2024 GeekFestUniverse Program

⁜ Mon Feb 12 ⁜

Tues Feb 13

Wed Feb 14

Monday Feb 12 – 3:00 PM (EST)
Theme – C-Types, S-Types, M-Types. Which One R U..?

>>Official Opening Film
Asteroid Rush: Planetary Defense 00:52:18
Dir. Bertrand Loyer – France
Dir. Jacques Bedel – France
>>In Attendance via Zoom<<

Nominations >> Best Feature Documentary, Best VFX, Best Science Film

Synopsis  At first glance, it appears unlikely that we are under threat from extra-terrestrial objects. Yet, at any moment, the sky could fall on our heads. Our solar system contains millions of objects known as asteroids. The smallest measure just a few centimetres across but the largest can have a diameter of a thousand kilometres. Some circle the sun, like planets, while others cross paths with Earth’s orbit. Now, technological marvels are under construction to avoid a cataclysmic collision.

Brought to You by Curiosity Stream

>>Brought to you by Curiosity Stream

HashTags #Documentary #France #Astronomy #Science #Universe #Cosmos #SolarSystem #Space #Asteroids

Click On the BLUE Zoom Image Above To Join Us On Zoom for The Filmmaker Q&A

 

Monday Feb 12 – 5:00 PM (EST)
Theme – Actors In Space

Space Captain Smith
Live ScriptRead  |  TV Pilot | 47 Pages |

Screenwriter John Palfery-Smith
Screenwriter Bruce Hanson
London, United Kingdom

Synopsis In the not-too-distant future, an alien threat looms over humanity. The British Space Empire, glorious and proud, must send a new hero to stand against the might of the Ghasts. That hero is the dashing Isambard Smith. He is the only man for the job, which is fortunate, because he’s also the only man available. Smith must overcome every obstacle the universe (and his mismatched crew) can throw at him as he traverses the galaxy to rescue humanity’s only hope, give the Ghasts a right, good thrashing on the way, and make it home in time for tea.

BIO

John Palfery-Smith is an experienced Production Manager and Line Producer across film and television, John has worked all over the world and in mediums ranging from A-List indie movies to top-flight sports television to long-running kids’ shows. He has now turned his hand to writing for Smith!, helping to finish the pilot and put together a fledgling production plan for the new show.An avid comedy fan, John has helped in the development of many of the characters, the structuring of the plot and the modernisation of much of the humour in the pilot.

BIO
Bruce Hanson has been a player in British theatre for many years. An actor and director with a diverse screen-and-stage background, including featuring in the Harry Potter franchise, Bruce acquired the rights to Smith! after getting in touch with the author and pitching him his ideas.An avid sci-fi fan and the resident authority on all things Toby Frost and Space Captain Smith, Bruce has planned out the creative entirety of the adaptation and its subsequent series, spin-offs and potential mixed-media and merchandising opportunities.

Hashtags Steampunk, Science Fiction, Space Opera #Intergalactic #Swashbuckler #StarWars

Live Zoom Event

Click On the BLUE Zoom Image Above To Join Us On Zoom for The LIVE Script Read

Monday Feb 12 – 6:00 PM (EST)
Theme – Let’s Experiment

Resistentialism (or)
On the Malevolence of Inanimate Objects – 00:21:04
Dir. Craig Trumbo – United States
>>In Attendance via Zoom<<

Nominations >> Best Experimental Film, Best Short Film

Synopsis   In the course of humanity’s endeavors there must be an ongoing interaction with the objects that also occupy our common space, objects that are in themselves not in possession of free will, and which are therefore commonly known as inanimate. Yet through the course of any ordinary day any common person will find such objects indeed rising up with apparent intent — with malevolent intent. By what forces are such manifestations created? Resistentialism (or, On the Malevolence of Inanimate Objects) is the third episode of the hit mystery-documentary show What Do We Know? In this episode we examine the manner in which ordinary objects seem to have a will of their own, and it’s not pretty.

