 "Out of sight, by the forest" is a poignant documentary exposing the brutal reality of Polish fur farms. With extraordinary sensitivity, the filmmakers present the story of three activists - Aleks, Angelika and Bogna - who for years have tirelessly documented the suffering of animals raised for fur. Their heroic struggle against the powerful fur lobby and heartless bureaucracy creates a narrative full of tension and moral challenges.  Director Nadina Dobrowolska Nadina is a graduate of the Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School in Katowice, majoring in Organisation of Film and Television Production. Dobrowolska is a long-time pro-animal activist. In her debut documentary film "Out of sight, by the forest", she asks the audience what place animals have in contemporary society. For her first feature-length film, she drew inspiration from the documentary output of Werner Herzog and Wim Wenders. https://pozawidokiem.pl/en
The film chronicles the unseen actions of the investigators, who have spent a decade exposing the scale of injustice against animals. Together with the activists, we look into the dark recesses of the farms, where foxes, mink and raccoons suffer in cramped cages. The documentary is non-violent, but its minimalist approach to portraying suffering heightens the dramatic overtones, forcing the viewer to reflect on consumer choices and animal rights. The camera accompanies the activists in their daily struggles, doing justice to their sacrifice and determination. The film avoids easy moralising, instead raising questions about the limits of human responsibility and ethics. "Out of sight, by the forest" is a call for greater awareness and empathy towards beings who cannot fight for their rights on their own. Nadina Dobrowolska's debut film thus becomes not only an indictment, but also an inspiration for action.  In a world where cows reign supreme, Kamala and her family must outwit a bovine examiner to save their home from eviction. As they navigate a surreal examination center, they deploy unconventional tactics to win over the cow and secure their future. 'Oh My Cow' offers a satirical commentary on the housing crisis, showcasing the extraordinary measures families take to protect their shelter.  Director Ramgopal Rajagopalan Ram Rajagopalan is an emerging filmmaker based out of Vancouver. His stories have made it to the top 40 at prestigious local film festivals like Crazy 8s and Run N Gun. A recent alumni of Vancouver Film School, he has produced three noteworthy shorts - Spiral, Mannequin and Oh My Cow) of which the last two he also directed. He has worked on other roles like 1st AD, Script Supervisor, DOP in different student film projects while at VFS. https://instagram.com/ohmycowshortfilm
Director Statement Oh My Cow was originally envisioned for a 48-hour filmmaking festival in Vancouver called Run and Gun. The film made it to the official selection for the gala screening amongst 160 competing films. The festival had given a few props and a theme of alternate universe to adhere to. Hailing from Tamil background, I and the writer wanted to weave in elements of a Tamil household into the story. Cows are revered in India. I have grown up in a household with cows. I wanted to use a cow as one of the key characters in the film. What happens if a cow becomes a supreme authority in a futuristic world? What if your housing was contigent on getting a cow’s approval? In such a universe what would people do to please a cow? Will a Tamil girl be able to woo it with her bharatanatyam skills? Those were in essence the seeds in coming up with the narrative for the film. I wanted to achieve a few things with the story - 1) Highlight some parts of Tamil culture in Canada, 2) In a predominantly beef eating society, play with the idea of what happens if the tables are turned, 3) Play a satire on the housing crisis we are facing in Canada today.   A young girl deals with her sibling jealousy by liberating a neighbor's mistreated pet. Director Jason Jakaitis, Phoebe Jakaitis Jason Jakaitis is an Associate Professor in the Media Production at Saint Mary’s College of California, where he teaches digital media. A creator of augmented reality and personal documentaries, much of his work explores themes of family and disability. Jason’s documentary Mothersbane won the Jury prize at the 2011 South by Southwest Film Festival. Jason also served as Director of Independent Media at the Bay Area Video Coalition, where he supervised numerous community media programs, including San Francisco’s Public Access Television Station and the National Media Maker Fellowship. Jason lives in Oakland, California with his wife and two daughters, one of which - Phoebe - co-directed Maisie.
