On this visit to the Film Lounge... traumatized woman diposes her mattress.

A music video celebrates the black community.

A Computer animated trip through outer space.

We spotlight NW Iowa Film Festival.

Two people try to connect in a troubled future.

And some sebound characters search for treasure.

No ticket necessary.

You are about to enter the film lounge.

Funding for this program was provided by friends, the Iowa PBS Foundation, as well as generations of families and friends who feel passionate about the programs they watch on Iowa PBS.

The Film Lounge is produced in partnership with the Iowa Arts Council and Produce Iowa.

Hi, my name is Caitlin Busby and I am the director of Bedbugs.

So I think bedbugs presents itself initially to be about one thing.

And then you kind of quickly realize that there's some deeper stuff going on.

As we all know, COVID hit the world in the spring of 2020, and I was in grad school in New York City at the time, and everything went remote and I was in a writing class and I had this just wonderful teacher, and he gave us an assignment which was so simple, but he just said, Write a short story synopsis around an image that you just can't shake from your mind.

And I just kept seeing this image of this woman dragging this mattress out of her apartment and spray painting the words bedbugs on it.

But I kept feeling like there was more to it than just real bedbugs.

So that was the image that just sparked everything I started exploring from from there in both my directing classes and my writing classes, shooting exercises on the weekend, surrounding ideas with the script and like, slowly kind of like carved out the idea in the script for Bedbugs.

You know, I'm in grad school because I want to pursue filmmaking on on a different level.

And my hope is that with every single film I tackle, there's real meaning and energy and purpose behind it for me on a personal level.

So for this film, I really wanted to explore, you know, challenging topics that exist, topics that feel taboo in a lot of ways as far as how we talk about them in art and explore them emotionally as human beings in the world.

Since shooting bedbugs, it has become an even more complicated landscape.

But I am, you know, very aware of of the ideas behind like bodily autonomy and like what women are faced with culturally and in society.

And like, I just want to find ways to empower people and spark spark conversation as best I can in my work.

You know, can't leave that there right?

Why?

The city will fine you.

There's like 50 people living in this building.

How will they know it's me?

I could call them and let them know.

And you're out.

100 bucks.

You serious.

Yeah.

Okay.

Well, you're probably going to the dumpster down the corner.

That's very avant garde.

Okay.

Yeah.

So is it true?

But bedbugs.

I think this fashion statement is just for show.

It's heat.

You know that.

That's what kills them.

That's way at least you smoke the thanks for the help.

Yeah.

Happens.

You know, we live in a city as no matter who you are, the sort of --- they get in and I smell blood.

They're coming for you.

Oh, it's snuck in on me.

Sorry.

It's one of my favorites.

Comfortable midline.

Good mattress for a fresh start.

You guys deliver?

Yeah.

Free delivery.

Same day.

We could even take away the old one.

That's okay.

But delivery is great.

Take your time Excuse me, miss?

You dropped this.

Thanks.

Yeah, no problem.

Hey, I'm Antonio Chalmers.

I'm the artist Tone the boss from the video Black Excellence.

The entire concept is showing African-Americans be very independent, successful, and it's more of a celebration.

We're going to laugh, we're going to smile, we're going to dance.

We're going to have a good time.

We come dressed really fancy and we pay homage to some older errors.

So everything from the 67 these eighties, you'll see a mixture of that and a lot of people having fun.

So the song was written, me and the featured artists in Dubai.

We were coming up with a concept and what that is, is just embracing successful African-Americans and the culture and really trying to empower other black people in the community.

You know, being self-made is kind of us getting our own reparations but working hard for it.

That's one of the lines that's in the song.

It's elevation.

We're from lower level basements to getting table reservations.

So it's just kind of leveling up in life.

So the video was shot and directed by Josh Booth of Diamond Label Films.

We came up with the video concept, all of us together.

We wanted to kind of show our representation, but also show scenes from like past historic movies and African-American community.

We wanted to use something that felt more like a speakeasy.

So yeah, we wanted to go back in time and kind of show everywhere from 2013 all the way down to 50, 60, 7080s.

And we thought that was the perfect location to really capture the essence of what the song and the video was about.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome everyone to a very special occasion.

Tonight, we celebrate black excellence.

We slide, We reign.

Black Excellence.

Be my name.

We fight by Black excellence be my name.

This is true black excellence, A self manifestation.

Yes, it's a celebration.

Forget it.

My reparations.

Its elevation from lower level placements to get a table, reservations.

Let's take a trip down memory lane.

I'm making sure you'll remember the game.

Remember the name on it.

We reign.

Black Excellence Be my name.

Black.

ecellence be my name.

Cut Club with a 20 theme walk through the front door with a beauty queen, White Squares, kind of Billie Jean.

Nice place with the clean night air.

Keep it coming came to call me a star.

Was Carlito.

The fact that we made it this far with no ego.

The tramp.

When we started to throw with our people.

