Daria! (2021)

Daria!

Issue XII - 2021

Issue XII - 2021

DARIA! Exclusive Joe Chang A MULTIFACETED ARTIST

By Daria Trifu p. 7

RISING STARS THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF

ANGYTTA CHERRIER

By Bruno Pischiutta p. 14 THE GRACIOUS ACTING OF

LINDSEY BEIER

By Bruno Pischiutta p. 21

Global Nonviolent Film Festival’s

FILM GUIDE

p. 25

ON THE COVER Actress KELLY DALSTON | Design & COMPOSITION Daria Trifu | Concept Bruno Pischiutta

EDITOR’S PAGE

S

ome years ago, I used to visit different Film Markets. I was there to sell movies to buyers; that is where it was decided, by the buyers, what films the people around the world will get to watch. The film distributors were choosing the Bmovies that contained the most amount of gratuitous violence and graphic sexual scenes, while the sellers, mostly independent producers, were engaged in a race that was going to be won by those who had violent content prevalent in their products. This was evident just by glancing at the images presented on the surrounding film posters. In that environment, a film lacking violence didn’t have a chance to get picked-up and distributed.

I particularly remember a distributor who was buying films for an Asian territory: he used to watch the films on the VCR at double speed. It was clear that he could not hear the dialog nor understand the film’s action. He had a box of matches in his hand and, every time when somebody was killed, he was taking out a match and putting it on the table. In the end, he was counting the matches and purchasing the movie containing most murders.

That’s when I promised to myself to change that disgusting situation as soon as possible! I told myself that something had to be done in the interest of the public who wanted to watch nonviolent content, and in favor of the filmmakers who wished to express themselves trough nonviolent films, while being able to access worldwide distribution for their products.

It’s not been easy, and it took me years to fulfill that promise, but a few months ago I succeeded: on April 15, the Global Cinema Online movie channel went live. I am proud to be its co-founder alongside film director Bruno Pischiutta.

Globalcinema.online is a unique payper-view streaming channel available worldwide and showcasing films and documentaries that do not contain gratuitous violence.

For the first time in the history of the film industry, we can guarantee worldwide distribution for nonviolent movies. More so, we are able to propose distribution contracts with very advantageous financial terms to all the films that are selected at the Global Nonviolent Film Festival. As a matter of fact, the majority of the content we stream comes directly from our Festival and is fully curated.

2021 is a milestone year for our company for one more reason: our Global Nonviolent Film Festival is celebrating its 10th annual edition; the event takes place on-line at globalnonviolentfilmfestival.com from September 23 to October 3. Beginning on page 25 of this Daria!, you will find the complete guide presenting the 44 films from 27 countries (of those, 11 movies are premieres) that are selected at the Festival this year.

DARIA TRIFU, Editor-in-Chief www.dariamagazine.com

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Daria!

2021

EXCLUSIVE 7 A MULTIFACETED ARTIST

By Daria Trifu Artist, animator and independent filmmaker, JOE CHANG, discovers the highlights of inspiration from his personal life experience and perception.

By Joe Chang, page 7.

Actress Stephanie Tripp, page 14.

RISING STARS 14 THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF ANGYTTA CHERRIER

By Bruno Pischiutta “Her acting audition was superb and she is definitely ready to embark on the road to international stardom”, says Pischiutta.

21 THE GRACIOUS ACTING OF LINDSEY BEIER

By Bruno Pischiutta “I was impressed by her natural grace; her body, her voice and her acting style are definitely gracious and give a perfect image of the fragility that is intrinsic to her being”, says film director Bruno Pischiutta

D!VINE 17 STEPHANIE TRIPP 20 JOHNNY PIENAAR 24 GRETA GOLDLING

D!SCOVER 18 LUNA AVELAR Ethically of Salvadoran heritage, actress LUNA AVELAR wants to have the chance to be a great representative of the Salvadoran community in the US media.

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ON THE COVER

Kelly Dalston Daria!’s Cover Girl and the ‘Image’ of the 2021 edition of the Global Nonviolent Film Festival.

Kelly Dalston is a Brazilian/Spanish actress who lives and works in London, UK. She recently completed the International Film Workshops taught by film director Bruno Pischiutta, and she has been signed with Global Film Actors Agency.

Daria!

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

FESTIVAL GUIDE 25 GLOBAL NONVIOLENT FILM FESTIVAL 2021 44 films from 27 countries are selected in competition at the 2021 edition of the Global Nonviolent Film Festival – the most important and renown nonviolent film festival in the world. Out of the selected films, there are eleven premieres.

Starting on page 25, the readers will find photos, directors’ commentaries and more about each of the films being presented at the Festival.

The 10th annual edition of the event takes place from September 23 to October 3 on-line, at www.globalnonviolentfilmfestival.com

EXTRAS 3 EDITOR’S LETTER 5 ON THE COVER: Kelly Dalston

Daria!

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, Daria Trifu CONTRIBUTOR, Bruno Pischiutta MAGAZINE LAYOUT, Daria Trifu EDITORIAL DESIGN, Daria Trifu PUBLISHER, Adhara Properties Inc. www.dariamagazine.com daria@globalfilmstudio.com

A Multifaceted

ARTIST JOE CHANG discovers the highlights of inspiration from his personal life experience and perception.

By Daria trifu

Self-portrait 1981

Light and Shadow #17, oil on canvas, 1996.

Daria! 2017 / 2018

www.dariamagazine.com |

Daria! | 7

J

oe Chang studied printmaking at the university in Shenyang, China where he remained as a teacher after graduation. “In 1982, it was one of the best jobs a college graduate could get. If he could have held the job until retirement, it might have been a good choice, but I was never one to content with the status quo”, he says.

He went on to study in Japan, and later he moved to Canada where he regained the love for movies that he had dating back to his youth. He became a filmmaker himself; his animated short film Chinese Violin was accepted by the National Film Board of Canada. The recognition he received for this first work was an important turning point in his life and the catalyst for his embarkment on the road of animation filmmaking as a career.

Joe Chang created the animation part for the Canadian documentary Incorrigible. The film tells the story of Velma Demerson, a white woman from

Light and Shadow #12, oil on canvas, 1996.

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Light and Shadow #6, oil on canvas, 1996

Ontario who fell in love with a Chinese youth and was sent to prison by her father in the late 1930s.

Chang finds that racial discrimination still exists today giving this story practical significance in our time.

In addition to teaching and making animated films, Joe Chang creates ink paintings, (the technique used is painting on vinyl films with ink). He made thousands of paintings so far. Many praise him for being diligent, an adjective he likes.

He often tells his students that when opting in or out of an industry, the most important criteria to follow is described in three words: ‘I like it’.

Daria! 2017 / 2018

Beach, oil on canvas, 1995.

Daria! 2017 / 2018

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closely related to his life and way of thinking.

Although he himself thinks that he did not yield any amazing results, nor is he a genius patronized by God, his creative methods are enough to release his mind and body and gain happiness on the road of artistic enlightenment.

“The greatest internal motivation for working tirelessly with joy lies in the creation.”

Sketch #3, 1979.

“F

or every person who is engaged in artistic realization, there is a problem that will always haunt him, namely how the inspiration is generated. I think that even some very successful artists may not be able to answer this question accurately. Is there a way in the world for creative inspiration to appear at the time and place you specify? Until now, this method has not been discovered. On the other hand, because this kind of trouble is surrounds the creator all the time, everyone is accustomed to it and doesn't think it is a trouble,” explains the artist.

Joe Chang learned a method suitable for his own creative process. It requires a constant search for the discovery of highlights of inspiration from his life experience: it means to understand more, experience more, think more, and practice more. This method has proven very effective for him. Looking back, along the way, Chang's painting and animation work are

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2017 / |2018

Sketch #6, 1980.

Still from The Music Box.

A

fter three years of work, Joe Chang completed the animated short film The Music Box in 2019. It is based on his personal experience. It is set in China during the Cultural Revolution of 1967, and it is about a young boy, Liang Liang, whose family is suddenly taken to the countryside by Red Guards. The only treasured item that he is able to grab is a western style music box.

He is careful not to expose it to the Red Guards since it was linked to western culture.

The message carried by the film is that music can be a universal messenger of peace in the world.

