Be Mass Media Newsletter: Volume 9 Issue 3

View as Webpage

Locations and viewing options

See the full schedule at the bottom of the newsletter.

Festival programming will take place both on campus and in the community

• Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library: in-person film screenings and in-person presentations
• Mulvane Art Museum - special guest speaker presentation
• Facebook Live - livestream access for the workshops at the library

Welcome to the 2026 Festival

The WIFI Film Festival is designed to integrate students into the professional film industry by bringing in top talent from Hollywood and locally, and connecting them directly with students and the community.

Entry is free at the Topeka and Shawnee Public Library and later at the Mulvane Art Museum.

This year, we have a fabulous lineup of guests with Andy Farkas from English, Jess Seidel (Screenwriting), Adin Replogle (Sound Design), Christian Watkins (Producing), Jake Jackson (Special Effects Make Up), Lauren K. Smith (Acting), and Sebastian Twardosz (The Business of Indie Film).

They are all amazing, and you will benefit from them greatly. I would like to specifically highlight Sebastian Twardosz, who began his career with Tom Cruise’s production company at Paramount as an intern and then was promoted to a creative executive. His career has spanned working at Disney’s TV arm, the 2009 Star Trek Reboot, working at top agencies, and winning an Academy Award when he was a student. He truly knows the business from all angles. While working in the industry, he also taught The Business of Indie Film for 10 years at the University of Southern California (#1 Film School in the world). He is excited to come and connect.

We also have an amazing group of films internationally and from Washburn students. We always have such a great variety, and the films are entertaining.

Most importantly, I would like to thank the amazing group of student leaders. Taylor Rottinghaus (Leader), Brighton Bivens (Design), JaemaDavid Bordelon (PR), David Craft (Film), Keilah Rivers (Finance), and Melina Scherer (PR). Putting on WIFI is always an adventure, and there are always different challenges, but this group of students has come through with flying colors. WIFI wouldn’t happen without them, and they are doing phenomenal work in their respective positions. 

Thank you for supporting the WIFI Film Festival and the students at Washburn!

Sincerely,

Matthew Nyquist

2026 WIFI Film Festival Schedule

Good things to know:



*Indicates a WIFI award nominee

Film running times in parentheses

Please note there are films being shown simultaneously in Marvin A&B and Marvin C. Presentations from those in the filmmaking industry will begin at 10 a.m. Yes, you will have to make some tough choices!

Washburn University Student & Alumni Films

Marvin A&B, 9:30 a.m. – 10:23 a.m.

WU Narrative Shorts

“Home Dome*” (00:07:06): A homeless man is enlisted into a fighting tournament with the grand prize of a house. Director & Writer: Wyatt Tripe; Producer: Axel Lassiter

“The Strangler*” (00:06:42): Her name may be October, but it is NOT her favorite month. On Halloween night, her birthday, 20-year-old October crosses paths with The Strangler. Cornered and trapped with him in her apartment, October tries to escape, wishing she had not stayed in on Halloween. Director & Writer: Judea Natasha Anderson; Producer: Jackson Twombly

“Last Order*” (00:11:25): A former field operative living under a new identity is pulled back into the shadows when his old handler threatens the woman he loves. Director: Andrew James Mosher; Writers: Andrew James Mosher, Miles Moore, Diondre Tyree; Producers: Miles Moore, Meredith Bernhard

WU Documentary Shorts

“Negra Rata*” (00:12:16): Follows Francisco Witt as he records "La Negra Rata," a song he wrote decades ago. As he records the track for the first time, the film looks at how his life and experiences are reflected in the music, and how the song has stayed with him over time. Director: Sofia Margaret Witt

“From The Top: A TCT Documentary*” (00:14:30): A brief look at a local community theater's rehearsal process, featuring interviews and behind-the-scenes footage with the cast and crew. Directors: Cole Hodgson, Michael Kalas; Producer: Cole Hodgson

Narrative Film Shorts

Marvin C, 9:30 a.m. -9:54 a.m.

“A Little Familiar” (00:16:04): When a cautious man meets his girlfriend's friends for the first time, he soon realizes that they are a little different than he expected, maybe even abnormal. Nonetheless, he attempts to get through this absurd dinner party before something goes deathly wrong for him. Director, Writer & Producer: Sophie Love

“Mask” (00:08:46): A family living in COVID-era China struggle with isolation and food shortages. Tension arises between the family. Disaster is a mirror to human nature. Director & Writer: Xiaoyan Liu; Producer: Georgia Powell

WIFI Presenters 2026

Read the bios of our presenters

Topeka Shawnee County Public Library, Marvin C

10:05 a.m. Andy Farkas

Topic: Reading from his yet-to-be-released book, "Movies Are Fine For A Bright Boy Like You"

Narrative Film Shorts

Marvin A&B, 10:23 a.m. – 1:23 p.m.

