🎬 Opening Night Social
Mindfield Film Festival 2025 – Kickoff Gathering
Thursday, August 28th @ 5:00 PM
📍 The Eatery @ UNM Film & Digital Arts
5700 University Blvd SE, SE 130
Albuquerque, NM 87106 (Next to Netflix Studios)
Filmmakers, cast, crew, friends, and family are all welcome.
No tickets or passes required.
All Screenings Take Place at the Guild Cinema
3405 Central Ave NE, Albuquerque, NM 87106
SAYF
Dir. J'wad Milanes [USA]
A Muslim ex-firefighter, grappling with tragedy, is divinely chosen to save the city of Albuquerque from a robot uprising.
SMOKE WITH THE LAND
Dir. Montana Miller [USA]
Take time to appreciate the land and environment around. Do it with medicine smoke. Take time to be one with Nature. Escape into mother earths womb.
A Good Place To Die
Dir. David Biagini [USA]
A Western with a twist. Revenge isn't always what it seems; people die.
🎬 Trailer coming soon
It Came Out of the Sky
Dir. Justin R Romine [USA]
When Detective Jensen is called to investigate the strange return of Barney—who vanished for six days and reappeared in Dulce wearing only his underwear—the case takes a bizarre turn. As more people begin to disappear after rides with a mysterious driver named Luna, Jensen is drawn into a web of UFO sightings and eerie truths buried deep in the New Mexico desert.
Drag Race
Dir. Kenneth Archer McIntyre [USA]
Two rivals race each other in the confrontation of a lifetime.
Miss Wonderland
Dir. Jacob Tucker [USA]
A former beauty pageant girl’s descent into madness.
Ofrenda
Dir. Terry Ngo [USA]
A boy of Vietnamese descent and a boy of Mexican descent connect through the loss of their grandfathers and their cultures.
🎬 Trailer coming soon
Arletta.
Dir. Montana James Miller [USA]
Travel with us to the Díne (Navajo Nation) to visit a member of the Deaf Indigenous community. This is the powerful story of Arletta. An elder woman who is Deaf and grew up and still lives on the rural Navajo Nation. Find out her Super Power through this incredible journey Arletta wants to share with you and the world. Please keep an open mind and learn from Arletta.
When Girls Go Missing
Dir. Jeanette DeDios [USA]
The film centers around a young girl named Jamie, who is about to leave the reservation to study to be a doctor. Her friends decide to have one last night of fun together in the woods before she leaves but they get caught drinking underage. Jamie finds herself alone in the woods and encounters something strange. When Girls Go Missing is a thriller/horror short film that raises issues of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women while fusing it together with Indigenous folklore.
🎬 Trailer coming soon
Horseheads
Dir. Noah Tucker [USA]
Horseheads is a comedy/crime short film that takes a wild spin on the classic buddy story. It follows Billy, a clueless young drifter searching for meaning, and Frank, a washed-up crook long past his prime. When Billy’s genius plan to rob the local chinese burger joint goes hilariously sideways, the duo stumbles into an unexpected journey of botched heists, unlikely friendship, and maybe figuring out what the heck they’re doing with their lives.
Eating History | A Taste Of New Mexico
Dir. Zac Cornfield [USA]
This documentary explores New Mexico’s rich and complex history through the lens of food, revealing how its unique culinary identity reflects a blend of cultures, languages, and traditions. From ancient roots to modern innovation, New Mexican cuisine is more than regional—it’s a living, evolving symbol of the state itself.
The Nightmare Catchers
Dir. J Diego Gonçalves [USA]
A documentary crew goes o investigate the murder of a 1930s actress in a haunted movie studio.
🎬 Trailer coming soon
You Are What You Eat
Dir. Stephen Burhoe [USA]
Trick or Treaters pull one shenanigan too many when they steal a Wiccan’s candy.
🎬 Trailer coming soon
This Means Forever
Dir. Brandon Martinez [USA]
After losing both parents, Lloyd is left to grieve alone—but the real struggle begins when his aunt, bitter over not being next of kin, tries to take control of his father's estate. This Means Forever explores the emotional fallout of loss and the toxic family conflict that follows.
