2022 Official Selections
Award Winners
|
Grand Jury Award Winner
"Great America" Directed by Angelita Mendoza Best Drama Film "The Woman Under the Tree" Directed by Karishma Kohli Best Comedy Film "Brewtown" Directed by Jim Mauro Best Horror/Sci-Fi Film "13 Knots" Directed by Blake C. Hollaway & Robert La Mantia Best Documentary Film "Public Hazard: Skateboarding Interrupted" Directed by Agustina Aranda Best Connecticut Film "Operation Cavity" Directed by Alex J Morsanutto Best Lockdown Project "Inspira" Directed by Emma Orelove Best International Film "En Sus Manos" Directed by Elle Rinaldi Achievement In Writing [TIE] "Counting" Written by Tori Ernst "Fevered Dreams" Written by L.M. Davis |
Achievement In Directing (Narrative)
"No Dogs" Directed by Randal Kamradt Achievement In Directing (Documentary) "Outside In" Directed by Mark O'Toole Best Cinematography "PostDemic" Cinematography by Benjamin Orifici Best Female Performance (Comedy) [TIE] "Unbridaled Caitlin Simpson / Mischa Dani Goodman Best Female Performance (Drama) [TIE] "No Dogs" Georgina Tolentino "Carrol Lynn" Anna Russell Best Male Performance (Comedy) "The Woodsman" John R. Smith Jnr Best Male Performance (Drama) "Lenny" Mark Shock Special Mention Award "Black Joy" Music Video Directed by Kolton Harris "Spin" Directed by Lisa Marie Tedesco |
Audience Award Winners
|
Hometown Glory... Block
"Are You Lonesome Tonight" Directed by Carrie Ferrante A Woman's World Block "Kissing Kerouac" Directed by Molly Chiffer AAPI Stories Matter Block [TIE] "The Woman Under the Tree" Directed by Karishma Kohli "No Dogs" Directed by Randal Kamradt To Be Queer+... [TIE] "The Coronation" Directed by Druhv Shud Mixtape Madness Block "13 Knots" Directed by Blake C. Hollaway & Robert La Mantia This is Modern America Block "Brewtown" Directed by Jim Mauro |
Black Resilience Block
"Black Joy" Music Video Directed by Kolton Harris Black Dark Turns Block "Tea with the Reaper" Directed by Ryan Simons Wild Card Block "The West Virginian Starfish" Directed by Hyten Davidson & Tommy Martin Matters of the Heart Block "Scotch Please" Directed by Evan Schneider Global Views Block "12 O'Clock" Directed by Sajad Soleyanmi Pandemic Pieces Block "Outside In" Directed by Mark O'Toole |
In-Person Screenings
|
Friday, July 22
6:10pm-7:50pm Block 1 Hometown Glory: Connecticut Stories with Filmmaker Q&A A film block celebrating the diversity of storytellers from Bridgeport and across the Nutmeg State! Films Include: JANE & LAURAYNE'S WALK directed by Gemeem Davis & Daniel Recinos OPERATION CAVITY directed by Alex J Morsanutto TOMMY AND THE GURU directed by Brian Russell ARE YOU LONESOME TONIGHT directed by Carrie Ferrante YOU ARE HERE directed by Bryan Konefsky THE WOODSMAN directed by Kyle Kuchta RED directed by Alyssa Hughes PUBLIC HAZARD: SKATEBOARDING INTERRUPTED directed by Agustina Aranda 8:15pm-9:30pm Block 2 To Be Queer+ Prideful Stories with Filmmaker Q&A Kicking off Greater Bridgeport Pride with a film block highlighting LGBTQIA+ stories and filmmakers! Films Include: SPIN directed by Lisa Marie Tedesco BREAK/UP directed by Ashlei Hardenburg-Cartagena BUBBLING UP directed by Gracie Giffune ABBIE directed by Erica Young VELVET directed by Juliana Antoninus & Damon Beirne AUGUST IN THE CITY directed by Christie Conochalla THE CORONATION directed by Dhruv Sud Reminder: Be sure to stick around for “The Pride Panel” featuring our LGBTQIA+ Filmmakers discussing their creative journeys with moderator David A. Correa, Director of Entertainment NYC Pride! This evening is the kick off to Greater Bridgeport Pride! |
Saturday, July 23
2:30pm-4:15pm Block 3 A Women’s World with Filmmaker Q&A The future is female and what better way to celebrate female identifying filmmakers by having an entire block dedicated to their diverse stories. Films Include: UNBRIDALED directed by Chelsea Bryn Lockie PRECIOUS BUNDLE directed by Kim Angelica Head KISSING KEROUAC directed by Molly Chiffer FRACTAL directed by Kiarra Goldberg AUBERGINE directed by Katie Austin TAYLOR MADE directed by Ursula D Lumpkin WELCOME MEGAN directed by Lily Richards A SHAME directed by Josette Eales 4:45pm-6:30pm Block 4 Mixtape Madness with Filmmaker Q&A Throwback to classic 90s mixtapes but this time we will feature a 90 minute block of genre bending films featuring comedy, drama, romance, thrillers, experimental, documentaries and more! Films Include: WHY I'M A VEGAN directed by Lindsay Hicks THE HOBBYIST directed by George Vatistas TOTAL DISASTER directed by Keil Orion Troisi & Molly Gore UNKNOWN directed by Matt Latham RETURN TO SENDER directed by Russell Goldman HOW TO TIE A TIE directed by Jimmy Cork THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY directed by John Gray A DEAD SEA directed by Nahd Bashir THE DEBATER directed by Maya Miller 13 KNOTS directed by Blake C. Hollaway & Robert La Mantia 7:00pm-9:45pm Special Screening “The Greatest Radio Station in the World”, the feature length documentary about Bridgeport's very own indie radio station, WPKN! with Q&A with director Cob Carlson! |
