‘FISHTANK’ (HollyShorts 2024) A wildly effective metaphor.

HollyShorts 2024 logoFISHTANK

Wendi Tang’s stunning new short FISHTANK follows Jules (Tiffany Chu), a Chinese American woman, who has been sober for a year, but can’t stop vomiting goldfish. Things take an unexpected turn when she suddenly meets a fish enthusiast.

fishtank

In Wendi Tang‘s HollyShorts film, FISHTANK, Jules is sober, but now, instead of vomiting from alcohol, she throws up goldfish. When she meets a new partner who seems to love the fish, her path to recovery gets slippery.

Jay Swuen‘s cinematography is elegant and immersive. Startling angles and stunning close-ups keep you both entranced and off-kilter. The soothing score from Caroline Ho lulls us as this little emotional rollercoaster twists and turns.

Tiffany Chu navigates the complexities of this role with grace. Her physical performance is award-worthy, weaving in and out of sick fits and clouded happiness.

This incredible metaphor for self-worth and addiction, gaslighting, and abusive relationships mesmerizes with its creative magical realism. FISHTANK is unlike anything I’ve seen all year. It is an unexpected reclamation of power.

Trailer: https://vimeo.com/912507205

Fishtank | Trailer from Wendi Tang on Vimeo.

  • Year:
    2024
  • Runtime:
    0:17:04
  • Language:
    English
  • Country:
    USA/China
  • Premiere:
    West Coast
  • Rating:
    G
  • Director:
    Wendi Tang
  • Screenwriter:
    Wendi Tang
  • Producer:
    Philip Yuzhong Ge
  • Cast:
    Tiffany Chu; Isaac W. Jay
  • Cinematographer:
    Jay Swuen
  • Editor:
    Yijuan “Reggie” Zhao; Christine Ho
  • Production Design:
    Cyrum A. Ramírez
  • Sound Design:
    One Thousand Birds

FISHTANK is the Tribeca Women Filmmaker’s Program Winner, the Film Pipeline Short Script Competition Winner in 2022. The film played at the deadCenter Film Festival and SXSW Sydney and will screen at the upcoming Oscar-qualifying Flicker’s Rhode Island International Film Festival and HollyShorts Film Festival.

Wendi Tang is a Los Angeles-based writer/director. She graduated from the NYU Tisch/Stern dual degree program. Wendi’s work focuses on character-driven stories that explore various corners of female narratives. Her short films have been selected by numerous Oscar-qualifying film festivals worldwide, including Flicker’s Rhode Island IFF, the Norwegian Short Film Festival, deadCenter Film Festival, Hollyshorts, and more.  She is a 2022 NYC Women’s Fund winner and a BAFTA Connect Member. She’s currently developing her first feature film.

Philip Yuzhong Ge is a Chinese producer based in LA.  A graduate of the AFI Producing program, Philip produced 30+ short films, music videos, and commercials. These works have been featured by platforms such as 88rising and Nowness China. His narrative and documentary works were selected by and won awards at multiple Oscar-qualified festivals including Palm Springs, Santa Barbara, Charlotte, Shorts Shorts, and deadCenter. Philip’s most recent producing credits include Worthy (LALIFF/Netflix Inclusion Fellowship), and Gungnir (Sundance TAAF AAPI Collab). Philip is also a 2024 Film Independent Project Involve Producing Fellow and a 2022 Telluride TeamLAB fellow.

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‘THE THAW’ (HollyShorts 2024) A stunning horror folklore begging for a feature

HollyShorts 2024 logo

THE THAW

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Filmmakers Sarah Wisner and Sean Temple‘s striking horror folktale has been killing it on the festival circuit, and rightly so. THE THAW tells the story of a family running low on food for the winter months, tasking their daughter to prepare a sleeping tea that would put them into a deep hibernation state. It does not go well.

Amanda Bowman‘s sound mixing plays a vital role in the film’s creeping intensity. Demi Waldron‘s black and white cinematography is a breathtaking choice combined with Abby Swindler‘s string-heavy score.

TheThaw_Still_.01_10_02_22.Still158I’m not just saying all these nice things because the film happens to feature two of my favorite genre people (and internet friends), Emily Bennett and Toby Poser. Wisner and Temple earn each moment.

Jeffrey Grover is Timothy. His aggressive masculinity is utterly terrifying. His physical performance is shocking. Toby is an opinionated but protective mother. Her gentle vocal tone as Alma is spot on. The matriarch of the Adams Family, her presence is notable to genre junkies.

TheThaw_Still_.01_06_37_17.Still102Emily plays Ruth with a fearful innocence and tenacity. Bennett has that inarguable “it” factor in transforming for each new role. From The King Of Knives to Alone With You, her talent should make her a household name.

A gorgeously detailed production design ties it all together. Would I watch an expanded version of this universe? Absolutely. THE THAW is a real treat for Popcorn Frights 2024 and beyond.

THE THAW – Teaser from Sean Temple on Vimeo.

  • Director: Sarah Wisner and Sean Temple
  • Screenwriter: Sarah Wisner and Sean Temple
  • Producer: Darren Bailey, Nathan Sellers, Sarah Wisner, Sean Temple
  • Cast: Emily Bennett, Jeffrey Grover, Toby Poser
  • Cinematographer: Demi Waldron
  • Editor: Sean Temple
  • Production Design: Deidra Catero
  • Sound Design: Sean Temple and Eli Cohn
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‘DEVOTEE’ (HollyShorts 2024) A bold cult classic *wink, wink

HollyShorts 2024 logoDEVOTEE


2024 Hollyshorts Film Festival

August 8 – 18, 2024

TCL Chinese Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
Devotee poster

Logline

While up late one night, a precocious boy uncovers his mother’s dark devotion.


Devotee - Grant FeelyIt’s always a bold choice to bring harm to a child. It is even more audacious to have a child witness something eternally scarring. Filmmaker Richard J. Bosner does both in just over six minutes. HollyShorts 2024 film DEVOTEE takes fear back in time when the threat of cults was all the rage. Not the watered-down wackiness of politics, but honest-to-good, off-the-rails, die-for-your-cause cult.

The production design is perfect. It is a mix of leftover 80s staple furniture and an early 90s PC, the only reason we can place the film in a specific era. The score is eerie and ominous.

While Ben Bladon and Mackenzie Firgens (Give Me An A) do a fantastic job of putting the viewer on edge, Grant Feely owns every second of screen time. Feely is a star, delivering pure terror and the end of innocence. All I can say is I hope this is the opening of a feature-length version of DEVOTEE because I need the rest of Ray’s story ASAP.


