WAVES

J. RICK CASTANEDA I US I 2 MIN

Film Synopsis: The first installment in the poetry series "Words In Motion" by J. Rick Castañeda.

Milk Dreams

DAVID OVER I US I 5 MIN

FILMMAKERS IN ATTENDANCE

Film Synopsis: Socially anxious Mack operates a craft milk bar out of his garage. His world unravels when the city's health department drops by for an inspection.

Highway to Hell

JORDAN RYAN I US I 8 MIN I WEST COAST PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: Stranded without gas, two young men must overcome their fatal flaws to escape a strange hinterland.

The Deadline

BRYAR FREED-GOLDEN I US I 13 MIN I REGIONAL PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: When a writer misses the deadline for her latest book, the reason why comes from a surprising source.

The System

BRYAN LEE MCGLOTHIN I US I 18 MIN

FILMMAKERS IN ATTENDANCE

Film Synopsis: Mr. Jordan, played by Terence Knox, and his wife spent their life on the farm. Just three months after she dies, he's told he is cancer free and sent home with new medications. But Bokamoso, the African intern, questions whether parasites could be to blame for the cancer. Sadly, the doctors are stuck in The System.

Oh Me of Little Faith

EMMA YEAGER I US I 47 MIN I REGIONAL PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: When Emma Yeager was pregnant with her second child, she was diagnosed with HELLP syndrome. HELLP syndrome is a version of preeclampsia that targets the liver and has a 50% fatality rate for both the mother and child. Her son was born 3 weeks premature, small but healthy. Emma spent the next week in the hospital fighting for her life. When the worst of it seemed over, she discovered that she had lost the ability to walk. Their West Seattle church community came alongside her and her family for the next 7 months desperately seeking answers from medical professionals.

Our documentary called “Oh Me of Little Faith” is a journey that begins when Emma Yeager couldn’t find any medical answers to help her walk again. She was deeply depressed by the reality of being handicapped and dependent on other people. Then one day a friend from her church encouraged her to take a small walk of faith that changed her life.

Black Slide

URI LOTAN I ISRAEL I 11 MIN I US PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: Eviah, a young and timid kid on the brink of puberty and his best friend sneak into the Black slide, the most terrifying ride in Aqua Fun. There Eviah will gain insight to prepare him for events about to unfold at home.

Content Warning: Language

Go to the Woods

LUCIE PROST I FRANCE I 25 MIN I PACIFIC NW PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: Maria, (15) spends her life either taking care of her father’s sled dogs or watching videos of teenagers skateboarding in L. A. One evening, she secretly follows Vincent – the guy in charge of redoing the wood shingles on the front of her house – all the way to the trailer where he lives. She finds herself mixed up in a strange traffic…

Little Yellow Flower

LIN CHIEN-PING I TAIWAN I 30 MIN I WASHINGTON PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: When A-nan looks at his paralyzed father in bed with ants crawling all over his body, it brings back painful childhood memories. Can he restore the long-frozen father-son relationship?

Correction Fluid

DANIAL ABROUSHAN I IRAN I 15 MIN I WEST COAST PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: Parsa is in love with his student's sister. He finds out that Sara's family is having lunch with someone who might be a serious rival for him.

The Hard Places

DANIEL SWINTON I US/AFGHANISTAN I 92 MIN I WORLD PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: The Hard Places is a feature-length documentary examining unexpected life. Tom Little served as an eye doctor in Afghanistan for over 30 years until his murder in the remote wilderness in 2010. The details surrounding his death are still a mystery, as is any clear understanding of his longevity in a nation ravaged by decades of war. How did he die? What were his personal motivations? And what, if any, lessons can be learned? The film examines his legacy through the eyes of his widow, Libby, who returns to the country after his death, and rare footage obtained after his murder reveals an extraordinary last journey.