Sunday, July 24
1:00pm-2:30pm Block 5 AAPI Stories Matter with Filmmaker Q&A This film block highlights a wide range of topics including homelessness, autism, women in the workplace, gentrification and more all told by AAPI storytellers in front of and/or behind the camera! Films Include: THE WOMAN UNDER THE TREE directed by Karishma Kohli SWITCHING LANES directed by Guy Wilkinson CHECKING OUT directed by Vick Krishna & Piyali Syam NO DOGS directed by Randal Kamradt TYPE A directed by Emily Hartford MY DAUGHTER YOSHIKO directed by Brian Blum A STELLAR VACATION! directed by Noah Shin 3:00pm -4:30pm Block 6 Black Resilience with Filmmaker Q&A We proudly share the resilience of Black people in this global film block by creators who are Black in front of and/or behind the camera! Films Include: FEVERED DREAMS directed by L.M. Davis SURVIVING NORA directed by Minka Wiltz & John Giorgio BLACK JOY directed by Kolton Harris PARADIGM 5 directed by Brian Hogan BEING INTERNATIONAL directed by Odiedi A Ogheneghalome (Vinz) A BIRTHDAY PARTY directed by Victoria Thomas IN THEIR HANDS directed by Elle Rinaldi 5:00pm - 6:45pm Block 7 This Is Modern America with Filmmaker Q&A What better way to close out our live festival than sharing stories of America today; the good, the bad and everything in between. Films Include: BREWTOWN directed by Jim Mauro LENNY directed by Jason Spagnuoli CARROL LYNN directed by J.T. Cernero INSPIRA directed by Emma Orelove LESTER directed by Ozzie Evans GREAT AMERICA directed by Angelita Mendoza COUNTING directed by Sarah Young |
Virtual Views
|
Block 8 Dark Turns
with Filmmaker Q&A When you add in some thrills, chills and dash of sci-fi you get a block that will probably keep you up at night! Films Include: HAPPY HALLOWEEN directed by Mike Heslin TEA WITH THE REAPER directed by Ryan Simons DETECT directed by Mark Benmore TARGET ACQUIRED directed by Tim Stainrod TALK TO ME AND I'LL TALK BACK directed by Maky Rupert IDOL directed by Kris Fleerackers THE DEN SHORT directed by Jessica Aquila Cymerman |
Block 9 Wild Card
with Filmmaker Q&A The theme of this block is actually the themeless; you just never know what you are going to get but we guarantee it will be quality entertainment! Films Include: ALBACORE directed by Nick Everhart PICTURES ONLY directed by Charles A. Honeywood LESTER directed by Ozzie Evans ERIN HILL: ELEANOR RIGBY directed by Erin Hill WHERE THEATRE BEGAN directed by Katie Colwell CAN'T HELP BUT RUN directed by Pedro Tamames THE WEST VIRGINIAN STARFISH directed by Tommy Martin & Hyten Davidson THE CALL OF WATER directed by Kaya Tone THE NIGHT CLUBBERS directed by Matthew James Thomas |
Block 10 Matters of the Heart
with Filmmaker Q&A Let's shine a light on the many types of love and what it means to a variety of folks. Films Include: ALWAYS FOR THE FIRST TIME directed by John Caliendo & Victoria Meade AVOCADO directed by Casey de Fremery AMARA'S SMILE directed by DC Brandon SCOTCH, PLEASE directed by Evan Schneider CODETTA directed by Adaya Fiterman COME CLOSE TO ME directed by Pablo Fidanza JOHN & JULIE directed by Joel Familier |
|
Block 11 Global Views
with Filmmaker Q&A Featuring stories from some of our international filmmakers. Films Include: 12 O'CLOCK directed by Sajad Soleymani OUT OF BOUNDS directed by Jose Freitas SOLO MOTHER directed by Camila de Moraes GOBI CHILDREN'S SONG directed by Sas Carey REMNANTS directed by Charleen Phelps & Sidartha Murjani NAJI directed by Hosein Torkjoosh THE CLOUD PRINCESS directed by Sheldon Christopher Noble |
Block 12 Pandemic Pieces with Filmmaker Q&A
Highlighting stories about, inspired by or made during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Films Include: POSTDEMIC directed by Benjamin Orifici AQI 302 directed by Brant Rotnem ON/OFF directed by Nicolas P. Villarreal OUTSIDE IN directed by Mark O'Toole PERIOD PIECE directed by Sarah Elizabeth Grace SAINT TROPEZ directed by Facundo Ratti |
2022 Award Nominations
|
|
Official Selections Listed Alphabetically + Summaries
|
12 O'Clock directed by Sajad Soleymani (15:00) - Iran
