25 Short Films of the 2020 Hudson Valley Film Festival

My Final Girl

My Final Girl is the journey to bring to light the positioning and existence of Black Women in American Horror Cinema. This short documentary is the first in a series of interviews and discussions that investigates the “Black People always die first in horror films” myth and the “Final Girl” film theory within the Genre, Gender AND Race specific lens of American Horror as investigated by a black female filmmaker.

Written, Produced & Directed by: Kristina Leath-Malin

Cast: Marlene Clark, Beverly Bonner, Gloria Gifford, Sam Waymon, Bill Crain, Chiz Shultz, Fabrizio Fama

Inner-critic

A heart broken woman battles her inner critic as she works on a potion to bring back her dead lover.

Written, Produced, Acted & Directed by: Tara Tusher

Ben (Not The Fish)

This is Ben. Ben is an 8-year-old liver transplant recipient, and a 5-year Burkitt Lymphoma survivor. He and his family are members of the Capital District YMCA's Circle of Champs, a program dedicated to lifting the emotional and financial burdens of families that have a child with a life threatening illness. Ben's dream is to be an aquarium owner when he grows up.

Director: Erin Wolcott

Producer: Jillian Pugliese

Cinematographer: George Catechis

Editor: Conner Sweeney

Cast: Benjamin Longale, Sandra Nardoci, Lisa Wolcott, Patrick Buffaline

Riveted, Structures, Lands

“Riveted, Structures, Lands” pieces together digital video and stop motion animation to explore loss and memory. Blueprints pilfered from Union Pacific Railroad by my great-grandfather alongside fragments of quilt pieces sewn by my great-grandmother weave together a new personal understanding of family memories. Through interviewing my grandmother who suffers from dementia, I was able to create a broader story and appreciation of her two parents and their own modest creative expressions within a larger history.

Director: Brenda Grell

The Door

A middle aged man finds a mysterious old door in the woods. Upon entering, unintentionally sends himself to the old west and ends up having to fight a violent outlaw for his survival.

Written & Directed by: Tim O'Hearn

Produced by: Tim O'Hearn, Aaron Bratcher

Cast: Jeff Grennell, Rae Edwards Treherne, Patrick Boyer

Hugo

'Hugo' : A study in grief — Pets aren't just pets, they're family.

Director: Justin Christopher Ayd

Producer: Justin Christopher Ayd & Jennifer Lillemo Ayd

EXTRA INNINGS

A reporter interviews the manager of the Boston Red Sox in an attempt to uncover secrets from his past.

Written & Directed by: John Gray

Produced by: John Gray & Melissa Jo Peltier

Cast : Peter Riegert, TJ Thyne

Washed

In this stop-motion horror short, a couple enlists the aid of a mysterious figure to help them with their seemingly insurmountable laundry problem.

Directed by: Michael Bartomeleo

Written by: Michael Bartomeleo, Stephen West-Rogers

Produced by: Megan Kortvelesy

Cast: Stephen West-Rogers, Sergine Garraud, Lukas Hassel

The Poet and The Plant

A poet loves his new houseplant so much he kills it. A meditation on true love, loneliness, and listening. And an allegory for modern man’s relationship with nature, and how it can heal.

Directed by:Tom Basis & Robert Summerlin

Written by: Robert Summerlin

Produced by:Tom Basis, Michael Hubbard, Morgan Waters, Robert Summerlin

Cast: Sarah Snook, Robert Summerlin, Masha Shub

1989 Vanagon Westfalia - Just Like Home

Regular Car Reviews is a satirical web series that places everyday commuter vehicles within their social and historical context. This short documentary is a one-off special that we created about the iconic 1980s VW van. One part nostalgia, one part humour, and one part history lesson, this is a unique short film ostensibly about a car, but it really speaks to the connection between father and son.