Content Warning: Violence

A Motorcycle Saved My Life

IORI IOZINSKI I CANADA I 12 MIN I US PREMIERE

FILMMAKER IN ATTENDANCE

Film Synopsis: In A Motorcycle Saved My Life, the open road presents a point of departure for director lori lozinski to process deep-seated grief. Revisiting the formative experiences that drove her ambition, lozinski examines the influence of her parents in the present light of day. It is in unpacking these recollections at full throttle that the ordering of memory becomes justified. Her motorcycle’s intractable hum disrupts the solitude of Northern Alberta’s vast farmland–a place where childhood was rife with paternal expectations. Connecting to her mother’s youthful spirit, an opportunity emerges to see herself anew. A delicate and personal ode to the complexities of how we sit with our history after loved ones have passed.

The True Summit

CORBAN ROBBES I US I 30 MIN I WORLD PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: This documentary follows 14 men and mountaineer Kevin DeVries on a trek to Everest Base Camp as he prepares to climb in the region after a cardiac arrest. More than a hike in the Himalayas, The True Summit calls men to the inward journey and the inescapable reality that the change we seek can only be found in a Christ-centered community.

Earthbound: Nzambi Matee

FARHOUD MEYBODI I KENYA/USA/JAPAN I 48 MIN I PACIFIC NW PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: Amidst a catastrophic plastic waste crisis in her hometown of Nairobi, Nzambi Matee risks everything to pioneer revolutionary technology that transforms plastic waste into sustainable paving bricks.

Content Warning: Mild Language

18h46

ARTHUR MILLER I FRANCE I 13 MIN I US PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: A man is waiting for a train in which he will not board. The 6:46 PM train.

Ink Drop

ALEXANDRE OSMOZE BRAKHA I FRANCE I 7 MIN I WORLD PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: Inspired by a video of a dancer, an artist creates a free illustration of her where he covers her skin with a colorful floral body painting.

As the artist sleeps deeply, the ink escapes from the paper, leaves the apartment and ventures into the Tokyo night in search of something, or rather, in search of someone... The inspiring dancer. Inviting itself into her room, the ink covers the dancer's body.

Faced with the sleeping and lonely city, a witness to the magic of the moment, the dancer fully expresses herself in a choreography filled with emotions until sunrise.

Dream or reality? Is that the real question?

Bad Seed

NADEGE HERRYGERS I FRANCE I 12 MIN I WEST COAST PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: In a city, Sadia is involved in a mysterious traffic. One of her friends, Arthur, surprises her and discovers what she is hiding. He will have to make a choice.

Nakam

ANDREAS KESSLER I GERMANY I 34 MIN

Film Synopsis: Ukraine during the German occupation in 1943. 12-year-old orphan Mitka earns a living in a tavern under a false name by playing music every night for the mainly German guests. He is accompanied in his playing on the violin by the pianist Yegor. Even beyond the music, he tries to be a friend and mentor to the boy. Mitka, however, finds it difficult to accept the budding friendship. This is because none of the people involved has any idea that Mitka belongs to a Jewish partisan movement.

Awards Party

at INCLINE CIDER HOUSE I 9 - 11pm I 21+ only

Good Guy with a Gun

JOHN MOSSMAN I US I 111 MIN I PACIFIC NW PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: Follows a young man who after his father is murdered starts making bad choices, goes through life-threatening consequences and, of course, gets into guns.

Not Recommended for Audience Members Under the Age of 17

Savage Waters

MIKEY CORKER I FRANCE I 93 MIN I REGIONAL PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: The film follows renowned skipper Matt Knight, who teams up with world-class big wave surfer Andrew Cotton to adventure into the most dangerous waters of the Atlantic. Their journey is inspired by a passage in a 19th century treasure hunter’s journal. Joined by family and friends, the pair are faced with life-threatening challenges on their quest.

Content Warning: Mild Nudity & Language

Healing Dakota

JAMES MICHAEL LAMONTE/K9 DAKOTA I US I 82 MIN I WASHINGTON PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: Follow the true story of a brave K9 who embarks on a remarkable journey of discovery and healing after developing PTSD while serving.

