THE ARTISTS FORUM FESTIVAL OF THE MOVING IMAGE: 2023 (#theartistsforumfilmfest) returned for its eighth year with new, innovative programming. This year’s festival showcased 38 films (34 shorts and 4 feature length films) highlighting our 2023 Competition Theme: THE BODY POLITICAL.
The 2023 Official Selections were created by independent filmmakers originating from 9 countries: Brazil, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, Poland, Turkey, United Kingdom, and the United States.
THIS YEAR’S THEME:
Filmmakers were challenged to interpret our theme: THE BODY POLITICAL.
The term “body politics” refers to the operations of power in topics ranging from issues about abortion, anatomy, anorexia, and opinions on tattoos, toxicology, and transsexuals, to facts about diseases, death, disciplines, and convictions about race, rationality and research.
Question: Are our voices heard as ways to transform the system or rather as entertainment for the political status quo?
SCREENINGS:
This years festival combined our film works with our Juried Arts Festival submissions, showcasing international works in music, photography, spoken word, and choreography. The combined festival features 67 works from 20 countries! Click here for more information about the Juried Arts Festival.
These live screenings were held October 12 – October 15, 2023 at the exclusive Dolby Screening Room NYC — a state-of-the-art, ADA compliant screening facility at 1350 Avenue of the Americas at West 55th Street (Lobby Level) in Mid-town Manhattan.
Our annual Closing Night Awards Ceremonies were held on October 14, 2023 for Film and October 15, 2023 for Juried Arts.
OPENING NIGHT: Oct. 12th: 7PM – 9PM
FRIDAY NIGHT: Oct. 13th: 7PM – 9PM
CLOSING NIGHT FILM AWARDS: Oct. 14th: 6PM – 10PM
JURIED ARTS FESTIVAL AWARDS: Oct. 15th: 3PM – 7PM
Our online film festival screenings began October 25 through December 3, 2023.
MANY THANKS:
Our 2023 Festival Ambassador is The Artists Forum: AFTV Host Michael Inge.
2023 Film Festival Jury: C.J. Arellano, Ashley Gerst, Martha Gorzycki, Stephen Hilyard, Henry Kanegsberg, Lee Milby, Djordje Radovanovich, David Ranghelli, Jonathan Taub, Amos White V, Jonathan Ullman, and Viktor Witkowski
2023 Festival Beverage Sponsor: Martingale Cognac
2023 Festival Media Sponsor: LinkNYC
THE ARTISTS FORUM, now in its 25th year, is a New York City based non-profit arts service organization specializing in events, juried competitions, and media for artists.
Its FESTIVAL OF THE MOVING IMAGE is the organization’s flagship program, and provides an unparalleled platform for emerging and mid-career filmmakers to share their stories with the world’s creative, media, and film communities.
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Hashtags: #theartistsforum #theartistsforumfilmfest #theartistsforumjuriedarts #thebodypolitcal
2023 FILM FESTIVAL PROGRAM SCHEDULE
AWARD LISTINGS
View our full List of Nominees & Award Winners
2023 WINNERS
BEST NARRATIVE SHORT: Pregnant (Golnaz Jamsheed, Iran)
BEST DARK THEMED SHORT: The Veil (Anna Winslow, Germany)
BEST SCI-FI SHORT: Mercury (Clara Dubau, France/Italy)
BEST COMEDY SHORT: How To Hack Birth Control (Sassy Mohen, US)
BEST EXPERIMENTAL SHORT: Dawn of Death (Armin Rajaei, Iran)
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT: It’s Not Perverse, It’s Mothers (Anouska Samms, UK)
BEST ANIMATED SHORT: Bear Hugs (Maggie May Brummer, US)
BEST MUSIC VIDEO: Us In Octaves (Alex Mastoon, US)
BEST STUDENT SHORT: A Study in Bodies (Elia Lara, US)
BEST LGBTQ+ SHORT: Common As Red Hair (Robbie Robertson, US)
BEST WEB SERIES: How To Hack Birth Control (Sassy Mohen, US)
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: Gabriel’s Daughter (Lori Brown Mirabal & Sharon Shepard-Levine, US)
BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE: Artist Unknown (Cinder Chou, US)
BEST SOUND DESIGN: Stephen Musumeci – Prep (Raymond Knudsen, US)
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Robert Bevis – Prep (Raymond Knudsen, US)
