The Flatwater Film Festival will be held October 6-8, 2023 at the historic Rivoli Theater in downtown Seward, NE.
At this time, we are accepting submissions to the festival. Submissions will be accepted via FilmFreeway until August 1, 2023.
Selections will be notified on August 20, 2023. At that time the schedule will be put together and posted here shortly thereafter.
Please return to see the exciting line-up!
SPECIAL
M RIZ, 2022, 8:14, Experimental [E]
This short film sends a powerful message of disability awareness. At the same time, it raises the voice against gun violence.
A Single Day (Preview)
Caden Bye & Nicole Vawser, 26:44, Drama/Romance [T]
The story follows Jonathon as he embarks on a journey of self discovery after the loss of his best friend Samantha after a college party.
A.E. Wells: A Man and His Park
Donnie Dodge, 2018, 31:00, Documentary [E]
Synopsis pending.
Before the Compound
Josh Weixelman, 2022, 8:18, Horror [T]
While seeking refuge from the law, a band of thieves shelter inside an abandoned house. What they find inside is more than they counted on.
Black & White Christmas Movie
Daniel L. Wolff, 2021, 1:16:24, Comedy/Drama/LGBTQ+ [T]
Two outspoken teens must navigate the upcoming holiday as their worlds simultaneously unravel.
BUZZ Pollen Nation
Mike Machian, 2021, 9:07, Documentary [E]
Bombus occidentalis, the Western Bumblebee, was one of the most common species found in the western US. Since the late 90’s, this species has experienced steep decline. Kellie Hayden volunteers her time to to help track and conserve native bumblebee species.
Call in the Crèche
Tim Guthrie, 2021, 10:55, Documentary [E]
A mini-doc about a crèche in Paparoa, New Zealand, focused on saving an iconic species of kiwi, and how that relates to protecting the entire ecosystem.
Cat Noir
Bill Hedges, 2022, 19:59, Sci-Fi [E]
Space traveler Will and his cat Penny are summoned to a planet to help a scientist, Wolfgang Spiegel, open a portal into a parallel universe. Lydia, the scientist’s daughter, warns Will about the dangers involved with her father’s experiment and Will faces more than he expects when the portal is opened.
Don’t Say A Word
Wheeler Winston Dixon, 2022, 3:27, Experimental [E]
“Sometimes silence is a really good answer. ” – Chandler Brossard
Familial Strangers
Nick Madison, 2022, 12:39, Drama/Comedy [T]
Following the death of their grandparents, three cousins reunite for one last night at the house, only for drama to ensue.
FLY
Tess Potter, 2021, 7:34, Drama [T]
Justine, Cecelia and Rachel all grew up in the foster care system and were abused by the same foster father. They went on to date abusers in their adult lives as well. After Rachel’s recent abuser pushed her to suicide, Justine becomes obsessed with taking justice into her own hands to seek revenge on the man responsible.
Fortress of Sin
Paul Chomicki & Christian Voss, 1:14:00, Drama/Thriller [M]
A down-and-out Father searches for his missing daughter in the mysterious Nebraska panhandle….and may just find himself.
Ghost Hunter
Patrick Lambrecht, 2017, 21:28, Horror [T]
While waiting for the rest of her paranormal investigative team to arrive, Jayda decides to start exploring an abandoned building on her own. What she ends up capturing is more than what she expects.
Gravediggers
Adam Gutierrez, 2022, 21:48, Dark Comedy [M]
Two career criminals are hired for a grotesque job, when curiosity gets the better of them and they invade the privacy of their “boss”.
I am Josh Brockington
Chris Case 2020 53:05 Documentary [E]
Josh Brockington was a Ralston High School student involved in theater, choir and filmmaking. His life was tragically ended on March 1, 2000 due to a drunk driver striking his car in Papillion, NE.
Inner Worlds – Season 1
Jessica Johnson, 2022 58:26, Web Series [T]
McKenzie, an aspiring writer, decides to start up a tabletop game for the first time. As the players embark on an adventure together, they discover more about themselves and the challenges that face them in their own lives.