The plot is of a woman who is supposed to get divorced. On the day of the court that she should be going with her husband, she makes a strange decision. Along with her son who is at home she does an unimaginable act. 13 Knots directed by Blake C. Hollaway & Robert La Mantia (3:25) - USA It takes thirteen knots to make a noose. 13 Knots is about a woman named Andrea who is haunted by a reoccurring nightmare where she wakes up in a bed on the beach at the edge of her town. Andrea begins to worry that some nightmares never end. A Birthday Party directed by Victoria Thomas (12:02) - UK The close relationship between two sisters is broken down irrevocably, when one insists on keeping up with the tradition of the circumcision of her young daughter. A Dead Sea directed by Nahd Bashir (12:22) - Israel Kamel, a Palestinian man in his 50s, suffers from autism and travels with his paralyzed sister to the Dead Sea to receive medical treatment in seawater in the hope that it will help him treat psoriasis that has spread through his body. At the beach, he finds himself in an unpleasant situation. A little girl stole his rubber ball and Kamel tried to return it, the crowd gathers and he has a hard time explaining himself, especially since he does not understand Hebrew and the Jew does not understand Arabic. The masses suspect that this is a terrorist who kidnaps a girl and in the end a tragedy that seems to stem from a true story that took place in Jerusalem. A Shame directed by Josette Eales (10:23) - USA Holly is in the midst of an ordeal but hiding in her bathroom for the rest of her life might not be the answer to her problems. A Stellar Vacation! directed by Noah Shin (4:59) - USA An overworked asteroid seeks to escape from the daily grind of life. Little does he realize, his getaway will have a global impact! Abbie directed by Erica Young (4:28) - USA Abbie, a marginalized teenager struggles with her identity and finding a place to fit in. Albacore directed by Nick Everhart (13:53) - USA Iris Madison is a woman who has it all: a Hollywood house, a handsome husband, a thriving acting career. But she feels empty, lost, and longing for meaning. Something deeper is calling to her... Always for the First Time directed by John Caliendo & Victoria Meade (20:07) - USA The film is loosely based on the first meeting of surrealist writer Andre Breton and surrealist artist Elisa Latte Elena Bindhoff Enet. Amara's Smile directed by DC Brandon (19:00) - Canada After being stood up for a date, a woman runs into an old college classmate who gives her an unforgettable night under the stars. AQI 302 directed by Brant Rotnem (5:27) - USA As wildfires ravage California, two friends question the safety of an annual ritual. Are You Lonesome Tonight directed by Carrie Ferrante (20:07) - USA Claire Brooks is home alone. Isolated from her neighbors and with nothing keeping her company in her large, dark, empty house besides the TV and old records, Claire is vulnerable to whatever the night might bring. And it's about to bring a visit from her old classmate, Peter, who possesses a dark history that's tangled up in her own. But Claire isn't only not the classic damsel-in-distress he's expecting--she might also be more of a match for him than he ever imagined. Aubergine directed by Katie Austin (10:00) - USA “Aubergine” is a light-hearted short about a sex worker, who wants to set boundaries with her client, but when she uses her safeword, it works a little too well. August in the City directed by Christie Conochalla (15:52) - USA Two young women find themselves completely drawn to each other but one fears the repercussions of society in 1978 Brooklyn. Avocado directed by Casey de Fremery (7:20) - USA Gabriela and Neil celebrate their anniversary with a brand new kink: BDSM. What was meant to be a fun and sexy night goes awry when Neil, the sub, is ordered to divulge the greatest secret of all: the password to his phone |
"12 O'Clock"
"A Birthday Party"
"A Dead Sea"
"Abbie"
"Albacore"
"Amara's Smile"
"AQI 302"
"Are You Lonesome Tonight"
"Avocado"
|
"Brewtown"
"The Call of the Water"
"Bubbling Up"
"Carrol Lynn"
"Codetta"
"Come Close To Me"
"Erin Hill: Eleanor Rigby"
"Fevered Dreams"
"Fractal"
"IDOL"
|
Being International directed by Odiedi A Ogheneghalome (Vinz) (9:00)
Being an international student, Abdulazeez needs an on-campus job to support his fees/life, but in the absence of none he has to choose between continuing his job search or working for his drug lord uncle. Black Joy directed by Kolton Harris (7:31) A mysterious professor takes over a High School detention, surprising the students and teaching them the importance of their identity and power in a world that continues to hinder them. Break/Up directed by Ashlei Hardenburg-Cartagena (10:35) BREAK/UP is a queer musical short film following three confidently flawed people who should definitely not be dating. Alex, torn between a toxic relationship and a fling, must come to terms with her own truth when she realizes a break-up might be exactly what everyone needs. It’s a bop-along musical story where it’s totally fine to burn bridges, especially when it comes to putting yourself first. Brewtown directed