FLAVA

Tarrell Christie – 20:00 – West Des Moines, IA – Best Sci-Fi/Experimental

Raekwon, the actor behind a popular energy drink mascot named Lil Pooky, is criticized for the messages his performances send to the public. In a knee jerk attempt to put a message behind his character, he finds that Lil Pooky may be tied into a horrifying conspiracy.

The Book of Faces

Rus Blemker – 15:15 – Chicago, IL – Best Sci-Fi/Experimental

Five teens join a creepy website where you can conduct a séance by video chat – what could go wrong? This is an exciting new entry in the desktop film genre. The title and tagline is a play on words as the feature length version goes even deeper – social media ills become truly EVIL.

Bella

Seth D. Meyers – 18:27 – Dubuque, IA – Best Short Film – Iowa Made

A young female dancer travels on an emotional journey through psychological and physical worlds to discover a crucial truth that lives within her.

Mother of All Time

P. Sam Kessie – 4:06 – Iowa City, IA – Best Sci-Fi/Experimental – Iowa Made

An experimental dance project that explores the relationship between time, space, dance, and music. This was the first of it’s kind to combine choreographed dance, hyperlapse presentation, and dramatic camera movement. The piece shows how a person’s interpretation of time can affect their perception of movement.

72 Seconds

Jeremy Ferguson – 25:15 – Muscatine, IA – Not award eligible

In 1977, a mysterious 72 second radio transmission was picked up from the M55 star cluster. Jim is on a mission to explore the region, but to find what he is looking for, he must confront the life he left behind. Is 72 seconds enough time for a second chance?

Virginity

Raza Rizvi – 14:47– Sudbury, MA – Best Comedy

A young couple has decided they are ready for their first time. They just don’t exactly know what they’re doing.

A Talk With The Devil

Dylan Jaeger – 7:16 – Mt. Vernon, IA – Murder & Mayhem – Iowa Made

Jackie’s past comes back to haunt him in this short thriller “A Talk With The Devil”

Nocturnal

Ben Schmidt – 17:29 – Dubuque, IA – Murder & Mayhem – Iowa Made

Owen is out for a evening stroll when he encounters a young woman named Mercy who claims she is being followed by a strange man. Owen decides to walk Mercy home, thinking he can keep her safe. However, as the night goes on, it is revealed there is more to Mercy and this strange man than it seems.

Tea Party

Kevin Isaacson – 8:16 – Manly, IA – Murder & Mayhem – Iowa Made

A Southern belle hosts a twisted tea party for the very classmates who tortured her in high school.

Special Delivery

Eric Lang – 12:00 – Omaha, NE – Best Comedy

When Corey opens a package addressed to his girlfriend, he finds himself in a situation that must be handled with care.

Five Course Meal

James Cadden – 6:00 – Edmonton, Alberta – Murder & Mayhem

Mark and Jenny agree to take part in a mysterious experiment for money. Things get exceptionally messy. Based on the short story by Josh Saltzman.

Cordelia Moves In

Shannon Mulligan – 11:20 – Iowa City, IA – Best Student Film

Lester meets his strange new roommates, Cordelia and Conrad, who are very obviously hiding something. Little do they know, he’s hiding something too.

Take Me To Church

Elise Edens – 10:46 – Moline, IL – Best Short Film – Best Local

Born into an Irish Catholic family, Saoirse and Nora were raised to be religiously conservative, but when Saoirse fell in love with someone who was unacceptable to family standards, she was ostracized. Four years later, Nora finds herself in an unconventional situation, and needing a more impartial opinion, she tracks down her shunned sister for help.

Enemy Territory 2: Future Fight

Matt Wagner – 16:33 – Urbandale, IA – Best Comedy – Best Sci-Fi

In the sequel to Enemy Territory, two boys have their mission interrupted by an even more important one — in the future.

FALSE NUGATORY

Patrick Burns – 9:01 – Muscatine, IA – Best Short Film – Best Local

A group of friends before and after an unexpected death.

Evil Acts, Freak Storms, Infidelity & Murder

Drew Lawton – 10:01 – Iowa City, IA – Best Student

In Iowa City’s Oakland Cemetery sits the mysterious Black Angel. Is it just a statue, or is there more?

A Love Affair (in Brief)

Amber Krieg – 4:14 – Dubuque, IA – Best Student Film

Hopeless romantic Casey details the events of the twisted, brief, love affair that has distanced her from her “boyfriend” Allen.

The Romance Language

Mitchell Keeran – 6:46 – Mason City, IA – Best Comedy

Bobbie is a hopeless romantic, but he tries to teach himself how to speak Spanish so he can ask out a beautiful transfer student, Eulaulia.

The Baker Institute

Chad Bishop – 66:00 – Muscatine, IA – Not award eligible

World Premiere of the Baker Institute is Saturday at 2pm. This is a feature length documentary that features interviews and research regarding Muscatine’s most infamous former resident “Norman Baker”.

At the Violet Hour

Spencer Smith – 3:43 – Des Moines, IA – Best Micro-Short

A young man in the throes of addiction carelessly wanders from one situation to the next.

