IBFF2020 Official Selection

1\When This Is Over   

When this is over, may we find that we have become more like the people we wanted to be, were called to be, we hoped to be. And may we stay that way, appreciating one another, traveling further and knowing we can withstand the worst of storms. Because sometimes, in the blink of an eye, you can lose sight of everything that matters most to you ✨

2\Why Oh Why Can't I Touch The Sky   

Cora the starfish lives under the sea and wonders why she isn’t a star in the sky.

3\The Gesture and The Word   

A lonely postman (Gilbert) secretly recreates postcards for a woman (Aurore) on his postal route when her boyfriend's homemade postcards stop arriving from his travels around the world. With the help of his friend Mr. Rostalle, (Paul Dooley) a blind widower and retired literary professor/poet, Gilbert (James Michael Tyler) learns to open himself up to the prospect of love, and in the process of trying to bring someone else happiness, discovers it for himself.

4\The Woman   

In a remote Mongolian mountains, a woman lives with her mother-in-law and her daughter. Everyone has deserted them except for the people she looks after. Time to time a local man comes and helps her to do her difficult tasks and always asks her to move to the nearest town with him. Her hands are tied to the place, since her mother-in-law wouldn't be able to get accustomed to the town lifestyle.

5\I, the Sunshine   

In three episodes, the film tells a family story between tradition and modernity. The father grew up in a small village in the Mongolian mountains. Humble circumstances, but also a strong community shaped his childhood. His family was the first to own a television. But when they invite the village community, all they see and hear is white noise. When they try to repair it, the boy shows his talent as a future engineer. The mother, on the other hand, grew up in a town and was supposed to pursue a career as a snake woman. She struggles with the shadow lying over her family: her mother is depressed and apathetic; her father is absent because he provides for the family through a job abroad. In the third part, the viewer gets to know their son. He grows up surrounded by the wealth his parents had to earn, and he spends his time playing video games. Only a computer mouse that has become human rouses him from his fantasy world.

6\H O P E ?   

6 people are fighting feelings of hope in a time when they believe to be alone. To keep themselves sane, each of them start a video-vlog in which they are presumed to speak to a long lost friend. During this time they find themselves with feelings of hope that could either bring them joy or pain. This raw and honest story explores how humans need others close to them and puts into perspective how vulnerable we are without those we love around us.

7\Remember Me   

During a communist revolution in Mongolia, a struggling people of a small village did anything to get by. Some people saw an opportunity to earn from this struggle. In a means of recycling, people were offered to trade in anything metal and paper for small sum of money. When the scavengers emptied the local school library, a young boy tries to save his love and books.

8\Langholm Stories   

Langholm is a small Scottish Border Town and its quirky inhabitants. The film tries to capture them in relation to their local big event The Langholm Common Riding.

9\The Internship   

Josh a young design graduate working in a dead end job has a chance meeting with his idol, a famous design magazine editor who offers him a rare and prestigious internship. However, he must convince a family to who internships mean an extra financial burden, and in an industry in which their culture has never really been well represented; that it’s a chance worth taking.

10\Something To Tell You   

Emily didn't expect the perfect proposal from her boyfriend, but she didn't expect it to be on the wrong day, the wrong time and from the wrong guy!

11\Driving force   

A story of love, perseverance and never giving up after Riona suffered a spinal stroke which left her paralysed, she met ex international rugby player Keith mason who helped her walk again.

12\Where are you going   

Marwan, an old man who has lost his house 8 years ago, decided to live his live in his van; the only thing left for him from all his previous belongings. He also decided to take the benefit from it and use it to drive people around . In this film, we will do a journey within his daily life. Whether when he meets people with different character, we also get to know more about his story background

13\The Pleasure Principle   

Mysterious murders has been committed in four post-communist cities: Warsaw, Prague, Odessa, and Leipzig. The investigations are carried out by three absolutely different in many aspects criminal police officers. Independently of one another, they soon come to the conclusion that all four murders are connected. Now, to solve the crimes they have to work together.

14\The Rurik Dynasty   

Conquest and the struggle of power, victory and defeat, love and betrayal, the rise of culture and the ashes of conflagration – these are just some of the elements of the Rurik dynasty.

