W INTER FI L M AWARDS
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WELCOME TO THE NINTH ANNUAL WINTER FILM AWARDS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Wi nt e r Film Award s Is New York Ci t y. L ike th e c it y its elf, we s h owc a s e the e c l e c t i c dive rsit y an d excitemen t of th e in d ep en d en t a r ts wor ld . We are an all vo lu n teer, min o rit y- a n d women - ow n ed registered 501(c )3 no n- prof i t org a nizat io n fo u n d ed in 2011 in New Yor k C it y by a grou p of f ilmma kers a nd e nt husia st s. We reco gn ize excellen ce a n d d ivers it y in c in ema , w ith a s p ec ia l emphas i s o n suppor t in g wo m en an d u n d er-rep res en ted f ilmma kers a n d a foc u s on n u r tu ri ng e m e rg i ng filmmake rs fro m all gen res fro m a rou n d th e wor ld . O u r mis s ion is to p romot e di ve rs i t y, br idge t he o p p o r tu n it y d ivid e a n d p rov id e a p la t for m for u n d er-rep res en te d ar t i st s and a var iet y of gen res, viewp o in ts a n d a p p roa c h es. We b elieve th a t on ly by s e e i ng ot he rs’ st or ie s can we u n d erstan d each oth er a n d on ly v ia a n op en d oor c a n th e u n de rre pre se nt e d a r tist en ter th e ro o m .
#WFA2020
For our 2 020 Pro gram, W in ter F ilm Awa rd s is p rou d to s c reen a n out st anding selec tio n of 79 film s, in c lu d in g s h or ts a n d fea tu res, animat ion , d o cumen taries, co m ed ies, roma n c e, th r illers, d ra ma s, music v id eo s an d h o rro r. Filmm a kers c ome f rom 27 c ou n tr ies ; 25% of th e f i l m s are ma de by first-time d irec to rs, h a lf were c rea ted by women , 53% were c rea t e d by o r abo ut pe ople of co lo r. Wint e r F ilm Award s is led by George I s a a c s (C EO & Fou n d er ), Stef fa n ie Finn ( Exe c ut i ve Dire c t or ) , Lesley Sigall ( Treasurer ), Jos ep h M a u c er i a n d Va u gh n M u r p h y.
THANK YOU
Winter Film Awa rd s i s g ra tef u l fo r th e ti rel es s s u p p or t of ou r t e am: Gulzat Akh metova , Deeks h a B h a tn a ga r, Fer n a n d o Ca ma c ho, A ni ka J i , Lillian K rep p el, Da w n M ec c a , M ic h a el M u r ra y, Fu ld en Ko l o g l u O ne r, Vasht i Pe rsaud , D avid Warren , L is a W ilf a n d Nea l W illia ms. Thank you to W in ter Film Award s sta f f, volu n teers, s c reen ers, ju d ges, w r it e rs, pane l i st s, fr ie nds an d h elp ers! Th is even t c ou ld n’ t h a p p en w ith ou t ou r a r my of h elp ers ! Spe cial t h an ks to Avim en B ala, Steve d eCa stro, An d rew M in gya r a n d B ra gi l y n At e s. And fina lly, th an k yo u to o ur 80+ a ma zin g s p on s ors, p a r tn ers a n d ven u es w ho s e s uppo r t make s t his even t p o ssib le. Wint e r F ilm Award s 2020 Offic ia l Ar t wor k wa s d es ign ed by E a r l Woma c k . This program is su p p o r ted , in p a r t , by p u b lic f u n d s f rom th e New Yor k C it y D e par t m e nt of Cult ural Affairs in p ar tn ersh i p w ith th e C it y Cou n c il. W in ter Film Awa rd s i s m ade possible by th e N ew Yo rk State Cou n c il on th e Ar ts w ith th e sup p or t of G ove r no r
A n d rew M . Cuo m o and the New York Stat e Leg islature.
T icket s are $ 1 2 . 5 0 / In A dvance, $16.50/Door, $5/Door wit h Stud en t I D. S cre e n in g bl o c ks r un 2 ½ to 3 h ours an d in clud e a mix of sh or ts an d fe atu re le n g t h film s. A l l s c reeni ng blocks in clud e a 20 min ut e Q&A Session w i th the film m a kers.
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W INTER FI L M AWARDS
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20 20 I NT ERNAT I O NAL FI L M FES T I VAL
February 2020 Dear Friends, Welcome to the 9th annual Winter Film Awards International Film Festival in New York City, the capital of creativity. During the festival, you will have the opportunity to view films from emerging and diverse artists from all over the world. With a focus on stories by, for and about women and people of color, this festival is all about raising the profiles of these diverse artists and making the creative economy more accessible to New Yorkers, which is the mission of the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. MOME works to make the creative economy accessible by ensuring New York City continues to be the creative capital of the world by supporting film, television, theater, music, publishing, advertising and digital content and ensuring those industries work for New Yorkers. The creative industries account for more than 300,000 local jobs and have an economic impact of $104 billion annually. MOME comprises four divisions: The Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting; NYC Media; the Office of Nightlife; and educational and workforce development initiatives. With a focus on inclusion, economic growth and creativity, we are the first municipal entity to take on gender inequality in entertainment with a series of initiatives including the $5M Women’s Fund for Media, Music and Theatre, which provides grants to support digital, film, music, television, and live theatre projects of artists who identify themselves as women. To learn more about our agency, please visit our website, NYC.gov/film, and follow us on Twitter at @MadeinNY. Meanwhile, enjoy the show! Sincerely,
Anne del Castillo, Commissioner Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment
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W INTER FI L M AWARDS
WFA2020 FILMS A Japanese Boy Who Draws (Mon Feb 24 7:45pm / Mon Feb 24 4:00pm)
My Little Goat (Tue Feb 25 7:45pm / Mon Feb 24 4:00pm)
A Little Hornless Goat (Wed Feb 26 7:45pm)
Myth (Mon Feb 24 7:45pm)
A Path Where No Man Goes (Mon Feb 24 7:45pm)
Never Give Up (Sun Feb 23 1:00pm / Thu Feb 27 3:30pm)
Alex’s Strip (Sat Feb 22 9:15pm)
Nipponia Nippon - Fukushima Rhapsody (Thu Feb 27 7:45pm)
Analysis Paralysis (Sun Feb 23 3:45pm / Wed Feb 26 3:30pm)
Oasis (Sat Feb 22 9:15pm)
Bells (Sun Feb 23 9:00pm / Wed Feb 26 3:30pm)
Ouroboros (Sun Feb 23 9:00pm)
Bozkir Look at the Birds (Sat Feb 22 3:45pm)
Polybius (Sun Feb 23 9:00pm / Wed Feb 26 3:30pm)
Burqa City (Wed Feb 26 7:45pm)
Pop Down (Sun Feb 23 6:30pm)
Busy As Usual: The Web Series (Sat Feb 22 1:00pm)
Reverie (Sat Feb 22 9:15pm / Wed Feb 26 3:30pm)
Chronicles Of-The Good Reverend (Sat Feb 22 6:30pm / Wed Feb 26 3:30pm)
River of Salvation (Sun Feb 23 3:45pm)
Comforter (Sun Feb 23 9:00pm / Thur Feb 27 7:45pm)
Running Man (Sun Feb 23 9:00pm)
Crimson Cuffs (Fri Feb 21 9:15pm)
Schemers (Fri Feb 21 6:30pm)
Daddy Issues (Sun Feb 23 6:30pm)
Sisters (Fri Feb 21 6:30pm)
Decoyed (Sun Feb 23 9:00pm)
Sore Loser For Love (Mon Feb 24 7:45pm)
Dickie & Bea (Thu Feb 27 7:45pm / Wed Feb 26 3:30pm)
Subway (Sat Feb 22 6:30pm / Wed Feb 26 3:30pm)
Distinguished Feelings (Sat Feb 22 1:00pm)
Survive (Sat Feb 22 9:15pm)
Elid + Damh (Sun Feb 23 9:00pm)
Switch (Sun Feb 23 6:30pm / Wed Feb 26 3:30pm)
Empty Skies (Sun Feb 23 1:00pm)
Tapestry (Fri Feb 21 9:15pm)
Endless Love (Mon Feb 24 7:45pm / Thu Feb 27 3:30pm)
The 600: The Soldiers’ Story (Tue Feb 25 7:45pm)
F Dream (The Keyboard Story) (Fri Feb 21 9:15pm / Mon Feb 24 4:00pm)
The Act (Mon Feb 24 7:45pm)
First Disco (Tue Feb 25 7:45pm)
The Art Of Saying Goodbye (Wed Feb 26 7:45pm / Wed Feb 26 3:30pm)
Floral Friends (Thu Feb 27 7:45pm / Mon Feb 24 4:00pm)
The Barber (Sat Feb 22 9:15pm)
Fool’s Gold (Sat Feb 22 6:30pm / Wed Feb 26 3:30pm)
The BlackBerry and the Firebeetle (Sun Feb 23 6:30pm / Mon Feb 24 4:00pm)
For the Goblins (Fri Feb 21 6:30pm)
The Blue Marble (Thu Feb 27 7:45pm / Wed Feb 26 3:30pm)
Fresh (Sun Feb 23 9:00pm)
The Chain (Fri Feb 21 6:30pm)
Fresh Green (Sat Feb 22 1:00pm / Mon Feb 24 4:00pm)
The Chef (Sat Feb 22 6:30pm)
Hausla Na Ruthe: The Stories Untold (Sun Feb 23 6:30pm)
The Condor & The Eagle (Sat Feb 22 6:30pm)
He Can’t Live Without Cosmos (Wed Feb 26 7:45pm / Mon Feb 24 4:00pm)
The Dam (Sun Feb 23 9:00pm / Wed Feb 26 3:30pm)
Heartspace (Sun Feb 23 3:45pm / Mon Feb 24 4:00pm)
The Ocean’s Choice (Thu Feb 27 7:45pm)
Her Body (Sun Feb 23 9:00pm)
The Ribbon (Sat Feb 22 6:30pm / Mon Feb 24 4:00pm)
Illegal (Sun Feb 23 1:00pm)
The Seal (Sat Feb 22 3:45pm / Wed Feb 26 3:30pm)
Imagine a World (Sun Feb 23 9:00pm)
The Taste of Me (Thu Feb 27 7:45pm)
In Everyone’s Eyes - El Último! (Fri Feb 21 9:15pm)
The Vic (Fri Feb 21 9:15pm)
Infinite While It Lasts (Sat Feb 22 1:00pm)
Too Close to the Sun (Tue Feb 25 7:45pm)
Inner Fire (Wed Feb 26 7:45pm)
Traces (Sun Feb 23 1:00pm)
Italy & (this is) Water (Sat Feb 22 3:45pm)
WANTOKS: Dance of Resilience (Tue Feb 25 7:45pm / Thu Feb 27 3:30pm)
Latteship (Sun Feb 23 1:00pm / Mon Feb 24 4:00pm)