She Seems So Freaky
Dir. Estevan Carrion [USA]
The latest music video for David Hale. This one a fun, spooky, halloween themed song. With vibes from 80's pop songs, the video also features many fun nods and references to horror/thriller movies.
🎬 Trailer coming soon
Come Visit
Dir. Tara Danielle Southerland [USA]
Relatives reminisce and reconnect, realizing what is truly important in life.
🎬 Trailer coming soon
Come Out, Wherever You Are
Dir. Caitlin Presberg [USA]
Vernon Parrish, a retired mayor of a large suburb just outside of Chicago, had moved to the small town of Livingston, Montana, for peace and solitude and to get out of the public eye. After six years, Verne’s past returns to haunt him, driving him into a self-imposed exile at his cabin in the woods, hoping to ride out the media storm. While he is away, a storm of a different form rolls in, drastically changing the world as he knew it, culminating in a tale of a man who is both a victim and a beneficiary of circumstance.
A Brief Silence
Dir. Josiah Daniel Solis [USA]
An only son must contend with the return of his mother's cancer just weeks before leaving for college. As a First-Gen college student, he is willing to forego school to stay behind and care for his mother but she will not allow it. The film deals with the very real struggle that faces minority communities in regard to school aspirations and family responsibility.
🎬 Trailer coming soon
A Commemoration
Dir. Alex Jack & Dalton Davis [USA]
Grief-stricken, Liz runs away to a secluded forest where she must confront the grim reality of her sister’s death.
🎬 Trailer coming soon
A MOVING ARTS | Setting Hearts Ablaze
Dir. Zac Cornfield [USA]
MOVING ARTS | Setting Hearts Ablaze explores how creative expression helps at-risk youth in Española heal from trauma through dance, music, painting, and more. The film blends heartfelt interviews with powerful visuals and a student-led narrative, spotlighting the growing number of children raised by grandparents in the district. With performances that challenge traditional education and a deep focus on founders Roger Montoya (a 2019 CNN Hero) and Salvador Ruiz, the film captures the belief that art is medicine and celebrates a vibrant, healing community built on trust, creativity, and love.
Liminal
Dir. Daryl Ferrara & Adrianne Lovato [USA]
Liminal is a four-minute short film that pulls you into the space between reality and illusion. Follow Lia as she drifts through a haze of pills, avoidance, acceptance, and sorrow, facing the haunting realization that some journeys can't be undone.
TOSKA
Dir. Hannah Sutter [USA]
Caught in the sweet orbit of weed, Rosco drifts aimlessly until an ethereal Gatekeeper leads him through surreal memories and wasted potential, forcing him to confront the reality of his burnout fate.
Pocha
Dir. Anna Lisa Padilla [USA]
A young woman struggles to learn Spanish in order to reconnect with her immigrant grandfather, but when life gets in the way, she learns that love transcends language.
🎬 Trailer coming soon
The Cowgirl
Dir. Armando Hernandez [USA]
A cowboy about to order his very last drink at closing time meets his unexpected match: a cowgirl waitress who gives him the check (and a whole lot more).
Invaders of the Valley Saloon
Dir. Dustin Tidwell [USA]
A saloon in the old west is visited by extra terrestrial beings.
Lose/Lose
Dir. Ron Weisberg [USA]
A drive-by shooting rocks the new life two brothers have built. Their girl friends have to stop them from continuing the cycle of violence.
Eternal Elegy in Velvet
Dir. Michelle Martinez [USA]
Leah, during a challenging time in her life is comforted by her best friend Kira. Eternal Elegy in Velvet serves as a delicate reminder of the bittersweet aspects of existence while celebrating the moments that bring meaning and connection.
🎬 Trailer coming soon
All Screenings Take Place at the Guild Cinema
3405 Central Ave NE, Albuquerque, NM 87106
This Programming Block Takes Place at The Guild Cinema
Includes two live events scheduled back-to-back in the same block.
1:00 PM – Screenplay Competition Q&A
Moderated by Nick Heeb, Head Screenplay Panelist, this live session features the officially selected screenwriters of the Mindfield Film Festival. Hear how these stories came to life and what the writers are planning for the future.
Nick Heeb wrote the award-winning short film Rivals, as well as the novel The Lucky Clover. He is a graduate of Bowling Green State University and lives and teaches in New Mexico.