Devotee - Mackenzie Firgens
About the Director

Richard J Bosner (Producer/ Director) is best known for producing the true story Fruitvale Station starring Octavia Spencer and Michael B. Jordan which received the Sundance Film Festival U.S. Grand Jury Prize in the Dramatic category and the Sundance Audience Award, U.S. Dramatic, presented by Acura along with 44 nominations/wins during the 2013 Awards Season.



Bosner has also produced numerous breakout films such as Other People starring Molly Shannon, Black Bear starring Aubrey Plaza, Axelle Carolyn’s horror feature The Manor with Blumhouse TV/Amazon Studios, and Netflix’s Take the 10 starring Josh Peck and Tony Revolori.



In 2019, Bosner was honored as one of the years LATINX Trail-Blazing producers for his substantial contribution to diverse and inclusive filmmaking. He is currently in post-production on Michael Tyburski’s feature Turn Me On starring Nick Robinson and Bel Powley.


Run Time: 7 minutes

Language: English

Country: United States

Writer and Director: Richard J. Bosner

Cast: Grant Feely, MacKenzie Firgens, Ben Bladon

Editor: Robert Schafer (Megalopolis)

Sound: Tom Myers (Skywalker Sound)

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‘SHOUTING AT THE SEA’ (HollyShorts 2024) A lovely and raw revelation.

HollyShorts 2024 logoSHOUTING AT THE SEA

Two friends reconnect in the seaside town where they grew up. They confront the past, share who they’ve become and conclude the conversation that tore them apart. The ever-present sea narrates a tale of memory, belonging and vulnerability.

shouting at the sea

In director Benjamin Verrall‘s short film, SHOUTING AT THE SEA, old friends meet up and reminisce.

The ever-changing light in SHOUTING AT THE SEA is delicious, and DP Tom Hooker uses every bit of it. The dialogue is funny and raw, becoming more honest as the moments tick by. Joe and Katherine exchange untold childhood trauma, philosophical ideas, and unspoken confessions.

Daisy Haggard voices the sea, offering a poetic narrative of our protagonists’ innermost wishes. It is a dreamy addition to Richie Johnsen‘s wistful score.

Harry Michell gives Joe a down-to-earth quality. He’s an every man existing in a quietly mundane existence. Michell’s gentleness is refreshing. Maddie Rice is Katherine. She is so watchable, possessing a quality similar to Olivia Colman. Rice has a tangible likeability. Michell and Rice share undeniably organic chemistry. It’s a bit mesmerizing.

SHOUTING AT THE SEA reminds us how revitalizing and healing face-to-face interaction can be – no phones, just human connection. It’s a beautiful short, more moving than most features. What a lovely addition to HollyShorts 2024.

SHOUTING AT THE SEA – SHORT FILM – TOFFEE HAMMER – OFFICIAL TRAILER from Toffee Hammer on Vimeo.

Benjamin Verrall’s SHOUTING AT THE SEA takes the audience on a journey of emotions as two friends rekindle their friendship in the town they grew up in. This incredible short film is set to premiere at the Oscar-qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival. SHOUTING AT THE SEA stars Harry Michell (Hijack, Life After Life) and Maddie Rice (Fleabag, The Other One), the sea is voiced by Daisy Haggard (Breeders, Boat Story).

Director and co/writer Benjamin Verrall has always been drawn to the power and mystery of the sea – a theme that resonates in SHOUTING AT THE SEA. Since graduating from film school, Benjamin has carved out a successful career in the media industry. His journey led him to establish Toffee Hammer, a creative agency and production company that has gained recognition for its innovative storytelling and collaborative ethos.

Co-writer/producer Kate Auster has over 10 years of experience and a diverse portfolio. Her design background brings a unique blend of artistic insight and technical expertise to film production.

Co-writer/producer Ruth Marshall excels in commissioned digital content for learning communication and narrative filmmaking.

Co-writer/producer Amelia Rowcroft has previously worked as a sculptor on films including Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Hugo, Atonement, and Batman Begins. Her recent work includes HollyShorts selected SHOUTING AT THE SEA.

The incredibly cinematic cinematography was carefully created by Tom Hooker.

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‘THE DOG’ (HollyShorts 2024) Danielle Baynes’ powerful short pierces your heart.

HollyShorts 2024 logoTHE DOG

the Dog poster

In filmmaker Danielle Baynes‘ short, THE DOG, a particularly trying shift at a small 24-hour veterinary clinic takes a turn as a struggling veterinarian has increasingly dark thoughts. 

Sam Hayward‘s sound mixing is a triumph. The repeating audio of a wolf’s growl raises the hairs on your arms. If you have sensory issues, and even if you don’t, THE DOG will make you cringe. The music from One Above is beautiful. 

The Dog stillKate Walsh (Grey’s Anatomy) is outstanding as a woman on the brink. Her physical performance is seeped in anguish. Walsh is such a pro in tackling characters in the emotional trenches. 13 Reasons Why introduced her to a younger, perhaps even broader audience than Grey’s, and she continues to select roles that showcase her dazzling abilities. 

THE DOG is a stunning metaphor for depression and suicidal ideation. HollyShorts 2024 audiences are privileged to witness this slice of cinematic magic.

  • Year:
    2024
  • Runtime:
    0:12:00
  • Language:
    English
  • Country:
    Australia
  • Premiere:
    West Coast
  • Rating:
    M
  • Director:
    Danielle Baynes
  • Screenwriter:
    Danielle Baynes
  • Producer:
    Danielle Baynes, Lottie Aspinall, Morgan Hind
  • Cast:
    Kate Walsh, Justin Amankwah, Jeremy Waters, Emalia, Hunter Sabe
  • Cinematographer:
    Stefan Duscio
  • Editor:
    Shannon Michaelas
  • Production Design:
    Ella Deane
  • Sound Design:
    Sam Hayward
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‘BANGS’ (Fantasia 2024 short) Sinfully relatable.

Fantasia 2024 logoBANGS

Bangs-PosterMontreal-based comedy duo Emelia Hellman and Nancy Webb (Hellgirl Productions) bring their paranoia-fueled short Bangs to Fantasia Festival’s Fantastiques week-ends du cinéma québécois this summer for the film’s Canadian premiere.

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On the eve of hosting a dinner party for her 30th birthday, a woman cuts her hair. When her friends don’t notice, it drives her mad. Nancy Webb‘s Fantasia 2024 short film BANGS has unexpected fringe benefits. Pun, very much intended.

