SCHEDULE INFORMATION CLICK HERE
_____________________
FÁBULA (USA / MEXICO)
SYNOPSIS: Fabula follows Maria – a young girl processing the trauma of an abusive parent, when she discovers a world of old magic hidden between the pages of a notebook.
RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence, Mild Language
DIRECTOR: Hector Ignacio Serrano
GENRE: Fantasy
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Sunday, Oct. 30th @ 7:00 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Hector Ignacio Serrano is a writer/director born and raised in Mexico City who is drawn to Mexican, multi-generational storytelling told through a lens of the magical and the fantastical. Hector focuses his stories on Latinx thematic through-lines that speak about the struggles of race, immigration, love, belonging, and culture. These stories are interwoven with a veil of magic that speak to deeper emotions, trauma, and healing. Hector was the only Latinx member of the UCLA MFA Producers Program class of 2019. His thesis “THE IMAGINEERS” was selected as one of three finalists for the 2019 UCLA Producers Program Marketplace event, where it went on to win the 2019 Audience Award. During the program he also produced several award-winning short films, including the Student Academy Awards Semifinalist – THE ART OF SURVIVAL.
IMAGES FROM THE FILM:
TRAILER:
_____________________
FIELDTRIP (UK)
SYNOPSIS: FIELDTRIP is a 25 minutes science fiction short movie about a man in a robotic spacesuit, who crashes in his own minefield and has to navigate through it. A dark comedy about the ‘collaboration’ of man and machine.
RATINGS GUIDE: All Audiences
GENRE: Sci-Fi, Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Virtual Exclusive – Virtual Shorts Block #4
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Director 1: Soren Bendt is a Danish storyboard artist and filmmaker who wrote, animated, and directed the acclaimed short film ‘Hum’. His artwork has been featured in various books and films.
Director 2: With a career that spans over 25 years in Visual Effects and Filmmaking, Paul Arion has been part of the teams who have won 5 Visual Effects Oscars and 3 Visual Effects Oscar nominations, as well as numerous other awards for films ranging from Tenet, Dune and Prometheus. With over 100 credits in IMDB of Hollywood films, short films, live action and Full CG Feature Animation adding over US $30 billion to the Box Office.
IMAGES FROM THE FILM:
TRAILER:
_____________________
FINGER (USA)
SYNOPSIS: A mysterious woman appears at a young father’s home seeking recompense for a long-buried transgression. But she doesn’t want money—she wants a finger.
RATINGS GUIDE: Violence, Strong Language, Adult Content, Intense Imagery
DIRECTOR: Joe Lueben
GENRE: Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Sunday, Oct. 30th @ 7:00 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Joe Lueben is a high school English teacher living in Brooklyn with his wife and son. He makes films on the side.
IMAGES FROM THE FILM:
TRAILER:
_____________________
FISHWIFE (UK)
SYNOPSIS: In wild 18th century Britain a lonely woman discovers that her menstrual cycle is of interest to a stranger.
RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence
DIRECTOR: Beth Park
GENRE: Horror, Sci-Fi, Fantasy
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Monday, Oct. 31st @ 12:00 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Beth is a working mum who directs actors in video games, including the official Dungeon’s and Dragon’s video game, Baldur’s Gate III. Fishwife is her first film.
IMAGES FROM THE FILM:
TRAILER:
_____________________
FOG OF WAR (USA)
SYNOPSIS: After his entire family succumbs to the Spanish Flu and his brother dies on the battlefield, a young soldier in WWI starts having visions of a boar-like creature roaming the battlefield at night, devouring the souls of dead soldiers.
RATINGS GUIDE: Violence, Strong Language, Adult Content, Intense Imagery
DIRECTOR: Steven Lundgren
GENRE: Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Wednesday, Nov. 2nd @ 11:00 AM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Swedish-born Writer/Director transplanted to LA with a bag of MFA’s and BFA’s (Literature/Film Studies and Film Production) in the trunk. I have written 22 feature-length/Pilot screenplays, some of which have been made and/or optioned – and a slew of shorts, plus a 600-page novel – the first part of a planned trilogy. I have also directed short films, music videos and commercials and have been in development for several features. One of my short films, “Fog of War”, taking place in the trenches of WWI, just screened at the LA SHORTS festival last month.
