SDiFF2017: San Diego Int'l Film Fest
The San Diego International Film Festival OCT 4 - 8, 2017
Night of the Stars Honorees Include:
Gregory Peck Award: Patrick Stewart
Virtuoso Award: Heather Graham
Auteur Award: Kumail Nunjani
Visionary Filmmaker: Taran Killam
Chris Brinker Award for First Time Directors: Manny Rodriguez
Rising Star: Blake Jenner
#SDiFF twit: @sdfilmfest insta: @sdfilmfestival
Source: http://sdfilmfest.com/san-diego-film-festival-announces-full-2017-lineup-2/
Night of the Stars Honorees Include:
Gregory Peck Award: Patrick Stewart
Virtuoso Award: Heather Graham
Auteur Award: Kumail Nunjani
Visionary Filmmaker: Taran Killam
Chris Brinker Award for First Time Directors: Manny Rodriguez
Rising Star: Blake Jenner
#SDiFF twit: @sdfilmfest insta: @sdfilmfestival
Source: http://sdfilmfest.com/san-diego-film-festival-announces-full-2017-lineup-2/
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106 titles
- DirectorReginald HudlinStarsChadwick BosemanJosh GadKate HudsonThe story of Thurgood Marshall, the crusading lawyer who would become the first African-American Supreme Court Justice, as he battles through one of his career-defining cases.Opening Night Film
- DirectorJared MosheStarsBill PullmanPeter FondaStephen Alan SederA thrilling and action-packed Western, The Ballad of Lefty Brown is a story about loyalty, friendship, and the relentless pursuit of justice.Narrative Spotlight Competition - West Coast Premiere
- DirectorAndy SerkisStarsAndrew GarfieldClaire FoyHugh BonnevilleThe inspiring true love story of Robin and Diana Cavendish, an adventurous couple who refuse to give up in the face of a devastating disease.Narrative Spotlight Competition - West Coast Premiere
- DirectorJoachim TrierStarsEili HarboeKaya WilkinsHenrik RafaelsenA confused religious girl tries to deny her feelings for a female friend who's in love with her. This causes her suppressed subconsciously-controlled psychokinetic powers to reemerge with devastating results.Narrative Spotlight Competition - US Premiere
- DirectorBenjamin ArfmannStarsKent OsborneDylan SprouseRae GrayA straight-edged teacher finds trouble when an honors student is willing to do anything to get an A.WINNER - BEST WORLD PREMIERE
World Premiere - Narrative Spotlight Competition - Q&A - DirectorAdam RifkinStarsBurt ReynoldsAriel WinterClark DukeAn aging former movie star is forced to face the reality that his glory days are behind him. On its surface, the film is a tale about faded fame. At its core, it's a universal story about growing old.WINNER - CHAIRMAN'S AWARD
West Coast Premiere - Narrative Spotlight Competition - Q&A - DirectorPetra Biondina VolpeStarsMarie LeuenbergerMaximilian SimonischekRachel BraunschweigIn 1971, a young housewife organizes the women of her town to petition for the right to vote.WINNER - BEST GLOBAL CINEMA
Narrative Spotlight - DirectorBradley BueckerStarsBrenda BakkeMelissa BenoistBlake JennerWhen an angry teenager (Blake Jenner) discovers a close friend has been killed, grief jeopardizes his future and he finds himself engulfed in danger.Narrative Spotlight
Q&A - DirectorKurt VoelkerStarsJ.K. SimmonsJosh WigginsOdeya RushAfter his wife's early death, a mourning father moves with his teenage son across the country for a private-school teaching job. Their lives begin to transform thanks to two unique women who help them embrace life and love again.WINNER - BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE
Narrative Spotlight - Q&A - DirectorJordan RossStarsEliza TaylorPablo SchreiberDaniel WebberTeens in a low income neighborhood are lured into working for a violent and dangerous drug dealer. When a new girl harboring a dark secret arrives in town, their relationship jeopardizes everything.Narrative Spotlight
- DirectorMarc MeyersStarsRoss LynchAlex WolffAnne HecheA young Jeffrey Dahmer struggles to belong in high school.Narrative Spotlight
- DirectorRudolf BuitendachStarsGabriel OldsFrida FarrellMatthew MarsdenBased on a true story. Isobel goes for a job interview, gets locked in and sex trafficked for 3 consecutive days.WINNER - BEST BREAKTHROUGH FEATURE
