It is an honor and a privilege to bring you the worldwide premiere of the 5th Annual Stage 32 Short Film Program! Below you will find seven amazing short films to watch that were carefully curated by Stage 32's panel of leading industry executives. Our esteemed panel of judges is made up of top producers, managers, development executives, and Oscar-winning filmmakers.
Plus, join the filmmakers for a live Q&A this Friday, 12/18! Details and registration and the end of this blog.
Our seven winning filmmakers hail from all over the world, and we could not be more excited to share their undeniable talents with you. We were proud to screen these films in the 2020 Oscar-qualifying Hollyshorts Film Festival and the Raindance Film Festival in London. And, we're even more proud to showcase today's international premiere to all of the development executives, agents, managers and agents that work with us.
Since 2016, the Stage 32 Short Film Contest has served as an unparalleled incubator for finding talented filmmakers and helping them forge connections that make their careers blossom. Our past finalists have gone on to be signed by Paradigm, APA, Gersh, Verve, Echo Lake, Circle of Confusion and more!
Congratulations to all the 5th Annual Short Film Contest winners, we cannot wait to see where your talents take you.
Executives - please get in contact with Amanda Toney, Jason Mirch or Richard Botto for introductions.
A LGBTQ+ short film about how love defies all borders.
Directed by Gwenn Joyaux - Buenos Aires, Argentina
Argentine-French multi award-winning director and writer who tells LGBTQI+ stories that deal with the edges of the world and extreme characters. They studied at La Plata National University in Argentina where they earned a BA in Multimedia Production and a BA in Direction of Film, Video and TV. Later on they relocated to Europe to study a MA in Film Directing at Universidade Lusófona in Lisbon (Portugal), Screen Academy Scotland in Edinburgh/ Napier University (UK) and the Baltic Film and Media School in Tallinn (Estonia) with an ERASMUS+ scholarship. They are a Talent Buenos Aires - Berlinale Talents (2007).
They received a scholarship to attend the 3º Seminar Program for Professional Latin American and European Film Producers at the Copenhagen Filmskolen. They have worked as AD and script supervisor in more than twenty films, commercials and series in Europe, Central America and South America. Gwenn is in development on their new feature films, a sci-fi epic thriller entitled Where the cold wind blows and a dystopian dark comedy entitled In labour we trust, which has recently won in Ventana Sur’s Punto Genero, a new section focusing on projects from women and non-binary directors.
A misunderstanding between three juveniles and a troubled man escalates beyond control, spiraling down to a point of no return.
Written & Directed by Will Niava - Montreal, Québec, Canada
Will Niava is an Ivorian-Ghanaian film director based in Montréal. After his education in film production, Will directed a number of projects around the world. Namely, a TV Series for MTV (SHUGA BABI) and also “Violence Of The Lambs”, a music video released on NOWNESS from which he made his first short film “ZOO”.
"ZOO" has won 7 awards out of its 45 international film festival selections.
Will is editing his second short film “ELEMENT”, all the while preparing his first feature film experience, co-writing alongside Jérémy Comte, the Oscar-nominated director.
A short film about generational trauma, sacrifice, and ending the cycle.
In a technology obsessed world, a sweet natured guy who is looking for love struggles to break free from a domineering relationship.
Directed by Micah Coate - Los Angeles, CA
Micah Coate is a director, actor, and U.S. Air Force photojournalist from Northern California. She found her way in the film and television industry soon after graduating from the Virginia Military Institute in 2012 with a degree that had nothing to do with film. She started working in film, TV, commercials and theatre as a PA, stage manager, 1st AD, and director. In 2019 she co-directed her first feature, Guys At Parties Like It, a #metoo inspired horror.
Written by & Starring Grace Yee, Los Angeles, CA
Grace Yee is a writer and actor from Los Angeles, California. Growing up in a traditional Chinese family, she was culturally obliged to track medicine until she was discovered by her sister ́s talent agent. She has been pursuing acting ever since. She has been on television shows on NBC, Lea Thompson’s directorial debut film The Year of Spectacular Men, and ABC’s Fresh Off the Boat. Grace’s love of comedy led her to begin writing comedic shorts, SHIRi being the first of those to go into production. Grace is currently writing the hilarious true story about her and her sister’s struggles to break into the industry.
At the moment she is working for ABC/Disney, fighting to keep COVID away from the film and TV industry.
In 1960s Belfast, a young boy comes of age while devising a plan to steal cigarettes.
In a not so distant future, humans must take pharmaceuticals to feel any emotion at all. This is the story about two people who have been prescribed to take the next steps in their relationship.
Directed by Burton Chaikin - Los Angeles, CA
BURTON CHAIKIN is originally from just outside of Chicago, and graduated from the USC School of Cinematic Arts in 2016. He is currently an Associate Producer for for The Late Late Show with James Corden, and has directed and produced several award-winning short films featured in festivals around the world. His films were licensed for online distribution on sites such as Amazon and Gunpowder & Sky's sci-fi site WatchDust.com. He is now in the process of developing his first feature with production anticipated to begin in 2021.
Brian - a shiftless young man - discovers that when he dies his life resets five minutes in the past. Using this power to his benefit, he begins killing himself to change his future.
Directed by Michael Hull - Eugene, Oregon
As a two-time Emmy® nominated, and multi-award winning producer/director, Hull has worked in many production disciplines; commercial, music video, documentary, corporate film and independent film. He is known for his ability to deliver work that is engaging. Hull's style blends a methodical, hand-crafted approach with an urgent realism. Always infused with a narrative style, his work is committed and distinctive.
His 30+ year career has seen Hull's award-winning work grace many of the world's leading brands; ESPN, Clorox, Hewlett-Packard (national commercial campaigns and international high-tech documentaries), MasterCard (the longest running DRTV ad of its time), DIVA TV (the world's first interactive television system), World Cup Soccer, as-well-as keynote films for global events such as the 2002 UN Summit on Sustainable Development held in South Africa. Brand commercial work for the nation's fastest growing craft beer and a farm & ranch retailer have garnered him his recent Emmy® nominations. Michael has taught and lectured at Santa Clara University and the University of Oregon. His global production experience has taken him to India, South Africa, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Haiti and throughout the EU.
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Blog Post by Amanda Toney, posted on Thursday, December 17th, 2020
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