SESSION — NIFP’S FISCAL SPONSORSHIP – A PRACTICAL GUIDE
Chad Haufschild – NIFP Representative

Nebraska Independent Film Projects’s treasurer, Chad Haufschild, walks you through how the fiscal sponsorship works, from the application process all the way to receiving disbursement checks. Learn what you need to apply, how and when to use it in your fundraising campaign, how to acknowledge your donors, and what it all means to you at the end of your project. He’ll even have PowerPoint slides!

DIRECTORS ROUNDTABLE
Genevieve Radosti – Facilitator

Gather to experience our roundtable discussion from Nebraska filmmakers Eleanor Benson, Alexah Fort, Hannah Pedersen, Peyton Savington, Shelby Hagerdon, and Rachel Williamson.

WRITING YOUR FEATURE FILM SCREENPLAY
Shelby Hagerdon — Filmmaker/Producer

Learn what goes into writing a full-length feature screenplay, from organizing your ideas to getting them on the page. We will discuss loglines, outlining, character creation, and how to approach the writing itself.

PITCHING YOUR FILM (for financing and development)
Michael G White — Filmmaker/Producer

Learn the components of financing your film with investors and grants. This includes the components of deck development and navigating investor meetings.

SESSION – SPEED NETWORKING
Flatwater Team

Are you looking to expand your network and meet new people in the Nebraska film community? Join the Flatwater team for a session of rapid-fire speed-networking! Speed networking is a bit like speed dating for screen practitioners, with a focus on finding your future project collaborators. Meet fresh new faces as well as touch base with old friends.

Toots.
Chris Alan Evans

When his aging mother’s health declines due to Parkinson’s, a devoted son grapples with the challenges of becoming her caregiver.

Toots

The Thief of Dreams

Wheeler Winston Dixon

“Fear is the thief of dreams.” ― Brian Krans

The Conservationist

Ken White

Trying to escape his complicity in an environmental disaster, a gifted economist retreats into an Eden of his own making, but when a tyrannical energy conglomerate threatens to destroy paradise, he takes conservation to a murderous extreme.

Car-Centric

Joseph Gerard Giitter

Omaha is one of the most car-centric cities in America. This film addresses why remaining car-centric is unsustainable and explores alternatives that will help Omaha grow into a thriving and vibrant city.

Carburator Cowboy

Miranda Wenzl

A young cowboy confronts an outlaw he’s been searching for. Winner of the 2025 FFF 48-Hour Film Challenge.

Icebox

Patrick Rea

On the coldest night in decades, a teenage pizza delivery driver fights to survive the brutal elements after a mysterious stranger steals his car and locks him in the trunk.

Icebox

Halfway Saved

Gabriella Chamberlain

Drew navigates her queerness in a religious environment.

A Sleepless Land

Sam Senser

To a whimsical world, a boy is led, where the only time of year is Fall and Halloween… But was it all a dream?

While The Cat’s Away

Bill Hedges

Will and his cat Penny end up at a space station where they encounter enigmatic aliens and a menacing robot.

Expedition Yellowstone

Jesse T. Weiss

Students from a private Nebraska liberal arts college experience Yellowstone National Park for the first time, discovering its breathtaking beauty, scientific significance, and cultural importance.

Perfecting the Pride of All Nebraska

David Swotek

The Cornhusker Marching Band at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is a spectacle like no other! It’s time to take a deep dive into the work, fun, and pride behind this wonderful group!

“Helen Kalocsa: A Life Well Lived”

Ryle Lee Smith

From Nazi occupied Europe in the 1930s to Omaha, Nebraska the survival story of 92 year old artist Helen Kalocsa is told by Helen herself.

Nebraska’s 400

Miles Ian Landaw

Nebraska was one of the last states without a Vietnam memorial. Four veterans led the effort to create the state’s largest and most interactive tribute, overcoming Covid with community support to honor 400 KIA and reveal remarkable untold stories.

