NFFTY 2019 Festival Guide

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T H U

UPTOWN 1

UPTOWN 2

OPENING NIGHT GALA pg 24 PRE-RECEPTION OPTIMISM BREWING SCREENING SIFF CINEMA EGYPTIAN

SIFF FILM CENTER

4:00 PM DOORS OPEN 6:00PM SCREENING 7:00 PM

10 A

SPEED NETWORKING

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FAMILY TIES

11:30AM

pg 28

RECLAIMING ME

1:30PM

pg 31

1 2

F R I

3 4

PALPABLE PERFORMANCES 3:30PM

pg 33

MORNING ECLECTIC 11:00AM

pg 26

A.L.: ARTIFICAL LIFE 1:00PM

pg 29

HOW TO GET VIMEO STAFF PICK 3:00PM

pg 21

5 6 7

BEER TASTING 5:30PM SCREENING 6:30PM

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S A T

2 3 4 5 6 7

THE LONG & SHORT OF IT 8:30PM

pg 38

AFTER HOURS ABSURDITY 10:30PM

pg 40

BRING THE KIDS

11:00AM

HUMAN IDENTITIES 1:00PM

pg 42

pg 47

LEVEL UP!

3:00PM

pg 49

KEYNOTE:

MATTY BROWN

5:00PM

pg 22

CENTERPIECE

6:30PM

pg 52

NIGHT TERRORS 8:30PM

pg 56

S U N

2 3 4 5

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POWERFUL GRIT 7:30PM

pg 37

A SCREENING DARKLY 9:30PM

pg 39

pg 19

WORKSHOP: GETTING THE MOST OUT OF FILM SCHOOL 1:00PM

pg 21

OUR CHANGING EARTH 2:00PM

pg 48

11:00AM

pg 22

ART IN MOTION 12:30PM

pg 44

ARTISTIC IDENTITY

FEATURE PRESENTATION

CALL ME INTERN 2:30PM

pg 49

IMMERSE YOURSELF 4:30PM

pg 51

RADICAL EXPERIMENTS 8:00PM

pg 54

FACING THE FRONTIER 12:00PM LOCALS ONLY

2:00PM

CREATING VIDEOS THAT SPARK MOVEMENT 11:30AM pg 21

CINEMATIC JOURNEY 11:00AM

pg 58

pg 60

SLAPS, BOPS & BANGERS 4:00PM

pg 70

CLOSING NIGHT 6:30PM

pg 74

AWARDS CEREMONY 8:00PM

COME AS YOU ARE 1:00PM

pg 62

ANIMATION SENSATIONS 3:00PM

pg 68

MASTERCLASS:

1:00PM

pg 22

EXISTENTIAL EPICS 2:30PM

pg 66

LIGHTEN UP!

pg 73

ANNA EMMA HAUDAL

pg 64

6 7P

pg 32

WORKSHOP:

48-HOUR FILM OFF 11:30AM

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GLOBAL CURRENTS 2:30PM

FILMMAKER BRUNCH & LEARN 9AM - 11AM

10 A 12

pg 21

FILMMAKER BRUNCH & LEARN 9AM - 11AM

8 9P

PANEL: WORKS IN PROGRESS 12:30PM

pg 34

10 A 11

pg 9

CROWDFUNDING TO BUILD INDEPENDENCE pg 21 4:30PM

HAPPY HOUR SHORTS

10 11P

9:00AM

SEED AND SPARK

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CORNISH PLAYHOUSE AND NESHOLM FAMILY LECTURE HALL

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4:30PM

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E

21

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WELCOME TO NFFTY 2019!

My first experience with NFFTY was as a manager of SIFF Cinema Uptown. For an entire weekend, enthusiastic young filmmakers were running in and out of each theater. I couldn’t understand why they wanted to jam films into their eyeballs for a constant 12 hours with no break. Surely there was such a thing as too many short films! I didn’t get it.

I started to poke my head into the theater for a few minutes here and there to see what all the fuss was about. And oh...I got it! NFFTY is cinephile’s dream. A festival of filmmakers making films for themselves and for their filmmaking peers, inspiring each other to take it to the next level year after year. The innovation in nearly every facet of filmmaking --- story, character, production design, cinematography, etc --- blew my mind. Add the fact that everyone made their films under the age of 25, and film is by far the most challenging major art form? I was hooked for life.

This is my fifth festival working for NFFTY, and I still feel that same level of excitement every year. If this is your first time, welcome. If this is your 13th time, welcome! We are so excited to be delivering this edition to you, which thanks to the strength of the diversity of both films and the filmmakers behind them, is one of our finest festivals yet. NFFTY continues toward being as inclusive as we hope that Hollywood will someday be...with over 50% of directors identifying as female/non-binary, and over 40% identifying as non-white! Representation in front of and behind the camera has never been stronger at any previous NFFTY, and the breadth and depth of stories reflect this rich range of perspectives and life experiences.

My sincere hope is for the films you’ll be immersed in for the next four days to be as life-changing and transformative for you as they were for myself and the rest of the NFFTY programming team. Honest and empathetic stories of how the world is --- and more importantly how it could be --- are more important now than ever. The future of film starts here!

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See you at the movies,

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Dan Hudson Managing Director, NFFTY

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NFFTY 2019 FUND DRIVE

SUPPORT NFFTY – GET COOL STUFF!

As a non-profit, NFFTY relies on your support and contributions in order to keep our operations running. Help us support the future of film by making a contribution at one of our iPads during the festival or online when you get home.

$5 DONATION

Greetings From NFFTY Postcard We’ll send it anywhere!

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NFFTY Tote, 11x17 Mini-Poster, Sunglasses, Sticker, Button

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NFFTY 2019 T-Shirt!

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$30 (OR MORE) CONTRIBUTION

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Contributions of any amount appreciated!

Cash, check, or credit cards accepted.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

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FILM CAREER DAY Friday, October 25, 2019 Cornish Playhouse & Nesholm Family Lecture Hall Participation is FREE for anyone 24 and under!

Check-in 8:30 AM Speed Networking 9:00 AM Breakout Sessions 10:40 AM Keynote 12:30 PM Lunch (provided) 1:30 PM Table Fair 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM

The second annual FILM CAREER DAY offers young adults, ages 13 - 24, with an ideal opportunity to explore the possibilities for employment behind the camera or in one of hundreds of other positions that contribute to the filmmaking process. Meet local and nationally-acclaimed directors, producers and content creators who know exactly what it takes to get started in the biz – and what you’ll need to master if you want to be taken seriously.

FILM CAREER DAY presents a broad curriculum that includes topical break-out sessions, industry networking opportunities, and a keynote address from film director (and NFFTY alumni!) Rayka Zehtabchi who, in 2019, became the first IranianAmerican woman to win an Academy Award for her documentary Period. End of Sentence., which she made when she was just 23 years old! Additionally, attendees will have the opportunity to connect with regional colleges and technical schools that offer film programs worth considering and meet film industry employers located right here in the Northwest.

Taking place at the Cornish Playhouse and Nesholm Family Lecture Hall, come spend the day exploring a wide range of career opportunities in the film industry.

Presented by the City of Seattle Office of Arts & Culture and Seattle Office of Film + Music, in partnership with the National Film Festival for Talented Youth (NFFTY) & One Reel.

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13TH ANNUAL NFFTY JURY STORY STARTS HERE

DUSTIN LANCE BLACK

RACHEL NOLL JAMES

KATHRYN ORWIG

NFFTY Alumni, 2018

ANIMATION

DEE ROBERTSON

NFFTY Alumni, 2013, 2014

NFFTY Alumni, 2013

AMOS SUSSIGAN

KEN TSUI

ROMAIN VAKILITABAR

JEAN DE MEURON

CURTIS WOLOSCHUK

LAURA FUEST SILVA

LARRY HRYB

PRANAY PATWARDHAN

ANIMATION (STUDENT)

RYAN KANE

NFFTY Alumni, 2017

NARRATIVE

A.M. LUKAS

MATT LAW NFFTY Alumni, 2010, 2015, 2018

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NARRATIVE (STUDENT)

GARRETT KENNELL

METTE NORKJAER

NFFTY Alumni, 2014-16, 2018

JESSE HARRIS

GIGI SAUL GUERRERO

NFFTY Co-Founder

NFFTY Alumni, 2012, 2014-15

ANNA PROULX

LEAH GALANT

DOCUMENTARY

CB SHAMAH

NOEL GOODWIN

NFFTY Alumni, 2014-15, 2017-18

DOCUMENTARY (STUDENT)

WARD SERRILL

SEAN KUSANAGI

KEVIN KLAUBER

NFFTY Alumni, 2009

NFFTY Alumni, 2008

SIGAL BUJMAN

EXPERIMENTAL (STUDENT)

ALEX JOHNSTON

ROCIO MESA

SINDHA AGHA

JOCELYN R.C.

NFFTY Alumni, 2018

NFFTY Co-Founder 11

ANIMATION - CINEMA PRODUCTION - SCREENWRITING Point Park University’s Cinema Arts students begin producing creative work within their first semester in a dynamic and collaborative educational environment. Located in Downtown Pittsburgh, PA.

PointPark.edu/Cinema

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JURY NOMINATED FILMS BEST NARRATIVE SHORT MY TIME Giulia Gandini - 24 UK PLAYHOUSE Kerry LeVielle - 23 New York WHAT DAPHNE SAW Lizz Marshall - 22 California LIMBO Matthew McGuigan - 20 United Kingdom LAVENDER Matthew Puccini - 24 New York AH GONG Clifford Miu - 24, Linhan Zhang - 21 Taiwan OTHER BLACK BOYS Nyles Washington - 23, Mackenzie McMahon - 23 California

BEST NARRATIVE SHORT (STUDENT) TREE #3 Omer Ben-Shachar - 22 California/Israel THE BEST IS YET TO COME Abena Taylor-Smith - 24 United Kingdom BIRD OF PARADISE Alexander Zorn - 24, Jacob Zorn - 24 Zoe White - 21 Chicago

OPEN Sarah Nocquet - 19 New York

THE PATRIOTIC MILLIONAIRE Jackson C Davis - 23 New York

VIRGENCITA Giselle Bonilla - 23, Alex Hass - 22, Aqsa Altaf - 24, Jean Ng - 22 California

BONFIRE Kevin Brooks - 24 Tennessee

HOW WE’RE GONNA MAKE IT THROUGH TILL THE MORNING SUN Mackie Mallison - 19 New York THE CHEF Hao Zheng - 24 California KNEELING SHEEP Hai Rihan - 24 China WILDFALL Karl Jungquist - 22, Mitch Martino - 22, Perry Balmer - 22, Neema Sadeghi - 22, Marie Marchant - 22 California EVERYTHING’S GREAT! Linnea Ritland - 22, Kyle Vollstaedt - 24, Courtney Verwold - 24 Canada

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SODOM & GOMORRAH Curtis Essel - 24 Ghana/UK YOU’RE GONNA BE OKAY Catherine McCord - 19 Virginia THE GOSPEL OF COMBAT David Hutchinson - 22, Marli Tague - 22, John Lowell Anderson - 23, Jared Chance - 23 California

DANCING ON BLACK AND WHITE John Li - 16 New Jersey

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT (STUDENT) ASCENT Maximilian Miesen - 17, Gabriel Yung - 17, Max Mereminsky - 17, Riley Scott - 17 California TALKING TO STRANGERS Lucy Rosenthal - 21 New York SCALING ICELAND Adam Hersko-RonaTas - 22 California OF THE SEA Jordyn Romero - 22 New Mexico WINNER OF PEACE Marisa Kelly - 19, Taylor Killefer - 21, Claire Imler - 19 California GODS FROM SPACE Annalise Pasztor - 20, Ty Leet - 20, Bogui Adjorlolo - 20 California GENERATION Z! Joji Baratelli - 18 California SEEDS OF DECEIT Miriam Guttmann - 24 Netherlands

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Things to Do Calendar · TheStranger.com/EverOut

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JURY NOMINATED FILMS BEST ANIMATED SHORT GRAB MY HAND: A LETTER TO MY DAD Camrus Johnson - 24, Frazier Smith - 24 New York MEETING AT HALF PAST FIVE Daria Litvichenko - 17 Estonia HOLD THE SUN IN YOUR HANDS: THE ERIKA JACOBY STORY Xenia Bernal - 16, Ian Kim - 12, Hank Schoen - 12, India Spencer - 15, Talia Abel - 16, Alejandro Moses de la Vega - 11, Eva Suissa - 16, Michael Zambrano - 17 California MOTHER Ejun Hong - 16 South Korea “DEAR SENSE” - LOUIS THE CHILD & MAX Morgan Gruer - 23 California HOWLING Parsa Bozorgani - 22 Iran

BEST ANIMATED SHORT (STUDENT)

SILHOUETTE CITY Poulomi Mukherji - 24 New York

YOUR SECURITY Elias ZX - 19 New York

KINOKO Erika Gomi - 22 California

UMBILICAL CORD TO HEAVEN Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan - 23, Hannah Schierbeek - 22, Keaton McQuarrie - 22, John Eblahan - 18 Phillippines

