2020 GeekFestUniverse Program

February 14, 2020 – 5:15PM to 10:59PM EST

Chez BonBon – 234 Queen Street East, Toronto
Performance & Event Venue 

  • [Block 1] Theme: Science Bitch!
  • [Block 1A] Theme: Mountaintops inspire leaders but valleys mature them… ~Winston Churchill
    • NB Block 1+1A are 1 price for both Blocks ($12)
  • [Block 2] Theme: Virtual Reality is NOT a Song by Jamiroquai
  • [Block 3] Theme: Super Sad, Super Bad, Super Heroes
  • [Block 4] Theme: I Larp U

Full Access- $22 :

Block One and One A – $12 :

BLOCK #1 – Time Start 5:15 PM – 0h 52min 23s
Theme: Science Bitch!

F9 – Music Video 02:58 –
Dir. Thomas Florek — New Jersey, USA
Your Host In Attendance!
Synopsis – F9 is shorthand for “The results of the test can be positive or negative”. This was coined by Andrea Rossi at his site: Journal-of-nuclear-physics.com

Nominated for Best Music Video

 

Unified Theory – Animation 04:42
Dir. Christina Hibner — Pleasantville, NY, USA
Synopsis – Unified Theory is an experimental animation that follows two cosmic entities. The main character, Junior, is trying her best to learn about the nature of the universe from her teacher, Senior, who is a master of the universe. Junior experiences moments of enlightenment that transform the way she sees the world, literally opening her eyes to things she could not imagine. This film is inspired by the scientific learning process, drawing conclusions by making millions of mistakes. This transcendental adventure across time and space will spark the viewer’s curiosity and question their perception of reality.

Nominated for Best Animated Film

 

Hunting For Huxley – Experimental, Doc 04:45
Dir. Claire Fleming — London, United Kingdom
Synopsis – In 1929 Aldous Huxley visited the recently built Billingham Manufacturing Plant technologically advanced for the time, he left inspired… Brave New World was born.This what he saw combined with his visioned future

Nominated for Best Experimental Film, Best Short Documentary

  • Genres Brave New World, Philosophy, Industrial Age, Animated Film, Experimental Film
  • Hashtags #FoundFootage #AldousHuxley #BraveNewWorld

 

Quanta Magazine’s ‘In Theory’ Season II
Animation, Documentary, Web / New Media 20:06
Dir. Emily Driscoll — New York, NY, USA
Synopsis – Quanta Magazine is an editorially independent online publication launched by the Simons Foundation to enhance public understanding of science. Why Quanta? Albert Einstein called photons “quanta of light.” Our goal is to “illuminate science.”

Nominated for Best Science Film, Best Animated Film

 

Keystroke – Short Film 19:52
Dir. Tom Sanchez Prunier — Midlothian, VA
Synopsis – Two roommates clean up their new apartment after the previous tenant – a hoarder – and find a computer with a journal of all history that they can edit in any way they please.

Nominated for Best Short Film, Best Time Travel Film, Best Weird Science Film

BLOCK #1A – Time Start 6:15 PM – 0h 44min 43s
Theme: Mountaintops inspire leaders but valleys mature them…
~Winston Churchill

Nice Shoes – Music Video  03:48
Tommy Mack featuring Bowman Ashe
Dir. Jonathan Lawrence — Burbank, CA, USA

Nominated for Best Music Video

 

The Uncanny Valley – Short Film 15:32
Dir. Ian Vardy – St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada
Synopsis – 5 months after the internet and all digital devices have gone down, Allie (Al) is suicidal and depressed. With the announcement of a new internet, Al ruminates about her relationship with technology and others. During her journey to become reconnected, she learns what kind of connection we truly need.

Nominated for Best Sci-Fi Film, Best Techno-Thriller Film, Best Short Film, Best Actress Bridget Wareham as “Al (Allie)”

 

Lost Treasure of the Valley – Short Film 25:23
Dir. Robert Husted — Studio City, California, USA
Synopsis – It’s 2049 in the San Fernando Valley. Molly (Lori Beth Denberg) and Dan (Tyler Nash) are signing over their home to an impatient real estate agent (Tahirah Nyanin). Before the final signature, the couple tells the story of their former roommate, Jake (Everardo Barriga), who took photos of abandoned shopping carts years ago in writer/director Robert Husted’s Lost Treasure of the Valley.

