Directed & written by Kyle Fleischer
Alone in the desert, a class of Satanic children learn about shapes from a brooding TV and it’s little assistant child. They play, sleep and bond through ritual.
7 minutesAll Down Hill trailer from Kyle Fleischer on Vimeo.
Directed & Written by Benjamin Goodger; Produced by Chiara Ventura
A 2013 National Film and Television School graduation film, Anamnesis is a love story set against a sci-fi backdrop. Following the death of his girlfriend Sophie, Luke, a young scientist, is working on Anamnesis, a project funded by a powerful corporation developing memory retrieval technology. Harnessing the sublime properties of a recently discovered substance, he secretly uses this technology to repeatedly revisit the day she died. Wracked by guilt and regret his obsession drives him towards self- destruction until one day a startling epiphany presents the possibility of a new beginning.
24 minutes
Directed/Written by Douglas Raymond; Produced by Matthew Garvin
Drew’s luck seems to be turning when he inexplicably lands a prom date with the head cheerleader. Upon arriving at the dance, however, he finds his ex with the bully that beats him up every day, and gets shoved into a locker for his troubles. This turns into Drew’s salvation, however, when an evil tiara turns his date into a life-sucking bitch from hell, who decimates prom and raises her victims as a zombie army. Now, the only people left to fight are Drew’s hopelessly geeky friends, and their sketchy allies: the only people who didn’t go to the dance.
100 min
Written/Directed by Vincent Lin; Produced by Caleb Medders, Matthew D’Amato, Vincent Lin
Written by Chris Keaton; Directed/Produced by Alex Lugones
Written/Produced by Gordon Ray, Jack Walsh; Directed by Jack Walsh
As any visitor to Dragon*Con knows, every Labor Day weekend, tens of thousands descend upon Atlanta for the largest convention of geeky pop-culture fandom in the Southeast. From science fiction celebrities and their obsessive fans to colorfully costumed characters engaged in mock combat, this documentary explores the Woodstock for nerds known as Dragon*Con. Featuring interviews with fans, staff, performers, artists, stars and would-be superheroes, Four Days at Dragon*Con examines the sense of community and acceptance that draws together what is often seen as a marginalized subculture. With footage of the magnificent Dragon*Con parade, the greatest collection of homemade costumes to be found anywhere, and a stirring climax centered around an ambitious attempt to break the world record for dancing to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” Four Days at Dragon*Con is quirky and fascinating fun.
(Screened out of competition)
55 min
Written by James Aloysius Von Seitz; Directed by Kamal John Iskander; Produced by Kamal John Iskander, Michael Silberman
An unexpected guest drops in during an underworld poker game in this dark comedy film noir. Starring Steve Eastin (Catch Me If You Can, The Black Dahlia, Up in the Air), Claudia Christian (Babylon 5, Freaks & Geeks), and Alex Veadov (Drag Me To Hell, We Own The Night). Sometimes, a second coming can be…painful!
13 min
Written/Directed by Steffan Schulz
Filmed partially underwater and loosely based on the poem by German writer Heinrich Heine, “Lorelei” is a story of lost love. The original poem tells the tale of a maiden on a cliff overlooking a bend in the Rhine River calling out to her former lover, a sailor navigating the treacherous curves below. Similar folklore of maidens, mermaids, and sirens seducing unsuspecting sailors can be found throughout literature. This experimental film tells the tale of a sailor drowning his sorrows in drink as he ponders the lost love of his life. Haunted by images of his former lover, the sailor finds refuge in drink, but a constant barrage of sublime reminders beckon him.
7 min
Written/Directed by Miguel Alvarez; Produced by Soham Mehta
A solitary deep-space transmitter pilot begins to experience unusual flashbacks when he learns he’s being sent back to Earth.
20 min
Written/Directed by Matthew Munson; Produced by Blake Myers, Matthew Munson
What would you do if you met a real zombie? Would you overcome your urge to run like diarrhea? Would you help the Zombie “B-movie” actress of your dreams get re-seeded by a virgin? Would you find the courage to fend off zombies trying to capture your B-movie princess? Would possess the skills to avoid the police officers who think you are just an obsessed fan dragging around her dead body? Would you have guts to rush into a voodoo sacrifice to save your zombie girl from death beyond undead? Would it be love, or just ‘NECROMANCE’?
29 min
Written/Directed by Kevin Eslinger; Produced by Kevin Eslinger, Mary Katherine Sisco
It is the late 19th Century, but not as you might have heard of it. In dust bowl Kansas, a young boy, Jack, witnesses his parent’s murder, and is then abducted and forced into an underground child fighting ring. Only the wealthiest are invited to attend these secret communities and bet on the children for their own amusement. However, one among them, an airship captain, is determined to find her own abducted son, whatever the cost.