World Premiere - Narrative Competition - Q&A - DirectorManny Rodriguez Jr.StarsAlex SgambatiJess JacobsAbigail KleinThree beautiful aspiring actresses embark on a mission to break into the competitive Los Angeles acting scene, only to discover the road leading to stardom comes at a price.WINNER - BEST ENSEMBLE FILM
World Premiere - Narrative Competition - Q&A - DirectorLee FarberStarsDomenico NesciMark ChuakayJonathon AslayThe journey of a young Italian man looking for love online in America.WINNER - BEST COMEDY FILM
Narrative Competition - World Premiere - Q&A - DirectorDaniel DiMarcoStarsTy OlssonAmanda CrewStephen McHattieAfter a lengthy absence, a small town outlaw returns to his hometown, violently obsessed with the notion that his Mother's death was not a suicide.Narrative Competition - North American Premiere Q&A
- DirectorBen C. LucasStarsJessica De GouwLiam GrahamFiona PressAfter inventing a drug that induces time-compressed virtual realities, young Ren grapples with partner Sam over how to use their powerful creation.Narrative Competition
Q&A - DirectorDennis BotsStarsDavy GomezJuna de LeeuwYorick van WageningenStorm Voeten, son of printer Klaas Voeten, becomes the target of a hunt by the Inquisition. Aided by Marieke, a mysterious girl living in the underground sewers of Antwerp, Storm is caught in a race against time to save his father from death.Narrative Competition
- DirectorMatthew AtkinsonStarsBrett GelmanMark LittleCarla GalloWhen a broke thirty-two year old ex-lottery winner convinces his parents to rent their spare room to save from downsizing, a creepy stranger with a hidden agenda moves in.Narrative Competition
Q&A - DirectorJosué RamosStarsRamiro BlasPedro CasablancIgnacio FernándezSara, the daughter of Oliver and Julia, suddenly disappears. Days pass without any news about the girl. But one morning, the family receives a letter from someone who claims to have Sara and wants to talk with them that night.Narrative Competition
- DirectorJulius SevcíkStarsKarel RodenHanns ZischlerOldrich KaiserA period in the life of diplomat and politician Jan Masaryk, who was the son of Czechoslovakia's founder, served as the Central-European country's minister of foreign affairs and has been brutally killed by Russian secret service in 1948.Narrative Competition - US Premiere - Q&A
- DirectorSloan CopelandStarsDerek WilsonJessica CopelandSean KleierLife Hack is an incredibly timely ensemble comedy about digital privacy... or lack thereof. A humorous cautionary tale about cyber threats in the digital age. Cover your webcam.WINNDER - AUDIENCE CHOICE BEST FEATURE
Narrative Competition - Q&A - DirectorAngela SheltonStarsGbenga AkinnagbeJackson RathboneShawn-Caulin YoungWhen prison boxer George "The Hammer" Martin is offered freedom for fighting in the 1984 Olympics he says no in order to protect the woman he loves, forcing his best friend to learn the true meaning of loyalty.Narrative Competition - Q&A
- DirectorZach BrownStarsShawn PyfromJulia VothDrew MatthewsA renowned photographer, Adrian's unique style of shooting drug addicts has made him a local-celebrity. But there is a problem; life imitates art as Adrian parties hard with trophy-girlfriend Liz to drown out a painful past. When his sister suddenly dies, leaving him sole guardian of her 9-year-old daughter, Adrian must face his deepest secrets.'Hard Surfaces' - Narrative Competition - Q&A
- DirectorAnthony OnahStarsDave RegisterAml AmeenMichael HyattA young Nigerian-American financier struggles with love, family, and a prescription drug dependency as his ambitions steer him down a criminal path.Narrative Competition - Q&A
- DirectorBlake RobbinsStarsBrad CarterMaika MonroeChaz WoodA young woman investigates the murder of her parents when rumors suggest the man convicted of the crime may not be the killer after all.Narrative Competition
