With 131 short films screening and 6 short screenplay table reads, this years Snake Alley Festival of Film is the biggest yet!
Please note that films are not listed in playing order; they are listed alphabetically within their block.
Thursday, June 20 – Block 1 – 12:00pm
Aksarben: Nebraska’s Racetrack – Dir. Ehren Parks
Documentary – 12 min.
A brief telling of the rise and fall of the Aksarben racetrack, one of the Midwest’s greatest institutions that is no more…
Bequeathed – Dir. Michael McCallum
Horror – 7 min.
United States
A man is given a package that his recently deceased Father wanted him to have.
Deadbolt – Dir. Michael McCallum
Drama – 21 min.
United States
Two couples are desperate to get out of the financial hole they’re in. When one suggests a burglary, it turns out to not be as easy as planned.
NDE – Dir. Rubén Jiménez
Sci-Fi / Fantasy – 15 min.
Spain
John starts seeing lights and strange objects that confuse him. His girlfriend doesn’t want to go through that situation again, so his life falls apart. But John remains apathetic and wonders what is really happening. Lucky for him, the guide always comes for who needs it.
The Pact – Dir. Natalie Medlock
Drama – 12 min.
New Zealand
Faced with a terminal diagnosis, an elderly couple makes a suicide pact but at the moment of death one betrays the other and breaks it.
Pale Luna – Dir. Doug Gerash
Horror – 9 min.
United States
A programmer discovers a horrifying secret from an old computer game.
Road Kill – Dir. Ty Trullinger
Horror – 12 min.
United States
What starts as a fun road trip, turns dark when the presence of a hitch hiker influences two young women to stop for the night at a roadside motel.
The concepts of innocence, trust, encounters with strangers, and gender roles are questioned as our two heroines, on a journey to freedom, are forced to come face-to-face with the desires of “man.”
Thursday, June 20 – Block 2 – 2:00pm
Breaking Wheel – Dir. Michael McCallum
Sci-Fi / Fantasy – 11 min.
United States
A grieving woman desperately hunts for her fiance, who vanished under abrupt and mysterious circumstances.
Cheat – Dir. Chris Tolley
Horror – 14 min.
United Kingdom
A young man’s girlfriend begins to transform into the women he has cheated on her with.
Glamorous – Dir. Ber Tkov
Documentary – 30 min.
United States
Short documentary about Drag Queens of Iowa.
Highland – Dir. Lidia Damatto Moreira
Drama – 11 min.
Brazil, United States
When a student gets involved in a hit and run while driving one night, she goes on a downward spiral of paranoia that takes her to the darkest places of her mind.
Life on the Ledge – Dir. Marc Kornblatt
Documentary – 14 min.
Isreal
In this short documentary filmed in Israel, two laughing doves nesting outside his window capture the heart and imagination of a man mourning the recent passing of his mother.
Pa’lante – Dir. Kristian Mercado Figueroa
Music Videos – 8 min.
United States
Music video for Hurray For The Riff Raff’s “Pa’lante”.
Thursday, June 20 – Block 3 – 4:00pm
The 8th Year of the Emergency – Dir. Maureen Towey
Drama – 13 min.
United States
Eight years into Lil’s struggle with Alzheimer’s, a visit from her family inspires an ecstatic moment of clarity.
Break Room – Dir. Mitchell Keeran, Anthony Piscopo
Comedy – 7 min.
United States
Two coworkers exchange daily pleasantries over subpar chicory coffee but soon discover a dark, mutual secret.
The Chrysalis – Dir. Matt Kravitsky
Horror – 26 min.
United States
Two sisters with vastly different life experiences get snowed into a warehouse where they form a relationship with a mysterious runaway.
Embody the Homicide – Dir. Seth Jacobs
Horror- 11 min.
United States
After a group of friends go looking for a dead body in the woods and discover there is a mysterious killer, one returns to even the score.
Handle with Care – Dir. Nate Jones
Action – 6 min.
United States
An ex-con is taken hostage by an old pen-pal who is ready to ink one last letter…in blood.
Like! – Dir. Bret Royer, Anthony Ryan Miller
Comedy – 3 min.
A man’s life is turned upside down by his love of memes.
Re-Home – Dir. Izzy Lee
Horror – 7 min.
United States
In the near future, the U.S.-Mexico border wall has been completed and the high cost of living has skyrocketed. As a result, loved ones are re-homed like pets.
Something Like Loneliness – Dir. Seth Epstein, Ben Epstein
Drama – 13 min.
