2024 43rd Season of the Thomas Edison Film Festival Program

DIRECTOR’S
CHOICE AWARDS
Less of a Man – Experimental
14 min. by Arkus Arkus, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Male breast cancer survivors want to remain invisible in the staunch patriarchal
societies where having a “woman’s disease” is a subject of shame and ridicule.
Based on true stories, “Less of a Man” delves into the turbulent psyche of a
survivor during his mammogram, grappling with shattered masculinity and
overwhelming fear.
DIRECTOR’S
CHOICE AWARDS
Mon Valley Trilogy – Documentary
5 min. by Tony Buba, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
One of legendary documentarist Tony Buba’s series of short films related
to the steel industry and critical to understanding steel in the Mon Valley of
Pennsylvania.
Meditations – Animation
9 min. by Adolfo Ruiz, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
An animated film that revolves around a psychotherapy session set in a
dystopian future. By probing the inner psyche, a novel form of technology
produces a therapist in the image of a lost family member. The encounter
reveals a form of meaning-making, mediated by technology, that emerges
from the patient’s recounting of events.
My Dad is a Transvestite – Narrative
19 min. by Jingni Wang, Cheng Du, Si Chuan, China
After the loss of his wife in an earthquake, a father and his daughter come to
live in Cheng Du. The daughter has always blamed her father for her mother’s
death, but their estranged relationship takes a turn when the daughter finally
learns hidden secrets about her father.
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