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Awards 2024
FILM FESTIVAL 2024
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SELECTIONS 2024
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Treat Day

It’s “Treat Day” and Deborah has cash in her pocket and a stocked tuck shop in the lobby of her building. Overwhelmed with options, the cashier steers her towards a candy and cassette tape deal. In awe of being reunited with music from decades ago, Deborah doubts she’ll remember the beloved lyrics. With the concierge’s encouragement, Deborah presses play on the tape player as she leaves for her daily walk in the park. If you’ve ever heard *that* song from when you were young, you’ll recognize Deborah’s joy at being reunited with memories of her youth. She’s virtually transported back in time as she enjoys the sun on her face and the breeze in her hair. The friendly hello of a couple on a park bench. The attention of a friendly dog. The cheekiness of children that charm her candy away. And we are left to wonder, whose “Treat Day” is it?

L'atelier d'Aliyah

"L'atelier d'Aliyah" is a short documentary set in France about tufting artist Aliyah Salmon and what influences her practice as a black woman in craft.

Traces on the wall

The spinal cord injury of the protagonist leads to paralysis. After several unsuccessful suicide attempts, he accidentally discovers a small ray of hope to live on.

Let Freedom Ring

Original song about the power of the 1st Amendment from middle school student, Maisie Munroe!

Mourners

The scars etched upon the souls of those fighting for freedom of speech and belief transcend the boundaries of race and nationality. In different corners of the world, individuals are often confronted with agonizing choices. It's akin to the dilemma faced by a soldier forced to decide between harming an innocent girl or sacrificing themselves in a distant northern land. Or, in the case of a young lesbian girl, the heart-wrenching decision of whether to intervene when her lover is arrested by oppressive regime security forces in a Middle Eastern country or save herself. The torment endured within the white-walled confines of solitary confinement is no easier when a young, tortured girl is finally offered a handful of cherries after years of deprivation. This choice is as profound as the decision to pray or not, a desperate attempt to soothe the souls of countless innocent people massacred in a single day. Yet, amidst these grim realities, there is a glimmer of hope. It emerges when grieving mothers, who have lost their children to executions, torture, or violence in peaceful protests, extend their compassion to mothers who never had the opportunity to bury their own children. Together, they mourn over the collective graves of their sons and daughters. Hope persists, even in the final moments of a young boy's life. As he records a video reportage, capturing the beauty of a sunset and sharing his yearning for better days in his country, he does so just hours before he falls victim to violence during a protest.

MABEL

Meet Mabel Mercer, a remarkable black singer born to a teenage mother in Cardiff, Wales. Her captivating journey led her from Paris, where she sought refuge from the Nazis, to becoming a mesmerizing force in American music. As spellbinding as those who adorned banana belts in Paris, Mabel Mercer's influence wasn't just skin-deep; she single-handedly transformed the landscape of American music, reigning supreme from her throne in the bars of France. Not only did she captivate Frank Sinatra, but Mabel also left an indelible mark on an entire generation of singers.

She Sees Me

A young boy struggles to embrace his newfound life with his stepmother and embarks on a journey leading him to an unexpected encounter ...

A Flight to Mars

In 1972, there was a possibility of going to Mars. What if that happened and what if there was a woman who was brave enough to push us to go to Mars? This film explores that through the story of our NASA engineer, Addison Brown.

The Way Out

A woman must choose between her family and her safety after her mother shares a long-held family secret.

Our Country Screams

A re-writing of My Country Tis of Thee to reflect our turbulent times.

Pestis Muliebris - Stories of Female Resilience

How many difficulties have women encountered to undertake scientific studies and, in particular, in medicine? Ask Marie, Elizabeth, Emily…

To Go

Derin plays the side flute in a little bar in Istanbul far from her family after she graduated from school. She is already not satisfied with her job, as if that was not enough, she is being filled with hate towards the refugees due to the increasing number of them. On the other hand she leaves unanswered by lying the phone calls of her mother, who wants her to pass the exam and be a teacher. Feeling tired and stuck, she has only on purpose now. Leave this country! While she is struggling with these complicated feelings, being friends with her newly moved Canadian neighbor, feels good. Not wanting to miss the opportunity of practising English, Derin helps her new friend find a new house. After a long struggle they find the house they are looking for, in a refugee neighborhood. But Derin finds out that the family of her new neighbor who came from Kanada, once had come to Istanbul as a refugee running away from war and her new neighbor was born in that house. At that moment her mother calls. Even though she doesn't want to, she who has left her mother's calls unanswered for days picks the phone with the confusion of her situation . Will she tell the truth to her mother this time?

