2021 OFFICIAL SELECTIONS & SCHEDULE
Thank you to Ifeoluwani Olaore for your generosity and support.
Closing Night Drive In Event
DIFF's CLOSING NIGHT DRIVE IN EVENT (9/27)
Come to the Dixie Twin Drive In and enjoy an evening of Stiver's High School Shorts and the Dayton Independent Film Festival Award Winners!
The films will begin at 8:15 PM sharp, but we highly suggest arriving by 8 PM in order to park, tune in and get snacks. Bring a mask to enjoy the Dixie Twin yummy concessions! Students of any institution are invited to come for free! General Admission is $5 per person. A percentage of all ticket sales will go to support YWCA Dayton.
Note: Some of the films may contain content that is not suitable for children and attendees must wear masks when entering and going to the concession stand.
2021 Drive In Lineup
Stiver’s HS Shorts:
It Knocks by Caleb Earick
About: An unexpected knock late at night causes two boys to investigate.
When I told her I love you by Caleb Earick
About: Loving someone can be difficult.
The Widow by Danaysha Woodard
About: A woman mourns, as detectives question her about her husband's death.
No One by Danaysha Woodard
About: As a young woman housesits, she hears strange noises. Are they outside of the house, or inside of her head?
Bruised by Leigha Strozier
About: A lonely girl.
2021 Shorts Awards Winners:
Come on, Shake Your Body Baby, Do the Conga! (Best Bite Size Flick - Super Short)
About: All Tim wants to do is ask Jane to dance.
Golden Age Karate (Best Innovative Technique)
About: Inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame at 10 years old, Jeff Wall is a teenage karate pro. But that’s not even his greatest achievement.
Slushie (Best Local Film)
About: In small town Appalachia, a Christian pop band dreams of a world tour while navigating bored church crowds, bad recording sessions, and a budding romance.
The Spinning Man (Best Fiction Film)
About: In the aftermath of a nuclear apocalypse, a lone radio DJ seeks connection.
The Girl Inside (Best Documentary)
About: The Girl Inside is a poignant look at the stories of incarcerated women within Cook County Jail and a life-changing academic course taught by Dr. Laura Biagi called, “Storytelling as a Healing Art.”
2020: Through Our Eyes (Best of Festival Student)
About: University of Dayton Media Production students shed light on the stories of those in the Dayton community as they navigate the physical & mental struggles of 2020.
We Still Make Things (Best of Festival)
About: When COVID-19 hit the U.S., the nation’s personal protective equipment (PPE) supply chain fell apart. Determined to protect their frontline medical staff, a Dayton, Ohio hospital took matters into their own hands.
DOC SHORTS: The Power Within Us
Do You Remember
Directed by
Imani Menefee
A college student reflects back on the year leading up to the Covid-19 Pandemic and the after effects during a vicious election cycle.
Silver Lining
Directed by
Yanyi Xie
During the COVID19 pandemic, Chicago drag artist Brent Perrotti recreated his stage inside his studio apartment in transitioning to virtual shows. Besides streaming, he also turned the quarantine into a chance to start his YouTube channel where he teaches knitting in drag.
The Girl Inside
Directed by
Jason Knade
The Girl Inside is a poignant look at the stories of incarcerated women within Cook County Jail and a life-changing academic course taught by Dr. Laura Biagi called, “Storytelling as a Healing Art.” This short documentary reunites Dr. Biagi with five of her former students for a special one day course on the transformative power of our stories and our voices.
Dustin Clark: The Humanity in Who We Are
Directed by
Brandon Abbott
Dustin Clark is a musician, an artist, and a man who sees challenges as possibilities. Diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy at the age of 10, he is in a constant state of reinventing how he approaches each creative endeavor.
2020: Through Our Eyes
Directed by University of Dayton Doc Class
University of Dayton Media Production students shed light on the stories of those in the Dayton community as they navigate the physical & mental struggles of 2020.
Golden Age Karate
Directed by Sindha Agha
Inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame at 10 years old, Jeff Wall is a teenage karate pro. But that’s not even his greatest achievement. Best friends with his grandparents, Jeff wanted to pass along his passion for the dojo to a community he felt needed it most — senior citizens. He began teaching seniors self-defense at a local nursing home, giving them tools to feel in control, connected and cared for.
The Brick House in the Wind
Directed by Sangsun Choi
My wife and I came to the United States from South Korea 6 years ago. She and I were the only family members at that time but we have three children now. It is a short documentary about my family's life with three children as immigrants.
