2020 Selected Films (in Alpha Order)

And the Winners are:
Best of Fest $1000: “Beyond Dreams”
Best of NC $300: “The Mayberry Effect” 
Professional Documentary $500: “Beyond Dreams”
Student/Amateur Documentary $250: “Pink, White & Blue”
Student/Amateur Animation $250: “The Quiet”
Professional Short $500: “Extra Innings”
Student/Amateur Short $250: “Spread Among Us”
Film for Children/by a Child (14 & under) $100: “Creepy”

Links	Q&A	Title	Rating	Runtime	Category
				Mins.
		A Different Side...	G	6	Student Documentary
	Q&A	A Mind’s Eye	PG	11	Professional Short
	Q&A	A Modern Romance	PG	4	Student Short
	Q&A	Beyond Dreams	PG-13	75	Professional Documentary
	Q&A	Con Amore	G	3	KIDS FEST! Animation
		Creepy	G	6	KIDS FEST! Animation
		Cycling	G	5	KIDS FEST! Animation
		Échappé	PG	18	Student Short
	Q&A	Elvers	PG	16	Professional Documentary
	Q&A	Extra Innings	PG	9	Professional Short
	Q&A	Finding Courage	PG-13	80	Professional Documentary
		For the Goblins	PG13	16	Student Short
		Hallswallow Hollow	PG	8	Student Short
	Q&A	In Our Nature	G	5	KIDS FEST! Animation
		Infinity 7	PG13	12	Professional Short
		Keepers of the Bees	PG	57	Professional Documentary
	Q&A	Lost in Place	G	4	KIDS FEST! Animation
	Q&A	Mike	PG	33	Professional Short
		Mrs. Buck in Her Prime	G	11	Professional Documentary
		Ms. Rossi	PG	5	Professional Short
		Phoebe	PG13	9	Student Short
		Pink, White & Blue	PG	19	Student Documentary
		Rank: Eight More Seconds	G	8	Student Documentary
		Ray's Spot	G	4	Professional Documentary
		Refuge	PG	7	Professional Documentary
		Righteous	R	6	Student Short
		Sideways	PG	13	Student Short
		Soaring Beyond Silence	PG	8	Student Short
		Sockeye Salmon. Red Fish	G	51	Professional Documentary
		Split Second	PG	11	Student Short
	Q&A	Spread Among Us	PG-13	16	Student Short
	Q&A	Stories Happen in Forests	G	29	Professional Documentary
		The Casserole Brigade	PG	13	Professional Short
		The Hutmaster	G	8	Professional Documentary
	Q&A	The Journal	PG	4	Student Short
	Q&A	The Mayberry Effect	PG	90	Professional Documentary
	Q&A	The Mushroom Huntress	PG	10	Professional Short
		The Quiet	PG13	10	Student Animation
		The Rivals	G	2	KIDS FEST! Animation
		The Sound of Silence	PG	6	Professional Short
		The Story Beyond a Cup of Sake	PG	63	Professional Documentary
	Q&A	The Thief	PG13	6	Student Short
		Undermine: Beneath Canada's Ghost Towns	PG13	17	Professional Documentary
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Synopses (in alpha order)
"A Different Side" Student Documentary, 5min 34sec Directors, Writers, Producer: Connor, Corey, Lewis, Travis Charlottesville, Virginia ​A skateboarder, an art school grad, a filmmaker, a basketball player, a trumpeter, a pianist, and so much more - this group of inspiring young black men from Charlottesville, VA won't let racial stereotypes define their aspira​​tions.   "A Mind's Eye" Professional Short, 10min 52sec Directed by: Rebecca Kirsh, Benjamin West Kernersville, North Carolina A newly blind man learns to appreciate his remaining four senses. ​Selection Committee Comments: "This is essentially a silent film, relying completely on visual storytelling - but what makes this even more fascinating is that it is the story of one man's adaptation to blindness, and his reminiscences on the beauty of years gone by. A film about blindness that is a wholly visual experience (outside of the LOVELY musical score) - that's hard to do, but the director here did a PHENOMENAL job. The use of negative space and poetic shot selection is beautiful on so many levels." "A Modern Romance" Student Short, 3min 29sec Directed by: Nathan Shanahan Durham, North Carolina A young couple have different expectations for their first date. "Beyond Dreams" Professional Documentary, 1hour 15min Directed by: Rafael Duarte Rio de Janeiro, Brazil The film tells the life story of Roman Romancini, one of the most important Brazilian mountaineers, in his endeavor to reach his greatest dream: climbing Mount Everest, the highest mountain on the planet. Starting early in his athletic career, he passes through several deadly experiences. But it was while riding a bike that he got hit by a car in an accident that almost put an end to his sport life forever. Directed by Rafael Duarte (Bambalaio Filmes) and produced by Leonardo Edde (URCA Filmes), "Beyond Dreams" shows how Roman dealt with the chance of never climbing again, how he fought a cancer and how he kept the Everest dream alive as an motivation