Films - SouthSide Film Institute

59 Secondes | Animated Short | Animation Block 1
Directed by: Mauro Carraro
2017 | Switzerland | 16m
The love story of Bruno and Tiziana is turned upside down by the 59 seconds that wrote one of the most tragic pages of Italy’s history – the earthquake that devastated Friuli in May 1976.
Screening Times: NMIH 5:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | Touchstone 3:20pm Saturday, June 15

Afghan Cycles | Documentary Feature
Directed by: Sarah Menzies
2018 | Afghanistan| 90m
Following a new generation of young Afghan women cyclists, Afghan Cycles uses the bicycle to tell a story of women’s rights – human rights – and the struggles faced by Afghan women on a daily basis, from discrimination to abuse, to the oppressive silencing of their voices in all aspects of contemporary society. These women ride despite cultural barriers, despite infrastructure, and despite death threats, embracing the power and freedom that comes with the sport.
Screening Times: Charter Arts 5:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | Charter Arts 5:20pm Friday, June 14

Always In Season | Documentary Feature
Directed by: Jacqueline Olive
2018 | USA | 88m
When 17-year-old Lennon Lacy is found hanging from a swing set in rural North Carolina in 2014, his mother’s search for justice and reconciliation begins while the trauma of more than a century of lynching African Americans bleeds into the present.
Screening Times: Charter Arts 7:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | Charter Arts 7:20pm Thursday, June 13

Beast | Narrative Short | Horror Block
Directed by: Leonora Lonsdale
2017 | UK | 19m
When Alice’s mother, Grace, tells her that her father has become a “beast,” Alice begins to question who or what she really is. A gothic fairytale backed by the BFI and Creative England.
Screening Times: Touchstone 9:20pm Thursday, June 13 | Touchstone 9:20pm Friday, June 14

Behave, Kids | Narrative Short | Comedy Block
Directed by: Tripp Crosby
2018 | USA | 10m
Good boy youth pastor Greggor and his sensual girlfriend Kim have been invited over to house sit for Greggor’s new Bible beating boss Pastor Tom. It’s a suspicious gig, but once Tom and his wife leave, Greggor and Kim are free to do whatever they want in a house they assume they have all to themselves.
Screening Times: Touchstone 9:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | NMIH 3:20 Saturday, June 15

Beneath the Ink | Documentary Short | Doc Block 3
Directed by: Cy Dodson
2018 | USA | 12m
In a time when society’s belief systems are seemingly changing, or even reverting in time, one Ohio tattoo artist Billy Joe White is challenging his community by saying: “bring me your mistakes”. Beneath the Ink is a timely look at hate and racism in the western foothills of the Appalachian region that reveals heartfelt stories of change and redemption.
Screening Times: Touchstone 5:20pm Friday, June 14 | Touchstone 1:20pm Saturday, June 15

Best Friend | Animated Short | Animation Block 1
Directed by: Nicholas Olivieri, Shen Yi, Juliana De Lucca, Varun Nair, David Feliu
2018 | France | 5m
In a near future, a lonely man is addicted to a product called ‘’Best Friend” which offers him perfect virtual friends.
Screening Times: NMIH 5:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | Touchstone 3:20pm Saturday, June 15

Betty Feeds the Animals | Documentary Short | Doc Block 2
Directed by: James P. Gannon
2018 | USA | 9m
Betty loves animals, she loves them so much that everyday she puts 30 bowls of food outside of her home to feed them. She feeds skunks, raccoons, cats, foxes and the occasional opossum. This is her story.
Screening Times: NMIH 7:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | NMIH 5:20pm Thursday, June 13

Big Booom | Animated Short | Animation Block 1
Directed by: Marat Narimanov
2016 | Russia | 4m
The history of humanity and of our planet in four minutes. An eco-friendly statement developed in a single shot that has it all: humor, action and tragedy.
Screening Times: NMIH 5:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | Touchstone 3:20pm Saturday, June 15

BIG DATA “L1ZY” | Comedy Short | Comedy Block and Horror Block
Directed by: John Carlucci and Brandon LaGanke
2018 | USA | 10m
A typical family is terrorized in a series of commercials for a revolutionary new A.I. product.
Screening Times: Touchstone 9:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | Touchstone 9:20pm Thursday, June 13 | Touchstone 9:20pm Friday, June 14 | NMIH 3:20 Saturday, June 15

