AWARD CEREMONY | FILM PREMIERES | FILMMAKER Q&AS

We are excited to once again have our Grand Finale at the beautiful Irish Cultural Center and McClelland Library. With International films and World Premieres our Grande Finale will take us to a new world of storytelling. Our program is in order below. Our film program is about 2 hours with an intermission and a filmmaker discussion panel. The doors open at 6Pm and screenings begin at 7pm. Our Award ceremony will start around 9:30PM. We will also have interactive filming areas in the Great Hall of the castle for you to take part in and enjoy, including an epic Virtual reality journey into Ireland presented by our partners at the Irish Cultural Learning Foundation.

GENERAL ADMISSION - $20

VIP - $75 (Reserved Seat, VIP Lounge, Complimentary Popcorn, VIP Gifts and More)

ALL FESTIVAL VIP $200 (Reserved Seats, VIP Lounge, Complimentary Popcorn, VIP Gifts and More, Pre Party)

The Irish Cultural Center and McClelland Library is located on Central about one block north of Roosevelt. The Roosevelt Station is the best stop for the Valley Metro Light rail and is just a few steps from the events entrance.

Address1106 N Central AvePhoenix, AZ 85004United States

*NO REFUNDS AVAILABLE ALL OF OUR PROCEEDS BENEFIT ARTISTS, PLEAS DON'T ASK FOR REFUNDS

STANKFACE / MUSIC VIDEO

FEATURING A$H DA HUNTER

Directed by Mato Wayuhi

Mato Wayuhi is a multidisciplinary artist originally from South Dakota. He works in film/TV both as a producer and musical composer, as well as writing his own music, garnering critical acclaim from NPR, Tidal, Amazon Music, and Apple Music. Most notably, Mato is the composer for the award-winning FX/Hulu series Reservation Dogs and the feature-length film War Pony, which won the Caméra d'Or prize at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. He is also featured on the 2023 Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Hollywood & Entertainment

"Mato’s music is everything that good Indigenous art is right now. We are in a Renaissance and his music speaks directly to that movement. It’s unapologetic, it doesn’t need permission to exist and it’s made with an urgency — An urgency to move us into a new era" says Sterlin Harjo, creator and showrunner of Reservation Dogs. A recent graduate of the University of Southern California, Mato continues to work and play in Los Angeles, spending parts of his summers bumming around with family back home.

EASTWEST / SHORT DOC

EASTWEST is a short documentary featuring decker. and their epic journey to record a 16 piece ensemble at the historic Hollywood Studio known as Eastwest Studios. Through this journey Brandon Decker guides us through his process and the groups vision to help the community heal, transcend, and ultimately come together through music. Directed by award winning filmmaker Matty Steinkamp, this film gives those who are suffering a chance to breathe and be ok with the process of loss and pain.

Director Matty Steinkamp

*WORLD PREMIERE

WOMAN IN BLUE / SHORT DRAMA

*International Competition

New Zealand

An ex-policewoman relives her memories from a dementia ward.

Featuring Temuera Morrison and Tanea Heke

Directed by Jack O'Donnell

Jack has directed fictional short films including Copper (2014) and Tama (2017), which he co-directed with Deaf filmmaker Jared Flitcroft, and screened at many film festivals including imagineNATIVE in Toronto and Hawai'i International Film Festival. As a video director he works for New Zealand Parliament where he has made documentaries, including Rainbow Voices of Aotearoa New Zealand (2019), which screened in several film festivals around the world.

MA - ASHRA / SHORT DRAMA

*International Competition *US Premiere

Pakistan

Ma-Ashraa - A story of a bride breaks up with her groom last minute due to having doubts about the idea of marriage.

Directed by Muneeb Adil

Muneeb Adil is an experienced filmmaker who has a diverse portfolio with working on feature films like Maalik and music videos like Zawal Kyun. He Brought his professional yet creative vision on board as a director and make the Ma-Ashra possible.

MY BOYFRIEND / SHORT COMEDY

*International Competition *US Premiere

New Zealand

A short comedy about waking up next to a long-term partner and thinking "Who the hell is this?".