United States
Upstairs-downstairs neighbors barter sounds captured in food storage containers. With the sounds come fragments of past relationships and the hopes and disappointments that remain.
Thursday, June 20 – Block 4 – 6:00pm
Bennifer – Dir. Ryan McGlade
Horror – 13 min.
United States
Jed’s family isn’t how he remembered it.
Evelyn x Evelyn – Dir. Eric Pumphrey
Drama – 13 min.
United States
Set in 1956, an African American couple struggles with the death of their child.
With Evelyn, her depression is dramatized and amplified by the use of an ever-increasing Greek chorus (played by multiple African American women). As her sorrow grows, so do the amount of women representing her emotions.
Charles, grieving himself, attempts to console and nurture Evelyn. It proves impossible and ultimately we see Evelyn’s fate echoed in Charles.
Fuck You – Dir. Anette Sidor
Foreign – 14 min.
Sweden
Alice is together with Johannes but she doesn’t have enough space to be herself. On a night out with friends, she steals a strap-on and challenges her boyfriend’s thoughts about girls. Everyone thinks Alice goes too far but she doesn’t give in to group pressure. Johannes gets curious about Alice’s new side and together they discover something new about themselves.
Just Me. – Dir. Darcy J Bahensky
Drama – 14 min.
United States
A young mother interviews for her dream job, but she struggles to overcome the pitfalls of intergenerational poverty.
Lowland Kids – Dir. Sandra Winther
Documentary – 22 min.
United States
As climate change erases the Louisiana coast, the last two teenagers on Isle de Jean Charles fight to stay on an island that’s been their family home for generations.
Slick Jimmy’s Incident – Dir. Jehad N. Al-Khateeb
Comedy – 9 min.
United States
Time ticks away in a despairingly average diner as Jack, an eccentric vegetarian, tries to muster the courage to leave his hometown for good.
Thursday, June 20 – Block 5 – 8:00pm
Bug Bite – Dir. Emily Ann Ann Hoffman
Comedy – 7 min.
United States
In this mixed media comedy, a young woman and a female bed bug form an unlikely bond while contending with toxic masculinity.
Deep Tissue – Dir. Meredith Alloway
Horror – 8 min.
United States
Two strangers meet under mysterious means and discover they share a mutual fetish.
Gwilliam – Dir. Brian Lonano
Horror – 5 min.
United States
A recently released criminal is looking for a good time. He can forget his sins but he can never forget…Gwilliam.
Gwilliam’s Tips For Turning Tricks Into Treats – Dir. Brian Lonano
Horror – 3 min.
United States
This is what you wanted! Gwilliam is back and offers some tips for getting special treats this Halloween.
It’s Not Custard – Dir. Kate McCoid
Comedy – 6 min.
United Kingdom
It’s Not Custard is the darkly comic story of Louise, a teenager suffering the dual blows of unrelenting acne and continual bullying, at home from her cruel older sister Jennifer, and at school from Wayne.
She wishes to quiet those who bother her, to cease their teasing and she is presented with such an opportunity when she awakes to find her acne gone.
This magical gift has a bizarre consequence that grants her the most delicious of revenges.
The Obliteration of the Chickens – Dir. Izzy Lee
Horror – 3 min.
United States
The universe does not care. The abyss is stupid. Narrated by author Bracken MacLeod, this Herzog-inspired fever dream uses 100% stock footage to reflect on the banality of existence.
Right Place, Wrong Tim – Dir. Eros Vlahos
Horror – 6 min.
United Kingdom
An Essex-set 90s sitcom is taken over by clones of the lead actor and descends into a bloodbath.
Supine – Dir. Nicole Goode
Horror – 25 min.
Czech Republic
Sylvie is a taxidermist content with being isolated from people in her large house in the mountains of France- her only company is her work. That is until Oz, an American hitchhiker stumbles upon her path. The two become close and Sylvie begins to question what it means to live.
TiCK – Dir. Ashlea Wessel
Horror – 12 min.
Canada
In a post-pandemic society, a vampire in hiding is forced to make a stand when confronted with the oppressive regime who kidnapped and enslaved her family.
The Video Store Commercial – Dir. Cody Kennedy, Tim Rutherford
Horror – 4 min.
Canada
A desperate video store owner hires a crew to shoot a commercial in his shop. But when they accidentally destroy a cursed VHS, suddenly, all their lives are in danger.- and worse yet, the commercial may never get finished…
Friday, June 21 – Block 1 – 12:00pm
7A – Dir. Zachary Russell
Drama – 10 min.