- DirectorSam UptonStarsKate VernonMark Boone JuniorCassi ThomsonA washed up, alcoholic ex-prizefighter makes a comeback to boxing after his top heavyweight contender son is wrongfully blinded in the ring.Narrative Competition - Q&A
- DirectorJason JamesStarsThomas MiddleditchDiana BangJess WeixlerWhile recovering from a suicide attempt, Ben Layton accidentally falls in love with a girl who was very nearly, almost his sister - and then things start to get weird.Narrative Competition - Q&A
- DirectorSavannah BlochStarsTania NolanRachel CrowlMary HollandA woman grapples with the loss of her husband while learning to love someone new.Narrative Competition - Q&A
- DirectorLeena PendharkarStarsJocelin DonahueRichard RiehleMichelle KrusiecA couple must decide on how to move forward when their baby is diagnosed with a serious health condition at the 20 week scan.Narrative Competition - Q&A
- DirectorKate BrooksStarsKate BrooksBatian CraigPatrick DuboscqThe Last Animals follows the conservationists, scientists and activists battling poachers and criminal networks to save elephants and rhinos from extinction.WINNER - BEST DOCUMENTARY
Documentary Spotlight Competition - Q&A - DirectorDavid SalzbergChristian TureaudApache Warrior" is a feature-length documentary that puts the viewer inside the cockpit of an elite U.S. Army Aviation Helicopter Squadron as they launch a Deep Attack during the initial surge into Iraq in March, 2003.WINNER - BEST MILITARY FILM
World Premiere - Documentary Spotlight Competition - Q&A - DirectorAnna ChaiNari KyeStarsDan BarberMario BataliMassimo BotturaThrough the eyes of famous chefs, audiences will see how they make the most of every kind of food, transforming what most people consider scraps into incredible dishes that create a more secure food system.Documentary Spotlight Competition - Q&A
- DirectorKatherine Fairfax WrightStarsWayne BradyBrittanie BrantBlair CarrizalesFollow singer and YouTube sensation Todrick Hall as he launches an original musical based on growing up gay in Texas and finding showbiz success.Documentary Spotlight Competition
- DirectorApo W. BazidiStarsEvlinNewrozAladdinFrom a refugee camp on the Turkish-Syrian border, an 8-year-old girl named Evlin characterizes the resilience of her hometown of Kobane against ISIS militants. In the midst of the tragic war in Syria, Evlin's story provides hope.WINNER - AUDIENCE CHOICE BEST DOCUMENTARY
Documentary Spotlight Competition - Q&A - DirectorMoon Chang-YongJeon JinStarsAngdu PadmaRigzin UrgainAfter a Buddhist boy in the highlands of northern India discovers that he is the reincarnation of a centuries-old Tibetan monk, his godfather takes him on a journey to discover his past.Documentary Competition
- DirectorJack C. NewellStarsJacob BickelhauptAlexa Welsh42 Grams is an intimate portrait of how chef Jake Bickelhaupt evolved from running an illegal restaurant out of his home to being a culinary celebrity in less than a year and the toll it takes on his personal life.Documentary Competition
- DirectorStefan MorelWe learn from the Herd that when one hurts, we all hurt; we are all here to heal together.Documentary Competition
- DirectorStefan MorelStarsRuth BieberVictor CallesenT.A. CarrithersBlind Spot follows the epic journey of three visually-impaired adventurers who cross the Argentinean Andes by horseback. Set against the sweeping mountain vistas of Patagonian wilderness, Blind Spot challenges the conventional perception of blindness by awakening our senses to the overlooked. Blind Spot takes us on a horse-powered road-trip of self-discovery, new found perspective and personal triumph; because there is more to seeing than sight.Documentary Competition
- DirectorM.J. IsaksonDown The Fence profiles horse trainers on their journey to compete for one of the most challenging equestrian championships and chronicles how cowboy culture has evolved and is thriving thanks to the little-known sport of reined cow horse.Documentary Competition