Directed by Ella Hope-Higginson

Ella Hope-Higginson is a Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland/ New Zealand) based actor, writer and filmmaker.She graduated from Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School. She directed her first funded short "Waitress" last year which was viewed over 26thousand times on facebook within the first months of its release. She is a multiple- award nominated playwright and her work as an actor has allowed her to observe and learn firsthand from some of Aotearoa’s most established and talented filmmakers with recent credits including feature films: The Power of the Dog (Jane Campion) Ablaze (Josh Frizzle) The Rehearsal (Alison Maclean) and UK co-pro The Stolen (Neil Johnson). She is one of nineteen filmmakers selected to adapt and direct an essay from NZ book, Headlands: New Stories of Anxiety into a new short film. Currently she is writing her first feature, a historical coming of age drama set on a Scottish settlement in New Zealand.

Lebensraum / SHORT DRAMA

Marie Kaufmann has to face an unusual interview that decides not only her own fate.

Director Hannes Maar

*International Premiere | International Competition

Germany

Hannes Maar studierte von 2011 bis 2016 Film & Animation und verbale Kommunikation an der Technischen
Hochschule Georg-Simon-Ohm in Nürnberg. Im Rahmen seines Studiums kreierte er mehrere fiktionale Kurzfilme, die auf Festivals im In- und Ausland zahlreiche Preise gewinnen konnten. Zwischen 2017 und 2022 studiert er Regie an der größten selbstorganisierten Filmschule Europes, der filmArche in Berlin und arbeitet inzwischen als freischaffender Filmemacher und Fotograf.

Hannes Maar studied Film & Animation and Verbal Communication at the Technical University of University of Applied Sciences Georg-Simon-Ohm in Nuremberg. As part of his studies, he created several fictional short films that won numerous awards at festivals in Germany and abroad. Between 2017 and 2022, he studied directing at Europe's largest self-organized film school, filmArche in Berlin, and meanwhile works as a freelance filmmaker and photographer.

Angela's Tale / SHORT DRAMA

A film about a woman navigating through her new life after an accident while dealing with memory loss, night mares, and a strange feeling of being here before.

Director Deonna Weatherly

*Past Award Winner at Indie Film Fest *Arizona Premiere

Hailing from Indianapolis, Indiana, Deonna Weatherly is a director, cinematographer, and all around filmmaker. In 2020, she graduated from Indiana University with a Masters in Media with a specialization in narrative storytelling. Majority of her video and film works are inspired by art and storytelling with themes including but not limited to race, gender, and sexuality. She specializes in narrative fiction and documentary styled projects. In 2021, Deonna founded her own production company called Weatherhouse Company that focuses on providing safe spaces for women and people of color with hands-on and learning opportunities in the film and video industry. Weatherhouse aims to create films, build community, and encourage collaboration in the process.

FROM THE ASHES / SHORT DOCUMENTARY

From history to the present day, BIPOC communities in Phoenix have overcome countless obstacles to create a rich and thriving tapestry of art, culture, and commerce vital to the city's health. 'From the Ashes' is an ode to the history and a toast to the present and future of Phoenix.

Directed by Oladipo Makinde

Oladipo Makinde is a writer/director born and raised in Phoenix. He is the co-founder of Co-Media; a husband and proud father to Lennon, Isabella, and Sidney.

*GRANT RECIPIENT - STUDIO GRANT WITH THE GARDEN PHX

WILDCAT / SHORT DRAMA

*Arizona Premiere

Mary Todd Lincoln, who is committed to an insane asylum by her last living relative, tries to prove her
sanity with the help of a medium and her dead son. Based on true events.

Written & Directed by Cat Dale (She/Her/Hers)

An eternal optimist, writer/director Cat Dale creates characters obsessed by hope in dark worlds (the
past, the future, right f***ing now). Her writing has won the ScreenCraft Pilot Launch, Shore Scripts, is a
Nicholl Fellowship Quarterfinalist, featured on The Black List, and been part of the CANNESFILMS
UNLIMITED writing residency. She is producing co-written feature film Beasts Undiscovered in
partnership with the Jim Henson Creature Shop & Myriad Pictures, as well as attached to direct feature
film feminist western, Clara Boone.

You will not need a physical ticket to get into the event once you have purchased your tickets online. You will receive an email receipt from PayPal. Please have that on your mobil device or printed along with your ID when you come to the event's front table. We will have your name and the amount of tickets you're purchased on our list.