Matthew Toffolo Podcasts

ANYA, 6min., USA, Horror Directed by Chris Davies When a sinister entity emerges from the forest on a 1970s Halloween night, a young woman’s true motives are revealed – and her future is decided forever. Get to know the filmmaker: Truthfully, it came from a therapeutic place. I felt like I needed to challenge myself and make something from the hear…

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYF0RrNcRfg A struggling stand up comedian must literally and figuratively kill when a zealous heckler takes a comedy club hostage; threatening the lives of fans, comedians, and comedy itself. Get to know the screenwriter: My screenplay on the surface level is about a hostage situation i…

THE ADVENTURES DIARY, 15min., An elderly woman full of adventure takes one final journey. Project Links: http://www.mousechasedcat.com/ https://www.facebook.com/mousechasedcat/ https://twitter.com/jean_maye https://www.instagram.com/jeanmaye Conversation with creator Jean Maye, on the making of this very personal film. You can sign up for the 7 day…

DRIFTING OF A LEAF, 2min., USA, Animation Directed by Wenpei Li If you could have another life, do you hope to become a tree? A little leaf becomes a bird flying in the world. Is it a leaf or a bird? It does not know where its root is. Maybe the root is all this world. http://wenpeili.com/ https://twitter.com/wplyeyeye https://www.instagram.com/wen…

KINGDOM (PRAISE WORSHIP MIX) FEAT., 3min., Musical Directed by Ashante E Stokes & Ngoka Stephen Exploring sensory response to your place in the universe. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on th…

TAPE 42 – GERMAN SHEPHARD, 7min., USA Directed by Ben Adler A team of navy seals embarks on a mysterious mission to capture a high-level target. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platfor…

STATIONHEADS, 17min., Hungary, Crime/Thriller Directed by Stu Gamble Three educated (and bored) twenty-somethings are working a dead-end job in a gas station. Their futures are grim. When a group of bank robbers turn up fresh from a heist and fresh out of fuel, things get a bit more interesting. https://www.facebook.com/StationHeads https://twitter…

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWEgSvNfDz0 Two down-on-their luck wannabe musicians moonlighting as karaoke “stars” at a bar that caters to senior citizens must overcome a host of obstacles on their road to music stardom, including their overbearing landlord, a divorced parent who moves in unexpectedly, and most impor…

TURKEY ON RYE, 9min., USA Directed by Lucas Huie A short film about a man and his missing sandwich. Get to know the filmmaker: It actually started as a fake 2-minute podcast I did for a college project back when I was in community college. I really liked how the podcast turned out so I decided to shoot it live-action. Also, like Winston, I also wen…

BRING BACK THE WHISTLE DOG, 18min., Canada Directed by Bob Simpson Fast food menu items come and go, but none have ignited lasting passion quite like Canadian restaurant chain A&W’s Whistle Dog. This “hot dogumentary” profiles diehard fans fighting the good fight to bring back the iconic dog. Get to know the filmmaker: Most of the team that worked …

LOCATION 4, 8min., USA, Horror Directed by Antonio Pinheiro After getting lost during a late night work session, two location scouts start to get the feeling they aren’t the only two people on the mountain. https://www.location4movie.com/ https://instagram.com/tonyturquoix Get to know the filmmaker: I had just gotten fired from my food runner job, …

GONE TOO SOON, 8min., Australia, Drama Directed by Christelle Le Baccon The journey of a bereaved mother. http://superlexlex.com/ https://www.instagram.com/superlexlex Get to know the filmmaker: I decided to make and finance this short morning to expose the trust about bereavement with the hope to make a full documentary about grief and it stigma a…

THE HEALER’S DREAM, 15min., Canada/India, Documentary Directed by Roxana Mares Ayurveda is an ancient tradition of medicine that originated in India, with certain branches established and taught in Nepal. Various regions in Nepal, in particular the Kathmandu Valley, became centers of ancient knowledge where the medical and spiritual traditions of A…