Nesting

Eleanor Benson, Alexah Fort

A heartwarming 3D animated short about a pigeon navigating a bustling city, facing rejection at every turn, and discovering connection and kindness in unexpected places.

Juice

Rachel Williamson

The fruity delusions of an isolated woman turn sour when an unexpected visitor disrupts her fantastical morning.

People Worth Caring About (Nebraska)

Peter Murphy Lewis

People Worth Caring About highlights Nebraska’s invisible caregivers, revealing the love, dignity, and emotional labor of a profession too often overlooked.

Daylight Savings

Nolan McWhorter

A terminally ill warehouse worker attempts to hide his condition from his coworkers while contemplating his own life decisions.

The RoseMan of Omaha

David M Weiss

The RoseMan of Omaha follows Dean Battiato, a Sicilian-American man on the spectrum who sells roses across Omaha, sharing love while navigating cancer, bullying, and violence, revealing resilience, identity, and the beauty beyond society’s judgments.

Rivoli

Greg A Gale

On his last day of work at his family’s movie theater, Sam struggles to determine what path his future holds.

No More Good Meet Cutes

Christine Burright, Chance Guida

Two singles tired of the digital dating scene set out on a spontaneous afternoon in the name of classic 90s romcoms.

Birdland

Jesse Eastman, Cammi Garrett

Four interconnected friends wake up in a somewhat familiar home, compelled by some magical force to stay until they figure out why they’re there.

The Entomologist’s Wife

Shelby Hagerdon

This film follows one man’s desperate attempt to save his wife through their study of moths.

Here’s the Rules

Scott McKinney

Eddie loves hanging out with his friends but zones out when they explain the rules of their stupidly complex board game.

Cry Night

Lauren Vana, Tony Bonacci

On the most emotional night of church camp, a teen who has come to terms with her sexuality struggles to find where she stands with God.

Unholy

Daisy Friedman

A young adult with a complex gastrointestinal disorder, as she navigates her first Passover Seder on a feeding tube amid pushy relatives, malfunctioning medical devices, and a table full of inedible food.

Truth Detector: Regifted

William Reliford

The family is visiting grandpa for Christmas. But there is one gift that keeps on giving.

A House in Fragments

Joshua Allen LaBure

Lingering impressions of a marriage that has fallen apart.

The Elkhorn Tornado

Chris Machian

Explore the people and stories along the path of the 2024 Elkhorn tornado.

Styled With Love

Brie Fripp

A woman talks about her hair styling business.

Fr. John Shea

Jerome Hade Bustarga

This short documentary explores Fr. John Shea, a Jesuit priest and Creighton University biology professor, as he navigates the intersection of faith and science through personal reflections and candid conversations.

The Beat Goes On

Autumn Scheer

The Bittersweet Truth About Parking

Blake Bodlak, Anja Oelofse

A man in an odd relationship with a parking spot undergoes a process of self reflection.

The Thing With Feathers

Anja Oelofse

Feeling lost after her father’s death, Sarah miraculously meets her younger self and they go on a journey of forgiveness and self-discovery.

The Unspoken Rules of Society:

The Men’s Urinal

Tricia Nangkalaphivath, Jake Johansen

This is a short film about The Unspoken Rules of Society: The Men’s Urinal. What is and is not acceptable behavior per societal norms.

The Mudman

Landon Fiscus

Rumors of an urban legend sparks an adventure when a curious trio hears about THE MUDMAN.

Certified Loverboy

Maverick Knox

As Valentine’s Day approaches, matchmaking agency Certified Loverboy unveils an unusual new service: fake dates for the romantically challenged.

The Wicked Flee

Quincy Tyris Christian

A pastor and his troubled young adult group retreat to a remote Nebraska camp, where isolation and dark secrets force them to confront their pasts, their faith, and each other.

The Film That Almost Ruined Our Marriage

Darin Blair, Cheri Blair

After attending their first film festival, a couple is inspired to give film making a try.

