In the near future a private technology company, Looking Glass Technologies, allows grieving clients the ability to once again meet with estranged individuals from their past. The service, called HOLO, utilizes hired actors who research their clients extensively to then interact via a state-of-the-art glass that transforms their physical appearance entirely. This emotional & high-pressure proof of concept explores technology, the role it plays in our life, and whether artificial interactions can bring about real catharsis – allowing those burdened by trauma or grief to face the very figure within themselves that they need to confront in order to move past what bears on them.

Holo

When her abusive partner dies, Claire contacts Looking Glass, a company specializing in artificial encounters by means of an actor and facial technology to confront him and gain closure.

You are cordially invited to attend Benny’s second birthday. When strangers begin arriving at her toddler’s birthday party, a pregnant mother is forced to confront her son’s unsettling popularity and the growing realization that he may be forming bonds beyond her control. A psychological horror, BENNY’S SECOND BIRTHDAY dives into motherhood, isolation, and the quiet terror of watching your child become someone you no longer fully know.

Benny's Second Birthday

When strangers arrive at her toddler's birthday party, an expectant mother confronts her son's unexpected popularity.

Two estranged brothers discover a mysterious creature in the woods that begins to threaten their delicate balance.

Creatures

Two estranged brothers discover a mysterious creature in the woods that begins to threaten their delicate balance.

The world sizzles with climate change. A politician lets it burn. A young couple finds out they’re pregnant. What should they do if they find that politician alone and barely breathing? ‘Misery and Other Choices’ is a darkly comic drama short that asks what will you do when the world’s on fire?

Misery and Other Choices

What do you do when the world is on fire? 'Misery and Other Choices' is a darkly comic eco-thriller pitting climate nihilism against murderous hope.

Diego, Ollie, August, and Yote can’t stop itching. With no identifiable cause or cure, their condition has captured the attention of the public. As viral media sensations, the Itchy Boys are approached by the controversial talk show, The Horse’s Mouth, to discuss their mysterious ailment live from their state-mandated quarantine. But Katy, producer of the program, is seeking to deliver big numbers to the network and will stop at nothing to get provoke scroll-stopping drama live on the air. As the cameras roll, tensions rise and secrets are revealed - creating a more horrifying spectacle than anyone could imagine.

Four Itchy Boys

Four young men quarantined for a unexplainable, unrelenting itch prepare for a live-stream press event to prove they’re not the monsters the world believes them to be. But behind the scenes, a ruthless producer is plotting a more grotesque spectacle.

Camp Oleander promises transformation, but its idyllic surface hides a ritual designed to reshape the girls who attend. As Parker and Laura’s connection deepens, they find themselves threatened by the camp’s most seductive rite.

Camp Oleander

At Camp Oleander, two girls' forbidden connection is tested by its most seductive ritual.

Alejandro and Paula’s young relationship takes a dark turn when her parents reveal a family secret: they live with the preserved corpse of Paula’s grandfather, caring for it as if he were still alive.

Forever, Liam

A beloved corpse unravels Alejandro and Paula’s blossoming romance.

After a reckless, drug-fueled robbery at an old house on the Navajo reservation, Deidra and her boyfriend escape with stolen goods and a mysterious black leather pouch. After exchanging their loot at a remote party in the Arizona desert, Deidra begins to realize the pouch's actual significance, a medicine bundle, one that holds a dark energy that is much more than she bargained for. Realizing the sinister importance of the pouch and its owner, Deidra must face a desperate showdown with the malevolent entity and her own inner demons, as the creature's sinister energy and her drug addiction converge to destroy her sanity and soul.

Shadow in the Desert

A ominous man haunts a young woman struggling with addiction after she steals a relic tainted with sinister energy.

In the early 2010’s, teenager Pete finds himself bound in the back of a windowless white van, a bomb strapped to his chest. As he recalls internet chats with an enigmatic girl known as MOAB_Didion, it’s clear the lines between online love and ideological fantasy have collapsed into real-world danger.

Only the Lord Will Set You Free

In the early 2010s, teenager Pete is bound inside a windowless van with a bomb ticking down on his chest as he retraces an online romance that blurred love and fantasy into real-world violence.

A woman wakes up on a London night bus with no idea of who she is and how she got
there. She is provoked and harassed by a series of passengers, triggering memories of
past trauma and a hidden rage that’s more powerful and cathartic than she (or the other
passengers) could ever imagine.
WHAT GOES ROUND is a surreal re-imagining of the Medusa mythology; a playfully dark
& twisted subversion of the narratives women and girls have been taught about victims,
monsters, shame and power.

What Goes Round (Or Things That Go Bump In The Night)

A woman wakes up on a London night bus and is provoked by a series of passengers; setting her on a bloody journey of self-discovery.

In the midst of the French and Indian War, a company of hardened soldiers force their young bagpipe player into battle, only to discover that their enemy is not what they expected.
Set in 1759, "The Lone Piper" follows a Scottish bagpipe player and an Algonquian girl as they struggle to cope with the horrors of war. Using folklore as a medium, this period project discusses the ever-present themes of colonialism and xenophobia.

The Lone Piper

In the midst of the French and Indian War, a company of hardened soldiers force their young bagpipe player into battle, only to discover that their enemy is not what they expected.

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The 56th Nashville Film Festival will take place September 18-24, 2025, showcasing more than 140 films from around the globe, alongside captivating Q&A sessions with filmmakers, dynamic industry panels, unforgettable parties, and plenty of opportunities to connect with fellow creatives.

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A selection of festival films will be available from Monday, September 28 through Monday, October 5 for at-home viewing. Please note that not all films screening in-person will be made available in the Virtual Cinema and in limited cases, geo-based restrictions may apply to some viewers outside of Tennessee or the United States. Tickets for virtual film screenings can be purchased individually or are included at no additional cost for certain badge holders. For more information on accessing and optimizing Virtual Cinema content, please visit https://watch.nashfilm.org/help or contact festival@nashfilm.org.  

Welcome! This channel features official selections from the 57th Nashville Film Festival, including local and international shorts and features in a wide range of genres, like horror, comedy, documentary and more.

Here's what's coming up soon. Can't make it? No worries. Many live streams will be available for on-demand viewing as well.