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IFP Announces Project Forum Slate for 42nd IFP Week

Today, IFP (Independent Filmmaker Project), Filmmaker’s parent organization, announced its Project Forum slate, highlighting 144 feature-length and series projects, including, for the first time, a slate of 36 audio projects, in development and production set to participate in the upcoming 42nd annual edition of IFP Week, taking place entirely online September 20-25, 2020. 

Along with the Project Forum’s consistent and ongoing support for independent artists working in visual storytelling, this year will offer support to creators working in audio through the introduction of the IFP Week Audio Hub. Expanding upon IFP’s core mission of championing and elevating independent storytellers, the Audio Hub will host 36 audio projects, wide-ranging in format and genres from both emerging and established talent, and aid in bridging the gap between independent audio makers and the ever-growing audio industry. 

The Project Forum’s No Borders International Co-Production Market will present 56 narrative features and series ranging in stages from early development through post-production. The virtual event will also present 52 nonfiction features and series in the Spotlight on Documentaries section. A full list of participating projects available here.

In addition to the first-ever Virtual Project Forum, IFP Week will present a multi-day slate of panels, workshops, case studies, and keynote conversations, hosted online and centered on the achievements of and pressing issues facing independent storytellers and industry professionals in these uncertain times. Additional details on the IFP week schedule will be shared at a later date.

“During this time of great uncertainty, the team here at IFP is proud to have been able to pivot to a completely virtual event this year while considering a record-setting number of submissions, truly a testament to the vibrancy and the remarkable perseverance and passion of the industry and independent storytelling community,” said IFP Executive Director, Jeffrey Sharp. “We also look forward to introducing a new element to IFP Week, with the debut of this year’s Audio Hub, creating an opportunity and unique market for independently created audio content.”

The full slate is below.

No Borders International Co-Production Market

Presenting 56 narrative features and series (digital, limited, and traditional) ranging in stages from early development through post-production, this section features emerging and established storytellers from the U.S. and around the world.

Narrative Features

Aliens in Eritrea written, directed, and produced by Sephora Woldu. Everyone is an alien in the newly independent nation of Eritrea— the diaspora moving back home, the citizens who never left, and the visitors from outer space.

And You as Well Must Die written and directed by Audrey Ewell. When Rowan’s fiancé dies, she senses something trying to reach her from the other side. But is it him, or something far darker?

Bobby Fox in The Lower Dimension directed by Alexandre Moors, written by Alexandre Moors and R.F.I. Porto, and produced by Alexandre Moors. A delusional conspiracy theorist runs for Congress to save the world from inter-dimensional invaders, while being haunted by the memories of his two lost daughters.

Different Place, Different Air written and directed by Adinah Dancyger.  Set in the early 90’s, two people fall into an unexpected romance in an NYC deli.

Digger written and directed by Dave Wade, produced by Alexandra Blue, and executive produced by Marian MacGowan. Residents of a small outback town celebrate and embrace a mysterious stranger who is digging a hole in the middle of the desert.

The Fifth String directed by Diana Toucedo, written by Anahit Simonian & Diana Toucedo, produced by Andrés Díaz and Diana Toucedo. Inspired by an ancient Armenian legend, Felix begins the search for the fifth string to fulfill his wish: to play a concert in the space.

Frybread Face and Me written and directed by Billy Luther.  Two adolescent Navajo cousins from different worlds bond during a summer herding sheep on their grandmother’s ranch in Arizona, as they learn about their family’s past and themselves.

The Girl written and directed by Laci Dent. In rural Louisiana, a young black girl begins to experience peculiar bodily symptoms in connection to her mother’s prayers.

Heartless written and directed by Nara Normande & Tião, produced by Justin Pechberty and Emilie Lesclaux. Summer 1996, northeast of Brazil. Tamara enjoys her last holidays in the small village of Guaxuma. One day, she hears about a girl nicknamed ‘Heartless’.

Homebody written and directed by Joseph Sackett, produced by Joy Jorgensen and Natale Eakin. A gender-queer body-transfer fantasy about a little boy who gets to live as a woman for a day when he sends his spirit into his babysitter’s body.

The Honeymoon written and directed by Bianca Isaac, produced by Gregory Mthanji and Bianca Isaac. When one of them is dumped the night before her wedding; three best friends turn a would-be-honeymoon into a wild time in paradise.

Honor Thy Mother directed by Charlie Hidalgo, written by Kathleen Hepburn and Charlie Hidalgo, and produced by Lucy Mukerjee and Charlie Hidalgo. A romantic drama about two people untangling themselves from the shame of childhood trauma by confronting truth and exploring the healing power of sexual pleasure.

Joy and Pain written and directed by Sanford Jenkins, produced by Sue-Ellen Chitunya. A meditative exploration of two families, through a young couple burying a parent and bearing their first child.

Karaoke written and directed by Moshe Rosenthal, produced by Efrat Cohen. Meir and Tova, a middle-class couple, become obsessed with their new neighbor, a charismatic bachelor who runs karaoke evenings at his apartment.

