It's the end of 90s. A kid witnesses the tragic death of her pregnant mother while filming her with a hand-cam. Many years later, he finds an old cassette left on his door. While he goes on a quest to find a way to listen to it, he is drawn into a dark abyss of memories and is once again haunted by a ghastly figure arising from the past.

"Best Horror"
"Best Experimental Film"

► Directed by: Gokhan Toka

• tokago@gmail.com

An unexpected guest at a meeting turns into a new Alliance.

"Best Director Debut"

► Directed by: Charli Brown

• storyofamoral@gmail.com
• Official Website

In Between tells the story of Blake, who lives a happy heteronormative life with her long time partner, Eric. After some vivid unexpected dreams, she gets a visit from a love from her past life, Adeline, who shows up to her home from across the world. If your past showed up on your doorstep… what would you do?
Some stories in our lives don’t end the way we would like them to, but In Between takes you into a world where it can. We rewrite the story in our imagination, feel what could have been so we can move forward and allow ourselves to be vulnerable and love once again.

"Best Short Film"

► Directed by: Christie Pawluch

• chriativeproductions@gmail.com
• Officia; Website

During the pandemic of COVID-19, a young girl learns the consequences through her actions, marking the beginning of a new way of living.

"Best Covid-19 Film"
"Best No-Dialogue Film"
"Best Actress"
"Best Poster"

► Directed by: Elanit Rubalcava

• elanitavila@gmail.com

A man, suffering from a psychiatric disorder, tries to understand what exactly is going on in his difficult life.

"Best Student Film"

► Directed by: Piro Gjylameti

• pyrrosg7@gmail.com

16 year old Kim writes in her diary expressing her desire to meet someone. The next day she meets Matt, a man in his mid 20s at the mall. Their relationships begins to progress and he invites her to a party. At this party, she becomes drunk and he sexually assaults her. Kim has a hard time processing this event and continues to see Matt, where the abusive nature of their relationship unfolds. Through this unhealthy dynamic, Kim learns to come into her own power.

"Best Short Film"
"Best Drama"
"Best Director Debut"

► Directed by: Rachel Qualls

• rachelqualls@gmail.com
• Official Website

The video weaves a poetic correlation of the outdoor theatre and readings from this combination of literary, philosophical and cinematic references.
Through an elliptical visual narrative, between the space and two female figures – a parallel connection to Demeter and Persephone or Elisabeth and Alma from Ingmar Bergman’s film Persona - a multiple field of interpretation, identification – social as well as personal - is opened up through time in which the different faces of Eleusis past, present and the potential future, emerge.
The complex narrative, complemented by a polyphonic chorus** and the music of Thodoris Rellos outline the two faces of Elefsina, the primordial and the contemporary which intersect and merge.
As is the case with Demeter and Persephone or with Alma and Elizabeth in Persona.

"Best Experimental Film"
"Best Sound Design"
"Best Black & White Film"

► Directed by: Katerina Apostolidou

• katerina@apostolidou.com
• Official Website

A woman gets pregnant following a rape but she decides to abort the baby. The operation is carried out with the support of her husband. Both the rape and the abortion have had extremely deep and devastating impacts on her psychology; hence she alienates herself from her husband and all the areas of life. In the wake of this severe trauma the woman will never be able to relate to real life again.

"Best Drama"
"Best Actress"

► Directed by: Mustafa Sancak

• mussancak@gmail.com

Three friends play the role-playing game 'The Exorcist'. The game is exciting and fun, we could even say... very realistic, but you would never imagine what will end up happening. Sometimes, some games become dangerous and fiction can become reality.

"Best Horror"
"Best Supporting Actor"
"Best Original Screenplay"
"Best Makeup"

► Directed by: Josep Maria Pradell Portús

• jmpradell77@gmail.com
• Official Facebook

Five friends meet again after decades. They just want to have a little fun in a cabin, but in doing so they awaken a threat that has been deep asleep since World War II. A trip of absurdities begins and if you want to survive, you have to be faster than the Tinger...

