2023 Winners

Pensacon would like to congratulate the 2023 Winners:

BEST IN SHOW
“Welcome Home Eugene!”
Written by Noah Jorgensen, Nolan Watt; Directed by Noah Jorgensen; Produced by Samara Fitzgerald

JURY SELECTION
“There’s Something Wrong with Paul”
Written & Directed by Mark Clauburg; Produced by Chris J Cullen, Alex Aldea, Lucille Clauburg and Gail Dehren

AUDIENCE CHOICE
“Hellscape”
Written & Directed by Sam Sorenson; Produced by Leigh Sorenson

BEST ANIMATED FILM
“The Interrogation”
Written, Directed & Produced by Marisa Cohen and Peter Issac Alexander

BEST COMIC BOOK/SUPERHERO FILM
“Agent Heads”
Written by Ajay Varma Nandyala and Joseph Van Landschoot; Directed by Ajay Varma Nandyala; Produced by Ajay Varma

BEST DOCUMENTARY
“A Door Away”
Written, Directed & Produced by Alex H. Rafi

BEST FANTASY FILM
“The Barmaid and the Serpent”
Written & Directed by Rose Louise Hoover; Produced by Andrew Bourne

BEST HORROR FILM
“Hellscape”
Written & Directed by Sam Sorenson; Produced by Leigh Sorenson

BEST POP CULTURE FILM
“Duplicitous Minds”
Written by Catalina Yue; Directed by Rober Rippberger; Produced by Catalina Yue

BEST SCIENCE FICTION FILM
“Launch at Paradise”
Written by Daniel Mitura; Directed by Carrie Anne Quinn; Produced by David M. Night Maire

Trophies for 2023 Best in Show, Jury Selection, and Audience Choice winners provided by GinGee Girls Art.

2023 Official Selections

We would like to congratulate all the filmmakers whose films were selected for the 2023 edition of the Pensacon Short Film Festival. We are very happy that we will have an in-person event and screen the films to a live audience.

The selected films are as follows:

A Door Away

Documentary
Still living in his childhood home, twenty-five year old DeVaughn reflects on his relationship with his family as he continues to build a life of meaning.
Written, Directed & Produced by Alex H. Rafi
WATCH THE TRAILER

OFFICIAL WEBSITE


Agent Heads

Superhero or Comic Book-Related
After his granddaughter goes missing at a bus station, an old man recruits a homeless man with a special ability to help track her down.
Written by Ajay Varma Nandyala and Joseph Van Landschoot;  Directed by Ajay Varma Nandyala; Produced by Ajay Varma Nandyala and Elle Sunkara


Black Kettles and Pats

Horror
A TV show host gets revenge on his daughter’s killer by taking the murderer to his insane kids show.
Written & Directed by Takuto Kimura
Produced in Canada


Bucle

Horror
A young woman writing a thesis on parallel dimensions finds herself in a terrifying time loop.
Written & Directed by Alvaro Rodrigo Pruneda; Produced by Fabian Saez, Rodrigo Atria and Camila Atria
Produced in Chile
WATCH THE TRAILER
OFFICIAL WEBSITE


Chat History

Science Fiction
A woman tries to connect with her daughter, who is preoccupied with texting, makes a horrifying discovery about the texts.
Written, Directed & Produced by Fred Zara
OFFICIAL WEBSITE


Choice

Science Fiction
Four young people with special abilities attempt to recruit a young woman into their gang, but find their task more dangerous than they realized.
Written by Katherine Johnson; Directed by Katherine Johnson and Joseph Klingman
WATCH THE TRAILER


Duplicitous Minds

Pop Culture
A magician is blackmailed into assisting with a heist, but has a trick up his sleeve.
Written by Catalina Yue; Directed by Rober Rippberger; Produced by Catalina Yue
Produced in Canada and the United States


Hangnail

Horror
A couple in a rocky marriage move into a new home, where the husband becomes infatuated with an attractive neighbor; however, a small injury grows along with his relationship with this new woman.
Written by Katie Parks, Brian Parks, Cameron Gawne, Jeremy Hawkins, Cassandra Bryson, Lilly Leann Wright; Directed by Brian Parks; Produced by Brian Parks and Katie Parks
OFFICIAL WEBSITE


Hellscape

Horror
A mother searches for the spiritual truth about where her daughter’s soul went after being murdered.
Written & Directed by Sam Sorenson; Produced by Leigh Sorenson


His Final Bow?

