#emerging-filmmakers

#emerging-filmmakers

When filmmaker Alex Bush received their acceptance to Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen's Square Peg Social (SPS), something shifted. "Just being accepted felt like a huge weight of confidence," said Bush, whose short film "Thaw" premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival. "It was really affirming to be spoken to by these people in this way of, 'Yeah, so you as someone who's going to be doing this and who's already doing this.'"

My final dispatch from the annual genre fest known as Fantastic Fest highlights three young filmmakers, a reminder of how much this event seeks to amplify new talent. It's also a remarkable showcase for inclusivity, as the programming team seeks out and elevates the kind of voices that the Hollywood system often ignores, including LGTBQ filmmakers and artists from regions of the world that don't get highlighted enough on the culture-shaping streaming services.

Habanero Film Sales CEO Alfredo Calviño expressed that they are thrilled to discover powerful stories from emerging talent, citing 'This Island' as a compelling addition to Caribbean cinema.