Still from The Music Box.

www.dariamagazine.com

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I

n 2020, Joe Chang created an interesting experimental animated short entitled Pray. The animation is a non-narrative short film that is abundantly poetic. It centers on a praying wise man, with a theme of the human’s prayer for peace and happiness. The film is divided into three parts, each with a relatively independent humanistic connotation. Many of the visual images in the film are afforded by Chang's original ink and wash animations. Integrated organically with music of rich Oriental flavor, these dynamic animations present the audience with an artistic audio-visual experience. In the experience, dynamism permeates calmness while harmonizing with it. Truly, it exemplifies the beauty of Zen of the East. In the second half of this short film that only lasts for 4 1/2 minutes, the author's paintings from different periods of his career are also consciously displayed. The animated film is thus expressive of the author's personal life experience and perception.

In his films, Chang creates a subtle and dynamic atmosphere that is consistent with the theme of the experimental film; his unique expression endows the image with a lively sense of respiration, a highlight of the originality of the film.

Ink paintings.

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T

he latest animated film by Chang is I Am Not an Angel, an 11-minute film with no dialogue that is about an ordinary nurse named Amy who does everything in her power to help save a critical patient struggling with Covid-19. It is a testament to the heroic deeds of the health care workers in the fight against a deadly enemy that is infecting and killing people all over the world.

Joe Chang began working on the concept of the story a few months ago when we were not allowed to travel and had to stay in self-quarantine. “Like everyone else, I didn't understand what the virus was, since governments were not telling the truth about the rate of infections and the mounting deaths. As it moved from Wuhan China to the rest of the world, suddenly we were all fighting this enemy without knowing how it spreads and how to protect each other. All I knew was that death from infection was real, and if we didn't follow strict protocols, it would continue to spread and kill people at an exponential rate. This story started in China, but it's no different for any country that is currently watching its people get infected and die. I end the story with the virus still lurking in the shadows.”

T

hemes of life and death have been explored by artists since ancient times. Each artist uses his own artistic insight and comprehension of the world to interpret what he experiences.

Joe uses symbolic characters represented by the patient, the demon and the angel. These characters represent the strong desire to live, the horror of death, and the valour of fighting the demon to the end.

Chang wants I Am Non an Angel to be a tribute to the sacrifices health care workers make for us. “They are ordinary people, but they are extra-ordinary: too modest to call themselves heroes, not seeing themselves as life-saving angels. Completely altruistic, they put themselves in danger to care for us. They are in my eyes - Angels.”

The nightmare of the pandemic continues, leaving a mark that will never be erased from our collective memory. D! Joe Chang is an award-winning Chineseborn Canadian animation director and artist. His films have been awarded internationally, and his paintings have been collected by many art galleries and are part of private collections. Today, the artist, together with his wife Yang Li and their two sons, lives in Vancouver, Canada. He is also teaching animation in Hangzhou and Shanghai, China as a visiting professor.

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www.dariamagazine.com

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RISING STAR

A

Cherrier is an adorable and multitalented young Indonesian girl. She is beautiful, she is Muslim, and she is only thirteen years old. Considering her age, it is difficult to call her a girl; a child will probably be more appropriate but, knowing her several talents, her mind and her maturity level, if we call her a “child” we should call her a “child prodigy”.

THE

WONDERFUL WORLD OF

Angytta Cherrier

By Bruno Pischiutta 14 | Daria! | www.dariamagazine.com

S

urrounded and supported by the love of her family members, appreciated by her teachers and revered by her friends, she has achieved great results till now and especially this year; nothing is too difficult or complicated for her.

Time ago, when talking about somebody’s value, we used to say that she was “one in a million”; this is not enough to describe Angytta: she is “one in 270 million Indonesian”, and she has very different and yet incredibly valid skills.

Daria! 2017 /

2018

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A

ngytta is an admirer of the Japanese culture and this can be seen in her animeinfluenced animation drawings. Her technique combines graphic art, characterization, and cinematography. In comparison with Western animation, her anime production is generally very humorous and focuses less on movement, and more on the use of camera effects, such as panning, zooming, and angle shots.

Inevitably, this brings us to the other big talent of Angytta which is acting.

In the course of years I taught film, part of my International Film Workshops, to a lot of students from different countries and of different ages. Angytta is probably the youngest student I ever had. She performed so well during the Workshops’ months that she received an exclusive contract with our talent agency, Global Film Actors Agency, and a good number of shares in our company, Global Film Studio, that are worth a great deal of money.

Her short life is without negative experiences. Her world is filled with love for her parents, her two brothers, her friends and her wild cat. Even if very mature for her age, her artistic talents are mixed with humor and, of course, innocence; this is the wonderful world of actress Angytta Cherrier. D!

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“Her acting audition was superb and she is definitely ready to embark on the road to international stardom”.

D!vine Actress

Stephanie Tripp “ Represented by Global Film Actors Agency.

Acting for me is sharing the most intimate parts of my soul, I give a little piece of myself away every time I take on a role. Performing saved me, it helped me escape from the darkness in my world and transported me to a place where anything is possible.

I feel very lucky to be able to perform full time and very much look forward to working with Global Film Studio.

”

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D!scover “I would like to perform mysterious characters in films with twisted plots. I also feel that playing the role of a psychopath would be fun and fascinating.”

Luna Avelar Actress

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L

una Avelar is a very young and beautiful actress who lives in Dallas, Texas.

In the last few months, she attended the International film workshops taught by film director Bruno Pischiutta. Luna is ready to start her professional acting career, and she is represented by Global Film Actors Agency.

Luna is opinionated and very ambitious; she wants to arrive to the top by performing in great movies made by the best companies.

Ethically of Salvadoran heritage, she wants to have the chance to be a great representative of the Salvadoran community in the US media. D!

“I like the public to know that, no matter how well known I become, I will always remain humble and no money or fame will ever change that.”

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D!vine

“

I was born feet first. The umbilical chord wrapped around my neck in a noose.

I started life as the hanged man. I died that morning for a while. I was resuscitated and came back to life.

I didn't cry, I looked around and said ‘goo’.

Before becoming an actor, I had already experienced war, killing, savagery, torture. The brutal. I never became an actor, I was born an actor. The experiences, that have blessed me, are beyond dramatic.

” Actor

Johnny

Pienaar Photo by Michael M Nicolaou

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Johnny is represented by Global Film Actors Agency.

RISING STAR

THE

GRACIOUS ACTING OF

Lindsey Beier

By Bruno Pischiutta www.dariamagazine.com

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L

indsey Beier is an Irish actress based in London and represented by Global Film Actors Agency. Very passionate about the performing arts, with a preference for acting and dancing, she knew what her career path will be from an early age.

The young performer studied and worked on stage and in front of the camera in her native Ireland, and in London. In Hollywood, she was awarded two scholarships and attended dance classes at the Millennium Dance Complex where previous performers included Britney Spears, Usher and Janet Jackson.

Lindsey is very familiar with the Stanislavsky Method and the Alexander Technique; she partook in stage productions that included A Midsummer Night’s Dream and A Chorus Line.

“When I saw her pictures and after I watched her showreel, I was impressed by her natural grace; her body, her voice and her acting style are definitely gracious and give a perfect image of the fragility that is intrinsic to her being”, says Bruno Pischiutta.

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I asked Lindsey a few questions.

Bruno Pischiutta: You have been in the performing arts for a long time; how did acting and dancing influence your personal life until now?

Lindsey Beier: They helped me in many ways. Since I was a kid I knew I wanted to portray characters and bring them to life. Acting has always been a passion of mine. Dancing the same, I have always found it to be therapeutic.

B.P. What are your goals, what do you like to achieve in the near future?

L.B. I would love to work abroad. Traveling is something that I love to do, and I would love to work in America and in other European countries.

B.P. How was your Hollywood experience?

L.B. It was amazing. When I was given the opportunity to go to Hollywood, it was a dream come true.

I loved it over there, and I enjoyed being able to do performing arts in LA. B.P. Would you like to play relevant roles in American films?

L.B. Yes, of course. Acting is my main passion and I would love to be doing acting work in the USA. D!

www.dariamagazine.com

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D!vine

Greta Actress

Goldling Exclusively represented by Global Film Actors Agency.

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Festival Guide

www.dariamagazine.com

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Jury Members In alphabetical order.

Shamil Aliyev Shamil Aliyev is a multi-award winning screenwriter, producer, and director from Azerbaijan. His feature film Steppe Man was awarded at the Global Nonviolent Film Festival in 2020.

Joe Chang Joe Chang is a university professor and award winning Chineseborn Canadian animation director. His film The Music Box was awarded at the Global Nonviolent Film Festival in 2020.

