MVFF47 - RSVP Guide

“I had my ups and downs, but I always find the inner strength to pull myself up.” In this shorts program, we present a collection of true-life tales about extraordinary individuals and cultural changemakers from around the world. There hasn’t been a lesbian bar in San Francisco for almost a decade but Bay Area filmmakers Meg Shutzer and Brandon Yadegari Moreno’s Mother (US 2023, 23 min) introduces us to Malia Spanyol, a self-identified dyke who sets out to build one for the next generation of women and femmes. In the thought-provoking Alok (US 2024, 19 min), director Alex Hedison delivers a compelling portrait of Alok Vaid-Menon, the internationally acclaimed nonbinary author, poet, comedian, and public speaker who challenges societal norms and explores the limitless expression of self. Sarah Klein and Tom Mason’s Out of the Dark: Cal Calamia (US 2024, 8 min) provides an intimate look at the journey of professional athlete Cal Calamia, a transgender marathon runner who’s advocating for inclusion in the running world. Part memoir-style reflection and part prayer, Kirhi Nath’s Paramita (2024, 24 min) reveals Prajna Paramita Choudhury’s 25-year coming out process with her traditional Bangladeshi mother employing Buddhist practices and nature as gateways for intergenerational healing.

Expected In Person Guest

“Tell me how should I feel when I know what I know.” This international collection is a vivid exploration of families who are confronted with some very harsh truths. In Marek Čermák's Everything Will Be OK Again (Czech Republic 2023, 20 min), a mother must come to terms with her son’s character when he unexpectedly makes the local news. In Juan Paulo Laserna’s Not My Name (Colombia 2024, 19 min), a family goes on a treacherous road trip when their country is beset by political violence. In Drew McCoy and Anthony Gilmore’s There Will Be Hurt (US 2024, 18 min), the release from prison of a man responsible for a young woman’s death sets her family reeling with its own set of questions and struggles. And in Talia Light Rake’s The Captives (US 2024, 14 min), a mother and daughter learn some surprising insights when they have a candid face-to-face. These stories remind us that a family’s complex dynamics can strike some very familiar chords.

Expected In Person Guest

“Can you hold my hands and be my guide? Clouds filled with stars cover your skies.” This documentary shorts program reflects on the value of intergenerational community, love, and activism. In Yoontaek Hong’s Sunchong (US 2024, 14 min), an 89-year-old Korean immigrant who volunteers at a senior center reflects on his life’s journey with his beloved wife. An Indigenous women’s motorcycle group rides to end the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women while a member of their community searches for a missing sister in Prairie Rose Seminole and Katrina Lillian Sorrentino’s We Ride for Her (US 2023, 18 min). Derek Knowles’ The Bird Rescue Center (US 2023, 13 min) captures the people at a Northern California bird rescue who give wildlife a second chance. In Loren Waters’ ᏗᏂᏠᎯ ᎤᏪᏯ (Meet Me at the Creek) (US 2023, 9 min), a Cherokee Nation citizen, a Waterkeeper Warrior, leads the effort to restore Oklahoma’s Tar Creek. From Iowa to Guam, an aspiring costume designer visits their homeland to make costumes for a children’s theater and reconnect with distanced parents in Hao Zhou’s Wouldn’t Make It Any Other Way (US 2024, 20 min).

Expected In Person Guest

“Can you hold my hands and be my guide? Clouds filled with stars cover your skies.” This documentary shorts program reflects on the value of intergenerational community, love, and activism. In Yoontaek Hong’s Sunchong (US 2024, 14 min), an 89-year-old Korean immigrant who volunteers at a senior center reflects on his life’s journey with his beloved wife. An Indigenous women’s motorcycle group rides to end the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women while a member of their community searches for a missing sister in Prairie Rose Seminole and Katrina Lillian Sorrentino’s We Ride for Her (US 2023, 18 min). Derek Knowles’ The Bird Rescue Center (US 2023, 13 min) captures the people at a Northern California bird rescue who give wildlife a second chance. In Loren Waters’ ᏗᏂᏠᎯ ᎤᏪᏯ (Meet Me at the Creek) (US 2023, 9 min), a Cherokee Nation citizen, a Waterkeeper Warrior, leads the effort to restore Oklahoma’s Tar Creek. From Iowa to Guam, an aspiring costume designer visits their homeland to make costumes for a children’s theater and reconnect with distanced parents in Hao Zhou’s Wouldn’t Make It Any Other Way (US 2024, 20 min).