by Jim Mauro (20:00) Two college grads struggling to find their way after graduation land on starting a brewery using unconventional and illegal methods, resulting in a unique and in-demand brew the world has never seen before and that no one was ready for. Bubbling Up directed by Gracie Giffune (3:05) A long-term couple tries to have a sweet, romantic moment together in a bubble bath. The Call of Water directed by Kaya Tone (19:00) Flung into the astral-plane, Nadia must face ancient forces in order to realize her responsibility to her homeland. Can't Help But Run directed by Pedro Tamames (11:00) She is a compulsive kleptomaniac with no attachments and a fistful of problems. He is a night-shift worker chained to a warehouse and his lover a plastic mannequin rescued from a garbage container. One night, their lives and their problems collide. Carrol Lynn directed by J.T. Cernero (14:24) Set in rural Indiana, Carrol Lynn is the story of a mother (CARROL LYNN) & daughter (JENNY), told in two different eras of their lives. In the present, Jenny sits with her mother in hospice during her final hours. Carrol Lynn reminisces about the past as she slips in & out of lucidity. Jenny tries to comfort her while dealing with her complex feelings toward her mother. In the past, Carrol Lynn grapples with a strained relationship to her family and her own abusive tendencies. Jenny is forced to grow up in the wake of her mother’s whims. She has a seeming respite in her doting father Herbert, but things take an unexpected turn and life changes for all of them. Checking Out directed by Vick Krishna & Piyali Syam (15:15) Two Indian-American group therapy members check into a hotel room to carry out a suicide pact. Codetta directed by Adaya Fiterman (11:52) Michael is a young musician who plays guitar for Nina, a well-known musician that recently got divorced. He’s also Nina’s life partner, and functions as a father to her daughter Lia, for the last year. Now Michael and Nina’s relationship is coming to an end, while they still play together. Come Close To Me directed by Pablo Fidanza (18:06) An old abandoned house in Buenos Aires. Four female dancers. Four tangos interpreted by female singers. These elements intertwine in order to narrate through music and dance the evolution of a romantic relationship over time. Each room is a poetic space where different episodes of the lovers' encounters come to life. Counting directed by Sarah Young (14:59) Em is a young actress on the verge of a promising career, but her struggles with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder threaten her dreams. When her acting begins to take off and a romance enters her life, Em’s intrusive thoughts grow louder, intruding on her ability to receive the things she most desires; a successful career and meaningful relationship. Afraid of rejection and ridicule Em is determined to hide her symptoms rather than open herself to help. With a real chance at happiness before her, can she overcome her fears to seize it? Detect directed by Mark Benmore (6:46) A lonely detectorist stumbles across a short distance teleportation device with horrifying consequences. En Sus Manos (In Their Hands) directed by Elle Rinaldi (16:00) Three generations of women—seasoned traveling hula hooper, Daly; teenage-contortionist, Nelyet; and first-time performing aerial artists, Helen, Haden, Karen, and Keren—warm up behind the curtains of the circus in Havana, Cuba. Personal and societal pressures brought on by the rigor of the circus surmount: each must reckon with the physical pain, gender stereotypes, and dreams of being a female athlete in Cuba, challenging the limitations of what female bodies of all ages look like and are capable of. Erin Hill: Eleanor Rigby directed by Erin Hill (3:55) Rock 'n' roll harpist & singer Erin Hill reimagines The Beatles' masterpiece. Fevered Dreams directed by L.M. Davis (14:30) Novice nurse, Monday (Sydni Perry), works at a short-staffed rehabilitation center in the middle of a mysterious pandemic. When Monday discovers the origins of the ailment and its devastating effects, she must decide whether the work is worth the costs. Starring Tara Warren (Lovecraft Country, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) and Sydni Perry (Thorns). Fractal directed by Kiarra Goldberg (10:35) Grace experiences a miscarriage after a first date leads to an accidental pregnancy. Fractal follows the story of her struggle across three different realities; memory, present-day, and a dream of what could have been. How do you mourn the loss of something that you never had? |
|
Gobi Children's Song directed by Sas Carey (17:51) - Mongolia
