2013 Winter Winners and Selections

Winter 2013 Selections & Winners

Winter 2013 Winners

“After Forever” Dir. Keaton Kaplan ( Block 4 Tickets )

A man attempts to kill himself because he cannot bear with the memory of his dead wife. Through his fever dreams he tries to let her memory go.

“ANAIS: The Seduction” Dir. Micheal Phillips ( Block 6 Tickets )

A short film about tumultuous and mysterious affair between Anais Nin, a French erotic writer and diarist and June Miller, the wife of Henry Miller.

“AVA” Dir. Monique Reed & Cesar Palacisos ( Block 2 Tickets )

A couple's love extends to eternity

“Baxter” Dir. Ty Coyle ( Block 1 Tickets )

Baxter the raccoon makes his way into Granny's Sweet Shop, but upon entering he gets so obsessed with the candy that he creates his own downfall.

“Black Magic” Dir. Kristin McCasey & Anna Mastro ( Block 6 Tickets )

It's a artful and frightening look into the tragic effects of hipsters combined with booze, set to the soundtrack of Jarvis Cocker's 'Black Magic.' Played out entirely in reverse, we follow one man through one night, one pool, one fire, and many questionable dance moves.

“Bulimia: The Musical” Dir. Kristin McCasey ( Block 4 Tickets )

From the 'Quick And Funny Musicals' series at the Upright Citizens Brigade theater, comes a new original off-color comedy, BULIMIA: THE MUSICAL. If you've ever considered having an eating disorder or wanted to make fun of people who do (you suck) than this is the comedy musical for you! BULIMIA: THE MUSICAL follows a young girl's journey from first vomit to last breath, in fifteen minutes of laugh-out-loud, puke-your-guts-out song and dance, all wrapped up with a positive message.

“Bull’s Eye” Dir. Charlotte Morgan ( Block 1 Tickets )

Bull's Eye is an eight minute short that addresses the serious issue of gun violence through a prism of politicos and their pets set to music.

“Catch” Dir. Jennifer Sheridan & Matthew Markham ( Block 4 Tickets )

Catch is the lovely. but slightly surreal story of a lonesome fisherman. During his daily fishing trip he hooks something unexpected and proves there's more than just fish in the ocean.

“Coffee: Good Morning” Dir. Tony Joun ( Block 6 Tickets )

The horror begins in the morning when you don't have your first coffee of the day.

“Coincidence 1” Dir. Sabrina Schmid ( Block 2 Tickets )

The animation film is visually abstract and explores early animation techniques via digital drawing and painting to give a handmade aesthetic to computer animation.

“Count To Five” Dir. Christian Vinces ( Block 4 Tickets )

Billy and Addison are two junkies who have robbed money from a gang and are trying to leave town. Yet Addison needs one more shot, and that delay may cost them all.

“Crimson’s Kiss” Dir. Jordan ( Block 3 Tickets )

An action thriller film about a town called DunMovin who decides to rise up and stop a murderous criminal by the name of Crimson.

“Dos Muertos” Dir. Bobby Hewitt & Fab Fernandez ( Block 2 Tickets )

An estranged father and son reunite in the same place it all began.

“Doug.Dat” Dir. Christopher Rowell ( Block 3 Tickets )

DOUG.DAT is the story of a digital ghost confronted with oblivion and forced to justify himself to history.

“Dug Up” Dir. Rouzbeh Heydari ( Block 1 Tickets )

With his son in jail, poor aging Dad has no one to help him garden anymore. Dug Up is a short film adaptation of an old urban legend. Illustrating an un-breakable bond between a father and his distanced son.

“Effed!” Dir. Renny Maslow ( Block 3 Tickets )

Two friends pedal across a post-apocalyptic landscape on a tandem beach cruiser and face the question: when oil runs out, where exactly is the line that society can cross before it ceases to be a society at all?

“Eternal Return” Dir. Victoria Keon-Cohen ( Block 2 Tickets )

A medieval Gothic romance about two lovers who are stuck in a perpetual cycle of self sacrifice as they search for a way to break the curse.

“Everything That Matters” Dir. Katie Pyne ( Block 2 Tickets )

After publicly pissing off his girlfriend, Stacey, Eric is offered a good luck charm that renews his faith and forces him to decide what really matters.

“Exposure” Dir. Todd Kruger ( Block 4 Tickets )

Exposure is about a guy and a girl with social anxiety disorder who get set up by their therapist to meet at a speed dating event.

“God’s Own Villa” Dir. Omar Monge ( Block 2 Tickets )

A depressed introvert struggling with agoraphobia.

“Great First Date” Dir. Caroline Bielskis ( Block 2 Tickets )

Darla and Eddie met, and they connected. They had a fantastic first date and fell in love - and then something happened that changed both of their lives forever.

“Haenyeo: Women Of The Sea”

Dir. Kevin Sawicki, Alex Igidbashian & Daye Jeong ( Block 4 Tickets )

Haenyeo refers to the women free-divers of Jeju Island, South Korea who for centuries have collected sea food without the use of scuba equipment. This short documentary provides a portrait of Chuwar Park, a still active and unbelievably vibrant 82-year-old diver. Examining her daily routine as well as her past, Park sheds light on this unique matriarchal culture that has changed little since the 19th century.

