- This event has passed.
Shorts 7: Doc Shorts – The Stage
September 1, 2024 @ 6:59 pm – 7:17 pm EDT
A documentary exploring performers in niche subcultures; from a female Muay Thai fighter, to a no ring death match wrestler, to vampire clown drag performers.
Director: Raymond Smiling
2024 | 18 mins | US | Color | 🏆 | Documentary, Portrait, Sports, LGBTQIA+
Screening in Theater #3
Other films in this program include:
- Churchill’s
- Patient
- Head in the Clouds, Feet on the Ground
- Bob’s Funeral
About the Filmmaker
Ray Smiling is a director whose work focuses on finding universal emotion presented in wild specificity. The stories he creates are naturalistic with a distinct visual flair; featuring characters you feel like you already know, in situations both funny and emotionally rich. Basically, you can tell you’re watching something he made, if you’re feeling feelings, about a thing you never thought you’d feel feelings about.

He’s created the Ciclope shortlisted PLAY THIS AT MY FUNERAL—a collection of vignettes about the intimate moment a random song becomes your song. The Clio winning JUNETEENTH THOUGHTS—where two coworkers discuss the nuances of a complicated holiday. The award winning web series KHAKI IS NOT LEATHER—an exploration of loneliness and the internet, told via the internet. Vulture called it “an A24 wet dream.”
Ray has spent years creating campaigns for brands like Adidas, Under Armour, Nike, Covergirl, the NBA, Beats By Dre, and Amazon Music. He’s been recognized by Ad Age as the Director to Watch for 2023 and is repped by Division7.