Last Summer with Ira directed by Katie Ennis and Gary Jaffe, written by Gary Jaffe, produced by Emily McCann Lesser and Katie Ennis, and executive produced by Alan Ball. Westchester, Summer 1991. Closeted teenager Daniel Rosen travels a bumpy road to self-acceptance when his estranged gay uncle Ira returns home, dying from HIV/AIDS.

Late Bloomers directed by Lisa Steen, written by Anna Greenfield, and produced by Alexandra Barreto and Taylor Feltner. When a self-absorbed millennial befriends an 80-year-old polish woman, she helps her get a grip on life and come to terms with her mother’s Alzheimers

Ludi directed by Edson Jean, written by Edson Jean and Joshua Jean-Baptiste, produced by Fabiola Rodriguez and Mark Pulaski, and executive produced by Oolite Arts. Ludi, a hardworking and exhausted nurse, battles coworkers, clients and one nosy bus driver to learn her self-worth as she chases the American Dream in Miami’s Little Haiti neighborhood.

Ma Belle, My Beauty written and directed by Marion Hill, produced by Ben Matheny, Kelsey Scult, and Marion Hill. As two recently married musicians adjust to life in France, their quirky ex, who disappeared from their polyamorous relationship two years ago, shows up for a surprise visit.

Magnolia Bloom written and directed by Phillip Youmans, produced by Stephen “Dr” Love, Quinn Curry, and Benh Zeitlin. Striving for the power to determine their own destiny, young, black community organizers with bonds as thick as blood revitalize their community in late 1960s New Orleans

Malpelo written and directed by Victoria Rivera, produced by Camila Zavala. A headstrong female freediver travels to Malpelo Island to investigate the disappearance of hammerhead sharks, aboard a fishing boat with an all-male crew who turn out to be just as dangerous as the predators she’s after.

The Misconceived directed by Peter Parlow, written by James N. Kienitz Wilkins and Robin Schavoir, and produced by Paul Dallas. A slow-moving renovation of a country vacation home takes a troubling turn when the new owners accidentally hire an estranged old friend.

Mixtape Marauders directed by Peter Edlund, written by Peter Edlund and Ian Edlund, and produced by Megan Leonard. Equal parts buddy comedy and jukebox musical, Mixtape Marauders is a rollicking visual mixtape about breaking up with your best friend.

Mouse directed by Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson, written by Kelly O’Sullivan, and produced by Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson. When seventeen-year old Minnie’s best friend Callie is killed in an accident, she struggles to find an identity of her own, and forms a complicated friendship with Callie’s grieving mother, Helen.

Neon Tilapia written and directed by Tony Koros, produced by Elizabeth Charles. Neon Tilapia is a dramedy about the chaos that ensues after a fisherman in rural Kenya releases glowing, genetically modified fish into Lake Victoria.

On the Mat written and directed by Daniel Antebi, produced by Alexandra Byer, Madeleine Askwith and Michael Gottwald. Ilan, 16 and queer, struggles to untangle himself from a complicated sexual relationship with his martial arts coach.

Our Father, the Devil written and directed by Ellie Foumbi, produced by Joseph Mastantuono and Ellie Foumbi. A reserved African refugee’s quiet existence in a sleepy mountain town in the south of France is upended by the arrival of a charismatic Catholic priest, whom she recognizes from her past.

Paper Trail directed and written by Rachael Moton, produced by Gia Rigoli. With eviction looming, two Black siblings start doing college students’ coursework for cash. When a white client goes viral, they’re forced to confront her appropriation.

Poser directed by Ori Segev and Noah Dixon, written by Noah Dixon, and produced by Drew Johnson, Juli Sasaki, and Brett Reiter. When a misfit podcaster is invited into the alluring world of a charismatic musician, she slips into a dark transformation.

Princess written and directed by Karine Teles, produced by Tatiana Leite, Thiago Macêdo Correia Clément Duboin and Marleen Slot. A young couple faces challenges in their relationship when the man gets infected by a mysterious virus that turns progressive people into irremediable conservatives.

Saca tu Lengua (Stick Out Your Tongue) written and directed by Melina Valdez, produced by Paula Andrea Gonzalez-Nasser. Luciana and her grieving, widowed mother travel to confront their in-laws, who have stolen valuable possessions willed to them by Luciana’s late step-father.

Saltwater written and directed by Jih-E Peng, produced by Zoe Sua Cho. On a summer vacation in affluent Maine, Anna, a 13-year-old biracial girl, discovers what she’d trade to belong to a group of older white teenagers.

Shapeless directed by Samantha Aldana, written by Kelly Murtagh and Bryce Parsons-Twesten, produced by Lizzie Guitreau, Brian C. Miller Richard, William Ramsey, and executive produced by Kelly Murtagh & Bobby Gilchrist. Ivy, a struggling singer in New Orleans trapped in the hidden underworld of her eating disorder, must face her addiction– or risk becoming a monster.