HAPPY LITTLE FLY Justin Fargiano - 19 New York EZTLI Samuel Smith - 18, Julie Lozano - 18 New York THE EMERGENCY BRAKE Macy How - 16, Ari Reuven - 17 Canada

BUTTERFLY Ella McKeon - 11 California UMA FRUTA ESTRANHA (A STRANGE FRUIT) Natalie Harris - 21 New York

WILD LOVE Paul Autric - 23, Quentin Camus - 23, Lea Gorgés - 23, Maryka Laudet - 23, Zoé Sottiaux - 23, Corentin Yvergniaux - 23, Julien Deparis - 23 France

BEST EXPERIMENTAL SHORT (STUDENT) THE ART OF HEALING Gregory Alexander Foltynowicz - 20, Bennett Barbosa - 19, Haley Johnson - 20, Katelyn Clarke - 20 California

NIGHT-RIDERS Jules Chin Greene - 22 California

MELONS Hailey McGill - 19 Washington

DON’T CROAK Daun Kim - 24 South Korea

I AM HE WHO CREATED HIMSELF Emma Penaz Eisner - 16 California

INTERPHASE Kenny Tran - 21 Canada

LEAVES Pedro Tamames - 21, Isabel Padilla - 22, Britney Ngaw - 18, Rhea D’Souza - 24 Spain 15

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CORNISH

UP

VERA

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HARRISON ST

EGYPTIAN OPTIMISM CHOP SUEY

FILM

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SIFF Uptown Cinema

SIFF Film Center

SIFF Cinema Egyptian

Cornish Playhouse

Mediterranean Inn

Maxwell Hotel

Nesholm Family Lecture Hall

Optimism Brewing

Chop Suey

511 Queen Anne Ave N Fri-Sun Screenings

201 Mercer St Film Career Day, Speed Networking

321 Mercer St Film Career Day

Corner of Warren & Republican Fri-Sun Screenings

425 Queen Anne Ave N Partner Hotel

1158 Broadway Opening Night Pre-reception

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805 Pike St Opening Night Screening

300 Roy St Partner Hotel, Filmmaker Mixer

1325 E Madison St Opening Night Afterparty

The Vera Project

Corner of Warren & Republican Closing Night Party 17

MEDITERRANEAN EDITERRANEAN-INN NN.COM COM | 206·425·4700

MEDITERR

48-HOUR FILM OFF Saturday, October 26 11:30 AM Uptown 2 511 Queen Anne Avenue N High schools compete for cash to support their film programs

ITERRANEAN-INN.COM

| 206·425·4700

THE CHALLENGE Teams were tasked with making a 3-minute movie in two days! Come and watch the 24 short films and cast your vote to help determine the winner!

PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS Anacortes High School Ballard High School Bothell High School Canyon Crest Academy Cascade High School Center School Chaminade College Preparatory Elizabeth High School Episcopal High School Graham-Kapowsin High School Kingston High School Mount Si High School Newport High School Notre Dame High School Palos Verdes High School Randolph High School Rocky Mountain High School Roosevelt High School Saugus High School Shawnigan Lake School - Film Arts Spanaway Lake High School St. Margaret’s Episcopal School Vancouver School of the Arts and Academics West Broward High

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PANELS & WORKSHOPS FRIDAY PANEL: WORKS IN PROGRESS

Friday, October 25 12:30 PM SIFF Film Center FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Join us for NFFTY’s 5th annual Works In Progress event! We will be screening unfinished films from filmmakers 24 and under and host a conversation with a panel of industry professionals that will provide constructive feedback to the selected filmmakers. This great opportunity to present unfinished works in an intimate, collaborative environment is open to all filmmakers; both those with or without a film screening in the regular festival lineup.

HOW TO GET A VIMEO STAFF PICK + ONE SHOT WONDERS: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP EDITING AND LOVE THE LONG TAKE Friday, October 25 3:00 PM Uptown 2

Join us for this exciting two-part workshop! First, Meghan Oretsky from Vimeo will walk you through some tips and on how to score a Vimeo Staff pick, and then you’ll hear from filmmaker/NFFTY alum/multi-Vimeo Staff Pick holder Caleb Slain as he helps you discover the secret sauce of crafting electrifying unbroken sequences; from writing, to rehearsals, to spatial improv and divine accidents, this hands-on experience workshops a scene live in front of the audience.

SEED&SPARK: CROWDFUNDING TO BUILD INDEPENDENCE

Friday, October 25 4:30 PM SIFF Film Center FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

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Seed&Spark connects people through stories that matter. Since 2012, their platform has helped thousands of creators bring stories to life and to audiences via story-centric crowdfunding, on-platform streaming, live community events and workplace programs that cultivate a culture of diversity and inclusion. At the heart of their cornerstone “Crowdfunding to Build Independence” workshop is a dedication to connecting creators with their audiences. It lays out the steps toward a successful crowdfunding campaign, as well as a career-long action plan most likely to create a lasting, flourishing, direct relationship with your audience. You’ll learn how to find and activate your audience, structure your crowdfunding campaign and pitch video, pick the right goal and incentives, and much more beyond marketing the campaign itself. Because after all, it isn’t just about crowdfunding: it’s about career building. Your career starts here!

SATURDAY STUDENT FILMMAKING AND ARTISTIC IDENTITY Saturday, October 26 11:00 AM SIFF Film Center FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Presented by

Join us for an engaging discussion about artistic identity and filmmaking featuring Michael Mittelstaedt, Division Director of Motion Picture Arts at Interlochen Center for the Arts. Attendees will learn how to develop their artistic identities in order to better access their creative ideas in visual storytelling.

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF FILM SCHOOL! Saturday, October 26 1:00 PM Uptown 2 FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Learn the 10 tips to get the most out of your film school investment, 2 things you need to be looking for in every film school, and the 2 things that separate the most successful film students from the rest of the pack!

KEYNOTE: MATTY BROWN Saturday, October 26 5:00 PM Uptown 1

Presented by brought to you by

Get ready to be flooded with creative inspiration! Filmmaker and Vimeo Staff Pick record-holder Matty Brown is joining us this year to share his unique journey navigating the film industry and talk about everything from discovering and enhancing your own style to combatting self doubt. See how Matty’s projects evolved from inception to the final cut and learn some new techniques for you own creative process!

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SUNDAY CREATING VIDEOS THAT SPARK MOVEMENT

Presented by

Sunday, October 27 11:30 AM Uptown 2 FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

How does NowThis rack in over 2.5 billion views a month and reach over 70% of young Americans? This workshop gives an exclusive look into the unique NowThis workflow that gives the #1 news brand on social the edge in fast-breaking political and social justice coverage.

In this workshop, NowThis associate producer, Jackson C Davis, will walk you through the production of a NowThis video from inception to publishing, and along the way, show you how we find stories, how we breakdown political jargon, and how soundbites and b-roll can come together to tell stories of the activist generation.

MASTERCLASS: ANNA EMMA HAUDAL Sunday, October 27 1:00 PM SIFF Film Center

Presented by

Writer and director Anna Emma Haudal will take you through the development of her web series DOGGYSTYLE and discuss how it started as a graduation script for a feature film and ended as a web series that screened on national broadcast tv. A masterclass about research, developing and the anxiety of being a successful artist.

Discover the art of visual storytelling. Earn your BFA or MFA in Film at ArtCenter.

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ArtCenter College of Design

Pasadena, California

626 396-2200

artcenter.edu

AUDIENCE AWARDS TEXT TO VOTE Vote for your favorite film via text to

(650) 600-9016

Stick around after each film screening to find out each film’s unique code that you can text to the above number in order to cast your vote.

These votes will determine who takes home the Audience Awards for each screening.

Voting will stay open for 30 minutes after each screening event.

One vote accepted per phone. There is no surcharge for text to vote, although standard carrier message rates may apply.

NOTE: Those without cell phones, or with international plans – please visit the NFFTY merch/info table in the lobby for help casting your vote.

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OPENING NIGHT GALA Optimism Brewing Pre-Reception begins at 4:00pm SIFF Cinema Egyptian Screening starts at 7:00 PM Arrive in style at our pre-reception at Optimism Brewing where you can pick up your festival pass and opening night ticket, take photos, and mingle with other filmmakers and festival supporters. Then head over to the SIFF Cinema Egyptian to kick off the 13th Annual National Film Festival for Talented Youth! Enjoy an outstanding lineup of short films made by some of the best young directors from around the world.

After the screening, make your way to Chop Suey for an all-ages, unforgettable after-party! Co-produced by Votiv, the after-party features incredible live performances from superstar Seattle bands in a private show just for NFFTY attendees!

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MY TIME

YOU’RE GONNA BE OKAY

A 12-year-old girl has her first period in class. Her skirt is stained red.

She is up next to present her final paper in front of all her peers. Will she find a way out of the ‘uncomfortable’ situation?

After undergoing open-heart surgery, eighteen-year-old filmmaker Catherine McCord recalls intimate moments in her life, blending vintage home movies and voicemails with the present, recounting her recovery.

TREE #3

SODOM & GOMORRAH

After he’s been cast (again!) as a background tree in his annual middle school play, an ambitious and imaginative Israeli immigrant boy leads a revolution on stage that his intolerant drama teacher will never forget.

Sodom & Gomorrah, documents showcases compelling stories of people on Jamestown Beach, Ghana.

Giulia Gandini - 24 UK

Omer Ben-Shachar - 22 California/Israel

Catherine McCord - 19 Virginia

Curtis Essel - 24 Ghana

GRAB MY HAND: A LETTER TO MY DAD Camrus Johnson - 24, Frazier Smith - 24 New York

In this retelling of his dad’s relationship with his best friend, GRAB MY HAND is Camrus Johnson’s gift to his grieving father and a message to all to cherish every second you have with the ones you love while you still can.

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MORNING ECLECTIC

Friday, October 25, 2019 11:00 AM Uptown 2 Spice up your life! Dive into the festival weekend by taking in a marvelous mixed bag of scintillating shorts. These stories range from a wacky watchful house to a true tale of badgers bothering Brits! It’s a beautiful bounty of masterful miscellany.

Presented by

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THIS HOUSE HAS EYES Theo Taplitz - 16 California

GETTING OLD

Hanabi Copon - 16, Sunny Keller - 15 California

I SHOULD HAVE LOVED A THUNDERBIRD INSTEAD

Debora Maité Bottino - 23, Ross McFarlane - 21, Megan Jarvie - 20 UK

A house and an invalid boy collude to keep the boy’s fragile relationship with his depressed caretaker afloat.

Growing up is getting old.

BADGERANTES

BITTERSWEET

BOY

A boy from the suburbs falls for a girl from out of town.

A young man finds himself during backpacking in Prague and gets confronted with loneliness. The first step into adulthood and the distance to the family hurts. He gets to know an older woman, working in a supermarket and they share an intimate moment together.

Sam Carter - 21, Patrick Gillespie - 21, Gary Renals - 21 UK Badgerantes unveils the dark world of the ‘countryside warfare’ seen between animal rights protestors and farmers as a result of the badger cull in the UK.

Set in the heart of the Scottish Highlands, the story follows the quirky and optimistic Frankie as she tries to deal with her boyfriend’s corpse.

Ishaan Parmar - 17, Will Noyce - 17 California

In memory of Ieuan Watkins

ASCENT

Maximilian Miesen - 17, Gabriel Yung - 17, Max Mereminsky - 17, Riley Scott - 17 California A documentary about Joshua, an 18 year old rock climber diagnosed with autism, who has surpassed expectations despite challenges he has faced in his life.

Simon Maria Kubiena - 20, Clara Leoblova - 18 Germany

BUBBLEHEAD Vigga Wagner - 15 Denmark

A girl lives a solitary life in her own magnificent underwater world inside her apartment. But when one morning she wakes up to find that her beloved goldfish is dead, she is forced out of her own safe reality and into an amazing fishmonger’s shop, where she meets a boy who helps her pick a new goldfish.

The girl soon finds herself unable to stay away from the wonderful fishmonger’s shop and the fascinating boy, and she discovers that the world outside her apartment is not as cruel as she thought.

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FAMILY TIES

Friday, October 25, 2019 11:30 AM Uptown 1

Some families are assigned at birth, others are chosen. Still others are grown and nourished over time. Either way, the ties that bind also can bend or break as life takes its twists and turns.

Take a journey through the communal struggles and triumphs of characters who are entrenched in the familiar familial feuds that many of us face. Family comes first and last here! *This screening may not be suitable for all ages.

FROM OUR LAUNDRY

PACURÍ

STARRY NIGHT

A TO B

David and Charlie, the children of the family, have taken over the chore of doing the laundry. But soon David finds a garment which rapidly changes the atmosphere and uncovers a tragedy.

15 year-old Paraguayan-American, Pacurí, lives in a claustrophobic apartment on the other side of town — a town of country-club members and golden retrievers. At the cusp of her Quinceañera, she must decide where her loyalties lie: with her devoted family, or her wealthy friends.

Cara must make a choice– abandon her sisters, and pursue her dreams?

Or sacrifice herself, so that one day they too might stand a chance?

Through an examination of their own personal archives including photos, journals, and memories two identical twin sisters learn how their past experience will come to shape their future.