15\I Ran Away   

This is a story of a Russian woman, who, not believing that she will find understanding and support in her own country, flees to Britain. She believes that in London she will be able to move on with her destiny and career, achieve respect, because here, in her opinion, British society respect women. She accidentally meets a British born Indian guy who becomes her best friend; they have a common love for classical music and Poetry. The story develops into true and passionate love with a unique tension and allure. Apparently, there are many obstacles. So, it turns in to an impossible love story that develops unwittingly to finally overcome all obstacles. The cliché “Love Conquers All” proves to be true and the blossoming of a sublime love affair proves the cliché to be veritable. But the problems for the two lovers have only begun. The Russian woman who has fled to London is still married to a Russian Mafiosi type oligarch who will stop at nothing to punish his unfaithful wife. On the other side, the Indian original traditions put pressure on the hero to marry only his mother’s choice. The other complication is a teenage son who studies in a UK school and who is now under the custody of his mother. The story unfolds in a series of episodes with locations in both Russia and the United Kingdom encompassing dramatic conflict and perilous action.

16\#ghosting   

#GHOSTING is a film about two best friends that fall out and one of them becomes the bully and the other is on the receiving end.

17\Family Matters   

Family Matters is a short film based on a true story, about the struggle of Angela as she battle's through the harassment of her partners drug addiction and the effects it has on their daughter; Lucy and their future.

18\Handscape   

Contemporary Shanghai, summer. Xia Qing, a boy who has been wearing Cochlear Implants due to hearing impairment, has a deep love for dancing. He gains so much joy just from copying Martha Graham’s hand gestures in a dance magazine. A kid with a precocious nature, he sometimes paints his pinky nail red just for that glimpse of beauty. Yet all these passionate pursuits are misunderstood and questioned by his single, deaf mother. Given the opportunity to audition for his favorite dance company once in a blue moon, he has no choice but to return to his body--He seeks his mother’s approval and longs to overcome this obscure self-identity crisis, through the silent language on his fingertips. 

19\DRIVEN - Wolk Morais   

Wolk Morais’ film "DRIVEN" connects L.A’s various neighborhoods, peoples and landscapes through a driving tour of the city. The kinetic piece celebrates the unbreakable spirit of The City of Angels in this unprecedented moment of change.

20\The Midnight Trip   

Driving through the desert at night-time to go to a business meeting, a man gets a phone message from his sister, who complains about his absence at his own father’s funeral. A wolf on the road forces him to pull over and in the trunk he accidently finds his dead father’s lost coat. He seeks refuge in a lonely gas station where a mysterious woman sends him on a mental trip that ends in an emotional reacquaintance between father and son. At dawn the man ignores a call from his boss, and, wearing his father’s coat, he leaves together with the wolf.

21\#ShakespearesShitstorm   

The Opioid Epidemic is destroying America. Legendary director Lloyd Kaufman celebrates Troma’s 45th and his 50th year making movies, by taking on Big Pharma, addiction and the intolerance of social media in #ShakespearesShitstorm. This irreverent musical adaptation of “The Tempest” is ripe with bawdy couplets, Hieronymus Boschian images of excess and unrefined iambic pentameter. ̋ #ShakepearesShitstorm marks the most ambitious project in Troma’s 45 year history. Working with one of Hollywood’s best special effects companies, Troma brings a whole new experience to their stylized brand. Having a bigger budget also brought about larger scale on-location filming in Albania (a first for narrative feature films in the country) as well as a celestial orchestral score from Portugal and a little help from the Bard. Shakespeare has never been this raw and unfiltered.

22\Transfer   

An inexperienced young man stops a woman from committing suicide and she confides in him, transferring her suicidal impulses to him.

23\Together we are Brixen   

A unique and engaging tourism film to promote the beautiful city of Brixen in the South Tyrolean Alps. A hiker who asks a local gentleman for directions – is greeted with stories of Brixen’s charms and picturesque visuals of all it has to offer.

24\Six Feet of Separation   

Millions of people forced into solitude for months, struggling with the anxiety, loneliness, and fear of losing everything they have.

25\Dancing Moon   

"Dancing Moon" is an invite to experience the ultimate and mysteriousness power that music can bring out of us. Let this power possess you. For one night only come and experience what it is like to abandon yourself to music and let it take you to another place you've never been before "Dancing Moon".

26\Donovan   

He's pretty sure his parents are responsible for his miserable existence when they named him 'Donovan'. If only he was a 'Peter' or an 'Andrew'; everything would be different. Being locked inside during a COVID-19 pandemic hasn't improved his state of mind. Watch him in this intimate short as he opens up about his name, life and "bizarre list of extremely rare allergies".

27\Coach   

The bond between a coach and runner is put under pressure by a declaration of love, in this sweet comedy set in the Somerset countryside.

28\Grandma's Footsteps   

When Gelsomina inherits her Grandma's shoe collection her life spins wildly out of control. Narrated by a wide-eyed imp, 'Grandma's Footsteps' is the uncanny tale of a woman tormented by stomping, clomping, terrifying shoes.

