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James Pellerito
Founding Director

Kayleena Nguyen
Programmer & Website

Anna Zhai
Programmer & Design

Sofia Barbosa Slivinskis
Programmer

Licia Brown
Programmer

Charles Chen
Programmer

Smart Chen
Programmer & Photography

Van Fraser
Programmer

Zuri Greene
Programmer

Michelle Kim
Programmer

Emma Liao
Programmer

Campbell Loeffler
Programmer

Peter Loiselle
Programmer

Justin Romanow
Programmer

Paige Sullivan
Programmer

Jacob Sun
Programmer

Owen Zealey-Chen
Programmer

Amy Zhang
Programmer

Evelyn Zhao
Programmer

Liz Zuo
Programmer

FILM
FESTIVAL

APRIL 15-17, 2025

APERTURE INTERNATIONAL STUDENT FILM FESTIVAL

JOIN US FOR OUR 1ST ANNUAL FILM FESTIVAL

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2025 OFFICIAL SELECTIONS

MORE INFO TO COME SOON

TAKING TIME, Director Maxwell Marley, NYU

ANDY, Director Daniel Cooley, Emory

BORDERS, Directors Kira Powell & Mads Fridolin, AFI

DUPLICITY., Directors Lingxi Li & Anna Pomahac, Emory

EXQUISITE CORPSE, Directors Alexandra Agar & Kanani Koster, AFI

(G)HOST COUNTRY, Director Kheyal Roy-Meighoo, SCAD

KID WITH A CAMERA, Director David Berenfeld, Emory

KOI, Director Taige Shi, UCLA

ON AIR, Director Colby Barrios, AFI

PERLITA, Director Lauren Luke, NYU

PLAYIN’ AROUND, Director Bryan Uvaldo, NYU

REMEMBRANCE, Director Isaac Gazmararian, Emory

THAT’S WHAT YOU DO, Director Henna Dossani, SCAD

THE MAILMAN, Director Jacob Stauff, Emory

TODAY IS THE DAY, Director Roee Naggan, Jerusalem Sam Spiegel Film School

UNDER THE RUINS, Director Yumeng Han, NYU

2025 AISFF SCHEDULE

PROGRAM B - 6PM, FOLLOWED BY FILMMAKER TALKBACK

APRIL 15

UNDER THE RUINS, Director Yumeng Han, NYU, 13:30 min, Atlanta Premiere

Going back to his hometown to investigate the murder of a young girl, a police lieutenant falls into the memories of his youth in the city.

 

BORDERS, Directors Kira Powell & Mads Fridolin, AFI, 3 min, World Premiere

A woman attempts to cross the border, but her path is unexpectedly blocked by a mysterious stretch of red tape that seems to appear out of nowhere.

PLAYIN’ AROUND, Director Bryan Uvaldo, NYU, 14 min, Atlanta Premiere

Determined to buy the perfect gift for her little brother, a young woman must fight her way through crazed customers at a toy store turned madhouse.

 

DUPLICITY, Directors Lingxi Li & Anna Pomahac, Emory, 5 min, USA Premiere

After being accused of assaulting a classmate, a celebrated student undergoes a tense evaluation with the school psychiatrist.

REMEMBRANCE, Director Isaac Gazmararian, Emory, 3 min, Atlanta Premiere

An old woman with Alzheimer’s goes on a journey through her childhood memories to find something she once lost.

PERLITA, Director Lauren Luke, NYU, 9 min, Atlanta Premiere

A woman journeys back a decade to relive a day with her late grandmother and discovers the profound and enduring impact of her legacy.

 

EXQUISITE CORPSE, Directors Alexandra Agar & Kanani Koster, AFI, 3 min, Atlanta Premiere

A figure drawing model transforms from muse to artist by discovering her own power in a grotesque way.

 

ANDY, Director Daniel Cooley, Emory, 12:30 min, World Premiere

A young boy with autism navigates life through his love for music, a lawncare business, and the everyday moments that define his world.

 

TODAY IS THE DAY, Director Roee Naggan, Jerusalem Sam Spiegel Film School, 14 min, Atlanta Premiere

Amid a bitter divorce, a father takes his son to file a police complaint, but when the boy refuses to go alone, the father becomes determined to have his own voice heard—even at his son's expense.

 

KID WITH A CAMERA, Director David Berenfeld, Emory, 4 min, World Premiere

A self-portrait documentary exploring one boy’s love for film.

TAKING TIME, Director Maxwell Marley, NYU, 8 min, World Premiere

A young woman with the ability to freeze time, tries to hold on to her partner before his departure when she inadvertently keeps him unfrozen with her.

ON AIR, Director Colby Barrios, AFI, 3 min, Atlanta Premiere

In the late 1960s, a retiring news anchor is called back to broadcast one more time.

 

THAT’S WHAT YOU DO, Director Henna Dossani, SCAD, 14 min, Atlanta Premiere

A student’s dream of attending law school conflicts with his father's expectation that he help run the family restaurant. He must choose between following his passion and honoring his family's values.

 

(G)HOST COUNTRY, Director Kheyal Roy-Meighoo, SCAD, 7 min, Atlanta Premiere

Since moving to the UK, international student Kajal has had odd visions. After her concerns are dismissed by her British therapist, Kajal takes matters into her own hands and confronts her haunts.

 

THE MAILMAN, Director Jacob Stauff, Emory, 5:30 min, Atlanta Premiere

A USPS mailman shares real stories of his time delivering mail and touching hearts.

KOI, Director Taige Shi, UCLA, 18 min, Atlanta Premiere

A father and son must confront their differences after moving to a new town.

PROGRAM A - 4PM, FOLLOWED BY FILMMAKER TALKBACK


SPONSORS

YOUR SUPPORT HELPS US BRING EMERGING VOICES INTO FOCUS. THANK YOU.

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The festival is made possible with generous support from The Hightower Fund and the Emory Initiative for Arts and Humanistic Inquiry.

 

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