The 2023 Universe Multicultural Film Festival Selections
Feature Films
Between Two Worlds United States|1:43:00 Director: Alice Larson Scott Between Two Worlds is a fictionalized story based on the Old Testament Prophet, Daniel. Technology and old world clash as government leaders are corrupt and failing the people. Territory lines are being redefined and loyalty is a thing of the past. Daniel Abrams, a young man facing the reality of imminent invasion from the rising city of Babylon and its sadistic ruler, Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel is forced to embrace the unknown and confront his doubts as he finds himself caught Between Two Worlds.
Running The Bases - Feature |United States|2:00:00 Director: Marty Roberts, Jimmy Womble A small-town high school baseball coach gets the offer of a lifetime from a large 6A school. He uproots his family and leaves the only home they have ever known. He soon learns that things run differently in the big city. For this nine-time state championship coach, winning is secondary to creating young men of character and integrity. As a man of faith, he faces extreme opposition to his coaching methods from the school superintendent. After the loss of his wife, the superintendent struggles with faith and builds emotional walls that even his own son cannot breakthrough. He turns his bitterness towards the new coach, chipping away at the very thing that makes the coach who he is.
THE TALE OF THE FROG AND THE GOLDEN ORB |Germany|1:30:00 Director: Chau Ngo Two brothers make a living by swindling valuable goods from royal houses through false courtship. They also try to obtain the dowry of the marriage candidate Princess. When the older brother Gai falls in love with her younger sister Matilda and thus gives up the actual plan. The young fairy Fingerhut awkward transformation Gai becomes a frog…
STEM Roots |United States|60:00 Director: Marcell L Pickens, Jr. Many families are turning to genetic engineering to better connect with the family roots from where they originate. When applied to hands-on projects in genetic engineering, this knowledge can be used to help students build confidence in the STEM capabilities, while learning more about their ancestral history. ESTe2M Builders is a company that aims to further Science, Technology, Engineering, Entrepreneurship, and Math (STe2M) education.
Short Films
Aforoz(The Banishment) |Kurdish Turkey|20:00 Director: YILMAZ ÖZDIL ZIKO, a young sleepwalker, is exiled from his village for a "serious sin" he committed in his sleep. This decision is also announced to all the surrounding villages so that no one can house and feed him. On a cold winter's day, half-naked and hungry, Ziko has to cross several villages to reach the city. The same day, a deaf-mute hunter, unaware of all this, must also cross the same villages
Pray |China|17:00 Director: Lumen Chao The boy Suder rescued a lamb and prayed for his brother Bilge that all would be well, while the brother wanted to sell the lamb for gambling.
Salvation |Armenia|23:27 Director: Temur Hovhannisyan This movie is about faith and the miracle it can lead to. It’s a story about a sick woman with no chance for life. Devastated and hopeless her son pays a visit to the most powerful St Hovhaness Ghaltaghchi church. He asks God to heal his mother. So with the help of God she recovers.
The Nightmare |China|4:13 Director: Cece Jiao The Nightmare is a stop motion animation inspired by the Dunhuang fresco titled Mara’s Attack found in Cave 254 of the Mogao Grottos, and captures the silent struggles of mental illness. The tale unfolds over three chapters. “The Dancer” follows the anxiety of a dancer about her appearance. The harder she pursues outward beauty and perfection, the more cracked and fissured her face becomes.“Phobia” is a glimpse into the Horseman’s unease and fear of being exposed to social activity. “Insomnia” is the wakeful dream of a depressed insomniac
Youth Made & Student Films
Big Trouble in Little America |China|9:05 Director: Qiyue Sun Haunted by wet dreams on her newly bought mattress every night, 'Chinese Girl' goes on a journey to cleanse herself of the spirits with help from her Chinese heritage.
Fitting In |United States|3:38 Director: Mark Leschinsky "Fitting In" is a symbolic social-impact film that draws a parallel between fitting into shoes and fitting into society, and, in doing so, it inspires us to embrace our unique personalities.
The Healers |China|32:10 Director: Ruiqi Yang, Haitong Lian, Xiaotian Lu, Tianshui Li This documentary was filmed in the early spring of 2022 and tells of the life and yearnings of three doctors at Ansteel Group General Hospital with different personalities: Deputy Chief Physicians Zhang Ning and Li Ning of Cardiology Department, and Deputy Chief Physician Liu Xin of Obstetrics and Gynecology Department.
