Centre Film Festival 2024 Program Guide

FOUNDING SPONSORS

PRODUCERS

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

It is an honor to return to our Centre County theaters with some of the most pivotal films of the year. I am deeply inspired by your ongoing interest and support,

Since its inception, through films that range from horror to comedy, documentary to experimental to fiction, we have been focused on breaking down boundaries between local and global films, addressing pressing issues and providing audiences with multiple lenses through which to examine our realities and create a space for conversation. In these difficult times, the ability of film to connect and engage us is proving most welcome.

This year’s films are particularly relevant as we navigate ongoing crises both here and abroad, including in the Middle East and Ukraine. We believe that these films offer local moviegoers nuanced representations not widely available in the mainstream media. We hope they will generate dialogue.

Thanks to you, the coming year will provide even more opportunities to fulfill our mission as a venue for multimedia creators who re-define the contours of filmmaking and storytelling.

In addition to our annual offerings of post-screening discussions with visiting filmmakers, a series of films that honor Native American Heritage Month, kidfriendly films, a first-act screenwriting lab, an industry locations tour for our visiting filmmakers and live music, this year we are adding a new theater, the UEC Theatres 12, more daytime screenings, and we are inaugurating a “Made in PA: Local Stories” series which highlights films created in our own backyard.

Here comes seven days of inspiring and entertaining film at the historic Rowland Theatre, the State Theatre, UEC Theatres 12, Tempest Studios, Carnegie Cinema and the Foster Auditorium in the Paterno Library.

We are immensely grateful for the support from you, our community, as we celebrate our sixth anniversary with you.

Get your binge on, and please join us in the celebration of cinema!

Pearl Gluck Artistic Director

CURTIS WILLIAM CHANDLER

In Memoriam

February 27, 1957 - January 31, 2022

There isn’t a day that goes by here at the festival that we don’t think of Curt. We take this moment to honor our co-founder, programmer, and mentor extraordinaire, Curt Chandler, may his memory be a blessing. The festival would not have come to life without him.

Curt was born to William Dean and Joyce Wareing Chandler on Feb. 27, 1957, in Bad Cannstaat, West Germany, where his father was stationed.

When asked about his life, Curt would always proudly respond with “This is my 10th state and second country.” Growing up, Curt’s family moved frequently. In college he spent his summers with his family in McGehee, Arkansas. Growing up, Curt was an Eagle Scout and cherished memories of attending a Jamboree in Japan and being on the staff at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. He also raced bicycles, played in the school band, and took up photography, which became the focus of his professional life.

Curt was a 1978 graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, where he was a member and president of Chi Psi Fraternity, a photographer for the Daily Northwestern and the yearbook, and served as publisher of Byline magazine. In his junior year at Northwestern he met Stacie Paulsen -- one of his favorite stories. The couple married in 1980 and began their 42year adventure.

Curt started his career as an award-winning photojournalist at the Pueblo (Colo.) StarJournal and Chieftain as a police reporter and photographer. From there he went to the Ogden (Utah) Standard-Examiner as a staff photographer. In 1986 he moved to Cleveland, Ohio to work as a staff photographer and picture editor for the Plain-Dealer and in 1994 he became the Director of Photography at the Pittsburgh (PA) Post-Gazette and was later named the paper’s first Editor for Online Innovation. During this time he taught photography at Duquesne.

In 2007, Curt pivoted from almost 30 years at daily newspapers to a 15-year career in education when he became an associate teaching professor in the Bellisario College of Communications at the Pennsylvania State University in State College, where he launched the college’s multimedia program.

Curt’s skill, enthusiasm, vast technical knowledge, and love of storytelling combined to make him a valued and beloved teacher, mentor, colleague and friend. He was active in the National Press Photographers’ Association, the Online News Association, Multimedia Immersion, and Lens Collective, among others.

At home, Curt was a loving father to Toby, Molly, Vince and Madeline. He was a dedicated hockey dad and cheerleader at sporting events, plays, concerts, art shows, skate parks, and poetry readings. Curt loved music and movies. He was proud of the two Pittsburgh homes they renovated.

He embraced the opportunity to travel with his wife and family to destinations from Rome, Prague, Ireland, Scotland, Iceland, Norway, and Yellowstone Park are all captured in his photographs. A dedicated eater, Curt enjoyed taking cooking classes during their travels.

Curt is survived by his wife, Stacie Lynn Paulsen Chandler; his children, Toby Benjamin Chandler Ekmann (Kate) of Pittsburgh; Molly Kathleen Chandler Campe (Brian) of Bloomfield, NJ; Vincent William Chandler of Denver; and Madeline Wareing Chandler of Brooklyn; three grandchildren: Zooey Michelle Chandler and Logan Thomas and Chandler William Campe; a sister, Cindy Chandler Smith (Don) of McGehee, AR; and a brother, Christopher Taylor Chandler (Tammy) of Loveland, CO.

The Chandler Living Legacy Award was inaugurated in 2021 honoring exemplary Pennsylvania natives or PSU alums impacting the fields of film and television.

LETTER FROM THE DEAN

Greetings from the Dean of the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications

On behalf of the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications at Penn State, I am pleased to welcome you to the sixth annual Centre Film Festival. The festival, which will be taking place in two of our historic theaters this year, and virtually, brings outstanding work by filmmakers across the globe and the United States to our community in Central Pennsylvania. These films, once again, will inspire, motivate, and spark important conversation. Our guests — the filmmakers, musicians and subjects of these films — will be part of those conversations.

This festival also invites us to celebrate the aspiring filmmakers in our community. It’s exciting to see this young talent right here in Centre County and to take part in supporting it! The success of this festival belongs to the entire community, including partners at Penn State, local and state not-forprofit organizations, and sponsors. The festival is also made possible in part because of support from the Happy Valley Tourism Board and local sponsors in Philipsburg and State College.

Thank you for joining us. I think it’s an especially important time to come together for film and the conversation it sparks. I trust you’ll become richer in mind and spirit as a result of participating. Your support will also benefit the entire community.

Enjoy!

Marie Hardin Dean, Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications

LETTER FROM THE STATE REPRESENTATIVE

Greetings from State Representative

Scott Conklin

It is a pleasure to send greetings from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives to welcome everyone attending the sixth annual Centre Film Festival in the boroughs of Philipsburg and State College.

Centre County has been at the crossroads of the cultural world and a focal point for those with the passion for making great films and cinematic art since as far back as the turn of the century. The first movie to play at the Rowland Theatre was the Vitagraph Studio’s release, Within the Law, and the very first trainwreck that appears on film in American cinema history was staged right here in Philipsburg, PA in 1914. When he built the theatre in 1917, Charles Rowland himself was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and was a supporter of Women’s Suffrage. It is an honor to follow in his footsteps.

Once again, this week, more than a century later, the Centre Film Festival offers an opportunity for a collaboration between the central Pennsylvania counties’ communities and industry professionals who are dedicated to encouraging local filmmakers to flourish and introducing audiences to insightful, creative, and entertaining new projects.

The festival offers something for movie lovers of all ages. The work reflects various distinct cultures of the world and broadens our perspective on many issues by exploring universal themes as well as more unique facets of the human experience.

I applaud everyone involved with this event. Warm Regards, and see you at the State and the Rowland theaters!

Scott Conklin Centre County State Representative (PA-77)

LETTER FROM THE MAYOR

Greetings from the Mayor of the Borough of State College, Ezra Nanes

We are so excited to welcome you to the Centre Film Festival! We love the Centre Film Festival, and seeing it grow through your contributions and participation has truly been a joy. I am so proud of the organizers of the Film Festival for adding a Native American Heritage Film Track. Please make time to watch these meaningful, powerful, and inspiring stories.

As Mayor of State College, I am grateful for the incredible energy that the Centre Film Festival brings to our downtown. A film can have such a powerful effect on our lives - inspiring us, moving us, calling us to action, uniting us, transporting us, awakening us, calming us, scaring us (Happy Halloween btw), making us laugh and cry, stirring our spirits, and enlivening our dreams.

I can still remember the first time I ever sat in a theatre and watched a movie. The magic of that experience remains alive in me to this day, and I love going to the movies with my family. I also spent a good portion of my professional life as an actor, which has only served to increase the deep respect and admiration I have for the work of our Centre Film Festival contributors.

To all of the Filmmakers, Talent, Artists, Production Teams, Producers, Organizers, Volunteers, and your Families, thank you for sharing your creativity and vision with our community. We value the opportunity to experience your stories, your journeys - to see the world through your eyes.

And to all of our wonderful guests, visitors, and neighbors who have come out to enjoy the Festival, thank you! I hope you’ll find time to walk around downtown before or after and enjoy our great local businesses and our

Now, sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!

Mayor of State College

LETTER FROM THE MAYOR

Greetings from the Mayor of the Town of Philipsburg, John Streno

It is my pleasure as the mayor of Philipsburg to extend warm greetings to everyone attending the sixth annual Centre Film Festival. We enjoy hosting the festival at the Rowland and we’re happy to have you all back in person for our sixth anniversary.

The performing arts are an integral part of the social fabric the town. What better place to hold this exciting event in central Pennsylvania than the historic and majestic Rowland Theatre.

The festival is made possible in part because of grants from the Pennsylvania Partnership for the Arts, Philipsburg Revitalization Corporation, as well as the Centre County Tourism Board. We are hopeful that audiences will emerge and appreciate the opportunities for conversation created by the inaugural event.

For those of you visiting, I hope that you take some time out to enjoy Philipsburg’s cuisine, local shops and meet the wonderful people here in Central Pennsylvania. I love my town, not only for its beauty, but also for its historical importance.

I wish to thank the organizers of this event and offer my very best wishes for a memorable film festival and continued success.

Yours truly,

John Streno Mayor of Philipsburg

LETTER FROM HAPPY VALLEY

Welcome to the Sixth Annual Centre Film Festival!

The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau (HVAB) and the Happy Valley Sports & Entertainment Alliance (HVSEA) are thrilled that this premier showcase of thought-provoking, entertaining, and memorable independent film has called Happy Valley, PA home since its inception in 2019.

As long-time supporters of the Centre Film Festival and champions of growing the industry right here in Centre County, the HVAB and HVSEA wholeheartedly welcome the annual celebration of established and aspiring filmmakers, and anticipate the fruits of their creative vision and hard work.

If you are a filmmaker, we wish you a successful festival, and invite you to explore film production opportunities here.

If you are watching in one of our historic theatres, thank you for supporting independent film and for spending time in Happy Valley, PA. If you are enjoying the festival virtually, please do visit us soon.

Sincerely,

Fritz Smith President and CEO

Bureau

Eric Engelbarts Executive Director

Happy Valley Sports & Entertainment Alliance

The Happy Valley Adventure

Pablo Lopez, CFC Film Production Manager

The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau

Centre Film Festival

Free Shuttle s e rvi c e

Centre Film Festival

DAY

FRIDAY SATURDAY SHUTTLE LEAVES PSU HUB 3:30pm 4:30pm 7:00pm 9:30am 10:30am 12:30pm 4:00pm 6:30pm 8:30pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 7:30pm 10:00am 11:00am 1:00pm 4:30pm 7:00pm 9:00pm

SHUTTLE LEAVES ROWLAND

Free Shuttle s e rvi c

SHUTTLE ARRIVES @ ROWLAND 4:30pm 7:00pm 10:30pm 10:30am 12:30pm 1:30pm 6:30pm 8:30pm 12:00am SHUTTLE ARRIVES @ PSU HUB 4:00pm 6:30pm 10:00pm 10:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:30pm 3:00pm 3:30pm 3:00pm 6:00pm 8:00pm 11:30pm

ARRIVES @ ROWLAND 2:30 PM 4:00 PM 6:00 PM 7:30 PM 10:15 AM 11:45 AM 1:30 PM 3:45 PM 6:30 PM 8:15 PM SHUTTLE LEAVES ROWLAND 2:45 PM 4:15 PM 6:15 PM 9:30 PM 10:30 AM 12:00 PM 2:30PM 4:30 PM 7:00 PM 9:30 PM SHUTTLE ARRIVES @ WHITE BLDG 3:15 PM 4:45 PM 6:45 PM 10:00 PM 11:00 AM 12:30 PM 3:00 PM 5:00 PM 7:30 PM 10:00 PM

e Free shuttle service provided by Fullington Trailways to take students and community members to the Rowland Theatre in Philipsburg

Free shuttle service provided by Fullington Trailways to take students and community members to the Rowland Theatre in Philipsburg

Departure: Front entrance of the HUB-Robeson Center University Park, PA 16801

Arrival: Rowland Theatre 127 N Front Street Philipsburg, PA 16866

Please arrive 15 minutes prior to all depatures

Departure: CATA stop at White Building Shortlidge Rd. University Park, PA 16802

Arrival: Rowland Theatre 127 N Front Street Philipsburg, PA 16866

Please arrive 15 minutes prior to all depatures to keep us on schedule

CALENDAR OF IN-PERSON SCREENINGS + SPECIAL EVENTS/PARTIES

IN-PERSON @ THE STATE THEATRE IN-PERSON @ TEMPEST STUDIO

SPECIAL EVENTS/PARTIES

IN-PERSON @ THE ROWLAND THEATRE IN-PERSON @ CARNEGIE BUILDING

IN-PERSON @ UEC THEATRES 12 IN-PERSON @ FOSTER AUDITORIUM FILMMAKERS/TALENT IN-PERSON

DON’T PICK UP + RENT FREE

CLEO FROM 8:20 TO 2:35 + HIPPO

CUT ME IF YOU CAN + ON A NARROW RANGE + SEEDS

HOLEY + BAD SHABBOS

AFTER PARTY @ ZENO’S AFTER PARTY @ ZENO’S

PARTY @ WEBSTER’S AFTER PARTY @ ZENO’S

STATE COLLEGE, PA

The State Theatre 130 E College Ave

Hyatt Place State College 219 W Beaver Ave

Happy Valley Adventure Bureau 204 W Beaver Avenue

Tempest Studios 140 Kelly Alley

Bellisario Media Center Bellisario College of Communications. PSU Campus

Carnegie Cinema Carnegie Building. PSU Campus

Foster Auditorium 102 Paterno Library. PSU Campus

Raising Cane’s 228 E College Ave

Wa e Shop 364 E College Ave

Webster's Bookstore Café 133 E Beaver Avenue

State College Municipal Building 243 S Allen Street

Downtown Improvement District 127 S Fraser Street

Centre LGBT+ 204 E Calder Way Suite 304

Zeno’s 100 W College Ave

Corner Room 100 W College Ave

Chumley’s 108 W College Ave

Appalachian Ski and Outdoors 131 S Allen St

Local Whiskey 107 E Beaver Ave

1724 S Atherton St

PHILIPSBURG, PA

PORTMATILDAHWY

RICHARD

Centre Film Festival Celebrates

NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

Join us for post-screening discussions with filmmakers after each film.