Elio Dell’Unto Elio Dell’Unto is an award winning film producer from Toronto, Canada who’s career spans over 30 years. Previously, he served as President of the Jury at the 2016 edition of the Global Nonviolent Film Festival.

Flynn Donovan Flynn Donovan is an award winning cinematographer and documentary filmmaker. His film Down River was awarded at the Global Nonviolent Film Festival in 2020.

Hamed Soleimanzadeh Hamed Soleimanzadeh is a film critic and university professor from Iran. He is a member of The International Federation of Film Critics and was among the jury members for the FIPRESCI award at the 74th Cannes Film Festival.

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Feature Film / 92 min. / Iceland

RISING MOON A Feature Film by Lydur Arnason

T

wo brothers disagree about their mother’s inheritance.

The older brother has a lot of children but no money; he lives in his mothers house in a small sea village with his wife and four children. The younger brother has no children but a lot of money. He lives in the city with his unsatisfied wife who desperately wants a child but cannot have it. D!

“This film is about surrogacy and it is based on a true story.

The shootings took place in the north west part of Iceland. The main actors were chosen locally. The whole community of a village was our big supporter during the shooting. The purpose of this film is to draw attention to the pros and cons of surrogacy”, says Lydur Arnason.

www.dariamagazine.com

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Feature Film / 134 min. / Bulgaria, Ukraine

AWAY FROM THE SHORE A Feature Film by Kostadin Bonev

I

n Away From the Shore, a talented theatre director has been expelled from the capital city of Sofia for two years and sent to a small provincial theatre where he wants to put-on a play that his thoughts are obsessed with. This play talks about people who are being constantly watched and are living in constant fear of punishment. Gradually, the tension from the play moves into the real life of the actors and puts the whole performance in jeopardy.

The story happened 40 years ago; or, maybe 30... Some people claim that the incredible things the film is about can happen even now. The story tells of non-free people living in a non-free society. D!

In my view, says Kostadin Bonev, the cinema reality is more real than the world that surrounds us. Everything the audience believes in automatically turns into truth. Film reality helps many to understand the mechanisms that make the world go round as well as their lives.

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In cinema there are no such concepts as “past, present, and future”. In cinema everything is “here and now”. In this film I tell a story that happened 30 or 40 years ago because I see the same things happening around me now, today.

The story of the director who is expelled from Sofia and his troubles in the small provincial theater makes sense only if the audience identifies itself in the story. The fear of being observed, the fear that somewhere somebody is collecting information about you and your relatives, the fact that you do not have your own privacy is not new. The difference in our story is that in order to get rid of his fears and phobias, our protagonist puts-on a play in which the things I am talking about are the main topic. The play is about a ship run by a mad captain. Gradually, he imposes an order that makes the crew’s routine extremely difficult; a revolt ensues only when the ship runs out of food.

Feature Film / 102 min. / Uganda, Nigeria

TALE OF ZOZO A Feature Film by Kingsley Paul Ukaegbu

A

distraught young woman tells her mother’s story of pain and suffering as a result of being forced into marriage as a child.

The viewers learn of her grandmother’s struggles too and how a history of abuse in the family has resulted in severe consequences on several generations. D!

“The pain and emotional torture attached to rape lives with the victim for life. It makes some people vulnerable and more aggressive towards others or the children they have out of such misfortunes. Zozo grew up in an unstable home where her mother was sexually abused by her father.

After a chain of misfortunes, Zozo becomes an orphan and is left to take care of her siblings”, says Kingsley Paul Ukaegbu.

www.dariamagazine.com

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Feature Film / 117 min. / France

REPENTANCE A Feature Film by Gnassounou Akpah Ahuanye Koffi Chico

I

n this musical feature lm, Elise is madly in love with Benjamin. He has eyes only for Gloria who prefers to wait before making up her mind. Elise and Benjamin are part of a group of six performers that regularly challenges a rival group of ve dancers/singers of Gospel song. Who will win the great competition? Benjamin has a vocation to become a pastor and he is coached by the strict pastor named G. An unexpected event is going to upset the community. What if the answer is forgiveness and repentance? D!

I wanted to make a musical comedy film for many years, but I had no story to tell.

About five years ago, a friend of my daughter told me a story that happened in her church where a girl got pregnant and the father designated by the lady refused to recognize the child. This was the starting point. That story prompted me to start writing a screenplay. The means were very meager, but I told myself that I had to move forward, because if I had to wait until I had everything in place, I would never get there. I contacted a cinematographer with whom I had already made a short film, and

fi

fi

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he was willing to work with me, especially since we were in 2020 with a deplorable health situation around the world. He knew a sound engineer who was highly regarded and with whom he worked from time to time. That’s how I launched the machine, registered the film at the ‘National Center for Cinema and the Moving Image’, found the actors and the shooting locations, chose the music and songs of the film, got the authorizations, and the finances. It was not a small affair, thank God because it was a multiplication of small miracles to make this film. Starting with my cinematographer who told me clearly ‘dear Chico, we come to work with you for your film because we like your project but it's not for what you pay us’. Bravo and thanks to everyone!”, says Koffi Chico with much gratitude and well deserved pride.

Feature Film / 82 min. / USA

SHELLFISH A Feature Film by Hunter Hopewell

A

coming-of-age comedy enhanced by a bit of stop motion animation.

Amidst mounting parental pressure to find a real job, college filmmaker Keller has one week to secretly produce a short film with his brother and longtime crush. When their shoot goes wrong, they confront each other about much more than production issues. Faced with his own selfishness, Keller must decide which is more important, his filmmaking or close relationships. D!

“‘Shellfish’ is the result of a hungry team of students with limited budget and resources, giving it their all to produce a coming-of-age comedy with a bit of stop motion animation. Stop motion sparked my love of filmmaking at nine years old. Now

at 25, I hope the uplifting, fun-filled nature of my team's first film brings joy and emotion to audiences, especially following a year that was anything but fun-filled. Many young filmmakers poured their blood, sweat, and tears into this, and we learned A LOT in the process that we're excited to share”, says Hunter Hopewell. www.dariamagazine.com

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Feature Film / 75 min. / USA

COWGIRLS AND INDIANS A Feature Film by Kate Davis

F

ormer rodeo queen Callie goes on a wild ride when she attends the funeral of a former lover on an Indian Reservation. Callie meets his widow and sister and confronts the lies she has believed for twenty years. The three women have to band together to fulfill his final burial request. A heart-felt film about women from different cultures overcoming preconceived notions and a web of deceit woven that connects them. D!

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“Cowgirls and Indians is loosely based on an experience that I had at the funeral of a Native American friend. It's is highly fictionalized but retains the basic flavor of that enlightening experience. I prefer to write and direct films about average people thrown into situations that require them to rely on their inner courage and intelligence. I believe approaching difficult situations with an open mind is an important way to overcome bigotry. Film allows me to combine my love of performance arts and design by collaborating with talented cast and crew to create well-told stories - stories that mean something”, says Kate Davis.

Feature Film / 95 min. / USA

THE HYBRIDS FAMILY A Feature Film by Tony Randel

A

story about acceptance, understanding and tolerance of other cultures, religions and way of life.: family plays an important part in all of it.

A daring young couple, one a vampire and the other a witch, fall in love and against their parents and a thousand years of culture, marry and birth two beautiful hybrid children.

The parents, fearing the normal world is not ready for their teenagers, shelter them in an ancient chateau deep in the cold northern woods of Washington. The teenagers, longing for a normal life with other teenagers, run away to the warm tropical state of Florida. The parents, finding the children gone, and fearing for their safety in the normal world, begin searching for them. In desperation they call on their respective parents for help. The parents, The Count and Aradia the Witch, have been at odds with

Paul Sorvino

each other since the children, Todor, The Count’s son, and Valantina, Aradia’s daughter, ignored the parents pleas to discontinue their courtship. Instead they eloped to France where Valantina gives birth to Blaz and Velana. Now the grand parents must come together to help locate the children. Meanwhile, the evil Professor Prater continues his quest to have Valantina remove a curse she placed on him. His plan is to find the children, and hold them hostage until she removes the curse. D! www.dariamagazine.com

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Feature Film / 78 min. / Hungary

DARKING WAY A Feature Film by Zsolt Pozsgai

D

arking Way is a period drama based on a real story. When the Hungarian War of Independence failed, its thirteen leaders were sentenced to death. The European Royal Courts and even the Russian Tsar himself protested against their executions. Among the prisoners there was General Ignác Török, an artificer officer, whose life was full of secrets and legends. He never married. He had neither children, nor a family.