The Bird & the Whale | Animated Short | Animation Block 1
Directed by: Carol Freeman
2018 | Ireland | 7m
The Bird and the Whale is a story about a young whale struggling to find his voice. After straying too far from his family to explore a shipwreck, he discovers it’s sole survivor, a caged songbird. Together they struggle to survive lost at sea.
Screening Times: NMIH 5:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | Touchstone 3:20pm Saturday, June 15

Blind Mice | Animated Short | Animation Block 1
Directed by: Nicholas D’Agostino
2017 | USA | 9m
Upon his release from prison Walter falls back in with his old gang of hustlers. In this con within a con will he be the one left holding the bag? Mixing the anthropomorphic menagerie of humanity found in the cartoon’s of the 1930’s with the fatalist allegorical themes of film noir, ‘Blind Mice’ tell a tale of societies divisions.
Screening Times: NMIH 5:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | Touchstone 3:20pm Saturday, June 15

Blood Shed | Comedy Short | Comedy Block and Horror Block
Directed by: James Moran
2017 | UK | 13m
Jack loves a bargain. And he loves sheds. When he buys suspiciously cheap second-hand parts to build his very own dream shed, he and long-suffering wife Helen get more than they bargained for: a killer shed with an appetite for blood. As the body count rises, and the shed’s ferocious appetite grows, Jack is faced with a horrifying dilemma. A comedy horror about a man’s twisted love for his shed… that eats people.
Screening Times: Touchstone 9:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | Touchstone 9:20pm Thursday, June 13 | Touchstone 9:20pm Friday, June 14 | NMIH 3:20 Saturday, June 15

Blue Mountain | Narrative Short | Drama Block 1
Directed by: Jasmine Brotzman
2019 | Mexico | 2m
“I used to think I was the strangest person in the world but then I thought there are so many people in the world, there must be someone just like me who feels bizarre and flawed in the same ways I do. I would imagine her, and imagine that she must be out there thinking of me, too. Well, I hope that if you are out there and read this and know that, yes, it’s true I’m here, and I’m just as strange as you.” To my one out there, I’m here, you’re not alone, and this is for you.
Screening Times: Touchstone 7:20pm Friday, June 14 | NMIH 5:20pm Saturday, June 15

Boom | Documentary Feature
Directed by: Jordan Albertsen
2018 | USA | 84m
‘Boom’ tells the untold story of one of rock ‘n’ roll’s wildest and most influential bands, The Sonics. For the first time ever, all five original members of the band tell the true story of how it all went down, beginning to end. ‘Boom’ takes a deep dive, exploring how a relatively unknown band from the Pacific Northwest became a worldwide phenomenon 50-years after their heyday, and in doing so, shaped music for decades to come (whether it was apparent at the time or not). Featuring interviews with homegrown heroes and breakthrough artists alike, Pearl Jam, The Sex Pistols, Heart, Mudhoney, and many, many more.
Screening Times: NMIH 9:20pm Friday, June 14 | Touchstone 5:20pm Saturday, June 15

The Carpool | Narrative Short | Horror Block
Directed by: Jonathon Graham
2018 | USA |14m
A charmingly awkward man, Keenan, gets into a carpool taxi with the strong-willed Mary. They begin to hit it off when the driver suddenly flips a switch which releases gas rendering the two unconscious. They awaken in a locked garage. Together, with Mary taking the lead, they devise a plan of escape. They dupe the driver, who they eventually name ‘Skinfucker’, and lock him in the garage. Tables have turned. The front door is barred. Their only escape are the ‘Skinfucker’s’ keys.
Screening Times: Touchstone 9:20pm Thursday, June 13 | Touchstone 9:20pm Friday, June 14

CHICHI | Animated Short | Animation Block 1
Directed by: David Nessl
2018 | USA | 10m
My dog had a dream and told me about it. I made a movie about that dream. This is that movie.
Screening Times: NMIH 5:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | Touchstone 3:20pm Saturday, June 15

