Phoenix Film Festival 25th Anniversary - Pro Tips

By Emery Snyder

The Phoenix Film Festival alongside the International Horror & Sci-Fi Film Festival is upon us once again and I couldn’t be more excited. I’ve been attending since 2011 and I can honestly say that my experiences with these festivals have been better and better over the years. My hat is off to the festival directors and all the dedicated personnel that put this together and I extend my most sincere congratulations on this milestone anniversary. Bravo!

Typically, I’ll give a list of films I’m most excited about. But this year, I’ve switched it up a bit. My schedule this year is, as usual, insanely ambitious and there are loads of films I’m extra excited about. But over the past 14 years of attending, I’ve developed a few insights and tricks to get the most out of my time and experience. I thought this could be a great time to share. So, let’s take a look at the 2025 Phoenix Film Festival: Pro Tip Edition.

The festival takes place March 27^th – April 6^th, 2025 at the Harkins Ciné Capri.

 

PRO TIP #1 – Don’t Sleep on The Docs

-          Every year, I make a schedule of all the screenings I’m going to attend. I tend to put documentaries in as filler, never too excited about them. Then, every year, multiple doc screenings blow me away and end up favorites of the festival. Last year it was David Redmon & Ashley Sabin’s KIM’S VIDEO and Hadley Austin’s DEMON MINERAL. Previously, we’ve been treated to films like Skye Borgman’s ABDUCTED IN PLAIN SIGHT, Hassan Fazili’s MIDNIGHT TRAVELER, Penny Lane’s HAIL SATAN? and Scott Gawlik’s SET!. The list is extensive. This year, I’m looking forward to Dan Struman’s THE STAMP THEIF as well as Vincent DeLuca’s DESERT ANGEL but there is more than a good chance that I’ll be amazed by something else that’s not even on my radar at the moment.

PRO TIP #2 – IHSFF Is Your Friend (or maybe even like a cool older cousin)

-          The International Horror & Sci-Fi Film Festival is held every year in conjunction with the Phoenix Film Festival and it somehow seems to keep getting better. Coralie Fargeat was nominated for Academy Awards this year in both the writing and directing categories for her work on THE SUBSTANCE. Well, we festival goers were treated to her first film, REVENGE way back in 2018. In previous years, I’ve seen Eli Craig’s TUCKER & DALE VS. EVIL, Ryan Prows’ LOWLIFE, Shin'ichirô Ueda’s ONE CUT OF THE DEAD & Bill Watterson’s DAVE MADE A MAZE all at this festival. These are all films that I still revisit often. This year’s festival has new films from genre stars like Joe Begos’ JIMMY & STIGGS and Alexandre O. Philipe’s CHAIN REACTION.

PRO TIP #3 – Short Films Are a Great Value

-          Both the PFF and the IHSFF showcase different blocks of interesting short films. For the PFF, I typically enjoy the Word Cinema Shorts. I’ve got both A and B blocks on my schedule. But there is also two blocks of African American Directed Shorts, as well as blocks of LatinXDirected, Native American Directed, GenXX Directed (women of GenX generation), College Directed, LGBTQIA+ Directed, Live Action & Documentary Shorts. If you’re purchasing single tickets this year or either of the Flex Passes, I would highly suggest mixing in some of these short film blocks. This world has no shortage of stories to tell and I’ve found some of the most fascinating subjects explored from distinct perspectives that have stayed with me over the years.

PRO TIP #4 – There’s More Than Just Movies

-          At some point, you may fatigue of sitting in dark theaters, staring at the dancing images illuminated on the screen. The PFFParty Pavilion is there to provide respite as well as a change of pace and scenery. Come out for Filmmaker Panels, the Silent Auction, Industry Night and Kid’s Day. And there’s even a Film Prom Saturday, March 29^th that’s friendly to all wallflowers. Check Theresa Dillion’s article for more information.  

PRO TIP #5 – Make Time to Eat

-          Look, nobody wants to have their cinematic experience interrupted by your grumbling tummy in the next seat. And take it from me, this may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s easy to fill your entire schedule with films and activities and then you wonder why you’re so grumpy and almost fell over when you tried to stand up to head to your next screening. You’ve got to make time and a plan. Schedule meals. Luckily, there’s some great options. Pino, right next door to the theatre, has great desserts and they make a mean Americano. I also love the Bento Boxes from Bop + Roll and the Shawarma from AZ Kabob House. And don’t forget to download the Harkins Theaters App onto your phone and enjoy their concessions. You’ll earn points and rewards.

