All the Wrong Things
Chelsea GonzalezTwo Strangers fall in love outside an abortion clinic.
https://www.chelseagonzalez.com/all-the-wrong-things
Chelsea Gonzalez was named ‘Most Powerful Voice’ by New York’s Blackbird Film Festival for her first short film, Susanne and The Man. The film was an official selection at 25 film festivals including Sarasota, DeadCenter, and DC Independent. She went on to take top honors at the Los Angeles Connect Film Festival (Best Comedic Short) and San Francisco Actors Film Festival (Best Actor).
As an actress, Chelsea appears on Hulu’s The Mindy Project, CBS’s Criminal Minds, ABC’s Castle, and HBO’s The Jinx. She shared the screen with Doug Jones as Gloria in Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Productions’ Ouija: Origin of Evil.
Most recently, Franka Potente –famous to American audiences as the title character in Run Lola Run – selected Chelsea to appear in her feature film Home starring Kathy Bates, currently in post-production.
Chelsea has been murdered on screen 7 times and hopes for many more in her future – but she particularly enjoys playing characters who are alive.
She recently wrapped her second short film, All the Wrong Things, which is just beginning the festival circuit with 9 screenings so far. She is currently in development on her first feature.
Chelsea strives to create work that takes a hard look at the darkest parts of ourselves and our society, while still cultivating light and laughter. She lives in Los Angeles.
—
April in Her Mind
Willow Skye-BiggsA young transgender woman balances her life as a metal worker with a complicated inner emotional world, while also navigating the realization that she and her girlfriend seem to be telepathic.
Willow Skye-Biggs creates emotive works exploring questions about humanity, mental illness, the supernatural and the spiritual. Drawing on her personal lens as a lesbian, transgender and autistic person she is carving out a vital perspective in storytelling and multimedia art. Having worked in music production, video art, and installation, April in Her Mind marks Willow's first foray into narrative film.
—
Cherish
Terrance Daye, Davey Grants AlumnusIn the rural south, a Black boy tries to fly.
—
Cherry Cola
Amandine ThomasWhen Sherri gets arrested for shoplifting from work, she needs to find money for legal fees. After a few dead ends, opportunity strikes, and his name is Tom.
—
Death Stare: Gigantica
Josh WinegarOfficial music video for "Gigantica" by Death Stare. Death Stare is the music of Salt Lake City-based multi-instrumentalist Matt Wigham, inspired by an extended bout with a neurological condition causing constant dizziness, vertigo, and dream state.
https://www.deathstare.com/gigantica/
https://www.twitter.com/deathstaremusic
https://www.facebook.com/deathstaremusic
https://www.instagram.com/deathstaremusic
Josh Winegar is an artist and educator whose work has been exhibited in numerous cities across the US and abroad. They have been the grateful recipient of several grants and awards including Hemingway Grants, Lindquist Endowment for Creative & Artistic Endeavors, a Follet Fellowship, an Albert P. Weisman Memorial Project Grant, and a Utah Arts Council Fellowship. They hold an MFA degree from Columbia College Chicago. Josh is a Professor of Art and head of the photography program at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah.
—
Father, Can't You See I'm Burning?
Grant ConversanoFilmmaker Grant Conversano, interrogates the medium of the family photo, and what means to be photographed as child by ones father while exploring intergenerational trauma, grief, and addiction.
https://applehousepictures.com
https://www.instagram.com/applehousepictures/
Grant Conversano is a graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts Film Directing program. They have worked for SPACE on Ryder Farm, the Sundance Institute, and are an alumnus of the Telluride Film Festival Student Symposium. Grant is a 2020 Indie Grits Lab Real Fiction Fellow, a board member of the OUT at the Movies Film Festival, and works annually in the education department at the Telluride Film Festival.
Their short films have been featured on the PBS program Film School Shorts, NoBudge, Directors Notes, and Short of the Week.
—
I Think I'm Dying
Paavo HanninenIn the aftermath of a disastrous first date, two people re-connect during quarantine.
—
I Was Expecting More Fires
Rebecca ZinnerAn exploration of a childhood fear edging on fixation utilizing live action video, hand-processed 16mm film, and hand-drawn animation. Featuring Sophia Hammons (The Social Dilemma, Lemonade).