EARLY RETIREMENT A 30-something year old man, on the heels of a breakup with his boyfriend, moves in with his parents who live in a 55+ adult community. Through confronting his own insecurities and examining family relationships and dynamics, he's able to move forward. ANTISEMITE Seth, a college senior, is home for winter break. He’s spending a day…

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FS6mHBwRaf8 When a police detective, hunting a serial killer, gets too close, the killer murders his wife and two children, sending him into a downward spiral of alcohol, suicide, and a near-death experience where God tells him to become a priest. Years later the serial killer reappears …

The art of making a short comedy. http://www.thejoemcgowan.co.uk/ https://instagram.com/joe_mcgowan88 TAKEAWAY - A couple can't decide what takeaway they want for dinner. PISS UP - Two men meet in an alley after a few too many. From the filmmaker: Getting the edit right. There were a few shots that were left on the cutting room floor so it wouldn’t…

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/goofy-foot-screenplay Eliot Glassman, 15, openly gay and precocious, becomes emancipated from his suburban parents and friends, following incidents of physical abuse. Freed from his troubled suburban origins, he navigates (often on a skateboard) the dangers and delights of his new urban …

THE THINGS I FEEL, 12min., Australia Directed by Jean Ngooi As an android nanny, Hadley takes care of a young, inquisitive boy named Charlie. When a malfunction causes her to develop sentience, they embark on an adventure to find a real-life animal, a scarcity in their world. On their trip, Hadley faces what it means to feel things for the first ti…

RESTLESS, 15min., Canada, Drama/Thriller Directed by Dhun Sharma A sex worker is coerced into a situation that gradually becomes more violent. https://www.instagram.com/sharma.dhun/ Get to know the filmmaker: I was looking to do something interesting after my last short. I had just finished writing Restless as a feature and I wanted to use it as a …

DAY FLIPPERS, 16min., USA, Dark Comedy Directed by Isaac Cushman The production of a home renovation TV series is disrupted by the presence of a malevolent spirit.Interview with: Director Isaac Cushman Producer Dylan Samson Cinematographer Brendan Parker Production Designer Alex Royston Makeup/Sound Sarah Sweet From filmmaker Isaac Cushman: Honestl…

LOCK, 3min., Canada Directed by Kody Zimmermann For some kids, the garage is an oasis away from parents, homework, and chores. But sometimes, there may be something hidden amongst the junk and clutter. Something that makes ‘alone time’ not what it seems. http://www.ghostwoodfilms.com/ Get to know the filmmaker: First of all, I felt I needed to feed…

PERSISTENCE, 12min., Canada, Drama Directed by Neil Schell Persistence is a story about what happens when romantic intentions cross over into stalking. The ?lm explores what happens when trusts are broken but laws aren?t, and just how much damage can be done to someone’s life in that space between. https://www.persistenceshortfilm.com/ https://www.…

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjWe3zqFzqk In the afterlife, a murdered man meets a grieving mother who died during the Great Depression and has been ferrying souls through purgatory ever since for the chance to rescue her daughter’s soul from damnation. Get to know the screenwriter: I think my 1-hour pilot script wou…

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfPdZKEVV2s A smart, but indecisive movie theater owner is about to lose her husband, movie theater and her family’s legacy, but when two forces of nature sweep into her life–a violent tropical storm and a gorgeous and compassionate man–she finally jumps into action to get what she wants…

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6lx36tTrjE In 1350s Florence, an insecure nun unwillingly becomes the Mother Superior after the Plague kills the leaders of her nearly bankrupt convent. To save her convent, she must find the strength to confront the male dominated Church, Guilds and civil authorities, and her own demon…

T’AI CHI MAN!, 3min,. USA Directed by Zach Brewster-Geisz A robbery is foiled by a uniquely incompetent superhero. http://zachbg.com/filmmaker http://instagram.com/zachbg7 Get to know the filmmaker: My wife used to take T’ai Chi, and she told me about a crack someone had made about how they were “learning to beat people up really slowly.” That stuc…