These blacks holding up the walls of my people.

[music] [music] [music] Hi, I'm Charlie Brothers and I'm the filmmaker.

Behind “It is Other ” I made every part of it is out other it's a film that's designed mostly about feeling rather than story.

It's the first of a three part series that's about the difference between otherness and beauty and strangeness and understand our world well.

It is other started as a quarantine project, So like, you know, we're all locked down, we're doing our thing.

And I just finished this music video and I've done a lot of the same things in this music video for, for whatever part of it, and that was under a deadline.

So I thought, now I don't have deadlines for the foreseeable year, so I'm going to jump into this and see if I can take some of those ideas and push them a little bit further.

And then as I started going with that, I started to see the theme that I was interested in.

I often work that way where I, I find the idea or the the focus as I'm working in a can be hard with CG stuff because you got to wait and you've got to see it and you're like, Oh, well, was that a good idea or not?

And then you go back into it and, and you start to it's almost like I call it sculptural video.

You're like kind of chipping away and adding this.

And you can't do a traditional video very well by yourself.

You know, you got to you'd have to go grab a whole crew and go out and do it again.

But with CG, you can you can just look at and be like, Oh, well, maybe less like maybe this angle, maybe, maybe a pull out.

And so you can really experiment a lot and learn a lot really quick about what you're trying to do.

Part of the ambient soundtrack was something I really wanted to dig into because I've done a lot of music, video work and and a little bit of this feeling I had while I was making this other video that was called Ancestors My tour Size, and it had this sort of space agey kind of you're flying through different like places that that don't exist, that are like different worlds And as I was doing that, I kept I kept making these shapes and the shapes felt kind of lonely and and distant.

And like one of the lines in that song is Where am I now?

And I think that was kind of in my head.

And so as I started building these things, I was building from that point of view.

And I think that's when I started to think of like, oh, just like these strange encounters.

It's like you can see it from either the point of view of someone encountering these things, or you can see it from the point of view of that, that thing encountering us, or vice versa.

And so [quiet music] The Sioux City Film Festival is a unique event for this part of the tri state area that brings in short films from all over the world and we put them in blocks according to genre so you can come in and watch a block of comedy or a block of documentary or a block of sci fi, etc., so that you might watch ten films or 12 films all in that two hour block film festival started 17 years ago when a group of people got together and said, We would like to see films that don't come to Sioux City.

So they solicit films from all over the world, from filmmakers that they don't regularly see, you know, like from a watch party with a small group of people to being it went to being an art center, to being at the Orpheum.

And it has grown and grown and grown so this year we got about 180 films submitted and we selected around 70.

But my name is Gabriel.

The name of my film is The Dark Frog Experiment, and I'm from Thousand Oaks, California.

So one guest signed up to do this.

This experience has been unforgettable moment just to see the people, the way they respond and all the other films to me, all the amazing fields I've seen, the stories that the horror behind forgiveness, redemption has been incredible.

This is my first film festival and I actually ever, ever been at.

Yeah.

So it's been really, really fun.

And the vibe here that I get is very positive and I really appreciate that, you know, that Sioux City really takes care of its filmmakers.

We go pick them up at the airport, we bring them to their hotel, we make sure that they come over to the filmmakers lounge where they have a safe space to hang out, grab a glass of water, get a snack.

And also, I just got out of one of the drama blocks where a couple of the filmmakers are standing there.

And I said, We have a couple of folks in the audience today who are part of the films.

Please stand up.

And the crowd just went nuts.

So this year, for example, our theme is music and film, and we have guests coming from various parts of the world to do workshops in that category.

So for example, at 6:00 we have Jordan Dijkstra and he does scoring for right now.

I think he's most recently worked on Frontline.

So the educational portion of this is so important to us.

We've actually gotten a grant from Humanities Iowa to be able to pay to bring these people to come here so we can pick up their tab for the airfare.

And so on.

There is so much art and cultural activity happening in Sioux City.

It's a gem that people don't know about until they visit here.

But really, the folks in this area want access to some of those unique products.

So submit your film.

We will treat you like a superstar when you show up.

Hi, I'm Adam Morton.

I live in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and I'm the director of the So The Aspirin is a short film about the near future.

It deals with themes of love and loneliness and isolation.

And as we sort of follow these two characters named Matilda and Jerome, Jerome is sort of this quasi spiritual leader who serves as kind of a counselor to Matilda.

I stumbled into this film from a guy named Michael Levine.

He is a fantastic composer.

He scored my feature film I directed in 2014 called Emelia 2.0.

He came to me with a script and asked for notes on it, and I thought, Well, what are you doing?

I think all along he had planned for me to sort of direct it and find a way to do it and so when he finally asked and said, Hey, do you think there's a way we can make this in my my living room or in some sort of other location?

I was like, Yeah, I definitely think we could.

And, you know, what kind of budget are we talking about?

And, you know, how are we going to go about casting?

