SHORTS: QUEER TEEN MAGIC

For the sixth consecutive year, NewFest is delighted to collaborate with NYC’s Department of Education and participating schools on this cheerful shorts program — curated specifically for LGBTQ+ teen audiences. These affirming short films from emerging filmmakers give young queer folks the opportunity to see themselves reflected on screen and inspiration to share their own stories.

This year’s lineup includes stories about growing into yourself, rewriting the script, Florida’s first trans homecoming queen, and the importance of speaking up.

The in-person screening of this program on Thursday, October 19th at 4pm is open to LGBTQ+ students & staff, youth organizations, and school GSAs specifically and is free to register. Please complete this form to request tickets with your school email address or contact gsafilm@newfest.org to inquire about more information.


THE PRINCE’S DILEMMA
Dir. Devin Rowe, USA, 2023, 5 min
Prince Philip, who longing to be with a prince of his own, must decide to follow the traditional tale or forge his own happily ever after.



MIKEY’S ARMY
Dir. Andrew Keenan-Bolger, USA, 2023, 11 min
Mikey’s Army tells the story of 16-year-old Mikey Alvarez who finds himself at a pivotal moment where he must decide whether or not to be open and honest about what he is feeling inside. Not feeling quite ready for such a moment, Mikey unwittingly conjures courage from a trio of guides who appear in an explosion of glitter and glitz. Can a Drag Queen, an international pop star and an action film heartthrob tackle a mission this big and give Mikey the confidence he needs.



EVAN EVER AFTER
Dirs. Ariel Mahler, Radha Mehta, USA, 2023, 15 min
This short documentary explores Florida’s first transgender Homecoming Queen, Evan Bialosuknia, her confidence, and her impact on youth faced with Florida’s harmful anti-trans legislation.



SKY AND LUCIA
Dir. Violet Gallo, USA, 2022, 11 min
Sky is an introverted high school student, who when faced with turbulent emotional situations, literally disappears. In order to overcome this strange phenomenon, she must learn to stand up for herself in order to be seen for who she really is – a confident and strong woman.



JAMIE’S POND
Dir. Reid Sandlund, USA, 2023, 4 min
A lonely naiad discovers a crying human child at the edge of their pond and tries to cheer him up. They soon discover they have more in common than meets the eye.



SHOOT YOUR SHOT
Dir. Mishaal Memon, UK/India, 2022, 12 min
Shoot Your Shot is a short film about teenage best friends Ronit and Brennan, as they struggle to reach the same emotional support page on a scorching afternoon in the summer. Ronit’s got an aching crush for Mike and doesn’t know if it’s too late, and Brennan is baffled by that fuzzy feeling all together. A coming-of-age story about masculinity between immigrants. It’s intimate, it’s a little out of their comfort zones, but inevitably, it ends in love.



HEX THE PATRIARCHY
Dir. Anne Brashier, USA, 2022, 6 min
Sick of being bullied by their classmates, two queer high schoolers Bex and Wren strike back like anyone else would: with witchcraft.

Co-Presented by