Animation for Adults
Ernest the circus mouse learns that doing the most dangerous of stunts to gain recognition from strangers can lead to the most tragic fates.
Written & Directed by Diana Nicole Robertson
OFFICIAL WEBSITE


Launch at Paradise

Science Fiction
The lines between life and death become blurred for a man as he takes the risk to live forever.
Written by Daniel Mitura; Directed by Carrie Anne Quinn; Produced by David M. Night Maire
WATCH THE TRAILER
OFFICIAL WEBSITE


Left Side of Memory

Science Fiction
A man gets caught up with a less than respectable physician who helps him deal with the rejection of the love of his life.
Written by Harrison Lubel; Directed by Gustav Wilde; Produced by Gustav Wilde, Shaunya Bhayani and Jamal Peoples; Executive Producer Harrison Lubel
WATCH THE TRAILER


Meatballs

Horror
A nervous foodie interviews for a dream job as a food critic at a meatball restaurant that is more than meets the eye.
Written by Ella Schulson; Directed by Yevgeniya Regent
Produced by a Ukrainian filmmaker


Paracosm

Fantasy
After witnessing her parents fighting, a young girl escapes to her own fantasy world, but finds that imagination can be a double-edged sword.
Written & Directed by Natalia Coiro; Produced by Omar Dabbous


Pay the Tithe

Horror
Four friends, gathered at a house in the woods to celebrate an engagement, take in a wounded priest that shows up on the doorstep and brings with him an unimaginable horror.
Written & Directed by Andrew Sanford; Produced by Keith Rubin


Power Up

Superhero or Comic Book-Related
A pair of stupid superheroes going into the city to fight some crime, but find themselves helping a thief carrying drugs.
Written & Directed by Cyril Vrancken; Produced by BC Movies
Produced in Belgium
OFFICIAL WEBSITE


Runner

Science Fiction
The Runner must be stopped before The Gateway closes.
Written, Directed & Produced by Troy Hayes
WATCH THE TRAILER
OFFICIAL WEBSITE


Shut

Horror
After being away for a long time, a man is shocked to find his father’s mental state badly deteriorated…or something more sinister is going on.
Written by Bastiaan Tichler; Directed by Niels Bourgonje; Produced by Daniel Aiss
Produced in Netherlands
OFFICIAL WEBSITE


Superheroes

Superhero or Comic Book-Related
Made for children, this is a fantastical look at how everyone can be a superhero.
Written & Directed by Rafael de Andrade; Produced by Raphael de Oliveira Dorsa and Tauã Franco
Produced in Brazil

WATCH THE TRAILER


Superposition

Science Fiction
A couple of buddies discover how to travel through time and go into the future to learn about their past.
Written, Directed & Produced by TL L Westgate
WATCH THE TRAILER
OFFICIAL WEBSITE


Swipe Right

Horror
A widower, after the death of his wife, turns to online dating for companionship, with disastrous results.
Written & Directed by Karry Johnson; Produced by Todd Gosser & Justin Kim


The Barmaid and the Serpent

Fantasy
In a quest to avenge her brother’s death, a fearless barmaid ventures into the darkest part of the forest, where she encounters a mythical, bloodthirsty serpent.
Written & Directed by Rose Louise Hoover; Produced by Andrew Bourne


The Cure

Horror
The zombiepocalypse is the setting for this parody of movie tropes.
Written by TL Westgate and Michelle Bretana; Directed & Produced by TL Westgate
WATCH THE TRAILER
OFFICIAL WEBSITE