Rebeccca Zinner is an emerging artist currently based in Boulder, Colorado. She received her MFA in Interdisciplinary Documentary Media Practices from the University of Colorado Boulder where she currently teaches media making as a part-time lecturer. Zinner also works with community media initiatives where she can teach young adults documentary media making skills in order to help them create films about their communities.
—
If Found
India DonaldsonLydia is a lonely dog-obsessed girl with bad boundaries. By day she wanders the city fawning over strangers’ dogs. By night she looks at photos of dogs on the internet and crashes on her sister’s tiny sailboat. Her heart is generous and full, but she doesn’t have it together to find a home or a dog of her own. When she meets June, a lonely honey colored mutt tied up to a fence, it’s love at first sight, and Lydia steals her. The two have a blissful romp on the beach, but soon Lydia learns that while her heart has space for June, her life may not. With almost no dialogue, IF FOUND is playful exploration of companionship and boundaries.
India Donaldson is a writer and filmmaker based in New York City. Her previous shorts MEDUSA and HANNAHS played at festivals throughout the US and abroad, including the Maryland Film Festival, Edinburgh Film Festival, Cucalorus, Oak Cliff Film Festival, Palm Springs Shorts Fest and others.
—
Intake
Eric OttenAfter an unfortunate incident, a high school senior finds herself participating in a drug and alcohol abuse evaluation with a seasoned administrator. As they size each other up, a formulaic evaluation evolves into an unexpected conversation.
http://www.ericmichaelotten.com/
Eric Otten is an award-winning filmmaker living in Brooklyn. He has worked for Lucy Kitada (Michael De Luca Productions, PICTURESTART) and in television development at Topspin Content under Academy Award-Winner Eddie Barbini as an editor, writer and director.
His writing has been recognized by the Sundance New Voices Writing Lab, where he was a semi-finalist. His films have been recognized by the Student Academy Awards, Student Emmys, BAFTA US Student Short Film Awards as well as FilmShortage, the Sedona International Film Festival, Vail Film Festival, Portland Film Festival, Newport Beach Film Festival, Arlington International Film Festival, San Pedro International Film Festival, San Jose Short International Film Festival and the Los Angeles Short International Film Festival.
He currently works for SRC in creative development and as a coordinator on a number of projects for Google.
—
In Sync
Chaconne Martin-BerkowiczMay, 15, confronts that her best friend has a closer relationship to May's mom than her, threatening the ties that hold them all together.
Chaconne is a writer & director from Portland, OR. She most recently worked as a Staff Writer on Amazon's upcoming TV show 'I Know What You Did Last Summer'. Her short film, 'In Sync', will premier at Maryland Film Festival 2021.
Chaconne previously worked as Writers’ Assistant on FX’s 'The Old Man' and Showrunner’s Assistant on Apple’s 'Foundation'.
Prior to moving to LA, Chaconne received a Max Kade Grant to spend a summer in Berlin researching how female sexuality is portrayed in films of the Weimar Republic. Female sexuality and it's evolution are themes she explores in her work. Chaconne loves characters who are bizarre, flawed, and all the more lovable for it.
She holds a BA in Creative Writing & Film Production from Johns Hopkins University.
—
Lost Beyond the Stars
Kayla ArendWhile on an interplanetary exploration, Captain Lorena is betrayed by the one person she thought she could trust.
Lorena is the captain of a Mars exploration crew when Martians attack. Her oxygen is low. Communication devices are broken. Her colleague and lover, Barren, sees Lorena help an injured male crewmate. Overwhelmed with jealousy, Barren leaves Lorena to die on this lonely planet.
http://www.kaylaarend.com
https://www.instagram.com/film.by.kayla
Kayla Marie Arend is an American writer/director who recently earned her MFA in Film and Television at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Kayla is a recipient of a 2020 Spike Lee/Sandra Ifraimova Production Fund grant for her graduate thesis film, “Leaving Yellowstone.” Her short film, “Chicken Boy,” was featured at Red Rock International Film Festival, SoHo International Film Festival, Columbus, Ohio, International Film Festival, and four other festivals across the United States. Kayla currently lives and works in Jackson, Wyoming, where she is developing her first feature film and freelancing.