CONFLICT, 3min., USA, Poem Directed by Nitashia L Johnson Conflict is a short poetic visual about the struggle of letting go of someone you love when it isn’t working. Instead of releasing, our entities might ignore the signs of a declining relationship. The living and dead organic life shown throughout the video represents the constant tug and pul…

HOME, 13min., USA, Dance Directed by Shari Coleman When her parent’s domestic violent relationship comes to a head, Harley must choose between protecting her family and keeping her sanity. Get to know the filmmaker: Growing up, I unfortunately witnessed the terror that is a domestic violent relationship. Though it did get me thinking about how the …

STRIPEY SOCKS, 5min., UK, Animation/Documentary ‘Stripey Socks’ is the true tale of Michelle Bailey as a young girl dealing with teenage pregnancy, navigating her way through secrecy, blame and catholic school. The film, shot by Diana Stefanescu, is of live illustrators by Cait Buckley which are complemented by the beautiful soundtrack by Sophie Ha…

POST (COVID-19) ERA, 3min., USA, Fashion Directed by Haowei Zhang This fashion film is the collaboration with jewelry designer Hankunyu Wei, which expresses the jewelry artist Hankunyu Wei’s thoughts and reflections on the aftershocks to human society after the end of COVID-19.As the COVID-19 inevitably hits the workings of the world, each and ever…

REQUIEM. GENERATION. BREAKER., 7min., USA, Animation/Musical Directed by Derwin Hayden After a father witnesses a murder, Myck, and his family become targeted by an inter-dimensional demon. Get to know the filmmaker: I was motivated by a book called “Man’s Unconquerable Mind” by Gilbert Highet. I wanted to write a tragedy where a person was cast in…

JALEBI NIGHTS, 13min., UK, Drama/Romance Directed by Ganesh Sharma Jalebi Nights follows the journey of a young heartbroken man, named Krishan. He was about to propose to the love of his life, however her mother intervened. 6 months later, Krishan still can’t get over his ex, so his best friend Harry comes up with a plan to help Krishan move on. ht…

PIANO-SOLEIL, 8min., Brazil, Dance Directed by Caio Amon A young woman feels trapped in a claustrophobic reality. She yearns for vast and awe-inspiring landscapes, where freedom of movement and communion with nature are possible. Yet she realizes that the wondrous beauty of these natural environments is threatened by mankind’s seemingly unrelenting…

FERMATA, 4min., USA, Thriller Directed by Preston Bowe A struggling pianist makes a peculiar discovery. Get to know the filmmaker: I was inspired to make Fermata after thinking about my and my friends’ experiences with creating art—these tendencies to doubt ourselves or hold ourselves back in fear of what others might think. As someone who struggle…

LET THE MUSIC PLAY was the winner of BEST FEATURE FILM at the November 2021 DOCUMENTARY Film Festival. Get to know the filmmaker: We had originally had another project planned and that was totally squashed because of Covid-19. As someone working in the music industry, I was in touch with a lot of artists, promoters, etc. because we were all kind of…

THE HAIRCUT, 5min., USA, Dark Comedy Directed by George Dickinson Andrew just got the best haircut of his life, but will his roommates notice? Get to know the filmmaker: One time, my hair got cut, but you know what my hair didn’t get? Compliments! And the insecure side of me got a little mad. I thought to myself, “I feel powerless.” But then some s…

THE USELESS GLASSBLOWER, 15min., Germany Directed by Holger E. Metzger A fascinating short documentary on a traditional glassmaker deep in the southern German Black Forest, and his thoughts and feelings about what this 7000-year-old craft has taught him about life. Get to know the filmmaker and doc subject Dirk Bürklin l HOLGER: I spent 30 years in…

ENGLISH BREAKFAST, 9min., USA, Dark Comedy Directed by Dustin Hendrix Claire and Shaun, a newlywed couple, stay at the critically-acclaimed Miss Talbot’s Bed and Breakfast. Before long, Claire starts to realize that this bed and breakfast isn’t quite as charming as it initially appears to be. https://www.instagram.com/english.breakfast.film/ Get to…

