A love letter to corporate synergy in the age of COVID-19. Made entirely from stock footage, “Smiling Worker Coughs in Hand” achieves an unsettling atmosphere from its generic visuals of average Americans engaged in basic daily activities. Director Ben Kitnick taps into the mood of the moment wit...

Betty loves animals, she loves them so much that every day she puts 30 bowls of food outside of her home to feed them. James P. Gannon directs “Betty Feeds The Animals,” a cozy portrait about an eccentric older lady “caring for something that no ones cares for.” The Super 8mm documentary profile ...

A musicologist and her dog climb a mountain in search of an indecipherable song hoping to understand its meaning. Daniel Witkin directs “The Inconceivable Mountain,” which registers both as an homage and a satire of black and white silent films of the 1930’s, particularly a type of German film co...

Discharged from the hospital after a partial face transplant, Eva is struck with an intense curiosity about her donor. Shot in gorgeous, richly textured 35mm images, the film is minimally constructed but full of ideas. The miracle surgery seems to have taken — the surgeon is pleased and Eva’s ric...

Gwen, a musician with a growing paranoia disorder, returns to her hometown after a traumatic event. Diverting their emotional issues with a strange and unholy discovery, she and her friends begin to deteriorate the fabric of the universe. Directed by Matthew Wade.

An amateur electronic-drum enthusiast travels to a housewares trade show looking to strike up the perfect business partnership. “Hardware” is an out-there drama/comedy about a desperate man in search of opportunity, bolstered by cheesy drumbeats and awkwardly earnest performances. Directed by and...

A young woman spirals into darkness following the death of her mother. Set against a desolate Nordic backdrop, “Outline” is a minimalist character study tracking the grief of Thea over the course of a couple rocky days. Written and directed by Anna Fredrikke Bjerke. Starring Inga Ibsdotter Lillea...

A dreamy, slow motion glimpse into the quiet moments of two young relationships. Based on a dance performance, interesting because much of "The Overture" is still -- a couple lying in a bathtub, or in bed, or sitting at a table. Directed by Kate Wallich and Jacob Rosen. Cinematography by Jacob Ro...

The bond of a ceramics duo is threatened by a conniving pottery studio head. “Pots N’ Tots" is an absurd tale of love, artistic collaboration and the powers that be. Writer, Director: Kati Skelton. Cast: Ruby McCollister, Andrew Ryder, Abbey Siegworth, SJ Son, Steve Arons.

A wide-eyed man gets caught up in a surreal scheme presented as a business opportunity. Dynamic performances and inventive rhythm characterize this rapid fire short which never stops churning — it’s almost as if we’re watching in fast-forward. It all starts at a pulsating dance club where an olde...

The employees of a cult-like biotech start-up test their product on themselves. “Aquaculture”, written and directed by Artemis Shaw, is a (slightly) sci-fi satire about the grandiose vision of a quietly eccentric entrepreneur; freely mixing absurdity and sincerity, it’s a strangely engrossing fil...

The life of Cecile, an older Vietnamese hoarder, is upended when a black hole opens up in her home. Written and directed by Maegan Houang, “In Full Bloom” is an imaginative fantasy about grief and loneliness, told with rich, expressive visuals and spectacular production design (hoarding turned in...

Wallace L. Graybill, a neuroscientist studying Schizophrenia, aims to revive his research with new funding but is taunted by the powers that be. As its title suggests, “foundfootagexx100n.s.1,” is not your average exploration into the vagaries of grant funding, but rather a strangely hysterical,...

A high school actor seeks to remove his sister with a mental disability from the audience when she begins shouting his name. A student project, “For The Rabbits,” is notable for its ambitious one-take maneuvering, and for its tackling of tricky subject matter. Directed by and starring Lincoln Rob...

New York City skate rats come across a magical slingshot and use it to warp reality. “{Sling}” is a playful variation on a skate video, elevated by low-key but convincing special effects and natural performances from its two leads. irected & Edited by: M.Fig. Starring Yasmeen Wilkerson, Daniel Sw...

Wannabe python hunter Dent and his estranged mother’s visit to a drive-thru zoo is taken off-road, beyond the veil of civilization and into the den of a fabled Everglades monster. “Dent Head Gone” is a freaky homemade adventure tale characterized by anything goes plotting and unique lo-fi visual ...

A girl dressed like a tree tries to find her way home. “Tree Girl" begins with a spot-on replica of a makeup tutorial video, complete with flashy editing and thumping background music, about how to make yourself look like a tree. Directed by and starring Marissa Goldman.

When Rebecca starts believing she can change the world with an old video game controller, it creates a rift with her boyfriend. “The Nurturing” is a heady parable on empathy and belief, rich in ideas and atmosphere. Writer, Director, Co-Star: Esteban Pedraza. Starring Lauren E. Banks.

Two boys attempt to get paper, manifest their ideal trucks, and become "country as fuck" in 2019. “Country Boy” is an edgy free-for-all where the modus operandi is to do drugs and get weird. Directors/Cast: Stephen Jacobson, Ryan Ackelsberg, Ellen Stringer.

Kailee McGee, the online persona, sets out to discover Kailee McGee, the real person, in this funny and soul-searching self-portrait of a L.A. filmmaker in flux. A film about identity, and the simultaneous quests for attention and authenticity. Directed by Kailee McGee. Starring Kailee McGee, Mit...

After returning home from a family safari, an aspiring filmmaker turns her lens away from wild animals and onto her mother. “Safari Video” is an unassuming documentary portrait, subtlety funny and endearing, centered around an argument over the length of a home video. Directed by Artemis Shaw.

Suffering a loss, a woman finds a mysterious book on a subway platform and with it fights to get control of her life. An enigmatic drama, shot in gorgeous black & white, concerning the messy emotional state of Laine and the lengths she goes to reestablish well-being, personal and financial. Direc...

In a world where words are indecipherable and conversations don’t make sense, Sydney works at a fast food restaurant called Awesome Burger. Made as a thesis project at VCUarts, “Awesome Burger,” directed by Will Barker, is a playfully lo-fi comedy about the baffling experience known as life. Aft...

Henry loses his vision after being exposed to an unknown toxic gas. “Gas Gets In Your Eyes,” by director Madeline Leshner, is an imaginative experimental drama full of startling images and unsettling developments. The grim prognosis is delivered by an ominous robotic voice, and, before Henry can ...