- DirectorEliana Álvarez MartínezStarsWalter MunkWalter Munk's brilliant failures have done more for the world than a thousand men's ordinary successes, but can he muster another one for the threatened flying Devil Rays that share his name?World Premiere - Documentary Competition - Q&A
- DirectorDavid McIlvrideRoger WilliamsStarsJason PriestleyMark AngeloOrsola De CastroRiverBlue chronicles an unprecedented around-the-world river adventure, led by renowned paddler and conservationist, Mark Angelo, who ends up uncovering and documenting the dark side of the global fashion industry.Documentary Competition
Q&A - DirectorGreg BarkerStarsJason AmerineGeorge W. BushMark NutschImmediately after the 9/11 attacks, fewer than 100 US Troops were sent on a secret mission to overthrow the Taliban. What happens next is equal parts war-origin story and cautionary tale, illuminating the impact of 15 years of constant combat.Documentary Competition
- DirectorValerie Red-HorseStarsChris CarlssonMark Warren DowningMelissa GowerAn in-depth look at the life and work of Cherokee Nation chief, Wilma Mankiller.Documentary Competition
- DirectorJosh HowardStarsGlenn CloseDavid Hyde PierceCynthia NixonWith the United States gripped in the panic of the Cold War, President Dwight D. Eisenhower deems homosexuals to be "security risks" and orders the immediate firing of any government employee discovered to be gay or lesbian. It triggers a vicious witch hunt that lasts for forty years and ruins thousands of lives, while thrusting an unlikely hero into the forefront of what would become the modern LGBT rights movement.Documentary Competition
- DirectorSebastian JungerNick QuestedStarsGhaith Abdul-AhadAmr Al-AzmAbu Bakr Al-BaghdadiA look at the current state of Syria amidst war and chaos in 2017, featuring stories of survival and observations by political experts from around the world.Documentary Competition
- DirectorRichard MullaneStarsJean-François PignonThis short film explores how one man is able to achieve an extraordinary level of communication with his horses. Jean Francois Pignon is known as a horse whisperer. But what does Horse Whispering really mean? How is such close and invisible communication between a man and these wonderful animals possible? In this film genuine moments of intimacy are captured, revealing moments of sublime communication.
- DirectorJames HughesStarsTobias MenziesA Short Film About the Environmental Age Set Against a Plethora of CG, Illustrations, and Animations from a Team Spanning Six Continents.
- DirectorJonathan PickettStarsKash BehmardiAndrew BensonMegan DesboroThe escalating pressure of a difficult college course launches Adam into an anxiety-fueled plot to kill his professor.World Premiere - Shorts: Student Track
- DirectorEric ShahinianStarsAnne-Marie AgbodjiRose HanishAlecia HurstA devoted husband is forced to confront his doubts about remaining the caretaker of his wife suffering from Alzheimer's disease.Shorts: Student Track
- DirectorDiogo BeltranStarsGirvan 'Swirv' BrambleAlexandra CruzHayley DixonAfter a night of heavy drinking, a man who is going through a break up wakes up to find that a dog is in his apartment and he is now searching for its original owner.Shorts: When Worlds Collide
- DirectorDanielle KatvanStarsRoe HartrampfJoel NagleRebecca WatsonBased on the original short story by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., The Foster Portfolio is an offbeat, mid-century tale about a rookie investment counselor who discovers that his penniless client is hiding a million-dollar inheritance in order to conceal a strange, double life.WINNER - BEST SHORT FILM
Shorts: When Worlds Collide - DirectorMichael GrudskyStarsIdo BartalImri BitonAdeeb SafadiErez, an Israeli commissioned officer, and two other soldiers have been ordered to transfer a prisoner to Megiddo prison. Along the way, a conflict arises that forces the young officer to surpass himself in order to solve the situation.Shorts: When Worlds Collide
- DirectorGrant MooreStarsNat ToppingZakary RisingerEva Augustina SinotteAfter accidentally freezing the family dog to death, Oscar attempts to make good with his soon-to-be stepson by driving the family pet's ashes across the country.Shorts: When Worlds Collide
