Woods Hole Film Festival 2015 Short Films in Competition
Woods Hole Film Festival 2015 Short Films
1994
By Adem Suljic
In a tale of survival, compassion, and loss, a young boy in war torn Bosnia is forced to fend for his life by evading his sadistic captors. USA, 2014
“San Quentin Inside”
By S. Kramer Herzog
Award winning filmmaker S. Kramer Herzog’s documentary “San Quentin Inside”, presents a rare inside look at sports in prison. USA, 2015
A Song for Manzanar
By Kazuko Golden, Matt Ohlson, P E
Based on a true story, A SONG FOR MANZANAR is based on one chapter of a forthcoming novel written by author and educator Yosh Golden. It is set in 1945 Manzanar Japanese American Internment Camp and is about a young mother, Sachie, who is driven to instill hope in her playful son while try to communicate with her sister Hiroko who still lives in Hiroshima. Although not physically together, the sisters write letters to each other and through the Japanese childhood folk song, ‘The Crow’ they maintain hope that one they will be reunited. The film is by Yosh’s daughter Kazuko Golden and is about her mother Yosh who was born in Manzanar and her grandmother Sachie, the main protagonist in the film. USA, 2014
Adjust-A-Dream
By Jonathan Wysocki
Trust issues are tested as a gay male couple shop for their first mattress. USA, 2014
Alive to Possibility
By Jonathan Keijser
Can one’s perception of a situation change the situation itself? “Alive To Possibility” is the uplifting story of three men from vastly different backgrounds and how each has chosen to be “alive to possibility” when facing the road bumps of life. USA, 2014
Auto-Cowrecked
By Hannah Leder
A man’s life is turned upside-down by a rogue auto-correct. USA, 2015
Birthday
By Chris King
When a young military wife gets news that her Marine husband has been severely wounded in combat, she discovers that life ahead for them is going to be a difficult and yet amazing journey. USA, 2015
Bis Gleich
By Benjamin Wolff
An unspoken connection between two elderly neighbors, who share a daily ritual but who have never actually met, deepens when they face the inevitable…together. Germany, USA, 2014
Blind Date
By Rob Rotondo
After falling for a guy she just met, a young blind woman goes to great lengths in an effort to see for the first time. USA, 2015
Come Away With Me
By Ellen Gerstein
Torn apart by war and misunderstanding, a women finds the courage to go to her high school reunion with the hopes of rekindling the romance with her one true love. USA, 2015
Commonwealth
By Ian Curran
A detective searches for a killer in this noir-inspired short. USA, 2013
Cops and Robbers
By Marco Ragozzino
Eddie is frustrated. He’s a ‘typecast’ actor, playing a cop in over a dozen films and TV shows. In a bold act of defiance against his agent (Tim Bagley), Eddie takes drastic measures to land his dream role: a homicidal psycho killer. But can Hollywood see Eddie as anything more than the kind, lovable guy he is? USA, 2015
COWS (Moosic Video)
By Sandra Boynton
A simple and stylish animation by Sandra Boynton. The song ‘COWS’ – an all-out Broadway number performed by sincere yet overambitious bovines – was written by Boynton with Michael Ford, and is the bestselling track on the wildly popular platinum-selling Boynton/Ford album PHILADELPHIA CHICKENS. The song is performed by The Seldom Herd (an enthusiastic fictitious group.) USA, 2014
Cracked
By Adria Tennor
A nine-year-old girl tries in vain to connect with her awkward ten-year-old uncle, until her grandmother unwittingly turns an unfortunate mishap into an opportunity for her to bravely win her uncle’s trust and friendship forever. USA, 2015
Crooked Candy
By Andrew Rodgers
‘Crooked Candy’ is a 6-minute documentary short film about Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs. Kinder eggs are hugely popular all around the world but (oddly) illegal in the United States thanks to a quirk in FDA regulations. The film profiles someone who smuggles the eggs across the Canadian border and has even been caught by border patrol. USA, 2014
