Longleaf 2022 has officially begun! As conveyed with our Longleaf 2022 Official Selections announcement on Thursday, April 14, we are excited to present the following 68 juried Official Selection films (scroll to see list)—in person at the North Carolina Museum of History—on Friday, May 13, and Saturday, May 14.
Click the image below to watch that announcement:
in alphabetical order by title (A and The count as words)
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click here to watch us announce Official Selections
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Justin Meckes
9 Brief Films from Suburban Zen
Tiny stories, poems, humorous reflections, and deep thoughts. Click here to watch teasers from the nine brief films or click here to visit the director’s website, which includes a biography and running list of projects, both print and film.
Spoken Word, 8 minutes
David Baeumler
30 Second Thoughts: Volume One
A commercial break from another dimension. Click here to visit the director’s Vimeo page, and watch the trailer here!
Narrative Short, 3 minutes
Bonnie Monteleone
356
Hoping to tell the story about one of the most endangered whale species on the planet, a crew is launched into an unexpected journey—of something hidden from the world—while filming off the coast of North Carolina. Monteleone is executive director of the Plastic Ocean Project, which produced this film, a nonprofit organization (based at University of North Carolina at Wilmington) charged with changing the way we think about plastic; click here to follow that organization on Facebook, or click here to learn more on the project’s website.
Documentary Short, 12 minutes
Reuben Armstrong, Jamie Frye
Above All
We were just 15 minutes away from the end of the world . . . And, David Frye was carrying an atomic bomb, airborne in the midst of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. This short film was made from family home movies, including previously unseen footage from inside US airbases. Its surprisingly heartwarming story provides a glimpse into what it was like to be in the air during those infamous moments. Click here to watch a trailer for the film, or click here to visit a web page for this film at Jamie Frye’s website.
Documentary Short, 8 minutes
Brian Storck
Adrift
After crash landing on an unpopulated planet, the lone pilot forms a connection with their flight computer while trying to escape. Adrift was one of 12 films to premiere at last year’s annual senior showcase for fourth-year students in the School of Filmmaking, UNC School of the Arts. Click here to see some stills from costume designer Andrew J. Senn’s website.
Narrative Short, 22 minutes
Bridget Fitzgerald
Alchemy
This character-driven and empowering story depicts artist and social entrepreneur Rebeccah Byer and her apprentice, Lucy McGinnis, who struggles with growing up trans in North Carolina. Click here to watch a trailer and see some stills on the film’s page at Fitzgerald’s website, and click here to follow the film’s journey on Facebook.
Documentary Short, 23 minutes
Walter Jaime Iriarte
An Atacama Sun in Carolina
A video love poem based in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Iriarte is currently assistant professor of language, literature, and communication at Elizabeth City State University.
Narrative Short, 3 minutes
Andrew Huggins
Backyard Blackbird
A mother and father confront strange behaviors manifesting in their eleven-year-old son. Click here to see some posts about this project, and click here to see some credits from the film. Click here to hear a recent interview with the filmmaker on the podcast Cine Vibes, with actor Kenneth Jackson and writer/director Trey Riley; click here to visit the filmmaker’s website.
Narrative Short, 15 minutes
Alexander Julian
Birthday Boy
An abusive father gets his just desserts at a birthday dinner. Click here to hear an interview about this film with the filmmaker, or click here to read another interview and view an audience-feedback video on Birthday Boy. Click here to see a list of the filmmaker’s credits, or click here to follow him on Twitter.
Narrative Short, 10 minutes
Rebecca Williams
Blanket Town
What happens to a town that loses its heart?
Swannanoa, a small town in the mountains of North Carolina, was once home to Beacon Blankets, the largest manufacturer of blankets in the world. Blanket Town chronicles the rise and fall of this company town, which was entirely built around the “big red thumping heart” of the mill.
This complex and urgent history comes alive through archival footage, interwoven with the voices of former mill workers and townspeople — rich and poor, White and Black, male and female — who speak with honest emotion and humor. Click here to see three excerpts and see other information on the film’s website.
Documentary Feature, 65 minutes
Elec McCready, Isaac McCready
Blue
A tumultuous relationship in three parts, intertwined with music that came from it. Click here to watch a trailer for the film (along with others by this team), or click here to visit their channel on YouTube.
Narrative Short, 15 minutes
Emory Rice, ommar guiterrez
Bruja
The forest is your friend—until it isn’t. Click here to watch a trailer for this film. Click here to read an interview with filmmaker Rice (done before work on Bruja), or click here to see a list of credits for guiterrez at IMDb.
