THE FILMS
SISFA Main Event:
The following films have been selected to headline this year's festival at the Main Event on August 22 at the Louisa Performing Arts Center.
For a full breakdown of times for film screenings, please visit the 'Schedule' page.
Forgotten fortune
dramatic shorts
Premieres 03/22, 6:30 PM MST
Directed by Sidney Cara
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He won millions… then lost his memory. As two detectives investigate a brutal attack, the truth may be more dangerous than the crime itself.
Premieres 8/22, 6:30 PM MST
COMEDIC shorts
Light bunny
Directed by Valerian Zamel
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Six months after her son’s death, a grieving mother receives a late-night phone call from a voice claiming to be him, speaking from an “in between” place. As the conversation grows darker, she is forced to confront the depths of grief, memory, and the fragile line between reality and deception.
Premieres 8/22, 6:30 PM MST
the liars of black
mountain road
Directed by Parker Croft
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Academy Award-nominee Abigail Breslin presents: ‘The Liars of Black Mountain Road’. When a couple runs over a stranger's dog, they compete for the moral high ground at any cost.
Premieres 8/22, 6:30 PM MST
curb service
Directed by Andrew Huggins &
John R Sexton
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In the 1950's and 1960's, curb service was all the rage at drive-in restaurants. In the late 1960's, a "New" type of curb service was born in the South. The film is one man’s experience with this "New" type of "curb service."
Premieres 8/22, 6:30 PM MST
lucy and the devil
Directed by Adam Raynes
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In this 1950s sitcom turned horror short: Lucy has an established relationship with The Devil, performing small acts of mischief for him from time to time in order to maintain a perfect life. In this week’s "episode", The Devil asks Lucy to assist him in procuring a soul.
Premieres 8/22, 6:30 PM MST
not a hero by accident
Directed by Adam Ansorge
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The fatal collision with a meter maid puts a truck driver in the hands of the local community to decide his fate. Animated Short
Premieres 8/22, 6:30 PM MST
DOCUMENTARY SHORT
in the eye of the beholder
Directed by Megan Whitham
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Halfway through her M.F.A. in film production, Taylor Leigh Aguilar unexpectedly goes blind, derailing the dream she chased since high school. Yet as she grieves her sight, she discovers that with flexibility and ingenuity, her filmmaking vision might not be lost after all.
Premieres 8/22, 6:30 PM MST
sci-fi/thriller/horror shorts
solar neighbor
Directed by Austin Cole
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This claymation film follows a terminally human placed into cryogenic sleep. While the human drifts in stasis, their home planet changes completely. Animated Short
Premieres 8/22, 6:30 PM MST
texas strange
Directed by Justin Eugene Evans
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After two months on a distant planet, John Thurston returns to his ragtag crew of criminals and thieves. He expects a hero’s welcome...instead they've held themselves a vote.
Premieres 8/22, 6:30 PM MST
Colorado Short Film Showcase-Day 1
The festival will launch with this Short Film showcase, premiering select short films from CO filmmakers at the Louisa Peforming Arts Center.
Another Saturday
A young teenager decides to enjoy a day of fun with her crush only to return home to find her worst fears realized.
Dramatic Short
Directed by J.A. DellaRipa
Premieres 3/21, 6:45 PM MST
book...ish
Directed by Paul Pirkle
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A kind-hearted, love-seeking man, who commits to reading a book to impress someone he’s just met, can’t get off the romantic roller coaster he’s created until he takes a breath and pays attention.
Long-Form Short: Comedy
Premieres 8/21, 6:30 PM MST
functional, not fictional: the reality of fnd
Directed by Rose Movizzo
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A brief exploration of life with Functional Neurological Disorder, a rare condition that many medical professionals don't believe exists. Documentary Short
Premieres 8/21, 6:30 PM MST
skip & henry
Directed by Austin Cole
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A stop motion animated micro-short about a guitar playing alien and his loyal companion.
Sci-Fi/Thriller/Horror Short: Animation
Premieres 8/21, 6:30 PM MST
the last frame
Directed by Sidney Cara
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A military veteran finds happiness and purpose after meeting the woman who changes his life - but after a sudden accident and one irreversible mistake, their love collapses into devastating consequences.
Long-Form Short: Drama
Premieres 8/21, 6:30 PM MST
westbound: art by train
Directed by Collin Sanders
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Six artists from across Colorado boarded the train as it traveled west, each representing the spirit of their region. On board, they created artworks inspired by their westbound path. Long-Form Short: Documentary
Premieres 8/21, 6:30 PM MST
Short Film Showcase:
'Late Night Edition'
The following films have been selected to screen during Day One, premiering select shorts from all across the US, at the Louisa Peforming Arts Center. In this special ‘Late Night Edition’, many of these films are in the Sci-Fi/Thriller/Horror genre and feature darker subject matter.
go down, diller
Directed by Andrew Bateman
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A single father’s fragile sense of control begins to unravel when he becomes convinced that something is fundamentally wrong with the world around him—putting his relationship with his daughter at risk. Long-Form Short:
Sci-Fi/Thriller/Horror
Premieres 8/21, 8:00 PM MST
hell
Directed by Parker Croft
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‘Hell’ follows the patriarch of a dying farm on the outskirts of Ash Harbor as he is methodically ground down by the machinery of despair. What begins as endurance curdles into something far more existential, a portrait of collapse told through dust, labor, and silence.
