BHFF
Archives

2015

Filmmaker Selection

2025

2024

2022

A MAN ON THE EDGE

Director: Edward Lyons

Country: Australia

Synopsis: When a troubled man on a cliff top contemplates suicide he is interrupted by an unexpected stranger....

A WELL DESIGNED PLAN

Director: Will Lowell

Country: United States

RT: 19min

Synopsis: After a chance encounter at a bar, a businessman swimming in debt convinces a local fisherman to stage a robbery of his home. The seemingly foolproof scheme will be the solution to both of their financial troubles. The two soon find themselves in over their heads as their well designed plan unravels into a violent web of misunderstandings....

AD INFINITUM

Director: Tanner W Jarman

Country: United States

RT: 9:31min

Synopsis: JON AVERY, a 35-year-old workaholic, discovers what happens when you die. After an unexpected incident that lands him in the hospital, Jon suffers sudden heart failure and finds himself trapped inside of his own mind. Unable to escape, he’s forced to confront his innermost fears, regrets and beliefs....

AMERICAN CARAVAN

Director: Jerome Gary, Shawn Thompson

Country: United States

RT: 78min

Synopsis: In American Caravan, six young Americans travel across the Middle East in the footsteps of the Arab Spring. The narrative is driven by the castâ€™s quest to meet people, to find out what is going on, and to be inspired by the Arab Revolutions. But what starts out as an exercise in public diplomacy and news gathering becomes a life changing experience wrought with danger, fun, conflict, joy, sadness, music, love and transcendent happiness as they travel to Tunisia, Egypt, Oman, The Emirates and Lebanon....

BANDITO

Director: Evan Ari Kelman

Country: United States

RT: 16min

Synopsis: On the night of a highway truck robbery, JAMIE 14 is forced by his older brother to stay home, despite his hopes to participate in the heist. Determined to prove himself, Jamie sneaks out and joins the others, inserting himself into the center of the action. As the night veers increasingly off-course, Jamie will finally have the chance to show his true character, though not in a way he could have anticipated....

BEFORE THE BOMB

Director: Tannaz Hazemi

Country: United States

RT: 23min

Synopsis: 10 year old Elsa takes matters into her own hands when Child Services plans a visit that could separate her from her brother....

Birthday

Director: Chris King

Country: United States

RT: 11min

Synopsis: When a young military wife gets news that her Marine husband has been severely wounded in combat, she discovers that life ahead for them is going to be a difficult and yet amazing journey....

BROKEN

Director: Amy Campione

Country: United States

RT: 16min

Synopsis: Jane and Biz were inseparable as little girls until their feuding parents tore them apart. Jane was taken back east by her career-hungry mother and led a life of privilege. Biz was raised in a trailer by her roughneck father. After years of separation and two very different lives apart, the two sisters attempt to reconnect as adults. Can they mend what’s been broken for so long?...

CHRYZINIUM

Director: Rick Lord

Country: United States

RT: 26min

Synopsis: John Gussman and his daughter Madison have a choice to make. To be a part of a new Chryzinium world or not. What is Chryzinium? What does it offer? And who brings it? A family forced to make a choice between alien life or human death....

COTTON

Director: Marty Madden

Country: United States

RT: 93min

Synopsis: A reluctant faith healer tries to escape his darkened past working as a ranch hand for a plain-spoken widower and his young daughter. Over time, he becomes a part of their family and even falls in love with the local girl who helps out at the ranch, giving him hope that he may have finally found a place to call home. But, his fragile dreams are shattered when his predatory evangelist mother tracks him down, stopping at nothing to get her son and his miraculous gifts back on the revival circuit....

CYNICAL LIV: THE CHRISTENING

Director: Eliza Jayne

Country: Australia

RT: 12min

Synopsis: Kimmy and Mimmy are Christening their children. Liv’s parents hold a party for the family at their home. Liv tells her family she would like to pursue a career in art....