Canada
A woman recording a video in her apartment is interrupted by a maintenance worker and forced into a precarious situation. Crafted masterfully by Zachary Russell, 7A is a genre-bending film that leaves you gasping for air.
Burglar Night – Dir. Chenyang Shu
Comedy – 8 min.
United States
Two buglers tries to steal from a old single lady, The lady’s husband just died a few weeks ago. They broke into the house. The old lady is sleeping in front of the TV with her eyes open. They search the house and find a inflatable doll with the husband’s photo on the face. When they go to the bathroom they find the husband’s corpse in the bathtub with green liquid covering the it. They find a lot of jewelries. Everything goes smoothly until one of the buglers takes the jewelries off the corpse’s face and wakes up the zombie.
Hymn of Hate – Dir. Matt Kennard
Drama – 11 min.
United Kingdom
Set in No Man’s Land at The Somme during the early Spring of 1916, Hymn of Hate is a poignant and never more relevant film, made to coincide with the centenary of the end of the Great War.
Jane – Dir. Mitchell Keeran
Horror – 10 min.
United States
An enthusiastic freshman, Sidney, is excited to be joining a sorority called Sigma Kappa. The girls love Sidney, but insist that she go through the same initiation that everyone else did to get into the sisterhood; by attempting to summon the ghost of a bullied girl who died years ago at the college.
Meet Jerry – Dir. Hannah Corns
Documentary – 20 min.
United States
Documentary of Jerry Smith who grew up in the Great Depression, fought in World War 2, became a successful business owner, and constantly helps out anyone and everyone in need.
Peregrination – Dir. Lewayne L. White
Comedy – 6 min.
United States
A couple friends, a stolen car, hot pursuit, and pudding…
A Ride Around Historic North Hill: Burlington, Iowa – Dir. Russ Fry
Documentary – 25 min.
United States
Take a ride around Burlington, Iowa’s historic North Hill and see what it looks like now and what it looked like in years gone by.
Friday, June 21 – Block 2 – 2:00pm
Chateau Sauvignon: terroir – Dir. D.M. Night Maire
Horror – 13 min.
United States
Chateau Sauvignon: terroir’ follows the isolated adolescent son of a storied vintner family who finds himself torn between obeying his father’s callous restrictions and preventing his ailing mother from deteriorating further. When a doting woman and her indifferent son arrive seeking a tasting and tour of the winery, Nicolas sees an opportunity to help care for his mother, as well as prove his worth to his choleric father. However, his wayward plan quickly takes a turn for the worse, and his missteps puts his family’s secretive murderous ways in peril of being unearthed.
Fear No Evil – Dir. Jon Dziuk
Horror – 1 min.
United States
A boy faces fear.
I OWE YOU ONE BANANA AND 2 BLACK EYES – Dir. Jim McDonough
Comedy – 4 min.
United States
It is the year 2021, 3 days since the beginning of the mysterious animal apocalypse. The last human just died. The animals are running shit now.
Metronome (in time) – Dir. Scott Floyd Lochmus
Drama – 13 min.
United States
In this wordless fable, an elderly ailing maestro and a young piano prodigy venture out of their musical isolation in hopes of selling their beloved piano.
Throats Will Be Cut – Dir. Joshua Thomas
Drama – 6 min.
United States
Mother is angry.
Through My Eyes – Dir. Sujit Singh
Documentary – 28 min
United States
A disability simulation documentary in which individuals with disabilities guide able-bodied people through an afternoon in their shoes to gain an understanding and appreciation for the challenges they overcome each day.
Water Horse – Dir. Sarah Wisner, Sean Temple
Horror – 7 min.
United States
A secluded family encounters a dreadful presence emerging from the water.
Where You Belong – Dir. Eric Lang
Music Videos – 4 min.
United States
Evandale performs their song “Where You Belong”.
Friday, June 21 – Block 3 – 6:00pm
Chain – Dir. Christopher Reith
Horror – 19 min.
United Kingdom
A man’s dull and repetitive walk home down an ominous series of corridors transform into a terrifying labyrinth plagued by monstrous creatures and barbaric traps.
Guns Found Here – Dir. David Freid
Documentary – 10 min.
United States
An American paper trail.
When there’s a gun crime in America, there’s only one place to go to trace the gun back to its owner: Martinsburg, West Virginia. That’s where the ATF’s National Tracing Center handles roughly 8,000 active traces per day — all while inside a government-mandated technology time-capsule that makes searching a database of gun owners impossible. This is nothing like those cop shows you watch. With more gun stores in the U.S.A. than McDonalds, Starbucks, and supermarkets combined, there’s a lot of paperwork to manually sort through. And it’s truly a sight to behold.