The Spirit Guest written and directed by Fanyana Hlabangane, produced by Mmabatho Kau, Cait Pansegrouw and Elias Ribeiro. Brothers Tito and Kgabane, two men who merely tolerate each other, lead mundane lives on the fringes of Johannesburg. During a mercilessly dry winter, their turbulent childhood pain simmers when their dead mother arrives in the flesh, sending the brothers’ relationship into a tailspin.

Street Food written and directed by Victoria Thomas, produced by Jezz Vernon, Carlo Cresto Dina, Ilaria Malagutti, Valeria Jamonte, Dumi Gumbi, Cati Weinek and Victoria Thomas. A refugees Street food stall in Italy is targeted by a neo Nazi group, protecting the most sacred of Italian territories: food.

Superior directed by Erin Vassilopoulos, written by Erin Vassilopoulos and Alessandra Mesa, and produced by Benjamin Cohen, Grant Curatola, and Patrick Donovan. On the run, Marian returns to her hometown after six years, reconnecting with her identical twin sister, Vivian, until their two worlds begin to collide.

Suze written and directed by Linsey Stewart & Dane Clark, produced by Matt Code, Kristy Neville and Julie Strifler. When her only daughter leaves for college, Suze, a single mom who has lost her purpose, gets stuck taking care of her daughter’s heartbroken ex-boyfriend who she can’t stand.

Tiger Stripes written and directed by Amanda Nell Eu, produced by Foo Fei Ling, Fran Borgia, Jonas Weydemann, Yulia Evina Bhara, Juliette Lepoutre and Pierre Menahem. A 12-year-old girl experiences horrifying physical changes to her body, to the point where she no longer wants to hide it from the world.

You Can Live Forever directed by Mark Slutsky, written by Sarah Fobes and Mark Slutsky, produced by Robert Vroom, executive produced by John Christou. A gay teenager’s life is forever changed when she’s sent to live in a remote Jehovah’s Witness community and falls in love.

The Young King written and directed by Larin Sullivan, produced by Isabel Marden and Kim Bailey. A cocky young drag king on a quest to become her own man adventures to Vegas to reconnect with her estranged father.

Narrative Series

Afro created and written by Jenn Shaw. After a natural hair transformation, a bullied African American math savant joins a secret society of students that seek cultural justice in her high-school by any means necessary. 

Autom Reign created and directed by Sofian Khan, executive produced by Roy Wol. Dystopian sci fi drama series set in a world where automation has radically altered society and confronted humanity with its own obsolescence.  

Babyland written by Simona Nobile, Dianne Jones, Martichka Bozhilova, produced by Martichka Bozhilova. Present-day Ukraine. Natasha has created Babyland: the most successful surrogacy clinic, where fertile women give birth for infertile couples.

First Generation created and written by Jeannie Nguyen, produced by Asher Goldstein. Set in San Jose, California pre-social media era, we follow Jaime, a misled Vietnamese- American teen, as she bears the weight of two diverging worlds.   

Highbread created by Jayesh Jaidka and Daniel Blanda, directed, produced and executive produced by Jayesh Jaidka, written by Daniel Blanda. A collegiate comedy that highlights the lives of a baker, a burnout and an international student on the brink of breakdown as they collectively break bread and cultural stereotypes over a Boston-based marijuana-bakery.

Joro created and written by Sophie Reine, written by Maxime Motte, produced and executive produced by Virginie Lacombe. What if the animals decided to recover what is rightfully theirs: the Earth?

Little L.A. created and written by Andres Perez-Duarte. After deportation, a family embarks on rebuilding their American Dream in Little L.A.—a neighborhood in Mexico City created by deportees.

Mary created and written by Daisy Borders and Chloe Erwin, produced by Ryan Cunningham and Archie Borders. Mary was taken by a shapeless shadow when she was a child. Now, she has a choice: to keep running or stay and fight.

Mexican Ghost Stories created and written by Daniela Cortés, written by Alvaro Saar Rios, produced by Suzanne Jurva, and executive produced by Brad Lichtenstein. Visions haunt Tonzi, a budding Chicana rapper estranged from her family, launching her on a mystical journey through 400 years of her grandfather’s ghost stories.

Mine written and produced by Luisa Dantas, Randall Dottin, Angela Tucker, and Paige Wood, executive produced by Luisa Dantas. When the sudden disappearance of their main life-source threatens to upend a vibrant utopia, an intrepid teen must save their community before it’s too late.

Miracle Lake created and written by Blair Waters. A teenage girl uncovers the dark truth behind a secret program at her high school. Based on true events.

No Sleep created by Francesco Loschiavo, written by Francesco Loschiavo, John Thomas Kelley, and Carolyn Saunders, produced by Barclay Maude, executive produced by Francesco Loschiavo, Colin Geddes, and Katarina Gligorijevic. A horror anthology series adapted from the most viral and haunting stories from the internet’s largest independent horror community: Reddit No Sleep.

The Park created and written by Amy Jephta, produced by Ephraim Gordon and Scharl van der Merwe. In South Africa’s Cape Flats, a female hip-hop crew navigate friendship, love and hostile environments to rise to the top of the underground rap scene.