Sci-Fi/Thriller/Horror Short: Animation
Premieres 8/21, 8:00 PM MST
reptilia
Directed by Chase Commins
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‘Reptilia’ is a queer coming of age story about finding yourself in the most unexpected of places. All Jane wants is to fit in, despite her big secret. But when she joins a Meisner class to learn how to act, she’s about to find out that being a person is…complicated. Long-Form Short:
Sci-Fi/Thriller/Horror
Premieres 8/21, 8:00 PM MST
the spy, the physicist, and the killer
Directed by Christian Zeimet
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A three-part animated film that follows three short stories that tie the lives of a spy, a scientist, and a group of perverted psychopaths together. Sci-Fi/Thriller/Horror Short: Animation
Premieres 8/21, 8:00 PM MST
the masks we wear
Directed by Timothy Sharoykin
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After hearing a strange rhythmic noise in the middle of the night, a shut-in named Gabe experiences one paranormal terror after the next. Sci-Fi/Thriller/Horror Short
Premieres 8/21, 8:00 PM MST
weirdos
Directed by Chris Churilla
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When a customer turns out to be a vampire, a stoner pizza delivery girl must resist his attempts to control her or become his eternal slave.
Sci-Fi/Thriller/Horror Short
Premieres 8/21, 8:00 PM MST
Short Film Showcase-Day 2: Morning Block
Experience the screenings of incredible films from all across the US. Two different theaters, two unique showcases. Both at
Roadhouse Cinemas.
Theater A: Colorado Short Film Showcase- Day 2
bouncer boots
Directed by Jake Allgeier
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After betraying his fellow shoes to serve a sadistic human nightclub owner, a pair of boots must decide whether to stay loyal to the humans or lead a bloody uprising to free his own kind. Sci-Fi/Thriller/Horror Short
Premieres 8/22, 10: 30 AM MST
down to earth
Directed by Jeurdan Nyle Directo
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A documentary about the artist, Austin Cole, who made the award-winning, stop motion animated short film ‘Solar Neighbor’.
Documentary Short
Premieres 8/22, 10:30 AM MST
isolated
Directed by Linken Ryan
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A kid wakes up to find his parents missing, replaced by an AI in control of the whole house, refusing to let him leave.
Sci-Fi/Thriller/Horror Short
Premieres 8/22, 10:30 AM MST
night shift
Directed by Emma Elliot
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When two best friends are left in charge of an ice cream shop during the night shift, a young man threatens to rob the store, forcing the two women to neutralize the threat and maintain their relationship. Comedic Short
Premieres 8/22, 10:30 AM MST
the hit that hit back
Directed by Brennan Cregan
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Azazel (Paul Pirkle), an aging hitman, finds himself alone on Christmas Eve. He contemplates his most recent hit: his own sister. As he sips on a bottle of liquor from his boss, he quickly finds out he's next on the chopping block. As poison begins to settle in his body, he's visited by the sarcastic spirit of his very first hit. While the vengeful spirit ridicules Azazel for the tragic life he's lived, he's faced with a choice: be euthanized like an old dog or go down fighting.
Sci-Fi/Thriller/Horror Short
Premieres 8/22, 10:30 AM MST
Theater B: Short Film Showcase- Day 2
3 am at the painted door
Directed by D. Jason Knowles
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Two friends on their way back from a concert looking for a pit stop, encounter more than they bargained for when they enter the Roadhouse Saloon at 3am to look at its rumored wall mural. Long-Form Short:
Sci-Fi/Thriller/Horror
Premieres 8/22, 10:00 AM MST
banana triangle six
Directed by Marc E Crandall
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A day in the life of an elderly gentleman, Hank Crute, as he deals with the trials and tribulations of a resident of Spring Valley retirement home: bad food, conniving females and an unexpected Doctor's visit. Long-Form Short: Drama
Premieres 8/22, 10:00 AM MST
black lp
Directed by Trey Carlisle & Todd Mack
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The Black Legacy Project is a musical celebration of Black history. Developed in the summer of 2020, Black LP launched with week-long residencies in seven communities across the country. These residencies brought together Black and White artists and artists of All backgrounds to record present day interpretations of songs central to the Black American experience and to compose originals that call for harmony, bridge-building, and partnership. Directed by Trey Carlisle & Todd Mack
Long-Form Short: Documentary
Premieres 8/22, 10:00 AM MST
down west avenue
Directed by Luke Parrett
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‘Down West Avenue’ is a dramatic, musically inspired film about Mikey, the son of a famous musician, and his best friend Clyde, an up-and-coming music prodigy. The two begin to drift apart when one of them is offered their dream job, leaving the other to fend for themselves. What ensues is a tale of love, hate, laughter, betrayal, and a whole bunch of Funk!