Low Self Esteem – Dir. Mikeal Burgin
Drama – 3 min.
United States
Ellie is caught in the middle of an ongoing tryst with a man who is already committed to another woman. Suffering from a poor opinion of herself already, Ellie decides to end the relationship on the advice of her counselor. Unfortunately, Ellie may have misunderstood exactly what “ending it” truly means.
Other Side of the Box – Dir. Caleb Phillips
Drama – 15 min.
United States
A couple receives a mysterious package from an old friend.
The Program – Dir. Michael Elliott Dennis
Comedy – 14 min.
United States
A down and out store clerk discovers a series of self-help videotapes.
THE TRAFFIC SEPARATING DEVICE – Dir. Johan Palmgren
Documentary – 15 min.
Sweden
A traffic separating device is installed in the middle of Stockholm. It is supposed to keep normal cars away and only let buses pass. It turns into a disaster as normal cars continue to go there and hundreds of cars get destroyed every week. Tragic and funny situations occur and we follow the whole mess of human failures.
Whistle Boys – Dir. Justin Norman
Comedy – 7 min.
United States
A crime-stopping whistle boy unexpectedly meets a new patrol partner.
Friday, June 21 – Block 4 – 8:00pm
The Derby – Dir. Remington Smith
Documentary – 14 min.
United States
Following the haves and the have-nots during Kentucky Derby weekend via on-location interviews from varied perspectives, The Derby explores unseen sides of Kentucky’s biggest sporting event.
From an anonymous reveler on Millionaires Row, to Guatemalan equine workers supporting their relatives, the film offers a thoughtful yet fun peek beyond the mint juleps and fancy hats and into the heart of the fastest two minutes in sports.
The Do It Up Date – Dir. Emily Ting, Andrew Barchilon
Comedy – 5 min.
United States
Kip and Shayla go on a big date!
Manila is Full of Men Named Boy – Dir. Andrew Stephen Lee
Drama – 21 min.
Philippines
Manila, July 7, 2009. As Michael Jackson’s televised funeral plays throughout the country despite terrorist attacks in the south, an estranged son purchases a child who can drink and smoke to impress his father. However, when the patriarch and his friends embrace the new child as one of their own, the question must be asked: what determines who is more valuable of attention?
November 1st – Dir. Charlie Manton
Drama – 24 min.
A mother and daughter travel across the state to witness a long overdue execution.
Rosalina – Dir. Fredrik S. Hana
Foreign – 20 min.
Norway
Vinny is at the top of the criminal underworld with unlimited access to whatever he desires. But in wake of his 50th birthday party his illusions of true love crumble, paving way for all his long hidden insecurities and filling his heart with rage and fury.
Weezer – High as a Kite – Dir. Nathan Presley
Music Videos – 4 min.
United States
Welcome to Mr Rivers’ Neighborhood.
Wild Love – Dir. Paul AUTRIC, Quentin CAMUS, Léa GEORGES, Maryka LAUDET, Zoé SOTTIAUX, Corentin YVERGNIAUX
Horror – 6 min.
France
While on a romantic getaway, Alan and Beverly cause a fatal accident. This crime won’t remain unpunished…
Saturday, June 22 – Block 1 – 10:00am
Bishop Briggs – Baby – Dir. Malia James
Music Videos – 3 min.
United Kingdom
Seed Animation have produced a music video for popular US singer songwriter Bishop Briggs. The video features Bishop and her boyfriend in a trippy love story, exploring the obsessions and passions that help to define their relationship.
CERULIA – Dir. Sofia Carrillo
Animation – 13 min
Mexico
An Eerie fable about a young woman´s repressed memories luring her back to her childhood home.
A Double Life – Dir. Studio Job, Joris & Marieke
Animation – 2 min.
A deliciously dark comedy about a husband and wife whose different ideas of gender conformity lead to an unexpected confrontation.
Emily – Dir. Marlies van der Wel
Animation – 7 min.
Netherlands
Emily is an animated short about, love, self-fulfilment and taking charge of your own destiny.
The eight-minute film, directed and animated by Dutch animator Marlies van der Wel (1984), introduces you to an elderly florist, Emily (80). Looking back at her life and all the flowers she’s dealt, she reminisces about the people she’s met and the choices she’s made. Her garden has always been her refuge, her safe haven, hidden away from the world and out of sight for other people.
