Category: First-Time Filmmaker 2022 WSXA Paris

Original Film Title: Night, Mother

Director’s Name: John Patrick Lowrie

Writer’s Name: Ellen McLain

Producer’s Name: Sarah Parsons, Sheila Houlahan

Country of Origin: United States

Country of Filming: United States

Language: English

Runtime: 1 hour 4 minutes

Film Description:

Set amidst the COVID-19 pandemic during a Zoom conversation between a mother and daughter, Jessie (Sheila Houlahan) tells her mother Thelma (Ellen McLain) that she will commit suicide within the hour. Exploring the concentric circles of isolation, grief, and suicide, this hybrid film based on Marsha Norman’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play portrays a poignant and haunting picture of the current state of mental health care in America.

Original Film Title: Emergency Musical Response

Director’s Name: Cosmo Swevens

Writer’s Name: Cosmo Swevens, Sol Solaris

Producer’s Name: Cosmo Swevens, Alexander John Anthony Senicki

Country of Origin: United States

Country of Filming: United States

Language: English

Runtime: 43 minutes 3 seconds

Film Description:

Emergency Musical Responders, Sage and her partner Cosmo, provide emergency music as a service to those in need of music as medicine. Ride with EMR Unit 421 as they help people in distress on their journey to Netherworld.

Original Film Title: Night, Mother

Director’s Name: Damian Matyasik

Writer’s Name: Damian Matyasik, Rafał Niemczyk

Producer’s Name: Damian Matyasik, Rafał Niemczyk

Country of Origin: Poland

Country of Filming: Poland

Language: Polish

Runtime:27 minutes 18 seconds

Film Description:

The plot takes place around the death of Charles’s (main character) mother. As she dies – as the title says – on Saturday, Charles comes up with a plan to withdraw the money from her account on Monday before the death certificate is sent to the bank and his power of attorney will expire.

Original Film Title: Wild Boar

Director’s Name: Derek Tan

Producer’s Name: Nathan Tan, Z.Ruru Kevin, Li Han Yi, Amanda. Z, Matthew Tse, Planet Zhao, Tao Zhao

Country of Origin: Hong Kong

Country of Filming: Canada, China

Language: Chinese

Runtime: 1 hour 30 minutes

Film Description:

The “Wild Boar” is a complete emotional art experiment. “Boarsy” the wild boar breaks into an isolated village and causes disturbance. The duty of capturing the boar falls on three rock and roll singers accidentally, yet leads to bigger chaos. When destiny, affection and idealism kicks the butts of the mans in the village, the wild boar runs away with his “sowmate”, like a real hero.

Original Film Title: Jaguars in Jumpsuits: The Beginning

Director’s Name: Celestina Cardona Billington

Writer’s Name: Celestina Cardona Billington

Producer: Celestina Cardona Billington

Country of Origin: United States

Country of Filming: United States

Language: English

Runtime: 7 minutes 46 seconds

Film Description:

A prisoner reflects. In a moment of tortured suffering, they are visited by two spirit guides, and they awaken.