Hashtags #Film #ColoradoFilmmaker #Experimental #Mocumentary #Things #InanimateObjects #WhereTheresAWillTheresAWay

Click On the BLUE Zoom Image Above To Join Us On Zoom for The Filmmaker Q&A

 

Monday Feb 12 – 6:00 PM (EST)
Theme – Skully, Mulder, Are You Seeing This…?

The UFO Movie THEY Don’t Want You to See – 01:33:20
Dir. Brian Dunning – United States
>>In Attendance via Zoom<<

Nominations >> Best Feature Documentary, Best VFX, Best Science Film, Best Explainer Film, Best Subject – Brian Dunning as “Himself“

Synopsis   In an age when misinformation, alternative facts, and conspiracy theories have become mainstream, UFOs have risen to become one of the most-talked about pop culture phenomena. With all of this noise, how can we expect anyone to know how much of this is true? What is in our skies? What do we know, and how do we know it? And most importantly: Are we being visited? Science does have most of these answers, and we’re working on answering the rest of them.  This film will lay out for you exactly what we know and how we know it.

Hashtags #Documentary #UFOs #Phenomenom #Physics #Relativity #Exobiology #Exoplanetary #SpectralAnalysis #TheresSomethingOutThere

Click On the BLUE Zoom Image Above To Join Us On Zoom for The Filmmaker Q&A

Mon Feb 12

⁜ Tues Feb 13 ⁜

Wed Feb 14

 

Tuesday Feb 13 – 3:00 PM (EST)
Theme – Did You Hear That Hericium is a “Fun Guy”?

Fungi: Web of Life – 00:40:00
Dir. Joseph Nizeti – United States
Narrated by Björk

Nominations >> Best Short Documentary, Best VFX, Best Science Film, Best Cinematography

Synopsis   Much of life on Earth is connected by a vast, hidden network, that we are only just beginning to understand. Out of sight, between the world of plants and animals, another world exists – the kingdom of fungi. Through the eyes of passionate biologist and writer Merlin Sheldrake, join us on this brilliant round-the-world journey into the secret world of fungi. So much more than mushrooms, not only do fungi shape the weather and support life on land, they are at the cutting edge of medical research and even have the power to break down plastic waste. Narrated by Björk.

Hashtags #Documentary #Biology #MicroBiology #Science #Chemistry #Physics #Fungi #Mushrooms #Nature #MerlinSheldrake #Tasmanian #Tarkine #Rainforest #China #YunnanProvince

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Click On the BLUE Zoom Image Above To Join Us On Zoom for The Filmmaker Q&A

 

Tuesday Feb 13 – 3:30 PM (EST)
Theme – Yeah Mr. White. Yeah Science!

Mastering Turbulence – 01:01:16
Dir. Daniela Vater – Germany
>>In Attendance via Zoom<<

Nominations >> Best Feature Documentary, Best Science Film, Best Cinematography, Best Thesis Film

Synopsis  Big wave surfers, a shaper and scientists want to find the solution to waves. They are trying to master turbulence.

Hashtags #Documentary #Germany #Physics #Math #Turbulence #WakeTurbulence #Friction #QuantumTurbulence #Surf #Surfing #KineticEnergy #AndreyKolmogorov #RichardFeynman

Click On the BLUE Zoom Image Above To Join Us On Zoom for The Filmmaker Q&A

Tuesday Feb 13 – 4:30 PM (EST)
Theme – I Feel Like We’re Going In Circles – Talk ‘n’ Demo

Thread Circle – 00:17:10
Dir. Beau Janzen – United States
>>In Attendance via Zoom<< LIVE Talk’n’Demo>>

Nominations >> Best Short Documentary, Best VFX, Best Explainer Film

Synopsis   Thread Circle explores the formulas for the area and circumference of circles. In doing so, we acquire more then just a few equations but also gain a model for breaking apart complexity and taking on new ideas.

