JANUARY 2021 NOMINEES

Amateur Short – Official Selection – January 2021

Empty Nest | United States | 2021 | 08’
Director: Olivia Johnson
Writer: Olivia Johnson
Producers: Emman Sadorra, Eli Reynolds
Cast: Debbie Lockhart, Jeff Werden
Synopsis: When Allison’s son leaves for college, the possibilities are endless! Now what?

Traditional Drag 變裝 | Taiwan | 2020 | 04’
Director: Sean Tien
Writers: Sean Tien, Guo Shang-Sing
Producer: Sean Tien
Cast: Joe Black Chou
Synopsis: Juxtaposing the imagery of a Traditional female character played by a male actor who secretly wants to perform as a Drag-Queen as well but is struggling internally from the pressures of Conservative Taiwanese society to “come out of the closet”. Background: Up until the 90s, traditional Chinese opera only allowed male actors, and thus female parts were acted out by men. These actors were regarded as talented artists by the older/conservative generation, yet in modern times, Drag-Queens are regarded by the same group with confusion and disgust.

Animation Short – Official Selection – January 2021

How To Get Out Of Here? | Poland | 2020 | 04’
Director: Marcin Jażyński
Writer: Marcin Jażyński
Producers: Marcin Jażyński, Marta Fihel
Synopsis: The film is an answer to the following question: how to get out of a place which cannot be seen?

Ivet and Michuco | Spain | 2020 | 05’
Director: Juan Ignacio Meneu Oset
Writer: Juan Ignacio Meneu Oset
Producer: Juan Ignacio Meneu Oset
Synopsis: Ivet is a 6-year-old girl, so she thing is already very old, or so she thinks at least. Ivet is dreamy and has an extraordinary imagination. She is always inventing new worlds and characters. She has a cat – well, it’s stuffed puppet – and she calls her Michuco. Since she has no siblings, at home she always plays alone and fantasizes uncontrollably, causing complicated situations on more than one occasion.

Portrait of a woman | Poland | 2020 | 05’
Director: Natalia Durszewicz
Writer: Natalia Durszewicz
Producer: Agata Golańska
Cast: Milena Lisiecka
Synopsis: This eponymous “female portrait” is made of social expectations, stereotypes and cultural constructs. The protagonist must continuously reject the roles imposed on her and adjust to the views of others. Finally, the woman decides to liberate herself from the surrounding limitations. Will she manage to escape? This animated interpretation of a poem by Wisława Szymborska, a Nobel Prize Laureate, was painted using the palette of red shades, such as the colour of her lipstick, rose petals or blood drops. The feelings and emotions of the character are complemented by the depictions of nature, while deep colours and intensifying music create the atmosphere of tension and unease.

We fly, we crawl, we swim: a short film about climate justice | Romania | 2021 | 24’
Director: Aron Nor
Producers: Aron Nor, M. Martelli, Mina Mimosa
Synopsis: The search for justice is not an individual endeavor, it is a collective practice of world-making. Haunted by past extinctions, a human being starts wondering what climate justice might look like, what its faces may be, when other beings are involved in the questioning. A cat, and many other non-human animals become present and part of the process, sharing their experiences, and moving together towards multispecies justice. The questions the film poses are as real as you (or me) are.

Dog’s Field | Poland | 2020 | 12’
Director: Michalina Musialik
Writer: Michalina Musialik
Producers: Piotr Furmankiewicz, Mateusz Michalak
Synopsis: Animals closed in a flat with a decomposing corpse of their owner try to survive. In this difficult situation one of the dogs finds out that love for its owner is stronger than animal instinct

Scream For Ice | Turkey | 2021 | 05’
Director: Emir Aytemür
Writer: Emir Aytemür
Producer: Emir Aytemür
Synopsis: The Sun shines, ice melts A polar bear on its own A child cries out ah! The haiku poem you read above is the core of the “Scream For Ice”. And the narrative form of “Scream For Ice” is based on the traditional Japanese art of poetry, Haiku.

Clothes on rainy day | Taiwan | 2020 | 05’
Director: Shih Hung Wu
Writer: Shih Hung Wu
Producer: Yun An Lin
Synopsis: A father’s daily life of taking care of a baby. He took the baby out and always was nervous when facing the neighbor’s greeting. Sometimes father’s behavior is like a baby. For some reason, the knife could not cut the food while cooking, but it continued to cut the fingers. The boiling water in the pot is bubbling all the time, just like constantly facing chaos every day. The father seemed to be able to temporarily cut off outside sounds only when he was helping the baby to bathe…

On / Off | Argentina | 2020 | 07’
Director: Nicolas P. Villarreal
Writer: Nicolas P. Villarreal
Producers: Nicolas P. Villarreal, Alessandro Squitti
Synopsis: Endless distractions threaten to destroy creativity.

Home of my memories | Mexico | 2020 | 07’
Director: Javier Méndez Lafón
Writer: Javier Méndez Lafón
Producers: Ignacio Martinez Casares, Javier Méndez Lafón, Anita & Ian Mardis, Marc Goldner, Rachel Korsen, Robert Gross
Synopsis: This 7 years in the making shortfilm will bring back all the memories of those who teached us something invaluable. “A kid find his passion through the experience of his grandfather, all of those teachings come alive in a truly wonderful way.”

HOPE | 2020 | 09’
Director: Abdulla Al-Janahi
Writer: Abdulla Al-Janahi
Producers: Abdulaziz Khashabi, Fabian Loing
Synopsis: The short film “HOPE” is about the journey of a new born baby sea turtle named Aqua. During his journey, he faces many obstacles from human pollution to different predators. Using his mind and courage he over comes one obstacle after the other, until he reaches his final destination. Just before he enters the sea, he witnesses a life changing scene, that he bravely over comes and grows as a character.

Children Short – Official Selection – January 2021

Ramón | Mexico | 2020 | 08’
Director: Natalia Bernal
Producers: Natalia Bernal, Giselle Geney, Alejandro Coronado, Andrés Montaña
Cast: José Ramón García Nava
Synopsis: Ramón, an 8-year old Mexican kid, week after week practices kickboxing with care and passion. After much training, Ramón is finally participating in his first national championship. At the end of the fight and for the first time in his life, Ramón will learn the meaning of winning and losing.