With each passing hour that her guests don’t mention the bangs, our protagonist becomes tenser and more enraged. The audience is in on the joke, making us increasingly nervous. But the film does not go the way you might expect.

BANGS 2

The handheld camera work gives the audience an immersive feel. Partly fly on the wall, but mostly, chaotically a member of the friend group. Lead Emelia Hellman, who co-writes the script with Webb, is excellent. She perfectly captures the need for approval and the rush of dopamine a compliment can supply.

BANGS is smirk-inducing and cringey in the best way. It’s an entirely relatable set-up. It is a commentary on narcissism and perceived identity, with a bit of magic realism thrown in for good measure.

DIRECTOR

Nancy Webb

PRODUCER

Emelia Hellman

WRITER

Emelia Hellman, Nancy Webb

CAST

Travis Cannon, Nicky Fournier, Emelia Hellman, Kelly Kay Hurcomb, Andi E McQueen, James Watts

For all things Fantasia 2024, click here!

‘BERTA’ (Fantasia 2024) Female rage is the best kind

Fantasia 2024 logoBERTA

Berta poster

The story of a woman called Berta who seeks understanding from a man that hurt her in the past. Despite her methods might be seen as unorthodox, she’ll make her point.

Berta still 2Nerea Barros captivates as the titular character. She walks a perfect line between anxiety and persistence. Barros becomes a feminist icon we so desperately need.

Think Hard Candy meets Promising Young Woman. BERTA nails the subgenre. The practical FX team delivers sleight-of-hand twice.

Filmmaker Lucía Former Segarra‘s writing is so slick. She comes full circle in her shorts trilogy, specifically calling out the names of her previous films in the dialogue. BERTA is the ultimate form of therapy for all of us with unresolved trauma. It is a delicious treat for our revenge fantasies.

For previous years’ BORN OF WOMAN coverage click here and here!

Find all other Fantasia 2024 coverage right here 🙂

‘DIRTY BAD WRONG’ (Fantasia 2024 short) Erica Orofino’s short finds a mother between a promise and a boundary.

Fantasia 2024 logo

DIRTY BAD WRONG

Dirty Bad Wrong PosterDesperate to keep her promise to host the best superhero party for her 6-year-old, young mother Sid, a sex worker, takes extreme measures and books a last-minute client with a dark fetish. Dirty Bad Wrong is a drama/body horror that explores the darkest sides of capitalism, and just how far we’ll go for the ones we love.

STILL1 - Dirty, Bad, Wrong - Image by SAMANTHA FALCOSTILL1 - Dirty, Bad, Wrong - Image by SAMANTHA FALCOLife changes when you become a mother. It is impossible to describe to someone who has never protected another human with every ounce of their soul. In Erica Orofino‘s Fantasia 2024 short film DIRTY BAD WRONG, audiences are plunged into the world of a mother who would do anything for her child. 

Dirty Bad Wrong 3 - Photo by Samantha Falco50Jack Greig has a presence that is hard to teach. He gives Jesse a palpable innocence and curiosity. Michaela Kurimsky plays Sid with earnest desperation and unconditional love for her son. The chemistry between her and Grieg is enchanting. Kurimsky is nothing short of captivating in fourteen minutes. I would watch her in anything.

Outside of the authentic choices for survival, the horror aspect is subtle in the most powerful way. The messaging behind the images screams off the screen. The necessary evils one will endure for a loved one knows no bounds. DIRTY BAD WRONG begs for a feature. There is enough meat on the bone, no unintended, for delicious worldbuilding. 

Dirty Bad Wrong stars Michaela Kurimsky (Alouette, Firecrackers, The Boathouse), Jack Greig (Dark Side of the Ring), and Cody Thompson (The Shape of Water, May the Best Wedding Win, Mrs. America) and is produced by Fonna Seidu (virgins!, Fresh Meat, Being Black in Toronto). It was shot in Toronto, Canada.

Fantasia 2024 posterFor all things Fantasia 2024, click here!

‘ESCAPE ATTEMPT’ (Fantasia 2024 short) Chilling and visually stunning

Fantasia 2024 logoESCAPE ATTEMPT

Escape Attempt – Film - Aggressive - aggressive.tv

A desperate man tries to make his way to an uninhabited planet with the help of a young and idealistic couple. In their Fantasia 2024 short ESCAPE ATTEMPT, directors Daniel Shapiro and Alex Topaller take audiences on a journey across time, space, and humanity. Based on a novella of the same name by the Strugatsky Brothers, this dazzling twenty-nine minutes of storytelling hits harder than you might expect. Performances are outstanding across the board. Without spoiling the impact of this explosive narrative, I can easily say that it is a visually exciting and thoroughly engaging dive into the metaphor for the cyclical nature of history—the cliche warning about what happens when we don’t learn from our past. I highly recommend seeking out this short. I imagine it is only the beginning for Shapiro and Topaller.

Daniel Shapiro and Alex Topaller, founders of the Aggressive design studio, deliver the US/Polish co-production ESCAPE ATTEMPT based on the Strugatsky Brothers’s novella of the same name. 

OFFICIAL SELECTION

Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia 2023

FilmQuest 2023

Landshut Short Film Festival 2024

Haapsalu Horror and Fantasy Film Festival 2024

HONORS

Grand Prize – FilmQuest 2023

Best Sci-Fi Short – FilmQuest 2023

Navigator Award for Best Sci-Fi Film – Haapsalu Horror and Fantasy Film Festival 2024

DIRECTOR

Daniel Shapiro, Alex Topaller

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

Jacek Kulczycki, Daniel Shapiro, Alex Topaller

PRODUCER

Lukasz Tomasz Koltunowicz

WRITER

Christina Lazaridi, Daniel Shapiro, Alex Topaller

CAST

Anna Burnett, Andrzej Chyra, Ieuan Coombs, Piotr Witkowski

CINEMATOGRAPHER

Pils Kajetan

 
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‘HELL IS A TEENAGE GIRL’ (Fantasia 2024) Flipping the script on the Final Girl trope.

Fantasia 2024 logo

HELL IS A TEENAGE GIRL

Hell Is A Teenage Girl poster

Every Halloween, the small town of Springboro is terrorized by its resident SLASHER – a masked serial killer who targets sinful teenagers that break ‘The Rules of Horror’ – don’t drink, don’t do drugs, and don’t have sex! At the center of it all is Parker Campbell, the Slasher’s estranged biological daughter. In an attempt to clear her name and make things right with the town, Parker sets out on a life-or-death mission in hopes of ending his reign of terror once and for all…

Hell Is a Teenage Girl (2024

Skylar Radzion plays Parker, the daughter of a small-town slasher. Tortured by her peers most of her life, she enlists her best friend and an obsessive lunkhead to break all the rules and unleash the ultimate form of revenge. Filmmaker Stephen Sawchuk delivers the goods to Fantasia 2024 audiences with his short film HELL IS A TEENAGE GIRL.
Radzion, Faly Mevamanana, and Kevin Osea nail their roles. The updated colonial set that serves as Parker’s home is perfect, and well-thought-out costumes complete the vision. The film is a solid treatment for a feature I’d be delighted to dive into. Sawchuk gives us enough meat on the bone for expansion, past and future.