November is Native American Heritage Month, a time to honor and celebrate the rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories of Native people.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF LAND

The Centre Film Festival and its venues are located on the original homelands of the Erie, Haudenosaunee (Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Mohawk, and Tuscarora), Lenape (Delaware Nation, Delaware Tribe, Stockbridge-Munsee), Monongahela, Shawnee (Absentee, Eastern, and Oklahoma), Susquehannock, and Wahzhazhe (Osage) Nations. As a land grant institution, we acknowledge and honor the traditional caretakers of these lands and strive to understand and model their responsible stewardship. We also acknowledge the longer history of these lands and our place in that history.

The selected films raise awareness about the unique challenges Indigenous people face and ways in which tribal citizens have worked to conquer these challenges. Proceeds from films will benefit the

In collaboration with the Indigenous Peoples Student Association (IPSA) and the Indigenous Faculty and Staff Alliance (IFSA)

STORIES FROM THE MIDDLE EAST

The festival is showcasing a slate of films from the Middle East that depicts various perspectives from the region. From award-winning industry cinema to first-time high school projects, the films portray life in places such as Egypt, Iran, Palestine, Qatar, Israel and Turkey. Topics range from religion to refugees and displacement, LGBTQIA+ life to women’s health, sports to avant garde comedy. We believe that these films will offer moviegoers nuanced representations and will create a space for conversation.

at the Foster Auditorium free pre-fest screening

NOVEMBER 6, 2:00 PM

I LEFT gOD

Johnathan Fernandez 2024, USA

7 min

A patient gets intimate with her therapist in unprecedented fashion. Directed by PSU Alum, Johnathan Fernandez.

NOVEMBER 8, 2:00 PM

BOAT PEOPLE

Kjell Boersma & Thao Lam 2023, Vietnam

10 min

In Vietnam, Thao’s mother often rescued ants from bowls of sugar water. Years later they return the favour. An animated documentary uses a striking metaphor to trace a family’s flight across the turbulent waters of history.

THE WAY WE SPEAK

Ian Ebright 2024, USA

87 min

2023 SAG Awards nominee, PSU alum, and central PA native, Patrick Fabian, is Simon, an up-and-coming writer who refuses to leave the spotlight when his best friend and debate opponent suffers cardiac arrest.

MAKE A CIRCLE

Jen Bradwell & Todd Boekelheide 2024, USA

89 min

With a mix of humor, outrage, and passion, Make A Circle is a moving portrait of life as an early childhood educator and a promising blueprint for fixing our broken child care system.

Join us in honoring film and television artists and activists Charles Dumas and Ayoka Chenzira and celebrate our filmmakers who win our jury awards. The evening is hosted by ENIGMA and features local bites, music and performance artists.

The Lifetime Achievement Award will honor Charles Dumas, a Professor Emeritus from Penn State University where he was the first African American to receive tenure in the School of Theatre.

The Chandler Living Legacy Award will honor Pennsylvania native Ayoka Chenzira, an exemplary director in film and television, who is one of the first African American women to write, produce and direct a 35mm feature film.

Sunday, November 17 • State Theatre

Reception & Award Ceremony • 5:30 PM

CLOSING NIGHT

Wednesday, November 13 || 11 AM ||

Attendance is FREE

Tempest Studios

JOIN US FOR OUR SECOND ANNUAL FIRST-ACT SCRIPT LAB WITH:

Marco Falcucci | COLLARBONE

A former athlete turned sports physician must try and convince the star player of a local high school hockey team to sit out the final match of the season in order to save their body, as well as their career.

Jake Lazarow | GRANDMA BETTY

Decades after the loss of her husband, an elderly woman begins to feel young again when her granddaughter starts dating, only to get too attached to a high school fling. (Thelma meets Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.)

Pablo Lopez | NOPE

Moving into a new home means new sounds and unusual shadows that Dennis is just not used to. But some haunted houses, just need a little TLC.

B Kelley | WHAT’S DOWN THERE

When his estranged grandfather dies in jail, John uncovers the conspiracy that broke apart his father’s family. The truth, however lies at the bottom of a lake.

HOW IT WORKS:

The first act of each script will be brought to life by local actors in a staged reading, offering the unique opportunity to get involved in the development of locally-grown projects. You will be there to offer immediate feedback and insights, helping the writers fine-tune their scripts for the screen.

Based on your votes and feedback, the first act that most compels you will receive the first-ever MADE IN PA cash award to be used for research, development, and production purposes anywhere in Pennsylvania.

WE BELIEVE THAT CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA IS RICH WITH SCREEN-WORTHY STORIES AND THE TALENT TO BRING THEM TO LIFE.

JOIN US FOR A DRINK at the afterparties

VENUES FOR IN-PERSON SCREENINGS

Monday, Nov 11, 6:30 PM

Tuesday, Nov 12, 6:30 PM

Wednesday, Nov 13, 6:00 PM

Thursday, Nov 14, 6:30 PM

Sunday, Nov 17, 10:30 AM 1:30 PM 3:30 PM

The State Theatre

130 W College Ave, State College, PA

In 1938, Warner Brothers opened The State Theatre as a test market for new films. Today, The State Theatre is a vibrant hub of music, cinema, and live performance

THE MASTERPIECE + RUNNING ON SAND | page 52

TATTOOED4LIFE + BYE BYE TIBERIAS | page 53

TERMINALLY ILL + A PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY | page 54

DOVBUSH | page 55

A RUNNER’S HIGH + IT WILL BE DIFFERENT FOR YOU + THREE (EXTRA) ORDINARY WOMEN | page 60

GARDENER OF THE GALAXY + A BODY CALLED

LIFE + HOME | page 60

SHORT AND PROUD | page 61

Sunday, Nov 10, 6:30 PM

Tuesday, Nov 12, 3:30 PM

Friday, Nov 15, 1:30 PM

Carnegie Building

S Fraser St, State College, PA

Home to the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, Carnegie Building originated as Penn State’s first freestanding library.

BELLISARIO PRE-FEST TAILGATE | page 50

AFTERWARD + MEDIHA | page 52

HAPPY THANKSGIVING + SUGARCANE | page 56

Wednesday, Nov 13, 2:30 PM 8:00 PM

Thursday, Nov 14, 2:00 PM

UEC Theatres 12

125 Premiere Dr, State College, PA

Family-friendly movie theater with reclining seats and a variety of concession-stand snacks.

CLEO FROM 8:20 TO 2:35 + HIPPO | page 53

HOLEY + BAD SHABBOS | page 54

DON’T PICK UP + RENT FREE | page 55

Friday, Nov 15, 6:30 PM

Saturday, Nov 16, 12:00 PM 2:00 PM 4:00 PM 7:00 PM

The Rowland Theatre

127 N Front Street Philipsburg, PA

A historic single-screen movie theatre built in 1917 by Charles Hedding Rowland. The theatre is owned by the borough of Philipsburg. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

WE SHOULD EAT + 3.400KG + WE STRANGERS | page 56

MADE IN PA: LOCAL, IN SHORT | page 57 THROUGH THE STORM + RODEO GIRLS | page 58 EVERY 85 MINUTES + DRIVER | page 59

CUT ME IF YOU CAN + ON A NARROW RANGE + SEEDS | page 59

November 6 & 8, 2:00 PM

Monday, Nov 11, 12:00 PM

Foster Auditorium

102 Paterno Library, State College, PA

Penn State University Libraries’ primary event space in support of its mission of learning, teaching, and research.

PRE-FEST SCREENINGS | page 18

SOMETIME, SOMEWHERE + LOVE IN THE TIME OF MIGRATION | page 51

Wednesday, Nov 1, 11:00 AM

Sunday, Nov 17, 10:00 AM

Tempest Studios

140 Kelly Alley, State College, PA

Tempest Studios provides affordable, classically-based theatre and introduces the county’s youth to live theatre through theatre workshops and interactive events. They aim to work with children and youth to increase literacy skills through the arts.

FIRST-ACT SCRIPT LAB | page 22

KID-FRIENDLY SHORTS | page 63

Lifetime Achievement Award

Charles Dumas is a Professor Emeritus from PSU School of Theatre. He was the first African American to receive tenure in the department. He was the first person to direct a play written by an African American on the PSU mainstage, Raisin In The Sun. He is a professional actor, writer, director of over 400 plays, films and TV shows. He is an ensemble EMMY award recipient for Separate But Equal, three time AUDELCO nominee, and winner of the best actor award from the Hollywood/Beverly Hills NAACP. He is a Living Legend awardee from the International Black Theatre Festival. He can currently be seen as James Deuville on Tyler Perry’s All The Queen’s Men, Counter man in How Not To Die Alone, Judge Nelson in The Crowded Room, and Rev. Wilson in the soon to be released, A Complete Unknown.

The musical about his uncle, Blues Are The Roots, The Willie Dixon Story, was recently invited and presented to the Black Theatre Festival in Winston/Salem North Carolina. It is being considered for a NYC production and feature film. His 911/A Day In The Life Of A People was selected for the tenth anniversary commemoration by The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. His Sankofa/ Katrina was presented at the University of New Orleans and LSU on the anniversary of the catastrophic hurricane. Dumas is a 2002 recipient of a Fulbright to South Africa to research “Theories of Theatre and Practical Theatre Skills; The African Roots of African American Theater.” His play, Osazie Osage, was locally produced to honor the life of the tragic victim, Osazie Osage.

CHARLES DUMAS

“I grew up on the south side of Chicago and wound up working for the civil rights movements. That was my real first career back in the ‘60s. I wanted to become a lawyer, because we needed lawyers in the movement. I went back to school, got my GED, and was accepted into Harvard and Yale’s law schools. I wanted to work on the issues of racial justice and equality.” *

Dumas has remained active in the civil and human rights struggle for over sixty years, particularly for the last thirty years in State College. He was the Democratic Party’s nominee for the US Congress in 2012. He is past president of the UNA of Center County, Chair of the State College Borough Human Relations Commission, member of the Planning Commission and MLK Plaza Planning Committee. He presently serves on the Borough’s Commission for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. He is a past precinct captain and presently election day official.

He was present at the 1963 March on Washington, when Martin Luther King made his “I have a dream” speech and later was a Council of Federated Organizations organizer during the 1964 Mississippi Freedom Summer. He was a Hendler Fellow at the American Film Institute and has a Juris Doctrate for Yale Law School. He writes a weekly column for the Centre Daily Times called Under The Baobab. He has lived with his beloved wife of over 50 years, Dr. J. Ann Dumas.

We had met 25 years before we came to Penn State. We met registering voters. He was the leader of the team while I was just doing this five dollar an hour sort of thing. Somebody came over and asked if I could drive a stick shift, because they needed someone to drive a van, so I ended up being his team driver. Our first commitment, interestingly enough, wasn’t to each other. What we were both involved in was the civil rights movement, the anti-war movement — something that was greater than ourselves.” —Jo Dumas*

Photo by Lindsey Toomer

Photo by Lindsey Toomer

“

Chandler Living Legacy Award

Why are there so few protagonists of color in science fiction fantasy film?”*

Meet Ayoka Chenzira, the multi-talented and awardwinning filmmaker, Emmy and NAACP nominated director, and digital media artist.

As a child, Ayoka discovered her interest in storytelling while listening to women converse in her mother’s Philadelphia beauty parlor. With a background in modern dance, photography, and music, she discovered her passion for filmmaking after being taken to every age-inappropriate movie that her cinephile parent could find. Since then, Ayoka is known to work across a range of genres, including drama, science fiction, documentary, animation, and interactive cinema. As an actor’s director, Ayoka’s visionary style of storytelling and character development takes center stage as does her ability to elevate a story emotionally and visually.

Ayoka’s indie films highlight stories about Black women, have been exhibited at film festivals around the world, and acquired by institutions including the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art. She is one of the first African American women to write, produce and direct a 35mm feature film, Alma’s Rainbow, which was recently restored by the Academy Film Archive, The Film Foundation, and Milestone Films. As a self-taught stop motion animator and digital media artist, Ayoka has used these techniques to explore American history and concepts related to identity and standards of beauty for Black women.

In 2018, her animated film Hair Piece was one of twenty-five films inducted into the National Film Registry at the Library of Congress along with Jurassic Park, The Shining, and Brokeback Mountain. Her film, Zajota & the Boogie Spirit was one of the first to use frame-by-frame video blended with cell and computer animation, and for which she was honored with the Sony Innovator Award.

AYOKA CHENZIRA

Ayoka’s television career began when Ava DuVernay asked her to direct episodes of OWN’s hit family drama Queen Sugar, starring Rutina Wesley, Dawn-Lien Gardner and Kofi Siriboe, for which she garnered an NAACP nomination. Ayoka went on to direct television, drawing on her years of experience as a filmmaker, including the CBS reboot of Dynasty, starring Elizabeth Gillies and Grant Show.

