2021 Official Selections
ALL THE POSSIBILITIES
YOUTH SHORT
5:40
Marigold is a creative little girl with a big imagination, which takes her on an adventure to discover what would happen if she took a chance and shared her artwork with the world.
Director: Anne Ploegman (18 years old)
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
BANDWIDTH
NARRATIVE SHORT
5:00
Frank's important job interview on Zoom goes south due to his "stay at home" Covid precautious family using up his bandwidth.
Directors: Pat Battistini, Robert Francke
Santa Clarita, CA, United States
BEYOND THE MODEL
YOUTH SHORT
5:00
After the assaults and discrimination of Asians because of COVID-19, this film shines a light on what it is like be a “model minority” in an increasingly divided America.
Director: Jessica Lin (18 years old)
Sacramento, CA, United States
BLINDFOLD
STUDENT FILM
1:01:15
A government agent finds herself trapped under bizarre circumstances with an infamous cybercriminal.
Director Travis Patten
Texas, United States
BYE BUDDY
STUDENT SHORT
10:00
When Kate is about to head off to college, her parents decide it’s time to put down their beloved old dog, Buddy. She does everything she can to prevent the inevitable, but must ultimately come to terms with losing her childhood pet and beginning this next chapter of her life.
Director Anya Swanson
Austin, TX, United States
CHANGING TIDES
TEXAS MADE SHORT
7:15
A girl’s life is seen through pieces of her memories. With each passing memory, we see snippets of her childhood innocence as well as her carefree spirit in her teenage years. As time passes and she is introduced to love, she realizes that there are memories that we want to capture and preserve while there are some that we want to bury and throw away. All the while, knowing that the best and most cherished moments in life are those that we share with others who are willing to be present in the same way. The girl’s presence at the beach is the one constant memory she confides in as the challenges and changes in her life occur. The setting and currents become a reflection of her life.
Director: Joshua Ulmer
Webster, TX, United States
DIGNITY
NARRATIVE SHORT
25:00
"Dignity" is a love story between a woman and her family. However, the family's strength is tested when a moral decision must be made.
Director: Pat Battistini
Santa Clarita, CA, United States
DREAMER
YOUTH SHORT
2:25
A short film about an LGBTQ+ teen who wants to show their true self.
Director: Nickolas Krueger (18 years old)
Milwaukee, WI, United States
FABLETOWN
TEXAS MADE FILM
1:21:41
A community of fairy tale characters live in hiding from the mundane, human world in New York City. But when one Fable's true identity is exposed, a long lost ally must return to face the community's greatest threat, or their way of life will be forever lost.
Director: Jordan O'Neal
Leander, Texas, United States
FALLING SPARROW
TEXAS MADE SHORT
14:59
A young woman sets out to take her family's sword back from her murderous uncle.
Director: Justin Wang Powell
Austin, Texas, United States
GIRL SCOUT COOKIES
YOUTH SHORT
10:00
After attempting to sell cookies on their turf, two teenagers find themselves in a battle against the League of Girl Scouts, a group of evil capitalistic pre-teens who are highly skilled in combat.
Director: Alex Dashwood (18 years old)
Culver City, CA, United States
HANIA AND JACEK
YOUTH SHORT
6:32
Life story of our grandmother and our grandfather who live together over 55 years. This movie was made as a gift for their 55th wedding anniversary.
Directors: Roch Karwowski (15) , Mia Karwowska (12), Franciszek Karwowski (17)
Warsaw, Poland
HOPE STATION Looking For the Countersociety
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
1:10:24
All over the world, consciousness is rising. More and more people figured out who we should be in order to have a better world and fix the problems we created. Community and sharing are the key words.
The search for the countersociety has led to extraordinary meetings. More than 20,000 km cycling across high mountains, arid deserts, green forests, and through pouring rain, stifling heat, and stinging snow.
Director: Francesco Ciprian
Udine, Italy
IN THE HIDING
NARRATIVE SHORT
12:00
Maria Estrada is a local bar owner in Catarina, TX. The year is 1910 and Mexico is experiencing civil unrest as the Mexican Revolutionary War is at full power. Hundreds of Mexicans are fleeing from their war torn villages north into Texas. However, the Texas government views these "refugees" as a threat to their well being, so the Texas Rangers were given full power to do whatever they wanted to keep the "great state of Texas" safe. So, these unlawful Rangers became the judge, jury, and executioner of hundreds of Mexican refugees and Mexican Americans. This is only one story of Texas' dark history.
Director: Jason J. Angco-Barrera
Hutto, TX, United States
INHALE
NARRATIVE SHORT
19:30
Ebrahim`s chronic insomnia has caused tension between him and his wife, Marziyeh.
Director: Nasser Zamiri
Islamic Republic of Iran
JACKALBY
STUDENT SHORT
16:11
Two best friends share love, life, and tragedy in this hard-hitting new short from Faculty Meeting Films.
