Human Spirit Block
Human Spirit Block
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The Creature
A couple goes to the forest to sacrifice an animal to the goblins in order for their child to be born healthy, but they are not alone in this forest. The woman considers this a superstition until she believes it herself.
Director: Muhammad Reza Yarikia
15 minutes
Another Day
A disabled photographer with cerebral palsy earns his living taking photographers for people passing by. When he reveals his interest in a local cafe worker, the girl avoids their usual encounters.
Director: Sahand Khalaj
13:39 minutes
Disgrace
Nessa is a young girl with a man interested in marrying but her brother attempts to stop the marriage because he knows his sister is not a virgin.
Director: Ali Riahee
12:45 minutes
Bad Lesbian
When she was a sophomore in college, Olivia Muse endured an emotionally abusive relationship with her first girlfriend. Four years later, Olivia still can’t help but wonder: “Did that happen to me because I’m a bad lesbian?” Since when did abuse happen in the queer community? And why isn’t anyone talking about this?
Now, Olivia is tired of the silence. Through documenting her own recovery, Olivia challenges the narrative of abuse, empowers other survivors, and tries to motivate change in a community from within.
Director: Ava Palmo
33:42 minutes
Forged In Steel
This documentary short details the American workers of the Bethlehem Steel Plant. The history and importance Bethlehem Steel had in making America what it is today comes straight from the mouths of men who worked there for decades. From building the country to saving it, Forged in Steel shares the story of what hard work can do for the community and beyond.
Director: Matthew Ryan Heffner
7:08 minutes
Miss Chelove
Artist Cita Sadeli aka MISS CHELOVE begins work on a mural in a soon to open Indonesian coffeehouse in Washington D.C. As she paints, Cita talks about her life in the Washington D.C. area, her cultural heritage, the influence of punk and hip-hop on her life and how she came to fall in love with graffiti in the 1980’s when there were few women drawn to the culture at the time. Cita drew on her Javanese heritage to create a modern woman ornamented in traditional Indonesian jewelry yet rooted in 21st century youth culture. Filmmaker Sara T. Gama’s aim was to elevate a woman’s voice from her community and visually tell her story, the result is a short documentary that unfolds Cita’s life as she creates her art, one color at a time.
Director: Sara T. Gama
15:30 minutes
The Gold Teeth
An Afghan refugee in Canada asks a refugee dentist to extract her late father’s gold teeth before they bury him.
Director: Alireza Kazemipour
15 minutes
Split Ends
A family commits an immoral act due to financial debt.
Director: Mohammad Najaf Shahrestanaki
18:53 minutes