Student Films

 

SCHEDULE & BLOCK INFORMATION TBD (LIKELY SPRING 2021)

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I’LL END UP IN JAIL (CANADA)

SYNOPSIS: Maureen Sauvageau’s escape comes to an abrupt end when she drives’s her monster truck into a deadly car accident. Stuck in the middle of nowhere, she must share the company and the blame of a rather touching junkie dubbed Jelly the Loon.

RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence, Brief Nudity

DIRECTOR: Alexandre Dostie

GENRE: Fantastic
PREMIERE STATUS: None
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Born in rural Quebec, Alexandre Dostie is a self-taught artist with a unique background. Published poet, booze-bruised punk singer and filmmaker, his first short narrative fiction, Mutants (2016) screened in over 100 festivals and won numerous awards, including Best Canadian Short at TIFF. The film was also released as a Vimeo Staff Pick Premiere, gathering close to 700K views. I’ll End Up in Jail (2019), his latest offering, already screened at TIFF, Sundance, Clermont-Ferrand and Tampere. The film was named “Best Int. Short Film” by the Vimeo programing team on their unofficial Sundance jury awards. Alexandre is currently working on his debut feature, SHAPE.

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IMAGINE A WORLD (CANADA)

SYNOPSIS: A door-to-door salesman refuses to leave a house until he makes his sale.

RATINGS GUIDE: N/A

GENRE: Horror, Sci-Fi, Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Joanna Tsanis is an award-winning genre filmmaker and writer living in Toronto, Canada.

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INFERNO (NEW ZEALAND)

SYNOPSIS: Immersive documentary INFERNO delves into the fantastical world of artist Gui Taccetti, whose deeply personal work channels the anxiety of growing up gay in staunchly Catholic Brazil.

RATINGS GUIDE: Nudity, Strong Sensuality, Adult Content, Intense Imagery

DIRECTOR: Andrew R. Blackman

GENRE: Documentary
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Writer/Director, Andrew R. Blackman, is a filmmaker based in Auckland, but with strong ties to Scandinavia. He studied film, lived and worked in Copenhagen, and his wife is a from Helsinki. This connection to Nordic culture informs his work, which is typically dark and dramatic, exploring notions of identity, morality and sexuality.

Andrew has an MA in Screen Production, Directing Drama. His most recent short film Inferno was shortlisted for two categories at this years Cannes Young Director Awards (YDA’s). And, his films have featured in Vimeo Staff Picks, NOWNESS, several international film festivals, galleries and cultural platforms.

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INFINITY 7 (USA)

SYNOPSIS: A lone astronaut’s spacecraft malfunctions, threatening to leave him stranded in orbit forever.

RATINGS GUIDE: All Audiences / Family Friendly, Intense Imagery

DIRECTOR: Brett Williams

GENRE: Sci-Fi, Fantastic
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Brett Williams has been involved in filmmaking for many years both as a writer and a director. Having created many short films and one feature film.

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INFLATIO (USA)

SYNOPSIS: After waking up to find himself kidnapped, bound and gagged, a man must face his captor’s vengeful designs.

RATINGS GUIDE: Strong Language, Brief Nudity

DIRECTOR: Bryon Evans

GENRE: Horror, Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Bryon Evans is an award-winning writer, director and cinematographer. As an independent film producer, he has worked on narrative and documentary film projects from around the world along with dozens of commercial productions. His passion is in narrative storytelling and developing original short films and feature projects. Bryon is based in Reno, Nevada.

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IT’S OKAY (USA)

SYNOPSIS: A couple tries to overcome the events and difficulties that are pulling them unknowingly apart. 

RATINGS GUIDE: Adult Content

DIRECTOR: Justin Giddings

GENRE: Sci-Fi
PREMIERE STATUS: Rgional Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: N/A

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JEFF DRIVES YOU (USA)

SYNOPSIS: A lonely gay man falls in love with an artificially intelligent car over the course of a road trip.

RATINGS GUIDE: Language, Strong Sensuality, Adult Content

DIRECTOR: Aidan Brezonick

GENRE: Sci-Fi
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Aidan Brezonick is a writer and director that focuses on stories around the frontier. Whether on land, sea, or in space, his films tend to follow isolated individuals in search of purpose. Having been born in Alaska and raised in Idaho, he is no stranger to the big empty. A majority of his childhood was spent watching Turner Classic Movies with his father. His career has ranged from music videos for Norah Jones to the Alien franchise and 20th Century Fox. He drinks too much coffee in Los Angeles.

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KNOW-IT-ALL (USA)

SYNOPSIS: Five years after the whole world suddenly became telepathic, Sophie has perfected a protective cocoon of technology to keep her apart from the awful, exposed thoughts of the rest of humanity. Today, she’s agreed to meet her internet boyfriend—and all his thoughts—in person for the first time.

RATINGS GUIDE: Language

DIRECTOR: R.D. Womack II

GENRE: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: World Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: R.D. Womack II is a director based in Los Angeles. As a storyteller his primary interests are rooted in character driven pieces with dynamic stories. Drama, action, and the occasionally dark comedy are his forte. He leans heavily on character dialog and striking visuals, woven together with a unique editorial style. Combining a classical directing style with a contemporary approach to film, R.D. Womack II is continually working to strike the perfect balance of art and entertainment.

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LAST DANCE (UK)

SYNOPSIS: One summer evening, a young woman, walking alone on her way home from a night out with friends, is chosen for one last dance….with him.

RATINGS GUIDE: Intense Imagery

DIRECTOR: Danny Gibbons & Alex Scott

GENRE: Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: North America Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Danny & Alex have been working together since meeting and graduating at University in 2018. Their first collaboration outside of the education system was ‘Mark’d’, which was written and directed by Danny and produced and edited by Alex. The short film, based on emotional abuse went on to have a successful festival run and ultimately won a Warner Brothers Short Film competition. Danny then attended The National Film & Television School to write a TV Pilot, fully funded by Warner Brothers with them receiving first option on it. Last Dance is Danny & Alex’s follow up film, and is a stark contrast from all of their previous work.

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LAST DREAM BEFORE SUNRISE (USA)

SYNOPSIS: A grieving woman travels to an isolated cabin with a strange power.