Dirty Laundry
By Jessica Martin
A Congressman gets caught in a compromising position, and a mysterious fixer is brought in to set him straight. USA, 2014
Double Negative
By Brian Dilg
A stubborn twelve year old boy looking for answers to his father’s mysterious death finds more than he bargained for when he stumbles into the back yard of a foul-mouthed English teacher on a post-divorce bender. USA, 2015
Eating Out
By Al Sutton
A couple goes out to dinner. You think it’s easy? USA, 2013
Falling to Pieces
By Vivian Connolly, Chris Connolly
When young widow Cassandra seeks out the recipients of her husband’s organs, each meeting proves more disastrous than the last. USA, 2015
February
By Siar Sedig
During a date a man loses himself in the compelling stories of a woman about freedom. Something beautiful occurs between the two, but the woman is more than she seems. Based on a true life story February shares the voice of a young woman. Netherlands, 2014
Figs for Italo
By Bob Celli
A world at war. A brother and sister. A day that changed their family forever. USA, 2015
Food for Thought, Food for Life
By Susan Rockefeller
We want our food fast, convenient and cheap, but at what cost? As farms become supersized our environment suffers and so does the quality of our food. FOOD FOR THOUGHT, FOOD FOR LIFE wants to start a revolution in the food system. This film will be a conversation starter inspiring us to think differently about what we eat, and to make changes that will positively impact our health, our earth and our communities. A driving and optimistic soundtrack by the indie band Cloud Cult punctuates interviews with such visionaries as poet Wendell Berry, chef Dan Barber, and guerilla urban gardener Ron Finley. Viewers will be inspired by the fast-paced infographics, stories of change, and left with a real-time ‘what you can do right now’ message. USA, 2014
For Ofelia,
By Christopher de las Alas
A rebellious young boy, living in 1960’s Philippines, struggles against his mother’s obsession with dressing up her sons as girls so that he may gain acceptance from the community and the affection of the prettiest girl in school. USA, 2014
Girl’s Bike
By Jim Ford
A silent short film told in just six words. USA, 2014
Goatscaping
By Elizabeth Witham
Kristen Fauteux from Sheriff’s Meadow, a conservation organization, teams up with Rebecca Gilbert and Randy Ben David from Native Earth Teaching Farm for a fun an effective way to keep the invasives at bay at Cedar Tree Neck. USA, 2015
Gone Fishing
By Noah Millman
A man goes fishing on a secluded lake, thinking he’s alone – until he spots another boat. When a bare leg stretches up and waves at him, his mind runs wild fantasizing who it might be. He investigates – and learns too late that though you may think you are the fisherman, sometimes you are the fish. USA, 2014
Healing History
By Kristin Alexander
African American performance artist and educator, Mwalimu Melodye Micere Van Putten teaches traditional African principles and values to children and adults in USA and Bermuda. Using movement poetry and music, Mwalimu brings excitement and joy to students while instilling a sense of motivation, self-esteem and pride in their heritage. Her work highlights the positive psychological benefits of an African centered education for all people.
Mwalimu’s poetry and performance with drummer Thomas Lowery intertwine throughout the film. Mwalimu’s students forge confidence as they learn about their African heritage. Through music and poetry the ancient empires and inventors, often forgotten in the history in the U.S., are brought to life. Children are taught they are descendents of genius, and are desperately needed in the world today. She brought the work to Bermuda, where it became Ashay Rights of Passage, and adults learn about their ancestors to counter the negative effects of a fractured history. USA, 2015
His Last Game
By Avery Rimer
Two brothers take a drive and notice a myriad of small, beautiful things rendered all the more exquisite by the older brother’s terminal illness. USA, 2015