DATUNA: PORTRAIT OF AMERICA

Director: Brian Bayerl

Country: United States

RT: 74min

Synopsis: Datuna: Portrait of America follows the compelling journey of artist David Datuna as he pursues a dream of cultural and artistic freedom in his adopted country, the United States. An emigre from the former USSR, the incredible trek traces his steps from Tbilisi, Moscow, Miami, New York and ultimately to tens of thousands at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. As Datuna becomes the first contemporary artist in the world to utilize wearable technology in a work of art, his personal life takes a dramatic turn when the artist discovers he has stage 3 lung cancer....

DISSONANCE

Director: Bryan Fox

Country: United States

RT: 19min

Synopsis: Dissonance explores the harsh challenges of a young man’s stale relationship and stalled career. As everything seems to be going nowhere, he must decide whether he will hold onto love, or face the fear that moving forward may mean letting go. In a moment, everything changes forever....

DOWN WITH DAVID

Director: Derek Nelson & Nathan E. Wheeler

Country: United States

RT: 90min

Synopsis: Losing his job, his apartment, and his girlfriend, David Voelker fell on hard times. Struggling to make it in Hollywood and accomplish his dreams, he was desperate for money to just keep the fight going. At the suggestion of a gay friend, he tries his hand go-go dancing in the gay bars of West Hollywood. Unbeknownst to David, he fell into a straight man’s oasis for picking up hot chicks: the gay bars of West Hollywood. Pulling more hot women than he can handle, David navigates his way through one wild adventure after another — growing, learning, becoming a man....

DRY ME CRAZY

Director: Ethan Corn

Country: United States

RT: 21min

Synopsis: After spotting the girl of his dreams at a laundromat in New York City, Ryan embarks on a frantic journey to craft the perfect first impression before she returns to pick up her dry clothes....

EXPORTED FROM MICHIGAN

Director: Jon Vander Pol

Country: United States

RT: 92min

Synopsis: Michigan’s economic struggles over recent decades are widely known. However, these challenges are not unique to Michigan, they relate to California and to the world. Economic and environmental solutions developed anywhere can benefit people everywhere. Exported From Michigan is the story of entrepreneurs reinventing their economy locally through art, craft beer and permaculture as well as big business solutions through wind energy and hybrid electric cars. In addition to interviews with artists and entrepreneurs statewide, the film follows the University of Michigan Solar Car Team as they compete in the 2013 World Solar Challenge in Australia....

February

Director: Siar Sedig

Country: United States

RT: 8min

Synopsis: During a date a man loses himself in the compelling stories of a woman about freedom. Something beautiful occurs between the two, but the woman is more than she seems....

FORCED PERSPECTIVE

Director: Nick Cavalier

Country: United States

RT: 96min

Synopsis: “Forced Perspective” is an intimate portrait of iconic Cleveland artist Derek Hess by filmmaker Nick Cavalier. From Derek’s early Euclid Tavern concert posters to his expressive fine art pieces, the film is a journey through Derek’s struggle with alcoholism and bipolar and how these demons effect his artwork along the way. Presenting a window into Derek’s personal life, Illuminating his process and philosophy. “Forced Perspective” showcases the evolution of a celebrated artist, his effect on music and culture while highlighting the link between creativity and mental illness....

GEAR

Director: Joe Ksander & Kevin Adams

Country: United States

RT: 8min

Synopsis: Mazzy, a young girl fighting for survival in the back alleys of the city, has made some dangerous people angry and needs a way out. She turns to her only ally — an old broken down construction robot named Three....

GIRL ON THE EDGE

Director: Jay Silverman

Country: United States

RT: 105min

Synopsis: Girl On The Edge Is a powerful true story of a teenager struggling with the aftermath of a horrific trauma caused in part by social media, and the old wounds from her childhood that it reopens. despite her resistance, she is sent away to an oasis of healing called â€œmaheoâ€ that uses innovative techniques like equine therapy to empower itâ€™s troubled girls. with the help of an eclectic group of mentors, peers, and a bond with her horse betsy, she starts to invest in her own recovery and overcomes this powerful rite of passage....

