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.

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.