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Our 2026 Ingredients

Below is our 2026 Official Film Selections!

Comedy Films

these ARE FILM SCREENING DURING THE COMEDY FILM BLOCK

The Quest For The Golden Dragon

From the Director who has watched Lord of the Rings and many other movies comes an epic tale of epic epicness! Two sisters embark on a quest through a mythical land (that looks suspiciously like someone's back garden) to find a Golden Dragon. On the way they encounter a wizard, zombies and other assorted weird and zany characters.


Tomato Soup

Is one night enough to say goodbye?


TOMATO SOUP follows Dodd, a freshly signed baseball player struggling to say goodbye to his hometown, desperate for a reason to stay.


Texas Strange

After two months on a distant planet, John Thurston returns to his ragtag crew of criminals and thieves. He expects a heroes welcome...instead they've held themselves a vote.


Innocent Captive

An innocent appearing suspect is picked up on some outrageous charges. She say's they have the wrong person, but do they?


Over My Dead Body

A bereaved widower gets the chance to speak to his late wife again using a costly reanimation procedure.


Kirk v Picard

An interesting day on the job for two movie-obsessed underhand men.


Going Once, Going Twice

When a depressed and burn-out auctioneer meets an interdimensional time-traveling gummy bear, she must face the

ghosts of her lost passions over various timelines in order to

admit to herself that it's okay to not be the auctioneer everyone thought she’d be.


A small plastic hammer hits down on a cardboard box as six-year-old Morgan auctions off her toys to her family members. Her dad films the moment on a camcorder and asks Morgan what she wants to be when she grows up. She responds with “Auctioneer.”

Flashforward fifteen years and Morgan is sitting at her kitchen table, facing her birthday cake alone. Or so she thought. One of the gummy bears, Gary, comes to life. Gary urges Morgan to eat him in order to travel to her past and present in other timelines to see what could have been if she had never become an auctioneer.

When none of the timelines end in her favor, Morgan realizes that maybe the only way to go from here is forward.


Am I The Asshole

An insecure married man notices a viral post on Reddit from a woman seeking advice about divorcing her husband. After determining that this woman is his wife, he goes to extreme measures to win back her affection.


Open House

A real estate agent, desperate to make a sale and save herself from financial ruin, must confront a force beyond her control.


Showcase Films

these ARE FILMS IN THE animation, experimental, AND music video GENRES, SCREENING DURING THE SHOWCASE BLOCK

Celesta: Demon Hunter

A short story film about a witch who is transported to another realm and chosen for a special mission. To stop the demon realm from merging with the of Indara.


Labyrinthine

Jesse finds herself in a strange, dream-like Labyrinth after a relationship ending argument with her girlfriend. In order to escape, she must confront her own faults.


The Lone Angler

In a world where anthropomorphic sea creatures have taken over the world and grew a disdain over humans, a mysterious individual enters a saloon in a small seashore town while hiding a secret that, if revealed, could put his life on the line. This secret becomes difficult to keep when a duo of aquatic mammalian robbers' barge in the saloon. Will the individual stand by idly or will he risk it all to save the aquatic patrons?


Sit Down

Inspired by the heightened anxiety in today’s world, this film uses "the chair" as a symbol to portray tourists in San Francisco who visit famous landmarks yet rarely take the time to truly experience them, every experience becoming an unnoticed fleeting moment.


The Architect of the Liminal

An artist struggles to find her way in this quirky and off-kilter micro short from Deb Ethier. Taking some inspiration from classic silent films, it combines super 8 footage with 2D/3D animation and motion graphics.


Middle of Nowhere

Music video by the Dennis Fuentes Band for their 2024 single, "Middle of Nowhere."


When The Sun Hits

A meditation on a late summer sunset and the beauty throughout.


LAW and ORDER

Suggesting that freedoms are not actual but imaginary is the likely conclusion when we witness the actions of a lone “driver” that abides the rules.