—
Me & Lee
Giorgio MiraflorCurrent recluse Theo strikes up a conversation that he didn't realize he needed with his pizza delivery guy.
—
Peacocking
Ezekiel GoodmanBack home in Los Angeles from his first year of college, Kip must prove himself to his childhood friends by hunting a wild peacock loose in the suburbs.
Ezekiel Goodman is an actor, writer, and filmmaker born, raised, and based in Los Angeles, California. He graduated from The Johns Hopkins University in 2017, where he received a Double BA with Honors in Anthropology and The Writing Seminars, and was awarded the Writing Seminars’ Robert F. Arellano Award for Excellence in Writing for his plays, poems, and short stories. While an undergraduate, he wrote, directed and acted in a number of plays through the university theater department and independent groups. After graduation, Ezekiel moved to Chicago, where he was an ensemble member of both iO Improv Theater and The Annoyance Theater. In 2019, he returned to Los Angeles to attend the MFA Acting Program at the University of Southern California. He has acted in numerous short films and features, notably a leading role in short film A Shore, which was featured by the Middlebury Film Festival, and the upcoming feature, Wherever You Are, There You Go.
—
Plaisir
Molly Gillis, Davey Grants AlumnusA lonely American faces unrequited love on a farm commune in the south of France.
—
Push the Point
Bryan BurtonA musical short film set between the worlds of fandom and pop culture, PUSH THE POINT follows four online gamers through their squad-based mission. Harder than defeating the red team, however, is sticking together while trying to navigate toxicity, super-fandom, and the futility of having an argument on the internet.
http://pushthepoint.com
https://instagram.com/BryanBurton
BRYAN BURTON is a New York City-based actor & director originally from Greensboro, North Carolina, with now over 15 years of experience in TV, film, theatre, commercials, voiceover, cat sitting, sketch comedy and comedy improv.
After graduating from a performing arts high school, he continued his training & education at UNC Chapel Hill, in addition to other programs at the American Theatre Wing, ACTeen in NYC, and UNC School of the Arts.
Recently, he wrapped principal photography as the starring lead in Sundance Film Festival-alum Kenny Riches’ third feature film, A NAME WITHOUT A PLACE opposite Elizabeth McGovern, Chris Parnell, Patrick Fugit, and Charlotte Best.
Some of his favorite credits include his recurring role on HBO’s Emmy Award-winning limited series THE NIGHT OF opposite John Turturro, as well as his series regular in [adult swim]’s live action comedy series NEON JOE, WEREWOLF HUNTER opposite Jon Glaser, Scott Adsit, Steve Little, Stephanie March, and Reg E. Cathy.
He’s also worked opposite George Clooney and Jack O’Connell in Jodie Foster’s MONEY MONSTER, Ben Kingsley in Isabel Coixet’s LEARNING TO DRIVE, Logan Lerman in James Schamus’ INDIGNATION, Tom Hanks in Steven Spielberg’s THE POST, and more.
A total improv comedy nerd, he’s grateful to have worked alongside such legends of comedy as Tina Fey, Jimmy Fallon, Reggie Watts, Sarah Silverman, the recent casts of SNL and more, on a variety of projects: from episodic viral-content, to national network commercial campaigns.
Working frequently in on-camera commercials, some of his favorite past national campaigns include ones for Liberty Mutual, T-Mobile, Dunkin Donuts, Apple, American Express , as well as viral content campaigns for HBO-GO, Wal-Mart, Chipotle, and Bud Light.
—
So Much To Say: The Mellons
Andrew BeckThe Mellons are a baroque-pop outfit from Salt Lake City, Utah. Their signature sound is marked by sunshine-y melodies, melancholy lyrics, and a sturdy rock groove, all wrapped in rich orchestral stylings.
The foursome is led by songwriting duo Andrew Beck and Rob Jepson, who share lead vocal duties. They are joined by multi-instrumentalist and producer Dennis Fuller on bass with percussionist Ian Francis on drums. The Mellons' sound is: vintage, melodic, orchestral, baroque, mournful, and psychedelic. Similar artists include: The Lemon Twigs, Temples, Foxygen, Fur, and Electric Looking Glass.