MTXE: Mental Toughness Xtra Effort
Directed by Emmanuel Terrell
MTXE is an inspirational film that follows a wrestling team from Indiana. This film is all about teamwork and how much people can accomplish when they work hard and together.
We Still Make Things
Directed by Ian Cook
When COVID-19 hit the U.S., the nation’s personal protective equipment (PPE) supply chain fell apart. Determined to protect their frontline medical staff, a Dayton, Ohio hospital took matters into their own hands. Drawing on the city’s innovation and manufacturing roots, an unlikely team came together to make sure medical workers had the protection they needed to face the uncertainty ahead.
FICTION SHORTS 2: Along for the Ride
Content Warning: drug use, language, suicidal ideation, gunshots
Come on, Shake Your Body Baby, Do the Conga!
Directed by Tom Hipp
All Tim wants to do is ask Jane to dance.
This Present Situation
Directed by Alex Caperton
When Santa has an unfortunate accident one Christmas Eve, one little girl and her mother get some unexpected holiday guests from the North Pole.
Taco Soup
Directed by Kristina Familara
On the brink of breaking up, Natalie, a young college student, tags along with her boyfriend Sam to a family dinner at his bizarre Aunt Tilly’s house.
Clap Clap Clap
Directed by Pulkit Verma
Kevin and Ron are lost in the forest and both try to find help with their own unique ways. Kevin, a free-spirited guy believes in a lot of charms while Ron, an educated banker, is more rational.
A Game of Numbers
Directed by Samantha Blevins
A private investigator uncovers the mystery of a stolen jewel in this modern comedy-noir.
Slushie
Directed by Ben Evory
In small town Appalachia, a Christian pop band dreams of a world tour while navigating bored church crowds, bad recording sessions, and a budding romance.
Ruth & Nick: A Confectionery Tale
Directed by Carter Rostron
This stop-motion animated short tells the bittersweet story of Nick, a piece of candy who falls in love with a girl who seems out of reach.
Eight Nations
Content Warning: Language
Eight Nations
Directed by Dave Parfitt
Every player dreams of the NBA, but those lucky enough to make it only represent “The 1%” when it comes to professional basketball. Eight Nations shines a light on compelling stories from the far reaches of this unique profession. Players scraping at what they can to make money and keep their dreams alive.
www.eightnations.com/
FICTION SHORTS 1: Approaching the Unknown
Content Warning: Language and Violence
Broken Umbrella
Directed by Adam Langdon
While cleaning out her father's place, Natalie finds a hidden message from her mother. With tension brewing from a tired relationship, she will come to an understanding that will shape her future. (Filmed during COVID, fall of 2020.)
Growing Season
Directed by Daniel Stemen
A young farmer and his wife must save the farm from failure while navigating the combined pressure of a family legacy and a recent cancer diagnosis.
A Long Farewell
Directed by Whitney Masters
Cat hasn’t fully processed the loss of her mother. When the memories of one of the most tragic times of her life catch up to her, she’s long gone, on another plane. This “trip” reminds her of the grief she hasn’t faced and the box she hasn’t touched for a year.
THE SPINNING MAN
Directed by Jordan Rosenbloom
In the aftermath of a nuclear apocalypse, a lone radio DJ seeks connection.
For the Love of Monsters
Directed by Claire Stanton
A soft-spoken Nigerian girl and her American-born cousin must reconcile their differences in order to defeat the monster living under their beds.
The Dangerous Type
Directed by Tipper Newton
A mechanic in a small midwestern town would do anything to leave her boring life behind.
VALANCOURT HALL
Directed by Sam Spahn
Armed with her knowledge of ghosts and Gothic literature, a young psychologist investigates a disturbance at a countryside mansion, where she uncovers secrets, suspicions, and old wounds.
FEATURE FILM: POSER
Content Warning: Language, Drug Use, Violence, Attempted Statutory Rape, Crime
POSER
Directed by Jake Striebel
*Filmmakers in Attendance*
A local skate legend returns home from rehab to star in a documentary about his recovery only to have the project derailed when a drug stash is uncovered in an old hangout spot.
‘Poser’ is the debut feature film from Ohio born Producers Jake Striebel and Jerry Ankenbauer. It stars Louie Kurtzman, son of famous SFX artist Robert Kurtzman), as well as a supporting cast from Wright State University and the surrounding Dayton, Ohio area.
RUNTIME: 1 hour 19 minutes
GENRE: Drama, Crime, Faux Documentary
"Fake punks, fake pills... what could go wrong?"