2:00 PM – Critics Choice Spotlight Panel with Daniel Gutierrez
Join Daniel Gutierrez — TV producer and longtime host of Director’s Cut Radio — for a candid talk about the state of cinema. A member of the Critics Choice Association since 2011, Daniel draws on more than two decades of experience across radio, television, and print.
Feature Scripts
Reverie
Giada Curiale [ESP]
After being implanted with an experimental chip that lets him relive and modify his memories, a nurse begins rewriting his past — to fix the choices that shattered his life. But the deeper he dives into his reconstructed memories, the more he risks losing his grip on reality.
Bad Girls
Kevin Machate [USA]
When their sanctuary is marked for erasure, six New Orleans drag queens trade the spotlight for the streets, exposing a city’s dirty secrets with grace, grit, and unapologetic glamor.
She's Never Coming Back
Jesse Dorian [USA]
Placed under hypnosis, a young man’s not-too-distant memories play out in a non-linear narrative of intensity, depicting a broad range of happiness, warmth, anger, fear, sadness, loneliness, grief, and devastation — all involving the only woman he ever fell in love with.
SPACE CAT
Richard Oshen [USA]
When a fearless feline space pilot from Planet Meow crash-lands in Hollywood, his mission to save his home world goes down with him. Teaming up with a brilliant but outcast teenage girl, Space Cat must outwit shadowy agents, a ruthless cat food mogul, and the ghosts of his past—before his nine lives run out.
Trust Me
AEG Guaaker [NO]
A Hulder, a mystical human-like creature with a cow’s tail, famous from Scandinavian folklore, has to go to Earth on a dangerous mission to con an orphan teenage boy in order to save her young brother from dying.
Short Scripts
Drag Race
Kenneth Archer McIntyre [USA]
Two rivals race each other in the confrontation of a lifetime.
T.D.F.
Kevin Machate [USA]
In the late 80s, a struggling synth-pop band got their first hit. Decades later, the reclusive producer behind it is finally ready to explain what no one ever understood.
Mikey Blue Eyes
Stephen Michael Kelly [USA]
Mikey and Franco, two trucking company owners, clash over a big client. Adding to the mix is Mikey being involved with Teresa, a past love, and Franco’s sister. Chaos ensues in this ensemble romantic dramedy.
Flip the Script
Steph France [USA]
Brought up by a loving yet skilled robber mom, Shay’s world collides with her past when a staged heist turns real, pushing her and her friends to turn their talents against true criminals.
Steal Me
Jeffrey Morin [USA]
Westyn, a 17-year-old, sets out on a journey to discover a new truth. But an encounter on an abandoned road leaves him without his memory. With help from an eight-foot robot, he finds refuge at a lakeside cottage where he can begin to heal.
Above the Scottish Highlands
Dir. Moe Taylor [USA]
Short drone film of the Scottish Highlands.
🎬 Trailer coming soon
The Starlight Motel
Dir. John FreelyKirk [USA]
Three friends experience a terrifying series of events at an alien-themed roadside motel built atop a rumored UFO crash site.
35,567 Yup'ik Stories
Dir. Magnus Shipe [USA]
Middle School student creates his second film about his Yup'ik heritage by visiting a music band from his tribe that has reached global success, and like him, share their passion about their culture through the arts.
🎬 Trailer coming soon
AGUSKA
Dir. Tristan Loraine & Hannah Baxter-Eve [UK]
Aguska is an inspirational short film about a young girl called Melissa. Bullied at football, she and her family work together to not only overcome and unite the whole team together but also to ensure everyone wins.
ABV
Dir. Gabriel Vincent [USA]
Mina comes to the realization she must self exorcise her inner demons or, die.
🎬 Trailer coming soon
Angler
Dir. William Frankenstein [USA]
Following the recent death of her sister Ivy, Violet attempts to clean out Ivy’s apartment in hopes of finding some peace. She gets more than she bargained for when a mysterious camera reveals to Violet that Ivy’s troubles were more complicated than they initially appeared, suggesting that someone…or something… may have been behind her untimely end.
Positive Vibes Only, Volume One
Dir. Ian Rafael Black [USA]
"Positive Vibes Only" is an Educational Monster Comedy Short series, aimed at teaching audiences better coping skills for dealing with mental health issues. Each installment is about a different condition, so each one has a different monster to deal with; this first installment is all about Intrusive Thoughts and Depression.
