Category: BEST DIRECTOR WSXA Paris 2023

Original Film Title: NASA – L’AUBE DU TREIZIÈME JOUR

Director’s Name: Gregori J. Martin

Writer’s Name: Gregori J. Martin

Producer: Gregori J. Martin, Lisa D’Ambrosio, Francis D’Ambrosio, Celeste Fianna, Precious V. Mayes, Patrick Blood, Bianca D’Ambrosio, Chiara D’Ambrosio, Kristos Andrews, Dante Aleksander, Jack Ryan Rosenberg, Carol C. Hedgepeth, Nick Theurer

Country of Origin: United States

Country of Filming: United States

Language: English

Runtime: 1 hour 46 minutes

Film Description:

THE MAGIC is a holiday love story about a dispirited attorney, David Kane (Kristos Andrews), who due to a tragic loss in his childhood, has given up on the ‘Christmas spirit’ and closes his heart for good. Now, with the help of his guardian angels, twin sisters Mary Lou and Misty (Bianca D’Ambrosio and Chiara D’Ambrosio), David soon finds himself on an emotional journey to reopen his heart to his colleague Carolina Castillo (Alejandra Espinoza) and rediscovers “the magic” of Christmas like never before.

Original Film Title: The Rain Has Passed

Director’s Name: Marina Nikolaevna Edwards

Writer’s Name: Marina Nikolaevna Edwards

Producer: Jon Morris Edwards

Country of Origin: United States

Country of Filming: United States

Language: English

Runtime: 14 minutes 4 seconds

Film Description:

Brad, a famous artist, grieves the loss of his wife after a tragic accident. He blames himself wishing for only one thing: to have 5 more minutes to say how much he loved her. A stranger shows up who gives Brad a chance to look at his life from different angle.

Original Film Title: Dear Judith

Director’s Name: Mykel Salazar

Writer’s Name: Mykel Salazar

Producer: Mykel Salazar, Keagan Karnes, Stafford Douglas, Sam Gordon,

Country of Origin: United States

Country of Filming: United States

Language: English

Runtime: 16 minutes 43 seconds

Film Description:

In a time when raids on gay bars were happening and homosexuals were prosecuted and beaten, an unexpected chemistry sparks between two women.

Overtime the closeness of Claire and Judith evolves to something much more, right under the noses of James and David. Claire opens Judith’s eyes to become more open with her art and in turn, to be more open with herself. It becomes clear that Claire has taken a distance from David. Judith is close as ever with James, while having feelings for Claire.

Years later, during Claire’s birthday party, James proposes to Judith – right before she was planning to break up with him. Judith says “yes”, not only because she loves him, but because marrying him will keep her safe – because she is scared and not brave like Claire. In a moment of self-discovery, it’s too late and there’s no turning back time.

Original Film Title: Portée Disparue

Director’s Name: Morgan Cini

Writer’s Name: Morgan Chin

Producer: Morgan Cini

Country of Origin: France

Country of Filming: France

Language: French

Runtime: 14 minutes 32 seconds

Film Description:

Pierre, a reporter injured following a crash, learns from a colleague that the footage from his documentary has disappeared.

The latter suspects his wife of having wanted to kill him to steal his work.

Pierre then decides to go back in his memory to find his wife and finish his documentary.

Original Film Title: NASA – L’AUBE DU TREIZIÈME JOUR

Director’s Name: Tukle Ruff

Writer’s Name: Tukle Ruff

Producer: Ce chien Films

Country of Origin: France

Country of Filming: Spain

Language: French

Runtime: 8 minutes 50 seconds

Film Description:

NASA – THE DAWN OF THE THIRTEENTH DAY

Year 2358. MAD, the last man, will live the last day of humanity.
Leaving his planet a long time ago to explore the vastness of space and find a planet to welcome humanity, MAD finds himself confronted with a major problem on his ship, which leads him to crash on his planet. When he arrived, nothing, nobody, time passed much faster here. An inner strength gives him the ultimate mission to save his species. Carrying the full weight of humanity’s survival on his shoulders, he will do his best to fight against the end of time.

“I saw heaven opened, a white horse and the one sitting above him. Death and hell followed him.”

NASA – L’AUBE DU TREIZIÈME JOUR

An 2358. MAD, le dernier homme, va vivre le dernier jour de l’humanité.

Parti de sa planète il y a bien longtemps pour explorer l’immensité de l’espace et trouver une planète pour accueillir l’humanité, MAD se retrouve confronté à un problème majeur sur son vaisseau, qui l’entraine à s’écraser sur sa planète. À son arrivée plus rien, plus personne, le temps s’est écoulé bien plus vite ici. Une force intérieure lui intime l’ultime mission pour sauver son espèce. Portant tout le poids de la survie de l’humanité sur ses épaules, il fera de son mieux pour lutter face à la fin des temps.

« Je vis le ciel ouvert, un cheval blanc et celui assis au dessus de lui. La mort et l’enfer le suivaient. »

Original Film Title: 森へ island

Director’s Name: Ryosuke Handa

Writer’s Name: Ryosuke Handa

Producer: Yoshiko Kanazawa

Country of Origin: Japan

Country of Filming: Japan

Language: Japanese

Runtime: 48 minutes

Film Description:

IIn the midst of World War II, a young soldier escapes from an enemy plane that has crashed in the Boso Peninsula. A woman who lives in an isolated cottage in the forest rescued the injured man. When the unconscious man wakes up, he sees a hand-made cello in the room. “My dead son made it,” she says. He asks if he can play the cello. She brings the cell to him and he begins playing sarabande from Bach’s Suite No. 3 with his wounded hands.
The ghost of her dead son wanders in the forest and around his mother’s cottage with a kettle to draw water, but only birds can see the ghost, not the mother.
One day the mother hears the sound of a kettle.