Ayoka was one of four directors selected by Sony/Amazon to direct the sports comedy-drama, A League of Their Own, based on the beloved Penny Marshall film of the same title for which she received an Emmy nomination for directing. Blending history and science fiction, as one of four directors of the FX series Kindred, Ayoka navigated two time periods for the adaptation of Octavia Butler’s celebrated and critically acclaimed novel. Working with historians, Ayoka introduced visual representations of culture and intimidation in inventive ways that became part of the narrative.

A lifelong fan of science fiction and fantasy, in 2022 Ayoka directed the Spectrum/AMC psychological thriller Beacon 23, based on the novel by The New York Times best-selling author, Hugh Howey and starring Lena Headey (Game of Thrones) and Stephan James (If Beale Street Could Talk). Ayoka’s episode was filmed entirely across four sound stages and included substantial visual efects and face replacements for body doubles. Working with a choreographer, she developed a unique sign language; with composers Ramin Djawadi (Pacific Rim, Iron Man), and William Marriott (Westworld, Jack Ryan) she helped create chants sung by an outer space community of rebels.

She served as the Division Chair for the Arts at Spelman College, where she created majors in documentary filmmaking, photography, and dance performance & choreography, the firsts at an HBCU.

I am who I am because I had this really strong female figure in my life. My mother loved movies—loved, loved, loved, loved the movies.

There is something about film and storytelling that allows you to put a lot of art forms into one discipline. And growing up in my mother’s beauty parlor, I had a first-hand experience of listening to women tell stories.” *

MEET OUR FILM FESTIVAL TEAM

MEET OUR TEAM

Pearl Gluck Co-Founder / Artistic Director

Paul Cassarly Web & Media Management

Tasha Bourjaily Operations

Michael DePiro Operations

Maddie Sherbondy Hospitality & Outreach

Dawn Ziegerer Outreach

Sam Rudy Press & Public Relations

Catharine Axley Programming Committee

Yuliya Ladygina Programming Committee

Kevin Hagopian Programming Committee

Tracy Peterson Programming Committee

David Sidore Programming Committee

Rebecca Inlow Rowland Theatre

Kevin Conklin Rowland Theatre

Lior Sternfeld Programming Committee

Helena McHugh Operations Manager

Sophia Alexander Lead Graphic Designer

Haley Singer Graphic Designer

Matt Jacobs Videography & Photography

Angelique Redwood Copy Editor

MEET OUR STUDENT TEAM

FIRST YEAR STUDENT TEAM

Check our website to meet our First-Year student team

Abdiel G. Gonzalez-Santiago Design Intern

Diane Akpovwa IST Intern Adrian Bett IST Intern

May Salama IST Intern

Beatriz Rocha Production Intern

Drew Waterman IST Intern

Annabelle Preciado Higgins Centre Film Festival Club

Owen Pohlkotte Production Intern

Connor LaTour Design Intern Anh (Paul) Nguyen Social Media Intern

Rayna Shea Social Media Intern

Alexandra Mondi Social Media Intern

Ned Groome Centre Film Festival Club

Gabriella Wong Centre Film Festival Club

Sydney Stewart Centre Film Festival Club

MEET OUR ADVISORY BOARD

Chris Ali

Maryam Shakri

Yermiyahu Ahron Taub

Jo Dumas

Livia Beasley

Charles Dumas

Corey Beasley

Tracy Peterson

Maura Shea

Patrick Plaisance

Grace Hampton

Savita Iyer

Heather Baumgarten Board Treasurer

Melissa Wright

Rebecca Inlow

Cynthia Mazzant

Yoav Friedman Board Vice President

John Affleck

Tobi Rispoli

Pablo Lopez Film Commissioner, HVAB

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY

MEET OUR FILMMAKERS & GUESTS

MEET THE FILMMAKERS & GUESTS

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11

TIME 12:00 PM | THE FOSTER AUDITORIUM

Ricardo Preve | SOMETIME, SOMEWHERE | Page 51

Born in 1957 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He studied in Argentina, Italy, and the US. He earned a degree in Agronomy and Masters in Forestry from Virginia Tech. Since starting his film career in 2001, his films have participated in film festivals around the world and have won international awards. A member of the Argentine Film Academy and Directors Guild of Argentina. His companies Esto del Cine S.R.L. (Argentina) and Ricardo Preve Films LLC (US).

TIME 12:00 PM | THE FOSTER AUDITORIUM

Kevin Hagopian | SOMETIME, SOMEWHERE | Page 51

Kevin’s been teaching film in college since he was 20 years old- and he’s loved the movies since he was a lot younger than that. He teaches film studies at Penn State, where his research specialties include the Hollywood cinema and the colonial & post-colonial cinemas of the world. He’s very proud to work with the Centre Film Festival team to bring the art, the ideas, and the community of film to Central Pennsylvania.

TIME 6:30 PM | THE STATE THEATRE

Àlex Lora Cercos | THE MASTERPIECE | Page 52

Alex Lora (he/him) is a disabled Spanish filmmaker dedicated to exploring the complexities of the human condition through cinema, believing film has the power to reflect and create social change. Alex’s work has garnered significant recognition, including winning the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance in 2024. Receiving over 100 awards, Alex’s work has been officially selected by some of the world’s most prestigious film festivals.

TIME 6:30 PM | THE STATE THEATRE

Adar Shafran | RUNNING ON SAND | Page 52

Born in 1982 in a village in Israel called “Ein Iron”. After producing one of his band’s music videos, the director asked him to produce more projects together, leading to the start of his own company, Firma Films. Begun with Adar’s partner Roni Abramowsky, Firma Films produces feature films, series, shorts, and commercials. Running on Sand will be Adar’s first big project as a director, one that’s exactly his style; A comedy with an important message.

MEET THE FILMMAKERS & GUESTS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12

TIME 6:30 PM | CARNEGIE CINEMA

Kait Plum | MEDIHA + BAD SHABBOS | Page 52+54

Skilled in uncovering the emotional core of a story, Kait is a dedicated film editor with over a decade of experience. Her debut feature documentary, Higher Love, garnered recognition at Slamdance Film Festival in 2020. Her recent work on documentary Mediha, attracted attention at major film festivals. She edited narrative comedy Bad Shabbos, which won an Audience Award at 2024 Tribeca Film Festival. She brings heart and depth to every project she takes on.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13

TIME 4:00 PM | UEC THEATRES 12

Mark Rapaport | HIPPO | Page 53

Mark Rapaport, based in London and NYC, is a filmmaker and founder of the production company Kinematics. Mark graduated from NYU Gallatin in 2016, where he coproduced his first two feature films. Uncaged found a home on Netflix, Pledge was picked up by IFC and Hulu. Mark’s directorial feature debut, Hippo, premiered at Fantasia International Film Festival 2023. He produced upcoming film Josephine starring Channing Tatum and Gemma Chan.

TIME 6:00 PM | THE STATE THEATRE

Rachel Elizabeth Seed

A PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY | Page 54

Brooklyn and LA-based nonfiction storyteller working in film, photography and writing. Sundance Documentary Fund recipient for her feature documentary, A Photographic Memory. She was a cameraperson on several award-winning feature documentaries including Sacred by Academy-Award-winner Thomas Lennon. Executive Director / Co-founder of the Brooklyn Documentary Club.

TIME 8:00 PM | UEC THEATRES 12

Bavly Soliman | HoLEY | Page 54

Bavly Soliman, an Egyptian Film Director, was born in 1993 in Alexandria, Egypt. Bavly has been based in Brooklyn, NYC since 2017 and holds an MFA from Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema at Brooklyn College. Bavly Soliman is a motivated and passionate Film Director, always looking for new challenges and opportunities. His passion for the arts started at a young age, and he has grown to become a skilled and recognized Film Director.

TIME 8:00 PM | UEC THEATRES 12

Markous Soliman | HoLEY | Page 54

Markous is a 34-year-old software engineer and an aspiring producer. He contributed to the short film Holey (2023) as a line producer, where he also explored his creative side. Merging his technical expertise with a passion for storytelling, Markous is excited to continue his journey in filmmaking.

TIME 8:00 PM | UEC THEATRES 12

Daniel Robbins | BAD SHABBOS | Page 54

NYC-based director who takes exciting concepts and grounds them with authentic performances, surprising humor, and propulsive energy. His breakout film Pledge was a hit at Fantasia Film Festival, selling to IFC Midnight and settling a streaming deal with Hulu. His next two features are Citizen Weiner, picked up by Abso Lutely and Village Roadshow, and Bad Shabbos, which stars an incredible cast and premiered at Tribeca in June.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14

TIME 2:00 PM | UEC THEATRES 12

Susannah Nolan | DON’T PICK UP | Page 55

Playwright and screenwriter. Her first film, How Do You Type A Broken Heart, screened in over 25 festivals. The screenplay for Hotline was selected for the 2020 ABC Discovers Talent Showcase. She adapted her published oneact play Don’t Pick Up (Best Play, American Globe Short Play Festival), into a film directed by Jeremiah Kipp starring Keith David and Kathryn Erbe. Her work was featured in the 2022 NY Women in Film & Television’s Film Festival.

TIME 2:00 PM | UEC THEATRES 12

Jacob Roberts | RENT FREE | Page 55

LA-based filmmaker and actor, graduate of Harvard College, wrote for the Hasty Pudding Theatricals and won the Jonathan Levy Award, Jacob tells queer stories from a skewed, often comedic perspective. His short film Half, received Outfest’s Colin Higgins Youth Filmmaker Award and Austin Film Festival’s Blackmagic Collective Emerging Filmmaker Award. Rent Free is his first feature as a producer and lead actor.

MEET THE FILMMAKERS & GUESTS

TIME 6:30 PM | THE STATE THEATRE

Luzer Twersky | DOVBUSH | Page 55

Luzer Twersky is an actor and writer originally from Brooklyn, NY who performs on stage and on screen in multiple languages. He is best known for his appearances in the Felix and Meira, which was Canada’s submission to the Oscars, High Maintenance on HBO, and various stage performances around the world. Dovbush is his first film in Ukrainian.

TIME 6:30 PM | THE STATE THEATRE

Dr. Yuliya V. Ladygina | UKRAINIAN STUDIES

Assistant professor of Slavic and global and international studies at the PSU. Her research in Eastern European literatures and cultures, focuses on questions of cultural memory and cultural exchange. She is the author of Bridging East and West: Ol’ha Kobylians’ka, Ukraine’s Pioneering Modernist (Toronto UP, 2019), and she is working on her second book, The Reel Story of Russia’s War against Ukraine.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15

TIME 1:30 PM | CARNEGIE CINEMA

ishkwaazhe Shane McSauby HAPPY THANKSGIVING | Page 56

American filmmaker and member of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. His films have screened in tribal communities, museums, and film festivals around the world. Happy Thanksgiving screened at the Woodstock Film Festival and Palm Springs International ShortFest, among others. His latest film, The Beguiling, made its world premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.

TIME 1:30 PM | CARNEGIE CINEMA

Julian Brave Noisecat | SUGARCANE | Page 56

Julian Brave NoiseCat is a writer, filmmaker, and student of Salish art and history. His first documentary, Sugarcane, follows an investigation into abuse and missing children at the Indian residential school NoiseCat’s family was sent to near Williams Lake, British Columbia. A proud member of the Canim Lake Band Tsq’escen and descendant of the Lil’Wat Nation of Mount Currie, he is concurrently finishing his first book, We Survived the Night.

TIME 6:30 PM | THE ROWLAND THEATRE

Shaina Feinberg | WE SHOULD EAT | Page 56

Shaina Feinberg (she/they) is an award-winning American filmmaker and writer. She’s been on This American Life, and her short doc, A Brief History of Hating My Face (2023), was commissioned by The New York Times. Along with being a New York Times writer the past five years, Shaina’s third book, Work, is due out in December 2024. She lives in Brooklyn with her partner and their two children.

TIME 6:30 PM | THE ROWLAND THEATRE

Lexi Perkel | WE SHOULD EAT | Page 56

NYC based actor and performing artist. Her 2024 highlights are the world premieres of Shaina Feinberg’s We Should Eat, and indie feature Mabel, directed by Nicholas Ma. Best known for her featured role in Netflix’s John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch, including her musical number Pay Attention! with David Byrne. TV credits include AMC’s Dispatches from Elsewhereand and TBS’s Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.

TIME 6:30 PM | THE ROWLAND THEATRE

Chris Manley | WE SHOULD EAT | Page 56

Writer, performer, editor and clown. He played John Benno in The First Bad Man at Lincoln Center, nominated for a Lucille Lortel Award, worked with Cirque du Soleil, performed at Ars Nova, The Montreal Just for Laughs Festival, and the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. He is in national commercials, films and plays the dog in the music video for MGMT’s Mother Nature (2023). He has edited films commissioned by the New York Times, IFC, PBS and more.

TIME 6:30 PM | THE ROWLAND THEATRE

James Codoyannis | WE STRANGERS | Page 56

James Codoyannis is a film and video editor residing in New York City. He earned his B.F.A. in Film & TV production from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. His narrative film credits include We Strangers, Minor Premise, and We’re Still Together, all official selections at major film festivals. James also has documentary film credits and has edited the short films Lucia: Before and After and Troll, among others.

MEET THE FILMMAKERS & GUESTS

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16

TIME 12:00 PM | THE ROWLAND THEATRE

Stephen Seliy | SCHLUMPY FUNK MOVIE | Page 57

Croatian-American, he has been involved in filmmaking and photography for more than forty years. He has authored a 21st Century Grant for a 1.5 million dollars project for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He has degrees from the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, and an Associate in Applied Science degree in Culinary Arts from the Community College of Allegheny County. Since 2014 he has worked in Eastern Africa and the Balkans on refugee issues. Seliy is a principal in Silver Lake Films.

