2020
Abortion Helpline, This is Lisa
Barbara Attie, Janet Goldwater, Mike Attie
What is the Hyde Amendment and why is its repeal becoming a litmus test for progressive politicians? In this short documentary we see how the Hyde Amendment successfully contrived to prevent those struggling financially from access to abortion. At an abortion fund in Philadelphia, counselors arrive each morning to the nonstop ring of calls from women and teens who seek to end a pregnancy . . . and can’t afford to.
United States
0:13:00
CRUSH
Heather Harris
Greyson is a writer who previously attempted to commit suicide via drowning in a deserted indoor swimming pool. She survived the attempt but has been in recluse ever since and no longer leaves the house. Her only close relationship is with her girlfriend, Grace, who came into her life after the attempt. When Greyson is contacted by the Suicide Survivors Association about writing a speech she is thrilled by the opportunity and tries to get back on her feet. Unfortunately, during this time Greyson begins to experience psychosis and her partner, Grace, becomes more and more sinister and soon Greyson isn't sure of what is real or not anymore. When it is revealed that Grace isn't real, Greyson overdoses and drowns herself in her bathtub and Grace, who represents her inner struggle, triumphs.
United States
0:16:00
XY
Anna Karín Lárusdóttir
Lísa is fifteen years old and lives with her mother in the suburbs in Iceland. She is different from girls her age, but she hasn’t reached puberty. She is isolated and has a big secret about herself. Regular uncomfortable doctors visits and struggling with her self image demonstrates her everyday life. She avoids her peers, especially the girls who she feels very disconnected from. One of these girls is her childhood friend Bryndís, which Lísa has pushed away over the years. When Bryndís is being bullied by some boys in their class Lísa decides to reach back out to her, the two reunite, leading her to tell Bryndís about her secret. Bryndís’s curiosity and bluntness leads Lísa to discover more secrets about her body and even darker about her medical history.
Iceland
0:15:00
GIRLS GROW UP DRAWING HORSES
Joanie Wind
Society’s capitalist and consumerist views of women amount to little more than their views of horses. Their value is found not in their humanity, but in their appearance and their labor, and how each may be exploited. In Girls Grow Up Drawing Horses, these relationships and parallels occur to the narrator as she considers her grandma’s life as well as her own. Layers of animated colors, textures, and found footage explore these observations, the idea of healing family trauma, and the metaphorical significance of horses and women’s gender roles.
United States
0:07:23
Cynthia
Jack Hickey
A dinner party with old friends takes a shocking turn as wounds are exposed, revelations are made, and the past resurfaces. Over one tense evening, Cynthia learns that some things can never be unsaid. An emotionally bold and uplifting story about truth, love and finding the strength to move on.
Ireland
0:17:00
LIVING ROOM
Jessica Barclay Lawton
Masayuki lives with his elderly mother and spends his nights wanders the streets, drinking and gambling. He amasses enough gambled winnings to finance her foreseeable future, before his final departure. When the time comes, Masayuki confronts oblivion with the help of a mysterious stranger.
Japan
0:16:24