HENRY TOY

Director: Anthony Engelken

Country: United States

RT: 22min

Synopsis: After losing his father to suicide, Hank sets out on a journey that bridges the gap between life and death. In an effort to save his father from eternal damnation, Hank just might find his place in hell. ...

I KNOW YOU

Director: Colin Gerrard

Country: United States

RT: 8min

Synopsis: Could you push the envelope of cult personality and distortion of media, or rather enfold it? This is a game of confidence. What if you couldn’t tell the difference between what was real and what was not? What if you could get away with something and everyone seemingly believed you? Sometimes it doesn’t matter who you are, it’s who they think you are. ...

Keep in Touch

Director: Sam Kretchmar

Country: United States

RT: 105min

Synopsis: After a life crisis, Colin tracks down a forgotten childhood romance in a search to restart his life....

LAST SHOT

Director: Greg Popp

Country: United States

RT: 12min

Synopsis: Five shots, five stories of death – nothing is what it seems in the dramatic thriller Last Shot. A bartender is closing for the evening when one final customer orders five shots. Never one to refuse a generous paying customer, he agrees to serve him. What happens next, the bartender never sees coming. The man begins to dedicate each shot to people he once knew who all share one thing in common: they’re dead. As the stories grow more unsettling and tragic, a hidden truth will be revealed, but not until the very last shot. ...

MOJAVE JUNCTION

Director: Christian Jean

Country: United States

RT: 13min

Synopsis: A Fistful of Dollars in The Twilight Zone. The Good, The Bad and Cthulhu. Set in 1899 in the sunbaked desolation of the high desert, Mojave Junction is a supernatural western telling the story of McTeague (Race Owen), a scoundrel who absconds with a treasure of stolen gold only to be tracked down by Marcus (Ed Marinaro), a wiry ‘ole prospector whose impulsiveness far outweighs his intelligence. ...

One Eyed Girl

Director: Nick Remy Matthews

Country: United States

RT: 102 min

Synopsis: A young psychiatrist is haunted by the suicide of a patient and hovers on the verge of a breakdown. He meets an attractive representative of a secret church that promises salvation to its members...

POET ANDERSON: THE DREAM WALKER

Director: Tom DeLonge, Sergio Martins, Edgar Martins

Country: United States

RT: 14min

Synopsis: From the imagination of Tom DeLonge, the Dream World is an alternate universe created by humankind’s shared unconscious thoughts. When Poet Anderson journeys deep into this world, he meets his own Dream Walker, a mysterious guardian angel who leads Poet to confront his demons and his destiny. Music by rock band Angels & Airwaves. ...

POLICY OF TRUTH

Director: Nick Demos

Country: United States

RT: 12min

Synopsis: Dwight is forced to come home when his father, Walter, begins showing the outward signs of Alzheimer’s. While trying to maintain his father dignity and place in the family, Dwight must also do what is best for his dad. Walter, a strong willed independent theater producer vacillates between trying to control his situation and cover his confusion. The two learn to honor each others strengths and weaknesses and, hopefully, mend any bridges to move forward together. ...

RIDING MY WAY BACK

Director: Robin Fryday And Peter Rosenbaum

Country: United States

RT: 29min

Synopsis: Riding My Way Back Chronicles One Soldiers Journey Back From The Brink Of Suicide. Staff Sergeant Aaron Heliker Returned From Multiple Deployments To Iraq And Afghanistan With Traumatic Brain Injury (Tbi) And Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (Ptsd). Desperate And Isolated, On 42 Medications And Suicidal, Aaron Is Introduced To The Unlikeliest Of Saviors: A Horse Named Fred. Through Caring For Fred And Building Mutual Trust, Aaron Begins The Difficult Process Of Reconnecting To The World Around Him And Healing The Invisible Wounds Of War That Had Nearly Defeated Him. ...

T.P.