Director Travis Patten
Texas, United States
JAVELINA RUN
TEXAS MADE SHORT
18:48
Two idiot ranch hands pretend to be fugitive train robbers to get attention from the ladies at an old west saloon.
Director: Lisa Belcher
Blanco, TX, United States
MAGIC HEAD
YOUTH SHORT
3:49
The story of an amazing Magic Head that saved birds and animals from villains. She not only punished the villains, but also gave them kind hearts.
Director: Anastasia Shinkarenko (8 years old)
Vishnevoye, Ukraine
MICKEY HARDAWAY
NARRATIVE SHORT
19:23
A Young Sketch Artist visits a well renowned psychiatrist as his life begins sprawling out of control after years of Physical and Verbal Abuse has taken a toll on him.
Director: Marcellus Cox
Bellflower, CA, United States
MIDNIGHT
NARRATIVE SHORT
14:33
Reeling in grief over her brother's death, Dara enlists the help of her brother's problematic ex-girlfriend on a quest for revenge. As they descend into the underbelly of the drug world, Dara quickly realizes she's in over her head.
Director: Tony Lugo
United States
MILK FOR VIOLENCE
TEXAS MADE FILM
43:14
Aaron Trow, greatest outlaw this side of the Mississippi, has just escaped from jail and is on the lam. Meanwhile, in the nearby frontier town of Plymouth Flats, Ana the preacher’s wife is left home alone by her husband Caleb. Out of seemingly nowhere, Aaron breaks into Ana's cottage and proceeds to terrorize her into feeding him dinner. When Ana confronts his errant behavior, Aaron retaliates the only way he knows how; with violence, before disappearing into the night. After trying unsuccessfully to enlist the help of local law enforcement and her cowardly husband, Ana decides to take matters into her own hands. Will justice be served? Will Ana be able to stop Aaron before he strikes again? And what’s up with the three dysfunctional bounty hunters who just showed up in Plymouth Flats?
Director: Aaron Levine
Manor, Texas, United States
MORS BONUM
NARRATIVE SHORT
12:02
A man wakes up in a mansion with no recollection of how he got there. A mysterious figure helps him face his inner demons.
Director: Paulina Manseau
United States
MS. ROSSI
NARRATIVE SHORT
5:00
While on her way to a business meeting,
Ms. Rossi takes an interesting detour.
Director: Pat Battistini
Santa Clarita, CA, United States
MY MANIPULATIVE PIGGY BANK
YOUTH SHORT
7:34
Frederick feels like he never gets what he wants and always has to do chores and work, which nobody appreciates. When his piggy bank, Jenny, magically comes to life, she begins helping Frederick make money to solve his problems. At first, it looks like Jenny is sincere and helpful, but some things are not as they appear to be.
Director: Anne Ploegman (18 years old)
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
MY RED BALL
YOUTH SHORT
2:47
An urban legend about a girl who has been bullied and socially alienated in school because of her learning disabilities. She is so lonely that she makes friends with a boy in the forest and soon disappears with her red ball (her heart).
Director: Esabella Strickland (15 years old)
Vancouver, BC, Canada
NACHETE
MOBILE SHORT
3:30
A man is unfaithful to his girlfriend. He knows she will never listen to any excuse or forgive him. That's why he takes her to the perfect place for a confession. It looks like a perfect plan.
Directors: Pau Rodilla, David Gaspar
Valenciana, Spain
NEMEKU LIGHTS
TEXAS MADE SHORT
28:53
In April 2004, six strangers created the last unsolved mystery.
Director: Travis Patten
Arlington, TX, United States
OUTSIDE THE BOX
TEXAS MADE SHORT
39:41
This is the pilot episode for Outside the Box, an uplifting comedy about a diverse group of friends experiencing homelessness and the challenges they face interacting with society while attempting to make their way through life in the inner city.
Director: Gabriel Auffant
Round Rock, TX, United States
PASS
STUDENT SHORT
10:00
Fascinating drama about not everyone is trustworthy............
(The social issue movie centers around a poor woman).
Director: Elika Abdollahi
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
RECALLING
MOBILE SHORT
25:17
A young woman named Emma leaves the city for the countryside during a pandemic. She is escaping from the virus, but she is also attempting to leave behind painful memories of her husband, Johnny, who was recently killed by a police officer. Emma arrives in the rural setting of her childhood only to run into Lorenz, a strange vagabond who claims to have access to powerful magic that can help her. Connecting through loss and music, the odd pair overcome their differences to form a unique bond that will alter her life drastically, though not in any way she could have imagined.
Directors: Ariel Glenn, Edoardo Miranda
New York City, NY, United States
SHUTTER
YOUTH SHORT
5:00
A photographer is faced with an unsettling dilemma when he unexpectedly encounters a felony in the middle of a forest.
