Thank you to all the filmmakers who participated in the November edition of the Lift-Off Sessions!
The festival platformed hundreds of films, each project worthy of recognition and celebration. We want to extend a giant thank you to everyone who took part and a special congratulations to all the incredible talent that went into making these projects.
Lift-Off Sessions is designed to be the entry into the Lift-Off Global Network. A platform for the avant-garde, Sessions isn't about selecting the 'best' or most 'commercial' projects; it is about providing a screening opportunity for everyone, connecting these new and emerging voices with new audiences. An option we hope highlights and educates each month!
Jury's Overall Winner
Manokan Country
Director/Writer/Producer: Banjo Hinolan
Producer: Althea Mauricio
Country of Origin: Philippines
Genre: Short,Family,Comedy
Synopsis: A determined restaurant owner in Bacolod City faces off against a ruthless real estate developer in a high-stakes Chicken Inasal cooking competition to save his family's eatery and preserve the heart of his community.
Season Award #15 Shortlist
Audience Choice Winners
The Founder Effect
Director/Writer/Producer: Justin MacGregor
Producer: Kristopher MacGrego,Jacky Chan,Justin Tang,David Wong
Country of Origin: Canada
Synopsis:
A perfect family getaway is suddenly upended when a policeman’s grandson disappears. Jack Rooney (Rick Edwards) has already lost a son. He’s not about to lose his grandson, too. Forced to reckon with family history, he sets out to rescue the boy from the shadows… a journey of conscience rippled by the voice of a visiting missing persons expert (Greg Sestero), whose haunting tales of the vanished illuminate the mysterious phenomena that seem to be in Jack’s way. In a town called Hope, can redemption be found?
Extremely Personal Documentary
Director/Writer/Producer: Ogulcan Atayol
Country of Origin: Turkey
Synopsis:
The recording process of musician Nilufer Akdogu's Turkish jazz album Aristo'ya Inat (Against Aristotle). The film presents the musical searches during the creation of an album with all its fragility. At the same time, it is a record of special sharings which elements from world jazz history are discussed with experiences, and the joy is never lost despite the setbacks
Shadow Dance
Director/Writer: Dap Paxton
Writers: Jade Angela Moore, Marlon Dewayne Carter
Producer: Jarryn M Bingham
Country of Origin: United States
Synopsis:
A veteran and a stripper share a lap dance that sends both of their lives down a dark and unexpected path while finding light.
Tazer-girl
Director/Writer/Producer: Deanna Arthur
Director/Producer: Corry Raymond
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Synopsis:
Teri, navigating city life and the dating scene, prepares for a romantic evening armed with hope—and her taser. When the night takes a harrowing turn, she’s left with a life-altering gift. As Teri grapples with her trauma, she transforms her nightmare into a powerful mission for justice.
The Days of Knight
Director/Writer/Producer: John P Martinez
Country of Origin: United States
Synopsis:
A highly trained operative, belonging to a clandestine ancient group of expert mercenaries, is given a mission to recover a valuable item for one of the 13 most influential families on Earth. As war breaks out and alliances formed centuries ago crumble, survival becomes the top priority for everyone involved.
Las hojas de Otoño
Director: German Bonet
Country of Origin: Uruguay
Synopsis:
Una niña se encuentra en el choque de su propia felicidad y sus frustraciones. Deberá de aceptar sus propias limitaciones para dejarse llevar en el viento junto a las hojas de otoño.
Reel People: Dom Smith
Director: Jay Sillence
Producer: Gemma Brown
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Synopsis:
Born with Cerebral Palsy and now diagnosed with ADHD, Dom has undergone countless agonising operations, spent most of his early life in a wheelchair, and endured the criticisms and cynicism of people who decided he wasn't going to amount to anything. Now in his 30s Dom has surpassed all expectations and shown the world his literal and figurative metal! This is the true short story of what created Dom as we know him now - a successful journalist, counsellor, business owner, drummer, partner, and inspiration to everyone.
EGO
Director/Writer/Producer: Gregorio Poli
Producer: Valeria Muti, Alessio Russo Fiorillo
Country of Origin: Italy
Synopsis:
The story of Luca, a young boy who, after leaving a talent show, refused to abide by the rules of the record company and the music market, disappearing from the scenes while being accused of being too self-centered. Abandoned by his family and his audience, Luca tries to be heard by anyone who finds himself in front of him, even killing those who do not want to listen to him or forgive his dramas.
