Unexpected Journeys
Shorts Package
LUKi and the Lights
2023, G, US, Animation, 11 minutes
Director: Toby Cochran
Producer: Adrian Ochoa
Writers: Toby Cochran, screenplay; Anjo Snijders, story; Sascha Groen, story; Janna Brouwer-Schouten, story
Cast: Anjo Snijders, Kendra Vernon, Toby Cochran
Robot LUKi displays unwavering resilience when his battle against ALS transforms into a testament to the human (and robotic) spirit’s ability to find light in the darkest of times. With every choice he makes and second he cherishes, LUKi paints a portrait of what it means to truly live.
The Calm Under the Water
2023, PG-13, US, Documentary, 10 minutes
Florida Film
Director: Cam Brooks
Producers: Alex William, Cruise Bogle
Writer: Cam Brooks
Cast: Cruise Bogle
The Calm Under the Water follows the emotional journey of an artist paralyzed from the neck down following a skimboarding accident. With the help of friends and the community, he confronts and overcomes the obstacles that have kept him from reconnecting with the place he once treasured — the ocean.
The Ice Cream Man
2024, NR, US, Drama, 34 minutes
East Coast Premiere
Filmmakers in Attendance
Director: Robert Moniot
Producer: Greg Malone
Writer: Robert Moniot
Cast: Noah Emmerich, Nik Pajic, Gretchen Hall, Derek de Lint
Shortly after the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands, a popular Jewish ice cream parlor owner finds himself targeted by the infamous “Butcher of Lyon.” As his world crumbles, The Ice Cream Man must make a terrible choice — a choice that will reverberate throughout the country.
I See You
2024, NR, New Zealand, Drama, 17 minutes
Florida Premiere
Director: Briar March
Producer: Caroline Hutchison
Writer: Briar March
Cast: Anne March, Kieran Charnock, Susannah Grace Sheriff
After encountering a charismatic young man with Down syndrome, Julia, a young mother struggling to love and accept her daughter, senses a shift and finally begins to see her daughter for who she is — a beautiful baby girl.
The Car that Came Back from the Sea
2023, PG-13, US, Switzerland, 11 minutes
Florida Premiere
English, Polish with English Subtitles
Director: Jadwiga Kowalska
Producer: Jadwiga Kowalska
Writer: Jadwiga Kowalska
Six friends, full of exuberance and frivolity embark on a carefree road trip to the Polish Baltic coast, but as their car — and country — fall apart, they discover that life, like their journey, keeps moving forward.