SF DocFest 2025: Short Stories Part One

Filmmakers in attendance.

Paramita:
Part poetry, part memoir-style reflection and part prayer, PARAMITA bears witness to Prajna Paramita Choudhury’s 25-year coming out process with her traditional Bangladeshi mother. Told with intimacy, tenderness and a quiet power, PARAMITA invites us into a meditative spiritual experience as Prajna connects with Buddhist practices and nature as gateways for intergenerational healing. Directde by
Kirthi Nath.

Looking For Cover with Sam Green:
Hidden in plain sight, the manhole cover is the canvas of a city’s civic pride… or lack thereof. In this short documentary, we turn the cameras on filmmaker Sam Green, a fan of manhole covers around the world, as he looks for the oldest one in New York. Directed by
Jonn herschend.

Motorcycle Moment:
In 1964 Les Blank filmed 45 minutes of motorcycles for a documentary film that was never completed. Before his death in 2013, he asked his son Harrod Blank to cut the footage to the music of The 13th Floor Elevators. Edited by Ben Abrams, this film captures the vastness of the American West at a time when the motorcycle was the ultimate in highway adventure. Directed by Les Blank.

Oakland Originals – RyanNicole:
The labels of artist, athlete, actor and activist don’t begin to describe the impact that the force of nature, RyanNicole, has on Oakland youth, audiences and the larger community. But what happens when her beloved hometown and catalyst for much of her creativity is impacted by big tech and gentrification? Can she rally her community to hang on tight to the essential soul of their unique city. Directed by Jim McSilver.

Carl:
Musician and rebel individual Carl Martineau has been living in the Bay Area his whole life. After 30 years living in his car in Berkeley, he inherited his mother’s house in San Leandro. But due to the malfeasance of a fiduciary trust, he faces eviction and a return to being unhoused in 2024. A Bay Area original and one of a dying breed, Carl shares stories and insights about life in the Bay since the 1960s in this intimate portrait. Directed by Max Good.

When The Smoke Clears:
We turn to first responders in our darkest moments, but who do they turn to in theirs? After a lack of success with traditional psychotherapy and pharmaceuticals for PTSD and depression, two first responders journey to Mexico to undergo psychedelic treatment guided by traditional healers. Offering an intimate account of what psychedelic healing sessions look and feel like, the film delves into themes of resiliency, healing, and the depth of the human experience. Directed by Misha Kaurin Kapany Schwarz, Maarya Zafar.