Films in 2019 UMFF

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The 2019 Universe Multicultural Film Festival Selections 

 Feature Films

    Chase
USA|82 min Feature|Action
Director/Writer/Producer: Michael Matteo Rossi
Producers: Katrina Nelson, Jane Badler
Cast: DamienPuckler, Aries Spears, Jessica Morris, Skye Townsend, Richard Riehle, Paul Duke, SimeonPanda
Synopsis: Chase is a cold calculated hit man whose best friend and mentor Miles, looks at him like a golden racehorse. Things start to strain between the two once Chase's girlfriend Blair tries to form a wedge between them. Miles concocts a plan to keep Chase in line which results in absolute chaos for all parties.
  Romance of Noble Man
China|107 min Feature|Opera|Drama
Director:Jianying Han
Writer: Zhou Luo
Producer: Guoping Ji, Zhengcheng Li
Cast:Zhengcheng Li, Zhuonan Zhang, Ruilian Ge, Hai Wang, Jun Chen, Jun Sheng
Synopsis: In later Eastern Jin Dynasty, a powerful minister Wen Heng was planning to take over the power of the emperor. According to Heng’s power, the emperor has to hand his crown over to Heng. Before announcing it, the emperor called his close minister An Xie to discuss about the announcement. With the responsibility to the country, Xie made his own decision.
           
     

Nawal the Jewel
India|121 min Feature|Family | Drama
Director/ Writer/ Producer: Renjilal Damodaran
Synopsis: A 23-year-old I rani lady named Jabari has been raped by an intelligence bureau officer and in turn she decides to murder him. Even through the human rights have interfered to try and save her from the law but to no avail. The Irani government makes the decision to hang her till death.  

  Survive or Die
Australia|63 min Feature|Action | Adventure
Director: Daniel Okoduwa, Mike Kang
Writer: Daniel Okoduwa
Producer: Daniel Okoduwa
Cast: Felino Dolloso
Synopsis: A boat of refugees and asylum seekers make it to a remote uninhabited part of Australia, only to realize Hell has just begun. Nations that once offered hope are now burning with hate. The mass exodus of people becomes inevitable when lands become inhospitable. 
           
 

Short Films

 

 

  Burying Mitchell
USA|23min Short|Drama
Director/ Writer: Sam Williamson
Producer: Deb Williamson, Cameron Logan Cox
Cast: Sharon Conley, Sarah McGuire
Synopsis: Two women meet at the funeral of their ex-husband. In order to collect a $1 million life insurance policy, they must bury him by hand.

 

     

Dear Jessica
Russia|9min Short|Drama|Romance|Action
Director/ Producer: Alina Reyzelman
Synopsis: This short film follows Anna, a young woman who is fighting for her rights to be herself. She is gay, grieving and desperate for society to understand her point of view. However, society is only interested in its own agenda and only wants to break and change Anna in the way they see fit.

           
    Running Between the Crack of Time
USA|25min Short|Drama
Director: YichengXue
Writer: ZhenghanShuai
Producer:Yibo Fan
Cast: Bryan Jansyn, Emilie Rose Danno
Synopsis: Jack, who comes to Chicago to find his ex-girlfriend, accidently saves Mae who is running away from a Chinese gangster. The two cannot face the fact that they are falling in love because they are both still stuck in the past. Will they be able to get over the past when they cross paths once again?
    Viva Diva
USA|15min Short|Drama|Road Trip
Director/Writer/Producer: Daniel Flores
Cast: Mya Taylor, Lilly Warhammer, Joseph Runningfox
Synopsis: Viva Diva is a road trip movie following Rozene and Diva as they make their way down to Guadalajara for their gender affirmation surgeries. Rozene stops in on her father to try and get answers about their fractured relationship, but drama stands in the way of her getting the closure she seeks.

 

           
 

Youth Made & Student Films

  Dog Tag
USA|14min Short|Youth-Made Film|Drama|History |War
Directors: Diana Zhang, Eason Wang
Writer: Diana Zhang
Producers: Miao Tian, Wei Wang
Cast: Ruixuan Zhao, John Carney
Synopsis: The short film “Dog Tag” was adapted by Diana Zhang’s original short story “the Monument”. The film tells the story of a little girl who experienced her father died in a war and how well she understood when she saw some old soldiers were suffered mentally and physically. Please give peace a chance!
  The Story of Turban
India|6min Short|Youth-Made Film|Documentary
Director/ Writer/ Producer: Tanmay Srivastava
Synopsis: A documentary on the history of different styles of turbans in India from the North to the South.
           
    Expend
USA|4 min Short| Student Film| Stop Motion
Director/ Writer/Producer: Bismark Fernandes
Co- Producer: Jahnvi Shah
Synopsis: A stop-motion film about a man’s endless hunt for elusive energy sources in a decaying world.
  Marching Forward
USA|61 min Feature| Student Film| History| African American| Civil Rights
Director/ Producer: Oswmer Louis
Co- Directors: Dr. Lisa Mills, Dr. Robert Cassanello
Synopsis: This film is the history of two dedicated high school band directors – one black, one white – inspired by music to cross color lines in the Deep South and work together for the sake of their students. Resulting in a once in a lifetime experience for Orlando’s black and white students. 
           
 

Music Video 

  Comment Te Traduire ( How can I Tell You)
Italy|5min Short|Music Video
Director/Producer/Animation: Barbara Creutz
Music Composition / Voice: Lembe Lokk
Video Image: Nasr Djepa
Color Corrections: Ollivier Legurun
Synopsis: The words and woes of exile by Estonian poet-singer Lembe Lokk. How Can I Tell You is her sentimental journey through language and imagery.
  Toronto Tabla Ensemble: Faceoff
Canada|5min Short|Music Video
Director/Writer/Producer: Melissa Das-Arp
Synopsis: Four musicians try to evoke a beautiful dancer for an intense rhythmic faceoff. 
           
  Heartache
UK|4min Short|Music Video
Director: Katherine Evans
Producer: Josh Bamber
Cast: Christen Kwame
Synopsis: A heartbroken man portraying a message of pure emotion. We face pain alone and this is shown as the artist walks a lonely path pouring his heart out amongst the beauty and healing surrounding of nature. 
  The Parliament of Souls
Czech Republic|3min Short|Music Video
Director/Writer/Producer: Mikoláš Orlický
Writer: Vladimir Van Maula
Producer/Music By: Zdeněk Beran
Lyrics: Michal Horáček
Cast: Ivana Chýlková, Zuzana Šimáková
Synopsis: This international project is dedicated to all souls and remembers those who can no longer be with us. We believe that art connects us, enriches us and makes us more receptive and tolerant. We hope to remind everyone to be grateful for the gift of our departed ancestors and important personalities in society.