Falling Down (USA / 2023 / 5mins / mixed genre ) directed by Conner Sisemore, Dean’s List (USA / 2023 / 12.54mins / fiction) directed by Kennedy Reid, Comma (Ukraine/2023/4mins/animation)directed by Sonia Leliukh, Through Fire (USA / 2023 / 8:58 mins / documentary) directed by Wyatt Thompson, Inspectre (USA/2023/4.04 mins. / fiction) directed byJaden Marcos Licor, Amira’s Letters (USA / 2022 / 5.43mins / animation) directed by Sarina Policastro, Jess (USA / 2023 /15 mins/fiction) directed by Cecilia Yu
Popcorn Break
2:00-3:30pm: Screening Two with Q&A:
The Window (USA/ 2023 /5.51mins/fiction) directed by Abigail Chesman, I Built a Paper House (USA / 2023 /4.38 mins / mixed genre)directed by Max Benner, American Dream (USA/ 2023/2:55/ animation) directed by Renee Shi, Black Care (USA /2023/ 3.48mins/documentary) directed by John Monaco, Dreamer (Poland/2023/2.33/animation) directed by Piotr Kaźmierczak, Under the Willow Tree (USA / 2023 / 3mins / fiction) directed by Catherine Hassell, Room (USA / 2023 / 9.14 mins /animation ) directed by Ian Dani Kim, Red (USA / 2023 / 6.08 mins / fiction) directed by Mia K Evans, Upon Return (USA/ 2023 /3.35mins / documentary)directed by Devan Jordan, Emily Sedgwick, The Banana in Me (Australia/2023/9.52/fiction) directed by Rosey Feng
Popcorn Break
3:45-4:30pm: Keynote and Games
Keynote Speaker:Ava Acres
Ava is a versatile young actress who has played notable roles in popular TV series such as American Horror Story: Hotel, Once Upon a Time, and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. She is also an accomplished voice-over actor, having worked on projects such as Happy Feet Two, Adventure Time, and Family Guy, which have showcased her multifaceted talents.
12pm-1:00pm: Meet Admissions, Faculty and Students from East Coast Colleges
1:00pm-1:30pm: Screening of DCIFF Spring Filmmaking Course Projects
1:30pm-1:50pm: Film Kahoot with Prizes
2:00pm – 2:40pm: Come learn about film festivals and how to learn filmmaking and animation in DC this summer with DCIFF”s Executive Director.
2:50pm-4pm: Film Screening –The Concierge– New Anime (Free tickets handed out to The Concierge for attendees of the HS Film Festival Events!)
DCIFF 2024 High School Selected Films
Amira’s LettersI Built a Paper HouseInspectreFalling DownDreamerBlack CareThrough FireAmerican DreamJess
Fitting In
Amira’s Letters
directed by Sarina Policastro
( USA / 2023 /5.43 mins / animation )
An 11-year-old girl who has trouble speaking receives encouragement from a therapist to write letters about her thoughts and feelings. But when the letters she didn’t intend to send blow away, she’s nervous about the recipients’ reactions.
Location: The Miracle Theater on Capitol Hill, 535 8th Street SE, Washington DC 20003
Times:
Sarina Policastro is a high school senior who writes, draws, and animates. She has published a graphic novel (Clefelo) and is in the process of publishing a picture book. She plans to attend art school.
directed by Max Benner
( USA / 2023 /4.38 mins / fiction )
Eli, a junior struggling with balancing school and his dream to be an artist, consistently abandons his schooling. This all comes to an end when Eli finds his school work has constructed a magical paper house.
Location: The Miracle Theater on Capitol Hill, 535 8th Street SE, Washington DC 20003
Times:
Max Benner is an aspiring filmmaker born and raised in the Philadelphia suburbs. Currently, his debut experimental mixed-media short ‘I Built a Paper House’ has won Best Actor (SEPA Filmmakers Showcase), Best Experimental Short (YellowHammer Film Fest) and Fan Favorite (YellowHammer Film Fest) in addition to being a Best Picture and Best Cinematography (SEPA Filmmakers Showcase) nominee. In fall of 2024, Max strives to give his joyous perspective of being an artistically driven trans man through the medium of film at Emerson in Boston.
