Short Films
Program 10 – “Sunday Cinema”
Join us for a collection of short films made by some of the brightest and upcoming filmmakers.
Filmmakers will be in attendance for a post screening discussion.
Desert Lights
Estrellas Del Desierto
Chile / 2022 / 19 min / Drama / Houston Premiere
Synopsis
In the middle of Atacama desert, Antay (12) sees his town disappearing due to the drought. Alongside his friends and their football team, they will try to hang on to the last sun rays, their childhood fragments and the ties with those who still resist.
About the Director
Katherina Harder Sacre (33), Film and TV director, graduated from the University of Chile and Master degree in Film Directing at Bande á Part school in Barcelona. Co-Founder and Artistic Director of the Iquique International Film Festival – FICIQQ, which has 12 years of existence. Director of the award-winning short film “Guiding Sights” ( original title “Memorias del viento”) winner as Best Short Film at FICValdivia 2011 and selected in more than 35 international festivals including FICGuadalajara, DocumentaMadrid, Huesca, FIC Monterrey, Camerimage, among others. At just 24 years old, she directed the successful television series “4to Medio” on TVN channel, produced by PAROX, which ran for two seasons. In Chile, she is developing the script for her feature film, “Children of the wind”.
Bertie the Brilliant
USA / 2022 / 25 min / Comedy
Synopsis
A young boy takes on chores and small jobs around his neighborhood to raise money for a ticket to a magic show; but when his grandmother loses her job, he is faced with a difficult decision.
About the Director
Gabriela Garcia Medina is a Cuban-American filmmaker. Gabriela’s short film 90 DAY PLAN (2019), won Best of Fest at HBO Women in Comedy Festival (2020), official selection at LAAPFF (2020), official selection PBS LatinXperiene (2020), acquired by WarnerMedia OneFifty (2020), and is available on HBOMax. Gabriela’s musical comedy BERTIE THE BRILLIANT (2022) was made in collaboration with WarnerMedia OneFifty and Latino Public Broadcasting (LPB). BERTIE will screen at the NFMLA LatinX & Hispanic Cinema in collaboration with the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts & Sciences, and will be distributed with HBOMax and PBS in 2023. Gabriela’s feature film LITTLE CON LILI is in development with Mandalay Pictures.
SPIC
USA / 2022 / 18 min / Drama / World Premiere
Johnny is a 12-year-old Latino boy whose mom, an undocumented immigrant, has been arrested by I.C.E. She needs an immigration lawyer, but a good lawyer costs $5K. Emilio, Johnny’s dad, asks Álvaro, a drug dealer, for a loan. But Álvaro knows Emilio can’t repay $5K. So Álvaro offers Emilio a job instead — work for his drug enterprise and Álvaro will give him the money he needs. Emilio hesitates at the offer. With the clock ticking, Johnny decides to do the job on his own, and sneaks away to work in Álvaro’s enterprise. When Emilio discovers Johnny has done this, he rushes to get his son back. On this fateful day, both father and son learn the realities before them and the choices they must make to survive.
About the Director
Heidi Miami Marshall is an alum of AFI’s Directing Workshop for Women. She was an on-set actor coach for LITTLE AMERICA (APPLE TV+), Exec Produced by Sian Header (Academy Award). She coached Jack Harlow for his WHITE MEN CAN’T JUMP screentest, Halle Bailey in LITTLE MERMAID (DISNEY) screentest, Michael Cimmino for LOVE, VICTOR (HULU), Fantasia in THE COLOR PURPLE (on Broadway), Ashley Romans on Y: THE LAST MAN (HULU), and NKeki Obi- Melekwe in the upcoming TV series KING SHAKA (CBS). A former Casting Director at Telsey Casting, she cast over 100 commercials, Broadway, TV & Film projects. Heidi and Johnny Sánchez are a husband and wife team who often collaborate together on projects.
The Shadow of the Crows
France / 2022 / 30 min / Drama / U.S. Premiere
Synopsis
1986, in a village in France. Natalia, of Argentinean origin, is 11 years old when she discovers strange scars on her father’s body. From then on, the shadow of the past hangs over the daily life of the little girl, whose childish gaze questions exile and the adult world.
About the Director
Elvira Barboza was born in Buenos Aires in 1974 but her family was exiled in Madrid when she was 3 years old, during the Argentinian dictatorship. She studies film at Madrid’s Universidad Complutense and at Paris 8. Here she makes her first short film, Lines, an experimental movie in 16mm. She started working at Duboi, a post production company, in the special effects department (Amélie Poulain, Jeanne d’Arc…). In 2004-2006 she attended an acting course run by Carlo Boso that focuses on Commedia dell’Arte, where the emphasis is placed in improvisation. In October 2021 she made “The shadow of the crows”, a short film (fiction and animation) produced by Les 48 ° Rugissants.