Red Curtain created, written, and executive produced by Garin Hovannisian and Alec Mouhibian. A mystery anthology series set in various cities of the former Soviet Union — where history and magic, reality and superstition, art and politics mix to create mind-bending modern day fables.

Southfield Supernovas 4228 created, written and produced by Sophie Finkelstein and Ruthie Marantz. 15 years old CJ starts her Detroit district’s first non-male, high school robotics team and against all odds leads her motley crew of underdogs to the top.

Stardust created and written by Matthew Kaundart, executive produced by Eric Cook and Gina Resnick. Based on the real-life kidnapping that inspired Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita, 11-year-old Sally Horner must struggle to escape practiced criminal Frank La Salle as he forces her to travel across 1940s America for two years. Adapted from Tammy Greenwood’s acclaimed novel Rust & Stardust.

Tenure created by Ronald Eltanal and Alireza Khatami, written by Ronald Eltanal, executive produced by Ronald Eltanal, Alireza Khatami, and Payman Maadi. A naïve Iranian film school professor in Chicago must learn how to use sex, money, and violence to fight his cutthroat colleagues and win a job for life.

Spotlight on Documentaries

Presenting 52 documentary features and nonfiction series ranging from an early financing stage (i.e. early development/production) to those nearing completion (i.e. in postproduction or rough-cut stage), this section includes emerging and established artists in nonfiction from the U.S. and around the world.

Adventures in Miscarriage written and directed by Cheryl Furjanic, produced by Stephanie Schiavenato and Cheryl Furjanic, and executive produced by Rachel Lears. After a traumatic pregnancy loss, a heartbroken lesbian filmmaker navigates her grief using surrealist dark humor to overcome the shame and silence of miscarriage.

After Sherman written and directed by Jon-Sesrie Goff and produced by Jon-Sesrie Goff, blair dorosh-walther, and Madeleine Hunt Ehrlich. After Sherman is a story about inheritance and the tension that defines our collective American history. An exploration of coastal South Carolina as a site of pride and racial trauma through Gullah cultural retention and land preservation is violently interrupted.

AFTERSHOCK (working title) directed and produced by Paula Eiselt and Tonya Lewis Lee and executive produced by Dawn Porter.  One family’s tragic loss propels them into the growing movement against one of the most pressing and shameful national crises in America today: the U.S. maternal-mortality crisis.

Airborne directed by Shaunak Sen and produced by Shaunak Sen and Aman Mann

America Sells Itself directed by Jason Osder, produced by Beth Sternheimer, and executive produced by Bob Hercules, Gordon Quinn, and Jolene Pinder. “America Sells Itself” is a film about Cold War Propaganda and what it can teach us about who we are today.

Bitterbrush directed by Emelie Mahdavian and produced by Su Kim and Emelie Mahdavian. In the remote and rugged mountains of the American West, two young women contemplate the future as they work alone herding cattle.

A Bunch of Amateurs written and directed by Kim Hopkins, and produced by Margareta Szabo, Kim Hopkins, and Capella Fahoome, and executive produced by Simon Beaufoy. A bunch of British working class amateur filmmakers with nothing left to lose tackle one of Hollywood’s greatest musicals in order to save their beloved Club.

Burk Family Ties (working title) directed by Muffie Meyer and produced by Muffie Meyer and Ronald Blumer. First filmed in 1976, the story of what has become of a desperately poor white family in Georgia: violence, alcoholism, love and – for one girl – success.

Cain and Abel directed by Dina Amer, written by Dina Amer and Omar Mullick, produced by Karim Amer and Elizabeth Woodward, and executive produced by Geralyn Dreyfous and Spike Lee. The fates of two French-born Muslim Arabs born in the same neighborhood collide as they find themselves on opposite sides of the 2015 Charlie Hebdo attack, as police officer and terrorist. Who are these men beneath their uniforms? How many degrees of separation really exist between them? And who were they as boys?

Cusp directed by Parker Hill and Isabel Bethencourt and produced by Zachary Luke Kislevitz. In a Texas military town, three teenage girls confront the dark corners of adolescence at the end of a fever dream summer.

Cutting Through Rocks written, directed, and produced by Sara Khaki and Mohammad Reza Eyni.

Dangerous and Disturbing: The Mark Pauline Story directed and produced by Jon Reiss and executive produced by Lori Cheatle. Legendary performance artist and founder of Survival Research Laboratories, Mark Pauline, puts his future on the line with his latest apocalyptic robotic spectacle.

Days of Fire written, directed and produced by Amiel Courtin-Wilson, produced by Alice Jamieson-Dowd and John Baker, and executive produced by Sophie Hyde and Michael McMahon. Bob has scheduled his own death in eight days, and he must make peace with his family, the love of his life and himself.

Embodied Chorus written and directed by Danielle Davie and Mohamed Sabbah, produced by Yara Abi Nader, Julia Wagner, Hélène Walland and Christian Neuman, and executive produced by Julia Wagner and Yara Abi Nader. To surpass the shame of living with Sexually Transmitted Infections in Lebanon, an HIV-positive woman and a gay man with HPV-experience open a cinematic conversation.

