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Live-Action Shorts Block A / Q+A

  • Stone Circle Theater 59-14 70th Avenue Queens, NY, 11385 United States (map)
LIVE-ACTION TICKETS HERE!

Night Again A vampire cruises for victims at a queer nightclub.

Runtime: 4:34

Directed by: Biff Hartwell

Dollhouse A lonely young man is lured into an enchanted dimension after discovering a mysterious book.

Runtime: 7:50

Directed by: Justin Ulloa

Justin Ulloa is a multifaceted artist known for his work as a writer, photographer, illustrator, and creator of Snaxtime.com. Born in Blacksburg, Virginia, Justin graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts with degrees in Film & Television Production and Cinema Studies. He currently works with NYU’s Cantor Film Center. He previously co-directed the acclaimed short animations PIZZA FACE and CHEESE DOG: THE MOVIE.

Birds Birds Birds Three birds doing something we've never seen before

Runtime: 1:45

Directed by: Clara Gainer

Are You Joey Diamond? Samson keeps getting recognized as famous baseball player Joey Diamond, even though he is Not That Guy. He just Kinda Looks Like the guy. Until one day, he lies to gameshow producer Dana Hamburger that he IS Joey Diamond for the chance to win $100,000.

Runtime: 17:00

Directed by: Levi Friedman

Levi was born in Seattle and lives in New York City.

But He's Gay Maeve kills the vibe when she confronts her ex-boyfriend at a party.

Runtime: 11:42

Directed by: Michael Calciano

Michael is a NYC based filmmaker. Always playing with genre, he makes uncanny and surreal horror, sci-fi, and comedy films - but especially loves to play in the delicious in-betweens. His films as both a writer and director have been official selections and played internationally at film festivals including: Fantasia Film Festival, Picture Farm Film Festival, Oaxaca Film Festival, Bushwick Film Festival and more. His films can currently be seen online on Short of the Week and Alter.

This Unremarkable Life an unsettling array of characters welded together by language, and contained within a world that collides trash television with the contemporary internet.

The hostess is played by the artist in a refined Gwen Shamblin Lara wig and floral jacket with matching mini skirt. “Do you readily admit that you have way too many images?” Her monologue, the driving narrative force of the work, comes from a heavily altered transcription of pet rat hoarder Glen Brittner’s episode of “Hoarders” (2009 - Present), an American reality television show which documents people struggling with hoarding disorder. As she continues, various characters abduct the narrative. A motivational speaker for men, a beauty queen having a birthday party, a man with a home security camera strapped to his head, and an array of other figures combine in a frenetic and urgent call to examine what it looks like to fully adapt media personalities.

Runtime:18:03

Directed by: Jake Brush

Francesca A woman practices a speech for her sister's wedding. Chester Vincent Toye directs “Francesca,” a slice-of-life vignette where a young woman’s efforts to workshop a speech snowballs into a self-reflective consideration of her own life. Late at night, Francesca walks around the moon-lit city in a desolate area. Her older sister, Lauren, is getting married. On quiet intersections and in empty parking lots, she comes up with quippy one-liners and tries to figure out which stories are right to share. Through her brainstorms, we learn about the sisters’ fraught relationship and hear a poignant story about going to Disney World as a child.

Runtime: 6:22

Directed by: Chester Vincent Toye

Chester Vincent Toye is an award-winning filmmaker from South Orange, NJ. He makes films about getting unstuck. Chester’s most recent short, Hangtime, premiered this spring in competition for Best Narrative Short at the Atlanta Film Festival and had its online premiere on Short of the Week where it received a Best of the Month selection. Hangtime was also included in Vimeo’s “Black Artistry in Film” collection. Chester’s previous short Ruby, premiered last spring at the Maryland Film Festival. His debut short film I’m SO Sorry won “Best Short” in the After Dark category at the Indie Memphis Film Festival and premiered on No Budge where it was named to the 2021 No Budge Films of the Year list. Chester approaches his films with a background in portrait photography and has long been interested in the complexity of representation. Growing up he was a standout athlete eventually playing Division 1 lacrosse at Lehigh University. Chester received an MFA in Photography from UCLA and has studied improv at Upright Citizens Brigade Los Angeles.

Cupcake Once Upon a Time at the 21st birthday party of the pompous birthday princess Julianna, an enthusiastic young girl named Delani is sent off to pick up cupcakes for the party. While out on her journey to get the cupcakes, she brings back something sinister along with her…

Runtime: 4:50

Directed by: Natalie Mahoney

Natalie Mahoney is an award-winning photographer and filmmaker from Staten Island, NY. She has experience in both filmmaking and helping young creatives conceive, construct, and produce their own projects. Natalie wants to be able to inspire and encourage others with her work, and watch others tell their own stories through the many mediums of the arts!

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September 12

Animated Shorts / Q+A

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September 13

Short Docs / Q+A