WE'RE HAPPY HERE (GERMANY) BY MARA BOŽIĆ, DARJA PREUSS

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Synopsis: “We’re happy here” is a visual journey on a planet whose inhabitants are haunted by empty phrases of promises for a happy life and the pressure to represent success in various aspects of life. Running time: 00:03:42.

Selections/awards: Grrl House Cinema, On Screen Streaming Festival.

About the director: Mara Božić and Darja Preuss are currently studying together at the self-organised film school filmArche e.V. in Berlin.

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TIME CAPSULE (USA) BY LAUREN LOESBERG

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Synopsis: A documentary created from home video footage from 1997-2005, set to the reading of a letter written for a time capsule found twelve years later. Running time: 00:11:36.

Selections/awards: Soo FF, First Take Shorts Series.

About the director: Lauren Loesberg is a writer and director who’s work focuses on the complexities of the female experience in nature and society. She's a recent graduate of Northwestern University with a degree in Radio/TV/Film as well as a minors in Dance, Integrated Marketing Communications, and Acting for the Screen. Her recent short films include “Ballad of a Breakup,” which was selected as a semi-finalist for the Student Academy Awards in 2020. She previously held internships at Michael de Luca Productions, MXN Entertainment, Music Box Films, and Transfax Film Productions, in addition to working as an AD and PA on independent projects, including 2020 Academy Award Winner “The Neighbor’s Window.”

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STICK OF JOY (GERMANY) BY BRENDA AKELE JORDE

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Synopsis: Short Doc about the pleasure of pain, of playfulness and trust between two people. We see Jamie and Alexei playing with the Stick of Joy and hear them talk about their experience opening up to new ways of touch and how it influences their daily life. Running time: 00:05:20.

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EPILEPSY EXTRAVAGANZA CHAOS IN THE BRAIN (NETHERLANDS) BY CORE VAN DER HOEVEN

Synopsis: What happens during a epileptic fit and the resulting panic attack. Running time: 00:00:54.

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*Warning: This film contains flashing images.

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SONE MOON (USA) BY JADE EISNER

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Trailer

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Synopsis: Short documentary "Sone Moon" follows Sone (they/them) through their journey with dismantling constructs of gender, the beginning of their testosterone injections, and expressing their emerging identity through poetry amidst a personhood that is arriving later than expected. Running time: 00:08:21.

About the director: In making short films, Jade’s goals are to collaborate with artists in a space of limitless imagination, while translating their truest identities into a bold artistic format. On a tangible level, this means making a space of resistance amidst a capitalist society, as self-love and acceptance amongst marginalized individuals is a form of resistance in itself. Jade holds creative spaces where queer folks can participate in brainstorming and directing their own videos, working hand in hand in channeling their most authentic selves and depths of humanity on screen.

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RIP 9-5 (USA) BY BEN ALDERMAN

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Trailer

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Synopsis: A Y2K apocalypse takes place inside of computers as a result of binary code and monopoly capitalism. Running time: 00:02:12.

Selections/awards: Obskuur Ghent FF, Super Shorts LA, and more.

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THE PSYCHLIST (NORWAY) BY MARTIN A. WALTHER

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Trailer

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Synopsis: When his daughter died under tragic events just 11 months old, the bicycle became the only rescue for Per. Running time: 00:08:00.

Selections/awards: Brussels Independent FF, Boston Short FF, Viewpoint Documentary FF, Hong Kong Arthouse FF, Super Shorts FF, and more.

About the director: Martin A. Walther (1986) comes from Trondheim, Norway. He has a BA in film science from the University of Trondheim and a BA in documentary directing from University of Lillehammer. After finishing his education he worked as a teacher for three years before returning to directing film. The documentary short “Train Robbers” was his directorial debut. The film was an international success at film festival, winning several prices, and was selected for the international competition at Clermont Ferrand. 'The Psychlist' is his second film.

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POISON (BELGIUM) BY LOUVE DUBUC BABINET

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Synopsis: In a world where the working system is falling appart, Poison is a porn performer and actress. Away from the monetary and working sytem, she uses the stage to express her fears, her doubts, her anger, and to empower herself. Running time: 00:19:10.

About the director: Louve Dubuc-Babinet (°Dordogne, France) pays particular attention to telling the story of underrepresented characters, as in "Pendant que les champs brûlent" ("While the Fields Burned"), her first short film that retraces the story of Cat, a young prostitute from the countryside. Louve also embarked on documentary in 2019, with her project "Poison" which is suitable for the journey of a young performer and BDSM actress, supported by the Atelier Jeune Cinéaste ant the Wallonia Brussels Federation.

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MONICA (GREECE) BY DIMITRIS ARGYRIOU

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Synopsis: Monica wanted to become hair dresser, when she was young…

Things went wrong…This is her story... Based on a real interview with a human trafficking victim. Running time: 00:05:00.

Selections/awards: Landshut Shortfilm Festival, The European Independent FF, Festival De Cannes Short Film Corner.

About the director: Dimitris studied at Dept. of Audio & Visual Arts at Ionian University in Greece and at Universität der Künste Berlin (UDK-Berlin) in Germany. He has participated at Berlinale and Sarajevo Talents as a director. His short movies have been selected in more than 170 International Festivals and have gained many awards.

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I MISS YOU, MARIUS (HUNGARY) BY PÉTER BECZ

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Trailer

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Synopsis: Abdi Hedayat, the conservator of the Natural History Museum of Copenhagen routinely performs public dissections on animals. Scared, excited, nervous and smiling faces of children watch as Abdi cuts, skins and guts. An antarctic wolf, a python and a sumatran tiger loose their skins and fur. Animals transform from flesh and blood into scientific artifacts in front the eyes of children. We gain insight into a strange and bizarre scientific ritual. The same taboo challenging tradition that made the young giraffe of the Copanhagen Zoo, Marius famous all around the world. I Miss You, Marius, a meditative, optimistic and humanistic film chasing the ghost of a dead giraffe uncovers the relation between the modern human and nature and how we pass that relation to the next generation. Is there any place left for innocence if exposed to the answers of science too early? Running time: 00:30:00.

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Selections/awards: Budapest FF (Audience Award International Documentary).

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About the director: Peter Becz an upcoming director, is currently studying documentary filmmaking at the University of Theatre and Film Arts in Budapest (SZFE), and has recently completed an MA in Film and Media at the University of Copenhagen. His latest hybrid film "The Last Dinner" has been mentored by Béla Tarr as part of his Freeszfe workshop.

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