Cast & Crew
Matthew Benner- “Teacher (voice)”
Max Benner – Writer / Director / Animator / “Elijah “
Fitting In
Inspectre
directed by Jaden Marcos Licor
( USA / 2023 /4.04 mins / fiction )
Ryan, an impatient and aimless health inspector is bribed out of shutting down a negligent daycare owner. When his decision manifests itself into an apparition, he must find a way to rid himself of it, and the guilt in his heart.
Location: The Miracle Theater on Capitol Hill, 535 8th Street SE, Washington DC 20003
Times:
Conner Sisemore is a high school filmmaker, writer, and humorist, with a passion for storytelling, who currently resides in Belton, Missouri. Conner first became passionate about filmmaking at the age of eight when he began making animated films with Flipnote Studio on his Nintendo DS. His unique storytelling ability, which began, according to his parents, “before he said his first words”, has won praise from friends, family, teachers, and professionals alike.
Now 17, when not in the classroom, Conner spends most of his waking hours immersed in his passion for sharing the nearly endless number of stories and ideas flowing through his brain with the rest of the world as he works towards pursuing his goal to have a successful career sharing his love for storytelling.
Cast & Crew
Conner Sisemore- Writer / Director
Fitting In
Dreamer
directed by Piotr Kaźmierczak
( Poland / 2023 /2.33 mins / animation )
A simple story of a fisherman – a tale of excessive ambition and missed opportunities.
Location: The Miracle Theater on Capitol Hill, 535 8th Street SE, Washington DC 20003
Times:
Piotr Kaźmierczak is 17 years old. From 2015 animation became his main passion. He creates original films in the techniques of puppet, painting, cut-out, plasticine and computer animation. He is a laureate of many competitions for children and youth animation in Poland and abroad.
Cast & Crew
Piotr Kaźmierczak- Writer / Director / Producer
Fitting In
Black Care
directed by John Monaco
( USA / 2023 /3.248mins / documentary )
Life and meaning at Smitty’s Barber Shop
Location: The Miracle Theater on Capitol Hill, 535 8th Street SE, Washington DC 20003
Times:
John Monaco is a Sophomore Student at Duke Ellington School of the Arts in the Cinematic Arts Department. He is a graduate of the Tisch Future Filmmakers Workshop at New York University and is passionate with regard to all aspects of filmmaking.
Cast & Crew
John Monaco – Writer / Director / Producer / Editor DOP / Sound Mixer / Editor
Fitting In
The Banana In Me
directed by Rosey Feng
( Australia / 2023 /9.52 mins / fiction )
“Yellow on the outside, white on the inside.”
The Banana In Me follows the story of Qin Ke Chen – a 17 year old Chinese Australian girl whose dream is to become an actor. However, as she is confronted with disapproval of her artistic aspirations from her Asian Immigrant mother, and racist typecasting as an Asian Australian actress, she questions her place both in the film industry and western society.
One day, Qin Ke stumbles upon a peculiar commercial on TV, advertising a product called ‘Blondie’ – a blonde wig that is supposedly the solution to solving typecasting in the film industry for actors of colour. She is influenced to buy ‘Blondie’, only to once again be met with a new wave of insecurities, and repeat the cycle of cultural conflict.
Under the guise of its satirical style, The Banana In Me, at its heart, is a vulnerable insight into the burdens of existing under the label of a ‘Banana’; exploring the trials and tribulations and beauty of the Asian Australian experience.