Dream Defenders

Dream Defenders is an animated comedy-action short celebrating the power of plushies and getting over your fears. A trio of scrappy yet lovable plushies, known as the Dream Defenders, must fight off nightmares and save their frightened kid, Sammy. They must figure out a way to rescue him from the fearsome being causing these terrors. Tonight, their kid dreams of a terrifying circus.


Snow White, Red Rose, and the Little Capitalist

Adapted from the Grimm fairytale, Snow White and Rose Red grapple with an angry little man and a sudden visit from a bear.


Inspired By Maria

Three lives are forever changed in this lust at first sight love story.


Boys Club

A trade-off captured in a single static 4 minute take.


The Boy Who Dreamed Ball and Crafted Dreams.

A boy in conflict with his soccer ball faces challenges in his dreams.


My Shadow

An introspective meeting with puppet Pierrot motivates a sleeping girl ...


girl and meat

A visual adaptation of two paragraphs taken from the 1939 report on Sheffield by the Greek writer N. Kazantzakis.


Draft Paper

Modeled after the real-life practice of US sailors being forced to censor their pin-up tattoos during World War II, Draft Paper tells the story of an unfulfilled fashion designer who has to face the moral and personal implications of creating his art during a tumultuous time in history.


documentary Films

these ARE FILMS IN THE dOCUMENTARY BLOCK

The False Dawn

This short film / spoken essay explores why January feels heavier than it looks: why resolutions fade, why self-improvement becomes a performance, why burnout hits early, and why the promise of a “fresh start” rarely survives and why that is all okay.


It’s about emotional frostbite disguised as discipline, emotional winter, the static of seasonal depression, and the quieter truth that emerges when momentum finally collapses.


I see you, I love you, I feed you

The arcana of nature is summoned to reawaken and alchemize seven ancestral soups from a Soviet childhood. Childhoods and fortunes vanish, and countries become “former” as immigrant memories, dreams, and fantasies commingle in savory vapors and transmute into healing spells. It is now safe to be seen, to be loved, to be fed.


Dice Dice Baby in Vegas

My name is Paul Shanahan and I have a nightclub concept called Disco Dice Nightclub and it was is going to have three separate rooms: Disco Fabulous, Djibouti Room and Uxmal Ultralounge. That did not work out so I changed the name to Dice Nightclub. I am currently trying to put Dice Nightclub on the roof of a parking garage somewhere in Las Vegas.


Clack Mountain Clay

Quinn Maher discusses working with clay from Clack Mountain in Rowan county Kentucky.


Sam

A portrait of two people missing their loved ones and how his absence affects them.


Art is Work

Summer 2025 commemorates 25-years of the Metro Arts Apprenticeship Program, who has hired over 1500 young artists over the years to create public art projects for 5-weeks each summer under the mentorship of professional lead artists. This year, three murals were created and a documentary film that explores the history, artwork, and artists produced by the program.


Vigilante

The Vigilante series looks to explore self discovery, evoking conversations about ourselves and our actions. This short film delves deeper into the motivations behind our behaviour, visually expressing this topic through an interesting and familiar character..


Heart of Me

The film documents music workshops involving people with intellectual disabilities and lived experience of mental illness.

In a safe and supportive environment, participants create music, discovering their inner voice and emotions that are often impossible to express in words. This is a film about the power of sound and human connection.


Horror Films

these ARE FILMS IN THE horror film BLOCK

The Vampire Maid

A short, silent, pseudo-vintage adaptation of the story by Hume Nisbet finds a man caught in the web of a predator.


The Yellow Wallpaper

Based on the short story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, this short, silent film in the style of the 1920s shows the horror of an isolated woman's obsession driving her insane.


The Statement of Randolph Carter

In this short, silent, pseudo-vintage film based on the H.P. Lovecraft story, a man relates the story of the fate of his friend in an ancient cemetery.


The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar

A dying man wishes to be put into a trance before he dies in this silent, short adaptation of the Edgar Allan Poe story.