The Christmas Rabbit | Animated Short | Animation Block 1
Directed by: Christophe Lopez-Huici
2018 | France/UK | 11m
On Christmas eve, an old lady finds her beloved cat dead. All day long, she’ll try to find him a fitting final resting place, but will remain unsuccessful until an option she hadn’t considered comes her way.
Screening Times: NMIH 5:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | Touchstone 3:20pm Saturday, June 15

Clockwork Monsters | Documentary Short | Doc Block 1
Directed by: Ronni Thomas
2018 | USA | 6m
This short film is a very rare look into the mind and process of legendary automata creator, Thomas Kuntz.
Screening Times: Touchstone 7:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | Touchstone 5:20pm Thursday, June 13

Dare Not Fly | Narrative Short | Drama Block 1
Directed by: Chen Chuyi
2018 | Taiwan | 18m
Shen Si Yan, who lived under the strong fetters of her mother, was like a bird blindfolded, but could not fly. When it comes to daily chores, friends, work and mate are all interfered. Even if words have stepped out of society, mother still does not allow her to make her own choices. How can she survive without compromise, loss of self thinking, and mother who is bent on loving her daughter?
Screening Times: Touchstone 7:20pm Friday, June 14 | NMIH 5:20pm Saturday, June 15

Deadtectives | Horror Comedy Feature
Directed by: Tony West
2018 | USA | 92m
DeadTectives follows a team of hapless paranormal investigators on a reality TV series who go on a quest to Mexico’s most haunted house in the pursuit of better ratings. However, when the true dark secrets of the mansion begin to reveal themselves, the hapless presenters quickly discover that this house is no hoax. With zero ghost-hunting skills (or really any other applicable skills) the team has to figure out how to bust the ghosts and escape the house with their lives.
Screening Times: Touchstone 11pm Friday, June 14

Desolation Center | Documentary Feature
Directed by: Stuart Swezey
2018 | USA | 93m
Before there was Lollapalooza, Burning Man or Coachella, Desolation Center transported punk and industrial music fans in rented school buses into the far reaches of the Mojave Desert for performances that have been termed as “life-changing” and “earth-shattering” by those who were there. The LA Weekly described one of the events as being “like some bizarre ritual at the end of the world.” With Sonic Youth, Einstürzende Neubauten, Meat Puppets and The Minutemen.
Screening Times: NMIH 7:20pm Thursday, June 13 | NMIH 7:20pm Friday, June 14

Epiphany | Narrative Feature
Directed by: Koula Sossiadis Kazista and Katina Sossiadis
2018 | USA | 85m
A self-proclaimed lyrical love poem to Greek culture and the dying sea sponge industry, Epiphany tells the story of Luka, a young woman trying with all her might to connect with her negligent father in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Luka grows close to an older man as her family’s mysterious past begins to unfold.
Screening Times: Charter Arts 9:20pm Thursday, June 13 | Charter Arts 9:20pm Friday, June 14

Game Changer | Animated Short | Animation Block 1
Directed by: Aviv Mano
2018 | USA | 3m
A macho toy arcade prize is quick to judge a young girl who wants to win him, and goes on a life changing journey in attempt to stop her from winning enough tickets and taking him home.
Screening Times: NMIH 5:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | Touchstone 3:20pm Saturday, June 15

Gay Chorus Deep South | Documentary Feature
Directed by: David Charles Rodrigues
2019 | USA | 100m
In response to a wave of discriminatory anti-LGBTQ laws and the divisive 2016 election, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus embarks on a tour of the American Deep South.
Screening Times: Charter Arts 5:20pm Thursday, June 13 | Charter Arts 7:20pm Saturday, June 15

Gigi | Documentary Short | Doc Block 3
Directed by: Nicholas Cadby-Spicer
2018 | USA | 5m
Gigi Randolph, a 15-year resident of Allentown, PA sees her neighborhood change through her window. The Neighborhood Improvement Zone surrounds her apartment as rents skyrocket around her, displacing other low-income households. Protected by a 10-year lease, Gigi offers her unique perspective on the changing nature of her community and what should be done to protect its residents.
Screening Times: Touchstone 5:20pm Friday, June 14 | Touchstone 1:20pm Saturday, June 15