Hashtags #Film #Animation #Modeling #Math #VisualEffects #VFX #ComputerGraphics #Gotham #XMen  #ManOfSteel #TrueDetective #AgentsOfSHIELD #TheWalkingDead #WestWorld #StrangerThings

Live Zoom Event

Join Us for an Exciting and Exclusive LIVE Talk’n’Demo with Renowned
Hollywood Visual Effects Expert
Beau Janzen!

Beau has his Award Winning Fingerprints as a Computer Graphics Supervisor and Visual Effects Artist
on a Myriad of Yours and our Favorite TV Series and Films such as

Stranger Things
Westworld
The Walking Dead
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Lethal Weapon
Gotham
The Orville
Person of Interest
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
True Detective
A Most Violent Year
Bones
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Man of Steel
Arrested Development
Game of Thrones
Life of Pi
Life After People
X-Men
The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
Blade

Click On the BLUE Zoom Image Above To Join Us On Zoom for a Front Row Seat!

Tuesday Feb 13 – 6:00 PM (EST)
Theme – Cats Vs. Katz

Katz on the Internet – 00:19:58
Dir.  Tim Hedberg, Dir. Matthew Wood – United States
>>In Attendance via Zoom<<

Nominations >> Best Short Documentary, Best VFX, Best Explainer Film

Synopsis You may be familiar with “cats” on the internet – their furry antics inspired the first-generation of memes – but what about Katz, as in the Katz v. United States ? This Supreme Court decision from the 1960s set the stage for how to interpret privacy rights when confronted with new, potentially intrusive technologies. Now, in the Digital Age, does Katz provide sufficient privacy protection for your personal data? Four experts discuss this modern dilemma in FedSoc Films’ newest documentary, Katz on the Internet: Privacy in the Digital Age.

Hashtags #Documentary #ComputerScience #SupremeCourt #DataPrivacy #DigitalAge #RightToPrivacy #DigitalPrivacy #PrivacyRights #DataSecurity #InformationSecurity  #CyberSecurity #DataProtection #Hacking

Click On the BLUE Zoom Image Above To Join Us On Zoom for The Filmmaker Q&A

 

Tuesday Feb 13 – 6:30 PM (EST)
Theme – Game On!

Cyberpotence – 00:04:00
Dir. Sean Coleman – United Kingdom
>>In Attendance via Zoom<<

Nominations >> Best Gamer Film, Best Short Film, Best Actor – Logan Sweeney as “Archie“

Synopsis   Cyberpotence is a short film about an introverted kid called Archie who has gained confidence through the world of gaming, particularly Fifa. He loves the sport but hasn’t been able to take part. However, through Esports Archie is able to take part and socialise.

Synopsis

Hashtags #Film #UnitedKingdom #Gamer #Gaming #PS #PlayStation #VideoGames #Games #Xbox #Twitch #Discord #Fortnite #GamingCommunity #GamerBoy #VideoGame #HidingSpots #Lonely #BeWhoYouWantToBe

Game On UNCW: Esports + Education – 00:29:59
Dir. Bradley Pearce – United States
>>In Attendance via Zoom<<

Nominations >> Best Gamer Film, Best Short Documentary, Best 1st Time Filmmaker

Synopsis   This half-hour documentary follows the UNCW Seahawk Esports & Gaming Club, Esports Professor Dr. Ray Pastore and members of the university’s six different Esports teams. The film examines the relationship between gaming and education, exploring themes of competition in Esports compared to traditional college athletic programs.

  • FB 
  • IG  
  • TW/ “X” 
  • Web 

Hashtags #Documentary #UnitedStates #eSports #Gamer #Gaming #VideoGames #Games #Xbox #Twitch #Discord #Fortnite #GamerBoy #GamerGirl #VideoGame #VideoGame #LeagueOfLegends #FiFa #Playstation #Streamer #CallOfDuty #CounterStrike #BattleSports #GamingCommunity #SportsCompetition

Live Combat – 00:22:00
Dir. Ben Van de Mark – Canada
>>In Attendance via Zoom<<

Nominations >> Best Gamer Film, Best Short Film, Best Ensemble Cast

Synopsis   In this Epic Live Action Roleplay in the Park War-Dramady, Tim (or Leonardis as he is known by his clan) seeks revenge against his mortal enemy Charlie, a nerf gun-toting dude who decimated his squad and violated the sacred rules or L.A.R.P.