Everything You Have is Yours directed by Tatyana Tenenbaum and produced by Brighid Greene. Choreographer Hadar Ahuvia deconstructs the history of Israel/Palestine through its earliest folk dances. As she tackles themes of appropriation and theft, she must first confront the embodiment of Zionism within her own family.

Fashion Reimagined directed by Becky Hutner, produced by Becky Hutner, Lindsay Lowe, and Andrea Van Beuren, and executive produced by Vesna Cudic, Stewart le Marechal, and Lisa-Marie Russo. Designer Amy Powney is at the center of a growing global movement to make the fashion industry sustainable and secure the future of our planet.

Free Chol Soo Lee (working title) written and directed by Julie Ha and Eugene Yi, produced by Julie Ha and Eugene Yi, and Su Kim, and executive produced by Jean Tsien. A journalist ignites a movement uniting Asian Americans as never before. Together they free a wrongly convicted man from death row. Then, their hero self-destructs.

Free Money directed by Lauren DeFilippo and Sam Soko, produced by Lillian Leposo and Amanda Pollak, and executive produced by Stephen Ives. A rural village in Kenya becomes the laboratory for the world’s boldest experiment in universal basic income.

Hard to Swallow written, directed and executive produced by Tunde Wey, Ruth Gebreyesus, and Theo Schear. Hard to Swallow follows Nigerian immigrant, chef, and writer Tunde Wey as he explores the social and political implications of food across the globe. (Series)

Hollow Tree directed by Kira Akerman and produced by Monique Walton, Chachi Hauser and Jolene Pinder. Hollow Tree is about three young women coming-of-age along the Mississippi River in a time of rapid climate change.

How to Build a Library written, directed and produced by Maia Lekow and Christopher King. Two courageous Kenyan women are on a mission to transform a dilapidated colonial library in downtown Nairobi, into a creative hub of knowledge & power. But first they must overcome a dysfunctional local government, raise US$2million for the rebuild, and confront Kenya’s problematic colonial history.

I Didn’t See You There written and directed by Reid Davenport and produced by Keith Wilson. After a circus tent goes up outside his Oakland apartment, a disabled filmmaker launches into a meditative journey exploring freakdom, (in)visibility, and love.

Joonam directed by Sierra Urich.  A filmmaker uncovers her family’s hidden Iranian past, and with it the complex relationships between mother and daughter, Iran and America, and exile and identity.

King Coal written and directed by Elaine McMillion Sheldon. A lyrical essay from a lost paradise – weaved with a series of contemporary documentary vignettes – explores how coal is imbued in the identity and human experience of Appalachians. King Coal serves as a visual reminder of why change is slow and painful.

The Last Year of Darkness directed by Ben Mullinkosson, written by Xia Han, and produced by Sol Ye. A group of twenty somethings try to find themselves in the underground party scene of Chengdu, China.

Lo que dejamos atras (working title) directed and produced by Iliana Sosa. Ever since his children moved to the US, Julián has been making a monthly, 17-hour bus trip to see them. Julián, now 89 and unable to travel, builds a new house in hopes that it might bring his kids back home.

Made in Ethiopia written, directed and produced by Xinyan Yu and Max Duncan. Three women navigate the bumpy growth of the biggest Chinese industrial park in Ethiopia in an intimate exploration of China’s impact on the developing world.

Murky Skies written, directed and produced by Noam Pinchas and executive produced by Oli Harbottle and Anna Godas. The mysterious crash of an Israeli Boeing 747 in Amsterdam sheds a light on covert operations, financial corruption and political whitewashing. (4 X 45 series and a feature length documentary)

Not in My Mother’s House written and directed by Sandra Itäinen, produced by Sandra Itäinen & Chelsi Bullard, and executive produced by Deborah Dickson. Due to the sensitivity of subject matter the film description is not being released at this time.

On the Divide directed by Maya Cueva and Leah Galant, produced by Diane Becker, Melanie Miller, Amanda Spain, and Elizabeth Woodward, and executive produced by Donna Gruneich. On the Divide follows the story of three Latinx people living in McAllen, Texas who, despite their differing views, are connected by the most unexpected of places: the last abortion clinic on the U.S./Mexico border.

Our Daughters directed by Chithra Jeyaram and produced by Chithra Jeyaram and Nico Opper. A single white mother makes a bold move and chooses an Indian American couple as her twin daughters’ adoptive parents. The twins, now 8, want to reconnect with their birth mother. Our Daughters captures what unfolds.

Our Little Palestine written and directed by Abdallah Al-Kathib and produced by Jean-Laurent Csinidis and Ali Atassi. The story of a group of Palestinian civilian activists from Yarmouk, the biggest camp for Palestinian refugees in the world, near Damascus in Syria, who decided to face bombing and hunger through music, theater and joy.