"Best Dark Comedy"
"Best Opening Credits"

► Directed by: Steve Hofmann

• m.grossrubatscher@googlemail.com
• Official Instagram

JULIA is a 17-year-old Latin American girl who has lived in the United States almost all her
life, so the only thing she remembers from her country is its language. She is a popular girl, with a successful YouTube channel. She longs to go to prom since the first day of school. Suddenly she receives the worst news ever: her family must return to their country of origin.
Getting used to a new country with its own customs and culture is not easy at all. Julia is the "gringa" of her new Catholic school (nuns and uniform included) and it doesn't take long to earn the enmity of "Las Reinas", a trio of popular and gossip girls. Julia is now a misfit.
But it's not all bad for JULIA at her new school. She becomes friends with "The Misfits", especially with CLAUDIA, a carefree and authentic girl and with NICO, a shy boy, with a huge talent for singing whose weakness are sensitive girls who know how to speak English.
Despite having ESTELA, the leader of "Las Reinas" against her, Julia is obsessed with achieving her goal: winning the school's talent show to get a ticket to the U.S. Realizing that she doesn't have a talent to show in front of an audience, she accepts a deal with MOTHER SUPERIOR, the school's principal, which can cost her everything, not only her reputation, but also her new friendships.
Can Julia set everything straight and get her friends back? Will Estela be the winner of the contest? Can MOTHER SUPERIOR get away with it. Life in any high school can be very complicated, much more so if you're a misfit, right?

"Best Comedy"

► Directed by: Orlando Herrera

• mariajoseelizalde@2btubelatam.com
• Official Website

"Love Is In The Air" is a heartwarming and humorous documentary that delves into the often overlooked side of healing after heartbreak. Set against the backdrop of picturesque landscapes, this film follows a group of friends as they embark on a weekend road trip.
Through a series of candid interviews and shared memories, the film captures the essence of friendship and the unexpected joy that can be found in life’s detours. The documentary showcases how laughter, camaraderie, and the open road can be therapeutic, offering a fresh perspective on the healing process.
"Love Is In The Air" challenges the conventional notion that documentaries must always tackle grave and serious subjects. It brings to light the genre's versatility, demonstrating that documentaries can also be a platform for exploring lighthearted and uplifting themes. The film blends humor with heartfelt moments, reminding us that sometimes the best way to heal is to embrace the journey, with all its ups and downs.

"Best Student Film"

► Directed by: Tejasvi Ginnela

• tejasv.gnl@gmail.com

Heavy weight contender Mack fights an excruciating battle for his life inside and out of the ring.

"Best Short Film"

► Directed by: Kael McCall

• stephenkmccall@gmail.com
• Official Website

A deeply introspective experimental film, delving into the psyche of an eclectic artist on a quest to complete his most important art. In 4 minutes, we journey through the artist's emotional landscape as he unveils a haunting collage of paintings that depict the darkest chapters of his life.
Audiences are invited into an immersive experience that challenges conventional storytelling, opting for a poetic and visually stunning exploration of the human condition. It is a passionate and deeply personal project that invites viewers to reflect on their own inner struggles and the profound journey of self-discovery.

"Best Short Film"
"Best No-Dialogue Film"
"Best Experimental Film"

► Directed by: Peter Edward Hartwig

• peter.hartwig85@gmail.com

Jade fills in for her sister at work for a day - dealing drugs in Berlin. When she runs into difficulties, she has to be creative to find her revenge.

"Best Short Film"

► Directed by: Charlotte Geissler

• charlottegeissler@gmail.com
• Official Website

1696. After performing an exorcism, the priest begins to find himself in situations that will make him doubt at all levels. In a lonely environment he will have to face a force stronger than religion.

"Best Horror"
"Best Actor"
"Best Makeup"

► Directed by: DaVid Conill Riera

• davidconill@hotmail.com
• Official Website

A catfishing troll finds himself on the wrong side of the hook

"Best Short Film"
"Best Experimental Film"
"Best Editing"
"Best Composer"
"Best Poster"

► Directed by: Gregor Gašperin

• gregor.gasperin@gmail.com

Every fiction story written by someone contains a bit of fiction and a lot of truth and personal experience. After all, only the story for which you rip out a part of your soul will truly come to life.

"Best Short Film"
"Best Adapted Screenplay"
"Best Sound Design"
"Best Drama"
"Best Director"

► Directed by: Ilia Smirnov

• explorer_pro@yahoo.com
• Official Instagram

Two Musicians are trapped in a cat-sitting gig from hell as they become pawns in a demonic ritual, forcing them to confront the horrors within.

"Best Original Soundtrack"

► Directed by: Calvin Tigre

• therealcalvintigre@gmail.com
• Official Website

Sundarbans the largest mangrove forest in the world where there are tiger victim families which include the widowed women along with their children, their atrocities, their livelihood, their survival in the midst of the forest, their encounter with the Royal Bengal Tiger has been vividly portrayed in this documentary of 30 minutes.