Content Warning: Violence & Language

Proxy

KAZ PS I US I 14 MIN I PACIFIC NW PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: A young woman struggles with the idea of motherhood when the intended parents of the child she’s carrying decide not to carry out the surrogacy. The deeply personal short film explores the themes of parenting, personal responsibility, and infertility as Devon struggles to find her place in the world — and make the most difficult decision of her life.

Unsaid

ERIC FROST-BARNES I US I 18 MIN I REGIONAL PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: A woman grapples with the sudden loss of her daughter and husband, who were killed in a mass shooting earlier that day.

Content Warning: Violence & Language

Long Dark Road

AARON CONNOR I US I 8 MIN I PACIFIC NW PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: Becoming lost on a rural backroad, a recovering addict seeks escape down an overgrown path. Reality soon distorts, and he must come to terms with himself to find his way back to the world.

Night Voices

BRADLEY HAWKINS I US I 24 MIN I PACIFIC NW PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: A jaded talk radio host in a cycle of hopeless and demoralizing monotony makes a life-altering decision while on-air.

You Can’t Stop What’s Coming

JOHN DAVID CRANMAN I US I 3 MIN

Film Synopsis: An old farmhouse. A man left for dead aims to confront those responsible.

Content Warning: Violence

Life Goes On

KURTIS ANTON I US I 24 MIN I 2ND US SCREENING

Film Synopsis: Two next door neighbors struggle to find resolve following loss of children, family, and contemplation of suicide.

Content Warning: Violence

Family Friendly Short & Feature

Backyard Aviator

DAVID OVER I US I 3 MIN

FILMMAKERS IN ATTENDANCE

Film Synopsis: While his father is away at work as an airline pilot, a little boy uses his imagination to build an airplane in the garage.

All the Wrong Ingredients

NICHOLAS LIVANOS I US I 87 MIN I WEST COAST PREMIERE

FILMMAKERS IN ATTENDANCE

Film Synopsis: Crush the competition or get banished to a Burger King! A driven young chef reluctantly partners with his out-of-control imaginary friend to make a genius dessert. It’s a test kitchen opportunity like no other. Win, and you’re an instant A-lister: your own restaurant, cookbooks, TV deals, the works. Lose, and you’re blacklisted from the world of fine food forever. Chef Ben throws his ambition into overdrive to make his dreams come true and crush the competition. But with such a singular focus, what happens to the rest of his life?

Shorts Package Not Recommended for Audience Members Under the Age of 17

BREAK

SAM HENDERSON I US I 9 MIN I REGIONAL PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: Shot on Black & White 35mm and set in the 60s, BREAK is the story of a young drummer who is looking to calm his nerves in front of two veteran musicians and fulfill his dream of being a drummer in a jazz trio.

Fishers of Men

CHRIS CAPEL I US I 20 MIN I REGIONAL PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: A young Mormon missionary at the start of his two years of service is shown the ropes by his well-meaning trainer, who comes to terms with his own failures.

Stigmate

SELIME ATMANE/HUGO BARRAL I FRANCE I 30 MIN I NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: In the middle of the Black Plague, Simon comes back to his monastery after a long pilgrimage. But as he struggles to find his place among the monks, an intruder breaks into the monastery. It is too late to understand that a new evil followed him here...

Adieu Gaston

VICTOR GUILBAUD I FRANCE I 15 MIN I US PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: Emile is a contract killer. He travels by bicycle and kills in exchange for a few tickets left in a small mailbox lost in the middle of the fields. His next target: a man named Gaston Pouget. Location: 7 rue des Peupliers. Time: the middle of a surprise birthday party for Gaston, a party Emile was entirely unaware of and definitely not invited!