TIME 12:00 PM | THE ROWLAND THEATRE

Michael Sheridan | ABSTRACT NARRATIVE | Page 57

Award-winning filmmaker who started making movies when he was in high school. He spent some time in film school, has written and directed more than a dozen short films, and has acted and worked on crews for many others. He has also worked for more than 20 years in journalism, and has won two New York Emmy Awards for his work producing short documentaries.

TIME 12:00 PM | THE ROWLAND THEATRE

Wallace McKelvey | MANIFESTO | Page 57

Award-winning Harrisburg-based journalist and filmmaker. His homegrown films have been screened nationally. His first feature, River City Stories, is a love letter to his hometown. A longtime investigative reporter, he’s covered the criminal justice system and environmental issues. He leads a team of watchdog journalists as The York Dispatch’s managing editor, serves as board co-chair for the LGBT Center of Central PA, and attends grad school at Penn State University.

TIME 12:00 PM | THE ROWLAND THEATRE

Tony Buba | 40° 24.2983’N 79° 58.251’W | Page 57

Received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2021 Centre Film Festival. In 2023, Tony was selected by the Carnegie Museum of Art to inaugurate their film program and was commissioned to do two pieces for The Carnegie. Currently working on a new feature documentary titled Becoming Benjamin Lay as well as working on Thunder Over Braddock and An Un Remarkable Life, projects he hopes to complete sometime before he leaves this planet.

TIME 12:00 PM | THE ROWLAND THEATRE

Scott Lentz | TERRA LUNA | Page 57

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where he developed a love of movies and filmmaking, making outrageous videos with friends in their backyards. He attended Penn State Berks County where he founded the Film Club. Scott has won awards for his cinematic accomplishments. He organizes the Lancaster Film and TV network and is on the board of directors for the Red Rose Film Festival. Scott works to grow the film industry in Lancaster.

TIME 12:00 PM | THE ROWLAND THEATRE

Scott Danzig

SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER | Page 58

A software engineer and photography enthusiast, first embraced his passion for filmmaking in 2010. Scott continues to produce his own creative works, competing in film festivals, always experimenting and reaching for the next level. He is a community leader, engaging local filmmakers, assisting crews, and mentoring.

TIME 12:00 PM | THE ROWLAND THEATRE

Jeremy Byers | TYLER SLIPPY: FOREVER 27 | Page 58

Born in Altoona, PA and started his production company at the age of 16 when he produced and directed his first feature film. Since then, his films have been recognized internationally by festivals and received numerous accolades.

TIME 2:00 PM | THE ROWLAND THEATRE

Kévin Noguès | RODEO GIRLS | Page 58

Director of documentary and fiction films. After studying Modern Literature, he made several critically acclaimed short fiction films. His film, Uuquchiing, won the Critics’ Prize at the Trouville Festival. His style is atmospheric, focused on the body, and highly sensory. His preferred themes include adolescence and transmission. He enjoys offering an intimate and fresh perspective on changes affecting our societies through the eyes of those who experience them.

MEET THE FILMMAKERS & GUESTS

TIME 2:00 PM | THE ROWLAND THEATRE

Justine Morvan | RODEO GIRLS | Page 58

Writer and director of documentary and fiction films for the past four years. Her academic background in political science has nurtured her desire to explore the complexity of contemporary societies through sensitive and honest films. Her favorite themes include transmission, heritage, and the weight of traditions, with the underlying question of the individual and their place. Rodeo Girls is the first collaboration between Justine and Kévin Noguès.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16

TIME 4:00 PM | THE ROWLAND THEATRE

Jason Aaron Goldberg

EVERY 85 MINUTES | Page 59

JAG is a film and theatre artist with a focus on humanity in his storytelling. His feature film The Three Es, following a wounded warrior family as they struggle with the arrival of their wounded son, won multiple “Best of the Fest” awards and is on Amazon. His plays have been presented and developed by prestigious organizations like New York Theatre Workshop, Pasadena Playhouse, and many more.

TIME 4:00 PM | THE ROWLAND THEATRE

Nesa Azimi | DRIVER | Page 59

Director, producer, and editor in New York City. She started out at The Maysles Documentary Center before becoming producer for Rain Media, PBS FRONTLINE, FAULT LINES on Al Jazeera, National Geographic, and the Ciné Institute of Haiti. She helped produce three FRONTLINE films that received Emmy Awards. Former fellow with the Sundance Institute, NYSCA/NYFA, the Firelight Documentary Lab, and the Points North Institute. Driver is her first feature film.

TIME 7:00 PM | THE ROWLAND THEATRE

Anthony Lalor | CUT ME IF YOU CAN | Page 59

Anthony Lalor is an actor with a background in theatre. Anthony played a role in the Oxygen TV series My Crazy Love in 2014 before playing a starring role in the 2024 short horror-comedy film Cut Me if You Can

TIME 7:00 PM | THE ROWLAND THEATRE

Phoebe Post | ON A NARROW RANGE | Page 59

Working in both Europe and the United States, Phoebe is a fiction writer and director who is passionate about bringing an honest image of women onto the screen.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17

TIME 10:30 AM | THE STATE THEATRE

Cameron Wilson | A RUNNER’S HIGH | Page 60

Asian American born, raised, and residing in the mountains of North Carolina. Cameron’s storytelling family helped nurture his creativity, which turned into a career when he attended film school to pursue his filmmaking passion. Cameron has become an award-winning director and pursues real stories inspired by, on, or about real people, with dreams of one day directing his very own feature film and having it shown on silver screens around the world.

TIME 10:30 AM | THE STATE THEATRE

Cionin Lorenzo THREE (EXTRA) ORDINARY WOMEN | Page 60

Two-time Imagen Award winning, Latina filmmaker from Brooklyn, NY. Senior Video Producer at the Brooklyn Museum. A television production veteran with 20+ years’ experience. Director of two short documentaries on Shakira, a Field Director on MTV Cribs, and was Showrunner on two Peacock/T+ unscripted series. Developing and consulting on climate change, disabilities, and the arts content.

TIME 10:30 AM | THE STATE THEATRE

Pearlette Ramos THREE (EXTRA) ORDINARY WOMEN | Page 60

Lawyer, social justice advocate, and first-time filmmaker. Her passion for social justice and women’s empowerment has taken her from work in rape crisis centers and coalitions against domestic violence, to senior director of justice and civil rights at Washington Department of Social and Health Services, to the peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro where her debut film, Three (Extra)Ordinary Women, takes place.

MEET THE FILMMAKERS & GUESTS

TIME 10:30 AM | THE STATE THEATRE

Geoff Brugler, Founder | Appalachian Outdoors

From Lewistown, PA and graduated from Penn State in 1972. Opened Appalachian Outdoor House in State College, PA in 1974, known as Appalachian Outdoors on South Allen Street, downtown. We are celebrating our 50th year in business in 2024. Active skier, hiker and mountain biker and has done a lot of mountaineering and backcountry skiing in several countries. Enjoys XC skiing, biking, fishing, sporting clays, travel, golf and cooking.

TIME 1:30 PM | THE STATE THEATRE

Nick Natalicchio GARDENER OF THE GALAXY | Page 60

Award-winning filmmaker, professor, and author. Made his directorial debut in 2019 with the short documentary film, The Tides That Bind, which won numerous awards. His short documentary film, Watching The Wilds, had an equal amount of award success. He co-authored the book, Television Show Trends. He teaches in the Department of Cinema & Television at Drexel University in Philadelphia.

TIME 1:30 PM | THE STATE THEATRE

Benny Fredman | HOME | Page 61

Director & Producer at Red Films LTD, known for the short Leak (2012) and the feature Suicide (2014), showcased at Sitges and Jerusalem Film Festivals and distributed by Netflix. TV shows include Suspect (2015), a miniseries on Channel 10, and Everything is Judgeable (2015) on IBA. His feature, Home (2023), was nominated for 9 Ophir Academy Awards including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay, and won Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor.

TIME 3:30 PM | THE STATE THEATRE

Rani Deighe Crowe | SAFETY STATE | Page 61

Filmmaker and theater artist. Her feature and television screenplays have received awards and readings by film festivals. She’s collaborated on a dance/theater creation in French and English, and a dance/theater/music production of the Stravinsky/ Kurt Vonnegut version of A Soldier’s Tale She has a book chapter on Crafting the Pilot’s The Works of Shonda Rhimes, the first book in a new Screen Storytellers series, and currently teaches at Ball State University.

TIME 3:30 PM | THE STATE THEATRE

Ashley Seering | PRIDE OF TEXAS | Page 61

Award-winning filmmaker originally from Illinois. She holds an MFA in Film and Television Production from LMU and a BA in Mass Communications from SIUE. Her films have screened at festivals all over the world, and she is a sixtime regional EMMY nominee. Her work explores social justice and historical themes. She taught at Sam Houston State University and Penn State before teaching film production at San Jose State University.

TIME 3:30 PM | THE STATE THEATRE

Taylor James | ILY, BYE | Page 62

A retired backup dancer turned director/writer. Originally from Canada, he immigrated to the US to pursue a professional dance career. Following a successful 15-year career sharing screen/stage with top performers, he turned to filmmaking. He cut his teeth in music videos and branded content, ILY, BYE is his narrative debut. His focus is telling stories about queer characters leaning into the playfulness, humor, and the absurdity of the LGBTQ experience.

TIME 3:30 PM | THE STATE THEATRE

Katie White | ILY, BYE | Page 62

Emmy Award-winning producer. Credits include Best Summer Ever (Hulu), a NYT “Critic’s Pick,” and the Emmy-nominated Bridesman, Grindr’s first narrative series that premiered at Outfest and earned a Tribeca X nomination. Her documentary, Sylvie of the Sunshine State, won the George Starks Spirit of Slamdance Award. Sundance and Gotham alum and a frequent champion of innovative directors, she has served as an at-large member of the Producers Union and chair of membership at the Documentary Producers Alliance.

HOW TO FEST

This year, we are showcasing 100+ projects both streaming online and inperson. Our lineup includes Made in PA, Pride on Screen, Stories from the Middle East, Refugees, Migration, and Immigration, and Native American Heritage Month, World Cinema, Sports on Screen, Comedy, and more… We also expanded our world-wide selection of high school and college student shorts.

Our films screen in blocks of two or more. Browse the film guide here or on our website to discover where our films are playing and when.

In-Person

Watch films in person with visiting filmmakers from Nov 11 - Nov 17 in State College and Philipsburg, PA. Check out the venues page here and on our website to find films that screen in-person.

Watch Anytime

For the sixth year running we are pleased to be able to offer a virtual edition of our festival for Pennsylvania audiences. Films to “watch anytime” will be released live from Nov 11 - Nov 24. Individual tickets and Festival passes are available on our digital platform, Eventive, accessed through centrefilm.org.

SUNDAY | Carnegie Cinema | Nov. 10, 6:30 PM

PRE-FEST TAILGATE with the CENTRE FILM FEST CLUB.

YOU CAN’T DO THAT

Clark Miller 2024, USA

13 min

Office slacker Matt starts to take concern in his co-worker Chris’ frequent trips to Africa.

SILVER

Brady Michael Bast, Ava Schimone 2024, USA

8 min

Professor Eric Silver reflects on life experiences that have cultivated his moral views. In this documentary, we explore his perspective and teachings about knowing right from wrong.

MUSIC FOR THE SOUL

Abby Tarpey 2024, Netherlands

8 min

A hidden cultural gem of Amsterdam, jazz music has lived a rich history, illuminated by the impact left on artists Rayn Bechoe and Roxanne Hartog.

TRIAD OF GREED

Andrew Reilly 2024, USA

11 min

When a group of friends are having a normal day at their house, everything goes sideways when two armed men in masks break in to rob them.

FAMILY TIES

Yilong Yang 2023, China

6 min

Traditional Chinese society has a pretty strict requirement for women, that is only as a wife and a mother, your life can be considered as complete.

STANDING STILL

Ryan Manuud 2024, USA

4 min

At the end of their relationship, a couple partakes in a difficult conversation expressed through movement.

DOWN AT THE GOAL LINE

Jase Gibbons 2024, USA

7:27

Stephen Pitts ran all the way to the NFL, just through his love for the game of football. After making it to the top, an unknown illness forced him to medically retire from football.

THE FLOWER BIKE MAN

Courtney Kerr 2024, Netherlands

7 min

A Florida transplant transforms ordinary bicycles into colorful works of art that don the city of Amsterdam.

ROADKILL

Caleb Primeau 2024, USA

8 min

After causing a hit and run, a man must confront his role in the tragedy or suffer the same fate.

MONDAY: DAYTIME | Foster Auditorium | Nov. 11, 12:00 PM

Director Ricardo Preve with Dr. Kevin Hagopian in attendance.

Erin Semine Kökdil, Chelsea Abbas 2024, USA

Ronny and Suly have fallen in love. The only problem is that Ronny is in the US, while Suly is in Guatemala. LOVE IN THE TIME OF

SOMETIME, SOMEWHERE

21 min

Ricardo Preve 2024, USA

97 min

Sheds light on the challenges faced by Latino communities in Charlottesville, Virginia against the backdrop of immigration driven by climate change, poverty, and drug-related violence.

MONDAY: OPENING NIGHT | The State Theatre | Nov. 11, 6:30 PM

Directors Àlex Lora Cercos and Adar Shafran in attendance.

THE MASTERPIECE

Àlex Lora Cercos 2024, Spain

20 min

Leo and Diana, a wealthy couple, meet Salif and Yousef, two scrap dealers, at a recycle center. Offering them more junk, Diana invites them to their mansion, but the immigrants actually might be the ones with something she wants. Winner of the Sundance Short Film Grand Jury Prize.