—
T
Keisha Rae Witherspoon
A film crew follows three grieving participants of Miami’s annual T Ball, where folks assemble to model R.I.P. T-shirts and innovative costumes designed in honor of their dead. T screened at Sundance Film Festival 2020, won audience award for best short film at both BlackStar and New Orleans film festivals, and went on to win the Golden Bear for best short film at Berlinale 2020.
http://keisha.me/
—
The Jungle
Josh Jacobs2003: while the U.S. bombs Iraq, a young man visits the Vietnam vet owner of a Los Angeles plant nursery, seeking answers.
http://www.joshjacobsfilm.com
Josh Jacobs is an LA-based writer, director, and TV writers' assistant currently working as the writers' assistant for season 1 of Chris Pratt's upcoming series for Amazon, The Terminal List.
After graduating from Yale in 2015 with a degree in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, he worked at WME, then as a director's assistant to David Lowery, and then as a showrunners' assistant. His credits include the features The Old Man & The Gun (Endgame / Fox Searchlight, 2018) and Never Goin' Back (A24, 2018) as well as two seasons of the TV series Strange Angel (Scott Free / CBS All Access, 2018-2019).
His short films have screened at festivals including Balinale, Bahamas International Film Festival, and New Filmmakers LA, and videos he has written for the Facebook/Snapchat series TXT Stories have accumulated several million views. He has also been hired to direct narrative content for organizations such as Pfizer Inc. and Yale Admissions. He started making films at the age of 12.
—
The Ladies Room
Amanda StoddardDesperately lonely Randi is amping up to invite her longtime crush into her COVID pod. But when her confidence is squashed, drunk women from ladies' rooms past show up in her bathroom to lift her back up.
—
The Second Closet
Ali AkbariA gay man with disability navigates dating, but through his not-so-halal escapades, he realizes what is truly missing in his life.
—
The Sexton and the Spade
Jon Rhoads & Mike MarreroA grave digger and his spade are left to survive on an island while handling a mysterious task.
http://www.bubbaprime.com
https://www.instagram.com/jonrhoads
Mike and Jon met in Key West, Florida and founded Bubba Prime Films where their first film, BACON, was an official selection of the 2014 Key West International Film Festival and their last film, RILEY WAS HERE screened at over 30 film festivals including Fantasia and Fantastic Fest. In addition to filmmaking Michael is an artist, award winning-photographer, and playwright. Jon also works in theater, having several plays produced including Roshambo, a two act play exploring alternate timelines in a small Florida Keys town.
—
To Sonny
Federico Spiazzi & Maggie BriggsSet in the American South just before the 2016 presidential elections, 'To Sonny' follows a vending machine loader on his daily, lonely route.
http://magsbriggs.com/to-sonny
Federico Spiazzi is a Director and Writer based in New York City where he recently graduated from Columbia University’s MFA Film Program concentrated in Directing. His most recent short film, 'Refuge', was awarded a Kodak Motion Picture Grant, a National Board of Review Student Grant, and the Refinery 29’s Best Film Award at the 2018 Columbia University Film Festival. Beyond directing, Federico has worked as a freelance cinematographer and editor internationally. He is currently in development on his first feature film, 'Verona'.
Originally from Asheville, North Carolina, Maggie Briggs is an award-winning screenwriter, director, and producer currently based in New York City where she recently received her MFA from Columbia University Film. Her produced work has shown internationally at festivals including Toronto International Film Festival and Palm Springs International Short Film Festival. Her first feature in-development, ‘Prone to Wander,’ was selected by Tribeca Film Institute to participate in TFI Network 2020 and awarded as a Jury Select at Columbia University 2019. Her stories are often inspired by normalcy and the dangers of it.
Together, Maggie and Federico co-directed their film, TO SONNY, which premiered at Clermont-Ferrand International Short Festival earlier this year and continues on the festival circuit. The film was shot on 16mm and was made possible with the generous support of Kodak's Motion Picture Product Grant.