Location: The Miracle Theater on Capitol Hill, 535 8th Street SE, Washington DC 20003
Times:
Hi! My name is Rosey Feng and I am an 18 year old aspiring filmmaker from Melbourne, Australia! The Banana In Me is the first film I have directed, and I am honoured to have it screened at DCIFF for a wider audience to engage in its conversation. Inspired by my own complex cultural relationship between my Asian and Australian identity, I created my short film The Banana In Me through exploring the themes of intergenerational trauma, cultural identity and racism. This creative process has emboldened me to continue a legacy that seeks to create societal change, through expressing my vulnerability. My short film is not only an examination of the insecurities, burdens and conflict embedded within my Asian Australian experience, but a raw reflection of my journey to self-acceptance – creating a piece of myself that could never be fully articulated into words.
Cast & Crew
Rosey Feng – Writer / Director / “Qin Ke Chen “
Ling Yan-“Mother “
Fitting In
Upon Return
directed by Devan Jordan, Emily Sedgwick
( USA / 2023 /3.55 mins / fiction )
ABC Journalist Bob Woodruff shares his experience reporting on the Iraq war in 2006. He speaks on the founding and success of his foundation which aids veterans and explains the difficulties of coming back from war with injuries as they relate to his personal and professional life.
Location: The Miracle Theater on Capitol Hill, 535 8th Street SE, Washington DC 20003
Times:
Devan & Emily are two passionate filmmaking students at Sacred Heart Greenwich, in Connecticut. They have been in the film program there for over 3 years and are both members of their Real World Filmmaking class, who love to find stories to share through the documentary medium.
Cast & Crew
Bob Woodruff – “Key Cast”
Devan Jordan, Emily Sedgwick- Writer / Director / Producer
Fitting In
Red
directed by Mia K Evans
( USA / 2023 /6.08 mins / fiction )
An ambitious young woman starts her first day on the job in a sales position and realizes it’s not what she bargained for, when everyone starts questioning her ability to fit into her new role.
Location: The Miracle Theater on Capitol Hill, 535 8th Street SE, Washington DC 20003
Times:
Mia Evans is a 16 year old native born Coloradoan, student, filmmaker, and artist. Born in Evergreen Colorado to Larae and Tom Evans, Mia developed a love for arts from a young age, encouraged by her parents who were both heavily involved in the arts. Both parents working in graphic design and advertising, helped Mia shape her love for the arts. The multi-talented 16 year old can play piano, guitar, loves visual arts, design, and filmmaking. A
ttending the Video Cinema Arts program at school, Mia has been able to hone her skills on filmmaking working on numerous projects including being director of photography on “Someday”, animating “Blank” and “Big”, and writing and directing “Red”, among others. Many of her projects have been accepted to prestigious film festivals including two of her animations “Blank” and “Big” which were nominated at the All American Middle School and High School Film Festival. When she grows up, Mia hopes to have a career in the arts so she can continue pursuing her artistic passions.
Cast & Crew
Victoria G Holdgreve-Resendez- Producer
Isabel Hoyt- “Key Cast”
Xana Sterling -Assistant Director
Mia K Evans – Writer / Director
Fitting In
The Window
directed by Abigail Chesman
( USA / 2023 /5.51 mins / fiction )
The story follows Auggie, a 17-year-old boy, as he reflects on the best summer of his life, spent with the love of his life.
Location: The Miracle Theater on Capitol Hill, 535 8th Street SE, Washington DC 20003
Times:
Abigail Chesman is a junior from just outside of Washington D.C. with a deep passion for the arts. She has a strong background in photography, as the photo editor of several of her school publications. The Window is her first film and it was created at Berridge Programs during summer 2023. She has done musical theatre for years and enjoys listening to music, watching new movies, and doing the New York Times mini crossword. Instagram: @abigailchesman
Cast & Crew
Simon Purse, Brian Benjamin Dwyer, & Ramiro Cantu – Producers
Evelyn Cantwell- “Claire”
Devon Smith – “Auggie”
Abigail Chesman – Writer / Director
Fitting In
Room
directed by Ian Dani Kim
( USA / 2023 /9.14 mins / animation )
A teenager struggles with depression and social anxiety, expressing it through locking himself in his imaginary room where his life plays out. The film is shown from the boy’s perspective in his “room” showing how real life events affect him in it. Since the pandemic began, many teenagers have experienced feelings of isolation and some of them still struggle to overcome their depression even after the pandemic subsides as this boy can’t get out of his psychological lockdown.