He devoted himself to the memory of his onetime only lover, Charlotte. Now, on the night before his execution, Charlotte arrives with her husband, Sternberg, who is a high-ranking official in the Imperial Court, and, on the orders of the Emperor, they try to save the prisoner. D!

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Zsolt Pozsgai, born 20 September 1960 in Pécs, is a multi-award winning Hungarian freelance writer, playwright, stage and film director, and film producer. Pozsgai become a writer in his early teenage years, and at the age of 14 he was already directing an independent amateur theatre company in his home town. With a stellar career in both film and theater, Zsolt Pozsgai is the author of over 112 plays, and director of over 53, as reported by the Hungarian Theatre Archives. He has written, producer, and/or directed over 20 films, and he is the general director of Horatio Film since 2007.

Feature Film / 93 min. / Iran

THE BADGER A Feature Film by Kazem Mollaie

T

he Badger is the second feature film directed by Kazem Mollaie.

The film is about Soodeh, a 40-year-old woman who faces a strange incident. Right before her second marriage, her 11-year-old son, Matiar, is kidnapped.

After considerable effort, Soodeh is forced to ask for the ransom money from her ex-husband.

After Matiar's release, Soodeh comes to the sudden realization that she was played. D!

Kazem Mollaie started filmmaking in 1999. He holds a B.A. in Cinema Directing from Soore University of Tehran. Mollaie is the member of several organizations such as the Iranian Young Cinema Society, the Iranian Alliance of Motion Picture Guilds, member of the Board of Directors of the Iranian Short Film Association and Directors Guild of Iran. He is known for his first feature film, ‘Kupal’ and the short films ‘Delete’ and Minus’.

www.dariamagazine.com

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Feature Film / 85 min. / India

QUE SERA SERA

A Feature Film

by Sohrab Khandelwal

Q

ue Sera Sera is a story of two strangers meeting on a their last day in Mumbai. Shot in and around Mumbai, its the story of Kabir the poet, and Lucia the ballerina finding comfort in each other's company as they explore the city together. What will become of them - Que Sera Sera. D!

“I wanted to make a film, that would be sort of a reminder to an old school romance, when love was for keeps and people had time for each other. Initially, I had no resources until I heard about a film being made with an iPhone and I thought that resources shouldn't stop me from telling a story. I wanted to tell a story that would leave the audience with some positivity and I also wanted to reflect on the things that affected the society in India - things like the fascination with the white skin or the family pressures that force people to not take up artistic careers. I wanted to shoot Mumbai in a way that had never been shot before, in places where you normally 36 | Daria! | www.dariamagazine.com

wouldn't get permission to shoot. I wish to make films that people can relate to all around the world, thats what the free spirited characters Kabir and Lucia bring to the story. ‘Que Sera Sera’ is a film about two strangers who are alone even though they live in such a mega city like Mumbai.

A one chance encounter paves the way for love, love that is free from the dust of lust and desire to possess. People have forgotten to give each other time and attention.

Needlessly people become like onions covering themselves with layers over layers. The film is about many things, most of all the subtle nature of love in a world thats more concerned with gadgets.” Sohrab Khandelwal

Feature Film / 95 min. / USA

TOMMY MACHISMO A Feature Film by Mustujab Kirmani and Akash Musik

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ain Tommy (Mustujab Kirmani) gets set up on blind dates by his roommates, Kevin (Marcus Lawrence) and Jeff (Wes Johnson), after a tough break up. Tommy, with a little help from Cassie (Amanda Shafer), navigates the hilarious online dating scene because who knows where his friends found these ladies. D!

“While watching this film, I want the viewer to experience how things are on a date when meeting a person who is completely out of your league. In a sense, in my movie, all the girls I date have something wrong with them. I chose to direct this film because I needed a subject and Johnny Bravo was the perfect one. He was my inspiration and there are a lot of childhood memories with that cartoon. I wanted the cast and crew to get paid for their work and the only favors I called in were the patience everyone needed to get through my scenes: I hadn’t realized how many lines were written for him and many had to be redone to work with my post-stroke brain that would twist up the words. This film will always be special to me because it is my first and even if it does not do well, I get to say I started with ‘Tommy Machismo’. My co-director, Akash Musik, has been directing music videos that helped me understand angles and lenses. There is so much that goes into a movie, and I feel like I was learning everyday on set”, says Mustujab Kirmani. www.dariamagazine.com

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Feature Documentary / 95 min. / USA

A ONCE AND FUTURE PEACE A Feature Documentary by Eric Daniel Metzgar

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Once and Future Peace is a hybrid animated and liveaction documentary that explores the past, present and future of Peacemaking Circles, and how this ancient restorative justice practice has been reimagined to keep youth out of prison. The film tracks the parallel stories of a troubled teen facing serious jail time, and the former Cambodian gang leader serving as his mentor. D!

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Eric Daniel Metzgar is an Emmy Award winning filmmaker and two-time Sundance Documentary Lab Fellow. He directed, shot and edited “Reporter” about New York Times journalist Nick Kristof, which premiered at Sundance, aired on HBO, and was nominated for an Emmy Award. He also directed, shot and edited “Life.Support.Music.", which was broadcast on POV, and “The Chances of the World Changing”, which was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award and broadcast on POV. Metzgar also edited and produced the Emmy Winning “Crime + Punishment”, edited the Emmy Nominated “Give Up Tomorrow” and “Almost Sunrise”, and coedited “Mayor”.

Feature Documentary / 54 min. / Iran

BELOVED A Feature Documentary

by Yaser Talebi

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his is Beloved, a documentary about the real life of an 80-year-old Iranian woman who lives alone in nature. The lm illustrates the daily life of this kind and loving mother who is brave and strong enough to tackle the hardship of her old age while never quitting nature and her beloved cattle. Despite having a tough lifestyle, she is trying to make it poetic. D!

“I decided to make this film”, says Yaser Talebi, “after meeting Firouzeh, a woman who belongs to the last generation of the traditional herders of Mazandaran in Northern Iran. She prefers living alone and with all the difficulties of herding in the mountains. Her story reflects the pleasure of the simple life, devotion to nature, and relat i o n s h i p b etween human and domestic animals.”

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Feature Documentary / 42 min. / Japan

FLIRTING WITH FOOD A Feature Documentary by Paul Edward Foulkes

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n an interview conducted by Paul Foulkes with two Mrs. Worldwide Pageant winners it is revealed that there is a lot more involved when entering a Beauty Pageant, than we care to discuss. With the help of some good wine, champagne, and home cooking, Paul is able to discuss openly with these two women about a part of their lives. D!

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This documentary is a little off the trodden path and yet still deals with social issues, in this case, the stigmas and behind the scenes stories about beauty queens. “Interviewing successful women about their lives and sometimes struggles taken to become successful in their fields was a lot of fun to do”, says Paul Foulkes.

Feature Documentary / 45 min. / Canada

GET LOST IN COLOMBIA A Feature Documentary

by Melanie de Klerk

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his feature documentary is part of the Get Lost web/TV series that presents a unique blend of lifestyle, travel and news. With dynamic veteran host Sophie Lui, it takes the viewer on a journey back to destinations that were once off limits. The viewer joins Sophie as she rediscovers places once plagued by war, dictatorship and natural disasters. D!

Co-directors, Melanie de Klerk, Sophie Lui, and Ron Coldham, have all worked in the Canadian television news industry for many years. They are the co-directors of the series “Get Lost”. They wanted to combine their passion for travel with their love of journalism and so the idea of “Get Lost” was born! They wanted to take a deliberately very small crew on a journey to places people thought were off limits because of war, natural disaster or other barriers that have made countries inaccessible to the average traveler. With dynamic and fun host Sophie Lui, the viewer experiences places like Myanmar and Colombia after the tanks and troops have left the streets. “We wanted to show viewers what was behind the headlines in these beautiful destinations with rich histories and welcoming people. We continue to have a passion for sharing our love of the world, and it's various cultures with viewers”, says Melanie de Klerk - director of the “Get Lost In Colombia” part. www.dariamagazine.com

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Feature Documentary / 84 min. / Brazil

MY FORTRESS A Feature Documentary by Tatiana Lohmann

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he action takes place in Vila Flávia, a forgotten slum of São Paulo, where graffiti walls exhibit a main icon: a black mother protecting her children. In this documentary, we see the stories of three families affected by the absence of a father. In those homes, a solitary mother acquires the aura of a holy warrior. But these women seem to be trapped on pedestals they have no interest in and that resemble the painful Holy Mary figure that their sons tattoo on their bodies. D!