After a lifetime devoted to botanical life, having kind-heartedly handed out flowers, when the favour is returned and it’s her time to receive a bouquet, she finds peace with her chosen path.
Expend – Dir. Bismark Fernandes
Animation – 3 min.
United States
A stop-motion film about a man’s endless hunt for elusive energy sources in a decaying world.
Harls – Dir. Kenzie Sutton
Animation – 2 min.
United States
A guy named Harls keeps getting reincarnated.
In the House of Paper Flowers – Dir. Anita George
Animation 7 min.
United States
In a house covered with papery flowers, a woman with white hair, two cats and a tiny wolf songstress learns a valuable lesson about the enduring power of love.
OBON – Dir. Andre Hörmann, Samo
Documentary – 15 min.
Japan
Akiko Takakura is one of the last survivors of the atomic bomb explosion of Hiroshima. During Obon she receives the spirits of her parents and is haunted by memories. Akiko’s childhood consists of constant rejections and beatings. Finally Akiko experiences fatherly love in the midst of Hiroshima’s ruins.
Orbit – Dir. Tess Martin
Animation – 6 min.
Netherlands
Spinning drawings guide us along the flow of energy through our planet, and let us ponder our place in the natural cycle.
PLAY-DOHN’T – Dir. Reace Thorne
Animation – 2 min.
United States
A Play-Doh snake meets his doom right after gaining consciousness.
Samuel the Sentient Sphere – Dir. Hayden R. Froehlich
Animation – 5 min.
United States
Samuel enjoys his life in the whiteboard, helping a student with homework, until one day when he sees a cookie outside on the desk that he desperately tries to reach.
Sea Dogs – Dir. Spencer Loucks
Animation – 5 min.
United States
A wacky cast of kooky canines sail the seas for fun and adventure.
The Spirit Seam – Dir. Ashley Gerst
Animation – 14 min.
United States
The Spirit Seam is a short animated film about a little girl, Pollywog, and her Pap-Paw. Located in an Appalachain coal-mining town in the 1950s, the film takes the audience through the daily life of both characters. At the start of the film, the characters eat breakfast together and then travel to their respective locations- Pollywog is dropped off at school, and Pap-Paw clocks into work at the Hiraethsburg coal mine. Throughout the film they experience the simple pleasures of rural Appalachian life: catching fireflies, fishing, catching frogs, and birthdays.
Pap-Paw and Pollywog’s bond is incredibly strong. In fact, they are inseparable until illness threatens to fracture their small family.
Under Covers – Dir. Michaela Olsen
Animation – 7 min.
United States
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.
War For Keyboard Warriors – Dir. Lam Can-zhao
Animation – 2 min.
China
The Keyboard Warrior seeks to use the power imbued in his ‘weapon’ to effect death and destruction upon his foes. In essence, the keyboard allows the keyboard warrior to manifest his true warrior nature in a safe and removed environment, from which no real-life repercussions.
Saturday, June 22 – Block 2 – 12:00pm
Candy Addict – Dir. Reace Thorne
Comedy – 36 min.
United States
A 20 year old man resorts to eating candy to avoid growing up and accepting reality.
Cultivation: Writing and Wrestling in Iowa City – Dir. Nathan McNurlen
Documentary – 24 min.
United States
In April 2018, Iowa City hosted two every different international events in the same week. Cultivation explores what makes Iowa City the center of the writing and wrestling universes and how the two arts are similar.
Loop – Dir. Alexandra Moad
Drama, Horror – 4 min.
United States
The conscious and subconscious collide to create a confusing, sleepless night.
Suncatcher – Dir. Parker Croft
Drama – 12 min.
United States
For months Kira has been living out of her car in Venice, California. Facing a constant struggle to keep her head above water, Kira’s world collapses when she returns home from work one evening to find her car stolen. Vulnerable and alone, Kira must navigate the harrowing uncertainty of a night on the streets. Featuring the world famous poetry of Jalal al-Din Rumi, as translated by Coleman Barks in its first cinematic adaptation, Suncatcher is a piercing exploration of mindfulness in the face of crisis. A haunting meditation that captures both the stunning beauty, and perilous isolation, of life on the fringes of Los Angeles’s coastal westside.
Teacher’s Lounge – Dir. Josh Mruz
Horror – 15 min.
United States
Teacher’s Lounge is an ensemble horror short film about a sadistic ritual new teachers must partake in on the first day of school.
Saturday, June 22 – Block 3 – 2:00pm
All Inclusive – Dir. Corina Schwingruber Ilić
Documentary – 10 min.
Switzerland
Under the spell of mass entertainment on the high seas.