Location: The Miracle Theater on Capitol Hill, 535 8th Street SE, Washington DC 20003
Times:
Ian Dani Kim is a 16-year-old filmmaker, writer, and visual artist studying Digital and Media Arts at Bergen County Technical High School-Teterboro in New Jersey, United States. He is an award-winning film director, the 2024 YoungArts Award With Distinction Winner, and the 2023 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards National Gold Medalist. Ian Dani Kim has won the 49th Seattle International Film Festival’s Wavemaker Award Grand Jury Prize and the 46th LUCAS – Internationales Festival für junge Filmfans’ Best Short Film Award in the Teens Section. His primary interests are psychology and filmmaking. He has been making films about adolescent psychology and is working on his next film.
Cast & Crew
Ian Dani Kim- Writer / Director / Producer
Fitting In
Through Fire
directed by Wyatt Thompson
( USA / 2023 /8.58 mins / fiction )
Through Fire tells the story of three teenagers who struggled with different forms of addiction. Through music, photography, and football, they developed new passions and discovered a path forward.
Location: The Miracle Theater on Capitol Hill, 535 8th Street SE, Washington DC 20003
Times:
Wyatt Thompson – Editor / Director / Cinematographer
Fitting In
Comma
directed by Sonia Leliukh
( Ukraine / 2023 /4.00 mins / animation )
At a busy train station, a human with an ever-exploding head stumbles upon an old newspaper. This discovery opens a portal to a world of different stories, all intertwined by a shared theme: the war in Ukraine.
Despite the war’s impact, each story depicts people living normally, dancing, walking their dogs, and engaging in peaceful activities. Although their lives have been altered, they persist and strive to find meaning in a world where a missile attack can ruin your house daily. The film utilizes a stop-motion technique crafted from newspaper clippings in various languages, illustrating the chronological progression of the war. Visually, the film is made with pastels in the traditional 2d method, lending it a distinctive style and atmosphere.
Location: The Miracle Theater on Capitol Hill, 535 8th Street SE, Washington DC 20003
Times:
Born and spent a significant part of my life in the picturesque city of Kyiv, Ukraine. However, compelled by the large-scale war in 2022, I relocated to Cologne, Germany. I study at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne (KHM) as a media artist and 2D animator. Exploring various traditional techniques and combining different media, such as stop-motion, pastels, watercolors, acrylics, and digital 2D animation, fuels my passion for art. My primary goal, above all, is to support Ukraine through my creativity, narrate our culture, and present a unique perspective from within.
Cast & Crew
Loreto Quijada – Producer
Anastasiia Afanasieva- Animator
Dennis Aycicek- Sound Design
Daria Sherstiukova- Animator
Sonia Leliukh- Animator / Director
Fitting In
American Dream
directed by Renee Shi
( USA / 2023 /2.55 mins / animation )
This is a story of a young girl’s day at school, bright and cheerful until the sound of gunshots rings in her ears. Her best friend dies in the shooting, and she must walk through the tainted hallways of her school once again. This animation is dedicated to the victims of school shooting tragedies.
Location: The Miracle Theater on Capitol Hill, 535 8th Street SE, Washington DC 20003
Times:
Renee Shi was born in Fairfax, Virginia, and is the daughter of two first-generation Chinese immigrants. At 14 years old, she is currently a student at Langley High School. In her free time, she enjoys drawing, animating, writing, and crocheting. She is an avid advocate of gun control and founded the all-girls non-profit organization “Girls Against Gun Violence” (https://girlsagainstgunviolence.com/) to help the victims of gun violence.
Cast & Crew
Ray Charles – Music
2WEI- Music
Renee Shi – Writer / Director / Producer
Fitting In
Dean’s List
directed by Kennedy Reid
( USA / 2023 /12.54 mins / fiction )
As an ambitious student tries climbing the ranks of her elitist school, she uncovers a looming secret within the institution.