Home
By Jennifer Potts
A homeless man must overcome the demons in his head to find his way home. USA, 2014
Home Range
By Natalia Kaniasty
Bobby, an emotionally withdrawn veteran, returns to his rural Pennsylvania hometown where he struggles to reconnect with his hunting buddies and former sweetheart. USA, 2015
Impact, a boxer’s story
By Keith Rivers
A tragic incident stalled Malagamali’i D’hue’s career in boxing. Impact follows the story of one man’s fight to persevere, and the strength we find within our idols. USA, 2014
INDISPENSABLE SHIFT – Fukushima, Tip of the iceberg
By Yoko Kubota
This film talks about the current situation of the Fukushima Nuclear disaster and the problems in the Nuclear Power Industry worldwide. Can the global community come together to protect humanity as we face this critical issue? USA, 2014
Jack Is Pretty
By Jarek Zabczynski
Amid the chaos and instability of growing up with neglectful parents, and enduring the taunting of a bully, a little girl strikes out on her own to find order, happiness, and an understanding of the world around her. As the dangers surrounding her come closing in, her world brightens when she finds the solace of friendship and love with an old, discarded Jack In The Box. USA, 2015
Ketchup Kid
By Patrick Vollrath
11 years old PAUL lives in his own world. When one day he meets a desperate boy named Aleksandar, he realizes that it’s easier to walk ones life’s path with a friend rather than alone. Austria, 2013
Maurice
By Francois Jaros
Everything would be fine. Maurice had made up his mind. He had made a list: pick a date, announce his retirement, sell the car, see old friends, and empty the garage. Then, die with dignity. Canada, 2014
Mojave Junction
By Christian Jean
Mojave Junction is a supernatural western, set in the sun-baked desolation of the Mojave Desert in 1899. McTeague (Race Owen), a scoundrel with selfish intentions, absconds with a treasure of stolen gold only to be tracked down by Marcus (Ed Marinaro), a wiry ‘ole prospector whose impulsiveness far outweighs his intelligence. Take the thrill ride as these epic adversaries clash in a battle of wills, and recoil in horror as something sinister lurking among the dunes delivers a final judgment on their greed. USA, 2014
Moons
By Liesje Kraai
A little dog lost in space. USA, 2013
Muck
By Sonya Quayle
Murray and Babs live on an isolated farm. Their sheep graze the surrounding wind-bleached moors. They have a long, if not completely happy marriage, which 21 years ago produced Billy. Billy is autistic and it’s the 1950s. To most people Billy is a child trapped in a man’s body. Murray like the doctors does not really understand him. While Billy can help with manual jobs, he requires regular attention. For Murray, the time has come for Billy to move on. Babs is aghast and Billy grows anxious at the prospect of leaving the farm, family and pet pig he is so attached to. As Murray prepares the pig for market, a horrific incident forces Babs into a terrible life changing choice: husband or son. United Kingdom, 2014
My Kingdom
By Debra Solomon
An animated, musical, not-so-meditative meditation on the nature of personal space… USA, 2014
Need for Speed (Dating)
By Mary Nighy
The award winning Imagination Series short film series returns with Academy Award-Winning Writer Geoffrey Fletcher’s new script. One of Five Films based on the same outline script, Need for Speed (Dating) is a touching and light-hearted comedy featuring Nate, Polly and their perfect relationship: There’s a problem though — their relationship is just a dream. Polly tries to find her dream date at a speed-dating event. But can anyone live up to her dream boyfriend? USA, United Kingdom, 2014
Neighborhoods
By Marcus Castillo
In the Somali neighborhood of Minneapolis, Akbar and Aisha pick up their one time friend Sharif from jail; but he only wants to meet up with the same people that got him arrested. USA, 2014
No Headache Tonight
By Audrey Noone
A straight guy finds out what it’s like to be gay in a car.