Debut Short – Official Selection – January 2021
Lefkamos | Greece | 21’
Director: Yorgos Tzikas
Writer: Yorgos Tzikas
Producer: Yorgos Tzikas
Cast: Alexandros Kaltzides, Nefeli Mpenou, Yorgos Sfyrides, Kostas Chatzigeorgiou
Synopsis: The boys are scared. They let someone steal their sheep, without saying a word to him. The girl is not very well. She sleeps all day long, but she wakes up for a little bit during the night. They want her to get better. So they wake up in the middle of the night just to feed her. Maybe at some point she will get better. Maybe at some point she will wake up on her own.

Home of my memories | Mexico | 2020 | 07’
Director: Javier Méndez Lafón
Writer: Javier Méndez Lafón
Producer: Ignacio Martinez Casares, Javier Méndez Lafón, Anita & Ian Mardis, Marc Goldner, Rachel Korsen, Robert Gross
Synopsis: This 7 years in the making shortfilm will bring back all the memories of those who teached us something invaluable. “A kid find his passion through the experience of his grandfather, all of those teachings come alive in a truly wonderful way.”

A Circle Line Train | Austria | 2020 | 06’
Director: Martin Venier
Writer: Martin Venier
Producer: Martin Venier
Cast: Sarah Kofler
Synopsis: Seduced by the social pressure of sucsess, the aspiring and disciplined young woman Zarah tries her best to make her way in the city of london. after doubts being trapped in the treadmill of societal values, Zarah decides to take control of her own life and attempts to escape the hectic city life. After a phase of confrontation and living throughout a tremendous internal conflict, it seems as if she creates the jump and determines her life from now on……until she wake up from her thoughts.

Documentary Short – Official Selection – January 2021

Parklife | United States | 2020 |17’
Director: Lillian Xuege Li
Writer: Lillian Xuege Li
Producer: Lillian Xuege Li
Synopsis: Parklife chronicles life in Manhattan’s Columbus Park, where groups of Chinese seniors congregate on a daily basis. As seasons change and an unexpected crisis unfolds, the park’s seemingly outlandish cultural spectacles and nostalgic performances wane.

Joel | Australia | 2020 | 10’
Director: Leigh Mackenzie
Writer: Leigh Mackenzie
Producer: Leigh Mackenzie
Cast: Joel Kelly
Synopsis: A cinematic glimpse into the world of an artist with a difference

Terms and Conditions | Germany | 2020 | 21’
Director: Amelie Befeldt
Writer: Amelie Befeldt
Producers: Peter Zorn, worklights media production, Marcie K. Jost, worklights media production
Synopsis: Fritz detests change. Despite challenges posed by price dumping, droughts and digitalization, he keeps running his small farm as he always has. Unless Fritz, his daughter Amelie doesn’t want to accept the status quo and tries to improve the financial situation of the farm. In search of a second source of income, she begins selling stock footage video clips of everyday farming life. Even though her dad, brother and sister-in-law are not exactly fond of cameras, production starts smoothly. But just when things are looking up, the family comes to realize: no matter where, if online or offline, it’s invariably business according to someone else’s terms and conditions.

Malachy | South Africa | 2020 | 05’
Directors: Tom Collins, James Collins
Writers: Tom Collins, James Collins
Cast: Malachy
Synopsis: On the back alley streets of Dublin, Australian busker, Malachy, tells the story of why he does what he does.

35 Days | United States | 2019 | 12’
Director: Nicholas Manting Brewer
Writers: Nicholas Manting Brewer, Michael Gil
Producer: Emily Grandcolas
Synopsis: A small Ohio town, home to one of the busiest Air Traffic Control facilities, endures the most prolonged federal government shutdown and the harsh winter cold.

Experimental Short – Official Selection – January 2021

Digital love (remix) | Germany | 2020 | 05’
Director: Raphaël Languillat
Synopsis: “An ambient remix of Daft Punk’s Digital Love using fragments of William Shakespeare’s erotic poem ‘Venus and Adonis’. Written and shot during the Covid-19 pandemic, ’digital love (remix)’ focusses on the relationship between gender and couple, intimacy and distancing, as well as desire and death.”

Looking For You | France | 2019 | 11’
Director: Caroline CORBASSON
Writer: Caroline CORBASSON
Producer: Marine DORFMANN
Cast: Jonathan GARIDEL

Earthworm | Malta | 2020 | 06’
Director: Amy Azzopardi
Writer: Amy Azzopardi
Producer: Amy Azzopardi
Cast: Ylenia Kay
Synopsis: An ambitious young woman looks too fondly up at the sky, with eyes glazed with dreams of love and fame, that she forgets about the mortality and frailness of human nature, and our inevitable oneness with the earth.

The End of Originality | Denmark | 2021 | 10’
Director: Laura Zayan
Writer: Laura Zayan
Producers: Caroline Worning, Laura Zayan
Cast: Hannah Gintberg-Dees
Synopsis: Will there ever come a time when no new ideas are left to invent?

Denervation | United States | 2020 | 07’
Director: Joshua Dawson
Writer: Joshua Dawson
Producers: Ian McClelan, Ashton Rae, Kira Wojack
Synopsis: In a society that believes that beauty cannot exist without youth, an “affective capital” arises, mapping onto and intensifying existing social hierarchies. An exclusive med-spa thrives in an industry town from which its primary beauty product, Botox, is sourced. Working in a regulatory blind spot and driven by high demand, the town produces an unauthorized surfeit of the product. The resulting proliferation has made its deadly source, Botulinum toxin A, easily available, causing a series of airborne botulism outbreaks. Using the town’s plaza space as a microcosm, Denervation dramatizes the impact of this unsecured supply chain, giving us a glimpse of the lives of the town’s residents.