 A Tortoise Called Pumpkin Spice captures the moving story of a successful wildlife rescue. As viewers follow the tale of Pumpkin Spice, a young gopher tortoise, they discover how scientists are working to ensure the survival of this important keystone species in the American Southeast. A Tortoise Called Pumpkin Spice takes viewers on a fascinating journey, from longleaf forests to a gopher tortoise hatchery. The film features scientists and experts from Georgia Department of Natural Resources' Wildlife Division and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.  Director Laura Albritton https://www.magickumquatproductions.com Laura Albritton directed and edited A Tortoise Called Pumpkin Spice. Her previous nature conservation film, Longleaf Forever, won the 2024 Best North America Short at the Wildlife Conservation Film Festival. Laura also won a 2023 Suncoast EMMY for her work as the writer on the public television documentary, The Florida Keys: 200 Years of Paradise, which has aired on 249 stations nationally. She wrote and edited the wildlife documentary, Introducing the Indigo, which won a Silver Medal for Short Documentary at the Atlanta Children's Film Festival. Working with her filmmaking partner, Zickie Allgrove, she's currently in production with the documentary Devouring Beauties: The Remarkable Pitcherplants. Laura is the author of five books and works remotely for the University of Miami's Writing Studies department. Before attending graduate school, she worked for Vanguard Documentaries and distinguished Black film producer Charles Hobson in New York.
Director Statement I became really fascinated by gopher tortoises, a keystone species, while working on other nature films with my filmmaking partner, Zickie Allgrove. We talked about making a gopher tortoise documentary film that would focus on the importance of these remarkable reptiles. But there were so many elements that seemed important to convey: why gopher tortoises play an essential role for the survival of over 300 other species; the efforts to rescue not only mature tortoises but also eggs; the headstarting programs to give juvenile tortoises a better chance at survival; gopher tortoise mortality in the first year of life – to mention only some of the issues. The question was, how could we approach the subject of gopher tortoises from an original angle? The concrete idea for a short documentary didn’t really crystallize until I heard Pumpkin Spice’s story. I was genuinely moved by this wildlife rescue, and all the steps involved in the journey. When I began to learn about the specific work involved in gopher tortoise conservation, I knew that this was a subject that audiences could connect with...  The Red Wolf is not only the most endangered wolf in the world, it's quite possibly the most misunderstood. In this 30-minute documentary, we explore the Red Wolf's cultural significance to the Cherokee people and why conservationists hope indigenous knowledge will help save it from extinction.  Director Jennifer Loren Jennifer Loren (Cherokee Nation) is an Emmy award-winning tv host, filmmaker and senior director of Cherokee Film. As producer and director of hundreds of short documentaries, created on behalf of her tribe, she continues to increase the presence of Cherokees and our stories in mainstream media. In her leadership role at Cherokee Film she sets strategy and oversees all operations of Cherokee Film Productions, Cherokee Film Studios, Cherokee Film Commission and the Cherokee Film Institute. Selected as an inaugural Obama Leader by the Obama Foundation in July of 2023, Jennifer is globally recognized for her work, breaking new ground in the field of Native American representation in film and media. In addition to hosting the Emmy-award winning docuseries “Osiyo, Voices of the Cherokee People,” Jennifer passionately leads a team of more than 30 content creators and change-makers, whose mission is to protect and share the authentic Cherokee experience, culture and history and to increase the presence of Native Americans across film and media. With a background in broadcast television and investigative journalism, Jennifer brings integrity, creativity, and community-focused strategies to her work. Jennifer was recently elected to serve as the Chairman of the Oklahoma Motion Picture Alliance.  Alice (Rachel Park) lives a good life with her boyfriend Matt played by Elijah Silva (Cruel Summer) except she hates his cat, which leads to rifts in their relationship. One day the cat goes missing which affects their relationship even further.  Director Aaron Schmidt Aaron Schmidt is a Vancouver based filmmaker who's goal is to create films that blend dream like imagery with the realism of the everyday world. Aaron's love for film grew as a young adult renting movies from Rogers video on weekends and being transported to another world. His love for film was nurtured and identified when he decided to pursue a minor in Film Studies at Carleton University in Ottawa. He loved talking about movies with his peers and using film to understand feelings and cultures he never would've been able to put a name to.
