Detailed film information coming soon!
Friday, April 15th
2:30pm – 4:30pm
"Hesta Prynn - Can We Go Wrong"(Music Video/USA/4 mins)
Directed by Randy Scott Slavin
Hesta Prynn takes a trip through Central Park
"Poetic Justice Project" (Documentary/USA/17 mins)
Directed by Matthew Evans (Student Filmmaker)
This film takes a powerful and in-depth look at a California theater company called Poetic Justice Project, which is comprised of formerly incarcerated writers, artists, musicians and actors who perform original plays that examine the topics of crime, punishment and redemption. Begun in 2009 by Deborah Tobola, former Managing Director of Arts in Corrections at a California prison, Poetic Justice Project provides a powerful opportunity for formerly incarcerated individuals to find their way back into society through the arts, and helps bring greater understanding and important information about prison life to the general population.
"More Than Walking" (Documentary/India-USA/25 mins)
Directed by Fred Sigworth
'Perhaps not all of us will walk again--but that's okay, because our goal is something more than walking....' Quadriplegic college student and filmmaker Jonathan Sigworth returns to India to tell the tragic and inspiring stories of four of his quadriplegic friends.
"We Can Shine: From Institutions to Independence" (Documentary/USA/57 mins)
Directed by Adrian Esposito
In his search to understand his own disability, Asperger’s Syndrome, filmmaker and history buff Adrian Esposito questioned what it would have been like for him had he been born in 1944. What he found was shocking and what could be described as “horror” in its truest sense. "We Can Shine-From Institutions to Independence" is a documentary about the state of institutions for the developmentally disabled in New York State from the 1900′s onward.
4:45pm – 6:45pm
"Surviving Hunger" (Animated/USA/3 mins)
Directed by Balgum Song
An animated tale about survival in a barren landscape.
The animation takes place on a desert-like landscape of sand and dry air with little or no food available for nurishment. Enter a big frog-looking character who wonders around looking for something to eat. He encounters a cute little character that comes towards him...using himself as bait.
"Lonely Planet" (Drama/USA/14 mins)
Directed by Dipayan Pathak
Raj has a serendipitous meeting with Naomi in a bookstore. Naomi acts as a mystical guide to help Raj out of the current emotional state he is in through playing a metaphysical game of the senses with him. Through the journey he is able to connect with himself and discover more of who he really is inside.
"The Apocalypse According to Doris" (Comedy-Drama/USA/98 mins)
Directed by Victor Goss
This is a spiritually subversive 'PSI-Fi' story in the genre of WHAT THE BLEEP and THE SECRET. It's about crazy people, maybe a little like you and me, who are trying to make sense of strange events we don't understand, things not investigated, maybe even suppressed by media. Doris predicts earthquakes which are supposed to bring about the end of the world and becomes an overnight media sensation, opening her door to true-believers and nut-cases alike, turning her dysfunctional family inside out for the whole world to see - including an unscrupulous reporter who infiltrates her group and has the tragic secret of his life exposed by this psychically endowed woman living on the edge of the California desert.
7:00pm – 9:00pm
"Homecoming" (Comedy-Drama/USA/89 mins)
Directed by Sean Hackett
Inspired, in part, by a true story, Homecoming tells the story of Estelle Szymanski, an Army Medic who has not been to her Central Florida home in two years. Her 18 days leave journeys between pathos and humor as she attempts to reconnect with her lonely single mother and her directionless, yet noble friends. While her mother plans to celebrate all the missed holidays, her friends try to convince her to come home for good. The leave culminates in a homecoming party thrown by her high school teachers. As she nears her final 24 hours, she finds an unexpected romance - something she has avoided since her teenage years. Emerging from her quiet, disciplined reserve, she confronts the sacrifices she has made in serving overseas.
Followed by Q&A w/director, cast and crew
9:15pm – 10:15pm
"The Sacrifice of Old San Juan" (Drama/USA/27 mins)
Directed by AK Hottman
The dark tale of a proud young John who stumbles upon a mysterious duffel bag. Finding himself in an unknown time and place where nothing is as it seems, John realizes not even his own perception can be trusted. Here he will do just about anything to protect what he so rightfully claims as his own. An exploration of perception, 'The Sacrifice of Old San Juan' is a surrealistic adventure into the mind of the guilty and proud. Pablo Berron's beautiful cinematography is an excellent companion to Chris Kelly's subtle performance of a narrow and straight minded man, who will do just about anything to get to where he wants to be, and quick.
"Ad Infinitum " (Animated/USA/2 mins)
Directed by Benjamin Ridgway
'Ad Infinitum' is a sculptural continuum that continuously unfolds before your eyes by revealing finer and finer details emanating from a single point. What you are seeing on the screen is not the camera delving deeper and deeper into the sculpture. The sculpture pieces are actually expanding and the camera is just simply observing it from different angles. Amazing, psychedelic images from filmmaker Benjamin Ridgway.