RATINGS GUIDE: Adult Content

DIRECTOR: Tom Albanese

GENRE: Fantasy
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Tom’s films have played at festivals including Cleveland, Virginia, HollyShorts, Brooklyn, Rhode Island, Brussels Fantastic and have won awards including “Best After Hours Short” at the 43rd Cleveland International Film Festival, “Best Short Film” at Germany’s 33rd Fantasy Filmfest & “Best Screenplay” for “A Purgatory Story”at the 2019 FilmQuest.

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LAURA HASN’T SLEPT (USA)

SYNOPSIS: Desperate to rid herself of a recurring nightmare, a young woman seeks the help of her therapist.

RATINGS GUIDE: Intense Imagery

DIRECTOR: Parker Finn

GENRE: Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Parker is a director, writer, and producer working in Los Angeles.

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LILY IN THE MAZE (USA)

SYNOPSIS: Will, a quiet introvert, deals with a change in his routine on the same day a woman from his past appears. His self-control is put to the test during a confrontation that ends in a surreal mirror maze.

RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Language, Intense Imagery

DIRECTOR: Alexandra Emmons & Andrew Juhl

GENRE: Horror, Fantasy, The Beyond
PREMIERE STATUS: World Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Alexandra Emmons and Andrew Juhl are first time directors. They co-wrote and co-directed Lily in the Maze. Alexandra is an artist and stylist, with many years of experience working in costume design in film and TV production. Andrew is a photographer who has been working as a camera assistant in film production for nearly 10 years.  Together they make a great creative team, interested in telling stories about the strange and unusual things among us.

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LIVING THINGS (UK)

SYNOPSIS: When a pandemic leaves a traumatised man isolated, he chooses to face deadly storms and the demons of his past in order to find other life.

RATINGS GUIDE: N/A

DIRECTOR: Tom Cozens

GENRE: Sci-Fi
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Growing up in the London suburbs, with a love for existential cinema and electronic music, Tom found inspiration for his early films in the every day lives of those around him. At 16, he bought his first electronic synthesiser and shortly after a video camera. He observed and recorded the ways in which people use work, relationships and, in particular, technology to distract and subdue themselves from existential dread.

At 26, Tom started working for the BBC amongst other production companies, in production and directorial roles, where he developed content connecting technology with existentialism, eventually starting his own production company ‘owlinspace’.  Since its foundation, Tom and his team have created more than 50 short films ranging from minidocs to drama shorts, featuring actors such as David Gyasi. Tom’s recent series ‘Science & Eternity’ explored how technology holds up a mirror to our own nature, evoking questions of meaning and the nature of the divine.

Pursuing his love of existential filmmaking, Tom hopes to create features which explore loneliness, suffering and our pull towards the divine.

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LOSE IT (USA)

SYNOPSIS: The first sense to go, is your sense of security.

RATINGS GUIDE: Strong Language

DIRECTOR: AJ Taylor

GENRE: Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: AJ Taylor is a filmmaker who was raised in between Mississippi and Georgia. Creating unapologetic work that features often underrepresented voices has been his creative endeavor, regardless of medium. After AJ’s debut short film, social thriller, (the) Assistant, experienced success in festivals such as the New York Shorts International Film Festival, he felt inspired to create again. AJ and the entire LOSE IT team is incredibly excited to be part of FilmQuest and to share our work with you. AJ loves meeting people of all kinds, so please do feel free to reach out him if inclined!   MAXIMILIAN CLARK has dedicated his life to creating soulful art that strips society bare to its core and to writing “guy getting hit in the nuts” skits for his little comedy friends. He co-created and wrote the Starz Digital Series “Llama Cop” and his projects have been official selections at the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal, ITVFest, and dozens of others. His own mother once described his collective works as “Not bad.” For Punching Up he works as a Story Supervisor and Line Producer helping to shape projects like fancy, expensive clay.

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LOVE BITE (USA)

SYNOPSIS: Taking refuge in an abandoned cargo truck during the Zombie Apocalypse, a dysfunctional couple (and their dog) find their lives on the line when they make a deadly bet over how the undead virus spreads. Is a simple love bite now a death sentence? And how far will someone go to be proven right?

RATINGS GUIDE: Violence, Language, Intense Imagery

DIRECTOR: Charles de Lauzirika

GENRE: Horror, Sci-Fi, Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Director of his Fantasia and Fantastic Fest award-winning first feature CRAVE, Charles de Lauzirika has directed music videos, commercials, and produced over 100 behind-the-scenes documentaries and featurettes for films and TV shows such as BLADE RUNNER, TWIN PEAKS and the ALIEN ANTHOLOGY.

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MAKE A WISH (USA)

SYNOPSIS: A light-hearted comedy about the sweetest fiancé giving her boyfriend the best birthday present ever.

RATINGS GUIDE: Violence, Strong Language

DIRECTOR: Dinh Thai

GENRE: Horror, Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Dinh Thai is an Asian-American writer/director by way of commercial directing based in Los Angeles. Born in Vietnam, fled to France, and finally settling in Los Angeles, the 80s and 90s nurtured a fascinating cultural mix that strongly informs Dinh’s filmic approach and aesthetic.

Dinh’s narrative work has aired on HBO and Cinemax. Specifically, MONDAY, a short film he wrote and directed has garnished over 50 festival awards and nominations, including first place in the inaugural HBO Asian Pacific American Visionaries competition, Outstanding Director, Outstanding Actor and Next Generation Filmmaker Award at the prestigious NBCU Shorts Festival, Best Direction at the New York Television Festival and The One Screen Festival, Best Short Film at CATALYST, and Best New Filmmaker of the Year at NFMLA.

Along with being in the Disney|ABC Director Program, Dinh has shadowed on American Horror Story (Ryan Murphy’s Half-Initiative), MAYANS M.C. (Fox 21 TV), and directed an episode of New Amsterdam (218 ‘Matter of Seconds”) through NBC’s Emerging Director Program. He is also actively pursuing film and TV directing assignments as well as developing a show based on his short film and other multicultural ideas.

