Category: Films in Competition

Kani (Eric Taylor) wakes up in an apartment with no means of escape, nor any memory of how he got there. The world around him is unveiled, revealing more than he could have imagined.
Directed by Florian d’Oelsnitz (USA)

Brandon and Heather Murrow who had a love that stood the test of time and knew no boundaries — until one day, tragedy struck when a thug’s gun goes off in a mugging. Time goes by and Brandon finds himself in a world where he is separated from his soul mate. As he attempts to pick up the pieces of his life, he meets Jenaveve, who eventually becomes his second wife. With Jenaveve’s help, she and Brandon try to forge a new life together. However, all is not as it seems, because he is still haunted by the image of Heather to the point that he loses all sense of reality. Now it’s a race against time to find his true love and save himself.
Directed by Derrick J. Johnson (USA)

Sesame and Bean, a Chinese lesbian couple, had to travel thousands of miles away from home to get married and again to get pregnant because both are illegal for same-sex couples in their own country. Now they are determined to create a more rainbow-friendly society for their babies.
Directed by Elle Luan (China)

A mysterious discovery leads Chloe down a dark path of isolation and darkness that keeps her in the shadows of her own life.
Directed by Se Oh (USA)

An elderly flower shop owner stays up for the night, waiting on his estranged son to come home.
Directed by Ryan Zhang (USA)

“The Final Straw” revolves around the life of an average middle class Indian man who faces brickbats and criticisms from all walks of his rather mundane life. 
Directed by Sameir Ali (United Arab Emirates)

A grieving mother is haunted by the ghost of her son.
Directed by Ben Rand (USA)

Strange phenomena have occurred following the fire of the Institute of Biomedical Research of the Armies, Max tells us his version of the facts.
Directed by Mr. Bouhaïk (France)

A sort of experimental research into movements seen in nature, in a pretty wide sense of nature.
Directed by Ralf Peters (Germany)

Short film and music video for the song “The Camera’s On” from the album Gleams by Robbie Gennet. It is an intense and surprising commentary on the state of surveillance we all live in with a thread of the death of patriarchy running throughout. The video is a unique trip into a strange universe where Reservoir Dogs meets Eyes Wide Shut and then some. Both leads Danny Shorago and Chriselda Pacheco give tour de force performances as the tables turn and the plot twists and thickens.

Gennet’s 2016 music video “Come Down” was shown at film festivals worldwide. It won Best Music Video at the California International Shorts Fest in Fall 2016, then took the Audience Choice Award and Best Hair/Makeup at the Reel Time International Film Festival.

Gennet’s music is hard to peg in terms of style, genre or band. It is uniquely new music yet there is an accessible familiarity to it all. His music is perhaps best described as “multi-dimensional, progressive, piano-driven pop/rock.” Or, to compare his sound to well-known artists, some people have heard glimpses of Father John Misty, Arcade Fire, Rush and the Killers on this album.

A review of the album “Gleams” which “The Camera’s On” song is included on:

“With Gleams, Robbie Gennet has produced a set of very appealing sophisticated songs that draw on a long history of good music. I am reminded of such classics as Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Grand Hotel, The Original Soundtrack, Crime of the Century, and so on, along with more modern music by Phideaux and Johnny Unicorn. While I wouldn’t generally call it “progressive rock,” it’s the kind of thing that can definitely be called “art rock” or “art pop.” These seven songs total under 25 minutes, but they all have time for development and refinement. Most of them a centered around the piano, with no electric guitar in evidence at all. Bass and drums provide good support, and strings are used to great effect throughout. Many of the lyrics comment on social issues, though there’s no sign of preachiness. I know very little about Gennet — he’s got a few credits as a guest musician to his name, but nothing that would have prepared me for the quality of this work. This is fine stuff, and provides a tasty antidote to heavier fare. I love heavy music (in the sense of seriousness and weighty instrumentation more than loudness), but it’s good to find something that heads in the opposite direction but avoids being sappy or inane. Definitely worth checking out.” – Expose Online 10/2018
Directed by Andrew Aidman (USA)