No Road
By Nic Barker
Sue is waiting for Phil to come home. Australia, 2013
One Hitta Quitta
By Ya’Ke
A teenage boy’s addiction to Internet violence, leads him to act out violently himself. USA, 2015
Open 24 Hours
By Henry Chaisson
A contract killer gets more than he bargained for after a pit stop at the convenience store. USA, 2015
Pepper and The Salt Sea
By Don Downie
Pepper is an oceanic photographer whose life’s work was washed away by Superstorm Sandy. Devastated by the sea she loved, she puts down her camera forever. Late one night, Pepper encounters a young woman on the streets of Brooklyn – naked, soaking wet, and in need of her help. Only once she realizes she has brought home a mermaid, does Pepper discover that the sea — and her dreams — aren’t done with her yet. Pepper and the Salt Sea is a magical realism fable about holding on to your dreams against all odds. USA, 2015
Reading in Bed
By Andrew Eckel
A couple happily reading in bed runs into a few problems. This hand-drawn, marker-on-paper animation was filmed using 1,150 drawings by 21 animators, which were alternately lit by a pair of lamps and a set of flashlights shining through crystals and reflecting off of mirror balls. USA, 2014
Rebuilding Alvin
By Kelly L. King, Geoff Boothby
It’s the only deep-diving research submersible in the United States, and nearly 50 years after its first expedition it’s getting an upgrade. Take an exclusive tour of the Alvin submarine, and see how the updated vessel is continuing to push the boundaries of deep-water exploration. Filmed in Woods Hole and on the open ocean. This film was created for Wired, The Window series and was co-directed by Kelly L. King and Geoff Boothby– USA, 2014
Riding My Way Back
By Robin Fryday, Peter Rosenbaum
“Riding My Way Back” is a feature documentary that chronicles one soldier’s journey back from the brink of suicide. In 2010, Staff Sergeant Aaron Helicker returned from deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), in addition to third-degree burns and nerve damage from a roadside bomb. At his most desperate and isolated, on 42 medications and suicidal, Aaron is introduced to the unlikeliest of saviors: a horse named Fred. Through caring for Fred and building mutual trust, Aaron begins the difficult process of reconnecting to the world around him and healing the terrible, invisible wounds of war that had nearly defeated him. USA, 2014
Rockers
By Marnie Crawford Samuelson
Plastic Wonder horses – an icon of childhoods past – age together in a farmer’s field. They are a metaphor for graceful acceptance of the beauty and pathos of life’s last chapter. USA, 2015
Scrabble
By Cristian Sulser
‘Scrabble’ addresses the secret desire to break out of the routine of a loveless relationship and illuminates with irony the depths of humanity behind a traditional facade – using a simple board game. Once the first rush of love in a relationship has passed and the daily routine has set in, the point comes where you want to feel free again. Theo lives just such a dull routine in his allotment shed, his passion for his wife Barbara long gone. In secret, he imagines what it would be like to get away from this bleak, empty existence with Barbara. Their weekly Scrabble game presents unexpected opportunities – is it possible that a few simple letters could bring Theo`s dark fantasies to reality? That a chosen word determines fate? Is it possible to murder Barbara? Switzerland, 2014
Scream Box
By Katie Blair
A trained opera singer stuck in an office job takes one last stab at her dream. But she faces an unexpected obstacle before her final audition. USA, 2014
Seduction Theory
By Steven Ascher
SEDUCTION THEORY is a dark comedy about a wry 12-year old contending with his psychoanalyst father; the teachings of Sigmund Freud and the girl he hopes will save him. USA, 2014
Seeding a Dream
By Bridget Besaw
SEEDING A DREAM: Sheepscot General Store & Uncas Farm A famously fertile piece of land that had produced food for centuries—and once boasted its own store—had been protected with an agricultural easement, ensuring that it could never be developed into house lots; but there was no guarantee that it would ever be actively farmed again. With the financial help of the landowner, young farmers Ben and Taryn Marcus revitalize the farm and transform the store into a thriving community food hub; yet they live with little security to show for all their toil. SEEDING A DREAM helps us realize the value that young farmers bring to our communities and better understand the challenges these farmers face. USA, 2014
SHADOWS – Saving the Rain Forest
By Isaac Kerlow
An unexpected ally helps the villagers to save the rain forest from a band of intruders. Singapore, Spain, USA, 2014
Signing
By Gina Catalfo Nelson
A heartwarming teenage love story about trust and accepting others for exactly who they are. Noah begins to fall in love with his new neighbor Becky, only to find out she has a secret. USA, 2015