“Hector: Lost Souls With Switchblades” Dir. Jeff Compton ( Block 3 Tickets )

Modern day Hooligans who style themselves as a Retro 50's gang bully a Loner who shows up at their bar. Pompadours, vintage cars, tattoos and booze surround the switchblade toting hoodlum, the sexy risk taking girl he wants and the mysterious gender bending stranger named Hector, as they battle over love and territory.

“Henry” Dir. Simon Wottreng ( Block 1 Tickets )

Henry collects postal stamps. His passion helps him only ostensibly to supersede the loss of his wife in a car accident.One day Henry finds the stamp he'd always been looking for and meets Chloe who's moved in one floor above him. Henry doesn't sense the consequences of the events.

“Icarus Down” Dir. Paul Nicoletos ( Block 3 Tickets )

A military vessel is shot down in an unknown planet, creating darkness and chaos amongst its passengers.

“Inner City Champions” Dir. Kenneth Taylor ( Block 5 Tickets )

After achieving success on every level of basketball, two ex NBA players go back to their Alma-mater high school and try to win a city title as coaches.

“It’s A Cold Cold Night” Dir. Nardeep Khurmi ( Block 3 Tickets )

A heartbroken romantic has a bizarre encounter with a drunk stranger.

“Legend Gold” Dir. Suzanne Strong & Dave Simmons ( Block 1 Tickets )

Summer + disco + pool parties! Get ready for summer with Legend Gold in this vintage feel music video.

“Love and Dating In LA!” Dir. Alex Russell ( Block 1 Tickets )

A serial killer looking for love finds rich pickings in Los Angeles.

“Misogynist” Dir. Michael Matteo Rossi ( Block 6 Tickets )

A male chauvinist guru takes his best student under his wing in the art of completely controlling and dominating women.

“Mocha & Chai” Dir. Andrew Hines ( Block 4 Tickets )

When two small time criminals are hooked up with the job of their life, what could possible go wrong?

“Not Giving In” Dir. Josh Cole ( Block 2 Tickets )

This is the true story of champion breakdancer B-boy Mouse who lived as a homeless street kid in Manila before becoming world breakdance champion. This is the dramatized story of his life. 2 brothers are raised by a violent drug addicted father so forced to live on the streets. The older brother turns to the local gang whilst the younger joins a breakdance crew and learns to dance.

“Sunshine Fore Breakfast” Dir. Parker Winans ( Block 3 Tickets )

Sunshine for Breakfast is a visceral ABSURDIST/ HORROR/ EXPERIMENTAL FILM ABOUT:A young boy, Peter, recalls his decent into bliss and joyful triumph as he overcomes the cause of his earthly misery. Sunshine was born with no head and was dying from an illness when Peters mother adopts Sunshine.The story is told from Peters point of view, using dolls to stand in. The film goes from reality, Peter waiting in some kind of colorful purgatory, and a semi stop-motion animation doll world, where everything looks...horrifying. The film has very distinctive and original imagery, style, and sonic tone.

“Swalk” Dir. Dawn Cobalt ( Block 5 Tickets )

A man must dress for a funeral and say goodbye to his wife one last time.

“Thank You Card” Dir. Shahine Ezell ( Block 1 Tickets )

Marlon is a 16 yr old student focusing on graduating early, but his older brother has just been released from prison. He must decide between school credit or street cred.

“The Convert” Dir. Nikolai Kiselev ( Block 3 Tickets )

In 2000 a book came out which argued that there is humanity inside everyone. The only problem was that after 300 pages of praise for mankind the book ended with a conclusion that a man is terrible and amoral.

“The Love Remains” Dir. Angela J. Park ( Block 2 Tickets )

Charged with spreading the ashes of her dead girlfriend, Lena struggles against a flood of unwanted memories. The gnawing memories force her into dealing with her grief in hauntingly unpredictable ways.

“This Ain’t Yo Movie” Dir. Derek Pretty Boy Dow ( Block 5 Tickets )

Studio suits have ruined Sebastian Shaw's last three films and the fifty year old action director isn't going to take it anymore. Sebastian vows to protect his new film from studio interference, even if that means taking the whole set hostage...

“Tunnels” Dir. David C. Thompson ( Block 6 Tickets )

A man obsessed with finding a new subterranean species gets more than he bargained for.

“Valediction” Dir. Damien Nemire-Pepe ( Block 4 Tickets )

This film is dark drama where the protagonist struggles to keep her relationship alive with the corpse of her recently deceased boyfriend.Valediction - n. The act of bidding farewell, parting.

“Way Of Seeing” Dir. Donaco Smyth ( Block 1 Tickets )

Who do you think you are?!

“William Shakespeare’s Dream In Constantinople” Dir. Felipe Carmona ( Block 1 Tickets )

A situation arises in a bar taking the form of one of Shakespeare's best known scenes. The rest is silence.