to overcome the recovery process. Doctors, coaches, family and friends react in different ways to Roman's determination to still climb Everest. The documentary shows how he reached, during his preparation years, 4 of the "7 summits" during winter, considered by many an almost impossible mission. Survivor of the avalanche that hit the Khumbu Falls in 2014, a few feet from Everest Base Camp, Roman returned to the Himalayas four years later with Rafael Duarte and Padawa Shepa, who together documented the most challenging expedition of his life. "Con Amore" KIDS FEST! - Student Animation, 3min Directed by: Tianze Fan Savannah, Georgia This is a fairy tale that happened on a desk. The little toy pianist fell in love with a music box ballerina who is sealing in the glass bell. However, he couldn’t wake her up because the key of the music box was lost. Therefore, he made up his mind to take his own clockwork to charge the energy to the music box, which cost his life. But the fantastic thing happened: the ballerina is actually a fairy. She saw the keyhole behind the boy so she raised the boy with magic. They finally lived happily together. "Creepy" KIDS FEST! - Student Animation, 5min 18sec KIDS 'N TRICKS - Directed by children aged 7 to 11 years & 14 students Dusseldorf, Germany It’s early in the morning and school is about to start – many children are happy to see their friends again. But some kids don't - just like CREEPY. He looks different, that's why the other pupils don't accept him as a friend. They nettle him and make fun of him again and again, even the teacher joins them. Only the class representative Emma seems to understand CREEPY's situation and sympathizes. Can she help him to be respected and make friends? "Cycling" KIDS FEST! - Student Animation, 4min 5sec by: Victoria Cruell North Carolina A young woman recounts her difficulty coping with painful inner emotions through a series of memories in which her feelings are represented by different forms of water. "Echappe" Student Short, 17min 8sec Directed by: Rebecca Walters Winston-Salem, North Carolina When faced with the opportunity for a solo performance, an aging dancer must question whether her moral compass and personal integrity are important enough to stand up to a choreographer’s unwanted sexual advances. "Elvers" Professional Documentary, 15min 21sec Directed by: Rachael Morrison Los Angeles, California In late winter, along the coast of Maine, millions of baby freshwater eels called "elvers" float up tidal rivers and propel a highly lucrative international seafood trade. Consumption of freshwater eel in Asian cuisine has risen in popularity despite worldwide decline of the species. In 2012, global demand for eel caused the price for a single pound of elvers to skyrocket to over $2000. Elvers follows an eclectic cast of characters who describe what happened when this small-town Maine fishery exploded into a gold rush and blackmarket. Local fishermen made big profits and illegal activity was rampant, but is the high price of elvers worth the high environmental cost? "Extra Innings" Professional Short, 8min 34sec Directed by: John Gray New York, New York A reporter interviews the manager of the Boston Red Sox in an attempt to uncover secrets from his past. "Finding Courage" Professional Documentary, 1hour 20min Directed by: Kay Rubacek Australia, Canada, China, France, New Zealand, United States A former journalist for the Chinese Communist Party (YIFEI WANG), living in exile in San Francisco, struggles to settle into life in America while working to heal her family's wounds from their tragic past. She is seeking justice for the murder of her sister at the hands of the Chinese authorities. Rare undercover footage of a meeting with the director of the labor camp where Yifei's sister was killed reveals shocking admissions of torture, slave labor, corruption, and a general disregard for human life pervading the camp system today. Exclusive interviews with former Chinese Communist Party officials provide a unique insight into the hidden world of terror that many Chinese citizens live without ever knowing that life can, and does, exist with freedom outside their world. ​Selection Committee Comments: "What a fascinating story. Powerful, intriguing and tough to watch at times. When you witness stories like this, it can remind you to appreciate what you have. Great shots, structure and technical production value." "An insightful look into an issue that people need to be more aware about." "Tough to watch in very many ways, when considering the extremely inhumane things endured by these individuals. Still, I believe that telling the truth and depicting the tragic reality in these situations is very important in documentaries of this nature.Moving interviews and striking archive footage are edited together effectively, and the final product is definitely worth watching (and urgently so) for emotionally mature audiences."  ​​ "For the Goblins" Student Comedy Short, 15min 55sec Directed by: Hypnus Yao Burbank, California An ordinary college student, Sebastian, gets kidnapped by Goblins on his way home from a party. With the desire of getting some goblin wine, he makes a deal with the Goblins. "Hallswollow Hallow" Student Comedy Short, 7min 20sec Directed by: Monica Lee Winston-Salem, North Carolina A sibling vampire duo from the country throws a surprise celebrity-themed birthday party for their familiar. "In Our Nature" Student Animation, 5min Directed by: Echo Wilson Winston-Salem, North Carolina An animated documentary exploring humanity's relationship with nature through a world of interviewed “animals.” "Infinity 7" Professional Short, 11min 52 sec Directed by: Brett Williams Sunnyvale, California A lone astronaut's spacecraft malfunctions, threatening to leave him stranded in orbit forever. "Keepers of the Bees" Professional Documentary, 57min Directed by: Jesse Bradley Wilmington, North Carolina In 2017, a group of UNCW students founded the UNCW Beekeeping Club. They'd been inspired by the passion of Dr. Anthony Snider, an associate professor in Environmental Sciences. But they would ultimately find themselves on a journey to expand their environmental awareness, learn the biological and public intricacies of beekeeping, and follow in the footsteps of generations of beekeepers before them. The emerging beekeepers soon discovered they would be joining a much larger community: farmers, scientists, legislators and hobbyists in North Carolina who work together to ensure the honey bee population thrives. This is an ecosystem that affects the agriculture of our state and, ultimately, the food on our tables. The honey bee is one of the most important contributors to our environment, and their survival depends on beekeepers. What started as an interest in creating a club has evolved into a passion for cultivating and protecting a species and a sense of duty to honor the sacred legacy of beekeeping. "Lost in Place" Student Animated Short, 4min Directed by: Morgan Holub Raleigh, North Carolina A young girl and her pet robot go on a journey, physically and emotionally. "Mike" Professional Short, 32min 45sec Directed by: Kent Smith Charlotte, North Carolina Mike is an intellectually challenged man in his mid-50's, working for his only friend, Donald. When one dream propels Mike onto a course of adventure and splendor along the path of life, the dream mission turns out to be not as simple as it might have seemed. It's a tale about finding yourself while experiencing the moment. One dream. One journey. "Mrs. Buck in Her Prime" Professional Documentary, 10min 47sec Directed by: Erick Yates Green Washington, North Carolina This short documentary film tells the story of an irrepressible 104 year old pianist who, despite her many infirmaries, determinedly plays at her small town church services. "Ms. Rossi" Professional Short, 5min Directed by: Pat Battistini Santa Clarita, California While on her way to a business meeting, Ms. Rossi takes an interesting detour. "Phoebe" Student Short, 8min 31sec Directed by: Kyra Gardner California Phoebe is a real catch... she just doesn’t know it yet. Far from home, she tackles a new sea of challenges during her first weeks at college. With her flamboyant roommate Adam as her navigator, she no longer feels like a small fish in a big pond, and she learns to feel comfortable in her own skin. "Pink, White & Blue" Student Documentary, 18min 3sec Directed by: Ash Malone Winston-Salem, North Carolina After years of transitioning in front of a camera, Aydian Dowling discusses how allowing his transition to be visible via YouTube has helped the trans community as a whole grow in pride and allyship. "Rank: Eight More Seconds" Student Documentary, 7min 45sec Directed by: ​Jenifer Hughey, Lindsay Kappius, Mad​​ison Martin, Allyssa Blake, Zoe Berlin Asheboro, North Carolina