We’re Going to Paris (Sat Feb 22 6:30pm)
Linoleum (Wed Feb 26 7:45pm)
Wherefore Art Thou, Theo? (Fri Feb 21 6:30pm / Mon Feb 24 4:00pm)
Minotaur // Black Vulpine (Sun Feb 23 9:00pm)
Yonlu (Sat Feb 22 1:00pm)
My Daughter Yoshiko (Fri Feb 21 9:15pm / Wed Feb 26 3:30pm)
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ABOUT THE FILMS A JAPANESE BOY WHO DRAWS
ANIMATED JAPAN JAPANESE 21 MINS MONDAY FEB 24 7:45PM-11PM / MONDAY FEB 24 4PM-5:30PM
The experimental animation/mocumentary depicting a life of a man who dreams to be a comic writer, told along with the quality of the imagery growing up with him. Masanao Kawajiri was born in Kagoshima in 1987. During his study at Osaka University of Arts, he was especially inspired by the animator Keiichi Hara, which led him into the world of animation. After working at an animation studio, he founded his own film production company that have worked on multiple projects such as “Summer of Nipponitesu”, “Stella Women’s Academy, High School Division Class C3”. Directed by Masanao Kawajiri Produced by Masanao Kawajiri
A LITTLE HORNLESS GOAT ARGENTINA SPANISH WEDNESDAY FEB 26 7:45PM-11PM
14 MINS
Based on a true story that happened during the last Argentine military dictatorship. The local commissioner of a little town must investigate a children’s book that was confiscated from a 7-year-old girl. The author of the book is Soviet. Why does a girl have a possibly communist book? Who gave it to her? All this will have to be investigated by the Commissioner, regardless of the consequences ... Sebastián Dietsch is a Film Director, Director of Photography and screenwriter. He co-directed the feature film “Mar del Plata” and wrote and directed the short films “Lila” and “Zombies”. Currently developing his second feature film “Desde el Apocalipsis”, winner of the Blood Window Script Development contest 2017. Currently in pre-production of the animated short film “Brief History of Humanity” and the horror series “No Grites”. Directed by Sebastian Dietsch Produced by Sebastian Betz
A PATH WHERE NO MAN GOES KHÔNG DẤU CHÂN NGƯỜI
SHORT
FEATURE
SPAIN SPANISH, ENGLISH, HINDI 109 MINS SATURDAY FEB 22 9:15PM-11:59PM
Alexandra, a 12-year-old teenager is reunited with her father, Alex, a Spanish merchant who has spent a long time in jail after being wrongly accused of terrorism. She accompanies him on a business trip to India, where an explosion threatens to separate them again when Alex is again accused of terrorism. Only the girl might be able to save her father. Irene Zoe Alameda is a Spanish film director, fiction writer, screenwriter, music composer and producer, founder and CEO of Storylines Projects since 2008. She also directed the shorts “Tarde de homenaje”, “Buen viaje”, “Uniformadas”, “Jaisalmer”, “Migraciones de Gloria Gervitz”, and “Reber’s Backstag”e, as well as several commercials. She holds a PhD from Columbia University and is the best selling author of seven books. Directed by Irene Zoe Alameda Produced by Irene Zoe Alameda & Charly Granados
UNA CABRITA SIN CUERNOS
SHORT
ALEX’S STRIP
LA CINTA DE ALEX
VIETNAM VIETNAMESE, ENGLISH 34 MINS MONDAY FEB 24 7:45PM-11PM
“A Path Where No Man Goes” is a characterdriven philosophical thriller about an unusual interview between a journalist and a young successful entrepreneur on the subject “How to become successful?”, which later reveals some deep secrets about their lives and ultimately their connection. Viet Tran is a well-known Vietnamese Youtuber turned indie filmmaker. Directed by Viet Tran Produced by Jenni Trang Le & Viet Tran
ANALYSIS PARALYSIS
WEB SERIES UNITED STATES ENGLISH 11 MINS SUN FEB 23 3:45PM-6:15PM / WED FEB 26 3:15PM-5:45PM
Lauren, a lonely and awkward freshman, struggles to master adulthood due to his habit of overthinking every situation. After moving into a new apartment, he befriends his four peculiar neighbors who teach him simple but valuable life lessons. After winning the Best Directing Award at the Vietnamese National Short Film Festival 2019, Van Doan decided to move to New York City to pursue a Bachelor degree in Film Production. Outside of classes, Van gained hands-on experiences on numerous projects ranging from student films to independent features. “Analysis Paralysis” is a passion project in which Van gets to express her own writing and directing style, which is very much influenced by the poetic French and romantic Korean cinemas. Directed by Van Doan Produced by Van Doan
BELLS
HORROR UNITED STATES ENGLISH 6 MINS SUN FEB 23 9PM-11:15PM / WED FEB 26 3:15PM-5:45PM
A father learns the secret behind his son’s strange nightly ritual. Ben Botwick began writing stories in kindergarten. His first was a tragic alien romance that served as a creation myth for the sun and the moon. He grew up in Southeast Asia, spending grade school in Taipei, Jakarta and Bangkok. In college, he produced, co-directed and starred in “Killer Toaster from Hell”, a feature-length script that he wrote in three days on a dare. He joined the WGA West in January of 2015. Ben currently resides in Brooklyn with his tiny wife and a cat named Duck. Directed by Ben Botwick Produced by Lizzie Minges & Ben Botwick
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W INTER FI L M AWARDS BOZKIR LOOK AT THE BIRDS
CHRONICLES OF-THE GOOD REVEREND
BOZKIR KUŞLARA BAK KUŞLARA
FEATURE
TURKEY TURKISH SATURDAY FEB 22 3:45PM-6:15PM
111 MINS
Abdullah and Cripple Ziya are gun dealers in the Bozkir district of Konya. They put honesty, honor, and dignity before anything else. Even though Abdullah and Ziya have opposite personalities, their friendship and partnership go back many years. Abdullah has worked hard and finally bought the horse he has been dreaming of. Now, all he wants to do is to marry his beloved Emine and build a happy life. Ziya lives one day at a time. He has no intention of settling down, he only cares about spending his money for his own happiness. One day, Abdullah and Ziya visit Abdullah’s friend Bekir the Potter whom Abdullah has known from his time in military service. Mehmet Tanrısever was born in Bağyurdu village of Bozkır district of Konya Turkey in 1953, then settled in İstanbul to work and earn money at a young age. Having fought many difficulties in the early years, Tanrısever founded Mert Çelik Mutfak Araçları in 1976 in a workshop in Vefa.
WEB SERIES UNITED STATES ENGLISH 13 MINS SAT FEB 22 6:30PM-9PM / WED FEB 26 3:15PM-5:45PM
Residing on opposite sides of the Delaware River, Capital City and Pottersfield are political and socioeconomic enemies dividing people of the same class. An upsurge of bizarre homicides baffles authorities as a disturbing new drug leads to a multitude of overdose victims mysteriously washing ashore on the river banks of both towns. A Brooklyn native and New Jersey resident, Jamaal R. Green is a graduate of the Digital Film Academy in NYC. A writer, Cinematographer and a multi-award winning Director he is also a partner in M.G.Cinecraft, a NYC based Indie production house. Jamaal was inspired by the works of Hitchcock, and writes and directs narratives that fall into the suspense/thriller genre. Jamaal’s brand of storytelling is rooted in the suspenseful morality tales of Caribbean folklore Directed by Jamaal Green Produced by Wilson Mbiavana & Jeff Stewart
Directed by Mehmet Tanrisever Produced by Mehmet Tanrisever
BURQA CITY
SHORT
FRANCE ARABIC WEDNESDAY FEB 26 7:45PM-11PM
COMFORTER
20 MINS
HORROR JAPAN JAPANESE 3 MINS SUNDAY FEB 23 9PM-11:15PM / THURSDAY FEB 27 7:45PM-11PM
Deep in the night, a woman comes back to her apartment. In the dark room, on her bed, she sees somebody who’s not supposed to be there. Hiroho Mieno graduated from Rikkyo University and is currently a member of production company Geek Picture. He directed a short, “Japanese Idol takes a Selfie” which won the NHK Mini-Mini Movie Awards. He also won the Grand Prix at Kisssh-Kissssssh Film Festival with his film “Akuma-no-Kyuusai”.
Souleymane and Leila just got married, for better or for worse. The better is that they love each other very much. The worse is that they live in an absurd and kafkaesque country. Fabrice Bracq started out filming “making of” documentaries for feature films. During that time he also directed short films and documentaries, of which several were shot in Africa. In 2012, he filmed “Love Birds”, a drama set in the near future. Between 2012-2017, he directed the short films “Split Time”,“Time 2 Split”, “Diagnosis”, “Dad in Mum” and “A Whole World for a Little World”. These films won more than 250 awards around the world.