IMAGES FROM THE FILM:
TRAILER:
_____________________
FROM WHERE IT HIDES (USA)
SYNOPSIS: A father abruptly leaves his life behind after his recent terminal diagnosis with lung cancer. At the end of a treacherous journey into the infinite wilderness, the man finds himself at the mouth of an abandoned mineshaft; inside his last chance at survival: the hiding place of Death itself. FROM WHERE IT HIDES is the story of a man’s incredible struggle to survive as he embarks into the darkness of the unknown.
RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence, All Audiences
DIRECTOR: Quinn Halleck
GENRE: Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: USA Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Friday, Nov. 4th @ 8:00PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Born and raised in the Northern California town of Sebastopol, Quinn Halleck has developed his early career as a mentee to Michael Bay and assistant within the studio system. Quinn got his start as a producer and director working on documentary projects for Peter Coyote and Jeremy Irons, taking him to Los Angeles in 2019 and becoming a freelance director.
IMAGES FROM THE FILM:
TRAILER:
_____________________
FUNNY BUSINESS (USA)
SYNOPSIS: A private investigator is visited by a mysterious woman with a risky favor.
RATINGS GUIDE: All Audiences
DIRECTOR: Josh Kirk
GENRE: Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Thursday, Nov. 3rd @ 4:00 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Josh Kirk is a Writer and Director from Providence, Rhode Island. He has made music videos, short films, and a feature film that have premiered on Vice Noisey, Impose Magazine, and Amazon Prime.
IMAGES FROM THE FILM:
TRAILER:
_____________________
GET OUT OF THERE (USA)
SYNOPSIS: After surviving a dangerous fall an injured patrolman soon discovers that a dark supernatural presence is closing in on him.
RATINGS GUIDE: Strong Violence, Strong Language, Intense Imagery
DIRECTOR: Matthew Barber, Nathaniel Barber
GENRE: Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Saturday, Oct. 29th @ 8:00 PM (w/ “#chadgetstheaxe”)
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Twin brothers Matthew and Nathaniel Barber are writers and directors best known for their short horror films Go Back (2019), No One Is Coming (2020), and Specter of Weeping Hill (2021).
IMAGES FROM THE FILM:
TRAILER:
_____________________
GOLEM (MEXICO)
SYNOPSIS: Cristina is desperate. Her co-star is gone and she has to perform for a very important agent in a matter of hours. Using her skills as an acting coach, Cristina resorts to the only available tool: her assistant, a clumsy and unimaginative robot named Golem.
RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence, Mild Language
DIRECTOR: Rafael Macazaga Loria
GENRE: Sci-Fi
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Friday, Nov. 4th @ 2:00 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Graduated from the Mantarraya Producciones Film Workshop. He has shot commercials for brands such as Hershey’s, Star Wars, Sprite, Harley Davidson, among others. For 9 years, he coordinated the “Hazlo en Cortometraje” festival for Cinépolis and BBVA. He has received grants from the Mexican Film Institute for the production of science fiction and fantasy short films.
Winner of the Best SciFi Short Film Award at the 2022 Phoenix Film Festival and part of the Official Selection at the 47th Boston SciFi Film Festival and the 40th Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival thanks to “Golem”, a science fiction short film in which a clumsy robot learns to act and play a dramatic character with the coaching of a failed actress. He is currently developing his first feature film and a television series.
IMAGES FROM THE FILM:
TRAILER:
_____________________
GOOD VIBES ONLY (USA)
SYNOPSIS: When aspiring actress Chloe is gifted a mysterious amulet, she experiences a dark underside to the wellness culture of LA, controlled by an enigmatic guru who has more than “good vibes only” in store for her.”
RATINGS GUIDE: Violence, Mild Language, Intense Imagery
GENRE: Horror, Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Thursday, Nov. 3rd @ 4:00 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Robyn Von Swank is a filmmaker and photographer based in Los Angeles, California. She has over fifteen years of experience working in advertising for film, television, and new media. In addition to her work within the entertainment industry, Robyn also has a passion for moody travel photography
IMAGES FROM THE FILM:
TRAILER:
_____________________
GRUMMY (USA)
SYNOPSIS: A gothic fairy tale about a young girl’s flight from an abusive childhood into the amber fields — and long fangs — of her imagination.
