Independent Short Film Premieres & Interviews // Directors Notes

Premiere Category

Rob Simonsen Culminates a Journey of Self-Discovery for the Finale of His Music Video Trilogy with ‘Ondes’

Film Composer Rob Simonsen tells DN how he made the transition to creating his own music and, in turn, his own audio-visual identity with 'Ondes'.

Live Action, Premiere

Matt Cascella Envisages the Life Cycle of a Mattress in his Comedy Short ‘Beds’

Brooklyn-based director Matt Cascella tells DN how he maintained a consistent tone throughout the vignettes of his lifecycle of a mattress short 'Beds'.

Live Action, Premiere

Barret Bowman Turns Stomachs with the Most Disgusting Games Night of All Time in Gross-Out Comedy ‘Baby Bird’

Barret Bowman tells DN how he created the practical effects used for his gross-out comedy 'Baby Bird', a short about a games night that goes much too far.

Animation, Premiere

The Sacred Dances & Sketchbook Drawings Behind Lottie Kingslake’s Rhythmic RCA Short ‘So I Danced Again’

Animator Lottie Kingslake joins us to discuss how YouTube videos of a dance practiced by followers of mystic Gurdjieff led to her own creative journey.

Live Action, Premiere

A Solo Park Run Escalates into a Battle of One-Upmanship in Mariia Ponomarova’s ‘Ardea’

Mariia Ponomarova joins DN for the premiere 'Ardea' - the story of a gentle park run which quickly escalates into a competitive battle of one-upmanship.

Animation, Premiere

Serafima Serafimova Exposes Female Body Hang-Ups to the Cleansing Spotlight of Collective Recognition in ‘Flawed’

Serafima Serafimova reveals how hang-ups inspired the creation of 'Flawed' - a film which exposes the personal insecurities women have about their bodies.

Live Action, Premiere

Dee Meaden Delves into the Complicated Relationship Between Creativity & Delusion in Vérité Drama ‘An Actor’

Dee Meaden explains how concerns about our attitudes towards the homeless inspired her short film exploration of the line between creativity and delusion.

Animation, Premiere

Tomas Ramanauskas Helps us Come to Terms with Life on Earth in Existential Western ‘After Death, Before Hell’

Director Tomas Ramanauskas joins us to discuss his existential short 'After Death, Before Hell' - a comedy about making plans in life.

Live Action, Premiere

A Man Battles the All Consuming Guilt of His Actions in Dee Meaden’s Disquieting Short ‘Mark’

A man becomes consumed by the fear he may have done something terrible on a night out in Dee Meaden's disquieting study of consent, guilt and masculinity.

Art & Fashion, Premiere

Andy McCallie Documents Chris Robertson’s Profound Monologue on American History in One-Take Short ‘Freedom Song’

Andy McCallie tells DN how he used the restrictions of one-shot filmmaking to manifest the power of Chris Robertson's profound ‘Freedom Song' monologue.

Music, Premiere

Anatoliy Sachivko Embraces the Compelling Power of Destruction in Pokaz Trio Dance Film ‘Kintsugi’

Directors Notes goes behind the scenes of Pokaz Trio dance film 'Kintsugi' to learn how this captivating ode to the power of destruction came into being.

Music, Premiere

Morgan Saint Laments the Pain of Destructive Love in Griffin Stoddard’s Mournful ‘God Bless Our Souls’

Director Griffin Stoddard joins DN to discuss the director's cut of his mournful music video for singer-songwriter Morgan Saint's 'God Bless Our Souls'.