BEST EDITING: Thor Wixom – Seductive Devotion (Destin Gerek, US)
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: Arthur Rey & Elirone Rosa – The Silence of Kore (André Magalhães, Paulo Mendel, Brazil)
BEST MUSICAL SCORE: Tobari “Coach T” Fingal, RaMon Shelton, Braxton Cook – Last Call (R. L. Hargrove & K. Spencer, US)
BEST SCREENPLAY: Cinder Chou – Artist Unknown (Cinder Chou, US)
BEST DIRECTOR: Cinder Chou – Artist Unknown (Cinder Chou, US)
BEST ACTOR: Chibueze Anyasor – Prep (Raymond Knudsen, US)
BEST ACTRESS: Rebecca L. Hargrove – Last Call (R. L. Hargrove & K. Spencer, US)
AUDIENCE AWARD 1ST PLACE: Last Call (Rebecca L. Hargrove & Kedren Spencer, US)
AUDIENCE AWARD 2ND PLACE: A Year to Life (Nikki Hevesy & Jahmal J. Holland, US)
AUDIENCE AWARD 3RD PLACE (tie): Us in Octaves (Alex Mastoon, US)
AUDIENCE AWARD 3RD PLACE (tie): Osarerogue (Oluwafunmilayo Jupiter-Rose Ogunbodede, US)
2023 JURORS AWARD: Cinder Chou – Artist Unknown (Cinder Chou, US)
MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
View our 2023 Festival Program Schedule
See our 2023 Official Festival Trailer
See our 2023 Official Festival Trailer (Vertical)
See our 2023 LinkNYC Outdoor Ad
See our 2023 Martingale Cognac Festival After-Parties Highlights
View or download our 2023 Official Festival Poster
View or download our 2023 Official Festival Image Gallery
See our 2023 Festival Nominee & Award Winner Listings
THE BODY POLITICAL: PROGRAM I
PROGRAM I: Heed the Call – 8 shorts (86 mins)
RESURRECTION UNDER THE OCEAN
2:57 mins (2021)
Writer/Director: Serkan Aktaş (Turkey)
EXPERIMENTAL – The resurrection of a man who was helplessly sinking to the bottom of the ocean, after falling to the bottom of the ocean, with a symbolic narrative.
BONE LADIES
3:45 mins (2023)
Writer: Maggie Rose (US)
Director: Dan Preston (US)
DOCUMENTARY SHORT – An artist’s response to the end of Roe v Wade: Maggie Rose and her sculpture “Bone Ladies.” NY State Premiere
SEE TRAILER / SEE WEBSITE
SALONE LOVE
5:00 mins (2023)
Director: Tajana B. Williams (UK)
DOCUMENTARY SHORT – A genre defying scrapbook of opinions and advice about love in Sierra Leone. North American Premiere
SEE TRAILER / SEE WEBSITE
MERCURY
10:00 mins (2023)
Writer/Director: Clara Dubau (France/Italy)
SCI-FI – Elio volunteers for a filmed experiment to help him reconnect with a repressed memory. East Coast Premiere
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RETINA IN VITRO
13:13 mins (2023)
Writer/Director: Piotr Bosacki (Poland)
ANIMATION – Quasi-schizophrenic word salad of a European from the beginning of the 21st century. North American Premiere
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SEDUCTIVE DEVOTION
7:26 mins (2023)
Writer/Director: Destin Gerek (US)
EXPERIMENTAL – Guided by desire and a hunger for exploration, a lover’s vow transforms into an eternal quest to
understand and embrace the entirety of his partner’s existence. NY State Premiere
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IN OUR OWN WORDS
17:47 mins (2022)
Writer/Director: Karenna Blomberg (US)
Director: Dylan Branshaw (US)
DARK THEMES (Student) – A documentary into the lives of college students quickly spirals into alternate realities with outlandish alter-egos confessing tales and secrets. East Coast Premiere
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HOW TO HACK BIRTH CONTROL
26:00 mins (2021)
Writer/Director: Sassy Mohen (US)
WEB SERIES – A satire comedy series told through the sharp wit and perky charm of the narrator Ruth, ‘How to Hack Birth Control,’ takes on everything that Sex Ed never told you. NY State Premiere
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THE BODY POLITICAL: PROGRAM II
PROGRAM II: When its Time to Change – 7 shorts (87 mins)
A HARMONY OF TOUCH
2:35 mins (2022)
Writer/Director: Kristyna Archer (US)
LGBTQ+ – Harmony of Touch: The High-Five, Handshake, and Hug explores human connection through physical touch. Standing the test of time, these visceral, bodily, mortal bonds remind us we are still alive and without them, we are powerless.