• Ivan VerlaanDirectorSurvivor Stories, Band Geeks, Shooting War, The Fifth Region, Forgotten,
• Julian De ZorziDirectorSurvivor Stories
• Brian ReiderWriterRegular Car Reviews
• Nick RomanWriterRegular Car Reviews
• Ivan VerlaanProducerSurvivor Stories, Band Geeks, Shooting War, The Fifth Region, Forgotten,
• Julian De ZorziProducerSurvivor Stories
• Brian ReiderProducerRegular Car Reviews
• Nick RomanProducerRegular Car Reviews

Midnight Mind

“Hear the rain falling down – streams on the windows. Feel the clouds rolling by – grey against your midnight mind.” These are the opening lyrics to the song and music video for “Midnight Mind.” This piece was composed and performed by filmmaker and musician, Mara Katria (who likewise wrote/directed/edited the film) and features J. Jeff Ungar, with music e-mastered at Real World Studios. While the song itself is essential to the overall production, “Midnight Mind” was envisioned as an authentic story of both sound and vision – a short film which aims to convey the tragedy, struggle, and hope present in our human experience.

Written, Produced & Directed by: Mara Katria

Cast: Mara Katria & J. Jeff Ungar

Song Writer: Mara Katria

Editor: Mara Katria

POWER

A mother tries to reconnect with her son across memories, missed calls, modern distractions, and the distance of neglected relationships.

Directed by: Chris Foito

Written by: Joe Kappes & Chris Foto

Produced by: Katheryn Johansen & Chris Foito

Cast: Babs George, Austin Hall, Joel Fox, Dave Mcclain, Joe Kappes

Director of Photography: Tiger Hill

• Kathryn JohansenProduction Designer
• Geoff BelcherComposer
• Colleen CarpenterAssociate Producer
• Matt LennonSound Mixer & Designer
• Nils HooverProjection Artist
• Caleb Guadarrama1AC
• Prakshi Malik2AC
• Trevor NitschkeDIT
• Ethan SalinasDolly Grip
• Carlos EstradaB Camera Operator
• Jared BloomScript Supervisor
• Kathryn Van BurenAssistant Director
• Heather GrothuesGaffer
• Kellan Di DonatoKey Grip
• Joe MarksGrip
• Hunter BrownGrip
• Hannah Jane GouldenRigging Grip
• Jason HeadRigging Grip
• Zaneta ClarkeProduction Assistants
• Jae BakProduction Assistants
• Chris CallisonProduction Assistants
• Zachary SmithProduction Assistants
• Tiffany LamHair & Makeup
• Arturo JiménezMulticam Crew: Technical Directors
• Dave SchneiderMulticam Crew: Technical Directors
• Taylor SternMulticam Crew: Switcher
• Tiger HillMulticam Crew: Camera Operators
• Eric JohnsenMulticam Crew: Camera Operators
• Lawrence PeartBTS Photography
• Little Man "Agnes"Construction Crew
• Derek YoungConstruction Crew
• Chris CallisonOn-set Construction
• Carlos EstradaOn-set Construction
• Zachary SmithOn-set Construction
• Chris CallisonFeatured Stars/Wall movers
• Jae BakFeatured Stars/Wall movers
• Carlos EstradaFeatured Stars/Wall movers
• Nils HooverFeatured Stars/Wall movers
• Zachary SmithFeatured Stars/Wall movers
• Deepak ChettyVFX Supervisor
• Brian BuongiornoColor Supervisor

Outro

Outro to the 2020 Hudson Valley Film Festival

Intermission

A fun selection of vintage intermission clips. Grab some popcorn!

Red Flags

Lauren and Nico weren't expecting much from a Bumble date. That's why, when they hit it off and there were seemingly no red flags in sight, it was almost too perfect. Of course, it was, in fact, too perfect. A darkly comic take on how the contemporary political climate trickles down into the world of millennial dating, Red Flags asks questions about the assumptions we make, the fantasies we create, and the social divides we experience.

Directed by: Tess Goldwyn 

Written by: Ben Weiss

Produced by: Tess Goldwyn & Ben Weiss

Cast: Lucie Fleming & Connor Vasile

BACKBEAT

Beth, practical, and River, impractical, struggle with their differences as they travel though life's rites of passage.