Fool Eyes

Summer 79. Aïcha, who just migrated, seems shaken by the discovery of the body of a Maghreb woman. Will the fireworks be more explosive than expected?



JUST ANOTHER DAY

An ordinary day in the life of a Senior woman named Harriet -- with a little dark comedy suspense twist! A fitting commentary on both the pharmaceutical industry & women in unfulfilled life-long marriages.


Death is the Only Option

Jimmy a low life hustler comes across some characters that will change his life forever. Will he make the right decision to save his family and friends or is it already too late. Check out the latest film from director/writer Derek Braasch. Starring Justin Bower, Joe Debartolo, and Lillian Lamour.



Christmas Revenge

Cheevies Film Productions brings you "Christmas Revenge", which is written by Nina Trader and Derek Braasch. It stars A.J. Laird, Justin Bower, and Nina Trader. This is part of Phil Herman's "I Slay on Christmas" Horror Anthology.

It's Christmas and Curtis is pissed. He has something he needs to get off his chest and Santa is in for a bloody treat.


Merkurio

In the Basque Country, a gigolo flirting with very old women has no idea what kind of evil forces he will deal with...


Pest of the mind

A food addict trades in her food addiction for blood after encountering a mysterious creature in the woods


drama Films

these ARE FILMS IN THE drama film BLOCK

First Date

A quiet dinner between two strangers takes an unsettling turn as subtle cracks begin to reveal that nothing about this first date is what it seems.


Carburetor Cowboy

A young cowboy confronts an outlaw he’s been searching for.


Guardian Angel

Olivia confronts the biggest barrier in her life as her mother is in hospice and is slowly dying. She must face her mom and say her final goodbye to receive the closure she has been needing for the last ten years.


Scattered Flowers

The bond between sisters is tested in this short film that explores the definition of family and the sacrifices we make—as well as the secrets we keep—to protect the ones we love.


Lotus

Be kind to yourself.


What Once Was

Zara and Andre are both at the end of their ropes of their current relationship. Zara's sister just passed away and Andre is moving. On the day before Andre leaves, and at the wake of Zara’s sister, they discuss the next steps in their relationship, but they don’t seem to be on the same page.


Detour

Detour is a tense, emotional drama about a young woman trapped in the shadows of abuse while working at a high-pressure corporate job. She hides the truth behind polite smiles and late nights, but her friends begin to notice cracks in her carefully built façade. As her boss piles on pressure and hostility, the walls close in, leaving her questioning if she’ll ever find a way out—or if the road she’s on will end in ruin.


Bay for Blood

James and Rob are hiding out in isolation to fix their mutual issues. As time progresses, the two reveal facts regarding their disturbing past relationship. An acquaintance of James', Jessica, finds herself in an uncomfortable position as she contemplates the best way to handle the situation.


Last Rung On The Ladder

When celebrity psychologist Larry Gatlin returns to his home state of Wisconsin to receive an award for his work fighting the stigma of mental illness, all is not well. An unexpected turn with his estranged sister and personal demons collide, creating a narrative that goes beyond the surface of celebration.


"The Last Rung on the Ladder" is the short film adaptation from the 1978 Stephen King short story, co-written by Max Blaska and Karla S. Bryant. Blaska received permission and extension from the King organization through the "Dollar Baby" program. As the initiative was discontinued in 2024, "The Last Rung on the Ladder" is among the last of the Dollar Baby films.


Bigfoot Falls

Grant and Jeff, two estranged brothers embarking on a camping trip to scatter the ashes of their recently deceased father. However, they soon discover they are not hiking alone..


“What Do You Do?”

Devine drives for a ride-share company as a way to survive and make ends meet. The gig is not getting him closer to his dreams or the life that he truly desires. To make matters more complicated, he’s not getting any younger. Then one afternoon while he’s working, he accepts a trip request that will alter the course of his uncertain future.