Section F – 1 pm-2:42 pm

Hatchlings

Director/Writer:  Jahmil Eady

Producer:  Tara Austin

Narrative Short,  14:43

A resentful teenager is forced to babysit her turtle-obsessed half-brother; meanwhile, he dives into a vivid fantasy world where he is a sea turtle and she is a tortoise.

Homebody

Director/Writer:  Shruti Parekh

Producer:  Shruti Parekh, Laura Scarano

Narrative Short, 21:3

Facing eviction after her mother’s death, a young artist searches for creative ways to defend her right to stay in her Brooklyn apartment.

Till Death

Director/Writer:  Yana Bille-Chung

Producer:  Martina Mossell Lee and Constance Ejuma

Narrative Short,  20:00

When a kind young couple is offered the chance of a lifetime to purchase their dream house from an ailing octogenarian at a fraction of its asking price, they eagerly accept. However, the deal comes with a significant catch: the older woman must live with them until her death, at which point the house will become theirs.

Stand Clear ‘ the Closing Doors

Director/Writer:  Stacey Sargeant

Producer:  Stacey Sargeant and Becky Morrison

Narrative Short,  7:23

When a woman makes a simple request of a fellow NYC subway passenger, an everyday moment turns into a bizarre battle for space, peace, and dignity. Based on true events, the film uses humor and fantasy to explore the subtle, often unspoken tensions that Black women encounter in everyday public spaces.

Flowers Bloom When Touched

Director/Writer:  Priyanka Krishnan

Producer:  Raman Nimmala

Narrative Short, 17:15

Malar is trapped in a conservative household and has to grapple with the suffocating demands of tradition. She is ready to buy a one way ticket out of it by getting arranged married to a US resident. Yet there’s a catch.

She must pass the invasive “two-finger” virginity test first.

With less than 24 hours to go, Malar’s virginity becomes a point of negotiation as Malar and her younger sister Minnal, embark on a darkly comedic quest to “re-virginize” Malar, exposing themselves to predatory men, corrupt systems, and the absurd lengths society goes to in order to control women’s bodies.