Location: The Miracle Theater on Capitol Hill, 535 8th Street SE, Washington DC 20003
Times:
Catherine Hassell is a senior at Staples High School in Connecticut. Next year she will be attending NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts as a film major.
Cast & Crew
Brian J Carter – Producer
Julia Marvin – Key Cast
Talia Bauer – Key Cast
Devon Barman- Key Cast
Catherine Hassell- Writer / Director
Fitting In
Jess
directed by Cecilia Yu
( USA / 2023 /15.02 mins / fiction )
JESS is about a teenage girl’s mental health struggles and dealing with the many conflicts in her life such as those between her parents, friends, and boyfriend. She loses herself to external and internal pressures as a reaction to her “perfect little girl” label.
Location: The Miracle Theater on Capitol Hill, 535 8th Street SE, Washington DC 20003
Times:
Cecilia Yu is a high school senior at St. Anne’s-Belfield School in Charlottesville, Virginia. As a student filmmaker, JESS is the first film she wrote, acted in, and directed. Prior to this, Cecilia has participated in her high school theatre productions such as The Outsiders and was assistant director for her school’s recent fall play, Little Women. While taking a gap year in 2021-2022, Cecilia completed internships as assistants to both play and film directors in Beijing, China. These experiences not only allowed her to learn and gain experience from working with industry professionals, but also inspired her to make her own short film.
Cast & Crew
Bei Zhu – “Mom”
Fengrui Zhang – “College Counselor”
Yilan Song- “Girl 3” & Assistant Director
Gage Qi – “Jacob”
Ruby Huang – “Girl 1”
Zhenxu Wu – DOP
Jindong Shen – “Dad”
Iris Ye – “Girl 2”
Yilan Song – Editor & Music Composer
Cecilia Yu – Writer / Director / Producer “Jess”
Thank you to everyone who attended our Annual High School Film Competition!
2023 HIGH SCHOOL WINNERS
Animation: Honorable mentions
The Room
Amira’s letters
2nd place
I Built a Paper House
1st place
Falling Down
Live action – Honorable mentions
The Window
Under the Willow Tree
2nd place
Dean’s list
1st place
Jess
Audience award
I Built a Paper House
SELECTED FILMS
We are delighted to celebrate the talents of emerging filmmakers in 2024. It was hard to choose from the extraordinary films submitted. Below are the selected films which will be screened and judged on February 17th in downtown Washington DC!
Dean’s List (USA/2023/12.54mins /fiction) directed by Kennedy Reid As an ambitious student tries climbing the ranks of her elitist school, she uncovers a looming secret within the institution.
Through Fire (USA/2023/8:58 mins /documentary) directed by Wyatt Thompson Through Fire tells the story of three teenagers who struggled with different forms of addiction. Through music, photography, and football, they developed new passions and discovered a path forward.
Room (USA/2023/9.14 mins/animation) directed by Ian Dani Kim. A teenager struggles with depression and social anxiety, expressing it through locking himself in his imaginary room where his life plays out.
Red (USA/2023/6.08 mins/fiction) directed by Mia K Evans An ambitious young woman starts her first day on the job and everyone starts questioning her ability to fit into her new role.
Upon Return (USA/2023 /3.35mins/documentary)directed by Devan Jordan, Emily Sedgwick ABC Journalist Bob Woodruff shares his experience reporting on the Iraq war in 2006.
Falling Down (USA/2023/5mins/animation) directed by Conner Sisemore A nimble leaf grows as rigid as the stone he finds his life is set in.
I Built a Paper House (USA/2023 /4.38 mins/mixed genre)directed by Max Benner Eli, a junior struggling with balancing school and his dream to be an artist, consistently abandons his schooling. This all comes to an end when Eli finds his school work has constructed a magical paper house.
Jess (USA / 2023 /15 mins/fiction) directed by Cecilia Yu. A girl’ struggles with the many conflicts in her life such as those between her parents, friends, and boyfriend. She loses herself to external and internal pressures as a reaction to her “perfect little girl” label.
