{"id":31026,"date":"2024-08-10T16:39:35","date_gmt":"2024-08-10T20:39:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/?p=31026"},"modified":"2024-08-10T16:39:35","modified_gmt":"2024-08-10T20:39:35","slug":"american-cinematheque-2nd-annual-proof-film-festival-october-18-20","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/index.php\/american-cinematheque-2nd-annual-proof-film-festival-october-18-20\/","title":{"rendered":"American Cinematheque Second Annual PROOF Film Festival, October 18-20"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-31133\" src=\"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-PROOF-logo-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"656\" height=\"369\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-PROOF-logo-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-PROOF-logo-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-PROOF-logo-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-PROOF-logo-560x315.jpg 560w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-PROOF-logo-260x146.jpg 260w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-PROOF-logo-160x90.jpg 160w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-PROOF-logo.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 656px) 100vw, 656px\" \/><br \/>\nPROOF is a short film festival in Los Angeles dedicated to showcasing the best in proof-of-concepts. Providing a highly competitive and unique festival experience, as well as opening the door for fruitful future filmmaking opportunities, PROOF is a one-stop-shop for the newest emerging talent.<\/p>\n<p>The innovative film festival presents thematically curated programs featuring 46 official selections, filmmaking labs and panels \u2013 all taking place at the Culver Theater (9500 Culver Blvd.). PROOF is dedicated solely to the presentation of proof-of-concept short films, looking to be expanded into feature-length productions or series, and empowering the next generation of cinematic storytellers.<\/p>\n<p>PROOF will look to spotlight a slate of innovative films from up-and-coming filmmakers, as well as panel conversations on the art and business of filmmaking. To that end, this year, PROOF will team with CALLO to schedule meetings between selected festival filmmakers and industry partners in the film festival\u2019s CALLO Lounge. These meetings will assist in developing relationships and potentially make their proof-of-concept projects into fully realized films.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Another highlight is the PROOF Pitch Deck Show &amp; Tell. This interactive session will be held during the festival on Sunday, October 20<sup>, <\/sup>and will feature 6 selected filmmakers who will pitch their project live in front of a film industry panel. A grand prize winner and a runner-up will be selected and announced at the PROOF Film Festival Award Show.<\/p>\n<p>Says Iamni Davis, American Cinematheque Film Programmer and Proof Film Festival Founder, Imani Davis. \u201cAfter the success of last year\u2019s inaugural edition of PROOF, we looked to bring on more partners and add more tools to give our filmmakers an even better experience, and create more opportunities and avenues to further their work and careers. Screening these wonderfully creative and entertaining projects on the big screen \u2013 while essential &#8211; is just one part of what an event like ours can do so each of them can take the next step in their artistic careers.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The films span a wide range of genres, styles, format, and approach to storytelling including Zao Wang\u2019s dark comedy\u00a0<strong><em>A Family Guide to Hunting<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0about an Asian-American family on a hunting trip gone wrong. Joseph Picozzi\u2019s\u00a0<strong><em>Computer Love\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>focuses on\u00a0a sheltered teenage girl who cheats on her boyfriend with her family&#8217;s new robot houseboy. Alexander Hagani\u2019s coming-of-age tale\u00a0<strong><em>Top Shot<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0follows an\u00a011-year-old boy who deals with the aftermath of his parent&#8217;s divorce by escaping into basketball daydreams.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_31136\" style=\"width: 666px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-31136\" class=\"size-large wp-image-31136\" src=\"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-A-FAMILY-GUIDE-TO-HUNTING-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"656\" height=\"438\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-A-FAMILY-GUIDE-TO-HUNTING-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-A-FAMILY-GUIDE-TO-HUNTING-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-A-FAMILY-GUIDE-TO-HUNTING-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-A-FAMILY-GUIDE-TO-HUNTING-560x373.jpg 560w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-A-FAMILY-GUIDE-TO-HUNTING-260x173.jpg 260w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-A-FAMILY-GUIDE-TO-HUNTING-160x107.jpg 160w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-A-FAMILY-GUIDE-TO-HUNTING.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 656px) 100vw, 656px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-31136\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>A Family Guide to Hunting<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n<p>Among the films on the dramatic front, Andrew Reid\u2019s\u00a0<strong><em>Iron Lung<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0is a nail-biter in which a power outage\u00a0forces a polio survivor and her caretaker sister into a race against time to find a new way for her to breathe. Maky Rupert\u2019s\u00a0<strong><em>Peas <\/em><\/strong>follows a young girl as she witnesses her mother go on a date for the first time since her father&#8217;s death. Gordy De St. Jeor and Jillian Moray\u2019s\u00a0<strong><em>Vintage Lamp Shade<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0finds\u00a0two girls figuring out where their friendship lies between the romantic and the platonic.