Pre-Screening Panel Discussion “Writing Your Cinematic Story: A Conversation with Zoey Martinson” at 7:00Pm
Zoey Martinson is an award winning writer and director for film and theater. Her work focuses on nuanced stories from the Diaspora. Living in Africa, London, and the USA has given her work a unique lens into the stories she tells. In theater she’s directed Off-Broadway and internationally. Her award winning film The Fisherman is streaming on Max.
Shorts That Shine | 7:15 pm
A curated selection of seven short films that encompass a wide range of genres and styles. Program running time approx. 90 mins.
PEDACITO DE CARNE
Sandra finds herself in a new role as a caregiver for her mother, living with frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Burnt out by the nonsense that is social service, the relentless pile-on of caregiving demands, and the heartbreak of slowly losing parts of her mother, Sandra risks it all and takes a night off.
Director: Akilah ‘AK’ Walker | Writer: Diana Gonzalez-Morett | Producers: Akilah 'AK' Walker, Diana Gonzalez Morett, Camila Villanueva | Cast: Ingrid Oliu, Diana Gonzalez-Morett, Jason Armani Martinez
CATHERINE & MICHAEL
An unhappily married couple visits their do-everything-right friends for a supposedly fun weekend upstate, but when their fragile relationship crumbles, they discover an unusual method for reigniting their spark.
Director: Kathy Fusco | Writer: Kathy Fusco and Peter Grosz | Executive Producers: Kathy Fusco and Peter Grosz | Lead Cast: Molly Ringwald, Peter Grosz, Sipiwe Moyo and Zack Robidas
JELLY
A young Black girl with a peculiar fascination with death tries to solve the mysterious case of a missing neighbor while coming to terms with a more personal disappearance.
Writer/Director: Anndi Jinelle Liggett | Producers: Ifeyinwa Arinze, Simone Roberts, Anndi Jinelle Liggett | Animation and Design: Pedro Piccinini Music Composer: Frazier Smith | Cast: André Holland, Khloe Bruno, Antu Yacob
BENNY AND JAMES
A man, unsettled by his imminent life-changing decision, suspects his terrifying dream and his husband's daunting parallel encounter might be a signal from God to cancel a long-awaited arrival.
Writer/Director: Logan Vaughn | Cinematographer: Robert Arnold | Producer: Ria Pavia, Mayon Denton, Robert Arnold, and Logan Vaughn | Executive Producer: Laurie Bernhard | Cast: Calvin Leon Smith and Phillip James Brannon
BURNING RUBBER
Down on his luck, Duane Ruiz is out of college and out of options and has to choose between his responsibilities or following his passion and competing in the high-stakes Burning Rubber Wallball Tournament.
Director: Chris Fequiere | Writer: Dara King | Producers: Dara King, Amanda Miller | Cast: Dante Hoagland, Gorilla Nems, Alexandria Benford,Melvin Lee Douglas, Colin Kilkenny, Mike Smith Rivera, Oliver Fequiere
HOMESICK
An absurdist thriller about an unhappy man who attends a retreat offering adults a second chance at a happy childhood.
Writer/Director: Will Seefried | Producer: Hannes Otto | Cast: Hiram Delgado, Leslie Fray, Motell Gyn Foster
FRACTURE
Is Marcus really an astronaut working on a remote planet or an institutionalized mental health patient?
Writer/Director: Jon K. Jones | Producer: Nadira Murray | Executive Producers: David Worthen, Jena Cavelle, Arbi Pedrossian, Valerie Steinberg | Cast: Jordan Duvigneau, Liz Kettle
Post Q&A with this year’s filmmakers immediately following the screening.
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Archive: FAMfest 2021 | FAMfest 2022