The 2020 Universe Multicultural Film Festival Selections
Feature Films
Auspicious China | 100min | Feature Drama Director: Shu Zhang Synopsis: The story happened in the 1970s, Li Fei, a young well-educated man met an ethnic girl, Na Zhu, in Lugu Lake. They fell in love since they met but missed the chance to be together for three times. It's a film to display the beauty of Lugu Lake and the Mosuo Culture.
Kiana’s Apache Ceremony Morocco | 52min | Feature Drama Director: Dounia Benjelloun Mezian Synopsis: In the middle of the White Mountain Apache reservation near Pinetop, Arizona, Kiana, a twelve-year-old Native American girl, prepares to celebrate her passage into adulthood. Surrounded by her tribe, she bravely embarks upon her initiation ritual, a demanding experience filled with symbolism and color, where song and dance intermingle from another time. Her journey through this ancestral rite of passage will instill her with patience and perseverance for the rest of her life
Mustang Saviors USA | 100min | Feature Drama Director: David Glossberg Synopsis: American veterans are killing themselves by the thousands each year. It is a national tragedy on an epic scale. But a remarkable treatment is proving more powerful than ever imagined: Wild mustangs taken straight off the range! Pairing them with veterans is miraculously turning despair into enduring hope!
The Borderline Zambia | 93min | Feature Drama Director: Peter Langmead Synopsis: What does it profit a man if he gains the world but loses his mind? In a desperate bid to make a success of his life and become rich in the future, Faustino, a poacher and failed gemstone dealer, sells his soul to the devil.
Short Films
Artist's Block USA | 3min | Short Drama Director: Diego Lacámara Synopsis: A long-abandoned animated project comes to life to antagonize the artist into completing it.
I Resign USA | 7min | Short Drama Director: Jay Mohan Synopsis: “I Resign” is the first public short film about Institutional Racism that received over 100,000 views on Youtube within 7 days! It is alarming to note that anti-national, anti-constitutional ideas of racism and race superiority are spreading fast in the land of freedom, especially in enterprises, threatening the very own foundation this great country was built upon. This short film is a look into the question - Is racism spreading in United States now?
Morning flavors Morocco | 26min | Short Drama Director: Damir Yaqouti, Hassan Yaqouti Synopsis: While going out early, playing for the first time, with his friends, Omar will live playful situations as stimulating as worrying. It starts with ordinary games and ends in a collective larceny. A larceny that will destabilize the inside of the pre-teenager.
Passage USA | 6min | Short Drama Director: Asavari Kumar Synopsis: Finding herself in a state of limbo, an Indian woman revisits her immigration journey and voyages through a tempestuous emotional landscape of memory, identity, belonging and the illusion of the American Dream.
Youth Made & Student Films
90 Days To Leave India | 23min | Youth/Student Short Director: Tanmay Srivastava Synopsis: This short documentary is about the expulsion of the South Asian population in the African Country of Uganda. In 1972 this community which comprises of Indians, Pakistanis and others were ordered by the country's dictator, Idi Amin to leave the country within 90 days or face all kinds of persecution.
Deaf Reach: Hope for Pakistan USA | 11min | Youth/Student Short Director: John Quatroche Synopsis: In Pakistan, an American ex-patriot and his Filipina wife have led the development of educational opportunities for deaf children and young adults for over 20 years. They began with nothing more than a dream and now have educated more than 5,000 deaf students; established Deaf Reach schools in 8 different cities, and have current enrollment over 1,200. “Deaf Reach: Hope for Pakistan,” a documentary short film, tells their story and highlights some of their students, parents, graduates, and staff. The film also spotlights recent achievements in international collaboration and higher education..
My Destiny, Their Call Lebanon | 17min | Youth/Student Short Director: Anthony Merchak Synopsis: Leila , is a Lebanese 18 years old girl, who was raped by her cousin and forced to marry him , with the consent of her family to avoid a scandal. After the wedding night , she returns home with her drunk husband who again tries to rape her. At this moment, she recalls the past incident and how she filed a lawsuit against her husband but does he found guilty ?..
Waiting Room USA | 9min | Youth/Student Short Director: James Werbe Synopsis: Four teens consider their deaths, and find things are more familiar than first expected.
Music Video and TV
Black Champagne USA | 6min | Music Video Director: Jeremiah Williams Synopsis: Priestess Queen Suraya and Priest-King Jamari are the leaders of the magical Nemanyo civilization and derive their powers from an ancient lotus flower that was brought to earth from their ancestors thousands of years ago. Envious of their sacred power and magic, the Nemanyo fall under siege by the Czar of Chezidak and his horde of militants. Left for dead, Suraya and Jamari rise from their war-torn sunken city to reclaim their power and set their beloved people free.
One World Family Germany | 4min | Music Video Director: Marco Gässler, Marcos Negrao Synopsis: Angelina and Rosalie perform on stage since they were 5 and 7 years old. They want to bring people of all ages and backgrounds closer together to bring about positive changes in the world
Requiem for the Living UK | 6min | Music Video Director: Jaroslaw Gogolin Synopsis: This film is for our dear deceased relatives and friends ...a message from them to us... to comfort us... and (maybe) it has a deeper message ... Everyone, in their own way, will receive this film and its message ... there is no single interpretation, there are as many as people in the world ...
Egg Car Taiwan | 11min | TV Episode Director: Chang, Kai-Hsiang Synopsis: This is an adventure story about exploring, courage, and problem-solving. There are different kinds of creatures with wheel-shaped feet on the 5 islands. In order to rescue the village and family, Dash, an imperfect egg-shaped car who can use gems to transform, starts the journey with his buddies.
