One of the countless benefits of being a We Make Movies member is the opportunity to enter into the Rolling Production Fund Challenge in hopes of securing funding for a community-backed project. Our unique system of vetting and testing projects for an audience is made complete by actually allowing our members to vote on their favorite pieces based on staged readings done by professional actors who bring the scripts to life in the semi-final stage of the challenge. Numerous short films have been chosen by a live studio audience of WMM members, and consequently been greenlit through this process. Prolific writer Flip Kobler penned the comedic gem No Reservations, which became one of the four winning RPF Challenge films in 2019. The film went on to be directed by award-winning filmmaker Steven LaMorte, who then additionally documented the magic behind the scenes of making the film, including the resourceful techniques and swoon worthy gear and software utilized to optimize the shoot. 

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The past two years have had WMMINTL offering the ubiquitous hybrid festival, a mix of virtual screenings and Q&A sessions, with a few in-person screenings and special events sprinkled in. We delivered cinematic excellence despite the restrictions of the pandemic, but for our 4th annual We Make Movies International Film Festival we’re rolling out the red (well, blue) carpet from October 6th through the 9th with another stellar lineup of films from around the world, a few illustrious panels, and of course, an opening and closing ceremony. 

This year’s slate underscores some highly original and impactful features, shorts, documentaries, pilot episodes, music videos, experimental film, and everything (have we left anything out?) in between. From the intellectual and philosophical to the witty and absurdist to the unpredictable, personal, and political, our Festival Director Eric Michael Kochmer, Programming Director Whit Spurgeon, and Assistant Director Tehana Weeks give us the films they...

A mere two weeks away from production, the WMM Make Your Feature Competition winning film The Unicorn Diaries, is set to flip the RomCom genre on its head and set fire to the ideology of monogamy. Inspired by her own curiosity, quest for fierce authenticity, and love of love, writer and star of the film Datgirl Serene is prepping to bare her soul and leave no stone unturned in investor and director (and uber multi-hyphenate) Cate Caplin’s cinematic vision of the very personal journey into polyamory. 

The pair have tirelessly been refining the script, honing the cast, and curating the look and feel of the film for the better half of a year, amassing talented collaborators like veteran DP Erik “Wolfie” Wolford, boutique designer Jordan Terra, costume designer Shon LeBlanc, and specialty act GoGo Hoop Dancestars to name a few. The film stars Datgirl as “Lili'', Billy Budinich as''Tyler”, and Chad Doreck as “Brian”, with Niki J. Crawford as “Addison”, Alexandria Gracely as “Raven”, Ruby F...

“Soon after moving in together, a couple is forced to confront their challenges with intimacy, exacerbated by a toxic yeast infection and deep rooted insecurities, as their relationship slowly devolves.” No matter your cinematic sensibilities, if that logline doesn’t pique your interest in director Sofie Somoroff’s short horror film Love Is A Fire, you may need to check your pulse. With a world premiere at the end of this month at Portland Horror Film Festival, the film will also enjoy a run at our We Make Movies International Film Festival this October.

No stranger to films centered around coming to terms with bodily functions, Somoroff’s directorial menu includes a series of musicals; My First Night In Los Angeles about a girl learning self-love while crashing in her friend’s living room, and My Worst Night In Los Angeles about needing to eliminate (yes, her bowels) while on a Hinge date. To follow with a film about an acidic yeast infection only seemed natural to the native New Yor...

Award-winning, Boston-bred filmmaker Kayshawn Akime Wallace got into storytelling at Syracuse University while acquiring a degree in U.S History and Cultural Anthropology. Channeling his passion for history into filmmaking, his first official short film Out of Time won Best Horror Film at the Hollywood Gold Short Film Festival and Best First-Time Filmmaker at the San Francisco Indie Short Film Festival. His latest project is the 39 minute short film Shadows In The Mirror, which delves into the tense, boundary-crossing, secret laden breakdown of an open relationship between James (Kameron Basseri) and Veronica (Anna Maria Mojo).

Through his production company Mural Productions, Wallace creates and directs independent films and collaborates with fellow filmmakers’ story development. Attributing his drive and creative spirit to his immigrant, Caribbean parents Ingride Francouer (Haitian) and Tasfa Wallace (Jamaican), Wallace’s work gravitates towards intersecting themes of self-identity,...

Filmmaking (like raising a child) takes a village and the team behind our Make Your Feature Competition winning film Under The Influencer, is birthing their film with exactly that in mind. By creating what they term Intern University, the production team (comprised of all queer women) is  supporting their budgetary, workflow, and (wo)manpower requirements while elevating a fresh crop of queer, female filmmakers. By employing 12  film school interns in various positions on their crew after putting them through a training program prior to the shoot, the team has provided an exceptional opportunity for those who may not otherwise be afforded a chance to gain experience which would in turn connect and qualify them for future assignments in Hollywood. “With a diverse cast and crew, our priority is that everyone feels safe and welcome, and by setting and articulating those expectations before filming begins, we hope to see our goals of positive and respectful consideration for one another me...

A film score has the power to elevate a scene, drive the story forward, and heighten a film's impact beyond the visual medium. The sonic landscape provided by a score helps create a mood, convey the psychological state of the characters, color the scenery, and deliver a collective emotional tone. It is no wonder that the winner of our Make Your Feature Competition, Mars Roberge sought out English composer and musician Michael Cashmore to design the score for his feature film Stars. Cashmore has been a longtime staple of the underground progressive folk and industrial new wave scenes, well known for creating music under the moniker Nature and Organisation (since the 80's), his own namesake (since 2006), as well as as his extensive contributions composing for Current 93 (for over 20 years).

Currently living in Berlin, Cashmore is respected as one of Britain's most influential and inspiring composers. His signature sound is rooted in melody and classical instrumentation, and enhanced thr...

Behind every successful film is usually a lengthy list of producers and associate partners. A savvy filmmaker understands what it means to discover, foster, and cement these lucrative and instrumental relationships. Securing a resourceful, competent, and benevolent cheerleader can oftentimes spell the difference between simply finishing a project, and enjoying the process of making a piece of art. For filmmaker Mars Roberge, winner of our We Make Movies Make Your Feature Competition, his trusted partner in crime on several projects (five in total) has been New York based Kenneth Shaw. The two have collaborated alongside associate producer Debra Haden (also Roberge's wife) on Roberge's past two feature films, and for Stars, added WMM and executive producer (and investor) Sam Mestman to the mix. 

Aside from supporting Roberge on his cinematic endeavors, Shaw runs Four Shaw Entertainment, a full service film and video production company, producing promotional video for products and websi...