The Flatwater Film Festival relies on the dedication of volunteers who generously donate their time and share their love of movies with filmmakers and attendees.
It’s a great opportunity to get involved with a vibrant event and meet new people.
We are seeking committed volunteers to enthusiastically work on FFF2024. Please contact us at: info@flatwaterfilmfestival.com
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
Tom Knoblauch – Facilitator
Gather to experience our roundtable discussion from local directors Caden Bye, Jesse Eastman, Paul Christian Glenn, Shelby Hagerdon, and Jessica Johnson.
THE 7 YEAR SENIOR †
Joseph John Merkel, 2023, 18min, Drama/Comedy [T]
Blake is a senior in his local colleges’ radio program and he’s been tasked with teaching a new freshman how to be a radio student.
87
Seth T Jones, 2023, 4min, Comedy/Drama/Thriller [E]
A modern drama set around a married couple feeling the heavy weight of a task they can’t escape.
ALL GROWN UP
Meg Dole, 2023, 39min, Drama [T]
A driven girl wants to leave the Midwest after failing to understand why her loved ones are content staying in their hometown their whole lives.
ANABRANCH
AJ Handley, 2022, 11min, Drama/Thriller [T]
When Lizz returns to her small town home in Nebraska for the first time in years, her old friends show her that failure is not the end.
THE ART OF THE VINYL RECORD
Tim Guthrie, 2022, 9min, Documentary [E]
Vinyl records have made a comeback and this film explores the unique experiences associated with them, going beyond just the cover art.
ASH
Julia Hinson, Kristin Tripe, 2022, 11min, Drama/LGTBQ+ [T]
Young artist Ash, non-binary, confronts grief while clearing childhood home after mother’s death. A poignant exploration of grief, relationships, and liberating release unfolds.
ASSASSIN’S DELIGHT
Brandon Fiscus, 2022, 8min, Comedy/Mystery/Animation[E]
I Scream, You Scream, I Get Paid in Ice Cream. A career assassin finds himself chasing a new target and a sweet reward in the form of ICE CREAM.
ATTACK OF THE SWOLE PEOPLE
Elijah Broughton, 2023, 14min, Sci-Fi [T]
A government agent and her rookie partner race to stop a trio of gym bro extraterrestrials from murdering humans and pilfering their creatine supplies.
BARE METAL
Brandon Robert Gries, Ryan Freng & John Shoemaker, 2022, 10min, Documentary [E]
Documentary detailing the digital infrastructure industry’s work to reduce their carbon footprint in an effort to lower carbon emissions and help save the world
BEAUTY BANDITS
Alexander Hamilton, 2019, 5min, Comedy [T]
A conspiracy to rob a bank goes sideways when someone in the group packed the wrong items that were meant for him and his wife’s vacation.
BEHIND THE MYSTERY OF THE MANOR
Joseph William Simmons, 2023, 63min, Documentary [T]
A documentary chronicling the history of Omaha’s premier haunted attraction, Mystery Manor and the legacy of its owner, Wayne Sealy.
BETTY LOU HAD A SON
David Michael Long, 2022, 21min, Drama [T]
A struggling musician is forced to care for his spirited mother suffering from early onset Alzheimer’s disease.
BETWEEN THE LINES
Shelby Hagerdon, M.G. White, 2023, 78min, Drama [T]
A young women tries to make a new life for herself while caring of her traumatically brain injured mother and coping with the scars of her past.
BLOCKED
Andrew Sindt, 2023, 53min, Drama [T]
A woman stuck in a relationship tries to disappear from her partner.
BUILT TO LAST
Pete Brown, Alayna Kustka, Josh Young, 2022, 4min, Music Video [E]
A cinematic music video that watches a young man deal with the pain of loss, and navigate his journey of healing.
THE CAT CAME BACK
Bill Hedges, 2023, 37min, Comedy/Sci-Fi [E]
At an observatory on a distant planet, Penny the cat is accidentally sent back in time to Earth in 1967 where she somehow disrupts the space-time continuum.