Droughts cause a lack of pasture for the herds of camels, horses, sheep, and goats in Orkhon and Buyanbat’s nomadic family life in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert. Yet, children’s music sets a magical tone as eleven-year-old Naraa and her sisters and brother help in every task from delivering water to shearing sheep and preparing food from their animals. Yet, they straddle modern life as well, using a truck to haul water, cell phones to communicate, and a motorcycle for herding. The young people watch television cartoons as they have a dinner of goat that they helped to carefully and calmly butcher. Set on a seemingly limitless expanse of desert, this touching film is an intimate and hopeful view of a new generation steeped in tradition while gracefully weaving in the tools of modernity that work for them. Great America directed by Angelita Mendoza (14:59) - USA Jay is the leader of a militia of citizens that detain immigrants crossing the U.S./Mexico border illegally. His world is turned upside down when an illegal immigrant and his young daughter break into his home. Happy Halloween directed by Mike Heslin (6:18) - USA It's Halloween night and something is off. The streets are quiet with no Trick-or-Treaters in sight... So who is ringing the doorbell? How to Tie a Tie directed by Jimmy Cork (5:56) - USA A man struggles to tie his tie before a big event as he recalls the steps his father taught him when he was fourteen. Complications ensue. IDOL directed by Kris Fleerackers (13:45) - Canada Disenchanted with the women around him, a man creates an idol of the perfect female and falls in love with it. This live-action puppet short film uses the classical Pygmalion story to explore contemporary issues such as objectification, media culture, social withdrawal and hikikomori syndrome. (Please note: this film contains minimal non-essential dialogue that is not intended to be translated or subtitled) |
"Gobi Children's Song"
"Great America"
"Happy Halloween"
|
"Inspira"
"John & Julie"
"Kissing Kerouac"
"Naji"
|
Inspira directed by Emma Orelove (5:58) - USA
An exploration of life for one woman living in 2020 through breath. Created by an all-female team. Jane & Laurayne's Walk directed by Gemeem Davis & Daniel Recinos (8:53) - USA Jane & Laurayne’s Walk is a two-day series of events where the unique story of how we see, interact with, and feel about our Bridgeport, Connecticut is explored on film, on foot, and on bicycle. This video tour takes you from the East End to the Downtown, stopping in at places where arts, activism, business, and community intersect. John & Julie directed by Joel Familier (7:29) - USA John, a 20-year-old college student, whose world is driven by sounds and music, meets Julie - his neighbor- for whom he develops a crush. Thing is, Julie is deaf. To John's surprise, Julie finds her way into his thoughts and life. Kissing Kerouac directed by Molly Chiffer (14:36) - USA Katie Meyers is a high school senior interviewing at a university - the same college her old camp crush attends. So Katie makes a snap decision to reconnect with him. They meet, flirt up a storm, and before she knows it, Katie agrees to go back to his dorm room. But once she gets there, Katie can't help but feel like the virgin she is: in over her head. Lenny directed by Jason Spagnuoli (12:40) - USA When Lenny, a middle aged actor struggling with an eating disorder, experiences a harrowing personal experience, he must contend with his problem in a very visceral way. Lester directed by Ozzie Evans (3:00) - USA Lester, a nervous man, awaits on a park bench to meet his son for the first time. My Daughter Yoshiko directed by Brian Blum (15:00) - USA With her daughter Yoshiko diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and her husband overseas serving in the military, Saki Omura is finding it harder and harder to cope. Too ashamed to burden others and too proud to ask for help, Saki faces the now-daunting task of giving her daughter the best life possible. Naji directed by Hosein Torkjoosh (17:52) - Iran |
|
No Dogs directed by Randal Kamradt (15:00) - USA Set against the backdrop of the Watsonville race riots that set central California ablaze in 1930, Filipino American Marisol seeks shelter at Carl’s diner. Neither of them can foresee where that violent night will take them, or what secrets will be revealed. On/Off directed by Nicolas P. Villarreal (7:03) - Argentina Endless distractions threaten to destroy creativity. Operation: Cavity directed by Alex J Morsanutto (18:00) - USA A group of kids team up to rob the dentist that has traumatized their childhood. Out of Bounds directed by Jose Freitas (12:20) - Portugal After being discouraged by his aunt, Leo contradicts her expectations and tries to fight for a place in the local football team trials. Outside In directed by Mark O'Toole (19:11) Ireland