Where are we going to film it?

And so one thing led to another, but the film was basically born out of a friendship with a really good creative person I like.

collaborate a lot with directing something is a really intuitive process, and we, as hard as we tried every time we tried to make them get up and do something, it just felt unmotivated.

Like we felt like these two characters who were sharing their souls with each other would be locked inside of their body.

And most of what I have learned is intuitively, if something is sort of feeling right, just go with it.

And that's how that's how it happened.

Eventually, we just said, You know what?

It's fine if they're sitting there.

And then when we got the actors in the room and heard the lines, we were both just so glued to what they were saying.

I think we just kind of forgot about it.

[foreign language] [compuer voice] Matilda is here.

Thank you, Randall has spread I've been monitoring your progress.

This past year has been eventful.

Yeah, I. I won the math award and English too gymnastics, painting, music, theater.

Actually, I wrote a play that my school put on a couple, actually.

Colleges?

Yeah.

Three are offering for pot, but.

But.

I don't think I relate to school.

I know I'm good but what Well the other day I said to my physics teacher so Heisenberg gets pulled over by a traffic light and he says, Excuse me, sir, do you know how fast you were going?

And then he says, Oh, well, I know where I am.

Yes, thank you, God.

He didn't get it, like at all.

The teachers think that I am cute or that I threaten them Students think Im weird.

Do you feel weird?

Not with you.

Good.

Because I don't think you're weird.

I think you're a brilliant young person who normal people have a hard time understanding.

You don't think I'm normal?

Correct.

And that's a good thing.

You have a maturity not only beyond your 16 years, but beyond most of humanity.

You see movement when others see only darkness.

You're a pathfinder, an adventurer.

You challenge outmoded social conventions.

Is that why everyone's always telling me to face up to reality?

Rousseau said The world of reality has its limits.

The world of imagination is boundless, Must have some pretty boundless imaginings.

Being asleep 51 weeks a year.

During hibernation and elves metabolism slows.

But we are constantly being fed up to date information into our augmentation models.

Not exactly asleep.

You'll never leave me, will you?

I wouldn't dream of it.

I was yelling.

He was yelling.

There's like, this whole big thing.

We're making a scene.

And I was just yelling like, I have a 95 and everyone was looking at me and it was ridiculous.

I nearly got expelled for the second time and then they offered me tenure, Which you refused?

Academia is not for me.

How about an association?

Your former classmate, Kendrick, would very much like to consult with you.

Yeah, well, he's a very nice guy.

I just don't really connect with him.

When did you consotiate I didn't.

I was like you.

Everything I said went above everybody's head.

There was no one to share my feelings with.

That's why I became an elder, even though I only see my experience one day out of every year.

Maybe because of that I have a perspective on who they are.

They don't have.

I help them find their way.

It's both deeply purposeful and deeply intimate.

Maybe I should become an Elder.

No.

You're so full of life.

Don't you get lonely?

I mean, once you take the vow, you can't leave this room.

No, I like this room.

Oh?

And of course, there's always Randall.

Your singular?

Randall?

Yes.

Randall?

Yes.

Elder Giraud.

How long have we known each other?

I was assigned to you shortly after your initial 100 year hibernation.

And you think about me?

You don't know?

Not much.

Jerome.

I have a not normal request.

I'm not against consassociation.

I just want to do with someone that really knows me.

That's an admirable sentiment I want you to consociate with me That would be wrong.

Why do you always say that?

I challenge the social conventions.

What is this other than another outmoded convention?

Even discounting hibernation, I am a lot older than you.

More importantly, I took vow when I went to the order.

If I break that vow I will betray everything.

My life is due for.

You can leave the order.

Be with me Matilda, Please don't Jerome You are the only one that I thought would never reject me.

But I'm not rejecting you.

I'm trying to give you life.

Someday this will all make sense to you.

It does to you.

She looks up at me with these huge green eyes and she says, Mommy, it's cold outside.

I need my.

ear muffins.

She loves space.

Loves space.

Goes up to her.

She would never leave the room.

Celesta And sounds wonderful.

Yeah.

Who tends to aspirant needs?

Elder Lavinia.

She has an excellent reputation.

She is not you.

I, I really.

It is prohibited, you know.

So you're still a rabble rouser.

What could possibly give you that impression?

Oh, I don't know.

Maybe that play you wrote, The Lampoon of General Morgan.

That man is a narcissistic caricature of himself.

Fortunately, his influence is marginal.

I wouldn't be so sure.

And how's it going with Kendrick?

Fine.

He's a model partner, polite, helpful, undemanding.

But?

Sometimes I. I feel like I am going crazy with the sheer sameness of our life together.

I think I pick fights just to liven things up.

We never laugh like, you know.

You have a beautiful child.

Yeah, I know that.

That's what keeps me going.

Time's up?

Yep.

I was Next year?

Yeah, next year.

I'm so sorry.

The irony of a child that left space dying in a routine tram ride to the moon.