ELIZABETH | United Kingdom | 2020 | 07’
Directors: Celia Arias, Manuel Mollá
Writer: Celia Arias
Producer: Dagmar Bennett
Cast: Elizabeth Gibson
Synopsis: An echoing question rises: does the world end in fire, or with a single song? Elizabeth Gibson stars in ‘Elizabeth’, directed by visual artists Manuel Mollá and Celia Arias in their debut collaboration.
Gibson hauntingly weaves an otherworldly narrative of a lonely woman, participating in the daily rituals of a life lived alone. A fragmented pastiche of her lived experiences reverberates around the setting, seeping in and blending with the subject’s otherwise mundane reality. Whilst there are grander themes at play here on the fragility of life, the central character in front of Mollá’s lens subverts that to focus on the individual, asking not who we are, but rather who we were and how we can become fixated on this idealisation of ourselves. Ultimately, ‘Elizabeth’may be read as a reflective interrogation into aging, isolation and memory. Released at a poignant time when the world’s population is self isolating to protect itself from a dystopian threat, the film serves as a temporal response to the collective anxiety, loneliness & repetition of daily tasks currently being experienced by people of all ages around the globe. The strange beauty that permeates through Mollá & Arias’ film nods towards the optimistic glimmer that, through art, we may connect and thrive through these times and find comfort in our memories.

Fashion Short – Official Selection – January 2021

I Don’t Have a Place in this World Anymore | Denmark | 2020 | 03’
Director: Anna Lomholt Madsen
Writer: Anna Lomholt Madsen
Producer: Bjørk Malte Ploug Koitzsch
Cast: Helena Fruelund Grubb, Ida Marie Skriver Pederen
Synopsis: When their home is destroyed, two women are forced to flee and try to adjust to a new reality – a reality they do not belong in.

ELIZABETH | United Kingdom | 2020 | 07’
Director: Celia Arias, Manuel Mollá
Writer: Celia Arias
Producer: Dagmar Bennett
Cast: Elizabeth Gibson
Synopsis: An echoing question rises: does the world end in fire, or with a single song? Elizabeth Gibson stars in ‘Elizabeth’, directed by visual artists Manuel Mollá and Celia Arias in their debut collaboration. Gibson hauntingly weaves an otherworldly narrative of a lonely woman, participating in the daily rituals of a life lived alone. A fragmented pastiche of her lived experiences reverberates around the setting, seeping in and blending with the subject’s otherwise mundane reality. Whilst there are grander themes at play here on the fragility of life, the central character in front of Mollá’s lens subverts that to focus on the individual, asking not who we are, but rather who we were and how we can become fixated on this idealisation of ourselves. Ultimately, ‘Elizabeth’may be read as a reflective interrogation into aging, isolation and memory. Released at a poignant time when the world’s population is self isolating to protect itself from a dystopian threat, the film serves as a temporal response to the collective anxiety, loneliness & repetition of daily tasks currently being experienced by people of all ages around the globe. The strange beauty that permeates through Mollá & Arias’ film nods towards the optimistic glimmer that, through art, we may connect and thrive through these times and find comfort in our memories.

Music Video – Official Selection – January 2021

Is This What You Dreamed, Then? – Robert Leslie | Canada | 2021 | 05’
Directors: Michelle Beaudoin, Marc-Antoine Jodoin
Writers: Michelle beaudoin, Marc-Antoine Jodoin
Producer: Marc-Antoine Jodoin
Cast: Samuel Rouillard, Kate Dessureault
Synopsis: The journey of a fleeing teenager as he decides to walk his way back home.

Zero | Italy | 2020 | 03’
Director: Simone Riccomi
Writers: Simone Riccomi, Luana Mazzieri
Producers: Alberto Bazzoli, Gianluca Galeotti
Cast: Li Chen, Clara Ghirlanda, Alberto Bazzoli, Gianni D’Amato
Synopsis: Zero, emblematically released on Christmas night, investigate the artistic theme of the Sacred. How can man live without Spirit, Gods, Icons, Beliefs, Loves? This is the questioning theme of Zero investigated in the video. The figure of Jesus reinterpreted in a contemporary key is the bearer of topical themes with stylistic and iconic references such as the well-known musical “Jesus Christ Superstar” or “El Topo”, an avant-garde western film directed by A. Jodorowsky.

Back to Us | Italy | 2020 | 06’
Director: Gabriele Rossi
Cast: Mahmood, Umasha Elpitiya, Sara Fantoni, Andrea Galati, Godot, Ill Greg, LaHasna, Carlo Oulhaci, Ludovica Petrachi, Roy Raheem, Giada Sanfrancesco, Sofia Spiridon, Riccardo Tenuta, I Tordi
Synopsis: Back to Us is the music short film born out of the Italian edition of the Levi’s® Music Project. Since 2015, the international project has been providing emerging musical talent from specific neighbourhoods with opportunities, resources and suitable structures to refine their skills. For this first edition, Levi’s has collaborated with award-winning Italian singer-songwriter Mahmood. Focusing on the Milanese neighbourhood of Gratosoglio where he grew up and nurtured his musical talent, Mahmood personally selected 14 students to be part of the programme. Over the course of three months they had the opportunity to meet musicians and producers, as well as take part in masterclasses and workshops as part of their training. Usually culminating in a live performance at the end of the programme, this year due to the restrictions in place, the creative team together with the client opted for a different format. A choral work, Back to Us represents their artistic and musical journey and the result of their effort.

Tiempo | France | 2020 | 04’
Director: Louis Moncouyoux
Writer: Louis Moncouyoux
Cast: Camila Pujol Ochoa, Yanis Siah
Synopsis: How persistent yet vain efforts to reunite drive two lovers into raw pain and agony – a music video written and directed by French filmmaker Louis Moncouyoux for Mexican band Gravité.

Ketamin – Without Words | Russian Federation | 2020 | 06’
Director: Roma Glova
Producers: Pavel Chekhlenkov, Roma Glova, Emil Gazeev, Arseniy Krause
Synopsis: Music video “Without Words” for the metal-band Ketamin directed by Roma Glova (2020)

Narrative Short – Official Selection – January 2021

Shattered | United Kingdom | 2020 | 14’
Director: Teresa Moorhead
Writer: Brogan Waller-Parkinson
Producers: Oliver Duffy, Nicholas Teslich
Cast: Ebony Hiley, Graham Atkin, Sofie Coulson, Samantha Hindman, Paul Day
Synopsis: Set in the Netherlands during the Second World War, ‘Shattered’ tells the story of Ilse, a young Jewish lady who lives in fear of what the Nazi occupation will mean for her and her brother. In four short years, her life is shattered by the horrors of the war. A concentration camp survivor, she returns home to find out who informed the Nazis of her location and betrayed her.