A city of eight million crushed by a pandemic finds hope in an immigrant family’s perspective during the worst of the COVID shutdown. An immigrant recounts how he and his family survived during NYC’s historic pandemic shutdown during the spring of 2020 when 8 + million people disappeared from its streets. A personal diary of a unique and eerily empty & haunting metropolis captured while running through city streets, embalmed in a state of suspended animation. Winner of 6 film festival awards, this short documentary captures the surreal experience of a teeming city laid bare and the hope for its future. Paradigm 5 directed by Brian Hogan (19:58) - USA A woman frustrated in her mundane relationship dumps her lackluster boyfriend and purchases the perfect gentleman in the form of a robot only to discover “perfection” has its glitches. |
"No Dogs"
"On / Off"
"Out of Bounds"
"Paradigm 5"
|
"Pictures Only"
"PostDemic"
"Public Hazard: Skateboarding Interrupted"
"Red"
"Remnants"
|
Period Piece directed by Sarah Elizabeth Grace (3:03) - USA
An absurd short film about a woman's period taking over her day. Pictures Only directed by Charles A. Honeywood (20:00) - USA Set in 1950s Bronzeville, Louise Parker is facing eviction from her home. Desperate to keep her independence and status, she is introduced to a lucrative performing opportunity. While attempting to keep this new venture a secret, she simultaneously gains popularity, risking being exposed to and disowned by her mother. After being offered a promotion, she is left with two choices, become the headliner, or allow her family to lose everything. PostDemic directed by Benjamin Orifici (14:58) - USA Deep in the Adirondack forest, one man struggles with his past as he faces humanity's upcoming extinction. Precious Bundle directed by Kim Angelica Head (12:23) - UK My father used to call me a ‘precious bundle’ when I was a child. However, as well as being an idiom for ‘baby’, the word ‘bundle’ also means ‘to push or throw’. I begin Precious Bundle longing for a closer relationship with my brash but intriguing 67 year old-father. Unfortunately, the distance between us increases even further when his problematic attitudes become something I can no longer ignore. This film utilizes oneirically inspired surreal stop-motion to reflect on racial identity, rejection and the nature of forgiveness. Public Hazard: Skateboarding Interrupted directed by Agustina Aranda (9:42) - USA The largest, yet most impoverished city in Connecticut, Bridgeport was used to being overlooked. But, to the young and growing skateboarding community, it was heaven. Until the skate parks were suddenly shut down and the skate shops moved away. The start of the gentrification of Bridgeport, this is the story of the city’s dying skating culture. Red directed by Alyssa Hughes (3:00) - USA A music video by a local Connecticut filmmaker, highlighting a Black Experience. Remnants directed by Charleen Phelps & Sidartha Murjani (19:31) - Canada Two amateur jewel thieves perpetrating a heist find a mysterious object in their loot creating curious complications. Bryce Bakshi, finds himself in a spot of financial trouble after he lost big at the Race Track. He enlists the help of his high school friend, Danny Evans who has just been released from jail. Danny has been watching Chloe Wainwright, a woman who owns the jewelry store in his neighborhood and hatches a plan to steal a tote of jewelry from her car. Unknown to them the tote contains the remains of a mystery woman who turns their plans upside down. |
|
Return to Sender directed by Russell Goldman (18:06) - USA
From producer Jamie Lee Curtis comes a chilling short story about a woman involved in a delivery scam that grows increasingly strange. Starring Allison Tolman (Fargo). Saint Tropez directed by Facundo Ratti (4:36) - France A musical journey through the mind of Artist, Fly Fluv! Scotch, Please directed by Evan Schneider (11:44) - USA A mid-life experiment with on-line dating takes a curious mother on a short journey of self discovery. Sinead O'Sullivan has found herself at a place in life where many women just...settle. They settle for their stretch marks, the hours of carting their kids around, the late nights of laundry, and of society's expectation that women just keep the world spinning, while putting themselves second. For Sinead, the status quo is simply not enough. Five kids and a nursing career aren't enough to stop her from taking a risk on Tinder, to see if she still has what it takes. But what transpires on her first date just might keep her closer to home and to fulfilling life's expectations of her. Or will it? Solo Mother directed by Camila de Moraes (15:00) - Brazil "Solo Mother" is a short documentary film that tells the stories of