The Chop – Dir. Jennifer Sheridan
Comedy – 1 min.
United Kingdom
Terry’s done a bad thing, but why?
The Man In Purple: Norman Baker – Dir. Chad T. Bishop
Drama – 45 min.
United States
“Man in Purple” tells the true story of the one and only Norman G. Baker. Baker was born in Muscatine in 1892 and raised to be an entrepreneur from an early age. Norman was known for the fantastic nature of his plans and inventions, including calliaphones, radio stations, and finding a cure for cancer. His “cure” for cancer was an attack on the standard medical practices of his era and an early pre-cursor to holistic wellness practices and alternative illness treatments. The man was a fascinating piece of history, who made waves on the radio that were a precursor to modern-day personalities, such as Howard Stern. You couldn’t make up this story if you tried…
No Reply – Dir. Michael Huntington
Horror – 9 min.
United States
A Sadistic serial killer is virtually stalking his prey. Not even going off line can save you.
Outdooring – Dir. Maxwell Addae
Drama – 15 min.
United States
A young man arrives at his sister’s baby naming ceremony to steal the money collected from family/friends in order to run away and keep a personal secret hidden.
Tea Party – Dir. Kevin Isaacson
Horror – 8 min.
United States
A Southern belle hosts a twisted tea party for the very classmates who tortured her in high school.
Saturday, June 22 – Block 4 – 6:00pm
ETERNITY – Dir. Anna Sobolevska
Drama – 23 min.
Ukraine
2058. Corporations digitize the souls of the dying and place them in the digital world
beyond the grave forever. Young guy Ian is strongly against digitalizing. The sudden car crash, makes Ian go against his principles. He wants to bring back to life his wife, who is in a coma after the accident.
Happily Ellie After: Low Self Esteem 2 – Dir. Mikeal Burgin
Drama – 10 min.
United States
Ellie’s search for love leads back to her counselor, Dr Earl Straum, whose support of her decision to end a relationship with a married man takes a very dark turn.
La Bête – Dir. Filippo Meneghetti
Horror – 18 min.
France
A village far away in time and land. Nearby, in a forest thought to be haunted, a child falls into a pit. His grandfather, an old and nearly blind shepherd, tries to convince the villagers to go rescue him, facing the darkness of the night and their fears…
The Separated – Dir. Jeremy Raff
Documentary – 17 min.
United States
On June 13, 2018, Honduran asylum-seeker Anita and her five-year-old son, Jenri, were forcibly separated at the U.S.-Mexico border. Thanks to a pro bono lawyer, Jodi Goodwin, who aggressively advocates for their release from their respective ICE detention centers, Anita and Jenri are reunited after a month apart. But the damage has been done. The Separated, a new documentary from The Atlantic, is an intimate window into the chaos and trauma caused by the separation. “You don’t love me anymore,” Jenri says to Anita after they arrive at a temporary shelter. “You’re not my mom anymore.”
S3RIAL – Dir. Michael E. Berg
Drama 23 min.
United States
A lowly beat cop canvasses a barbershop for leads to an unsolved murder and finds the killer — only he doesn’t know it.
Saturday, June 22 – Block 5 – 8:00pm
BadBadNotGood “I Don’t Know” feat. Samuel T. Herring – Dir. Will Mayer
Music Videos – 4 min.
United States
A film about my personal experience with the five stages of grief.
Bronzed – Dir. Mike Egan
Comedy – 11 min.
United States
Executive produced by David Gordon Green and Dal Wolf, ‘Bronzed’ is a dark comedy short starring Linas Phillips and Johnny Pemberton.
In the film, Martin, a neo-sun worshiper, prepares a ceremony of ritual human slaughter to satisfy the solar Gods. Now he only needs two things to fulfill his twisted theology: A sacrificial lamb and a spray tan. And lucky for Martin, airbrush technicians make house calls.
Chowboys: An American Folktale – Dir. Astron-6
Comedy – 8 min.
Canada
Three idiots are lost in the woods on the coldest night of the year.
Deep Dive – Dir. Mohammad Soleimanifeijani
Sci-Fi / Fantasy – 6 min.
United States
In the near future, everyone sees the city through their own set of augmented reality contact lenses. Through these digital screens, it is possible for them to curate their experience of the world, – just like an online network bubble that has become part of the physical world. Here a young Persian refugee arrives at the border of Los Angeles and is given a mandatory set of government-issued immigrant transition AR lenses. Shut out of other people’s reality she slowly descends into a new form of digital alienation.