La Línea (At The Border)

A group of individuals looking for a way to cross the border and pay 2 coyotes to give fake passports and cross them over. At the international border, something goes wrong and complicates everything to the point to fight for their lives.

Resonance

Emma and Chris are best friends who connect over their love for music, but when a misunderstanding between Emma and Chris' girlfriend occurs, Emma will have to live with the consequences.

THE SPRAYER

In the land occupied with the sprayers army, no one has the right to grow any kind of plants either in public or private. So many of the people and soldiers do not even know how dose a plant grows or look like, until one day one of the soldiers finds a seed buried deep down in the dust and his curiosity is just the beginning of something extraordinary, something big, something revolutionary

No Bruises

“No Bruises” is a narrative short film that explores the cyclical nature of emotional abuse, played out in vignette-style glimpses into one man’s relationships with three different women over time.

The Consequence

When a right-wing opinion radio host chooses to discriminately accuse a Muslim man of a murder he didn’t commit, her words come back to haunt her. But will she pay for the consequence of her actions

The Secret Garden - MILENA

This video was made in the Secret Garden, London, UK on the iPhone in May 2023 by MILENA & Jelena Bakic. Video editing by Igor Bakic iBaka Music & lyrics by Milena Lainović Vocals & piano by MILENA Song arranged, produced, mixed & mastered by HYPNOTYST

Nightlife

Hannah and her husband are fighting violently outside Evie's apartment door. When she hears Hannah being slammed against the door, Evie pulls her inside to rescure her. But Hannah doesn't need or want help.

Anyhow

"Anyhow" is almost a short film disguised as a music video. It's based on real events and a nod to the Alfred Tennyson line "'tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all". The performance part of the video borrows from an old Hollywood style black & white aesthetic, where the story portion utilizes newly developed animation conversion technology in attaining a colorful and fun palette to propel the viewer into a whole new world.

All I want for Christmas is You... GONE! (LGBTQ version)

A music video for the opposite of a romantic Christmas song.

BayouTech

In a world now devoid of humans, artificial intelligence has taken over. Journey into the bayou, where a former service android learns to make her own way, re-contextualizing the world around her, and embarking on a journey of self-discovery. Will she be able to overcome her initial programming? Will she learn to succeed where humans had failed? Join her and her friends and they cobble together a new world where love conquers fear, and magic abounds.

Survivor

Some immigrants by the sea are waiting for them to cross the sea.. A young couple with other immigrants are going to the light of the world, but they have problems when their baby is born.

Generically Hot Girls Do Education

Two ex-porn stars school our class on the perils of underage porn.

Transcendent

In the serene realm of a mystical planet, RoRo, an elemental being, thrives in harmonious unity with others and the natural world. But one fateful day, RoRo's closest friend, LoLo, introduces him to an enigmatic concept: "Earth" – a place where existence is entwined with darkness, pain, and profound suffering. Enveloped in a cosmic elixir bearing an uncanny resemblance to LSD, RoRo embarks on a journey into the human realm. He traverses the spectrum of human experience from birth to an untimely end, each encounter unveiling increasingly somber and disquieting realities. Ultimately, RoRo finds himself adrift in a desolate void, engulfed by a profound sense of isolation and separation. LoLo, the guiding force, beckons RoRo back to the essence of "true reality." Returning to his celestial home, RoRo comprehends that it was all an elaborate illusion. His reaction, a ripple of laughter, echoes a profound truth, compelling the audience to reflect on the gravity and significance we attribute to life's trials and tribulations. This whimsical yet profound revelation challenges us to reexamine the seriousness we invest in the constructs we deem real.

