3500+ Films - 2.5 million words – 1 million viewers! Founder and Curator Carmela selects some of our most most entertaining, powerful and inspiring Gen Z documentary and drama at We Are Moving Stories. These include Black Lives Matter, elementary, middle and high school, relationships - and identity.
Total length of this section: 20 films.
<BLACK LIVES MATTER>
Furthest From - When a water contamination issue forces a trailer park to be closed, a young girl must come to terms with leaving everything and everyone she's ever known behind. Length: 18.58 minutes. Director Kyung Sok Kim and Writer/Producer Rex Reyes II:
“REX: If you’ve ever had to deal with loss or change in your life and find yourself wondering about the future, then maybe this film may be for you. Through the central character, Jessie, we see a beautiful world ravaged by change. This change is disheartening at first, but upon taking a moment to understand that this change has led to a new beginning, Jessie sees that maybe it’s not totally awful. To me, this is the crux of the piece. I feel that at the base level there is a universality within the central idea that beckons to us, and I implore any audience struggling with such things to give this film a watch.”
See You Yesterday - Executive produced by Spike Lee, two Brooklyn teenage science prodigies invent make-shift time machines to save one's brother from being wrongfully killed by a police officer. Length: 16 minutes. Writer/Director Stefon Bristol:
“Why wouldn’t you want to watch brilliant Black science geeks from Brooklyn master the ways of time travel? I wrote and directed this piece because I’ve never seen a film like this before. Usually, when you see young Black teens on screen, their stories are about gang violence, drug use, or somebody’s girl is pregnant. Those are not the stories I want to tell. They’re overdone. Young Black people’s experiences in America are much more than that.”
VIRAL - Nina (26 years old) and her friends have made a music video which has gone viral. They are getting ready for their first TV appearance. As it turns out, they’ve been led to the broadcast under false pretences, which puts Nina in a dilemma: should she pursue her career in the media landscape in what appears to be an unfair system, or should she, as an underrepresented Black artist, take this unique opportunity to make a statement against it? Length 23.53 minutes. Director Shriejan Paudel:
“I wanted to speak out against racism because I have had a lot to do with it myself. I thought it was time to make a loud, clear counter voice. We no longer have to accept this and have to speak out. It was important to me that the colored community in the Netherlands felt heard. And luckily we succeeded!”
Stuck - A black student struggles with being labeled as he attempts to escape a rut. Length: 5 minutes. Writer/Director/Producer Ryan Larkin & Actor Reale Kgobokoe:
“RYAN: Stuck is worth watching because it offers a unique way to process the idea of being labeled. Have you ever felt awkward meeting someone for the first time, as if they disliked you for no explainable reason? Stuck unpacks that complex feeling by externalizing it, representing the uncomfortable feeling of being labeled with the physical labels that Jason must wear each day.
REALE: Because it’s a coming of age story that is relevant and nuanced in its message. You will take something from it that the person next to you doesn’t, and that will lead to healthy and vociferous discussions. Possibly even debate. There’s nothing on the nose or preachy about this film, and that in and of itself is an important protest against a lot of what we are seeing in the industry today.”
Max & The Monster - Haunted college senior Maxine struggles to regain normalcy after acquiring the company of a persistent Monster whom no one else can see. Length: 13.22 minutes. Writer/Director Jenna Kanell:
“While on the festival circuit with another project, I watched a number of films touching on the subject of sexual assault, many of which seemed to focus on the event itself.
As a survivor, I longed to watch a movie depicting instead the complicated, lasting effects of the trauma that follows. After returning one night from a particularly graphic film, I puked out the first draft of Max & The Monster.”
Wireless - When two siblings get trapped in the house without electricity, we see the result of Gen Z without technology. Length: 3.46 minutes. Writer/Director/Producer Tayo Odesanya:
“Honestly, I thought it was just a fun story. I feel like most people at the moment are only interested in telling stories that are quite heavy and I wanted to create something that was a bit more light hearted.”
<ELEMENTARY SCHOOL>
Space Girls - During a sleepover, four space-obsessed 9 year old girls embark on a secret mission in their cardboard rocket. When Dad returns home, what will become of their mission? Length: 9.50 minutes. Writer/Director/Producer Carys Watford:
“I wanted to make a fun adventure film about the wonders of space and the importance of space travel. I was also really conscious of wanting the protagonists of the film to be a band of smart, confident and determined girls. Geena Davis’ research has compellingly shown that female characters in kids’ media are often underdeveloped, sidelined or solely there as a plot device. I think it is really important that we promote female agency and science positive goals for the next generation.”
