Film Synopsis by Category
    Professional Full-Length Narrative
    Professional Short Narrative
    Professional Documentary
    Animation
    Music Video
    Faculty
    Student
    Young Filmmakers (K-8 & 9-12)
    

 

Professional Full-Length Narrative:

 

Greetings from the Shore - Still reeling from the death of her father, a young girl spends one last summer at the Jersey Shore before heading off to college.  But when her plans fall apart, the girl stumbles into a mysterious world of Russian sailors, high-stakes gambling, and unexpected love. (118m)
Producer, Gabrielle Berberich; Director, Greg Chwerchak 




Haw Ang - Imagine the team of National Geographic coming to Philippines to feature the so-called ‘eighth wonder of the world’ – the famed rice terraces of Ilfugao, Philippines.  Then imagine, set amidst these pristine surroundings, a poignant, heart-warming story that would paint a beautiful portrait of the hopes, ambitions, failures and triumphs of an individual life.  You then have the movie “Haw-Ang”(before harvest) a story of hopes and dreams. (107m)
Producer, Dane Kip Lyons; Director, Bong Ramos




Homeland - Upon completing his service in the Israel Defense Forces, Kobi Zucker needed to get away from the ongoing struggles of the Middle East. With memories of his tour of duty in the territories fresh in his mind, he comes to New York City on his way to South America. While working to earn money for his trip, Kobi meets Leila, the girl of his dreams. But Leila is Palestinian. Despite their differences, Kobi and Leila fall in love, but can this love overcome the ancient hatreds and unhealed wounds dividing Israelis and Palestinians? (95m)
Producer, Brad Rothschild; Director, Michael Eldridge

 

Like Moles, Like Rats -Azura Skye (28 DAYS, ONE MISSED CALL) stars as Sarah in this Post-Apocalyptic Fairy Tale about a young woman's journey to deliver the first child born in 15 Years. Michael (Joshua Leonard of THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT) is the lone voice of the airwaves.  He broadcasts dim and distant messages of hope mixed with the music he scavenges from the dead.  Together they will embark on a journey beyond the boundaries of the Southern Corridor and into the unknown future. (95m)
Producer, Derek Thornton; Director, Jim Torres







Sympathetic Details - A tragic accident causes a conflicted assassin to reevaluate his morality. As a result, his defiance of protocol forces the hand of his unforgiving employer and places himself and those closest to him in extreme danger.  (61m) 
Producer, Ryan Sands; Director, Benjamin Busch




The Flyboys - Two boys from a small town find their courage tested when they accidentally stow away aboard an airplane owned by the mob. (118m)
Producer, Dan Urness; Director, Rocco DeVilliers

 

VANAJA - Set in rural South India, a place where social barriers are built stronger than ancient fort walls, the film explores the chasm that divides classes as a young girl struggles to come of age. (111m)
Producer, Latha R. Domalapalli; Director, Rajnesh Domalpalli

  

 

 

Professional Short Narrative:

A Lesson in Biology - Shot in the style of and as a homage to Tennessee Williams, 'A Lesson in Biology,' unfolds on prom night, 1968, in the Deep South.  Eighteen-year-old Tom confronts his mentor and biology teacher, Mr. Williams, about dangerous secrets they have shared and about what the future may hold for both of them. While Tom is able to move on and move away, Mr. Williams remains deeply entrenched in his place and in his past. (20m)
Producer, Gary Lennon; Director, Keno Rider

Diva - Escaping his home-town that has completely rejected him, alone, Vincent goes to Paris to be entirely Herself, but life is never that simple. (7m)
Producer/Director, Josephine Mackerras




Hartslagen - The night before leaving the parental nest, Fannie’s dreams revisit key moments in her life - the times when she had to choose between holding on or letting go and the times when she felt her heart beat. (13m)
Producer, Mariano Van Hoof; Director, Vincent Coen




Mystic Swirl - Mystic Swirl is an uplifting story of a family recovering from the loss of a child. (33m)
Producer/Director, Steve Richerson

Son - Within the confines of an underground theatre’s vaults, a young boy finds himself trapped as the evening’s events unfold. (17m)
Producer, Ohna Falby; Director, Daniel Mulloy

 