I don't have anything anymore.

Anything.

Thats not true.

People look up to you.

It's the Morgannights.

And youre still.

You have another chance to go on an I dont want Kendrick either.

You're upset.

Yeah yeah I have.

I haven't wanted him for a long time.

Maybe ever.

General Morgan has declared himself president for life.

He has called for a disbanding of the order.

Several prominent leaders have been rounded up and executed.

Jerome, it's time to go.

Go.

Come with me or wait for Morgan and his guys to get you.

We're fighting, but the order forbids.

There may not even be an order.

Come.

We can finally be us.

But the consequences of it.

Randall?

Yes, Matilda.

What are the consequences of an elder leaving the order?

Outcast elders rarely survive long.

Some die of natural causes.

Some die by suicide.

Some apply for singularity.

Average life expectancy.

RANDALL What happens if they have someone?

Someone that loves them?

There is insufficient data to answer that question.

Come on.

Jerome.

We can be pathfinders, adventurers.

Isn't that what you always want to know?

It's what you always wanted.

Screw you.

Yes.

Screw you, Jerome.

Yes.

Yes.

I wanted you.

I wanted you like nothing else I ever wanted.

Every hibernation I dreamed of being with you.

I came this close to betraying everything my life was stood for.

But then I remembered I had principles.

And I sat down.

I said no.

Of course you said no.

You've been saying no to everything you ever wanted your entire life.

Spent my entire life waiting for you to wake up.

waste.

Goodbye.

Good luck with the new management General Morgan was found dead by his own hand as his troops advanced.

Randall, shut up.

I got to find her.

I searched every database and nothing.

Yeah, I'm leaving.

If you leave, I am required by law to report that you have forfeited your position as elder and have left the order irrevocably.

I can't live without her.

I can give you seven days.

Then this module will be occupied by a new elder.

Thanks friend.

Good luck.

I looked everywhere and she's just gone.

Randall.

How is that even possible?

Certain information is not available without special clearance.

What kind of information?

Information about the order.

What do you mean?

If someone were to join the order, that information does not become public until they have completed their 100 year initial hibernation.

Would anyone know if she had joined certain hybrid sentient algorithms Like singulars?

Yes.

Maybe I should become an Elder.No.

You're so full of life.

How does one apply for singularity?

Elder, you're first aspirant of the day is here.

Victoria, Last died.

she will be deeply depressed.

From the last time I saw her, she said that her dog had been suffering.

She even said that death would be a kindness for him.

Her last birthday gift her late father gave her 12 years ago.

Thank you, Jerome.

I don't know what I'd do without you.

My augmentation module is never quite as comprehensive as yours was.

You'll never leave me, will you?

I wouldn't dream of it.

Hello, I'm Spencer Loucks.

I'm from Iowa City, and I'm the director of the film Sea Dogs.

Hi, I'm Joe Fiala.

I'm from Iowa City and I am a producer and did the sound production and design on Sea Dogs.

Yeah.

So Sea Dogs is a short film comprising a vignette.

These dogs are looking for treasure, which will become very evident as as it begins, and it's just kind of their journey and their stops along the way.

Looking for the treasure.

And the idea of it just came from the stupid of like sea dogs is like already a word that exists or like people seem to like dogs.

People seem to like pirates.

Why not throw them together?

Originally I thought it was like, it's just a silly, dumb idea.

But the more I thought about it, the more I came up with things where I was like, This would be actually really fun.

And I have a lot of comedy.

I'm a comedian as well, and I have a lot of comedian friends.

And I was like, we could we could make something funnier.

The animator is Lev Kantor, and yeah, it turned out really well.

I think.

Part of my work came in when after a lot of the animation had been done, the bulk or a good portion of the vocal performances had been done as well.

So I was kind of matching those and bringing those in.

The payoff was getting to see other people enjoy it.

You know, it was like to actually see people like, Oh, they get it and it's yeah, they're enjoying it.

And that was kind of where the payoff was for me.

Happy birthday, Gary.

Thanks,Steve.

I got you a present.

Steve.

You didn't have to.

I wanted to.

What is it?

Just open it.

It's a chocolate-ship cookie.

Oh.

Ooh.

What was my time?

What?

I told you to count how long I was underwater.

Oh, I thought you were joking.

Why would I be joking?

Because we're underwater, like, a lot.

Like most of the time.

Well, I was serious.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Okay, count this time.

Sure.

Oh, yeah.

I'm not going to count.

Anyone want brunch?

I'm thinking plankton.

Ooh, Treasure.

Treasure Treasure!

treasure.

Treasure, treasure, treasure, Treasure, Treasure water.

Oh, thanks.

No problem.

Treasure.

Treasure, Treasure.

Treasure, Treasure.

Mm hmm.

Treasure.

Treasure.

Treasure.

Right Treasure Becky, has anyone seen Becky?

Is she still underwater?