<br \/>\nExamples of films that stretch the imagination include Neil Ferron\u2019s supernatural dark comedy\u00a0<strong><em>Fishmonger\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>centers on\u00a0the title character who must survive a sex pact with an ancient fish creature in order to save his mother&#8217;s soul. Trevor Neuhoff\u2019s\u00a0<strong><em>Manny Wolfe\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>is an actor \u2013 and werewolf\u00a0\u2013 who must decide whether he can forego his dignity to take a part in a creature feature. Neal Suresh Mulani\u2019s\u00a0<strong><em>Rat!<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0looks at what happens when a music journalist calls out a global pop star&#8217;s queer baiting and places a target on himself for the star\u2019s overzealous fans seeking retribution.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_31132\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-31132\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-31132\" src=\"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-RATS-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-RATS-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-RATS-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-RATS-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-RATS-560x315.jpg 560w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-RATS-260x146.jpg 260w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-RATS-160x90.jpg 160w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-RATS.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-31132\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Rat!<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_31134\" style=\"width: 666px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-31134\" class=\"size-large wp-image-31134\" src=\"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-PLAYGROUND-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"656\" height=\"369\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-PLAYGROUND-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-PLAYGROUND-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-PLAYGROUND-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-PLAYGROUND-560x315.jpg 560w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-PLAYGROUND-260x146.jpg 260w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-PLAYGROUND-160x90.jpg 160w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-PLAYGROUND.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 656px) 100vw, 656px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-31134\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">t<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Among the films that delve into relationships in unexpectedly heartfelt or funny ways are Brendan Kirk\u2019s\u00a0<strong><em>Henry Gets a\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Shot, which follows the results of\u00a0Henry going to see Karlo about that job at the pizzeria. Yaxing Lin\u2019s\u00a0<strong><em>Playground<\/em><\/strong> is about a daughter who reunites with her mother after a year apart. However, her curiosity about her mom\u2019s job as a performer at an adult nightclub leads to tricky situations. Jeremiah Dunlap and Cory Quintard\u2019s <strong><em>Mt. Mystic Rangers<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0is a half-hour mockumentary that follows a unit of misfit Park Rangers as they navigate their daily duties, encounter the paranormal, and deal with visitors from all walks of life.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><u>The 2024 Proof Film Festival Official Selections<\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong><em>A Family Guide to Hunting<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Zao Wang<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 14:07 minutes<br \/>\n<em>A Family Guide to Hunting<\/em>\u00a0is a dark comedy about an Asian-American family on a hunting trip gone wrong. The wilderness turns the temperature up on their dysfunctional family dynamics, as well as their unique brand of Asian-American sacrifice, love, and filial piety.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Alma Mater\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Matthew P. Higgins<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 5:40 minutes<br \/>\nAs Arthur (30s) turns the pages of his late father\u2019s 1973 high school yearbook, he receives a phone call.\u00a0\u00a0The caller knows Arthur is reading the yearbook\u2014and tells him to burn it immediately.\u00a0\u00a0The reason: a teacher from the high school murdered their friends and classmates. The student body decided to burn all the yearbooks\u2026or so they thought. The tension reaches a boiling point when a menacing, silhouetted spirit suddenly lurks behind Arthur\u2026<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Bathroom Attendant\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Gabriella Mykal<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 5:21 minutes<br \/>\nTwo black women share a moment of connection in a club bathroom.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>The Bluest Hour\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Logan Jackson<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 14:28 minutes<br \/>\nA young couple spends their first night as parents dealing with the aftermath of a difficult birth.