DIFF 2020

2020 DUKE INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL PROGRAM

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D.A.R.L.I.N.G.
Josh Yip ‘20
“A cosmic voyager finds life.”

 

Lela
Kenan Kaptanoglu ‘20
“On a cold night, Arthur hears a knock at his door. He opens it to find Lela, a mysterious woman who seems to know much more about him than he knows about her.”

 

In Memory
Miranda Gershoni ‘22
“An exploration of grief and memory through sound and image.”

 

NC Folk Festival
Mingyong Cheng, MFA|EDA
“A celebration of the diverse independent artists at the 2019 NC folk festival.”

 

Godspeed
Sade Abiodun ‘18 & Freewater Productions
“A meditation on the notions of personhood, faith, and intergenerational community. Poetry, music, and visuals converge to lead us through the life of a Black girl as she becomes a Black woman.”

 

Reconsidering the Oyster
Lara Breitkruetz ‘20
“An artful interpretation of North Carolina oyster farming.”

 

Darkness Purrs
Josh Yip ‘20
“When a mysterious cat shows up on their back porch, three roommates are forced to confront the darkness beyond their four walls.”
AWARD: Best Director

 

Falling Into the Sky
Miriam Cho, Duke Divinity School
“An exploration of agoraphobia.”

 

After the Night Shift
Nick Berray ‘20
“A woman deals with the aftermath of a difficult break-up.”

 

Whale Eyes
James Robinson ‘20
“A filmmaker comes to terms with his visual condition through interviews with family, and friends.”
AWARD: Best Editing

 

Beyond the Horizon
Ryan Hill ‘20
“A mouse finds himself driven to explore the world beyond the familiar, but the tree that protects him cannot let go so easily.”

 

How Did Louisiana Lose Its Coast?
James Robinson ‘20
“As the impacts of sea level rise and increasingly powerful hurricanes converge, communities of Native Americans are once again being pushed off of their land.”

 

Quarantine
Mingyong Cheng, MFA|EDA
“An experimental look at variant emotions during the COVID-19.”

 

A Kite Without a String
Shailen Parmar ‘21
“A college student pays home to his lifelong hobby of building and flying radio control airplanes.”

Tenderfoot
Zoey Kang ’20 & Elizabeth Butcher ‘20
“A day in the life of a college freshman who navigates the social cliques and rhythms on campus.”

 

 

To Hug
Elizabeth Lee ‘21
“A vulnerable girl’s boyfriend helps her find the strength to do what she hates most: hugging.”

 

Saving Salma
James Robinson ‘20
“A documentarian combines twelve photographs, a fifteen minute vertical video, and a Skype interview to tell the heroic story of a conservation expert who saves a baby elephant in Sumatra.”

 

The Sky Turned Upside Down
Holly Ren ‘20
“The healing process of a student grappling with her Asian immigrant identity through visual poetry.”

 

daydream
John Ball ‘21
“A girl is locked within the confines of her own mind.”
AWARD: Best Cinematography

 

Who Is Chris Teufel?
Quinten Sansosti ‘20
“An intimate look at a renaissance man’s ruminations on a life fueled by a passion for artistic creation.”

 

breathe.
Cheyenne Kim ‘22
“A journey through the mind of a stressed-out, first-generation college student.”

 

The Hammocks
Lucy Burnett ‘20
“The youngest member of a professional hammocking family prepares to break a world record.”

 

Wutang
Miriam Cho, Duke Divinity School
“A trek across Durham with local artist, Wutang McDougal.”

 

When the Streets are Empty
Quinten Sansosti ‘20
“An evil presence converges on two brothers in quarantine.”

 

Sieyken: A Community at the Brink of Change
Jessica Wang ‘21
“The impact of climate change on wildlife in the indigenous community of Sieyken in the Naso territory, Panama.”
AWARD: Wesley Hogan Documentary Award

 

Le Fumeur
Nick Berray ‘20
“A solitary French smoker begins to have strange encounters.”
AWARD: Best Picture

 

MIXTAPE
Josh Yip ‘20
“Late at night on his way home, a young man comes across a magical Walkman.”