ONCE THERE WAS III (USA) BY NINA MCNEELY

Trailer

Synopsis: 3 women bound to a shared soul oscillating between the throes of brutality and piety. A visceral display of true sisterhood- they suffer together, thrive together and bleed together. Running time: 00:06:34

About the director: Nina McNeely is a storyteller, provocateur, and a creator. She is a choreographer, visual artist, director, creative director, and animator. Nina is madly in love with people, and finds no greater pleasure than studying the human condition. Throughout her career, Nina has been fortunate to work with Björk, Gaspar Noé, The Weeknd, Rihanna, Foo Fighters, Sam Smith, Alicia Keyes and black midi to name a few - all legends in their own right.

​

WINDOW (SWEDEN) BY SARA KADEFORS

Synopsis: A middle-aged woman begins to watch a young man in a window across the street. The drama that takes place there makes her remember her own life as a young woman, a time that was both fantastic, and which she realizes, as the man's life becomes complicated, difficult, and painful. One day she is interrupted in her thoughts, and her life takes an unexpected turn. Running time: 00:11:40.

About the director: Sara Kadefors has worked as a journalist and presenter for Swedish radio and television, is an award winning novelist. Today she works full time as a screenwriter for tv and film. Last year, both the miniseries Tsunami and Dejta premiered on Swedish television. Sara has also written and directed drama for radio and stage as well as her own short story films.

​

I FIND HIM IN THE WEATHER (USA) BY MIA ZHOU LORENTSEN

Synopsis: Through the use of rotoscope and abstract animation, this short film recounts the final moments the director had with her father - and his lasting impact on her life through signs in the weather. Running time: 00:03:34.

About the director: Mia Lorentsen is a 22 year old from Seattle, Washington. She is an graduate from DePaul University, earning her BFA in Animation and a Minor in Illustration.

​

THE PRISONER (POLAND) BY ŁUKASZ GIERAŃCZYK, FILIP DRZEWIECKI

Trailer

Synopsis: One night with an ex-convict on the streets of Vancouver. Inspired by cinéma-vérité. Running time: 00:14:24.

Selections/awards: MakeDox Creative Documentary FF, Ghent Viewpoint Documentary FF, Int. Short FF of Cyprus.

About the director: Lukasz Gieranczyk is a first time filmmaker. Filip Drzewiecki directed "The Briefing" which premiered at the 61st Dok Leipzig and was awarded by Canal+ Poland for the Best Short Documentary.

​

PINELAND/HOLLYWOOD (USA) BY DEBI CORNWALL

Synopsis: At a traffic stop, distinguishing reality from fantasy becomes the difference between life and death. Using fair-use clips from almost 200 Hollywood films to tell one true story in collaboration with the survivor of a traumatic event, Pineland/Hollywood challenges viewers to reassess how we consume fictionalized stories of real state violence. Running time: 00:10:35.

Selections/awards: interfilm Berlin, D.C. Independent FF, Videoex Zurich, SF DocFest.

About the director: Debi Cornwall is a conceptual documentary artist and filmmaker who returned to visual expression after a 12-year career as a civil-rights lawyer. Marrying dark humor with structural critique, she employs still and moving images, testimony, and other materials to illuminate invisible systems.

​

PARENTHESIS (USA) BY VASILIOS PAPAIOANNU

Trailer

Synopsis: Logline: In this lonely contemplation of a past summer, the ancient promontory becomes a parenthetical projection of frantic lines and alternating impressions.'Parenthesis', a short impressionistic poem, liberates the inserted thought from its master. Running time: 00:05:00.

About the director: Vasilios Papaioannu is a filmmaker, photographer and mixed media artist currently based in Washington, DC. In his work Papaioannu explores the fleeting dreamscapes of reality using noise, movement and disturbance. He hybridizes different modes of filmmaking, unifying variegated media, primarily 16mm film, digital video and archival footage. His works have been shown in various venues around the world, such as Crossroads at SFMOMA, Anthology Film Archives, Athens International Film + Video Festival, Cork IFF, Montreal Underground FF.

​

METUBE: AUGUST SINGS 'UNA FURTIVA LAGRIMA' (AUSTRIA) BY DANIEL MOSHEL

Synopsis: The third part of the internationally award-winning MeTube short film series. This time the intergalactic music nerds August and Elfi conquer the opera stage and orchestrate their final adventure in an opulent manner. Running time: 00:10.00.

​

About the director: Daniel Moshel (Germany) currently lives as a writer/director in Vienna, Austria. The project "Metube" started as an homage to thousands of ambitious YouTube users and video bloggers. The sequel MeTube 2 followed. Both MeTubes were screened on more than 600 festivals (including two nominations on Sundance 2013 & 2016), received more than 60 awards, and gathered over 4 million web views. Currently Daniel works with his team of writers on features and tv shows.

​

A LETTER TO MY MOTHER (IRAN) BY AMINA MAHER

Trailer

Synopsis: A heartfelt letter to tell a mother the most painful of secrets. Amina Maher, who in 2002 was the young protagonist of 'Ten' by Kiarostami is now a transgender director who tries to make her voice heard, understood, and be understood. Running time: 00:19:33.

Selections/awards: Kasseler Dokfest Lovers FF, Sparrowland Short FF Brisbane (Best Documentary Film), LGBTQIA+ FF, Ontario International FF (Winner Best International Documentary), Verona IFF (Winner Best Experimental Film), Beirut International Women FF (Winner Best International Short Film), and more.

About the director: Amina Maher (Tehran, 1992) is an Iranian queer filmmaker whose works deal with themes of social taboos and gender-identity in relation to violence and power structure. She began her cinematic activity as the main protagonist in Abbas Kiarostami's "Ten” which featured the real-life relationship between Amina and her mother.

​

LOSING IT (AUSTRIA) BY SASCHA VERNIK

Trailer

Synopsis: After losing the tool he relies on most, a fraud information worker decides to go back in time to prevent it. Running time: 00:09:30.

About the director: Sascha Vernik is a director and animator based in Vienna, Austria. After his debut animated film "Embracing Lovers" in 2014 he has worked in the animation industry before completing his animated short 'Losing It' in 2022.

​

RABBIT (USA) BY JASPER FLETCHER, LUKAS FLETCHER

Trailer

Synopsis: A boy celebrates his 18th birthday; gets wet. Running time: 00:17:18.

​