MORMOR

AH GONG

PLAYHOUSE

A personal essay film about grief, through the lens of the filmmaker’s relationship to his Grandmother and the things she left behind after passing away.

Eleven year old Chris arrives at the hospital only to realize that his mother and uncles have decided to pull the plug on his beloved grandfather.

Resting on the shoulders of a single day, a young girl experiences the daunting immediacy of responsibility when tasked to care for her ailing grandmother.

Albin Abrahamsson - 18, Jakob Eliasson - 18 Sweden

Matthew McDonald - 22 Washington

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Miles Warren - 21, Jacob Snyder - 22 New York

Clifford Miu - 24, Linhan Zhang - 21 Taiwan

Emma Smith - 22, Caoilinn Handley 22, Anna Heisterkamp - 22, Rachel Moloney - 22 Ireland

Kerry LeVielle - 23 New York

Bridget McKenna - 22, Andrea Parmalee - 24 Philadelphia

A.L.: ARTIFICIAL LIFE

Friday, October 25, 2019 1:00 PM Uptown 2

Houston, we have a program! Blast off into alternate realities where the space-time continuum is corrupted and dystopian dehumanization is rampant. Meet fantastical South African creatures and enter into the world of artificial intelligence-based apps that may soon shape our world. Just don’t look at the moon!

Presented by

LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, WE ARE FLOATING IN SPACE

MIDNIGHT MARATHON

NOMVULA

DISSEMINARE

MY EXTINCT LOVE FOR YOU

ROGER

Denzo is faced to fight in order to change his DNA classification system of a country powered by racism and hate.

In a world where love has gone extinct Pauline meets Douglas in the new virtual reality app, Stranger Sessions. Their connection evolves however, the strict rules of the dystopian world and Pauline’s own reservations prevent their happily ever after.

Jonah Haber - 21, Stefan Vucic - 21, Michael Hua - 24 Advik Beni - 20, Jason Maselle - 21, Tristan C. Pina - 19, Joshua Hood - 19, Canada William Douglas - 21, Pauline Shrosbree- 21 Jonah Sevigny - 20 South Africa Canada When the whole world is hypnotized by an unexplainable celestial event, a young boy must Nomvula is South Africa’s first ever creature film.

An unfulfilled high school senior becomes obsessed face his fear of the unknown in order to keep his Whilst trying to cope with the sudden and recent with an ominous radio broadcast containing steps brother and best friend from turning to the other loss of her mother, Nomvula takes refuge in to a cryptic puzzle. Thinking he is being pursued by side. establishing a friendship with a strange creature a sinister organization, his search for clues takes that has taken shelter in the industrial landscape over his life. of South Africa. Nomvula is determined to help the creature as a means to cope with her own alienation, however she fails to realize that the journey she is about to take will change her life forever.

Jools Beardon - 23, Jaime Calachi - 21, Laura Avilés - 21 Spain

Stephanie Townsend - 23, Luisa Muniz - 22, Emma Djwa - 22, Linnea Pahl - 20 Canada

Reuben Hamlyn - 23, Max Keegan - 23 United Kingdom Lena embarks on her new job as a “Roger,” a service application that provides its clients with a domestic assistant with which they never directly communicate. Unsettled by her new role, Lena strives to build a relationship with her employer through unexpected means.

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RECLAIMING ME

Friday, October 25, 2019 1:30 PM Uptown 1

How do we see each other? How do we see ourselves? Watch these fearless filmmakers flip perception on its head and reclaim their identities through bold conversations on motherhood, sexuality, self-image, gender identity, and more. A lionhearted line-up of individuals expressing exactly who they are - and aren’t - for the world to see. *This screening may not be suitable for all ages.

HOME IS WHERE

Susan McCormick - 21, Beppy Gietema - 22, Þórhanna Inga Ómarsdóttir - 24, Paola Acevedo - 22 Georgia Eva prepares for a home visit with an adoption agency only to realize she has shared history with the social worker sent to interview her.

BAD BOY

Riley Street - 19, Una Campbell - 17, Charles Wyson - 18, Izzy Cassandra-Newsam - 19 California

I LOVE YOU, I’M SORRY

TALKING TO STRANGERS

BABY STEPS

An apology letter from my mother is turned into a love letter to myself, my body, and my sexuality.

A filmmaker revisits her complex personal history with a popular webcamming site.

Through middle school texts, webcam videos, and secret moments, a young woman comes of age online. As she grows, she grapples with gender identity and sexuality, finding new language for herself.

HONEY, BABY, DOLL

THE SHADOW OF CAIRO

MELONS

Ariel Grier - 21 Washington

Lucy Rosenthal - 21 New York

Kate von Mende - 18, Keilani Vega - 18, Tara Shehata - 23, Isabel von Mende - 16 Eliana Neustadt - 24, California Andrew McGee - 23, Matteo Bangrazi- 24 An experimental exploration into a Egypt Cassy is a 17 year old LA teen, teenage girl’s psyche. navigating the in’s and out’s of Bad Maya, a young Egyptian girl, whose Boy culture only to fall for a “bad boy” mother died during a minor surgery, herself. This exhilarating yet emotional believes that the surgeon who ride helps Cassy gain self respect and operated on her was distracted a new appreciation for friendship. by various societal issues. Heavily influenced by Superhero pop-culture, Maya decides to become a superhero vigilante to fight and avenge her mother.

Kira Findling - 21 California

Hailey McGill - 19 Washington A fruity depiction of life with a large chest.

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GLOBAL CURRENTS

Friday, October 25, 2019 2:30 PM SIFF Film Center

Borders, billionaires, foreign-born babies, rehabilitation, and the right to bear arms. The rights we are given and responsibilities we face as global citizens are brought into focus by these 5 documentaries illuminating personal perspectives of those on the frontlines of progress. The events are current and the tides of change are rising. Lean in and join the conversation! *This screening may not be suitable for all ages.

Presented by

THE PATRIOTIC MILLIONAIRE

AMERICAN NATIONAL

RAINBOW MOTHERS

Stephen Prince is a multi-millionaire who made his fortune as the CEO of National Business Products, a company that manufactures plastic gift cards.

Unlike most millionaires, however, he is calling to reform the tax code and make the wealthy pay their fair share.

A look at the effects of being unable to get US citizenship from the perspective of some key individuals in Salt Lake City’s large American Samoan population.

A Chinese lesbian couple’s fight to become wife and wife, mama and mommy in a country where both wishes are deemed illegal.

PARKLAND: STORIES FROM THE SURVIVORS

UNHARNESSED

Jackson C Davis - 23 New York

Lucca Vieira - 16, Carolina Rapp - 18, Miguel Batista - 17 Florida

A year after the fatal shooting at their high school in Parkland, Florida, five Stoneman Douglas High School students share their experiences during that fateful day, and how it impacted their lives.

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Gabriel Knoos-Newton - 22, Jack Belisle - 21 California

Eveline Levin - 21 New York

Documenting the connection between human and horse, “Unharnessed” explores a unique rehabilitation program for youth who are survivors of or are at risk of sex trafficking.

Elle Luan - 24, Guoxiu Jiang - 24, John Baxter - 24 New York

PALPABLE PERFORMANCES

Friday, October 25, 2019 3:30 PM Uptown 1

And the award for most palpable performance by a performer in a leading role goes to...you decide! We’ve rounded up the most scintillating scene-stealers to showcase the sacred theatrics of tried-and-true thespians. Thuffering thuccotash! (snapping is widely encouraged) *This screening may not be suitable for all ages.

Presented by

MY BOY

Charlotte Regan - 24, Hazel Sington - 23 United Kingdom

THE CHEF

WHEN SHE SPEAKS

Jacqueline Xerri - 21, Millicent Louise Jenkins - 22, Stephen Musumeci - 23, In a time when work is done by robots, Raymond Knudsen - 23 Daniel is a father desperately a traditional Chinese chef is forced to New York looking for his son - as he contacts train a Caucasian humanoid to cook a scattered group of family and Chinese food, but a former protégé of A complicated childbirth is only the friends, telling stories and jokes where the chef makes this harder by joining first affliction to strain the marriage of he possibly can, we realize that a an anti-robot riot group. a faithful wife and her distinguished heartbreaking reality lies at the root of husband in this riveting true story. his search.

STAGE READY

Raymond Knudsen - 23, Tyler Knutt - 22, Stephen Musumeci - 22, Jacqueline Xerri - 21 Florida An obsessed bodybuilder who struggles with personal demons and his family’s lack of support soon learns that achieving perfection is all he has left.

Hao Zheng - 24 California

TRUCKER’S ATLAS

CROHNIE

A working relationship between two power-line repair man is put under pressure when one returns to work after a family bereavement. This film explores emotional repression and outdated ideals of masculinity within working class men.

While deflecting concerns about his Crohn’s disease, a young man receives an unexpected announcement from his parents in their backyard swimming pool.

SEE HOW THEY RUN

Lauren Meyering - 24, Alexa Cha - 21, Evan Black - 24, Kit Meyering - 24, Aaron Wesselman - 24 California A reckless girl and her ragtag gang of boys divulge in a night of antics, until a home-invasion goes south, forcing up memories of her past resulting in a choice to turn around or flee the scene.

Dan Thorburn - 23, Sarah Palmer - 23, Derek Mari - 23, Halley Albert - 23, Jack Sherratt - 22, Max Graham - 22 Cullum Andrews - 23 United Kingdom California

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HAPPY HOUR SHORTS

Friday, October 25, 2019 6:30 PM Uptown 1 Just got paid, it’s friday night, party huntin’, feelin’ right! Make your first weekend stop this highkey hectic mix of upbeat yams that’ll yeet your Arrive at 5:30 for free beer, stay for the screening starting at 6:30. Tasting wheat and make you ready to hit the street! From music vids to magical included with Film Ticket and ID. kids to a nostalgic nod to being a kid Cheers to the weekend! to a wrestler who can’t cry to cupid’s mighty try and a happy little fly who...

Beer provided by just might die. Jk! Who knows! Gotta see for yourself kthxbye.

Screening is all-ages Beer is 21+ w/ valid ID

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“DEAR SENSE” - LOUISE THE CHILD & MAX

FREAK BEAST

HAPPY LITTLE FLY

ASSEMBLY REQUIRED

I HEARD TWO GUNSHOTS AT MORNING

MIDNIGHT SCREAMING

Benjamin Huerta - 21 California

David Trotter - 21, Kama Sood - 21, Isaiah Berra - 21, Ben Swan - 21 Canada

A young woman struggles to admit that she’s literally falling apart.

Shoot your shot: C. is an assassin preparing to take out two unsuspecting young adults Selena and Josue, preoccupied with other affairs and oblivious to the danger they’re in, will they notice her before it’s too late?

A coming-of-age comedy/horror short film about a boy and his grandfather who manage a movie theatre. After zombies escape from a haunted film reel, the two must gather their wits and loyalty to save the place they call home.

DEEPLY ROOTED

SUMMON A FIEND

NOAH MAC KEEPMELOOKINGFORWARD

Honor Kidd - 22, Kyle Blaich - 21, Jake Dugger - 22, Justin Fargiano - 19 Morgan Gruer - 23 Roman Richard - 21 New York California California A house fly spirals into an existential crisis at the “Dear Sense” is a visually mesmerizing, illusionistic Professional wrestler, Freak Beast, is going to have hand of his executioner. video that illustrates the power of Louis The Child to learn the most difficult move: how to cry. and Max’s music through their interaction with their surrounding environment.

Christian Whittemore - 21, Autumn Griffin - 21, Jack Massura - 21, Bryan Taira- 21 California

Daniel Irving - 22, Chris Girard - 20 Canada A salesperson tries to sell his kidnapped victim flowers. Really hard.

Eleanor Cho - 21, Gabrielle Roberts - 21, Jacob Bonham - 22, Pimvenus Clark - 24 California A lonely little girl discovers a magical spell book but gets more than she bargained for when she attempts to summon a friend.

Chris Thach - 19 California

A music video exploring the depths of childhood in the most striking way possible, paired with an intensely personal song.

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The world needs more bravery.

www.watkins.edu/academics/film 36

POWERFUL GRIT

Friday, October 25, 2019 7:30 PM SIFF Film Center

Buckle your eyebelts and grit your teeth, this wild ride will take you into the depths of drama. From a vengeful church confession to a blind man’s deteriorating marriage to an all-knowing robotic servant, your senses will be satiated by this dark display of deep emotion. Too legit to grit, amirite?! *This screening may not be suitable for all ages.

BABY

YOU’RE STILL HERE

Vincent D’Alessandro - 21, Katayoun Parmar - 24 Kirsten Pasewaldt - 21 Finley King - 20 Iran New Jersey The life of a young couple on the Baby, a distracted, seven-year-old girl verge of the man’s blindness is in a cheaply stitched princess dress, collapsing and the only thing that will spends her days in and around the save them is their own common past. food court where her mother works.

Baby and Ma, now quite used to this routine, are visited by an unwanted guest who changes the course of their tranquility.

THE CONFESSION

WILDFLOWER

When a teenager enters a church, what at first appears to be a simple confession becomes something more sinister when the Priest discovers they are aware of his dark past and won’t let him forget it.

