVISORY BOARD

Noah Wagner – Vice-President, Director & Filmmaker

Dennis Kim – Filmmaker

Christina Xing – Director & Creative Director

Morgana McKenzie – Director & Filmmaker

Tiffany Lin – Filmmaker

Alexander Zorn – Filmmaker

Adam Hersko-RonaTas – Filmmaker

Leo Pfeifer – Director

Barb Hoffman – Filmmaker

Lindsay Sunada – Director/Designer

Jessica Stossel – Creative Producer

INDUSTRY ADVISORY BOARD

Philip Alvy – Executive Director | Arts

Integrated

Anna Proulx – Visual & Performing Arts

Program Director | Syracuse University Los Angeles Semester (SULA)

Bri Castellini – Film Community Manager | Seed&Spark

MarBelle – Co-Founder/Editor-in-Chief |

Directors Notes

Noel Goodwin – Venue Education Manager | BFI

Benjamin Wiessner – Producer / VP of Sales & Distribution | Vanishing Angle

Kendra Ann Sherrill – Festival Director of Children’s Film Festival Seattle | Northwest Film Forum

Sean Wiener – Director of Programs, Media Arts Lab | Jacob Burns

Film Center

Alex Rose – Creative Economy Advocate | City of Seattle’s Of ce of Arts & Culture & Of ce of Economic Development

Toby Brooks – Senior Manager, Ignite | Sundance Institute

Azul Quetzalli – Academy Manager & Mentor | BAYCAT

Matt Cici – Founder | A Creative

Megan Garbayo-López – Education Manager | SIFF

directed by women. NFFTY alumni produce both an original documentary and a national televised commercial for NFFTY Creative partners, garnering both ADDY and Telly Awards.

2015

NFFTY features a record 248 lms from 30 states and 25 countries, with over 12,000 in attendance and 48% female-directed lms. The festival adds its Works-In-Progress event and launches the NFFTY Alumni Advisory Board.

2016

The 10th anniversary festival includes 227 lms from 24 countries, as well as an inaugural screenwriting competition: Story Starts Here. NFFTY takes its rst steps into VR/360° with a panel and product demos. Starting to be recognized as one of the leaders in the lm festival world, NFFTY is named “One of the 50 Best Festivals Worth the Entry Fee” by MovieMaker Magazine, TeenTix Best Film Organization, and one of FilmFreeway’s Top 100 Rated Festivals.

2017

NFFTY forges into its second decade with the largest festival yet, featuring 257 lms from around the world. NFFTYX launches with a full VR/360° event featuring a boot camp and screening gallery. The Story Starts Here Screenplay Competition and Works In Progress round out a wildly successful year!

2018

The four-day festival moves to October, and after receiving over 1,300 submissions, NFFTY screens 266 lms from 24 countries and 24 U.S. States. In partnership with Oculus, NFFTYX creates an entire VR/360° gallery with NFFTY Of cial Selections from lmmakers and creators 24 and under. Over 50% of NFFTY 2018’s Of cial Selections are directed by female or non-binary identifying lmmakers!

2019

NFFTY more than doubles the number of professional development events offered at the festival, and

co-produces the 2nd Annual Film Career Day with the City of Seattle, including a keynote from Oscar-winning NFFTY alumna Rayka Zehtabchi. Producing partners of the 13th festival include Seed&Spark, NowThis, Sundance Institute, and Vimeo. Now 13 years strong, NFFTY has developed robust juries across eight competitions, with 31 jurors from lm studios, festivals, and other positions of in uence in the industry.

2020-2021

NFFTY 2020 was considered by the majority of attendees as the best virtual festival experience of 2020. The 14th NFFTY expanded to a 10-day festival, to include all of the livestreamed and on-demand programming, as well as an inaugural virtual Filmmaker Summit with two full days of professional development programming. For the third year running, 50%+ of of cially selected lms were by female/non-binary lmmakers, and over 40% of lms were by non-white lmmakers. Our juried competitions expanded from 9 to 11 categories, with 40 top industry professional jurors, and $7,500 in cash was distributed to NFFTY 2020 award winners. 2021 saw the launch of a number of new programs and initiatives, including a ve-week inaugural National Youth Filmmaker Summit, and a reimagined 3rd edition of Film Career Day as our rst hybrid event.

2022

The 15th National Film Festival for Talented Youth returned to in-person events in Seattle, screening over 250 short lms from around the world. Thirteen professional development sessions were held for youth and young adults, highlighting such topics as accessibility in lm exhibition, effective pitching, and budget strategy. The full, hybrid festival lasted for 11 days. All workshops and masterclasses were simulcast virtually, granting access for those unable to attend events in-person. In the fall, NFFTY launched our rst ever Pop-Up in LA. The 4 day event showcased standout work from both the 2022 and 2020 edition of the festival, including some lms that never had a chance to play on the big screen.