RATINGS GUIDE: All Audiences, Intense & Scary Imagery
DIRECTOR: Micheline Pitt & R.H. Norman
GENRE: Fantasy
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premier
SCREENING DATE: Thursday, Nov. 3rd @ 9:00 PM (w/ “Moon Garden”)
DIRECTOR’S BIO: N/A
IMAGES FROM THE FILM:
TRAILER:
_____________________
GUT INSTINCT (AUSTRALIA)
SYNOPSIS: Cold, alone and time is running out…A young woman wakes to find herself waist deep in ice and cuffed in place. She doesn’t know how she got there, but she knows she needs to get out. Fast.
RATINGS GUIDE: Adult Content, Intense Imagery
DIRECTOR: Stuart Edgeworth
GENRE: Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Saturday, Oct. 29th @ 5:00 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: An award-winning filmmaker and content creator, Stuart has had a varied career in media production. Already teaching filmmaking in New York by the age of 18, Stuart found his initial niche as a cinematographer and director having early success with a Tropfest nominated film starring Dan Wyllie. As a regular contributor to The Guardian and a 60 Minutes DOP, his love of documentary grew and his attention switched to factual content.
In 2012, he founded CHUCK, and has produced award winning content for brands like Rugby Australia, Westfield and Pfizer, perfecting the art of delivering factual content using a dramatic filmmaking skillset. He currently has a feature length documentary in development with Good Thing Productions. GUT INSTINCT represents Stuart’s return to scripted cinema. As writer/director, Stuart brings his unique and varied skillset to the piece, delving into this suspenseful thriller with as much grit and determination as its protagonist.
IMAGES FROM THE FILM:
TRAILER:
_____________________
HAN (SWEDEN)
SYNOPSIS: A family moves in to an old house and soon notices that the house has a dark past. As night comes so does the darkness.
RATINGS GUIDE: All Audiences
DIRECTOR: Titus Paar
GENRE: Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Virtual Exclusive – Virtual Shorts Block # 2
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Perfect Weapon, Fear of the woods. Horror writer and artist from Sweden.
IMAGES FROM THE FILM:
TRAILER:
_____________________
HEARTBEATER (USA)
SYNOPSIS: A woman realizes she’s been catfished by her worst nightmare.
RATINGS GUIDE: Strong Violence, Sensuality, Adult Content, Intense Imagery
DIRECTOR: Rob Himebaugh
GENRE: Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Sunday, Oct. 30th @ 4:00PM (w/ “The Ones You Didn’t Burn”)
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Rob Himebaugh is a genre and documentary filmmaker based in Los Angeles.
IMAGES FROM THE FILM:
TRAILER: N/A
_____________________
HERMANITA (USA)
SYNOPSIS: After recently being released from prison, Daniella learns that her little sister has been abused at the hands of her stepfather and has to decide if her duty to protect her sister is more important than freedom.
RATINGS GUIDE: Strong Violence, Strong Language , Adult Content, Intense Imagery
DIRECTOR: Hisonni Mustafa
GENRE: The Beyond
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Saturday, Oct. 29th @ 11:00 AM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Hisonni Mustafa is a Guyanese American filmmaker from the most segregated city in America, Milwaukee, WI. Hisonni creates films that depict the protagonist’s perilous journey toward being loved, becoming financially secure, and discovering their significance in this world. Since 2013 Hisonni has written, directed, shot, edited, produced, and crowd-funded a dozen award-winning projects. Hisonni’s feature films and shorts earned awards from over 200 festivals, including Cinequest, Hollyshorts, Frameline, and Urbanworld. Hisonni’s shorts/web series have gained over six million views online and award nominations from LA Webfest, The VH1 Streamy Awards, Marseille Webfest, The International Academy of Web Television awards, and Marvel’s Stan Lee.
Hisonni’s independent film Take Out Girl (now on Hulu) has received awards from The Bentonville Film Festival, Dances With Films, Ashland Independent, Cinequest, and Indie Memphis. Hisonni won Best Director at the American Black Film Festival, the HBO feature film competition at Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival, and was a semi-finalist for Gemstones Rising Storyteller Search. Most recently, Hisonni became the first Nevada filmmaker to win the $175,000 Cordillera Film Festival pitch fest, won best Nevada film at Nevada Women’s Film Festival and Cordillera Film Festival, and received grants from the Nevada Arts Council and The National Black Arts Forward Artist Project and was the first filmmaker to participate in John Ridley’s Filmmakers with No Borders Program.