women, mothers, blacks, residents of communities in the city of Salvador, Brazil, presenting their identities as single mothers, through authorial accounts of their experiences, fleeing from stereotypes that surround black single mother women. The main characters in this documentary are Keisiane Santos, 24, a beautician, and Lúcia Batista, 63, a day laborer, both single mothers who live in the outskirts of the city of Salvador, Brazil. Despite having given birth at different times, separated by about 40 years, the characters remember and report similar difficulties about the reality of being a single mother in Brazilian society. The stories of the two solo mothers are linked in this documentary, bringing with them some essential reflections on how the responsibility for raising their children falls on women and exposes the issues surrounding the lack of support and care from the family, the children's parents, of society and the State. Spin directed by Lisa Marie Tedesco (16:31) - USA When the curtain descends on their final performance of Romeo and Juliet in drama club, high school seniors Abigail and Sky bid a fair adieu to the stage they loved while letting their most deepest desires for one another surface at the cast party. Surviving Nora directed by Minka Wiltz & John Giorgio (7:36) - USA Nora is a middle-aged opera singer who struggles to hold onto her passion for singing as she indulges in self-destructive behavior. Will her talent be able to survive her choices and find a place in the cutthroat world of opera? Switching Lanes directed by Guy Wilkinson (6:50) - USA A woman from Bangkok feels alienated by the comparatively soporific pace of San Francisco until a bike restored from a dumpster changes everything. Talk To Me and I'll Talk Back directed by Maky Rupert (16:00) - USA A lonely personal advice hotline operator is forced to confront reality when a long-time caller stops phoning in. Target Acquired: Part One directed by Tim Stainrod (15:00) - USA What seems to be a simple mission for the Hitman ends up bringing more than he bargained for. Taylor Made directed by Ursula D Lumpkin (1:41) - USA Taylor Made is a short film about a woman who must come to terms with understanding that living her life freely comes with a price. Tea With The Reaper directed by Ryan Simons (12:17) - UK An amateur ghost hunter opens the door to the other side to welcome his daughter back, but when the dead wreak havoc in the village... the Reaper comes knocking. |
"Return to Sender"
"Scotch, Please"
"Solo Mother"
"Spin"
"Switching Lanes"
"Talk To Me and I'll Talk Back"
"Target Acquired: Part One"
"Tea With The Reaper"
|
"The Coronation"
"The Den Short"
"The Debater"
"The Little Drummer Boy"
"The Woman Under The Tree"
"Tommy and the Guru"
|
The Coronation directed by Dhruv Sud (12:59)
In this rhinestone encrusted fable, a young boy sneaks out from his parents’ home in New Jersey to see his drag queen friends in New York City. While there, he is encouraged to try drag for the first time and he is crowned queen for a night. The Cloud Princess directed by Sheldon Christopher Noble (22:00) The emotional core of this short film is the unyielding strength of its spirit. Ordinary people and animals made extraordinary by their resilience and firmness of purpose, which overcome not only challenges, but weakness and error as well. At the end of their journeys, we understand the real meaning of life and how we need to need to live together with a sense of Ubuntu, Oneness. The Debater directed by Maya Miller (4:00) A high school debater has extreme anxiety over an upcoming tournament. The Den Short directed by Jessica Aquila Cymerman (15:00) Inspired by true events, The Den is a psychological thriller following Myna O'Neill, an ambitious New York stage actress, as she navigates a manipulative and toxic relationship with her idol, Jamie Bock. A twisted story of abuse and revenge behind the scenes of an Off-Bway theatre. The Hobbyist directed by George Vatistas (8:37) A short neo-noire thriller centered around a mysterious druggist visited by Sangstrom, a seemingly ordinary man in search of an undetectable poison. Yet, Sangstrom winds up getting more than he bargained for from the sagacious alchemist. The Little Drummer Boy directed by John Gray (10:00) All is not what it seems when a father and son have a violent confrontation on Christmas Eve. The Night Clubbers directed by Matthew James Thomas (15:55) After getting laughed out of the PGA for choking on the green, a golf prodigy is forced to compete in his hometown mini-golf competitions for money... but when he shows up expecting an easy victory, he soon discovers that the "losers" he once stepped on are now the ones running the scene. The West Virginian Starfish directed by Tommy