2026 Festival Movie Blocks

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North Carolina Premiere

United States (English) - 8:38

Imole Ladipo - Writer/Director 

Imole Ladipo, Ekam Singh - Writer

In the shadow of fear, the truth waits to be found.

**Filmmaker in Attendance for Q&A**

United Kingdom (English) - 15:22

Alina Bichieva - Writer/Director

After a promising first date, a young woman disregards her usual paranoia and lets a charming stranger sleep on her couch.

North Carolina Premiere

United States (English) - 9:11

Tina Carbone - Director

Annette Cirelle, Martin Spanjers - Writers

A woman obsessed with true crime finds her perfect match.

United Kingdom (English) - 18:00

Amrita Acharia- Director

Amrita Acharia, Maksymilian Krupski - Writers

Ahri and her wife Matilda institutionalize Ahri’s father to claim his house for themselves. But an exhausting cycle of guilt is awoken. Night after sleepless night, paranoia erodes the trust between them, until finally the insomnia destroys everything they love.

United States (English) -7:43

Nonie Shiverick - Writer/Director

A woman wakes up in an abandoned basement at the mercy of a vigilante killer who forces her to confront her darkest secret. In the end, he only asks her one thing: “Are you sorry?”

**Filmmaker in Attendance for Q&A** 

United States - 6:52

Nikki Taylor-Roberts - Director

Casimir Nozkowski- Writer

When your kid tells you there's someone in his room, you might want to listen.

North Carolina Premiere

Islamic Republic of Iran (Persian) - 11:56

Parastoo Iran - Writer/Director

The story of a mother who, faced with the hardships of life and the death of her child, is forced to make a painful choice to keep living.

United States (English) - 2:24

Jocabed Aragón - Writer/Director

Unfiltered is a collection of 2016-2017 event footage alongside Martin Luther King’s speech, The Three Evils of Society, reflecting on American society.

United States (English) - 3:00

Eileen O'Meara - Writer/Director

You know the nagging thoughts that start with "did I leave the coffee on?" and turn in to "am I pregnant with a devil-baby?” This hand-drawn animation explores anxiety, obsession, and one woman’s slippery hold on reality.

Austria (English) - 8:55

Ana Bilic - Writer/Director

By means of a monologue, the woman tries to comprehend why her husband was poisoned. In the course of the story it can be sensed that she played a significant part in the poisoning. Thus it was not by coincidence that she had taken her children to her mother’s place that day, cooked her husband’s beloved chili for him, and waited what would happen after he ate that chili.

United States (English) - 6:34

Joy James aka: Livity the Poet - Writer/Director

We've all done it. Looked at someone and formed an opinion. How often have we formed a negative sentiment based on how a person looks? How often have we thought about how that person came to be where they are? Remember: everyone has a story. Spoken Word and Film come together to help us bear witness to harsh truths.

United States (English) - 5:10

Sarah Young - Writer/Director

Three strangers scramble into a bathroom to hide from an outside threat. Together they confront their worst fears and make plans to survive the next ten minutes; the typical length of a mass shooting event.

Canada (English) - 4:54

 Christa Couture, Bekky O'Neil- Directors

Christa Couture - Writer

Through the loss of her leg, her children, her marriage, and her voice, Christa Couture presses into the pages of this field guide stories and notes on how to lose everything.

United Kingdom (English) - 13:50

 Sarah Grant - Writer/Director

A body positive comedy that joyfully reclaims female sexuality and self-confidence. Mandy, a plus-size burlesque enthusiast, is practicing for her first public performance. Only when her best friend needs her does she find the confidence to perform in her full power.

United States (English) - 3:33

 Christen Christian - Writer/Director

Filmed during the isolation of the pandemic, "Jumping Bean" is a reflection on the grief of losing a parent, corporate mismanagement and the larval stage of tiny moths.

Canada (French) - 12:30

Annie-Claude Caron, Danick Audet - Writers/Directors

What were Catherine and Louis thinking when they chose a cat with distinctive white spots? It would have been much easier to replace if they had picked the all-back one! Now, they will have to tell their daughter Sophie that Nugget’s dead. Unless….

United States (English) - 4:53

Samira Mian - Writer/Director

A comedic, coming of age documentary.

United States (English) - 13:44

Lee Eddy - Writer/Director

When her only son's birthday party is ruined by a runaway pony, a stressed mother deals with the comically chaotic aftermath.

Not Specified (English) - 6:35

 Katie Lambert - Writer/Director

Priya hates Helen. She hates her in the canteen. Hates her in science. Especially hates her at swimming. Mostly, Priya hates the way Helen makes her feel. This film is an exploration of the rising tide of lust in teen girls and how confusing that time can be.

United Kingdom (English) - 12:20

Ricki "Ricasso" Nelson - Director

Ricki "Ricasso" Nelson, Rachel Olivia Taylor- Writers

In an unassuming HR office, April Moore sits down for her exit interview, determined to leave her job without rocking the boat. But when the interview veers into a surreal interrogation of her flaws, perceived and otherwise, the lines between reality and absurdity blur.