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Brain Freeze\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Kelsey Comeau<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 14:36 minutes<br \/>\nA snapshot of lifelong friends Carrie (Sofia Hublitz, Ozark) and Rae, Madison Hu (Brother&#8217;s Sun, Boogeyman) as their relationship crumbles at the seams. In their safe bubble of Northern New Jersey, the friends have hit their breaking point on Rae\u2019s eighteenth birthday. Crossing paths years later, in the queer paradise that is Fire Island Pines, the friends are no longer. Dealing with themes of adulthood, queer identity, female friendship and mortality,\u00a0<em>Brain Freeze<\/em>tackles two formative moments in adolescence otherwise overlooked: the friends who fade away.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Broken Toilets\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Jesse Toledano<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 22:35 minutes<br \/>\nWhen a Hasidic property manager discovers one of his tenants is an aspiring Hip Hop producer, he ventures to make music with her, exploring a passion that he must keep alive or else fall back into a rut that threatens his marriage, happiness, and way of life.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>The Captives\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Talia Light Rake<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 13:30 minutes<br \/>\nJolie, a Juilliard graduate, gives up on her dreams and moves back home when her mother, Emmilene, is diagnosed with cancer. Ten years later, when her life is at a standstill, her mother&#8217;s health is declining, and an old flame resurfaces in her life, Emmilene gives Jolie an ultimatum where she is suddenly forced to face who she is and who she wants to ultimately become.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Carpeteo\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Adriana Gonz\u00e1lez-Vega<br \/>\nCountry: Puerto Rico; Running Time: 9:33 minutes<br \/>\nA psychological thriller inspired by real events in Puerto Rican history. Amidst the turbulent backdrop of 1970s political upheaval at the University of Puerto Rico, a young college student finds herself grappling not only with her shifting beliefs and allegiances, but also with the complex dynamics of her relationship with her older brother, forcing her to confront the very essence of her identity and convictions.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Classmates<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Major Dorfman<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 18:57 minutes<br \/>\nCodie is dropped off to work on a school project with classmate Shane. The boys begin their assignment, but it\u2019s not long before Codie coerces Shane into taking his mom\u2019s car out for a joyride. Codie then discovers that Shane has been living in the car with his mom. They drive around a field and the car gets stuck in a ditch. The boys fight and Codie flees, leaving the mess behind.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Computer Love\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Joseph Picozzi<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 15:25 minutes<br \/>\nIt&#8217;s the year 2100: Quinn, a sheltered teenage girl, begins cheating on her dating-app-arranged boyfriend with her family&#8217;s new robot houseboy, Michael. They quickly fall in love and exchange fantasies of running away together. After her parents catch them, they announce they&#8217;re turning Michael in for a new model. Quinn must decide whether she should abandon her family and everything she&#8217;s ever known to pursue her love with a machine.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Cousins<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Karina Dandashi<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 13:00 minutes<br \/>\nTwo cousins born in separate countries reunite in Brooklyn when a run-in with an ex makes the night even more chaotic.\u00a0<em>Cousins<\/em>\u00a0explores cultural disconnect between family members and identity within oneself.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>(Dis)Connected<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Karl Stelter<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 6:32 minutes<br \/>\n2071 \u2013 When a network glitch causes Mina to experience conflicting memories, she begs a hacker (Cole) to remove the standardized implant from her neck. Failing the diagnostic, Mina shares that she\u2019d used the implant to rewrite the memory of her daughter\u2019s death, and desperately wants to come to terms with her grief.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Enter By Fire\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Luke Wildwood<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 13:26 minutes<br \/>\nWhile taking pictures alone, a woman discovers something evil behind her in a photo, descending her into a fire of madness.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>F*ck That Guy<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Hanna Gray Organschi<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 17:23 minutes<br \/>\n1992 Connecticut. Desperate to keep the attention of her intoxicating older best friend, Frankie sets out to prove that sex is no big deal.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Fishers of Men<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Chris Capel<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 20:07 minutes<br \/>\nA 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.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Fishmonger\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector:\u00a0Neil Ferron<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 23:00 minutes<br \/>\nIn this supernatural dark comedy, a pathetic Irish fishmonger must survive a sex pact with an ancient fish creature in order to save his mother&#8217;s soul from burning in hell.