OFFICIAL SELECTION

Mammoth Film Festival 2024

WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival 2024

Luxembourg International Indie Film Festival 2024

Cannes Indie International Film Festival 2024

HONORS

Gold Remi Award – WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival 2024

Best Horror Film – Cannes Indie International Film Festival 2024

Best Director – Cannes Indie International Film Festival 2024

Best Actress – Luxembourg Indie International Film Fest 2024

DIRECTOR

Stephen Sawchuk

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

Elysia Rotaru, Stephen Sawchuk

PRODUCER

Jenni Baynham, Barbara Gregusova

WRITER

Stephen Sawchuk

CAST

Mar Andersons, Zenia Marshall, Faly Mevamanana, Jill Morrison, Kevin Osea, Skylar Radzion

SOCIAL MEDIA: @hellisateenagegirl (Instagram) #HellIsATeenageGirl

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HELL IS A TEENAGE GIRL

‘ONE FOR THE ROAD’ (LA Shorts 2024) Based on a Stephen King short story, it is pure fear.

LA Shorts logoONE FOR THE ROAD

One for the Road Teaser TrailerBased on a Stephen King story, Daniel Carsenty‘s short film ONE FOR THE ROAD is here to terrify LA Shorts International Film Festival audiences with its world premiere.

It’s 3 am, and a mysterious, rather odorous man walks into a truck stop diner, muttering one phrase, “Old Mill Road.” Two drivers with the best intentions get roped into helping solve the mystery, but no good deed goes unpunished.

Writer Corey Slater captures the classic King build-up. In the 9-minute run, the audience knows these characters and feels an emotional connection. Carsenty gathers a cast that is perfection. The production design team nails the aesthetic, placing the viewer in a timeless era. Putting The Red Sox cap on one of our protagonist’s heads is a clever nod to King, as any fan knows where his allegiance lies. I’m begging for an expansion of this world.

one for the road cropped trailer

Teaser Trailer:

ABOUT DIRECTOR: Berlinale Talents alumni Daniel Carsenty wrote and directed the thriller “After Spring Comes Fall” in 2015. It won the award for Best Feature at the Zsigmond Vilmos Festival. His second film, “The Devil’s Drivers,” a documentary about a Bedouin smuggler, premiered at TIFF in 2021, won the Special Jury Award at the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, and was nominated by the Cinema for Peace Foundation for Best Documentary. A graduate of AFI, Daniel came to filmmaking after working as a TV journalist for ARTE and BBC in zones of conflict. 

“As a director, what I love most about horror movies is that they are about getting as close as possible to what makes me afraid. In my opinion, a good horror story carries as much hope as it creates fear. If these two emotions play out against each other, we start to care,” says Carsenty. He reached out to King during his time at AFI, hoping to use horror narrative to tell the same stories about the darkness of humanity that he did in his documentaries. 

ABOUT LA SHORTS:  LA Shorts International Film Festival is an Oscar and BAFTA qualifying festival, and is the longest-running short film festival in Los Angeles. 

WORLD PREMIERE: ONE FOR THE ROAD
Sunday, July 21, 2024, 10:00 P.M., Program 26
Regal LA Live – DTLA

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Fantasia 2024: It’s Heeerrreee (almost). Genre’s best of the best is about to begin.

Fantasia 2024 posterFANTASIA 2024

It’s no secret that Fantasia is the festival I gush about the most. If you want to call yourself a genre film fan you have to know about the buzziest films coming out of the fest each year. Once again, Quebec will host a plethora of premieres, a gaggle of talks with the industry’s best, and scare the pants off of you. Would you expect any less? Fantasia 2024 is the 28th edition of this wonderfully wacky cinephile playground.


IN OUR BLOOD Fantasia 2024

IN OUR BLOOD

Nothing is as it seems when filmmaker Emily Wyland (Brittany O’Grady) teams up with cinematographer Danny (E. J. Bonilla) to shoot an intimate documentary about reuniting with Emily’s estranged mother after a decade apart. When her mother suddenly goes missing, possibly succumbing to the addictions that first tore her family apart, Emily and Danny must piece together increasingly sinister clues to find her before it’s too late.

Directed by Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker Pedro Kos (Rebel Hearts, Lead Me Home) in his first narrative feature, IN OUR BLOOD masterfully blends psychological mystery with chilling horror. The film weaves a twisted tale of reconciling with the ghosts of our past and confronting the complicity we share in creating a world that preys on the most vulnerable.


HELL HOLE Fantasia 2024

Hell HoleA road trip through Canadian oil fields conjured up fantasies of secrets deep in the dirt for the Adams family, and inspired them to create HELL HOLE, an indie rock-n-roll monster movie set at a far-away fracking site. Known for their DIY ethos, John and Lulu Adams and Toby Poser, partnering with Shudder, have joined the team behind The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs and FX legend Todd Masters to shoot their latest in Serbia with a local cast and crew. Absurd, mutinous, and transgressively comical, Hell Hole is old-school sci-fi horror, yet in typical family fashion, they subvert the genre with textures of biological and environmental horror in tandem with questions of gender and bodily autonomy. This will be the fourth time Fantasia World Premieres work from the gifted filmmaking family, following launches of THE DEEPER YOU DIGHELLBENDER, and WHERE THE DEVIL ROAMSWorld Premiere.


THE BEAST WITHIN

The Beast Within Fantasia 2024

The haze of childhood is a magic lantern that throws light on the wall through a veil of dark both frightening and exciting, and nowhere is this better articulated than in THE BEAST WITHIN (previously titled WHAT REMAINS OF US). Kit Harington (GAME OF THRONESETERNALS) is a father with a secret that he is desperately trying to keep under control. His mysterious excursions at night leave his ailing daughter (Caoilinn Springall, THE MIDNIGHT SKYSTOPMOTION) plagued with questions. The old, timeless house in the woods that she lives in with her caring mother (Ashleigh Cummings, NOS4A2) and absent father feels more like a haunted castle than a loving home. As she investigates her father’s bizarre and dark behaviour, a monstrous figure emerges from the shadows, terrorizing those who encounter it. Supported by her grandfather (James Cosmo, HIGHLANDERBRAVEHEART), she attempts to unravel the mysteries of the creature, and the revelations that she discovers will rock her family and leave her forever changed.


