The Crazy8s Film Society has unveiled the top six finalists for this year’s annual filmmaking challenge. Spanning eight days, the challenge offers emerging filmmakers crucial funding, professional mentorship, and support to bring their short films to life.
Established in 1999, Crazy8s was conceived to assist emerging filmmakers facing limited access to funding for short films while providing essential training for crews and casts. Over the years, Crazy8s has evolved into a vital platform for discovering new talent, offering on-set training, and creating opportunities for filmmakers to launch their careers in the industry.
Over the past 24 years, numerous alumni from Crazy8s have forged dynamic careers in the film industry. Director Jessica Lauren Doucet’s film HELLMARK celebrated its world premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal. Helen Liu’s creation, HIGH END DYING, earned the accolade of Best Horror Comedy Short at the Horror Film Festival, while Brenna Goodwin-McCabe’s I CAN’T GO ON secured the Best Foreign Short Award at California’s LA Femme International Film Festival. These successes represent just a snapshot of the achievements of Crazy8s filmmakers.
Here are the top six teams for Crazy8s 2024:
ASTRONAUT
Director: Kevin Cheng
Writer: Stephanie Joan
Producer: Stephanie Joan, Luke VandenBerg
Logline: Amidst a backdrop of 1990s Chinese-Canadian immigration, a young boy is visited by his absent father who builds him a cardboard spaceship and launches him on a fantastical mission to connect with the neighbourhood kids.
DTF?
Director: Jess McLeod
Writer: Jess McLeod (Co-Writer), Sam Krochmal (Lead Actor, Co-Writer)
Producer: Erin Purghart (Lead Producer), Garfield Wilson (Co-Producer)
Logline: During an anonymous sexual bender, a young queer writer is forced to confront his insecurities when he ends up on a Grindr date with his former English professor.
GONE ABROAD
Director/Writer: Kevin Ang
Producer: Moheb Jindran
Logline: When a conservative Chinese-Catholic school covers up the suicide of 15-year old Kevin’s best friend, he and his teenage friends spend the school year uncovering the truth.
OUR LONG GOODBYE
Director/Writer: Dave Beamish
Producer: Eva Tavares, Erin Morgan (Producer’s assistant)
Logline: Caregiver by day and musician by night, Mark brings his elderly father’s dementia-addled mind back every evening with his songs…until he can’t.
TOE PICK
Director/Writer: Teresa Alfeld
Producer: Kiefer Doerksen
Logline: A struggling teenage figure skater pushes back against the constraints of her sport in 1990s Vancouver.
WHAT ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO DO WITH YOUR HANDS?
Director/Writer: Larissa Thompson
Producer: Amanda D’Silva
Logline: Kendra struggles to fit in at a noisy party, much to the chagrin of her guardian angel, a sharp-beaked and sharp-witted harpy, who really wants her to stop staring at her shoes. Inspired by classic 80s puppet films like The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth, What Are You Supposed to Do With Your Hands? explores the unique experience of living as a late-diagnosed autistic woman.
This year’s finalists will screen their films at a gala event that will take place on April 20, 2024 at the Centre in Vancouver followed by an afterparty at Science World. Be part of the celebration and witness the rise of the next generation of filmmakers. Mark you calendars – this is one you won’t want to let slip by!
