THE UNIVERSE ACCORDING TO DAN BUCKLEY (CANADA) BY ROBERTO SANTAGUIDA

Synopsis: in the beginning, there was nothing. You can get nothing easily. Running time: 00:09:30

Selections/awards: Flickers' Rhode Island IFF, Athens Intl Film and Video Fest, Aesthetica Short FF, IndieCork, Atlanta FF, Jaipur IFF, Oaxaca FF, South London Shorts, Sweden Film Awards, El Paso FF, Girona FF, Canberra Mental Health FF, and more.

About the director: Since completing his studies in film production at Concordia University, Roberto Santaguida’s films and videos have been shown at more than 300 international festivals. Roberto is the recipient of the K.M. Hunter Artist Award and a fellowship from Akademie Schloss Solitude in Germany.

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OBTUSION (USA) BY NATHAN COWLES

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Synopsis: In this minuscule yet heart wrenching documentary short, Obtusion follows an older brother as he interviews his sister, 4 months after she was diagnosed with anorexia, body dysmorphia and an eating disorder. On the verge of legally having to go to a facility, he tries to untangle his sister's inner voices and find out why she refuses to get better, as well as connect with her on a much need emotional level. Combining stark imagery and haunting insight, Obtusion not only showcases what this dreaded illness does to the victim, but how it emotionally impacts their loved ones as well. Running time: 00:12:51.

About the director: Nathan Cowles is a young indie filmmaker from Phoenix, Arizona. Creating his first feature length film in 2012, and responsible for the creation of over 100 short films during his elementary school years, he began his true filmmaking journey within Willow Canyon High School and their film program. Nathan became one of the highest ranked students in the film program, creating a multitude of short films, and ranking in a statewide competition with his short film "Pulsating". After graduating in 2021 amidst the Covid outbreak, he is continuing to create short films and write scripts for upcoming projects.

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J&S AUTO (USA) BY GRACE JUNG

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Synopsis: J&S Auto follows a day in the life of Joe Iwama—a 99-year-old Japanese American auto mechanic in Los Angeles who has been opening his auto shop every morning since 1949. In this portrait verité documentary, Joe narrates his life as an Asian American working-class immigrant about the California farm life, his family’s incarceration at Japanese “internment” camps, and the middle-minority life he encountered as an Asian between white and Black neighborhoods. This film follows the rhythm of an Asian American who has an intimate tie to the shop he has been a part of for over 70 years, and embodies nearly a century’s worth of experiences as an émigré, camp survivor, small business owner, father and an Angeleno. Running time: 00:13:49.

About the director: Grace Jung is a filmmaker, writer and comedian based in Los Angeles. She holds a PhD in Cinema and Media Studies from UCLA. Grace produced the feature documentary “A-Town Boyz” (post-production), and is the screenwriter of “Billo” (2009). She is the author of “Deli Ideology” and a former Fulbright scholar.

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I WON’T REMAIN ALONE (IRAN) BY YASER TALEBI

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Synopsis: An old disabled couple living in a small village in the northern part of Iran, face an unfathomable tragedy when their youngest son falls into a coma after an accident. Defying the Islamic traditions of burial, overcoming problems of red tape, and turning devastation into hope, the parents agree to donate their son’s organs. Five years after their brave decision, a film crew visits them and records their slow path of reconciliation with death – or rather, their acquaintance with eternal life. Running time: 00:15:00.

Selections/awards: Tehran Int Short FF, Mammoth Lakes FF, Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, Viewpoint Documentary FF, and more.

About the director: Yaser Talebi (1982, Northern Iran) is a film director, producer, screenwriter, and editor who has also made his name as a creative director. Yaser is a member of the Iranian Documentary Filmmakers Association (IRDFA), and his films have been screened at festivals worldwide and won numerous awards.

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IN THE ASHES OF MEMORY (USA) BY RIN JUNG

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Synopsis: A two-part video essay and documentary. In the first part, the filmmaker narrates an essay on how to read trauma as a “missing history” while visually revealing their own trauma and stories. The filmmaker interviews several people to share their memories and trauma that they want to process and cope with. In the second part, the filmmaker - who is also a tattoo artist - prescribes tattoo designs based on the stories told while explaining why tattoos matter in the individual’s relationship with their trauma and body. Incorporating Dialectical Behavioral Therapy approach in the interviews, the filmmaker comes from the ‘Wise Mind’ to design the tattoos. Also inspired by Korean shamanistic talismans called Bujeok which is used to bridge or intervene, the filmmaker tattoos the participants with these designs, that becomes both a mark to remind them of their strength and a reclamation of their bodies. Running time:00:15:53.

About the director: Rin Jung is an artist, filmmaker, and writer from Korea. They make art and write in extensive genres and mediums to capture and remember unspoken stories and memories through personal and political narratives. They are currently studying Comparative Literature at Cornell University.

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TO AMERICA (USA) BY ARYA JO SINGH

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Synopsis: In an effort to defend her “American-ness”, an Indian-American teenager writes a poem about her dual identity. Running time: 00:04:24.

About the director: Arya Singh is currently a sophomore at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts studying Film and Television. She grew up in New Jersey and has a passion for creating narrative and documentary work.

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GENERATION 328 (BELARUS) BY VERANIKA NIKANAVA

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Synopsis: A group of mothers defy Europe’s last dictatorship, fighting to free their children from draconian sentences in brutal Belarusian prisons. Running time: 00:18:35.

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Selections/awards: Brussels Independent FF, Woodstock FF, DOC NYC, Anchorage IFF, Ghent Viewpoint Documentary FF, St. John's Int Women's FF, Tallgrass IFF, Jacksonville FF.

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About the director: Veranika Nikanava is a Belarus-born actress, filmmaker, and activist. She died on 25 July 2019 in an attempt to cross Teklanika river in Alaska at the age of 24. Nika was deeply concerned about the situation with human rights and liberties in her homeland. She was an active member of a Belarusian community in New York, where she lived since 2017. “Generation 328” is her last film project.

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