Slow Burn
By Stephen Martin
Stan Bukowski struggles with the release of his son’s murderer from prison. Wanting revenge is a given…seeing it through is not. USA, 2014
Song of the Whale
By Richard Moos
Follow the International Fund for Animal Welfare on their purpose-built research vessel, the Song Of The Whale, to the whale feeding and nursing grounds off the coast of Massachusetts. They join a team from NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) to undertake a first of its kind project to collect a full 24 hours of data from tagged humpback whales. The mission is to learn what these magnificent creatures, especially mother and calf pairs, do at night below the surface. USA, 2013
Spearhunter
By Adam Roffman, Luke Poling
Deep in the wilds of rural Alabama, a spear-hunter proclaims himself the world’s greatest and erects a museum dedicated to his own bizarre obsession. In this atmospheric and darkly funny documentary, an offbeat cast of lovers, acolytes, and critics of the megalomaniacal spear-hunter remember his distinctive tactics both for killing and for leaving a legacy. USA, 2014
Straight Eye for the Gay Guy
By Mary Lou Belli
Gavin has a problem, at least according to the only two gay students he knows at school: he’s not the right kind of gay. So where does he turn for help in ‘fixing’ himself? His straight friend, Drew, of course, who gives him sage advice. USA, 2015
Tadaima
By Robin Takao D’Oench
After the closure of the US Internment Camps at the end of World War II, a Japanese American family returns home and must find the strength to rebuild both their house and family amidst the emotional and physical destruction caused by the war. USA, 2015
The Answers
By Michael Goode
Immediately after his death, the victim of a car crash gets answers to every question he’s ever had about his life, including the most import one of all – what did it all mean? USA, 2014
The Bad Boy of Bowling
By Bryan Storkel
Pete Weber is the self-declared ‘bad boy of bowling’ and the first rock star of the sport. As one USA Today writer put it, ‘He’s the greatest show in bowling. Or, depending on how you judge him, he’s a giant black eye on a sport constantly searching for respect.’ This ESPN ’30 for 30′ short documentary tells the story of the past, present and future of bowling through the eyes of it’s most colorful and controversial character, Pete Weber. USA, 2015
The Ballad of Holland Island House
By Lynn Tomlinson
Animated clay paintings tell the true story of the last house on a sinking island in the Chesapeake Bay, a large and important estuary and waterway in Maryland, on the East Coast of the United States. In an Old-Time Music ballad, the house sings of its life and the creatures it has sheltered during its lifetime journey from tree, to timber, to home, to an ultimate return to nature. It contemplates time, environmental change, and the rise of the seas. USA, 2014
The Bravest, the Boldest
By Moon Molson
A young mother in a Harlem housing project realizes the arrival of two uniformed soldiers brings news she can’t bring herself to accept. USA, 2014
The Fallen Phoenix
By Gwen Barriac, Heather Larkin
‘The Fallen Phoenix’ is the story of an established composer who struggles to write a masterpiece that pleases both himself and his sponsor. Ultimately, he realizes he has to choose between staying true to his art and pleasing those around him. The fable of the Phoenix is used as a framework for the story. Though the Phoenix may fall in flames, his music lives on triumphantly! The story is told without any spoken words, using music and images alone. USA, 2015
The Heebie-Jeebies
By Todd Slawsby
After hearing a scary bedtime story, a young boy and girl become convinced they have monsters under their beds. They may be right… USA, 2014
The Mill at Calder’s End
By Kevin McTurk
In the remote village of Calder’s End stands an old windmill, a repository of dark secrets. Nicholas Grimshaw has returned to this haunted place, his childhood home, intent on breaking a generations old family curse. Grimshaw’s journey takes him deep below the decaying mill, into mysterious, forgotten catacombs, where upon he confronts the very source of the evil that has corrupted his family. The Mill at Calder’s End is a gothic tale inspired by the tales of Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, and M.R. James and is told with the use of 36 inch tall bunraku rod puppets operated by puppeteers dressed in black. USA, 2014
The Necklace
By Joan Stein-Schimke, Gia McKenna
A mother’s love is ever present. USA, 2013
The Nike Chariot Earring
By Karen Audette
A half-century ago a priceless treasure was stolen from the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. This is the remarkable story of its recovery and the woman who found it. USA, 2015
The Other Side
By Scott Brown