I’m Not a Robot
Director/Writer/Producer: Tan Tan
Country of Origin: China
Synopsis:
This experimental film attempts to portray the interaction and struggle between artificial intelligence (the robot) and humanity with nature—the image of the robot represents human wisdom and creativity. Perhaps such intelligence has appeared and perished many times on Earth, and from the perspective of the universe, it is all just a fleeting moment.
Roaches
Director/Writer/Producer: David R Creighton
Writer: Rick Green
Country of Origin: Canada
Synopsis:
The Bridge Street Mission has a problem with roaches... They can talk. A cautionary tale.
Crystals
Director: Melissa Arsan
Synopsis: A short music video explaining how to use crystals
Back Home
Director/Writer/Producer: GIUSEPPE CATALANOTTO
Producer: ANTONELLA RUSSO
Country of Origin: Italy
Synopsis:
It's an ordinary day, we are in a birch forest, two ancient warriors a Ninja and a Samurai meet in nature to battle and vent their fantasies, giving life to a breathtaking fight.
Fading Echoes
Director: Toyosi Ige
Writer/Producer: Mikhail Bashir
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Synopsis:
Haunted by the shadows of their pasts, a reclusive woman and a desperate immigrant find an unexpected bond that forces them to confront their deepest fears and redefine their fates.
Ashen Legacy
Directors: Pedro Vieira, Marcos Pereira Firmino
Writer: Bruno Teixeira De Oliveira
Country of Origin: Brazil
Synopsis:
Addiction can deeply embed itself in a man's life, obscuring his path. Diego, at 34, faces the daily struggle with cigarette addiction, sinking deeper until he receives a visit from his mother, attempting to help him quit. Determined to break the vicious cycle affecting his family, Diego fights to end the Ashen Legacy haunting his family history.
Cuisine Dream
Director/Producer: Boyao Chai
Country of Origin: United States
Synopsis:
Cuisine Dream is a one and half minute short 3D animated film that follows a potato who is about to get cooked. During the potato’s journey it starts to experience a psychedelic trip whenever the chef adds different seasonings into the beef soup. Join the potato’s fantastical trip!
Kitty Bravo in Freefall Failure
Project Manager: Spencer Bryant
Country of Origin: United States
Synopsis:
This animated short film is an action-packed rollercoaster featuring daredevil cat Kitty Bravo!
This short film was made by a team of nine students in a Visual Studies Studio course at the Texas A&M School of Performance, Visualization & Fine Arts.
An Animator's Odyssey
Director/Writer/Producer: Tjeerd Boersma
Country of Origin: Netherlands
Synopsis:
The film takes the viewer on a figurative journey of reincarnation and serves as a visually captivating reflection on existential fears and the transformative power of art, depicted in a spectacle of absurdity and
come to light
Director/Writer: Marco Ceccolini
Country of Origin: Italy
Synopsis:
A silent film tells the story of a cow, marked with the number "432," wandering on a beach in desperate search of her missing calf. When the cow finds the calf dead, marked with the number "433," the film dies with it: the sheet on which the movie is projected falls onto the stage, enveloping the entire hall in an even deeper silence.
Tazer-girl
Director/Writer/Producer: Deanna Arthur
Director/Producer: Corry Raymond
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Synopsis:
Teri, navigating city life and the dating scene, prepares for a romantic evening armed with hope—and her taser. When the night takes a harrowing turn, she’s left with a life-altering gift. As Teri grapples with her trauma, she transforms her nightmare into a powerful mission for justice.
The Days of Knight
Director/Writer/Producer: John P Martinez
Country of Origin: United States
Synopsis:
A highly trained operative, belonging to a clandestine ancient group of expert mercenaries, is given a mission to recover a valuable item for one of the 13 most influential families on Earth. As war breaks out and alliances formed centuries ago crumble, survival becomes the top priority for everyone involved.
Lift-Off Season Awards #15
The Lift-Off Season Awards is an annual event that celebrates the very best of indie film. Following each Lift-Off film festival, films that have excelled in their respective category are short listed for a Season Awards Nomination. At the end of the year, once all the 12 city-based festival have taken place, the shortlisted nominated films are reviewed again by the jury and Official Nominations are designated. Click here for more information about the Lift-Off Season Awards.