program
Thursday
SCREENING
Thursday, June 26, 6:00 PM – 8:15 PM
Rule Breakers
Directed by Bill Guttentag
In a nation where educating girls is rebellion, a visionary woman sparks hope and opposition. Their courage ignites a movement that could transform their nation forever.
Friday
SHORT film BLOCK 1
Living Landscapes – Global, Ancestral Planes
Friday, June 27, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Keepers of The Coastline
Directed by Jeremy Charles (13 min)
Chronicles the Tolowa Dee-ni’ people’s sovereignty over ancestral fisheries, blending marine science and indigenous stewardship.
Atharaka (Kenya)
Directed by Simon Mitambo (18 min)
Explores generational ties to land, sun, soil, and culture in the Tharaka region of Kenya.
The Kelp We Breathe
Directed by Tatum Kala Davis, Natalie Aymond, Jack Phillips & Taylor Ortiz (15 min)
An immersive journey into why kelp matters—to ecosystems, identity, and human connection.
Alwe
Directed by Marcelo Silva (13 min)
A funeral story that reveals the legacy and territorial struggles of the Huilliche Mapuche in Chile.
Seeds of Sovereignty
Directed by Stuart J. Tanner (50 min)
Investigates the damage of industrial farming and champions cultural and agricultural independence.
SHORT film BLOCK 2
LIFT – Films That Leave You Lighter, Not Untouched
Friday, June 27, 11:15 AM – 1:15 PM
Wild and Bound
Directed by Shane Hernandez (4 min)
Four boys, future musicians, relive the innocent joy of youth.
Liminal Roots
Directed by Aliyah Harfoot (4 min)
A poetic meditation on identity through the lens of a biracial girl’s memories.
Barakah
Directed by Biniyam Abreha (15 min)
A mystical journey of grief, hope, and ancestral awakening.
Where We Go From Here
Directed by Mikayah Lee (6 min)
A teen girl connects with her late mother on her 16th birthday.
Manch
Directed by Tanay Shah (12 min)
An aspiring Hindi poet-turned-waiter risks everything for a dream stage.
Changing Room
Directed by Ruchir Kulkarni (12 min)
A boy's fragile self-worth unravels during a routine shopping trip.
Lili
Directed by Yannie Tan & Cyprien Fasquelle (15 min)
A bold 1960s female composer clashes with her male rival.
American Daydream
Directed by Ziyu Luo (11 min)
A daughter’s independence tests a mother’s survival as an undocumented immigrant.
He
Directed by Yihui Hu (26 min)
A teen’s world collapses when her father introduces his secret son.
FEATURE FILM
Friday, June 27, 2:45 PM – 4:45 PM
Laapataa Ladies
Directed by Kiran Rao (121 min)
A spirited comedy-drama following two young brides who accidentally get swapped on a train, revealing deeper truths about identity, freedom, and women's resilience in rural India.
SPECIAL SCREENING
Friday, June 27, 11:15 AM – 1:15 PM
Boil that Cabbage Down
Directed by Candace Williamson
(25 min)
How do we go back to the past and bring its music forward?
Against the Current – Music & Activism on the Hudson River
Directed by Ross Ferrier (60 min)
The re-emergence of the Hudson River is one of the great environmental stories of our time, and it could not have happened without folk music's accompanying emotional energy. Set alongside a canoe journey with musicians in late summer 2024, this is a story of music and a river.
SHORT + FEATURE SCREENING
Friday, June 27, 7:30 PM – 9:45 PM
Dream Door
Directed by Rishav Rajesh Raman (14 min)
A poor Indian boy sets out to buy a new door, seeking safety in a precarious world.
Paper Flowers
Directed by Mahesh Pailoor (100 min)
A powerful true story of Shalin Shah, whose terminal diagnosis led him to live, love, and inspire.
Saturday
SHORT film BLOCK 3
The Wonder Within – Stories of Overcoming
Saturday, June 28, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
The "Perfect" Girl
Directed by Alivia Lace Levie (1 min)
“The “Perfect” Girl touches on the topics of mental health, getting in our own way, and feeling the external pressure from the media and those around us to play a specific role in society.
New Horizon
Directed by Moiz Kaihanfar (9 min)
An immigrant couple’s quiet triumph in pursuit of the American dream.
Minding Shadows
Directed by Jenn Lindsay (20 min)
A heartfelt journey of forgiveness in the wake of loss.
Legend Has It: The Remarkable Rise of Stephen McCain
Directed by Hisonni Mustafa (16 min)
An Olympic gymnast’s inspiring rise from adversity to excellence.
Women of Wonder / Meghan
Directed by Gina Roda and Stephen Laurence Harvey (26 min)
A tribute to resilience and inner strength.
Waiting on a Punch
Directed by Victoria Wilcox (5 min)
After beating Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Steven “WOP” Williams fights for a spot on the U.S. Olympic boxing team.
Tiger
Directed by Miles Butcher (15 min)
A reformed criminal must grapple the mistakes of his past when his son comes to stay.
Living UNDONE
Directed by Amanda Kasmira Cryer (26 min)
A powerful short film that transcends political divides: the stories of individuals and their families reveal the harsh realities of a criminal justice system that stigmatizes rather than rehabilitates, urging society to confront its complicity and advocate for a future where healing, understanding, and second chances are possible for all.
Short Film Block 4
LIFT – Films That Leave You Lighter, Not Untouched
Saturday, June 28, 12:45 PM – 2:45 PM
Never Silly
Simone Bartesaghi (11 min)
Two students in crisis connect unexpectedly in a quiet classroom, reshaping each other’s outlook.
Dede is Dead
Directed by Philippe Kastner (8 min)
A boy navigates the grief of losing his beloved dog, Dede, and learns that love lingers even in absence.
It’s Easy to Forget
Yamile Abuid (9 min)
A flawed but loving father fights to give his daughter one last day before separation.
Emit
Yiwei Xie (10 min)
Three creatives risk everything on the brink of a live broadcast redemption.
Ura
Abrielle Kung-En Kuo (15 min)
Two lovers seek escape and identity in a judgmental world.
La Cumbia / Soma
Carlos Carlos Jr. (15 min)
A Muxe woman and a trans-masc documentarian discover intimacy amid activism.
Doori
Sparsh Banerjee (19 mins)
A grieving father and his estranged son must face the ghosts of their past to mend the wounds that keep them apart.
Fear and Tremble
Alci Rengifo (11 min)
CIA interrogation of a Salvadoran poet exposes idealism, loyalty, and betrayal.
Baraye
Daniella Raphaël (5 min)
An Iranian woman dreams of dancing freely to an anthem of protest.
Courage
Eric Michael Hernandez (11 min)
A Native American boy finds his identity through the sacred art of Hoop Dance.
Feature Film
Saturday, June 28, 7:15 PM
The Performance
Directed by Shira Piven (112 min)
A gifted Jewish tap dancer is recruited to perform in 1930s Berlin. Based on Arthur Miller’s short story, the film is a haunting reflection on art, oppression, and resistance.
Please note: "The Performance" is Rated R for language, thematic content, and brief sexual references. Viewer discretion is advised.