Directed by Hiroho Mieno Produced by Hiroho Mieno
Directed by Fabrice Bracq Produced by Fabrice Preel Cleach
BUSY AS USUAL: THE WEB SERIES
WEB SERIES
AUSTRALIA ENGLISH SATURDAY FEB 22 1PM-3:30PM
9 MINS
“Busy As Usual: The Web Series” is a fly-onthe-wall look at what goes on inside a talent agent’s office. You will find our Talent Agent convincing potential clients the casting couch doesn’t exist, guiding his clients towards self awareness - and sometimes guiding them right off the books. Giving his actors the tools they need to succeed is always the Talent Agent’s first priority, however in the hands of an overzealous actor or a client with the self awareness of a clog, these tools don’t always lead to the results the Talent Agent was hoping for. Sean Perez is a graduate of The Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music (CQCM), Mackay - CQUniversity (BA Music, Specialisation Musical Theatre), The Western Sydney Institute of TAFE NSW (Cert IV Musical Theatre) & Cranebrook High School (Cert II & III Live Technical Production). Sean directed his first play as part of CQCM’s “Context” & “The Agent: The Web Series” marks his professional debut as a director and writer. Sean is a working Talent Agent and Actor. Directed by Sean Perez & Elijah McKeogh Produced by Sean Perez
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SHORT
CRIMSON CUFFS
UNITED STATES ENGLISH FRIDAY FEB 21 9:15PM-11:59PM
7 MINS
Laurena goes on a blind date at the behest of her pushy mother and learns that its always best to trust your instincts over advice. “Crimson Cuffs” is Madeline Vail’s directorial debut. With a BA in English from the University of Florida, where she met her husband, international award-winning artist Edward Walton Wilcox, Madeline went on to raise their three children while managing Wilcox’s career, working as a local reporter and running an art gallery on the Central Coast of California. She is also an ActOne alum, a graduate program through Pepperdine University based out of Hollywood, CA, in both screenwriting and producing. Directed by Madeline Vail Produced by Madeline Vail
20 20 I NT ERNAT I O NAL FI L M FES T I VAL FEATURE
DADDY ISSUES
UNITED KINGDOM ENGLISH SUNDAY FEB 23 6:30PM-8:45PM
20 something stand-up comedian Henrietta hasn’t been funny since her detached dad died. Distraught, in a quarter life crisis, she leaves her messy London life behind for LA, to re-examine her past relationships with dysfunctional exlovers and friends struggling with adulthood. Henri tries comedically and introspectively to find humour in her darkest moments. Laura Holliday is a filmmaker, actor and writer based in Los Angeles. She has written/directed content for Lifetime, Funny or Die, PopTv and Fullscreen Inc. Laura was selected by the Sundance Institute for the 2017 Sundance. Laura is a graduate of both Upright Citizen’s Brigade and Second City Conservatory for improv and has studied filmmaking at Idyllwild Arts Academy and Art Center College of Design. Laura is passionate about creating dimensional roles for women in her work. Directed by Laura Holliday Produced by Kimberley Datnow, Heather Lynn & Amíe Datnow
HORROR
DECOYED
DENMARK ENGLISH SUNDAY FEB 23 9PM-11:15PM
DISTINGUISHED FEELINGS SENTIMENTS DISTINGUÉS
81 MINS
10 MINS
SHORT
FRANCE FRENCH SATURDAY FEB 22 1PM-3:30PM
11 MINS
Elena and Arturo are a couple fully in love until one day, one of their friends sow seeds of doubts in their minds. Elena will organize their break up herself. Hurt, she hires a young “straight” actor to seduce her ex-lover and make him suffer. Elena believes she will be less humiliated if Arturo would accept his gay predilection and fell in love with a man instead of a woman. But the heart has reasons that reasoning doesn’t know… Koeren Mariano studied at the National Superior Conservatory of Dramatic Art and then at EICAR and Femis. Koeren directed her first short film “Memoires of a Disturbed Young Lady”, then, “Bye, Bye Mum”, was released on French TV. In 2018, she played Karen in the comedy “Les Goûts et les Couleurs” on Netflix. Directed by Koeren Moriano Produced by Koeren Moriano
HORROR
ELID + DAMH
CANADA ENGLISH SUNDAY FEB 23 9PM-11:15PM
11 MINS
In the heart of the woods, evil is waiting for you. Trapped in a deadly loop, he has to lure another victim to buy his freedom. Pezhmann Mokary was born in Kurdistan in 1984. He studied Film Directing and while attending school, mainstream newspapers and magazines published his film articles. In 2009, he taught Film Analysis in the IYCS, Sanandaj office. In 2013, he moved to Denmark and studied MA Production Design at The Royal Danish Academy of Arts in Copenhagen. In 2019, his debut graphic novel Tall Shadows was released internationally. Currently, he is working on his first feature-length documentary about racism.
In the aftermath of an unspeakable act, two sisters must repair their relationship and find a way to move forward. As they struggle to heal, they are reconnected with the natural world, the power of the elements and, ultimately, the strength of their love for each other. This is a story of survival, of awakening the primordial force that lives within. For over a decade, Neil Cavalier has worked as a professional director, producer, writer, editor, cinematographer, composer and occasional actor on a number of feature films, documentaries, TV series, web series, short films, commercials and music videos.
Directed by Pezhmann Mokary Produced by Pezhmann Mokary & Rebecca Weigaard
Directed by Neil Cavalier Produced by Vivien Endicott-Douglas & Neil Cavalier
DICKIE & BEA
WEB SERIES UNITED STATES ENGLISH 10 MINS THU FEB 27 7:45PM-11PM / WED FEB 26 3:15PM-5:45PM
Over-educated and under-employed, Dickie and Bea are a youngish married couple, doing their best to survive in New York. W hen their massive student loan debt is acquired by a teenager on the dark web, they come to an arrangement and all move in with Bea’s father, a baby boomer who’s excited to have his family unit back. “Dickie & Bea” is created and written by Samantha Eggers and Ped Naseri. Samantha has appeared on Broadway in “Mamma Mia!” and screen credits include “Jane the Virgin”. Ped can be seen in season 3 of “Dear White People” and is a graduate of the Second City Chicago. Sam and Ped are married in real life. Lauren Lorentz is the director of “Dickie & Bea”. She is also an actress and singer, performing in shows in San Francisco, New York, and Moscow. She is a graduate of the American Rep at Harvard University.
SHORT
EMPTY SKIES
UNITED STATES CHINESE SUNDAY FEB 23 1PM-3:30PM
19 MINS
A boy and his new friend hunt their village’s last sparrow for a reward to save his sick Grandma during Communist China’s Great Leap Forward (1958-1961). Wenting Deng Fisher and Luke Fisher are a Los Angeles based filmmaking team. When not in the directors’ chairs, Wenting can be found working as a cinematographer while Luke is writing scripts or editing as a freelancer. The two hope their films inspire liberty and creativity while entertaining. Directed by Wenting Deng Fisher & Luke Fisher Produced by Michael Arter
Directed by Lauren Lorentz Produced by Ped Naseri & Samantha Eggers
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W INTER FI L M AWARDS ENDLESS LOVE
DOCUMENTARY TAIWAN CHINESE 10 MINS MON FEB 24 7:45PM-11PM / THU FEB 27 3:30PM-5:35PM
Xinqiao is a kind and energetic 8-year-old who always has great smiles. “Endless Love” is a TV series about a pregnant wife and her brain cancer. The cast collaborates with a charity group Dr. Red Nose to sing, read stories, and accompany children with illness. Their efforts hope to bring joy to kids, even though they suffer from physical pains. We made this video in June 2019. Xinqiao could still see everyone’s smile then and laughed with us. By November 2019, her brain tumor had pressured her nerve system and taken her vision away; she cannot see this beautiful world anymore. We really hope this video can keep some of the great memories in her mind. Director Eddie Lin is from Taiwan. He has directed several music videos, television shows and short films, including “Meet My Love”, “Taste of Love” and “Jam Hsiao-Play With Me”. Directed by Eddie Lin Produced by Nick Tai & Stanley Hsu
F DREAM (THE KEYBOARD STORY)
ANIMATED CHINA CHINESE 5 MINS FRIDAY FEB 21 9:15PM-11:59PM / MONDAY FEB 24 4PM-5:30PM
A keyboard key called F wants to fly, so he starts a battle with a flying insect. Director Grey Chan is the founder of Mr. Box’s Anime Works. He was selected as one of China’s top ten Anime Creators of the Year and China’s top ten Advertising Creatives of the Year. He has won many awards such as the Gold Medal of the international Effie Award.
FLORAL FRIENDS: JORRO AND THE FLORAL PHONE ANIMATED JAPAN JAPANESE 5 MINS THURSDAY FEB 27 7:45PM-11PM / MONDAY FEB 24 4PM-5:30PM
White Watering Can and Black Watering Can are friends. One day, White Jorro decides to move to a different town. In order to keep in touch, the two promise to communicate through Floral Phone - a magical phone made from flower threads - and stay friends forever. Marie Shioda graduated from the department of design at Sapporo City University in Japan. Currently she is working as an assistant at a production company specialized in stop-motion animation. Directed by Marie Shioda Produced by Marie Shioda
FOOL’S GOLD
MUSIC VIDEO UNITED STATES ENGLISH 3 MINS SAT FEB 22 6:30PM-9PM / WED FEB 26 3:15PM-5:45PM
A depiction of anxiety shown through four different rooms encompassing a different mental state of the protagonist. Mithin Thomas is a self-taught Director and Cinematographer based out of Brooklyn, NY. Born in Saudi Arabia and having spent the better part of his childhood in three different countries, he is no stranger to the concept of a ‘global citizen’. After receiving his Bachelor’s in Anthropology and Asian American Studies from the University of Pennsylvania, Mithin entrenched himself into full-time production work. Since then, Mithin has worked on a host of narratives, music videos, and commercials. Directed by Mithin Thomas Produced by Mithin Thomas
Directed by Grey Chan Produced by Xiaoneng Lin
SHORT
FIRST DISCO
IRELAND ENGLISH TUESDAY FEB 25 7:45PM-11PM
SHORT 19 MINS
Culture Club are no. 1, everyone’s glued to “Knight Rider”, and Kelly Harrison is not only experiencing her first crush, she’s going to her first disco. The only problem is that she’s getting train tracks on her teeth before her big night and she’s not sure she’ll survive! Helen O’Reilly is a writer and director living in Dublin, Ireland. She graduated with a BA in Film and Video from the School of Visual Arts in New York City in 2014 and received a screenwriting award from the New York Women in Film and Television for her screenplay, “The High Heeled Fugitives”. “First Disco” is Helen’s directorial debut. Directed by Helen O’Reilly Produced by Helen O’Reilly
PAG E 9
FOR THE GOBLINS
UNITED STATES ENGLISH FRIDAY FEB 21 6:30PM-9PM
16 MINS
An ordinary college student gets kidnapped by Goblins on his way home from a party. With the desire of getting some Goblin wine, he makes a deal with the Goblins and brings home a young Goblin who does not understand anything about human society. Hypnus Yao, genderless, is a filmmaker who lives in Los Angeles. Hypnus fell in love with the process of making films at a very young age. As an animal lover and environmentalist, Hypnus began the production “For the Goblins” to claim people’s responsibility towards the earth. Moreover, Hypnus is a pessimist and pantheist who believes there is more in the world that needs to be explored. Thus, Hypnus wishes to send out the message to everyone though scripts and movies. Directed by Hypnus Yao Produced by Yuan Wang
20 20 I NT ERNAT I O NAL FI L M FES T I VAL HORROR
FRESH
UNITED STATES ENGLISH SUNDAY FEB 23 9PM-11:15PM
11 MINS
After accidentally doing a ritual, Emily, a Philosophy student, has to face the biggest moral dilemma of all: kill or be killed. Tatiana Wisniewski is a Brazilian award-winning writer and director. She is a second year graduate MFA Directing student at UCLA. In 2017, Tatiana obtained bachelor’s degrees in both Film and Business Administration. Directed by Tatiana Wisniewski Produced by Tatiana Wisniewski & Carlo Cosio
FRESH GREEN
ANIMATED UNITED STATES ENGLISH 4 MINS SATURDAY FEB 22 1PM-3:30PM / MONDAY FEB 24 4PM-5:30PM
In an empty bar, a lone patron plays a game of pool. Ida R. J. Greenberg is a stop-motion animator based in Baltimore, MD. Her work explores various forms and methods of storytelling in order to express the subtle humor of everyday life. Rooted in traditional media and history, her animations dwell between the realistic and fictitious.
HE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT COSMOS
ANIMATED RUSSIAN FEDERATION ENGLISH 16 MINS WED FEB 26 7:45PM-11PM / MON FEB 24 4PM-5:30PM
This story is about a mother and son. It is also about love and human destiny. Academy Award nominee Konstantin Bronzit was born in St. Petersburg Russia. In 1992, he graduated from the High Institute of Art and Design, and in 1994, graduated from High Courses of Scriptwriters and directors in Moscow. His films have won about 200 total awards at different film festivals including a nomination for the French Film Academy award “Cesar” and nominations for an Oscar in 2009 and in 2016. Konstantin is a member of the French Film Academy and Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Directed by Konstantin Bronzit Produced by Alexander Boyarsky & Sergey Selyanov
HEARTSPACE
ANIMATED UNITED STATES ENGLISH 3 MINS SUNDAY FEB 23 3:45PM-6:15PM / MONDAY FEB 24 4PM-5:30PM
Heartspace stand for everyone’s inner world. One day a catastrophe happened in Heartspace. Rankin has used his inner love and power to save Iris and the whole world. Ziyi Wang is a third year BFA animation student at NYC’s School Of Visual Art. She is Chinese and currently living in New York.
