The 2025 Flatwater Film Festival will be held September 26-28 at the historic Rivoli Theater in downtown Seward, NE.
Filmmakers are currently being notified of our selection choices. The schedule is currently being finalized and will be posted here shortly thereafter.
Please return to see the exciting line-up!
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.
PICHING YOUR FILM (for financing and development)
Michael G White — Filmmaker/Producer
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.
When his aging mother’s health declines due to Parkinson’s, a devoted son grapples with the challenges of becoming her caregiver.
“Fear is the thief of dreams.” ― Brian Krans
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.
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. 
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.
Drew navigates her queerness in a religious environment.
To a whimsical world, a boy is led, where the only time of year is Fall and Halloween… But was it all a dream?
Will and his cat Penny end up at a space station where they encounter enigmatic aliens and a menacing robot.
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.
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!
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 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.
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.
The fruity delusions of an isolated woman turn sour when an unexpected visitor disrupts her fantastical morning.
People Worth Caring About highlights Nebraska’s invisible caregivers, revealing the love, dignity, and emotional labor of a profession too often overlooked.
A terminally ill warehouse worker attempts to hide his condition from his coworkers while contemplating his own life decisions.
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.
On his last day of work at his family’s movie theater, Sam struggles to determine what path his future holds.
Two singles tired of the digital dating scene set out on a spontaneous afternoon in the name of classic 90s romcoms.
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.
This film follows one man’s desperate attempt to save his wife through their study of moths.
Eddie loves hanging out with his friends but zones out when they explain the rules of their stupidly complex board game.
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.
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.
The family is visiting grandpa for Christmas. But there is one gift that keeps on giving.
Lingering impressions of a marriage that has fallen apart.
Explore the people and stories along the path of the 2024 Elkhorn tornado.
A woman talks about her hair styling business.
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.
A man in an odd relationship with a parking spot undergoes a process of self reflection.
Feeling lost after her father’s death, Sarah miraculously meets her younger self and they go on a journey of forgiveness and self-discovery.
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.
Rumors of an urban legend sparks an adventure when a curious trio hears about THE MUDMAN.
As Valentine’s Day approaches, matchmaking agency Certified Loverboy unveils an unusual new service: fake dates for the romantically challenged.
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.
After attending their first film festival, a couple is inspired to give film making a try.
An aspiring designer, must overcome her superstitions when her lucky heirloom goes missing in this family-friendly story.
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.
The final conclusion of the Pigface saga. Secrets revealed. Families broken. One heartbreaking finale.
This film highlights Nebraska conservationists and explains how the Wetland Reserve Easement program helps landowners restore and protect wetlands on private property.
This mini-documentary follows Westside High School, Omaha NE, football, capturing victories, challenges, and the quest to continue a legacy of greatness.
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.
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.
This comedy explores relationships, trust, and how even the most innocent games can bring painful truths to the surface.
John Evers is working late. As he packs up to go home, he discovers he is not alone.
A group of kids tries to make a short film when tragedy strikes. Years later, their vision comes to life.
After three thieves break into a secluded house, they accidentally discover a small town’s dark secrets.
“Spiral” captures the dynamic performance of Alex Stopa’s percussion quartet, blending jazz and pop, and winner of 2 Pacific-Southwest Emmy® Awards.
A shy runner encounters his old crush and they begin a not-so-innocent relationship running together.
After a chance accident, aspiring novelist and cyclist begin a romance that challenges her family ties and changes both their lives.
We see the world through the photographer’s camera.
Travel over 5,000 miles in this whimsical, thought provoking adventure.
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.
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.
A year after a deadly disease outbreak, 17 year old Jo reflects on her past while living in the new quiet world.
An orange being haunts a woman’s dreams.
Two clowns hired for a wealthy family’s party discover treasure in the backyard and scheme a heist to get rich.
The power struggle between an alien and her human test subject gets complicated when they both see their relationship differently.
A famous author attempts to finish his novel by secluding himself in a remote mountain lodge, but fears a crazed fan has found him.
A poem by Albert Garcia, realized as a painted frame-by-frame animation for Prairie Schooner Publishing (UNL).
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 wakes on an unknown planet—powerful, lost, and alone. In a dangerous world, he must find the life he was born without.
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 welding Stanley hopes to get his way with Lily but her brother Franklin intervenes.
A father’s struggle between school and farm work, leaving him with only an eighth-grade education—a lifelong regret.
Four friends head to a remote cabin for a relaxing weekend, but unexpected events soon disrupt their plans.
A student filmmaker takes over a project after the director steps down, but struggles to balance the film with her own grief and loss.