PARADISE (working title) directed by Karl Malakunas, produced by Marty Syjuco and Michael Collins, and executive produced by Daniel Chalfen. Three environmental crusaders confront murder, betrayal and their own demons as they are tested like never before in their battle to save an island paradise in the Philippines.

Razing Liberty Square directed by Katja Esson, produced by Katja Esson, Ann Bennett and Ronald Baez, and executive produced by Leslie Fields-Cruz, Sabine Schenk, Anja Murmann, and Jody Allen. A documentary about climate gentrification in Miami that follows the redevelopment of a historic African American public housing project and its impact on long-time residents.

Sailing Off the Edge written and directed by Virginia Tangvald, produced by Elaine Hebert, Isabelle Couture, and Nathalie Cloutier, and executive produced by Luc Dery and Kim McCraw. A filmmaker’s investigation into the tragic lives of her father, the adventurer Peter Tangvald, and her brother Thomas, who shared the same obsession for freedom. 

Sarah (working title) directed by Tracy Droz Tragos and produced by Tracy Droz Tragos and Su Kim. Sarah: a feature length documentary that chronicles the journey of 14-year-old girl with dreams becoming a 22-year-old woman with two children and a minimum wage job.

Savoy written, directed, and produced by Zohar Wagner. While cheating on her husband, terrorists stormed into the sleazy motel and took Kochava Levi hostage. To save her life and reputation, she transformed herself through the night into a heroine. However, by dawn, she was left with only shame.

Seeds directed by Brittany Shyne, produced by Brittany Shyne and Danielle Varga, and executive produced by Sabrina Schmidt-Gordon. Seeds is a portrait of a centennial African-American farm in Thomasville, Georgia. Using lyrical black and white imagery this meditative film examines the decline of generational black farmers and the significance of owning land.

Silent Beauty written, directed, and produced by Jasmin Mara López. Silent Beauty is an autobiographical exploration of my family’s history with child sexual abuse and a culture of silence.

Still directed by Kethiwe Ngcobo and produced by Kethiwe Ngcobo and Yolanda Ndhlovu. After three generations struggled through an overwhelming sense of un-belonging, can a 19-year-old Born Free teenager finally find peace in 21st-century post-apartheid, post-COVID-19 South Africa?

The Sum of Our Parts directed by Roseanne Malfucci and Joy E. Reed, and produced by Rose Vincelli Gustine, Roseanne Malfucci, and Sarah Rachael Wainio. What does justice look like 20 years after sexual abuse? While her partner Kelly recovers from gender confirmation surgery, Roseanne must redefine her own healing.

Summer with Roxanne directed by Nishtha Jain and produced by Deborah Matzner and Nishtha Jain. Visiting Texas from India, our filmmaker gains insight into an American life when she rents a room from an audacious woman transitioning to senior living.

This World is Not My Own written and directed by Petter Ringbom, produced by Ruchi Mital, and executive produced by Marquise Stillwell. This World is Not My Own reimagines the self-taught artist Nellie Mae Rowe’s life, spanning the 20th century in the American south.

The Tuba Thieves written and directed by Alison O’Daniel and produced by Rachel Nederveld. The Tuba Thieves is a portrait of silence, music and listening that begins after a rash of tuba thefts from Los Angeles schools.

United States vs. Reality Winner directed by Sonia Kennebeck, produced by Ines Hofmann Kanna and Sonia Kennebeck, and executive produced by Wim Wenders. When 25-year-old NSA contractor Reality Winner discloses a document about Russian election interference to the media, she becomes the Trump administration’s number one whistleblower target.

Untitled Bruce Conner / Soul Stirrers Documentary directed by Sasha Waters Freyer and produced by Henry Rosenthal. Archival documentary telling intertwined stories of two legends of the creative landscape of 20th century America – artist Bruce Conner and gospel quartet the Soul Stirrers.

Untitled Nicky Nodjoumi Project written, directed and produced by Sara Nodjoumi and Till Schauder and executive produced by Shirin Neshat. Untitled Nicky Nodjoumi Project is a political thriller that investigates what happened to 150 “treasonous” paintings and their repercussions on a budding Iranian artist.

Untitled PRC Project directed by Jessica Kingdon and produced by Kira Simon-Kennedy and Nathan Truesdell.
Untitled PRC Project is an essay film about China’s industrial supply chain, revealing paradoxes born from prosperity of the emergent world superpower. With an observational lens, the film questions what living so-called “Chinese Dream” actually looks like today.

Untitled Sam Project directed by Nadav Kurtz, produced by Diane Quon and Nadav Kurtz, and executive produced by Jeremiah Zagar, Jeremy Yaches, and Abby Lynn Kang Davis. In 2006, film producer Sam, began a 24-year prison sentence leaving behind his young son. Today, they’re rebuilding their relationship by writing a film together.

When They Walk written and directed by Jason DaSilva and produced by Jason DaSilva and Leigh DaSilva. “How accommodating and accessible is the world today?” See the problem firsthand through the eyes of a quadriplegic person of color searching for a solution.

