Screening V
Friday, June 15, 8-11 pm

St. Thomas Preservation Hall

(in order of screening -- some film synopses have not yet been added to this page)
 

Sycamore Eve

The planet Sycamore has been inhabited by a mechanical race that is rapidly destroying its environment. The Machines harvest the planet’s most sacred resource. To them it’s nothing more than a powerful fuel, but to Sycamore, it is responsible for all life on the planet.

Eve, a young girl native to the planet, is determined to protect Sycamore. Although she’s outmatched by the Machines’ strength and power, she has managed to rebuild an orchard inside her home.

Director: Evan Viera

Hampshire College

Women Against Domestic Violence

Women Against Domestic Violence is a PSA that shows the side of domestic violence that may not be seen to the naked eye. The point of this commercial is that physical scars may not be seen, but emotional damage and broken bones do happen as a result of physical domestic abuse. The commercial is inspiring, as six women, all of different backgrounds, find strength by raising awareness for abuse that they too endured. Through awareness and togetherness, we can find strength to accomplish anything.

Director: Jennava Laska

Art Center College of Design (CA)

The Idol and the Band

The documentary is about Chris Daughtry, an American Idol finalist, the band that he performed with before going on the show and what happens to the band now that he is famous. While Daughtry competed on this season of American Idol, his small-town band played the waiting game. After visiting him in Los Angeles, the band realizes that they will have to get serious about practicing if they want to play with their front man again.

Producer/Director: Lauren Gadd

Elon University

Lemonade Stand

Each morning, a little boy sets up his lemonade stand on the side of a country road, anxious to do business with thirsty passers-by for five cents a cup. Ambition turns to boredom as he finds himself without a customer in sight. His only chance for business comes from an old man who passes by the stand each morning on his way to a local saloon. However, a friendly smile and some freshly squeezed lemonade proves no match for a shot and a brew. One day, the old man arrives at his watering hole, only to find a closed sign tacked to the door. This proves to be just the opportunity the little boy need for his first sale. The parched old man makes his way to the bar the following day to find the closed sign right where he left it. As he begins to breeze by the stand on his way back, the little boy puts his plan into motion. Slamming a pint glass down on the counter, the all-too-familiar sound freezes the old man in his tracks. Aching for a drink, he buys a pint of juice. In this manner, the kid begins to recreate the bar atmosphere for the old man. Each day brings a new surprise, including a tin-foil ashtray, a stool, and even a shot of lemon juice. As their bond grows we see that when life gives you lemons, there is only one thing to do.

Producer/Director: John Moore

University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Deacon's Mondays

Deacon lives in a fantastical world of snowing feathers, hailing golf balls and incredible guilt. After a petty accident begins to haunt him, the lonely landscaper must stumble through his mundane life while combating his inner torment. Through an unlikely friendship with an elderly woman, Deacon comes face to face with his own humanness and learns that he is not alone.

Producer: Destin Cretton, Lowell Frank and Kenny Loaubbacher

Director: Destin Cretton and Lowell Frank

San Diego State University

Moving the Dead

After his wife passes, a lonely tailor finds solace in his mannequins. One evening he suffers a heart attack, prompting the state to send in two mischievous movers to clear out the estate. But the movers soon fine out that the mannequins are not quite ready to leave and they don't like stranger taking their belongings.

Producer/Director: Micah Ranum

Florida State University Film School

duplicity

An introverted teen falls in love but is repeatedly ignored. Unable to handle the constant rejection, he makes a horrible mistake...

Producer/Director: Kunitaro Ohi

Virginia Commonwealth University

In Perfect Synch

A film that chronicles Jamie’s experience as a rower, focusing on his involvement with the US Natioanl Adaptive Team.

Director/Producer: Kristin Eberman, Kyle Heitman, Carrie Stephens

Wake Forest University

Outside the Box

This film is the story of a girl trapped in a puzzle; she must use logic as well as illogic to find her way to freedom.

Producer: John Roberts

Director: Justin Hantz

North Carolina School of the Arts

Sweet Ripe Orange

Bernard, a young man in spectacles, uses oranges to get through a humiliating betrayal. Will his attempt bear fruit?

Director: Arnon Moskowitz

School of Visual Arts (NY)

Cast Shadows in Technicolor

Lighting strikes behind an old mansion and thunder echoes through the air. Inside, children, all dressed-up, wait quietly in the study for their grandfather. He enters, announcing: “Tonight I'm gonna read y'all a new story. It's called Cast Shadows in Technicolor.” The long-awaited story (song) begins. The hero, a greaser, is killing time in the cemetery. Suddenly, a hand bursts out of the ground. A female screech pierces the night, and our hero rushes to her rescue. He saves the girl, but the zombies have devoured her date. To escape, they run to a deserted town, but soon zombies are everywhere. Our hero is ready to fight, but our heroine hopes for refuge in a distant mansion. It must be safe there! Inside, the children's imaginations are invigorated. Their grandfather stands up and starts rocking to the music, his performance backed up by the greaser rock band that has slid into place behind him. The music gets faster and harder, and the story grows in intensity. Our heroes finally arrive at the mansion, but the doors are huge and won't budge! Our hero pushes with all his might and cracks the door ajar. They get inside, but so do the zombies. The children are astonished. The story comes alive with all the characters right in front of them. But, alas, the hero can't fight them off any longer. Everyone is doomed. BANG!!! The grandfather closes his book. He will finish the story some other time.