SEE TRAILER / SEE WEBSITE
A STUDY IN BODIES
4:21 mins (2022)
Writer/Director: Elia Lara (US)
EXPERIMENTAL (Student) – An experimental exploration of how people study, analyze, and depict the human body using science and art.
SEE TRAILER / SEE WEBSITE
IT’S NOT PERVERSE, IT’S MOTHERS
14:29 mins (2022)
Writer/Director: Anouska Samms (UK)
DOCUMENTARY SHORT – A chaotic portrait of mothers and daughters, capturing tender, messy moments. Comically seeking clarity on a hair-dying ritual passed down five generations of women in the director’s family. US Premiere
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COMMON AS RED HAIR
15:00 mins (2023)
Writer/Director: Robbie Robertson (US)
LGBTQ+ – The aftermath of an emotional funeral causes a grieving father and mother to reexamine their early life decision to have gender normalization surgery performed on their intersex infant. NY State Premiere
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PREP
14:10 mins (2023)
Writer/Director: Raymond Barnett Knudsen (US)
DARK THEMES – A bodybuilding fever dream fueled by childhood trauma, food porn and acid techno music.
THE VEIL
17:03 mins (2022)
Writer/Director: Anna Winslow (Germany)
DARK THEMES – Lace is the only thing of beauty left in the kingdom. Seduced by the beauty of the lace, a prince decides to take the lace maker as his wife. But, when he realizes she’s not who he thought she was. What lies beneath the veil? World Premiere
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LAST CALL
19:09 mins (2023)
Writers: Rebecca L. Hargrove & Kedren Spencer (US)
Director: Kedren Spencer (US)
NARRATIVE SHORT – Two NYC singles meet at a bar after being stood up. After commiserating over their misfortunes, there’s a spark. Can they make it work?
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THE BODY POLITICAL: PROGRAM III
PROGRAM III: This Mortal Coil – 12 shorts (2hrs 6mins)
DAWN OF DEATH
12:00 mins (2023)
Writer/Director: Armin Rajaei (Iran)
EXPERIMENTAL – The filmmaker states “The separation of man from nature occurs because of himself and his creation of meanings around his own axis. Death is the link between nature and man in general and partial forms.” World Premiere
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DON’T EAT DEAD FISH
8:15 mins (2023)
Director: Adam Seccafico (US)
DARK THEMES – A fisherman is haunted by a dead fish.
SEE FILM / SEE WEBSITE
PREGNANT
12:03 mins (2023)
Director: Golnaz Jamsheed (Iran)
NARRATIVE SHORT – Based on a short story by French author Anna Gavalda, Pregnant is a window into a woman living her internal life as delicately as her external life. Becoming a mother for the second time, she prepares for the unknown. NYC Premiere
SEE FILM / SEE WEBSITE
KNIFE, CHOCOLATE
15:00 mins (2022)
Writer/Director: Hooshmand Varaei (Iran)
DARK THEMES – The story of a happy family in a patriarchal society!
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OSARENOGAE
12:05 mins (2023)
Director: Oluwafunmilayo Jupiter-Rose Ogunbodede (US)
DOCUMENTARY SHORT- A documentary music short centered around emotional disparity in African families with an emphasis on physical closeness. Love is literally in our hands. East Coast Premiere
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BEAR HUGS
2:21 min (2023)
Writer/Director: Maggie May Brummer (US)
ANIMATION (Student) – A teddy bear goes through a small city in pursuit of giving a hug to a lonely girl while overcoming the holiday hustle-bustle. Teddy pushes through the obstacles in hopes of getting to his destination. NYC Premiere
FALLOUT
20:09 mins (2023)
Director: Madison Hill (US)
DOCUMENTARY SHORT – Fallout examines how the US military and private industry perpetuate the cycle of exploitation and environmental contamination that’s inundated the Appalachian region for decades. World Premiere
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A LITTLE ALONE TIME
15:00 mins (2023)
Writer: Mark Holzum (US)
Director: Phillip Asaad Chbeeb (US)
DARK THEMES – A man’s wife visits him from the dead to help him grieve her passing. World Premiere
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A YEAR TO LIFE
10:29 mins (2023)
Writers: Nikki Hevesy (US) & Jahmal J. Holland (US)
Director: Nikki Hevesy (US)
NARRATIVE SHORT – A neighborhood influencer makes a life -changing choice for a pre-teen boy on the anniversary of his mother’s death. East Coast Premiere
US IN OCTAVES
7:44 mins (2023)
Writer/Director: Alex Mastoon (US)
MUSIC VIDEO – In a hyper color summer nightmare, two lovers are haunted by their last act of love: saying goodbye. Music video for veteran producer Caural and told through an all Womxn & Non-Binary cast. East Coast Premiere
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AVA
4:00 mins (2022)
Writer/Director: Nicolle Marquez (US)
EXPERIMENTAL – Ava taps into a parallel reality as they strip down their masquerade.