- DirectorChristophe ClinStarsCécile DelbergheJean-Jacques RausinShorts: When Worlds Collide
- DirectorMilena GovichStarsDazyah Al-AleemChris FreihoferMarilyn Govich"Temporary" is a short comedic drama about a person's radical choice at the end of a loved one's life.Shorts: When Worlds Collide
- DirectorDavid O'DonnellStarsJames IvorElena SatineDavid O'HaraIn an alternate reality where memories are literally worn about one's head, a jilted lover wrestles with the image of his ex.Shorts: A Stranger in Stranger Land
- DirectorChristopher WinterbauerStarsReid MillerAzure BrandiSkye PopovWyrm is falling behind. His twin sister, Myrcella, has become a woman after she and the Norwegian foreign exchange student did fingering at the cinemas. She wants Wyrm to move into their dead brother Dylan's room so she can have privacy and space for her personal items. Wyrm has two days to complete his Level 1 Sexuality Requirement or he'll be held back as part of the School District's No Child Left Alone program and forced to continue wearing his My.E.Q. Electronic Emotional Remote Monitoring Collar.Shorts: A Stranger in Stranger Land - N. American Premiere
- DirectorVlad MarsavinStarsBoti BlissHannah McCloudGabriel OldsA kaleidoscopic curiosity sends two young sisters on a mystical journey of no return.Shorts: A Stranger in Stranger Land
- DirectorChristopher BarrettLuke TaylorStarsAnthony BartonSkye BennettLaura EvelynA bizarre incident as a young boy left Aaron with an unusual facial disfigurement that has plagued him all his life. Isolated and vulnerable, Aaron seeks comfort in the friendship and understanding of an unexpected group of outcasts.Shorts: A Stranger in Stranger Land - N. American Premiere
- DirectorStefon BristolStarsEden Duncan-SmithDante CrichlowParish BradleyTwo Brooklyn teenage prodigies, C.J. Walker and Sebastian Thomas, build make-shift time machines to save C.J.'s brother, Calvin, from being wrongfully killed by a police officer.Shorts: A Stranger in Stranger Land
- DirectorJacob Lundgaard AndersenStarsBrent BaileyJonathan CahillAnya ProfumoShorts: A Stranger in Stranger Land
- DirectorRomain QuirotStarsHugo BeckerNicolas GiraudBruno LochetThe red moon threatens our existence on earth. Our only hope is the enigmatic Paul WR, the most talented astronaut of its generation. But few hours before the start of the Great mission, Paul disappeared.
- DirectorPhoebe ArnsteinStephen Ledger-LomasStarsMartin FreemanAmanda BurtonBrid ArnsteinA family drama telling the story of Alice Wilson and her stepdaughter Katherine, through the cynical eyes of her pet dog Charlie.WINNER - AUDIENCE CHOICE BEST SHORT
Shorts: Twisted Humor - World Premiere - DirectorChad TailorStarsDomenic DeroseJuan Carlos HugueninNikki-Lee KrisztaDylan is one of those great guys who make all of the wrong choices that lead him on a path of self-destruction. His escape is meth, which results in no job, no money, and ultimately no hope. Propositioned by Chase, a local drug-dealer, he is given a more economical opportunity to continue his addiction. Having delved deeper into the compromised mentality, Dylan is then faced with a situation that will make him realize the true consequences of the drug he heavily relies upon.Shorts: Twisted Humor
- DirectorJosef BrandlStarsPheline RogganMarcel MohabJacques PalmingerThe big wheel in the most exciting area of the city is the perfect real estate for Jakob and Nicole, a young, ambitious and firmly in the event culture anchored couple. When one of the popular gondolas becomes free, they do not hesitate to move into their first common flat. Unfortunately none of them both has taken the time to get to know his partner before.Shorts: Twisted Humor
- DirectorWilfried MéanceStarsPablo PaulyÉdith Le MerdyBrigitte Lo CiceroVanessa is in love with Rémi. Rémi is in love with Vanessa. Only one damper: his bread won't rise...Shorts: Twisted Humor