Work is hard, love is tough, and bullets are cheap. At a perilous crossroads in their relationship, Kate and Abby find themselves embroiled in a botched burial job in the desert. Pitted against each other, a bloodthirsty gang of meth-heads, and bodies that just won’t stay dead, our lovers must face the ultimate trial to prove themselves worthy in the face of imminent danger, death…and chicken. USA, 2015
The Stones of the Quarries
By Rob Apse
The Stones of the Quarries is a short documentary connecting historians, nature preservers, and quarry workers to the world of granite quarrying in northern Massachusetts. An industry that once encapsulated Cape Ann in the 1800s until the great depression, leaves behind traces of its history not only in the quarries themselves but in the roads, bridges, monuments and buildings that helped rebuild America after the American Revolutionary and Civil Wars, stretching from Massachusetts to as far south as New Orleans Louisiana. Maybe even in your own town. USA, 2014
The Walk
By Alonso Alvarez Barreda
In the harshness of the Arizona desert, a father and his son will be forced to decide between making their dream come true, or saving a live. USA, 2014
The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow
By Timothy Bradley
The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow showcases five acclaimed singer-songwriters hailing from Western Massachusetts and their four-day roadshow throughout the Commonwealth in a fun, lively and engaging way. Through the interviews, performances and experiences captured while on the road, the goal is to feature the musical talents birthing from Western Mass and ultimately reveal the true warmth and beauty of what the Treaty represents: the confluence of music and people and its powerful effect on our shared experiences. The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow is a showcase of the hidden talents of Western Massachusetts, music collaborations, friendship, and the love we show for our community. USA, 2015
Theodora
By Henry Chaisson, Travis Bogosian
Theodora makes dinner for a friend. USA, 2015
Think Ink
By Wally Chung
An animated film about outcasts and acceptance, a la psychology inkblots. USA, 2014
Tick Tock
By Zeynep Kocak
The beautiful thing is not the goal you achieve, it is the road that takes you there with hope! Turkey, 2015
Tomgirl
By Jeremy Asher Lynch
Girls play with dolls and boys love sports, right? This film takes a look at what happens when those stereotypes are called into question. Jake, a lovable gender non-conforming seven year- old, invites us into his world to explore the transforming power that love and support can have when young children are accepted for who they really are. USA, 2015
Touching Memory
By Megan Durnford
Touching Memory is a short poetic documentary film about an innovative therapeutic garden in Massachusetts.
Following a distinguished career at Harvard University and McLean Hospital, Psychologist Dr. Sebastiano Santostefano founded the Institute for Child and Adolescent Development (ICAD) in 1992. The focal point of this centre was a unique garden composed of landscape features that could be interpreted in different ways. For instance, one patient viewed a small hill as a gravesite whereas another patient viewed the same hill as a pregnant belly. Dr Santostefano hoped that each landscape feature would evoke a broad range of emotions.
The ICAD garden is the culmination of Dr Santostefano’s lifelong efforts to incorporate the natural world into clinical practice. Despite ridicule and a lack of support, Dr Santostefano always found a way to bring his patients outdoors so that they could “touch” their memories, and thereby initiate the healing process.
About 10 years ago, due to reduced funding, the Institute for Child and Adolescent Development and its unique garden were demolished. Touching Memory is the filmmakers attempt to bring this singular garden back to life via photos, architectural plans, and an interview with Dr Santostefano. Canada, 2015
Traction
By Rory Uphold
‘How do you know that Adam and Eve weren’t black?…’ An awkward comedy about first dates, race, and racism. USA, 2015
Tumble Dry Low
By Jefferson Stein
A little girl and her father deal with loss in East Texas. USA, 2014
War
By Ted Ryan
A young boy moments before for the bombing.
Weed
By Stephen Kaiser-Pendergrast
While spending the weekend with his estranged son, a man who can sense the thoughts and feelings of plants encounters a menacing, dangerous weed. USA, 2015
World Spins Madly On
By Jeremy Hammel
World Spins Madly On is a fun and quirky film about a two people who need a little help from the Universe to find each other. USA, 2015
Worst Day #3
By Brynn Thayer, Shahaub Roudbari
After too many drugs, too much fun and way too much random sex in the late 60’s, a woman admits her deep desire for normalcy and bears her soul to the love of her life. USA, 2014
You’re Breaking Up
By Mandy Fabian
An eager bride overhears a disturbing conversation on her wedding day that forces her to make a life-changing decision. USA, 2015