Sew Lucky

Hannah Pedersen

An aspiring designer, must overcome her superstitions when her lucky heirloom goes missing in this family-friendly story.

Collector’s Edition

Mathew Kister

A diva z-grade horror actress and her assistant spend the night in a super fan’s home and find a bit more than they bargained for.

PigFace 3

Joshua Weixelman

The final conclusion of the Pigface saga. Secrets revealed. Families broken. One heartbreaking finale.

Wetland Legacies: Nebraska’s Wetland Reserve

Easement Program

Mariah Lundgren, Grant Reiner, Ethan Freese

This film highlights Nebraska conservationists and explains how the Wetland Reserve Easement program helps landowners restore and protect wetlands on private property.

The Pursuit of Dynasty: A Westside Football

Mini-Documentary

Nathanial George, Malachi Coppinger

This mini-documentary follows Westside High School, Omaha NE, football, capturing victories, challenges, and the quest to continue a legacy of greatness.

Abraham’s Bridge

Elinor Pierce

In the heartland, a mosque, synagogue, church, and interfaith center are linked by a shared vision—exploring whether this model of coexistence can bridge growing divisions.

Fragments: Photographer Jim Hendrickson

This film explores memory and identity through a nursing home resident and an archive of 50,000 photographs, arranging fragments of voice, image, and text to reconstruct a life’s story.

It’s Saturday Night

Gabriel Culp

This comedy explores relationships, trust, and how even the most innocent games can bring painful truths to the surface.

Threat

Jarod Rogers

John Evers is working late. As he packs up to go home, he discovers he is not alone.

From Lexi

Andrea Ray

A group of kids tries to make a short film when tragedy strikes. Years later, their vision comes to life.

The House Among the Trees

Tyler Horner

After three thieves break into a secluded house, they accidentally discover a small town’s dark secrets.

Spiral

Michael Tushaus

“Spiral” captures the dynamic performance of Alex Stopa’s percussion quartet, blending jazz and pop, and winner of 2 Pacific-Southwest Emmy® Awards.

Margot on a Run

Andrew Sindt

A shy runner encounters his old crush and they begin a not-so-innocent relationship running together.

Thank You For Her

Peyton Savington

After a chance accident, aspiring novelist and cyclist begin a romance that challenges her family ties and changes both their lives.

The Photographer

Benjamin Davenport

We see the world through the photographer’s camera.

Hitchhiking America

Mark Wayne Donovan

Travel over 5,000 miles in this whimsical, thought provoking adventure.

Nebraska, the Good Life

Christian Mechlenburg

A personal exploration of Nebraska, this film reflects on time, change, and a way of life that continues to leave a lasting impression years later, on a former exchange student from Denmark.

Caper Break

Isaiah Duane Burson Griffith

When frustrations around a new case cause Johnny Pikes and James Jenkins to break up, the race begins to see who will catch a mysterious killer- with brand new partners.

Last Light

LeAnna Michelle Salinas

A year after a deadly disease outbreak, 17 year old Jo reflects on her past while living in the new quiet world.

Marioneta Naranja

Max Koehn

An orange being haunts a woman’s dreams.

Buried Treasure

Jacob C McCauley

Two clowns hired for a wealthy family’s party discover treasure in the backyard and scheme a heist to get rich.

Shepherd Moon

Michaela Wadzinski

The power struggle between an alien and her human test subject gets complicated when they both see their relationship differently.

Somebody’s Watching You

Darby Ellis, Lewis Wilson

A famous author attempts to finish his novel by secluding himself in a remote mountain lodge, but fears a crazed fan has found him.

I Watch You Paint

Tim Guthrie

A poem by Albert Garcia, realized as a painted frame-by-frame animation for Prairie Schooner Publishing (UNL).

