37th Annual VIRGINIA FILM FESTIVAL Oct 30-Nov 3, 2024

37th Annual VIRGINIA FILM FESTIVAL October 30-November 3, 2024

Short Films: Connection

01_Stay_Awake_for_Web

A collection of short films about the way we connect with one another. Films include:

Black Eyes

2015. USA. 11 min. Director: Rick Spears. Featuring: Hays Wellford, Elena Lazorishak.

Alex discovers Alice trying to commit suicide and offers her another path. Using special effects and makeup, the kids pretend to die and become zombies. After an encounter with a bully, Alice realizes how close she came to ending her life. Having made a new friend, she’s glad to be alive.

Diane

2015. USA. 10 min. Director: Brendan Rijke. Featuring: Mary Claire Davis, Karen Honeycutt.

A young woman sets up a surprise meeting with an older call girl, whom she believes to be her biological mother.

Family Yarns

2015. USA. 18 min. Director: Benjamin Bartel. Featuring: Steven Gong.

Digging through his family’s experience in wartime Poland, a man dissects the family legends surrounding his grandfather.

Marina’s Ocean

2015. Brazil. 17 min. Director: Cássio Pereira dos Santos. Featuring: Aline Videira, Cláudia Assunção, João Lucas Neto, Amanda Andrade.

A 15-year old girl yearns to see the ocean, but her disability interferes. Unable to travel to the beach with her sister, Marina strikes out on an adventure of her own.

Radio Orson

2015. USA. 14 min. Director: Matt E Nova.

In 1946, Orson Welles used his radio program to speak openly about the social issues of the day. He focused on police brutality toward African Americans and burgeoning civil rights movement. Unfortunately, much of Orson’s commentary eerily mirrors contemporary America.

Stay Awake

2015. USA. 14 min. Director: Jamie Sisley. Featuring: Owen Campbell, David Rysdahl, Rebecca Harris, Lori Brown-Niang.

Brothers, a mother, songs from the seventies, Xanax, and a woman named Vicki. Stay Away explores addiction and making sacrifices for people you love.

Date

Sunday, November 8

Time

8:15 PM

Location

Downtown Mall : The Southern

Film Info

Runtime: 85 min.

Genre: Shorts