Hashtags #FILM #LARP #LARPer #Larping #LiveActionRolePlay #Cosplay #Cosplayer #RolePlay #Fantasy #LarpCostume #Medieval #Costume #Reenactment #Viking #LarpLife #RPG #Mittelalter #Warrior #Sword #Vietnam

Click On the BLUE Zoom Image Above To Join Us On Zoom for The Filmmaker Q&A

Mon Feb 12

Tues Feb 13

⁜ Wed Feb 14 ⁜

 

Wednesday Feb 14 – 3:00 PM (EST)
Theme – Animation Nation

My Digital Truth – 00:09:01
Dir. Swen Werner – United Kingdom
>>In Attendance via Zoom<<

Nominations >> Best Animated Film, Best Short Film, Best 1st Time Filmmaker

Synopsis   A Banker in present day London on a quest for knowledge, battling illness, and forming an eerie alliance with ChatAI, blurring the lines between reality and the digital world.

Hashtags #Film #UnitedKingdom #Animation #Experimental #ChatGPT #ChatAI #AI #AIAnimation #Rotoscoping #DigitalArt #DigitalWorld #DigitalData #Artificial #UnderstandingTruth #Philosophy #Existentialism

My Number One – 00:04:59
Dir. Ros Fiol – United States
>>In Attendance via Zoom<<

Nominations >> Best Animated Film, Best Short Film
Best Original Music/Score – Composer Tan Onwimon

Synopsis   Two brothers fight over and within a kiddy racing video game. “My Number One” is about making peace with chaos while also learning how to play nice. A love letter to all the wonderful stuff that colors childhood

Hashtags #Film #Cuba #UnitedStates #Animator #GeorgeLucas #Scholar #Animation #VideoGame #Understanding #Childhood #Siblings #Brothers #Family

Black Panther: Legacy – 00:45:07
Dir. Mario D. Araujo – Mexico
>>In Attendance via Zoom<<

Nominations >> Best Animated Film, Best Short Film, Best Ensemble Cast

Synopsis   Wakanda faces a secret invasion, and Black Panther has to deal with past demons in order to stop it.

Hashtags #Film #Mexico #Animation #StopMotion #StopMotionAnimation #FanFilm #Wakanda #BlackPanther #TChalla #MarvelUniverse #Action #Adventure #SciFi

Click On the BLUE Zoom Image Above To Join Us On Zoom for The Filmmaker Q&A

Wednesday Feb 14 – 5:00 PM (EST)
Theme – Super BadAss SuperHeroes

Black Action Figures – 00:06:55
Dir. Dave Steck – United States
>>In Attendance via Zoom<<

Nominations >> Best Short Documentary, Best Subject – Duro Wicks as “Himself”

Synopsis   A short documentary about representation, connection and the power of seeing yourself reflected in popular culture. It features Duro Wicks sharing some of his personal doll collection and talking about his motivation, process and passion to find and collect Black action figures.

Hashtags #Documentary #UnitedStates #ActionFigures #ActionFigure #Collector #Collectibles #ToyCollector #Toys #VintageToys #ToyHunter #StarWars #ToyPlanet #MarvelLegends #DCUniverse #Hasbro #Bandai #McFarlaneToys #Funko #BlackActionFigures #DuroWicks

Spider-Chan – 00:05:00
Dir. Cameron Sun – United States
>>In Attendance via Zoom<<

Nominations >> Best Short Film, Best Fan Film

Synopsis   What if your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man was in a Jackie Chan Kung Fu movie?