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MATEO (MEXICO)

SYNOPSIS: A light-hearted comedy about the sweetest fiancé giving her boyfriend the best birthday present ever.

RATINGS GUIDE: All Audiences / Family Friendly, Intense Imagery

DIRECTOR: Fernando Perezgil

GENRE: The Beyond
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Fernando Perezgil is a Mexican film director, screenwriter and producer. Fernando’s work is characterised by its subjects in the genres of horror and fantasy. His most recent work is the short film “Un tal Borges” (2020). He’s actually working on his first feature film “The Last Page”. He’s also the director of some YouTube web series including “Unfollow” (2020), “LOOP” (2017); his web series has reached more than 49 million views around the world.

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MEAT LOVERS (USA)

SYNOPSIS: To satisfy her appetite, a young woman must juggle dealing with her salacious lover and a mysterious pizza order.

RATINGS GUIDE: Sensuality, Intense Imagery

DIRECTOR: Daniel Stebbins

GENRE: Horror, Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Daniel is a writer, director, and comic book creator living in New York City.   Dan works as a freelance camera assistant and spends his free time creating his own films and comic projects.

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MELANIA (GERMANY / USA)

SYNOPSIS: Two black students share an apartment. When Ben (22) finds a Melania Trump mask in front of his door, things start to go terribly wrong.

RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence, Mild Language

DIRECTOR: Felix Charin

GENRE: Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’SBIO: Russian – German mutt, born in Eastern Germany, grew up in the US. Lives and works in Germany, wrote for Netflix: HOW TO SELL DRUGS ONLINE FAST

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MIRACLE DESERT (USA)

SYNOPSIS: Two would-be criminals buried up to their necks in the desert must outwit a dangerous lawman before the real killer arrives.

RATINGS GUIDE: Strong Language, Intense Imagery

DIRECTOR: Mark Hosack

GENRE: Horror, Fantasy, Comedy, Fantastic
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: A Texas native, Mark is an award winning writer, director and film editor. Miracle Desert is a passion project he’s been developing for fourteen years. He is currently developing projects and has worked alongside such studios and production companies as Davis Entertainment (Ground Zero), Intrepid Entertainment (White Knuckle), Hannibal Entertainment (Give ’em Hell, Malone) and Sony Crackle (Sequestered). He’s also a member of the WGA. Mark wrote, directed and co-produced the award winning independent film Pale Blue Moon (distributed by Shoreline Entertainment), and wrote the screenplay for the action feature Give ’em Hell, Malone (Thomas Jane, Ving Rhames – distributed by E1). He has also directed several short films. Mark has also written several books, including The Good Spy Dies Twice (Wide Awake Books) and Identity (Simon and Schuster).

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MOM FIGHT (USA)

SYNOPSIS: Two moms seek the hottest toy this holiday season at the local store. The problem is, there’s only one left.

RATINGS GUIDE: All Audiences / Family Friendly, Mild Language, Mild Violence

DIRECTOR: Mickey Finnegan

GENRE: Comedy, Fantastic
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Mickey is mixed race asian-american, his mother is of Filipino descent and father Irish ancestry. Born in San Mateo, California, Mickey graduated from the University of Southern California Cinema Television school and currently resides in Los Angeles.  Best known for his music video and commercial work with artists and brands such as LMFAO, Cee Lo Green, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Lil Jon, Soulja Boy, Rebel Wilson, Tyga, Bella Thorne, The Offspring, Far East Movement, Dada Life, X-Factor, MTV, Dancing With the Stars, Playstation, Dish, Pepsi, Intel, GSN, HGTV, FOX, ABC, Kia among many others. 

Mickey’s success as a director has garnered attention from fans around the globe and his work has lead him to video nominations from The People’s Choice Awards, MTV VMA’s, NRJ Awards, American Music Awards and The Much Music awards in which his video for LMFAO’s “Sexy And I Know It” won International Video of the Year. His commercial spots for Scream Queen’s also won a Promax for Best Commercial Campaign and a Nickelodeon campaign won him an EMMY in 2018.  His work has been featured on MTV, BET, VH1, FUSE and E! numerous times taking number one spots on countdowns and his collected works on youtube have amassed over 3 billion views.  Mickey’s first feature screenplay was also optioned by WWE Studios and he is a member of the Director’s Guild of America.

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MONSTROUS CIRCUS (FRANCE)

SYNOPSIS: Leonard, a magician, decides to set up a circus troupe of unusual artists. His intention is not to show their monstrosity but rather to change people’s attitudes through the audience’s acceptance of them. However, not everyone is ready to welcome them and Leonard will stop at nothing when it comes to imposing his convictions…

RATINGS GUIDE: All Audiences / Family Friendly

DIRECTOR: Jordan Inconstant

GENRE: Fantasy, Fantastic
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Passionate about film and video since my young age, it is natural that I entreprised studies in this area. In 2013, I graduated from ESRA (Superior School of Audiovisual Production) in Paris. In parallel I attended coaching courses and actor. I created my association “Tirak Line”, in order to supervise my various personal projects. With this, I produced and directed several short films with my team. Finally, these films are shown at various film festivals in France and abroad. Currently I work as a director / Cameraman freelance. With my last 6 movies I total more than 250 selections and more than 80 awards.

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MOON DROPS (SERBIA / ISRAEL)

SYNOPSIS: A factory worker assembles an enigmatic machine that produces liquid drops from the moonlight.

RATINGS GUIDE: All Audiences / Family Friendly

DIRECTOR: Yoram Ever-Hadani

GENRE: Fantasy
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Yoram Ever-Hadani has more than one string to his bow. He has been directing high profile commercials for the biggest international brands, he wrote 5 children books, and a novel (HAZE) for the acclaimed Keter publishing house. Ever Hadani has an MA degree from Tel- Aviv University in culture studies. Yoram is married and father of three.  Moon Drops is his first fiction film.

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MR. TICKLEZ (USA)

SYNOPSIS: In the final hours of Halloween, a mother and her young daughter are haunted by a terrifying clown that lives in their television.