Narrative Short, 6 minutes
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visit our main Longleaf 2022 Registration and Ticket Information page.
Alyssa Hodges, Raunak Kapoor
C.A.I.N.
A scientist makes a massive artificial intelligence technology breakthrough, but the origins of her research spark a federal investigation. Click here to view credits at IMDb.
Web Pilot, 10 minutes
Andy Brewster
Caesura
Based on real #MeToo stories, a prodigy pianist trains under the wing of an abusive predator. Click here to watch a trailer and view credits, a director’s statement, and other information on the film’s web page, or click here to follow the film’s journey on Facebook. Click here to read a recent interview with the filmmaker at VoyageLA.
Narrative Short, 16 minutes
Jinna Kim
Chinese Girl Wants Vote
This short historical documentary features lesser-known suffragist Dr. Mabel Ping-Hua Lee. It was produced during quarantine in response to growing anti-Asian sentiment and in celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Click here to watch a related hour-long recorded presentation with the filmmaker, or click here to read a short interview with her. Click here or click here to learn about the film’s subject, Mabel Ping-Hua Lee.
Documentary Short, 5 minutes
Alexa Velez
Alexa Velez: “Deep Blue”
This musical and visual elegy speaks to concerns for global warming and rising sea levels. Click here to hear Alexa’s original score for this video (along with a link to other works); or click here to view another music video, “Of the Water”—also written, choreographed, performed, filmed, directed, and edited by the artist. Click here to read a short statement and bio of the artist.
Music Video, 4 minutes
Connor Ryan
Deepwater Sponger
In an alternate 1927 that’s been destroyed by pollution, a diver ventures into the Earth’s mysterious ocean to find its last cache of fresh water and save humankind. But his treacherous descent brings him face to face with untold horrors, forcing him to decide how much he’s willing to sacrifice for the sake of his mission. Click here to see some stills (and credits) from the film, or click here to read the casting call that started production. In addition, click here or click here to hear soundtrack cuts (by Wil Church) and clips of special effects (by Michael Ackerman).
Narrative Short, 17 minutes
Beth Davison
DocuAppalachia—A Half-Century Focus on the Environment
Environmentally, what has changed over the past 50 years, since the beginning of Earth Day? Discovery of an untitled, silent 16-mm film reel in Boone, North Carolina, provides local answers for Watauga County. Click here or click here to read additional information on this film.
Documentary Short, 20 minutes
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Nikita Hattangady
Falafel
Two people having an awful day meet at a café in London. But, a day that starts out awful doesn’t have to end that way. Click here to watch a trailer, or click here to visit the film’s website. Click here to read an interview about the film with director Hattangady.
Narrative Short, 19 minutes
Doug Roland
Feeling Through
A late-night encounter on a New York City street leads to a profound connection between a teen-in-need and a deafblind man. Click here to watch a trailer for this film, then click here to watch an interview with the film team and Whoopi Goldberg. Click here to read a review of the film. And, follow the film’s journey on Twitter or Facebook.
Narrative Short, 18 minutes
Brian Sheehan
Free Order
A delivery driver becomes involved in a customer’s family situation. Click here to watch two clips from the film. Click here to visit the filmmaker’s LinkedIn profile.
Narrative Short, 15 minutes
Barry Thornburg
From the Soul
As Black gospel music is cast into the popular spotlight by the likes of Kanye “Ye” West and Snoop Dogg, longtime practitioners of the genre, as well as their younger predecessors, strive to remind the world that it isn’t simply a fashionable aesthetic—but an agent of social change and a spiritual salve.
Documentary Short, 20 minutes
MK Singleton
Good Boy Cerberus
When Cerberus, a three-headed puppy, ends up on the lord of the underworld’s doorstep, he goes through guard dog training to become useful to his new master. Will he remain a cute and loving puppy or end up the monster that he was born to be?
Narrative Short, 6 minutes
Anita Clark-Anderson
Goodbye
Adios, arrivederci, auf Wiedersehen. Friends say good-bye forever. Click here to view a list of films by this filmmaker at FilmFreeway.
Narrative Short, 5 minutes
Cameron Parker
Her Skin
When first-time director Ravyn is confronted by an established executive producer days out from her first major production, she tries to convince him not to recast their lead actress. By challenging the bias underlying his decision, Ravyn could end her career before it starts.
Narrative Short, 7 minutes
Wei Ying, Brad Dillard
Homme Alone
They were together, but now they’re alone. As one of them contemplates this loss, the other won’t go away quietly—threatening both of their existences. Click here to watch a trailer and find other information on the film’s website, or click here to follow its journey through Facebook.