Hashtags #Film #UnitedStates #China #SpiderMan #JackieChan #JetLi #KungFu #FanFilm #MartialArts #Action #Adventure #CamsCreations #SuperHero

The Assassin’s Apprentice 2:
Silbadores of the Canary Islands – 00:25:23
Dir. Russell Emanuel – United States
>>In Attendance via Zoom<<

Nominations >> Best Short Film, Best VFX, Best Actress – Tarah Paige as “Kaylee”
Best Original Music/Score – Composer Vasilis Milesis

Composer

Synopsis Kaylee, an apprentice assassin on vacation in the Canary Islands, receives an urgent message from her handler, Rick, via a holographic image. Her vacation is cut short as she’s summoned by Roy, the head of TAA Corp.’s Canary Island Bureau, for a mission. Kaylee follows a drone to the headquarters, where Roy reveals that a rival group, F.A.D., is targeting TAA Corp.’s drone trainers, called “Silbadores.” Kaylee races on her ninja motorcycle to the drone training grounds, rescuing the Silbadores from Swarmbots unleashed by F.A.D. A final confrontation with F.A.D. members Sork and Karla results in a surprising outcome.

Hashtags #Film #UnitedStates #CanaryIslands #SecretAssassin #BadAss #KillBot #SkillfulAssassin #DeadlyFemaleAssassin #Action #Adventure

Killing Joke – 00:05:59
Dir. Yann Ar Branov – France
Dir. Sam Gacon – France
>>In Attendance via Zoom<<

Nominations >> Best Short Film, Best Fan Film, Best Experimental Film

Synopsis   Joker asks Batman to draw the Tarot Card for him in this somewhat experimental, erotic Batman thriller…

Hashtags #Film #France #Batman #Joker #HarleyQuinn #Experimental #EroticThriller #FanFilm #DCComics #TheKillingJoke #TragicCharacter #Battle #TarotCards #Good #Evil

Click On the BLUE Zoom Image Above To Join Us On Zoom for The Filmmaker Q&A

 

Wednesday Feb 14 – 6:45 PM (EST) – *New Time*
Theme – The Coolest Club

The Coolest Club – 00:12:45
Dir. Sheng-Ting ‘Sandy’ Shen – United States
>>In Attendance via Zoom<<

Nominations >> Best Short Film, Best Thesis Film, Best Actor – Guy Ventoliere as “Simon“

Synopsis   Simon, an average video game nerd, is struggling to be seen in this world. He joins a support group: The Coolest Club. The other three club members are all weird in their way, which is way “cooler” than normie Simon. But the day comes for Simon to prove that he is indeed “cool” enough.

Hashtags #Film #UnitedStates #WhatHappensInTheCoolestClubStaysInTheCoolestClub #AmericanPsycho #Gamer

Click On the BLUE Zoom Image Above To Join Us On Zoom for The Filmmaker Q&A

Wednesday Feb 14 – 6:45 PM (EST)
Theme – The Grotto Of Death

Official Closing Film

The Grotto of Death – 00:15:49
Dir. Christopher Sperandio – United States
Dir. Brian Huberman – United States
Dir. Augusto Mora – Mexico

Nominations >> Best Short Documentary, Best Subject – Julio Camarena Pérez as “Himself“, Best 1st Time Filmmaker

Synopsis   A mysterious invasion of flesh-eating creatures terrorizes a small fishing village. What are these things, and where are they coming from? The “Grotto Of Death” is one of hundreds of comic books drawn by Julio Camarena Pérez. At its peak in the 1970s, Mexico was the world’s largest per capita producer of comic books — and Julio Camarena Pérez was one of its most elevated practitioners. Today, the Mexico comics industry is dead, and Camarena’s work is forgotten. 

Hashtags #Documentary #Mexico #UnitedStates #ComicBookArtist #ComicBookArt #Comics #Art #Illustration #Drawing #ComicBooks #GoldenAgeOfMexicanComicBooks #SmallComics #JulioCamarenaPérez #Historietas #Draw

Click On the BLUE Zoom Image Above To Join Us On Zoom for The Filmmaker Q&A

Wednesday Feb 14 – 8:30 PM (EST)
GeekFestUniverse Award Ceremony

Live Zoom Event

Click On the BLUE Zoom Image Above To Join Us On Zoom. Who Wil Win??