In a dystopian future where racist white fear is weaponized, a young warrior must find the courage to lead her community.

Nathan Ginter - 20 New York

Jumai Yusuf - 24, Alexander Atienza - 23 California

IN MY HOUSE

WHAT DAPHNE SAW

HOWLING

EDEN

Two brothers struggle to care for themselves faced with their mother’s Heroin addiction. Based on a true story.

In a dystopian future where violent criminals are reprogrammed into docile servants, a woman must survive her punishment of silent, mindless servitude in a home that hides the darkest of secrets.

A few years back, a video of stray dogs being killed by acid injection by council workers in Shiraz (Iran) went viral. Nobody took responsibility for the action.

Young couple gets into the nightclub, where they try some forbidden substance, which transforms their consciousness. Its effect changes their lives forever.

Zackary Centrella - 23, Daniel Solé - 24, Jon Chen - 24, Noam Harary - 24 New York

Lizz Marshall - 22 California

Parsa Bozorgani - 22 Iran

Umarov Felix - 24 Russia

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THE LONG & SHORT OF IT

Friday, October 25, 2019 8:30 PM Uptown 1

AŞRI (DISTANT)

Ecegül Bayram - 22, Crystal Zhang - 21, Konstantin Lyubimov - 21 Turkey Bahar’s simple but happy life changes after her husband buys a second wife, Meryem. After spending a day filled with tension, the women realize that they’re not that different from each other.

A THREE PLAYER SCRUM Danika Vermette - 24 Canada

Make your way downtown, walking fast, faces pass and I’m NFFTY bound! Friday’s featured shorts block takes you on an emotional journey through life, love, and the psychological effects of solitary confinement. You know I’d walk a thousand miles if I could just see this screening, tonight. *This screening may not be suitable for all ages.

TWO BIRDS

Trapped in a sort of domestic hellscape, on opposite Maybe the one you love isn’t the one you need? sides of the same wall, Eva and Desiree must find a way to survive. The two characters develop diverging approaches to their circumstances but converge at a point of emotional vulnerability. “Two Birds” explores the psychological effects of solitary confinement and pulls the larger matrix of gender and domesticity into focus.

EVERYTHING’S GREAT!

Linnea Ritland - 22, Kyle Vollstaedt - 24, Courtney Verwold - 24 Canada

Olivia and Aude have played rugby sevens together for years. After the new girl’s first game, Oli only has Everything’s Great! is a comedy-drama about an eyes for her. awkward, hapless lesbian who bounces between a messy not-relationship relationship and her alcoholic-dad-soaked home life, trying to find stability in others—and eventually finding it in herself.

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ROSES ARE YELLOW

Moira Fett - 22, Kerry Levielle - 23, Lucy Adams - 24 Aviaja Skotte, 21 New York Denmark

A SCREENING DARKLY

Friday, October 25, 2019 9:30 PM SIFF Film Center

What is life? Are we human? Or are we dancer? Can a copy machine feel love? Is the future a repeat of the past? If you’re looking for visions of what’s to come of our Earthly reality, look no further than this collection of outlandish, otherworldly observations from cunning creators. Now where did I put my keys? *This screening may not be suitable for all ages.

PHOTOTRON 69

GODS FROM SPACE

WILDFALL

Ashton Redding, a mailroom attendant at Brev Corp, is lured into a strange bond with the Phototron 69 photocopier machine in the office. As their interactions intensify, Ashton finds himself drawn uncontrollably to the machine and thrown deeper into his newfound connection.

This documentary enters the surreal world of The Aetherius Society, where prayer can be stored in a battery, Jesus was an alien, and an unusual but kind-hearted community works towards the betterment of humanity.

In a future where nearly all wildlife has gone extinct, a former circus showman seeks revenge on the animal that ruined his life.

I AM HE WHO CREATED HIMSELF

AS ADVISED

Joining with his shadow, the first god creates himself, the progenitor of humanity. This surrealistic film intermixes stop motion animation, time lapse photography, and live action sequences to reimagine one of the paradigmatic creation myths recorded in antiquity.

In an 80s dystopia world where technology knows you better than you know yourself, a teen, uncomfortable in his own skin, is willing to disguise his personality to be the person he has always wanted to become.

Zach Madden - 24, Noah Iunes - 24, Tehillah De Castro - 23 California

Emma Penaz Eisner - 16 California

Annalise Pasztor - 20, Ty Leet - 20, Bogui Adjorlolo - 20 California

Arnaud Zimmermann - 22, Quinn Halleck - 21, Jonathan Galliano - 21, Jack Belisle -21 California

Karl Jungquist - 22, Mitch Martino - 22, Perry Balmer - 22, Neema Sadeghi - 22, Marie Marchant - 22 California

BUBBLE

Vicente Manzano - 24, Alfonso Torres - 24 California Isolated in a utopian world, a phone therapist lives a consumer lifestyle. Despite her comfort, she deals with a dark figure that leaches into her emotional life.

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AFTER HOURS ABSURDITY

Friday, October 25, 2019 10:30 PM Uptown 1 Question: What do you get when you (redacted) a (redacted) and then put it in a (redacted) until it (redacted)? Answer: This screening! Come with an open mind, leave with a (redacted) mind. 9 of out 100 doctors recommend this screening as a cure for (redacted)! *This screening may not be suitable for all ages.

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BENNIFER

4 MILKS

A SLIGHT INCONVENIENCE

A boy who loves milk is exposed to lemonade.

Four strangers experience a slight inconvenience.

Their lives change forever.

FOOTY BEEF (DO IT) - ONION THE MAN

SCENES FROM A HIBACHI RESTAURANT

A CARTWRIGHT FAMILY CHRISTMAS

In a music video from a Portland based funk band, Onion the Man, a group of groovy boys loose themselves to lust and dance.

Friday at the local hibachi restaurant. Sake is flowing and flames are burning, but when the fire goes out, what is there to talk about?

TABITHA IN LOVE

YOU HAVE PROBABLY NEVER HEARD OF HORNITA CALYPSO

TIME COP - FIRST BLOOD

When a well intentioned father disapproves of his son’s television taste, he takes the opportunity to teach his child a lesson- and maybe change the stereotypes in animated web content while he’s at it. This witty and absurd short film touches on topics from diet culture to sex education in a relatable portrayal of everyday life.

A villain gets between the wrong man and his old flame. Time Cop returns to take names and kickass in this 80s inspired music video!

Ryan McGlade - 24 New York Jed’s family isn’t how he remembered it.

Marcus Soto - 21, Jordan Abell - 23, Shelby Thwing - 20, Eric Abell - 20 California

Christian Flashman - 22, Moss Perricone - 22, Zack Kawasaki - 22 New York After a strange sexual awakening with her pool boy and his dislocated ankle, Tabitha has to come to terms with her new sense of sexuality while trying to stop a drug recall that can end her newly found love.

Austin Coombs-Perez - 19, Joji Baratelli - 19, Chelsea Eisen - 19, Jeremy Herron - 19 California

Stephen Musumeci - 23, Raymond Knudsen - 23, Jacqueline Xerri - 22 Millicent Louise Jenkins - 22 Florida

Tala Schlossberg - 21 New York

Alan Moutal - 21, Christian Hyatt - 21, Eli Bessudo - 21, Enrique De la Garza - 22 California

Dylan DeVol - 21, Ally Kroeckel - 21, Jenna Huskisson - 21, Christian Hurley - 20, Alex Schultz - 21 California A mother must do whatever it takes to stop her family from uncovering a long-held secret on Christmas morning.

Ethan Hawthorne-Dallas - 17, Zane Rupp - 18, Skye Armstrong - 16 Washington

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BRING THE KIDS

Saturday, October 26, 2019 11:00 AM Uptown 1 It’s a family affair! Gather your kids - and that one neighbor kid who never goes home - and head down to NFFTY for a top-of-the-morning treat! From an adolescent magician to an endearing tail of a stray cat to an exploration of how love can unite us, we can certainly join together in celebration of these young directors! *Kids welcome, only youthful adults allowed Presented by

KINOKO

Erika Gomi - 22 California A couple of mushrooms have a fun day out!

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QUEEN OF SPADES

Sydney Posliff - 20, Levi Marshall - 20, Caitlin Bevington - 20, Meagan Brown- 20 Canada

A young girl struggling with confidence in her own magic abilities follows a trail of clues leading the discover the real magic behind her diseased mother’s craft. Coming to realize that magic is just as much about the magicians themselves as it is the tricks they perform.

HIGH HOPES

Una Campbell - 18, Cleo Palmieri - 16 California Based on a true story... the story of a father and daughter.

OUTSIDE

Emma Evanson - 14, Patricia Baena - 14 California A young girl discovers a world far beyond her own when she steps Outside.

THE LAST STRAW

UNVEILED

A girl, her crush, and one groovy Spring Fling.

Unveiled is a short documentary told from the perspective of two teenage, Muslim girls who seek to shatter the false reputation and connotation that the hijab carries in Western society. While the media often demeans Muslim women by recognizing the hijab as an oppressive force, the girls ultimately unveil the truth that the media often overlooks.

PERFEGGTION

THE GIANT AND THE MOON

Emma Craft - 21 Washington

Ethan Chene - 17, Eris Coulombe - 18, Beth Jacks - 16, Elise Hixson - 16 Florida

Sofia Bajwa - 16 Texas

Max Shoham - 16 Canada

A story of love and loss. This film depicts the On a rural farm, a flock of hens eat, sleep, and intersection between the fairy tale of The Giant lay eggs. One of the hens, Gwen, in the flock is and the Moon and the love and eventual loss alienated by the rest of the chickens because her between a boy and a girl. peculiar eggs, Gwen sets off to find out what to do differently to lay the perfect egg.

HIDDEN

Jess O’Brien - 17, Shawn Kumara - 15, Shauna Hyde - 16 United Kingdom Solomon reads aloud a poem with a beauty that surprises his classmates except one, Katie. The poem has a meaning and two secrets only they know about.

LOVE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING Billy Quinn - 11 California

KINKY

Tayana Brumaire - 21, Jada Ferguson - 22, Kati Perez - 23 New York After straightening her natural hair behind her mother’s back, Maybelline a 14-year old Brooklyn teen who experiences the pressure of looking beautiful must decide to remain straight or return to her natural state.

STRAY CAT AH Q

Mulan Fu - 21, Kea Lia Pedersen - 21, Liyanbing He -21 New York A chance encounter between a stray cat and a young girl becomes a lifelong friendship able to withstand distance and time.

LIGHT AND DAY

Dexter Gardner - 16, Sam Kellman - 16 California

Having worked a dull brick-coloring job for the I see inequality and injustice in the news everyday, entirety of his life along with everyone else he but I wanted to know how people that I know and knows, Jeff decides to escape the factory and that are important to me are affected by it. reach for something greater.

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ART IN MOTION

Saturday, October 26, 2019 12:30 PM SIFF Film Center As a boomer would say, this is the “artsy-fartsy stuff”, or just “huh?” But NFFTY gets it!

Young directors have stories to tell and unlimited ways to artistically express themselves.

These films lean into the art of filmmaking and the result is a kaleidoscopic instersection of dance, experimental, music video and visual poetry. Mash me up, Scotty!

GENERATION Z! Joji Baratelli - 18 California

SELF-DESTRUCT (MUMBAI MIX) Natalie Jasmine Harris - 21 New York

BAD DREAM Max Galassi - 20 California

A short film on film about some friends and maybe “Self-Destruct (Mumbai Mix)” is a chill-pop fusion Vancouver Sleep Clinic Music Video a generation. What is Generation Z? What do we song by Tanya Vora that incorporates elements have to say? of Western Hip-Hop/R&B with traditional Indian meter and percussion. This music video has a dark vibe, talking about “self-destructing” by putting yourself in relationships/positions that hurt you. It’s generally a nice song to jam to, but carries weight in its message as well.

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PAPI RUNS

Ariel Zucker - 21, L.H. González - 18 California

WITCHES AND BITCHES IN BRITCHES, OH MY!

Raine Bracken - 20, Sydney Posliff - 20, Caitlin Bevington - 20, Savina Monopoli - 20 Canada

papi runs is a cinematic choreo-poem that follows the journey of a young afro-latinx’s fight to stay afloat in the same waters of oppression that nearly Accusations of witchcraft have been thrown drowned their father. around for centuries, but what exactly does the word witch imply and how has language been used to disempower women throughout history?

THE ART OF HEALING

Gregory Alexander Foltynowicz - 20, Bennett Barbosa - 19, Haley Johnson - 20, Katelyn Clarke - 20 California The Art of Healing is a short film that beautifully depicts stages of grief and healing through the eyes of a homeless man who mourns the tragic loss of his daughter. This man’s artistic delusion, including a personal muse, form the basis of this message.

HEADSPACE

BLACK GIRL POEM

ALL IT GIVES

An exploration on the distorted thoughts that run through a girl’s mind.

In ‘Black Girl Poem,’ black woman take a surrealist approach in confronting the power dynamic of sexual harassment within the African American community.