RUNNING ON SAND

Adar Shafran 2023, Israel

114 min

Aumari, a young Eritrean refugee who lives in Israel washing dishes for a living, is caught by the immigration police, and deported to his country. At the last moment he manages to escape at the airport and runs straight into the hands of Maccabi Netanya’s soccer fans that mistake him for the new, Nigerian striker who was supposed to land that day.

TUESDAY: DAYTIME | Carnegie Cinema | Nov. 12, 3:30 PM

Post-screening dialogue with local activists.

AFTERWARDS

24 min Alex Djordjevic 2024, Canada

Inside a shelter, participants in a talking circle share their experiences of intimate partner violence as a way to regain their dignity and strength to act. Powerfully empathetic, Afterwards creates a space of sisterhood and solidarity—a chorus of voices breaking down the walls of silence.

MEDIHA

Hasan Oswald 2023, Iraq, Turkey, Syrian Arab Republic

90 min

A teenager from northern Iraq, Mediha is a member of the Yazidi ethnic and religious minority. She’s also the survivor of an ISISorchestrated genocide in 2014. Through video diaries, Mediha provides an intimate account of her grief and trauma. The portrait that emerges leaves us in awe of the budding activist, who has already lived many lives and is nowhere near done.

TUESDAY: EVENING | The State Theatre | Nov. 12, 6:30 PM

Post-screening dialogue with Middle Eastern Studies and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.

TATTOOED4LIFE

Kineret Hay - Gillor 2024, Israel

30 min

Liraz, a survivor of the NOVA party massacre in Israel, wields her tattoo needle as a weapon against pain. Each inked line becomes a thread of healing, stitching together the woundsleft by that fateful October 7th. Through her art, she finds solace and helps others find theirs.

BYE BYE TIBERIAS

Years after leaving her Palestinian village to pursue an acting career in France, Emmynominated Hiam Abbass (Succession, Ramy, Blade Runner) returns home with her daughter, in this intimate documentary about four generations of women and their shared legacy of separation.

WEDNESDAY: DAYTIME | UEC Theatres 12 | Nov. 13, 2:30 PM

Director Mark Rapaport in attendance.

CLEO FROM 8:20 TO 2:35

Shaina Feinberg 2024, USA

11 min

Cleo has six hours and fifteen minutes between drop off and pick up. This is when she gets to be herself — the adult version of herself, away from her two young children. But when she receives an ominous alert on her phone, Cleo finds herself counting down the moments until she and her children can be reunited.

Mark H. Rapaport 2023, USA

100 min

The coming-of-age of two step-siblings: Hippo, a video-game addicted teenager and Buttercup, a Hungarian Catholic immigrant with a love of classical music and Jesus. Buttercup’s love is unrequited by a brother who prefers to indulge the art of war and chaos. The result is a hormone-fueled, tragicomic waking nightmare that must be seen to be believed.

HIPPO

83 min

Lina Soualem 2024, Qatar, State of Palestine, France, Belgium

WEDNESDAY: EVENING | The State Theatre | Nov. 13, 6:00 PM

Director Rachel Elizabeth Seed in attendance.

TERMINALLY ILL

Christopher J. Cole 2024, USA

8 min

When a rapper is summoned to his grandmother’s deathbed, he engages in a madcap freestyle in an attempt to prevent her from dying.

A PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY

Rachel Elizabeth Seed 2024, USA

87 min

An intimate, genre-bending portrait of a daughter’s attempt to piece together a portrait of her mother, an avant-garde journalist and a woman she never knew. Uncovering the vast archive Sheila Turner Seed produced, including lost interviews with iconic photographers Henri Cartier-Bresson, Gordon Parks, Cecil Beaton, Bruce Davidson, Lisette Model, and others.

WEDNESDAY: LATE NIGHT | UEC Theatres 12 | Nov. 12, 8:00 PM

Director Daniel Robbins and editor Kait Plum in attendance.

HoLEY

Bavly Soliman 2024, USA

20 min

While visiting New York from Egypt, Mark, a 32-year-old Christian Orthodox, decides to lose his virginity, confronting all the cultural and religious restrictions that formed his character. After an unsuccessful blind date, Mark is convinced by his friends to look for something other than a soul mate. Their solution? A sex worker.

Daniel Robbins 2024, USA

84 min

An engaged interfaith couple are about to have their parents meet for the first time over a Shabbat dinner when an accidental death gets in the way.

BAD SHABBOS

THURSDAY: DAYTIME | UEC Theatres 12 | Nov. 14, 2:00 PM

Screenwriter Susannah Nolan and producer and actor Jacob Roberts in attendance.

DON’T PICK UP

Jeremiah Kipp 2024, USA

Louisa enters a Children’s Bookshop to escape a humiliating day. Chris, the sweet and lonely store manager, attempts an awkward flirt, awakening old compulsions. Which is stronger?

Love?...or the wild need to escape with the book in her purse?

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Philanthropic

RENT FREE

Fernando Andrés 2024, USA

After hitting emotional and financial rock bottom, best friends Ben and Jordan come up with a scheme to spend an entire year living “rent free” with the help of friends, family and strangers alike in a rapidly changing Austin.

THURSDAY: EVENING | The State Theatre | Nov. 14, 6:30 PM

Dovbush actor Luzer Twersky in attendance.

FUNDRAISE

Proceeds

DOVBUSH

Oles Sanin 2024, Ukraine

In the early eighteenth century, foreign rule means dark times for the Hutsuls of the Carpathians. The two Dovbush brothers become opryshkos - mountain outlaws. But the two brothers become enemies - one cares only about money, the other - Oleksa - fights for his people.

FRIDAY: DAYTIME | Carnegie Cinema | Nov. 15, 1:30 PM

Directors Julian Brave Noisecat and ishkwaazhe Shane McSauby in attendance.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

ishkwaazhe Shane McSauby 2024, Turkey

An Indigenous man takes a Happy Thanksgiving wish very very personally.

7 min

SUGARCANE

Emily Kassie, Julian Brave NoiseCat 2024, USA

107 min

An investigation into abuse and missing children at an Indian residential school ignites a reckoning on the nearby Sugarcane Reserve.

FRIDAY: EVENING | The Rowland Theatre | Nov. 15, 6:30 PM

Director Shaina Feinberg, actor Lexi Perkel, and editors Chis Manely and James Codoyannis in attendance.

WE SHOULD EAT

Shaina Feinberg 2024, USA

10 min

A family dinner takes an unexpected turn when a 12-year-old’s school project on identity forces everyone to question who they are—and what’s really on the menu.

3.400KG

Atefeh Nafari, Samira Mokhtari 2024, Islamic Republic of Iran

13 min

A middle-aged woman battling obesity faces a tough choice after a stroke interrupts her path to a gastric bypass.

WE STRANGERS

Anu Valia 2024, USA

80 min

Rayelle Martin, a commercial cleaning woman in Gary, Indiana, stumbles into a new job cleaning the homes of several rich, suburban families. While working, she tells one small lie that spins out of control.

SATURDAY: DAYTIME | The Rowland Theatre | Nov. 16, 12:00 PM

MADE IN PA: LOCAL, IN SHORT | Directors in attendance.

SCHLUMPY FUNK MOVIE

Stephen Seliy 2024, USA

30 min

An art movement that is alive and vibrant in Pittsburgh. Julia was an artist who inspired Andy Warhol from a young age.

MANIFESTO

Wallace McKelvey 2024, USA

A lonely young rideshare driver writes his manifesto while transporting a series of passengers back and forth across central Pennsylvania.

18:25

Tony Buba 2024, USA

ABSTRACT NARRATIVE

Michael Sheridan 2024, USA

6 min

A four-channel video that immerses the viewer on the effects of corporate decisions on front line communities.

8 min

A Lehigh Valley artist uses his abstract art to express his emotion, and deal with his troubled past.

MEMORY CARD

Taras Lashchak, Stanislav Puzdriak 2024, USA

23 min

Two gamers chase hidden coordinates in classic PlayStation games to win a valuable collectible memory card.

Scott Lentz 2024, USA

10 min

Annie is the lone inhabitant of a lunar base and she’s about to find out that something isn’t quite right about her environment.

TERRA LUNA

SATURDAY: DAYTIME | The Rowland Theatre | Nov. 16, 12:00 PM

MADE IN PA: LOCAL, IN SHORT | Directors in attendance.

TYLER SLIPPY: FOREVER 27

Jeremy Byers 2024, USA

25 min

Tyler Slippy had his life brutally taken away from him back in 2020. We interview his family that walks us through the horrific events of his murder.

LORICA

Benjamin Carluccii 2024, USA

14 min

A young priest is confronted with the horrific abuse perpetrated by a mentor.

SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER

Scott Danzig 2024, USA

15 min

A grandma programmer allies with the ghost of her predecessor to satisfy her young, trendy influencer boss’s latest ultimatum.

SATURDAY: DAYTIME | The Rowland Theatre | Nov.16, 2:00 PM

Directors Kévin Noguè and Justine Morvan in attendance.

THROUGH THE STORM

Charles Frank, Fritz Bitsoie 2024, USA

22 min

The Red Lake Nation High School football team becomes a symbol of hope, unity, and resilience for the entire community.

RODEO GIRLS

Kévin Noguès, Justine Morvan 2023, USA

57 min

In Texas, where rodeo is an institution, three very young girls immerse themselves in the tough world of this spectacular and dangerous sport, proving that it is not just for men.

SATURDAY: DAYTIME | The Rowland Theatre | Nov.16,4:00 PM

Directors Nesa Azimi and Jason Aaron Goldberg in attendance.

EVERY 85 MINUTES

Jason Aaron Goldberg 2023, USA

12 min

A day in the pandemic life of Deana, an Army veteran in Las Vegas struggling with PTSD and MST (Military Sexual Trauma) along with the isolation and disillusionment many felt.

DRIVER

Nesa Azimi 2024, USA

90 min

A soulful exploration of resolute female long-haul truck drivers pursuing validation for their hard-earned work as they navigate the oppressive forces in their industry.

SATURDAY: EVENING | The Rowland Theatre | Nov. 16, 7:00 PM

THILLS & CHILLS | Actor Anthony Lalor and director Phoebe Post in attendance.

CUT ME IF YOU CAN

Nicolas Polixène, Sylvain Loubet 2024, USA

21 min

Stuck in the loop of a horror B-movie, two black stereotyped characters decide to F*** up the script. But the film has other plans.

ON A NARROW RANGE

Post 2024, USA

21 min

A sheep rancher and her husband must decide between serenity or fortune when they find a mysterious stranger on their land.

SEEDS

Kaniehtiio Horn 2024, Canada

82 min

Ziggy is offered her first gig as an online influencer, promoting for Nature’s Oath, a seed and fertilizer company. When her cousin summons her back to the rez, she is forced into a battle to save her people’s legacy, finding her power along the way.

Phoebe

SUNDAY: MORNING | The State Theatre | Nov. 17, 10:30 AM

Directors Cionin Lorenzoin & Cameron Wilson with exec. producer Pearlette Ramos in attendance.

A RUNNER’S HIGH

Cameron Wilson 2024, USA

17:38

Finding himself at rock bottom, Kallup. McCoy

Il finds the strength within himself to face his personal demons and generational trauma head on.

IT WILL BE DIFFERENT FOR YOU

Megan Mayhew-Bergman, Simon Perkins | 2024, USA

18 min

Lea Davison finds her power through riding a mountain bike. A two-time Olympian, Lea knows the toil, pain, and commitment it takes to compete at the highest level.

THREE (EXTRA) ORDINARY WOMEN

Cionin Lorenzo, Pearlette J Ramos 2024, USA

92 min

The stories of three women of color is told through captivating images of Mount Kilimanjaro and eye-catching animation. They’ve overcome poverty, abuse, systemic racism, and political occupation through forgiveness, helping others and immersing in nature.

SUNDAY: DAYTIME | The State Theatre | Nov. 17, 1:00 PM

Directors Benny Fredman and Nick Natalicchio in attendance.

GARDENER OF THE GALAXY

Nick Natalicchio 2024, USA

11 min

World renowned astrophysicist and planetary scientist Dr. Edward Guinan reflects on his life, work, and involvement in the “Red Thumbs Mars Garden Project” at Villanova University, which experiments with growing sustainable food sources on Mars.

A BODY CALLED LIFE

Spencer MacDonald 2024, Poland

15 min

A self-isolated young human known as “James” delves into the hidden world of microscopic organisms, forging a connection with these nearly invisible creatures and developing a massive online following, as he seeks to understand his own place in the cosmos.

SUNDAY: DAYTIME | The State Theatre | Nov. 17, 1:00 PM

Directors Benny Fredman and Nick Natalicchio in attendance.

HOME

Benny Fredman 2023, Israel

A young and recently married Orthodox man’s dream to open a computer store in an ultra-Orthodox neighborhood in Jerusalem turns into a violent nightmare when the entire neighborhood sees him as an existential threat.

SUNDAY: AFTERNOON | The State Theatre | Nov. 17, 3:30 PM

SHORT AND PROUD | Directors in attendance.

SAFETY STATE

Jeanette L. Buck 2024, USA

16 min

In a dystopian near future, a gay and a lesbian couple form an unlikely friendship as they flee the Midwest for safety in New England.

SEE YOU ‘ROUND THE BLOCK

Daniel Gat 2024, Israel

11 min

As morning rises over Tel Aviv, Dror encounters Eitan, his ex. Both are on their way back home from a long night out. Eitan has moved across the street from Dror’s apartment, they have to take their “walk of shame” together.

PRIDE OF TEXAS

Ashley Seering 2024, USA

A look at the Texas Gay Rodeo Association and its participants who prove that rodeo, and Texas, is a place for everyone.

