The Happy Pig 

Vaughan Winslow Duncan | United States

School: University of North Georgia

Run time: 2:00 min.

Synopsis:
In this hauntingly absurd short story, a massive hunk of pork romps through the barren wasteland of an interstate, as an old pickup truck struggles to carry his weight toward his eventual grave. The pig’s whimsical ignorance slowly begins to fade, his partial sentience awakening as his joyful romp through the desolate town starts to feel too good to be true. What once seemed like carefree bliss transforms into a creeping realization, as the world around him subtly hints at his inevitable demise.

Bio:
In this hauntingly absurd short story, a massive hunk of pork romps through the barren wasteland of an interstate, as an old pickup truck struggles to carry his weight toward his eventual grave. The pig’s whimsical ignorance slowly begins to fade, his partial sentience awakening as his joyful romp through the desolate town starts to feel too good to be true. What once seemed like carefree bliss transforms into a creeping realization, as the world around him subtly hints at his inevitable demise.

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From and to Nature, We Return

Bishoy Adel | Egypt

School: October University for Modern Sciences & Arts

Run time: 2:03 min.

Synopsis:
In a mesmerizing visual journey, it explores the deep connection between humanity and Mother Earth, calling us to reconnect with nature and live in harmony with its cosmic rhythms.

Bio:
I grew up in the heart of a bustling city, in a country that neglects nature and cuts down its trees, where everything beautiful is destroyed. People are accustomed to running after money and skyscrapers, believing that this is the essence of life. But inside me, there is a constant voice telling me: this is not life. That’s why I created this project, which I consider a cry of love for Mother Nature. I made it to shout at the human world to awaken and reconnect with the earth that has given us its life. Because, sadly, my country does not value nature and beauty; here, there is no one to defend the rights of nature or humanity.

I want my message to reach every pure-hearted person, so we can share in crying and shouting, seeking authenticity and peace, and call for the return of beauty, as we collectively tear down everything that is ugly.

As a 22-year-old filmmaker and musician, Bishoy Adel is driven by a passion to express his feelings and beliefs through his art. With over five years of experience in the film industry, Bishoy has had the privilege of working on a wide range of projects, from short films to documentaries, as a cinematographer due to his love of cinematography and to learn more about the field. He is the winner of the First-Place Award at the El-Keraza Festival in Egypt and Sudan for the documentary film "Kelia" (2022), which was his first documentary as a director. He also directed his first short narrative film, "The Monkey," in 2024, which was selected for international film festivals and received honorable mentions.

It's Just a Parade

Trinity Love Rollins | United States

School: Marshall University

Run time: 11:52 min.

Synopsis:
When a small-town dance studio receives word of a last minute performance cancellation, their strong-witted dance teacher swiftly crafts a plan to save their holiday spirit.

I decided to create this film for both personal and communal reasons. I have grown up a dancer, and was ecstatic to have an opportunity to combine that part of my life with my current filmmaking endeavors. I knew that a film of this scale would be feasible because the people at 5th Street are essentially my second family and I had no doubt they’d be on board. I believe this event that we truly experienced was comedic enough to deserve a dramatic retelling. Additionally, I feel that dance is a sport and art form that deserves respect and understanding. It is often undermined by outsiders, and I wanted this film to be an easily digestible demonstration of how hard dancers work and how a performance may seem simple to an outsider, but to a performer it may be an extremely important and personal event.

Bio:
Trinity Rollins is an undergraduate film student studying at Marshall University, with a minor in studio art. She is originally from Fairmont, WV and is graduating with a BA in video production in December of 2024. Her work thrives on its variety, as there is very little she is unwilling to attempt creatively. Many of her films revolve around
personal experience ranging from her time as a dancer to her own mental health journey. Rollins especially enjoys highlighting and
uplifting other Appalachian artists through her work, which she has done most through her internship with Shine On, WV. She is the winner of the 2024 Marshall University Student Film Festival and has had multiple other selections featured in WV festivals such as the Localization Film Festival 2023 and the West Virginia Mountaineer Short Film Festival 2023 and 2024.

COME DREAM WITH ME 

Grant Nuzum | United States

Run time: 9:24 min.

Synopsis:
Romantic dreams depicted using archive footage and music among new footage.

"Life"==True  

Aiden Crawford | United States

Run time: 6:06 min.

Synopsis:
New "life" born into a profit-based system is nurtured into succeeding in it.

Bio:
Aiden Crawford is a Digital Art and Animation student at West Virginia University from Shepherdstown, WV. His interests collide in artistic endeavors made from assemblage of video, audio, narrative storytelling, and conceptual experimentation. He's made multiple short films, experimental videos, and interactive pieces with a wide variety in tone and relevance. In general, his ideas strive for absurdity, strangeness, awkwardness, and subliminality.

You Are the Truck and I Am the Deer

Max Ferguson | Belgium, Hong Kong

School: School: Marshall University

Run time: 5:00 min.

Synopsis:
You are the Truck and I am the Deer is an experimental short film that explores emotional pain. The film use poetic text to express the feelings of loss, helplessness and overwhelm during the process of accepting the hurt inflicted by others. These emotional wounds are translated visually into a physical and pulsing presence that represents a dark and unsettling image of femininity.