<MIDDLE SCHOOL>
The Butcher Shop - A group of friends make a day around going to an 'Escape Room', but they soon find, there is no escape. 5.29 minutes. Writer/Director/Editor Ella McKeon:
“ELLA MCKEON is 13-years-old, and over the past two years, she has written & directed 8 short films. In each, she’s tried to express the challenges of her generation, but for The Butcher Shop, she just wanted to create a classic, jump-scare horror film in a setting her peers would find thrilling.”
<HIGH SCHOOL>
Murder for Dummies - Two high school best friends decide to kill one of their boyfriends. Length: 9 minutes. Writer/Director/Producer Diona Oku:
“The story is on the surface about revenge, but it’s really a story of friendship and love between these two girls. They’re high school best friends but it’s not a catty friendship, they really love each other and this story is about their friendship and their journey, like Thelma & Louise, but without a hot young Brad Pitt.”
Cut - After being the victim of revenge porn, 17-year-old Chloe decides to enter a fitness modeling competition in order to change her image. But once at the competition she realises that her slutty image will be difficult to shed. How far will she go to redefine herself and regain control? Length: 18 minutes. Writer/Director/Producer Eva Sigurdardottir:
“With every film I make I try and challenge my audience. Ask them an uncomfortable question. I hope that with ‘Cut’ the audience ponder just how traumatic the effects of revenge porn are, as well as body and slut-shaming. There is a real person that gets affected with every nasty comment posted online or a passing dirty comment thrown in the street. ”
The Breakout: A Rock Opera - A high school nerd, with the help of some misfits, goes on a daring quest to rescue the girl he loves from a mental hospital. Length: 42 minutes. Writer Chris Edgar:
“I think you’ll find it’s pretty thought-provoking, raising questions like what mental illness and sanity really mean, whether all the drugging and hospitalization of teens that goes on in our country is a good idea, and what it means to develop an identity as a young adult. Because I’m a musical theatre nerd, I would compare it to shows like Next to Normal and Spring Awakening, but if you are less musical theatre-nerdy, you could think of it as a darker, grittier Glee.”
Changeover - After surviving and also losing her parents in a horrific car accident, Haley Thompson (17) must move in with her uncle and cousin, overcome the trauma and rebuild her life and mental health after the accident. Length: 1 hour 30 minutes. Writer/Director Estes Tarver:
“This is a very original and tough drama that inspires hope and promise to anyone who deals with tough times. Teaches us the hard lessons through entertainment, some humor, and an interesting ride. There are male and female protagonists that the audience will identify with as well as a child that steals a lot of the film. It has been nominated for best picture at every festival it has been accepted into and also won several wards. ”
Spilt Milk - An unconventional love story between two teens, leading up to the night of their high school prom as they begin to understand the differences and similarities of love, sex and gender. Length: 22.49 minutes. Director James Dunstan:
“Over the course of twenty-three minutes we explore themes of gender, sexuality, love & abuse; some might argue that that’s quite a lot to address within the parameters of a short film, however the film harks back to a point in our lives when everything feels so difficult and complex – being a teenager is never easy – and Scarlett and Frankie are only just beginning their adult lives and finding out who they really are as people, and furthermore, as individuals.”
<RELATIONSHIPS>
American Virgin - When Allie's Dad can't afford to pay for her to attend Juilliard Summer School, she decides to raise the money by selling her most precious asset. Length: 15 minutes. Writer/Director/Producer Tamzin Merchant:
“The central performance from Maddie Nichols, who was only 15 when we shot the film, is so heartfelt and beautiful, she’s one to watch. It’s a story that explores the dark heart of the American dream but (hopefully) in an entertaining, quirky way. ”
P+V - Penny decides she's finally ready to have sex with her boyfriend. Only problem: he thinks she already has. She enlists the help of her best friend Vince to take her virginity so she can be prepared for when it really matters. Length: 19.46 minutes. Producer/Writer Maddie McGuire:
“You should watch this film because you’ll most definitely have a good time watching it, you’ll probably be able to reflect back on to when you lost your virginity, and who doesn’t want to relive that? It’s a fun, heartwarming movie that everyone can relate to in some way. Also, it’s a film that shows sex in a positive light without trying to impose a certain opinion of what sex should be on you.”