SHIMMER, INSPIRED BY EVA YOUNG 111 min

7 min

Alice Gu 2024, USA

13 min

After winning Miss International National USA, closeted drag performer and doctor, Ethan Gao/ Dr. Ethan, must rush to the hospital when a close patient begins to code, threatening their secret passion of drag.

SUNDAY: AFTERNOON | The State Theatre | Nov. 17, 3:30 PM

GOOD ENOUGH ANCESTOR

Cynthia Wade 2024, Taiwan

20 min

As a child, Audrey Tang felt she had only a 50% chance of waking up in the morning due to a heart problem. Her heart, like democracy, is fragile but strong — beating but facing threats.

ILY, BYE

Taylor James 2024, USA

13 min

Siobhan is a quirky, socially anxious mess who can’t seem to keep a job. Thanks to the help of her best friend Gary, she scores an interview with his boss, Mr. Litchfield.

YOUR TURN TO VOTE!

Cast your ballot for the at the end of each screening, in-person or watch anytime.

JOIN US AT THE AWARDS CEREMONY

SUNDAY || NOVEMBER 17 || 6:00 PM || THE STATE THEATRE

SUNDAY:

KID-FRIENDLY SHORTS

| Tempest Studios | Nov. 17, 10:00 AM

PUFFERFISH

Julia Ocker 2022, Germany

4 min

In an ocean full of big, bad fish, the pufferfish must act as tough as possible, but looks can be deceiving

COQUILLE

Justine Aubert, Cassandra Bouton 2023, France

Jac Hamman, Sarah Scrimgeour 2022, United Kingdom

25 min

The Oscar®-nominated (and NYICFF Awardwinning) Magic Light Pictures returns to share the adventure of a tabby street cat and his busking friend.

FOREVER SEVEN

6 min

After losing his shell, hermit crab Bernard must face the dangers of the beach to find a new home.

HOOFS ON SKATES

Ignas Meilūnas 2024, Lithuania

12 min

Two friends discover the joys of the ice—both above and below.

Antje Heyn, Alexander Isert 2024, Germany

9 min

The greatest treasure of the wooden crate Mouse finds may just be the possibilities it holds.

MY NAME IS EDGAR AND I HAVE A COW

Filip Diviak 2023, Czech Republic, Slovakia

8 min

When Edgar rescues a newborn calf from a food factory, he learns that raising a cow isn’t as easy as it seems.

TABBY MCTAT

FILM GUIDE WATCH ANYTIME

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

6:30

Alon Daniel 2024, Israel

65 min

Using testimonials, animations, and miniature simulations, this documentary traces the events of the October 7th Hamas attack on Israel.

AMERICAN POT STORY: OAKSTERDAM

Ravit Markus, Dan Katzir 2023, USA

94 min

Award-winning documentary about a ragtag group of rebels who changed the world.

HINENI

Dar Dowling 2024, USA

44 min

The journey of Moshe, a Transman, who felt a profound calling to convert to conservative Judaism—and answered it.

A HOUSE IS NOT A DISCO

Brian J. Smith 2024, USA

90 min

Peering into present-day life experiences of those who live, work, and pursue pleasure in the world’s most radically queer, “homonormative” community: Fire Island Pines.

APRIL IN FRANCE

David Boaretto 2024, France

77 min

A 5-year-old girl is confronted to the world for the first time, only armed with the codes of her childhood kingdom.

INTERCEPTED

Oksana Karpovych 2024, Ukraine

95 min

A journey through Ukraine that reveals the banality of evil behind the Russian invasion with the shocking juxtaposition of two realities.

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

MY HEAVENLY CITY

Sen-I Yu 2023, USA

REALM OF SATAN

120 min

Three interrelated stories about life in New York City: A lonely interpreter; two young hiphop dance enthusiasts; and a couple struggling to cope with their mentally ill son.

RODEO GIRLS

Kévin Noguès, Justine Morvan 2023, USA

57 min

In Texas, where rodeo is an institution, three very young girls immerse themselves in the tough world of this spectacular and dangerous sport, proving that it is not just for men.

SHAKING IT UP: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF LIZ CARPENTER

Abby Ginzberg, Christy Carpenter 2024, USA

78 min

The inspirational story of a trailblazing woman-journalist, White House official, author, humorist, political activist and feminist leader, Liz Carpenter.

Scott Cummings 2024, USA

80 min

An experiential portrait depicting Satanists in both the everyday and in the extraordinary as they fight to preserve their lifestyle: magic, mystery, and misanthropy.

ROLEPLAY

Katie Mathews 2024,

85 min

College students confront sexual violence on their campus. Follow young people grappling with sex, consent, identity, and power on their paths to adulthood.

SILVER’S UPRISING

Dan Shadur 2023, Israel, Ukraine

97 min

Crime boss or fearless dissident? An extraordinary portrait of a former ultra-orthodox kid who transformed the drug-dealing business.

SOMETIME, SOMEWHERE

Ricardo Preve 2024, USA

97 min

The challenges faced by Latino communities in Charlottesville, Virginia against the backdrop of immigration driven by factors like climate change, poverty, and drug-related violence.

WAAPAKE (TOMORROW)

Jules Arita Koostachin 2024, Canada

80 min

Stories of residential school, Survivor-Warriors and their families offer an understanding of intergenerational trauma and healing.

NARRATIVE FEATURES

Nida Chowdhry 2024, USA

98 min

Ruby has an anxiety attack and trips down the rabbit hole of her mind, where she meets versions of herself who take over her life.

THERE WAS, THERE WAS NOT

Emily Mkrtichian 2024, Armenia

90 min

A richly textured tapestry telling the story of Artsakh through the daily lives of four women fighting to save their homeland.

WESTERMANN: MEMORIAL TO THE IDEA OF MAN IF HE WAS AN IDEA

Leslie Buchbinder 2024, USA

90:43 min

A 3D film, the story of a marine veteran who navigated the traumas of war by making art, becoming a hero to generations of artists.

CHAPERONE

Zoe Eisenberg 2024, USA

100 min

While struggling with judgment, a 29-yearold finds a dangerous acceptance in a bright 18-year-old boy who mistakes her for a student.

NARRATIVE FEATURES

DOVBUSH

Oles Sanin 2023, Ukraine

120 min

Foreign rule means dark times for the Hutsuls of the Carpathians. The two Dovbush brothers become opryshkos - mountain outlaws. But the two brothers become enemies

SEEDS

Kaniehtiio Horn 2024, Canada

82 min

Ziggy is offered her first gig as an online influencer, promoting a seed and fertilizer company. When her cousin summons her back to the rez to save her people’s legacy.

YASMEEN’S ELEMENT

Amman Abbasi 2024, Pakistan

74 min

After losing her homework in the winding paths of her mountain town, Yasmeen sets off alone on an unexpected journey to find her Professor.

HOME

Benny Fredman 2023, Israel

111 min

A young and recently married Orthodox man’s dream to open a computer store in an ultraOrthodox neighborhood in Jerusalem turns into a violent nightmare.

THE VANISHING SOLDIER

Dani Rosenberg 2024, Israel, State of Palestine

105 min

Shlomi, an 18-year-old soldier, flees the battlefield and makes his way back home. The military elite are convinced he was kidnapped by enemy forces.

DOCUMENTARY SHORTS

A BODY CALLED LIFE

Spencer MacDonald 2024, Poland

AFTERWARDS

15 min

A human known as “James” delves into the world of microscopic organisms, forging a connection with these nearly invisible creatures and developing a massive online following.

ARTIFACTS OF THE PRESENT: PORTRAIT OF A PRINTMAKER

Willow O’Feral, Brad Heck 2023, USA

14 min

Diagnosed with terminal leukemia at 60 years old, printmaking artist Brian D. Cohen reflects on his life, work, and relationships in this exquisitely moving short documentary.

AS LONG AS WE CAN

Kristy Guevara-Flanagan 2024, USA

11 min

As the Arizona Supreme Court argues on whether to reinstate an abortion ban that originated in 1864, this offers a glimpse into the day-to-day activities of a still functioning clinic.

Romane Garant Chartrand 2024, Canada

24 min

Inside a shelter, participants in a talking circle share their experiences of intimate partner violence as a way to regain their dignity and strength to act.

A RUNNER’S HIGH

Cameron Wilson 2024, USA

17:38

Finding himself at rock bottom, Kallup. McCoy Il finds the strength within himself to face his personal demons and generational trauma head on.

BOAT PEOPLE

Kjell Boersma, Thao Lam 2023, Viet Nam

10 min

As a child in Vietnam, Thao’s mother often rescued ants from bowls of sugar water. Years later they would return the favour.

DOCUMENTARY SHORTS

BOYNTON BEACH BATMAN

Atticus Hohman 2024, USA

GARDENER OF THE GALAXY

20 min

A character study that follows a vigilante South Florida superhero. Who finds himself crossing paths with the oddities who populate the streets of the night.

GOOD ENOUGH ANCESTOR

Cynthia Wade 2024, Taiwan

20 min

Every night as a child, when visionary Audrey Tang prepared to go to sleep, she felt she had only a 50% chance of waking up in the morning due to a congenital heart problem.

I AM SOMEBODY

Scott Faris 2023, USA

9 min

Aspiring public defender, Taylor Toynes, notices his zip code in an article on the cradle-to-prison pipeline, he pivots to a career working with children.

Nick Natalicchio 2024, USA

11 min

World renowned astrophysicist and planetary scientist Dr. Edward Guinan reflects on his life, work, and involvement in the “Red Thumbs Mars Garden Project” at Villanova University.

HEBRON RELOCATION

Holly Andersen 2023, Canada

15 min

Holly Andersen tells the little-known story of the forced relocation of an Inuit community from Hebron, north of Nain, to more southerly locations along the Labrador Coast.

LOSING BLUE

Leanne Allison 2023, Canada

15 min

What does it mean to lose a colour? Losing Blue is a cinematic poem about losing the otherworldly blues of ancient mountain lakes, now fading due to climate change.

LOVE IN THE TIME OF MIGRATION

Erin Semine Kökdil, Chelsea Abbas 2024, USA

PLANETWALKER

21 min

Ronny and Suly have fallen in love. The only problem is that Ronny is in the US, while Suly is in Guatemala.

PRIDE OF TEXAS

Ashley Seering 2024, USA

7 min

A look at the Texas Gay Rodeo Association and its participants who prove that rodeo, and Texas, is a place for everyone.

TATTOOED4LIFE

Kineret Hay - Gillor 2024, Israel

30 min

Liraz, a survivor of the NOVA party massacre in Israel, wields her tattoo needle as a weapon against pain.

Dominic Gill, Nadia Gill 2024, USA

31 min

In 1971, John Francis, known as ‘Planetwalker,’ witnessed an oil tanker collision in the San Francisco Bay. The sight of it caused him to give up motorized transport.

RUIZ

Jesse Collier Sutterley 2023, USA

26 min

Kcey is a spirited young woman of Puerto Rican and African American heritage. Her spirit and endearing laugh became her signature, filling every room with infectious energy and joy.

THE CANDY FACTORY

Cory Jacobs, Jason Schmidt 2024, USA

21 min

A portrait of an unorthodox ecosystem in a former candy factory in Brooklyn.

DOCUMENTARY SHORTS

THE FOREST OF SOULS

Pierre Gaffié 2024, France

5 min

Mathilde is a young acoustician. Fascinated by the power of sounds, she wants to invent a new way of traveling through time and find the souls of the departed.

THE GRANADA THEATER: 100 YEARS

April Wright 2024,

30 min

The past, present and future of Santa Barbara’s beautiful Granada Theatre celebrating 100 years in 2024, and what this unique building has always meant to the community.

NARRATIVE SHORTS

3.400KG

Atefeh Nafari 2024, Islamic Republic of Iran

13 min

A middle-aged woman struggling with obesity faces a critical decision when her pursuit of a life-changing gastric bypass surgery takes an unexpected turn.

CLEO FROM 8:20 TO 2:35

Shaina Feinberg 2024, USA

11 min

Cleo has six hours and fifteen minutes between drop off and pick up. This is when she gets to be herself — the adult version of herself, away from her two young children.

DORI

Redi Mazi 2024, Albania

18 min

Dori dreams of becoming an actor. He knows all Shakespeare plays and his day is organized for possible meetings with producers, directors and actors in the industry.

A WAIT

Clare Macdonald 2023, United Kingdom

14 min

14-year old Beau arrives at the lake for summer only to find her Grandma is delayed and she has to spend the next 24 hours fending for herself.

CUT ME IF YOU CAN

Nicolas Polixène, Sylvain Loubet 2024, USA

21 min

Stuck in the loop of a horror B-movie, two black stereotyped characters decide to F*** up the script. But the film has other plans.

ENSOULED

Moe Najati 2024, United Kingdom

15 min

Deep within the enigmatic Eternia facility, Clara carries a heavy burden of concealed grief. But within these mysterious walls, her life is about to transform in ways she never imagined.

NARRATIVE SHORTS

EVERY 85 MINUTES

Jason Aaron Goldberg 2023, USA

12 min

A day in the pandemic life of Deana, an Army veteran in Las Vegas struggling with PTSD and MST (Military Sexual Trauma) along with the isolation and disillusionment many felt.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

ishkwaazhe Shane McSauby 2024, USA

An Indigenous man takes a Happy Thanksgiving wish very very personally.

INVOLUNTARY

7 min

GUNSLINGER

Lincoln Reed 2024, USA

15 min

After receiving a lifeline to chase his dream and play college baseball, a high school benchwarmer must decide to follow his heart or settle for less.

ILY, BYE

Taylor James 2024, USA

Dana E White 2023, USA

13 min

Carlton, a man in his 70s suffering from Dementia, is moved from a nursing home in the middle of the night.

13 min

Siobhan is a quirky, socially anxious mess who can’t seem to keep a job. Thanks to the help of her best friend Gary, she scores an interview with his boss, Mr. Litchfield.