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“Our goal is for the film to speak the language of the peripheries it portrays. We wish for the characters to feel represented. We draw attention to issues that go beyond the limits of the community in question as they are observed not only in the outskirts of large urban centers of Brazil, but in communities at risk around the world. What's more, the single-mother, head-of-household, is a reality that grows in all social classes. The problem of man feeling less responsible for his children than the woman does is at the root of patriarchal dynamics. This film approaches a very specific universe - violent as well as solitary, based on the musicality of funk and rap, graffiti and slang, in the midst of the rise of evangelical churches - but from a universal theme. That’s what can make this film interesting for national and international audiences”, explains Tatiana Lohmann.

Feature Documentary / 90 min. / Netherlamds

FATHER OF A BROKEN ANGEL A Feature Documentary by Dhiney Ramos

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his beautiful story is told through one of the oldest existing languages: symbolism, the language with which the architect of the universe communicates with man.

Mark Wijnen is a man like millions of others on the planet. He works as a representative for a German cable company and has his dreams and aspirations. After the birth of his son who suffers from strong epileptic seizures that put his existence in peril, Mark’s aspirations and desires are shattered to pieces.

Sadness, anger, aversion and denial fill Mark's life.

Unhappy with his reality, Mark Wijnen is touched by an inner force and decides to change the polarity of the problems that plague his life. All that martyrdom gives way to love, acceptance and affection. His attitude ensures that he wins one of the most difficult battles of humanity, the fascinating victory over oneself. D!

“In my opinion, a filmmaker should look for ways to show the public friendship, hope,

peace, forgiveness and a lot of love for there is a lot to progress as a human being. These themes can awaken something divine in people. As a filmmaker, I will try my whole life to be a promoter of the Light!”, says Dhiney Ramos.

www.dariamagazine.com

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Feature Documentary / 88 min. / Armenia, USA

BLOODLESS - THE PATH TO DEMOCRACY A Feature Documentary

by Bared Maronian

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powerful political thriller with the ultimate message that it's not the government, political leaders, oligarchs or foreign powers who determine the future of a country, but its citizens.

Armenia is a small landlocked country with Turkey on one side and Russia on the other. On March 31, 2018, Nikol Pashinyan, a charismatic former journalist and ex-political prisoner began a walk across central Armenia to protest the corrupt oligarchy that had ruled Armenia since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. For two decades, Pashinyan had been outspoken against the corrupt ruling Republican Party, targeting its president Serzh Sargsyan, who proposed changing the constitution to extend his political power.

As the opposition leader of the Civil Contract party, and with the support of the majority of the country's youth, women and social media, Pashinyan began his nonviolent protest movement with a few thousand people. In a period of six weeks, this remarkable movement became a revolution, gaining momentum and galvanizing a whole nation resulting in the restoration of democratic principles through a velvet revolution.

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“One beautiful spring morning, while resting in my hotel room in Yerevan, Armenia, I heard a commotion coming from outside”, says Bared Maronian. “I opened the window and saw thousands of young men and women chanting while marching. I immediately grabbed my camera, ran down to the street and followed the march capturing the sights and sounds of what I was experiencing. Soon, I realized I was documenting the blueprint of a nonviolent, peaceful revolution that brought down a thirty year old established oligarchic regime. The revolution lasted one month, one week and one day. Not a single bullet was fired.”

Using the principles of peaceful civil disobedience, this revolution was a masterclass bringing forth a populist message, putting human rights first and ridding the country of corruption and intolerance. This “people's revolution” was domestically driven, with the non-involvement of Russia and the European Union, drawing praise from international leaders and media. What is even more remarkable, at the end, not one person died, nor was one single bullet fired. D!

Feature Documentary / 47 min. / USA

REMEMBERING: THE MAURITS KIEK STORY A Feature Documentary by Cheryl Halpern

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emembering: Maurits Kiek Story presents one man’s courage to return to Nazi-occupied Europe and serve as a covert MI9 agent. His unwavering determination to stand up, in the face of overwhelming odds, and fight the perpetrators of evil was acknowledged in Den Haag, The Hague, in 2015. He is a hero for us to remember as we, too, are challenged to respond to human injustice and cruelty. D!

Director, producer and documentarian, Cheryl Halpern, was nominated to serve Maurits Kiek on the boards of America’s national and international broadcasting organizations by Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. In 1990, she was confirmed as a member of the Board for International Broadcasting and as a director of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. From 1995 through 2002, Halpern served on the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) overseeing Voice of America, Radio and TV Marti, RFE/RL, Worldnet, Radio Free Asia and Radio Free Iraq. She was elected as chairman of the CPB and served the two term limit. In addition, Cheryl Halpern was a Public Delegate of the United States, with the rank of Ambassador, to the 63rd Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations. During the Obama Administration she was a member of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council. She is a co-founder of HQ Creative, an Emmy Award winning production company. www.dariamagazine.com

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Feature Documentary / 91 min. / USA

THE LOST VILLAGE A Feature Documentary by Roger Paradiso

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reenwich Village, once a haven for the proverbial starving artist who brought creativity as their currency, is now a ghoulish hang out for cover bands and Wall Street hipsters unable to create but desperately trying to recreate something that is lost.

At the New York University, there is debt slavery and prostitution due to high tuition fees.

Land lords are changing the character of the Bohemian Village due to outrageous rents and real estate taxes. Gentrification and the displacement of artists and ‘mom and pop shops’ are the result of deals between city officials and real estate speculators.

Can the Village be saved? Or is Greenwich Village lost forever. D!

“There was a rally against New York University on September 1, 2015. I remember it was quite hot that day. I attended and I heard about homeless and hungry students. With that high tuition, how could most students afford to live and play in the Village unless they have a trust fund?

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It is no wonder that the suicide rate for college students has gone up 200 per cent since the 1950’s. The most shocking revelation came from a female undergraduate student who spoke of being a prostitute to fund her NYU education. Her name was Mandy and she wore a mask. Her father had passed away just before she entered NYU and her mother had put her through school. Her mother lost her job, so Mandy had gone to the administration who told her to take out more loans. She was already indebted and had one year left to graduate, so she turned to a group called Seeking Arrangements which was basically an escort service putting young women (and men) in touch with ‘sugar daddies’ (or ‘sugar mommies’) who for ‘companionship’ would pay the students anywhere from three to five thousand a month. She was using this rally as a press conference to bring the public up to speed about the growing epidemic of prostitution at NYU and may other schools across this country. I found myself questioning how we got to this place and what kind of society we were becoming”, explains Roger Paradiso.

Feature Documentary / 90 min. / USA

SEARCHING FOR CAMELOT:

THE QUEST A Feature Documentary by Roger Paradiso

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n the dark days after President John F. Kennedy’s murder, did you ever wonder what was going on with Jackie and Robert as they grieved over the murder of their beloved John? Months and years go by and it is soon clear that in those dark days Jackie and Bobby plotted the course of their and of their children’s lives.

Jackie chose to leave public life. She wanted to bring up her children out of the limelight. Robert wanted to reclaim the throne in a campaign some called inspiring and others revolutionary. Through his speeches and his spirited populist campaign, we get to know another side of Bobby that shows a compassion for the poor and middle class.

We are also able to reenact Jackie’s amazing interview with Theodore White that was released to the JFK Library after her death.

She reveals her emotions and thoughts in those dark days after the assassination of her husband.

Some of her thoughts are shocking and some are very revealing. And some, like the metaphor of Camelot she used for her husband’s presidency, will last forever in our minds. D!

“RFK's campaign manager, Peter Edelman, says in the film, ‘Robert was a very complicated man’. What went through Robert's mind when he saw his brother murdered.

That is what we discuss in this film. Why did Robert choose to run for president?

And why did he run a most unconventional campaign? Maybe he was finding himself.

He was now the older brother. He was perhaps looking to reclaim the throne to continue his brother's policies. And his own policies too. He became an advocate for the civil rights movement. When Martin Luther King was murdered, civil rights leaders asked him to take over the cause.

He did in his own way. He also disliked LBJ the man who became president when John died. When LBJ entered the Vietnam War it was inevitable that Robert would have to challenge him. But then LBJ dropped out.

