Season - 3 (Official Selection)

Anchor 1

Mini- Short

The Zoom Date

(Helen McKenzie Ross)

Synopsis: Tired of dating jerks, a woman tries ‘Zoom Dating’. She discovers being true to herself brings out the individuality in others.

"The Zoom Date"

Anchor 2

Short-Fiction Film

Group Lotto

(Mikos Zavros)

Synopsis: A stranger rolls into a bar and recruits 4 people to play Group Lotto, each choosing a number to play. On every turn, they pick the same number. While expectations rise, so do suspicions as a mathematician realizes the odds of this happening are staggering.

Trailer of "Group Lotto"

Gravediggers

(Adam Gutierrez)

Synopsis: Two thieves get blackmailed into digging up dead bodies.

Selfie #VooDooChallenge

(Antwand Pearman)

Synopsis: After gaining infamy from an appearance on a daytime talk show an out-of-control teenager participates in a social media challenge where people have gone missing.

Trailer of "Selfie #VooDooChallenge"

Anchor 3

Short Film - Non Fiction Film

Alles hat Grenzen NUR DER MONDFISCH NICHT

(Sylvia Eckermann & Gerald Nestler)

Synopsis: "Alles hat Grenzen, NUR DER MONDFISCH NICHT" is an environmental film musical, in which nature acts and speaks in a diversity of voices. Surfacing evocatively from micro- and macrocosmic layers, she resonates with water as the source of life and resounds as exploited resource. She echoes from the trenches of an inverted world and speaks out as a human being. Reverberating through ecological-cultural depths, images, sounds and associations push to light, giving shape to a vision of humanity being in tune with nature.

Anchor 5

Short Documentary Film

Silver Pill

(Nousha Saidi)

Synopsis: A young Iranian woman has attempted suicide by using Aluminum Phosphate pills, used commonly for rice weevils.
We accompany her to hospital, in hopes of learning about her reasons for making such a drastic decision and to see if she will survive?
Is there any room for regret?

Trailer of "Silver Pill"

Anchor 6

Short Animation Film

The Penguin

(Matt Bissett-Johnson)

Synopsis: There's no such thing as a free penguin.

Moth On Fire

(Kiddo Pan)

Synopsis: Moth on Fire is a 3D animated rap music video.

An ordinary moth wants to prove itself by going through the fire, which is considered brave, strong and therefore respected by others. But soon it finds out that this so-called heroism behavior is deadly and is a conspiracy by the power holder. With the purpose of being heard and uncovering the truth, the moth plans to do the challenge in the smart way…

The Boy and The Mountain

(Santiago Aguilera & Gabriel Monreal)

Synopsis: Hernán is a child who likes to daydreaming, but in his studies he is not doing well at all. His father constantly urges him to improve, advising him that he must reach very high to succeed in life. Hernán dispenses with his dream, gradually forgetting it to devote himself to his studies. Over time, and already become a successful entrepreneur, Hernán achieves the dream that his father instilled in him, reach high, until one day he will realize that he has not really achieved something he always longed for. Then he will make the crucial decision to fulfill his dream, but fate will play tricks on him. Hernán will have to face a new challenge that will change the meaning of his life.

CEASG THE MERMAID

(CARMEN PÉREZ GONZÁLEZ)

Synopsis: Through the images of the maps from the Marqués de Valdecilla Historical Library UCM develops an animation short film. For this small film we have arrogated the iconography of sea monsters existing on the old maps of the library, in a story with a beginning, a middle and an end.
In the story we can find some fantastic characters that inhabit a hostile environment, the attack of a monster, a heroine who saves an heir, a grateful kingdom and a happy ending.

Shadowland

(Bellopropello)

Synopsis: The diverse communication options offered by a cell phone influence our social and consumer behavior. Excessive use changes the design of <head-down people’s> life and lifestyle habits.

Trailer of "Shadowland"

Ripple

(Ryanna Kim)

Synopsis: A mermaid is missing her friend. But when a stranger is dropped into her life, will she accept a new hand in friendship?