29\Chrysalis Smile   

The purpose of this award winning record was to reunite the forgotten ones, as Leyton felt it was overlooked for a very long time regarding people with special needs all around the world. The society norm created that box to divide other than unite souls with dis- advantages. It is more than just the music when it comes to Leyton's craft as he believes there is a song to be apprehended for everyone. Reinventing a new substance for the world through love and self devotion.

30\Koko   

TAGLINE: Randy wants to marry his dog, Koko. Is it for Love or Money or Something else? PLOT: "KOKO" is an extraordinary story of a young financial guru (Randy) who suffers a lifetime of heartaches only to discover that the one purest form of love was found in his only true companion… his dog (Koko). ​RANDY finds a new lease on life and love. As he heals from all of his wounds, he finds himself immediately bonding with Koko, like all pure and natural love does. Randy feels a connection so deep that the only way he can express his commitment to Koko is through the bonds of matrimony. As time goes on, Randy decides to file a court case to be allowed to legally marry Koko and so this tale begins…

31\I Am Vengeance: Retaliation   

Former special-forces soldier John Gold is given the opportunity to bring Sean Teague – the man who betrayed his team on their final mission in Eastern Europe several years ago – to justice. Gold would cheerfully see Teague dead, but he is convinced to help transport him to a military prison to pay for his crimes. Along the way, Gold will have to fight off Teague’s team who are attempting to extract him, as well as a sniper seemingly hell-bent on killing Teague before he can be secured.

32\The Ball of Light   

When an old school bloke goes to his first ever yoga class the results are anything but enlightening.

33\Trojan   Script

When MI5 learns that a horrifying new weapon is in enemy hands, agent Andrew Harvey is called in to track it down before it reaches British soil. The clock is ticking. Andrew and his girlfriend, Sarah, also a secret service operative, have only one lead: a beautiful refugee, desperate not to lose her son. But is she desperate enough to betray everything she believes in? And will she do it in time to help them prevent a terrifying attack? As Andrew and Sarah race to unravel a convoluted web of subterfuge and exploitation, they discover there is more at stake than even they knew. And somewhere, at the heart of it, lurks a faceless enemy, who is prepared to use everything--and everyone--at his disposal.

34\Within   

With a tragic ordeal he would rather forget, Michael revisits the day that changed his life forever; all whilst facing one of the most challenging decisions he has ever made…a decision that he hopes will bring closure to his past, and comfort to his future.

35\Free Pizza   

A zealous pizza delivery boy waits for an unseeable customer with hidden intentions.

36\LA POV   

The great Arethra Franklin once said, "music is transporting for sure." A record player proves just that as it's music acts as a portal to various spaces and places in Los Angeles, CA.

37\Fart Shadow   

A demonstration of how foreshadowing can be a powerful narrative tool, while flatulence can be a powerful life-saving tool.

38\From The Heart -Carreira 3   

Boy meets girl likes her vibe and they start hanging out!

39\The Heavy Burden   

Taking refuge with his uncle in Turkey after the war, a young Kurd from Syria return to his country to bring back his young donkey to replace his uncle's old donkey recently "retired" by the municipality.

40\The Complex   Non-Linear, Interactive

The Complex is an innovative sci-fi thriller interactive movie where the viewer gets involved with story making decisions. This is a non-linear film with multiple narrative paths and outcomes dictated by the viewer interactions’. After a major bio-weapon attack on London, two scientists find themselves in a locked-down laboratory with time, and air, running out. With choose-your-own-adventure style decisions, the viewer’s interactions will have direct impact on the narrative path effecting the lead character’s relationship with others and ultimately leading you to one of nine suspenseful endings.

41\The Marked Man   

Dandar was one of the commanders in a horse battalion in Mongolian army during Khalkhiin Gol Battle against Japan's Imperial Army. He never lost a battle and was known as the most feared warrior in the battle field. His success wasn't openly invited by the secret services, since he was never injured and wounded during the battles. Due to personal jealousy of an investigating officer Dandar was persecuted for treason and served rest of his life in war camp alone with the very enemies he fought to protect his country.

42\The Trophy   

In a gym, a young man must fight his best friend in a boxing match for the attention of the friend’s beautiful girlfriend. But what are they really fighting for?

43\Everest Wings   

HOW FAR WILL YOU GO, FOR SOMEONE YOU LOVE ? It’s a story of the pursueing for Love. A female mountain climber struggles to survive a fateful Mount Everest rescue mission while keeping her faith in love in the face of human evil.

44\In a Lil Pickle   

In post-apocalyptic suburbia, insanity breeds salvation as one man battles starvation.

45\Drown With Me   

Sometimes, letting go offers a fresh perspective and path toward controlling one's fate. An experimental short inspired by philosophies of reincarnation.