    HAPPY FESTIVAL Y'ALL!!!

    

Emery's 2022 PFF & IHSFF Festival Recap – April 7th & 8th

Coda’s ongoing coverage of the 2022 Phoenix Film Festival & International Horror Sci-Fi Film Festival. I'll be using these posts to recap the films I've experienced as part of these festivals.

 

By Emery Snyder - @leeroy711

Note: I had a feature in between a couple of blocks of shorts. I picked out some of the highlights from the shorts programs to cover…

 

World Cinema Shorts

THE BLACTOR – Directed by Rukiya Bernard

 

 On her way to an audition, Kadidja is stopped by an undercover cop and now she must act the role of her life.

At 13 minutes, this little film manages to fit in just the right amount of cleverness, insight and provocation to be memorable. Keeya King’s Kadidja is lively and convincing and you’re completely with her as she navigates an intense situation.

 

A GUIDE TO DINING OUT IN NAIROBI – Directed by Hugh Mitton

 

When Juma (Yafesi Musoke) is accidently handed a $10 tip, he decides to see how far it will take him on an unforgettable night out.

This was the perfect short film. Essentially told through two scenes bookending a hilariously fun montage of Juma painting the town red. The ending is surprising in how beautifully it lands on its message about the disparities between the rich and the working class.

 

DISTANCES – Directed by Susan Bejar

 

*Winner of the Copper Wing Award for Best World Cinema Short

When a seemingly disturbed man on a crowded bus begins ranting, the other riders shudder and clamor out of the way to avoid him until Maria, takes a different, not-so-radical approach.

Roger Ebert said that movies are a machine that generates empathy. If this is true, (and of course it is) then this 13-minute film is extremely well-oiled. It’s the type of film that makes you hope for your own opportunity to be a good person.

 

Native American Shorts

MY FIRST NATIVE AMERICAN BOYFRIEND – Directed by Joey Clift

 

Emily spends the majority of the film apologizing to boyfriend Johnny for every microaggression she’s inflicted against Natives her whole life.

This film has the perfect cast of two fun and likeable characters. Benny Wayne Sully and Kylie Brakeman have great chemistry, proven in a very short amount of runtime. The film’s dialogue is a fun little dance, designed to make us white liberal “allies” squirm in our seats just enough. And it leads to such a fun and satisfying ending.

 

DELIVERY – Directed by Colton Eschief Mastro & Eric Jackowitz

 

DELIVERY is a dark comedy about Charlie (Mastro), a food delivery driver that uses the perks of his job to facilitate his one true passion, serial killing. That is until life throws him a curve in the form of his next potential victim.

Why can’t all movies be this much fun? Seriously, from the set design and dance choreography of its opening scene through its dreamscape ending, I was onboard for all of it. The dialogue was flawless. The chemistry between Charlie and Madison is great and their performances stood out.  

 

 

THE TRAILS BEFORE US – Directed by Fritz Bitsoie

This is a short documentary about 17-year-old Nigel James in the Navajo Nation, that rides his mountain bike through the horse trails of his ancestors.

It’s honestly going to be hard to find a more picturesque way to spend 13 minutes of your life. The cinematography captures this scenery beautifully. We follow Nigel as he explains when and why he started riding these trials and how it’s his way of showing respect for the land.

I don’t think there’s a more perfect word than captivating to describe this film. I’ll be on the lookout for an opportunity to rewatch this one for sure.

 WE BURN LIKE THIS – Directed by Alana Waksman

 

*Winner of the Copper Wing Award for Best Director (Alana Waksman) 

Rae (Madeleine Coghlan), a twenty-something girl in Billings, Montana is targeted by local Neo-Nazis. In an attempt to find herself, she heads back to her roots and the legacy of her Holocaust surviving ancestry.

This film was shot in both Billings and Butte, Montana. I was first surprised at just how picturesque both of these locations actually are. The cinematography captures this beauty very well. Many of the more intimate scenes are shot with a floating hand-held look that made them more personal.

The film seems to bounce around between a small, personal story of the self-destruction of identity crisis and the overarching account of the rise of extremism in America’s flyover land and the types of people it hurts. I’m not sure that it ever strikes a proper balance between the two narratives but I appreciated what it was going for. I also liked how this film illustrates the differences between culture and beliefs. And how these two forces within the same person can sometimes be in direct conflict with each other.

Overall, I found this film to be a bit disjointed and meandering, but definitely not in the worst ways possible. It still has a lot to offer to the audience, both technically and narratively.  

 

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