- DirectorRomain CarciofoJulien SegardStarsIsabelle AnciauxDavid BrenotIn a hurry, a selfish best man steals a funeral bouquet tied on a tree, as he forgot to bring the Bride's bouquet with him. He then tries to hide it from the clumsy widow who just got in the antique car he's driving, in order to show him the way to the wedding.Shorts: For Shorts & Giggles
- DirectorSandra MitrovicStarsSlobodan 'Boda' NinkovicDragan SekulicMilan 'Caci' MihailovicToday is a day when Ostoja, legendary piano mover from Belgrade, gets a special delivery.WINNER - BEST FOREIGN SHORT
Shorts: For Shorts & Giggles - DirectorMarnie PaxtonStarsApril KelleyMatthew James OvensSam GittinsWe've all waited for 'the one', the one who catches our eye, the one who keeps our interest, the one who won't expect us to trudge down that conventional path. Annie Waits tells the story of lust and disappointment as a twenty-something waits for her adult life to begin.Shorts: For Shorts & Giggles
- DirectorHarrison MacksStarsBilly BreedGiuliana CarulloCaroline DayA GHOST NAMED GEORGE is a mockumentary short-film that follows George, a 150-year-old ghost who is eternally stuck inside the house he died in. George's naive attempts to build a relationship with a new family (and woo their teenage daughter) are stifled by the fact that they are blissfully unaware of George's existence.Shorts: For Shorts & Giggles
- DirectorDrew PollinsStarsJason BoggsJohn Charles MeyerEd MattiuzziDanny, Devin and Duke are about the pull off the heist to end all heists. After all, who else would even think to rob a Dollar Store on Halloween? There's only one problem: they are totally out of their element.Shorts: For Shorts & Giggles
- DirectorLuke HarrisStarsSteven WishnoffShaw JonesShawn ParsonsTwo handsome master criminals are trying to pull off a big heist so they're putting together the most incredible heist team that has ever heist teamed before.Shorts: For Shorts & Giggles
- DirectorEmre OktenStarsJennifer FranceChristopher McGahanEric ProchnauA bored and monotonous couple in their 40s, Ned and Lauren decide to perform a blood ritual to revitalize their withered sex life at the suggestion of their marriage counselor to try new things.World Premiere - Shorts: For Shorts & Giggles
- DirectorAlexander DietrichJohannes FlickTwo male, glowing creatures start a fight over trying to impress a female. Each one of them wants to win her over by giving a better light show than his competitor. They are on fire - until one gets burned.World Premiere - Shorts: Global Consciousness
- DirectorDavid KochStarsVirginie LedoyenJaber JamilTulipStéphane, a freelance war photographer, is covering the Syrian conflict. She follows the daily existence of a young couple: Farah, a schoolteacher, and Omar, a doctor. During fighting, Stéphane takes a photo of Omar. A photo that could make headlines in the western media. Omar, convinced that the publication of this photo will put his life at risk, asks Stéphane not to send it off. But given the urgency, Stéphane has already forwarded her photos to her press agency in France: it is too late, the photo is released, altering the lives of both Stéphane and Omar.Shorts: Global Consciousness
- DirectorRobby BrackerStarsStephanie BarajasVanessa BenaventeSean BurgosA female Border Patrol Agent's 8-month pregnant sister gets deported and she must choose between her job and her family.Shorts: Global Consciousness
- DirectorLeon LeeStarsAnastasia LinMartina BiljanDaniel ChaiIn a mysterious red room, a young Chinese mother must choose between her heart and soul when she falls into the clutches of a sadistic Communist doctor.Shorts: Global Consciousness
- DirectorSantiago PaladinesStarsJohnny OrtizEduardo RomanNoemi PedrazaA young man transports undocumented migrants into the United States. Thinking himself as a "taxi" service, he is forced to confront the harsh realities of human trafficking when one of the passengers is a twelve-year old girl.Shorts: Global Consciousness