Soundproof - A man is woken in the middle of the night by a sound from the house next door...the sound of a woman screaming. (14m)
Producer, Paula Harwood; Director, Matt Wildash

The Audition – A first-year lawyer discovers her long lost vulnerability when she returns to the stage. (12m)
Producer, Andrew Bridge; Director, James Augustine




The Vault - 'The Vault' illustrates one man's journey into the unexplainable. (3m)
Producer, Susan Lau; Director, Justin Owensby

Vartan LLP - One of the most powerful and successful businessmen working on Wall Street is shaken to his core by one phone call. (17m)
Producer/Director, Myles Price




Documentary:



Alex Scott: A Stand for Hope - Thousands of Children may live cancer free one day because Alex Scott lived. A little girl with a dream and a lemonade stand can do amazing things. (23m)
Producer, Jonelle Fabia; Director, Larry Mendte




Chasin' Gus' Ghost - A personal exploration of the roots and growth of Jug Band Music in the US and its dynamic influence on the popular folk music movement of the 60's and 70's. starting with Gus Cannon in the 1920s. The film proceeds to discover its modern popularity in Japan and features interviews and performances by John Sebastian, Geoff Muldaur, Jim Kweskin, Bob Weir, and the legendary Fritz Richmond. (97m)
Producer/Director, Todd Kwait; Producer, Carol Kwait




In the Wake of the Assassins - In the mob-controlled town of Phoenix City, Alabama in the 1950s, a crusading lawyer is assassinated after he is elected attorney general on a platform of 'Man Against Crime'. His son reluctantly takes his place, vowing to clean up Phoenix City and find his father's killers. Later he uses the race issue to be elected governor so that he can continue his fight against the mob. But his stand as a segregationist leads to tragic results. (86m)
Producer, Tommy Wier; Director, Robert Clem

 

MIA: A Soldier's Homecoming - On March 20, 1971 a Huey helicopter was shot down in Laos with a crew of four on board. No one survived.  The men remained MIA until 2004 when their remains were found in Laos and returned home to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in 2006. (57m)
Producer/Director, Randall Wilson

Mr. Dial Has Something to Say - Following the story of Thornton Dial--a 78-year-old African-American artist from Alabama--this documentary explores the little-known visual arts 'sibling' of jazz and the blues, and the history of its exclusion by the elite European-dominated American art world. (56m)
Producer/Director, Celia Carey

On the Edge of Black and White - In the mid 1960’s, American television and culture dramatically changed. This film shares the perspective of twelve former child-stars on that tumultuous time in American history. (63m)
Producer/Director, Sean Laskey

Southern Fried Bigfoot - A documentary that explores the legends, tales, and possible reality of the hairy monsters that are purported to live in the wild areas of the American South. (59m)
Producer/Director, Sean Whitley











The Alabama Klan - A rare look into the world of the Ku Klux Klan in Alabama during the late 1970's and early 1980's as seen by someone who grew up amongst them at a time and place where it was common to think and act out of racism and hate. Through photographs and Wayne Sides' personal journey, we not only gain historical perspective and details of the inner workings of the Klan organization, but a personal view of daily life for the men, women and children who made up the Klan Nation. (30m)
Producer/Director, Caroline Lopez




The Outsiders of New Orleans: Loujon Press - In this documentary Louise “Gypsy Lou” Webb, now well into her nineties, tells the story of how she and her husband Jon Webb published the avant-garde literary magazine 'The Outsider' from a small apartment in the French Quarter in the early 1960s. By day Gypsy Lou sold paintings on a street corner, and by night she set the type that introduced the world to the beat poet Charles Bukowski. (57m)
Producer/Director, Wayne Ewing



The Sweet Lady With the Nasty Voice - This high-definition documentary that tells the unsung story of rock-n-roll pioneer Wanda Jackson. (75m)
Producer/Director, Joanne Fish and Vincent
Kralyevich




Animation (Open):


 

 

 

A Faery's Tale - A tooth fairy goes into town to search for new teeth for its collection. (3m)
Producer/Director, Sylvia Apostol









One Skin - Mary is confronted by different paths of womanhood - independence at a cost or the confinement of traditional roles. In her efforts to rise above these limiting scenarios, Mary is offered a glimpse of freedom in the bird she seeks as well as a potential solution in the actions of a rebellious little girl. (10m)
Producer/Director, Gudrun Cram-Drach