FRANKIE FREAKO Fantasia 2024

Frankie FreakoAfter the success of PSYCHO GOREMAN, FX artist and director Steven Kostanski hits back with the zany, over-the-top FRANKIE FREAKO! Starring Conor Sweeney and Adam Brooks of Astron-6 fame, the film follows a nerdy man who just isn’t cool. In an attempt to impress his wife and boss, he’s lured by a 1-900 TV ad to party with a strange little creature called Frankie Freako. All hell breaks loose when Conor calls and Frankie and his two friends wreak interdimensional havoc in Conor’s life. Kostanski fans will flock to his latest imaginative adventure, saturated with throwback cartoonish fun à la GHOULIES, wildly creative puppets, big laughs, and a helluva good time! Septentrion Shadows section. World Premiere.


THE CODE Fantasia 2024

The CodePeter Vack (ASSHOLES) and Dasha Nekrasova (THE SCARY OF SIXTY-FIRST) star as couple on the rocks during the early part of the Covid-19 pandemic in American filmmaker Eugene Kotlyarenko (SPREE)’s latest, THE CODE – a generation-defining, wickedly dark comedy that blends post-New Wave French sensibilities of aesthetic disillusionment with a singularly alien view of contemporary American life. A transgressive and singular experience, nothing is off limits in this surveillance-heavy narrative, which uses multiple formats, points of view, and cameras to create a visionary collage-like experience of modern life. An epic poem for our post-pandemic world. Underground Section. World Premiere.


BLACK EYED SUSAN Fantasia 2024

Black Eyed SusanIt’s been 21 long years since Scooter McCrae (SHATTER DEAD) released a new feature, and he’s lost none of his smart, transgressive bite. Desperate for work, Derek (Damian Maffei, THE STRANGERS: PREY AT NIGHT) accepts a job at a shady tech start-up, working intimately with Susan (Yvonne Emilie Thälker in a powerful debut role), a bleeding-edge BDSM sex doll meant to receive and appreciate sexual punishment as an integral part of her evolving AI. Shot on Super 16, BLACK EYED SUSAN counterbalances its dark, vulgar core with a surprisingly tender vulnerability, creating a lo-fi science-fiction landscape infused with surprising fragility, as legendary Italian composer Fabio Frizzi (THE BEYOND, ZOMBIE) lends the picture a lush, atmospheric backdrop. Not for the faint of heart, BLACK EYED SUSAN delves into themes and questions that will only become more pertinent with the continued evolution of artificial intelligence. World Premiere.


CHAINSAWS WERE SINGING Fantasia 2024

Chainsaws Were SingingA true DIY passion project from Estonian filmmaker Sander Maran, CHAINSAWS WERE SINGING is a zany, blood-soaked musical about lovers split up by a chainsaw-wielding killer. Over a decade in the making, Saran not only directed but wrote, scored, shot, and edited this colorful murder-fest that’s part gory horror movie and part ridiculous musical. The camerawork is inventive, the editing slapstick, and the tone truly absurdist. Most importantly, though, the songs are incredibly catchy, with Sander clearly deeply indebted to Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s CANNIBAL! THE MUSICAL and Frank Oz’s LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS. Underground Section. International Premiere.


THE CHAPEL Fantasia 2024

The Chapel Fantasia 2024The stunning sophomore feature from award-winning director Carlota Pereda (PIGGY), THE CHAPEL marks the fantastic return of atmospheric, character-driven supernatural Spanish horror. Emma (Maia Zaitegi) wants to learn how to communicate with the spirit of a little girl who has spent centuries trapped inside a chapel. She tries to convince Carol (THE ORPHANAGE’s Belen Rueda), a cynical and fake medium, to help her in the hopes that contacting the spirit may help her to remain close to her dying mother after she passes. What Carol doesn’t suspect is that Emma really does have “the gift” and, if she keeps on trying to use it without her guidance, she will be putting her young life at terrifying risk. Winner: Best Actress, Belen Rueda, Cinefantasy 2023. Official Selection: Sitges 2023. North American Premiere.


BORN OF WOMAN 2024 Fantasia 2024

https://fantasiafestival.com/en/program/born-of-woman-2024

Fantasia 2024 - Born of Woman 2024 - fantasiafestival.comMy favorite shorts collection of the year, this wildly eclectic and insanely talented group of female filmmakers aims to please, shock, and gag audiences. You never know what you’ll get with each passing year and I get giddy in anticipation. Fantasia 2024’s Born Of Woman lineup includes the following films:

IZZY

Nahema Ricci stars in this sharply staged build piece expressionistically conveying a person’s realization that they’d rather not fit in, if it means continuingly giving in.

 


the_bleacher_poster_THE BLEACHER

An outright bonkers stop-motion freakazoid about a woman, a laundromat, and a missing sock. From the makers of SEXY FURBY.

 


wildflower posterWILDFLOWER

A reclusive woman gives everything she can to a blood-sucking flower that she’s devoted every waking minute towards caring for.


Mosquito Lady poster Fantasia 2024

MOSQUITO LADY (see our previous coverage)

A sharp intersection between Filipino folklore and the ever-devolving issue of bodily autonomy in the U.S.

 


Dead Tooth posterDEAD TOOTH

A stylishly inventive and considerably bloody take on the one-terrible-day film.


LES YEUX D’OLGA

A senior vampire who moves herself into an elder care facility so as to feed solely on those already at the edge of death.


I'm Not A Robot posterI’M NOT A ROBOT

We’ve all had the annoyance when forced to solve wonky online captchas to convince a website that we’re real-deal human. What if we were to repeatedly fail it?


BERTA

Following the extraordinary DANA, Spanish filmmaker Lucía Forner Segarra returns to Fantasia with BERTA, a tensely compelling new work that continues her explorations of accountability and empowerment following gendered violence.

(You can find past Born of Woman coverage here) Fantasia 2024


You can find more info on Fantasia 2024’s lineup and tickets by tapping HERE


Fantasia 2024 Dates:
Thursday, July 18 – Sunday, August 4th

For previous years’ FANTASIA coverage, click here!

