Cleveland Indie Film Incubator Screening 2023

Tickets purchased in advance are only $10: Cleveland Camera Rental (stripe.com). If available tickets at the door will be $15.

Join us for the Cleveland Indie Film Incubator Screening, hosted by Cleveland Camera Rental on November 29th at 7:00 PM! This exciting event will be held at the historic Capitol Theatre located at 1390 W 65th St, Cleveland, OH 44102.  This year features 6 short films from 2023 Cleveland Indie Film Incubator Project  filmmakers all from different backgrounds - and all having wildly different stories to tell. From dramas, to comedy, and a sci-fi coming of age in between, audience members are bound to see something they like AND maybe unlock a passion, (or reignite a previous spark) for storytelling and indie film. If you’re looking to connect with the local Cleveland film community, this event is for YOU!

The Directors

Out of many submissions, Six filmmakers of different backgrounds and experience levels were chosen to bring their stories to life: Amanda Bergeman, Payton Burkhammer, Matthew Hribar, Joyce Kostakis, Madison Ledyard-King and Nate Shively. Scroll down to get an inside look at each of the films that will be showcased at the event.

"Periods, Puberty and the Paranormal"

Director: Amanda Bergeman

Genre: Coming-of-Age / Sci-Fi

Synopsis: Lifelong besties Suzie and Valentina attend class cool kid Harvey's space-age party. Valentina is just trying to be the little girl she's always been, but hormones, boys, and aliens are all after her girlhood. Suzie has to decide if she's going to play it cool or come to the rescue.

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"Making this film has been a dream come true. This idea has been in my head since I graduated from film school, and it felt so good to write and direct again. I loved filming at my childhood home and the park I used to go to when I was growing up. I am incredibly proud of my cast, and I feel honored by the way the crew rallied around this project. This was truly a labor of love, and I hope the audience can feel the joy and effort that was poured into it." -Bergeman

"The Back of Your Eyelids"

Director: Payton Burkhammer

Genre: Drama

Synopsis: After a recent breakup, social media obsessed Maria faces her deepest fear - spending the night alone. What will she do to pass the time? Not even she knows. Through facing her ex-boyfriend, celebrating her birthday alone, and a chance encounter with a delivery driver, she learns a lesson in what it means to choose yourself.

"At the first Cleveland Indie Film Incubator workshop, we all shared a goal - to enhance all facets of our productions, and this program undeniably achieved that objective. At the inception of a film project, it's easy to feel isolated and overwhelmed by the journey in front of you. The Incubator was like a weekly filmmaker's support group where we could connect on problems and get instant, unbiased feedback. It was so valuable to work with this group of people who are all in similar places in their careers and working toward the same goal." -Burkhammer

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"Two pieces of advice that stuck with me were that directing is answering a thousand questions - “Where should this go?”, “How is this blocked?”, “How should I say this?” - and even if I don’t have all the answers, I should be equipped with a strong vision to help discover those answers. Secondly, to sit down as much as possible. You always underestimate how much you’re on your feet and you have to find moments to focus and be that ‘audience member’ when you’re watching performances. I can’t thank Cleveland Camera Rental enough for choosing me for this opportunity to create this film and I cannot wait to celebrate with the cast and crew at our premiere in November!" -Burkhammer

"The Sauce"

Director: Matthew Hribar

Genre: Dark Comedy

Synopsis: A mysterious sauce changes a man's life.

This experience was saucy to say the least. I want to thank Cleveland Camera Rental and 216 Creative Studios for allowing us to execute these video projects. I learned so much and can't wait to continue from the skill sets I honed in on this process.

"The Nurse"

Director: Joyce Kostakis

Genre: Drama

Synopsis: The Nurse short film shares an intimate and poignant narrative about a woman who is trying to care for her husband living with dementia. In a raw emotional moment, she is asked to leave their home of twenty years when her husband, unable to recognize her, mistakes her for a stranger. She must now find a way to return to the man she deeply loves.

"The Nurse is my first experience being on a set. I created the short script for a final project for my Master's in Creative Writing. My project came to life when I won the opportunity to film my script through the Cleveland Camera Rental Incubator project." -Kostakis

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"The Nurse isn’t a story about defeat. It’s a story about resilience and love. Love knows no bounds, even when memory fades. Living with Alzheimer’s can be heartbreaking. But this story of love and courage will make you believe in the power of love. My goal was to weave a beautiful story of love and hope. The Nurse will take you on an emotional journey to a place of understanding and acceptance. It's an inspiring tale of a woman who never gave up on her husband, even when faced with the greatest challenge of her life." -Kostakis

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"I am incredibly grateful for this entire experience. The journey from concept to a film that touches hearts is truly immeasurable and deeply satisfying. I'm excited to share that I'm currently working on the feature of 'The Nurse' and a novel. Additionally, together with 'A Dementia Friendly Life', my goal is to create training videos for caregivers. I look forward to these projects to make a positive impact." -Kostakis

"Black Boys Don't Cry"

Director: Madison Ledyard-King

Genre: Drama

Synopsis: A young black man attempts to repress his feelings in order to navigate the challenges of his life.

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"My experience making my film through the Cleveland Camera Rental Incubator has been a dream come true. I learned that filmmaking takes a lot of patience that will ultimately pay off in the end product." -Ledyard-King

"Beer Club"

Director: Nate Shively

Genre: Comedy

Synopsis: A group of six suburban fathers gather for the first ever meeting of their neighborhood beer club.

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"The Cleveland Indie Film Incubator provided the proper resources and support needed to ensure our production was a success. I would definitely recommend local indie filmmakers--new or experienced--to submit their scripts for the Cleveland Indie Film Incubator." -Shively

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Cleveland Camera Rental

Working in collaboration with Cleveland Camera Rental, allowed these filmmakers to seamlessly bring their stories to life with the provided resources and support from the camera shop and its staff. Jay Cox, a CCR member of 2.5 years, played a vital role in handling the cameras and electrical equipment in each of the 6 films and was transformed by the experience as a whole.

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“I cannot express to you how creatively freeing it was to work on so many projects over the course of the Summer,” he said, “it was enlightening to get to see all of the filmmakers’ creative processes, and how they went about directing, producing and making their individual artistic choices that brought their story to life.”

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Ticket Information

To purchase tickets in advance for the event, click the following link: Cleveland Camera Rental (stripe.com)

This event promises to entertain and inspire. Make sure to take photos of you and your friends at the event and tag us on social media. Get ready to experience the magic of the big screen at the Cleveland Film Incubator 2023!