"Meniscus" (Experimental/New Zealand/8 mins)
Directed by Maria-Elena Doyle
Meniscus will take you on a journey into human nature where we learn what some would say our souls already know. The spirit is more powerful than the flesh. Naked bodies move together as one body of flesh, pulsing to the rhythm of life. Together the naked bodies have a vulnerability that is powerful. The delicate beauty if this vulnerability is a visual metaphor for our relationship to each other and all things in the universe. Meniscus will envelope you in intoxicating and evocative images of human being's physical and spiritual cycle of birth, death and life.
"T O in 24" (Documentary/USA/48 mins)
Directed by Dale Hildebrand
T O in 2 4 is a cinematic voyage that traverses a landscape of rituals, traditions and everyday miracles that define us as human beings.As 24 cinematographers seek out the heart and soul of a single city, in a single day, no one could have ever imagined the scale and power of the imagery they would capture. Through a story uniquely its own, the film transcends preconceptions and paints an emotionally stirring tapestry of hope and compassion. Through stunning visuals cut to a captivating musical score, it speaks of a global unity, in a language that has no enemies.Like a cycle of life contained within a single day - birth, death, sorrow, joy - T O in 2 4 weaves a heartfelt tale that touches the complexity humankind, while unearthing the multicultural soul of our humanity.
Saturday, April 16th
2:30pm – 4:30pm
"Wake Up!" (Music Video/USA/2 mins)
Directed by Don Askew
Fast and fun two-minute music video that reveals a long-kept spiritual secret. See talking animals, laughing kids, sexy girls, and travel through space and time to imaginary worlds...and all in only two minutes! .
"Tora" (Drama/Canada/30 mins)
Directed by Wendy Ord
Starring David Suzuki, (world renowned environmentalist) in his first acting role ever...TORA follows a jaded city woman who inherits a lakeside property and is haunted by a little ghost girl. Through dreams and flashbacks of her new neighbor (Suzuki) she discovers that the property was a Japanese Internment Camp during WWII and that the little girl died while in the camp. Themes of loss, hope and forgiveness are explored in this epic drama that swings between the beautiful scenery of British Columbia Canada and the cold winters of the 1940's.
"Amber Rose" (Drama/USA /87 mins)
Directed by Mike Trippiedi
A young girl develops a friendship with a brain-damaged neighbor and a man claiming to be his friend, only to discover that unlike kids, adults carry baggage which could forever change the life of the eleven-year-old girl caught in the middle.
4:45pm – 6:45pm
"The Way It Should Be" (Music Video/Canada/5 mins)
Directed by Jennifer Podemski
This is a story of over indulgence and greed. We pull back the curtain and take a peek at an exaggerated version of the society we live in, a result of brain washing and indoctrination. Although the song touches on many socially and culturally relevant themes, at it's core it is a call to action. A call to those of us who know that the truth is hidden behind materialism, drugs, ego and spiritual imprisonment..
"The Encounter" (Drama/USA/20 mins)
Directed by Angela Matemotja
A young white woman on a search for inner peace, gets stuck in an elevator with an older African man Though the residue of apartheid still remains, does he hold the key to her finding inner peace? The Encounter is a story about loss, compassion, and how connected we really are. A dramatic exploration of denying our past, and finding peace in the present, by way of two strangers that get stuck in an elevator. There are unexpected twists and turns, that surprise and INSPIRE us all. This piece will be enjoyed by anyone who has left their country, lost a loved one, or cares about the cultural aspects of our world.
"May I Be Frank?" (Documentary/USA/90 mins)
Directed by Gregg Marks
May I Be Frank documents the transformation of Frank Ferrante's life. Frank, a 54 year old Sicilian from Brooklyn finds himself living in San Francisco struggling with addiction and depression. He is severely overweight and must rely on pharmaceutical drugs to combat his Hepatitis C.One day Frank unknowingly stumbles into a local restaurant in San Francisco. Frank is asked by a server what is one thing he wants to do before he dies. Franks response is fall in love one more time, but doesn't believe it can happen with the way things are going for him. Initially believing he was just going to lose some weight and get healthy, Frank had no idea it would affect so many aspects of his life. The film becomes documentation about the human condition, and what it means to really fall in love again.
7:00pm – 9:00pm
"Morning Funeral" (Drama/USA/88 mins)
Directed by A.J. and Nick Detisch
Scott Gray (Paul Schermerhorn) moves back to his hometown looking for a job and a new life. After a successful interview with kooky old cemetery owner Francis (Don Kirsch), Scott is hired on as a casket salesman and security guard. Under the cocksure "guidance" of lazy senior salesman Dwayne (Cairon Overton), Scott learns the ins-and-outs of selling caskets, headstones and plots. Standing in the way of this, however, is his down-and-out bully of an older brother Doug; always happy to remind Scott of the hurt his past misdeeds have spread through their circle of friends. Scott forges ahead though, and takes on his first clients John and Lisa Beckman, the parents of a promising varsity athlete who died in a tragic accident.Although he's hardly ready to start, Scott takes on his first clients. They are John and Lisa Beckman, the parents of a promising varsity athlete who died in a tragic accident. Directed by A.J. and Nick Detisch and shot completely in Erie PA, Morning Funeral is a funny and poignant film about life and death.