Three Objects Spoke To Me

(Diane Kaufman)

Synopsis: Have you ever felt lost on life's journey? Three Objects Spoke to Me came into the world on April 28, 2018 at a Words for Healing workshop at Legacy Hospital in Portland, Oregon. The story's inspiration and creative spark? Active imagination with chosen object writing prompts: a red cloth rose bloom, a metal angel pin with a heart, crescent moon, and star across the waist, and a small ceramic circle with a bird painted on one side and on the other side the word "silence." What came next was magic.

Anchor 7

Short LGBTQ Film

Pink Feather

(Rochelle Smith)

Synopsis: This LGBTQ+ film is a mixture of comedy, and awareness. A group of ranchers in the 80's visit what they think is a western bar. What they find instead, are drag queens, conflict, and finally, compassion. Filmed in Garden City, Idaho. Starring Karma Rose, Coco Freeo, Maliha Gemini, Sid D'Licious, MIkey Likesit, JRS, LP, and many others. Music by Jenn Snyder, Rochelle Smith, Brooke Would, and JRS. Made possible with a grant from Idaho Film Collection, archived at BSU Albertson's Library.

Found Family

(Esmée Lavalette)

Synopsis: Found Family follows teenager Elyse trying to navigate coming out to her homophobic parents and wanting to meet her long distance girlfriend for the first time.

Anchor 8

Short Experiment Film

TASTEless

(Joshua Collins)

Synopsis: a man suddenly loses his taste and smell.

"Imagine This: A Story Told With Sound Effects"

(Dick Jordan)

Synopsis: Sounds effects add a layer of complexity to movies.

But could a motion picture be made solely with sound effects and nothing visual at all?

Imagine the story that sounds effects are telling as you watch this film.

It has been nominated in the "Best Sound" and "Best No Budget" categories at the 2018 Top Indie Film Awards. It was a Semi-Finalist at the 2020 Dumbo Film Festival, a Finalist for "Best Experimental Film Award" at the Summer 2019 Oregon Cinema Arts Film Festival and won a Bronze Award in the 2019 Spotlight Short Film Awards.

Trailer of "Imagine This: A Story Told With Sound Effects"

Anchor 10

Best Art Film

A House of Fox

(Hirokazu Fukawa)

Synopsis: “A House of Fox” is a contemporary folklore that inspired by an old short Japanese comic story by Katsura Beichou. Fox crosses a boundary between woods and human habitation and interact with people unlike any other animals but more humanly way. Fox is a messenger of “Dakini,” originally. However, it mixed up “Inari” which is native religion of Japan. There are so many Japanese folklores have stories of fox and those often depict fox as a deceptive animal. Fox tricks people and, in return, fox is tricked by people. People believes fox is intelligent as human and transforms into human. This is another urban folklore.

Anchor 11

Best Comedy Film

Never Mime

(Joe Griffenberg)

Synopsis: A Mime tries to find love only to find he isn't exactly the girl's type.

Anchor 12

Best Crime Film

The Big Apple Grind

(Bruno Taniguchi)

Synopsis: A mystery writer is laboring over his new crime novel involving a cop, the cop's wife and the wife's jazz musician lover. Set to swing music, it doesn't end happily.

"The Big Apple Grind"

Anchor 14

Best Drama Film

Vengeance Saloon

(James E Blackburn)

Synopsis: A stranger rides into an abandoned Western town after receiving a threatening letter. He rides in looking for trouble only to find that trouble is looking for him.

The Box in the Basement Feature Film

(Mike Fox)

Synopsis: The box in the basement | A Film by Mike Fox

Avery’s life sucks.

With the passing of her little brother, bullies at school, parents arguing at home, teacher on her case, friends no longer friends, only Amy her best friend and escaping reality helps her cope.

Until she learns about a Box and a Cube with power, whatever that means.

She quickly finds out this Cube has the power to transport her to her own future – and from what she’s seen, her future looks AMAZING. What would stop her from teleporting there, like… now?