The Gravel Hunter – Dir. John Richard
Documentary – 7 min.
United States
Portrait of an Iowa man who combines his love of gravel road cycling and black powder rifle hunting.
Lockdown – Dir. Logan George, Celine Held
Drama – 12 min.
United States
Struggling with feelings for her best friend, 14 year-old Marie stages an almost perfect plan.
The Office of Missing Children – Dir. Michael I Schiller
Documentary – 6 min.
United States
More than 2,600 kids were separated from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border under President Donald Trump’s “zero tolerance” family separation policy. What happened to those children? Reveal’s investigative reporting team looked at facilities across the country to answer that question.
This non-fiction animated short is the story of one mother whose child was taken from her.
The Orphan – Dir. Carolina Markowicz
Foreign – 15 min.
Brazil
Jonathas has been adopted but then returned due to his ‘different’ way. Inspired by true events.
Washed Away – Dir. Ben Kallam
Drama – 12 min.
United States
A teenage girl in an evangelical church youth group must deal with the fallout when her trust is publicly betrayed.
Wild – Dir. Tanvi Gandhi
Music Videos – 4 min.
India
The city of Bombay is littered with faces, with infinite stories. Imagine all the things we gloss over, all the faces we ignore, and one starts to wonder what lies beneath the surface?
The music Video for “Wild” tells the story of the lives of the Mops that reside in our society. Often ostracized, or discarded, the Mops of mumbai live just like people do. They drive our taxis, get their hair cut, even party the same way. Following the lives of the mops, we see characters of all shapes and sizes, be it a wealthy mop, or from the mops of days passed, we see the daily lives, guilty pleasures, even the relaxing moments they enjoy.
The video takes on a rather dark comedic take on the lives of mops in our society. From being bullied, to owning their own history, the song Wild takes us on an innocent journey through a different lens.
Sunday, June 23 – Block 1 – 11:00am
Fork Tongue – Dir. Insane Mike Saunders, Jason Bolinger
Music Videos – 2 min.
United States
Music video for the band X-Ray Mary’s song “Fork Tongue” done in the style of a 70’s porn parody.
The Ghost in Her – Dir. Michael G. White
Drama – 13 min.
United States
Alex, a middle aged record store owner, has to come to terms with who he has become when a women from his past comes into his store.
Heroes of Fairfield 1830s – 1860s – Dir. Dick DeAngelis
Documentary – 42 min.
United States
This historic documentary tells the story of the people in this small southeastern Iowa town during the 1830s to the 1860s. Their brave stories, especially regarding the Underground Railroad activities, are uncovered through deep research by local and state historians.
The Holy and the Profane – Dir. Alexandra Moad, Evan Runkle
Comedy – 12 min.
United States
After the Second Coming of Christ, hip 22-year-old Lily finds herself involved with Jesus and the Anti-Christ. What could go wrong?
A Talk With The Devil – Dir. Dylan Jaeger
Horror – 7 min.
United States
Jackie’s past comes back to haunt him in this short thriller “A Talk With The Devil”.
White Flash – Dir. Amanda Bean
Sci-Fi / Fantasy – 12 min.
United States
Vampires steal a cops dog, she is sent on a mission to get her dog back.
Sunday, June 23 – Block 2 – 1:00pm
Darshan – Blessings of Saints – Dir. Burt Chojnowski
Documentary – 39 min.
India
Intimate conversations with holy men and women in Rishikesh and Northern India including babas, swami’s and yogis. It includes a visit to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s ashram on the 50th anniversary of the Beatles visit to Rishikesh to practice Transcendental Meditation.
Haunting the Haunted – Dir. John Gigrich
Horror – 6 min.
United States
The crew of a haunted house try to find a teenage trouble making ghost, even though they’re not sure if she’ll talk their ears off or rip their limbs off.
Knee High – Dir. Marissa Vonn
Drama – 13 min.
United States
Set against the Iowa farmlands, KNEE HIGH follows Calvin Melbourne as he struggles to keep hold of the reins to the family farm while still making time for his young son, Avery.
Note to Self – Dir. Justin Norman
Drama – 9 min.
United States
A man makes a desperate attempt to fix his life by sending a message to his former self.
Revenge of the Blind Dead – Dir. Insane Mike Saunders, Jason Bolinger
Horror – 4 min.
United States
In 1972 Amando de Ossorio began his Blind Dead film series with Tomb of the Blind Dead. In 2018 Prescribed Films makes the end all be all Blind Dead movie with their inculpable twisted sense of humor. Where can you run? Where can you hide from the slow-moving blind zombies? Literally anywhere.
