Shorts Program I

Beads
Directed by Rachel Byrd. Written by: Cydney Fisher and Lydia Lane
Narrative Short, 2017 [United States] English, 13 minutes 
A new friendship is tested when it is confronted by racism.

Con Madre
Directed by Clancy McCarty
Documentary Short, 2016 [Guatemala] Spanish, 16 minutes
Highlighting the importance of midwifery care in Guatemala, a country with high maternal mortality, Erika and Dora Maria are training to be the first university-level midwives in the country, incorporating new skills into their culture’s traditional practices.

Objector
Directed by Molly Stuart
Documentary Short, 2017 [Israel] English, Hebrew, Arabic , 16 minutes
To protest abuses in the Palestinian territories, 18-year-old Atalya faces imprisonment for her decision to become a conscientious objector and forgo enlistment in the Israeli army.

Showdown
Directed by Ashlen Renner
Documentary Short, 2017 [USA, Spain] English, 11 minutes
Studio owner Cheryl Bellamy takes her dance team from Durham’s inner city to suburban Smithfield, NC where they compete at the first competition of the year—the Showdown.

The Fan
Directed by Mohammad Ghanefard and Ali Delkari
Narrative Short, 2017 [Iran] Turkish, 10 minutes
When a rural elderly woman’s TV antenna is ruined, she only has a few hours until the national soccer tournament will begin. Will she be able to travel to town and back in time for the big game?

 

The Red Thunder
Directed by Alvaro Ron. Written by Valentine Pozzoli, Alvaro Ron, Clara Viola and Rafael Alvarez
Narrative Short, 2016 [United States] English, 6 minutes
When Sarah, a nerdy teenager, steals her mom’s new car to go on a date, an unexpected event changes her life forever.

 

Whirlpool
Directed by Elizabeth Dixon, Kate Baxter, Written by Elizabeth Dixon and Kate Baxter
Documentary Short, 2017 [United Kingdom] English, 17 minutes
Helen Keller might be known for being deaf and blind, but she was also an avid civil rights activist who fought to eliminate bias against the disabled within the public, her family, and even herself.

 

Ya Albi
Directed and Written by Christine Chen
Narrative Short, 2017 [United States] English, Arabic, 12 minutes
A Syrian refugee, Aya, must adapt to life in an unfamiliar country on her own after her husband’s immigration visa is unexpectedly rejected.

Q&A session to follow screening