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THE SILENCE OF KORE
7:00 mins (2023)
Writer: André Magalhães (Brazil)
Director: Paulo Mendel (Brazil)
LGBTQ+ – A queer short film about the mystery of life and death. North American Premiere
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THE BODY POLITICAL: PROGRAM IV
PROGRAM IV: Sound Body and Mind? – 1 short + 1 feature (1hr 31.5mins)
This program is an exclusive online screening, beginning Oct. 25 through Dec. 3, 2023.
A FEW STRANDS OF HAIR
7:59 mins (2022)
Writer/Director: Shahin Jabbarzadeh (Iran)
NARRATIVE SHORT – A woman’s changing worldview and her tendency towards feminism leads to behavioral and personality changes. This is confusing to her husband and is impacting their marriage.
SEE TRAILER / SEE WEBSITE
WOUNDED PSYCHE
10:00 mins (2023)
Writer/Director: Meysam Jafarinejadsedehi (Iran)
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE – This film is a personal documentation of the director’s life, which was made over the course of 21 years. North American Premiere
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THE BODY POLITICAL: PROGRAM V
PROGRAM V: Fluidity Flux – 2 features (2hr 12mins)
This program is an exclusive online screening, beginning Oct. 25 through Dec. 3, 2023.
ARTIST UNKNOWN
1 hr 22 mins (2022)
Writer/Director: Cinder Chou (US)
NARRATIVE FEATURE – Juniper, an insecure martial artist, must find out the origins of a painting after two thieves try to steal it from her.
TRANSFORMATION
52:00 mins (2022)
Writer/Director: Saeed Mayahy (Iran)
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE – Malika – a transgender woman and her partner Mohamed have fled their families honor killing plan and Taliban’s fatal punishments in the hopes of achieving a new, better life in Turkey. NY State Premiere
THE BODY POLITICAL: PROGRAM VI
PROGRAM VI: Ode to Woman – 1 feature + 1 short (1hr 20.5mins)
This program is an exclusive online screening, beginning Oct. 25 through Dec. 3, 2023.
GABRIEL’S DAUGHTER
55:35 mins (2022)
Writers: S. Shepard-Levine & Lori Brown Mirabal (US)
Director: Sharon Shepard-Levine (US)
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE – Former slave Clara Brown became a wealthy and beloved 19th Century pioneer woman. Through an opera’s lens, we see her search for a daughter sold at auction.World Premiere
SCHEHERAZADE’S EASTERN DREAM
28:43 mins (2023)
Writer/Director: Katayoun Afrooz (Iran/US)
EXPERIMENTAL – Scheherazade was a storyteller in ancient Persian tales. But this time, through dream-like symbolism, an eastern woman tells her own story and that of middle eastern women fighting to bring modernity into their lives. World Premiere
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THE BODY POLITICAL: PROGRAM VII
PROGRAM VII: Pressure Points – 5 shorts (1hr 40.5mins)
This program is an exclusive online screening, beginning Oct. 25 through Dec. 3, 2023.
A PIECE OF YOU
25:30 mins (2022)
Writer/Director: Hadi Nouri (Iran)
NARRATIVE SHORT – A passionate old man, desperately looking for a heart for his wife’s transplant surgery. A young female doctor caught in the challenge of separating from her husband, accompanies him. North American Premiere
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CORRECTION FLUID
15:00 mins (2023)
Writer/Director: Danial Abroushan (Iran)
NARRATIVE SHORT – Parsa is in love with his student’s sister. He finds out that Sara’s family is having lunch with someone who might be a serious rival for him. NY State Premiere
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LIKE A DOG
19:52 mins (2022)
Writer/Director: Hamid Naseri Moghadam (Iran)
NARRATIVE SHORT – A lonely man lives in a town on the outskirts of Tehran and is interested in helping stray and injured dogs. He meets a young woman with a secret that alters the course of their budding relationship.