From dancing in the hallways at her high school to winning professional battles across the globe, Nigerian immigrant Kosi Eze’s story of growth is a glowing example of how the power of HipHop can inspire, uplift and support anyone who wants to discover it.

DRAWING YOU

NOSTOS

MOTHER

May-Lynn Le - 17, Kelly Chong - 17, Annika Thiim - 15 California

Raza Tariq - 17, Zak El Jaidi - 18, Archie McEwan - 17, Wing Yun Chiu - 18 United Kingdom A woman lives her entire life in the confines of a modern art gallery, while she is drawn by her friends and family.

Daryl Paris Bright - 22, Ariel Zucker - 22, Kaytie Nielsen - 23, Anatola Pabst - 20 New York

Anastasia Comelli - 20, Sam Sharplin - 21, Polina Davityan - 22, Magdalena Cejko - 21, Brody Kinf - 21 Australia Nostos, refers to an ancient Greek literary theme that features an epic hero’s homeward journey from sea. Nostos portrays the power of raw emotion from the recollection of fragile memories, meeting the people you missed knowing and the longing innocence of growing up. Nostalgia is the feeling that overcomes you when some minor vanished beauty of the world is temporarily restored.

Talia Woodland - 23 Canada

Ejun Hong - 16 South Korea Mother is about my 92-year-old grandfather, who lost his mother when he was only 3-year-old. He now has Alzheimer’s and is living the last days of his life. I love and respect him very much, so I wanted to pay tribute to him by creating a film that shows his challenging yet successful life. Mother made my grandfather experience the everlasting love between him and his mother in a way he never has.

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HUMAN IDENTITIES

Saturday, October 26, 2019 1:00 PM Uptown 1

BONFIRE

Kevin Brooks - 24 Tennessee

We’re all on Team Human! In order to help reach a shared understanding of who we are, the untold stories of us must come to light. Get to know your neighbors, from near or far, as we work to make the bonds we all share a little tighter. We all get by with a little help from our friends!

Presented by

SO IN A WAY, THANK YOU

Eve Robitshek - 18, Sophie Paquette - 17 Michigan

SINCRETISMO Sophie Kim - 15 California

QUEEN OF THE DINOSAURS: A WRESTLER’S STORY Addison Dlott - 21, Unagh Frank - 21, Jakob Markwardt - 21, Audrey Warner - 20, Steven Stewart, 21 New York

A meditation on the nature of love and heartbreak.

An experimental memoir to the girl I thought I was in love with.

What happens to indigenous spirituality when colonial religions arrive? The words of a Guatemalan priestess of Maximón give insight into Samantha Cohen is a professional this deity and folk saint born of the underground wrestler who uses ancient Maya traditions centuries ago. wrestling as a form of empowerment and as a temporary release from her daily struggles with depression, anxiety and self-image.

DANCING ON BLACK AND WHITE

HOLD THE SUN IN YOUR HANDS: THE ERIKA JACOBY STORY

John Li - 16 New Jersey

Liu Hao, the blind pianist, tells the journey and struggles of how he and his mother left their home town in China to search for his chance to pursue his passion and perform in many of America’s most prestige music halls.

MY NAME IS GLOWING IN THE DARK WOMAN

Jubei Quesnelle - 15, Jayna CreightonFox - 14 Xenia Bernal - 16, Ian Kim - 12, Canada Hank Schoen - 12, India Spencer - 15, Talia Abel - 16, Marlene Heavyshield (Glowing in the Alejandro Moses de la Vega - 11, Dark Woman) is a Blackfoot Elder and Eva Suissa - 16, Michael Zambrano - 17 survivor of the Canadian Residential California School system. She shares her story of overcoming loss and trauma with a Hand-drawn animation illustrates courageous heart and deep strength. Holocaust Survivor Erika Jacoby’s memories of surviving Auschwitz.

Produced in the summer 2018 Righteous Conversations Project Workshop at Harvard-Westlake School.

THAT WAS RAY

Brenten Brandenburg - 21, Kaustubh Singh - 20, Jordan Gorman - 21, Derek Wan - 23 California It’s 1970’s San Francisco, and Reverend Raymond Broshears has just founded the world’s first gay militant vigilante group - The Lavender Panthers.

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OUR CHANGING EARTH

Saturday, October 26, 2019 2:00 PM Uptown 2 Presented by

The climate is shifting. These stories from the environmental frontlines illustrate the beauty of our shared planet and the intensity of its rapid transformation. We all can make a difference; these filmmakers used their cinematic voice to take a stand for Mother Nature.

Following the screening will be a panel discussion with the filmmakers, moderated by Sean Morrow, host of Apocalypse NowThis. Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant and Sunrise Movement National Field Director Ahmed Gaya will join the panel as special guests.

OF THE SEA

THE EMERGENCY BRAKE

Of the Sea is an inspirational, feminist surf film that follows a mother and her entrepreneurial efforts to raise awareness of the world’s plastic consumption.

There are times when something must be done.

There are times when we can see the bigger picture.

There are times when nothing less will do.

There times when we need to reach for the Emergency Break.

LIVING ON THE EDGE

SCALING ICELAND

North Cove, Wash. is one of the fastest-eroding U.S. coastlines, losing roughly 150 feet of land per year. However, the residents of North Cove refuse to give up without a fight. MediaLab at Pacific Lutheran University tells the story of residents, the tribal community, and farmers as they rally against the waves to save what’s left of their town.

“Scaling Iceland” explores how the country – a selectively membranous cell removed from, yet still connected within a rapidly globalizing world – is geologically, biologically, and culturally unique.

Driven by voices ranging from geophysicists to musicians, folklorists to fishermen, geneticists to children on a playground, the film weaves together a collage of faceless images taken primarily from above and from various heights.

Jordyn Romero - 22 New Mexico

Garrett Johnson - 21, Siobhan Chachere - 22, Helen Smith - 22, Hanna McCauley - 20, Hallie Harper - 20 Washington

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Macy How - 16, Ari Reuven - 17 Canada

Adam Hersko-RonaTas - 22 California

FEATURE PRESENTATION: CALL ME INTERN

Saturday, October 26, 2019 2:30 PM SIFF Film Center Leo David Hyde - 22, Nathalie Berger - 22 Switzerland

Meet the millennials fighting back against unpaid work. Call Me Intern follows three interns-turnedactivists who refuse to accept that young people should have to work for free to kickstart their careers.

Their stories challenge youth stereotypes and help give a voice to the growing movement for intern rights across the world.

LEVEL UP!

Saturday, October 26, 2019 3:00 PM Uptown 1

UNDER DARKNESS Caroline Friend - 23 California

As a NFFTY filmmaker, these comes a time when you’re ready to face the metaphorical final boss.

You’ve beaten all levels and it’s time...to LEVEL UP. In other words, these are some darn good films exploring a wide variety of time periods and stories. Ranging from the Holocaust to life on the streets of modern-day New York, you’ll feel like you’ve cracked the code to the game of empathy when the final credits roll. *This screening may not be suitable for all ages.

SOPHIA

Jared Rosenthal - 23, Sandra Tan - 24, Ahad Mahmood - 24 New York

Based on a true story in World War II Poland, a young Jewish woman struggles to survive after her A homeless subway violinist has her world turned family is murdered. Refusing to give up, she joins upside down when her most prized possession is the Soviet resistance, and realizes that through stolen. photography she can remember the past while documenting for the future.

MOTH

Shu Zhu - 24, Shincy Lu - 24, Ayinde Anderson 22, G Wilson - 24 California

COME ON EILEEN

Dan Lesser - 20, Kimberly Vela - 21, Jake Naturman - 19, Neema Sadeghi - 21 California

An Asian-American actress struggles to In attempts to save her broken relationship, revive her career in the sexually commodified depressed Eileen goes to her ex-boyfriend’s party entertainment industry. In the wake of an to dance with him to prove that she’s better. impending transformation, we observe the banality of her daily routine as her mental state slowly deteriorates.

THE LIGHTNING MAN

Bella Wadhwani - 21, Alexa Cha - 21, Hannah Freeman - 21, Jonathan Goetzman - 22 California A faithless Holocaust survivor in 1973 Los Angeles must face the foreclosure of his beloved barbershop, and thus the traumas of his haunting past.

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IMMERSE YOURSELF

Saturday, October 26, 2019 4:30 PM SIFF Film Center

HARRY, THIS IS NORA Isaiah Berra - 21 Canada

Harry, a melancholy loner who communicates through a puppet, sets out to understand why his girlfriend is leaving him. He has to hurry, though, because his single-occupant spaceship is blasting off to the moon at midnight.

We’ll never know what life is truly like in a world other than our own, but this screening will help you get close! Ranging from peculiar puppets to nonconformist nuns to gruesome gladiators, these stories plunge you into pools of lives lived in atypical actualities. *This screening may not be suitable for all ages.

SISTERS

THE FRAY

In 1970s Minnesota, a young nun falls in love with a runaway girl.

Amidst a settlement within a post-apocalyptic world, a father must fight to the death in a gladiator style tournament known as “The Fray.” However, the tables are turned when he faces an unlikely foe.

Mandy Jacobs - 22, Casey Donovan - 22, Leah Roach - 22, Arin Meyer - 22 California

HARBOR

SUNNY SIDE UP

When Adèle, an english teacher, spontaneously lets a young 15 years old migrant, illegally board a ferry for England with her class, she is far from grasping the importance of her gesture and its consequences on this overnight trip.

What if two girls woke up in the same bed without recognizing each other and by the events of last night discover that they don’t even know themselves?

Paul Marques Duarte - 23 France

Davi Pena - 21, Liz Kraushaar - 21, Kai Dickson - 21, Jenna Tooley - 21 Georgia

Anna Niebert - 21 California

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CENTERPIECE CO-PRESENTED BY LACIE

Saturday, October 26, 2019 6:30 PM Uptown 1 How many licks does it take until you get to the center of NFFTY? If you’re here, you’ve arrived! Approximately 126 films, 4 workshops, and 3 parties into the festival, we’ve reached the centerpiece. Like Magneto, everything is drawn to this. And these stories will tug at your tenderness, rip apart your faith in humanity, and then sew it back up again with nice little bow on top.

You just may never look at camping the same way again.

Co-Presented by

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HOW WE’RE GONNA MAKE IT THROUGH TILL THE MORNING SUN Mackie Mallison - 19 New York

Maricela persists in keeping her younger brother Ezequiel up during the night until the morning sun — fearing what will come once he falls asleep.

BIRD OF PARADISE

Alexander Zorn - 24, Jacob Zorn - 24, Zoe White - 21 Illinois A queer geriatric nurse learns one of life’s hardest lessons when he falls in love with one of his elderly patients.

CLAUD - WISH YOU WERE GAY

SEEDS OF DECEIT

“Wish You Were Gay,” shows Claud attending a party thrown by their crush, similar to a scene from ‘500 Days of Summer’. On the expectations side of the screen, the artist successfully flirts with, holds hands and dances with the hostess. But on the reality side, Claud remains isolated, trying to get her attention the whole time.

“Seeds of Deceit” tells the story of fertility doctor Jan Karbaat, who secretly used his own seed instead of of donors’. An intimate film about two mothers and their children, who must face this new reality and try again to live with each other.

OPEN

WILD LOVE

Christina Xing - 19, Shane Bagwell - 19 California

Sarah Nocquet - 19 New York When a picture perfect community coerces a foreign pregnant woman into hypnosis, she must fight to save her baby from the overpowering forces of conformity.

Miriam Guttmann - 24 Netherlands

Paul Autric - 23, Quentin Camus - 23, Lea Gorgés - 23, Maryka Laudet - 23, Zoé Sottiaux - 23, Corentin Yvergniaux - 23, Julien Deparis - 23 France While on a romantic getaway, Alan and Beverly cause a fatal accident. This crime won’t remain unpunished...

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RADICAL EXPERIMENTS

They say experimentation unlocks your inner genius. Actually, nobody says that but it sounds good, right?! If it’s true, these directors are well on their way to Marie Curie-levels of ingenuity.

Open your mind and take an impressionistic trip into the deep psyche of underground NFFTY imaginative inventiveness. En garde, avant-garde!

Saturday, October 26, 2019 8:00 PM SIFF Film Center

*This screening may not be suitable for all ages.

INSTUPENDO - SIX FORTY SEVEN

HIS EYES BEHIND MINE

In what I like to call “Ethereal horror”, we peer into a voyeuristic window of a young girl watching television, unawares-- spooked by a visitor in the night (a poltergeist!) a sentient body of light and altogether darkness, murmuring sweet nothings and emanating light and static.

Based on a personal stalker story. An emotional A film about romance, scams and romance scams. journey through love, sex, obsession, and violence.

AMIGO

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Ayana Mitchell - 24, Carl Brown - 24 California

Mitchell Griffith - 24 California When I was 8, I told my mom I was meant to live among birds. I lied.

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Qin Ziwei - 22 Massachusetts

Kara Grace Miller - 21, Chris Felix - 24, Devon Wilson - 23, Cody Terreson - 23 New York 22 recounts an assault at a high school party, and how it has followed the protagonist through the coming years.