Girlfriends | Narrative Short | Drama Block 1
Directed by: Marie Davignon
2018 | Canada | 19m
In the early 2000s, following her return from a long stay abroad, Amélie invites her friends, Maude and Pascale to a cottage. In a disturbing and isolated forest, Amélie tries to reconnect with her friend Maude, while the rivalry between her and Pascale takes a dark turn.
Screening Times: Touchstone 7:20pm Friday, June 14 | NMIH 5:20pm Saturday, June 15

HERE THERE BE MONSTERS | Horror Short | Horror Block
Directed by: Drew Macdonald
2018 | Australia | 14m
To escape incessant bullying on the bus ride home, a young girl falls asleep only to wake up trapped at an empty bus yard, with something lurking outside – something big – and if she wants to make it out alive, this frightened girl will have to unleash a monster of her own.
Screening Times: Touchstone 9:20pm Thursday, June 13 | Touchstone 9:20pm Friday, June 14

How To Be Alone | Horror Short | Horror Block
Directed by: Kate Trefry
2018 | USA | 13m
How To Be Alone follows LUCY, as she struggles to survive an increasing bizarre and horrifying night. When her husband JACK leaves for the hospital graveyard shift, Lucy is left alone in the company of a particularly menacing kitchen cabinet, which she is convinced contains all her most secret fears. As the phobias begin to manifest and attack her, she must fight for control of her mind, and ultimately her life.
Screening Times: Touchstone 9:20pm Thursday, June 13 | Touchstone 9:20pm Friday, June 14

I ran | Narrative Short | Drama Block 1
Directed by: Moustapha Siblini and Yu-jin Lee
2017 | USA | 11m
In present-day New York City, three unlikely characters cross paths with two different perspectives as they move through their journey… all with one common identity.
Screening Times: Touchstone 7:20pm Friday, June 14 | NMIH 5:20pm Saturday, June 15

I’m going out for cigarettes | Animated Short | Animation Block 1
Directed by: Osman Cerfon
2018 | France | 13m
Jonathan, twelve years old, lives with his sister, his mother and also some men. They all have the same face and nest in closets, drawers, TV set…
Screening Times: NMIH 5:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | Touchstone 3:20pm Saturday, June 15

Inside/Outside | Documentary Feature
Directed by: Nandini Sikand
2019 | USA | 95m
Inside/Outside documentary film about women and mass incarceration in the United States as they struggle with the challenges of sexual assault, substance abuse and often, motherhood. Seen through the lens of a predominantly white, county jail in a rapidly gentrifying town in the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania, this film explores challenges the women face inside and outside jail. Limited programs, rampant sexism and racism on the inside, and the lack of job opportunities, housing and healthcare on the outside contribute to high rates of recidivism for many women and their families who are caught in a revolving door of poverty and incarceration.
Screening Times: Charter Arts 9:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | Charter Arts 5:20pm Saturday, June 15

Justin Geller – Thought It Would Be A Good Story | Documentary Short | Doc Block 1
Directed by: Jon Rehr
2018 | USA | 6m
Justin Geller – Thought It Would Be a Good Story’ tells a local’s true story of how he did not let a rare cancer diagnosis bring him down, but rather let it take him on an awkward and unexpected journey. Justin walked into a West Philadelphia sperm bank thinking he would just leave with a good story to tell his friends. Ten years later he ended up with a whole lot more.
Screening Times: Touchstone 7:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | Touchstone 5:20pm Thursday, June 13

The Kaleidoscope Guy at the Market | Documentary Short | Doc Block 1
Directed by: Russell Brown
2018 | USA | 21m
Artist Michael Shaw – also known as “The Kaleidoscope Guy at the Market” – has been selling his unique stained-glass creations at Pike’s Place Market in Seattle for 25 years. This 20-minute documentary uses his personal narrative to delve into a deeper dialogue about these fascinating objects and their universal appeal to the human imagination.
Screening Times: Touchstone 7:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | Touchstone 5:20pm Thursday, June 13