Lost Treasure

A crew of misfit filmmakers set out to win a film festival and they decide to make a documentary about a diner and its famous 'Secret Sauce.' When an extra dies during filming, they must decide; call 911 - or continue and possibly win the coveted 'treasure.'

And Her Sleeve Was Wet From Tears

The film shows portraits of women whom we watch in their daily mundane lives. And we are only witness to a moment of their life. We don’t know their stories but we hear and see their sufferings and emotions.

Suddenly December

An elderly woman is rummaging through some keepsakes and finds her dead husband's Christmas sweater. Her memory then returns her to another happy time and place and whoosh "Suddenly It's December". She remembers when she was young with her man sharing good times and places. It is one of the sad realities of life that times will change and youth is only temporary.

A FRAGILE FLOWER (DOA HOA MONG MANH)

Thach Thao is a beautiful girl with an angelic voice, but she lost her parents at a young age and is cared for by her cousin, singer Ellie. The first time she sang on stage, Thach Thao immediately caught the eye of a music producer named Son... Immediately after that, Thach Thao was invited by the SET Studio owned by the powerhouse couple Son and Yvonne, to cooperate in recording and filming a music film called "A Fragile Flower". She gets to receive technical vocal guidance from the famous singer Le Khanh. Thach Thao became an instant hit after her first music film and got the attention of all the fan. She became a renowned singer immediately. Thach Thao is both beautiful, talented, and famous, so she is loved by many men in different ways as she is progressing on her singer career. - Music producer Son found in Thach Thao so beautiful and such a rare gem. He is willing to do anything for her to complete her first music video. - Director Dang loved her like a muse, always cherishing and protecting her. - Billionaire Bao Hoang was mesmerizing with Thach Thao's heaven sent voice. - Musician Ngoc is the puppy love and he is younger and is always by her side, taking care of her and protecting her. So, which man will Thach Thao's heart belong to? And what is the dangerous illness that she encountered? How did she overcome the challenges of her life?

Beyond Physical Matter

Jaqueline Thu Thao

Hadi Bou Ayash

Derin plays the side flute in a little bar in Istanbul far from her family after she graduated from school. She is already not satisfied with her job, as if that was not enough, she is being filled with hate towards the refugees due to the increasing number of them. On the other hand she leaves unanswered by lying the phone calls of her mother, who wants her to pass the exam and be a teacher. Feeling tired and stuck, she has only on purpose now. Leave this country! While she is struggling with these complicated feelings, being friends with her newly moved Canadian neighbor, feels good. Not wanting to miss the opportunity of practising English, Derin helps her new friend find a new house. After a long struggle they find the house they are looking for, in a refugee neighborhood. But Derin finds out that the family of her new neighbor who came from Kanada, once had come to Istanbul as a refugee running away from war and her new neighbor was born in that house. At that moment her mother calls. Even though she doesn't want to, she who has left her mother's calls unanswered for days picks the phone with the confusion of her situation . Will she tell the truth to her mother this time?

Mai Thu Huyen

Thach Thao is a beautiful girl with an angelic voice, but she lost her parents at a young age and is cared for by her cousin, singer Ellie. The first time she sang on stage, Thach Thao immediately caught the eye of a music producer named Son... Immediately after that, Thach Thao was invited by the SET Studio owned by the powerhouse couple Son and Yvonne, to cooperate in recording and filming a music film called "A Fragile Flower". She gets to receive technical vocal guidance from the famous singer Le Khanh. Thach Thao became an instant hit after her first music film and got the attention of all the fan. She became a renowned singer immediately. Thach Thao is both beautiful, talented, and famous, so she is loved by many men in different ways as she is progressing on her singer career. - Music producer Son found in Thach Thao so beautiful and such a rare gem. He is willing to do anything for her to complete her first music video. - Director Dang loved her like a muse, always cherishing and protecting her. - Billionaire Bao Hoang was mesmerizing with Thach Thao's heaven sent voice. - Musician Ngoc is the puppy love and he is younger and is always by her side, taking care of her and protecting her. So, which man will Thach Thao's heart belong to? And what is the dangerous illness that she encountered? How did she overcome the challenges of her life?

Maya Huong Thu Mai