Director: Bob Blevins and Bradly Werley

Country: United States

RT: 10min

Synopsis: A naive roll of toilet paper awakens in a disgusting gas station bathroom, and is horrified to discover what fate has in store for his kind. Inspired by his traumatized but well intentioned companion, he resolves to escape captivity and determine for himself how his destiny will unravel. ...

THE 13 STEP

Director: Monica Richardson

Country: United States

RT: 82min

Synopsis: The 13th Step is a feature-length documentary that exposes the intimate truth about Alcoholics Anonymous and how it has become a haven for sexual predators and violent criminals. A former member of 36 years, through her activism, Monica Richardson has connected with victims, and leadership to gain some of the most compelling footage regarding the horrific abuse, and how the organization itself is covering it up. ...

THE ADVENTURES OF WALLY FRESH

Director: Turner Lange

Country: United States

RT: 7min

Synopsis: Wally Fresh must save his blind date Crystal from the rampage of his drug addled Roommate, A spirit animal Named Barry and his next door neighbor Valerie....

THE FIREFLY CATCHER

Director: Stefanie Black

Country: United States

RT: 17min

Synopsis: The Firefly Catcher examines the cycle of life through the relationship between a young woman, Madelyn and her prematurely aging father, Georgie. Georgie is struggling with an early on-set of Dementia due to head trauma. The story is a glimpse into Madelyn’s sacrifice and tribulations as she struggles to care for her father and accept his illness. Just as she may come to terms with is incurable, deteriorating state, a flicker of light brings her renewed optimism for the road ahead. Could this be a turning point for Georgie’s illness or can hope be a deceiving aspect of the human psyche?...

THE GIFT

Director: Gabriel Robertson

Country: United States

RT: 13min

Synopsis: Tupelo, Mississippi, 1946. To celebrate his eleventh birthday, a young boy selects his gift – little knowing that his choice will change the world...

THE RECEIVING

Director: Michael Afendakis

Country: United States

RT: 4min

Synopsis: A man, successful in nearly every way, encounters a young stranger sitting on a park bench amidst a lone strand of redwoods in an inner city park a place solitary little girls have no business being alone in. The man, searching to be a good father himself, and wanting to lend a helping hand, reaches out to the girl and within the blink of an eye – his life is transformed forever. He is now The Receiving. ...

The Search for Freedom

Director: Jon Long

Country: United States

RT: 92min

Synopsis: THE SEARCH FOR FREEDOM is the story of a cultural revolution grounded in embracing the moment and doing what makes you feel the most alive. Through the eyes of some of the biggest names in action sports, we discover how an electrifying new world came about through pure energy and imagination and the infinite possibilities of self-expression available to anyone willing to drop in....

The Sound Man

Director: Chip Duncan

Country: United States

RT: 27min

Synopsis: The Sound Man is a documentary short featuring 62-year-old location sound engineer Abdul Ramadhan. Abdul learned his craft on the job at Nairobi's Camerapix production company where he's been employed for more than thirty-five years. While working with acclaimed photojournalist Mohamed Amin and others, Abdul recorded the sounds of revolution, civil war, genocide and famine throughout East Africa. Abdul speaks candidly about the tragedies he has witnessed and provides gripping detail about the civil war in Sudan, the genocide in Rwanda, revolution in Somalia and Ethiopia and the current tribal conflicts in Kenya....

TILLEY AND THE MOON

Director: Jamie Brindle

Country: United States

RT: 5min

Synopsis: A whimsical story about a boy and his best friend, the Moon. When Tilley wakes up one night to see his friend is â€œsick,â€ he does everything he can think of to nurse him back to health â€” to be there for his friend like the Moon has always been there for him. ...

WORK SUCKS

Director: Kevin Fintland

Country: United States

RT: 3min

Synopsis: A disgruntled employee, an ass chewing and a magic 8 ball. What could go wrong? ...

BHFF Archives

Filmmaker Selection

About

Services

BHFF 2026

Sponsors

BHFF
Archives