The High Life

STEPHANIE SANDITZ I US I 28 MIN I PACIFIC NW PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: THE HIGH LIFE is a half-hour serialized dramedy exploring a mixed-religious family, when their black sheep daughter moves back home and tries to find God out of her childhood bedroom. The Pilot follows the Gold family as they reunite upon the mysterious death-request of their wealthy Aunt Linda, where everyone is forced to look at their lives with a little more honesty, revealing no one is who they pretend to be. Based on a Real-Life Co-Ed Naked Family Funeral.

Hollywood, Teach Us to Pray

STU MINNIS I US I 98 MIN I WORLD PREMIERE

FILMMAKERS IN ATTENDANCE

Film Synopsis: “Hollywood, Teach Us to Pray” documents the remarkable presence of prayer in Hollywood films throughout the last century. With commentary by Robert Benton, David Anspaugh, Michael Schultz, Sister Helen Prejean, and others, the film explores the presence of God in Hollywood films.

Content Warning: Language

The Nana Project

ROBIN GIVENS I US I 83 MIN I PACIFIC NW PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: Follows Helen "Nana" Lewis, a feisty chess master, and her grandsons, as they embark on a road trip to support her rise to state championships.

Content Warning: Language

Adaptive Adventure

MEG WHITE I UK I 12 MIN I WEST COAST PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: While navigating her way through an arduous journey with lupus, Kate Appleby continually engages and wholeheartedly immerses herself in outdoor adventures. Spreading awareness of hidden illnesses, Kate has become a powerfully inspiring woman among those in the outdoor community. This documentary examines the psychological and physical benefits yielded through thoughtful and respectful engagement with one’s environment and explores the human connection to nature.

Truthosis

MAXENCE GROSS I FRANCE I 9 MIN I NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: Touching an infected person is enough to contract this new rare and unlisted disease and to be compelled to tell only the truth. As the virus spreads, the lying habits of our humanity are truthfully exposed.

The Elevator Dance (For Elisa) Remix

JESSICA SISON I US I 6 MIN I WEST COAST PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: On February 13, 2013, the Los Angeles Police Department released surveillance footage of a missing young woman. The footage showed Elisa Lam in a hotel elevator behaving strangely. This was her last known sighting. It was an instant internet sensation seen by 3 million people in China alone. The unsettling video prompted one person to write, "I'm so scared, I'm shaking. I'm numb."

Her body was found on February 19, and the circumstances surrounding her death are still shrouded in mystery.

The Last Tree (Son Ağaç)

ZULFU GUL I TURKEY I 2 MIN I REGIONAL PREMIERE

FILMMAKER IN ATTENDANCE

Film Synopsis: What happens when the last tree on earth is cut down?

Not Today

YAGMUR MISIRLIOGLU I TURKEY/BRAZIL I 14 MIN I WEST COAST PREMIERE/2ND US SCREENING

Film Synopsis: Thirty year-old Meryem makes her living babysitting for a middle-class family, while also taking care of both her own children and her mother with Alzheimer’s. Treated like a member of the household she serves, Meryem begins to believe she belongs. This illusion is further supported by the self-help books she discovers, and eagerly consumes. Under the influence of these new teachings and this new lifestyle, Meryem decides to reset her life, but chooses the worst day possible to take action.

Precious Cargo: Return to Vietnam

JANET PAXTON GARDNER I VIET NAM/US I 28 MIN I WEST COAST PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: Born in South Vietnam, they were transported into American homes almost overnight in cities and suburbs nationwide. They soon became the beloved sons and daughters of close-knit American families. They wanted to belong but knew they were somehow different. Strangers stopped them and asked of their origins. In many cases they were unable to answer. And it hurt.

A STORY OF CONNECTING AND A SEARCH FOR ANSWERS.

FREE(d) by Faith

CHASE KINNEY I US I 28 MIN I WORLD PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: When a young man from Fairfield—one of the most dangerous cities in Alabama—grows up without a father figure to form him as a man, how does he find his way out of the poverty, violence, and desperation that surrounds him?

