Jury Award Winner
2012 Online New England Film Festival | New Hampshire Film Festival | Drama | Massachusetts | Watch Online Now | Jury Award Winner
Anywhere But Here
Convinced by his father that their traveling back to his hometown is an archeological exploration of the past, Jackson instead finds the torn relationship between his grandfather and father.
2012 Online New England Film Festival | 2021 Online New England Film Festival Retrospective | WAM! Boston | Experimental | Massachusetts | Watch Online Now | Jury Award Winner
BirthMarkings
Twelve women explore how their bodies have been transformed by giving birth. We see body images and hear their voices. They talk to us from their bodies. We hear and see their ambivalence, humor and love. The film began when I learned that one of the fastest growing plastic surgeries was the post-birth tummy tuck. I thought about what it meant that we want to erase the signs that we have delivered children. I was driven to create a film that reframes and destabilizes our reactions to a woman’s body after she has given birth. The film builds on the tradition of body artists like Carolee Schneeman and Ana Mendieta, who used the transgressive presentation of violence and eroticism to shock and challenge. In “BirthMarkings” we chose to explore what one of the women in the film called the “public reaction of disgust and horror” to images of her post birth belly. In a nip-tuck driven culture that is inured to violence and erotica; a culture in which babies are often seen as the latest accessory, what is transgressive is the image of a woman’s abdomen that is not taut, and unmarked by birth. “Birthmarkings” challenges the static, commodified images that are everywhere in our public culture and define what is beautiful and visually acceptable. We refocus on the beauty, dynamism and lived experiences of the marks of birth. We become engaged in the tension between the dynamic and the static and the natural world and the commodity.
2012 Online New England Film Festival | New Hampshire Film Festival | Animation | Connecticut | Massachusetts | New Hamsphire | Rhode Island | Watch Online Now | Audience Award Winner | Jury Award Winner
Dirty Night Clowns
Dirty Night Clowns is a wonderful tale of curiosity, danger and pursuit. Although its never known what the path ahead has in store, Chris takes a journey driven by his nervous curiosity to find the nefarious character who roamed about his house while he slept. What seems scary and evil from a distance might end up as something unexpected as a cast of characters lures Chris in for a special ending.
2012 Online New England Film Festival | Boston International Film Festival | Comedy | Massachusetts | | Jury Award Winner
Neighbors
Have you ever been in a competition with a friend or neighbor? Well Timothy Longshanks has been for years. And now he’s on a mission to win that competition no matter what the cost. But his unaware, gentle-giant of a neighbor, Big Al, always has what Tim just got, or better. A journey of one-upmanship ensues, leading Tim to the far corners of the world and back again. His mania ultimately leads him down a path of no return, ending in hilariously disastrous results. Heard the expression “Keeping up with the Joneses”? For Tim, it’s “The Joneses can suck it.”
2009 Online New England Film Festival | NewEnglandFilm Discovery | Comedy | Massachusetts | Watch Online Now | Jury Award Winner
Stalk Much?
After a crushing breakup, Michael journeys through the five stages of grief. With the help of psychologist Dr. Lieber, he conquers his demons, stops obsessing and finally finds true happiness. Kind of. Sort of. Maybe.
2009 Online New England Film Festival | NewEnglandFilm Discovery | Animation | Maine | Watch Online Now | Jury Award Winner
The Other Way Out
The Other Way Out is the story of how one woman escaped a 15-year addiction to opiates. Narrated by herself, she recalls the experience of her addiction and the use of a controversial method of recovery called Ibogaine, which is illegal in the United States. Her tale is illustrated through stop-motion animation and time-lapse photography.
2009 Online New England Film Festival | NewEnglandFilm Discovery | Documentary | Massachusetts | | Audience Award Winner | Jury Award Winner
The Reality Behind Closed Doors
Nine young gay men are interviewed in this unconventional documentary short. All nine men come from various areas across the country (Massachusetts, California, Texas, Indiana, Florida, Michigan, & New Jersey). However, none of the men are seen on screen, instead nine straight actors portray and lip-sync their appearances. The majority supports the minority in this film, as topics range from stereotypes to coming out, civil rights, and personal opinions.
2009 Online New England Film Festival | NewEnglandFilm Discovery | Drama | Connecticut | Massachusetts | | Jury Award Winner
John
John is the heart-rending tale of a budding infatuation that leads to a heady and emotional high school hookup that tumbles forth into a tragic and painful rejection. A young boy comes of age and finds love and companionship in an unexpected place.
2009 Online New England Film Festival | NewEnglandFilm Discovery | Documentary | Massachusetts | | Jury Award Winner
Penumbra
Through a series of interviews conducted with several members of the filmmaker’s family, this film investigates a traumatic event that her mother experienced when she was six-years old. The length of time my mother was there, when this occurred, and if it even occurred are constantly being debated throughout the piece. While memory can be one way of attempting to compile ourselves into coherent individuals, this piece seeks to explore how the boundaries of “who we are” are shaped not only by our own memories but how we negotiate them with others.