Directed by Ida Greenberg Produced by Ida Greenberg
Directed by Ziyi Wang Produced by Ziyi Wang
HAUSLA NA RUTHE: THE STORIES UNTOLD
MUSIC VIDEO
UNITED STATES HINDI SUNDAY FEB 23 6:30PM-8:45PM
7 MINS
“Hausla Na Ruthe: The Stories Untold” depicts the story of a super-courageous woman from the village of Gundalba who refused to give up and led a group of 30 women to fight against nature’s fury and restored an entire forest cover that was destroyed in 1999’s Orissa Super Cyclone. With a double Master’s degree in History and Journalism from Utkal University, Orissa and Baratiya Vidya Bhavan, New Delhi, India respectively, Snehasis Das has been in the field of Social Development and Environmental Communication. He works with “Down To Earth”, the environmental magazine published by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), New Delhi and has worked on several documentaries about social development and environment issues. Directed by Snehasis Das Produced by Konark Sarangi
HORROR
HER BODY
VENEZUELA ENGLISH, SPANISH SUNDAY FEB 23 9PM-11:15PM
10 MINS
A Latina immigrant must face her abusive American boyfriend when she wakes up bound in a garage about to be sold to an underground body trafficking ring. Juan Avella is an LA-based writer-director originally from Caracas, Venezuela, who focuses on gritty social crime stories set in multi-cultural worlds. Juan holds a Screenwriting MFA from the AFI Conservatory. Directed by Juan Avella Produced by Juan Avella
PAG E 10
W INTER FI L M AWARDS LEGAL
DOCUMENTARY UNITED STATES E NGLISH, SPANISH 86 MINS SUNDAY FEB 23 1PM-3:30PM
From Dreamer to living the American dream, “Illegal” is a feature-length documentary about the miraculous journey of one immigrant’s life or death path to U.S. citizenship, the challenges of present-day immigration, and his mission to humanize immigrants and reform immigration for the benefit of all. The film begins as Laz journeys back to his childhood home in El Salvador. He recounts his arduous path north on the Pan American Highway with his father and brother where at any moment they could have been discovered and turned back… or killed. Laz’s life is a story of struggle, determination, and hope for a brighter future for immigrants, the industries that rely upon them, and our entire country. Nick Alexander is an Oregon filmmaker aspiring to convey powerful, inspirational stories through film. For the past 3 years, he has grown a video production business, focusing on event videography, business video marketing, and docu-style projects. Nick received a Bachelors Degree in the studies of Emerging Media & Digital Art and Spanish. Being fluent in Spanish and having cultural experience in the Latin American world led him to his first feature film: “Illegal”.
INFINITE WHILE IT LASTS INFINITO ENQUANTO DURE
SHORT
BRAZIL PORTUGUESE SATURDAY FEB 22 1PM-3:30PM
After falling in love at a party, Danny and Seiji just want to be together. However, their differences might prove stronger than their feelings. The first fiction film about asexuality. Akira Kamiki is a Brazilian writer/director cofounder of AbrAce, Brazil’s first asexual activist group, which fights for visibility and awareness regarding asexuality. Akira wrote and directed three Queer short films – “Infinite While It Lasts”, “Top 10 Places to Visit in São Paulo” and “Afterglow” – that together won awards and screened at over 100 festivals. Directed by Akira Kamiki Produced by Sofia Wickerhauser
FEATURE
INNER FIRE
RUSSIAN FEDERATION RUSSIAN WEDNESDAY FEB 26 7:45PM-11PM
IMAGINE A WORLD
CANADA ENGLISH SUNDAY FEB 23 9PM-11:15PM
15 MINS
A door-to-door internet salesman refuses to leave a house until he’s made his sale. Joanna Tsanis is an award-winning writer and filmmaker. She wrote and produced “Eleftheromania” (2018), a WWII-era short film starring Olympia Dukakis and filmed in Toronto and NYC. Joanna’s directorial debut “Imagine a World” (2019) premiered at Toronto After Dark Film Festival. Directed by Joanna Tsanis Produced by Charles M Scott & Joanna Tsanis
Inevitable. Misha Mareskin was born in Nizhy Novgorod, Russia. In 2003, he graduated from the Nizhny Novgorod Theater School specializing in Theatrical Drama Acting. In 2008, he graduated from the St. Petersburg State Film and Television University, specializing as a director of drama film. In 2011, he completed a graduate degree in the St. Petersburg State Film & Television University in Art Criticism. Directed by Misha Mareskin Produced by Evgeny Tarlo
IN EVERYONE’S EYES - EL ÚLTIMO! EN TODAS LAS MIRADAS - EL ÚLTIMO!
MUSIC VIDEO
CANADA ENGLISH, SPANISH FRIDAY FEB 21 9:15PM-11:59PM
7 MINS
Will life in Cuba ever change? A smiling narrator hides his slyly subversive message in plain sight... by singing it! This mirrors reality in Cuba, where it’s too dangerous to openly confront the State. This more pointed director’s cut of the multiple award-winning “In Everyone’s Eyes (en todas las miradas)” was made following the death of Fidel Castro. Filmed entirely in Cuba. Lloyd Frost is an award-winning Canadian filmmaker and singer/songwriter. Social commentary with a groove is a recurring theme in his quirky songs and short films. His films blend narrative or documentary with related musical elements from his studio albums. Themes include authoritarian regimes - past and present - and living with terrorism attacks. He presents his stories in a mostly gentle, musical style Directed by Lloyd Frost Produced by Lloyd Frost
MUSIC VIDEO
ITALY & (THIS IS) WATER
AUSTRIA ENGLISH SATURDAY FEB 22 3:45PM-6:15PM
5 MINS
A single day: from the tender break of dawn to the darkest night. One out of many days to come? Quite possibly the very last. A long farewell, an ultimate goodbye to a life we have grown to hold dear. Leading to a headon dive into a new reality, into a new state of being. To long for the unknown. To desire to be at the mercy of chance. Last caresses in solidarity, last minutes in shelter. End means beginning. Death becomes birth. From water, back into water. From gas to solid. Everything is commenced by woman, everything ends with a woman. Ioan Gavriel was born in Bern in 1993 as the son of a Romanian violinist and a Swiss architect. He spent his childhood and youth in Vienna, Austria. Through his own animated films and animated work, he discovered his passion for film early on. In addition to his work in the camera department, he directs various commercials and music videos for clients such as: UNHCR, Audi, McDonalds or currently for the singer Soap & Skin (O.S.T Netflix “Dark”). Directed by Anja Plaschg & Ioan Gavriel Produced by Dominic Spitaler
PAG E 11
97 MINS
In the luxuriously apportioned St Petersburg apartment of a former drug lord, four strangers meet. The man of the house is running late, and there is nothing left for the four to do but sit and talk. One has come to ask for money, another for a weapon, the third for blackmail, and the fourth to kill the third. One word leads to another and what first starts out as a harmless conversation between the waiting strangers becomes a series of taunts and insults at the expense of the weakest of them. This escalates into what threatens to be a bloody massacre and then... mystical encounters with the
Directed by Nick Alexander Produced by Laz Ayala
HORROR
19 MINS
20 20 I NT ERNAT I O NAL FI L M FES T I VAL LATTESHIP
MY DAUGHTER YOSHIKO
ANIMATED UNITED STATES ENGLISH 4 MINS SUNDAY FEB 23 1PM-3:30PM / MONDAY FEB 24 4PM-5:30PM
SHORT UNITED STATES ENGLISH, JAPANESE 15 MINS FRI FEB 21 9:15PM-11:59PM / WED FEB 26 3:15PM-5:45PM
“Latteship” is a 3D animated short story that follows Sigri and Kona, two otters who have opposite personalities. They must learn to cooperate in order to run a small but popular coffee truck - Sigri Coffee. Hsing-Fang Tsai is a Taiwanese CG Artist based in New York City. She majored in Computer Arts at the School of Visual Arts and received an MFA in 2019. Her inspiration usually comes from daily life and childhood memories. Daishi Takishima is a Japanese CG artist currently working as Character TD at several studios in New York City. He also completed his MFA Computer Arts degree at the School of Visual Arts in 2019. He is now dedicating his days to creating heartwarming motion pictures.
A Japanese-American mother struggles to come to terms with her daughter’s autism diagnosis. Based on true events. Brian Blum’s career began at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts where he received a BFA in Film & Television. His thesis, “Blood and Water”, made the BAFTA shortlist in 2018 after premiering at the Miami Film Festival, where he now serves on the programming committee. Brian is the Executive Director and Head of Production of AdaptLab Filmmakers, a production company based out of Brooklyn that helps employees with intellectual disabilities forge paths towards successful careers in the film industry. Directed by Brian Blum Produced by David Maire
Directed by Hsing-Fang Tsai & Daishi Takishima Produced by Hsing-Fang Tsai & Daishi Takishima
MUSIC VIDEO
LINOLEUM
FRANCE FRENCH WEDNESDAY FEB 26 7:45PM-11PM
MY LITTLE GOAT
6 MINS
In a post-apocalyptic future, two motionless men are linked by a helmet. In parallel in a sanitized space, these two men engage in a violent and fierce duel. These are the contradictions of a single man facing him ... Humanity with an obscure face which progressively evolves towards sharing and love ... The event of a renewal in the dust towards a movement which will humanize ... A multi-disciplinary artist, Niki Noves has been the director of the Niki Noves Company since 2010. A choreographer and dancer, he created his own structure at the age 24. His creations are quickly moving towards video-dancing, with “Before Saying (I love you)” which will be presented at the Villa Noailles at the 30th fashion and photography festival and Silencio in Paris.
