3500+ Films - 2.5 million words – 1 million viewers! Founder and Curator Carmela selects some of our most talented Filmmakers to watch (2) at We Are Moving Stories. These include filmmakers Yolonda Ross, Roshni ‘Rush’ Bhatia, Martina Lee, Nora Jaenicke, Quincy Rose, Madeleine Sims-Fewer, Sekiya Dorsett and Matilda Szydagis and Ric Sechrest.

Total length of this section: 23 films.

<YOLONDA ROSS>

Breaking Night - Girl flees a heavy situation, with her boyfriend. By circumstance, she comes face to face with a vision of confidence and sophistication that changes her outlook of who she is, and more so, who she can become. Length: 10:22 minutes. 23 Director Yolonda Ross writes:

“Hopefully it will show that a powerful story can be told in an a unique way, without scaring off viewers and still be very entertaining. Unfortunately in our business, the people that finance films don’t always understand or relate to stories, unless it’s something they’ve already seen many times before or there is huge star attached to it, that they feel will automatically sell it.

This film shows that WOMEN, and PEOPLE OF COLOR, in front of and behind the camera make provocative work that people want to see. ”

WOMAN OUTSIDE - every day an abused homeless woman’s cries for help go unnoticed. When she encounters a lonely business woman, and recognizes this stranger’s isolation as her own, she pursues this chance connection as a chance for her survival. Length: 20.21 minutes. Director Shelly Lauman discusses the woman outside:

“She is the what we see; what we notice first. The outside appearance, the perception - a woman yelling in a park, a woman going to work - she is a description. We either accept or dismiss her according to what we are comfortable with. She presents herself to the world in the best way she knows how and that is what we see. On the inside, however, is her invisibleness, her fullness, her pain, her joy, her need to connect. Her voice. Her humanness.”

<ROSHNI ‘RUSH’ BHATIA>

Dark Passage - A part-time driver’s last ride of the night may be the last ride of his life. Length: 1 minute. Writer/Director/Producer Roshni "Rush" Bhatia:

“If you’ve fallen in love with movies such as Halloween, Conjuring, or Scream, OR if you’re under 18 and have a low tolerance for videos more than a minute long, this one is for you! LOL.”

Celebrity Stalker - A “celebrity stalker” broadcasts herself on social media breaking into homes of the elite, unaware that she may have picked up her own stalker along the way. Length: 4.45 minutes. Writer/Director/Producer Roshni "Rush" Bhatia:

“Watch it as a parent, as a teen, as an adult, as a human, so you know that whatever you’re going through, you’re not alone, and there’s someone out there going through worse. It’s a short that, more than anything, offers a new perspective regardless of the demographic.”

Plasmid - A young nurse must fight for her life when her house has been invaded by an unearthly intruder. Writer/Director/Producer/Editor Roshni "Rush" Bhatia:

“Plasmid is not just a genre piece, it’s going to take you through a journey which will unfold over a night. It’s not just what happens to her, it’s about how it changes her and her view of the world thereafter. My goal is to take you through the unknown while finding something beautiful and relatable to hold onto.”

Shadow at the Door - In Roshni "Rush" Bhatia’s short film, Shadow at the Door, a troubled young woman searches for an intruder in her home unaware that what she’s really looking for maybe something she refuses to see. Writer/Director/Producer/Editor Roshni Bhatia:

“This is dedicated to all those people so they know that they are not alone. I had to learn that difficult times are a part of life. Without limitations, the purpose of living wouldn’t exist. So this film is not just for a group of people. It is for anybody who has been in the face of limitations and at some point found no way out of it. I guess that would be everybody.”

<MARTINA LEE>

Blueberry - An Afrocentric podcast host wants to find his biggest idol Harambe Cornell, but is forced to take care of his 6-year-old son who is dressed like a blueberry. Length: 16.20 minutes. Writer/Director Martina Lee:

“Blueberry explores the desire to be spiritually enlightened for all the wrong reasons. It also explores the complex father and son relationships.”

Black Boy Joy is a short film about three generations of black men struggling to juggle the demands of raising a young son with autism while adapting to their new normal after the death of a loved one. Length: 17 minutes. Director Martina Lee writes:

“You should watch this film if you want to see a nuanced look of black fathers being vulnerable. Toxic Masculinity, Fatherhood, Loss, Autism are key topics of this film, but underneath it all, its a story about love. This story is a film made by and for black people, but the emotions and themes in it are universal.”