You are the Truck and I am the Deer speaks to a feeling. A feeling of roaming, gnawing hunger. The knife's edge between decay and growth; the fertile potential for total destruction.

Bio:
Max Ferguson is a video artist from Hong Kong who works principally with stop-motion and cut-out non-narrative animation film. Her work walks the line between the private and public worlds, thus creating a unique cinema viewing experience that opens new relationships between the screen and the audience. Her films primarily explore womanhood and personal identity. Max Ferguson is a video artist from Hong Kong who works primarily with stop-motion and cut-out non-narrative animation film. Her work walks the line between the private and public worlds, thus creating a unique cinema viewing experience that opens new relationships between the screen and the audience. Ferguson's most recent film, You Are the Truck and I Am the Deer, is an experimental short film experience that explores emotional pain. Ferguson uses and manipulates the form of short non-narrative film in order to offer an emotionally-immersive viewing experience. Ferguson is a graduate from LUCA School of Arts in Brussels, Belgium.

The Death of a Boba Tea 

The Death of a Boba Tea | United States

Run time: 2:29 min.

Synopsis:
A lonely barista decides to make a drink. Little does he know, it would be the end...to something.

Bio:
My name is Christian Safford from New York, and I am currently studying Earth and Environmental Science as a sophomore. I love film and creating fun little skits is something I love to do in my free time. My favorite films are La La Land and the original Blade Runner. My letterboxd handle is DynamicElMacho.

Reflections

Piper Cole | United States

Run time: 5:48 min.

Synopsis:
For this short film, I wanted to explore the idea that if you make fun of or degrade your current self, you are also putting down the little kid who helped get you to where you are. This is to say that you should be nicer to yourself because you deserve kindness with all of the hard work you have done to get here. Showing my whole life through short clips helps to show who I am as a person and who in my life has helped me to get here.

Bio: I am from Saint Albans, WV, and am currently pursuing a degree in Art and Design with a dual emphasis on graphic design and photography at WVU. I enjoy capturing the thoughts and feelings that I have, that may be difficult to talk about, through my art as a way to work through them. My family and friends play a huge part in my work and help to be the bright spot in it, I could not do it without them.

Infestation 

Ana Phillips | United States

Run time: 0:53 min.

Synopsis:
Experimental short exploring the feelings of being overwhelmed associated with day to day life.

American Getaway

Nick Johnson | United States

Run time: 13:00 min.

Synopsis:
A group of friends prepare for the town's biggest Fourth of July festival, which is threatened when one of the friends plots a devious plan to stop the holiday from happening.

Deity 

Ava Furlow & Sydney Hatfield | United States

Run time: 2:59 min.

Synopsis:
This nontraditional narrative short film is an exploration of a woman experiencing an escape from sanity. Starting off as mundane and grounded in the real world, the scene shifts to no concept of time or stability.

Bio:
Ava Furlow is a third year BFA student with an emphasis in photography. Sydney Hatfield is a third year BFA student with an emphasis in ceramics. Both created this short film together in their introduction to electronic media class.

The Interview 

Brodey Cook | United States

Run time: 2:28 min.

Synopsis:
A man is doing an interview. The video is meant to express confusion, humor, and a little bi.

Bio:
I am Brodey Cook and I am a Game Design and Interactive Media major. While I do generally focus on making video games, anytime I get the opportunity to make videos I also really enjoy doing so. Videos are something I always have fun making, and I enjoy getting to express myself and my ideas in fun ways.

License Plates   

Matthew Rolla | United States

Run time: 0:43 min.

Synopsis:
I wanted to demonstrate the differences between people by using a trait that they all share, and I thought license plates worked for that concept. Every car owner has one, but no two are the same, and flashing between them all with stop motion does well to show that.

Bio:
I’m Matthew Rolla, 20 years old, majoring in Game Design and Interactive Media. My hobbies include gaming, watching youtube and anime, and working out. My dream job is becoming a voice actor.

Kim's Rebirth - The Bone Crusher Potion

Adrian Carroll | United States

Run time: 4:54 min.

Synopsis:
When Emma the Blood Doctor cures her friend Evan of the Blood Disease, they make their way to the Blood Counsel to share the cure... until the Blood Monsters get in their way.

Bio:
Adrian Carroll is an artist from Morgantown, West Virginia. He's currently a senior undergraduate at WVU studying painting. His work ranges from digital art, traditional art, character design, creative writing, photography, and filmmaking with themes often exploring queerness, mental health, and religion.

Carnival of Doom

Paul Lilyea | United States

Run time: 5:00 min.

Synopsis:
After a chance encounter with a mysterious driver, a rabbit and a pig find themselves entangled in a nightmarish adventure

Critters & Cryptids

Ethan Sitler | United States

Run time: 2:24 min.

Synopsis:
Cowboy in a ghost town sees a miracle.

Sunshine state of mind 

Brandon Edgar | United States

Run time: 1:10 min.

Synopsis:
Idea of struggles, change, and delusions but open to interpretation really.

Bio:
Game Designer focused on coding and modeling/animation.