ANIMATED JAPAN JAPANESE 10 MINS TUESDAY FEB 25 7:45PM-11PM / MONDAY FEB 24 4PM-5:30PM
The mother goat rescues her little goats from the wolf’s belly. But, she can’t find Toruku, her eldest son! Where is Toruku?! Tomoki Misato was born in Tokyo and is involved in a wide range of activities, animation, arts, storyboard, set etc, with strengths in video works featuring stop-motion. He graduated from Musashino Art University in 2016. In 2018, he received a master’s degree from the Department of Animation at Tokyo University of the Arts. “Look at Me Only”(2016) and “My Little Goat”(2018) won numerous awards at domestic and international film festivals. Tomoki is currently working on TV series as an animation director. Directed by Tomoki Misato Produced by Yuichi Ito
Directed by Niki Noves Produced by Compagnie Niki Noves
MINOTAUR // BLACK VULPINE
MUSIC VIDEO GERMANY ENGLISH SUNDAY FEB 23 9PM-11:15PM
5 MINS
It is cold. She closes her eyes and drowns. It’s getting dark. A surreal and nightmarish quest of a woman facing her anxieties. Will she be able to overcome herself and find what she is searching for? Natalie Plaskura has a diploma in photodesign studies and studies directing and cinematography (MA). Her short films “Intrusion” (2012) and “Faint” (2014) went to several film festivals around the globe. Directed by Natalie Plaskura Produced by Natalie Plaskura & Patrick Grzanna
FEATURE
MYTH
UNITED STATES ENGLISH MONDAY FEB 24 7:45PM-11PM
89 MINS
In a sleepy town in upstate New York, lonely college student Alex encounters his filmmaking idol JP Smith, the mysterious auteur behind the cult-arthouse sensation “Myth”. Armed with only an outdated 90’s camcorder, JP begins to chronicle Alex’s every move, turning him into the semi-reluctant star of his latest project: a lo-fi, vérité drama in which the plot is unknown to everyone, including Alex himself. What ensues is a series of increasingly chaotic and volatile situations, as Alex vies for control of his own narrative, all under the watchful eye of JP’s camera. Brian grew up a New York native, spending his adolescent years prowling around the picturesque towns that dot the Hudson Valley. He would later move to Long Island, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Film from C.W. Post College. It was there that he met and formed his core collaborative team, whom he has worked with ever since. Now currently residing in Brooklyn, he is proud to share his first feature film “Myth” with the rest of the world. He is also a proud cat-dad. Directed by Brian DiLorenzo Produced by Brian DiLorenzo & Gia Mckenna
PAG E 12
W INTER FI L M AWARDS NEVER GIVE UP
DOCUMENTARY MALTA ENGLISH, GERMAN 16 MINS SUNDAY FEB 23 1PM-3:30PM / THURSDAY FEB 27 3:30PM-5:35PM
Mekon had been making music as long as he could think. But in 2014, he had to flee Nigeria after his parents were murdered. He started to work in Libya, but instead of making music, Mekon has to fight for his survival. In summer 2018, he decided to flee to Europe and was saved from a rubber boat by a German NGO. Living in Malta now, he is singing again. Jonathan Schörnig was born in 1991 in Leipzig. After high school, he was engaged in many film and TV productions. He successfully graduated in 2015 from the Gutenbergschool in Leipzig as media designer for sound and vision. During that time he was involved as a camera man in a wide variety of TV formats. Currently he is working on a documentary about five refugees and their experiences, which begun in connection with the short film “Never Give Up”.
Directed by Ryo Saitani Produced by Hiroya Akaike
OASIS
MEXICO SPANISH SATURDAY FEB 22 9:15PM-11:59PM
16 MINS
Ophelia, a 40-something working-class housewife, goes to a gay pick-up bar called El Oasis in search of her husband. When her suspicions are confirmed, she faints. Jackeline, a transgender prostitute, unexpectedly comes to her aid. Alejandro Zuno is an assistant director and director, known for “Oasis” (2017), “Abrir la tierra” (2019) and “Los ojos de Emilio” (2005). In 2013 he was a fellow of the Young Creators program of the Ministry of Culture. Directed by Alejandro Zuno Produced by Ernesto Martinez & Iliana Reyes
PAG E 13
Following his beloved wife’s death, a desperate man attempts to bargain with dark powers in return for a chance of atonement, but the price is always high with magic. Umut Uku Şerbetçi was born in 1983 in Istanbul, Turkey. He graduated from Eskişehir Anadolu University Faculty of Cinema and Television. From the day he graduated, he worked as a camera assistant and focus puller in a lot of commercials, video clips and movies. Then he started to work as a director of photography. Now he is directing his own movies and working as a freelance director. Umut is married and Directed by Umut Utku Şerbetçi Produced by Melih Özyılmaz
HORROR UNITED STATES ENGLISH 17 MINS SUN FEB 23 9PM-11:15PM / WED FEB 26 3:15PM-5:45PM
113 MINS
Naraho town in Fukushima Prefecture is on the front-line of the government-funded nuclear power plant decommissioning work. Kokuhei Kusunoki is transferred from Aizu Wakamatsu City to Naraho Town to take over the Disaster PR Division. Murai takes Kokuhei around Fukushima including areas washed away by the tsunami. They examine the still incomplete railway lines, the unfinished decontamination area and villages in the danger zone, where deadly cesium continues to pile up. One day Kokuhei is told to organize a party to celebrate the professor who has been appointed as deputy director of the Atomic Energy Research Institute. Born in 1952, Ryo Saitani started working for director Kihachi Okamoto while still at university. In 1982 Saitani established Fusion Production and published “COMICBOX,” specializing in manga and animation. In 1998 Saitani opened the Laputa Building to screen masterpieces of Japanese movies.
SHORT
11 MINS
POLYBIUS
NIPPONIA NIPPON - FUKUSHIMA RHAPSODY JAPAN JAPANESE THURSDAY FEB 27 7:45PM-11PM
TURKEY TURKISH SUNDAY FEB 23 9PM-11:15PM
has two children.
Directed by Jonathan Schörnig Produced by Axel Steier
FEATURE
OUROBOROS
HORROR
films.
Based on the urban legend, a teenage girl tries to convince the Sheriff that a new arcade game placed by the ‘government’ caused her brother to commit suicide. A graduate of UNCSA ‘13, Jimmy Kelly is a director/writer/producer with over a decade of experience in short films. His other work includes popular commercials that have aired on TNT, ESPN, etc. and the feature film “In Critical Condition”, an action/crime film distributed by Summer Hill Entertainment. He is also a published author and is currently in development on many projects including two Polybius feature Directed by Jimmy Kelly Produced by Jimmy Kelly & Michael Tuite
SHORT
POP DOWN
UNITED KINGDOM ENGLISH SUNDAY FEB 23 6:30PM-8:45PM
10 MINS
Struggling with a quarter-life crisis, Jess feels like there is no one in the world she can talk to. That is when Alun, claiming to be an alien, turns up at her window asking for a tour guide for his intergalactic holiday in Wales. James Button has made films about goats, dinosaurs, aliens, America, rockets and corpses...all can be found at his website: jamesbuttonfilms. com. Directed by James Button Produced by James Button & Liam Hobbs
20 20 I NT ERNAT I O NAL FI L M FES T I VAL REVERIE
MUSIC VIDEO UNITED STATES ENGLISH 3 MINS SAT FEB 22 9:15PM-11:59PM / WED FEB 26 3:15PM-5:45PM
Jerry Jean’s ‘Reverie’ revolves around the ‘what ifs’ between young adulthood and an older adulthood - the time when we’re in the midst of our professions and tiptoeing between crisis and comfort. At a certain point we may begin to look back on our lives and wonder if we had let ‘the one’ go. Angela Chen is a director born and raised in the heart of Texas with family roots in Taiwan and China. Her films have won numerous awards and premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, SXSW, Austin Film Festival, and more. Angela’s current narrative feature is the recipient of the Russo Brothers’ AGBO Films and AFI’s Development Grant. She was an Armed with a Camera Fellow at Visual Communications and a recipient of the ITVS Diversity Development Fund.
FEATURE
music business.
RIVER OF SALVATION
CHINA CHINESE SUNDAY FEB 23 3:45PM-6:15PM
SISTERS
123 MINS
Directed by Qisheng Gao Produced by Yi Long
RUNNING MAN
UNITED KINGDOM ENGLISH SUNDAY FEB 23 9PM-11:15PM
His football career over, Davie starts promoting gigs in Dundee with his friends John and Scot – leading to a hugely ambitious Iron Maiden show. Out of his depth and deep in debt with Fergie, a gangster of legendary violence, Davie needs to pull off the biggest scheme of his life. Dave started promoting gigs in Dundee, graduating to London venues and promoting tours for Nirvana, Green Day, Soundgarden as Riverman Concerts with Alex Weston. They have also managed PLACEBO for 25 years. “Schemers” is the first in a series of movies documenting Dave’s many turbulent experiences in the
SCHWESTERN
Rong, living in a small town in the south of China, is a pedicure therapist who has never gotten married. She has a brother named Xiaodong , who is 14 years younger. Xiaodong is almost 18 years old, instead of working he plays video games all day long, but after going through a series of things he finally becomes independent. And Seeing this, Rong returned to her hometown in the northeast of China, and went to the police station, confessing that she killed a person 19 years ago. However,the following development of the matter is going to be out of Rong’s expectation. Gao Qisheng was born in 1972 in China and graduated from Beijing Normal University. He is China’s new generation film director and screenwriter, three-times winner of the Best Screenplay in Xia Yan Cup Film Literary Screenplay Contest by National Radio and Television Administration. He likes to publicize himself, but also is low-key and pragmatic when he works. He is good at delineating average individuals’ spiritual world and life with delicate emotion and graceful conception.
HORROR
89 MINS
Directed by David McLean Produced by Alex Weston & Virginia Lee
Directed by Angela Chen Produced by Jerry Jean
FEATURE
SCHEMERS
UNITED KINGDOM ENGLISH FRIDAY FEB 21 6:30PM-9PM
15 MINS
1991: In an attempt to escape the ghosts of his past, Fred Love convinces his mates to take part in a clinical drug trial for cash. But events take a turn as the trial spirals into violent psychosis, forcing Fred to come face-to-face with the very thing he’s been running from. Chris Turner works in commercials, music video and film. Under the moniker Favourite Colour: Black, he’s headed up high-concept projects for clients such as Honda, Jaguar and National Geographic, and his promos for artists including Birdy, The Kooks and Alice Chater have clocked up millions of views on YouTube.