NOTES

INDEX

A A Place Like Nowhere Else - Pilot Seat...50

A Reason To...47

A Slice of Paradise...53

A TRIP TO THE MOON...39

A ver ponte ahí...46

ACORN...39

Adam's Song...43

Algorithm...45

All Night She Hears

The Water

Sobbing...46

Ambrosia...25

And Still, WeThrive...24

Animal Behavior...57

Annexed...32

are dandelions really so bad?...34

As You Are...24

Aspects of my Gender...43

B

Baby Teeth...50

Babyface...27

Bawang Merah

Bawang Putih...46

beast...35

Bee The Solution...38

Before It Melts...43

Beyond the Void...30

Birdsong...48

Blue Honey...54

Bodies in motion...27

BODY

LANGUAGE...43

Broke Mine Too...28

BYE, MY CAPTAIN...38

C

Cabbage...56

CANS Can't Stand...25

Carly Dolls...26

Chicken...24

Chuu Chuu...34

Clairvoyant...50

Clocked OUT!...38

Colony...48

CONTAGION...42

Cordelia!

Cypress...28

D Death and Ramen...37

Death of a Hero...29

desiderium....46

Dhruv - Grateful...58

Don't Deserve ThisYasmina...28

Dreamers @Work...43

Dreams of Home...34

Dún Laoghaire...46

Dust...29

E Earth's Second Moon...32

El Soñador...25

En Sus Manos...43

F

FLOAT...45

For Black Muslim

Girls...58

For my son...57

Forgotten Childhood...51

Forsythia - Pretty

Lungs...29

Frog In My Throat...37

Fruits of Labour...48

Furo...45

G

Ghost Grudge...43

Girlhood...27

Grief is Quiet...51

Grump in the Night...33

Gumball Machine...32

H

Half-Light...58

Heavenly Bodies...29

Higher Way...29

Ho! For the West

"Shakers" Music

Video...29

Hold Me When I Think

I'm Going Crazy by Ollie Chanin...37

holding hands with the moon...42

Homeseek...38

Honeydew, Darling...35 How to Survive Your First Date...31

Humanized...26

Hunger...29

I

I AM HOME...24

I Had A Strange

Dream Last Night...42

I Hope You Remember This Moment...35

I Probably Shouldn't Be Telling You This...48

I remember it from up close...34

I’m Not Her...42

Idle Speed...31

Impermanence...33

Imran and

Alykhan...27

In Search of Mount

Analogue...34

In Sight...24

In Situ...40

In Your Sheets...37

J Julia...54

Jungle Rhythms...40

Just Swallow...32

Justice For Vanessa...25

K

Kamayan...42

KOOK STREET...37

L

L'abattu Des Vents...49

Latchkey...56

Life Of A May y...39

Light...43

Lonely Birthday...54

Lost Kid

Wanderer...53

Lover's Human Tears...43

Lucy...31

Lullaby...34

M

Mango City...53

Masterpieces...57

Meet Me @ The AltarSay It (To My Face)

Merry Go Round...47

Mileage...49

missed connections...47

Moving...47

My House is Mine...42

N

Naños...37

Neon Phantom...43

Noodles Forever...24 nothing, except everything....42

Nurture...56

O

Obtusion...58

Oceans Away...50

Off The Menu...26

Oink...46

Onán...58

One Never Kills For Love...25

Other Homes..54

Our Highest Priority...30

P Paloma...48

Pam...30

Parental Orbit...46

Photocopy...49

Pink Flamingos

Everywhere...54

Please Hold...32

Poultry Panic...32

Prettiest To Me...28

Projectionist...57

Proof of Residency...43

Puck...48

Q

Quests Are for the Broke...38

R

Reaching Our Star...39

Reaper...49

Ring...49

Rodney Chrome - To The Money...48 ROOM...43

Run With Her...27

Runaway...28

S

Sacri cios...31

Sally! I Met A Boy by Maddy Davis...29

Sammy, Without Strings...45

Senseless...30

Slam Song...38

Slay The Beast from A State of Peace...34

Snow...30

Soft Launch...27

Somewhen, Again and Again...50

Sonata...32

Still Here...30

Suga Brown...31

Sun ower Field...54

T TAMING A SEAHORSE...56

Tell Me Something I Don't Know...37

The Big One: The Day Bigfoot Shot Dad...50

The Businessman...56

The Cabbage Statue...53

The Derivative Outlook on Love From the Perspective of Two Sixteen-Year-Olds...47

The External-Internal Monologue of an Interdependent Insomniac...27

The Flesh of Another...43

The last color of this city...53

The Last Page...57

The Mess We're In...58

The Oubliette...53

The Pointe...51

The Receipt...47

The Rise...45

The River...35

The Stack...58

There's Something About Ryan...49 Things Could Be Better...49

This is closest to how the last weeks of March felt like...46

Those Who Run...56

Tinashe - HMU for a Good Time...28

To The Lights...24

Today's Leaders, Tomorrow's Heroes...57

Together, Alone....54

Toy Phone...40

Transcendence...42

Treetops...29

U

Undaunted...38

UNKNOWN

ARTISTS...43

Unlucky Charms...49 V

Vacationland...57

Voyeuristic

Tendencies...35

W

Waiting Room...32

What A Waste

Virginia...50

Where I Stand...50

Where No One Lives...40

While We're Young...38

WHITE TEE - ROZIE

RAMATI...29

Why Did The Sunset? (Goreng Letsatsi Le Phirimile?)...40

Wilfrid...58

Wings of My Youth...53

WISH U WERE HERE...28

Z Zarbalatrax...33

# 2166...53

梅Mei...54