**Filmmaker in Attendance for Q&A**

United States (English) - 12:50

Rosie May Bird Smith - Writer/Director

It's Megan's 30th and she's feeling the pressure from all angles - from her family, friends and even from her own ovarian eggs.

United States (English) - 16:29

Chelsea Christer  - Writer/Director

Joanna, facing a terminal illness, opts for assisted death under the Death with Dignity Act. However, her pursuit of a peaceful end-of-life experience encounters unexpected complications and challenges.

North Carolina Premiere

United States (English) - 11:18

Alisha Ketry - Writer/Director

After being stood up, Renee takes comfort in a sweet ice cream man who sings her praises. Could he truly be one of the nice guys?

Austrailia (English) - 14:22

Yael Grunseit - Writer/Director

On a trip to New York, an Australian period-underwear salesman and his teenage daughter navigate the city and their strained relationship.

**Filmmaker in Attendance for Q&A**

Islamic Republic of Iran (Persian) - 15:00

Azra Azin  - Writer/Director

A lone mother in a remote village devotes her life to her two children with mental disabilities. When a devastating tragedy strikes, she faces an impossible choice, where every path leads to ruin.

United Kingdom (English) - 15:00

Kate Cheesman - Director

Carol Younghusband - Writer

A daughter reluctantly searches the beach every day looking for her Mum's wedding ring, only to uncover something far more valuable.

Islamic Republic of Iran - 15:00

Aseman Tousi  - Writer/Director

Mona, a woman nearing forty, finally fulfills her lifelong dream of becoming a mother by adopting a baby girl. Overwhelmed with joy, she eagerly embraces her new role, envisioning a future filled with love and happiness. However, her joy is short-lived when she learns that her daughter has leukemia, a life-threatening condition that will require extensive care and treatment.

India (English) - 4:36

Rhea Girish Gadiyar  - Director / Writer

Grey Slips Through is an animated short exploring identity, gender, and familial relationships through sand, a medium in constant flux. This film reflects on the evolving dynamics between a father and a daughter, offering a personal lens into themes of patriarchy, identity formation, and the psychological complexity of families.

Islamic Republic of Iran - 11:22

Soheil Babaei, Farima Khalili - Directors

Soheil Babaei - Writer

An 8-year-old Iranian girl prepares for a dance performance in a quiet act of defiance.

Israel (Hebrew) - 14:25

Sivan Levy Zakin - Writer/Director

Nine-year-old Goni, carries the weight of her wounds into the boundless red desert. Guided by her brother, she enters a timeless space where grief and strength intertwine in haunting silence.

Islamic Repblic of Iran (Persian) - 15:00

Anahita Qarcheh, Soroush Javadzadeh - Writers/Directors

A boy who hasn’t yet gone to school has a sphere that he uses to see his own dreamy world. One day, he sees a deer through it and follows it into an abandoned school. But he doesn’t know that it’s a graveyard of children’s dreams.

United Kingdom (English) - 5:57

Tom Gentle - Director

Samatha Brain - Writer

Confronted by an old acquaintance, Lee is taken aback by the question, "Do you have kids?" It's a friendly question tossed casually into conversation, but for Lee it has a complex and difficult answer. How to encapsulate the world within her, another dimension where the traumatic and beautiful exist side by side? Exploring and enduring this place, Lee finds the strength she needs to answer.

United States (English) - 11:33

Emma Elizabeth Steiger  - Writer/Director

A surprise pregnancy forces a woman to make a difficult decision alone, triggering memories of the one person she could always turn to-her father-and leaving her to find strength in his absence.

North Carolina Premiere

United States (English) - 13:40

Connie Jo Sechrist - Writer / Director

As a young woman battles with grief, she begins to feel as though the darkness of her mind has taken possession of her, forcing her to confront the demons within and fight for survival.

North Carolina Premiere

Islamic Republic of Iran (Persian) - 8:00

Shokoufeh Ahmadi - Writer / Director

A woman has only two months to live due to her illness, and her husband cannot bear her absence. He seeks to create a clone of his wife.

United States (English) - 12:58

Georgia Reed-Stamm - Writer/Director

Not Specified (English) -4:00

Jasia Ka - Writer/Director

United States (English) - 12:53

Anna Ray - Director

Anna Ray, Kestlyn Blassengale - Writers

Kanoni meets with Gia to discuss the happenings of the night prior.

**Filmmaker in Attendance for Q&A**

North Carolina Premiere

United States (Persian) - 10:00

Amen Sahraei  - Writer/Director

A shy and timid rural woman who has a domineering husband and constantly follows her husband's orders decides to Rebel.

North Carolina Premiere

United States (English) - 5:41

Andrea Dratch - Writer/Director

As Henrietta’s spirit craves to escape society’s stifling constructs and expectations, she manifests her truer, freer animal nature amidst the assembly line monotony of her day to day.

