Reclamation- This is My Country, This is My Land
Directed by U-Meleni Mhlaba-Adebo (USA, Zimbabwe, 2024, 5 mins).
"Reclamation" is a poetic short film journeying through memory, poetry, and spoken word, exploring themes of identity, loss, and connection to land and heritage. Filmed against the backdrop of Zimbabwe's Eastern Highlands, it follows the filmmaker's quest to reclaim their cultural identity and honor their parents' legacy. Through introspective narration and visuals, "Reclamation" invites viewers to witness the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring bond between individual and environment, offering a profound meditation on the power of transformation and the beauty found in embracing one's roots.
FearLess (Nirbhaya)
Directed by Marie France Louis (USA, 2024, 22 mins).
After surviving a brutal betrayal, a queer immigrant martial artist must confront her past to save a friend's life – and reclaim her own power.
English captions. Local film.
Bridged Together
Directed by Brahms Guignard (USA, 2024, 16 mins)
Bridge, a precocious and imaginative girl struggles with the unexplained disappearance of her father, Devin. Her mother, Louise, does her best to keep their lives moving forward but the weight of the mystery lingers between them.
When a powerful storm disrupts the celebration of Bridge's 10th birthday, Louise finally reveals the truth. Devin comes from a lineage of men who possess the extraordinary ability of astral projection.
Skeptical but desperate for answers, Bridge realizes that her "vivid dreams" have actually been her tapping into her hidden power, becoming not only the first girl in her family to inherit the ability of astral projection but also the first to control it, and even teleport.
Local film. Produced by Anawan Studios.
Donde comienzas tú
Directed by Miguel Nieves Mercado (Puerto Rico, 2024, 10 mins).
Two young Puerto Ricans, childhood best friends, decide to spend one last day together before one of them moves to the United States in search of a better life. As their departure approaches, they begin to realize that saying goodbye isn’t as easy as it seems.
Spanish audio, English subtitles.
In Living Memory
Directed by Rae Shaw (USA, 2024, 5 mins).
In this experimental documentary animated short, a nonbinary adult grieves the loss of their father and their unresolved conflicts. Poem written and narration by Dominic Bradley; Adapted for the Screen by Rae Shaw and Dominic Bradley.
Love of A Lifetime
Directed by David J Curtis, Jackie Davis (USA, 2024, 16 mins).
A man has found not just a love, but the love of a lifetime. He must come out of the darkness and into the light to face that lifetime.
LOVE OF A LIFETIME was previously a 2022 Script Read Submission. Check out the script read here: https://youtu.be/-TpCUSXXazc
Produced by Anawan Studios. World Premiere. Local film.
Sea Charm
Directed by Chaney Carlson-Bullock (USA, 2025, 7 mins).
A short silent memorial film, honoring the late Dale Bick Carlson, Marvin Olds, Langston Hughes, and our ancestors. Inspired by Langston Hughes’ poem, "Death of an Old Seaman," we crafted our own story—a man adrift at sea, wrestling with grief for his father while searching for his way. This piece pays tribute to Hughes’ perspective on our ancestors’ connection to the ocean, using his poetry as a guide. Through jazz music, we also celebrate his signature jazz-infused poetic style, weaving together history, loss, and the rhythmic soul of the sea.
Produced by Mikayla Litevich. World Premiere. Local film.
Q&A to follow.