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Flattened\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirectors: Julia Friedland-Godfrey, Will Abbot<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 11:25 minutes<br \/>\nTwo young women living in the idyllic suburbs of Ohio try and have a good day.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Good Grief\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Megan Chumbley<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 11:57 minutes<br \/>\nGood Grief is a dark comedy, set in Salt Lake City Utah at a Mormon Mortuary. We follow Avery, the estranged daughter of the deceased, as she navigates the egocentric personalities of her dysfunctional family. Numb to her own feelings, Avery\u2019s attempts to connect with her deceased father get side-lined by her annoying cousin, erupting a series of even bigger problems simmering under the surface.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Grown<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Alfonso Elkanah Morgan-Terrero<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 9:05 minutes<br \/>\nWith their mother missing for three days, it is Emmanuel\u2019s job to pick up his little brother Alex after school. One evening, as they make their way back home, Alex\u2019s reluctance to listen to his older sets their night on a course that alters their lives forever.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Hema<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Ritvik Dhavale<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 16:25 minutes<br \/>\nHaving recently arrived in America with her husband and son, Hema finds herself culturally displaced and must redefine her identity as a dependent mother. An encounter with a young Marathi man threatens to upend her already fragile existence.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Henry Gets a Shot\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Brendan Kirk<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 9:21 minutes<br \/>\nDanny is fed up with his teenage roommate Henry lazing about the apartment. Even if it&#8217;s his friend&#8217;s kid &#8211; enough is enough! It&#8217;s time Henry goes to see Karlo about that job at the pizzeria.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Hypocrite<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Brett Maline<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 11:05 minutes<br \/>\nA messy, disabled job recruiter in his thirties is constantly between not wanting the extra attention society gives him because of his disability and taking full advantage of it. I mean ya gotta make lemonade out of when you get a titanium rod and eight screws rammed up your back in second grade, am I right, gang? So, while he&#8217;s giving advice to his clients to be their best selves, he&#8217;s making all the bad decisions as he leans into people&#8217;s misplaced perceptions of him.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Iron Lung<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Andrew Reid<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 12:20 minutes<br \/>\nWhen a storm knocks out the power to her iron lung, a polio survivor and her caretaker sister find themselves in a race against time to find a new way for her to breathe.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Jackpot<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Chance Thomas Garcia<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 9:34 minutes<br \/>\n<em>Jackpot<\/em>\u00a0takes place in a dystopian future shaped by vintage American TV culture. The story unfolds as a family\u2014father, mother, and son\u2014watches the government\u2019s nightly lottery game show during dinner. The game\u2019s deadly reality is unveiled when a government official arrives, fatally shooting the father at their doorstep. As the official hands the son a check, it\u2019s revealed that he deliberately chose his father\u2019s name to win the deadly jackpot.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Loveland<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Sofia Bonami<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 11:00 minutes<br \/>\nWhen a woman mysteriously disappears from the production of America\u2019s favorite dating show\u00a0<em>Loveland<\/em>, one contestant becomes obsessed with uncovering what happened to her \u2014 jeopardizing the one thing she came for: happily ever after.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Manny Wolfe\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Trevor Neuhoff<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 14:50 minutes<br \/>\nIt\u2019s 1947. Manny Wolf is an actor exhausted by Tinseltown. He also happens to be a real werewolf. After nonstop rejection, Manny gets a job. Unfortunately, he&#8217;s been typecast in a creature feature. Will Manny choose the big Hollywood role at the price of his own dignity and artistic integrity? He thinks that&#8217;s his only choice until he receives an unexpected offer from a fellow monster outcast.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Marvin Is Sorry<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Clint Pang<br \/>\nShowrunners: Brett Morrow, Alex Gehrlein, Jack Gacek<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 24 minutes<br \/>\nAfter accidentally killing one of his fans during the filming of a YouTube video, famed YouTuber Marvin Weaver must save his career by teaming up with Tag Taggart, an alt-right news anchor bent on cultural domination.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Mt. Mystic Rangers<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirectors: Jeremiah Dunlap. Cory Quintard<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 23:47 minutes<br \/>\n<em>Mt. Mystic Rangers<\/em>\u00a0is a half-hour mockumentary comedy\/sci-fi\/adventure series that combines a workplace comedy with the intrigue of a supernatural mystery. Through the lens of a ragtag documentary crew, the series follows a unit of misfit Park Rangers at Mt. Mystic State Park as they navigate their daily duties, encounter the paranormal, and deal with visitors from all walks of life.