CHLOE’S HAPPY HOUR
Patrick Rea, 2023, 11min, Horror [T]
Chloe, an exhausted mom, livestreams her daily woes to her internet followers.
COUNTING CRANES
Mariah Lundgren, 2016, 12min, Documentary [E]
For over 20 years Andy Caven and his team have surveyed and counted sandhill cranes passing Nebraska’s Platte River Valley, unveiling insights and significance of their work.
DARKEST OF LIES
Kelly Schwarze, 2023, 112min, Thriller [M]
Struggling with the lingering scars of war, an army veteran is plagued by dark visions of the future when he and his wife move into their new home.
THE DAY OF FEBRUARY FIRST
Caleb Stout, Maverick Knox, 2023, 3min, Comedy/Sci-Fi/Thriller [E]
A professor and student work through the reality of being in a movie.
THE DEEP END
David Grabarkewitz, 2023, 10min, Drama [T]
Alex’s world crumbles post-breakup with Megan. Contemplating ending his pain, his friend, Jackson, steps in, showing Alex his value, and pulling him back from the edge.
THE DIVIDE
Nathan Matthew Blizzard, Piper Hager, 2023, 4min, Drama [T]
A man experiences a supernatural change in his life.
THE DYING SENSATION
Isabel Pineda, 2023, 15min, Documentary [E]
Men’s collegiate gymnastics seems to be on its last leg. We follow five gymnasts in the NCAA through the dwindling of their sport and what the future holds for them.
ERASED
Marcus January, 2023, 11min, Drama [T]
While assisting a survivor of sexual assault, sketch artist Stacey uncovers a chilling revelation that compels her to face a difficult choice.
FALL AWAY
Tim Barr, 2022, 5min, Drama [E]
An estranged family, mourning a recent loss, seeks the help of a family counselor.
FATHER KNOWS BEST
David Kuskie, 2022, 17min, Drama/Comedy [T]
“Father Knows Best” weaves terror, drama, and dark humor into a chilling tale of human frailty as a ‘bad day’ spirals into a living nightmare with a shocking climax.
FOLLOWED
Emery Whitney, 2023, 4min, Mystery/Horror/Thriller [T]
What starts as a typical high school day, has this teen questioning every sound and shadow. Is she alone, or is she being watched?
FOR THE LOVE OF DICK
Jesse Eastman, 2022, 25min, Drama/Comedy [E]
A recently retired scientist tries to cure his loneliness by creating a new friend for himself, but fails to understand that it takes more than brains to connect with others.
GAME PLAN
Sophia Winters, 2022, 8min, Comedy [E]
A group of associates meet to finalize a high-stakes business deal that will lead to the end for one of them, but which one will be finished?
SESSION – FILMMAKING 101
Greg A. Gale & Josh Weixelman – Nebraska Filmmakers
You’ve seen the movies and now you want to make your own. How do you get started though? Where do you find your cast and crew? What’s the difference between a Pan, Tilt, and Dolly?!? Join real filmmakers for your first look on creating your own film and get started on a path to see your stories on the big screen!
GILLS
Griffin M. Presnell, 2022, 22min, Fantasy/Horror [T]
Mermaids are a known species, and when Asriel falls for a quiet girl in the back of his class, he soon learns they may be closer than he first thought.
GIRL
Emma Franco, 2022, 14min, Drama [T]
Austin, a young college student, meets and falls for a fellow college student named Jess. This sparks a once-in-a-lifetime romance between the two.
GOOD ENOUGH
Greg Grosse, 2022, 12min, Documentary [E]
Sports artist, Armando Villarreal from Imperial, Nebraska, honors two fallen football players by hand-painting 130 helmets for the University of Utah.
HOMEWRECKER
Candice Richardson, 2022, 29min, Drama [T]
A family man falls prey to a ruthless negotiator.
HUMAN ERROR
Madeline Schmit, 2022, 14min, Sci-Fi [T]
Young scientist, Stella, attempts to connect with her AI Creation, a hyper-realistic humanoid robot. When she finally makes a breakthrough, she discovers a terrible secret
HUSHING A QUIET CLAMOR
Justin Michael Milani, 2023, 13min, Drama/Music [T]
A man lies awake and struggles to get his shot. After much misdirection, he stumbles across something that requires a choice to be made.
