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Tatyana Yaneeva, Russian Federation
16′ 49”
A chance romance with a girl that keeps matchboxes with pictures of missing people and searches for them at night, one night she disappears.
Director Biography – Tatyana Yaneeva
In 2013 graduated from the All-Russian Academy of Foreign Trade, Faculty of International Law. In 2022 graduated from the Moscow School of New Cinema, Laboratory of directing. I develop scripts and make films as a director.
Hunter Loading
Sasa Numic, United States
7’59”
A Social Media posts about a soldier’s homecoming party goes horribly wrong when his friend insists on telling him of his girlfriend’s infidelity.
Director Biography – Sasa Numic
Sasa Numic made his first short film (“Forbidden Fruit”) when he was 18 years old, and his mother got 38 pounds of oranges from the Red Cross during the bombing of Belgrade. After four years of studying Design and receiving his BA in Film, at the Academy of Arts, Belgrade. Sasa moved to New York City, where he became a freelance music video director, garnering over 7m views on some videos. He also worked as an Art Director, with Apple as a main client. In 2013, Sasa earned his MFA at the American Film Institute Conservatory, and was honored to represent his class as the commencement speaker. His short films have played at many international film festivals.
Director Statement
I think we all had those moments when life just decides to throw a ton of shit our way. It’s that time when you’re feeling sad, shocked, and filled with distrust – and mostly just downright angry. The anger that makes your thoughts far late behind your decisions.
Seems like nothing can help.
Now, picture JUSTIN.
He’s a good husband, a good friend, a good American, who finds himself drunk at the party when his world unravels within minutes. Imagine him, already grappling with trauma, facing the cruel addition of humiliation, betrayal, and the graphic scenes of a loved one’s adultery. To intensify – place this whole chaotic scene onto social media, where everyone’s reactions are laid bare for the world to witness. What remedy could possibly ease the torment of such a soul? The answer eludes me.
What I do know is that a gun cannot.
And Justin has a gun.
I selected the 9:16 aspect ratio intentionally to encapsulate the claustrophobic intensity of the situation. Moreover, the vertical format symbolizes the perspective shared by all of us navigating this experience through social media. As we swipe through, it’s like peeling back the layers on a world hooked on likes, engagement and validation.
When I started working on this project a couple of years ago, I had no idea what levels of recorded violence were just around the corner for us, streamed from a war-zone half a world away. And I had no idea how easy it would ultimately be to just scroll past.
This is our reality.
This is it.
I am scared.
And that’s the best reason to make a film.
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Demi-Demons
Martin Gerigk, Germany
17’12”
Demi-Demons is an essay film about the contradictions of contemporary existence, which separate us from our natural instincts, opening abysses within us. The glorification of the hermaphrodite, the hedonism of virtual realities, the search for new levels of physical attraction and forms of higher consciousness, ambivalence towards sexual reproduction, these abysses embody the existential struggles inherent in navigating the terrain between instinct and enlightenment in a rapidly evolving world.
Demi-Demons is made and animated from vintage photos and collages, creating a surreal and thought-provoking atmosphere.
Martin Gerigk (*1972) is a composer of contemporary music. His repertoire includes compositions for orchestra and chamber music, as well as several solo concertos. His compositions are performed nationally and internationally including in Korea, Japan, USA, England, Finland, Austria and Switzerland. In this context he works together with renowned international soloists and ensembles.
In addition to his compositional work he is known for his remarkable audiovisual art and experimental films which focus on inherent synesthetic connections of sound and visual perceptions. Besides creating interwoven aural and visual landscapes of music, nature sounds and video sequences one important aspect of his art is the illustration of the hidden poetry of nature phenomena and sciences.
His experimental films won several international prizes and were screened at noted festivals like the Seattle International Film Festival, Asolo Art Film Festival, International Digital Arts Festival Videoformes, Girona Film Festival, Salento International Film Festival, Columbus International Film & Animation Festival, USA Film Festival, New Jersey Film Festival, Sidney International Film Festival, Fargo Film Festival, Sherman Oaks Film Festival, Canberra Short Film Festival, Film and Video Poetry Symposium Los Angeles or the Syracuse Film Festival.
Demi-Demons is an experimental film essay which explores the abysses that emerge inside us when we stray from our innate instincts.
One notable consequence of this distancing in contemporary life is the glorification of the hermaphrodite as the ideal link between women and men. In a departure from traditional gender roles and binaries, the hermaphrodite symbolizes a fusion of femininity and masculinity, embodying the pursuit of unity and balance. However, this idealization can also reflect a deep-seated discomfort with one’s own innate gender and sexuality, leading to a sense of disorientation and confusion.
