New York Lift-Off Film Festival 2025
Network Round Features
Monday, 28th July - Sunday, 3rd August
1. HASIK
Directors/Producers: Mandy Qua, Marissa Mejia
Country of Origin: Philippines, United States
Synopsis: This documentary film shares the stories of seed savers from across the three regions of the Philippines—Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Despite encountering various systemic barriers, these farmers persist in their seed-saving efforts in the hopes of preserving indigenous culture, native biodiversity, and agricultural heritage.
2. Nomad Solitude
Director/Writer/Producer: Sebastien Wielemans
Producers: Samuel Tilman,Fabrice Esteve
Country of Origin: Belgium
Synopsis: In their vehicle, Laurie, Kristy and Linda live alone on the American roads. Like thousands of modern American nomads who can no longer afford to pay for their housing.
With no money to spare, these three sixty-year old women are fleeing, in their own way, a part of their history that has left a deep mark on them. Driving away, they try to regain some form of peace. But as the miles and seasons pass, despite their impressive temerity and resilience, their quest for a better future is challenged by unexpected events that hit a country in crisis. Will they nevertheless manage, at the end of the road, to find the serenity they are looking for, in order to become someone again?
3. Fragment
Director/Writer: Robert Vornkahl
Writers: Katy Baldwin, Robert Vornkahl,Kristi Shimek
Producers: Danielle Vornkahl,John Montoya,Vincente DiSanti,Taylor Harrington,Kristi Shimek,Stephen Shimek
Country of Origin: United States
Synopsis: Isolated in her desert home, a computer programmer struggles to cope with unexplainable occurrences that begin to unravel her reality.
4. Lena and Vladimir
Director: Igor Aleksov
Writer: Aleksandar Rusjakov
Producers: Ilija Ciriviri,Dejan Iliev
Country of Origin: North Macedonia
Synopsis: When a mysterious man with a tragic secret shelters a young runaway girl with an abusive past, their unlikely bond challenges them to overcome their haunting past and to find hope in an unexpected place.
5. Versus Mode
Director/Writer: Luke Carter
Producer: Kaleigh Fitzgerald
Country of Origin: United States
Synopsis: A group of plucky videogame enthusiasts must learn to confront their inner demons as well as each other when a dubious transfer student conspires to turn the members of the AJU videogame club against each other; all set against and within the backdrop of fantastical videogame environments.
