Student Filmmaker Showcase
Shorts Package
K-12 Division
The Lake in the Sky
2024, PG, US, Science Fiction, 17 minutes
Florida Premiere
Filmmakers in Attendance
Director: Caleb Reese Paul
Producers: Caleb Reese Paul, David Paul, Lara Paul
Writer: Caleb Reese Paul
Cast: Caleb Reese Paul, Maxine Wanderer
Warren is a nostalgic teenager stuck in his worst nightmare: the present. He attempts to relive every day over again, scouring for moments and memories worth recording. The only memories he does have that are worth preserving are locked away inside a mysterious machine.
Weathered
2023, NR, US, Documentary, 9 minutes
Florida Premiere
Director: Patrick Jang
Producer: Reel Voices
In this documentary short, three teenagers share personal stories of struggle, resilience and growth, demonstrating their incredible ability to weather turbulent inner battles.
Gone
2024, NR, US, Drama, 7 minutes
Florida Premiere
Director: Hunter Nickless
Producer: Hunter Nickless
Writers: Hunter Nickless, Ali Ghasemi, Lindsey Stein
Cast: Hunter Nickless, Ali Ghasemi, Lindsey Stein
Haunted by the guilt of being the driver in a car crash that killed his friends, high school film student Luca uses pre-recorded video footage to mask his grief.
College/University Division
When Beverly Met Reita
2023, NR, US, Documentary, 15 minutes
Florida Premiere
Director: Brianna Schatt
Producer: Brianna Schatt
Writer: Brianna Schatt
Cast: Reita Green, Beverly Pate
Reita Green, an 87-year-old former Hollywood star, finds new purpose wallpapering homes with her best friend, wo is about 60 years her junior. Together, they brighten lives and inspire others in this uplifting documentary.
Cakewalk
2024, G, US, Animation, 2 minutes
World Premiere
Florida Film
Director: Lauren Best
Producer: Lauren Best
Writer: Lauren Best
When roadwork crumbles her path, a rainbow-freckled driver is determined to deliver a cake on time. Little does she know that what awaits her is anything but sweet.
Coercion
2024, NR, US, Thriller, 13 minutes
Florida Premiere
Director: Kamdyn Atkinson
Producers: Kamdyn Atkinson, Freewater Productions
Writer: Kamdyn Atkinson
Cast: Ezra Bader, Bryce Bern, Gerianne Hannibal, Barbara Cardenas
A man wakes up bound to a metal chair in a garage. With his memory hazy and the situation unclear, he faces a teenage interrogator who demands a confession. The only problem? The man has no idea what he’s guilty of.
Contracting the Cooties
2024, NR, US, Animation, 3 minutes
East Coast Premiere
Directors: Skylar Levine, Maya Bayewitch
Producer: Ringling College of Art and Design
Writers: Skylar Levine, Maya Bayewitch
Cast: Kinley Moody, Eloise Peltekian, Addison Quam, Yanick Welihozkiy
When second-grader Maggie catches the dreaded cooties from a boy on the playground, her best friend Parker races against time to find the cure before it’s too late.
The Lights Above
2024, PG, US, Period/Science Fiction, 17 minutes
Florida Premiere
Director: Luke J. Salewski
Producers: Avo John Kambourian, Alex Chang, Luke J. Salewski
Writer: Luke J. Salewski
Cast: John Ryan McLaughlin, Jonathan Tanigaki, Alan Rachins
Months after Pearl Harbor, a determined journalist teams up with a Japanese-American photographer to investigate mysterious aircraft sightings over Los Angeles and prevent a potential attack.