<NORA JAENICKE>

Between Seconds - two lost souls cursed with bad timing manage to bring their lonely lives back in sync. Length: 22 minutes. Director Nora Jaenicke:

“I saw two protagonists struggling with their creativity, with their inner life. Alicia is an opera singer who lost her voice, Adrian can’t play the piano, and he blames his ex for it. Together they are able to perform again, in a place beyond time...So it’s not just the conventional “Boy meets Girl” story, it is a story about finding back one’s true passion in life and that its a journey worth taking. The most important one of all, I believe.”

Proof - An immigration officer is asking a young Pakistani woman to present “material proof” that she is entering the marriage with a US citizen “in good faith.” What she considers the most important proof would make her family either kill her or have her killed. Length: 11 minutes. Writer/Director/Producer Nora Jaenicke:

“Proof is a film about a young couple that celebrates their love and their individual and shared struggles, in a world where immigration becomes an increasingly polarized and polarizing societal issue.”

Joyce - Joyce, an immigrant Filipino nanny living in NYC, makes a friend that puts an end to her loneliness, when she needs it the most. Length: 30 minutes. Writer/Director/Producer Nora Jaenicke:

“Sadly, this story is the story of many Filipino nannies who, at a very young age, are already conditioned to aspire to overseas jobs. The script is sad but quite telling about the hard work of women who are so far from home to work for wealthy families. Ultimately it is a story about the connection between two lonely immigrant women in New York city, their longing for home and the hope for a new beginning. I think these themes are quite universal.”

The Reading - When on a publicity tour for her best-selling memoir, a writer is forced to confront secrets from her past when an estranged childhood friend shows up unannounced. Length: 10.4 minutes. Writer/Director Nora Jaenicke:

“Since our film deals with themes of queerness and coming out, it automatically also promotes a more inclusive society, and that is precisely the atmosphere and culture that we have created on our film set as well. Films like ours can do their part, small as it may be, to shed light on these wrongs and, we hope, encourage people to right them. More than anything, though, this film aims to spread a message of vibrant acceptance: Be who you are and let no one force you to do differently. The diversity of our crew serves as an example of the message that we are trying to transmit.”

<QUINCY ROSE>

Friends Effing Friends Effing Friends - A post-modern romantic comedy about sex amongst friends, missed opportunities, unrequited love and how the grass always appears to be greener on the other side. Length: 77 minutes. Writer/Director Quincy Rose:

“As a filmmaker I am always looking to challenge myself, and I felt the challenge with FEFEF would be to make a film about a group of people who are behaving in fairly despicable ways towards one another, but who are not outright despicable people. I wanted to show the duality that lies within us all, and how easily we can justify the poor decisions we make based on any number of reasons: guilt; inside knowledge of deceit; anger; frustration; revenge. And I wanted to tell it with levity and humor, so I decided to tell it as a comedy with dramatic elements, as opposed to a flat out drama”

The Narcissists - Brooklyn filmmaker Oliver has once again found himself at a crossroads, facing troubles with his long-term girlfriend Cassi and in a rut creatively. While meandering around New York City with his best friend, Oliver explains his latest screenplay, a narrative meditation curiously reflecting his own life, wherein a couple is forced to make a decision: stick together and commit to another year of cohabitation, or call it quits after five years and move out. In order to gain perspective and clarity, Oliver and Cassi have taken two weeks apart, and with their friends' help, make what might be the most important decision of their lives. Length: 1 hour 21 minutes. Interview with Writer/Director/Producer/Editor/Actor Quincy Rose.

<THE FILMS OF MADELEINE SIMS-FEWER>

Woman in Stall - A woman finds herself trapped in a bathroom stall by a man whose intentions are not entirely clear. Length: 10 minutes. Watch on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/413260709 Director/Actor/Producer Madeleine Sims-Fewer:

“The film is definitely divisive – people usually pick a character they relate to and defend their actions pretty vehemently. That’s sort of the point for us – to get people talking about who is right and who is wrong. Ultimately maybe they’re both a bit wrong and both a bit right, but the film sparks discussion about our behaviour as human beings, which is what we hoped for.”

