The Reel Champions Invite Filmmakers to Their 2026 Launch Party
The Reel Champions invite filmmakers to an intimate 2026 launch party focused on community, connection, and what’s next for TRC.
Seren Calloway
"Falling Out": Creative Risks and Lean Filmmaking in a CFA Challenge Winner
Inside the 72-hour creation of "Falling Out", where daring choices, teamwork, and in-camera ingenuity shaped a powerful CFA Challenge winner.
Inside the Absurdist World of Abby Tozer’s "Muse"
Berkeley neuroscience grad Abby Tozer turns classical music angst into "Muse"—a surreal, noir short celebrating creativity, chaos, and indie spirit.
Confronting the Unseen: Kamaria Williams Turns Trauma into Psychological Horror
Kamaria Williams’s "Haunted" turns intergenerational trauma into psychological horror, exploring identity, grief, and the power of the unseen.
Fixing the Chaos: Jennifer Gouchoe Turns Leaks into Laughter
In "Fix the Faucet", Jennifer Gouchoe turns personal mess into art, blending dark comedy, self-discovery, and indie filmmaking grit.
Awake to Dread: Hana Kazim’s “Yathoom” and the Rise of Arabic Cosmic Horror
Hana Kazim’s "Yathoom" transforms sleep paralysis into cosmic horror, marking a bold Arabic-language entry in global genre cinema.
"Defile": When Horror Becomes a Mirror for Modern Anxiety
Brian Sepanzyk’s "Defile" delivers bold psychological horror with Tanaya Beatty and Jeff Zwicker, blending raw emotion and fearless indie craft.
"Texas Strange": Justin Evans’ Lean Filmmaking Revolution
Justin Evans redefines indie cinema with "Texas Strange", using his self-invented Nairobi lighting system to prove that epic, Hollywood-quality films can be made with a micro crew through his “Lean Filmmaking” approach.
Facing the Fear of Never Being Enough in “The Other Girl”
Madeleine Coghlan’s "The Other Girl" turns the actor’s nightmare audition into a slow-burn horror filled with dark humor, creative flair, and indie filmmaking spirit.
The Neese Twins Redefine Faith and Comedy in "Guardian Asshole"
At FilmQuest 2025, twin filmmakers Jamie and Jason Neese explore faith, friendship, and humanity in their bold spiritual sci-fi dark comedy.
Jacob Johnson Blurs Reality in “I See the Demon”
Jacob Johnson’s "I See the Demon" blurs the line between truth and perception, blending sci-fi, horror, and drama in a gripping exploration of trust and reality.
Kai Straw Turns Music Into Cinema with “Chokin’” — A Raw, Redemptive Debut
Kai Straw’s haunting debut Chokin’ merges music and film into a raw, symbolic journey of choice and redemption.
"Peeping Todd" Turns Stalking Into Song: A Twisted Musical Thriller
Actor and co-writer Chris Alan Evans leads Peeping Todd, a dark comedy musical thriller premiering at FilmQuest 2025. Teaming with director Josh Munds, Evans delivers an irreverent, inventive story with a twisted musical edge.
"The Wanderer" Confronts Immortality and the Fear of Suffering
At FilmQuest 2025, Michael Lavine’s "The Wanderer" blends fantasy and Gothic noir to explore immortality, suffering, and the beauty of human fear.
"The Demon Core" Reimagines a Forgotten Hero Through Science and Horror
J. Zachary Thurman’s "The Demon Core" revives physicist Louis Slotin’s true story through a haunting blend of historical drama and psychological horror.
Inside the Fan-Fueled Chaos of "SCP: Containment Breach"
Zach Lona’s "SCP: Containment Breach" brings the cult horror universe to life, blending CGI and indie ingenuity in a bold FilmQuest selection.