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This collection of narrative shorts explores a range of human emotions and cinematic styles, from futuristic animation to satire. Films include: “Peanut Butter Shot,” “Long Live Xander the Great,” “The Magic Ticket,” “The Steak,” “Cinemeta,” “Cheddar,” and “The Sprayer.”

In this program


A woman in army uniform looking to the side with an ‘army values’ poster next to her

Peanut Butter Shot

Directed by Paige Compton

A young Army sergeant daydreams about a magical love. Hesitation, bad timing, and an over-zealous doctor leave the young sergeant wishing she would’ve taken her shot instead of receiving one.

A man and a child running on the beach right next to the water

Long Live Xander the Great

Directed by Devin Scott

Jordan looks back on his childhood and comes to the realization, as we all do, that his parents were not the heroes he imagined them to be, but just people with hopes, dreams and flaws like the rest of us.

A homeless woman sitting at the table looking defeated with small lights behind her

The Magic Ticket

Directed by Yelena Krivosheyeva

A homeless female veteran orders dinner at an upscale restaurant when an angry patron calls the police. When the cops try to escort Penny out, it triggers her trauma.

A man in uniform crouching in front of a little girl holding a yellow balloon

The Steak

Directed by Kiarash Dadgar

A birthday ceremony preparation gets upside down as something horrible takes place.

Two men on stage with the spotlight on them in an empty theater

Cinemeta

Directed by James Arterberry

Two military veterans turned amateur filmmakers embark upon a mission to produce the perfect, festival-worthy, short film.

A man conversing with a yellow alien in the dark

Cheddar

Directed by Ryan Murtha

Scott’s night is thrown into chaos when an alien spaceship crash lands into his proposal picnic.

Animated photo of two people in hazmat suits and military uniforms standing in a ruined city

THE SPRAYER

Directed by Farnoosh Abedi

In the land occupied by the sprayer’s army, no one has the right to grow any kind of plants, either in public or private. When a soldier finds a seed buried deep down in the dust, his curiosity leads to something extraordinary, big, and revolutionary.

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