BIFF Shorts: Influence Operation, 105 miniutes

Comedies, dramas and thrillers about role models, muses and social media influencers.

Westfalia

Haley Finnegan (Dir.), 16 minutes, WNY Premiere, USA

Social media obsessed couple Emelia (writer/director Haley Finnegan) and Brody (Brian Flynn) pack up their 1984 VW Westfalia with dreams of one-upping their instagram rivals in Finnegan’s award-winning comedy. Festivals: Tribeca, Montclair

The Derailers

Joe Bartone (Dir.), 13 minutes, World Premiere, USA

Two exuberant losers convince a bicycle repairman to deal with an uncooperative dead body in this dark comedy written by Buffalo native Jeff Wilber.

Piu Piu

Naima Ramos-Chapman (Dir.), 10 minutes, WNY Premiere, USA

A mundane trip through the city turns into a surreal nightmare in BIFF alum Naima Ramos-Chapman’s thrilling ballet. Festivals: Slamdance, Rooftop Films, Urbanworld

How To Be Alone

Kate Trefy (Dir.), 12 minutes, WNY Premiere, USA

When her husband leaves for the graveyard shift at the hospital, Lucy (Miaka Monroe) is left alone in the company of a particularly menacing kitchen cabinet, which she is convinced contains all her most secret fears. Written and directed by Stranger Things writer Kate Trefy. Festivals: SXSW

Thank You Kindly

Noah Weisberg (Dir.), 19 minutes, WNY Premiere, USA

Two people at a crossroads in life (writer/director Noah Weisberg and Orange Is The New Black’s Kimiko Glenn) find inspiration in one another through a chance encounter.

This Little Death

Alex Hardy (Dir.), 20 minutes, NY Premiere, UK

When chef Zoe falls for Mortimer the poet, they soon realise that each have a very different idea of happiness.