Crazy8s Film Society has announced the top six finalists for this year’s annual filmmaking challenge! This unique program gives emerging and mid-career filmmakers the funding, mentorship, and resources to create a short film in just eight days. Each project premieres at the Gala Screening before reaching audiences worldwide through festivals and other platforms.
Founded in 1999, Crazy8s was created to help filmmakers overcome barriers to short film funding while providing essential on-set training for crews and casts. Today, it’s a vital launchpad for new talent in B.C.’s film industry. Over the past 27 years, Crazy8s alumni have gone on to achieve international success. Jessica Lauren Doucet’s HELLMARK premiered at Fantasia International Film Festival, Helen Liu’s HIGH END DYING won Best Horror Comedy Short at the Horror Film Festival, and Brenna Goodwin-McCabe’s I CAN’T GO ON earned Best Foreign Short at LA Femme International Film Festival. These are just a few examples of the careers sparked by Crazy8s.
Here are the top six teams for Crazy8s 2026:
FULL ASIAN
Director: Ely Davidson
Writer: Ely Davidson
Producer: Ione Fernando
Logline: Feeling out of place as a half-Japanese male, Benny undergoes a new surgical procedure called “Beyond Asian.” This advanced technology allows individuals to erase their non-Asian heritage and implant artificial memories, transforming them, into fully Asian.
GONE VIRAL
Director: Kat Reynolds
Writers: Kat Reynolds, Felicia Simone
Producers: Mariam Barry, Ian Nsenga, Jessica To, Adrian Neblett, Mimi Dejene
Logline: Amelia is a true crime podcaster who is struggling to build a sustainable following and is convinced the algorithm is working against her as a creator of color. After investigating the production of a mysterious juice that makes influencers go viral, Amelia makes a horrifying discovery.
MOULD
Directors: Morgan Abele, Kiki Evans
Writer: Morgan Abele
Producer: Noah Rosellini
Logline: When overwhelmed twenty-something Stevie’s body begins turning into clay, she must fight to mould herself back into her original form.
THE DECISION
Director: Cory Thibert
Writer: Steven Cayer
Producer: Jelian Quincina
Logline: A sharp-witted 30-year-old man with cerebral palsy living in assisted care has his independence tested when his overprotective mother secretly enrolls him in a risky medical trial – forcing him, his girlfriend, and his neighbor to confront what freedom really means.
THE LAST CALLER
Director: Mariel Calvo
Writer: Miguel da Ponte
Producers: Hailey Cole, Mariel Calvo
Logline: An intense and committed bingo caller questions his identity and the very future of his field when inflamed vocal nodes impede his performance during the biggest day in his hall’s history.
THE THING INSIDE HER
Directors: Jacki Gunn, Della Haddock
Writer: Jacki Gunn
Producer: Lizzi Pedersen
Logline: As the hormones from her recently removed IUD wear off, a woman realizes the horrifying truth about her boyfriend—he’s a giant slug.
Learn more about Crazy8s on their website and stay tuned for new announcements on their Instagram page.
Cover image: Crazy8s Gala 2025, courtesy of Crazy8s Film Society.