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THE HARD SHOULDER
25:00 mins (2023)
Writer: Sajedeh Shams (Iran)
Director: Bardia Qasemali (Iran)
NARRATIVE SHORT – Two couples go to a villa on vacation. An incident that happens there changes the course of their lives. World Premiere
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FATIH THE CONQUEROR
15:00 mins (2023)
Writer/Director: Onur Yagiz (France)
NARRATIVE SHORT – At a Saturday evening Turkish wedding in Espace Venise, France, 21year old Fatih tells his best friend Murat that he wants to get married. He’s set his sights on Ipek, Recep’s sister. But neither Recpe, Murat, nor even Ipek are aware.
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JUDGES
C.J Arellano
CJ’s films have won multiple festivals including #theartistsforumfilmfest 2021 and is named among the Top 25 Screenwriters to Watch by the International Screenwriters’ Association. He’s directed commercials for McDonald’s, Chef Boyardee, and Motorola, and served as a video editor for the 2020 Biden for President campaign.
Ashley Gerst
Ashley Gerst is a 2D and 3D animator living in Brooklyn NY. She holds a BFA in Digital Arts from Cleveland Institute of Art and an MFA in Computer Art from School of Visual Arts. In addition to her professorial work at William Paterson, Ashley is a freelance animator working for clients such as AMC, Viacom, Fast Co., Hudson Media, and CBS.
Martha Gorzycki
Martha is an award winning animator, filmmaker and media artist, experimenting in digital animation and new media. Her work screens globally in festivals, galleries, on LED billboards, as outdoor projections and online. She has produced animation for more than 30 years and teaches digital cinema and animation at San Francisco State University.
Stephen Hilyard
Artist/Educator Stephen Hilyard’s work deals with the paradoxical nature of our impulse towards the profound. He often works in extreme locations, including the bottom of an Icelandic lake. His work has been supported by The Huntington Library, The Harpo Foundation, The American Scandinavian Foundation & The McKnight Foundation.
Henry Kanegsberg
A graduate of Ithaca College, Henry received his MBA from NYU and is a former finance and administration executive in the broadcasting, music, and publishing industries. He held senior positions with NBC, RCA Records and Random House. Currently, Henry is the chair of community organizations for the Mount Sinai Hospital System.
Lee Milby
Lee Milby is a New York-based director and artist known for creating unique and highly conceptual videos. Featured in both domestic and international publications, Lee’s ability to bring out the individual energy and style of each artist and brand makes for timeless, original content.
George Radovanovich
George is an independent scholar with a focus on research and writings on art and cultural criticism. Originally from Serbia, George received his US citizenship in 1995 while studying at New York’s School of Visual Arts, earning his BFA in Film and MFA in Computer Arts in 1997.
David Ranghelli
David studied filmmaking at Brooklyn College (BA), and Comp. Lit./ Cinema Studies at NYU’s GSAS (MA, MPHIL). He taught film analysis and mentored screenwriters at Tisch School of the Arts for 12 years. He has worked at the Media and Communication Arts Dept. at CUNY for 7 years, where he also educates aspiring filmmakers.
Jonathan Taub
Jonathan is an Argentinean designer and filmmaker living in New York City. He is involved with many collaborative projects that playfully explore and expose the human condition. Jonathan directed his award-winning film Externo alongside his brother Leandro, winning Best Screenplay in #theartistsforumfilmfest 2021.
Amos White V
Amos is an inter-disciplinary multimedia artist, event producer, and exhibit designer. A graduate of the College of Human Ecology at the University of Maryland, College Park, Amos bridges his passion for the arts and human relations with the formation of THE ARTISTS FORUM.
Jonathan Ullman
Jonathan is a NYC-based independent filmmaker. He wrote, directed, and produced his debut feature Trouble In The Heights (Viva Pictures), garnering two Imagen Award noms for Best Picture and Best Actor. His film on Paradise Garage and DJ Larry Levan is in development. home base
Viktor Witkowski
Viktor is a Polish-born German-raised painter/filmmaker. After graduating from HBK Braunschweig with a combined Master’s in Studio Art, Art History, and Art Education, he immigrated to the US to earn his MFA in Visual Arts from Rutgers. Currently, he travels abroad creating art and lecturing at Dartmouth’s Studio Art Department.