Simulacra - In the Vast universe, there's one robot planet where everything in that planet is machine and robot.  One day, one robot finds that there's one organic life existing in his world. Then he decides to get it. (4m)
Producer/Director, Tatchapon Lertwirojkul




Tea Reverie - The exploration of Tee who is searching for the happiness of her life. (4m)
Producer/Director, Yonsu Kim






Music Video (Open):

A Brighter Day – is dedicated to those who suffered and survived different tragedies throughout the United States and around the world. This song was written to encourage, give hope and share coping skills with those that are affected by adversity. This video shows how to channel negative emotions in a positive way instead of participating in unhealthy or harmful behaviors when facing calamity. (7m)
Producers, Pete Key, Anthony "AB" Brooks,
and Antawn Thomas





Lookin' Down on Me - On the verge of committing a horrible crime, Shawn’s life is spared when his mother decides to intervene. (4m)
Producer, Shawn Lacy; Director, Paul Catalanotto

Siempre Pude Ver - A young woman waiting around, fantasizing about a man she is infatuated with – this is intercut with her being filmed outside by him, and it is only revealed towards the end of the video that it is this man who is operating the camera. (3m)
Producer, Karen Lavender; Director, Gary Ravenscroft





Thalon: Don't Come Around - A music video for Thalon's 'Don't Come Around.' Shot in Hollywood, CA. (3m)
Producer, Wes Wages; Director, Eric Herron





Faculty (Open):





Dog Days - As Alabama’s longest running professional football franchise, The Steeldogs have outlasted their forebears: the Birmingham Americans, the Vulcans, the Stallions, the Fire, the Barracudas, and the Thunderbolts. But it is perhaps this long legacy of change that ups the stakes, not just for the team’s survival, but for each player individually. Making the active roster for the Birmingham Arena 2 Football team is an opportunity to play the game they love with the hope of moving up, even if it means starting at the bottom. Dog Days follow five players through the 2006 season as they struggle to keep their team and their dreams alive. (54m)
Producer/Director, Dwight Cammeron and Robert Briscoe

G8 - Eight World Leaders. Two Briefcases. One Bomb.
(10m)
Produced as an educational community event via
the 2007 Make It Short Movie Project
Producer/Film Professor, Lee Chambers,
(Confederation College)




Horsepower - A closeted, middle-aged looser retreats to internet porno, triggering a bizarre mental breakdown. (17m)
Director, Joel Moffett; Producer, Gregory Hobson




Scripture Cake - A family divided by race and misguided law reunites after a generation of bitterness. If this family can't hide its skeletons, perhaps it can fatten them up. A Southern cuisine movie. (75m)
Producer, Michael Corbett; Director, Emily Edwards

 

Student (College):


 
Bottled - 'Bottled' is about two people living in glass bottles. The bottles are located in an artist's studio and the characters are creations of the artist. The hand, which is the artist, sees the woman being bored, depressed and alone and decides to create another male character. At first, two people are afraid of each other but they eventually fall in love. (3m)
Director, Jian Lee



China - For a few extra dollars, an aging country boy sets out to track and capture a senile prize bull.
(22m) Producer, Eric Myerson; Director, Jacob Hatley






Four Thorns for Aidan - Four Thorns for Aidan is about a man who has lost the will to live after the death of his parents and sister in a car accident. He attempts to reconcile with his painful past through a naive little child named Rebecca whom he accidentally kidnapped while stealing a car. Rebecca's mother must reconcile with her lack of care for Rebecca. (27m)
Producer/Director, Josh Smith




Glitch - When the very fabric of reality collapses around him, George is dragged into a twisted dimension where relics from his old life confront him as robotic perversions of their former selves. Before he can make sense of it all, George finds himself running for his life. (10m)
Producer/Director, Peter Ricq






Here I Go Again: John Paul White - Following the singer/song-writer John Paul White, this documentary is a glimpse at the recording process of this up-and-coming artist. 'Here I Go Again' follows White’s journey from legendary FAME studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama to Abbey Road in London, England. (8m)
Producers, James Herron and Wes Wages







