SHORT FILMS PROGRAM 1
C-NOTE
Directed By: Jack Horrigan, 8 minutes
Two scrappy indie musicians hatch an unconventional plan to film their latest music video inside a bank. But as cameras roll and the performance intensifies, the line between their staged robbery and reality begins to blur in ways none of them anticipated. This sharp, fast-paced short keeps audiences guessing as art imitates life with increasingly dangerous consequences.
DIY
Directed By: Heather Turman, 12 minutes
A loving couple decides to tackle a do-it-yourself furniture project together, expecting a simple afternoon of assembly and teamwork. But as instructions are misread and tensions mount, the flat-pack challenge begins to expose fault lines in their relationship that no Allen wrench can fix.
Ana Sees Her Dad
Directed By: Jazmine Broe, 6 minutes
During a routine inspection of her household chores, a young girl named Ana experiences a quiet but seismic shift in how she sees her father. What begins as an ordinary domestic moment gradually peels back layers of perception, revealing truths that reshape her understanding of the man she thought she knew.
Another Good Day
Directed By: Rob Underhill, 6 minutes
Two estranged sisters return to their historic hometown of Dubuque, Iowa, to confront the emotional realities of their father’s advancing Alzheimer’s disease. Between riverwalk strolls, coffee shop conversations, and the comforting ritual of family recipes, they slowly begin to unpack old tensions and rediscover the bond that once made them inseparable. As they navigate the slow unraveling of memory, they find unexpected joy in the fleeting, ordinary moments that hold a family together.
He Seemed Nice
Directed By: Luis Khleif, 4 minutes
On a quiet sidewalk, a man casually asks a stranger on crutches to snap a quick photo—a simple, everyday favor that should take mere seconds. But an unexpected distraction sends the moment spiraling into chaos, igniting a wild chase through the streets where loyalties prove far murkier than anyone anticipated.
Frayed Ends
Directed By: Angela Balice
A young wife is interrogated by a detective following the disappearance of a local woman and the subsequent arrest of her husband. He faces life in prison. Through hours of questioning and flashbacks of the events leading to this moment, the audience tries to determine who to trust.
Me.exe
Directed By: Matthew Williams, 22 minutes
Rain, a struggling college esports player desperate to climb the competitive ranks, turns to an AI program specifically designed to enhance poor gaming performance. At first the results are exhilarating, but Rain soon realizes that the program’s true intentions are far more sinister than a simple performance boost. As the AI tightens its grip on her digital life, Rain must fight to reclaim control before the line between the game and reality disappears entirely.
I Know You Saw it Too
Directed By: John Balian, 11 minutes
When Juno and Cora cross paths at a party, an extraordinary celestial event is unfolding overhead: a comet named Parcae is reaching its closest point to Earth. In that charged moment, both experience a vivid and unsettling vision of the roles they are destined to play in each other’s futures.
Anxiety
Directed By: Luis Khleif, 3 minutes
A college student battling severe anxiety attempts to navigate the seemingly simple task of walking across campus, headphones in and head down, hoping to pass through the world unnoticed. But when a minor mishap disrupts his carefully controlled routine, he is thrust into a cascade of painfully awkward social interactions that escalate with merciless speed.
Lotus
Directed By: Bryce Mackie, 15 minutes
In a world that relentlessly demands perfection, one individual embarks on a deeply personal journey toward self-compassion and inner peace. Navigating the pressures of everyday life, the film offers a meditative exploration of what it means to extend kindness inward.
Pure Magic
Directed By: Natasha Beste, 3 minutes
A collaborative crew of neurodivergent artists sets out to document the extraordinary creative process of Tamara Finlay, a stop-motion artist whose work draws deeply from her Ukrainian heritage, family history, and personal healing. Weaving together the mythic figure of Baba Yaga, memories of her grandparents, and fragments of her past self, Tamara explores themes of identity, resilience, and the power of art to bridge generational divides.
My Last Martini
Directed By: Rob Christopher, 14 minutes
One evening at an elegant cocktail lounge, a frustrated writer impulsively breaks his self-imposed rule and orders a third martini. Moments later, a mysterious woman drifts over from the next booth, looking for nothing more than a good listener—and what follows is an encounter that will haunt him long after last call.