Expected In Person Guest

“You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you.” In this program Indigenous filmmakers embody this belief expressed by Vice President Kamala Harris in their explorations of how, where, and who we came from informs the person we are today. Phumi Morare’s Why The Cattle Wait (South Africa 2024, 21 min) is the intimate tale of a goddess who tries to win back the affection of her former lover who has moved on in life without her. Three generations of women in a Sámi family have connected over time through practicing joik—a Sámi oral tradition that combines music and storytelling in Radio-Jus Sunná, Sunná Nousuniemi, Guhtur Niillas Rita Duomis, and Tuomas Kumpulaine’s Áhkuin (Finland 2024, 19 min). Filmmaker Lansana Mansaray documents his returns home in From God to Man (Ma ŋaye ka Masaala a se ka Wɔmɛti) (Sierra Leone 2024, 15 min). In Laha Mebow’s coming-of-age film TAYAL FOREST CLUB (Taiwan 2024, 19 min), it’s through the help of their ancestors that two Atayal teens manage to find not only their way home but also themselves. Rana Nazzal Hamadeh’s We Would Be Freer (Canada/Palestine 2023, 9 min) reflects on the connection between colonization and nature through the use of sumac by a Palestinian refugee and a woman from the Mohawk community of Kahnawá:ke.

“I had my ups and downs, but I always find the inner strength to pull myself up.” In this shorts program, we present a collection of true-life tales about extraordinary individuals and cultural changemakers from around the world. There hasn’t been a lesbian bar in San Francisco for almost a decade but Bay Area filmmakers Meg Shutzer and Brandon Yadegari Moreno’s Mother (US 2023, 23 min) introduces us to Malia Spanyol, a self-identified dyke who sets out to build one for the next generation of women and femmes. In the thought-provoking Alok (US 2024, 19 min), director Alex Hedison delivers a compelling portrait of Alok Vaid-Menon, the internationally acclaimed nonbinary author, poet, comedian, and public speaker who challenges societal norms and explores the limitless expression of self. Sarah Klein and Tom Mason’s Out of the Dark: Cal Calamia (US 2024, 8 min) provides an intimate look at the journey of professional athlete Cal Calamia, a transgender marathon runner who’s advocating for inclusion in the running world. Part memoir-style reflection and part prayer, Kirhi Nath’s Paramita (2024, 24 min) reveals Prajna Paramita Choudhury’s 25-year coming out process with her traditional Bangladeshi mother employing Buddhist practices and nature as gateways for intergenerational healing.

Expected In Person Guest

“Tell me how should I feel when I know what I know.” This international collection is a vivid exploration of families who are confronted with some very harsh truths. In Marek Čermák's Everything Will Be OK Again (Czech Republic 2023, 20 min), a mother must come to terms with her son’s character when he unexpectedly makes the local news. In Juan Paulo Laserna’s Not My Name (Colombia 2024, 19 min), a family goes on a treacherous road trip when their country is beset by political violence. In Drew McCoy and Anthony Gilmore’s There Will Be Hurt (US 2024, 18 min), the release from prison of a man responsible for a young woman’s death sets her family reeling with its own set of questions and struggles. And in Talia Light Rake’s The Captives (US 2024, 14 min), a mother and daughter learn some surprising insights when they have a candid face-to-face. These stories remind us that a family’s complex dynamics can strike some very familiar chords.