(Tribeca 2024 shorts) ‘A ROSE FOR KATRINA, ‘ ‘LICE,’ ‘MY BEST FRIEND,’ & ‘WHEN EVERYTHING BURNS’ – Exemplary work from across the globe

tribeca 2024 logoTribeca 2024 Shorts


A ROSE FOR KATRINA Tribeca 2024 Shorts

https://tribecafilm.com/films/rose-for-katrina-2024

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Short | Australia | 9 MINUTES | English

Harry Quinlan‘s short film A ROSE FOR KATRINA is technically dizzying. Augmented and overlapping sound editing combined with its one continuous take filmed from outside the busy household immediately throws you into a subconscious panic.

An unknowing Michael shows up for a first date, rose in hand for a girl named Katrina. Accosted at the front door by her twin and surrounded by the chaos inside, his frustrations get the better of him. When Katrina tracks him down outside, the questions don’t end there.

The dialogue barrels ahead like a freight train, weaving in and out of innocuous and aggressive. A ROSE FOR KATRINA leaves you buzzing. It would be impossible to move on without debating what you witnessed.


LICE Tribeca 2024 Shorts

https://tribecafilm.com/films/lice-2024

LICE-Clean-16x9-02 Tribeca 2024 shorts

Short | India, United States | 14 MINUTES | English, Hindi | English subtitles

Filmmaker Vindhya Gupta‘s Tribeca 2024 short LICE tackles the challenges of childhood cruelty and power dynamics. The subject had me itching and cringing as a former teacher and mother of two elementary-aged children. In the film, we find two girls, one a popular bully and the other a quiet loner. When Roshni tries to blame her lice infestation on Chakor, an unusual friendship begins, but are her intentions pure?

Guilt and redemption flow through the lines. DP Maria Belen Poncio captures eye-catching natural light in India’s architecture. The final scene puts you through the emotional wringer. Each viewer may take away a different ending. Either way, the film serves attention for its tangible dialogue, compelling performances, and universal messaging.


MY BEST FRIEND Tribeca 2024 Shorts

https://tribecafilm.com/films/my-best-friend-2024

MY_BEST_FRIEND-Clean-16x9-0Short | United States, France | 18 MINUTES | English, French | English subtitles

A post-breakup Clara (Marie Zabukovec) meets up with her best friend Léa (Lana Boy) for a staycation in NYC. Léa divulges she has convinced her boyfriend to have an open relationship. Will a night alone bring friends closer together or push them apart?

The natural lighting in each scene is a visual gift. Watching the credits shows you the predominantly female crew, making a difference in storytelling and environment as this dynamic spills into the project in all the right ways.

My Best Friend encompasses female friendship to a tea. It expresses the beauty and purity of everything and nothing all at once. Marie Zabukovec and Lana Boy are spectacular. Their chemistry feels palpably authentic. It’s movie magic. Filmmaker Elina Street has a dazzling gem in MY BEST FRIEND.


WHEN EVERYTHING BURNS Tribeca 2024 Shorts

https://tribecafilm.com/films/mazda-presents-moving-the-spotlight-2024

cuando_todo_arde-- when everything burns poster

Maria Belen Poncio‘s Tribeca 2024 short begins with a bang and an ominous visual. Isabel is a fire brigade volunteer with no official authority besides her moral compass. As the flames swiftly approach a neighborhood, she shares a stubborn fortitude with a local man, each standing their ground to survive.

Juan Pablo Toch‘s poignant score says it all. Lead actors Annabella Bacigalupo and Ruben Gattino speak volumes in their silence and circumstances, with each generation silently resigned to the world’s fate by the time the screen goes black. In 12 minutes, WHEN EVERYTHING BURNS is powerful.

Tribeca 2024 Shorts

For more Tribeca 2024 coverage, click here!

Fantasia 2022 ‘BORN OF WOMAN’ rules supreme, again.

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BORN OF WOMAN (2022)

born-of-woman-2023

One of the best shorts collections at the Fantasia International Film Festival is the annual Born Of Woman program. This year’s selections ran to a sold-out audience. The Born Of Woman selection is special because the films are bold genre stories created exclusively by female filmmakers. 2022’s iteration saw nine films from five countries and every single one blew me away. Each year, this is my personal favorite program. The films are fresh, vibrant, scary, relatable, and wildly intriguing.

Lily’s Mirror

A shocking opening leads to one of the sharpest takedowns of the patriarchy I’ve seen in quite some time. Lily receives a therapeutic mirror allowing her to take back the power so freely stolen by men. The depiction of the erasure of women is a comic and creative chef’s kiss. I didn’t think it was possible to make misogyny funny, but the script is carefully crafted. I found myself nodding, laughing, and exclaiming, “This is sheer perfection.” Highlighting women going to bat for other women and the fragility of the white man, Lily’s Mirror could easily be an entire series or feature film. This type of short drives audiences wild, and Fantasia 2022 knew what they were doing programming this film. A slow, celebratory clap for everyone involved. 

Everybody Goes to The Hospital

Everybody Goes to the HospitalThis haunting stop-motion animation speaks to the often barbaric side of medicine. Fear, misogyny, and the medical staff’s good complex are all in full view. While the story occurred in the 60s, its relevance does not wane. Writer-director Tiffany Kimmel does an excellent job capturing the terror of a child that undoubtedly attached itself to adulthood. The narration from Lucia Hadley Wheeler hits you square in the heart. The short was surprisingly personal for me. When I was 20, doctors at Saint Luke’s Roosevelt subjected me to a battery of invasive tests, unconvinced that I was a virgin. What I knew was appendicitis was treated as an STD. After 12 hrs and an emergency surgery later, my medical gaslighting experience still haunts me. Fantastic 2022 audiences will watch in awe of the artistry and storytelling style. Everybody Goes To The Hospital will make your blood run cold.

Wild Card

Writer-director Tipper Newton gives us a glorious, tongue-in-cheek, neo-noir throwback. Daniel makes a dating tape, and his first date brings nothing but good trouble. I’m not sure if Wild Card was shot on 16mm, but the combination of costumes, sets, and score gives the film’s overall aesthetic an era legit look. Fantasia 2022 viewers got an excellent treatment in Wild Card. When the credits rolled, I was left wanting to know what happened to Daniel. I needed to know what happened to Daniel! Billy Flynn and Newton give great performances. I cannot stress how perfect they are for these roles. The subtle nuance between them walks a fine line between serious and absurd. Overall, I’m beyond thrilled to follow Wild Card‘s journey.