PPMS | France | 2021 | 24’
Director: HERENGER
Writers: HERENGER, MARLEIX
Producers: PAWLOWSKI, MINISINI
Synopsis: A group of elementary school teachers have to organize a “Specific Security Plan in the event of Attack or Intrusion” for the school – organize meaning devise a scenario, play it out, then evaluate the consequences. A sure way to get dramatic without even realizing!

Wounds don’t heal in the dark | Netherlands | 2020 | 09’
Director: Zouhair Mtazi
Writer: Gerry de Hoogh
Producers: Thijs de Neeve , Reindert Gerding, Estelle Cohen
Cast: Wilfried de Jong, Lotte Milder, Yahya Gaier
Synopsis: A mysterious encounter between a succesful business woman and a man on his way down, turns out quite different than the both of them could have expected. The movie is official selection for IFFR International Film Festival Rotterdam 2021. AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS 48HOUR FILM PROJECT ROTTERDAM 2020 AWARDS 3rd Best Film Best Art Directing (Ben Zuydwijk) Best Sounddesign (Francis Locadia) Best Actor (Wilfried de Jong) Best Cinematography (Joas Burggraaf) NOMINATIONS Best Use of Genre (Gerry de Hoogh) Best Musical Score (Marcel van As & Johan Hendrikse) Publieksprijs Groep A (runner-up) Best Acting Ensemble (Lotte Milder, Wilfried de Jong, Yahya Gaier) Best Actor (Yahya Gaier) Special mention Best visagie (Bärbel Scheid)

Henry | United States | 2021 | 16’
Director: Babette Siobhan
Writers: Babette Siobhan, Shana Aguilar D.
Producers: Michelle Johnson, Tyler Lee Gibson
Cast: Myles Olmsted, Sini Mattila
Synopsis: Henry has suddenly found completeness in love at first sighting of Bridgette. But as real-world stress seeps into his idyllic relationship, he learns the tighter he holds on, the faster the grip on his self-control disappears.

Damals | Germany | 2020 | 28’
Director: Artie Mead
Writers: Artie Mead, Lioba Grunow (Translator)
Producer: Artie Mead
Cast: Valerie Gorris, Lioba Grunow, Cathleen Rabe
Synopsis: Historical narratives are often dominated by the figures and forces that themselves dominated at the time. But if you talk to different individuals, you can end up with a wholly different narrative. The German Democratic Republic (GDR) is no exception. The film is inspired by interviews with former East Germans, and the narrative that became clear from them is the one that is brushed off by most Westerners and one which is seemingly non-existent in public discourse today. Some examples: “We had normal lives in the back then in the GDR. We worked, we got paid, we went down to the pub, we danced, we laughed. Why does everyone think we were these animals kept in cages?” “Life was a lot more secure back then. We may not have had a lot of freedom, but at least we had a guaranteed job, place to live and social security.” “It wasn’t all bad back then in the GDR.” This is where the inspiration for the name “Damals” comes from – it is the German word for ”back then”. Three women, each representing different views on the regime, show the unsung narrative of life under communism. Schwarz, a punk, and Rot, a Party member, have predictable views on their hopes for the regime. It is Gold who represents the citizen stuck in the middle, with a simple and easy life but who can feel the winds of change around her. The question is is she ready for it and does she REALLY want it?

DYE RED | Italy | 2020 | 13’
Director: Vittoria Campaner
Writers: Vittoria Campaner, Elenie Chung
Producer: Reina Higashitani
Cast: Ana Coto, Fabianne Therese Gstottenmayr
Synopsis: Italian/American Production: Celeste and Aurora have lived together for some time. Dye-Red is a dark but graceful slice-of-life look at their relationship. Los Angele, CA. © Hausred Pictures 2020.

Siphoned | United Kingdom | 2020 | 11’
Director: Maya Wills
Writer: Maya Wills
Producer: Ronil Deshpande
Cast: Hannaj Bang Bendz, Katharine Jee, John Conway
Synopsis: Siphoned is a short film about Nia, a young woman who has been trying most of her life to escape the oppressive city. With the help of Marisa and Don at the local dispensary, she extracts, bottles, and sells her emotions for others to use. She’s determined to cross the border, even if that means leaving something precious behind.

Kiwi |United Kingdom | 2020 | 05’
Director: Jeff Vitale
Writer: Jeff Vitale
Producer: Youen Leclerc/ ONZALA PRODUCTIONS LIMITED
Cast: Caroline roussel, Henri brugere
Synopsis: Whilst sitting at a bar, Max an indecisive millennial is going through a list of Cocktails. Looking for the best out of them all.

Baikal | Bulgaria | 2020 | 14’
Director: Deyan Bararev
Writer: Gorana Jovanović
Producers: Deyan Bararev, Lyubo Yonchev, Angel Ivanov, Iliyan Kyuchukov
Cast: Ivan Stanchev, Alexander Tsekoff
Synopsis: Philip and Stoyan are old friends who meet after a long time. The initial plan is to drink beer and watch the football game. But things take an unexpected turn as Stoyan comes dressed as a woman.

Matty Boy | United Kingdom | 2019 | 14’
Director: Dr Shahid Kamal
Writer: Shahid Kamal, Samir Srivastava
Producer: Samir Srivastava
Cast: Vincent De Paul, Emma Galliano, Aisha Jacob-Williams, Farida Bawa, Sophie Karl, Barry Newton, Aman Badhan
Synopsis: A man with a suggestible mind marries a second wife mistakenly out of a desperate situation and now faces the consequences, taking him on a twisting and turning rollercoaster of a ride beyond anything he could have ever imagined.