Cinder Pumpkin - Fed up of being stepped on and treated like less at school, Cinder Ellen James takes a chance to become a part of the social world to which the gorgeous, unreachable Max belongs, surrendering to a night of fun, passion and wild twists that will either destroy her or raise her to the highest level of teenage greatness. Will becoming a "princess" be worth it? Or will Cinder discover she is better off as a "pumpkin"? Length: 15.44 minutes. Writer/Director/Producer Stephanie “Fi” Dieter:
“I started to remember this girl who had never been good at making friends, who had been labeled as one of the earliest victims of bullying in one of the most prestigious private schools in Mexico City, who dreaded going to school but pushed through every single day because she knew in her heart that one day, her life would be completely different and she would live happily ever after making movies in Los Angeles. I knew her pain because I felt it still… only now I knew how to turn it into a script. And I did. And here we are.”
Reckless Juliets - Reckless Juliets follows four teenage girls as they navigate their way through high school and learn the harsh realities of the world outside of the sheltered existence their parents have created for them. When the group's leader, Carmody, begins to psychologically unravel because of a tragedy, the strong bond between the girls is tested. Length: 10-20 minutes. Writer/Director Skyler Barrett:
“The show is both personal and universal because we’ve all been teenagers, and have had to navigate difficult adult situations either at home or out in the world at a young age. As a young woman in the current cultural climate, it’s especially confusing, and I love showing that struggle among the characters. .”
love & everything in between - Hamptons!... Summer!... Love!... What could possibly go wrong? Recent college graduate Matt Lynch (Michael Dougherty) romances 17-year-old Abby Smythe (Lexi Lapp). Their relationship is put to the test when a July 4th beach party ends with a vicious sexual assault, causing their relationship to implode. Their families, friends, and an entire Hamptons community are affected by this senseless act. What unravels is "LOVE & EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN"! Length: 1 hour 40 minutes. Actor, Producer, and Writer Michael Dougherty:
“I never intended to create a controversial film, but so it is, much to my surprise. The controversial aspect of the film became obvious in test screenings that we held at several Hampton libraries. At these events, college students wanted to know if they could bring LEIB to their campuses as a teaching or learning tool for students. As a result, we have developed SAAFEProgram.org to provide public service screenings for colleges and universities, particularly during “April 2018: Sexual Assault Awareness Month”.”
<IDENTITY>
Oh No Pedro - A story of a young man who has lost his words, his thoughts, and his gender identity. Those eyes are always sharp as knives, yet the secret inside him is no longer hidden, waiting to be free by himself. Length: 03:13 minutes. Writer/Director Annlin Chao:
““Oh No Pedro” describes a war between one and oneself; a war of finding an identity. Through the animation and live action, two parallel worlds coexist – the young man and the female inside him. The eyes from observers are sharp as knives, yet the most dangerous part is the man’s mind. In the end, the man finally touched his deepest part, and embrace the person who he really was. The film was based on some of my friends’ true stories: A man who has a woman inside of him. I wish to tell a different story of people’s souls that hides in the shadow.”
Starboy - When a young Hasidic man turns to the study of the Kabbalah and Quantum mechanics, his pious young wife doesn’t understand why there are suddenly so many unorthodox books in their cramped London’s Stamford Hill flat. What is he trying to tell her? As he increasingly doubts his identity, his gender and the nature of being, their conflict grows - with irreparable and shocking consequences. Length: 17:23 minutes. Writer/Director/Editor Joelle Bentolila:
“I wanted to make a film about the angst and dilemma of deeply religious people struggling with gender issues and nothing was more thought-provoking than setting the story in the gender-segregated, very isolated, Yiddish speaking, ultra-Orthodox Jewish Hasidic community of London’s Stamford Hill.”
Punk Talk (Boca Punk) - After walking home alone, a shy fifteen-year-old girl is rescued by a punk entity who shows her a world where she'll fit in just as she is. Length: 8 minutes 2 seconds. Producer Mon Castro:
“The core themes of our movie are acceptance and belonging. The message behind Punk Talk is that there will always be a safe space where you can belong, no matter if it’s in the most unusual of places. ”