Director: Gilbert Onggara (17 years old)
Indonesia
SKIN AND BONE
TEXAS MADE SHORT
13:25
A group of kids steal from the wrong house on Halloween night.
Director: Riley Cusick
Dallas, TX, United States
SOPHIE AND JACOB
YOUTH SHORT
8:49
Inspired by the true story of family, and finding home, no matter the circumstance. Sometimes home cannot be a place, and becomes simply a memory, a mindset.
Director: Max Shoham (17 years old)
Canada
SYSTEM ERROR
YOUTH SHORT
4:34
A standarized society lives in the standarized world - everything goes in one rhythm, works like clockwork.
Occasionally, there are mismatched units, such "errors of perfect system" that are quickly eliminated, thrown into "waste".
And these system errors are starting to work .... - but see for yourself.
Director: Piotr Kaźmierczak (14 years old)
Sochaczew, Poland
THE BALCONY
MOBILE SHORT
10:00
How 30 minutes of self-isolation can
change life.
Director: Sergei Tymchenko
Vyshneve, Ukraine
THE BUTLER AND THE BALL
YOUTH SHORT
10:00
An urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer.
Director: Andrew Chan-Possemato
(8 years old)
Brooklyn, NY, United States
THE CHILDREN'S CRUSADE
TEXAS MADE SHORT
8:24
Two young men, on opposite sides, meet on the battlefield in Iraq; but this could be any battlefield. Had they met anywhere else they might have been friends, but this is Fallujah. This film is intended to educate the public on the cruelty, the brutality, and the fog of war while also showing the human side and the bonds that tie all of us together.
Director: Joseph Mery
Llano, TX, United States
THE COLOUR OF SPRING
NARRATIVE FEATURE
1:34:00
To their friends, Sarah and Sam seem like the perfect couple desperately in love. But when Sarah gets her big stage break as an aspiring actress, Sam begins to question whether he’s good enough for her, particularly as he’s stuck in a dead-end job.
As their relationship unravels, and a mysterious woman threatens to further tear them apart, Sarah and Sam are forced to confront the anger and hurt that they have built between themselves, and once again believe in each other and their love in order to find their way “home”.
Director: Paul Andrew Kimball
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
THE DEC1SION
TEXAS MADE SHORT
14:53
Millions of decisions are made in a lifetime...yet only 1 matters. Ty finds himself submerged in the results of his 1 decision.
Director: Roy Mazzagate III
Orange, TX, United States
THE FIXER
NARRATIVE SHORT
16:07
THE FIXER is a crime, action, drama about an extorted Mafia enforcer who must partner with the femme fatale hired gun who murdered his wife in order to save his daughter and liberate himself from a sadistic Los Angeles crime boss.
Director: Michael Schilf
San Gabriel, CA, United States
THE INSPECTION
NARRATIVE SHORT
16:02
Julia, an experienced history teacher in a rather quiet high school, faces a school inspector. He wants to talk to her. But what about, exactly? Her heated debates with the principal?
The freedom she takes with the school program? Or the way she teaches the Shoah?
Directors: Caroline Brami, Frédéric Bas
Paris, France
THE MOMENTS
YOUTH SHORT
2:07
An animated poetic etude with dry pastels.
Empty beaches, peace, the sound of waves and contact with nature - time for reflection and silence.
Director: Piotr Kaźmierczak (14 years old)
Sochaczew, Poland
THE TEA
MOBILE SHORT
5:00
Simeon is confronted by his oldest friend, Vincent, over his recent engagement. Eagerly listening in, Simeon's sister suspects Vincent's affection is for her brother's fiancé while the beloved maid is caught between the secrets and the truth in this comedy of manners. Loosely inspired by the work of 17th century dramatist Moliere.
Director: Levi Austin Morris
Los Angeles, CA, United States
THIRD BASE
NARRATIVE SHORT
39:05
A young girl meets a homeless ex baseball player. The common bond of their love for baseball brings them close together. Then tragedy strikes…
Director: Katt Gilcrease
Huntsville, TX, United States
TO RECKON WITH
TEXAS MADE SHORT
13:10
Benny goes undercover to a gang's poker night to take out the gang leader with a bomb disguised as a briefcase. Made in Abilene, Texas by a group of young filmmakers.
Director: Rankin Dean
Colorado City, TX, United States
VECINOS: LOVE THY NEIGHBOR
NARRATIVE FEATURE
1:22:04
Roberto hasn’t done much changing lately, but even from his couch he’s seen his neighborhood become a place he barely recognizes. When Maria moves in down the hall from him, though, Roberto has no choice but to consider the good side of change in this heart-warming romantic comedy.
Director: Alex Avila
Buda, TX, United States
WOODEN SWORD
NARRATIVE SHORT
7:00
Two little boys meet each other in a green space, and make friends. On the other hand, their fathers have a big problem.
Directors: Behzad alavi , Sousan salamat
Alborz, Islamic Republic of Iran