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>The Musical<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Giselle Bonilla<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 12:00 minutes<br \/>\nDoug Lebowitz, a middle school theater director, decides to take down his ex-girlfriend\u2019s new boyfriend &#8211; Principal Brady &#8211; by secretly producing a musical about 9\/11 to ruin the principal&#8217;s school\u2019s precious reputation.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Peas<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Maky Rupert<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 12:06 minutes<br \/>\nA drolly coming-of-age story following a young girl as she witnesses her mother go on a date for the first time since her father&#8217;s death.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>The Pitch is Wac\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Stephen Reis<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 2:10 minutes<br \/>\nOur main character Elika, an Asian-American gamer, game designer, streamer, and gaming industry insider, faces a high-pressure pitch at Wactivision, where her creativity is tested in a head-to-head battle with AI.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Playground<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Yaxing Lin<br \/>\nCountry: USA\/China; Running Time: 16:21 minutes<br \/>\nAfter a year apart, Jiajia reunites with her mother Lin, who works as a performer at an adult nightclub. Jiajia&#8217;s innocent curiosity leads to tricky situations.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Rat!<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Neal Suresh Mulani<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 16:48 minutes<br \/>\nWhen a chronically online music journalist encounters a global pop star&#8217;s latest effort at queerbaiting, he seizes the moment, turns on his camera, and expresses some choice words for the vapid musician and their fans. But as his social capital rises and the internet is set ablaze, he unknowingly traces a bold-faced arrowhead to his front doorstep, where the pop star&#8217;s overzealous fans show up to wreak havoc and seek retribution.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Retro-Futuristic Anthology: Ep. \u201cMoscow 33\u201d<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirectors: Ashot Gevorkyan, Matvey Stavitsky<br \/>\nCountry: Russia; Running Time: 5:30 minutes<br \/>\nIn a futuristic Soviet Union an accomplished scientist, who created an AI device that can change the world, is threatened by the government, that is set to get rid of him and use his discovery to control the people.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Ripe!<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Tusk<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 18:10 minutes<br \/>\nNothing says &#8220;it&#8217;s complicated&#8221; like breaking your crush&#8217;s arm.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Ronnie California: The King of Artesia<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Adi Kalidindi<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 17 minutes<br \/>\nRonnie California, an Indian immigrant who operates an illegal gambling ring out of the back of his failing saree shop, must face the music when the community exposes his shady dealings. Hit with the prospect of losing his business to the IRS, Ronnie goes to great lengths to make ends meet.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Seeking Sasquatch<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Thomas Thomas<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 4:00 minutes<br \/>\n<em>Seeking Sasquatch<\/em>\u00a0begins with a hostile and skeptical scientist joining the Bigfoot Investigation Bureau. With him, the BIB must face new and outlandish predicaments each week to find proof of a \u2018Squatch. To succeed, they must unite, muster their strengths, and overcome their many differences. While proof might remain elusive, who knows? They might discover themselves along the way.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Seoul Switch<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Liann Kaye<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 13:00 minutes<br \/>\nWhen an insecure, Korean American boy meets an International K-Pop Star who looks just like him, they decide to switch identities.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Shadow<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Kamell Allaway<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 12:00 minutes<br \/>\nA young mother&#8217;s shadow takes on a life of its own, terrorizing her and her daughter over the course of one night.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Take Me Home<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Liz Sargent<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 15:00 minutes<br \/>\nWhen Emily is reunited with her sister Anna after their mother&#8217;s passing, she struggles to reconnect to their Florida life. Anna&#8217;s Cognitive Disability makes communication challenging, and the tragedy makes rebuilding their home and relationship urgent. Their growth as sisters in Take Me Home creates a touching story on family, and the care that we all require from one another.