Narrative Short, 9 minutes
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For a complete list of events and meet-and-greet opportunities,
visit our main Longleaf 2022 Registration and Ticket Information page.
Tonya McKinny
Interstate
Olivia and Diane shared a childhood in vulnerable, unsafe circumstances before life sent them down different roads. Adult Diane reaches out from her stable life to Olivia, a sex worker who is now in prison for murder. In addition to its serious topic, Interstate is an opera! Click here to watch a trailer, and click here or click here to read about the opera and its performance!
Narrative Feature, 52 minutes
Lucy Collins
James
In a neighborhood of million-dollar houses, James lives in a house that’s falling apart, tending to his plants, which threaten to overwhelm his yard, and talking of his past as a young gay man who left his home in the Appalachian Mountains to find a new life in Raleigh. Click here to learn a bit about James Duncan and this documentary.
Documentary Short, 12 minutes
Jo Hatcher
JAZMIN
While searching for her younger sister, Jamila finds herself in unknown surroundings—in which she not only stumbles upon magic within the world but ultimately within herself. Click here to read some background about the filmmaker and this film.
Narrative Short, 13 minutes
Glenn Pack
Kalamiti
Missy goes to school all day, bartends nights, and raises Kalamiti in between. Chuck chose the wrong day to skip work and toy with his rat rod. Click here to visit the filmmaker’s IMDb profile.
Narrative Short, 14 minutes
Timothy Hall
Landlocked
A man reunites with his estranged, transgender father as they journey to scatter his late mother’s ashes off the Georgia coast. Click here to watch a trailer for the film, and click here to visit the film’s IMDb page; click here to watch an interview with the filmmaker and cast. Click here to follow the film’s journey on Facebook.
Narrative Feature, 81 minutes
John Alexander
Little Satchmo
To the world, Louis Armstrong is iconic—a symbol of musical genius, unparalleled success, and unassailable character. To Sharon, he was simply Dad. Armstrong’s wholesome, non-threatening image preserved his singular career as a Black performer with unfettered access to a white man’s world. Yet he held tightly to the things he loved. Perhaps closest to his heart was a child he hid from the world: a daughter sworn to a life of secrecy until now. Click here to watch a trailer, then click here to hear an interview with Sharon and the film’s producer and director Alexander.
Documentary Feature, 61 minutes
Dylan Powers
LOOM
A girl’s sanity is tested when she is strangely connected with a paranormal white box television. Click here to view a trailer of this film; then click here to see the casting call for LOOM and read about its story and characters. Click here to follow the filmmaker on Facebook.
Narrative Short, 12 minutes
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Scott Slone
Malibu Horror Story
A team of paranormal investigators searches a sacred American Indian cave for clues in the unsolved disappearance of four local teens. Click here to watch a trailer, then click here to visit the film’s website; click here to hear an interview with the filmmaker; click here to see an online catalog of Scott’s films.
Narrative Feature, 85 minutes
David Over
Mike Sizzer | A Chair Wrestling Documentary
Meet Mike. He wrestles chairs. And yeah, he’s pretty good at it. Click here to watch a trailer for the film.
Narrative Short, 7 minutes
Isaiah Forte-Rose
Mixed Head
A group of separate personalities must come together to make a decision. Click here to a partial list of credits associated with this filmmaker, or click here to follow the filmmaker on Instagram.
Narrative Short, 1 minute
Kiersten Houser
Mother(s) & Son
A filmmaker captures her wife’s journey of high-risk pregnancy, birth, and early motherhood. Consequently, she discovers her own fear and insecurity surrounding the adventures of parenthood—all while completing the adoption process for a non-biological son, as required by heteronormative state law. Click here to visit the filmmaker’s website.
Documentary Short, 10 minutes
Abby Davenport, Aiden Winter-Deely
Mundance
Maria is tired of her mundane office job and wishes her life were like a musical. Click here to view some general information about the film and its crew.
Animated Film, 5 minutes
Ted Kendrick
No Mean Feet
A hunter tracks the legendary Bigfoot to find the task is no simple feat. Click here to follow the filmmaker on Facebook.
Narrative Short, 8 minutes
Jon Lance Bacon
Oh Crappy Day
A young aspiring filmmaker hopes to find love through online dating—if he can just keep his OCD on the DL. Click here to watch a trailer, and click here to visit the film’s website; click here to follow the film’s journey on Facebook.
