WIFSFBA Presents
SHORT FILM SHOWCASE
September 15th-21st • Viewing and Voting
September 22nd - 7pm-9pm • Filmmaker Q&A and Audience Awards
Featured Films
THE LITTLE MASTERS
Directed and Produced by Nan Su - Documentary - 07:37 min
This documentary focuses on how Asian American children and teenagers participate in different activities at the Scouts BSA in San Francisco during their growth to have a better life. It also explores the inner state of Asian American children and encourages them to be more independent.
THE LAST PICTURE
Directed and Written by Ally May, Produced by Ally May and Trevor B. Nagle - 08:26
When two strangers come into her diner, a waitress suspects things are not as they appear and she learns to regret her inaction.
ROUNDUP
Creative Director Carolyn Scott - 02:37 min
Find out what is in California wine.
Toxic pesticides like glyphosate and neonicotinoids are putting species like monarch butterflies and bees at risk of extinction – and without these critical pollinators, our food system is at risk.
PEARL IN THE WINDOW
Directed and Written by Nil Unerdem, Produced by Nil Unerdem and Charles Anderson - 16:25 min
When her chipper caregiver goes missing, an isolated, irritable old woman fearfully goes on a journey to find her, embracing her need for connection on the way.
OLD SPELLER
Directed and Produced by Kathleen Antonia Tarr - 05:45 min
Based on Kennedy Center Citizen Artist Fellow and Bay Area local Marvin K. White's poem of the same name, "Old Speller" is a comedic take on the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
I AM NORMAL
Directed by Olia Oparina - Drama - 20:00 min
In a drama inspired by The Rosenhan experiment, a woman fakes the symptoms of a mentally unstable patient to get into a mental institution for a secret psychiatric experiment.
HEARTBEAT ON THE STRINGS
Directed and Produced by Nan Su - Drama - 07:57 min
A teen violinist named Adonis realizes his deep emotions for his neighbor Gemma after he thinks something unexpected happened to her.
CARVED IN TIME
Directed and Produced by Nan Su - Documentary - 09:23 min
As the unique crafts of traditional Chinese brick carving are on the verge of being lost, a young Chinese brick carver works assiduously to protect this precious Intangible Cultural Heritage and carry forward splendid traditional Chinese culture. This film explores the theme of tenacity through the documentary form.
A DRESS FOR RACHEL
Directed by Ally May, Produced by Tony Reate - 16:37 min
Bereft Cal enters her teenage daughters bedroom. Carefully she meanders through her daughters possessions which represent her child’s short life, and she touches and smells all the items her beloved Rachel had cherished. Overcome with grief, she lies in Rachel’s bed, and doses off. She awakes to the sound of Rachel calling her name and together they choose a burial dress for Rachel and say their final good bye.
About the Filmmakers
Olia Oparina
Inspired by Soviet Propaganda and Siberian fairytales, Olia directs stories that explore the primal emotions and tap into the human psyche. As a multi-linguist with a diverse background. Olia focuses on folk thrillers and psychological dramas that explore the world’s diversity and mythology. Olia is currently a member of a Blackmagic “Future Directors of Studio Features” initiative. Her first feature film was screened at the 70th Cannes Marche Du Film and distributed worldwide.
Kathleen Antonia Tarr
Kathleen Antonia Tarr is founder and producer of the annual Getting Played Symposium on Equity in the Entertainment Industry and Awards, companion to Tarr's 2016 law review article "Bias and the Business of Show: Employment Discrimination in the 'Entertainment' Industry" and born of her feature documentary "Getting Played: Who’s Playing You?!" which received Honorable Mention at the 2010 International Black Women’s Film Festival. Tarr's short animation "I Have All The Feelings" was an Official Selection at IBWFF in 2014, and the next year 2015, her short "Early Aliens" was an Official Selection at ASTRONOMMO: Speculative Fiction on Film + Black Women, also curated by the great Adrienne Anderson. As Kathleen Antonia, Tarr is an award-winning vocalist with stage, film, television, video game, and commercial acting credits including House, Trauma, and Sundance Film Festival award winner Dopamine. Tarr returned to the Sundance screen in 2022 (as self) in Nina Menkes's documentary Brainwashed: Sex–Camera–Power to be released theatrically this fall. When Tarr isn't writing/acting/singing/filmmaking, she may be spotted teaching racism, misogyny, and U.S. law at Bay Area institutions and competing in the RowErg and track & field throws: discus, shot put, javelin, and her favorite, the hammer. #donthurtem
Nan Su
As an independent filmmaker and educator, Nan is enjoying her time writing, directing, producing, and doing post-production on her own and other’s film and TV projects. She also has experience working in the festival world, including the San Francisco International Film Festival, Poppy Jasper International Film Festival, and San Francisco Green Film Festival. Nan holds an MFA in Film from the California College of the Arts.
Nan is called to reveal the commonalities of all human beings through examining unique cultures. She seeks to communicate with her audience and have a spiritual resonance with them through the peaks and valleys of her stories.
With five years of professional experience and several volunteer experiences, Nan is proficient in multiple aspects of the filmmaking process. Her film projects have been selected for, nominated for, and won awards at different film festivals.
Nil Unerdem
Originally from Istanbul, Nil Unerdem grew up in the south Bay Area and majored in electrical engineering at Stanford. She worked in tech for 18 years until 2019 when she started to pursue filmmaking full-time. Over the years, she’s taken screenwriting classes at the SF Film Arts Foundation (now SFFILM), the Writers Grotto, and Sundance Collab. She completed a one year film program at the San Francisco Film School and has written several screenplays and a comedy pilot. She’s interested in subtle, poetic stories about loneliness and relationships interwoven with comedy. Her favorite directors are Philip Kaufman, Alexander Payne, and Chloe Zhao.
Carolyn Scott
Award Winning Producer/Director/Filmmaker and Educator with more than 25 years leading teams in education, technical and film endeavors. Carolyn was chosen by the National Women’s History Project as one of 100 women worldwide for Women Taking the Lead To Save The Planet! The 100 honorees include: Jane Goodall, Rachel Carson, and Diane Wilson.
Ally May
Writer-Director Ally May is a California girl who proudly grew up in East San Jose, a poor neighborhood of low-riders and migrant workers. Seeing the world through the lens of that tough neighborhood and resilient community has given Ally an eye for finding the beauty in tragedy. Ally attended the UCLA Writing Program, the Academy of Film Writing, SF Film School, the Directing Actors Workshops and Sundance Directing Actors Program. She has written several award-winning screenplays that have been finalists in Athena, Page, Final Draft Finalist and others. Ally has also directed 4 short films that have placed in festivals including - Napa Valley Film Festival, Los Angeles Independent Film Fest and she recently won Best Narrative Short in the Toronto International Women Film Festival. Ally is visual writer and director who abhors exposition. She writes emotional thrillers and drama features, filled with mood and tone and messy female protagonists. She creates visually beautiful, emotionally haunting, deeply disturbing stories that stay with the audience long after they've put down the pages or left the theater.