SOFT
Opening Night Showcase
Daniel Antebi - 23, Matthew Ballard - 24, Reid Hannaford - 23 | New York
“The lighting in this film is just insane. From flickering light bulbs to fluttering flame, and the amber glow sodium-vapor street lamps, the understated coming of age film is utterly illuminating of Daniel’s talent. Truly a filmmaker to watch, and a film as well for that matter!”

WAITING
Breaking the Mold
Sayna Fardaraghi - 20, Amber Bardell - 20, Maryam Hassan Ali - 20, René Andrade - 21 | United Kingdom
“Sayna’s film left me breathless with anticipation. It feels like we are all on the cusp, the edge of our seats, waiting...waiting for anything to wake us up from our languid days stuck at home. A quintessential piece of cinematic timing, speaks to our moment so clearly without a single word uttered.”

CIERVO
Saturday Night Shorts
Pilar Garcia-Fernandezsesma - 21 | Rhode Island
“Nature’s calling in this animated coming-of-age tale of sexual awakening. If you’ve been jamming on the bountiful boom in folk horror in the past few years like I have, you'll be a devotee of Pilar after watching. For fans of THE WITCH, THE LURE, and other films that the feature feminine power unleashed. Run free!”

MILK TEETH
Thrills & Chills
Felipe Vargas - 21, Jamie McNeill - 21, Brendan Bennett - 21 | California
“More folk horror? You’ve got me, I’ve got a favorite micro genre! There’s nothing micro about this film, however, with Guillermo del Toro-esque world building and production design. A clever conceit that unravels to the depths of its seemingly inevitable conclusion, this is a delicious dark fable you won’t want to miss. Just don’t blame me if you can’t turn off the light after!”

WHAT WE SEE IN THE CLOUDS
Connected By More
Barb Hoffman - 21 | Washington
“Barb’s back with another delightful animated piece, but this evokes so much pathos I can barely stand it! This makes me want to pick up the phone and call everyone I’ve ever known. This made my day so hard when I first watched it, and it’s made many days since. As Barb dives into this intersection of whimsical yet grounded work, we’ll be seeing truly astounding things from her for years to come.”