Punch Drunk

A young woman recovering from surgery works the night shift as a bartender and contends with the memories of her surroundings. Horror doesn’t have to be a creature feature in the traditional sense. Punch Drunk is a creative declaration of power. Writers Cason Weiss and Emily Lerer (who also directs) bring a uniquely intimate short to Fantasia 2022. Danielle Argyros is stunning in the lead role. I would love to see this developed into something bigger. It has endless potential. Punch Drunk is a bold, fearless, funny, and relatable look at the trauma that sent a shiver down my spine. 

Stained Skin

A mesmerizing juxtaposition of live action and 2D animation, Stained Skin uses fable storytelling to ease the reality of women stuck in an endless work cycle. Attempting to combat their sadness, the story passes from Samy to Alba as a coping mechanism. As screenwriter Mirjam Khera’s narrative grows, so too does their sense of hope. Marisa Wojtkowiak and Safinaz Sattar are captivating in the eight minutes they share alongside beautifully drawn images from Andrei Ebîncā. Directors Adam Graf and Mandy Peterat understand the balance of dark and light. It’s films like these that bring Fantasia audiences to Born of Woman. Stained Skin is a gorgeous addition to 2022.

The Anteroom

Writer-director Elisa Puerto Aubel gives Fantasia 2022 audiences a heart-stopping short. In the near future, a refugee and her infant daughter must negotiate with a customs AI. As the seconds dwindle toward one of two options, tension is palpable. The sparse and ominous set adds to the suffocating feeling, and the desperation in actress Irene Anula’s voice against the callous echoes of the machine will take your breath away. 

Daughters of Witches

A young mother brings her baby Iris to participate in a traditional ritual. Generations of women trek into the forest, but Clara is unsettled and guilt-ridden, having missed her grandmother’s recent passing. Written by Karen Acosta, Naria Muñoz, and director Faride Schroeder, Daughters of Witches is another excellent example of the intrigue a short can generate. As night breaks into dawn and Clara finds Iris crying in another location, the final reveal left me emotionally invested in each character of this family lineage. Starring Yalitza Aparicio (ROMA), Daughters of Witches builds an engrossing world in ten minutes. 

Don’t Go Where I Can’t Find You

This intoxicating short film from writer-director Rioghnach Ni Ghrioghair teases every one of your senses. Margaret has lost her lover Freya to something she believed was haunting them inside the walls of their expansive Victorian mansion. Capturing Freya’s presence becomes an obsession, compromising her relationships with the living and the dead. Garrett Sholdice and Benedict Schlepper-Connolly’s score becomes a plot point. Truthfully, the sound design from Garret Farrell is one of the most impactful aspects of the story. The film’s audio consumes the viewer, placing them in the stranglehold of grief. Fantasia 2022 audiences will undoubtedly fall in love with this film, from its costumes to Allyn Quigley’s editing. It’s nothing short of sumptuous. 

Kin

Striking cinematography by Marc Patterson and a dissonant score from Jonathan Keith set the scene for director Sarah Gross’ Fantasia 2022 short film Kin. Three siblings must survive the western plains on their own. Eldest sister Ida takes the familial reigns to protect everyone. Madison Tebbutt’s screenplay subverts expectations bringing us an unusual creature feature that twists and turns from beginning to end. The final shot made me shudder.

 

More Fantasia coverage can be found here 🙂

‘SWEATY LARRY’ (DWF:LA 2024) Gen Z’s newest and funniest superstition

DWF-LA logoSWEATY LARRY

https://danceswithfilms.com/sweaty-larry/

SWEATY LARRY

80s and 90s kid here. Ouija boards and Blood Mary were a right of passage at sleepover parties or Saturday nights. Filmmaker Vanessa Ionta Wright delivers a new generation of jaded kids trying to scare themselves in a world where they’ve already seen it all thanks to the internet. Our three youngest stars, Sienna Burton, Quinn Reames, and Camryn Bentley, eat the screen up with genuine laughs and an authentic level of “suss.” I loved everything about them.

Sweaty-Larry - GirlsOur introduction to Sweaty Larry is as ridiculous as it should be, and the original song saying over the credits (written and performed by ATL’s Ross Childress, co-founder of the rock band Collective Soul) is a straight banger. SWEATY LARRY is the brilliant reason a festival’s Midnight section exists. I loved everything about it.

WRITER/DIR: Vanessa Ionta Wright
PRODS: Ryan Burton, Rozalyn Mattocks, Tony Reames
CAST: Haley Leary, Victor Rivera, Sienna Burton, Quinn Reames, Camryn Bentley

Sweaty Larry the man

Three curious young girls stumble upon an obscure urban legend and summon the infamous entity known as Sweaty Larry. They were warned…they were warned.

For more Dances With Films coverage, click here!

 

 

 

 

‘BURN OUT’ (DWF:LA 2024 short) Overworked and ambitious are a dangerous combination

DWF-LA logoBURN OUT

https://danceswithfilms.com/burn-out/

Burn out POSTER

A clearly overworked and unwaveringly determined Virgil will do anything to show his boss the very personal presentation he has toiled over. Nothing can stop him from completing this passion project, not even a fire. Filmmaker Russell Goldman‘s DWF: LA 2024 short BURN OUT dives headfirst into the competitive nature of hardcore office culture under the guise of “teamwork.”

Burn Out STILL Virgil_LookingInFire_EverettOsborneThe hilarious and terrifying overall premise might seem unrealistic to some, but I can tell you it is entirely plausible. When my husband was a first-year associate coming out of grad school at Yale, he passed out on the way to work three days in a row from lack of sleep. After being revived by police officers and refusing medical attention, he arrived five minutes late only to be told, “That’s a YP, a You Problem.” Empathy be damned when there is a dollar or deal to be made.

Burn Out STILL Virgil_SprayExtinguisher_EverettOsborneThe film looks spectacular. Sharp cinematography from Ali Armino ups the production ante. Lead performances are fantastic. Everett Osborne and Tommie Earl Jenkins command your attention with dazzling charm and ferocity, making us beg for an expanded world. Without needing to, BURN OUT takes a hard left turn into total WTF near the end of its 12-minute runtime, but the metaphor completely stands. It was unhinged before that choice. Executive Producer Jamie Lee Curtis knows talent when she sees it. Goldman’s voice is fresh, intense, and welcomed.

Written & Directed by: Russell Goldman

Starring: Everett Osborne and Tommie Earl Jenkins

Genre: Horror, Comedy, Short

RT: 12 min | Not Yet Rated

Language: English | U.S.

An assistant will do anything to get his presentation in front of his boss… even set himself on fire. Starring Everett Osborne (SWEETWATER) and Tommie Earl Jenkins (DEATH STRANDING). BURN OUT

ADDITIONAL SCREENINGS
 
2024 Chattanooga Film Festival – June 28th
 
2024 Wyoming International Film Festival – July 11th

 

For more Dances With Films coverage, click here!