RATINGS GUIDE: Intense Imagery

DIRECTOR: Sam & Lee Boxleitner

GENRE: Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Sam and Lee Boxleitner have been in love with horror movies most of their lives and have been making them for almost as long. Their last short film, Die! Sitter! Die! : Rupert won best supporting actor at Filmquest 2016. They are also, literally, the Sons of Tron.

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MUSE (UK)

SYNOPSIS: An artist turns to his android muse for help when he tries to sell his newest paintings.

RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Language

DIRECTOR: Azhur Saleem

GENRE: Sci-Fi
PREMIERE STATUS: USA Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Azhur is a graduate of the London Film School where he graduated with a distinction. He’s made a number of short films that have played festivals worldwide. His most recent, MUSE starring Paul Ready and Taj Atwal is beginning its run on the festival circuit.   He recently completed work on Channel 4’s BAGHDAD CENTRAL where he directed 2nd Unit and assisted lead director Alice Troughton.   He is also an alumni of the Berlinale Talent Campus, BFI’s ThinkShootDistribute and B3 Media’s TalentLab for BAME Talent. He has also created branded content for HYUNDAI MOTORS, MICROSOFT, DIET COKE and FORD MUSTANG.   He is currently mentored by director Colm McCarthy through the DirectorsUK Inspire Mentorship Scheme.

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MY LITTLE CHINA GIRL (FRANCE)

SYNOPSIS: Alex a young designer and a dreamer falls for his new neighbor Lili, a beautiful Asian girl. Too shy to approach her, Alex secretly observes her and quickly discovers her secret: Lili does not come from China but from far far away…

RATINGS GUIDE: Brief Nudity

DIRECTOR: Sam Azulys

GENRE: Sci-Fi
PREMIERE STATUS: North America Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’SBIO: Sam Azulys is a screenwriter, a doctor of philosophy and a painter. He also teaches cinema at The New York University. He is the author of « Stanley Kubrick: A philosophical odyssey »  (La Transparence, 2011) and « Game of Thrones: a philosophical approach  » (Ellipses, 2016). My Little China Girl is his second short film.

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SCHEDULE & BLOCK INFORMATION TBD (LIKELY SPRING 2021)

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CHANGELING (UK)

SYNOPSIS: A new mother becomes increasingly mesmerised and appalled by the strange transformations happening around her baby. She instinctively hides them, unaware they are building towards a final metamorphosis – her own.

RATINGS GUIDE: Intense Imagery

DIRECTOR: Faye Jackson

GENRE: Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Scottish writer/director Faye Jackson specialises in horror and fantasy, drawing much of her inspiration from folklore and fairy tales.   Faye’s breakthrough body horror short LUMP featured in New York magazine as one of the top 5 shorts of the 44th New York Film Festival, where it screened on the closing night, twinned with PAN’S LABYRINTH.  She shot her debut feature STRIGOI about the “real” Romanian vampires in rural Romania with an entirely Romanian cast. STRIGOI won over 15 festival awards including. It was distributed internationally on VOD and DVD. Faye’s feature projects in development include period fantasy THE FISHERWOMAN AND THE SEA and sci-fi satire SNOWFLAKES. Her most recent short THE OLD WOMAN WHO HID HER FEAR UNDER THE STAIRS played numerous festivals including: Florida, Fantasia, Underwire and the London Short Film Festival.

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CHILL (USA)

SYNOPSIS: A bachelorette party at a remote cabin takes some dark turns as the usually polished bride becomes increasingly erratic.

RATINGS GUIDE: Language

GENRE: Horror, Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Joseph Ranghelli is a Brooklyn-based filmmaker whose previous work includes the short film “Fitz.” He’s worked in the New York film industry for 15 years and manages Brooklyn’s public media television studio.

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CIRCLE OF STONE (USA)

SYNOPSIS: When rural cops respond to a call for help from one of their own, their search through the woods reveals what happened to a young girl stolen away sixty years before. They find themselves stuck in a supernatural world with their only escape to fight their way out.

RATINGS GUIDE: Violence, Language, Intense Imagery

DIRECTOR: Mark Andrews

GENRE: Fantasy, Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Mark directed Pixar’s “Brave” and the short “One Man Band”. Head of Story for “Incredibles”, “Ratatouille”. Co-wrote and co-directed “John Carter of Mars”. Worked on: “Iron Giant”, “Star Wars: Clone Wars”, “Samurai Jack” among others.

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COMMON DECENY (USA)

SYNOPSIS: Beth wants an apology.

RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence

DIRECTOR: Stefan Dezil & Courtney Hope Thérond

GENRE: Horror, Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: World Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Stefan Dezil is a Haitian American filmmaker based in Los Angeles, California. He has worked with Netflix, VICE, Noisey, and Soundcloud, Oscar winners and companies such as Confluential Films, TV Land, Scott Rudin Productions, and Caliber Media Co. For his film The Treadmill, he was nominated for the prestigious international Lumen Prize in the moving image category.  A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University’s Fine Arts program, he studied theater, painting and film. His work has been produced in New York, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles and the Dominican Republic. 

Courtney Hope Thérond is an award-winning director who has screen films at several major festivals, including BFI London, Outfest, Nashville, New Orleans and Palm Springs International Shortsfest. Her film The Dress You Have On won multiple awards including two jury prizes and is distributed by Revry TV and Seed & Spark. The screenplay for Courtney’s digital series Between Us Girls was a finalist at the Austin Film Festival and won Cinestory web series category. Courtney is a graduated of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and was a Cinereach Film Fellow. She directs narrative and branded content in Los Angeles.

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CONCEALER (USA)

SYNOPSIS: When Ivy agrees to let her old friend Bless treat her to a spa day, she soon learns that Bless has joined a cosmetics pyramid scheme.

RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence, Language

DIRECTOR: Kristine Gerolaga

GENRE: Horror, Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Kristine Gerolaga is a Filipina American actor and filmmaker. Her work has been featured on Amazon Fire TV, Prime, ATTN:, Vulture, The Hollywood Reporter, Inc., The Future of Film is Female, Directed by Women, and TIFFxInstagram. To see more of her projects, head to kristinegerolaga.com.

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CRAWLER (SWEDEN)

SYNOPSIS: A young woman finds her mother in a state worse than death and in an autopsy room, two lab technicians makes a discovery beyond their darkest fears.