Oracle’s Crown: The Last Band | Sweden | 2021 | 13’
Director: Christofer Nilsson
Writer: Christofer Nilsson
Producer: Joaquim Berglund
Cast: Frances Klemt, Johannes Lindkvist
Synopsis: Alex and Tobbe make up two thirds of the incomplete psych-/cosmic-/hard rock band Oracle’s Crown. To Tobbe, the band is just the best thing. Playing dope music with his best friend. Here and now. To Alex, on the other hand, it’s the means to leave their small Swedish town. But they have to get better. Get serious. Dissonance of ambition. A friendship with an expiration date, although a vague one as long as they stay away from the subject. But when pressured during an interview with the local newspaper, the emotional collision is inevitable. Oracle’s Crown: The Last Band is an observational portrait of leaving versus staying in a small town, about the experience, dynamic and drama of playing in a band and about the unseen consequences of a changing global music industry.

Until We Meet Again | United States | 05’
Director: Nariman Hamed
Writer: Nariman Hamed
Producer: Nariman Hamed
Synopsis: An exploration of the current state of mind in the US through a series of picturesque shots of people.

Say bye | Russian Federation | 2020 | 32’
Director: Toma Selivanova
Cast: Pavel Egorov, Alena Gromova, Valus Tertelis, Polina Raikina, Lena Byshina , Kolya Neukoelln, Luchiya Nalchadjian
Synopsis: Ivan is having a farewell party. In his pocket there is a ticket to Vancouver for the following day and the status of a political immigrant. He is in his 40’s and wants a fresh start in life. He arrives at an apartment in a neo-Stalinist building in the central Moscow, with a rich family history. This is the home of his ex-wife Marina, who is the same age with him. She has a creative profession and has an adult daughter with a serious mental disability. To his party, Ivan invites his friends that are otherwise unlikely to ever gather together again. Each one has their own reason for coming. Each one has their own reason for struggling to say bye.

Trust Frank – 28 min | Australia | 2020 | 29’
Director: Penny Moore
Writer: Penny Moore
Producer: Penny Moore
Cast: John Flaus, Brenda Palmer
Synopsis: “Trust Frank” is a sentimental and gently humorous film about two lonely elderly people struggling to battle serious infirmities as they age. Synopsis Neighbours for many years, Frank and Rose share a distain for each other and have made a sport out of swapping barbed comments over the fence. Rose is fastidious by nature but as her dementia progresses, her tight grip on reality starts to fail her. In contrast, the bawdy Frank is a Vietnam veteran with lung cancer who has given up the fight for life. When Rose has a bad dementia episode in public and latches onto Frank, the walls come crashing down and a friendship develops between them. Rose encourages Frank to fight cancer and Frank assists Rose to live at home unassisted. Together they find the strength and determination to go on living, but in the process of letting down their guard, they form a deep bond, proving it’s never too late to find love.

Happy moments | Greece | 2019 | 14’
Director: Alexandros Zarbis
Writer: Alexandros Zarbis
Producers: Kostas Sfakianakis, Alexandros Zarbis
Cast: Maximos Livieratos, Orestis Tziovas, Nikoleta kotsailidou, Xanthi Georgiou
Synopsis: In the years of German occupation of Greece a ten years old boy who lives in the country side, is trying to adjust to the violent social and family relations. Motivated by the hug of his beloved teacher and trying to defeat the tragic difficulties of his life, organizes and plays his own game with the hope of something better to come.

And Then | United States | 2020 | 17’
Director: Jenn Ravenna Tran
Writers: Patrick Allan Laffoon, Jenn Ravenna Tran
Producers: Jenn Ravenna Tran, Hamish Campbell, Ellie McCutcheon , Patrick Allan Laffoon
Cast: Erika Ishii, Rina Hoshino
Synopsis: AND THEN is a short film about two women who meet and grow closer to each other through insomnia, exploring a new city, and art. It is a story about missed connections, loneliness, adventure, longing to be accepted, art, finding purpose, and the possibility of reconnecting with those we’ve lost touch with. The short film follows Mana, a Japanese-American woman who arrives in Tokyo seeking to find a break from her life as an artist, and Haru, a Japanese woman from the countryside who dreams of becoming an artist herself one day. They meet under unique circumstances, and their story unfolds.

Trees Under Water | Germany | 2021 | 25’
Director: Julian Simon Pache
Writers: Julian Simon Pache, Mattias Engling
Producers: Julian Simon Pache, Lukas Soboll
Synopsis: When the young photographer Simon sets out to photograph a motif that has has been on his mind for a long time, he is hit by the tour-bus of an overtired punk band. Concise scenes from his life appear before his inner eye: Memories of things past, habitual actions and schemes of the present, narratives and fictions.

Resistance | France | 2020 | 08’
Director: Maxime Chefdeville
Writer: Maxime Chefdeville
Producers: La French Corp , Buffalo Corp
Synopsis: The incredible story of a group of French resistance fighters unwillingly participating in the D-Day landings.

No/Low Budget – Official Selection – January 2021

The Basement | United States | 2021 | 05’
Director: Mike Ruta
Cast: Lou Miele
Synopsis: A short documentary that shows the process and work that goes into being an independent music producer with a focus on moving on from your past and pursuing a life you want to live.

Family Salad | France | 2020 | 04’
Director: Adélaïde Nicvert
Writer: Léo Bossavit
Cast: Fabian Godineau-Le Roy
Synopsis: It’s often difficult to tell people you care about, that you loved them. But today, Max has decided and this time he will succeed. Today is gonna be the day where he finally gonna told them.

What Was | Austria | 2021 | 15’
Director: Paul Lechmann
Writer: Paul Lechmann
Cast: Ben Schidla, Max Halstead
Synopsis: When a young man returns to his former lover they struggle to find common grounds as memories of what happened begin to mix with reality.

The Cartoon | United States | 2020 | 10’
Director: Tom White
Writer: Richard F. Russell
Producer: Tom White
Cast: Noëlle Peterson
Synopsis: A political cartoonist gains unwanted attention after her latest and most controversial work is published. Part of the Bad Things, Good People anthology.