The Eucharist

Horror
A man fights madness after he and his daughter are stranded on a deserted island.
Written by Walter Bender and Gintarė Ilginytė; Directed by Walter Bender; Produced by Donatas Baltrušaitis, Emilis Velyvis, Paul Nethercott and Inesa Kurklietyte
Produced in Lithuania


The Interrogation

Animation for Adults
In the future, a corporate media executive performs a “loyalty test” on a savvy news director harboring a potentially game-changing secret.
Written, Directed & Produced by Marisa Cohen and Peter Issac Alexander
OFFICIAL WEBSITE


There’s Something Wrong with Paul

Horror
Recently released from prison, Paul is reunited with his siblings over dinner, but some of them are not ready to forgive the dark family secret.
Written & Directed by Mark Clauburg; Produced by Chris J Cullen, Alex Aldea, Lucille Clauburg and Gail Dehren


Those Creatures Out There

Documentary
A behind-the-scenes documentary about the production of the locally-produced film The Nightlings.
Written & Directed by David Van Der Like and Chad Sanders; Produced by David Van Der Like


Tony and the Tree

Horror
A young boy living with his estranged mother finds the comfort he craves in his relationship with a tree. However, this tree believes in revenge.
Written & Directed by Pacey Hansen; Produced by Natalia Coiro


Tree Bound

Fantasy
A bratty princess is taught a lesson in the forest.
Written, Directed & Produced by Katherine Johnson


Valkyrie

Animation for Adults
A Norse Valkyrie comes to collect the souls of dead soldiers after a battle, before she can complete her mission, a soul leaves and the valkyrie must make a decision between duty and heart.
Directed by Maeve E Andrews; Produced by Rohan Kumar
WATCH THE TRAILER
OFFICIAL WEBSITE


Welcome Home Eugene!

Horror
After being kidnapped by a pair of deranged, grief-stricken parents, a young orphan must escape their clutches with the help of their deceased son, Eugene.
Written by Noah Jorgensen, Nolan Watt; Directed by Noah Jorgensen; Produced by Samara Fitzgerald
WATCH THE TRAILER

 

Info

Pensacon proudly presents the eighth annual Pensacon Short Film Festival as one of its official events. As part of this convention, the films screened will celebrate science fiction, horror, fantasy, comic books, pop culture, animation, and documentaries. After each screening, there will be a short Q&A with filmmakers present.

Each Official Selection will be given two weekend passes to Pensacon (travel not included) to attend the screening, and filmmakers may participate in a Q&A session about their films immediately following the screening.

Over the past seven years, Pensacon has taken pride in screening some of the best short films from all around the world. In addition to the United States, we have had submissions from Australia, Canada, China, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, and United Kingdom.

To submit a film, go to https://filmfreeway.com/PensaconShortFilmFestival.

Entry Rules

• Films must have been produced after January 1, 2019.
• Films must have a running time no longer than 20 minutes. Films longer than 20 minutes will be disqualified.
• Categories—science fiction, fantasy, horror, superhero/comic book related, pop culture, animation, and documentary (documentaries must be related to the previously stated genres). Documentary films must have topics in the previously stated categories.
• Films may contain “R-rated” content, but no pornography.
• It is permissible to enter films that have screened at other film festivals, but not commercially distributed.
• Films cannot have been previously screened at Pensacon.
• Filmmakers must retain the rights to characters, stories, and music. Fan films (i.e. fan-made versions of established properties) are not allowed and WILL BE DISQUALIFIED WITHOUT REIMBURSEMENT OF ENTRY FEE.
• Unfortunately, Pensacon Short Film Festival is UNABLE TO OFFER FEE WAIVERS.
• Entry fees are paid for the purpose of being judged for participation in the Pensacon Short Film Festival and will not be refunded in the case of films not accepted, withdrawn, or disqualified from selection.

