SCHEDULE
Neighborhood House at Christ Church
20 N. American Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
6:00 PM Screening
The Mirror Dance Long Shorts Program
I Wish I Were Pretty
Directed & Written by Hannah Chang
Short Narrative | 20 min | English, Korean | USA
Areum (which means ‘beautiful’ in Korean) is fixated on her physical appearance. She is convinced her mono lidded eyes are why she is ‘unpretty,’ especially in comparison with her longtime best friend, Jane (as in plain Jane), who has double-lidded eyes and is so beautiful that she could be mistaken for a K-Pop idol. I Wish I Were Pretty is not just the title, but also a phrase director Hanah Chang has contemplated since she was told at a young age that she would be prettier if she had “ssanggeopul” (double eyelids). Many of the elements included in this story are inspired by her personal experiences.
The Mirror Dance
Directed by Alyssa Rose Capitini
Short Narrative | 28 min | English | USA
Vivian doesn’t like her body. She works out, she doesn’t eat too much, she can even run a 5K. But when she’s alone, all she has is herself and her insidious binge-eating disorder.
You’re a Boy Now
Directed and Written by Lili Malysh
Short Narrative | 19.5 min
English, German, Ukrainian | Germany, Ukraine
With the war in Ukraine as a backdrop, the mother of 18-year-old Slava cuts her hair like a boy to protect her daughter from being raped by Russian soldiers, and forcibly takes her to Germany, where she tries to start a new life while dealing with the trauma of war and her stolen identity.
Body Stories
Directed & Produced by Jenn Lindsay
Short Documentary | 15 min | English | Italy, USA
Body Stories is a short documentary built out of an ambitious storytelling project, and a vivid experimental exploration of life lived in a human body. “Body Stories” unites the bodies of 25 storytellers through a prismatic kaleidoscope of reflections on birth, death, and rebirth, vividly illustrating an interwoven collection of authentic anecdotes about bodily memories, fears, and desires. The narratives touch on deeply personal memories of families, religion, social media, sexuality, pleasure, food, medical conditions, tattoos, body size, and the struggle for self-acceptance.
8:00 PM Screening
Horribly Supernatural Shorts Program
Not Alone
Directed & Written by Cameryn Koike
Short Narrative | 3.25 min | English | USA
A young boy finds himself a little too immersed in the horror movie he’s watching when his family leaves him home alone.
REM
Directed & Written by Blair Bathory
Short Narrative | 9 min | English | USA
A teenager desperate to prove the existence of the infamous shadow demon Hatman forces herself into sleep paralysis and enters a nightmarish dream world she may never wake up from.
Babydoll
Directed, Written and Produced by Denali Bartell
Short Narrative | 10.5 min | English | USA
Deliverance comes in an unexpected form for young Amelia, when she finds a demi doll in her trash can.
Whispers
Directed & Written by Ming Fen Congdon
Short Narrative | 11.5 min | English | USA
After opening a mysterious door while hiking in the woods, a depressed Ruth finds herself in a haunting predicament.
Shondra on the Hike
Directed, Written & Produced by Diana Densmore
Short Narrative | 10.5 min | English | USA
After a young aspiring filmmaker is bullied on a hike, she goes missing, and her frenemies must search the woods to find her.
The Girl
Directed, Written & Produced by Mandy Kowalski
Short Narrative | 10.5 min | English | USA
A young girl and mother travel a long way to their new home, only to discover the neighborhood is a bit rougher than they expected.
Femme
Directed & Written by Nina Noël Raaijmakers
Short Narrative | 17 min | Dutch | Netherlands
Young student Fem discovers not only the harsh realities of typical college life, but also the interesting hunger that her own body seems to develop after a hazing ritual.
Something Blue
Directed, Written & Produced by Samantha Nisenboim
Short Narrative | 10 min | English | USA
A bride, struggling with cold feet, finds herself at a crossroads moments before the ceremony.
Renovation
Directed, Written & Produced by Joy Gregory
Short Narrative | 10.5 min | English | USA
A couple tour a new house, looking to start over but the past is not far behind.
Joshua
Directed, Written & Produced by Liz Valoon
Short Narrative | 10.5 min | English | USA
A young woman on the brink of sexual discovery develops an unconventional relationship with her AI vibrator.
“If you obey all the rules,
you miss all the fun.”
Katherine Hepburn
Actor
thewomensfilmfestival.org 