Sleep Well | United States | 2020 | 12’
Director: Sean Cruser
Writer: Tyler Beveridge
Producer: Tyler Beveridge
Cast: Tyler Beveridge, Cami Storm , Mike St. Germaine
Synopsis: Over the course of one night, a man constantly hears knocking that slowly drives him insane. Is it the neighbors kids? A ghost? Or is it all in his head?

Series(Web/TV) – Official Selection – January 2021

Needs | 2020 | 12’
Director: Natalia Montecinos
Writers: Or Mashiah , Ophir Mash, Natalia Montecinos
Producers: Ophir Mash, Natalia Montecinos, Or Mash
Cast: Or Mash, Ophir Mash, Charlie Hoffman
Synopsis: What do we need to be happy? It’s a question on the minds of countless motivational speakers, mediocre vloggers, and desperate likers and subscribers. This series attempts to shine a light on the unexplainable; the existential crises millennials go through every day. Following the Mash sisters, Or and Ophir, we see firsthand the highs and lows of life lived in nonsensical times. New to America, the sisters set out on a search for happiness and self fulfillment as they come up against the human needs of a confusing new world. Sadly, they realize, there’s no autocorrect to life’s problems. Riffing on old school psychology, the series uses Maslow’s pyramid – the Hierarchy of Needs – as a guide for the sisters to categorically tackle the stages of happiness. However, in today’s ever-changing times, Maslow’s theories are tested in ways he never could’ve predicted.

Metta da fein – Pilot | Switzerland | 2020 | 21’
Directors: Carlo Beer, Urs Berlinger
Writers: Carlo Beer, Urs Berlinger, Alexander Seibt
Producers: Nadine Lüchinger, Flavio Gerber, Flavio Deflorin
Cast: René Schnoz, Tina Bundi, Roman Weishaupt, Curdin Caviezel, Ursin Derungs, David Flepp, Marietta Jemmi
Synopsis: Wonderfully monotonous peace reigns in the most beautiful village in the world until farm animals with severed legs are frequently discovered. The small community is thrown into turmoil. While some villagers believe in an old cruel legend, the village policeman Aldo tries to solve the mysterious case. The brutal murders increase – and with them the distrust of the villagers. The series of murders comes to a bitter end when disaster strikes at the village festivities.

Dark Pasta | Israel | 2020 | 07’
Director: Oshri Cohen
Writer: Oshri Cohen
Producer: Ronen Menipaz
Cast: Yon Katzav

Short Comedy – Official Selection – January 2021

Come un Uovo nel Radiatore (“Like an Egg in the Radiator”) | Italy | 2020 | 10’
Director: Davide Maria Valsecchi
Writers: Vincenzo Borsellino, Davide Maria Valsecchi
Producer: Francesca Chiari
Cast: Gigio Alberti, Iacopo Ricciotti, Bianca Balconi
Synopsis: The story of how an omelette is made. Valentino, an aspiring actor, can’t wait to leave with his girlfriend Anna for their first trip together. Unfortunately, the car they are about to hit the road with belongs to her father, Carlo, a slightly gruff sixty-year-old man with a great passion for motors and whom Valentino has not yet met. The boy cannot escape it, he must meet him before taking away his precious car and his more precious daughter. The only problem: he will have to “pass an exam” on his motors’ skills, a subject completely unknown to him. But Valentino, as a good actor, knows how to play a part. Proving his talent, and thanks to Anna’s providential complicity, the young man finds the right words to duel with Carlo. But things never go as planned.

The BIG Part | Netherlands | 2020 | 06’
Director: Nataliya Trusova
Writer: Marcel Romeijn
Producers: Marcel Romeijn, Nataliya Trusova
Cast: Marcel romeijn, Corin Silva, Tomer Butnaru, Richard Addlesee
Synopsis: Marcel is in Germany for a small part of a Netflix film. He will take his chance to show the world how good he is. As there are no small actors, only small parts.

Crumbling | Canada | 2020 | 05’
Director: Sarah Koehn
Writer: Stephen Ground
Producers: Sarah Koehn, Stephen Ground, Meegwun Fairbrother
Cast: Sarah Koehn, Stephen Ground
Synopsis: SHE recently lost her beloved NANA, and copes with the pressures of family, marriage, and grief through a secret dessert predeceased by its baker – until her safety line is snapped.

Hero | United States | 2020 | 05’
Director: Jayson martin
Writer: Jayson Martin
Producer: Jayson Martin
Cast: Dan Hall , Monica Carrol , Casey Durkin , Jonathan Tillson, Will Noonan
Synopsis: Hero is a short film about a man who saved a woman from her burning car.

Short Dance/Musical – Official Selection – January 2021

Watch, and Being Watched | China | 2021 | 09’
Director: Siye Tao
Writer: Siye Tao
Producer: Siye Tao
Synopsis: A group of amateur dancers, immerse themselves in a metropolitan city, probe and explore the world with their fluidic movements. In various settings, they found that, while observing the world presented upon them, they themselves become the object of observation by many others. The interaction between the dancers and their casual ‘audience’ makes their roles – audience vs. performer – blurred and interchangeable. Who are the performers and who are the audience? This is the question this short film tries to ask.

ZABLEYALO | United States | 2020 | 07’
Director: Jennifer Rose
Producers: Jennifer Rose, Roberta Shaw
Cast: Jennifer Rose, Maya Knapp
Synopsis: Zableyalo is the first of a series of collaborations from the Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices and choreographer/director Jennifer Rose. This film was created with Cinematographer/Editor Robbie Shaw and Performer Maija Knapp. A dance work where traditional folk music is made visceral. The soul made visible. A physical expression to make sense of tradition and use it as map to know where we came from and a guide for those who follow after us.

ПUZZLE | Russian Federation | 20’
Director: Anastasiya Sovashchenko
Producer: Anastasiya Sovashchenko
Synopsis: This film is about the moment when a person creates something unique and creative. We will consider what the process consists of, what hinders it and what helps. It’s like traveling from room to room, where dance parts that symbolize details of puzzle that called “Creativity”

SEBASTIENNE | Spain | 2021 | 15’
Director: José Alberto Andrés Lacasta
Writer: José Alberto Andrés Lacasta
Producers: José Alberto Andrés Lacasta, Leonor Villaluenga Peña
Cast: Antonio Ayesta, Ingrid Magrinyà
Synopsis: The arrival of a mysterious engraving about Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian at the Historic Palace of the Aljafería (Zaragoza) awakens the spirit of its old inquisitors, reviving the invincible designs of guilt and desire.