YOUR SECURITY Elias ZX - 19 New York

SOMEDAY MY DAUGHTER WILL MAKE ART ABOUT WHEN I WAS YOUNG Tessa Hill - 18 Canada

Through scanned photographs and drawings, the filmmaker immerses herself in the process of understanding her mother and, in turn, herself through the eyes of her future daughter.

SELF.

HOW TO MAKE A SANDWICH

JUST GIRLY THINGS

How do we see ourselves?

This is a comprehensive guide by the Deutsche Demokratische Republik on how to assemble a sandwich.

A 1950s perspective of how a young lady is supposed to act takes a dark turn.

NIGHT-RIDERS

UMBILICAL CORD TO HEAVEN

WONDERLAND

Mackie Mallison - 19 New York

Jules Chin Greene - 22 California Driven out of their homeland, an endling, or the last remaining member of a species, reflects on displacement, colonialism, and extinction.

Varun Sreedharan - 14 California

Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan - 23, Hannah Schierbeek - 22, Keaton McQuarrie - 22, John Eblahan - 18 Phillippines In modern day Philippines, a metaphysical merging of past and present permeates through the landscape as ancient deities are reawakened, causing people to experience the spiritual connection between body and nature.

THE DANCE

PROMENADE

A dancer uses her memories to influence her routine.

A collection of loosely related sequences representing a wandering train of thought.

Chloe Coegel - 21 Illinois

Sam Tubbs - 18, Jeanette Velasquez - 17 Washington

Indica DeRose - 16 California

Ella Fields - 15, Soleil LaMontagne - 16, Alina Foley - 15 California A girl battles with peer pressure and finding her happy place inside a dreamlike world.

LEAVES

Pedro Tamames - 21, Isabel Padilla - 22, Britney Ngaw - 18, Rhea D’Souza - 24 Spain A girl spends her time eavesdropping on a young couple whose relationship is falling apart.

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NIGHT TERRORS

Saturday, October 26, 2019 8:30 PM Uptown 1 The scariest, spookiest, all-around sinister spectacle that your inner fright-fiend has been festering for.

Bring an extra pair of pants and your driving gloves because this white-knuckle ride will launch you into the depths of demonic delight! Mwahaha!

Presented by

MANHUNT

Jack Martin - 23 California

“SHHH”

Clara Foss Billing - 15, Cecilie Lademann Christiansen - 15, David Ostenfeld - 15 A dangerous fugitive on the run seeks shelter after Denmark he’s wounded by military law enforcement. At the same time, an adventurous young girl breaks out Already on their first night in their new house, of her bedroom to turn off the Parental Block on Marie and her mom are awoken by a strange her favorite VR game and their two worlds collide. sound. Marie’s mom quickly hides her in a moving box, and Marie can sense her mother’s fear and she hurries out of the room to investigate the source of the sound. Time stands still for Marie, and in the end she leaves her safe hiding spot.

Heading towards the kitchen, she does not know where her mom went. Marie is left to survive on her 56 own with a murderer in the house. And where did mom go?

POLAROID

Ben Schwartz - 19 Washington A mysterious package arrives at a doorstep. The contents inside may determine the fate of whoever opens it.

PAPA-FIGO

UNSEEN

IRRITABLE

A child’s play turns out to be a nightmare when they set out to challenge an urban legend.

Nicolas’ fears of infecting his pregnant wife rise as they live in the midst of a pandemic caused by a deadly virus that is transmitted through eye contact.

After indulging himself, Scran’s intense stomach problems lead him to an unearthly pain of a strange source.

AFTER.

THE ALL-NIGHTER

NUMINOUS

Alex Reis - 21, Gabriel Manso - 23, Wilson Velasco - 24, Ana Zavascki - 24 Brazil

Allee Stone - 16 California

Grace Goen - 20, Clement Lin - 22, Ed Hyde - 20, Sam Blake - 19 Texas

Elias A. Hinojosa - 21, Brittany Braun - 21, Noble Walker - 20 California

“after.” is the story of five recently deceased people whose journey through the afterlife is determined With graduation quickly approaching, a student by a simple game of chance... confronts his fears about the future while navigating a warped reality between fact and fiction.

Keen Murphy - 21, Hannah Keegan - 20, Caoimhin Coffey - 21, Andrew George Khew - 21 Ireland

Ashley Martinez - 19, Laura Kulik - 23, Kyle Reed - 20, Logan Fulton - 24 California Instead of the normal joy and excitement a firsttime mother-to-be feels when pregnant, Shelly suffers from overwhelming terror and dread.

AFTER THE SCREENING

FILMMAKER MIXER LATE NIGHT CALL

Derek Holton - 20, Caleb Garrett - 20, Brian Kluver - 19, Abdullah Ghazal - 19 California

INFRAKTION

Jack Brookman - 24, Amy Gillies - 21 United Kingdom

Forced to take shelter, a father and daughter break A man wakes one night to his girlfriend calling him into a farmhouse concealing a twisted monster. outside to help her, only to find his girlfriend fast asleep in bed next to him. Who is on the other line?

Saturday, October 26, 2019 9:30 PM Maxwell Hotel Hosted by Sundance Ignite

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CINEMATIC JOURNEY

Sunday, October 27, 2019 11:00 AM SIFF Film Center Sit down, Malick. The next generation of cinematic auteurs have arrived and they’ve got all the aspect ratios, anamorphics, and aesthetic needed to frame their fantastic foregrounds and backgrounds with ease. Come for the 4:3, stay for the 2.40.

Cinematographer jokes are the best!

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THE GOSPEL OF COMBAT

David Hutchinson - 22, Marli Tague - 22, John Lowell Anderson - 23, Jared Chance - 23 California Threatened by the violent aftermath of Kenya’s 2017 elections, a fledgling Aikido sensei ponders whether his martial art can heal old wounds.

UNBINDING

Mauraya Sharma - 15 India The teenaged Director is endeavoring to voice up the addressed issue of the desire, so pulsating it transcends everything. ‘Unbinding’ unveils beguiling and enchanting woman’s uncanny relationship with the Banyan tree, where back becomes the bark, stimulating the audience to forego terming such desirable women as witches.

LOVE AGAIN

Chris Smith - 24, Tommy Lee - 24, Travis Thomson - 24, Thomas Kelly - 24 Canada

106 DAYS

Claire Imler - 19 California

A collection of moments captured during a voyage Couples in stalled relationships visit an around the world. experimental clinic in an effort to rekindle their love for one another. Through a lush dreamscape of memory, they see each other in a completely new light - what is intimacy as our technology becomes a third companion?

MOVE US

Saoli Nash - 23, Karina Lopez - 21, Darren Samuels - 21, Heaven Devera - 19 California A lone wanderer fights to survive in a near future desert landscape. One day, she realizes she may not be alone.

KNEELING SHEEP Hai Rihan - 24 China

A Mongolian single mother fights to save her son who is about to be executed, only to discover that the absence of justice is crushing her life.

STILL HERE

THE BURDENS THEY CARRY

Left to their own devices in a flooding house during a hurricane, a caregiver and an elderly patient struggle to find hope in each other.

A troubled Vietnam War veteran struggles to overcome the burdens of his hidden past until, one Reminiscing over the phone about the broken day, he realizes that his only way of reconciling relationship he has failed to process, a man comes may be to face his greatest fear. to realize that he has never truly allow himself to mourn.

Troy Charbonnet - 20, Neha Nagavalli - 19, Neema Sadeghi - 22, Delaney Finnegan - 19 California

Alyssa Andrews - 17 Missouri

WASTELAND

Gustav Bondesson - 20, David Digman - 23, Oliver Reid - 23 Sweden

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FACING THE FRONTIER

Sunday, October 27, 2019 12:00 PM Uptown 1 Beyond borders lie important stories. Tales of family bonds, harrowing journeys to freedom, the walls we create to separate cultures and identities and the ways we treat those who we see as “different.� As we work to acknowledge the hardships we place on others, the first step to forgiveness is understanding.

Presented by

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YELLOW SLIP

Julia Elihu - 22, Leslie Susman - 21, John DeVito - 21, Thomas Wade - 20 California When Amelia, a gritty, hard-working, young woman realizes that her undocumented mother and closest confidant, Mariana, might get in trouble with the authorities, she is abruptly confronted with the idea of a life on her own.

PICTURES FROM A BOOK Teddy Nissen - 17 California

After a lifetime of separation from her biological family, Izzy has forgotten her Mexican roots entirely. However, as a teenager in Los Angeles her life takes a turn when she receives a sudden email from a long lost family member.

UMA FRUTA ESTRANHA (A STRANGE FRUIT) Natalie Harris - 21 New York

Uma Fruta Estranha is a visual poem exploring the difficult realities that bind Afro-Brazilians and AfricanAmericans across continents. However, it is also an expression of gratitude for the resilience and beauty that their ancestors taught them - the glue that connects them within the African Diaspora.

MERA BIBA PUTH (MY DEAR CHILD) EVERY SIX HOURS

HARGUN

Mera Biba Puth is a dramatic story about Arshdeep, a recently-divorced mother, who tries to raise her daughter and keep the family afloat financially, all while aspiring to achieve her dream career. She struggles to overcome the judgemental eyes of her community and family, as well as trying to find her own independence.

A bright young elementary school student, Hargun, has taken the mission upon herself to become a part of the popular kids. Leaving her old friends behind, she does everything in her power to impress Syra and her crew.

Prabhjot Nijjar - 21, Mekelah Vasquez-Brown - 21, Karina Jesson - 20, Gurleen Kaur - 22 Canada

DO TURTLES SWIM IN MAPLE SYRUP?

Paul Daniel Torres - 21, Cameron Thorpe - 21, Logan Wagner - 21, George Bull- 21 Canada Robbed of his future by a racist thug, LatinCanadian teen Tony Tenorio must go on a heroes journey of self discovery though Toronto, where he’ll become the man he’s meant to be, or succumb to racial stereotypes.

Thomas E Murphy - 21, Peter Bruteig Henriksen - 21, Daniel Simpkins - 21, Angus Breton - 20 United Kingdom Running for freedom is never as easy as it seems.

Two refugees form an unlikely friendship while fighting for their lives hiding in a lone container.

Gurleen Kaur - 22, Prabhjot Nijjar - 21, Nic Peerson - 21 Canada

LUCKY GIRL

Sidi Wang - 21, Sonia Li - 22, Mariana Gonzalez - 24 Texas Esther, a 9-year-old Chinese adoptee just moved to a new neighborhood with her white family. On her Gotcha day, she realizes that the Chinese buffet they are going to might not have “real Chinese food”.

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COME AS YOU ARE

Sunday, October 27, 2019 1:00 PM Uptown 2 Come one, come all! Tall, short, wide, thin, dark, light, whatever your style or preference may be!

NFFTY is home to people of all backgrounds, preferences, and lifestyle choices. This showcase shines a light on some of the untold, underrepresented stories and perspectives that you won’t see at the multiplex.

Presented by

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PROM QUEENS

Cory Souto - 20, Megan Massey - 20, Talia Zinder - 20 New York

BEYOND THE GREEN MOUNTAIN Meicen Meng - 22 China

One summer, in a fishing village in China, two A girl who does not want to be at the school dance teenage boys falls in love unexpectedly. makes a bold move.

OTHER BLACK BOYS

Nyles Washington - 23, Mackenzie McMahon - 23 California

FTM

Dani Edwards - 16, Fiona Paskoff - 17, Addison Lepse - 17, Nick Toll - 16, Ethan Hawthorne-Dallas - 17 A queer, black college student is forced to confront Washington the masks he wears from day to day when an old friend comes to visit.

Evon Mahesh recounts his story of coming out as trans male in a traditional Indian family.

BUTTERFLY Ella McKeon - 11 California

I’M GLAD IT WAS YOU

Laine Elliott - 20, Nikki Knight - 20, Kea Lia Pedersen - 20, Philip Abbott Cadoux - 20 New York A couple reflects on the beginning of their relationship and their hopes for the future.

THIS IS A TEENAGE LOVE LETTER Tessa Hill - 18 Canada

A young woman writes a letter to her past, to love, and to what the future might hold.

SEAHORSE

Drew Praskovich - 21, Kaitlin Nash - 22, Ashley Stokes - 21, Alia Ssemakula - 22 Pennsylvania

An honest, and brutal look at how one adolescent sees herself in a changing world. It begins with this Mars, a 19-year-old pregnant boy, is sick of the thought - “We are not what people say we are ... tabloid persona created by his mother, Norma. On that’s ok.” the final day of his pregnancy, he must decide what kind of parent he will be for his daughter.

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LOCALS ONLY

Sunday, October 27, 2019 2:00 PM Uptown 1 Northwest stand up! Our region is home to many things, including more dogs than humans, more trees than dogs, and incredible amounts of rain (so don’t move here!). It’s also home to a growing number of fantastically talented young filmmakers, who are on display on this screening. Get a glimpse into life in the upper left through the artists and people who call this place home and the music and stories that have developed upon the northwest backdrop.

Presented by

CREATIVE PROCESS

POLESKI

A writer struggles to find good ideas for his next great script. Sometimes inspiration is found in the least likely of places.

Living and painting in obscurity, an eclectic artist and bus driver’s life is changed when he’s offered his very own gallery.