Director Statement Steve the Cat tells the story of stagnation and living a life that you didn't expect yourself to be trapped in, all told through the frustration of living with a cat, and a cat lover. The idea for this film came from hearing my mothers friend tell a story that she hated her husbands cat and would love if it ran away. That story stuck with me in its almost comedic cruelness.  Grace, a young animal advocate moves back home after her life spirals out of control. During the Covid lockdown she takes comfort in her isolation, but two years later as everyone around her works to get back to normal Grace struggles to let go of the past and rejoin the world.  Director David N. Reyes David is the writer and director, a graduate of University of Texas at Austin and has over 25 years of filmmaking experience creating commercials, music videos, documentaries and weekly television programs. Paw Mama will be his seventh film. Paw Mama Facebook
Director Statement Animal advocacy is a personal passion of co-Producers David and Lisa Reyes and a big part of their lives. They have seven cats and one dog, and Lisa worked many years in Central Texas animal shelters. Her on the job experiences and how she was forever affected by those encounters with the many dogs and cats that came through the shelter was the inspiration for this project.  After clipping her wing on a robotic facility antenna, a Songbird forms an unlikely symbiotic relationship with the robot she inadvertently creates.  Director Jack Tenbusch Jack Tenbusch is an animator and graduate of Columbia College Chicago, where he received his Bachelor's Degree in Traditional Animation in 2021. Raised on games, movies, and TV series that inspired his creativity, Jack pursued animation as his calling in life and major of study. After finishing his first animated short, Perspective at College of Lake County, Jack transferred to Columbia College Chicago under a full scholarship to continue his training in animation - with an emphasis in 2D. After finishing his solo thesis project, SymBionic, Jack was selected for Columbia College Chicago's Semester in Los Angeles (SiLA) for the Fall of 2021, where he interned with Clocky LLC. and Starburns Industries in animation and production roles. Since graduating, Jack is working as a freelance animator who is always eager to find his next project. https://www.jacktenbusch.com/home/symbionic-short-film
Director Statement SymBionic is a personal project I've had in mind since first applying to art school, and it was something I was dead set on making as soon as I enrolled. Animating the film solo was a challenge, and things looked crazy once the quarantine lockdown hit right when I was beginning its storyboard – but all that time at home under quarantine meant I could put all my energy into making the film a reality. The story I want to tell with SymBionic and its larger narrative is about the importance of kindness in the face of cruelty and having hope when the world seems to lack any. In this futuristic world of destructive industry, two who were broken find the strength in one another to rise again stronger than they ever were alone.  Deeply concerned about the steep decline of insect pollinators due to devastating environmental impacts, a group of runners trace the migration path of the monarch butterflies across three countries as they organized a 4,300 kilometre relay run, aiming to raise awareness for pollinator conservation.  Director Rodney Fuentes In January 2018, Carlotta told Rodney about her idea of running with monarchs from Peterborough to Mexico and asked him to record the journey as a documentary film. This project was a love at first sight for Rodney! As a filmmaker based in Peterborough, Rodney started the production of a documentary that covers the runners, the migration, and the communities involve in monarch’s conservation. Following his background in eco-tourism and environmental conservation, Rodney became involved with The Monarch Ultra as a co-founder, content creation, and event’s organization. http://themonarchultrafilm.com
Director Statement “As a filmmaker I saw an opportunity to explore the parallel stories of the monarchs and the runners. During the 2019 relay run, runners not only traced the migration route of monarch butterflies, but also experienced similar challenges that the monarchs face in their annual migration. The film covers the story behind the planning and execution of The Monarch Ultra and how this international relay run connects with environmental activism.”  After a profound loss, Carol dedicated her life to training service dogs for veterans with PTSD, providing them practical assistance and a renewed sense of purpose and hope.  Director Spencer Matches Spencer, a Seattle native with a lifelong passion for cinema and storytelling, draws from a background in photography as he prepares to debut his first documentary film, "A Dog Can Make A Difference," this year. His enthusiasm for inspiring and empowering others through creative expression and storytelling fuels his excitement to share this compelling story with the world.
Director Statement Filming this documentary was an extremely emotional experience for me. As a lifelong dog owner raised in a military family, the stories I captured resonated deeply with my own experiences. I hope this film tugs at the heartstrings of all who watch it, connecting them to its powerful narrative. |
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