She's been under there for a while.

Oh, that's bad.

That's really bad.

Oh, no.

Did you count his time?

Oh, I forgot to count again.

Sorry.

Come on, man.

funding for this program was provided by friends, the Iowa PBS Foundation, as well as generations of families and friends who feel passionate about the programs they watch on Iowa PBS.

The Film Lounge is produced in partnership with the Iowa Arts Council and produce Iowa.

Hi, my name is Caitlin Busby and I am the director of Bedbugs.

So I think bedbugs presents itself initially to be about one thing.

And then you kind of quickly realize that there's some deeper stuff going on.

As we all know, COVID hit the world in the spring of 2020, and I was in grad school in New York City at the time, and everything went remote and I was in a writing class and I had this just wonderful teacher, and he gave us an assignment which was so simple, but he just said, Write a short story synopsis around an image that you just can't shake from your mind.

And I just kept seeing this image of this woman dragging this mattress out of her apartment and spray painting the words bedbugs on it.

But I kept feeling like there was more to it than just real bedbugs.

So that was the image that just sparked everything I started exploring from from there in both my directing classes and my writing classes, shooting exercises on the weekend, surrounding ideas with the script and like, slowly kind of like carved out the idea in the script for Bedbugs.

You know, I'm in grad school because I want to pursue filmmaking on on a different level.

And my hope is that with every single film I tackle, there's real meaning and energy and purpose behind it for me on a personal level.

So for this film, I really wanted to explore, you know, challenging topics that exist, topics that feel taboo in a lot of ways as far as how we talk about them in art and explore them emotionally as human beings in the world.

Since shooting bedbugs, it has become an even more complicated landscape.

But I am, you know, very aware of of the ideas behind like bodily autonomy and like what women are faced with culturally and in society.

And like, I just want to find ways to empower people and spark spark conversation as best I can in my work.

You know, can't leave that there right?

Why?

The city will fine you.

There's like 50 people living in this building.

How will they know it's me?

I could call them and let them know.

And you're out.

100 bucks.

You serious.

Yeah.

Okay.

Well, you're probably going to the dumpster down the corner.

That's very avant garde.

Okay.

Yeah.

So is it true?

But bedbugs.

I think this fashion statement is just for show.

It's heat.

You know that.

That's what kills them.

That's way at least you smoke the thanks for the help.

Yeah.

Happens.

You know, we live in a city as no matter who you are, the sort of --- they get in and I smell blood.

They're coming for you.

Oh, it's snuck in on me.

Sorry.

It's one of my favorites.

Comfortable midline.

Good mattress for a fresh start.

You guys deliver?

Yeah.

Free delivery.

Same day.

We could even take away the old one.

That's okay.

But delivery is great.

Take your time Excuse me, miss?

You dropped this.

Thanks.

Yeah, no problem.

Hey, I'm Antonio Chalmers.

I'm the artist Tone the boss from the video Black Excellence.

The entire concept is showing African-Americans be very independent, successful, and it's more of a celebration.

We're going to laugh, we're going to smile, we're going to dance.

We're going to have a good time.

We come dressed really fancy and we pay homage to some older errors.

So everything from the 67 these eighties, you'll see a mixture of that and a lot of people having fun.

So the song was written, me and the featured artists in Dubai.

We were coming up with a concept and what that is, is just embracing successful African-Americans and the culture and really trying to empower other black people in the community.

You know, being self-made is kind of us getting our own reparations but working hard for it.

That's one of the lines that's in the song.

It's elevation.

We're from lower level basements to getting table reservations.

So it's just kind of leveling up in life.

So the video was shot and directed by Josh Booth of Diamond Label Films.

We came up with the video concept, all of us together.

We wanted to kind of show our representation, but also show scenes from like past historic movies and African-American community.

We wanted to use something that felt more like a speakeasy.

So yeah, we wanted to go back in time and kind of show everywhere from 2013 all the way down to 50, 60, 7080s.

And we thought that was the perfect location to really capture the essence of what the song and the video was about.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome everyone to a very special occasion.

Tonight, we celebrate black excellence.

We slide, We reign.

Black Excellence.

Be my name.

We fight by Black excellence be my name.

This is true black excellence, A self manifestation.

Yes, it's a celebration.

Forget it.

My reparations.

Its elevation from lower level placements to get a table, reservations.

Let's take a trip down memory lane.

I'm making sure you'll remember the game.

Remember the name on it.

We reign.

Black Excellence Be my name.

Black.

ecellence be my name.

Cut Club with a 20 theme walk through the front door with a beauty queen, White Squares, kind of Billie Jean.

Nice place with the clean night air.

Keep it coming came to call me a star.

Was Carlito.

The fact that we made it this far with no ego.

The tramp.

When we started to throw with our people.

These blacks holding up the walls of my people.

[music] [music] [music] Hi, I'm Charlie Brothers and I'm the filmmaker.