RATINGS GUIDE: Intense Imagery

DIRECTOR: Ivan Radovic

GENRE: Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Ivan Radovic is a filmmaker based in Stockholm, Sweden. He works as a director/producer at Ritualen a production company, where he is also one of the owners. Last couple of years he has been producing and directing various commercials, game trailers and in-game cinematics.

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CULPA (USA)

SYNOPSIS: A printshop worker finds out that, if you let it, Guilt can kill you.

RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence, Intense Imagery

DIRECTOR: Miguel Ferrer

GENRE: Horror, Fantasy
PREMIERE STATUS: World Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’SBIO: Fresh off his feature directorial debut FFC for LionsGate, MIGUEL FERRER has directed Super Bowl and national campaigns in both the North American and Hispanic markets, for clients such as NBC UNIVERSAL, PEPSICO, FORD, and CADILLAC. A former National Geographic cameraman and Warner Bros. TV Post Supervisor, Miguel has also written, produced, and directed over 50 music videos for Sony Music, Universal Music, Warners Music Group, and independent artists. His videos have been nominated for VIDEO OF THE YEAR and have reached the top of the Billboard charts and have garnered millions of hits on YouTube. Miguel’s unique experience has helped him achieve a signature cinematic aesthetic considered to be a “game changer” in the Hispanic music industry. This has made him one the most sought after directors in the Latin-American market.

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CURSES LLC (USA)

SYNOPSIS: A regular fellow stumbles into a shop that sells curses and must decide if he wants to buy one.

RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Language

DIRECTOR: Thomas R. Wood

GENRE: Fantasy, Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Thomas R. Wood is a working director, working father, and aspiring writer.  He splits his time in Los Angeles between fathering, writing, and wishing he was surfing.  He bakes his own sourdough and sometimes writes to very loud hip hop.

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DAR-DAR (SPAIN)

SYNOPSIS: Dar Dar is a demon from a basque myth that eats fingers and he says: “Dar, dar, dar, bring your finger for dinner. If you decline, I will return at night time, and your soul will be mine”

RATINGS GUIDE: Intense Imagery

DIRECTOR: Paul Urkijo Alijo

GENRE: Horror, Fantasy
PREMIERE STATUS: USA Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: N/A

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DARLING, DARLING, WENDY (USA)

SYNOPSIS: Fifteen years after her trip to Neverland, Wendy Darling is determined to go back for good. But Peter Pan has other ideas.

RATINGS GUIDE: Adult Content

DIRECTOR: Elise Robertson

GENRE: Fantasy
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Born in Pittsburgh, PA, Elise Robertson graduated from Northwestern University’s theatre department. She is known for her dramatic adaptations of literary works for PBS, including Cine-Golden Eagle winner Ralph Ellison’s King of the Bingo Game and dramatic scenes from Invisible Man for the American Masters documentary on Ellison.

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DAY BREAK (CANADA)

SYNOPSIS: The razor’s edge between awake and asleep is where dark fantasy becomes reality.

RATINGS GUIDE: Intense Imagery

DIRECTOR: Louisa Phung

GENRE: Horro
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Louisa Phung is a filmmaker based in Vancouver, BC, Canada. She is thrilled be back at FilmQuest with her micro short “Day Break” after having her Utah premiere of “Stealth&Silence: DC Comic Fan Film” in 2017. Louisa is a huge fan of genre films and is incredibly thankful to be part of FilmQuest 2020. May Cthulhu rise again!

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DEATH WALKS ON NITRATE (USA)

SYNOPSIS: Rose, an icy photographer, encounters a mysterious old woman who plunges her headfirst into a psychedelic nightmare.

RATINGS GUIDE: Violence, Intense Imagery

DIRECTOR: Kevin Fermini

GENRE: Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’SBIO: Hello, I’m Kevin! I’m a director, DP & editor based in Atlanta. I believe in approaching film with an old school mentality and modern know how, and having a whole lot of fun along the way.

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DEMON COOLER (USA)

SYNOPSIS: A father who struggles to accept differences has difficulty connecting with his son. A son who struggles to stand up for himself has difficulty connecting with his father. Before they can start moving forward together, the demons must be dealt with.

RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence

DIRECTOR: Christopher Ryan Laughter

GENRE: Fantasy, Comedy, The Beyond
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Christopher Ryan Laughter grew up during the late 80’s and early 90’s as “a prisoner of suburban sprawl” in Houston, TX. He discovered his infatuation with cinema at the neighborhood dollar theater where he spent his weekends watching every movie he could sneak into with a single movie ticket. After two and a half decades of suburban captivity, he weaseled out of the south’s grasps and sprinted west intent on pursuing a career in film, or music, whichever worked out first. Finding his footing in Los Angeles as an editor for commercials and marketing content, Laughter started his own commercial production company in 2012 and in 2017 launched a short film collective called Assorted Kinds, where he and his filmmaking friends could practice bringing their short film ideas to life, monthly.

Both of his films in FilmQuest this year are products of the Assorted Kinds collective. A self described “compulsive what if-er”, Laughter’s stories are often an exploration of “This American Life” and attempt unpack the absurdity of it all through equally absurd metaphors. When it comes to genre he isn’t afraid to work from the hip, often dancing between many, and with his third short film “Demon Cooler” he’s starting to feel like maybe he finally understands what the hell he is trying to say through his filmmaking.

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DENT (USA)

SYNOPSIS: Dent is a man haunted by demons and his therapist Ralph is there to help. But, Dent’s demons are real and they are right there in the room with them. It becomes very clear that Ralph is in over his head and Dent is not going to let the Patriarchy to go down without a fight. It might not end well.

RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence, Strong Language, Intense Imagery

DIRECTOR: Fred Dekker

GENRE: Horror, Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: World Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Fred Dekker wrote and directed his first feature, Night of the Creeps (1986), and followed it with The Monster Squad (1987; co-written with Shane Black), an affectionate tribute to the Universal monster movies he loved as a kid. Along with several screenplays, Fred wrote or directed for “Tales From The Crypt” (1989-1996), and also directed RoboCop 3 (1993), co-written with Frank Miller. As Consulting Producer, he wrote three episodes of the television series “Star Trek: Enterprise”. 2018 brought the reboot/sequel The Predator, which Dekker co-wrote with Shane Black, who also directed.