Narrative Feature, 83 minutes
Jose Gonzalez
Ouroboros
A troubled man is stuck in his own head, trying to run from something he can’t escape. Click here to follow the filmmaker on Instagram.
Narrative Short, 6 minutes
Alex Lippert
Pan
A tragedy happened in a small town; a little boy now haunts the woods. Click here to follow the filmmaker on Instagram.
Narrative Short, 4 minutes
Emily Gold
Plantastic!
This trippy, dark comedy explores the burning question: What would your plants say if they could talk? Click here to visit the film’s IMDb page.
Narrative Short, 10 minutes
Kimberly Best
Please Rescue Me
Avid animal lover and tree climber Patrick Brandt has rescued more than 250 cats in the last 10 years. And he has no plans to stop! Click here to read about Brandt, or click here to follow some of his adventures on Instagram.
Documentary Short, 18 minutes
Aby Rao
Pressure Cooked
When Priyanka, an Indian American chef, meets with her web show producer and director to plan the next episode, things go awry. Click here to view stills and credits from the film on its page of the filmmaker’s website, then look around to see other productions by this team; click here to visit the filmmaker’s IMDb page, or click here to read a 2020 interview with him.
Narrative Short, 9 minutes
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Ed Foster
Rescues
In a world of victims, who rescues the rescuer? This film examines the financial and emotional toll taken on animal rescue workers. Click here to view a trailer for the film, or click here to follow the film’s journey on Facebook.
Documentary Short, 30 minutes
Sadie Zimet, Rachel Gathercole, and Audrey Horner
Sadie Rock and the Mad Ryans: “Fairy Tale”
A version of the song “Fairy Tale” appears on this group’s All In album. The Durham-based group delivers saucy, fresh rock that is 100 percent original and blends rock ’n’ roll, pop, a little alternative, a hint of southern, a pinch of punk, and a dash of jazz and blues. Click here to see lyrics, hear music, and learn about the band, or click here to follow them on Facebook.
Music Video; 4 minutes
John Rash
Sam Wang: Centripetal Persistence
Photographer Sam Wang’s signature round photographs almost instinctively reflect the circular path of his career and life journey, from his birthplace of Beijing to Clemson, South Carolina, and back again. Click here to watch a trailer for the film, and click here to see a portfolio of other projects from this team. Click here to see samples of Wang’s work.
Documentary Short, 25 minutes
Anya Dombrovskaya
Sasha & Mar
Tensions rise between two women after a night they cannot recall. Click here to read about another project by this filmmaker.
Narrative Short, 9 minutes
Kat Cerruto, Paige Dingler, Breanna Stowe
Shaping Seagrove
The potters of Seagrove, North Carolina, go back generations and now include artists who have moved from as far away as Japan. Click here to watch a trailer for this film, and click here to become familiar with Seagrove and its pottery.
Documentary Short, 9 minutes
Kelley St. Germain
Short Life of Trouble: The Legend of G. B. Grayson
He came from one of the most isolated places on the East Coast, a blind fiddler that almost no one has ever heard of—despite the fact that his songs are played every day on stages all over the world by the biggest names in the music business. Click here to watch a trailer for this film, or click here to find a trailer, production stills, news releases, and blog posts on the film’s website. Click here to hear samples of Grayson performances from the 1920s.
Documentary Short, 39 minutes
Nick Galin
Snake in the Grass
A man on the brink of death from a venomous snake must decide what is most important to him in his final minutes. Click here to view a clip (the filmmaker’s favorite take) from the film.
Narrative Short, 7 minutes
Justin Zimmerman
Soldier
Daniel Krug is a heroic firefighter, a father of five, a SWAT trainer, and an armored combat enthusiast; he is also a former sniper, with 10 years of combat, security, and search, rescue, and recovery experience in Iraq. And, over the past decade, he’s lost 11 of his close military friends—and almost himself—to PTSD. Click here to watch a trailer for the film, or click here to see the trailer and read about this film on its GoFundMe page; you can learn even more here, on its Kickstarter page.
Documentary Short, 22 minutes
Kylie Wilhelmi
Stuck in the System
A young foster child is stuck moving from home to home. Will one mother take a chance on this troubled youth?
High School Student Film, Narrative Short; 4 minutes
Frederick Murphy
Sweet Home Alabama: A Chief and his Protégé
Explore the parallels between survival, perseverance, and unapologetic preservation. Click here to watch a trailer for the film; click here to read about connections between the film, legacy and descendancy, and Chief Olualay, or Oluale, aka Chief Charles Lewis.