"Best Short Documentary"
"Best ECO work"
"Best Director"

► Directed by: Dilip Ghosh

• orionentertainment2009@gmail.com
• Official Website

Young love is so easy! ...At the beginning.
Adam and Dolores want to take the next big step in their relationship by moving in together, but Dolores needs her friend’s approval first.
A dinner party is set so everyone can become acquainted with Dolores’ new boyfriend. A true test of any budding love story — will they like Adam? Will Adam like them?
It’s a nerve wracking moment for everyone involved, but what’s the worst that could happen?

"Best Dark Comedy"
"Best Actor"
"Best Actress"

► Directed by: Jack Schneiderman, Todd Wallace and Dan Rathke

• brokenspokefilmhouse@gmail.com
• Official Website

The different phases of the Aurora / Northern Lights.

"Best Photographyr"

► Photography by: Luis Lopez

• lmlcaptures@gmail.com
• Official Website

"ANIMAL MESSENGER" is the true story about a woman who communicates telepathically with a variety of animals including Keiko the orca whale after his starring role in the movie, "Free Willy." Despite a gallant attempt to return Keiko to the wild, Lisa struggles to help Keiko be heard and convince his caretakers that Keiko does not want to be set free.

"Best Feature Screenplay"

► Written by: Bonnie Norton

• animalmessenger@keikospeaks.com

Boris Jollivet, an acoustic ecologist, with whom we travel through remote areas so as to know whether there are still silent zones in France, zones where the noise of men is not heard any longer.

"Best Feature Documentary"
"Best ECO work"

► Directed by: Julien Guéraud

• gueraudj@gmail.com
• Official Website

A rock band's recording session is derailed by a series of brutal murders in the studio.

"Best Feature Screenplay"

► Written by: Aubrey Thurman

• aubreythurman22@gmail.com
• Official Instagram

What happens when a Mexican president engages in a full-on war against the drug cartels? This is the story of just one of the thousands of families who were forced to flee their homes in the once-booming Mexican border city of Juarez due to widespread violence during the Mexican Drug War.

"Best Short Documentary"

►Directed by: Alfonso Duarte

• duarte.garcia.alfonso@gmail.com
• Official Website

SO WHO WAS IT THAT THEY SAW?
a young timid boy who is doubtful about faith and religion is beaten by curiosity and ends up wandering into a peculiar church and encountering a celestial yet godlike girl.

"Best Student Film"

► Directed by: Isabella Gonzales

• isabellalastra@icloud.com

A simple task and a simple pair of shoes.

"Best Mobile Film"

►Directed by: James Watjen

• jmwatjen@hotmail.com

A man, suffering from a psychiatric disorder, tries to understand what exactly is going on in his difficult life.

"Best Student Film"

► Directed by: Piro Gjylameti

• pyrrosg7@gmail.com

Two thieves named Giò and Franco team up with Gualtiero, their boss' grandson, in order to steal a well-known painting: 'L'Indice' ('The Pointer'). While waiting for dropping off the painting, Gualtiero finds out that his greedy accomplices want to scam his uncle by trading the original artwork with a false one.

"Best Original Soundtrack"

►Directed by: Carlo Chiarotti

• carlo.chiarotti@gmail.com

When Ricky Lyme wakes up in the middle of a field with no memory, he is convinced he has been abducted by aliens. Will, he ever get the proof he needs?

"Best Comedy"

► Directed by: Jordan Tofalo with Stash

• stashcomedyx@yahoo.com
• Official Website

A terminally ill young-man struggles with losing his girlfriend in covid hit New York. He breaks into an empty Broadway theatre to express his feelings through his poetry.

"Best Short Screenplay"

►Written by: Cal Athan

• calathan@hotmail.com

Directly following feature film screenplay - ;Dancing with Spies @GODDESS; (which is in fact Episode 1 & 2)... WILLIAM has now decided to join OLGA and LUCY as an associate of the Combined Task Force Unit in Cuba. This episode begins at a Trinidad Resort Hotel but focuses mainly on the Rusko Cuuba TV comic interview at the dance club building. However by Act Two and Three of script turns personal and tragic in nature as William's mental condition is exposed that certain memories of his past have vanished.