Long-Form Short: Drama
Premieres 8/22, 10:00 AM MST
ms. rossi 3: ms. rossi meets the mob
Directed by Pat Battistini
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While traveling for work, Ms. Rossi gets picked up by the wrong driver at the airport.
Long-Form Short: Comedy
Premieres 8/22, 10 AM MST
mrs. miller
Directed by Rosie Moss
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Alex visits Mrs. Miller every week to feed her cat. Today, she doesn't remember him. Dramatic Short
Premieres 8/22, 10 AM MST
the allergy table
Directed by Pat Battistini
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When the new kid shows up, the regulars show him the rules and duties of eating at a grade school allergy table. Comedic Short
Premieres 8/22, 10 AM MST
Short Film Showcase: Afternoon Block/
Feature Film Showcase
AFTERNOON BLOCK-PT. 1
Theater A: Colorado Showcase Screening
Theater B: US Showcase Screening
menticide
Directed by Domingo Maynes
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A night of fun quickly spirals into one of chaos and paranoia, putting a sibling bond to the test. Long-Form Short: Sci-Fi/Thriller/Horror
Premieres 8/22, 1:15 PM MST
FULFILLING THE PROMISE: TEACHERS, STUDENTS, AND THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
Directed by Lena Popilieva
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‘Fulfilling the Promise’ is a timely portrait of civic education that asks a question at the heart of the American experiment: are we living up to our founding principles?
Through four schools in Brooklyn, New York, Boston, Massachusetts, Durango, Colorado, and Carlisle, Pennsylvania, the film shows how teachers and students bring the Declaration of Independence to life, discussing its principles through the framework of civil discourse.
Feature Film: Documentary
Premieres 8/22, 12:45 PM MST
afternoon block-pt. 2
Theater A: Short Film Showcase- Day 2 continued/Feature Film Showcase
bears in hot tubs
Directed by Claire Musser & Maddie Bear
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‘Bears in Hot Tubs’ is a tender, emotionally resonant short film co-created with Maddie Bear and her wild kin, who move through the suburban landscapes of Los Angeles with curiosity, intelligence, and quiet grace. From soaking in backyard tubs to wandering garden paths, these black bears are not intruders; they are neighbors, navigating a world remade by human presence. The film challenges us to rethink coexistence, not as a burden, but as a shared opportunity. Long-Form Short: Documentary
Premieres 8/22, 2 PM MST
jam boy
Directed by Sriram Emani
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In a near future where immigrant workers promised freedom are secretly indentured, a model Indian coder smuggles his mother's forbidden tamarind rice into work, uncovering why the company needs them to forget home.
Long Form Short: Drama
Premieres 8/22, 2 PM MST
reminisce
Directed by Leslie Morris
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25 years younger than her husband, a woman's world is turned upside down when her husband's college classmates come to visit.
Dramatic Short
Premieres 8/22, 2 PM MST
THE SIGHT UNSEEN
Directed by Shawn Antoine II
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In 1971, a six-year-old girl in the Bronx discovers a glowing cross in her bathroom window, igniting awe and doubt across her community. Fifty years later, she returns to confront the mystery that shaped her faith—and her understanding of miracles. Long-Form Short: Documentary/Drama
Premieres 8/22, 2 PM MST
the storm
Directed by Benjamin Deutscher
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A young woman, Saoirse Brennan, is haunted by the recent suicide of her father, a meteorologist who became obsessed with a mysterious sandstorm in the Middle Eastern city of Easifa. Struggling with grief and unresolved trauma from her past, Saoirse feels lost and abandoned, weighed down by the darkness her father left behind. Drawn to the storm that consumed him, she embarks on a perilous journey into its heart, battling her own demons and the overwhelming pull of suicide. Through this intense struggle, Saoirse must find the strength to confront her pain and
choose the path to healing. Feature Film: Animation
Premieres 8/22, 2 PM MST
Experience the screenings of incredible films from all across the US. Two different theaters, two unique showcases. Both at
Roadhouse Cinemas.
Theater B: CO Feature Film Showcase
adaman
Directed by Kevin Pinski
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In 1922, five daring men summited Pikes Peak on New Year’s Eve to launch fireworks for the Colorado Springs community. Dubbed the “Frozen Five,” they sparked a tradition that endures 100 years later through the AdAmAn Club, which braves the cold each year-honoring their legacy and lighting up the sky to welcome the new year.
Feature Film: Documentary
Premieres 8/22, 2:30 PM MST