A young bull rider picks the bull that nearly broke his neck to ride at the end of the season. "Ray's Spot" Professional Documentary, 3min 42sec Directed by: Ethan Payne Celebrated storyteller Ray Christian invites us to his sacred spot by the creek. "Refuge" Professional Documentary, 6min 9sec Directed by: Tim Kemple Grand Rapids, Michigan Born in a camp on the Thai-Cambodian border before immigrating to the U.S., Piseth Sam wonders what makes her different: “Am I what a refugee looks like?” She finds answers in climbing and teaching other women to climb. “Allowing myself to get stuck, allowing myself to not know it all, that was like the biggest change for me…Now all the things I used to be insecure about, those things are my power now.” ​Selection Committee Comments: "Poetry in motion. Each shot folds into the next beautifully. An inspirational, empowering story about a woman from a marginalized background."​​ "The camera work is stunning; the music and sound design are award-caliber, and the message of "there are many faces to being American" is one worth sharing. This is visual storytelling at its best" "Righteous" Professional Short, 5min 15sec, [R] Directed by: William C. Simmons Charlotte, North Carolina A gun-slinging Cowboy seeks a Priest to confess his past transgressions; but the Cowboy won't be the only one confessing his sins. "Sideways" Student Short, 12mn 18sec Directed by: Daniel Robert Smith Winston-Salem, North Carolina Best friends Kurt and Carter find out that living together may not be as easy as they thought when their competing lifestyles begin to crash. After a huge argument, Carter wakes up to find his gravity has shifted to the wall. He has gone sideways. Selection Committee Comment: ​"Wonderful comedic chemistry between the two leads, and a lovely exploration of the struggles of friendship. Fantastic writing, with snappy dialogue and banter between the characters. Really nifty effects and cinematography tricks. A ton of creativity and passion went into​​ this one." ​"Fun relationship comic-drama with excellent on-screen buddy-comedy chemistry. The perspective camera choices really added to the concept of relationships going sideways. This was "The Odd Couple" with a twist." "Soaring Beyond Silence" Student Short, 7min 30sec Directed by Jessie Greenberg Sarasota, Florida This film is the story of a High School girl who realized that she had been born with a 40% hearing loss in both ears. Because her hearing loss wasn’t discovered until she was a Junior in High School, her “moments of incompetence” were often misunderstood. Reluctant and ​embarrassed to admit her disability and to wear hearing aids, she faced many challenges. Through it all, she grew stronger. She made this film to let other people know that, even though the road to success is not easy and it may feel long and arduous, we all have a purpose. We all have strengths and we all have challenges, but it is up to us to decide what we are going to do about our challenges. This film shows her story of perseverance in hopes that others can also triumph in the face of adversity. "Sockeye Salmon. Red fish" Professional Documentary, 51min Directed by: Dmitriy Shpilenok , Vladislav Grishin Russian Federation Sockeye, a species of wild salmon, is born in Kamchatkan waters and spends its entire life in the Pacific Ocean. Only once does it return to fresh waters - to give offspring, start the circle of life, and die. It is an inexhaustible resource that feeds billions of people on the planet, restored every year! But soon, we may find ourselves facing the unimaginable: humans will exhaust the inexhaustible! Selection Committee Comments: ​"This is one of the best docs I've seen this year. The sound design and cinematography make it worth the runtime. I love the score and the National Geographic/ Nature Channel feel. It is absolutely stunning to watch these images. I love it." "Some of the most breathtaking cinematography you will ever find in a wildlife documentary. Definitely moves along at a slow, deliberate pace, but you are consistently enthralled by the technical magnificence."