TO BOX WITH GOD | Israel | 2021 | 29’
Director: AMIT HAI COHEN
Writer: AMIT HAI COHEN, Yosef abehsera
Producer: AMIT HAI COHEN
Cast: Yosef abehsera
Synopsis: A musical cinema project which raises questions about historical justice, ethics and faith in the time of a pandemic, through the enigmatic persona known as JOJO. At the heart of the project lie a series of songs -electronic-messianic sound and critical and apocalyptic texts. This is a chaotic oeuvre merging Trap with ancient Amazigh Piyyutim, Jewish spoken word with hip-hop and electronic beats, video clips with documentary scenes and performance art, continuing the artistic line of Amit Hai Cohen’s work, known for amalgamating visual and musical mediums and genres into a single world. “To Box with God” presents an intergenerational link between two artists of Jewish-Moroccan extraction, working both in Jerusalem’s underground as well as on international circuits. It’s a deep dive into their shared world.

Almost | United States | 2020 | 11’
Director: Tobin Del Cuore
Producer: Romanian Cultural Institute
Cast: Ana Maria Lucaciu, Razvan Stoian
Synopsis: “Almost” is a story of two echoing universes as they try to align, where the air between and around two bodies resonate with what could have been.

Short Drama – Official Selection – January 2021

Umbrella | Kosovo | 2020 | 20’
Director: Ben Apolloni
Writer: Ag Apolloni
Producer: Xhemajl Avdyli
Cast: Aurita Agushi, Mentor Zymberaj, Hera Gashi, Arjola Demiri
Synopsis: “Umbrella” is about the drama of the relatives of the missing several years after the end of the war. He talks about the fate of a woman who, during the war, when she had just gotten married, was taken from her husband, about whose fate nothing is known. Also, during this time she is raped, in which case she gets pregnant and gives birth to a daughter, who, from us, never learns who her real father is. The only woman with her child, who pretends to be economic, waits for the missing husband. She is helped by a friend of her husband, whose family, his wife and two children, were also killed while he was in exile.

The Hillside Perspective | Canada | 2020 | 12’
Director: Steve Grabell
Writer: Steve Grabell
Producer: Autumn Mosey
Cast: Thom Nyhuss, Lea Holmes, Kris Langford
Synopsis: After the death of his father, Issac is forced to join his mother on a weekend trip to the family cottage to help her scatter the ashes. Being the first time connecting after seven years, Theresa and Issac avoid the tension that caused a fall out among their family. Issac cannot hold his tongue for long and eventually confronts his mother for leaving him when he was outed as gay. He is left to decide if he should forgive his mom, or move on with his life on his own.

The Cake | Spain | 2020 | 12’
Director: Andrés Eguiguren
Cast: Stacey Williams, Yassmine Othman, Rivers Duggan, Patrick Heraghty
Synopsis: Behind the facade of a strong independent executive at a financial corporation, Janet finds herself at a crucial moment in her life. After many years of a loyal marriage to her over controlling husband, the mask has fallen and she has had enough. Nicole will cross her path at this decisive moment, making Janet realise what she is about to do and doubt herself before following a path that might change her life forever.

A Sound in Motion | Portugal | 2020 | 12’
Director: Ricardo Teixeira
Writer: Ricardo Teixeira
Producer: Mafalda Leal Moura
Cast: Inês Mendonça, Hugo Olim, Hugo Danin
Synopsis: Rodrigo challenges Joana to dance again. The rhythm is the same but she hasn’t heard it in the same way since the accident. Rodrigo’s will, Joana’s anger and another way of listening to the world reveal new challenges. Will Joana be able to adapt to a new normal? Will Rodrigo have the strength to help Joana overcome this new condition?

I Bit the Lemon | United Kingdom | 2021 | 14’
Director: Scarlett McCartney-Hill
Writer: Scarlett McCartney-Hill
Producer: Nicole Georgiou
Cast: Ailis Young, Scarlet May Robinson, Matt Appleton, Jerry Woolley, Gabrielle De Saumarez, Christopher Bird
Synopsis: When returning from her travels, Olie hosts herself a ‘Welcome Home’ gathering. After realising that her group of friends haven’t changed in the time she’s been away, she is shockingly reintroduced to her ex-crush, Annabel. Despite Olie’s newly-found confidence, she struggles to bury her feelings for Annabel, causing a bond to reform and Olie to fight against the trauma Annabel had once caused. Olie’s obsessive lust for Annabel becomes clear through elements of her subconscious, heightening the absurd repetition of this dreaded connection that Annabel gains control of throughout the evening.

Origin | Czech Republic | 2021 | 18’
Director: Alexandr Borecký
Writer: Alexandr Borecký
Producer: Alexandr Borecký
Cast: Jiří Skřivánek, Lukáš Labuda, Alexandr Borecký, Jenn Kirk, David Jablonski
Synopsis: Three friends, that had known each other since they were little kids, have decided to spend a night out together. Leo, a person that relies heavily on their friendship, is realising how much he has been lacking behind in his life when he sees his how much his friends grew as people, outside their little circle. This makes Leo reconsider his approach to life and also makes him think about how much relying on the friendship has hold him back.

Realistic | France | 2021 | 03’
Director: Nils Lane
Writer: Nils Lane
Producer: Nils Lane
Cast: Charlotte Ysnel, Ariane Louis, Simon Gagnage, Valérie Enquin, Jarno Eslan, Audrey Chaurand, Maxime Chaurand, Faustine, Maxime Escobar
Synopsis: A young woman recounts the success story that embellishes her social, family and professional life thanks to the conquering spirit born of her passion for sport. Unfortunately, she can’t seem to fill the enormous void she feels in her life that darkens her heart.

