On his first day of retirement Japanese businessman Mr. Yamada eagerly returns home to begin his new life of leisure with his wife, only to discover that she has filled her days without him. As Mr. Yamada struggles to remind her of the couple they once were, both begin to see the compromises their new life together will hold.
2014
Documentary Short
United States
Runtime:
57 minutes
Director:
Barbara Klutinis
An ode to memory: Couples affected by a partner's recent diagnosis of Early Alzheimer's come to terms with their changing roles. Prominent Alzheimer's medical experts offer their perspectives on diagnosis, the nature of the disease, helpful attitudes in caring for loved ones, stigma, support for caregivers, clinical trials, and overall healthcare concerns.
Narrative Short
France
Runtime:
22 minutes
18 seconds
Director:
Donon Marion
In the space of a few minutes, this short film confronts us with the broken puzzle of a life of a young woman in psychological distress, victim of a sufferance that she is trying to control.
The watchful eye of her psychologist and the love of her partner help her, reluctantly, to accept her problems. A pure love that will help her finally to find a path, a direction, a new start…
Documentary Short
United States
Runtime:
1 hour(s)
Director:
Katie Damien
What if you found out you had cancer, then you discovered your well water was contaminated, then you tried to sue the company responsible, but couldnt? Then you fought to get the site cleaned up and nothing happened. Then you tried to sell your house, but no one wanted to buy it. What would you do? What could you do?
My Toxic Backyard chronicles a community's fight to get clean drinking water and see the chemicals, still leaking into their groundwater, cleaned up.
Narrative Short
United States
Runtime:
11 minutes
54 seconds
Director:
Max Allman
Ricky Smits is a gangly redneck who hopes that his invention, PortaPower, will make him a big shot. When he meets his bosss daughter, Abigail, a beauty pageant queen with dreams of a modeling career, the two begin an awkward courtship, connecting over their shared dreams of escaping their small, southern town. When Rickys boss discovers their relationship and fires Ricky, the two must decide what is more important their dreams or each other.
Narrative Short
United States
Runtime:
15 minutes
Director:
Yang Wang
Laowang, a trash-picker in New York City Chinatown, hides a secret from his daughter for 11 years. He finally decides to reveal the secret after her heartfelt violin performance, that she was abandoned at birth and he found her on the street of Chinatown and raised her as his own.
Animation
Canada
Runtime:
4 minutes
11 seconds
Director:
Medina Dennie, Ocean Demuth, Zaiyah Dennie
Two turtles embark on a dangerous quest for friendship. Will an encounter with a sea monster, a Sasquatch, and magical fairies, lead them to a true friend? Created during a 48 hour animation challenge, Ocean Demuth, Medina Dennie, and Zaiyah Dennie (ages 7, 8 and 6) used cut out animation and their own voices to bring Ocean's imaginative story to life.
Narrative Short
United States
Runtime:
12 minutes
9 seconds
Director:
Austin Madding
A young man discovers a world of endless violence and hate when he decides to try for revenge against those who take away his loved ones.
Best of the Fest, Special Jury Award for Acting
Narrative Feature
Bulgaria
Runtime:
1 hour(s)
29 minutes
Director:
Thom Southerland
Krasimira Stanimirova wins second place in a Bulgarian play writing contest. Her award is a trip to the United States, Kentucky to be exact, to see the world premiere of her communist-era, autobiographical play, 'Black Coat'. Expecting to meet with a warm welcome and southern hospitality, Krasi instead finds herself isolated and lonely in a hotel off an interstate.
Exploring America on foot, Krasi must confront the reality that her play might not be such a big deal in the States. Along the way she slowly finds comfort amongst strangers in this alien world, including a young mother and her son and a fellow tourist.