Amira’s Letters (USA /2022 /5.43mins/animation) directed by Sarina Policastro. An 11-year-old girl who has trouble speaking writes letters that blow away.
Inspectre (USA/2023/4.04 mins/fiction) directed byJaden Marcos Licor. Bribed to not shut down a negligent daycare owner, Ryan must find a way to rid himself of it, and the guilt in his heart.
Black Care (USA /2023/ 3.48mins/documentary) directed by John Monaco. Life and meaning at Smitty’s Barber Shop
Under the Willow Tree (USA/2023/3mins/fiction) directed by Catherine Hassell. Two friends plan a very special surprise for their friend’s birthday
Dreamer (Poland/2023/2.33/animation) directed by Piotr Kaźmierczak. A simple story of a fisherman – a tale of excessive ambition and missed opportunities.
American Dream (USA/ 2023/2:55/animation) directed by Renee Shi. A young girl’s day at school is bright and cheerful until the sound of gunshots rings in her ears.
The Window (USA/ 2023 /5.51mins/fiction) directed by Abigail Chesman. The story follows Auggie, a 17-year-old boy, as he reflects on the best summer of his life, spent with the love of his life.
The Banana in Me (Australia/2023/9.52/fiction) directed by Rosey Feng. Yellow on the outside, white on the inside: the story of a 17 year old Chinese Australian girl whose dream is to become an actor.
Comma (Ukraine/2023/4mins/animation)directed by Sonia Leliukh. At a busy train station, a human stumbles upon an old newspaper full of different stories, all intertwined with the war in Ukraine.
The annual DCIFF High School Competition is led by High School students themselves! Meet the 2024 High School Competition Coordinators : John Monaco , Maddy Waldman & Sa’kiya Nicholas:
John Monaco is a Sophomore Student at Duke Ellington School of the Arts in the Cinematic Arts Department. He is a graduate of the Tisch Future Filmmakers Workshop at New York University and is passionate with regard to all aspects of filmmaking. Maddy Waldman is excited to be working with fellow high schoolers who share the same passion for film as her. She is sixteen years old and a junior at Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Maddy is incredibly in love with the art of film and the process of filmmaking and hope to someday inspire and move people all around the world with her films. Sa’kiya Nicholas is an 18 year old high school senior at Oxon Hill High School. She has an interest in the writing, directing, and cinematography aspects of filmmaking and aims to major in Film and Media Arts in college.
For any questions, email us at dcindiefilmfest@gmail.com
Mikhail Kogan, MD is a geriatrician with The GW Medical Faculty Associates and an associate professor of Medicine at The George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences. Dr. Kogan is Medical Director of GW Center for Integrative Medicine and in addition to multiple research and teaching responsibilities, Dr. Kogan serves as an associate director of the Geriatrics Fellowship Program. Dr. Kogan also serves as associate director of the newly formed GW Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Fellowship.
Barbara Koeppel is a Washington DC-based investigative reporter who writes about socioeconomic, political, labor, foreign policy, criminal justice and military issues. She was the executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Theodora Scarato MSW is Executive Director of Environmental Health Trust (EHT), a scientific think tank that publishes research and educates policymakers on environmental health issues. EHT scientists are among the leading independent voices calling for reducing wireless worldwide. EHT sued the FCC for ignoring science related to wireless radiation, and in 2021 the U.S. Court of Appeals, DC Circuit ruled in its favor.
Joseph Sandri is the President of the National Spectrum Association. Joe is CEO of Thought Delivery Systems, Inc., which is active in 5G infrastructure operations, applications, and research & development through its Cardinal Communications division. Mr. Sandri has been an executive officer with multiple publicly traded corporations.
Jonathan Mirin is the co-founding Artistic Director of Piti Theatre Company, an award-winning touring troupe based in Western Massachusetts and Switzerland. His critically acclaimed plays have been produced across North America and Europe. He also co-founded Hilltown Health, a grassroots organization dedicated to leveraging safe technology for healthy, sustainable communities. “Canary in a Gold Mine” is his first documentary.