Will McCracken - 18, John Harrison - 18, Corin Noronha - 19, Conor Powell - 18 Washington

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Brendan Hickey - 18, Owen Russell - 16, Ransom Miller - 17 Washington

IN THE WIP

Elena Sandoval - 18 Washington A lone man travels on his skateboard through a negative world in search of love.

AIDS MEMORIAL PATHWAY

Sebastian Weigel - 14, Mikhael Rashid - 15 Washington The AMP: AIDS Memorial Pathway will use public art to create a physical place for remembrance and reflection, use technology to share stories about the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the diverse community responses to the crisis, and provide a call to action to end HIV/AIDS, stigma, and discrimination.

LIVING WITH ANA

Saia Dugan - 17, Marley Rankin - 17, Violet Collins - 18, Olivia Flego-Wirth - 16 Washington

GAY CITY: SEATTLE’S LGBTQ CENTER

Paisley Maschmeier - 17, Plum Pinutt - 20 Washington Gay City: Seattle’s LGBTQ Center promotes wellness in LGBTQ communities by providing health services, connecting people to resources, and more.

CRASH DOCUMENTARY PRESENTED BY LANGSTON/SIFF

QUEENS

Abbey Sacks - 21 Washington A peak into the artistry and stories of four Seattlebased drag queens.

PARADE

Wylie Soltes - 19, Mike Chamberlin - 17, Ben Healey - 19, Claude Brun - 17 Washington

Practice the art of storytelling through the documentary genre. Learn how to develop a story “Living with Ana” tells the story of Mikaya Rose’s from a real world source; practice various interview Nathan Nzanga’s “Parade” visualized. Overalls, battle with anorexia and how living with the techniques, how to do effective research, how a horses, guns, ballet, and more. disorder has changed her and the people who love documentary team finds their subjects and more. her.

Show off your curiosity about the world around us through the medium of short film!

STORMY SKIES

Aaron Jin - 22, Charlotte Scheper - 24, Ken Tran - 22 Washington On their video game’s first anniversary, final boss Thunder can’t believe that Lightning doesn’t seem to care more for their special day and their relationship.

POLAROID

THE MAN WHO DOES NOTHING

A zombie must make the choice of whether to eat his former girlfriend. Created with the prompt of showing a character make a difficult decision without the use of dialogue.

An artist profile about a man who does nothing as a performance art piece.

Lars Purdy - 17, Trevor Dunnigan - 17 Washington

Josh Helzerman - 22, Emmitt Rudd - 23, Dean Sydnor - 22, Eddie Mobley - 22 Washington

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EXISTENTIAL EPICS Sunday, October 27, 2019 2:30 PM SIFF Film Center

Why are we here? What motivates us to get up every day? Why is life so hard?

Some of life’s more complex questions can’t be answered, but clarity can be achieved through cinematic revelations.

If these questions resonate, come find some answers in this slate full of seminal survival information. From life in the inbetween to explorations of the afterlife, you’ll be transported into higher planes of transcendental thought.

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*This screening may not be suitable for all ages.

THE MOTHER

Joe Chen - 23, Peng Ni - 24 California

HAPPY PLACE LABS

Sunny Keller - 16, Aris Demopoulos - 16 California

LIMBO

Matthew McGuigan - 20 United Kingdom

A pregnant young woman is told by her adoptive Since the death of his wife and the ban on antiAmerican mother that her Chinese biological mom depressants, Leo Canter resorts to Happy Place needs a bone marrow transplant and that she may Labs to turn his frown upside down. be the only match. Her decision whether to contact her or not weighs heavily as tries to reconnect to a past she barely remembers.

Brendan’s mother Eilis reveals a dark secret on her deathbed, one to which Brendan must find the answer – what happened to her lost child?

WAVERING

TUNDRA

CROSSING LIMITS

As her Parkinson’s disease intensifies, a National Parks Ranger struggles to accept her new limitations.

A mother dreams and hallucinates about her missing daughter, trying to cope with her loss.

Under current strict laws in the US today, a young girl named Eva has to travel great lengths to get a legal abortion while hiding it from her mother.

SINCERELY ANTHONY

REENTRY

COSMOS EXPRESS

Coping with my best friend’s suicide, through an imagined letter he didn’t leave behind.

The official music video for E.W. Harris’ “ReEntry.”

Lara’s secret lover falls from a waterfall to her death. In this exact moment a photographer captures the image of her midair... but this is just one potential timeline. This music video explores how all souls are interconnected and a single choice can change everything.

A girl decides to leave this world. Her body and soul have one last conversation as she walks through the path she has been for one last time.

Jordan Gustafson - 22, Matthew Planer - 24, Lauren Cabanas - 23, Layla Kornota - 22 California

Max Shoham - 16 Canada

Carol Nguyen - 20, Lea Mazeau - 22, Sandrine Maltai - 21, Giulio Trejo-Martinez - 19 Canada

Kira Bursky - 23 North Carolina

Monica Menor - 17, Julian Jordan - 17, James Parker-Pennington - 17, Miranda Lewis - 16 California

Mocong Yuan - 22 New York

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ANIMATION SENSATIONS

Sunday, October 27, 2019 3:00 PM SIFF Film Center

SILHOUETTE CITY

All aboard the animation train! These sensations are leaving the station and the first stop is Lego-town! This mixture of mediums from claymation to hand-drawn stop-motion to CGI - will drop your jaw to the floor and leave you screaming “more!” More like “ore!” because your mouth will be stuck open. You get the point!

Presented by

A BIG MISSION

U REALLY HURT ME

A shadow accidentally separates from its human for and ends up in New There’s no doubt that the world is York City. cruel and corrupt. Still, this evening Philip gets another proof of this.

A Big Mission is a 3D animated comedy about a baby devil who recently was promoted at work after killing all dinosaurs and now must destroy humankind. He moves into a bigger house, however, the furniture in his new house prevents him from leaving to go to work. Will the baby devil complete his mission?

Following a boy as he fails to communicate with the world around him, “u really hurt me” is an exploration of misguided healing in a surreal, animated self portrait.

DON’T CROAK

Poulomi Mukherji - 24 New York

MEETING AT HALF PAST FIVE Daria Litvichenko - 17 Estonia

Yujie Chen - 23, Longyin Zhou - 23 New York

Callahan Bracken - 17 Canada

Daun Kim - 24 South Korea

Olivia Jensen - 23 Illinois

WAITING BY THE PHONE

INTERPHASE

HEARTH

An agile long-legged frog escapes from being dissected by a frenzied determined 12 years old girl

One woman living in an apartment for two, Dani struggles to live while coping with the tragic truth about her sister.

Interphase is a 2D animated short that depicts the reconciliation of past experiences and trauma through the act of deconstruction, repair, and reflection, in which a self-made anthropomorphic figure undergoes reformative bodily changes in search of solace and personal discovery.

A 60 second animation that explores the connection between citizens in a village. This film shows the power of giving, and how each and every citizen can warm up a village.

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Kenny Tran - 21 Canada

Max Shoham - 16 Canada

TIGER PABLO

KIM

MENDING

Tiger Pablo is a little worried! But who An Aztec sacrifice’s sacred last is he really? Who is Tiger Pablo? moments. Hand-drawn and painted with watercolor on hundreds of notecards.

A stop motion animated, mockumentary style short film about a day in the life friendly, outgoing, peopleeating siren named Kim.

It’s not always love that brings us together.

MARGO

FRONT OF THE HOUSE

Pedro Velez - 21 California

Jhael J. Rasheed - 16, Nicholas Tennery - 15, Jago Gould - 14, Libby Slaughter - 14, Amelia Maxham - 13, Victoria Stiefvater - 13, Summers Worthington - 12, Conrad Heins - 12, Johnny Krosby-Groner - 11, Ben Clark - 10 Virginia Stuck in an unfulfilling job, our protagonist has an “awakening,” in the form of a woman called, Margo.

In order to save her life, he must make a decision that challenges modern conventions and rattles his current way of life. Margo dares its audience to embrace their passions and never stop dreaming.

PREHEATED

Luke Snedecor - 21, Sarah Heinz - 21 California

EZTLI

Samuel Smith - 18, Julie Lozano - 18 New York

SHADOW

Morning MengYing Wu - 21 California

Madeline Landry - 22 Louisiana

Lilly Parker - 17, Sarah Wimbish - 16, Meera Gandhi - 16, Natalie Piszcz - 16 Virginia

PECKING ORDER

Sum Yi Ma - 21, Danica Dickinson - 21, Alaina Klaes - 16 Yuxin Zhou - 21, Yiming Zhou - 23 California California A metaphor of journeys and struggles In search of a yummy caterpillar lunch, everyone has encountered at some When a young girl of a generationally a woodpecker mother pecks a tree to point in life. owned fishball noodle stall gets a show her massive son the ropes, and he chance to change her life, she must attempts to replicate her demonstration, first confront her strict grandmother. but things quickly go awry. Will his A story dedicated to family, food and unconventional efforts be enough for all the love that gets lost in amidst the him to catch lunch and make his mother hustle and bustle. proud?

THE BEGINNING

Dennis Sungmin Kim - 22, Nicholas Escobar - 23, Alice Ku - 19 Pennsylvania/Korea

A boy’s plan to bake a birthday cake becomes disastrous when his scientist A boy, alone in his world, is visited by father’s latest experiment gets added an unexpected but familiar figure. to the mix.

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SLAPS, BOPS & BANGERS

Sunday, October 27, 2019 4:00 PM Uptown 1

This is it chief...it’s time to take your horse down to NFFTY Road and ride until the music starts to flow! Its flame emoji music video szn and this lineup is lowkey gonna give you life rn! These yung Hype Williams wannabes have been doing the extra most to bring the fire drip and now it’s time for the glow up. Don’t ghost us or leave us on read, we’re getting this music video bread. Mic drop! *This screening may not be suitable for all ages.

ELASTIC

Lindsay Sunada - 23, Kenzo Le - 24, Nicole Closson - 22 California She a freak she a dancer - four dancers infiltrate a high school with movements set to the song “Elastic”

by Joey Purp.

COME SEE ME LIVE Daisy Cornejo - 19 California

IGLOOGHOST - AMU’S HOOP Luke Gibson - 23, Seamus Malliagh - 23, Christopher Casey Denton, 23 California

Tasked with warding off the pesky Yemmo from the Chip Shop, Iglooghost and Amu set off to find answers in this vivid and colorful odyssey.

HEAD FIRST Max Galassi - 20 California

A rapping puppet encourages a young T Scarlett Music Video boy to embrace his creativity.

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UNORTHODOX

Brian Niles - 19, Jeremy Herron - 19 California

OUT MY MIND Caelin Moore - 20 Canada

UNORTHODOX follows NCOGNITA A singer attends a career-related as she attempts to escape a dystopian photoshoot while processing a future where all citizens are required personal part of her life. to undergo cosmetic surgery to achieve uniformity.

WE DON’T TALK

DROP THE GUILLOTINE

Enter the baron void of Char’s recounting of a torn relationship.

After this cheerleader’s boyfriend cheats on her, she has a complete psychotic break.

Roxy Sorkin - 18, Brian Niles - 19, Char - 18 California

Isabella Masrouga - 14 California

TRENCHES 2 RICHES Martaize (Tez) Smith - 16, Mustafa Martin - 16 Minnesota

Music video of a song about being from a tough neighborhood and having dreams and aspirations to make it out. The main focus was to showcase the city (Minneapolis) and the culture (Somali) that the Artist comes from.

TRUTH

PERRY PORTER - CHANNEL CAN’T U SEE SURFING Sam Wood - 18 Aaron Pratt - 24, Chris Herrero - 24 Washington

Perry Porter goes on an unexpected trip with his muse.

WORDS - STARBUCK Dawson Taylor - 24 Washington

JOOCE - LAZARUS

Julia Kupiec - 21, Claire Stacy - 22, Danilo Zambrano - 24, Madeleine Wall - 22, Ace Buckley - 22 Orlaith D’Arcy - 24, New York Alba Fernandez - 24, Flann Manning - 24 A teenage boy does the only thing he Ireland can to cope with his overwhelmingly cliched suburban family - he writes an After an emergency landing, three angsty song about them. astronauts wake up in a foreign planet. Separated from one another, they follow orbs through unfamiliar landscapes in hopes of reuniting.

California

Can’t U See is one creative young man’s way of handling the pain of not receiving the reciprocation that his heart desired originally written as a private poem and later brought to life as a song from his heart.

GRACIE GRAY “MORPHINE”

Christian O’Keefe - 24, Michael Priestley - 24 California

Aspect ratio smashpect ratio.

Starbuck’s funky jams conjure up 4 colorful dancers that become trapped “I take it way too far, so no one’s in his circular world. love will ever reach me.” “Morphine” is about those fleeting moments of escape from the vicious cycles of depression and isolation.

“MEDICINE” - ROBINSON Morgan Gruer - 23 California

In this coming of age narrative, Robinson learns about the weight of love.

AIN’T NO FUN WHEN THE RABBIT GOT THE GUN

EGO ROMANCE

Secret Agent Mr. Rabbit is always on the move. He misleads and cons anyone on his path, but tricks are for kids. Find out what happens when the Rabbit gets the gun. A fun music video for the family to enjoy.