Robert was now running against another antiwar candidate, Eugene McCarthy. But he really was running against his brother's enemies”, explains Roger Paradiso. www.dariamagazine.com

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Feature Docudrama / 53 min. / USA

COUNTER HISTORIES ROCK HILL A Feature Docudrama by Frederick Taylor

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n 1961, while the Civil Rights movement is stalled with protest after protest, arrest after arrest, bailout after bailout and then return to life as usual in the segregated South, nine young black men exercise their power to change history.

Students at a small local Baptist College in Rock Hill, South Carolina decide to sit in at their local lunch counter, get arrested, go to jail and stay there. It’s a test case that brings the national attention. Counter Histories: Rock Hill breaks with documentary conventions to connect with a new audience and tie the historical movement to present day struggles. D!

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As an award-winning director and cinematographer, Frederick Taylor has helmed many compelling documentaries and films dealing with social and political issues as well as digital content, branded content and scripted web series. His storytelling credits include the award winning PBS broadcasted “Counter Histories: Rock Hill” and “Cabbagetown” as well as the international acclaimed documentary shot on location in Romania, After the Fall. “The journey of my artistic film career has taken tomorrow pictures and I to most of the continents on planet Earth. From disaffected youth in South Central Los Angeles to a wise old man on the Southside of Chicago to the feet of a Buddhist monk in Asia. Feeling deeply allows me to travel in time back to 1961 to tell the story of real American heroes before they were even considered American? They were just nine friends who wanted to make a difference and counter history.”

Feature Docudrama / 81 min. / USA

HI ON ART A Feature Docudrama

by Fred Vanderpoel

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t's an early morning in her garden as chirping birds welcome the rising of the sun. Jae Tracy, a young fine art painter, still in pajamas has her coffee outside, listening to music as she is sketching her dreams. This morning she meets with fine artist Patrick Ching for a painting session at Patrick's beach house on the North Shore of Hawaii. It's the beginning of a full day of laughter and learning from the best artists on the island of Oahu.

Eva Makk tells her war story, Bill Braden drives his giant hamster wheel, Chas Beasley dives for Honus and feeds his baby goats. Before she visits Ruben Aira and his surfboard sculpting, his son Leo gets to snorkel with Jae, who is also a certified diving instructor, Estra Miyashiro, the great muralist, is being meditative with Jae and Tim Nguyen shares his garage full of art.

Art speaks for itself, but the healing power of art is a subject that Jae Tracy and her friend Chandra, both survivors of personal tragedies, know well. They dive into art, literally, submerged under water to create stunning visuals in motion.

Jae, who also teaches art to other women, and best friend Ashley, who teaches young boys manners at an institution, mince no words about prejudice, toxic men and sexual abuse. Drugged and incoherent, Jae recalls her traumatic dream in which she and Adriana Pizzia Franc are floating on the bed of Robert Mace with Mary Ann Long watching. The dream takes Jae to the center of attention of the art world where she emerges as the real Queen of Art of the masked ball at the Serene Gallery celebrated by Wendy Roberts, Dawn Yoshimura, Patrice Federspiel, Ruben Aira, Chas Beasley, and Patrick Ching.

Who is Jae without the mask? A permanent mark. An enigma. D!

www.dariamagazine.com

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Short Film / 20 min. / France

BRETON A Short Film by Christophe Switzer

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he story in the film Breton takes place in 1962 in the South of France. It’s a little window into childhood: a boy who is the brightest in his class is also afraid of the dark. His father, a wine grower, is reluctant to let him go away to middle school. The boy confides in Breton, the farm horse. D!

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“I wanted to highlight two different kinds of intelligence which are complementary even though they are often viewed as opposing: educational intelligence, the formal schooling that was so dear to Victor Hugo, and the intelligence of farmers, their common sense, simplicity, practical knowledge, stamina - everything I learned the hard way by working in my uncle’s vineyards”, says Christophe Switzer. “In order to heighten the dramatic tension in the story, I developed the conflict between the father and son. It’s an internal conflict that is manifest through silences.

The parents are a taciturn couple who rarely express their feelings or emotions. It’s a kind of quiet reserve I’ve often observed among farmers.”

Short Film / 9 min. / South Africa

EITHER WAY A Short Film by Dean Hibbert

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he film features two desperate people at their wits’ end, stumbling into each other’s lives. Jay, played by Jonathan Pienaar, embarks on his very first house robbery. Dee, played by Debra Deats, finds herself the victim of a break-in during her hapless suicide attempt. Jay has addiction problems and gambling debts. Dee, preoccupied with the messy aftermath, has no clue on how to commit suicide and Jay is completely ill-equipped to carry out a burglary.

What starts off as a violent intrusion into Dee's life, clumsily and almost comically evolves into a brutally honest confrontation about our characters’ lives and perhaps, in a strange and unexpected way, their affinity. D!

"Either Way" came about through conversations that Dean Hibbert had with Debra Deats about shooting a contained and achievable short film to enter into a film competition with Maggie Gyllenhaal in the lead and inspired by Debra’s real-life experiences. “Since we weren’t placed in the festival but had already started developing the concept and loved it too much to not shoot it, we persevered. Having our own respective experience and contacts within the industry, we easily found colleagues who were as passionate about making the film as we were. Once Jonathan Pienaar joined the project, all of the pieces fell into place to commence with the shooting.”

www.dariamagazine.com

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Short Film / 12 min. / Switzerland

DELIVERANCE A Short Film by Michael Rue

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ne beautiful Sunday morning, Simon wakes up to his wife Stephanie. He feels intense pain never before encountered. She reads the suffering in his eyes. Simon is transported to the hospital where he is diagnosed with a rodent disease.

The doctors tell Stephanie that his days are numbered. She wonders about the reasons and causes of this illness, then doubt arises, and then comes worry. D!

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“In these troubled days, with the emergence of the new Coronavirus, we realize how fragile humanity remains and how situations of crisis are difficult to control by all states, whatever their powers or their riches. It was a long time since I had the desire to create a project based on an event such as this. In my case, I reached the age of discovering sexuality in the 80s, just when AIDS was starting to spread and become a mortal danger. Back in my time, no one knew what to do or how to start as ‘ordinary’ a life as possible while thousands died across the world. This is why I wanted to match my experience as a teenager at the time with the experience of the younger generations of today faced with the Coronavirus”, says Michael Rue.

Short Film / 39 min. / USA

RA’S METANOIA

A Short Film by Ram Alladi

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etanoia is a periodic drama film with fictional elements to chronicle the story based on true events of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi's life, which starts from the first hours of his last day. Metanoia is the story of a timeless legend in an advanced human time. It is about a man who hates sin and forgives the sinner. It is about a ‘Magic spell of a book', which rewrote the fundamentals of modern society .

In the film, ahead in the future, humans equipped with technology, send a spacecraft with an artificial intelligence named Metanoia to the past, with an intention to document and record the life events of Mohandas Gandhi.

In its journey, the spacecraft travels to all the important events of his life which will influence him from being an ordinary attorney to leading India's independence movement based on non violence and civil rights. While doing so, Metanoia gets highly influenced by his personality and tries to override the course of events on the last day of his life. D!

“I am Ram Alladi, by profession an independent filmmaker based in the New York area. ‘Metanoia’ is my second film. It took nearly 30 years to make. It was 1989, October 3rd. As part of an educational tour from

my high school, I was in Gandhi Museum, New Delhi. All through the museum tour, my attention was on Gandhi's blood stained shawl in a showcase. That’s when I started writing the ‘Metanoia’ story. After the time I spent at Gandhi Museum, I felt like the end was not an end. And I started writing from where his story ended. ” www.dariamagazine.com

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Short Film / 30 min. / Czech Republic

MISS HER A Short Film by Adad Joel Warda

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n this drama film by Adad Joel Warda, a lonely woman replies to a handwritten question on her local café wall and she begins an unlikely correspondence with a stranger who turns out to be the last person she ever expected. D!

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“Filmmaking is my megaphone. A form of self-expression. It is an extension of myself, which I would no sooner cut away than my own arm. I tell stories of family, loneliness, connection, diversity, identity and justice”, says Adad Joel Warda.

Adad Joel Ward

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Short Film / 14 min. / Switzerland, Sweden

STROKE OF MIDNIGHT A Short Film by Niclas Ribbarp

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eeping up appearances in the sphere of high society, whilst tolerating mutual infidelity - provided it’s kept secret - seems to be the only thing left sustaining Elizabeth’s and Leonard's marriage. But when celebrating New Year’s Eve in the Swiss Alps, their loveless pact is broken. On returning home from a party to their luxury chalet the accusations start to fly. This is surely the end of their relationship - unless one of them is prepared to pay a very high price. D!