Kubrick by Candlelight | Narrative Short | Drama Block 2
Directed by: David O’Reilly
2017 | Ireland | 18m
In 1973 Stanley Kubrick came to Ireland and brought the whole goddamn British Army. A multi award winning light hearted romantic comedy set behind the scenes of the filming of Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon.
Screening Times: Touchstone 5:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | Touchstone 7:20pm Thursday, June 13

Layers: An Animated Short | Animated Short | Animation Block 2
Directed by: Scott Wiser
2018 | USA | 4m
An animated short film, Layers features a massive, weary traveler, who has to climb a steep mountain cove to find food. To climb, she has only her failing strength and her magical layers, which store her life’s most vivid memories.
Screening Times: NMIH 9:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | NMIH 1:20pm Saturday, June 15

Light in the Water | Documentary Feature
Directed by: Lis Bartlett
2018 | USA | 75m
In 1982, soon after the inaugural Gay Games, “West Hollywood Aquatics” as it’s now known, registered as one of the first openly gay masters swim teams in the world. From the team’s founding, through the AIDS epidemic, to the wedding of two members after marriage equality passed, Light in the Water documents the history of this athletic powerhouse that fought injustice in the world of competitive sports and ultimately became a family.
Screening Times: Charter Arts 7:20pm Friday, June 14 | Charter Arts 1:20pm Saturday, June 15

Lobsters | Comedy Short | Comedy Block
Directed by: Matt Huntley
2018 | UK | 5m
Everyone is looking for their Lobster, their soulmate. For Steve, it’s Tanya. For Tanya, it’s Dave. Bloody Dave.
Screening Times: Touchstone 9:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | NMIH 3:20 Saturday, June 15

The Lossen | Narrative Short | Drama Block 2
Directed by: Colin Skevington
2018 | UK | 26m
In the dead of night an other-worldly visitor forces a successful business woman in the final moments of her life, to confront her lost dream before it’s too late.
Screening Times: Touchstone 5:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | Touchstone 7:20pm Thursday, June 13

ME 3.769 | Narrative Short | Drama Block 1
Directed by: Elaine Del Valle
2018 | USA | 9m
A Pubescent Latina looks forward to her maturing body, but must soon cope with the sexual misconduct of someone she trusts. This project was supported by a grant from Sundance Institute with additional support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
Screening Times: Touchstone 7:20pm Friday, June 14 | NMIH 5:20pm Saturday, June 15

The Metal Detector | Comedy Short | Comedy Block
Directed by: Christopher Guerrero
2017 | USA |10m
Paige wants a metal detector. Derek D. needs to let her know what she’s getting herself into before they enter the deep dark world of MD. What they find just beneath the surface will change their lives forever…
Screening Times: Touchstone 9:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | NMIH 3:20 Saturday, June 15

Mr. Ji | Documentary Short | Doc Block 2
Directed by: Lukas Calabrese
2019 | USA | 8m
Mr. Ji is a wheelchair bound dog as eccentric as the NYC neighborhood he lives in. As he and his human companion navigate the streets of the East Village, they share sweet moments with the people they meet. While we learn about the complications that came with Mr Ji’s old age, we reflect on friendship, grief and acceptance.
Screening Times: NMIH 7:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | NMIH 5:20pm Thursday, June 13

My Florida Home | Narrative Short | Drama Block 1
Directed by: Matthew Herbertz
2019 | USA | 10m
An estranged daughter returns home to confront her elderly mother’s caregiver.
Screening Times: Touchstone 7:20pm Friday, June 14 | NMIH 5:20pm Saturday, June 15

O.I. | Narrative Short | Drama Block 1
Directed by: N’cee van Heerden
2018 | Canada | 19m
Barry has a unique problem. He came up with a truly original idea. And sharing it has consequences…
Screening Times: Touchstone 7:20pm Friday, June 14 | NMIH 5:20pm Saturday, June 15

One Small Step | Animated Short | Animation Block 2
Directed by: Andrew Chesworth and Bobby Pontillas
2018 | China/USA | 8m
What does it take to achieve your dreams? An ambitious young girl endeavors to realize her aspiration of becoming an astronaut with the support of her humble father.
Screening Times: NMIH 9:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | NMIH 1:20pm Saturday, June 15