Women on the Outside directed by Zara Katz and Lisa Riordan Seville and written and produced by Zara Katz, Lisa Riordan Seville, and Kiara C. Jones. Intimate and raw, Women on the Outside is one family’s deeply American story about the legacy of mass incarceration, told through the women’s eyes.

Yanantin directed by Borja Alcalde, produced by Borja Alcalde and Steve Allen, and executive produced by Adam Dawtrey. Two shamans, three kids and a 1000 mile road trip deep into the Amazon jungle.

Audio Hub

Presenting 36 audio projects ranging from traditional podcast series to audio plays and chatcasts, the Audio Hub aims to bring together emerging and established artists and bridge the gap between them and the ever-growing audio industry. 

Anomaly executive produced by Heather Taylor, Hillary Nussbaum, and Asch Harwood, created and written by Heather Taylor and Hillary Nussbaum. After an earth-changing event causes unrest in major cities, 17-year-old urban transplant Kory is sent from her home in Queens to the safety of a farm in Illinois, where she navigates rural life and discovers the consequences of trusting the wrong people. (Fiction)

America Decoded produced by Elizabeth Lodge Stepp, reported by David DesRoches. Exploring the litany of harmful and yet often unintentional ways that technology now decides who survives and who thrives in the 21st century. (Nonfiction)

Before We Wrap produced and hosted by Elizabeth Charles, produced by Tony Koros. Late night pilot hosted by a black woman; featuring cultural conversations & musical guests helping us maintain our lives like we do these edges! (Chatcast)

Big Sandy executive produced by Aaron Greer, written by Marsha Walker. A coming-of-age story about growing up different, and returning the same. (Fiction)

Bloomer Girls created, produced, and written by Julie Fink, in partnership with Evergreen Podcasts. Retelling the untold stories of the first women of baseball, this series showcases the greatest female ball players who ever played the game during the Ruth-Gehrig Era. (Narrative Nonfiction)

Brothers from Another Planet executive produced by LeMar McLean, hosted by Don P Hooper, Tarik David, and LeMar McLean. Three friends who’ve worn many hats gather weekly to explore provocative and humorous issues at the intersection of race and entertainment. (Chatcast)

Craft executive produced by Lauren Conn, Jeff Phillips, and Christina Valenzuela, written by Lauren Conn and Erin Walsh, and sound engineered by Ricardo Watson. A dark and suspenseful take on Lovecraftian horror, updated with a focus on diverse, authentic voices. (Fiction)

Crypto-Z created by Hadrien Royo and Danielle Trussoni, written by Danielle Trussoni. A small group of gifted agents are risking everything to save humankind from extinction and restore life on the planet post-climate change. (Fiction)

Curse of Civilization created by The Robinson Brothers, directed, produced and sound designed by Theodore Robinson, written by John Robinson, original score by Tarcisio Longobardi. A young archeologist gets sent back in time by accident, where he finds himself wrapped up in a plot to overthrow the evil tyrant that rules over the ancient civilization that he’s been researching. (Fiction)

Day One Fans executive produced and hosted by LaChelle Chrysanne, created by UNPOPCULTR. Celebrating music, art, film, and culture through the lens of BIPOC creatives. (Unscripted Interview)

The Edge of Daybreak executive produced by Will Abramson and Babak Khoshnoud, hosted and produced by Taylor Jones. A soul band come together, forty years later, to unspool the drama of their lives behind bars and chart a new path forward. (Narrative Nonfiction)

Ensemble for the Romantic Century Radio Drama artistic directed and written by Eve Wolf, directed by Donald T. Sanders, and produced by Renée Silverman. A new audio anthology series bringing ERC’s critically acclaimed, dazzling mix of music and theatre to new audiences. (Audio Play)

EOS10:Command executive produced by Justin McLachlan and Scott Sparks, produced by Annie Chang and Craig McLachlan with audio engineering from Erik Jourgensen. A spin-off set in the massively-popular EOS10 universe that follows a new captain and command staff as they lead the crown-jewel of the Alliance into a new era. (Fiction)

Forever Has Fallen executive produced by Kimon Lycos, written by Kimon Lycos and Pier Stamatogiannis. A tech billionaire’s global empire is shattered with devastating consequences wiping out millions of digital lives and igniting a global manhunt in this fusion of audio fiction, immersive online experiences, and gameplay. (Multimedia Fiction)

Fruit Basket: A Queer Comedy Podcast executive produced, hosted, and written by Anddy Egan-Thorpe. A first of its kind podcast exploring the impact of queer voices in the world of comedy. (Unscripted Interview)

Gemini executive produced by Jason Orans and Pamela Ryan, produced by Jeff Spivack, and hosted by Josh Zeman.  In the 1970s, a group of rag-tag street kids are groomed by the mafia to be feared hit men – then become New York City’s most deranged serial killers. (Narrative Nonfiction)

Gulp executive produced, hosted, and written by Maureen Sebastian and Risa Sarachan.  Uncovering the extraordinary challenges ordinary Americans are facing in this gulp-worthy time in our history to reveal how deeply connected we all are. (Chatcast)