Seven heavenly fairies wish for humanity |United States|7:12 Director: Katherine Linrui Liu In the beautiful Heavenly palace, seven fairies are dancing to celebrate the Queen Mother's birthday. The fairies take advantage of this rare free time to play in the heavenly palace and watch the scenes in the human world. They are moved by the happy, free and colorful life in the human world, as they confide in each other's troubles and show their yearning for freedom and happiness. In fact, the troubles mentioned by the fairies, such as the queen mother not allowing her hair to be dyed, pierced ears and eyes, etc., are not the troubles in the sky, but the real troubles of the little actors who play the fairies in real life. The clever combination makes the film full of fun and thought-provoking.
Music Video and Film Songs
A Name in Your Book |United States|4:29 Director: Elizabeth Mantia This is the second part of a trilogy conveying the heartbreak of a romantic relationship. Singer Songwriter Allen Ling tells his story through lyrics, music and film. "A Name in Your Book" is about a special kind of journal his lover keeps, and what happens when his lover tires of him and moves on to her next adventure.
Eyes Wide Open (From "North Star") |United Kingdom|3:15 Director: SoundWave Studios Music Group "Eyes Wide Open"(from "North Star" soundtrack)I know you with eyes wide open//All you conceal let out/If my spirits broken/It never made a sound/I'm here but you can follow/Long gone out of reach/To forget what I'd forgotten/But the truth is love won't let me be/Let me be/Let me be/Let me be/I walk and the air felt heavy/Dust spread across the room/I know how I got here/But I came here far too soon/You saw me break a promise/That was not meant to be/Don't forgive me till it's honest/Won't your mind change?/A sign is all I need/All I need/It's all I need/All I need
Farsh-e-Parandeh (Flying Carpet) |Australia|6:24 Director: Leila Honari Inspired by philosopher Attar’s Conference of Birds (1177) and using the structure of a phenakistoscope Farsh-e-Parandeh (Flying Carpet) shows the effort of a group of migratory seabirds trapped in the frames of the looped universe of an animated Persian carpet. These birds symbolically reflect the current environmental and migration crises of humans. The work provides a window into an alternate history of animation when the circle rather than the rectangular screen was foremost. Farsh-e-Parandeh represents unity, wholeness and the divine narrative of the eternal return and is a meditative celebration of the human condition.
Legendary Visionary
|Canada|2:53
Director: Rupan Bal
TV Episode
Los Aspirantes(THE APPLICANTS) |SPAIN|15:00 Director: YOLANDA BROWN MELIÁN KEVIN RAMOS FERNÁNDEZ It is a hilarious comedy set in a recruitment agency called Holliwood where everything turns into a desaster. Every single person in the office is tempted into getting a better job and they compete with the applicants for that purpose. Most of the situations a really surrealistic and funny so you never know what is going to happen.The more jobs offered, more [...]
Psychics/Экстрасенсы |Russian Federation|27:00 Director: Roman Bataev Three Loser Psychics attract the attention of journalist Anna, who decides to make a revealing film with their participation. In the course of the investigation, Anna not only begins to feel sympathy for the charismatic trinity, but also begins to doubt that their activities are an absolute fake.
Street Living United States|10:00 Director: Magi Avila Our world is a crazy place. But it's also a beautiful place. This duality is the same one we see in people. We are flawed beings, perfectly imperfect. Most people want to look past those who have problems, believing they should get over their issues. But for these people, change is one of the hardest things they can encounter. In Street Living, Baron is in the center of this world where he is just trying to feel free from the world around him. He lets in only those who allow him to be himself and don't force him to fall in line. He moves between shelters and beds, constantly on the edge of being homeless but lucky enough to find enough resources to keep his restlessness going.
The Desire To Live - Web Series |Armenia|20:00 Director: Mariam Avetisyan Meet Mariam Avetisyan, a brave young filmmaker from Artsakh with her no-commentary-style documentary web series to show post-war life in Artsakh called #TheDesireToLive.The aftermath of the 2020 war on the Indigenous population living in Artsakh and the how their livelihood has been affected and threatened until today, living in a world of uncertainty with very little resolve in the horizon
Special Screening Films
“On Matriarchy Lake “ is first ever cinema made in Mosuo, the last matriarchal society tribe in China, also doubled as the 'Kingdom of Women'
On Matriarchy Lake USA | 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.
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