Selection Process

• Official Selections will be determined by Pensacon staff based on a number of factors, including but not limited to genre, content, quality of filmmaking, time allotment, and copyright ownership. All decisions are final.
• Pensacon staff and their families are ineligible to enter.
• All Official Selections will be announced via email to the filmmakers and on the Pensacon website and social media on December 11, 2021.
• Entry fees will be charged to all submissions, but do not guarantee acceptance into the film festival. Entry fees will not be reimbursed for films not selected, withdrawn, or disqualified.
• Pensacon reserves the right to change the category for submissions as deemed appropriate.

Additional Info

• It is recommended to upload the best quality of your film upon submission. However, an updated screener copy will be accepted until January 8, 2022. Resolution should be 1920×1080 with an audio bit depth of 16 bits.
• We recommend making the video file available to download, either through FilmFreeway, Vimeo, or YouTube (with password is fine). Otherwise, you will need to provide means for us to download the film such as through Dropbox or OneDrive no later than January 8, 2022.
• Publicity material such as stills and a movie poster are optional, but must be submitted no later than January 8, 2022.
• Non-English language films must be subtitled in English.
• All Official Selections of the Pensacon Short Film Festival will be shown as an official event of Pensacon during the weekend of February 26 – 28, 2020.
• Each Official Selection will be provided with two free weekend passes to Pensacon (travel not included) to attend the screening, and filmmakers may be invited to participate in a Q&A session about their films immediately following the screening.
• Admission to the screening will be free to anyone with a Pensacon weekend pass or day pass on the date of the screening.
• Due to the possible content of the films, anyone under the age of 17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Awards

Awards include Best in Show (determined by Pensacon staff), Jury Selection (chosen by a panel of Pensacon guests), and Audience Choice (voted on by audience members during all screenings). Specific categories are also awarded, which may change from year to year depending on entries.

Past Winners

2022 Winners

Congratulations to the following winners of the 2022 Pensacon Short Film Festival:

  • Best in Show – “Streamer Stalker” written by Gaelan Draper & Connor Del Rio; eirected by Gaelan Draper; produced by Matthew Brady
  • Jury Selection – “Cutter” written & directed by Dan Repp & Lindsay Young; produced by Scott Honey & Bears Rebecca Fonte
  • Audience Choice – “Woodland Cemetery” written, directed & produced by Niels Bourgonje
  • Best Animated Film – “Meanwhile, at the Abandoned Factory…” written & directed by Michael Cusack; produced by Richard Chataway
  • Best Documentary – “Sophie in Furbyland” directed by Pacey Hansen
  • Best Fantasy Film – “The Center of Physical Therapy for Questing Gentlefolk” written, directed & produced by Katherine Johnson
  • Best Horror Film – “Woodland Cemetery” written, directed & produced by Niels Bourgonje
  • Best Pop Culture Film – “Break Any Spell” written & produced by Lisi Purr; directed by Anton Josef
  • Best Science Fiction Film – “Dreamster” written & directed by Ludvig Gur; produced by Ralph D’Amato & Daniel Lagersten
  • Best Superhero or Comic Book Film – “ALiEN” written by Adrian Hargrave; directed by Shahbaz A. Khan; produced by Sarah Gambles

2021 Winners

Congratulations to the following winners of the 2021 Pensacon Short Film Festival:

  • Best in Show – “Monstrus Circus” written, directed, and produced by Jordan Inconstant
  • Jury Selection – “It’s Okay” written by Audrey Flegel; directed by Justin Giddings & Ryan Welsh; produced by Audrey Flegel, Stephen Laferriere, Heather Ensley, Rebekah Walendzak, Paul Culos, Michael Perez
  • Audience Choice – “Gone” written by Sam Siversson; directed by William Jackson; produced by Simon Daniele
  • Best Animated Film – “Hero” written and produced by Aoze Luo, Ziqian Zhao, Huaiyuan XU & Xiantao Zhu; directed by Aoze Luo
  • Best Documentary – “The Flip Side” written, directed and produced by William Stead
  • Best Fantasy Film – “Pine Mountain Overnight” written and directed by Geena Marie Hernandez, produced by William Stead
  • Best Horror Film – “Shaken” written and directed by Chayse Banks, produced by William Stead
  • Best Pop Culture Film – “The Legend of Stella” written by Maren Curtis; directed by Aileen Sheedy; produced by Molly Preston
  • Best Science Fiction Film – “Sundown Trail” written and directed by Luke Guidici; produced by Luke Guidici, Patrick Reasonover, Matthew Edwards, and Victoria Hill
  • Best Superhero or Comic Book Film – “Imperceptible” written and directed by Alexa Shackelford; produced by Alexa Shackelford and Franz Salvatierra