Behind “It is Other ” I made every part of it is out other it's a film that's designed mostly about feeling rather than story.

It's the first of a three part series that's about the difference between otherness and beauty and strangeness and understand our world well.

It is other started as a quarantine project, So like, you know, we're all locked down, we're doing our thing.

And I just finished this music video and I've done a lot of the same things in this music video for, for whatever part of it, and that was under a deadline.

So I thought, now I don't have deadlines for the foreseeable year, so I'm going to jump into this and see if I can take some of those ideas and push them a little bit further.

And then as I started going with that, I started to see the theme that I was interested in.

I often work that way where I, I find the idea or the the focus as I'm working in a can be hard with CG stuff because you got to wait and you've got to see it and you're like, Oh, well, was that a good idea or not?

And then you go back into it and, and you start to it's almost like I call it sculptural video.

You're like kind of chipping away and adding this.

And you can't do a traditional video very well by yourself.

You know, you got to you'd have to go grab a whole crew and go out and do it again.

But with CG, you can you can just look at and be like, Oh, well, maybe less like maybe this angle, maybe, maybe a pull out.

And so you can really experiment a lot and learn a lot really quick about what you're trying to do.

Part of the ambient soundtrack was something I really wanted to dig into because I've done a lot of music, video work and and a little bit of this feeling I had while I was making this other video that was called Ancestors My tour Size, and it had this sort of space agey kind of you're flying through different like places that that don't exist, that are like different worlds And as I was doing that, I kept I kept making these shapes and the shapes felt kind of lonely and and distant.

And like one of the lines in that song is Where am I now?

And I think that was kind of in my head.

And so as I started building these things, I was building from that point of view.

And I think that's when I started to think of like, oh, just like these strange encounters.

It's like you can see it from either the point of view of someone encountering these things, or you can see it from the point of view of that, that thing encountering us, or vice versa.

And so [quiet music] The Sioux City Film Festival is a unique event for this part of the tri state area that brings in short films from all over the world and we put them in blocks according to genre so you can come in and watch a block of comedy or a block of documentary or a block of sci fi, etc., so that you might watch ten films or 12 films all in that two hour block film festival started 17 years ago when a group of people got together and said, We would like to see films that don't come to Sioux City.

So they solicit films from all over the world, from filmmakers that they don't regularly see, you know, like from a watch party with a small group of people to being it went to being an art center, to being at the Orpheum.

And it has grown and grown and grown so this year we got about 180 films submitted and we selected around 70.

But my name is Gabriel.

The name of my film is The Dark Frog Experiment, and I'm from Thousand Oaks, California.

So one guest signed up to do this.

This experience has been unforgettable moment just to see the people, the way they respond and all the other films to me, all the amazing fields I've seen, the stories that the horror behind forgiveness, redemption has been incredible.

This is my first film festival and I actually ever, ever been at.

Yeah.

So it's been really, really fun.

And the vibe here that I get is very positive and I really appreciate that, you know, that Sioux City really takes care of its filmmakers.

We go pick them up at the airport, we bring them to their hotel, we make sure that they come over to the filmmakers lounge where they have a safe space to hang out, grab a glass of water, get a snack.

And also, I just got out of one of the drama blocks where a couple of the filmmakers are standing there.

And I said, We have a couple of folks in the audience today who are part of the films.

Please stand up.

And the crowd just went nuts.

So this year, for example, our theme is music and film, and we have guests coming from various parts of the world to do workshops in that category.

So for example, at 6:00 we have Jordan Dijkstra and he does scoring for right now.

I think he's most recently worked on Frontline.

So the educational portion of this is so important to us.

We've actually gotten a grant from Humanities Iowa to be able to pay to bring these people to come here so we can pick up their tab for the airfare.

And so on.

There is so much art and cultural activity happening in Sioux City.

It's a gem that people don't know about until they visit here.

But really, the folks in this area want access to some of those unique products.

So submit your film.

We will treat you like a superstar when you show up.

Hi, I'm Adam Morton.

I live in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and I'm the director of the So The Aspirin is a short film about the near future.

It deals with themes of love and loneliness and isolation.

And as we sort of follow these two characters named Matilda and Jerome, Jerome is sort of this quasi spiritual leader who serves as kind of a counselor to Matilda.

I stumbled into this film from a guy named Michael Levine.

He is a fantastic composer.

He scored my feature film I directed in 2014 called Emelia 2.0.

He came to me with a script and asked for notes on it, and I thought, Well, what are you doing?

I think all along he had planned for me to sort of direct it and find a way to do it and so when he finally asked and said, Hey, do you think there's a way we can make this in my my living room or in some sort of other location?

I was like, Yeah, I definitely think we could.

And, you know, what kind of budget are we talking about?

And, you know, how are we going to go about casting?

Where are we going to film it?

And so one thing led to another, but the film was basically born out of a friendship with a really good creative person I like.

collaborate a lot with directing something is a really intuitive process, and we, as hard as we tried every time we tried to make them get up and do something, it just felt unmotivated.