IF WALLS COULD TALK
Cara Lechtenberger, 2022, 1min, Drama/Thriller [T]
Eddie and Ingrid find themselves in an unusual search after having to move back to their hometown to care for Eddie’s sick father.
JUST CHILL
Wheeler Winston Dixon, 2020, 3min, Experimental [E]
“Life, by design, provides us with plenty of drama without us having to augment it and invent more. Just chill.“ — Mark Deklin
THE KING OF BERRY
Nathan L Gusman, Gage M Dawson, 2022, 14min, Comedy [T]
When a documentary crew comes into his dorm building, an eccentric student takes them through his day preparing for his supposed date.
LABORATORIES OF DEMOCRACY: NEBRASKA’S UNICAMERAL
Ann Hartley, 2023, 8min, Documentary [E]
A documentary examining Nebraska’s Unicameral Legislature, how it came to be and how it is considered today
LEO’S POTATOES
J. Søren Viuf, 2022, 15min, Comedy [E]
After finding out she’s losing her RV, Tabitha tries to get her former partner, Leo, to give up some of the items he’s hoarding to sell, and help her out
LEVIATHAN
Taylor Thornburg, 2022, 25min, Drama [T]
A clueless man in experiences strange things after his father dies. When he looks into them, he learns that he understands even less about what’s going on than he thought.
MANHUNT
Greg A Gale, 2023, 20min, Horror/Thriller [T]
When an act of kindness takes a wicked left turn, the question of ‘What are the odds?’ becomes a vicious game of survival.
MOLLIE’S GOODBYE
Blake Bodlak, 2023, 47min, Drama [T]
In a world where everyone knows when they will die, Mollie feels ready for her last day. When it arrives, though, she must choose how to spend her final hours.
MS. TRUST
Alicia López, 2022, 3min, Thriller [T]
A young girl stumbles on a scene which causes her to question everything around her and who to trust.
NOSTALGIA
Katie Otten, 2022, 15min, Comedy [E]
Two fan girls reminiscence about their childhoods spent playing with Sci-Fi toys as one makes hard life decisions.
OMNITASK
Mark Renken, 2023, 4min, Dark Comedy [E]
When a man downloads Omnitask, the latest personal assistant app, he gets more than he bargained for. Remember your phone is always listening.
PART OF THE FAMILY
Tyler Horner, 2021, 10min, Horror/Thriller [T]
Good Samaritans Jade and Garret give a lift to the stranded Casey. Once they arrive at his home, they are invited inside so that he can compensate them for their troubles.
PIGFACE 2
Patrick Lambrecht & Josh Weixelman, 2023, 80min, Horror [T]
Five young camp counselors are stranded on a country road and find themselves seeking help at a nearby farm, only to discover the horrors that await them.
PLAYING DEAD
Tim Mantil, 2023, 22min, Comedy [T]
Jeremy Collins, an obsessive actor who only plays corpses, hires a camera crew to document his lifestyle and ‘rise to fame’.
POSITIVITY WINS, NEGATIVITY LOSES
M RIZ, 2022, 5min, Drama [E]
This short film has been made just to spread the message of positivity. With the power of positivity, anybody can defeat the negativity and the negative forces in mind.
PRINCESS
Rylie Wyane Mills, 2023, 3min, Music Video [E]
A music video following the subject matter of divorce. A song about a spouse who dedicated their life to their family just to discover the other person changed their mind
PRONE
Andrew Sindt, 2022, 22min, Drama/Thriller [T]
A woman going through writer’s block turns to manufacturing drama in her relationships to spark her creativity.
THE RETIREMENT OF MR. JONES
Matt Townley, 2016, 17min, Documentary [E]
A year-long retrospective about Mark Jones, longtime Director of Bands in the Fort Calhoun, Nebraska school district as he struggles with his decision to retire.