2020 Winners

  • Best in Show – We Got a Monkey’s Paw
  • Jury Selection – Balloon
  • Audience Choice – All Boys Die
  • Best Animated Film – Serpendipity
  • Best Documentary – Becoming Wonder Woman
  • Best Fantasy Film – Dispel
  • Best Horror Film – Can Someone Hear Me?
  • Best Pop Culture Film – Furtherance
  • Best Science Fiction Film – Infinity 7
  • Best Superhero or Comic Book Film – Capitán Kinesis

2019 Winners

  • Best in Show – “Outpost” written & directed by Justin Giddings & Ryan Welsh; produced by Cindi Rice & Lynn Thomas
  • Jury Award – “The Phantom Menace” written & directed by Charlotte Barrett & Sean Fallon; produced by Bettina Barrow & Anna Margaret Hollyman
  • Audience Choice – “The Gift of the Red Fern” written by Kevin Brackett; produced by Robyn McSheehy Hartman & Kelly Hall; directed by Robyn McSheehy Hartman
  • Best Animated Film – “Rebooted” written & directed by Sagar Arun & Rachel Kral
  • Best Comic Book Film – “The Cape” written & directed by Andrew Olson; produced by Jacob W. Gilbert & Andrew Olson
  • Best Documentary – “Cap City Video Lounge” directed by Rhea Begazo & Hunter Black
  • Best Fantasy Film – “Breaking Up” written & directed by Greg Vestal; produced by Bre Knittel
  • Best Horror Film – “Deep Dish Apocalypse” written by Trey Nichols; directed by David Codeglia; produced by Ron Morehouse & Emily Bell
  • Best Science Fiction Film – “Margaret and Gary” written & directed by Fredric Lehne

2018 Winners

  • Best in Show – “Sunny and Gerd in Spring Cleaning” written, directed and produced by DaCosta Bayley
  • Jury Selection- “The Amazing Neckbeard” written and directed by Aaron Legg
  • Audience Choice – “The Tolls” written by Wylie Herman and Liz Anderson; directed by Liz Anderson; produced by Michael Balke and Richard Southard

2017 Winners

  • Best in Show – “The Edge” (“La Lisière”) written by Tom Gobart and Simon Saulnier; directed and produced by Simon Saulnier
  • Jury Selection- “Pirate Parts” directed by Shabnam Shams, Megan Robinson, and Sara Chantland; produced by John Harden, Sheila Harden, and Don R. Lewis
  • Audience Choice – “Future Boyfriend” written by A. Vincent Ularich; directed by Ben Rock; produced by Ron Morehouse and Emily Bell

2016 Winners

  • US Best in Show – “My Luchador” written and directed by Shea Sizemore; produced by Chip White
  • International Best in Show – “Willa” (Germany) directed by Helena Hufnagel; written by Sina Flammang (based on a short story by Stephen King); produced by Helena Hufnagel and Tina Kringer
  • Jury Selection- “New” written and directed by John Harden; produced by John Harden, Sheila Harden, and Don R. Lewis
  • Audience Choice – “Expiration Date” written and directed by Jeffrey Frame; produced by Zack Kepner

2015 Winners

  • Best in Show – “Defense Mechanism” directed by Sebastian Munoz
  • Jury Selection – “E.M.M.A.” directed by Stephen Herman
  • Audience Choice- “Chondriac” directed by Austin Hermann