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DIABLA (MEXICO / USA)

SYNOPSIS: After surviving assault, an enigmatic 17-year-old Mexican girl finds retribution through her untapped female power and local witch culture.

RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence, Intense Imagery

DIRECTOR: Ashley George

GENRE: Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

PRODUCER’S BIO: Ashley is a director and producer based in New York. She began making films in 2009 when she joined San Francisco film collective Scary Cow and has worked in casting, directing and producing films, commercials and music videos in SF, LA and NYC. She graduated from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Cinema and The New School (NYC) with a Master of Arts in Media Studies.  Recent films directed by Ashley include female revenge horror short DIABLA, which premiered at Morbido Film Fest November 2019, in addition to 2017’s queer coming-of-age 90s darling SOMETIMES FOREVER. She is currently writing her first feature screenplay about a young woman’s attempt to reconnect with a distant father living with Alzheimer’s. As producer, she’s recently wrapped production on several short films and web series including ALL HAIL BETH premiering this Fall on BRIC TV, short film MOUTHPIECE starring Jason Sudeikis, Alle Hsu’s Asian-American drama OUR WAY HOME, Emily Cheeger’s magical surrealism short TZADEIKIS set in Hasidic Brooklyn, and Emmy-nominated director Molly Gandour’s short film GAZEBO. She’s currently producing many projects with friends in New York. Her work has screened at festivals such as Morbido Film Fest in Mexico City, Outfest in LA, HBO’s NewFest, Soho Film Festival, SeriesFest & Nashville Film Festival among others.

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DINNER FOR ONE (USA)

SYNOPSIS: A dutiful housewife prepares dinner for her ungrateful husband… but tonight, the menu may not agree with him!

RATINGS GUIDE: All Audiences / Family Friendly

DIRECTOR: Brad Jacques

GENRE: Horror, Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Brad Jacques was born and raised in Topsfield, Massachusetts.  Upon seeing “STAR WARS”, Brad realized he wanted to pursue filmmaking.   After attending New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, Brad began working as a Production Assistant in the Boston area.  Eventually, Brad moved to Los Angeles and became an Editor, working on dozens of independent films and television shows.  Over the years, Brad has directed several feature-length & short films.  He currently lives in North Hollywood, CA.

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DISCO GRAVEYARD (USA)

SYNOPSIS: Don’t be dead. The dead are dumb. Be weird.

RATINGS GUIDE: All Audiences / Family Friendly

DIRECTOR: Izzy Lee

GENRE: Fantastic, Other
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Named as one of A.V. Club’s 10 female filmmakers Blumhouse should hire, Izzy Lee is a two-time Rondo Award-nominated director. She’s also produced and written several award-winning shorts

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DON’T SNEEZE (CANADA)

SYNOPSIS: Brian, a guy enjoying some “alone time”, sneezes at an inopportune moment and is shocked by the consequences.

RATINGS GUIDE: Language, Adult Content, Sensuality

DIRECTOR: Ryan LaPlante

GENRE: Horror, Comedy, The Beyond
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’SBIO: Ryan LaPlante is a multi-award winning writer and director. He’s helmed the feature film “Holy Hell” and the short films “Mom Jail” and “The Devil’s Due”, as well as the upcoming “You Did This To Me!”.

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DUERMETE NINO (MEXICO / CANADA)

SYNOPSIS: A religious mother of newborn twins is constantly awakened by the disturbing sound of her crying babies. Using a radio monitor to check on them at night, she encounters a series of unsettling events that might jeopardize even her own beliefs.

RATINGS GUIDE: Intense Imagery

DIRECTOR: Freddy Chavez Olmos

GENRE: Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Born in Puebla, Mexico. Graduated in Special Effects Makeup in Los Angeles and mentored by the legendary Dick Smith (The Exorcist, The Godfather, Taxi Driver). Freddy moved to Canada to enroll in Film Production and Visual Effects in Vancouver, BC. He has participated in productions directed by Guillermo del Toro, Neill Blomkamp, Robert Rodriguez, Tim Burton and Christopher Nolan.  His short films as director have been selected in multiple international film festivals. His first short film entitled “Shhh”, won several international awards and debuted online through ALTER with more than 400,000 views. Guillermo del Toro himself praised the short film for having strong visuals.  More recently, Freddy completed his new horror project “Duérmete Niño”, produced by Victoria Burkhart (Chappie, Elysium) in collaboration with Creative BC and Bell Media in Canada.

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ABE’S STORY (IRELAND)

SYNOPSIS: Set in Victorian London, Abe an overworked Irish writer draws inspiration from his day job in the theatre to write a bloody brilliant novel.

RATINGS GUIDE: All Audiences / Family Friendly

DIRECTOR: Adam H. Stewart

GENRE: Horror, Fantasy, Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Adam H Stewart is an award-winning director, animator and editor. Born and raised in the Dublin mountains, he is a naturalised US citizen. He got his first break in the film industry when he worked with Academy Award-nominated and BAFTA-winning costume designer Charles Knode on Braveheart. Following this early experience in feature film, Adam studied with the legendary production designer Bob Boyle (North by Northwest) and Oscar winner Frank Pierson (Cool Hand Luke) at the American Film Institute (AFI) in Hollywood, CA, from which he graduated with an MFA in Production Design. Adam’s career has been varied and thrilling. He animated a key VFX sequence for Ocean’s Eleven. He worked in Prague on Wonder Woman; on the opening titles for Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, on Penny Dreadful Season 3, and for Brownbag on the hit children’s TV show Vampirina.

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BLACK FOREST SANATORIUM (CANADA)

SYNOPSIS: Starving for companionship, Quinn pursues an unorthodox approach to resolving their intense loneliness during a visit to a local sanatorium.