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>The Thaw<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirectors: Sarah Wisner. Sean Temple<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 16:32 minutes<br \/>\n<em>The Thaw<\/em>\u00a0is set in the late 19th century in the challenging Vermont hills. Ruth and her aging parents, Alma and Timothy, struggle to subsist on a failing farm after Ruth is abandoned by her unfaithful husband. They turn to a remedy as old as the hills, a sleeping tea that allows the elderly and infirm to sleep out the winter months while frozen and packed in snow, to be safely revived in the spring. But when a storm blows in an early thaw, the ritual is broken and the sleepers wake too soon &#8211; to horrifying results.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Top Shot<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"nonalighn size-large wp-image-31131\" src=\"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-TOPSHOT-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"656\" height=\"369\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-TOPSHOT-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-TOPSHOT-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-TOPSHOT-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-TOPSHOT-560x315.jpg 560w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-TOPSHOT-260x146.jpg 260w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-TOPSHOT-160x90.jpg 160w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pub-proof-TOPSHOT.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 656px) 100vw, 656px\" \/><br \/>\nDirector: Alexander Hagani<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 15:17 minutes<br \/>\nA tale about growing up, basketball, and trading cards. 11-year-old Alexander adjusts to life with his new stepdad, Ian, while navigating the aftermath of his parent&#8217;s divorce and escaping into basketball daydreams.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Vial<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Alexandre Jerard Davis<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 14:14 minutes<br \/>\nKen, a parolee on the cusp of reconnecting with his family, finds his future in jeopardy when an impromptu drug test threatens to send him back to prison. Desperate to pass the test, Ken finds an unlikely solution with some help from his dealer: a prosthetic penis able to conceal clean urine. But there\u2019s only one problem: he still needs to find the piss.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Vintage Lamp Shade<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirectors: Gordy De St. Jeor, Jillian Moray<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 5:52 minutes<br \/>\nTwo girls navigate the balance between romantic and platonic nature within female friendship.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Water Dog<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Christina Kelly Holmes<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 10:52 minutes<br \/>\nGuy, a disillusioned millennial man, bumps into Dan, an old classmate, and meets his new wife. But there&#8217;s something off about her. However, no one, including Guy\u2019s girlfriend he dragged out, says anything. Sucked into an awkward dinner followed by a pregnancy announcement, Guy wonders how Dan has gotten further in life than him.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>The Weight of a Dog<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nDirector: Lucy Sandler<br \/>\nCountry: USA; Running Time: 15:37 minutes<br \/>\n<em>The Weight of a Dog<\/em>\u00a0follows new retiree Dawn\u2019s trip to chaperone her adult daughter\u2019s abortion and explores Dawn\u2019s unexpected revelations around her own life and its next phase that this experience brings up for her.<strong>Proof<\/strong> is a short film festival in Los Angeles dedicated to showcasing the best in proof-of-concepts. Providing a highly competitive and unique festival experience, as well as opening the door for fruitful future filmmaking opportunities, PROOF is a one-stop-shop for the newest emerging talent.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr align=\"center\" noshade=\"noshade\" size=\"1\" width=\"60%\" \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_7155\" style=\"width: 160px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone nonlighn\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7155\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-7155\" src=\"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/gwm-700x700-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"300\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-7155\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Publisher, Editor Gregg W. Morris<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>PROOF is a short film festival in Los Angeles dedicated to showcasing the best in proof-of-concepts. Providing a highly competitive and unique festival experience, as well as opening the door for fruitful future filmmaking opportunities, PROOF is a one-stop-shop for the newest emerging talent.<br \/>Article by Gregg W. Morris<\/p>\n<p class=\"more-link-p\"><a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/index.php\/american-cinematheque-2nd-annual-proof-film-festival-october-18-20\/\">Read more &rarr;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":31133,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2174,2132,2238],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31026","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-2174","category-film-news-2024","category-wildworks-pr"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31026","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31026"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31026\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31145,"href":"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31026\/revisions\/31145"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31133"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31026"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31026"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31026"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}