The Orphan | Narrative Short | Drama Block 2
Directed by: Carolina Markowicz
2018 | Brazil | 15m
Jonathas has been adopted but then returned due to his ‘different’ way. Inspired by true events.
Screening Times: Touchstone 5:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | Touchstone 7:20pm Thursday, June 13

The Passport | Narrative Short | Drama Block 2
Directed by: Olivier Hero Dressen
2018 | China | 15m
Somewhere in a big city, a man wakes up in a dark alley with no memory of who he is or how he got there. On a mission to figure out his identity, he discovers truths that were better left forgotten.
Screening Times: Touchstone 5:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | Touchstone 7:20pm Thursday, June 13

Playtime’s Over | Horror Short | Horror Block
Directed by: Tony Reames
2018 | USA | 10m
The only thing Dee loves more than classic horror movies is terrorizing the babysitter. It’s New Years Eve, Dee’s parents are looking forward to one of the rare nights without their angel. Little does Laurie, the new babysitter know, the fifty bucks an hour won’t cover the years of therapy needed after spending one night with Dee and her stuffed friends.
Screening Times: Touchstone 9:20pm Thursday, June 13 | Touchstone 9:20pm Friday, June 14

Porch Light | Comedy Short | Comedy Block
Directed by: Julia Bergeron
2018 | USA | 9m
A cowboy calls on his loyal sidekick to save the day after he impulsively blasted a man who came screamin’ and hollerin’ through his front door. Things take a wild turn when the buddy’s obsession with forensic evidence leaves them armed and butt naked. Just in time to welcome an unexpected bachelor party.
Screening Times: Touchstone 9:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | NMIH 3:20 Saturday, June 15

The Pour Excuse | Narrative Short | Drama Block 2
Directed by: Ryan Lagod and Craig Tovey
2018 | USA | 5m
A guy walks into a watering hole and tells the bartender the story of his biggest regret, a tale that becomes increasingly more and more bizarre.
Screening Times: Touchstone 5:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | Touchstone 7:20pm Thursday, June 13

Ready | Narrative Short | Drama Block 2
Directed by: Melissa Farman
2018 | USA | 16m
A reclusive mother and her young son celebrate the end of their relationship before she releases him into the world.
Screening Times: Touchstone 5:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | Touchstone 7:20pm Thursday, June 13

Salvage | Documentary Feature | Doc Block 3
Directed by: Amy C. Elliott
2019 | Canada | 57m
In Yellowknife, the remote capitol of the Northwest Territories of Canada, the town dump is the city’s most popular and notorious manmade attraction, mined by a colorful community of thrifty locals. But the new city administration is determined to see it tamed, and the battle for Yellowknife’s identity is on.
Screening Times: Touchstone 5:20pm Friday, June 14 | Touchstone 1:20pm Saturday, June 15

The Secret Lives of Teachers | Narrative Short | Drama Block 2
Directed by: Steve Anderson
2017 | USA | 12m
A romantic story about two eccentric teachers who find love and each other through a shared passion for a very unique hobby.
Screening Times: Touchstone 5:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | Touchstone 7:20pm Thursday, June 13

Sidelined | Documentary Short | Doc Block 3
Directed by: Galen Summer
2018 | USA | 40m
In the 1970s, NFL cheerleaders and their revealing costumes became a sensation on the sidelines. But in 1978, when Playboy magazine convinced the teams to do a pictorial on their squads, several women posed nude and were abruptly fired. This film uncovers the hypocrisy behind the original cheerleader controversy.
Screening Times: Touchstone 5:20pm Friday, June 14 | Touchstone 1:20pm Saturday, June 15

Smoke -n- Suds | Animated Short | Animation Block 2
Directed by: George Nicholas
2017 | USA | 13m
Two punks meet at a laundromat in late 80’s Hell’s Kitchen NYC in a lo-fi animated film reminiscent of early Jim Jarmusch.
Screening Times: NMIH 9:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | NMIH 1:20pm Saturday, June 15

Sparks | Comedy Short | Comedy Block
Directed by: Robert Benjamin
2018 | USA | 17m
A happy, code-typing worker android falls in love with his human female supervisor. Just one problem: every time he sees her, his heart literally explodes.
Screening Times: Touchstone 9:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | NMIH 3:20 Saturday, June 15