Producer: Pamela Ryan

Director: Ken Mikals-Adachi

Northwestern University

I Still Love You

A young woman sends a letter to her ex-lover, pleading for reunification. He reads her words from the home they used to share, as she forlornly unpacks in her new apartment. Unseen by either of them, units of Union and Confederate soldiers wage a battle in the background--cannons explode and guns fire, soldiers attack each other with bayonets. As their apartments are quickly destroyed around them in a parallel world, the ex-lovers contemplate their relationship. The young woman hopes that by putting aside her pride and writing the letter, she can convince him that they belong together.

Producer: Loretta Ramos

Director: David Harris

University of California, Los Angeles

City Stage at Level 5

Water Creature: Chimsu

As water sips into dry lands a creature is awakened. Through its eyes followed is the journey of water. This piece is dedicated to Young Do Yi, author of a Korean novel The Tear-Drinking Bird. This piece started from a workshop where you take imageries from a haiku to animate. The haiku I chose was by an unknown writer, about a train and a leaf.

Producer/Director: Y. Grace Park

Rhode Island School of Design

American Deluxe

This is the story of how William Geronimo escapes the empty all-American product-obsessed world.

Producer: Matthew Chai

Director: Aaron Brownlee

University of Central Florida School of Film

Kahon

In a small village in the depths of the mangrove tiger forests known as the Sunderbans in India, a family is torn apart by a tiger attack. A group of honey-collectors lose their “moule,” the leading man. The dead man's wife soon moves on to a new relationship, leaving behind her two year old son, Kahon. He grows up with his grandma, the “gunin,” who is the wise elder of the village. His world is full of the jungle Goddess Bonbibi and magic potions and rituals. He is a loner enveloped in nature, whose only friend is a singer from the local theatre group. He shuns the efforts of his step-sister and mother to get him to live with their new family. He believed that one day he would bring back his family from the clutches of the jungles. However, life's realities sink in, and as his grandma ails in her last days and Kahon desperately looks to save her, his beliefs are challenged. His magical world comes crashing down with his grandma's death. But just then, when Kahon stands in shock, bereaved and lonely, a gift of nature restores his faith, and learns to live with both reality and dreams.

Director: Sudeshna Bose

Satyajit Ray Film & TV Institute (India)

Québec, Quebec

The day of the referendum in 1995, Jonathan wakes up in rural Québec without being able to speak French.

Producer/Director: Gabrielle Nadeau

York University

The UnAmazing Race

Animated comedy spoof on the popular reality show “The Amazing Race.” Ratings are down so producers push the envelope with “Senior Edition.” Put in your dentures and start laughing!

Producer: Nathan Kachelmeyer

Cape Fear Community College

The Sounds of Silent Cinema

With interviews, demonstrations, and historical documentation, this documentary shows how the silent era in American cinema was anything but.

Director: Aaron Burns

Chapman University (CA)

Slipping Away

Through the eyes of one man, life is slipping away.

Director: Tyler Hickman

Cape Fear Community College

Metacarpus

We often take for granted the amazing tools that live on the end of our arms. We use our hands everyday to accomplish a range of tasks from the menial to the sublime. The human hand has the ability to create as well as communicate. Metacarpus examines the human hand with the aid of an orthopedic surgeon, jazz pianist, origami artist, sign language interpreter, classical guitarist, henna hand painter, baseball umpire and slight-of-hand magician. With their help Metacarpus takes a closer look at the world's oldest tool.

Producer/Director: Nicole Triche

University of North Carolina - Greensboro

Rest in Peace

Director: Scott Mena

Pine Ridge High School

When Chickens Bark

Will has it all: looks, money and a beautiful wife. But after a night filled with domestic arguments and forgotten anniversaries, Will wakes up the next morning and everything is upside down or just plain wrong. His wife, Patricia, is already up and about, putting on his watch and taking his briefcase and, to top it all off, leaves in his expensive car. What is going on? And things don't get any better when he gets to his office where his secretary is his boss, the women co-workers are imposing, and his friend, Stan, is curiously effeminate. It becomes clear to him what has happened and feels the weight of helplessness. The question is: can he pick himself up and find forgiveness in Patricia?

Producer: Lauren Celinski

Director: Michelle Malley-Campos

NYU Tisch School of the Arts

The Beginning

A humanoid character lives his life trapped in a miserable dungeon. He overpowers the dark figure who guards the door and enjoys a brief period of freedom.

Producer/Director: Sasha T. Hussey

University of North Carolina – Asheville