HOPE |2020 | 09’
Director: Abdulla Al-Janahi
Writer: Abdulla Al-Janahi
Producers: Abdulaziz Khashabi, Fabian Loing
Synopsis: The short film “HOPE” is about the journey of a new born baby sea turtle named Aqua. During his journey, he faces many obstacles from human pollution to different predators. Using his mind and courage he over comes one obstacle after the other, until he reaches his final destination. Just before he enters the sea, he witnesses a life changing scene, that he bravely over comes and grows as a character.

Short Horror – Official Selection – January 2021

Jack’s Last Cigarette | Mexico | 2020 | 05’
Director: Ismael Capistrán
Writer: Ismael Capistrán, Pablo Martínez, Carlos Isaías Pérez
Producer: Carlos Isaías Pérez
Cast: Kevin Bertram
Synopsis: While driving alone at night, Jack tries to lit up a cigarette. He doesn’t realize he is not as alone as he thinks, or that this could be his last cigarette.

Short Romance – Official Selection – January 2021

Black Coffee | United States | 2020 | 14’
Director: Vito Lyles
Writer: Deanna Alisa Ableser
Producer: Deanna Alisa Ableser
Cast: Charlotte Williams, Tony DeCarlo
Synopsis: A woman and a man sitting in a coffee shop toy around with the idea of a simple kiss between strangers.

Stop Motion / Time Lapse – Official Selection – January 2021

Wither | Germany | 2020 | 00:02:23
Director: Regina Kelaita
Synopsis: ‘Wither’ was made during a six week stay on an abandoned industrial area next to a highway, where cement used to be manufactured. I set up my camera at a spot where all the elements that intensely influenced the character of this non-place and the time spent camping there could be seen all at once: The cement, the drastically changing weather and the water that accumulated in gigantic puddles. The resulting animation loop of over 10000 photos is a trip through time and perception, lightly forewarning us of environmental changes to come. ‘Wither’ was shown as a looped exhibition video installation in a shipping container on location during If Paradise Is Half As Nice #10, Rotterdam

Sorry, I don’t understand | Belgium | 2020 | 06’
Director: Natalie Feoktistova
Synopsis: A careless foreign student, without knowledge of the local language, arrives to a new country and tries to reach the school. Through a series of funny situations, her ignorance will help her to make the wrong choices for the rest of her life.

Re-Animal | Spain | 2021 | 14’
Director: Rubén Garcerá
Writer: Rubén Garcerá
Producer: Rubén Garcerá
Synopsis: A series of crimes is devastating the city and there is only one person who is capable of finding the culprit: Toni Clues. When Mr. and Ms. Mendoza are murdered, their family decides to hire him. But time is against him as new victims begin to appear and the police are nowhere to be see. He will have to use all his track-hunting skills to try to solve the mystery: who is behind such gory deaths?

Student Short – Official Selection – January 2021

Pigeon | United States | 2018 | 02’
Director: Shuting Zhong
Synopsis: Breakfast interrupted by hungry pigeons.

Faith | Israel | 2019 | 14’
Director: Yahav winner
Writer: Yahav winner
Producer: Ofer winner
Cast: Yaser abdallh
Synopsis: Yaser is a asylum seeker from Sudan that live with his family in Tel Aviv. after a fight with his wife, he was forced to leave his home. now his only wish is to earn back his daughter trust. He’s picking her up from school, and they spending the day together across tel Aviv. faith- the daughter, that born and raised in Israel ,Doesn’t make life easy for her father. She wants forgiveness, He wants to go home.

Lion on the Mat | United States | 2020 | 17’
Director: Asali Echols
Synopsis: A young Vietnamese-American single mother pours herself into martial arts as a way to overcome the trauma she’s experienced in her life.

Déjà vu | Russian Federation | 2021 | 15’
Director: Artur Matveev
Writer: Artur Matveev
Producers: Artur Matveev, Stanislav Khatyukhin
Cast: Alexander Mikhailov , Vladislav Stroganov , Kristina Garifullina , Aleksey Mironov , Roman Romanov , Aleksey Pashchenko
Synopsis: A boy Maxim, lesbian-teenager Nika, young rap-star LilGri and businessman Oleg are sitting together and telling each other episodes of their lives connected together by the same deja vu effect – cry of the “rooks”, which seems to them very familiar, like they’ve already seen that moment before. The host of the meeting – wealthy old man Konstantin – knows the reason of that feelings and wants to use it to help them all.

Struck by Lightning | Estonia | 18’
Director: Romet Esko, Raul Esko
Writer: Romet Esko
Producer: Romet Esko
Cast: Brandon Enrico Lebbin, Romet Esko, Raul Esko
Synopsis: Raul and Romet are two film school students who one day wish to become world-famous film directors. However, this is not the purpose of this film. They had a really unique friend Brandon – he was a wild card. Suddenly Brandon committed suicide. Now the brothers attempt to understand the mysterious end of their best friend, by making a movie for him.

Strawberry Asphalt | Czech Republic | 2020 | 07’
Directors: Elena Schwam, Ori Manahan
Writers: Elena Schwam, Ori Manahan, Danielle Stolz
Producers: Pavel Trochta, Donika Zánová
Cast: Brendan Douglas, Philip MacGregor, Bara Sousa
Synopsis: A divorced father attempts to lie to his young son to keep his affections, but learns that a hard truth can be better than an easy lie.

Maria’s Obsession | Russian Federation | 2020 | 23’
Director: Margarita Volkova
Writer: Margarita Volkova
Producer: Margarita Volkova
Cast: Margarita Volkova, Vladimir Lyakhov, Ambarzum Kabanyan
Synopsis: Thirty-year-old Maria had finally been proposed, but all of a sudden she denies it because of the mystery reason.

All Good | Australia | 2020 | 11’
Director: Austin Lawrence
Writer: Sylvia Cornes
Producer: Justin Vu
Cast: Charlotte Watson, Ella Jones, Isaac Davies, Tom D’Annunzio
Synopsis: On their last night of school leavers, Cassie and Sam meet two toolies, Dylan and Tom. Cassie’s introverted inexperience contests with Sam’s extroverted, party-centric attitude which challenges their friendship, leading to life-altering consequences.

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