But is that the right choice to make? Some choices are not easy choices, and Avery will need to make the right one. Not only for her own life, but for all the people in her life she knows and cares about................

Trailer of "The Box in the Basement Feature Film"

Milas Tagebuch (Milas Diary)

(Gabriel Da Silva)

Synopsis: A little girl writes all the events of bullying to her friend in a diary. She gives the diary to her teacher. Unaware, it triggers a chain reaction.

"Milas Tagebuch (Milas Diary)"

Anchor 18

Best Romantic Film

Love Comes Quietly

(George Kostopoulos)

Synopsis: Karolina Andersson sings a song called "Love Comes Quietly.

"Love Comes Quietly"

Anchor 19

Best Sci-Fi

Wasteland: A Dream

(Dan Smith)

Synopsis: Pauline and Lance were the only ones left after the corporate war. Alone together in the wasteland.

"Wasteland: A Dream"

Anchor 21

Best Trailer

I See My Beauty in You

(George Kostopoulos)

Synopsis: A college freshman becomes infatuated with her wolfish poetry professor.

"I See My Beauty in You"

The Box in the Basement Trailer (w/Logos)

(Mike Fox)

Synopsis: Avery’s life sucks.

With the passing of her little brother, bullies at school, parents arguing at home, teacher on her case, friends no longer friends, only Amy her best friend and escaping reality helps her cope.

Until she learns about a Box and a Cube with power, whatever that means.

She quickly finds out this Cube has the power to transport her to her own future – and from what she’s seen, her future looks AMAZING. What would stop her from teleporting there, like… now?

But is that the right choice to make? Some choices are not easy choices, and Avery will need to make the right one. Not only for her own life, but for all the people in her life she knows and cares about.

Anchor 22

Best Women's Film

Rumi's Rumba

(George Kostopoulos)

Synopsis: Professor Johnson, a college poetry professor, lectures his students on a poem by Rumi. When class finishes, one of the students, Olivia, approaches the professor with a question about the poem. This leads into a romantic fantasy musical sequence. Conflict arises soon after when Dean Cox and his secretary, Miss Flannigan, accuse Professor Johnson of exploiting Olivia.

"Rumi's Rumba"

Silver Pill

(Nousha Saidi)

Synopsis: A young Iranian woman has attempted suicide by using Aluminum Phosphate pills, used commonly for rice weevils.
We accompany her to hospital, in hopes of learning about her reasons for making such a drastic decision and to see if she will survive?
Is there any room for regret?

Trailer of "Silver Pill"

Anchor 24

Best Director

Milas Tagebuch (Milas Diary)

(Gabriel Da Silva)

Synopsis: A little girl writes all the events of bullying to her friend in a diary. She gives the diary to her teacher. Unaware, it triggers a chain reaction.

"Milas Tagebuch (Milas Diary)"

Anchor 31

Best Young Actoress

The Box in the Basement Feature Film

(Mike Fox)

Synopsis: The box in the basement | A Film by Mike Fox

Avery’s life sucks.

With the passing of her little brother, bullies at school, parents arguing at home, teacher on her case, friends no longer friends, only Amy her best friend and escaping reality helps her cope.

Until she learns about a Box and a Cube with power, whatever that means.

She quickly finds out this Cube has the power to transport her to her own future – and from what she’s seen, her future looks AMAZING. What would stop her from teleporting there, like… now?

But is that the right choice to make? Some choices are not easy choices, and Avery will need to make the right one. Not only for her own life, but for all the people in her life she knows and cares about................

Trailer of "The Box in the Basement Feature Film"

Anchor 32

Best Child Actor (5y - 12Y)

Milas Tagebuch (Milas Diary)

(Gabriel Da Silva)

Synopsis: A little girl writes all the events of bullying to her friend in a diary. She gives the diary to her teacher. Unaware, it triggers a chain reaction.

"Milas Tagebuch (Milas Diary)"

Anchor 33

Best Actor (Male)

The Dark Caller

(Erik Herrera, Danny Hayden)

Synopsis: Charlie calls Damon by mistake, and the calls keep coming...