2022 Films: Galacta Raider

Galacta Raider by Alexander Eberhage

Milwaukee, WI

Running Time: 14 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 10 at 9:15PM
Drama/ Sci Fi/ Neo-Noir/ Mystery

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By finding the past, he discovers the road to the future.

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Director Bio:

Alexander Eberhage is a young filmmaker and prop designer from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who explores his passion for the past through art. He enjoys creating short films with satire and humor as well as serious films about dystopian societies and sci-fi worlds. He draws inspiration from the visual look and practical effects of many 80’s sci-fi films, where the worlds are brought to life using old-school effects, miniatures, and matte paintings. Most recently, he has released his short film, "Galacta Raider." This is a film about a group of cosmic archeologists. He plans to attend college to study film and design.

2022 Films: As de Trèfle

As de Trèfle by Henri Kebabdjian
France (Milwaukee Premiere)

Running Time: 10 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 10 at 6:30PM
Drama

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Nathan is joined by his daughter Camille by the racetracks. He hopes that by betting on the race, he will be able to afford the school of her dreams. But when Nathan discovers that Camille is admitted in an other school far away, the race takes a whole other turn.

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Director Bio:

As de Trèfle
Short (2021, 4K, 9’)

Aurore, une autre histoire
Short (2006, 35mm, 17’)

Entre Chien et Loup
Short (2004, 16mm, 4’)

Périph
Short (2003, 35mm, 8’)

Director Statement


Question : What is the origin of your story ?

Answer: Before writing and directing « As de Trèfle », I wrote a feature film called « The Centaur » which takes place in the same arena: the world of horse racing, racetracks, passionate gamblers. At the end of the writing of the feature film, I had the feeling that it was necessary to show the cinematographic potential of the film and of this very specific universe. I also felt the need to be confronted with the difficulties associated with filming on a racetrack. Filming horses requires a lot of preparation and thought. There are very strict safety instructions on a racetrack. Everything must therefore be meticulously prepared and thought out.

Question : Why such a special interest in racetracks ?

Answer : In my opinion, cinema has shown very little interest in this universe. Apart from Kubrick's film, « the Killing », the racecourse is almost only used as a secondary setting. The players, the racing world are approached as an anecdotal, secondary representation. Yet it is a particularly captivating place. On a cinematic level, nothing is more beautiful and visual than a horse jumping an obstacle at full speed. Also because it relates to gambling, it is a subject that interests me a lot. Gambling, when it comes to money, is very often seen in cinema or in literature from a moral angle. It is presented as a corruption of society. It then becomes synonymous with perversion (dependence, cheating, unproductiveness, etc.). Yet gambling can be just the opposite. It is synonymous with hope, pleasure, intelligence. This is especially true for horse racing bets.

Question: Was it a complex shooting ?

Answer : Convinced that an important part of the credibility of the film is based on the races, we decided to put the capture at the heart of the device so that « As de Trèfle » is the most successful, the most accurate in its representation. It is a radical but necessary choice in order to render as faithfully as possible the spirit of a race and the power that emerges from it. The race fits naturally into the narrative of the film. The images of horses running at full speed and jumping obstacles are cinematically arresting.

A third of the filming was thus devoted to capturing races. 6 cameras and a team of cameramen were mobilized to be as close as possible to the track and the obstacles. This allowed us to record more than 6 hours of rush.

Question : What were the staging choices for this part ?

Answer : The horse race is narratively perceived from the point of view of Nathan and Camille, therefore from the point of view of the bleachers. However, as we progress through the film, we get closer and closer to the horses in order to illustrate the immense tension that overwhelms the protagonists. The crash of hooves on the track and the ardor of horses soon take over. We are closer to the race, we are now strictly speaking immersed in the race. This helps to illustrate Nathan's confusion and Camille's excitement. Fast pace, nervous cut editing, handheld camera, sound saturation, the staging of « As de Trèfle » is at the service of the issues that the protagonists undergo. Because ultimately, the main challenge of the film is to try to film a form of vertigo...

Question : Tell us about the relationship between father and daughter ?

Answer : In the characters of Camille and Nathan there is something that we will find in all parents/children. It is a mixture of both annoyance, misunderstanding and love. Being a father is difficult, being a child is just as difficult. Relationships are complex on both sides. What interested me was to show this complexity of the relationship between them. It was also important to me at the end that the two characters somehow find common ground to build something new between them. I found it interesting and hopeful. Nathan is a failing father. But a loving father who tries to do the best he can. When he understands that his daughter is going to move away from him, he panics. He realizes that he will have to face loneliness for the first time in his life. It terrifies him. Camille on her side is angry with her father. She has been feeling trapped for a long time. I was extremely lucky that Thierry Hancisse from La Comédie Française agreed to play the role of Nathan. His performance as well as that of his playing partner, Félicie Robert, are very accurate.

Question : What are your future projects ?

Answer : I am working with Jean-Baptiste Jouy, the producer of « As de Trèfle », on two other projects, a feature film and a series. We work together on the development of both projects in parallel.

2022 Films: The Day We Split the Universe

The Day We Split the Universe by David Boffa

Madison, WI (Milwaukee Premiere)

Running Time: 10 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 10 at 9:15PM
Drama/ LGBTQIA2S+

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Two strangers who begin an affair through chance encounters on dog walks hope that the laws of physics will help them make a decision.