KIDS FOR KIDNAPPING

Torrance Maurer, Justin Zimmerman 2023, USA

14 min

Kids for Kidnapping is a young brother and sister’s journey into a dark and seedy adult world.

MEMORY CARD

Taras Lashchak, Stanislav Puzdriak 2024, USA

23 min

Two gamers chase hidden coordinates in classic PlayStation games to win a valuable collectible memory card.

SHELTER

Jaro Jääskeläinen 2024, Finland

Homeless, seeking a light in the night.

SLEEPING ALONE

3:20

SAFETY STATE

Jeanette L. Buck 2024, USA

16 min

In a dystopian near future, a gay and a lesbian couple form an unlikely friendship as they flee the Midwest for safety in New England.

SINGLE LIGHT

Shaylee Atary 2023, Israel

Kelsea Bauman 2024, USA

14 min

A young woman attempts to enjoy a night of house-sitting in a couple’s countryside home.

29 min

Lali is sexually assaulted on a dark road in a Tel Aviv parking lot. Unable to move, she stares at a streetlight. The next morning, Lali wakes up to a reality which she refuses to accept.

THE BOY

Yahav Winner 2024, Israel, State of Palestine

25 min

Avinoam and Barak, father and son from a Kibbutz bordering the Gaza strip, are forced to deal with another round of rockets and combat, each in their own way.

NARRATIVE SHORTS

THE CURTAIN

Leslie-Ann Coles 2023, Canada

THE GIRL WHO WALKED ON SNOW

15:11

Mother-daughter tensions bind one generation to the next in a motel room where love, sex and a wish for redemption lurk when Beatrice, 50, is confronted with her own mortality.

THE MESSAGE

Reinhard Koller-Astleithner 2024, Austria

10 min

In a dull and lonely life, Salem decides to leave a message for the one who needs it most. (A charity project. All proceeds will go to NGOs helping migrants.)

THE ROAD TO LILITH

Liz Sweeney 2024, USA

11:08

For centuries, woman have hid their fierceness, suppressing their “Dark Feminine”, for fear of judgment from the patriarchy.

Bruno Carnide 2024, Portugal

3 min

In a distant place, the saddest of girls carries within her a darkness feared by all.

THE NIGHT BEGINS

Roman Sinitsyn 2024, Russian Federation

10 min

A young man’s careless pursuit of fun on a night out takes him on a thrilling journey filled with unexpected twists and turns, leading to grave consequences that he must answer for.

WE SHOULD EAT

Shaina Feinberg 2024, USA

10 min

When a family gathers for dinner and to be part of a 12-year-old’s school project on identity, people rethink who they are and what they want to eat.

EXPERIMENTAL

Tony Buba 2023, USA

6 min

A four-channel video that immerses the viewer on the effects of corporate decisions on front line communities.

HOW TO MAKE LOVE TO YOURSELF

Ace McColl, Taylor Claire Kinser 2024, USA

6 min

An aging woman attempts to reconnect with her body, through the help of a cassette tape.

LUNETTE

Mark Street 2024, USA

EIGHTEEN MILL STREET

Josh Weissbach 2024, Sweden

9 min

Shot at night in Paris through various magnifiers, this most iconic city becomes unfamiliar, and then somewhat familiar again.

14 min

Eighteen Mill Street introduces Ukrainian artists Marianna Tarish and Nikita Gryshko soon after their relocation to Sweden because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

LES PLOMES

Carme Puche More 2023, Spain

7 min

A mother and daughter must make their way through a grieving process together though they have never admitted to one another how severely the grief has affected them individually.

NIGHT COLLECTIONS #1

Britany Gunderson 2024, USA

Peripatetic Milwaukee portrait; burying an archive of collected images.

4 min

REALM OF SATAN EXPERIMENTAL

Scott Cummings 2024, USA

80 min

An experiential portrait depicting Satanists in both the everyday and in the extraordinary as they fight to preserve their lifestyle: magic, mystery, and misanthropy.

I LEFT gOD PENN STATE ALUMS

Johnathan Fernandez 2024, USA

7 min

A patient gets intimate with her therapist in unprecedented fashion.

YOUTUBER

Josh Weissbach 2024, USA

39 sec

Using imagery shot during the Covid-19 lockdown and audio from the film subject’s personal video library, a YouTuber (or something adjacent to that) is created.

MANIFESTO

Wallace McKelvey 2024, USA

18:25

A lonely young rideshare driver writes his manifesto while transporting a series of passengers back and forth across central PA.

LOCAL STORIES

ANEAUS: THE BOY WHO COULD DANCE

Bryan Conyers 2024, USA

BLAIR COUNTY: A PEOPLE’S HISTORY

29 min

Nearly taken from the world at birth, Aneaus has continued to beat the odds. Through dance, he’s learned how to express his art and overcome challenges in the face of adversity.

DAVID: A KING’S CALLING

Kaleb Cook, Kyler Cook 2024, USA

17 min

Samuel, troubled by the fate of God’s people, seeks divine guidance through fasting and isolation in Bethlehem.

NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE

Kathrine Muller 2024, USA

45 min

He’s an Altoona icon, and he’s certainly NOT your average Joe. Witness the extraordinary life and career of the local artist who has done it all, Joe Servello.

Mark Frederick 2024, USA

90min

A look at the history of Blair County, Pennsylvania, celebrating centuries of stories, valor and courageous actions of the area’s peoples.

LORICA

Benjamin Carlucci 2024, USA

14 sec

A young priest is confronted with the horrific abuse perpetrated by a mentor.

STUDENT FILMS WATCH

ANYTIME

COLLEGE STUDENT SHORTS

BANANA TREE

Sarah Bui 2024, USA

15:56

Banana Tree focuses on Ann, a divorced woman who is diagnosed with brain cancer and has a difficult time deciding whether or not to proceed with treatments.

CALLS

Brandon Keeton 2024, USA

20 min

A 911 call leads a new Police Chief to a cold case with a paranormal twist.

CAPTURING THE GHOST

Davi Mello 2024, Brazil

BODIES

John O’Connor 2024, United Kingdom

5:27

Larry’s willing to sell his grandmother for a fat wad of cash. But will he get his just rewards?

CAN YOU HEAR ME

Huang Zhe 2024, China

12 min

Three generations of a family cursed by a ghost.

26 min

A boy’s academic setback sets his family on a spiral to secure his future and later unveils the crumbling reality of his father’s affair, yet the boy learns to accept his family in a single day.

CARTA

Devin Smith, Ethan Coppel 2024, Portugal

4:40 min

A young couple are tragically separated by their circumstances, but come to find a way to love each other regardless.

COLLEGE STUDENT SHORTS

CHIMBORAZO

Keila Cepeda Satán 2024, Spain

7 min

The people of the volcano Chimborazo hike for hours to gather nearby ice. This age-old tradition and the population’s livelihood is threatened by increasing climate change.

A DREAM OF FIRE

Lingxuan Zhang 2024, USA

7:44

A 9-year-old boy, Wren, living with his mom, suffering from low self-esteem and the absence of a father’s love, tries to set fire to draw his dad’s attention, who is a firefighter.

FORTUNE SELLER

Rose Ansari 2022, Islamic Republic of Iran

THE CHRONOCULAR DEVICE

Edward Loupe 2024, USA

11 min

Afghan families seek refuge in neighboring countries, including Iran, to save their daughters’ lives. The project is about a refugee Afghan girl who came to Iran with her family.

15 min

A shadowy figure, upon breaking into an abandoned home, finds a strange device which allows him a glimpse into the home’s past.

DREAMS

Brandon Robert Kersjes 2023, USA

13 min

A young boxer with great potential, but suffering from a past concussion, decides to go against the odds and pursue his dreams, even when the stakes may mean everything.

GRATUITY NOT INCLUDED

Odin Bercu, Campbell Beattie 2024, USA

10 min

A new valet’s risky decision endangers his and his partner’s jobs.

GRAVY

Hannah Burns 2024, USA

10:50

A short film about love, loss, and good food. It follows the story of Johanna, a college aged girl whose grandmother just passed away.

HOUSE RULES

Amandeep Singh 2024, USA

5 min

A tenant renting a house for a couple nights fails to follow even the simplest of House Rules.

JANITOR 988

ustin Edwards, Karla Ojeda 2024, USA

HEAVEN ON EARTH

Tina Kakadelis 2023, USA

15 min

Highland Park Tennis Club has been offering free summer lessons since 2000 in an effort to expand the sport to those who cannot afford it. Follow the club as they prepare for 2023.

IN MY SLEEP, I SWALLOW YOU

Sidonie Auclair-Gendron 2024, Canada

An exploration of intestines.

JIMMY

2 min

4 min

A janitor struggling with his mental state only looks forward to his next drink. Janitor 988 is a short drama film intended to highlight the state of mental health in today’s society.

Luke J Salewski 2024, USA

5 min

After returning to Hollywood from serving in WWII, Jimmy Stewart auditions for John Ford’s next picture, struggling to restart his acting career. Inspired by true events.

COLLEGE STUDENT SHORTS

THE KID WHO PLAYED IN THE CORN FIELD

Los Combo Stands 2024, Ecuador

10 min

On a remote estate with a large cornfield, two filmmakers debate how to put together a film about a child disappearance. Everything goes well, until they encounter a terrible entity.

A LAND MEMORY

T.J. Blanco 2024, Honduras

7 min

A story about the lives and deaths of farmworkers in Colombia, the state-sanctioned murder of Lenca land defender, Berta Cáceres, and the filmmaker’s own relation to Honduras.

LIKE IT OR LUMP IT

Juan Antonio Arenas 2024, Spain

KNOCK TURN

Raegan Smith 2024, USA

13 min

Raquel, a girl overcoming a break-up, is convinced by her roommate Lola to go on a double date. There she meets Jesús, with whom she will start a new relationship.

10 min

Linnea, the instructor’s top student, gets ready to perform her debut piece before becoming a full-time traveling musician. She attempts to control her mental instabilities of the past.

THE LAST MAYOR OF CHINATOWN

Lena Chen 2023, USA

14 min

The Last Mayor of Chinatown tells the story of the rise, decline, and rediscovery of Pittsburgh’s Chinatown.

MAYBE

Ahmad Alaa Ismail 2024, Egypt

3 min

Solitude is a problem that faces a lot of us nowadays , but maybe its not a curse, maybe its the tunnel that we have to pass through.. To find the light within ourselves.

OFRENDA

Tyler Garcia 2023, USA

16 min

As she prepares for Dia de los Muertos, a young woman finds herself at odds with grief and tradition.

SEA OF TRANQUILITY

Eli Berliner 2024, USA

14 min

After his mom passes away, Sam’s father finds a way to help him move forward.

ONE UP

Mitch Garling 2023, Australia

9 min

In the wake of their parent’s sudden death, siblings Clare and Tim revert to their teenage selves. The siblings one up each other in an attempt to be the number one child.

SEARCH & DESTROY

Alexander Rosales 2022, USA

15 min

A coming of age adventure-drama that follows RAFAEL and his neighborhood friends (The Squad) who are on the run after pranking the high school baseball team (The Enemies).

Daniel Gat 2024, Israel

As The morning rises over Tel Aviv, Dror encounters Eitan, his ex. Both are on their way back home from a long night out. SEE YOU ‘ROUND THE BLOCK

11 min

SHAHROOR

Yafa Ezzat Shahroor, Mo’men Ghanim

Hasanain | 2023, State of Palestine

15 min

Shahroor is a short documentary about Yafa’s story, who was known for her passion for media since childhood.

COLLEGE STUDENT SHORTS

SINGING IN THE LIFEBOAT

Grace Wijaya 2023, USA

15 min

Jin seeks solace in the woods of Pennsylvania amidst the Covid pandemic.

SOUL SURVIVOR

Adrian Zacke 2023, Germany

10 min

A pilot crashes on a hostile planet and has to come to terms with the fact that he will never leave the place.

VISIT

Paulina Zając 2024, Poland

16 min

Maria and Waldemar Nowak, officers from the Office for Foreigners, come with an unannounced visit to Lilianna and Édouard to examine whether their marriage is real or fake.

SINK OR SWIM

Sienna Jade David 2024, Canada

5 min

Lia, a teenage girl, trying to come to terms with the loss of her younger brother that occurred when they were children. Lia’s birthday falls on the same day as her brother’s death.

SURF CHURCH: ALÉM DA COSTA

Naomi Yoder 2024, Portugal

12 min

Além Da Costa (Beyond The Shore) follows the story of Portuguese surfer and pastor of Surf Church, Samuel Cianelli, as he finds the Lord through the love of surfing.

WHAT I ASKED YOU THAT DAY

Fernando Morillo 2023, Spain

14 min

Manuel, 27, receives a disturbing message from his friend Juan. When they finally meet, Manuel will be involved in a nightmare in which one question predominates.

WHAT LIES

Tayler Owens, Jack Fauser, Hannah Johnson, JP Susantio | 2023, USA

5 min

When murder strikes in a friend group staying in an air b&b, a detective investigates as events take even further of a turn.

WITH TITS

Delia Morchesky 2024, USA

3 min

A kick-ass high school basketball team takes a stand against their sexist principal to get the name they deserve.

THE WANDERING ISLAND

Pablo Borges 2024, Spain

WILDERNESS TRIP

Aidan Merck 2024, USA

15 min

An ill-equipped camp counselor reluctantly leads a group of campers on a two-night camping trip.

YOU DON’T OWN HER

Hank Heimlich 2024, USA

18:12

The construction of a hotel, the mystery of an intermittent island and the reasons for an absence will define the future of a grandson and his grandfather.

15 min

After a young girl is arrested for allegedly assaulting her stepfather, he leverages her to choose between losing her mother or her future.

