THE 2021 LINEUP
September 17th - 24th, 2021
Due to COVID-19 we held this year's event completely online.
Awards have been announced at the bottom of the page!
75 Cents
(9m)
The midnight bus greets a Boy just trying to catch some sleep, but the Man who boards after has more intimate ideas in mind... plus tip.
A.D. 2019
(24m)
If God were to speak to a man today, he would probably do it through a smartphone.
Joseph is a mature man in his fifties. He and his young, beautiful wife named Maria struggle with a problem of infertility. One day, when Maria comes back from a short vacation, the situation changes completely. Joeph has to face the issues of loyalty and trust. He starts getting signs from Go… from Google.
A.D. 2019 is a biblical story we all know - retold. From a very contemporary perspective.
Adieu
(2m)
2-Minute Movie - High School Challenge - Must contain a split-screen moment - Teenage writer, director, actor Emmy Perry takes a late night Uber ride alone in Adieu.
Dropping Out
(16m)
"Dropping Out" is the story of two sisters attempting to reconnect, amidst the backdrop of an industrial town. The youngest, Chloe, is destined for greatness, as she prepares to head to a top university in England. The elder, more cynical sibling, Maggie, has squandered her potential and attempts to hide within her own world. Their attempts to reconcile differing outlooks over the course of just a day may end up drastically tearing the two sisters apart.
Face to Face
(20m)
Who are you without your past?
The man without memory is looking for himself. He finds a woman in love, a child and a dead man.
Go Fish
(6m)
An absent father attempts to reconnect with his 17-year-old daughter by taking her out to fish: their once beloved father-daughter activity.
Mom
(30m)
William Grace is a twelve year old boy, who lives with his mother Emily and his two younger siblings Alex 8 and Aurora 6. William arrives home on the last day of school, to find his mother dead of a drug overdose in her bedroom. Fearing that the border patrol will come and take him and his siblings away, like he saw happening on the news to immigrant families. He decides to hide her death and take on the role of “Mom” to keep his family together. But the tables are quickly turned when he finds out that being the adult isn’t all it is cutout to be. With juggling book club, shopping, cooking, bills and two younger kids it’s more than one boy can handle!
Switch
(11m)
A gas station cashier Neo observes his customers during his boring work life. He imagines himself in their stories, and plays it in his head, being one of the characters. The first customer, Mike, is seen lecturing his arrogant son, Jon. The second customer, Julia is breaking up with her boyfriend, George. The last customer is a homeless man, talking about his regrets in life. In the end we realize all these stories were influenced by his past.
The Spiral
(8m)
When I was a little girl, I saw a movie about space,
where people of the future could treat painlessly without cuts.
It became my dream,
which my team and I were able to make true.
Three Wheels
(10m)
Amit Shlomovich's amazing story proves how love can win despite everything.
It’s been years since Amit and Ilana, his mother, are taking care of their amputated father and husband- Avraham, who doesn’t take good care of his health.
Now, Amit documents his parents’ relationship while his father’s health is getting worse but his mother doesn’t give up.
Vivien's Picture
(17m)
A Documentary Short about Rafael Perez, the owner of Pronto's Pizzeria in Folsom, California. This short movie was directed, shot, edited, and produced by nineteen year-old Eric Kosonen with the intention of representing Rafael and his business (Pronto's Pizzeria) in the most natural way possible. Eric spent two months as a "fly on the wall", recording every day, despite taking a full load of college courses at the time. His short film documents the beautiful moments found in the overwhelming times of struggle that all small businesses faced during the year 2020-2021.
When a Honey Bee Stings
(17m)
Single mother, Joanne Hudson, struggles to maintain a relationship with her son, Armie, as she attempts to overcome bad habits.
When We're Older - James Blake
(3m)
Ethan comes to terms with the absence of his only muse, Evie.
Wither
(17m)
While enduring a loss, the inundating sympathy flowers echo a young woman's emotional passage.
The Awards
2021
Best Short Film
*A.D. 2019*
Dropping Out
Face to Face
Go Fish
Mom
SWITCH
The Spiral
Three Wheels
Vivien's Picture
When a Honey Bee Stings
When We're Older - James Blake
Wither
Best Short Documentary
Three Wheels
*Vivien's Picture*
Best Director
Ethan Tran (When We're Older - James Blake)
*Igor Buzaev (The Spiral)*
Jan Groblinski (A.D. 2019)
Best Cinematography
A.D.2019
*Mom*
The Spiral
Best Actor
Adam Marks (SWITCH)
*Tomasz Schimscheiner (A.D. 2019)*
Vadim Klysov (The Spiral)
Best Actress
*Amanda Joy Erickson (Mom)*
Helena Ganjalyan (A.D. 2019)
Kirsten Beach (Dropping Out)
*Asterisks denote this year's winners*