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Director Bio:

David Boffa is a writer, independent filmmaker, and dog lover currently located in Madison, Wisconsin. For several years he taught art history at Beloit College, after spending time living in Rome, Italy, and Orono, Maine (where he developed a deep appreciation for maple syrup). He is a dedicated fan of nearly all things related to Olympic weightlifting and The Legend of Zelda series of video games. You learn more about his work at ww.davidboffa.com; if you’d like to see a steady stream of beagle pictures you can check out his Instagram at @dr_boffa

2022 Films: She Was Crying Sugar

She Was Crying Sugar by Tommy Simms

Milwaukee, WI 

Running Time: 4 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 10 at 6:30PM
Animation/ Music Video

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A candied couple gets into sticky situations as they embark on an adventure through a sugar-coated wonderland.

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Director Bio:

Tommy Simms is an interdisciplinary artist and filmmaker who specializes in stop-motion animation. Earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, his senior animation went on to be showcased at the Festival de Cannes. For years, he taught at art camps across the United States, inspiring younger generations with puppetry and stop-motion. Those classes continued online via Out of Toon Studios - an animation studio dedicated to teaching while creating original content. Tommy's had films featured on PBS, in theatre productions, and at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. His animated adventures continue through the production of independent films and music videos.

Director Statement

Is everything really fine and dandy in the land of candy? Sweetie and Sugar Daddy discover how sour things can get as they set out to rescue their kidnapped pet gummy worm. Inspired by the slapstick humor of the 1930s Fleischer Studios films, SUGAR applies that classic rubberhose cartoon style to stop-motion animation, bringing candy characters to life in a sugar-coated wonderland. Breaking the fourth wall, the Fuzzysurf band members narrate the story as a candyman quartet. Directed & Animated by Tommy Simms, with Live Action Cinematography & Compositing by Joe Ludwig, and Sets by Ann Vollrath, SIMWIG Productions delivers a sugar rush that is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.

2022 Voices Heard Films: Lizard Boy

Lizard Boy by Shun Powell Jr
Milwaukee, WI (Milwaukee Premiere)

Running Time: 20 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 10 at 4PM
Horror/ Sci-Fi

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Senior year of high school takes an unexpected turn when friendship is sacrificed because of jealousy. A group of friends visit a home that has blood in its history but the chance to live forever keeps them coming.

Director Bio:

Shun Powell is a production house owner located in Milwaukee, WI. Shun created Pixel Visionaries to create unique content in the horror/sci fi genre here in the city. He has been doing special effects makeup since his freshman year of high school and Shun has also been a professional photographer for the last 4 years with a focus on portraits.

2022 Voices Heard Films: Bodies #1: Milwaukee Waters

Bodies #1: Milwaukee Waters by Michelle Trujillo

Milwaukee, WI (Milwaukee Premiere)

Running Time: 5 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 10 at 4PM
Experimental

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Bodies is a series shot on 16mm film that explores the magic and life of public bodies of water.

Director Bio:

Michelle Trujillo was born in Miami to Colombian and Costa Rican Parents and grew up in South Florida. She received her BA in Multimedia Studies from Florida Atlantic University and her MFA in Film from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She is currently working and living in Milwaukee, WI where she is an Associate Lecturer for the program of Film, Video, Animation and New Genres at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

The focus of her practice is to question and explore representations of Latinx culture, gender and identity creation. Her work stems from an intersectional feminist perspective but does not always offer solutions to the problems it engages with. Instead, she is concerned with upsetting power structures and notions of normality through disorientation. She works in Spanish, English and Spanglish as a mirroring of her lived experience. She also works in various mediums such as eco and hand-processed 16mm film, digital video, 35mm still film and cyanotypes

2022 Voices Heard Films: Hermanita

Hermanita by Hisonni Mustafa
Milwaukee, WI (Milwaukee Premiere)

Running Time: 13 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 10 at 4PM
Drama

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After recently being released from prison, Daniella learns that her little sister has been abused at the hands of her stepfather and has to decide if her duty to protect her sister is more important than freedom.

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Director Bio:

Hisonni Mustafa is a Guyanese American filmmaker from the most segregated city in America, Milwaukee, WI. Hisonni creates films that depict the protagonist's perilous journey toward being loved, financially secure, and discovering their significance in this world. Consequently, Hisonni has been selected as a featured filmmaker in Oscar Winner John Ridley’s, Filmmakers With No Boundaries showcase, won Best Director at the American Black Film Festival, the HBO feature film competition at MVAAFF, and became a semi-finalist for Gemstones Rising Storyteller Search.

Since 2013 Hisonni has written, directed, shot, edited, produced, and crowdsourced a dozen award-winning projects. Hisonni's feature films and shorts earned awards from over 100 festivals, including Cinequest, Hollyshorts, and Urbanworld. Hisonni's shorts/web series have gained over six million views online and award nominations from LA Webfest, The VH1 Streamy Awards, Marseille Webfest, The IAWTV awards, and Marvel's Stan Lee. In 2020, Hisonni's independently produced film Take Out Girl has received awards from The Bentonville Film Festival, Dances With Films, Ashland Independent, Cinequest, and Indie Memphis.

Director Statement

This film is for my little sister, who I love with all my heart. - Hisonni Mustafa

A message from Lizette Hunter, EP

Hello!

I'm Lizette Hunter, an actress, and filmmaker. I'm proud to present a project I've written, produced, and am the lead actress in, entitled Hermanita or Little Sister. Our film is based on a true story about a damaged family, their secrets, and the unwavering loyalty sisters have for one another.

The thought of people seeing this film and taking something away from it makes the early call times and late rehearsals worthwhile. As a full-time working mother of two, being away from them for any amount of time is difficult, but being able to show my children that there is no expiration date on following your dreams is invaluable. I hope you enjoy our film.