SHORT
AUSTRIA GERMAN FRIDAY FEB 21 6:30PM-9PM
20 MINS
During the organization of their mother’s funeral, two estranged sisters with completely different personalities are forced to face each other once again. They will have to confront their differences, as well as their relationship. Florian Moses Bayer was born 1987 in Styria; after school he moved to Vienna. As an independent director and producer, Florian created short movies, music videos and commercials. Since 2017, he has been studying at the Vienna Film Academy. Directed by Florian Bayer Produced by Clara Köni
SORE LOSER FOR LOVE
MUSIC VIDEO UNITED STATES ENGLISH MONDAY FEB 24 7:45PM-11PM
3 MINS
The empty space is a clean canvas that allows for a specific tapestry of images to layer within a cinematic mind-space. One could even say - motivated meditation. Set within the subjective framework of the mind and memory, the remnants of love or infatuation are stripped bare within the mindset and passions of the musicians...and even of a girl. Unapologetic message lingers while the expression of distraught emotions simmer just beneath the surface. Perhaps it was a soul-crushing experience or maybe an attempt to heal by addressing the heartbreak head on. Scott McCullough is an American action/drama film director best known as a director/dp for high-end commercials and music videos. McCullough is most notable for working with Prince, Paul Newman, NASCAR, Ford, GM, Budweiser, Pepsi, Kubota, Target and many more Fortune 500 clients with top ad agencies such as Leo Burnett, Doner, DDB, Team Detroit, Martin Williams, J. Walter Thompson and he has several feature films in a active development. Directed by Scott McCullough Produced by Scott McCullough
Directed by Chris Turner Produced by Sadie Frost & Keith Kehoe
PAG E 14
W INTER FI L M AWARDS SUBWAY
SHORT SPAIN ENGLISH 5 MINS SAT FEB 22 6:30PM-9PM / WED FEB 26 3:15PM-5:45PM
FEATURE
Commuting to work is always a delicate moment, in which our mind usually wanders and reflects on where our life is headed. That’s where we begin our story, on an ultra slow motion shot in the New York Subway… until something happens that blows everything away. Subway is a a short film about a very long instant: falling in love. Carlos Garcia De Dios started his career as a Director of Photography ten years ago in New York City. During this time he’s been behind the camera for a variety of projects, among them Goya Award-winning “Paco de Lucia: La búsqueda”, and the long form music video “Bunbury: Licenciado Cantinas”, which was nominated for a Latin Grammy. His close participation in the creative pre-production duties have carried him to develop his role as writer and producer. Directed by Carlos Garcia De Dios Produced by Raul Santos
WEB SERIES
SURVIVE
NIGERIA ENGLISH SATURDAY FEB 22 9:15PM-11:59PM
TAPESTRY
UNITED STATES ENGLISH FRIDAY FEB 21 9:15PM-11:59PM
Based upon real events, “Tapestry” is the story of a man in the midst of a heavy personal and spiritual crisis. Aided by his dying mother and faithless father, he embarks on a personal journey that will forever change him. Ken Kushner was born on February 17, 1965 in Flushing, Queens. He is a producer and writer, known for “The Brawler” (2018), “Vengeance” (2016) and “Clearview” (2005). Directed by Ken Kusher Produced by Michael Yacovone & Rob DePalo
THE 600: A SOLDIER’S STORY
DOCUMENTARY
8 MINS
A long trip sets Maggie and her Mum down a lonely desert. What seems to be a reunion ends up turning her from an ordinary teenager to a survivor fighting for her life. Tyna Ezenma nee (Oji) is a Nigerian awardwinning photographer and filmmaker. She studied photography in Paris and New York and graduated from the prestigious UCLA Film school. She has won 3 International photography awards and over 24 International film awards. Tyna is very passionate about the creative arts and enjoys producing and directing films as well as continuing her passion for photography.
92 MINS
USA ENGLISH, KINYARWANDA 115 MINS TUESDAY FEB 25 7:45PM-11PM
The dramatic and little known story of a group of opposition soldiers trapped behind enemy lines at the outset of the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda in 1994. Eyewitness accounts of their counterattack against a much larger force, and the daring rescues they made of civilians while under fire. Richard Hall is an Emmy Award winning television producer based in Los Angeles with over 25 years of broadcast producing experience. Hall has produced hundreds of hours of programs for networks like VH1, MTV, TLC, Discovery Channel and NatGeo Wild. Hall won a National Emmy for “The Amazing Race”, and his documentary “Death of a Shaman” won the Oakland Film Festival Documentary Award in 2006. Hall has also won Emmy Awards in the San Francisco and Los Angeles TV markets as an Executive Producer. Directed by Richard Hall & Laurent Basset Produced by Annette Uwizeye
Directed by Tyna Ezenma Produced by Tyna Ezenma & Theo Ukpah
SWITCH
WEB UNITED STATES ENGLISH 13 MINS SUN FEB 23 6:30PM-8:45PM / WED FEB 26 3:15PM-5:45PM
SWITCH is a drama series about a woman who begins working as a dominatrix at New York’s most exclusive BDSM dungeon and quickly gets sucked into a seductive lifestyle filled with luxury, lust, money, deceit and power. In her quest to build her own empire she will make many friends and allies but also enemies, starting with her abusive ex-husband who’s just been released from prison and is hungry for revenge. Based on A True Story. Stavroula Toska is a multi award-winning writer, director, actress and content creatrix who is known for pushing boundaries through unique storytelling. Her works have received global recognition, including top honors from the New York Women in Film and Television for her scripted web series, “Switch”. Stavroula is a published author currently working on her memoir. Directed by Stavroula Toska & Cady McClain Produced by Katie Maguire & Stavroula Toska
SHORT
THE ACT
CANADA ENGLISH MONDAY FEB 24 7:45PM-11PM
Carter Ciaran is an experienced local theatre actor, whose dreams and ambitions minimize everything else in his personal life. His intense preparation of method acting that includes never breaking character alienates him from local productions intimidated by him and from his family who are estranged from him. However, when Carter is preparing for a new lead role as a clown, he receives news that his sister is on her deathbed. The choice Carter ultimately needs to make is to either follow his artistic aspirations or be there for his loved ones in the greatest time of need. Raffi Akiji has been an avid film fan literally ever since he could remember. He has studied screenwriting, film theory, media analysis, and media management at The New School in NYC. He has written numerous short film scripts, plays, edited plays for high school productions, had multiple runs of movie review blogs, and was a judge for the 2017 Winter Film Awards in NYC. He continues to study filmmaking at Vancouver Film School. Directed by Raffinand Akiji Produced by Lukya Rong
PAG E 15
16 MINS
20 20 I NT ERNAT I O NAL FI L M FES T I VAL THE ART OF SAYING GOODBYE
THE BLUE MARBLE
SHORT US ARABIC, ENGLISH, FRENCH, HEBREW 15 MINS WED FEB 26 7:45PM-11PM / WED FEB 26 3:15PM-5:45PM
WEB SERIES UNITED STATES ENGLISH 19 MINS THU FEB 27 7:45PM-11PM / WED FEB 26 3:15PM-5:45PM
Eli, a writer in the doldrums and Angela, an aspiring actress, are on the brink of a breakup but an unexpected visit from the past will change everything. Erika Sanz is a Brooklyn based filmmaker and award-winning screenwriter. She moved to New York City eight years ago from Madrid, Spain to fulfill her dream of working in film. As script supervisor, she has been part of well acclaimed films such as “iOrigins”, “Complete Unknown” and “Sidney Hall”, as well as the HBO TV Show “High Maintenance” and the recent Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner “The Miseducation of Cameron Post”. “The Art Of Saying Goodbye” is her second shortfilm as a director.
At the Universal Soul Assignment office, a soul has been stuck on the Blue Marble line for eternity. A victim of red tape, he struggles to unravel the incomprehensible rules and regulations which have prevented him from fulfilling his destiny since the Big Bang. Ralph Toporoff’s career started as a photographer for “Look” magazine and others; he joined the Cameraman’s Union and later the DGA. Toporoff directed commercials then produced and directed his own feature film “American Blue Note.” Released theatrically in the US and abroad, the film was a critical and financial success. He’s continued to write, direct and produce full length narratives and shorts and recently created his first web-series “The Blue Marble” which he wrote, directed and produced.
Directed by Erika Sanz Corbacho Produced by Jeff El-Eini & Irene Menéndez
SHORT
THE BARBER
SWEDEN ARABIC SATURDAY FEB 22 9:15PM-11:59PM
Directed by Ralph Toporoff Produced by Ralph Toporoff & John Pirkis
14 MINS
Fadi, a Syrian barber who has set up a makeshift barber shop in a refugee camp in Southern Sweden, provides a neutral ear for the various ethnic and political groups residing in the camp. Fadi’s customers reveal the struggles of everyday immigrant life in Sweden and the dynamics between peoples within the camp. When Fadi develops a relationship with a new client, he is forced to question his own values, which are already so often challenged by life in Sweden. Within seconds, Fadi must make a potentially life-altering decision that may alleviate the pain from his past, but may change his future forever. Melanie Aronson grew up outside of Boston, MA, and received her bachelors in anthropology from Columbia University in 2007 and her masters of fine arts in documentary filmmaking from the School of Visual Arts (NYC) in 2014. Melanie directed the short film “Refuge” in 2013, which had its U.S. premiere at the 2014 Seattle International Film Festival and its European premiere at the 2015 London Short Film Festival. Directed by Melanie Aronson Produced by Basel Mawlawi
THE BLACKBERRY AND THE FIREBEETLE LA MORA Y EL COCUYO
ANIMATED VENEZUELA ENGLISH 10 MINS SUNDAY FEB 23 6:30PM-8:45PM / MONDAY FEB 24 4PM-5:30PM
An indigenous Pemong Community tale from Venezuela that tells the journey of a Fire Beetle that finds an old Blackberry, she falls in love with him, but he rejects her. Time passes, the blackberry is reborn and the Fire Beetle receives a lesson. Isaías JJ Pérez’s first studies linked to filmmaking were in a Communal Documentary Study in COTRAIN, then he started studying filmmaking in ESCINTV in which he graduated as a filmmaker. He is currently studying a Bachelor’s Degree in Audiovisual Arts at The National Experimental University of Arts. Directed by Isaias Perez Produced by Edna Fernandes & Francisco Laurel
MUSIC VIDEO
THE CHAIN
UNITED STATES ENGLISH FRIDAY FEB 21 6:30PM-9PM
3 MINS
The Chain is a dance concept video with inspirations from Dogville and Wes Anderson. Lonnie Lynn Iske has been working in the film industry for 15 years. She started her own production company straight out of film school and has continued to push herself and grow as much as she can. Lonnie fell into production starting with her love of music – creating music videos really inspired her to pursue this as a profession. Lonnie grew up traveling the states with her parents’ band which is where she credits the start of her passion. Directed by Lonnie Iske & Nate Talan Produced by Lonnie Iske & Jenny Vause
SHORT
THE CHEF
UNITED STATES CHINESE, ENGLISH SATURDAY FEB 22 6:30PM-9PM
20 MINS
In the near future, when all labor workers are replaced by humanoids, a Chinese chef, Pu (60s) is ordered to pass on his cooking skill to humanoid robot William and to teach him Chinese cooking. Designed to satisfy his owner, William tries to follow Pu’s every instruction, but his robotic demand for precision and perfection is essentially contradictory to Chinese cooking. At the same time, the protests against AI replacing human labor are more and more intense. Qiang, Pu’s apprentice, is also one of the protestors. Since Qiang disappoints Pu time and time again in cooking, Pu starts to get closer with William, which pushes him to the opposite of human beings. Pu becomes at a loss in this dilemma. Hao is a recent Student Academy Award winning director with a BFA degree in Film Production from Emerson College and a MFA degree in Directing from the American Film Institute. Hao has worked extensively as an actor in popular Chinese films and television series and has directed films with international recognition including the Best International Film Award at Show Me Shorts (New Zealand), AT&T Film Award, Nowness Awards, Short Shorts Tokyo, Interfilm Berlin among more than 50 other film festivals. Directed by Hao Zheng Produced by Ithaca Yixian Deng
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W INTER FI L M AWARDS THE CONDOR & THE EAGLE
DOCUMENTARY
FRANCE ENGLISH, SPANISH SATURDAY FEB 22 6:30PM-9PM
82 MINS
THE RIBBON
ANIMATED UNITED STATES ENGLISH 4 MINS SATURDAY FEB 22 6:30PM-9PM / MONDAY FEB 24 4PM-5:30PM
Four Indigenous environmental leaders embark on an extraordinary trans-continental adventure from the Canadian plains to deep into the heart of the Amazonian jungle to unite the peoples of North and South America and deepen the meaning of Climate Justice. “The Condor & The Eagle” documentary offers a glimpse into a developing spiritual renaissance as the film’s four protagonists learn from each other’s long legacy of resistance to colonialism and its extractive economy. Their path through the jungle takes them on an unexpectedly challenging and liberating journey, which will forever change their attachment to the Earth and one another. Sophie Guerra has been concentrating on researching the health impacts of environmental pollution for the past 10 years. After completing her Master’s Degree in Pharmacology in 2012, she decided to live her passion for films, which she sees as a powerful strategic way to reach out to a larger audience. Clèment Guerra has been working as an international marketing consultant manager in London, as well as a professional photographer. He has been focusing on creating his own independent production company, promoting a creative approach for documentary films as an innovative social change tool.