‘Stroke of Midnight’ is first and foremost the vision of it's writer and producer, Henrik Norman, who also plays the lead male part. Based on the short story ‘In the Bedroom’ by the french author Guy de Maupassant, it's been turned into an elegant contemporary tale, dark and humorous at the same time.

www.dariamagazine.com

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Short Film / 26 min. / UK

THE LOSSEN A Short Film by Colin Skevington

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n the dead of night an otherworldly visitor drags its hulking, hooded mass to the front door of 70 year old business woman Sylvia Cappleman (Linda Marlowe). But this mythical Grim Reaper is not all it seems and so appears The Lossen (Sean Knopp), the Reaper's agent of death, an attractive, confident but mysterious young man.

The Lossen has come to collect Sylvia, but in the process discovers a complication with her passing, she hasn't fulfilled her dream, despite living a life of material success. The one thing that Sylvia’s heart desired she has buried deeply and in the final moments of her life her hidden dream begins to surface. D!

“The inspiration for ‘The Lossen’ came whilst I was researching a documentary about the differences in attitudes towards death in the East and West. Sadly in the West death is still a taboo subject and most people want to avoid any thought of the inevitable. With an interest in the supernatural since childhood and a belief that life continues after death, this was a 56 | Daria! | www.dariamagazine.com

perfect story for me to explore, bringing together the natural and supernatural worlds, embodied in the characters of the everpresent Sylvia and the mysterious Lossen, an attractive, confident, yet other worldly young man. All storytelling is a journey to enlightenment, a discovery of something that is missing within us. As a writer and director I want to entertain and connect emotionally with an audience through a character’s journey. To give an audience the opportunity to reflect on their own lives is the ultimate reward as a film maker. ‘The Lossen’ combines fear with humor, quirkiness and deep emotional revelations, all in a magical yet real context. I believe that we have a knowingness in our hearts about our journey in life and making this film is certainly helping me to realize my own dreams. If we lived without fear we could be a greater version of ourselves”, tells us Colin Skevington.

Short Film / 30 min. / UK

THE AWAKENING A Short Film by Andrew Abbiw

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patient suffering from insomnia seeks help from a sleep therapist to improve their way of life.

Eve struggles night after night with sleep deprivation and insomnia.

Fueled by dark thoughts from a mysterious past, Eve takes the initiative to seek professional help, which leads us to meet the charismatic Doctor Hoffman and his new but equally charming assistant, Sofia.

Through intense appointments and reflections, past lives and experiences expose a deeper narrative that questions who has the most to gain from their interactions and who is brave enough to confront their past, present and lead them to a better future. D!

“Fueled by my passion for thought provoking storytelling, I am dedicated to creating art-house pieces that delve into the human psyche. Through character driven stories, I hope my content challenges your thoughts and invokes emotions that stay with you long after the credits roll. I am incredibly proud of being able to create this film and truly blessed to have had the opportunity to work with many amazing artists. The Awakening's key theme or message is a simple one that hopefully speaks to others. It is a reminder that it is never too late to overcome the obstacles in our lives and to find our true awakening”’ says Andrew Abbiw.

www.dariamagazine.com

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Short Film / 15 min. / Bulgaria

UNDO A Short Film by Stanislav Hristov

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n Undo, a young and career focused theatre actress finds herself facing a life-changing decision.

She feels pressured by time after falling in love with an introverted writer whose dark side is about to come to light. This is a story that questions the price of our dreams and our true values. D!

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“In my film, space and time do not hold much significance. The so called ‘past’ and ‘present' merge into the abstract canvas of a street artist. The ‘future', on the other hand, watches with interest as if in front of a theater stage. Behind the curtain, everything turns into a moment that has gathered love, deception and birth. A difficult choice must be made between the characters because the moment cannot go on indefinitely. A sip of water and the beautiful dance ends, the past fades, the future takes a step back. The picture is complete, and in it, time does not matter, only the moment matters!”, says Stanislav Hristov.

Short Film / 16 min. / Norway

WAVES A Short Film by Camilla Roman

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n the middle of the COVID-19 lockdown, asylum seeker Leyla meets Stig, a delivery guy; this is an encounter that could change both their lives.

Leyla has recently received a letter stating that she has to leave Norway, as her request for protection has not been renewed. Due to the COVID-19 lockdown, she's been in her apartment and all alone for weeks, just waiting to be deported.

Desperate for some human contact, she invites in the delivery guy. It turns out that Stig used to be a police officer who left his job because he could no longer handle taking part in deporting people. D!

“I've often wondered how police officers who are ordered to help deport asylum seekers feel about it. ‘Waves’ is my comment to the European/Norwegian asylum politics. It saddens me that people who have lived in a western country for many, many years, and built a life there, suddenly can be kicked out. There are countless examples of people who were sent back to the country they escaped from, who have been jailed, tortured and even killed”, explains Camilla Roman.

www.dariamagazine.com

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Experimental Film / 31 min. / China

THE MEMORY OF MINE An Experimental Film by Zheng Wu Lee

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he times are constantly changing from the old to the new, and the process of urbanization is moving towards the countryside step by step. Tall buildings will occupy the woods, highspeed railways will pass through the old houses, and ponds will be filled.

When the woods and hillsides are no longer qualified to block our sight, we find that the hometown that raised so many people and bred so many desires and dreams is just a small flat land.

The hometown where generations of people once lived is facing demolition today, and all the creatures here are tired. A mother and son return to the countryside at this time, awakened by memory, meet and say goodbye to the past and childhood. D!

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"During this year's epidemic, I was informed that my hometown would be demolished because of the highspeed railway. Before, a large area of old houses had been demolished, leaving my grandfather's house. This is the simplest memory of generations at different ages.

When the high-speed railway is repaired, there will be no cats, dogs, woods, ponds, but in our memory, They used to exist in their most beautiful posture. Therefore, my own understanding of the word "story" is that all things have their own memories and experiences. Although they can't speak, express or act, for different people, these memories will bring you different inspirations and consolations in different stages of life, apart from good memories. Just before the demolition of my hometown, I created this short film with my good friends and family. All the actors and producers of the film are my family members and close friends”, expresses Zheng Wu Lee.

Experimental Film / 6 min. / UK

SANDLINE An Experimental Film

by Chris Lewis-Smith

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andline plays with the idea of life’s journey as a ‘line’. Shot over two days on a beach in Somerset England, the film is a collaboration between AllouAqui Dance Theatre and friends. With limited time to shoot the film, director Chris Lewis-Smith storyboarded the film carefully to make the best use of the time available and work with the tides. “The choreographic ideas were sent to the dancers before the shoot and we stuck, more or less, to a carefully prepared schedule. However, I also wanted the shoot to be a malleable creative event where chance was a welcome guest. I enjoy working this way so new ideas are allowed to reveal themselves through ‘doing’. This applies to the events that are happening in front of the camera and for the camera itself.”

Sandline is the second in a series of ‘line’ films that play with the idea of life as a journey.

The first of the films, Boneline, comments on aging and how with age comes an increasing awareness of the transient nature of our existence. Sandline is a light-hearted take on the overlap of generations as our journeys progress.

The third in the series, which is still in the pipeline, will explore navigating difficulties in a troubled world. D!

“I was brought up among the meadows and streams of rural England. Aged nineteen, I dropped out of art college and travelled to India where I learned to play the sitar and also learned how wealthy England was. I made my first film with my children using my Dad’s camcorder. It’s still my favorite film. Dance has always been central to my creative practice, as a performer, choreographer, writer, teacher and filmmaker. I have a wonderful multi-talented family and have been fortunate to have worked with, and been inspired by, many truly talented people. I have a PhD from the University of Kent and I’m a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. My creative practice specializes in the language of the body. My work includes documentation, music videos, promos and the adaptation of stage work into film. I see my work in this context as a collaborative process between myself and everyone involved from planning to the finished film. I’m a Fellow of Bath Spa University where I am exploring how screendance might address issues around climate change”, says Chris Lewis-Smith. www.dariamagazine.com

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Short Documentary / 20 min. / Australia

DID I CHOOSE MY TRAUMA? A Short Documentary by Yemi Penn

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his short documentary follows Yemi Penn's experience of childhood abuse into adulthood and is integrated with the knowledge and insight of leading therapists and healers. The confrontational question that drives the documentary is ‘can the journey to healing our trauma act as a catalyst for transformation and growth?”. D!