Documentary Short, 18 minutes
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Peyton Lea
The Beach Midwinter
Two estranged brothers spend a weekend at their family’s North Carolina beach house after the death of their father. Their pressing decision: to keep or sell the house. Click here to see a filmography, and other information, on the filmmaker’s website.
Narrative Short, 14 minutes
Kristi Vincent Johnson
The River Speaks of Thirst
This collection of audio poems, written by North Carolina poet laureate Jaki Shelton Green, document the real experiences of African American people past and present. Click here to view a trailer for this film, and click here to watch an hour-long interview with the filmmaker on Beltline to Broadway, the RDUonStage podcast.
Narrative Feature, Music Video; 54 minutes
David Weintraub
The Spirits Still Move Them
Everything we know about moonshine and moonshiners is wrong. Moonshiners are often portrayed as lazy, drunk outlaws, who were unable to hold a regular job and wore long beards and had even longer arrest records! This film reexamines moonshine history, chronicling the life of Appalachian farmers and the role that liquor production played in helping them make a living. Click here to see a trailer for this film, then click over to view oral history interviews and other related videos, all courtesy of the Center for Cultural Preservation. Click here to listen to a short interview with the filmmaker, or click here to read about one family involved with the film’s topic.
Documentary Feature, 58 minutes
Anita Clark-Anderson
The Time Gatherer
As the clock ticks, seconds turn to minutes, and minutes turn to hours. And before you know it, time is up. Click here to view a list of films by this filmmaker at FilmFreeway.
Narrative Short, 3 minutes
Olympia Stone
The Uncommon Garden
A garden is never finished… Creating a lush and layered secret garden with thousands of plants, trees, several ponds, and even a stone dragon was not on Dan Krebill’s agenda—until fate intervened and prompted a collaboration that changed the landscape in one corner of his community. Click here to watch a trailer for this film, and click here to visit the filmmaker’s website.
Documentary Short, 21 minutes
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Caro Knight
Tiger Blanket
An abuela prepares for a night with her grandchildren, complete with loads of Hispanic fun. Unfortunately, the grandkids have no cultural connection to their grandmother, nor do they want to be there. As a last-ditch effort, Abuela conjures up a story of the Tiger Blanket, in hopes that the tale will break through to her nietos. Click here to watch a clip from the film; click here to view credits.
Animated Film, 7 minutes
Shannon Silva
To Live and Die in the Shadows: Meditations on Ferns, Survival, and Horizontal Gene Transfer
Millions of years ago, some 180 million, in fact, ferns acquired a much-needed light sensor (neochrome) that allowed them to modify and survive in low-light environments. That was a chance horizontal gene transfer; we should all be so lucky. Click here to visit the filmmaker’s website.
Documentary Short, 5 minutes
Cameron Wolfslayer
To the Roof
Ava and Georgie’s friendship is tested when the friends disagree on their futures after high school graduation. Click here to read about this project on Kickstarter.
Narrative Short, 13 minutes
Matt Scott Jones
Veneers
After a day of performing drastically different versions of himself, an exhausted man questions who he really is inside. Click here, on the film’s website, to watch a trailer, see stills from the production and behind-the-scenes photos, and find more from this team; click here to view the film’s IMDb page, and click here to follow the filmmaker on Instagram.
Narrative Short, 16 minutes
Quinn Norman
Where Did the Time Go?
Singer-songwriter Elise Koscso is a very dedicated and hardworking musician. Although she faces problems in the competitive music industry, it is clear that Elise’s passion for her music will sustain her.
Documentary Short, 9 minutes
Jesse Aaron Barber
Wild and Scenic
A town vanished from flooding in the early 1900s, due to the ecological damage of timber harvesting. Now, a group of volunteers seeks to keep the river clean from a new ecological threat: recreational day-use. Click here to watch a trailer, or click here to read an article about the film.
Documentary Short, 15 minutes
Clarke Phillips
You Know His Name
A day-in-the-life story of one Black teenager in America. As he prepares for a photo shoot with his close friend Zoe, dodging his mother’s requests and staying out later than he should, the two discuss their futures, their dreams, and his insecurities, all culminating in a dark and difficult drive home. Click here to see some stills by the cinematographer for this film, and click here to read a short interview with the filmmaker.
Narrative Short, 10 minutes
Graham High
Zero One Zero
Looking to boost his confidence, Chuck tries a new meditation technique and manifests a night he won’t forget. Click here to watch a trailer for the film. Click here to see a list of other projects from this filmmaker on his website, or click here to visit his IMDb page. Click here to read a short interview about this film; click here to follow the filmmaker on Facebook.
Narrative Short, 13 minutes
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