Legendz

Anthony Aaron Parker

A down and out Native American man must dig up bones for a shady museum curator. The land is protected by a spirit and William Bill must use his mental abilities to eventually place the bones back on the sacred land.

Covert X The Movie

Danny Ray Hogan

Covert X wakes on an unknown planet—powerful, lost, and alone. In a dangerous world, he must find the life he was born without.

Last Tour Trailer

Jeremy Wade Rodman

A group of die-hard fans resurrect late rock star Hugo for one last U.S. tour, hitting the road in a 1970s behemoth car on a wild, drug-fueled journey chasing the American dream.

Butter Knife

Melinda Winhold

Butter knife welding Stanley hopes to get his way with Lily but her brother Franklin intervenes.

School House For Reed

Amber Hongsermeier

Two youths embody the burden of their previous farming generations’ sacrifices, highlighting their generational wealth in choice of education.

Dark Tenet

Jesus Narvaez, Jonathan Lanz

Four friends head to a remote cabin for a relaxing weekend, but unexpected events soon disrupt their plans.

Lost Soul

Nathan Matthew Blizzard

A student filmmaker takes over a project after the director steps down, but struggles to balance the film with her own grief and loss.

5:00 PM	PRE-FESTIVAL MIXER Nebraska Independent Film Projects is sponsoring a pre-festival mixer. Meet other Nebraska filmmakers and learn just a little bit about what NIFP does to support the Nebraska filmmaking community before sitting down to the first night of the Flatwater Film Festival. Free drinks and snacks! RED PATH GALLERY & TASTING ROOM, 514 Seward Street
Friday – Screen 1
6:00 PM	Welcome Remarks
6:10 PM	A Special Presentation
6:15 PM	Toots.
6:28 PM	The Thief of Dreams
6:33 PM	The Conservationist
6:45 PM	Car-Centric
7:46 PM	Carburator Cowboy
7:52 PM	Halfway Saved
7:59 PM	Icebox
8:14 PM	A Sleepless Land
8:25 PM	While The Cat’s Away
9:15 PM	After-Party Mixer at the SPARETIME Lounge & Grill, 123 S 4th Street
Saturday Screen 1		Saturday Screen 2
8:30 AM	Welcome Remarks	8:30 AM	Welcome Remarks
8:35 AM	Expedition Yellowstone	8:35 AM	The Elkhorn Tornado
		8:49 AM	Styled With Love
		8:57 AM	Fr. John Shea
		9:06 AM	The Beat Goes On
9:10 AM	Perfecting the Pride of All Nebraska
		9:16 AM	Break
		9:21 AM	The Bittersweet Truth About Parking
9:31 AM	Helen Kalocsa: A Life Well Lived
		9:39 AM	The Thing With Feathers
9:46 AM	Nebraska’s 400
		10:04 AM	Break
10:10 AM	Intermission	10:10 AM	SESSION: Writing Your Feature Film Screenplay
		10:50 AM	SESSION: NIFP
		11:30 AM	SESSION: Pitching Your Film (for financing and development)
12:10 PM	SESSION: Speed Networking	12:10 PM	Intermission
12:50 PM	Directors Roundtable
1:30 PM	Nesting	1:30 PM	The Unspoken Rules of Society: The Men’s Urinal
1:35 PM	Juice
		1:41 PM	The Mudman
1:44 PM	People Worth Caring About (Nebraska)
		1:58 PM	Certified Loverboy
		2:13 PM	The Wicked Flee
		2:27 PM	The Film That Almost Ruined Our Marriage
		2:44 PM	Break
		2:49 PM	Sew Lucky
		3:00 PM	Collector’s Edition
3:21 PM	Daylight Savings
		3:26 PM	Break
3:30 PM	The RoseMan of Omaha
		3:31 PM	Pigface 3
5:07 PM	Intermission
6:00 PM	A Special Presentation
6:05 PM	Rivoli
6:27 PM	No More Good Meet Cutes
6:34 PM	Birdland
6:49 PM	The Entomologist’s Wife
7:02 PM	Here’s the Rules
7:10 PM	Cry Night
7:20 PM	Unholy
7:33 PM	Truth Detector: Regifted
7:42 PM	A House in Fragments
9:00 PM	After-Party Mixer at Bottle Rocket Brewing Company, 230 S 5th Street
Sunday Screen 1		Sunday Screen 2
8:30 AM	Welcome Remarks	8:30 AM	Welcome Remarks
8:35 AM	Wetland Legacies: Nebraska’s Wetland Reserve Easement Program	8:35 AM	The Photographer
		8:40 AM	Hitchhiking America
8:44 AM	The Pursuit of Dynasty: A Westside Football Mini-Documentary
8:54 AM	Abraham’s Bridge
9:30 AM	Fragments: Photographer Jim Hendrickson
		9:51 AM	Nebraska, the Good Life
		10:05 AM	Break
10:07 AM	Break
		10:10 AM	Caper Break
10:12 AM	It’s Saturday Night
10:40 AM	Threat
		10:45 AM	Last Light
10:47 AM	From Lexi
		10:50 AM	Marioneta Naranja
		10:51 AM	Buried Treasure
10:55 AM	The House Among the Trees
		11:09 AM	Break
		11:14 AM	Shepherd Moon
		11:25 AM	Somebody’s Watching You
		11:36 AM	I Watch You Paint
		11:40 AM	Legendz
		11:53 AM	Covert X The Movie
12:10 PM	Break
		12:12 PM	Last Tour Trailer
12:15 PM	Spiral
		12:17 PM	Butter Knife
		12:19 PM	School House/For Reed
12:24 PM	Margot on a Run
		12:25 PM	Dark Tenet
		12:32 PM	Break
12:45 PM	Thank You For Her
		12:37 PM	Lost Soul