—
Tulip
Andrea Love & Phoebe WahlTulip is a fresh and woolly take on the classic Hans Christian Andersen fairytale Thumbelina. This stop-motion animated short film by Andrea Love & Phoebe Wahl follows Tulip, a tiny child who is born from a flower, on her adventures as she explores the garden outside her home in search of where she belongs.
http://tulipanimation.com
https://twitter.com/tulip_film
https://www.facebook.com/tulipfilm
https://instagram.com/tulip_film
ANDREA LOVE is a stop motion animator based in Port Townsend, Washington. She runs a full service stop motion studio from her basement, where she creates worlds primarily out of needle felted wool. She is co-directing Tulip, as well as heading up fabrication & animation. Andrea has made several short films, which have screened at festivals including the Tribecca Film Festival and LA Shorts Fest, and her wool fiber animations have millions of views worldwide. It is Andrea’s mission to enhance people’s perception of what can be done with wool and help shepherd the art form into the digital age.
PHOEBE WAHL is an award-winning children’s book author/illustrator and surface designer based in Bellingham, Washington. Her books include Sonya’s Chickens (Tundra Books) Backyard Fairies (Knopf), Paper Mice (Simon & Schuster, written by Megan Wagner Lloyd) and the forthcoming The Blue House (Knopf). Phoebe will be co-directing Tulip, and is the lead set and character designer and script writer. Phoebe has a deep love of both classic children’s literature, nature, and tiny things, all of which are coming together as the ultimate trifecta to develop Tulip.
—
Water
Brittney RaeIn a dystopian Miami landscape in the late 60's, Lucy, our lead character, is trapped in a cult-like pool club, an example of a social group reinforcing societal pressures of conformity. In this world, everyone is required to choose a social group to assimilate to at the age of ten, separated by gender and arranged by skin-tone. As a result of an unorthodox family dynamic, Lucy is self-aware and independent at a young age, a trait that carries onto her young adult life. While in shock after discovering her mother's sudden death, Julian, her estranged friend from a different social group, invites Lucy to a secret gathering of rogue social group members, (each representing a true civil rights activist of the 60's), who are high in revelry and speak on ideologies rebelling against this American Dream. This complicated friendship tethers back and forth, and these tensions are released in a climax, representing Lucy's first step towards enlightenment. We learn the next morning that most of the actions are reset by a powerful individual who represents their government, Dr. George Star.
*This project was supported by a grant from Sundance Institute with additional support from John S. and James L. Knight Foundation*
http://watershortfilm.com
https://instagram.com/watershortfilm
Brittney Rae Carrera (known as Brittney Rae) was born on March 15, 1994 in Miami, Florida and raised in a Cuban-American household.
In 2016, Brittney landed a principal role in her first ever studio film called "Sremm Break." Casting director Mellicent Dyane, who was in town from New York City for the project, encouraged Brittney to move to New York.
In New York City, Brittney was a waitress. She began performing improv, sketch comedy and stand up comedy on stage. She attended classes at the Magnet theater and UCB, performing on their main stages monthly as well as being on independent teams that performed weekly. She found herself in a writers room at the UCB called "Liquid Courage" She started performing standup in basement stages and bars,opening for comedians like Gary Gulman. Brittney was beginning to pitch ideas at NBC network.
In 2018, Brittney made her first film ,KIN, then her next, PROXIMITY. Proximity was received well and was accepted into festivals, covered by press outlets such as Variety, LA weekly and Forbes.
Soon after making Proximity, Brittney moved to Los Angeles. She began writing music video treatments for music artists such as Noah Cyrus, Chief Keef , Skii Mask The Slum God. She continues working with comedy friends, going viral (40+ Million views) on the internet with TBS network, youtube, and TikTok.
As a filmmaker, Brittney was invited to speak on a panel at San Diego's 2019 Comic Con.
Proximity was accepted to screen at the Mammoth Film Festival in Mammoth California, where Brittney was specially selected and featured in the ""Her Voice"" block as a female Director. Her work since has been honored and screened at Miami Film Festival, and Indie Memphis. She appeared in Gunner Willis's article titled "Directors You Should Know."
Brittney was 1 of 6 filmmakers accepted for the Sundance short film intensive for her next film "WATER" and was further supported by Sundance during the making of the film.
—