Nickel Children is an action, adventure, sci-fi, fantasy steam punk film.
16 min
“Directed by Kelley Slagle; Produced by Kelley Slagle
Few dungeon masters can make the game come to life better than John Francis. Dwarves, Mages, and Barbarians jump right off of their character sheets whenever he sits down at the gaming table of frisky suburbanite parents, Linda and Brandon. John Francis’ best friends, sailor-mouthed John Alex and thoughtful jock Jason, bring roguish swagger and knightly nobility to the game. And the object of John Francis’ affection, the feisty Tara, provides all the Half Elven Double Princess backstory they could ever need. But when Jason enlists to go to Iraq and with the relationship with Tara going nowhere, it may be time for John Francis to hang up his twenty-sided dice and take a job on the other side of the country. However, John Francis is about to discover that leaving will prove tougher than the Tomb of Horrors. Of Dice and Men is a blisteringly funny and deeply affecting look at the things that truly matter in life.
1 hour 14 minutesOF DICE AND MEN – Official Main Trailer from Kelley Slagle on Vimeo.
Written/Directed/Produced by Bryan Hopkins
Qing Lou Nu is a stylistic film that explores the life of an Asian prostitute trapped by a contradictory world of passion and obligations. All of which climaxes when one of her naive clients confesses his love. Inspired by Edgar Allen Poe’s The Tell Tale Heart, Qing Lou Nu is an edgy reinvention of a classic. This macabre tale of east meets west is noted for its potent performances by the leads Cindy Chu and Axel Harney; along with the carefully orchestrated imagery which combines to create a moment of beauty that will not be soon forgotten.
25 min
Directed by Joseba Alfaro; Produced by Joseba Alfaro; Written by Joseba Alfaro
Have you ever shared a dream with someone else? That is Lay’s story, a young man with a nondescript daily life, whose only purpose is to sleep to meet the woman he loves. His whole world changes when she comes in to the real world to rescue him. But… from whom?
17 minutesREM: Trailer from Joseba Alfaro on Vimeo.
Writer/Director: Stephen Gillis; Director/Producer: Erica Landrock; Writer: Sheona McDonald
This documentary explores the sub-culture of pro-gaming through the lives of North America’s top eSports team, Team Evil Geniuses as they tour the world competing for money, fame and glory. Chris “HuK” Loranger is one of Canada’s finest eSports exports and self-proclaimed diva. Greg “IdrA” Fields is a legend in the Starcraft community but is now disillusioned with his once passion. Geoff “iNcontroL” Robinson, a former college football captain turned pro-gamer, is now at a crossroads between his career and his bride to be, a Miss USA pageant contestant. Evil Geniuses’ CEO, Alexander Garfield, is faced with the growing pains of being on the leading edge of a burgeoning multi-billion dollar industry as he must deal with balancing sponsors and managing egos all while trying to lead his team into the biggest season of their career.
43 minutes
Written by Davey Sherwinter, Isabelle Carruthers; Directed by Davey Sherwinter; Produced by Luke Howard, Davey Sherwinter
A veteran detective, Carl Lambeth (Jerry Durkin) investigates a beautiful young woman, Leslie Renfrew (Sarah Karjian) about the brutal stabbing of her husband, Timothy Renfrew (Robert Axel). As she retells the day’s gruesome events in detail, it becomes unclear whether or not the crime in question was truly ‘self-inflicted.’
8 min
Written by Sean Kennedy; Directed by David T. Krupicz; Produced by James O'Brien
From an underground bunker a hooded figure lights a candle in the darkness, broadcasting warnings of the inevitable anarchy destined for humanity. He reaches for one of few remaining personal possessions and re-tells the story of his wife, one of the many who have fallen to the widespread plagues and fallout sickness. The man had been employed as a sentry guard for Octamed, a company that treated the infected and sick.
When the darker times came, they switched to processing the weak and dead. As his ailing wife succumbed to illness, he faced his greatest struggle yet: how to remember.
12 min
Written by Kelley Slagle, Alex Kristobek; Directed/Produced by Kelley Slagle
Jesus and Satan seek professional help to settle their eternal differences.
7 min
Written/Directed by Eric Blue; Produced by Eric Blue, Scott Salamon
Jack ships himself in a crate to see his girlfriend. En route, he discovers an unexpected surprise. Comedy ensues. This Side Up is a hilarious and award winning comedy that mixes animation, special effects and live action.
12 min
Written/Directed by Bobby Miller; Produced by Kim Jackson
It’s just your typical short film about a guy who can’t commit to his girlfriend… Who then jerks off in the shower. And accidentally impregnates his tub.
12 min