Super 8 Daze | Documentary Short | Doc Block 1
Directed by: Rob Hampton and John Morgan
2017 | USA | 14m
1970s teenagers Rob Hampton and John Morgan filmed Super 8 epics while growing up in New England. Decades later, these mini-blockbusters gained a huge new audience and the attention of numerous major websites. The two recount all the fun, ingenuity, and mischief of their childhood filmmaking adventures, a time when dinosaurs, aliens, and killer sharks ruled the backyard!
Screening Times: Touchstone 7:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | Touchstone 5:20pm Thursday, June 13

Take Rabbit | Animated Short | Animation Block 2
Directed by: Peter Peake
2017 | UK | 15m
Take Rabbit is a humorous take on an age-old conundrum – a man attempts to transport some unlikely passengers across a river in his tiny boat but soon realizes he’s taken on more than he bargained for. The film features the vocal talents of top British actors Stephen Graham, Amelia Bullmore, Steve Pemberton and Matt Berry.
Screening Times: NMIH 9:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | NMIH 1:20pm Saturday, June 15

Ten minutes tops | Comedy Short | Comedy Block
Directed by: Antoine de Bujadoux
2018 | France | 6m
A man and a woman sit at a table together. They have ten minutes to talk and lots of things to say.
Screening Times: Touchstone 9:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | NMIH 3:20 Saturday, June 15

Top Row | Documentary Short | Doc Block 1
Directed by: Karin Argoud
2017 | USA | 18m
Every student should have a place in High School where they can be free to be themselves… And for young men growing up in today’s world it is rare, but essential. At Napa High School, in California, a teacher named Travis Rogers has created that place . A place where they can be free of the masculine stereotypes that culture shackles them with to be, ” tough, emotionless, cool.” A place where boys can be sensitive and emotional, and caring without judgment. Step inside what has become the coolest class on campus – the Freshman Mens’ Choir.
Screening Times: Touchstone 7:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | Touchstone 5:20pm Thursday, June 13

The Trouble With Wolves | Documentary Feature | Doc Block 2
Directed by: Collin Monda
2018 | USA | 56m
Death threats, court battles, and an iconic endangered species in middle, The Trouble With Wolves takes an up close look at the most heated and controversial wildlife conservation debate of our time. The film aims to find out whether coexistence is really possible by hearing from the people directly involved.
Screening Times: NMIH 7:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | NMIH 5:20pm Thursday, June 13

Trump Bites | Animated Short | Animation Block 2
Directed by: Bill Plympton, Billy Shebar, David C. Roberts
2018 | USA | 5m
Every day, Donald Trump unleashes a torrent of exaggerations, insults, threats, and self-pity. What’s going on inside that fevered brain? In this series of short animated films, two-time Academy Award nominee Bill Plympton uses actual audio clips of Donald Trump as the basis for surreal animations depicting the president’s tumultuous inner life.
Screening Times: NMIH 9:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | NMIH 1:20pm Saturday, June 15

Turned to the Sun | Narrative Short | Drama Block 2
Directed by: Keith Wilhelm Kopp
2018 | UK | 4m
Ben is janitor who is running away from his past as a soldier. He finds himself entangled in a metaphorical fight with his young self for the fate of his future. Can he break the chains of his trauma to live freely or forever be overshadowed by his demons?
Screening Times: Touchstone 5:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | Touchstone 7:20pm Thursday, June 13

UDFB: Navigating Seattle’s Housing Crisis | Documentary Short | Doc Block 3
Directed by: Greg Westhoff
2018 | USA | 7m
The University District Food Bank is a Seattle-based nonprofit providing individuals and families who are in need, with food and access to a network of community resources that helps individuals achieve self-sufficiency in and around the Seattle area. This short doc profiles a young woman and her four children as they navigate through Seattle’s current homeless housing system and local policies, while working closely with the UDFB towards stability for her and her family.
Screening Times: Touchstone 5:20pm Friday, June 14 | Touchstone 1:20pm Saturday, June 15