“The Ribbon” is a beautiful short film about a little girl who wakes up in a magical world. Riddled in this little girl’s journey of beautiful sceneries and enchanting creatures, a deeper significance lies behind what meets the eye. “The Ribbon” is not just a children’s film after all. Join us on a little girl’s journey to find out why! Polla-Ilariya Kozino is an animation Director and VFX Producer. Born and raised in Kazakhstan, Polla started her career early on and had her first art exhibition in the age of eight. She got her BFA at the San Francisco Academy of Art University, where she studied Animation and Visual Effects. Most recently she worked in Laika Entertainment’s film, “Missing Link”.
Directed by Sophie Guerra & Clement Guerra Produced by Janet MacGillicray & Alexandra Johnes
SHORT UNITED STATES ENGLISH, HINDI 16 MINS SAT FEB 22 3:45PM-6:15PM / WED FEB 26 3:15PM-5:45PM
THE DAM
“The Seal” is a psychological thriller about a woman’s journey of healing from trauma. It’s about the battle between the mind that wants to forget, and the body that remembers. Richa Rudola is an award-winning NYC-based statistician-turned-filmmaker from India. Her first short film, “Taaza Khoon Khoon (Fresh Blood)” won 8 awards across 28 film festivals picking up distribution by Shorts TV India. Her latest short film “The Seal” won the 2019 Future of Film is Female grant and is currently enjoying a successful run on the festival circuit. A strong proponent for supporting women in film, Richa serves as Vice President of Development for NYC Women Filmmakers.
HORROR UNITED STATES ENGLISH 6 MINS SUN FEB 23 9PM-11:15PM / WED FEB 26 3:15PM-5:45PM
In the North Woods, a dam worker is surrounded by mysterious disappearances of locals and brutal deaths of his co-workers deep down in the reservoir. He tries to get away from the nightmares, only to have his personal demons follow him into the water. Matilda Szydagis holds a degree in Anthropology from the University of Chicago; her acting credits include “The Sopranos”, “The Ruins”, and she plays Zelda on Amazon’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”. Ric Sechrest holds degrees from Syracuse (BS, Acting), Ohio University (MFA, Acting) and University of Maine (MA, Directing). Both are horror buffs and reside in NYC. Directed by Matilda Szydagis & Ric Sechrest Produced by Matilda Szydagis
16 MINS
The film is about Elva, a young police officer who goes to work with the police in Vestmannaeyjar. There she meets some difficult and heavy cases, especially one case that affected her whole life, but she did not realize it until many years later. At that time there was no trauma informed care in the police, life just went on and she had to do that too. Signy Ros is 20 years old and graduated from The Icelandic Film School in May 2019. Her final project was the film “The Ocean’s Choice” In 2018, she made a documentary about the experience of parents of boys who experienced childhood sexual abuse. She has made a commercial and worked on a few short movies. She is now working at the National Television station, RUV, where she is working on producing shows for children. She is also a soccer player. Directed by Signý Rós Ólafsdóttir Produced by Signý Rós Ólafsdóttir & Ásta Jónína Arnardóttir
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Directed by Richa Rudola Produced by Naomi Mcdougall Jones & Jess Weiss
SABOR A MI
HAFIÐ RÆÐUR
ICELAND ICELANDIC THURSDAY FEB 27 7:45PM-11PM
THE SEAL
THE TASTE OF ME
THE OCEAN’S CHOICE SHORT
Directed by Polla-Ilariya Kozino Produced by Jean Ahn & Arealous Kendrick
MUSIC VIDEO UNITED STATES SPANISH THURSDAY FEB 27 7:45PM-11PM
5 MINS
David Lawrence, an accomplished film composer of “American Pie , Disney High School Musical”, recreates one of the most famous boleros Spanish songs originally composed by the legendary Los Panchos and sung by David’s iconic mom Eydie Gorme. Special cameo by Steve Lawrence. This is David’s debut song as a singer in tribute to his mom Eydie. Carlos Alberto Hurtado is a Mexican-American multi-award winning film director whose work has has been featured on ABC, CNN, Univision, Azteca, Telemundo, LATV, Moviemaker Magazine, Spectrum News and festivals throughout the world. Carlos graduated from Loyola Marymount University Film School (LMU). His filmmaking career has amassed 63 awards and 200 Nominations. Directed by Carlos Alberto Hurtado Produced by Jose Mayorquin
20 20 I NT ERNAT I O NAL FI L M FES T I VAL MUSIC VIDEO
TOO CLOSE TO THE SUN
UNITED STATES ENGLISH TUESDAY FEB 25 7:45PM-11PM
4 MINS
In the music video for their song about the character Icarus from Greek Mythology, this Portland, OR based band opted to have some fun visually interpreting a more contemporary “flying story gone wrong” – that of cult hero Lawn Chair Larry. The result aims to celebrate the dreamer mentality and what is unorthodoxly possible, while also loosely suggesting “don’t try this at home”. Jonas & Co is a multifaceted live action / animation production company founded by threetime Emmy winning team of producer Hema Mulchandani and director Jonas Morganstein. In addition to their work in advertising, they have produced a short film raising awareness for the Malala Fund, co-founded SONY’s Picture This Festival For The Planet, and worked closely with Team Oprah creating content for her live show. Directed by Jonas Morganstein Produced by Hema Mulchandani & Cindi McKinney
SHORT
TRACES
BELGIUM FRENCH SUNDAY FEB 23 1PM-3:30PM
UNITED STATES ENGLISH FRIDAY FEB 21 9:15PM-11:59PM
24 MINS
A small-time drug dealer is expecting to have a quiet night watching TV with his girlfriend. All is well until his supplier pops up to pressure him to make a new purchase. As the night unfolds, mistakes are made with murderous consequences. Directed by Roman Rivera Produced by George Isaacs
WE’RE GOING TO PARIS
12 MINS
Directed by Sébastien Pins Produced by Sébastien Pins
WEB SERIES
In 2018, the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific, hosted the Melanesian Arts & Cultural Festival, celebrating the country’s fortieth anniversary of independence. On neighboring island states, the struggle for freedom continues, as West Papua resists Indonesian occupation and the residents of New Caledonia still live under French rule. Iara Lee, a Brazilian of Korean descent, is an activist, filmmaker, and founder/director of the Cultures of Resistance Network, an organization that promotes global solidarity and connects and supports agitators, educators, farmers, and artists to build a more just and peaceful world through creative resistance and nonviolent action. As a filmmaker, Iara has directed/produced several full-length documentaries and dozens of short films over the past decade. Her film “Burkinabè Rising: The Art Of Resistance In Burkina Faso” won Best Documentary at WFA2018. Directed by Iara Lee Produced by Iara Lee
A logger and his horse take us deep into a forest in the Ardennes as the seasons go by, living his passion under the gaze of a strange young girl. The man will teach her his passion of draft horse logging: this is a film about the idea of passing down, and how some encounters can lead to a life’s calling. The short film “Traces” shows today’s youth as the main force of the preservation of our forests while highlighting the emotional symbiosis between man, animal and the forest. Have no doubts about Sebastien Pins’s commitment to nature; he has proven it. Fascinated by the beauty, the fragility and the mysteries of nature, Sebastien became interested in photography very early. Today, because of his attachment to the natural patrimony of the Ardennes and of his inhabitants, he tries, through his films, to reconcile Man with Nature by inviting the spectator to act positively in favour of the preservation of tomorrow’s world.
THE VIC
WANTOKS: DANCE OF RESILIENCE IN MELANESIA
DOCUMENTARY UNITED STATES ENGLISH, FRENCH 20 MINS TUE FEB 25 7:45PM-11PM / THUR FEB 27 3:30PM-5:35PM
NOS VAMOS PA’ PARÍS
SHORT
PUERTO RICO SPANISH SATURDAY FEB 22 6:30PM-9PM
9 MINS
An old married couple try to rob a bank with the purpose of saving their house which has a foreclosure on it, but the couple receive a tremendous surprise when they enter the bank. David Norris has a Master’s degree in Mass Media Writing from Sagrado Corazón University and has distinguished himself as a screenwriter and movie director. For the past fifteen years, David has worked in various facets of the world of communications and his six short films have had a positive impact on the local film scene. He is currently working on the development of his first feature film. Directed by David Norris Produced by Omar Camilo
WHEREFORE ART THOU, THEO?
ANIMATED UNITED STATES ENGLISH 5 MINS FRIDAY FEB 21 6:30PM-9PM / MONDAY FEB 24 4PM-5:30PM
“Wherefore Art Thou, Theo?” documents the series of voicemails my mother sent me during a time of loss. Theodore Schaffer is an animator and filmmaker based in Brooklyn, NY. Theodore believes that technology and social media have led to a great sense of anxiety in his generation and that filmmaking can be a very cathartic method of self-awareness. His upcoming project is a short animation about a family that experiments with edibles on a “trip” to a museum. Directed by Theodore Schaffer Produced by Theodore Schaffer
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YONLU
BRAZIL ENGLISH, PORTUGUESE SATURDAY FEB 22 1PM-3:30PM
88 MINS
“Yonlu” is a fiction film based on the real story of a 16 year-old boy who, aided by the internet, won over the world with his talent for music and art. Fluent in five languages, Yonlu had a network of virtual friends on all continents. However, no one suspected he was also taking part in a forum for potential suicides. Hique Montanari is a Brazil-based screenwriter and film director. He directed TV programs and series, documentaries and short fiction films. “Yonlu” is his debut feature film and won the Critic’s Award in the São Paulo International Film Festival (Brazil, 2017) as Best Brazilian Feature Film by a First Time Director. Directed by Hique Montanari Produced by Luciana Tomasi
VISIT WINTERFILMAWARDS.COM FOR DETAILS ABOUT OUR FILMS!
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Fast, Easy, Powerful.