‘YOU ARE HERE’ (DWF:LA 2024 short) Universally great

DWF-LA logoYOU ARE HERE

https://danceswithfilms.com/YOU-ARE-HERE/

YOU-ARE-HERE

A short film about our minds going down the proverbial rabbit hole of unfathomable information, Michael Friberg‘s DWF: LA short, YOU ARE HERE, is pure delight.

When insurance underwriter Peter reads a newspaper article about the number of stars in the galaxy, he fixates on the enormity of space and life itself. Peter is every science enthusiast inside of us. Lehi Farlpapalangi is so watchable that he deserves a feature or series all his own. YOU ARE HERE feels like a live-action Pixar short. The film will undoubtedly bring a smile to your face, and if it doesn’t, check your pulse.

Find tickets here!!

 

WEST COAST Premiere | USA, 2024, 8 min.
FUSION SHORTS BLK 2 – TUE JUNE 25 @ 5PM

 

WRITER/DIR: Michael Friberg
PRODS: Vincent Mauro, James Roh
CAST: Lehi Falepapalangi, Bridget Elsabe Galanis, Annie Flowers, Cameron Sawyer

When insurance salesman Peter Kleebold reads an article about the size of the universe, it sends him into an existential tailspin that leads him on a journey to get out of this world.

For more Dances With Films coverage, click here!

‘HOW I ROLL’ (DWF:LA 2024 short) Resilience at its finest

DWF-LA logo

HOW I ROLL
https://danceswithfilms.com/HOW-I-ROLL-2/

How I roll posterOne of the most harrowing stories I’ve seen featured in a short film comes from BriGuel‘s HOW I ROLL. This 13-minute emotional rollercoaster is an eye-opening tale of resilience. Robin Cohen lives with MS, navigating Miami, Manhattan, and a family history of shocking violence, loss, and great love. 

HOW-I-ROLLBriGuel beautifully edits Cohen’s innermost thoughts, one on top of the other in the most organic way, mimicking the chaos of our mind’s intrusive thoughts. With an abundance of home videos and footage of Robin’s daily life and love story, HOW I ROLL introduces the world to a woman who inspires us to love, laugh, and live life to its fullest despite what might feel like insurmountable odds. Eternal positivity and perseverance are the beauty of life.

Get Tickets Here!

How I Roll (Official Trailer) from BriGuel on Vimeo.

DIRS: Brianne Berkson & Miguel Gluckstern, BriGuel
PRODS: Robin Cohen, Brianne Berkson, Miguel Gluckstern, Stefany Dobken

Facing unthinkable hardships – murder, loss, battling MS for 25 years, Robin Cohen impressively defies the odds, finding light despite the darkness.

For more DWF coverage, click here!

‘THE HONGFU HOTEL’ (Tribeca 2024 short) Hauntingly spectacular

tribeca 2024 logoTHE HONGFU HOTEL

https://tribecafilm.com/films/hongfu-hotel-2024

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Undoubtedly one of the most visually spectacular short films at Tribeca 2024, Tian Xu’s THE HONGFU HOTEL finds a father and son on the eve of the demolition of their family hotel in New York City. Feng arrives to check in on his father, Chan, the proprietor of their generations-old Chinatown hotel. Sold and marked for destruction to make way for a new road, Chan’s mission to see the spirits of the hotel’s old inhabitants reincarnated has seemingly failed. He plans to return to China and wishes to sign over the hotel and the profits to Feng. 

Feng battles demons past and present as he agrees to bid farewell to the upper floors one last time. What he finds has little impact on him but transfixes the audience with the lush production design. The set is intricate from ceiling to floor. Without spoiling the magic of THE HONGFU HOTEL, the film delves into Chinese mythology and religion in a mesmerizing way, challenging the viewer to open their minds to intergenerational trauma and the things we cannot see. 

Tian Xu and the entire HONGFU HOTEL crew have something indisputably special on their hands. I would be incredibly interested in an expanded universe here. The possibilities are endless. THE HONGFU HOTEL is spellbinding.

THE_HONGFU_HOTEL-Clean-16x9-03

World Premiere

The HongFu Hotel

Shorts

Short | United States | 19 MINUTES | English | English subtitles

Director

Tian Xu

Producer

“Amy” Kouxiao Zhang

Screenwriter

Tian Xu, Michael Ben-Iftah Nutovits, Bing Xu, Jacob Vaus

Cinematographer

“Steven” Sixiong Xie

Editor

Tian Xu, Yumeng “Judith” Zhu

Production Designer

“Mojo” Miao Wen

Executive Producer

Bing Xu

Associate Producer

Michael Ben-Iftah Nutovits

Co-Producer

Xiaojia Zhu

Cast

Kevin Dang, Zhu-Sheng Yin, Annalee Richards, Christine Liao, Jason Sun

The Hongfu hotel (2024) poster - www.imdb.com



Genre: Horror, Family, New York

Synopsis: A son reunites with his father on the eve of their family hotel’s demolition and is asked to bid farewell to the lingering spirits of the hotel’s past guests.

The film combines Chinese mythology and religion with modern-day New York City. Telling an immigrant story through the lens of horror.

For more Tribeca 2024 coverage, click here!

‘JUMPMAN’ (Tribeca 2024 short) Artistic justice for an icon

tribeca 2024 logoJUMPMAN

https://tribecafilm.com/films/jumpman-2024JUMPMAN-Clean-16x9-01


Tom Dey’s Tribeca 2024 documentary short film JUMPMAN details the extraordinary life and body of work of photographer Co Rentmeester, the man responsible for Nike’s iconic Air Jordan logo.

His fearless action and natural eye as a young man led to experiences beyond belief. His ability to capture dynamic close-ups and create breathtaking photographs is a gift. From Vietnam to The Olympics, his images are dazzling.

Nike has some explaining to do, and Rentmeester deserves justice. His experience is infuriating, mirroring many artists and copyright infringement cases across the globe.

His life is so intriguing that JUMPMAN could become an entire series. There is so much meat on the bone here. It is utterly transfixing.

Short | United States | 22 MINUTES | English | English subtitles

Director
Tom Dey
Producer
Tom Dey & Coliena Rentmeester
Screenwriter
Tom Dey
Cinematographer
Meena Singh
Editor
Federico Conforti
Composer
Fabrizio Mancinelli
Co-Producer
Marlien Rentmeester & Els Rentmeester
Cast
Co Rentmeester

For more Tribeca 2024 coverage, click here!