Lucia & Nicole
Dir. Marlene Emilia Rios [USA]
On the cusp of adulthood Lucia finds her childhood friend Nicole living on the street. Houseless after coming out, Lucia’s mother Ximena invites her into their home. However, Nicole’s re-appearance into their lives raises questions about their own daughter’s identity and how to respond to Lucia and Nicole’s re-connection.
Shellfish Knish
Dir. Camille Carlson [USA]
Young, Jewish and misunderstood Simon Markowitz gets himself into hot water with his Rabbi when he creates his own recipe for a knish that no one in his family seems intent on eating.
Darcine's Day
Dir. Aaron Goffman [USA]
We spend the day with Darcine Thomas, divorced and jobless, as she struggles to get back on her feet. She goes from pillar to post trying to find work and support, with obstacles at every turn. When propositioned by a good friend, she thanks him, but returns to her lonely solace, going unseen for the help she really needs.
The Pretty
Dir. Miguel Córcoles [ES]
An representative of actors arrives at the cocktail bar “The Pretty” whose waitress demands payment of a coin from all the clients who go too far with her.
🎬 Trailer coming soon
Rivals
Dir. Aaron Alexander [USA]
Set during the Great Depression, a ruthless South Dakota rancher named Kennicke hires vagrants for labor, then kills them instead of paying. But when a mysterious drifter known only as The Stranger arrives, things shift. Unlike the others, The Stranger is sharp, observant, and eerily perceptive — as if he already knows Kennicke's dark secrets. As tension builds, Kennicke begins to suspect that he might be the one in danger this time.
🎬 Trailer coming soon
A Thousand Paper Cuts
Dir. Sam Quinn [USA]
After killing her husband, a suburban housewife’s emotional shock manifests through mundane household chores, troubling reflections on her marriage, and absurd sexual fantasies.
🎬 Trailer coming soon
MONOCHROMIC
Dir. Katie Farmin [USA]
In a bleak waiting room, a weary woman seeks passage out of purgatory but is instead forced to relive her dismal existence.
In Food We Trust
Dir. Ron Weisberg [USA]
A veteran shows kindness to another who's fallen on hard times.
Little Deaths
Dir. Derek Bensonhaver [USA]
An experimental anthology of horror comprised of 15 second short films.
🎬 Trailer coming soon
Out West
Dir. Manuel Rey Hunick [USA]
When a bank robbery goes wrong, aging detective Benny and his partner hunt down the killer.
🎬 Trailer coming soon
Prisms of Experience
Dir. Cameron Kit [USA]
Cancer is not a death sentence, it's a call to live. This short documentary follows 4 women living with cancer in Santa Fe, New Mexico as they navigate life with a diagnosis and how to live as an example to others.
Pick Me Up
Dir. Cole Velasquez [USA]
Nick, trapped in a cycle of depression and grief, is pulled from his isolation when his best friend Cal unexpectedly bursts in with an adventurous proposal: a scavenger hunt. As they race solving clues, Nick's spirit lifts, reminding him of the unbreakable bond he shares with his friend.
The Final Frame: Costume Showcase & Awards
Sunday, August 31st – Closing Day
National Hispanic Cultural Center – Grand Hall
1701 4th St SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102
Free and open to the public – all are welcome!
Music provided throughout by PartyTime DJ and Event Services LLC
✨ Dress to impress! Whether you’re rocking high fashion or film-festival casual, we’d love to see your style on display.
And hey — even if you're not feeling fancy, come anyway. You belong here.
Costume Design Contest Fashion Show
Doors open at 3:00 PM
Show begins at 3:30 PM
A live runway showcase featuring selected models performing scenes while wearing the finalist costume designs. This immersive presentation highlights the storytelling power of wardrobe in independent cinema. Awards will be given for Best Overall Design, Most Original Concept, and other standout achievements.
Awards Ceremony
Begins at 5:00 PM
Honoring the winners of the 2025 Mindfield Film Festival – Albuquerque
After Party
Immediately following the Awards Ceremony, join us at
Tractor Brewing – Nob Hill
118 Tulane Dr SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106
No passes or festival credentials needed – just show up and celebrate with us.