FREE(d) by Faith tells the story of Dion Watts, a man who found faith in the darkness of his youth through the guidance of a dedicated mentor: his pastor. Rather than leave his hometown, Dion chose to remain and dedicate himself to investing in other young men, inspiring them to transcend the brokenness that surrounds them just as he did.

Black Slide

URI LOTAN I ISRAEL I 11 MIN I US PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: Eviah, a young and timid kid on the brink of puberty and his best friend sneak into the Black slide, the most terrifying ride in Aqua Fun. There Eviah will gain insight to prepare him for events about to unfold at home.

Content Warning: Mild Language

Go to the Woods

LUCIE PROST I FRANCE I 25 MIN I PACIFIC NW PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: Teenaged Maria spends her life either taking care of her father’s sled dogs or watching videos of teenagers skateboarding in L. A. One evening, she secretly follows Vincent – the guy in charge of redoing the wood shingles on the front of her house – all the way to the trailer where he lives. She finds herself mixed up in a strange traffic…

Little Yellow Flower

LIN CHIEN-PING I TAIWAN I 30 MIN I WASHINGTON PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: When A-nan looks at his paralyzed father in bed with ants crawling all over his body, it brings back painful childhood memories. Can he restore the long-frozen father-son relationship?

Correction Fluid

DANIAL ABROUSHAN I IRAN I 15 MIN I WEST COAST PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: Parsa is in love with his student's sister. He finds out that Sara's family is having lunch with someone who might be a serious rival for him.

Where the River Divides

M.D. NEELY I KENYA/USA I 33 MIN I WASHINGTON PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: When the son of a clan leader returns to his village following his baptism, he must choose whether to inherit his father's legacy, or fulfill his newfound purpose and risk his life.

Content Warning: Violence

Who Is Like You

SHIRA GREEN I UGANDA/ISRAEL I 33 MIN I NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: An indigenous Jewish community called The Abayudaya has lived in Uganda since 1919. Nearly one hundred years after The Abayudaya were established, Rabbi Judith arrives in Uganda from Israel with her filmmaker daughter to intimately document the lives of these unique people. The film examines how the Abayudaya keep their traditions alive while co-existing with their Christian and Muslim neighbors, and shows how women participate as equals in Jewish life events. Honest questions are asked and discussed, and the question at the heart of the documentary is explored: Why choose Judaism in a place where it’s so very unexpected? The introspective journey explores religion, the mother-daughter relationship, and the deeper causes behind the formation of communities.

Earthbound: Nzambi Matee

FARHOUD MEYBODI I KENYA/USA/JAPAN I 48 MIN I PACIFIC NW PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: Amidst a catastrophic plastic waste crisis in her hometown of Nairobi, Nzambi Matee risks everything to pioneer revolutionary technology that transforms plastic waste into sustainable paving bricks.

Come bowl with us at Chalet Bowl across the street from the Blue Mouse after our Opening Night Film, KLEVA-ISH! Opening Night Ticket Purchase includes 2 hours of bowling and shoe rental.

Kleva-ish

THABANG MALEBOGO MASANABO I SOUTH AFRICA I 94 MIN I WORLD PREMIERE

Film Synopsis: She’s a motorsports daredevil who dreams of making it big. He’s a wannabe gangster out for revenge on his cheating ex. Neither has a chance without the other. “Kleva-ish” is a coming-of-age comedy-drama focused on a girl who needs a drivers’ license to join a motorsports “spinning” team, and a driving instructor’s son seeking to remake his image after his girlfriend cheats on him for being too soft. She needs his skills to get the license and make the team. He needs her experience to help him win the hottest girl in town to prove to his ex that she was wrong. Reluctantly forced to work together while dodging the real gangsters hot on their trail, will they discover who and where they are truly meant to be, or will they crash and burn?

Content Warning: Mild Violence & Language