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“This was a task put to me by my ancestors, to start a conversation around healing our trauma from a 5D perspective. The team that came together to make it happen were truly phenomenal. We seek to make a huge IMPACT to minimize and eliminate suffering whilst contribute at the same time”, says Yemi Penn.

Short Documentary / 37 min. / Germany

HU MAN HEALING JOURNEY TO BEING HUMAN A Short Documentary by Annette Mueller

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documentary showing the ability of humans to rise above their limiting self-understanding and into true grandeur by putting Indian Vedic Wisdom into action.

The powers of the mind have long surpassed the imaginable. D!

Annette Mueller is a producer, director, author and publisher. Alongside Sharon Stone and international award-winning filmmaker Emmanuel Itier, Annette Mueller produced the documentary The Cure; the film was conceived over the course of three years and shot in over 10 different countries. Mueller continues to work alongside Itier, producing the documentaries We the People and Guns, Bombs, and War: A Love Story. She also produced the documentary Healers Without Borders in collaboration with filmmakers Werner Dück and Emmanuel Itier. “Hu Man - Healing Journey To Being Human” is her latest work.

Annette Mueller is also a philanthropist and the founder of the hospital for energy healing Villa San Esprit, and the École San Esprit. www.dariamagazine.com

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Short Documentary / 13 min. / Germany

EGG-VOLUTION A Short Documentary

by Tilo Wondollek

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here are forty-million dead male chicks in Germany every year, and four poultry breeding companies worldwide. Seven courageous eco-visionaries are going to change that: a young agricultural engineer, an organic working group board member, a chick breeder dad, two organic farmers and an organic poultry breeder couple are giving back the symbolism of life to the egg. They are brave, full of ideas and shaping the future today. They have started to “evolutionize” the poultry world. D!

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“With ‘Egg-volution’, I like to make the unconditional commitment of organic pioneers visible. They commit themselves, with heart and mind at their own risk, to the design of a sustainable future. Each and every one of us is part of a new world in which we would like to live. I hope this short film will encourage everyone to be an active part of a sustainable world”, says Tilo Wondollek.

Short Documentary / 25 min. / Ethiopia

KANDA BODE

(DON’T GET WIPPED) A Short Documentary by Fekad Kiros and Cheryl Halpern

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his documentary focuses on the Hamar Tribe, a semi nomadic and rural people who live along the Omo River in Southwestern Ethiopia. Preserving the traditions of their ancestors is essential to defining Hamar life. One of the most venerated of the Hamar’s ancient traditions involves the transition of the Hamar male into an adult. Today, however there is a new awareness that aspects of this tradition are harmful to the health and well being of many who participate.

The Hamar people are beginning to consider how their tradition can evolve. D!

Fekad Kiros and Cheryl Halpern are longtime collaborators and are both resolute in their belief in the transformative power of documentary filmmaking. They share a special drive to illuminate the struggles and triumphs of the women of Ethiopia and continue to create impactful documentaries that further this mission.

www.dariamagazine.com

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Animation Film / 8 min. / USA

FEAR OF FLYING An Animation Film by Ernie Berger

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n this coming-of-age story taking place on a south Florida beach, a young male bird and a young female sea turtle share madcap adventures. The bird is afraid to fly and the turtle is afraid of the surf. Together they face their fears in this award-winning comedy. D!

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“I love making movies and always have, even when it was just on a Super-8 camera long before enrolling in film school. I made ‘Fear of Flying’ to inspire children to reach out to a friend whenever they have a challenge to face. The story and humor are designed to make the film appealing to both children and their parents”, says Ernie Berger.

Animation Film / 4 min. / USA

OZZIE HELPS HIS PARENTS An Animation Film by Marie Leiner

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zzie and his foster parents are home due to COVID19. They are all under a lot of stress, as his parents lost their jobs. There is a lot of conflict at home and Ozzie doesn't know what to do, until a friend tells him a story about another child; this prompts Ozzie to come-up with a plan to help his parents. D!

Marie Leiner is a research professor and film producer who finally published the results of her studies demonstrating that these forms of multimodal communication can be a very effective teaching tool.

Leiner loves all multimodal expressions of communication, including animation, comics and illustration. She dreamed that she could make an animation film to bridge the communication gap between healthcare providers and parents of pediatric patients. With very simple stories, she started presenting animated educational material to parents when she realized that children liked her productions too. After uploading one of her videos to YouTube, her channel became a huge success with over 700,000 subscribers and 300 million views.

www.dariamagazine.com

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Animation Film / 9 min. / Netherlands

REBIRTH OF VENUS An Animation Film

by Robin Noorda

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he film is based on a poem that addresses an array of oppressions, from the exploitation of mother earth to the violation of women's rights; they all have a common denominator.

In the film, the dilapidated and overgrown Piranesi-style buildings are inspired by the iconic architecture of two of the most totalitarian regimes in European history: the Roman and the Nazi. In this magical-realistic setting, insect-like optical instruments create feminine statues that come to life. D!

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“As a male, I am convinced a more feminine approach to our contemporary world is needed to face the global problems at hand. That's what Rebirth of Venus is all about. As an independent filmmaker, animator and artist with a commitment to social and environmental issues, it is hard to fit in a specific domain. The art world judges that I am too much an engaged activist, the animation world prefers to see fluffy characters, and the film world thinks my work is too arty and experimental. So it turned out to be a no budget film that took two years of production. This all works in favor of further developing my own idiom”, says Robin Noorda.

Music Video / 4 min. / Russia

LITTLE BIG - HYPNODANCER A Music Video by Alina Pasok and Iliya Prusikin

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ittle Big is a Russian punkrock-rave band on its way to international fame. Their new EP is entitled Go Bananas. The record includes 5 tracks, filled with fresh synthesis of rave, punk and pop music.

The band is on tour across Europe and Russia with performances in 53 cities. The music video for their title track, Little Big - Go Bananas, reached over 130 million views on YouTube while the music video for Hypnodancer reached over 220 million. D!

Alina Pasok and Iliya Prusikin came up with the idea of creating a team where they will play up Russian stereotypes in music and commercials. Their collaboration with the Little Big group began in 2013. “We saved up material for a long time, but without receiving sponsorship, we could not arrange the first concert”, they say. After releasing a couple of clips, they realized that the group had gone viral, the band’s videos on YouTube collected a huge number of views, and at the same time, the group had an army of fans in Russia, France, Belgium and other countries.

www.dariamagazine.com

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Music Video / 5 min. / USA

COLOR BLIND A Music Video by Annemarie Picerno

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nnemarie Picerno uses Annemarie Picerno is a Grammy member, her powerful voice to Americana Music Association member, plea a timely topic. and Indie Collaborative artist with popular Whether it is discrimireleases on Bongo Boy Records. She has nation, hate, racism, bulperformed in theater, bands, comedy lying, or greed, she ofshows, film, radio and television. Her difers the possibility that verse musical sounds mix country, pop, people return to their blues, soul, and rock. She writes all her own hearts and minds and see what their own lyrics and music from pathos and humor, true colors are. with stories of her life, loves, and musical The lyrics in Color Blind use love, kindjourney. She has topped indie radio charts ness, hate, and greed as metaphors to describe ‘human colors’ as one’s outward appearance with her powerful voice and harmonies does not reflect their value. The lyrics encouralong with winning numerous awards. age us to love, make change through kindness, and accept diversity in our society.

Picerno McGilpin and Annemarie Picerno The video has a visual mix of characters: a Vigilante, a Sorceress, a Good Witch, an Empress, and a Warrior all appear in the music video and are played by Picerno to the masterful music arranged by Bob McGilpin, a three-time Billboard charting artist and producer. The music and the video, along with Annemarie's performance will give a new perspective to loving and true acceptance. D! 70 | Daria! | www.dariamagazine.com

Global Film Studio Inc. is a Canadian media company focused on ventures that are socially conscious and nonviolent.

Global Film Studio’s activities revolve around film production and distribution, talent management, film festival organization, publishing and more. The Company has seven Divisions; each of them is primarily in charge of one activity.

The Divisions of Global Film Studio are: Global Film Production; Global Film Distribution - GLOBALCINEMA.ONLINE; Global Film Actors Agency; Global Nonviolent Film Festival; Global Film Academies & Film Workshops; Global Real Estate Properties; Global Publishing.

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