2023 FILMMAKERS
X. K. Balashov
Prince Ivan and the Clockwork Heart
When a headstrong prince sabotages an important royal ceremony, his father sends him out into the world to set things right.
Zheng Ren
Zheng Ren is a creative filmmaker with 5 years of working experience and graduated from SCAD. He aims to tell more powerful stories about society and stand for vulnerable lives. He is going to bring forth a motivated attitude and a variety of filmmaking skills to the next stage.
Violet Gallo
Sky and Lucia
CONTAINS: Painted Blood, Violence, Bullying, Male Aggression, Explicit Language
Sky is an introverted high school student, who when faced with turbulent emotional situations, literally disappears. In order to overcome this strange phenomenon, she must learn to stand up for herself in order to be seen for who she really is - a confident and strong woman.
Adrian Balvuena
BOYS IN THE SUN
CONTAINS: Explicit Language
Adrian Balvuena is an up-and-coming filmmaker & dancer based in the Bronx. From childhood to adulthood, he has continued to tap into his artistic intuition to explore his intersecting identity as a gay man of color. He is currently investigating his artistic and personal identity through modern/contemporary choreography and through queer modes of filmmaking.
Adrien Rolley
LAZARUS
Queer French-American animator.
Adriel Bernal
Dear Nancy, Sincerely Addy
CONTAINS: Talk of Gender Dysphoria, Explicit Language
An original story of a transgender man navigating life and eventually finding his higher self. This is a personal narrative about a transgender man getting closure from his younger self, who was once named Nancy, and born female, she was a bit lost and unhappy until he reached another spiritual awaking. It's a love story of their past self as he heals the wounds within. He has a new sense of life and self-love.
Vanessa Ellis
Unboxing
CONTAINS: Explicit Language
Vanessa Ellis is a student at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. At Smith, Vanessa is double majoring in English and Film and Media Studies (with a focus in production), as well as taking individual courses in various fields to earn a Latin Honors designation. In Smith's production courses, she has produced two narrative projects: "Unboxing" and "The Fool," as well as a documentary titled "Smith College Hairstory." She has also produced a handful of video essays for her classes, including a critical deep-dive into the world of Harry Potter and a birds-eye investigation into a local beaver habitat, which she filmed from a drone. Vanessa is from Danvers, Massachusetts, where she first started working with digital film in high school. After using a couple of camcorders to co-produce an egregiously long mockumentary about a cryptic monster lurking behind the school, she knew she had a future in media production.
William Beachum
Lexi Clark
Betsy
Dylan decides to ask the effortlessly cool Betsy to the annual homecoming dance. In this queer short film, Dylan learns the power of persistence
Paola Michaela
The Winged Detectives
CONTAINS: Drinking, Parental Abandonment
Director Paola Michaela (she/they) grew up in Southern Connecticut, but her filmmaking career began in Northampton, Massachusetts at Smith College. Paola’s directorial debut came in the form of their original short film, “The Winged Detectives.” Paola directed, wrote, produced, and edited the film in Fall 2022 as part of a Senior Special Studies project. As Paola prepares for life post-college, she plans to tell more queer coming-of-age stories, and they eventually want to direct a feature film and become a showrunner.
Oliver Schaffer
Faith
CONTAINS: Hanging, Violence Against Women Accusation of Witchcraft, Religious Abuse
Oliver Schaffer is and always has been a storyteller. Their passion lies in filmmaking and bringing unique stories to the screen. Their work explores the many nuances that make us who we are. The films they create are not only a reflection of their own live but the lives of others as well. Themes such as gender, disability, queer relationships, and coming of age often make an appearance in their work. They bring empathy and kindness to every project they work on and aim to make the film industry a kinder and overall better place.
