Achim Mendoza
ALOK (2024)
Short Documentary
Directed by Alex Hedison
Filmmaker Alex Hedison sets out to showcase the multiplicity of self through a compelling portrait of her friend, ALOK, the internationally acclaimed, non-binary, author, poet, comedian, and public speaker. This thought-provoking short documentary explores the limitless expression of self, challenges societal norms, and inspires viewers to embrace personal freedom.
Walk by Me (TBD)
Feature Documentary
Directed by Lisa Leeman
Filmmaker Lisa Leeman and animation artist Gabi P. reconnect twenty-five years after Leeman profiled Payn’s gender transition in the 1990 documentary Metamorphosis (Sundance Filmmakers’ Trophy/ POV). Now middle-aged, the two artists rekindle a lapsed friendship as they reckon with the past and face uncertain futures. Filmed over five years as Gabi navigates a series of crossroads in her sixties, Walk by Me weaves past and present to explore aging, art and resiliency, faith, filmmaking, friendship, and the blurred boundaries in documentary filmmaking.
Eclipse Chasers (2024)
Short Narrative
Directed by Ximena Davis
Art meets science when an angry 17-year-old and her dismissive father attempt to bond on a road trip to see a solar eclipse before she leaves for school. They encounter overdone diner food, beat-up motels, and roadside arguments on their quest to bridge understanding.
MIKE (2024)
Short Narrative
Directed by Duc-Anh Nguyen
Set within the first day of school, Hiep Nguyen is an exuberant Vietnamese student going on an exchange program at a Christian high school in South Dakota.