Interrogation
Jake Johansen & Tricia Nangkalaphivath, 2020, 9:51, Comedy [T]
…The title pretty much tells it all.
It’s Hell Getting Old
Patrick Rea, 2019, 11:05, Horror/Comedy [T]
Two elderly couples get stuck in an elevator on the way to their class reunion.
Jesse’s Chili
Tom Lombard, 29:30, Drama [T]
A weekly episode of ’60s suspenseful TV series, Jesse is to divide his father’s estate with his siblings but is met with an untimely death.
Jessica Dol – Saying Goodbye
Donnie Dodge, 2017, 16:04, Documentary [E]
After 17 years in Omaha Radio, follow Z92 star DJ Jessica Dol on her last day.
Just Like The Butterfly
Adam Paul Stone, 2022, 22:08, Drama [T]
A husband with a brain disorder that affects his long and short-term memories recounts his marriage and discovers why it’s ending. (Shot in west Texas)
Kid Nap
Patrick Rea, 2021, 14:31, Comedy [T]
Eager to prove himself after a failed pet-sitting incident, dimwitted Kenny Ray Bleeker steps up to the plate as a last minute babysitting replacement. Kid Nap is a comedic look at a predisposed collision course between responsibility and moronic tendencies.
Luggage & Layover
Justin Milani, 2022, 17:11, Psychological Drama [T]
An otherwise perfect and beautiful couple must learn and deal with a turning of events.
Moving In Stereo
Andrew Sindt, 2021, 12:40, Drama/Comedy [T]
Synopsis pending.
Moving Parts
Tom Knoblauch, 2021, 1:25:00, Drama/Comedy [T]
A former child actor returns to his hometown to accept an award and revitalize his image as a beloved son of the Heartland.
Nervous Records
Jesse Eastman & Adam Gutierrez, 2022, 14:28, Comedy [T]
Employees of a dying record company struggle with the weight or their futures and find love in the chaos.
Night Owl
Nathan Matthew Blizzard, 2021, 12:33, Horror [T]
Hails and Daniel take care of their child, Kyle, who has been infected with a virus. They keep Kyle locked away in their basement as he begins to age rapidly. Over time, Kyle starts to evolve into something not human, having an Owl-like resemblance, and breaks free.
Nightfall
Nathan Matthew Blizzard 2021 29:54 Horror [T]
Caroline searches for her sister, Julie, who has been searching through missing person cases. She gets help from an organization Julie worked for called “Nightfall”. They try to help Caroline but find that something far more sinister is behind the disappearances.
No Longer Silent: Hear Our Voices Project
Denisha Seals, 56:49, Documentary [T]
Designed to give survivors of child molestation and sexual abuse an opportunity to have their voices heard and to have public policymakers and potential allies gain a greater awareness of the devastating effects of such negative social interaction on the lives of individuals and the community and social fabric as a whole.
Player Character
Alexander Ryan Hinsley, 2022, 05:07, Comedy [E]
A young girl tries to illegally purchase alcohol under the guise of her Dungeons&Dragons roleplay costume.
Provo
Emma Thatcher, 2022, 1:27:00, Drama/Comedy [A]
A self-destructive ex-Mormon finds out her abusive father is on his deathbed and road trips to Utah to reckon with her past.
Psycho Money
Caden Bye, 2021, 36:04, Action/Thriller [M]
A group of sinful bank robbers deal with the repercussions of a mission gone wrong.
Quest for the Arches of Gold
Jake Johansen & Tricia Nangkalaphivath, 2020, 6:03, Comedy [T]
Homeless man takes woman on a quest for the Arches of Gold
Savior
Benjamin Watts, 4:43, Action/Thriller [T]
Synopsis pending.
Stay At Home Dad
Maverick Knox, 2021, 6:50, Sci-Fi [T]
A father learns that he is a robot built by his engineer positive wife
The Café
Dylan Jay Cookus, 7:51, Drama [E]
An artistic visualization of a heartbreak and following heartache.