Special Delivery – Dir. Eric Lang
Comedy – 12 min.
United States
When Corey opens a package addressed to his girlfriend, he finds himself in a situation that must be handled with care.
Sticks and Stones – Dir. Chris Hutton
Comedy – 6 min.
United States
A bowler and a film geek learn that words *can* hurt them.
Sunday, June 23 – Block 3 – 3:00pm
Amazing Grace Lemonade Race – Dir. Eric Smidt
Documentary – 31 min.
United States
Grace McCunn, at age 10, was diagnosed with chronic daily migraines and spent several days at a children’s hospital. When she left, she was determined to give back. What started as a lemonade stand, turned into thousands of dollars in philanthropy. This is her story.
Bob and Edgar – Dir. Bill Redding
Comedy – 11 min.
United States
Bob and his dog Edgar go fishing, go for walks, and hang out, until a pair of surprise visitors reveal more about Bob’s identity.
Fairy Tail – Dir. Justin & Kristin Schaack
Comedy – 4 min.
United States
A hopeless romantic discovers an unlikely intruder and finds love at first fight.
Suspense… Romance… Puppets!
Flip-Flop – Dir. Nolan Quade
Action – 4 min.
United States
A young boy who feels alone picks up his pieces and finds love for himself when no one else does.
Life In Miniature – Dir. Ellen Evans
Documentary – 4 min.
United Kingdom
Kath Holden is an artist of the everyday. Inspired by the world around her, Kath’s creations are whimsical yet keenly observed, and a far cry from the genteel museum pieces that her contemporaries are producing. A working-class woman from Yorkshire, Kath reflects on her life and art as she carves a place for herself in the precious world of miniatures.
Love Is Wild – Dir. Michael McCallum
Music Videos – 2 min.
United States
A music video for singer/songwriter, Jen Sygit, by award-winning writer/actor/director Michael McCallum about the different faces of love.
Mother of All Time – Dir. P Sam Kessie, Lane M Wooder
Music Videos – 4 min.
United States
An experimental dance project that explores the relationship between time, space, dance, and music. This was the first of it’s kind to combine choreographed dance, hyperlapse presentation, and Drama camera movement. The piece shows how a person’s interpretation of time can affect their perception of movement.
Off the Hook – Dir. Nolan Quade
Action 1 min.
United States
A boy wants to set his fish free, but his mother told him not to leave the house. The boy breaks her rules but only to save his friend.
Philophobic – Dir. David M. Weiss
Music Videos – 4 min
United States
A sasquatch falls in love, only to have his spirits crushed again.
Welcome to the Ball – Dir. Adam Vincent Wright
Drama – 4 min.
United States
A child learns sign language in hopes of making a new friend.
Yours are Mine – Dir. Brooke Trantor
Drama – 8 min.
United States
Evin takes on a new high school student to tutor, Ally, and they quickly develop a close, sisterly relationship. After accidentally discovering Ally’s struggle with bulimia, Evin is quickly triggered by her own past battles with eating disorders. Evin tries to confront Ally to help her, and must decide to either fight through Ally’s defensive tactics to get the help she needs, or leave her to possibly fight this disease for years to come.
SCREENPLAY FINALISTS
Each short screenplay finalist will have a hosted table read with local talent organized by JoJo Johnson.
Friday, June 21 – 4:00 PM
CLARK by Dave Stuck
A man who shares a famous name attracts the occasional smile or joke…but sometimes much more. This is a short film with 6 speaking parts with 5 interior shots: an airport ticket counter, a hotel lobby, hotel restaurant, hallway to room door, and an office breakroom.
LOW SELF ESTEEM 3 by Mikeal Burgin
Ellie is confronted by the jealous ex-girlfriend of a man she met online, as her dysfunctional search for love continues.
TIME by Mike Jones & Seth Diewold
Ralph and Rosita meet in a chance encounter and share a moment in time.
Saturday, June 22 – 4:00 PM
CHEMISTRY OF LIFE by David DeBord
Ten-year-old Timmy’s older brother was buried yesterday. Timmy’s mother is a junkie, her live-in boyfriend is a dealer, and Timmy’s only friend is a dead gerbil. Maybe Timmy’s brilliance can fix the horrors of his life, right after he re-animates the gerbil.
THE DINNER by Ben Matthews
Three young criminals discuss business over supper, only to be interrupted by the brutal local mob boss.
UNSEEN by Jeremy Furguson
A suspenseful thriller about the dark world of sex trafficking.
Snake Alley Festival of Film 