Like we felt like these two characters who were sharing their souls with each other would be locked inside of their body.

And most of what I have learned is intuitively, if something is sort of feeling right, just go with it.

And that's how that's how it happened.

Eventually, we just said, You know what?

It's fine if they're sitting there.

And then when we got the actors in the room and heard the lines, we were both just so glued to what they were saying.

I think we just kind of forgot about it.

[foreign language] [compuer voice] Matilda is here.

Thank you, Randall has spread I've been monitoring your progress.

This past year has been eventful.

Yeah, I. I won the math award and English too gymnastics, painting, music, theater.

Actually, I wrote a play that my school put on a couple, actually.

Colleges?

Yeah.

Three are offering for pot, but.

But.

I don't think I relate to school.

I know I'm good but what Well the other day I said to my physics teacher so Heisenberg gets pulled over by a traffic light and he says, Excuse me, sir, do you know how fast you were going?

And then he says, Oh, well, I know where I am.

Yes, thank you, God.

He didn't get it, like at all.

The teachers think that I am cute or that I threaten them Students think Im weird.

Do you feel weird?

Not with you.

Good.

Because I don't think you're weird.

I think you're a brilliant young person who normal people have a hard time understanding.

You don't think I'm normal?

Correct.

And that's a good thing.

You have a maturity not only beyond your 16 years, but beyond most of humanity.

You see movement when others see only darkness.

You're a pathfinder, an adventurer.

You challenge outmoded social conventions.

Is that why everyone's always telling me to face up to reality?

Rousseau said The world of reality has its limits.

The world of imagination is boundless, Must have some pretty boundless imaginings.

Being asleep 51 weeks a year.

During hibernation and elves metabolism slows.

But we are constantly being fed up to date information into our augmentation models.

Not exactly asleep.

You'll never leave me, will you?

I wouldn't dream of it.

I was yelling.

He was yelling.

There's like, this whole big thing.

We're making a scene.

And I was just yelling like, I have a 95 and everyone was looking at me and it was ridiculous.

I nearly got expelled for the second time and then they offered me tenure, Which you refused?

Academia is not for me.

How about an association?

Your former classmate, Kendrick, would very much like to consult with you.

Yeah, well, he's a very nice guy.

I just don't really connect with him.

When did you consotiate I didn't.

I was like you.

Everything I said went above everybody's head.

There was no one to share my feelings with.

That's why I became an elder, even though I only see my experience one day out of every year.

Maybe because of that I have a perspective on who they are.

They don't have.

I help them find their way.

It's both deeply purposeful and deeply intimate.

Maybe I should become an Elder.

No.

You're so full of life.

Don't you get lonely?

I mean, once you take the vow, you can't leave this room.

No, I like this room.

Oh?

And of course, there's always Randall.

Your singular?

Randall?

Yes.

Randall?

Yes.

Elder Giraud.

How long have we known each other?

I was assigned to you shortly after your initial 100 year hibernation.

And you think about me?

You don't know?

Not much.

Jerome.

I have a not normal request.

I'm not against consassociation.

I just want to do with someone that really knows me.

That's an admirable sentiment I want you to consociate with me That would be wrong.

Why do you always say that?

I challenge the social conventions.

What is this other than another outmoded convention?

Even discounting hibernation, I am a lot older than you.

More importantly, I took vow when I went to the order.

If I break that vow I will betray everything.

My life is due for.

You can leave the order.

Be with me Matilda, Please don't Jerome You are the only one that I thought would never reject me.

But I'm not rejecting you.

I'm trying to give you life.

Someday this will all make sense to you.

It does to you.

She looks up at me with these huge green eyes and she says, Mommy, it's cold outside.

I need my.

ear muffins.

She loves space.

Loves space.

Goes up to her.

She would never leave the room.

Celesta And sounds wonderful.

Yeah.

Who tends to aspirant needs?

Elder Lavinia.

She has an excellent reputation.

She is not you.

I, I really.

It is prohibited, you know.

So you're still a rabble rouser.

What could possibly give you that impression?

Oh, I don't know.

Maybe that play you wrote, The Lampoon of General Morgan.

That man is a narcissistic caricature of himself.

Fortunately, his influence is marginal.

I wouldn't be so sure.

And how's it going with Kendrick?

Fine.

He's a model partner, polite, helpful, undemanding.

But?

Sometimes I. I feel like I am going crazy with the sheer sameness of our life together.

I think I pick fights just to liven things up.

We never laugh like, you know.

You have a beautiful child.

Yeah, I know that.

That's what keeps me going.

Time's up?

Yep.

I was Next year?

Yeah, next year.

I'm so sorry.

The irony of a child that left space dying in a routine tram ride to the moon.

I don't have anything anymore.

Anything.

Thats not true.

People look up to you.

It's the Morgannights.

And youre still.