Q&A w/director, cast, crew
9:15pm – 10:15pm
"Moment of Truth: The Andy Meyers Story " (Documentary-Drama/USA/90 mins)
Directed by Steven Crowley
Andy Meyers, the subject of the film, has decided he wants to end his life in front of a camera for the world to see; much like his idol Bud Dwyer. His depression and array of ailments from his bout with diabetes have driven him to the edge. Andy recruited his counselor turned filmmaker to document the suicide and also the events of his final days. The hired crew decides, at the last minute, they cannot be part of Andy's suicide but instead try to talk him out of it. The director is left with no crew and a confused Andy. Does the film go on? Does Andy Meyers kill himself in front of the cameras?
Sunday, April 17th
2:30pm – 4:30pm
"Finding God in the City of Angels" (Documentary/USA/116 mins)
Directed by Jennifer Jessum
Take a journey through the streets of LA to uncover an alternative view of the tapestry of faiths and hidden traditions that make up the City of Angels--from a small Skid Row church in downtown, to an alternative religious group that meets in a hair salon; from the first Indigenous Peoples of Los Angeles, to the Goddess Temple of Orange County...Finding God in the City of Angels explores the multicultural diversity of life in Los Angeles, the most spiritually diverse city in the world.
4:45pm – 6:45pm
"To Sleep and Dream" (Drama/USA/5 mins)
Directed by Mathew Brengman
Alone and chained to a painting, John wakes up with no recollection of how he got there. As he rummages through, what seems to be a basement the tighter the chain becomes. Is John dreaming or is reality scary enough?
"Drift" (Drama/USA/15 mins)
Directed by Nicholas Economides
Sarah needs to stay awake, at all costs. Unable to cope with her daughter's death, she escapes into prolonged insomnia.Worried for his wife's health, Mike tries all he can think of to help Sarah fall asleep, but the marriage keeps drifting apart. In a last desperate attempt to get his wife back, Mike slips sleep aid into her coffee. But Sarah, determined to preserve her daughter's memory, goes to extreme measures to stay awake.In order to save what's left of their marriage, the couple must find a way to face their pain together.
"David Rose" (Drama/UK/20 mins)
Directed by Shelagh Mcleod
Lonely ten year old Stella's world changes when a mysterious young man,
David Rose appears at Stella's house. Stella feels a strong connection to him. Here, finally, is some one she
can talk to. She confides in David that she felt helpless when her brother Robbie died. David reassures her. Stella, relieved of a terrible burden, devises a plan that has devastating consequences. Set in 1970 and 2010 this story deals with loss, memory and love.
"Fear Itself" (Drama/USA/6 mins)
Directed by William Wonders III
A year a go a pastor was shot in his own church. This is he first time he is returning to the pulpit. the Fear of past events has his family nervous as well as himself. What will happen if he goes back again. One thing is for certain fear has a tight grip on him.
"The Desperate" (Drama/USA/33 mins)
Directed by Ben Hur Sepehr
On a rainy night near a concentration camp being bombed during the waning years of WWII the son of a top ranking and fearsome Nazi General is mortally wounded. With the camp's doctor having been transferred to the Eastern front, the only doctor who is available to perform the life saving surgery is a condemned, elderly Jewish inmate at the camp. Upon summoning the man, the General commands the Jewish Doctor to perform the surgery, but the Doctor refuses saying that he will not help his enemy to continue to massacre his own people.
"Blank Canvas" (Drama/USA/4 mins)
Directed by Hannah Sullivan (Student Filmmaker)
A blank canvas: ready to be painted.
"Clownface" (Drama/USA/5 mins)
Directed by Daniel Stedman
A dejected clown wanders into a local park intending to draw future paychecks with his balloon twisting abilities. He finds refuge under an aged crooked tree where he apathetically creates animal balloons until he is over-run by children who callously grab at him & his balloon animals, leaving him behind deflated & empty-handed.
"Sarathi-The Charioteer " (Drama/USA/22 mins)
Directed by Sushma Khadepaun-Parmar
The story explores the universal question, 'Who am I?' and revolves around the mind of Arjun Patel, a young and successful consultant. While riding the waves of success, Arjun rides a limo with an unusual chauffeur. The driver, through intriguing questions, takes Arjun on a journey he is not prepared for, and ultimately brings Arjun back to a familiar place - himself.
7:00pm – 9:00pm
"Der Sandmann " (Drama/Switzerland/87 mins)
Directed by Peter Luisi
One fine morning, Benno finds sand in his bed. While he tries to ignore this at first, he soon must realize that he himself is loosing the sand. Day after day the sand increases and soon his time literally starts running short. Finally he is left no choice but to ask Sandra for help, who runs a small coffee shop under his apartment. Although Benno hates her with a passion, he started having dreams of her every night. What could Sandra and the dreams have to do with the sand?
Free for Edinboro University students with current, valid college issued ID.
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