RATINGS GUIDE: Brief Nudity, Intense Imagery

GENRE: The Beyond, Fantastic
PREMIERE STATUS: USA Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Diana Thorneycroft is a Winnipeg artist who has exhibited various bodies of work across Canada, the United States and Europe, as well as in Moscow, Tokyo and Sydney. She is the recipient of numerous awards including the 2016 Manitoba Arts Award of Distinction, an Assistance to Visual Arts Long-term Grant from the Canada Council, several Senior Arts Grants from the Manitoba Arts Council and a Fleck Fellowship from the Banff Centre for the Arts.  As a visual artist who has been making work for over 40 years, Thorneycroft’s practice has always been to find the appropriate medium to express ideas she finds of interest.  After completing the 8 city touring installation Black Forest (dark waters), Thorneycroft decided to pursue similar content in the form of a stop-motion animation entitled Black Forest Sanatorium. It is her attention to detail and the application of the grotesque that aligns this film with her other work.

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CHEF GIANTS (USA)

SYNOPSIS: Two goblins behold and scold the great chef giants.

RATINGS GUIDE: All Audiences / Family Friendly, Mild Language

DIRECTOR: Troy DeWinne

GENRE: Fantasy, Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Troy DeWinne is a writer and director from San Antonio, Texas. He has a bachelor’s degree in radio-television-film from the University of Texas at Austin and has been selected in multiple prestigious film festivals.

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DARK RIDE (USA)

SYNOPSIS: An experimental animation about mass entertainment, technology, and anxiety.

RATINGS GUIDE: Intense Imagery

DIRECTOR: Josh Funk

GENRE: The Beyond
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Josh Funk mixes practical effects such as stop-motion, and miniatures with live actors, to create otherworldly and surreal short films.

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FAST FEUD! (USA)

SYNOPSIS: A young couples date night goes awry after they foolishly attempt to eat a forbidden food.

RATINGS GUIDE: Strong Violence, Strong Language

DIRECTOR: Graham Gillett

GENRE: Comedy, The Beyond
PREMIERE STATUS: World Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Director/ Animator living in Los Angeles. I enjoy making animations/ shorts that have dark twists you (hopefully) don’t see coming!

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MEANWHILE, AT THE ABANDONED FACTORY (AUSTRALIA)

SYNOPSIS: Meanwhile, at the Abandoned Factory celebrates the heyday of cliff-hanger TV serials. Can our intrepid reporter find her way out of this classic dilemma?

RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Language

DIRECTOR: Michael Cusack

GENRE: Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Michael Cusack was born in Manchester in the UK and moved to Adelaide South Australia when he was 11 years old.  His first major award was an Australian Film Institute Award in 1985 for the short film Waltzing Matilda.  In collaboration with his Producer, Richard Chataway, he was responsible for setting up the animation department at the South Australian Film Corporation.  Since then Michael has forged a flourishing career as director of both high end television commercials and a growing number of award winning short films.  Michael has received the prestigious Master’s Chair Award from  the Adelaide Advertising and Design Club a record six times and, together with his producer Richard Chataway, received the President’s Award from The Adelaide Art Directors for outstanding achievements in TV/Cinema.  In 2002 he was made an Honorary Member of the Australian Cinematographer’s Society in recognition of his contributions to the National Film Industry. 

In 2006 he was again awarded an AFI for Best Short Animation for his film Gargoyle. He has recently been made a member of the Australian Cinema Pioneers.  He has received numerous other awards and nominations over his long career.  His film, the highly acclaimed Sleight of Hand picked up thirty six national and international awards and was eligible for consideration in the 2014 Academy Awards. His last film “After All” was in the International Competition in Annecy. Michael was recently the subject of a major retrospective of his work at the Melbourne International Animation Film Festival.   Michael is frequently in demand as a speaker and has been invited onto the judging panels of many major commercial and film festivals.

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ONE LAST MONSTER (USA)

SYNOPSIS: Empress Eura confronts her greatest challenge as the ruler of the distant world of Adin when she is forced to face her prejudices and to choose between trusting or killing a monster who arrives on Adin with a warning that could save or destroy her people.

RATINGS GUIDE: All Audiences / Family Friendly, Mild Language, Mild Violence

DIRECTOR: Gene Kim

GENRE: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, The Fantastic
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’SBIO: Gene Kim is a 32 year old Korean-American storyboard artist/writer/director who interned at Pixar and worked at Disney’s Blue Sky Studios and left to pursue screenwriting/content development. He is a fan of the electric guitar, running marathons, soccer and rabbits.

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PASSAGE (INDIA / USA)

SYNOPSIS:Finding herself in a state of limbo, an Indian woman revisits her immigration journey and voyages through a tempestuous emotional landscape of memory, identity, belonging and the illusion of the American dream.

RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence

DIRECTOR: Asavari Kumar

GENRE: Fantastic
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Asavari is a Filmmaker & Visual Artist from New Delhi, India currently based in Los Angeles.  She owns and operates the studio Supernova Design through which she creates commercial and personal projects while collaborating with POC and women artists. Select clients include – Warner Bros., Google, YouTube, Headspace & Disney  Asavari’s award winning films, new media work and graphic narratives have been showcased at numerous festivals and exhibition spaces. Select showings include the Los Angeles Zine Fest, Ottawa International Animation Festival, St. Louis International Film Festival & the American Documentary and Animation Festival. Her projects have also been featured in Adobe Create Magazine, Cartoon Brew, AWN and Animation Reporter Magazine. Drawn to cross cultural narratives, Asavari uses character driven storytelling to parse her evolving cultural and political identity.

Through her body of work, she hopes to generate a discourse surrounding ideas of ‘home’ and ‘belonging’ and find where her own narratives intersect with those around her. Asavari holds a BFA in Animation Film Design from the National Institute of Design, and an MFA in Experimental Animation from the California Institute of the Arts. She is a former artist in residence for Adobe Aero and is currently exploring how Augmented Reality can be a compelling medium for telling personal stories.

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QUIRKISTADOR (LUXEMBOURG)

SYNOPSIS: A team of explorers is navigating the oceans in search of fame and fortune. Particularly incompetent and constantly out of luck, they are faced with every kind of unexpected obstacles and are plunged into the wildest and craziest adventures.

