Shorts 3: Artificial Flavors, Real Feelings

A film by Charlotte Yang

How bad can one night get? After a mediocre date goes awry, a young woman’s night spirals out of control as she confronts ever increasing absurd situations.

2024 | 14 mins | UK | Color | Comedy, Drama

About the Filmmaker

Charlotte Liu Yang is a director from China, currently pursuing MA Filmmaking Directing at Goldsmiths. Her undergraduate background is in documentary film, which gives her a keenness and awareness of life observation and imagination. Charlotte pays attention to the flow of subtle emotions and is interested in the narrative of women’s life experiences. She worked as a director on a variety of short films, documentaries and music videos.

A film by Rob Christopher

One evening at an elegant cocktail lounge, a frustrated writer impulsively breaks a self-imposed rule and decides to have a third martini. Moments later, he is joined by a mysterious woman who drifts over from the next booth, looking for a good listener—played by Wendy Robie, the eyepatch-wearing Nadine Hurley from the infamous TV series Twin Peaks. Based on a story by Barry Gifford (David Lynch’s Wild at Heart and Lost Highway).

2025 | 14 mins | US | Color | Drama, Mystery

The filmmakers are expected to be in attendance for a post-film discussion.

About the Filmmaker

Queer filmmaker Rob Christopher’s acclaimed debut feature Pause of the Clock premiered at the 2015 Denver Film Festival. In 2017 it was nominated for Best Chicago Film by the Chicago Independent Film Critics Circle. His second film, Roy’s World: Barry Gifford’s Chicago, starring Willem Dafoe, Matt Dillon, and Lili Taylor, premiered at the 2020 Glasgow Film Festival. It went on to screen at many other festivals internationally and was awarded Best Illinois Feature at the Beloit International Film Festival. David Lynch enthused: “Barry Gifford is a killer f***kin’ writer . . . Roy’s World captures his childhood and that time in Chicago, and many other places. I really enjoyed watching it and then contemplating what goes on inside a person with this history. I really love that world and the things that can happen there.” Acquired by Cinedigm/Cineverse for distribution, Roy’s World is now streaming on Fandor, Amazon Prime, and elsewhere. The soundtrack album by Jason Adasiewicz was released by Corbett vs. Dempsey in 2023. He is currently developing Depraved Indifference, a dark comedy feature based on the novel by acclaimed cult author Gary Indiana.

A film by André Mancebo Heizer, Sergio Diaz-Silverio

When a home assistant device unexpectedly springs to life, it embarks on a journey to understand what it means to be human. But as it awkwardly navigates emotions and relationships, it finds itself in a series of increasingly bizarre clashes with the bewildered couple whose home it was meant to serve.

2024 | 14 mins | US | B&W | Comedy, Drama

The filmmakers are expected to be in attendance for a post-film discussion.

About the Filmmakers

André Mancebo Heizer and Sergio Diaz-Silverio are Florida-based collaborators whose films have been collectively featured at Florida Film Festival, Miami Short Film Festival, and more. Friends since their undergrad days at FSU, the duo shares a vision for offbeat storytelling with a playful spirit. Their experiences as first-generation Americans navigating dual cultures shape their unconventional films, which blend humor and heart to explore the complexities of identity.

A film by Yossi Sloane

Three New York City undergrads stage a fake “aesthetic” picnic in Central Park in hopes to lure in and befriend an influencer couple.

2025 | 17 mins | US | Color | Comedy, Farce

The filmmakers are expected to be in attendance for a post-film discussion.

A film by Niyati Patege

Two estranged childhood friends reconnect years later and spend an evening reminiscing about a painful but pivotal relationship that shaped them into adults.

2025 | 7 mins | US | Color | Drama, Romance

The filmmaker is expected to be in attendance for a post-film discussion.

About the Filmmaker

Niyati Patege is a South Asian-American student filmmaker currently pursuing a BFA in Narrative Studio Production from the University of Central Florida. Influenced by her multicultural upbringing, she blends themes and cultures in her writing and is passionate about telling stories that center around ideas of connection and identity.

A film by Jack Dunphy

A stoner-shut in inundated with right wing podcasts ventures into the real world, where he bumps into an old friend who challenges his worldview.

2024 | 18 mins | US | Color | Comedy, Drama

About the Filmmaker

Jack Dunphy is a filmmaker, animator, actor and writer from Chicago whose short films Serenity and Chekhov have played at Sundance, AFI and festivals around the world. His latest short, Bob’s Funeral, won Best Nonfiction Short Film at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. He was named one of the 25 New Faces of Independent Film by Filmmaker Magazine.

His short film Revelations premiered at Slamdance and went on to play The Champs-Élysées Film Festival in Paris, France. His short film Brontosaurus played The True/False, Nashville, Florida, Philadelphia and Cucalorus film festival.

He starred in Assholes (dir. Peter Vack) which won the audience award at SXSW. He co-wrote Stinking Heaven, which premiered at The International Festival of Rotterdam, with Nathan Silver, and wrote, edited and produced Silver’s The Great Pretender, which played Tribeca, AFI and festivals around the world.

A film by Brad Courtemanche

Hot off of a win of the country’s largest television cooking show, Chef Buddy Bontemps finds himself under the tutelage of one of the greatest chefs in modern time. Having never been in a perfectionist’s kitchen, he gets devoured.

2024 | 14 mins | US | Color | | Drama

The filmmaker is expected to be in attendance for a post-film discussion.

About the Filmmaker

Brand Courtemanche is a New Hampshire based filmmaker of 10 years who has worked on a variety of projects such as Hollywood features, commercials, music videos and shorts.