Roxie First Looks #10

First Looks, the Roxie’s Oscar-Qualifying Theatrical Release program, supports filmmakers in their Academy Award quest. We put together a unique lineup of shorts (with running times of 40 minutes and under) from any genre (documentary, narrative, and animation) to serve as the film’s Academy qualifying run. 

Filmmakers interested in participating can check out more info here.

Once Upon A Time In The Apocalypse
Director: Tiago Pimentel

Synopsis: After WW3, an army officer visits an old man to uncover a secret from their past, prompting a game of cat and mouse that can only end in tragedy. (21:35 minutes)

SAVERIO
Director: Ellen Ancui

Synopsis: When a young woman desperate to get to an important networking opportunity finds a senior with the beginnings of dementia abandoned in her car, she must grapple with an unsupportive system and her own priorities. (14 minutes)

Esther’s Interstellar Vision: Unveiling the Universe Through Astrophotography
Director: Esther Angelica Ancrum

Synopsis: A young woman explores the night sky through her telescope and poetry, guided by NASA’s sonification of the universe. She searches for meaning, peace, and connection while capturing real astrophotography in the wilderness. The film blends science, art, and emotion as she grows closer to the cosmos and to herself. (12 minutes)

A Mary Can Dream
Director: Shin-Fei Chen

Synopsis: A MARY CAN DREAM is a coming-of-age drama that explores the conflicting dreams of a Taiwanese immigrant mother and her Americanized teenage daughter. (21 minutes)

G.S.W.
Director: Jonny Durgan

Synopsis: A man is dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound when the paramedic treating him discovers he’s the perpetrator of a school shooting at her child’s primary school, which puts her in an impossible situation. (7 minutes)

Nuhmibeeuhn
Director: Kavena Hambira

Synopsis: Spurred on by Germany’s apology for its colonial-era atrocities, a filmmaker returns to his country of origin to document the enduring impact of the first genocide of the 20th century and the ongoing struggle for meaningful recognition. (30 minutes)