- DirectorSeong-Min KimWith the ecosystem destroyed after a nuclear war, Mari, a survivor, does all she can to rebuild. When she stumbles upon a robot soldier in an abandoned city, everything changes.WINNER - BEST ANIMATED SHORT
Shorts: Independent Animation - DirectorJoaquin BragaIt is the story of two lanterns dancing under the light of the moon with the beautiful music of tango. The streets of "Caminito" in Buenos Aires will be transformed into a mystical scenario where some friends will play one of the masterpieces of Astor Piazzolla, "Fugue and mystery", and will bring to life the magic and passion of tango.Shorts: Independent Animation
- DirectorWenli ZhangNan LiA pirate discovers a treasure chest and brings it aboard his ship. Upon opening the chest, he discovers there is more to the chest than meets the eye.Shorts: Independent Animation
- DirectorMichael ScherrerAfter an unsuccessful escape a mother and her son are deported to a prison camp. The mother sees her child hunger and secretly gives him some left-over seeds, the last food she has. Shortly after, they are separated. The boy has to work until exhaustion, day in day out. When hunger and loneliness strike, he tries to fight it by eating a seed. But his hunger can not be stilled. The memory of his mother, though, warms him, gives him strength and hope. One evening, he holds the last seed in his hand. While sleeping, it slips out of his hand and falls into a crack in the floor. After waking up he realizes his final seed is missing. He spots it lying in the floor-crack, though cannot reach it. A few days later he notices a small plant has grown from the crack in the floor. Giving him hope, he manages to extract the plant with some earth, to hide it from the guards. During an inspection, the small guard ultimately discovers the plant. Enraged, he begins to beat the boy repeatedly. Suddenly, however, the large guard intervenes, blocks the torturers' arm from a final blow and thus ends the beating. He takes the plant with him, on the way out. As the sun rises the big guard sneaks into the barracks and drags out the boy. With the guard standing behind him, the boy thinks this is the end. After a few moments the boy dares to look up and can hardly believe what he is seeing: Behind the fence on a small hill, he sees his plant that can now grow into a tree.Shorts: Independent Animation
- DirectorTingting LiuStarsAmanda HughesThis is one animated story happened thousands years ago in China. He is a eunuch servant in the royal palace. She is the emperor's daughter. Growing up together, they become friends and soul mates. Naturally their budding feelings for each other are forbidden in this feudalistic kingdom, but they strive for the freedom to love and to bloom.Shorts: Independent Animation
- DirectorPeter Zhaoyu ZhouWorld Premiere - Shorts: Independent Animation
- DirectorMolly WorreStarsSaginaw GrantMaxwell A. HollingsworthEric PiersonTwelve year-old Rabbit spends most of his days, drawing, collecting comics, and avoiding the teasing of his peers. Insecure and shy, Rabbit dreads dancing in the upcoming powwow and begins to draw Waabooz, a superhero that embodies his desired self; bold and unafraid. Through traditional storytelling, imagination and a little magic, Rabbit's mysterious Grandfather helps bring Waabooz to life.WINNER - KUMEYAAY AWARD
Shorts: American Indian Stories - DirectorTy CoughenourStarsHunter EllerDrew HighlandsBen LeiatauaA father watching over his estranged son for the Summer encounter a couple of criminals on the run on his rural ranch in Washington.Shorts: American Indian Stories
- DirectorSean MeehanStarsMartin DubreuilGerald AugerMorris BirdyellowheadSubienkow is in mortal danger. The fort he and his fellow fur thieves have erected in the snow is in flames - attacked by the very tribe they enslaved to build it - now only he and Big Ivan remain. As Ivan is tortured before him Subienkow must think fast to escape the terrible, protracted death that awaits him. He calls over the chief, Makamuk, and begins to bargain...Shorts: American Indian Stories