You have another chance to go on an I dont want Kendrick either.

You're upset.

Yeah yeah I have.

I haven't wanted him for a long time.

Maybe ever.

General Morgan has declared himself president for life.

He has called for a disbanding of the order.

Several prominent leaders have been rounded up and executed.

Jerome, it's time to go.

Go.

Come with me or wait for Morgan and his guys to get you.

We're fighting, but the order forbids.

There may not even be an order.

Come.

We can finally be us.

But the consequences of it.

Randall?

Yes, Matilda.

What are the consequences of an elder leaving the order?

Outcast elders rarely survive long.

Some die of natural causes.

Some die by suicide.

Some apply for singularity.

Average life expectancy.

RANDALL What happens if they have someone?

Someone that loves them?

There is insufficient data to answer that question.

Come on.

Jerome.

We can be pathfinders, adventurers.

Isn't that what you always want to know?

It's what you always wanted.

Screw you.

Yes.

Screw you, Jerome.

Yes.

Yes.

I wanted you.

I wanted you like nothing else I ever wanted.

Every hibernation I dreamed of being with you.

I came this close to betraying everything my life was stood for.

But then I remembered I had principles.

And I sat down.

I said no.

Of course you said no.

You've been saying no to everything you ever wanted your entire life.

Spent my entire life waiting for you to wake up.

waste.

Goodbye.

Good luck with the new management General Morgan was found dead by his own hand as his troops advanced.

Randall, shut up.

I got to find her.

I searched every database and nothing.

Yeah, I'm leaving.

If you leave, I am required by law to report that you have forfeited your position as elder and have left the order irrevocably.

I can't live without her.

I can give you seven days.

Then this module will be occupied by a new elder.

Thanks friend.

Good luck.

I looked everywhere and she's just gone.

Randall.

How is that even possible?

Certain information is not available without special clearance.

What kind of information?

Information about the order.

What do you mean?

If someone were to join the order, that information does not become public until they have completed their 100 year initial hibernation.

Would anyone know if she had joined certain hybrid sentient algorithms Like singulars?

Yes.

Maybe I should become an Elder.No.

You're so full of life.

How does one apply for singularity?

Elder, you're first aspirant of the day is here.

Victoria, Last died.

she will be deeply depressed.

From the last time I saw her, she said that her dog had been suffering.

She even said that death would be a kindness for him.

Her last birthday gift her late father gave her 12 years ago.

Thank you, Jerome.

I don't know what I'd do without you.

My augmentation module is never quite as comprehensive as yours was.

You'll never leave me, will you?

I wouldn't dream of it.

Hello, I'm Spencer Loucks.

I'm from Iowa City, and I'm the director of the film Sea Dogs.

Hi, I'm Joe Fiala.

I'm from Iowa City and I am a producer and did the sound production and design on Sea Dogs.

Yeah.

So Sea Dogs is a short film comprising a vignette.

These dogs are looking for treasure, which will become very evident as as it begins, and it's just kind of their journey and their stops along the way.

Looking for the treasure.

And the idea of it just came from the stupid of like sea dogs is like already a word that exists or like people seem to like dogs.

People seem to like pirates.

Why not throw them together?

Originally I thought it was like, it's just a silly, dumb idea.

But the more I thought about it, the more I came up with things where I was like, This would be actually really fun.

And I have a lot of comedy.

I'm a comedian as well, and I have a lot of comedian friends.

And I was like, we could we could make something funnier.

The animator is Lev Kantor, and yeah, it turned out really well.

I think.

Part of my work came in when after a lot of the animation had been done, the bulk or a good portion of the vocal performances had been done as well.

So I was kind of matching those and bringing those in.

The payoff was getting to see other people enjoy it.

You know, it was like to actually see people like, Oh, they get it and it's yeah, they're enjoying it.

And that was kind of where the payoff was for me.

Happy birthday, Gary.

Thanks,Steve.

I got you a present.

Steve.

You didn't have to.

I wanted to.

What is it?

Just open it.

It's a chocolate-ship cookie.

Oh.

Ooh.

What was my time?

What?

I told you to count how long I was underwater.

Oh, I thought you were joking.

Why would I be joking?

Because we're underwater, like, a lot.

Like most of the time.

Well, I was serious.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Okay, count this time.

Sure.

Oh, yeah.

I'm not going to count.

Anyone want brunch?

I'm thinking plankton.

Ooh, Treasure.

Treasure Treasure!

treasure.

Treasure, treasure, treasure, Treasure, Treasure water.

Oh, thanks.

No problem.

Treasure.

Treasure, Treasure.

Treasure, Treasure.

Mm hmm.

Treasure.

Treasure.

Treasure.

Right Treasure Becky, has anyone seen Becky?

Is she still underwater?

She's been under there for a while.

Oh, that's bad.

That's really bad.

Oh, no.

Did you count his time?

Oh, I forgot to count again.

Sorry.

Come on, man.