We’re closing in on the end of the festival, but that doesn’t mean things are done just yet. There’s some excellent categories to check out for today, including: Documentary, Latin, Animation, Indigenous Stories and Drama. Tickets for the final few days of the festival can be found here, with the films being streamed on BitPix shortly after they screen. Also be sure to check out our interview with Tiger‘s Loren Waters!
DOCUMENTARY III
Bloody Mess – Megan Wennberg’s very personal stop motion documentary about her own brush with a uteran thyroid issue is an eye-opening watch, with the personification of her uterus serving in place of her as she goes over the story of her struggles. It’s a wild and engaging story, with the animation style lending a hand in getting the information across while blunting the severity a bit to help it be more digestible and expressive without getting too lost in the weeds. With Susan Kent voicing Wennberg’s uterus, it’s a story that is important for so many to hear, delivered in a way that really gets the point across in a creative and unique way.
LATIN
Wannabe – Directed by Kat Cattani and written by Cattani and Raul Martin, this film tells the story of two young friends in Ecuador looking to get all-expenses paid tickets to see their favorite band, the Spice Girls. Set in 1996, at the height of the group’s popularity, Emilia (Martina Pacheco) and Marco (Gabriel Santos) spring into action to make a contest entry video to win the tickets, despite being bullied for their love of pop music, especially Marco, whose love of the girl group makes him seem much less masculine to the other boys around them, causing even more conflict as they attempt to make their entry. It’s a sweet story, and while we never get the answer as to whether or not they’ve won, the strength of their friendship and love of the same music makes it a wonderful story of bonding through hardship between two close friends.
ANIMATION II
The Synthetic Age – Dimitris Armenakis writes and directs this animated short that is both haunting and heartwarming. In this world, humans consume cartoons, and we follow the journey of an adorable animated dog as they reconnect with old friends in a bid to escape the humans and not become a meal themselves. The animation style is incredible, bordering on the psychadelic, really lending this fantastical feel to the film. It flies by at just over seven minutes, and is worth every moment.
INDIGENOUS STORIES
Tiger – The Tiger t-shirt brand is well known and synonymous with Native culture, and Loren Waters brings us closer to both the brand and the family with a documentary that tells us the history of the brand through the stories of artist and elder Dana Tiger, whose family started the company and whose legacy she has resurrected as an homage to Native community and to her family. It’s a touching story, with Dana and her family persevering through tragedy to bring back the Tiger name and to display the art created by her father into the modern world.
DRAMA II
A West Side Story Story – Ana Luz Zambrana and Aditya Joshi bring us this story of cultural importance through the lens of a culturally correct stage performance of the hit musical. Less than an hour from opening, Carolina (Zambrana) is faced with an ever mounting series of challenges, ranging from the hand-stitched authentic skirts she had made for the show being destroyed to one of the leads up and leaving just before curtain. It’s only when personal news hits Carolina near the end that everything slows down, the frenetic pace screeching to a halt for an intense emotional moment for the character, really emphasizing the importance of her culture to her and why it’s so important. It’s a really interesting take on the classic, given that the play itself is only a catalyst for the representation Carolina, and by extension, Zambrana, want to bring to the show, bringing Puerto Rican culture center stage in a brilliant way.
Now be sure to check out our interview with Loren Waters, director of Tiger!
What inspired you to make films?
Filmmaking wasn’t something I actively pursued, it found me. While studying Environmental Studies at the University of Oklahoma, one of my professors invited me to produce two short documentaries with her. I had no idea what I was doing at the time, but I dove in headfirst and learned from another Native film student on the project. That experience became a stepping stone, leading to an internship on a documentary TV show after graduation.
My journey took a pivotal turn when I began working at a production company in Tulsa founded by Sterlin Harjo, the creator of the hit show Reservation Dogs. One night, a group of us went out, and Sterlin offered to put my resume in for a production assistant job on the first season of Reservation Dogs. That opportunity completely changed my life.
From there, I began directing my own films, finding my voice and passion as a filmmaker. Tiger is my third short documentary as an independent director, and it reflects everything I’ve learned along the way. Looking back, it feels like every step, whether intentional or not, has led me to exactly where I’m meant to be. Filmmaking has given me the platform to amplify stories that matter, celebrate my community, and make a lasting impact.
What message were you trying to communicate with this film?
Films are lasting artistic legacies, and with Tiger, I want ours to convey a powerful message: creation doesn’t require perfection, it requires intention.
This film wasn’t born out of a grand plan or a well-funded vision, it was born out of a desire to tell a story that demanded to be told. We had no money, no roadmap, but we had a purpose. The story chose us, and we leaned into it with all the heart and authenticity we could muster.
I want this film to stand as a beacon of hope, showing that even in the face of adversity, we can embrace life with positivity and resilience. It’s a reminder that joy and vibrancy can coexist with trauma, and that every story has the potential to uplift and heal.
For other filmmakers, I want this film to inspire courage. You don’t need all the resources in the world to create something meaningful. If you believe deeply in your story and approach it with care, honesty, and intention, you can create something beautiful and impactful. Let this film be a testament to the fact that sometimes, the most unexpected and unplanned creations can leave the most lasting legacies.
What kind of challenges did you face while making this film?
A significant challenge we faced while making Tiger was having no budget to compensate our collaborators. Aside from a small artist grant, the project was entirely self-funded. While this financial constraint was difficult, it also became a kind of liberation.
Without outside funding or stakeholders, we had complete creative freedom. There were no higher-ups to approve decisions or leave notes on the film. We relied solely on our instincts and the trust we built with our collaborators. This autonomy allowed us to lean into the story authentically and tell it the way it needed to be told.
Additionally, we were fortunate to work with incredible editors who shared our vision and brought their talents to the table to help us shape the film. Despite the challenges, this experience reinforced the power of intention and resourcefulness in filmmaking. It showed us that with passion and collaboration, we could overcome obstacles and create something meaningful.
That’s it for today! be sure to check back tomorrow for day 9! Thanks for joining us!
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