Chubby - A ten-year-old girl struggles with the residual trauma of her sexual abuse. Length: 22 minutes. Watch Vimeo on Demand: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/chubby/488095806

Writer/Director/Producer Madeleine Sims-Fewer:

“My co-director Dusty had really encouraged me to make a film that was personal to me, and I sort of sat with that for a long time, and realized that most of my work was a criticism or commentary on society, and that maybe I was a bit afraid to write something deeply resonant. When we started working together I asked him if he wanted to write something with me that was based on an experience from my childhood. Through writing Chubby we really mined our own personal traumas! It wasn’t an easy film to create, but I think if it can resonate with someone in the audience and make them feel less alone, then it was worth it.”

Rape Card - A cautionary tale set in a chilling dystopian future where rape is legal. Length: 15 minutes. Watch on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/199405640

Writer/Director Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Director Nathan Hughes-Berry:

“The biggest surprise for me was when I screened the film at York University. People were offended because the film depicts a woman who wants to be raped. But they didn’t grasp that that is contextual to a society in which she will inevitably be raped and that it was part of the point we were making.”

The Substitute - is a short film about a young teacher who takes a job at an unusual private school where the boys have a sinister power over the girls. Length: 22 minutes. Written and acted by Madeleine Sims-Fewer. Director Nathan Hughes-Berry:

“We certainly set out with the intention of making it a psychologically disturbing film, and that seemed to evolve into including a horror atmosphere. It may be considered part of the ‘smart horror’ genre as nothing is ever explicitly revealed and it is left to the audience to imagine and work out what is happening.

Ultimately we were interested in building an atmosphere and sense of dread as opposed to scaring people with shock and gore. We were both inspired by filmmakers such as Hitchcock and Kubrick who really create a strong sense of tension without always showing much. We were keen to make a film that presents a series of scenarios and lets the audience figure it out.”

<SEKIYA DORSETT>

Ice Cold - A blushing bride is having the best and worst day of her life. Length: 13.12 minutes. Writer/Director Sekiya Dorsett:

“Our characters have to ask deep self reflective questions. What do they want for their lives and is it worth it to disrupt their families to forge ahead? These are our questions, LGBTQ people have to answer every single day. Are we willing to be ourselves 100% in our neighborhoods, at work and in our families. Do we want to disrupt the family reunion and remain in the closet or do we want to be free. It’s still a struggle for many people. I heard someone said “coming out is old”. It’s not. Some people are still living in emotional closets. There are still places that we can’t be 100% ourselves.”

The Revival Movie - This documentary chronicles the creation of an international salon-styled tour led and supported by women. It tells the story of how Jade Foster recruited a group of five dynamic poets and musicians to become stewards of a movement that builds community among queer women of color, upholds literary arts excellence, and occupies living rooms across the country. Length: 80 minutes. Interview with Director Sekiya Dorsett.

<THE HOOSAC TRILOGY WITH WRITER/DIRECTORS MATILDA SZYDAGIS AND RIC SECHREST>

The Hoosac is a ghost story about a lonely soul who can’t escape his past life. Inspired by the real life Hoosac tunnel tragedy where trapped miners suffocated to death in a small isolated New England mill town in the mountains. Length: 11 minutes. On Amazon Prime. Writer/Director Matilda Szydagis and Ric Sechrest:

“It’s spooky, surprising, visually splendid, especially once we get to the Berkshires. We grew up with shows like Tales From the Darkside, and the horror movies from the 70’s/80’s made a huge impact on us as kids. We wanted to pay homage to those horror films, in particular The Shining. ”

The Ruins - is a horror story about a woman who is cursed by circumstance and her tragic past. Inspired by real-life ruins, isolated and haunted by fire. Length: 11 minutes. On Amazon Prime. Writer/Director Matilda Szydagis and Ric Sechrest:

“Thank you! THE RUINS is part 2 of our horror short trilogy. The first film, THE HOOSAC, was a huge success. It won the Audience Choice Award for Best Horror Short at the International Haunted Horror Film Festival and was nominated for Best Horror Short and Best Actor at the New York City International Film Festival. We are filmmakers with an itch for throwback horror. We want to keep the genre alive and based on feedback from our audiences, it is working. Their itch is being scratched so to speak.”

The Dam is a horror story about disquiet waters, angry woods, and the man haunted by it all. Length: 6.38 minutes. On Amazon Prime. Writers/Directors/Producers/Actors Matilda Szydagis and Ric Sechrest:

“This is the final installation of our trilogy. We’ve been actors and directors for a very long time and with access to gear, tutorials, and peers, we thought, “why not us?” These days there is no excuse not to create your own material. We look to many influences in the short film world including the latest breakthrough director David F. Sandberg and his wife, Lotta, who started in the short film world.”