Written & Directed by: Martin Blank 

Produced by: Martin Blank, Ali Cheff, John D. Lofton IV

Cast: Mikael Johnson, Jean Chemnick

Bear Blues: The Color Of Dysphoria

A little white bear feels naked without some color in his life. When he discovers a colorful family, will he find the answer to his longing?

This film was shot entirely in creator Andrew Garcia's bedroom.

Andrew Garcia is the writer/editor/director of this short film. 

The Chair

A woman encounters a chair with strange properties, but can't decide if the experience is exciting or annoying. Created old-school style, using only pen and paper, and made up of 2,700 individual drawings.

Directed by: Ronnie Cramer

Isolated

When society collapses, safety becomes the number one priority.

Written, Produced & Directed by: Martin Dominguez Ball

Cast: Martin Dominguez Ball, Kelsey Byrne

Intro

Introduction to the 2020 Hudson Valley Film Fest

Princess Lionheart

Enter the world of Princess Lionheart, where extraordinary adventures can be found even under the floor boards.

Written, Produced & Directed by Martin Dominguez Ball

Scarlet Cirlce

When faced with a choice, every second counts.

• Ryan CervasioDirectorBae
• Feyza CakiciProducer
• Ryan CervasioProducerBae
• Ryan CervasioWriterBae
• Anthony JanzWriterBae
• Jeff NavielloWriterBae
• Gina ZieglerWriterBae
• Ryan CervasioStoryBae
• Anthony JanzKey Cast“Dom Pruitt”Bae
• Feyza CakiciKey Cast“Elle Pruitt”Bae
• Jeff NavielloKey Cast“Vinnie Piazza”
• Gina ZieglerKey Cast“Delivery Person”
• Gina ZieglerCinematographers
• Jeff NavielloCinematographers

Clive FInds A Hobby

A T-Rex attempts to find a hobby that is suitable for his little arms.

Writer & Director: Haley Parker

Producer: Mike Sylvester

Cast: Clark Stridesberg

The Night in Silence Under Many a Star

Chordless is a voice and piano duo breathing life into new and forgotten music. Sara LeMesh, soprano, and Allegra Chapman, piano, are passionate about exploring overlooked composers and contemporary music, creating innovative experiences for audiences to discover new music. They seek to expand the canon of vocal/piano music to include these incredible works that deserve to be heard and loved.

Filmed in February in Marin, California, Chordless’s debut music video was created by independent filmmaker and director Joseph Dwyer, with sound engineered by Matt Carr. In the video, Chordless’s LeMesh and Chapman portray friends who have been parted by death, grappling with their respective realities among redwoods in Mill Valley, CA and the golden coast. “The Night in Silence Under Many a Star” is one of nine pieces from George Crumb’s 1979 song cycle Apparation, set to text from Walt Whitman's “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd.”

Writer & Director: Joseph Dwyer

Producer: Sara LeMesh

Cast: Sara LeMesh, Allegra Chapman, 

Sound Engineer: Matt Carr

Better Safe Than Sonny

A late night encounter with a stranger is not what is seems.

Written & Directed by: Grace Soriano 

Produced by: Grace Soriano, Joe Cremer, Herb Cremer

Cast: Freddy Maas, Bettina Skye, Charlotte Whittmann

Cinematography: Joe Cremer

Compost

Ben and his parents aren't exactly talkers. Together, life is mundane, but alone he’s chasing his own sort of high.

Written, Produced & Directed by: Josh Stasko

Cast: Jackson Q. Gray, Sherri Hvizdak, Timothy Hvizdak

AMERICAN MARRIAGE

Leonardo, an Italian immigrant who lives in New York, marries a Latina woman, Nikki, to obtain the American greencard. Through the comedy of it all Nikki and Leo fall in love “for real” but it looks like "Uncle Sam" will be the one to have the last laugh.

Directed by: Giorgio Arcelli Fontana

Produced by: James Ivory & Stephen Gibler

Cast: Giorgio Arcelli Fontana & Lori Hammel