Nominated for Best Comedy, Best Adventure Film, Best Weird Science Film, Best ‘Fresh Premise’ Film, Best Actor Greg Lee as “The Adventurer”,  Best Actor Everardo Barriga as “Jake”

5 Minute INTERMISSION For Speaker Set Up

Block Two Only – $12 :

BLOCK #2 – Time Start 7:00 PM – 0h 38min 32s
Theme: Virtual Reality is NOT a Song by Jamiroquai (Docs ‘n’ Talks)


VRPlayin is a Proud Sponsor of the
Virtual Reality Films
at GeekFestUniverse2020
Visit them today at vrplayin.ca

Window Seat – Film Intro + Q&A with Director!
Documentary, Student Film 10:20
Meagan Brown — Toronto, Canada
Synopsis – Window Seat follows plane spotters Ernest and Spencer along the perimeter of Toronto Pearson Airport, sharing the story of this unconventional pastime and the community at the end of the runway.

Nominated for Best Local Geek Film, Best Short Doc

  • YouTube Planespotter Ernest Gutschik Channel
  • Genres Short Documentary, Flight, Aviation
  • Hashtags #Aviation #PlaneSpotting #AviationLovers #AVGeek #Boeing #Airplane #NerdAPalooza #TorontoGeeks #IFeelTheNeedForSpeed

 

Life XP – Web / New Media 16:18
Dir. Trevor Addie — Maple Ridge, BC, Canada
Synopsis – Life XP is an action-packed dramatic comedy that takes place both in real life and Virtual Reality. Our main character Angela finds herself fired from her old job and thrust into Beta Testing the newest VR system. Each week she is immersed in a new video game and it starts to have an impact on her everyday life. All Angela wants is to be the hero of her own story but seeing as she’s never played a video game before and her life is going into shambles this may prove harder to gain the XP points needed to become the hero rather than the zero.

Nominated for Best Online/Web Only Film, Best VR Film

 

Seeing Through – Film + Q&A with Director!
Documentary, Short 11:54
Dir. Jordan Quaglia — Denver, CO, USA
Synopsis – Seeing Through is a short documentary about people trying virtual reality (VR) for the first time, exploring themes at the intersection of immersive technology and the cognitive science of fear. By capturing people’s real responses to an illusory risk, the film examines the power of seeing through illusions, the eyes of others, and this new technology of VR. Ultimately, we hope our film serves as a looking glass to reflect on seeing through illusions, doubts, and fears that hold us back in real life.

Nominated for Best VR Film, Best Short Doc, Best Experiential Film

Block Three Only – $12 :

BLOCK #3 – Time Start 8:00 PM – 1 h 36 min 11 s
Theme: Super Sad, Super Bad, Super Heroes

Better Uses for the Infinity Gauntlet: A Super Satire – Short 04:52
Dirs. Tanya Wheelock, Greg Larro, Josh Solomon — Kissimmee, FL, USA
Synopsis – Thanos had one thing right: Incredible, cosmic power in the palm of your hand? You could accomplish great things with a snap of your fingers! He was, perhaps, thinking a little too big though… There have to be better uses for the Infinity Gauntlet than wiping out half of the universe, right?

 

Hawkeye Sucks – Animation 04:26
Dir. Hunter Collins — Montreal, Quebec/Toronto, Canada –  In Attendance!
Synopsis – Witness Stan Lee’s creation of Marvel’s most average Avenger: Hawkeye!

Nominated for Best Animated Film, Best Comedy Film, Best ‘Fresh Premise’ Film, Top Geek, Best Local Geek, Top Geek (Best of Fest)

  • Website huntercomedy.com
  • Instagram @HunterComedy
  • Genres Animation, SuperHeroes, Short Film, Spoof, Satire, Comedy
  • Hashtags #StanLeeIsInEveryThing #StanLeeWTF #SuperHero #Comics #ComicBook

 

Cape Of A Hero – Short Film 17:53
Dir. Lucyus Ribas – Curitiba, Brazil
Synopsis – Set in a world where super-heroes have become inactive, Timothy serves as a counselor to those who’ve lost their super-abilities.

Nominated for Best Short Film, Best SuperHero Film, Best Existential SuperHero Film

  • Trailer
  • Website
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Genres Drama, Comedy, Sci-fi, Fantasy
  • Hashtags #SuperHero #ComicBook #SuperHeroInKrisis #SuperHeroExistentialism

 

Capitán Kinesis – Short Film 10:52
Dir. Carles Jofre — Palma de Mallorca,
Islas Baleares, Spain
Synopsis – Sebastián is a retired superhero who lives alone in a small flat. He leads a quiet life and it’s ages since he last used his superpowers, but an unexpected visit puts his world at risk and he will be forced to defend it.