"Best Television Script"

► Written by: Francis Billingsley

• billingsleyfrank9@gmail.com

In this short film, a hand with arthritis explains the abuses she lives in hands of her cat and how she avoids to tell people because everyone says that "they just can't think about her cat in that way"... Or something like that.

"Best Short Film"
"Best Young Director"

►Directed by: Yara Tabrera

• filmsthedoor@gmail.com
• Official Instagram

"Videsh" is a raw Varite film that explores the journey of Indian students in the United States, focusing on their challenges and triumphs. The story revolves around Praneeth, a young, ambitious student from India who enrolls in a Master's program in Engineering. As he navigates the cultural and academic landscape of a foreign land, Praneeth encounters both hardships and opportunities. The film delves into themes of identity, adaptation, and the pursuit of dreams, offering a realistic portrayal of the international student experience far from the stereotyped glamorized narrative.

"Best Short Documentary"

► Directed by: Tejasvi Ginnela

• tejasv.gnl@gmail.com
• Official Instagram

"Best Horror"

►Directed by: Brandon Logan, Enigma

• brandonlgn@gmail.com

Mr. Mastermind is the head honcho behind the opera themes of horror. He wears a deranged iron mask to remain hidden from the world. He runs the gauntlet of death, putting the students in utter misery so he can produce his snuff horror films to make a profit on the dark web.

"Best Feature Screenplay"
"Best Poster"

► Written by: Vishal Rajput, Scott Parisien

• shawnjune.business@gmail.com

A group of scientists on an Antarctic research base fight for their lives as a visitor brings a deadly virus with him.

"Best Feature Screenplay"
"Best Poster"

►Written by: Christopher Pennington

• cpsti2010@gmail.com

Chloe purchases a music box for a birthday presents that begins to torment her and force her to face her inner demons.

"Best Thriller"

► Directed by: Joseph Lopez

• direwolffilms@outlook.com

A pair of outlaws reconvene after narrowly escaping a botched bank robbery. The two banter and accuse one another of setting each other up before ultimately deciding that banks are too difficult to rob and they need to find another way to steal money.

"Best Short Film"
"Best Student Film"
"Best Young Director"

►Directed by: Ethan Geiger

• ethanagdj123@gmail.com

This film is a mockumentary.
While we see the Count Operator Fatma walking charismatically on the road, we see the interviews of her colleagues praising her with occasional interruptions.
Fatma tells the process of getting into the counting operator job.
We see Fatma at a clinic with a leash-like counter attached to her throat.
We understand that taxes are taken according to the number of breaths people take, and Fatma is the operator of reading the data of the device measuring the number of breaths.
When Fatma says that the man is breathing a lot and he has to pay seven thousand liras, the man says that his financial situation is not good and asks Fatma for help. However, Fatma, who introduces herself as a construction worker, can't find any calluses on her hand, so she concludes that she is not a real poor person and does not use her right not to take money from the poor.
Fatma and her team come to a slum. There is a woman, a man and a child in the house. A respiration counter is attached to the neck of the woman and man. Fatma talks to them and looks at the situation of the house and concludes that their economic situation is bad. Considering their illnesses, he decides not to tax them and to remove his meters for one year.
The residents of the house are very happy about this situation and say praiseworthy things about Fatma.
We see Fatma and her friends walking determinedly towards another mission together. The narrator says, "The houses Fatma goes to will change, but one thing will remain the same..."
We see Fatma's face closely.
The narrator “…that is Fatma’s expression of pride!” he completes his sentence

"Best Short Film"

► Directed by: Serkan Egesoy

• ik.serkanegesoy@gmail.com

By drawing a parallel between the Hindu Durga Puja festival and various other forms of Goddess worship, SANTA SHAKTI reveals the sacred feminine power beyond languages and religions.

"Best Short Documentary"

►Directed by: Louis C Mouchet

• louismouchet@gmail.com

An overly ambitious scientist creates controversy and heartache in his effort to prove the validity of the Shroud of Turin.
The increasingly obsessed scientist switches the Shroud DNA with the frozen embryo of a couple from Cincinnati,
believing that once a child is born with Christ’s DNA, the world will finally know the truth.

"Best Feature Screenplay"

► Written by: David Young, Lana White

• david@shobizdesign.com

A story of two families, and the bonds that have kept them closer than blood for a lifetime.

"Best Feature Screenplay"

►Written by: Aaron Christian Batteau

• a.batteau@lafilm.edu