“Reminisce*” (00:11:36): As Monica gets ready to host her older husband's college classmates, a phone call from her estranged sister puts her mind at unease. With the 25-year age gap and her questioning the one sacrifice she made for love, she feels like an outsider in her own home. As the evening continues, tensions run hot as truths come to light. After the friends leave, she questions the perfection of her marriage and the power imbalance as her loving husband struggles to rein her in. Director: Leslie Morris; Writer: Ashna Sharan; Producer: Ashna Sharan

“Yard Saleing” (00:30:00): Director: Tom Logan

“Detour” (00:18:55): Detour is a tense, emotional drama about a young woman trapped in the shadows of abuse while working at a high-pressure corporate job. She hides the truth behind polite smiles and late nights, but her friends begin to notice cracks in her carefully built facade As her boss piles on pressure and hostility, the walls close in, leaving her questioning if she will ever find a way out‚ or if the road she walks on will end in ruin. Director: Demian Alan Mancino; Writer & Producer: Beth Ann Hinde

“Kind Souls” (00:09:55): Kindness goes a long way. Director: Jessie Van Der Vyver; Writer: Garrett Saunders

“Headlights*” (00:16:30): On the eve of a game-changing court case, three young lawyers retreat into the dark of the woods to find a safe space to take a crucial deposition. Things go really well from there. Starring Ceci Fernandez, Natalie Woolams-Torres, Will Gallacher, Chaelon Bennett, and Stephen Brown. Director & Writer: Frank Cameron Winters; Producers: Steve Webb, Darren Gunnar Peterson, Carolyn Lippert

“Bittersweet” (00:05:21): This film is more than meets the eye. Two siblings, constantly at odds with each other, finally make their mother so mad that she locks them in a room until they work themselves out. This argument is not like the rest, however. It brings in strong emotions, heartache and a deeper level of emotional grief between the two. Directors: Lilly Gargrave, Kate Ravenhill, Kaitlyn Reidler; Writers: Ophelia Folkmer, Gabe Hoevet; Producer: Aria Johnson

“Puzzles*” (00:08:50): Years after inheriting the family farm, Samantha has a long overdue conversation with her deceased father about life, loss, and unspoken expectations. Filmed on location in Kansas. Director & Writer: Brett Eitzen; Producers: Tyler Davis, Brett Eitzen

“Choices” (00:09:55): Two intelligence officers regroup to their safe house when the hunt for a cunning internet terrorist turns violet and chaotic. Directors: Morgan Franz, Sean Gunnell; Writer: Nicole Holbrook; Producers: Morgan Franz, Sean Gunnell

“After” (00:15:00): A couple confronts the meaning of love, loss and legacy in a world where death is now a choice. Director: Wesley Boone; Writers: Wesley Boone, Andrew Scherer; Producers: Justus Boone, Caleb Jobe

“Dawn at Dominion*” (00:39:23): Dawn at Dominion is a true homage to the B-western films and explores themes of loss, the quest for justice, and resonates with a spirit of redemption. The film follows Lucas Stone, a former US Marshal turned bounty hunter, tracking a kidnapped woman who does not want to be found. Director: Carl Bailey; Writer: Steve Seale; Producer: Tonja Renee

“It's Not an Eating Disorder*” (00:14:27): Zee clashes with the prison-mandated therapist over her "diagnosis," her rights, and her very existence. Director: Johnny Brindle; Writer: Julia Lyons; Producers: Julia Lyons, Matt Kaminski

Topeka Shawnee County Public Library, Learning Center, Main Floor

11 a.m. Christian Watkins 

Topic: Producing

International Narrative Film Features

Marvin C, 11:10 a.m. – 2:39 p.m.