Nominated for Best Short Film, Best SuperHero Film, Best Existential SuperHero Film

 

Manny Fantasma
Short Film, TV, Web / New Media 29:13
Dir. Michael Carnick — Del Mar, CA, USA
Synopsis – A paranormal psychiatrist treats a variety of otherworldly patients while battling his own inner demons.

Nominated for Best Short Film, Best SuperHero Film, Best Existential SuperHero Film

 

Project Cadmus – Short 19:21
Dirs. Brandon Lescure, John Crawford — Pennsville, New Jersey, USA
Synopsis – A younger Bruce Wayne/Batman who has stepped down from crime fighting due to the meta-humans arrival, now finds himself in position to fight one more time as he knows he is the only one who can stop Gotham from being destroyed. During this journey, he finds himself once again dealing with the one he intuitively despised, Amanda Waller. The feeling was mutual.

Nominated for Best Short Film, Best SuperHero Film, Best Fan Film, Best Existential SuperHero Film, Top Geek (Best of Fest)

 

Honor Among Thieves – Short Film 10:00
Dir. Justin Eugene Evans — New Berlin, WI, USA
Synopsis – When a planet-hopping cowboy-criminal (Jason R. Moore, Marvel’s The Punisher) returns to New Mexico after a heist-gone-wrong, he expects a hero’s welcome. Instead, he finds his mutinous crew have decided he’s no longer in charge.

Nominated for Best Short Film, Best Adventure Film, Best Sci-Fi Film, Best Actor Jason R. Moore as “John Thurston”,
Best Ensemble Cast, Top Geek (Best of Fest)

  • Instagram @honoramongthievesfilm
  • Genres Sci-Fi, Western, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Crime Film
  • Hashtags #OGCowboy #HeistFilm #PlanetHopping #NewMexico #CowboyChic #WesternNoir #PersonalFailings

Block Four Only – $12 :

BLOCK #4 – Time Start 9:45 PM – 0 h 38 min 25 s
Theme: I Larp U

No Easy Target – Short Film 16:07
Dir. Orion James Couling — Chicago, IL, USA
Synopsis – The First Order continues to rule the galaxy with an iron will. The Resistance, broken and splintered, holds on to the last pieces of hope.

Yet on a far off moon of the galaxy, hope lives among the people in a small colony. This small colony escaped from the strict rules and ways of being to create a new home that welcomes all people of all abilities.

They are resilient, they are strong, and they are No Easy Target.

No Easy Target is a Star Wars Fan Film featuring actors with Down Syndrome alongside their peers. The diversity in the film reveals a galaxy rejected society. Let your expectations be blown away as the Jedi show the universe how capable they really are by being resilient, strong, and fighting to bridge the social gap. In this revolution of inclusion, you too can witness the first time a Star Wars fan film features main action characters with actors who have Down Syndrome.

When the galaxy needs heroes, chromosomes don’t count…

Nominated for Best Fan Film, Best Actress Bridget Brown as “Briga”, Best Geek Diversity Film

 

“Let’s Get Stoned” by The Weadon Boys
Music Video 04:20
Dir. Jessee Clarkson — Glendale, CA, United States

Nominated for Best Music Video

 

The Battle for Bozendorn – Short Film,
Student Film 08:36 – In Attendance!
Dir. Hannah Avery — Bozeman, MT, United States Synopsis – A Mockumentary short by Angela Cateora and Hannah Avery created at Montana State University

Nominated For Best LARP Film, Best Student Film

  • Trailer
  • Website
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Genres Mockumentary, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Drama, LARPing
  • Hashtags #LARPing #RolePlay #CosPlay #HighSchool #RevengeOfTheNerds

 

Roll Initiative – Short Film, Student Film 09:22
Dir. Stefan Varvaressos-Abdi — Sydney, Australia
Synopsis – A party of Dungeons & Dragons players encounter needlessly dangerous situations in their fantasy world due to one of their overly reckless members, Boulder. After comical deliberations and tangents on what the party should do next, the Dungeon Master leads them to encounter a Half-Orc that has been terrorising a village. When Boulder unexpectedly engages with the half-orc immediately, they fight and kill the beast, only to learn that the half-orc only acted aggressively because he was scared of the villagers. Boulder, and his real life counterpart, realise the damage his recklessness behaviour is causing, and strives to pay for his mistakes and do better in both life and the game.

Nominated For Best LARP Film, Best Student Film

  • Trailer
  • Website
  • Twitter
  • Instagram @stefan.varvaressos.abdi/
  • Genres Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Comedy, Drama, LARPing
  • Hashtags #DandD #DungeonsAndDragons #LARPing #RolePlay #CosPlay #AussieFilm

 

GeekFestUniverse – A Loveless Retreat For Self Professed Geeks
~ Toronto Life