- DirectorDouglas CushnieStarsNitzia ChamaAndoni GraciaFrancisco Ovalle1810: Isadora, an Indigenous Californian (Tongva) woman, faces a battle to survive after being emancipated from the abusive Los Angeles mission where she was raised. She's helped by Domingo, a Franciscan friar, on the journey to bring her to a Native village where she can she can be safe.Shorts: American Indian Stories
- DirectorDavid HermanStarsJosh PenceJennifer FerrinWill Wilson, about to propose marriage, witnesses a suicide. A detail about the tragedy threatens to unhinge him. As he fights for his sanity, Will discovers something that threatens to take over his life.Shorts: On Pins and Needles
- DirectorOlga ChajdasStarsOlga BoladzAnna Maria BuczekStanislaw CywkaAn overlooked breakdown leading to a mother killing her own child and husband.US Premiere - Shorts: On Pins and Needles
- DirectorTom TellerStarsJason TobiasJulia FarinoThurston Hill IIIWhen a Mars colony's comm satellite is damaged, Emilia Riley embarks on a seemingly harmless repair excursion. A shuttle malfunction cuts connectivity to the ground and Chris, her son, makes the knee jerk decision to go after her.Shorts: On Pins and Needles
- DirectorSean WangStarsBradley BundlieJohn Edward CusackDaniel J. DonovanAn impressionable young boy's determination to be accepted by his older brother leads him head-on into trouble.Shorts: On Pins and Needles
- DirectorJoy WebsterStarsJack FultonAva PrestonSam Ashe ArnoldA young boy struggles to accept the loss of his mother while his sister copes through violence.Shorts: On Pins and Needles
- DirectorDaumoun KhakpourTravis PulchinskiStarsDaniel HasamCarlos Felipe Martinez'A desperate man resorts to smuggling his wife inside of a piece of luggage in hopes of finding a better life in a new country. His hopes are put on hold when his plane arrives-but the bag containing his wife does not.'US Premiere - Shorts: On Pins and Needles
- DirectorIan Hunt-DuffyStarsMoe DunfordPeter CoonanAmy De BhrúnGridlock is a thriller set during a traffic jam on a country road. When a little girl goes missing from one of the cars, her father forms a desperate search party to find her, and soon everyone is a suspect.Shorts: Illusion
- DirectorDamon RussellStarsShawn ChristensenPhoebe TonkinAvery FinnIn the latest stunner by the team behind the Academy Award-winning short Curfew, a married couple's bubble of suburban normality is punctured when they find a surprise inside their toddler's teddy bear.Shorts: Illusion
- DirectorJonathan Marshall ThompsonStarsAnthony GearyJohnny CannizzaroDrummond Edward Easter calls a local newspaper obituary writer to report the death of a loved one. After arriving, the writer quickly discovers that Mr Easter had much more in mind.Shorts: Illusion
- DirectorPaul PhilippStarsAndré HennickeDante Gutierrez JanssenJasmin SchwiersEast Germany, 1987: The special investigator Mahler is said to have paranormal abilities. The police assigns him to solve the case of the 6-year-old Henry Kiefer, who is missing for weeks now, before this issue leads to political tensions with the West. But then he brings something to light that makes this family tragedy especially political.Shorts: Illusion
- DirectorTraci HaysStarsJames MorrisonJosh MannLexi JohnsonHow far would you go for your art?Shorts: Illusion
- DirectorSpencer CurrieStarsGary PlummerDrew MaciasVeta HorwitzWhen Pat Connell, a hopeless dreamer obsessed with his place in the stars, convinces his best friend, Adam Stevens, a once hard-driven staff sergeant now tied down by his duty as father and husband, to re-enlist for another tour in Afghanistan against Adam's wishes, Pat could have never expected how disastrously it would have gone. On a routine mission that goes south, the two end up stranded behind enemy lines where they must come to grips with the sacrifice they made and rely solely on each other, despite boiling tension, to make it to safety or else face inevitable death.Shorts: Heart of a Soldier