The Last Goodbye
Jeremy Lubash, 2022, 7:00, Drama [T]
Is goodbye truly forever? For this couple goodbye could just be the beginning.
The Last Prairie
John O’Keefe, 2021, 1:01:06, Documentary [E]
Through the voices of ecologists, ranchers and native people, this documentary profiles one of the last remaining intact prairies in North America.
The Legend of Milo Man
Dorothy Booraem & Amos Orion Sterns, 2021, 21:08, Horror [T]
When the crops are high, a mysterious and deadly being stalks Nebraska fields in search of life force. This is the Legend of Milo Man. One by one, three friends on a camping trip are hunted through the woods and fields of Walton, Nebraska. To what lengths will they, and the locals, go to survive the night?
The Letter
Ally Boyd, 2021, 13:51, Drama [T]
Letters from the past aid in the grieving process of a young woman.
The Queen of Pandora’s Box
Michael G. White, Ally Boyd & Shelby Hagerdon, 2022, 18:24, LGBTQ+ [T]
When a young drag queen confronts her drag mother a dark secret is revealed about their troupe.
They Wait In The Dark
Patrick Rea, 2022, 1:24:51, Horror [T]
A young woman and her adopted son are on the run from her abusive ex-girlfriend, and find themselves haunted by a supernatural force from the past.
They’re Here
Ty Jones, 2022, 5:50, Horror [T]
A young couple takes a hike in the woods where things may not be what they seem.
Three in One
Andrew Sindt, 2021, 6:30, Documentary [E]
A story about a triplet of sisters growing up in Nebraska in 1942.
Unbroken
Brandon Fiscus, 2022, 3:35, Comedy [E]
Landon must find a a way to fix his trouble before mom comes home.
Under The Willow Tree
Kate Robertson Pryor & Jeremy Lubash 11:55 Drama [T]
The struggle of unresolved trauma and abuse.
We Will Not Be Silent
Brian Seifferlein & David Koehn, 2021, 53:01, Documentary [E]
This documentary film follows 8 students as they work toward perfecting a message for the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Youth Rally and March. Fifth grade students and their families confront the racist history of the United States and find their voices to share with the world.
Wild Card
Tipper Newton, 2022, 12:30, Drama/Noir [T]
Two strangers are brought together by a video dating service.
You Had Me At Meow
Bill Hedges, 2022, 22:52, Sci-Fi [E]
Alone on an alien planet, space traveler Will finds a lost cat of mysterious origins. The bond they develop is strained when Will can’t let go of his past.
Session — Talent Management
More information coming soon!
SESSION — Discussing Distribution
Patrick Rea – Independent Filmmaker
In this session we will cover one of the most important steps in making a film, distribution. We will discuss finding the right distributor, properly delivering a film and promoting your film once it hits streaming services.
SESSION — Nebraska Independent Film Projects
Chad Haufschild – NIFP Respresentative
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!
SESSION – Perseverance & Film Incentives
Stacy Heatherly – Film Commissioner, Eastern Nebraska Film Office
Perseverance in a State without a State film incentive program has been successful. To build this industry to the level we all want, we must become a unified team. Continuing to build our database is critical. Just as critical as building rural film incentives in every community that has LB840.
SESSION — Lighting on a Budget
Mark Renken – Independent Filmmaker
In this session you will explore how to use inexpensive lights to make your films look more like your mind’s vision. The three-point lighting technique, using practical lights or low-cost units, will be our focus. Also covered will be a few budget ways to make light modifiers to control the lights you use.
SESSION — Making Your Film More
Garrett Hope – Composer, Speaker, Coach
Learn how to communicate with your composer so they can bring their best.
Directors Roundtable
Mat Kister – Facilitator
Be sure to attend the Directors Roundtable for a discussion with Nebraska independent filmmakers Tom Knoblauch, Maverick Knox, Jeremy Lubash, Kate Robertson Pryor, and Patrick Rea.