Freddie Gluck - 24 | CO, USA

“Nobody grows up the same way. For two siblings growing up in an alligator sanctuary, their situation is anything but “normal”. Gatorville is a strong example why I love documentaries. In this case, it’s a stunningly-shot candid of a childhood that is often overlooked in the media. I can’t fathom what it must be like to grow up in this situation, but also to have it captured so intimately. That final shot will stick with me for a long time.”

Friday Night Spotlight

Marlena Lerner - 24, Stella Smyth - 23 , Colin Ortiz - 24 | CA, USA

“I found all the mermaids, they're in Orange County. Marlena Lerner’s utilization of fluid, free body movement and saturation enhance the video’s utopia. I yearn for a summer like this.“

Friday Night Spotlight

Juliet Belisario - 21 | Canada

“Direct, immediate reflection of childhood trauma that shows a young woman come into her own and reclaim her narrative. I was moved by the director's visual perspective of childhood and her use of landscape imagery to create a portrait of time.”

Memory Lane

Justin Nguyen - 23, Zayd Ezzeldine - 23, Devon Again - 24 | CA, USA

“Love is a Toyota. I adore this music video, the blues, the sincerity, the silliness. Los Angeles, commonly depicted on film in warm colors, is depicted here in cool tones, immersing us in the disruptive feeling of moving on. Every frame feels perfect.”

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Jamie Simiele - 21, Daniel Shillinglaw - 20, Zeena Kubeisy - 23 | NY, USA

“Pansies shocked me. Jamie Simiele might be the love child of Andrea Arnold and Xavier Dolan. My first viewing left me mersmerized and hurt. This film is so kinetic with its saturated environment and three-dimensional characters. I'm a sucker for queer Americana.“

Experience Points (XP)