REVENGE OF THE ROMAN SORCERESS
Nathaniel Jonathan Slater, 2023, 22min, Action/Horror [T]
Set in the Roman Empire, Legionaries Marcus and Titus encounter undead forces led by a vengeful Sorceress. Survivors unite, battling for mankind against her unholy war.
RISING WATER
Becky Hughes McMillen, 2019, 75min, Documentary [E]
‘Rising Water’ delves into the North Platte River’s tale in Western Nebraska, portraying settlers’ visions, challenges, and evolving narratives, as an ongoing saga.
SCHRÖDINGER’S CAT
Bill Hedges, 2022, 25min, Comedy/Sci-Fi [E]
Space traveler Will Ziffel tries to determine what is real in a world where he seems to simultaneously exist as two people.
SHEENA’S SECRET
Joseph Vrenick, 2023, 22min, Comedy/Sci-Fi [T]
A punk rock loving high school girl with superpowers is in danger of having them revealed to the public unless she bows to the demand of two of the schools most notorious bullies.
A SINGLE DAY
Caden Bye & Nicole Vawser, 2022, 105min, Drama [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.
SKULKER
Tari Kristine Robinson, 2023, 27min, Horror/Thriller [T]
Detective Madison Johnson is determined to solve a rash of grizzly serial killings baffling the city.
STALKER GRANDMA
Patrick Rea, 2022, 17min, Horror/Thriller [T]
Deb has been jokingly nicknamed ‘Stalker Grandma’ by her grandkids. She soon suspects something sinister and unexplained is happening around her.
STRANGE CONSTELLATION
Paul Christian Glenn, 2022, 13min, Drama/Thriller [T]
On the cusp of a historic celestial event, a young astronomer finds herself alone in the country with an unexpected visitor.
TEDDY
Jake Johansen, 2023, 10min, Drama/Family [E]
A Nebraska Short film about the life and death of a Teddy Bear.
THIS AGAIN?
Matt Brooks, 2020, 5min, Comedy [T]
The ultimate bachelor and man of habit, oblivious when it comes to dating, unexpectedly runs into all his ex dates in a parking lot.
TWENTIES
Joshua Allen LaBure & Zachary Gutierrez, 2022, 65min, Drama/LGBTQ+ [M]
After a breakup, a young woman goes back to her home time to connect with her best friend.
UNSPEAKABLE TEENS
Mark Baldridge, 2017, 1min, Experimental [T]
This one minute “trailer” presents a fictional Sci-Fi potboiler, set in and around Lincoln, Nebraska in the 1950s
WATER WAR: THE PERKINS COUNTY CANAL PROJECT
Logan Streeter, Kourtnie Bokoskie, & Jonathan Dekleva, 2023, 120min, Documentary [E]
On January 10th, Nebraska announced plans to build a canal into Colorado to claim water from the South Platte. North Platte High students documented what they found.
WHAT (DAY)DREAMS MAY COME
William Fischer, 2022, 3min, Animation [E]
A single mother’s stress-relieving daydreams get out of hand.
WHERE THE PLATTE RIVER USED TO FLOW
Chris Machian, 2022, 2min, Documentary [E]
The Platte River has run dry near Columbus, Nebraska. It is happening more and more. A hauntingly-beautiful harbinger of what the future holds.
THE WOMEN WHO RAN
Joshua Allen LaBure, 2022, 53min, Documentary [E]
A documentary film about the incredible women who ran for city council and mayor in Omaha, Nebraska in 2021.
EXODUS
Nathan Matthew Blizzard, 2022, 28min, Drama [T]
The last chapter in the “Outbreak”trilogy, Julie and Adrian are trapped inside a building during the apocalypse by a man who is hiding something.
VFX FOR THE INDIE FILMMAKER: TIPS AND PITFALLS
William Reliford – Visual Effects Artist at Real Images Visual Effects
Join William Reliford as he shares valuable insights on fearlessly utilizing VFX to elevate your storytelling, even when working with limited resources. Discover essential dos and don’ts, and gain insights into managing your VFX budget effectively.
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.