IMAGES FROM THE FILM:
TRAILER: N/A
_____________________
HIP CAT (USA)
SYNOPSIS: An actor gets roped into a trendy dinner party of hip socialites, causing him to question his sanity and sense of cool.
RATINGS GUIDE: Language
DIRECTOR: Josh Kirk
GENRE: Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Friday, Nov. 4th @ 11:00 AM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Josh Kirk is a Writer and Director from Providence, Rhode Island. He has made music videos, short films, and a feature film that have premiered on Vice Noisey, Impose Magazine, and Amazon Prime.
IMAGES FROM THE FILM:
TRAILER:
_____________________
HOMETOWN BOYS(USA)
SYNOPSIS: A thief and his idiotic friends slip on lube and get whooped by a Gimp while trying to snatch a pink lockbox from a quaint Scranton sex shop.
RATINGS GUIDE: Strong Violence, Adult Content
DIRECTOR: Jamie Sutor
GENRE: Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Thursday, Nov. 3rd @ 11:30 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: A former metalcore drummer from Scranton, PA, filmmaker Jamie Sutor is known for his quippy dialogue and compelling comedic style. His award-winning short HOMETOWN BOYS, about a heist in a porn store, has put Jamie on the map of filmmakers to watch out for. Jamie is finishing the Hometown Boys feature script and a proof of concept for his next short about a fictional MySpace Battle of the Bands set in 2005.
IMAGES FROM THE FILM:
TRAILER:
_____________________
HOUSE OF THE UNHOLY (TBD)
SYNOPSIS: A blood thirsty Princess hunts down the last of the Indigo Elders tribe. She seeks the magical elixir inside his heart that will grant her the powers to reign over the Kingdom for an Eternity!
RATINGS GUIDE: Adult Content, Intense Imagery
GENRE: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, The Beyond
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Saturday, Nov. 5th @ 5:00 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Based in Hollywood and Tokyo .
IMAGES FROM THE FILM:
TRAILER: N/A
_____________________
HOW I FAILED THE BECHDEL TEST (USA)
SYNOPSIS: Two female assassins discuss the pros and pitfalls of the Bechdel Test while focusing on the mission at hand.
RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence, Mild Language, Adult Content
DIRECTOR: David Hartstone
GENRE: Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Saturday, Oct. 29th @ 5:00 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: David Hartstone is an award winning filmmaker and co-founder of Seventh House Productions. After studying acting at the iconic Stella Adler Studio in NYC, David moved to LA to pursue a career in film and television. He is entirely self-taught and focuses on highly imaginative world building with an emphasis on visually stunning and emotionally grounded cinematic experiences.
IMAGES FROM THE FILM:
TRAILER:
_____________________
HOW TO DISAPPEAR (UK)
SYNOPSIS: Social hermit Nina Moyse decides to take things one step further, removing herself from society completely by trying to totally disappear. However her goals change after she discovers she still desires a form of human interaction.
RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence, Strong Language, Intense Imagery
DIRECTOR: Jack Carrivick
GENRE: Horror, Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Saturday, Oct. 29th @ 11:00 AM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Newham born and Hackney based director Director 2 Bio Jack Carrivick has been working in the film and television industry for over fifteen years. Jack’s style is to find the funny in the macabre and to use comedy to break fearful tension.
IMAGES FROM THE FILM:
TRAILER:
_____________________
HYSTERIC (USA)
SYNOPSIS: A mysterious sound, a mother stricken with madness, and two daughters caught in a fight for survival.
RATINGS GUIDE: Strong Violence, Adult Content, Intense Imagery
DIRECTOR: Rod Blackhurst
GENRE: Horror, The Beyond
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Tuesday, Nov. 1st @ 2:00 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Rod Blackhurst is an Emmy Nominated and Tribeca Audience Award Winning filmmaker known for projects such as HERE ALONE, AMANDA KNOX, and JOHN WAYNE GACY: DEVIL IN DISGUISE. His films have played festivals including TIFF, SXSW, Tribeca, Fantasia, Sitges, and numerous others.
IMAGES FROM THE FILM:
TRAILER: N/A