Similarly, as individuals try to redefine and expand their notions of desire, they search for new modes of physical attraction. With the erosion of traditional norms, people explore unconventional avenues of intimacy and connection, challenging societal expectations and boundaries. This exploration can be liberating, yet it also exposes individuals to vulnerability and uncertainty as they navigate uncharted territory.
Alongside these shifts in physical attraction, there is a parallel quest for higher levels of consciousness. In an increasingly fragmented and chaotic world, individuals yearn for transcendence and enlightenment, seeking meaning beyond the confines of the material realm. Yet, this pursuit can lead to a sense of detachment from the realities of everyday life, fostering a disconnect between mind and body.
In the digital age, the search for pleasure takes on new dimensions as people immerse themselves in virtual worlds and online interactions. The allure of instant gratification and endless choices draws individuals away from the tangible pleasures of the natural world, blurring the line between reality and simulation. This digital escapism offers temporary relief from the stress of contemporary life but can ultimately deepen feelings of isolation and alienation.
As a result of these changes, people are increasingly ambivalent about having children, which becomes a source of conflict within relationships. As societal attitudes towards gender and sexuality evolve, traditional notions of family and procreation are called into question. This conflict underscores the profound implications of distancing ourselves from our natural instincts, challenging fundamental aspects of human identity and existence.
Demi-Demons is made and animated from vintage photos and collages, creating a surreal and thought-provoking atmosphere.
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I can’t smell the soil in my head
Alkistis Kafetzi, Germany
6′ 30”
“I can`t smell the soil in my head” is the poetic depiction of a philosophical struggle. Associative patterns and cinematic allusions create a suggestive atmosphere full of tension and release. Close-ups of the protagonist and outdoor scenery complement each other and form a synaesthetic equivalent to the inner movement of the protagonist’s struggles. The camera follows closely his trail of thoughts in a constant forward motion. It’s the bittersweet realization that a mind’s work is as fleeting as an image on a single frame.
Director Biography – Alkistis Kafetzi
Alkistis Kafetzi is a Berlin based filmmaker who engages in diverse independent productions, ranging from music videos to poetry films and documentaries. She studied Theatre and Film at the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens and since 2014 she lives and works in Germany. In her recent projects, she delves into the dynamic realms of the feminist movement and self-organized communities. With her filmmaking she tries to explore evolving social landscapes, weaving together narratives that resonate with diverse voices and struggles.
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PICK A HAND
Stavros Kostopoulos, Greece
15′
Two friends at the beach. Can thoughts be transformed to words? How a bathtub can help?
Director Biography – Stavros Kostopoulos
UNIT DIRECTOR 11/2022 – Current
Η ΜΑΓΙΣΣΑ (ANT1)
ΒΟΗΘΟΣ ΣΚΗΝΟΘΕΤΗ 07/2021 – 07/2022
Άγριες Μέλισσες (ANT1)
ΣΚΗΝΟΘΕΤΗΣ-ΣΕΝΑΡΙΟΓΡΑΦΟΣ 07/2020 – 08/2020
ΕΣ ΑΥΡΙΟΝ ΤΑ ΣΠΟΥΔΑΙΑ-
«Λίγο πάνω από τον ουρανό» (ΕΡΤ1)
WHEN THERE WON’T EVEN BE ANY MORE
Anthony C. Cajan, France
4’45”
It’s about.
Of a man, of a panic, of a fury.
Of a war.
A fright.
But it may be something else.
Director Biography – Anthony C. Cajan
Je suis né et ai grandi à Brest puis dans un village rural alentour. Après des études universitaires en Arts du spectacle et un cursus en école de cinéma à Rennes, j’arrive à Paris en 2003 et deviens assistant vidéo dans une société de production de films publicitaires. Enchainant ensuite diverses participations en tant que monteur, cadreur additionnel ou régisseur sur différents projets (clips, courts et longs métrages, captations, films d’atelier…), je réalise également mon premier court métrage.
De 2006 à 2019, je travaille en tant que responsable du centre de ressources à la Maison du Film (ex-Maison du film court).
En plus de ma pratique personnelle de réalisateur-monteur, je me concentre plutôt maintenant sur le montage, soit en tant que monteur, soit en tant qu’edit doctor (en conseillant et accompagnant des films après tournage), mais aussi en tant qu’unité de soutien artistique.
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