Ego Romance is a music video dealing with themes of narcissism and self gratification in today’s age of digital relationships.

Through gothic, flashy visuals and a driving track performed by The Victory Art, this philosophical tale is intended to connect with our deep desire to have the attention on us.

Dusan Brown - 17 California

Logan K. Triplett - 23, Luke Millard - 24, Andrew Trice - 20 Missouri

HUMAN

Kajal - 24, Ethan Seneker - 22, Aaron Keteyian - 23, Yusef Chabayta - 24, Andrew Chennisi - 24 California The visuals for “Human” by pop star, Maggie Lindemann, are a sexy and eccentric taste on the underworld.

Enticed by her curiosity, Maggie embarks upon a journey through a mystical doorway that leads her to find her own darkness within.

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INTERCONNECTED Interlochen

Deep in the woods of northern Michigan, arts collide and unbreakable bonds form. An experience at Interlochen won’t just make you a better artist—it will transform the course of your future.

Filmmaking at Interlochen

Programs for every young artist grades 6-12.

WWW.INTERLOCHEN.ORG/FILM

The world needs more bravery.

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LIGHTEN UP!

Sunday, October 27, 2019 4:30 PM SIFF Film Center

QUEEN FOR A DAY Savannah Rodgers - 23 Kansas

Sunday scaries got you feeling down? Take a load off with some light-hearted fare that’ll remind you of when you were young, wild, and free with not a care in the world...except for death and taxes (unless you’re a billionaire). From a drag queen’s big moment to the meaning of life falling in an unsuspecting restaurant worker’s lap, you’re guaranteed to smile for a while when this screening is over!

THE ANNIVERSARY

Lorenzo Tocco - 22, Danila Mazzarelli - 23 Uruguay

Queen for a Day is a short comedy about drag queens and marriage. This It is hard to get to 50 years of film shows the joy of the LGBTQ+ marriage, but it’s harder to celebrate it experience through the lens of a with out any hassle. presumably heterosexual married couple from the suburbs.

TASTY WAFERS

RETURN TO SENDER

Claire Gostin - 20, Nestor Trujillo - 20, Malibu Taetz - 20, Will Bynan - 20 Joshua Vanderlinden - 20, California Josh Aries - 20 Canada On the eve of her Catholic elementary school graduation, a young girl is When Moira, a clerk in the cosmic pressured by her best friend to take mailroom, mistakenly sends the communion for the first time, even Meaning of Life to earth ahead of though she is not Catholic. schedule, she must choose between helping the person it was sent to, or helping the universe restore order.

KEYS

THE MAGIC WORDS

A college student goes to write his essay at the last minute when he discovers something strange with his computer.

A struggling writer battles her inner monsters when she meets a mysterious, rambunctious little girl who blurs the lines between reality and magic aboard a fateful train ride.

STARGAZER

TRAPPED

Barb Hoffman - 20, Brandon Bassler - 22, Sydney Thun - 22 Washington

Kat Garrido - 18 North Carolina

A man becomes tired of the same mundane job of being a teacher and gets caught up in the idea of what could have been.

Matthew Marucci - 24, Domenic Porcari - 21, Megan Dumke - 22, Aquia Williams - 21 Pennsylvania

Edy Recendez - 23, Lucy Abernathy - 17 Tennessee Malik John$on is a famous rapper “living the dream.”

Everyone would love to have his life except him.

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CLOSING NIGHT:

GENERATION NOW Sunday, October 27, 2019 6:30 PM Uptown 1 Awards Ceremony immediately follows the screening The time is now for the filmmakers that will shape the stories of the future. Generation NOW takes center stage with intimate tales of contemporary adolescent life, the struggles and triumphs of life on earth, and the nooks and crannies of emotional evolution that define our existence. As NFFTY 2019 comes to a close, we hope you’re left with hope for the future and the confidence that we’ll be okay if we listen to the next generation. *This screening may not be suitable for all ages

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VIRGENCITA

GREEN

Giselle Bonilla - 23, Alex Hass - 22, Aqsa Altaf - 24, Kylie Murphy - 23 Jean Ng - 22 New York California A female standup gets bumped when a famous Josefina’s failed attempt at masturbating charges comic returns after sexual misconduct allegations. her with attempted suicide.

MEN HELPING WOMEN

Isue Shin - 23, Derek Miranda - 24, Nate Burke - 24 California Men Helping Women explores the way male artists abuse their positions of power in lieu of mentorship. Maybe they don’t know what they’re doing? But maybe they do.

WINNER OF PEACE

CHARLEY HORSE

THE BEST IS YET TO COME

A young Sikh poet toes the line between her community and personal beliefs, but finds solace in spoken word.

Charley Horse tells the story of Hila, an eighteenyear-old punk in modern-day Tel Aviv, who is forced to reconcile her identity and values on the eve of her military conscription.

A bittersweet love letter to adolescence in small town England.

Marisa Kelly - 19, Taylor Killefer - 21, Claire Imler 19 California

Luna Garcia - 17 California/Israel

Abena Taylor-Smith - 24 United Kingdom

LAVENDER

Matthew Puccini - 24 New York A young gay man grows increasingly entangled in the marriage of an older couple.

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SPECIAL THANKS TO:

EXTRA SPECIAL THANKS TO:

NFFTY would like to acknowledge the generosity of the following contributors:

NFFTY would like to acknowledge the special help and support of these organizations:

Anonymous Brian & Heidi Roth Carl Kadie & Nanci Vaeth Christopher Newell Dan Hudson Daniel Taplitz & Iona Brindle Donna Brown Gavin & Charlene McKenzie Hilary Klein Ron Klein & Margo Hass Klein Mark & Jane Eisner Nancy Chang Evan Christopher Sarah Bowling Liv Faris Blair & Craig Brooke-Weiss Alex Theo Anna Bliner Ryan Elizalde Stefanie Malone Lindsey Hummel Laura Holliday Max Thayer Amy Williams Lori Seago Rosanna Rae Bonnie Trueman Line Sandsmark Tony Caravano Howie Seago Kevin Wright Dan Lesser Chad Hersey Kayla Briet Giulia Gandini Catherine McCord Kevin Giles Stacey Jenkins

Seattle’s Office of Film + Music Seattle’s Office of Arts & Culture One Reel 4Culture Scan | Design Foundation Washington State Arts Commission National Endowment for the Arts Garneau-Nicon Family Foundation Tulalip Tribes Charitable Contributions SiTy Foundation James D. Scheinfeld Family Foundation Ralph M. Parsons Foundation Moccasin Lake Foundation T-Mobile Foundation Sundance Institute

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Romain Vakilitibar Jeffrey Bisch Laura Sheriff Kathy Aragon Justin Sobodash Mark Waters Phil Seneker Jonna Dickison Matt Lawrence Frank Harris Kate Becker Ashraf Hasham Al Hillel & Sue Wiedenfeld Monique Courcy Kevin Fansler Maja Gans Angela Gunn Caroline Rensel Kevin Conner Christopher Day Sarah Gulian Ben McCarthy Kyle Seago Suzie Gardner Lesley Pfeifer Paul Siple Karen Bystrom Sean Kusanagi Perry Atkins William Brand Nicole Stellner & Peter Eberhardy Lael Rogers Ben Andrews Sarah Kleehammer Cheryll Hidalgo

ADDITIONALLY: Nathan Heal & His Students Kinnon Williams Vivian Hua & Northwest Film Forum Amy Lillard & Washington Filmworks All our Sponsors All our Donors All our Volunteers You!

NFFTY SCREENING & SCREENPLAY COMMITTEE

NFFTY is a program of The Talented Youth, a 501c3 non-profit Robert Bojorquez Charlene Laporte Dan Hudson Todd Kaumans Kevin Conner Kyle Seago Amy Williams Theresa Robinson Fiona Paskoff Yousra Salam

Kalee Forsythe Barb Hoffman Rachel Dunn Theresa Ambat Mathilda Noone Pranay Patwardhan Sienna Stiefel Matt Lawrence Ella Frazier Kelly LaCombe

2019 NFFTY STAFF DAN HUDSON Managing Director

AMY WILLIAMS Program Manager

KYLE SEAGO Director of Programming/ Co-Founder

KELLY CAMPELIA Program Coordinator

THERESA ROBINSON Festival Coordinator Intern

RACHEL DUNN Festival Marketing Intern

BARB HOFFMAN Festival Marketing Intern

FIONA PASKOFF Festival Production Intern

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NFFTY thanks SAG-AFTRA for their support!

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NFFTY TEAM Managing Director – Dan Hudson Director of Programming/Co-Founder – Kyle Seago Program Manager - Amy Williams Program Coordinator - Kelly Campelia Festival Marketing Intern - Barb Hoffman Festival Marketing Intern - Rachel Dunn Festival Coordinator Intern - Theresa Robinson Festival Production Intern - Fiona Paskoff Programming Intern - Theresa Ambat Intern - Ella Frazier Intern - Mathilda Noone Senior Programmer/Podcast Producer - Robert Bojorquez Senior Programmer/Podcast Co-Host - Kevin Conner Print and Web Designed by – Heal Creative Trailer Editor – Kyle Seago Event Management – Tokita Bethune Inc Public Relations - Smarthouse Creative Venue Manager - Stephanie Bailey Venue Manager - Sydney Jarol Board of Directors Donna Brown – President – Architect Matt Lawrence – Vice President – Media Educator William Brand – Treasurer – CPA Phil Seneker – Acting Secretary – Senior Developer, Video, T-Mobile Ryan Elizalde – Marketing Director, Better Properties Eastside Kate Becker – King County Creative Economy Strategist Peter Barnes – Principal, Clatter&Din Board Emeritus Jesse Harris - Founder Jocelyn R.C. - Co-Founder Kyle Seago - Co-Founder Jim Wilgus - Past President P. Scott Cummins - Founding Board Member Bud Harrington - Founding Board Member Advisory Board Ben Kadie - President of NFFTY Alumni Advisory Board – Filmmaker Laura Holliday - Vice President - Independent Filmmaker Kayla Briët – Independent Filmmaker Dom Fera - YouTube Partner, DFear Studios Elena Gaby - Researcher, Warrior Poets Garrett Kennell – Independent Filmmaker Todd Kaumans – Producer, Xbox Morgana Mckenzie - Director & Filmmaker Pranay Patwardhan - Creative Director at Animal, New Delhi, India Erica Sterne - Documentary Filmmaker Noah Wagner - Director & Filmmaker

STORY OF NFFTY 2007 Jesse Harris realizes the need for an organization to support young filmmakers and joins with Jocelyn R.C. and Kyle Seago to launch NFFTY as a one-night festival with 14 films and to form a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, The Talented Youth.

2008-2010 NFFTY expands to a three-day event with 73 films, panels, and two concerts. NFFTY’s year-round programming, NFFTY 365 launches. In 2009, NFFTY begins accepting international films, expands to a fourday festival, and launches year-round filmmaking workshops.

2011 Now the world’s largest film festival for emerging filmmakers, NFFTY 2011 adds more networking opportunities, panels of industry professionals, and is attended by over 200 filmmakers with audiences of 7,000.

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 films from around the world. NFFTY alumni are now working for prestigious companies such as The Weinstein Company, Pixar, and HBO. Stefanie Malone joins the NFFTY team.

2014 NFFTY launches its Young Women in Film initiative, a year-round effort to support young female filmmakers, and NFFTY Creative, connecting brands with NFFTY alumni to work on original projects, garnering both ADDY and Telly Awards.

2015 NFFTY features a record 248 films from 30 states and 25 countries with over 12,000 in attendance, with 48% female-directed films. The festival adds its Works-In-Progress event and launches the NFFTY Alumni Advisory Board.

2016 Ten years of NFFTY included 227 films from 24 countries, as well as an inaugural screenwriting competition: Story Starts Here. NFFTY took its first steps into VR/360° with a panel and product demos.

NFFTY took home “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 its largest festival yet, 257 films from around the world. NFFTYX launches with a full VR/360° event featuring a boot camp and screening gallery. Screenplay Competition and Works In Progress round out a wildly successful year!

2018 In 2018, NFFTY changed things up! The four-day festival was moved to October, and after receiving over 1,300 submissions, NFFTY screened 286 films from 24 countries and 24 U.S. States. In partnership with Oculus, NFFTYX expanded into an official VR/360° gallery with NFFTY Official Selections from filmmakers and creators under 25, an Immersive Showcase, and an Empathy Lounge filled with 360° and VR storytelling works by industry professionals. NFFTY also presented several AR/VR/360º panels, workshops, and bootcamps, as well as welcomed special guest speakers Kevin Klauber (editor, Oscar-winning 20 Feet From Stardom and Icarus) and Danish film director Aske Bang. Over 50% of NFFTY 2018’s Official Selections were directed by female or non-binary identifying filmmakers, and the festival continues to be one of Filmfreeway’s Top 100 Rated Festivals! NFFTY Co-Founder Kyle Seago put on one of the most successful festivals yet before handing the Managing Director title to Dan Hudson.

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