United States (English) - 14:30

C. Denise - Writer/Director

Krys is a womanizer who is also looking for true love. She meets Felicia, the woman of her dreams, and must decide whether to go all in or stay on her current single path. Her love interest states that she must meet her friends before getting serious. Krys now must address her demons and move forward.

**Filmmaker in Attendance for Q&A**

United States (English) - 10:30

Esmeralda Hernandez - Director

When a gentle boy grows attached to a dog that is destined to be entered into a dog fighting ring, he must decide what is most important to him. 

Ireland (English) -17:00

Aisling Byrne - Writer/Director

Following a sudden, tragic bereavement, a West Cork cleaner must decide if she will uphold a tightly hidden secret whilst navigating the fast-paced pressures of a tourist property turnaround.

United States (English) -10:00

Hayley Marie Norman - Writer/Director

On the precipice of a life-changing event, Hayley is faced with the cost of letting go as she struggles to complete the final errand that will close the door on her past and force her to embrace an uncertain future.

North Carolina Premiere

Portugal (Portuguese) - 3:38

Adriana Andrade, Luana Rodrigues, Daniela Tietzen - Writers/Directors

Three women recount their experiences, their inner struggle between being feminine and masculine, and their journeys towards acceptance. A film about growing up and accepting who we are as women.

Netherlands (Dutch) - 7:31

Lisette Vlassak - Director

Lasse Feijen - Writer

Haunted by pressure and self-doubt, young model Lone retreats to her garden, her only refuge from a world that consumes her. But when a mysterious underground creature begins destroying her sanctuary, Lone’s battle to save it forces her to confront something far darker than what lurks beneath the soil: herself.

Canada (English) - 7:40

Michelle Muldoon  - Writer/Director

A bloodied woman on the run stumbles into a campfire seeking sanctuary, but instead discovers an unlikely ally.

United States (English) - 6:17

Deborah Puette  - Writer/Director

Meg has returned to her childhood home to help her aging father. But when her twelve-year-old uncovers a long-forgotten relic from her past, Meg must decide in a matter of moments who she'll protect: her parent or her child.

United States (English) - 15:00

Syra McCarthy - Director

Kyle Casey Chu, Roísín Isner - Writers

In the wake of a terrifying encounter, an overwhelmed drag queen struggles under the weight of public attention.

Spain (Catalan ) - 16:22

Mariona Martínez - Director 

Mariona Martínez, Núria Bestit - Writers

Gala has spent her entire childhood with Luna, her best friend, who has a small degree of autism. They have always trained in the same athletics team, but this year, for the first time, they are separated from the group. It is from this moment when Gala, immersed in a sea of doubts, will begin to struggle between these two very distant worlds: her best friend and her new companions.

North Carolina Premiere

Spain (Spanish) - 14:39

Lucia Roman Canivell - Director

Lucia Roman Canivell, Manuel Buendia Castiñeira, Lu - Writers

Lola and Julia work together in a tablao (the place where flamenco is performed). However, their relationship and love for flamenco are challenged by the difficult working conditions and the struggle of the flamenco tradition to survive in modern times.

United States (English) - 8:15

Wylie Anderson - Director

Talia Frank-Stempel - Writer

Two friends with a turbulent history escape to the woods in order to find their way back to one another.

United States (English, Spanish) - 14:43

Natasha Rivera - Writer/Director

This is a love letter. To East Harlem, To Youth and to all the Sweet Boys society helped to turn into hardened men.

North Carolina Premiere

Canada (French) -12:26

Halima Elkhatabi  - Writer/Director

A young woman's unexpected journey with her horse becomes an extraordinary odyssey crossing realms and genres one eventful summer afternoon.

United Kingdom (English) - 16:36

Nikki Dodd - Director

One Last Farm tells the story of the last working farm in Bristol, Yew Tree Farm, and the difficulties it continues to face to survive. The small family farm in south Bristol is a haven for biodiversity with its SNCI (Site of Nature Conservation Interest) status. It is also a big part of the local community, providing organic food and wellbeing support for so many locals.

North Carolina Premiere

United States (English) -19:30

Karla Murthy - Director

It started with one letter, ten years ago. This is a story of transformation and transcendence. It is a story of a deep and abiding friendship and the power of art declaring life.

United States (Spanish) - 12:17

Amy Adler - Director

Two women living with disabilities in Mexico face challenges, yet find ways to love and care for each other.

United States (English) - 2:00

Katie Damien - Director

Artificial intelligence is already in our lives without much pushback from lawmakers or regulators. It is evolving fast and breaking things. But what if one of the things it breaks is the human spirit?

**Filmmaker in Attendance for Q&A**

North Carolina Premiere

United States (Spanish) - 29:00

Cece King - Director

Cece King, Cristina Carrasco Hernandez, Elsa Hana Chung - Writers

On Chile’s Robinson Crusoe Island—home to more endemic species per square kilometer than the Galápagos—the community defends its culture of stewardship against outside pressures, while forging a model of coexistence that reimagines how humans can live with nature.