STRIKE, 5min., USA, Action/Thriller Directed by Oliver Li. Cinematography by Teddy Jian Get to know the filmmaker: Action is a genre that I have always wanted to try, but I rarely have the opportunity to do so. Fortunately, my cinematographer, Teddy, and I got a chance to experiment with action when we audited a directing course that focused on act…

SEEK, 13min., Japan, Action Directed by Shane Kosugi, Kansuke Asano K. Hanzo, an assassin for a covert non-governmental espionage group in Japan called “49” or “SEEK”, is grieving over the loss of his girlfriend from a tragic car accident. His ex-boss, J, contacts him to do one last mission for him; kill his ex-partner who has kidnapped a young age…

BOSS OF THE TOSS, 29min., USA Directed by Chris Harboldt While balancing a relationship with his girlfriend, a down and out cornhole player must compete in a high stakes, underground tournament to help his grammy pay off a bookie. Get to know the filmmaker: I’m a big fan of slapstick sports comedies and wanted to pay homage to the genre. The idea f…

IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, 14min., UK, Drama Directed by Billy Klotsa A father and son spend a day at the beach. Bobby’s father wants to share some of his wisdom with his son by taking him away from the city, to reconnect with nature. The two engage in a meaningful conversation that illustrates their strong bond but also the difference of generatio…

DOWN BAD, 27min., USA, Drama/TV Web Series Directed by Rogelio Salinas de la Torre After a night of infidelity, Nia navigates the awkward morning-after with her one night stand and battles with what this means for her already stalled engagement. https://www.instagram.com/toni_adeyemi From Toni: Growing up, I yearned to see TV that was rooted in Bla…

WILDsound welcomes back documentarian filmmaker Ethan Knecht to the podcast. Today’s we’re chatting with him about his short film JESUS’ ABS. Ethan Knecht is an educator and a personal essay filmmaker. He lives in Pleasantville, NY with his wife and two daughters. His previous films have screened at The Hudson Valley Film Festival, Peekskill Film F…

LADY & THE VAMP, 5min., USA Directed by Peter Alexander Stass Two “creatures of the night” discover one of their own kind. Or have they? Get to know the filmmaker: This film is a proof of concept for a feature film called “Ackerman & Associates Meet Dracula” about a pair of realtors who unknowingly sell a house to Dracula. The feature is set in LA,…

ROLE PLAY, 8min., USA, Horror Directed by Bill Neil A one-night stand goes horribly wrong Get to know the filmmaker: Dan Asma, the producer, had been working with Alex Henes and Matt Merenda, on some feature ideas as well as some short film scripts. He sent me a few of their scripts to read. Dan and I have been friends/ film aficionados/ co-workers…

JUMP SCARES: THE MOVIE, 3min,. USA Directed by Peter Masterson Do you like horror movies? Or do you just like being startled? If it’s the latter, this is the movie trailer for you! https://urbanpebbleproductions.com/ https://www.instagram.com/urbanpebbleproductions/ Get to know the filmmaker: I drew inspiration from a YouTube series called Honest T…

A TIGER IN THE SUBWAY, 9min,. USA, Thriller/Drama Directed by James Abrams An agoraphobic painter reflects on an old white lie his mother told him as a child. https://www.caramelhippostudios.com/ https://www.facebook.com/CaramelHippoStudios https://www.twitter.com/NA https://www.instagram.com/caramel_hippo_studios Get to know the filmmaker: Like a …

HOW TO THRIVE, 96min., Australia, Documentary Directed by Duy Huynh Is there a secret formula to happiness? Positive psychotherapist Marie McLeod takes 7 people on a transformative journey to learn the secret formula to happiness The film’s premise is; if we offer the science of happiness to people experiencing struggle; what difference would it ma…

Watch the Screenplay Reading of BILLY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXF5dI4CMN4 In this satirical look at over-positive parenting, a desperate teacher tries to explain a student’s litany of crimes to a couple who can see no wrong. It’s Modern Family meets SNL. Get to know the screenwriter: The script tells the story of an exasperated teacher, de…