Martin & Hyten Davidson (14:59) After the mysterious exit of her father, Carly is stuck with his old mission- picking up defeated thru-hikers from The Appalachian Trail. One hiker's companionship over the course of a night, however, will set Carly on a new path forever. The Woman Under The Tree directed by Karishma Kohli (14:50) Lucia, a homeless woman in South Beach, spends much of her time sitting under a tree, watching the life of a family unfold in a house across the street. When not under the tree, she fights for food and shelter while drifting between reality and delusion. What begins as a seemingly senseless act of voyeurism becomes something deeper as we discover the meaning her routine brings to her life. The Woodsman directed by Kyle Kuchta (13:00) Bernie Davis, a Christmas tree salesman, has three trees left to sell on Christmas Eve. As the night progresses, his anxiety (and alcohol) leads him to take unconventional measures to ensure that his lot is sold and his soul is safe. Tommy and the Guru directed by Brian Russell (10:05) A middle aged man seeks out a new-age master to help him overcome a life filled with loss, and stop falling on his face. An unlikely relationship forms. |
|
Total Disaster directed by Keil Orion Troisi & Molly Gore (11:28) - USA
Trickster environmental activists pretending to be oil behemoth Total stage a satirical press conference to introduce "RéHabitat," a plan to rescue animals from the East African Oil Pipeline by relocating them to “more sustainable” habitats in France. Using humor and mischief, they shed light on a deadly ecological and humanitarian disaster. Type A directed by Emily Hartford (14:36) - USA Hui-Shan & Molly live parallel lives as actors in New York City, but couldn't be more different. From their headshots, they are seemingly the same "type." But when that type has no definition except the stereotypical Asian with a Capital A, will they ever be seen as more than Type A? Type A is a snapshot of two women's friendship and showbiz hustle, set amidst the isolation of pandemic-2020. Actors Hui-Shan and Molly crack wry jokes over the absurdities of the industry, via virtual spa nights and ramen lunches. On their own, they navigate hope, rejections, microaggressions, and the torture of the Zoom audition. Type A explores how two women with individual and multi-layered Asian identities assert themselves, in a world that continually tries to flatten them into a single image. And how their friendship with each other becomes an anchor, in an uncertain time. Unbridaled directed by Chelsea Bryn Lockie (14:34) - USA After a bachelorette party gone wrong, a buttoned-up bride and her party-girl sister find themselves lost in the woods on the day of the wedding. Unknown directed by Matt Latham (7:00) - USA A woman receives a surprise visitor in the middle of the night. Velvet directed by Juliana Antoninus & Damon Beirne (9:57) - USA Welcome, Megan directed by Lily Richards (14:29) - USA A desperate young woman sets out to join a secretive and elite spin class by any means necessary. |
"Total Disaster"
"Type A"
"Unbridaled"
|
"Where Theater Began"
"Why I'm A Vegan"
|
Where Theater Began directed by Katie Colwell (10:12) - USA
Ten Oakland University theater students travel from Michigan to the Island of Hydra, Greece to rehearse and perform the Greek play, Orestes, and to experience where theater began. Why I'm A Vegan directed by Lindsay Hicks (9:07) - USA Why I'm A Vegan is a multimedia short film that explores the musician Moby's journey into veganism and animal rights advocacy. You Are Here directed by Bryan Konefsky (06:52) - USA Here, I am memorializing a prank that was executed in direct response to a very stupid comment made by actor Paul Newman about Bridgeport, Connecticut (my hometown) in 1983. |
A note regarding the 2022 Bridgeport Film Fest & the COVID-19 Pandemic:
We understand the nationwide and global impact of COVID-19 has put a hindrance on our fellow filmmakers and content creators. The Bridgeport Film Fest aims to hold a safe space and we are planning a hybrid festival with in person events happening July 22-24, 2022. However, we will be following all federal and Connecticut state policies and regulations! We promise to keep everyone who submits up to date on how we proceed throughout this global crises.
We understand the nationwide and global impact of COVID-19 has put a hindrance on our fellow filmmakers and content creators. The Bridgeport Film Fest aims to hold a safe space and we are planning a hybrid festival with in person events happening July 22-24, 2022. However, we will be following all federal and Connecticut state policies and regulations! We promise to keep everyone who submits up to date on how we proceed throughout this global crises.