IT’S A KNOBRAINER.
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20 20 I NT ERNAT I O NAL FI L M FES T I VAL
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20 20 I NT ERNAT I O NAL FI L M FES T I VAL
Colorful Cast
We are proud to sponsor the 9th Annual Winter Film Awards International Film Festival.
xritephoto.com
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20 20 I NT ERNAT I O NAL FI L M FES T I VAL
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DISCUSSION PANELS & WORKSHOPS Winter Film Awards believes that education is the primary means for the emerging filmmaker to get ahead in the industry. We are delighted to offer the following educational opportunities. All panels and workshops are free and open to the public.
SHOOTING DIFFICULT SCENES / SEX & VIOLENCE FOR FILMMAKERS
February 24, 2020 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm @Cinema Village, 22 East 12th Street Speaker: Chelsea Pace (Theatrical Intimacy Education), Jared Kirby (NYCSS) and Zelda Gay Your film includes sex and fight scenes, but how do you really shoot these? How can you ensure that your actors are comfortable and safe? When do you need a special rider? How do you avoid injuries? When should you hire a professional, how do you find one and how much does that cost? Learn all about how to shoot these difficult scenes with excellent advice from leading Fight/Combat and Intimacy Coordinators! Moderated by Winter Film Awards’ Anika Ji.
DISTRIBUTION 101
February 25, 2020 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm @Cinema Village, 22 East 12th Street Speaker: Dan Gurlitz (Soundview Media), Bill Sondheim (Greenfield Media), Nick Savva (Giant Pictures) and Lisa Osinloye Back by popular demand! We all know that distribution is the holy grail for filmmakers – you spend a ton of time and all your money making a film and you want to be sure it is seen by as many people as possible! But, how do you even go about getting distribution? Are there things you need to do up front to make the distribution process easier? Do you want to go digital, domestic, international? Does anyone actually make any money with iTunes and AmazonPrime? What does a distribution contract look like and what should you be careful about? How do you avoid scams? Join our discussion with representatives who cover online, international and domestic distribution and get your questions answered! Moderated by Winter Film Awards’ Fulden Kologlu Oner.
CRAFTING A GREAT OPENING SCENE WITH ANNETTE INSDORF
February 26, 2020 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm @Cinema Village, 22 East 12th Street Columbia University Film Professor Annette Insdorf will demonstrate how the opening sequence of a great film entices the viewer to enter its world. Using clips from movies such as “La Ciudad” and “Where Do We Go Now?”, she will discuss how they introduce stylistic and thematic elements that will be developed in the rest of the film. Her presentation will be followed by a book-signing of her acclaimed study, Cinematic Overtures: How to Read Opening Scenes.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MUSIC FOR YOUR FILM
February 27, 2020 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm @Cinema Village, 22 East 12th Street Speakers: Brian McKenna (BToven Music), Randy Frisch (Lovecat Music) and Trinity Velez-Justo (UNC School of the Arts) You know you need music and sounds to set the mood for your film, but where do you begin? How do you find a composer? How much does it cost? When do you get the composer involved? Can you get away with just using online music? How do you communicate your vision with your composer? Come get all of your questions answered! Moderated by Winter Film Awards’ Zachary Grinfeld.
SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING FOR FILMMAKERS
February 28, 2020 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm @Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, 1 E 53rd Street Speakers: CR Capers (Harlem Film House) and Hayden Craddolph (Haydenfilms Institute) You know you need a “social media strategy” for your film, but no one really seems to know what that means or how to go about doing it. There are tons of advice articles, but they are all so vague that often we just chuck some stuff up there and hope for the best. CR Capers and Hayden Craddolph have lots of practical experience in social marketing and can answer all of your questions! Learn how to build a following, what you should be posting and how often, which platforms to consider, what sorts of things you should be posting, is it worth paying to promote, items you should be sure to gather while in production for social marketing later, the top posts that you should have in-pocket and ready for posting, how to promote festival inclusion, tips for getting people to share your posts, tagging strategy and what other online marketing you should consider.
THE ART OF THE PITCH FOR FILMMAKERS
February 28, 2020 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm @Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, 1 E 53rd Street Speakers: Christina Raia (Seed & Spark) Knowing how to convey the specifics about your project in a dynamic, succinct way can land you not only investors, but collaborators, audience members, and more. Skills learned: how to prepare for a pitch meeting, how to adapt your pitch to different audiences and how to follow up for a bright future.
CAMERA HACKS FOR THE FRUGAL FILMMAKER
February 28, 2020 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm @Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, 1 E 53rd Street Speakers: Steven deCastro Filmmakers: in this competitive environment, are you getting the most out of every shot? In this hands-on workshop, learn camera techniques to achieve the film look on an indie budget. In this day and age, even the frugal-lest film crews use grip gear like gimbals and sliders for smooth camera movement, but because of lack of training, some directors only end up creating fancy shots that take away from the story. In 2017, Director Steven De Castro developed this class while teaching African filmmakers in three universities in Ghana. These African students learned effective camera movement techniques in a nearly zero-budget environment, and now you can, too. Employing the methods of the legendary British film instructor Roy Thompson, Steve will guide you through the theory of motivated camera movement through exercises and onscreen examples.
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FESTIVAL SCHEDULE THURSDAY FEB 20
SATURDAY FEB 22
SUNDAY FEB 23
MONDAY FEB 24
WFA 202 0 OPENING NIGHT KICK-OFF B ASH & NE T WORKING PART Y 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Cinema Village, 22 East 12th Street
Cinema Village, 22 East 12th Street
Cinema Village, 22 East 12th Street
1:00 PM - 3 : 3 0 P M
1 : 0 0 PM - 3 : 3 0 P M
4 : 0 0 PM - 5 : 3 0 PM A nimated S horts M atinee
SKY ROOM 330 W est 40 th S treet FREE , 21+ w /ID FRIDAY FEB 21 Cinema Village, 22 East 12th Street
6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
* Wherefore Art Thou, Theo? * For the Goblins * Sisters * The Chain * Schemers - Q&A -
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9:15 PM - 11:59 PM
* F Dream (The Keyboard Story) * The Vic * Crimson Cuffs * My Daughter Yoshiko * In Everyone’s Eyes - El Último! * Tapestry - Q&A -
* Fresh Green * Infinite While It Lasts * Busy As Usual: The Web Series * Distinguished Feelings * Yonlu - Q&A -
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* Latteship * Empty Skies * Never Give Up * Traces * Illegal - Q&A -
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3:45 PM - 6 : 1 5 P M
3 : 4 5 PM - 6 : 1 5 P M
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* The Seal * Italy & (This is) Water * Bozkir Look at the Birds - Q&A -
6:30 PM - 9 : 0 0 P M
* The Ribbon * Chronicles Of-The Good Reverend * Subway * The Chef * We’re Going to Paris * Fool’s Gold * The Condor & The Eagle - Q&A -
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9:15 PM - 1 1 : 5 9 P M
* Heartspace * Analysis Paralysis * River of Salvation - Q&A -
6 : 3 0 PM - 8 : 4 5 P M
* The BlackBerry and the Firebeetle * Switch * Pop Down * Hausla Na Ruthe: The Stories Untold * Daddy Issues - Q&A -
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9 : 0 0 PM - 1 1 : 1 5 P M
B l oody S u nday H orror S horts
* Heartspace * The Ribbon * Latteship * Wherefore Art Thou, Theo? * F Dream (The Keyboard Story) * Fresh Green * Floral Friends: Jorro & the Floral Phone * The BlackBerry and the Firebeetle * My Little Goat * He Can’t Live Without Cosmos * A Japanese Boy Who Draws
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6 : 0 0 PM - 7 : 3 0 PM D isc u ssion : S hooting D iffic u lt S cenes / S e x & V io l ence for F i l mmakers - FREE -
~~~~~~ 7 : 4 5 PM - 1 1 : 0 0 P M
* A Japanese Boy Who Draws * Endless Love * The Act * A Path Where No Man Goes * Sore Loser For Love * Myth - Q&A -
* Oasis * Survive * The Barber * Reverie * Alex’s Strip - Q&A -
* Minotaur // Black Vulpine * Running Man * Comforter * Bells * Ouroboros * Imagine a World * Her Body * Fresh * Elid + Damh * Decoyed * The Dam * Polybius - Q&A -
TUESDAY FEB 25
WEDNESDAY FEB 26
THURSDAY FEB 27
Cinema Village, 22 East 12th Street
Cinema Village, 22 East 12th Street
Cinema Village, 22 East 12th Street
VLA, 1 East 53rd Street
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM D isc u ssion : D istrib u tion 101
3:15 PM - 5 : 4 5 P M M ade in NY S horts M atinee
3 : 3 0 PM - 5 : 3 5 P M D oc u mentary M atinee
1 : 3 0 PM - 3 : 0 0 PM W orkshop : S ocia l M edia M arketing for F i l mmakers
- FREE -
~~~~~~ 7:45 PM - 11:00 PM
* My Little Goat * WANTOKS: Dance of Resilience * First Disco * Too Close to the Sun * The 600: The Soldiers’ Story - Q&A -
* Fool’s Gold * Reverie * Subway * The Dam * Bells * Analysis Paralysis * Dickie & Bea * Chronicles Of The Good Reverend * Switch * The Art Of Saying Goodbye * The Seal * Polybius * The Blue Marble * My Daughter Yoshiko
~~~~~~ 6:00 PM - 7 : 3 0 P M D isc u ssion : C rafting a G reat O pening S cene with A nnette I nsdorf - FREE -
~~~~~~ 7:45 PM - 1 1 : 0 0 PM
* He Can’t Live Without Cosmos * Burqa City * A Little Hornless Goat * The Art Of Saying Goodbye * Linoleum * Inner Fire - Q&A -
* Endless Love * Never Give Up * WANTOKS: Dance of Resilience * Feature Film TBD (Check Website)
~~~~~~ 6 : 0 0 PM - 7 : 3 0 P M D isc u ssion : E verything Y o u N eed to K now A bo u t M u sic in F i l m - FREE -
~~~~~~ 7 : 4 5 PM - 1 1 : 0 0 P M
* Floral Friends: Jorro and the Floral Phone * The Blue Marble * Comforter * The Ocean’s Choice * Dickie & Bea * The Taste of Me * Nipponia Nippon - Fukushima Rhapsody - Q&A -
FRIDAY FEB 28
- FREE -
~~~~~~ 3 : 3 0 PM - 5 : 0 0 PM W orkshop : T he A rt of the P itch - FREE -
~~~~~~ 5 : 3 0 PM - 7 : 0 0 PM C amera H acks for the F r u ga l F i l mmaker - FREE -
SATURDAY FEB 29
G AL A R E D CA R P E T AWA R DS C E R E M ON Y A N D A F T ER- PA RT Y C LU B 2 3 0 F IF T H 2 3 0 F ifth A ven u e 7:00 - 8:00 PM RED CARPE T 8:00 - 9:00 PM CEREMONY 9:00 PM AF TER PART Y
FREE, 21+
w/ID
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