Short Block 15

Iowa Premiere

Natasha loses her 4-year-old son to drowning and blames her alcoholic brother, Jeremy, who was taking care of him on the night of the tragedy. Both of their lives are irrevocably ruined by the boy's death. After hitting rock bottom, they both learn that, as hard as it might be, their only chance of survival lies in forgiveness and in choosing to let go.

Rating: GA

Producer: Chantelle James, Jeff Brody, Paulina Manseau

Director: Chantelle James

Runtime: 16

Year: 2022

Language: English

Country: USA

Iowa Premiere

Sometimes, a crazy looking person enters the subway, and suddenly, a void is created around him. But what would happen if you chose to stay and treat him kindly? Perhaps, you would discover that inside him, there is someone who was once sane. Or maybe, you would discover, that deep down, we are all a little insane.

Rating: GA

Producer: Susan Béjar

Director: Susan Béjar

Runtime: 13

Year: 2020

Language: Spanish

Country: Spain

USA Premiere

At the turn of the 18th century in the Hawaiian Kingdom, a man must outrun a mob of warriors to return to his family and deliver a message that could change the course of an ongoing war.

Rating: GA

Producer: Gerard Elmore, Christopher Kahunahana, Brian Keaulana

Director: Mitchel Merrick

Runtime: 26

Year: 2024

Language: Hawaiian

Country: USA

Iowa Premiere

After the death of her father, a troubled young woman robs a dry cleaning shop, but a secret from the past forces her to the precipice of truth and denial.

Rating: GA

Producer: Laura Boersma, Randy Sosin

Director: David Michael Maurer

Runtime: 13

Year: 2023

Language: English

Country: USA

Two teenage friends are roaming the neighborhood together and are having a conversation. The boy asks his friend about her headscarf, as a joke he rips it off her head and drives away. Afraid of the consequences of being seen, the girl runs after him. The unusual chase leads the two of them to new insights and a bit more openness.

Rating: GA

Producer: Reza Rasouli

Director: Reza Rasouli

Runtime: 9

Year: 2023

Language: German

Country: Austria

Iowa Premiere

A photographer comes to take remembrance portraits for a family who have suffered a stillbirth.

Rating: GA

Producer: Kate Baxter

Director: Rachel Fowler

Runtime: 11

Year: 2022

Language: English

Country: United Kingdom

World Premiere

Former star Crystal Gold is on the verge of a long-awaited Hollywood comeback. She's up for an A-list movie role and all set to meet the film’s powerhouse producer, her long-time friend, Derek Meadows. Crystal's troubled son/personal assistant, Jasper, refuses to attend the “Meadows meeting." Though the business chewed up her early years, and spit out her latter ones, Crystal can almost taste her resurrection. But, something doesn’t sit right during the meeting with Meadows and his director. Ugly truths slip out and Crystal pieces together an unimaginable betrayal - her son was #metoo’d several years ago by Derek Meadows himself.

Rating: M

Producer: Tina Alexis Allen, Troy Barboza

Director: Tina Alexis Allen

Runtime: 17

Year: 2023

Language: English

Country: USA