​​ "Split Second" Professional Short, 11min Directed by: Kristen Cubbage, Phillip Lehn Hickory, North Carolina A loving family's life changes in a split second. Selection Committee Comment: ​"Gut-wrenching subject matter, but extremely important to recognize. Inspired by tragic true events, and depicted with honest emotion." ​​ "Spread Among Us" Student Short, 15min 4sec Directed by: Travis Stewart As a horrifying disease spreads across the country, a young couple must decide what to do with their daughter after she is infected. Selection Committee Comments: ​"A solid film on every level. A film about contagion and the challenges associated with choosing between LOVE and safety. The sound design and the acting were particularly excellent here. The narrative control and captivating performances really kept me engaged​."​ ​"Remarkable on all accounts. Directed to perfection, with amazing suspense, horror, and drama. VERY relevant story, especially in the time of COVID-19. Creepy sound design, and a chilling atmosphere. Awesome acting."​​ "Stories Happen in Forests" Professional Documentary, 28min 33sec Directed by: Amanda Rodriguez Asheville, North Carolina 12 people. In the woods. Telling their stories...I hiked out into the forests of the Southeast to listen. What I found in the power of story and in our connections to the forests is more important now than ever. Forests hold our stories. Our history. Our dreams. Our strength. Our future. Humanity happens in forests. Stories happen in forests. ​Selection Committee Comments: "An enchanting look into the phenomenal potential of nature's/the outdoor's influence on various aspects of any person's life - from spirituality, to social identity, to artistic value, to scientific properties - all of these facets are examined through the stories of different individuals with their own unique backgrounds and perspectives. Shot and edited exquisitely. Simply marvelous on so many levels." "A remarkable narrative concept by using chapters to weave several mini-stories about "nature and the forests." This was beautiful from a "story" level and the technical achievements were stellar. The stories cover so many aspects of life: medicine, spiritual life, art, recreation, food, social connections, disability, community...it truly was a beautiful way to find connections to the life of nature."​​ "The Casserole Brigade" Professional Short, 12min 27sec Directed by: B. Rain Bennett Chapel Hill, North Carolina A dark comedy about that period after a family member’s death (in the South), where people from around the neighborhood and town stop by incessantly to drop off thoughts, prayers, and casseroles as a way to show their love. "The Hutmaster" Professional Documentary, 7min 25sec Directed by: Tim Kemple Grand Rapids, Michigan For over a century, a small network of alpine huts have operated in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Run by off-the-grid teams called “croo”, they span 50 miles of the Appalachian Trail and serve up home cooked meals each day to the many guests. It's hard to make food without ingredients, though, so Mack Brewer and her team at the Lake of the Clouds Hut hike in 70 pounds of supplies a few times a week because they know a full belly can also feed the soul. ​Selection Committee Comments: ​"The cinematography was purely stunning. Informative and engaging. This is also an empowering doc about endurance and purpose. Also a doc with "personality." Excellent editing as well. A doc about finding community in the most unusual of ways (and places)." "Stunning, awe-inspiring cinematography. Wonderful showcase of the powerful majesty of the natural world around us. Lovely atmosphere of camaraderie and friendship among the group living in the hut. Editing, music, and sound design are all m​​agnificent. Marvelous all the way around." "The Journal" Student Short, 3min 51sec Directed by: Sydney Rowlette, Connor Thomas Wake Forest, North Carolina A girl who is affected by depression, reveals the daily struggles of the illness. She writes all of her negative, self-hating, pessimistic thoughts in a dark journal. As she seeks help through medication and therapy, she realizes the effects of her negative thoughts and shows the journal to her therapist. To symbolize the progress she is making, the girl decides to burn the dark journal. We see her at the end with a light journal, where she now writes positive affirmations that are much more helpful to her well-being. ​Selection Committee Comments: "Creative shots; powerful subject matter; pure poetry in the written form. Well-edited. The score was truly supportive and emotive. A strong public service piece covering depression and suicide prevention. Just the right length. A piece with voice-over narrative and performance without dialogue can be challenging to direct - but this nailed it." "Wow. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, in so many ways. Raw, honest, real, and tragic, but also hopeful and inspiring. Cinematic levels of cinematography and editing, and the written narration is quite literally poetic. A ton of heart and soul packed into 4 minutes of runtime. Highly recommended."​​ "The Mayberry Effect" Professional Documentary, 1hour 30min Directed by: Christopher Hudson Winston-Salem, North Carolina The Mayberry Effect is a feature length thought provoking documentary investigating the topic of nostalgia through the lens of The Andy Griffith Show asking the questions; did a simpler time actually exist, how did the show influence our American culture and society and will future generations continue to enjoy the sitcom? ​Selection Committee Comments: "Beautiful tribute to the legacy of The Andy Griffith Show and the charm of small southern towns (especially Mount Airy, NC). North Carolina audiences will adore this documentary, as will anybody with a personal connection to Griffith's television show. Well paced at 90 minutes, and fantastic interviews with sources close to the heart of the show." "It is a must for fans of the Andy Griffith show. A host of interviews with cast, fans, family and impersonators. They dug deep with some archive footage, and even brought in cultural history and current events, A doc of relevance."​​ "The Mushroom Huntress" Professional Short, 9min 40sec Directed by: Jim Picariello Brooksville, Maine After Leigh is cut off from her cold, wealthy mother, and witnesses the arrest of her loving-yet-scheming father, she attempts to support herself by capitalizing on her love of wild mushrooms. But while foraging along the forest floor she discovers a shocking family secret. "The Quiet" Student Animated Short, 10min Directed by: Radheya Jegatheva Australia When an astronaut ponders on the quietude of space, he comes upon a startling self-realisation. The truth is written in the stars, but what will he uncover? "The Rivals" KIDS FEST! Student Short, 1min 55sec Directed by: Piotr Kaźmierczak Poland An animated epigram, created by 12 year old Piotr, as part of the Legnica Film Academy (LAF WFA) 2019, where the film took 2nd place in the 13-14 age category. Selection Committee Comments: ​"Magnificent animation, using stop-motion/claymation, paper cut-outs, etc. Love the music compositions as well. Light and fun, creative an​​d crafty. Wonderful for the kids fest." "The Sound of Silence" Professional Short, 6min Directed by: Donald Wilson Charlotte, North Carolina A man returns to his beach house along the Currituck Sound after losing his better half and wonders if the other half will ever be whole again. ​​ Selection Committee Comments: "It is difficult for a narrative piece (without dialogue) to carry a complete story, and this one did just that...i​t​ offered a "relationship story" through a montage of scenes and music only. The cinematography was stunning, the performances were wonderful, the score was purposely off-balance, an​​d it was a brilliant take at exploring life and hurt. This is a marvelous film." "Phenomenal in so many aspects. Pure visual storytelling, in gorgeous, yet tragic, cinematic language. Breathtaking in a few moments. One of the most complete short films I've seen yet in this list of submissions." "Great cinematography." "The Story Beyond a Cup of Sake" Professional Documentary, 1hour 2min Directed by: Hironori Sakurai Japan The documentary film “The Story Beyond a Cup of Sake” is a year of tale that features the rice wine “sake” produced by a small brewery in Japan and “passion” how people love it. "The Thief" Student Short, 5min 26sec Directed by: Samantha McLeod Raleigh, North Carolina A man steals a woman's handbag and finds unlikely items. Selection Committee Comment: ​"Love this short. It was DANG Awesome and you weren't sure where it was taking you...but once it got you there it was well worth the payoff. Limited dialogue can work under the guidance of a strong director. This is one of them." "UNDERMINE: Beneath Canada's Ghost Towns" Professional Documentary, 17min 24sec Directed by: Francois Desrocher Canada An abandoned mine explorer visits two of the largest ghost towns in Canada and enters the long abandoned mines under them to see what remains.
Tickets & Passes Available HERE