BLOCK A

ALL AGES SHORT FILMS PROGRAM

2:00 - 3:15 pm, Peter Wege Auditorium, followed by Q&A with filmmakers

3:30 - 4:45 pm, Koning Microcinema (2nd screening of films only)

DRAW US IN - AIMEE, documentary, Canada

VALENTINE TOYA LEGRAND, experimental/animated historical fiction, USA

*NIMKII, narrative action/drama, USA

THE BUTTERFLY (PARVANE), narrative, Iran

*SELF, narrative horror/suspense, USA

*DISTANT SKY, narrative, USA

FLIPPING THE BIRD, narrative, USA

*SOME STRINGS ATTACHED, narrative USA

BLOCK B

SHORT FILMS PROGRAM

2:00 - 3:15 pm, Koning Microcinema

3:30 - 4:45 pm, Peter Wege Auditorium

TEATIME!, experimental animation, United Kingdom. An expressive composition gave rise to a visual narrative around an animated teacup. Starting with the cup struggling to turn the right side up and ending with an unusual cup of tea, TEATIME! symbolizes the resistance (with a hint of regret) against the traditional gender role and subjugation experienced by many women. Created by Rachel Beckles Willson and Lin Li.

ENDOMETRIOSIS AN INVISIBLE BATTLE, documentary, New Zeeland. As Endometriosis affects 1 in 10 women, the ultimate goal of sharing their stories is to support young women and normalise the conversation to give them the confidence to speak up about their pain, receive a better range of treatment and explore options considered outside the norm. Directed by Emma Wilburn.

AS LEAVES IN THE WIND (Como hojas por el viento), documentary, Spain. The story of two transgender women who migrate from their home countries seeking asylum and opportunities in a new continent. Directed by Sofia Luz.

SORAYA, narrative, Iran. Fearing family prejudices, Soraya an Iranian woman decides to immigrate illegally by smugglers. Directed by Maryam Rahimi.

DAY 1 (Dia 1), narrative, Mexico. Rocio, a teenage girl, gets ready for her first day of high school. The next day, she leaves home and takes the bus to school, without knowing that this trip will change her life forever. Directed by Ana Montaño and Eduardo García.

JEN, narrative, USA. At thirteen, Jendayi "Jen" Washington struggles to connect with the people and things around her after the sudden death of her grandmother. Bearing the responsibility of looking after her younger sister, and attempting to fit in with a popular trio at school, Jendayi begins to spiral out of control. Directed by Honesty Taszhé Gant.

THE CONCERT, narrative, USA. Farrah and Lisa hang out in Angie’s basement, waiting on her dad to give them a ride to their first big rock concert. A realistic coming of age story that pulls no punches told from the girl’s point of view. Directed by Elizabeth Bourgeois.

DELIVERING WHILE BLACK

DOCUMENTARY

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM, Peter Wege Auditorium

Special presentation of the documentary, DELIVERING WHILE BLACK, with director Amanda Rostic. Followed by Q&A.

There are stark and undeniable differences in maternal and infant outcomes between Black birthing people and White birthing people in the USA. Delivering While Black is a short documentary focused on Birth Justice in Grand Rapids, MI. Black Women are dying: For over a decade research has shown stark racial disparities in birth outcomes. Saving lives requires Collaborating with and Listening TO patients and families.

Amanda Rostic has spent the past 16 years of her life working in the healthcare industry. With a firsthand understanding of the honor it is to serve patients, she desires to amplify patient voices via storytelling.

With a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry, and a Master of Public Health and Epidemiology, she sets out to impact the world with sound science as her instrument. Her work centers on health equity, maternal/infant health, and health literacy. Her guiding goal is to advocate for marginalized communities by leveraging data and storytelling to educate and collaborate with decision-makers.

GRFFF is proud to host this special presentation of Amanda Rostic’s first documentary.