“The Coruskan” (01:59:00): Gito is a happy man. He lives in Cilaos, a small village perched at an altitude of 1,200 meters in the heart of the mountainous cirque with the eponymous name. He grows lentils and vines and has the best yields in the entire circus because he loves what he does. When his father dies, he will have to manage the inheritance of several hectares of land, creating jealousies in an environment where land is rare. He worries the whole village by evoking the idea of giving land to farmers who would agree to take up organic farming, as he and his father practice it. It is a “revolutionary” and poorly understood approach. At the age of fifty, he will also have to “discover” life and its complexity. The friendly trio he forms with his two childhood friends, Hilaire and Ann, will be undermined by the birth of a love triangle between them. Director, Writer & Producer: Fred Eyriey

“ON LIFE – Children’s University*” (01:30:00): A film that tells the story of a group home run by Countess Olimpia. The residence is a splendid, yet decaying historic villa that welcomes youth who do not work or go to school. Like all others their age, they spend much of their time online. Olimpia, exasperated by the villa’s precarious condition and the children’s lack of cooperation, turns the problem into a resource. Together with her young guests, she establishes On Life, the world’s first Children’s University, where the kids teach adults, eager to overcome their digital illiteracy, the secrets of the Metaverse. However, the initiative comes under the scrutiny of the Law, which questions its legitimacy. The Countess is accused of child labor exploitation, fraud, and taking advantage of vulnerable individuals. A trial is thus held between the established authority and On Life, the new form of upside-down schooling. Director: Rodolfo Bisatti; Writers: Rodolfo Bisatti, Laura Pellicciari; Producer: Laura Pellicciari

12:05 p.m. Adin Replogle

Topic: Sound Design

1:10 p.m. Jess Seidel

Topic: Screenwriting

Narrative Film Shorts

Marvin A&B, 1:24 p.m. – 2:06 p.m.

“In Sunshine and in Shadow” (00:09:33): Scottish criminal, Don, comes to persuade his friend, and retired Irish accomplice, Gal, to join a highly important job. Directors: David Air, Dustin Wonch; Producers: Taylor Rusch Box, Sean Gunnell

“Porta Killer*” (00:05:23): Two women on the run from a masked killer seek refuge in a porta potty rental lot. Director: Joseph Pieken; Producers: Joseph Pieken, Clare Nunley, Wendell Simmons, Manda Blanchard

“Midnight Transit” (00:18:50): A woman attempts to communicate with a mysterious blinking light in the woods. Director: Zach Neumann; Writers: Zach Neumann, Lexy Witcher

“INTEGRITY*” (00:02:50): In a workplace where reputation matters more than truth, Michael is pressured to alter a report to protect his boss. Refusing to bend the facts, he ignites a tense confrontation that tests the limits of loyalty and courage. Integrity is a dramatic portrait of the moment when doing the right thing comes at a price. Director & Writer: Alicia Hayes; Producers: Alicia Hayes, Andrew Gray

“One More Time*” (00:05:00): What if everything you do is just scripted? Director & Writer: Jessie Van Der Vyver; Producers: Jessie Van Der Vyver, Andrew Rovello

International Narrative Shorts

Marvin A&B, 2:07 p.m. – 4:19 p.m.

“Let Me Be Frank” (00:28:42): After some kind of accident, Frank awakens, bandaged and immobilized, in a foreign bedroom. He is greeted by Isabella who claims to have saved his life. As Frank regains his mobility and memory, he begins to grow suspicious of Isabella. When Frank’s suspicion reaches a breaking point, he plots an escape that has deadly consequences. Director & Writer: Benicio Da Silva; Producer: Botshelo Kgosikoma

“Children at the Rooftop Cinema” (00:09:54): Children are watching a movie on the roof. The film depicts moments of rebirth. The children react differently to each unique portrayal of rebirth - some applaud while others boo. Are these children angels? Fallen angels? Or perhaps gods themselves? Director: Yuki Suriba

“Divertimento*” (00:30:00): Jonas Olsen (Kellan Lutz), a chess player haunted by a tragic past, is given an opportunity to participate in a mysterious game, Divertimento. Director & Writer: Keyvan Sheikhalishahi; Producers: Nahid Sheikhalishahi, Keyvan Sheikhalishahi

“Out of Sleep” (00:14:59): When Jasmine (8), the daughter of the divorced couple Effi and Yaniv, disappears in the middle of the night as she sleepwalks, the two are forced to confront the unresolved pains of their family's breakdown. Directors & Writers: Elian Lszovsky, Yuval Erez; Producer: Yuval Erez

“A Place That Doesn't Exist” (00:18:25): Natalie steps out of her ultra-orthodox world during a night of wandering in Jerusalem, she is forced to face the lack of finding her own safe place. Director & Writer: Tehilla Ruddell; Producer: David Fram