RATINGS GUIDE: All Audiences / Family Friendly

DIRECTOR: Laurent Witz

GENRE: Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Laurent Witz is a filmmaker. Witz and fellow producer Alexandre Espigares won an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for the 2013 film Mr. Hublot. Born in Haguenau in 1975. He graduated from the Metz Fine Arts Institute. A self-taught 3D artist, he directed four student short films before working as an artistic director, an animator, a team supervisor or an assistant director on a lot of different projects.

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SPARK (USA)

SYNOPSIS:In a dystopian, off world factory, a worn out worker robot discovers a golden record that plays a single song that gives him a new purpose in life with a funky rhythm and hip new groove.

RATINGS GUIDE: All Audiences / Family Friendly

DIRECTOR: Charles Benevento & Matthew Colglazier

GENRE: Sci-Fi, Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: International Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’SBIO: Matt Colglazier is a 3D Generalist, focusing in modeling and look development, and the Co-Director, Charles Benevento is a Character Animator and Previs Artist

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THE ANIMATOR (USA)

SYNOPSIS: An animator takes his anger out on the source of his frustration… his puppets.

RATINGS GUIDE: Violence

DIRECTOR: Trent Shy

GENRE: Horror, Comedy, The Beyond
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Trent Shy is an American Stop Motion animator that specializes in clay animation. He started animating clay on his kitchen floor and now operates as a professional one man studio out of Charleston, SC. His animations have been viewed over 100 million times on Youtube and he’s also worked for large companies like MTV. Most of his work is in the horror genre and he attributes his love of the genre to “too many horror films as a child”.

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THE BREAKFAST NOOK (USA)

SYNOPSIS: Love, Lies, Death, & Breakfast… Follow Honest Joe as he tries to solve the murder of close friend in this daring but classic Breakfast Noir.

RATINGS GUIDE: All Audiences / Family Friendly

DIRECTOR: Will Crespo

GENRE: Comedy, Noir
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’SBIO: Will Crespo is an Animator and Filmmaker from Chicago. In 2009, after dropping out of college and becoming homeless, Will got a job at a comedy theater. There he began making films and practicing animation in his spare time. He has since worked in Digital Media for Companies such as Epic Rap Battles of History, Philip DeFranco, Pluto TV and more. Today he continues his education in animation and hopes to produce more original work.

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THE HAUNTED SWORDSMAN (USA)

SYNOPSIS: In this handcrafted puppet epic, a lone samurai and his odd companion, a cursed severed head, seek vengeance in a haunted world.

RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence, Intense Imagery

DIRECTOR: Kevin McTurk

GENRE: Fantasy
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: A professional creature effects artist, cinematographer, model maker, and puppeteer, Kevin McTurk has been working in the effects industry for over 20 years.Kevin moved to Los Angeles in 1992 and began his career in special make-up effects at Stan Winston Studios, working on Batman Returns, Interview with a Vampire, and the Jurassic Park films. He has worked for many effects companies over the years, including the Jim Henson Creature Shop, Amalgamated Dynamics, and Spectral Motion.

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THEOURGIA (USA)

SYNOPSIS: God was defeated before history by the prince of darkness.

RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence, Brief Nudity

DIRECTOR: Jorge Jaramillo

GENRE: Horror, Fantasy, The Beyond
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Jorge Jaramillo is a Colombian film director and animator living and working in Los Angeles, California.  From a very young age, Jorge discovered movies and animation, and this taste quickly became a passionthat led him to study and see as many animated films as he could, focused specially on Japanese anime, which still strongly influences his work.  After studying animation at Lasalle College, Jorge quickly began working on big animated productions in his country, which led him not only to improve his technique but also planted an interest in storytelling and direction. 

His personal projects, include the short film “Push it!”, that got a special mention on Poland Pepsi Film Festival in 2010, and “RED”, which was featured at the New York International Children’s Film Festival (NYICFF).  On 2015 Jorge’s Graphic Novel “Elena” is was published by Line webtoon.  Jorge Jaramillo is a young director that surprises with his unique style. High contrasts, strong colors and shapes are the elements always present on his creepy and surreal images. His obscure visual proposal led him to conceive and direct great music videos and also to work in major Hollywood movies such as “Pacific Rim uprising”, “XXX3 – The return of Xander Cage”, and most recently Netflix’s “Cowboy Bebop.”

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TIDES ARE CHANGING (USA)

SYNOPSIS: An animated short film about a mythical Selkie and a Scottish girl standing together against assault.

RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence

DIRECTOR: Dinah Kalaha & María Bjarnadóttir

GENRE: Fantasy
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’SBIO: We are Dinah Kalaha & Maria Bjarnadottir, a visual development artist and an animator who are passionate about telling magical and meaningful stories through animation. We co-directed Tides Are Changing as our senior thesis film at Ringling College of Art and Design. We come from very different backgrounds, Dinah growing up and moving around the mountains of Pennsylvania her whole life, and Maria being born in Iceland in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by elves and other legends. But what brought us together is our shared love of mythology, fantasy, and a passion for creating impactful stories.

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TOO LATE (CANADA)

SYNOPSIS: Deep into the small hours of the night, drenched in black coffee and paperwork, a lonely office worker’s sanity starts to slip away.

RATINGS GUIDE: Adult Content, Intense Imagery

DIRECTOR: Roy Stein

GENRE: Horror, The Beyond, Fantastic
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: A film Animator (Blue Sky/ Bron) and first time filmmaker with credits including ”The Willoughbys”, “The Little Prince” and “Ferdinand” among others.  “Too Late”, Roy’s directorial debut, is a dark love letter to his early artistic influences.

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TRAGIC MAGIC (USA)

SYNOPSIS: An elderly wizard and his impatient apprentice’s day is disrupted when Death arrives. Will their combined magic skills be enough to defeat him?

RATINGS GUIDE: All Audiences / Family Friendly, Mild Violence

DIRECTOR: Geoffrey Clark

GENRE: Fantasy
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: TBD

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Independent animator Geoff Clark grew up in the Bay Area, and has worked in the fields of video games, corporate video, and instruction. He is trained in 3D modeling, animation, compositing, and special effects. In his spare time, he enjoys making his own independent animated films.

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