How My Grandmother Won World War II, executive produced, written, and hosted by Enid Zentelis, produced by Vicki Vergolina, with story consultants Jennifer Brooks and Marcella Steingart. A granddaughter’s journey to discover the truth about her Hungarian Jewish grandmother’s covert work for British Special Operations during WWII. (Narrative Nonfiction)

Keeping Score executive produced by Sanaa Harris and Chinyere Vann and hosted by LaQuan Dyce, Jamal Murphy, and Ihsan Scott. A sports talk show that goes beyond scores and stats to discuss everything from racism, mental health, and sexual abuse to diversity and pay inequity. (Unscripted Interview)

Lilias’s Bones executive produced, reported, and hosted by Breena Kerr and sound designed by Britt Spangler. A journalist discovers Scotland’s brutal witch hunt history through the lens of an accused witch, uncovering how fear and superstition took hold then and could again. (Narrative Nonfiction)

Minor Legends created, executive produced, and written by Angela Wong Carbone, production by Ruth Du. Over dim sum and shared noodle bowls, friends recount the bombastic, intriguing and untold experiences that come with being a minority in the western world through the lens of “urban legends.” (Fiction)

Neoyorquinos by ViceVersa Magazine created and directed by Mariza Bafile and Flavia Romani, produced by Carol Colmenares and Mariella Perez. A podcast, where Spanish-speaking artists reveal a piece of themselves, their art, and NYC—the city they call home. (Unscripted Interview)

The Night Hip Hop Died produced and hosted by Korey Smallwood and Jason Pollard.  Exploring the fallout of an iconic night in hip hop history—1995’s Source Magazine awards—and the so called “East Coast/West Coast Rap War.” (Narrative Nonfiction)

Searching for Stagger Lee produced by Yours Truly Creative and co-hosted by Dr. Zandria Felice Robinson and Hanif Abdurraqib. An exploration of the Stagger Lee folk myth–one of Black survival and self-determination at any cost and against all odds. (Nonfiction)

Shift/Change executive produced, hosted, and written by Nashia Williams and Kate O’Connell. Dispatches from the front lines of our healthcare systems told by two long-time ER nurses. (Nonfiction)

Standby directed and written by Ashley Quach, produced by Ashley Quach and Paula Deming with sound designed by Kevin Rosen-Quan. A combative med student and a cocky airline pilot are set on a collision course for love when they’re forced to solve an in-flight emergency together. (Fiction)

Star Power (Threshold, Season Four) produced and reported by Amy Martin with additional reporters TBD. The Sun is a socialist. It belongs to all of us, and none of us. What might happen if we were to shape our societies around an energy source that is abundant and available to all? Could solar energy democratize the planet? (Narrative Nonfiction)

SVETLANA! SVETLANA! created and written by Dan Kitrosser and Adam Weber, produced by Adam Weber and The Documentary Group, and hosted by Dan Kitrosser. A neurotic playwright unravels the unbelievable but undeniably true story of Svetlana Alliluyeva, daughter of Joseph Stalin. (Narrative Nonfiction)

Tales of Sonictude executive produced, hosted, and written by Marcelo de Oliveira. Unexplained cosmic audio signals, whales remixing songs, crimes solved through sound—a creative exploration of scientific discoveries, where sound influences the science and science inspires the soundtrack. (Nonfiction)

TEMP CHECK 101 executive produced and hosted by Miranda Kahn. After volunteering on the frontlines of the pandemic, producer Miranda Kahn returns to Hollywood on this podcast that explores the pains and injuries of artists and celebrities. (Unscripted Interview)

To Catch A Senator created, hosted, and reported by Rachel Gorlin and Steve Duin. What did it take to bring Bob Packwood, the U.S. Senate’s most notorious sexual predator, to justice? Courageous women, sexually explicit diaries, and a dramatic showdown with Mitch McConnell on the Senate floor. (Narrative Nonfiction)

Two Bi Guys Executive produced and hosted by Robert Cohen and Alex Boyd, produced and sound engineered by Moxie Peng. Exploring the challenges of fluid sexuality and gender and reimagining traditional masculinity in the modern era. (Chatcast)

Untitled Musical Theater Characters Podcast produced, hosted, and written by Raúl Esparza, produced and written by Mary-Mitchell Campbell, Bill Curran, and Emily Mann. An exploration into the rich, surprising art of the Broadway musical through the lens of its iconic characters, one great role at a time. (Nonfiction).

We Are as Gods produced and hosted by David Alvarado and Jason Sussberg and story produced by Everett Katigbak. Audio documentary exploring the extraordinary life of radical thinker, environmentalist, and controversial technologist Stewart Brand. (Narrative Nonfiction)

Woke Laws Executive produced, hosted, and written by Andrea Coleman. A Black female attorney and her comedic guests take a look at some of America’s weirdest laws to determine whether or not they are, indeed, woke. (Chatcast)

#36 Due to the sensitivity of subject matter and the continued access needed for the creators as they continue working on this project, the title of the 36th selected audio project will not be announced at this time.

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