Iron Curtain - Between East and West...Between Murder and Treason...Between Freedom and Death...lies Iron Curtain. (15m)
Producer/Director, John Cheney





KEYS - Emotions are never just black and white. (23m)
Producer, Damen Fletcher; Director, Christopher Babers




Maine Story - When her high-school sweetheart unexpectedly returns to town, Shelly is forced to confront those things she's been avoiding, including her 12 year-old son. (24m)
Producer/Director, Nina Chernik






Naked Branches - Emptiness is what the snake leaves behind after he accomplishes his wants from the peacock couple in this film, 'Naked Branches.' The filmmaker, Will Kim, uses watercolor to explore his one hope that's vanished into air. (4m)
Producer/Director, Will Kim








Negotiations - During what seems to be a routine hostage situation, Tom Bennett, LA's top negotiator, comes face to face with his estranged son in the middle of an intense standoff. (19 min)
Producer, Karin Hassenger; Director, Ethan Cushing




Passing - Flower shop customers watch a man purchase elaborate gifts for his sweetheart, but they never know the real reasons behind the purchases are deeper than they have guessed. (5m)
Producer, David Skousen; Director, Jolie Hales

Pop Foul - When a young boy heading home from a Little League game sees his father take a “beat down” from a local thug, the pair enters into a secretive pact designed to hide the disturbing incident from the boy's mother. (19m)
Producer, Jennifer Handorf; Director, Moon Molson

 


Rebel Song - A woman and two men play out their broken lives amongst the swaying trees, singing hymns of love, lust, and murder. (14m)
Producer, Pamela Nelson; Director, Simon Arthur

The Ballad of Breaking George - After injuring himself, successful neurosurgeon George Morales is forced to recuperate at his estranged son's house.
(30m) Producer, Kelvin Curtis; Director, Guershon Moreno

The Relationship Theorem - A coming of age story about a girl trying to remove the emotions from love through science. (18m)
Producer, Alexis Auditore; Director, Lori Johnson

The Sunday Man - The misadventures of a remarkably peculiar man, who has some very unusual ideas about who he is. (14m)
Producer, Rebecca Rankin; Director, Danielle Shamash













The Vaudevillian - A ventriloquist's relationship with his dummy is strained after they lose their job with a traveling vaudeville act. The ventriloquist realizes he is able to scam farmers for money, much to the dummy's dismay, and loses his conscience so that he can continue. (15m)
Producer, Amanda Ellis; Director, Bryan Nest

Young Filmmakers (K-8)


Prank Call - When three boys get bored during a sleepover, one of them decides to impress his friends with his brilliance at making prank calls. But when nature calls, one of his friends decides to play a trick on him. (4m)
Producer/Director, Mitch Collier

Young Filmmakers (9-12)


Are You Game? - Youth producers go inside game culture to uncover why games are so popular. (20m)
Producer, Aaron Alberto



Between Blood - About to be married, a widowed father announces that he has decided to change his will to make his young fiancé feel part of the family.  (5m)
Producer/Director, Leah Chen Baker











Day on Wheels - A shy and humble paraplegic has trouble dealing with people who ask him rude questions in his day-to-day life. (11m)
Producer/Director, Ari Selinger




High School Romance - Four teenagers describe their romantic and sexual lives in this explicit, no-holds-barred film based on real teenagers today. (6m)
Director, Jennifer Lim

The Inventor - 'The Inventor' follows a man through the process of creating a new electronic device. His experiences with nature and his neighbors show his surprise and delight as an inventor, as well as his human side, tainted by simple revenge. (2m)
Producer, Stephen Ojeda



New York Adventure - Two teenage girls in search of big-city adventure soon discover that all is not as perfect as they'd hoped. (3m)
Producer/Director, Jennifer Lim




Ping Pong - 'Ping Pong' is an epic battle of America's favorite sport with a twist...and some special effects. (2m)
Producer/Director, James Hodgens




Schaffenskrise - A young movie geek wants to write a movie script and searches for inspiration. (17m)
Producer/Director, Felix Krisai

 

Speaking Truth to Power: The Story of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee - Short documentary about farm labor activist Baldemar Velasquez and his organization, the Farm Labor Organizing Committee.
(10m)  Producer/Director, Melissa Mergner