Flatwater Film Festival

The Thief of Dreams

Wheeler Winston Dixon

The Conservationist

Ken White

Car-Centric

Joseph Gerard Giitter

Carburator Cowboy

Miranda Wenzl

Icebox

Patrick Rea

Halfway Saved

Gabriella Chamberlain

A Sleepless Land

Sam Senser

While The Cat’s Away

Bill Hedges

Expedition Yellowstone

Jesse T. Weiss

Perfecting the Pride of All Nebraska

David Swotek

“Helen Kalocsa: A Life Well Lived”

Ryle Lee Smith

Nebraska’s 400

Miles Ian Landaw

Nesting

Eleanor Benson, Alexah Fort

Juice

Rachel Williamson

People Worth Caring About (Nebraska)

Peter Murphy Lewis

Daylight Savings

Nolan McWhorter

The RoseMan of Omaha

David M Weiss

Rivoli

Greg A Gale

No More Good Meet Cutes

Christine Burright, Chance Guida

Birdland

Jesse Eastman, Cammi Garrett

The Entomologist’s Wife

Shelby Hagerdon

Here’s the Rules

Scott McKinney

Cry Night

Lauren Vana, Tony Bonacci

Unholy

Daisy Friedman

Truth Detector: Regifted

William Reliford

A House in Fragments

Joshua Allen LaBure

The Elkhorn Tornado

Chris Machian

Styled With Love

Brie Fripp

Fr. John Shea

Jerome Hade Bustarga

The Beat Goes On

Autumn Scheer

The Bittersweet Truth About Parking

Blake Bodlak, Anja Oelofse

The Thing With Feathers

Anja Oelofse

The Unspoken Rules of Society:

The Men’s Urinal

Tricia Nangkalaphivath, Jake Johansen

The Mudman

Landon Fiscus

Certified Loverboy

Maverick Knox

The Wicked Flee

Quincy Tyris Christian

The Film That Almost Ruined Our Marriage

Darin Blair, Cheri Blair

Sew Lucky

Hannah Pedersen

Collector’s Edition

Mathew Kister