“A Stage In A Journey” (00:26:07): Sumitra lives in unfamiliar loneliness, distanced from her loved ones. With her daughter’s family settled in America and no one to connect with, she forgets how to enjoy life, sinking into depression. In this state, a TikTok reel unexpectedly catches her attention. In it, Chandrasekhar, with an intriguing offer, says, “I’ll take away your sorrows; I’m a friend for rent.” Curious about how he could ease her pain or become a friend for hire, she decides to meet him. When they meet, they discover they are from the same town and studied at the same college, sparking joy and surprise. Does he manage to alleviate her sorrow? Do they rekindle an old friendship? The twist lies in where their journey leads them. Director & Writer: Charan Parimi; Producer: Bharatam Vimala Kumari

“Memories of the Future” (00:04:50): In 2094, Earth is ravaged by environmental devastation. Yuki Okita, selected as the operator of the "Dimensional Vibration Cannon" -an advanced time machine - at the Central Advanced Vision Institute of Cutting-edge Operations (CAVICO), faces a bleak future. The cannon can send data to the past to change the future. After witnessing the failure of CAVICO's ozone restoration project, Yuki and Dr. Juzo Mori decide to use the cannon to send a crucial message to 2024. They aim to reach the young environmental scientist, Professor Ryusuke Daichi, whose warnings could have prevented the current crisis. In 2024, Prof. Daichi, struggling for support, receives a message from the future and learns of the impending catastrophe. This revelation spurs him to act to alter history. Director, Writer & Producer: Keishi Suenaga

2:15 p.m. Jake Jackson

Topic: Special Effects Make Up

Academy Award / Oscar Qualifier, “Whale 52”

with Filmmaker Q&A

Marvin C, 2:39 p.m. – 3:09 p.m.

“Whale 52*” (00:11:14): Draws on the legend of the "loneliest whale" as a boy with selective mutism and an aging widower, bound by loss and sorrow, discover a magical pen and journal that let them hear each other's unspoken cries and find healing. Director: Daniel Neiden; Writers: Edward Jordon, Daniel Neiden; Producers: Owen Andrejco, Steven Cambria, Edward Jordon, Daniel Neiden, Bill Plympton, Sebastian Twardosz

Documentary Short

Marvin C, 3:10 p.m. – 3:47 p.m.

“Spectrum of Consumption: A Conservation Story” (00:19:25): This is an observational film following a group of women hunters in Montana, and their relationship to public land, conservation, and alternatives to the industrial food complex. Director & Producer: Colleen Kelley

“Doormat Harvest*” (00:18:32): Out on the Northern California coast, a halibut fisherman struggles to keep his head above water as the ocean, the bills, and new closures threaten to shut him down. What starts as another season turns into a battle to hold onto his boat, his living, and his family. This is a story about hard work, bad luck, and the stubborn passion that keeps a man going when everything else says quit. Director, Writer & Producer: Kevin Mannens

3:20 p.m. Lauren K. Smith

Topic: Acting

Narrative Film Feature

Marvin C, 3:48 p.m. – 4:55 p.m.

 “Loeb” (01:07:00): A coming of age story of college student, Jean, who navigates love and politics as philosophical investigations unfold--leaving her to question how she sees (and has seen) the world. Director & Writer: Craig Erpelding; Producers: Craig Erpelding, Kathleen Lemme

Animated Shorts

Marvin A&B, 4:20 p.m. – 4:47 p.m.

“King Karno*” (00:03:00): A clown falls passionately in love with a mannequin, embarking on a mad courtship that is ultimately shattered by a sudden return to reality. Director & Writer: Richard Thompson

“Celebrations Around the World” (00:07:24): This animation highlights different celebrations from around the world, including: Mardi Gras, Day of the Dead, Tomb Sweeping, Obon, Eid al-Fitr, Diwali, Hanukkah and New Year’s Day. Director: Melissa Glasscock

“Kinder Doll: A Kindertransport Story” (00:07:52): Kinder Doll is a stop-motion animation that follows a young girl on a Kindertransport journey as she leaves her home, family, and everything familiar behind. Holding tightly to her beloved doll, she faces the uncertainty of exile with quiet courage. Through delicate handcrafted puppets and miniature sets, the film transforms historical memory into a moving visual meditation on loss, resilience, and the enduring power of hope. Director: Christine Veras; Writer: Paula Goldberg; Producers: Nils Roemer, Christine Veras

“Innocent Prisnor” (00:03:48): Told through the fragile voice of a child, the film follows Shanu, a young boy whose world once revolved around butterflies, school bells, rooftop stargazing, and his little sister, Myra. Behind the innocence of his childhood, however, lies a home overshadowed by violence. Shanu lives in constant fear of his father, who repeatedly abuses his mother. One night, a brutal argument spirals into tragedy. His father falls. The police take his mother away. In a single devastating moment, Shanu’s childhood collapses. With nowhere else to go, Shanu is taken to live inside prison with his incarcerated mother. Though he has committed no crime, he begins serving a sentence written by fate. Director, Writer & Producer: Makrand Lakshmikant Joshi

“Entities” (00:02:50): A 3-minute cinematic descent into the architecture of a diseased mind. The film visualises the organic parasites - the entities - that inhabit the emptiness of mental collapse. It is a raw, visceral study of decay, where the void is not just a space, but a living host for fears that have taken a physical, pulsating form - the grit of a mind feeding on itself.