Under Covers | Animated Short | Animation Block 2
Directed by: Michaela Olsen
2018 | USA | 7m
On the night of a lunar eclipse, we uncover the sweet, salacious, and spooky secrets of a small town. From a pigtailed psychopath to naughty nuns and everything in between, this stop motion animated film conjures a comforting thought: that weird is relative.
Screening Times: NMIH 9:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | NMIH 1:20pm Saturday, June 15

Untravel | Animated Short | Animation Block 2
Directed by: Ana Nedeljkovic and Nikola Majdak Jr.
2018 | Serbia | 9m
A film about (local) patriotism, tourism and emigration. The girl lives in a gray, isolated country, enclosed by a huge wall. She has never travelled anywhere, but all her life she has dreamt of leaving forever for a perfect world called “Abroad”.
Screening Times: NMIH 9:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | NMIH 1:20pm Saturday, June 15

The Weight of Water | Documentary Feature
Directed by: Michael Brown
2018 | USA | 78m
The Weight of Water is the story of a blind adventurer taking on an absurdly improbable challenge, kayaking the Grand Canyon. He desires the elusive state of being that so many of us seek, to be engaged in the present moment.
Screening Times: Charter Arts 8pm Tuesday, June 11 | Charter Arts 3:20pm Saturday, June 15

When Voices Meet | Feature Documentary
Directed by: Nancy Sutton Smith
2015 | USA/South Africa | 86m
When Nelson Mandela was finally released from prison, courageous South African musicians broke through Apartheid’s barriers to form a 500-voice, multiracial youth choir. Threatened with bombs and thwarted at every turn, they prevailed and railroaded across the country aboard The Peace Train.
Screening Times: Special screening at 7pm at Godfrey Daniels

Wild Love | Animated Short | Animation Block 2
Directed by: Paul Autric, Quentin Camus, Lea Georges, Maryka Laudet, Zoe Sottiaux, Corentin Yvergniaux, Julien Deparis
2018 | France | 7m
While on a romantic getaway, Alan and Beverly cause a fatal accident. This crime won’t remain unpunished…
Screening Times: NMIH 9:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | NMIH 1:20pm Saturday, June 15

Wine in Moderation | Documentary Short | Doc Block 1
Directed by: Adam Pivirotto
2018 | USA | 7m
An elderly Italian immigrant passes down the tradition of making fine wine to his son
Screening Times: Touchstone 7:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | Touchstone 5:20pm Thursday, June 13

The Wonder | Documentary Short | Doc Block 2
Directed by: Goh Iromoto
2018 | Canada/Kenya | 7m
This film follows the story of Ninian Lowis, a safari guide who has spent much of his life amongst the wilderness of Africa – surrounded by rich savannah, mountains, forests, deserts and the extraordinary creatures that reside within these very landscapes. The story revolves around his reflections of how nature helped overcome a sense of purposelessness during his youth, and how he came to realize that a sense of solitude and deep exposure to wild environments had the ability to awaken his senses.
Screening Times: NMIH 7:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | NMIH 5:20pm Thursday, June 13

Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin | Documentary Feature
Directed by: Arwen Curry
2018 | USA | 69m
Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin is a feature documentary that explores the remarkable life and legacy of the science fiction and fantasy writer Ursula K. Le Guin, who passed away in 2018. Produced with Le Guin’s participation over the course of a decade, the film is a journey through the writer’s inimitable career and her worlds, both real and fantastic. Le Guin exploded onto the literary scene in the late 1960s, elevating science fiction to new levels of sophistication and artistry with works such as A Wizard of Earthsea and The Left Hand of Darkness. Viewers will accompany the writer on an intimate journey of self-discovery as she comes into her own as a major feminist author, opening new doors for the imagination and inspiring generations of women and other marginalized writers along the way.
Screening Times: NMIH 9:20 pm Thursday, June 13 | NMIH 5:20pm Friday, June 14

The Worst That Could Happen | Comedy Short | Comedy Block
Directed by: Graham Burrell
2018 | USA | 4m
A boy plans on asking out his crush, but is plagued by imagining every possible worst-case scenario.
Screening Times: Touchstone 9:20pm Wednesday, June 12 | NMIH 3:20 Saturday, June 15

2 Comments