PENN STATE STUDENT SHORTS

A BROTHERLY CONVERSATION

Dillon Francis Williams 2024, USA

5 min

A documentary about the meaning of brotherhood, whether it’s through blood or by choice.

FAMILY TIES

Yilong Yang 2023, China

6 min

Traditional Chinese society has a pretty strict requirement for women, that is only as a wife and a mother, your life can be considered as complete.

THE FLOWER BIKE MAN

Courtney Kerr 2024, Netherlands

7 min

A Florida transplant transforms ordinary bicycles into colorful works of art that don the city of Amsterdam.

DOWN AT THE GOAL LINE

Jase Gibbons 2024, USA

7:27

Stephen Pitts ran all the way to the NFL, just through his love for the game of football. After making it to the top, an unknown illness forced him to medically retire from football.

FINDING ELISSA JOHNSON

Liana Danielle Simmons 2024, USA

4 min

Elissa Johnson, a college student and pastor’s kid, briefly navigates the complexities of faith and personal identity.

FOR THE FUTURE

Charles Irvin 2024, USA

A spotlight of six students leading the sustainability movement at Penn State University.

7 min

MOTHER’S MOURNING

Casey Blask 2023, USA

After the murder of her son, Joanne investigates the scene of the crime.

ROADKILL

4 min

Caleb Primeau 2024, USA

8 min

After causing a hit and run, a man must confront his role in the tragedy or suffer the same fate.

STANDING STILL

Ryan Manuud 2024, USA

4 min

At the end of their relationship, a couple partakes in a difficult conversation expressed through movement.

MUSIC FOR THE SOUL

Abby Tarpey 2024, Netherlands

8 min

A hidden cultural gem of Amsterdam, jazz music has lived a rich history, illuminated by the impact left on artists Rayn Bechoe and Roxanne Hartog.

SILVER

Brady Michael Bast, Ava Schimone 2024, USA

8 min

Professor Eric Silver reflects on life experiences that have cultivated his moral views. In this documentary, we explore his perspective and teachings about knowing right from wrong.

STUDIO VISIT

John Westmoreland 2023, USA

5 min

Under the moonlight, a young abstract painter unveils his creative process.

PENN STATE STUDENT SHORTS

TRIAD OF GREED

Andrew Reilly 2024, USA

YOU CAN’T DO THAT

11 min

When a group of friends are having a normal day at their house, everything goes sideways when two armed men in masks break in to rob them.

HIGH SCHOOL SHORTS

AT ODDS

Anthony Truncale 2024, USA

2:33

A high school student struggles with negative thoughts as he copes with the stress of life and school.

Clark Miller 2024, USA

13 min

Office slacker Matt starts to take concern in his co-worker Chris’ frequent trips to Africa.

YOUTH LIES

Dylan Larkin 2024, USA

21 min

Sara, a mentally erratic college student, is interrogated by the dean of the university on the troubling events between her and her boyfriend the night before.

AUTUMN LEAVES

Felix Smith 2024, Australia

9:52

Autumn Leaves is a short film that follows a cynic and a girl he meets who shows him how to see life in a ‘new light’.

A ROOM DIVIDED

Ruslan Khromin 2024, USA

9 min

Mark, a student at a boarding school, discovers that a hundred-dollar bill has gone missing from his lock box. Leading him to question the loyalty of his roommates Ed and Ron.

DUAL REALITY

Lila Caruso 2024, USA

A public service announcement on phone addiction.

7 min

A TRIBUTE TO THE STARRY-EYED GIRL

Zoe Epperson 2024, USA

12 min

Four eccentric, but earnest musicians drop out of university to try their luck in the Boston music scene.

FOUNDATION

Jack Hinz 2024, Australia

HONEY MILK

Ulaş Çetin Köreken 2024, Turkey

3 min

Buse lies in her bed exhausted and with a high fever. Her dad, which works from home, comes next to her. He asks her if she wants honey milk or not.

7 min

After experiencing the realities of cow farming as a child, Anthony Walsgott abandoned his life as a lawyer to purchase a 120-acre block— which is now Australia’s largest cow sanctuary.

HOW TO LOVE

John Monaco 2024, USA

6 min

A young man tries to figure out how to love a girl, but is held back by his fathers influence while having to confront the deepest parts of himself.

HIGH SCHOOL SHORTS

JAMBO

Ilysa Spencer 2024, USA

8 min

Kenyan chef explores his story with Santa Fe film club.

LIMEN

Sujay Saseedhar 2024, USA

12 min

A terminally ill boy encounters several entities in his home, inciting a macabre experience that forces him to confront his mortality.

LITTLE CHANGES

Abril Garcia, Marc Jaen, Martina Navarro | 2024, Spain

JENNAH THE GEM

Ashtyn Cripps 2023, USA

2:32

Small changes can prevent great catastrophes.

3 min

Wrestling and Boxing sensation Jeanna Creason electrifies the screen with her determination and dedication to be the best all around fighter in her weight class.

LISTEN TO US

Blake Elliot Jarvis 2024, USA

7 min

A short documentary about how autistic individuals can connect and communicate despite being unable to do so through speech.

MARINE

Xana Sterling 2024, USA

3 min

A Wong Kar-Wai inspired short film. A young artist finds refuge from a creatively desolate and crowded city at an aquarium, discovering the joy in peaceful solitude and marine life.

MEMORANDUM INC.

Aidan Rutman 2024, USA

8:19

A youthful-eyed workaholic and skilled sales analysis professional leaves home for a new position at a boutique corporation.

QIPAO

Ariel Tsao 2024, China

8 min

A young lady in 1990s Shanghai dreams of marrying into wealth to elevate her status, until she meets a mysterious man who knows her secret story.

SELF-REFLECTING

Lucas Jackson 2024, USA

4:38

After enduring a panic attack, Leigh runs away and hides in a bathroom, only to be met with their Reflection. Who, unfortunately, is not exactly very helpful in these situations.

P.O.V

Sam Abbasi, Parsa Moazami 2024, Islamic Republic of Iran

6:25

A young boy suffers from some of his bullied classmates because they annoy him at the end he decides to do something dangerous to make them feel sorry .

REMEMBER ME

Lauren P. Tyree 2024, Dominican Republic, USA

6 min

Documentary about a student led service trip to the Dominican Republic.

TALKING GUNS PROJECT

DeCaree Lewis 2024, USA

11 min

A short film from a youth perspective, telling policy makers, youth workers, adults, and parents exactly why Indianapolis teenagers carry guns and what can be done about it.

HIGH SCHOOL SHORTS

THE LEGEND OF WILD WES

Ian Wohlstadter, Fernando Veraztigue 2024,

7:26

A local sheriff finds himself back on the trail searching for the infamous outlaw, Wild Wes.

THREE COLORS

Lana Gredelj 2024, Croatia

10 min

A short film about the perception of life after a personal loss. Using experimental visuals, land-art and soundscapes, the natural world becomes a decor to express the unsayable.

THUNDERBIRD AND KILLER WHALE: S-HWUHWA’US & QUL-LHANUMUTSUN

Jason Cheng 2024, Canada

8 min

This film chronicles John’s creative decisions on the “Thunderbird and Killer Whale” canoe and its journey to the Museum of Anthropology at UBC, where it is now on permanent display.

MEET OUR SPONSORS & PARTNERS

MEET OUR SPONSORS & PARTNERS

FOUNDING SPONSORS

PRODUCERS

CO-PRODUCERS

BELLISARIO COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATIONS

Provides the opportunities and resources of a large university with the personalized feel and support of a small school. As one of the largest accredited programs of its kind in the nation, students can find a place where they can fit and succeed.

THE HAPPY VALLEY ADVENTURE BUREAU

The bureau’s mission is to develop, promote, and engage in travel related activities and coordinate visitor services designed to enhance the economic activity and quality of life within Centre County, Pennsylvania.

HYATT PLACE

Hyatt Place hotels understands that every trip has a purpose, and every stay should be an opportunity to recharge and make the next day more successful than the one before. After all, you never settle. So neither do we.

STATE COLLEGE BOROUGH

Under the Home Rule Charter, there is a seven-member Council, elected at large, for four-year, overlapping terms. Council sets policy and has ultimate responsibility for the municipal government.

PSU STUDENT AFFAIRS

We support and challenge students as they expand learning beyond the classroom, develop personal and professional skills, and achieve the success they seek at Penn State and in their lives.

THE ROWLAND THEATRE

Historic single-screen movie theatre built in 1917 by Charles Hedding Rowland. The theatre is owned by the borough of Philipsburg. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

THE STATE THEATRE

The State Theatre is a community-owned theatre dedicated to serving the Centre County region. We’re a mainstay of the State College, PA community, a proud hub of local culture, featuring artists both homegrown and nationally renowned.

UEC THEATRES 12

United Entertainment takes pride in bringing the magic of movies and new jobs to communities. The first UEC theatre was built in 1997 and has grown steadily since. With operations in 13 states currently, from east coast to west coast, UEC remains poised for growth.

ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS

OFFICE OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

The mission of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion strives to make the Bellisario College a comfortable, welcoming home for all students, staff and faculty.

BROWN DOG CATERING

A locally owned full-service catering company. As a husband and wife team, you can count on a personal experience and attention to your event’s needs when you choose Brown Dog for your services.

SHINDIG ALLEY

A family-owned business on Front Street in Philipsburg. Finds unique, vintage items in a range of time periods and styles to fit every budget. We do what we do to see you happy and in possession of a piece of history.

JOHN CURLEY CENTER FOR SPORTS JOURNALISM

Explores issues and trends in sports journalism through instruction, outreach, programming and research. Emphasizes internships and hands-on experience with broadcast, multimedia and print outlets as well as with league, sport and team publicity operations.

IPHET

Dedicated to promoting education and the arts, the understanding and use of technology, job training, developing sustainable communities in underserved areas worldwide, healthy living, and preparing young people for the challenges of the future.

DON DAVIS PROGRAM IN ETHICAL LEADERSHIP

The mission of the Don Davis Program in Ethical Leadership is to promote professional, academic and personal integrity within the community of the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications.

MIDDLE EASTERN STUDIES

Middle Eastern Studies at PSU offers a way to investigate a region of the world from multiple perspectives engaging a variety of methods of study including History, Political Science, Religion, Language, Literature, Art History, Communication Arts and Sciences, Gender Studies, Religious Studies, Jewish Studies, and more.

WEBSTER’S BOOKSTORE CAFE

A new food & beverage menu as well as our thousands of used books, local & featured new books, and merchandise, all available for you to browse and purchase. We are still proud to host Stax of Trax records and Tiger’s Eye Vintage.

CENTRE LGBT+

Centre LGBT+ brings the community together through LGBT+ education, advocacy, and activities in the Centre County region. Founded in 2014, we are a grassroots organization centered around enhancing the lives of LGBT+ members and their friends and families.

MIDDLE EASTERN STUDIES

Centre Film Festival

Thanks Our Hotel Sponsor

The Rowland Theatre Welcomes the Centre Film Festival

Together, we celebrate films and filmmakers! We love having you back!

Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 2:30 PM

Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 8:00 PM

Thursday, Nov. 14 at 2:00 PM HIPPO +

DON’T PICK UP + RENT FREE

We proudly welcome you to the

CENTRE FILM FESTIVAL

Enjoy a week of local and international films and discussions with visiting filmmakers, right here in

Razom for Ukraine (Razom) was founded in 2014 and is a leading US-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting Ukraine With a robust international network of volunteers and partners, we provide humanitarian aid, and administer programs focused on health, advocacy, civil society and culture Headquarters are in New York City with offices in Washington, D C, and Kyiv, Ukraine

Born of a historical imperative when Ukrainians came under direct threat, and Crimea and Donbas were illegally occupied by Russia, the mission conceived then has not changed and indeed, is more salient than ever as we enter our second decade of work to support Ukraine in its quest to be integrated into Europe and the western world order We invite our allies, partners, friends and volunteers to join us in this work

SSION

DONATE

Ra gether" in Ukrainian, is de he principles of the Re idan) and actively co ishment of a secure, pr atic Ukraine We achieve this by creating, inspiring, and collaborating on initiatives that motivate people to think, partner and do

OUR PROGRAMS

Razom educates, activates and delivers. We fulfill our mission through five core program areas that enable us to provide humanitarian aid and support to Ukrainians, and advance advocacy and cultural diplomacy efforts in the U S They include:

Razom Heroes is delivering life-saving aid to first responders and frontline medics.

Razom Health is strengthening a modern healthcare system to serve Ukrainians now and after victory.

Razom Relief is investing in local Ukrainian NGOs that supply aid to vulnerable communities.

Razom Advocacy is advancing legislation and policy for Ukrainian victory.

Razom Connect celebrates and promotes the vibrancy of Ukrainian voices through education, volunteering, and the arts.

Philanthropic support is critical in advancing Razom’s mission and we simply can’t do it without the generous contributions of our donors. Find out about the multiple ways you can make your tax deductible gift by scanning the QR code.

FUNDRAISE

FUNDRAISE

Raising

Philanthropic support is critical in advancing Razom’s mission and we simply can’t do it without the generous contributions of our donors Find out about the multiple ways you can make your tax deductible gift by scanning the QR code

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G e r m a n i c a n d S l a v i c L a n g u a g e s a n d L i t e r a t u r e s .

112 E PINE STREET

PHILIPSBURG, PA

“ Seeyou next year! ”

We believe Central Pennsylvania is rich with screen-worthy stories and the talent to make them. The Centre Film Festival is a week-long celebration of film and conversation connecting local voices with global ones through media arts, workshops and masterclasses. The Centre Film Festival brings multigenerational stories to the screen. With the historic Rowland Theatre and State Theatre as century-old touchstones, we bring filmmakers and films to the community that spark conversation and inspire new works. The festival o ers masterclasses that enable local teens to engage with artists and develop their own artistic visions.