Expected In Person Guest

“When I’m standing in this mirror, after all these years, what I’m viewing is a little different.” These shorts immerse themselves—and the adventurous viewer—in entertaining flights of fancy. In Kara Herold’s The Callback (US 2024, 13 min), an ambitious actress finds her way, and herself, on the road to building a character. Cassie Shao’s beautifully surreal landscape is the entrancing hook to the animated This Is a Story without a Plan (US 2023, 8 min). A deep dive into microbiology is the core of Jesseca Ynez Simmons’ remarkable experimental film Heaven in a Wild Flower (US 2024, 6 min). In Alexander Seltzer’s film, a grieving couple find a bizarre portal when they deal with loss in The Door (Canada 2024, 14 min). The arrival of aliens dovetails nicely with a dissatisfied wife’s wishes in Timothy Michael Cooper’s Knead (US 2024, 11 min). And finding your true identity sometimes means revisiting ghosts from the past in Skye Schoenhoeft’s touching The Curtains Glow at Night (US 2024, 13 min).

Expected In Person Guest

“Words can’t express what I feel inside of my flesh.” Whether they’re new partners or soulmates, these stories of love and attraction run the gamut of experiences both fresh and familiar. Steve Sanders’ Crab Claw (US 2024, 9 min) features an incredibly awkward marriage counseling session. In Lucy Teitler’s Keep It Open (US 2023, 10 min), the prospect of a ménage à trios does not quite go as expected. An old flame and trans friend discover that the road to identity can be beautifully fluid in Nadia Johnson and Ben Snyder’s Something Borrowed, Something Pink (US 2024, 10 min). A young man and his cat find their household in upheaval when a new girlfriend appears in Britney Fan’s animated There Can Only Be One... (US 2024, 3 min). Being the object of attention yields some surprising responses for a young girl in Scott Burkhardt’s Exuvia (US 2024, 12 min). A queer teen finds herself at a crossroads when her choices are challenged by religious dogma in Naomi Iwamoto’s Sixteen (US 2024, 14 min). And a moment and a lifetime are encapsulated in a single, hypnotic point of view in Paula Levine’s amazing Five Minutes to Five Years (US 2024, 11 min). Don’t miss this collection that has a lot of laughs and a surplus of heart.

Expected In Person Guest

“Words can’t express what I feel inside of my flesh.” Whether they’re new partners or soulmates, these stories of love and attraction run the gamut of experiences both fresh and familiar. Steve Sanders’ Crab Claw (US 2024, 9 min) features an incredibly awkward marriage counseling session. In Lucy Teitler’s Keep It Open (US 2023, 10 min), the prospect of a ménage à trios does not quite go as expected. An old flame and trans friend discover that the road to identity can be beautifully fluid in Nadia Johnson and Ben Snyder’s Something Borrowed, Something Pink (US 2024, 10 min). A young man and his cat find their household in upheaval when a new girlfriend appears in Britney Fan’s animated There Can Only Be One... (US 2024, 3 min). Being the object of attention yields some surprising responses for a young girl in Scott Burkhardt’s Exuvia (US 2024, 12 min). A queer teen finds herself at a crossroads when her choices are challenged by religious dogma in Naomi Iwamoto’s Sixteen (US 2024, 14 min). And a moment and a lifetime are encapsulated in a single, hypnotic point of view in Paula Levine’s amazing Five Minutes to Five Years (US 2024, 11 min). Don’t miss this collection that has a lot of laughs and a surplus of heart.

Expected In Person Guest

“When I’m standing in this mirror, after all these years, what I’m viewing is a little different.” These shorts immerse themselves—and the adventurous viewer—in entertaining flights of fancy. In Kara Herold’s The Callback (US 2024, 13 min), an ambitious actress finds her way, and herself, on the road to building a character. Cassie Shao’s beautifully surreal landscape is the entrancing hook to the animated This Is a Story without a Plan (US 2023, 8 min). A deep dive into microbiology is the core of Jesseca Ynez Simmons’ remarkable experimental film Heaven in a Wild Flower (US 2024, 6 min). In Alexander Seltzer’s film, a grieving couple find a bizarre portal when they deal with loss in The Door (Canada 2024, 14 min). The arrival of aliens dovetails nicely with a dissatisfied wife’s wishes in Timothy Michael Cooper’s Knead (US 2024, 11 min). And finding your true identity sometimes means revisiting ghosts from the past in Skye Schoenhoeft’s touching The Curtains Glow at Night (US 2024, 13 min).

Expected In Person Guest