BLOCK C

SHORT FILMS PROGRAM

6:15 - 7:30 pm, Peter Wege Auditorium, followed by Q&A with filmmakers

7:45 - 8:45 pm, Koning Microcinema (2nd screening of films only)

Another Kind of Courage, poetry/documentary, USA. Moving performances by veteran poets expressing their experiences with war and homecoming. Directed by Lynn Estomin

3 PM THURSDAYS, surreal/horror/dance, Canada. A dancer's shift in a dive bar takes an unexpected turn. Directed by Michèle Kaye

THROWAWAY LIVING, comedy/horror, USA. A housewife trapped in a 1950s ad campaign becomes the unwitting messenger for a world consumed by plastic. Directed by Laura Malatos

QUEEN SIZE, narrative, France, This morning, Marina has an appointment with Charlie to sell her a mattress. This evening, she will cancel her plane for Reunion. But they don't know that yet. Directed by Avril Besson

COMMUTING MURDER, animated comedy/horror, USA, An ax murderer hiding in a woman's car gets more than he bargained for on his victim's commute home. Directed by Chelsea DeMott Wildey

THE PERFECT BOY, narrative comedy/horror, USA. Sick of online dating, a young woman uses materials in her house to create her own version of “the perfect boy.” But once word gets out, a strange and hilarious rollercoaster of events take place. Directed by Liz Waters

*HAPPY THANKSGIVING, narrative dark comedy/horror, USA. A Native American man takes a Happy Thanksgiving wish from a bank teller so personally, his rage drives him to carry out a bizarre revenge plan. Directed by ishkwaazhe Shane McSauby

BLOCK D

SHORT FILMS PROGRAM

6:00 - 7:30 pm, Koning Microcinema

7:45 - 9 pm, Peter Wege Auditorium

INVISIBLE WORLD, experimental documentary, USA. In order to apply for an accessible parking placard, a doctor must approve the application. “In 2021 after a traumatic in-office medical appointment, I began audio recording my doctor appointments. One year later, I recorded an appointment (the main soundtrack of this film) which was a record to my introduction to healthcare within Utah state. My processing of the appointment through moving images serves as a reclamation of the doctor’s ignorance, as well as an assertion for understanding disability and the physical world otherwise.” Directed by Kym McDaniel.

HEMORRHAGE, experimental animation, USA. Animated agit-prop: against the end of Roe and the evisceration of women’s rights to choose. Directed by Ruth Hayes.

CONFLUENCE, experimental documentary, USA. CONFLUENCE is a meditation on ancestry and identity through the lens of APIDA and queer artists filmed during moonroom's 2019 PHASE, an event series celebrating APIDA Heritage Month with underground events throughout Southern California. Directed by ETA and Shanhuan Manton.

FRAGMENTS, documentary, UK. A portrait of trans non-binary artist Fleur Bloemsma— an introspective journey into their understanding and experience of their own body, and the meanders of their mind. Directed by Mélodie Roulaud.

THE BODY OF A RATIONAL CREATURE, experimental/dance, USA. This experimental narrative shows how slut shaming and rape myths are harmful to women in contemporary society. Directed by Jordan Skutar.

EXIST, narrative, Iran. She is a mother and fisherwoman. She sells fish to provide money for her disabled son. Directed by payam shadniya.

SEVENTEEN, narrative drama, USA. In California, a small town, a Chinese American teenage girl, Jasmine (17), gets pregnant and wants to keep the baby, while her pornstar mother, Yan (35), insists on having an abortion. As the fight escalates, the two realize they may have more in common despite their conflicting wishes for themselves. Directed by Geqi Li.

MY FATHER’S GRAVE (Sur la Tombe de mon Pere), narrative drama, France/Morocco. A car drives to a Moroccan village. On board, Maïne and her family surround the father's coffin. Tomorrow, the men will bury him and the women will wait at home. But Maïne intends to see her father to his final resting place. Directed by Jawahine Zentar.

.