SUBVERSION

Patrick Burns – 3:57 – Muscatine, IA – Best Micro-Short – Best Local

Thriller/ Chase Scene

A Christmas Surprise

Mike Ray – 3:40 – Muscatine, IA – Best Micro-Short – Best Local

Christina is used to celebrating Christmas every year without her husband & father of their child. This holiday season they are about to get an unexpected surprise under their Christmas tree.

Unimate

Nolan Quade – Mount Pleasant, IA – 1:20 – Best Micro-Short

A scientist builds himself someone who he has always loved, himself.

Natura Obscura

Kelsey Quakenbush – 3:55 – Westminster, CO – Best Micro-Short

A former deputy district attorney leaves her law books behind to find her true nature and shares the meaning of her discovery with others culminating in the successful immersive art experience, Natura Obscura.

The Honey War

Landon Walsh – 1:41 – Muscatine, IA – Best Micro-Short – Best Local

A short animated tale of heroism, betrayal, and countless other nonsense as you learn about the stupidest war Iowa has ever been involved in.

Just in Time

Mike Sheehan – 1:00 –  Saint Petersburg, FL – Best Micro-Short

Three friends find themselves caught in a race against the clock. Will they make it in time?

Postfactum

Salvatore Metastasio – 3:12 – Carrigtohill Cork, Ireland – Best Micro-Short

A robbery happens inside a café but nobody notice it because too absorbed by their smartphones.

Neptune

Paul Robinson – 1:55 – Carmel, NY – Best Micro-Short

A woman is confronted with an otherworldly threat.

Knee High

Marissa Vonn – 13:50 – Ottumwa, IA – Best Short Film –Best Iowa Made

Set against the Iowa farmlands, KNEE HIGH follows Calvin Melbourne as he struggles to keep hold of the reins to the family farm while still making time for his young son, Avery.

Murphy’s Law

Jim Brockhohn – 17:33 – Forest City, IA – Best Comedy – Best Iowa Made

Murphy’s life is in Shambles. He believes that seeking for a near death experience, may provide him with a better perspective of LIFE.

Saving Grace – Pilot Episode

Michael Huntington – 21:29 – Iowa City, IA – Best Short Film – Best Iowa Made

Ex-communicated mafia member, Joey, plans to take out his former mob boss Tommy; driven not only by his desire for revenge on Tommy, but also by his passion for protecting his hometown of Grace City from the corrupt forces taking root in the mob.

Leslie’s Gift

Charles Cunliffe – 11:04 – Dubuque, IA – Best Short Film – Best Iowa Made

A man who is visiting his parents grave with his sister, reminiscing about their childhood, is surprised by her unexpected gift of forgiveness.

Blake

David Busch – 12:48 – Iowa City, IA – Best Short Film – Best Iowa Made

“Blake” is a heartwarming short film about a man and his cat. And time travel.

The Burial

Jack Meggers – 24:55 – West Des Moines, IA – Best Short Film – Best Iowa Made

Abby is a young American woman, a recent college drop out, of Native American and Caucasian descent. She is called to her childhood home, the upper Mississippi River valley, after the death of her estranged father. There, she is tasked with burying a father she hardly knew. Once back in the tiny river town she called home as a child, Abby runs into her childhood friend, Haley, and Haley’s new boyfriend, the charismatic yet threatening Tyler. Avoiding her responsibility, Abby carouses with her small town friends. The threesome heads downriver and in the woods, they discover an undocumented ancient Indian burial mound, a remnant of a 1,800-year-old indigenous society. Their exploits disturb the sacred space, and an ancient sickness is awakened inside them. The friends turn against each other and must fight for survival.

In the House of Paper Flowers

Anita George – 7:30 – Altadena, CA – Best Short Film

In a house covered with papery flowers, a woman with white hair, two cats and a tiny wolf songstress learns a valuable lesson about the enduring power of love.

Damaged

Santiago Sun – 16:44 – Los Angeles, CA – Best Short Film

While at war, a US Army Sergeant helps one of his soldiers cover up the murder of another making it look like a suicide. His life is turned upside down as the soldier is racked with guilt and wants to confess his crime.

DREAM DATE

Phillip Lindsey – 24:56 –  North Hollywood, CA – Best Short Film

Daron goes on a blind date with a girl he met on the internet. His car is stolen during his dinner date, and he must learn to trust a crazy girl he just met in an attempt to get his car back.

The Interrogation

Bob Klein – 19:00 – Hackensack, New Jersey – Best Short Film

When a middle-aged “nice guy” is taken into a police interrogation room by a female officer, he soon realizes that perhaps he hasn’t been such a nice guy after all.

In the Driver’s Seat

Ralph Klisiewicz –19:23 – Chicago, IL – Best Short Film

A biker and a driver get into an accident on a cold winter morning. They begin to argue about fault, but come to no conclusion. They decide to go to a nearby coffee shop to discuss the matter further. However, once at the cafe, the argument takes a turn. A deeper conflict between the characters is revealed. Showing little respect for the biker, the driver challenges his adversary. The subsequent conversation evolves into a play of control and manipulation.

Haunting the Haunted

John Gigrich – 6:05 – Minneapolis, MN – Best Short Film

The crew of a haunted house try to find a teenage trouble making ghost, even though they’re not sure if she’ll talk their ears off or rip their limbs off.