“Golden” (00:02:17): A lonely stray goes on an enlightening journey through the streets of Paris when it meets a magical Star. Director: Bella LeJuerrne

4:30 p.m. Sebastian Twardosz

Topic: Business of Indie Film

Join us 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at the Mulvane Museum on the campus of Washburn University for Sebastian Twardosz's second presentation, "Breaking Into Hollywood."

Documentary Shorts

Marvin A&B, 4:48 p.m. – 5:25 p.m.

“The Silence of the Land*” (00:03:00): A film of working and waiting on the hills of Calderdale, in Yorkshire, England. This is 3-minute poetic documentary features the the sheep farmers who live and work on the hills above the town of Todmorden. They reveal details of their lives and about February, the time before lambing. Shot in black and white on an iPhone, the film shows true beauty in the bleakness of the time of year. It is a time of getting on, whilst quietly waiting for new life. Director & Producer: Katie Amos

“Queens of Stonewall” (00:19:50): This film chronicles the lives of Simone and her fellow LGBTQIA community members in New York City, spanning decades of adversity and resilience. Survivors of the AIDS epidemic and enduring transphobia, they navigate life as women, performers, drag queens, and dancers, embracing self-expression amidst societal challenges. When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupts city life, Simone starts putting on outdoor drag performances at the Stonewall National Monument, hosting Sunday Tea Dances that become a celebrated fixture in the neighborhood, while defying attempts to silence them. Simone and her cohort embody a microcosm of survival, creativity, and the pursuit of beauty amid ongoing struggles. Their story, both remarkable and humbling, reflects a universal desire to live authentically despite adversity. Directors: Jean Sonderand, Nick Tyson; Producer: Steven Love Menendez

“Voices For The People” (00:14:45): An experimental documentary demonstrating our right of free assembly. The audience will be inspired to think about the importance of protests and their impact. The movie uses Super-8 film, digital video, 35mm stills, and licensed historical footage. This is a "living" film. As events happen nationally, regionally, and locally, videos, photos, and information will be added to the film. Director, Writer & Producer: Fritz Robinson

Documentary Film Feature

Marvin C, 4:56 p.m. – 5:58 p.m.

“The Heart is Waking Up” (01:01:48): The documentary feature follows poet-singer-songwriter Jacob Milstein as he wrestles with what it takes to live as an artist and to love the world. Mostly free of explanation, this mesmerizing experimental music documentary zooms in on the performances, poems, and big little moments that resound with the real forces of life. Set along the road between Nashville, Oklahoma, and Montana, and featuring a vivid ensemble of fellow musicians and family members, this cinematic odyssey draws back a curtain on a life burning with meaning, on the precipice between divinity and despair, and saturated with captivating and accessible music and poetry. Director & Producer: Ryan John Andrews

Selected WIFI Award Nominee Encore Screening

Marvin A&B, 5:26 p.m. – 5:59 p.m.

“One More Time*” (00:05:00): What if everything you do is just scripted? Director & Writer: Jessie Van Der Vyver; Producers: Jessie Van Der Vyver, Andrew Rovello

“King Karno*” (00:03:00): A clown falls passionately in love with a mannequin, embarking on a mad courtship that is ultimately shattered by a sudden return to reality. Director & Writer: Richard Thompson

“Headlights*” (00:16:30): On the eve of a game-changing court case, three young lawyers retreat into the dark of the woods to find a safe space to take a crucial deposition. Things go really well from there. Starring Ceci Fernandez, Natalie Woolams-Torres, Will Gallacher, Chaelon Bennett, and Stephen Brown. Director & Writer: Frank Cameron Winters; Producers: Steve Webb, Darren Gunnar Peterson, Carolyn Lippert

“Puzzles*” (00:08:50): Years after inheriting the family farm, Samantha has a long overdue conversation with her deceased father about life, loss and unspoken expectations. Filmed on location in Kansas. Director & Writer: Brett Eitzen; Producers: Tyler Davis, Brett Eitzen