Crush It All Weekend Long

The Walla Walla Movie Crush is programmed thematically, comprised of shorts packaged in hour-long blocks.  In each block, you’re likely to find a mix of animation, live-action, documentary, and music video.  

Blocks run 45 - 50 minutes total, with a few minutes leftover to enjoy conversation with visiting moviemakers (moderated by Crush Curator, Warren Etheredge), transition between blocks, and refill your wine glass.

IMPORTANT: Please note that all content is unrated and may not be suitable for younger viewers.

KEY FOR SYMBOLS:
⭐ = moviemaker in attendance
🏆 = 2022 Movie Crush award finalist
🌏 = world premiere
❤️ = CrushFam (work has been shown at a previous Movie Crush and/or previously served as a Crush juror)

SCHEDULE OF FILMS

FRIDAY, JULY 15 | 6PM-9PM

6:00 PM: HARMED FORCES
Presented by Tom Skerritt

Surviving wars may be harder than fighting them. There are no good metrics for measuring the impact of trauma and moral injury. Lives lost are quantifiable; loves lost, less so. Here, four tales of men who served and suffered — some who struggled confronting the enemy, and some still struggling to confront their own demons.

  • ASHES (d. Daniel J. Egbert) ⭐

  • THE LETTER MEN (d. Andy Vallentine)

  • REQUEST (d. The Hunts)

  • STRANGER AT THE GATE (d. Joshua Seftel) ⭐🏆❤️

7:00 PM: JUST DANCE 2022

The Crush has two turntables & a microphone — and an hour of hits to get you movin’ and groovin’ and rethinkin’ hitting the floor. From dancers who never leave their seats, to a ballerina who’ll never leave her ‘hood, from friends who may exercise their right to boogie to strangers who’ll learn more about one another — especially those willing to make the first move — you’ll witness the power of dance to connect.

  • VARIABLE GEOMETRY DANCE (d. Thibaut Charlut)

  • WHEN I’M HER (d. Emily Schuman) 🏆

  • DANCE CARDIO (d. Amy Davis) 

  • THE SPACE BETWEEN US (d. Gabriel Diamond)

  • EXISTENCE EXISTDANCE (d. John Osebold) ⭐❤️

  • KYLIE (d. Master Sterling)

  • YOKELAN, 66 (d. Yi Tang)

  • DANCE WITH ME (d. Gabriel Diamond)

8:00 PM: FLIRTING WITH DISASTER

Wandering eyes often can’t see quite where they’re headed. Is that paradise or a pothole ahead? Co-workers, co-habitators, musical otters, and a naughty bookbinder all push the limits of their lovers’ knowledge and tolerance. 

  • SPARRING PARTNER (d. JJ Kandel) 🏆⭐

  • THE OTTER POPZ — WORKIN’ ON MYSELF (d. Julianna Romero)

  • THE BINDING OF ITZIK (d. Anika Benkov)

  • ROCKING HORSES (d. Rachel Serada Barth) 🏆⭐🌏❤️

SATurday, JULY 16 | 9AM-10PM

9:00 AM: LITTLE WATTS: SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS
Presented by Walla Walla Valley Honda

Growing up, the best day of the week was Saturday — both for its schoollessness, and its promise of cartoons packed between cereal commercials. Here, we skip the ads, concentrating on the good stuff. Silly rabbit - flicks are for kids! 

  • MIRACLE (d. Shaofu Zhang)

  • THE LAZY BEAR (d. John Osebold) ⭐❤️

  • DOUGH JOE. (d. Derek Loftis)

  • GENEVIEVE THE DRAGON RACER (d. Mia Blissett, Will Hoskin) 🌏❤️

  • PIPNIC (d. Dan Ospal, John Haskell)

  • RUN TOTTI RUN (d. Shad Lee Bradbury)

  • YOUR SONG SAVED MY LIFE

  • OF WOOD (d. Owen Klatte)

  • THE SOCIAL CHAMELEON (d. Alex Ross) ⭐

11:00 AM: KIDS THESE DAYS
Presented by the University of Washington Department of Cinema & Media Studies

The next great director is already making movies. In fact, odds are she, he and/or they are represented in this hour of shorts by moviemakers under the age of eighteen who are ready to school the Spielbergs, Nolans, and Bays of Hollywood.

  • THE FIRST 280 HONEST WORDS OF MY LIFE (d. Ella Janes) 🏆

  • RUTH & NICK: A CONFECTIONARY TALE (d. Carter Rostron)

  • ÇA VA? (d. Felix Aaronson) 🏆

  • LOVELY (d. Zelda Adams) ❤️

  • CYPHER (d. Cole Snipes)

  • SEEN (d. Julian Ryan Dean and Catherine McCord) 🏆

  • THE DEBATER (d. Maya Miller) ⭐🏆

  • THINK LIKE A FILMMAKER. (d. Eli Berliner) 🏆

12:00 PM: ENDEMICALLY YOURS

COVID is over! COVID is over? How long has it been? Here, the last gasp of stories pre- and post-quarantine, and the years in between. These shorts examine how we all learned to mask — both our faces and emotions, when confronted with health risks, fashion quandaries, systemic racism and cautious (re)socialization.

  • AFTERMASK (d. Anton Josef)

  • THE COLOR OF COVID (d. Gabriel Diamond)

  • FAVORITE DAUGHTER (d. Dana Reilly)

  • DEMI’S PANIC (d. Bill Plympton) 🏆❤️

  • HOW TO BE ALONE (d. Sindha Agha) ❤️

  • JELLY (d. Jack Barr)

1:00 PM: LIFE & LEMONS

For some, the lucky, days are easy-peasy. But for the rest of us, we’re making the best of our lemonade diets. Here, a trio of tales of those who overcome adversity with grace, grit, and wit — from the blind diner owner protecting his legacy, to the little boy wishing for a brighter future, to the wheelchair-bound man just hoping to get through his day.

  • BACON ‘N’ LACES (d. Stephen Michael Simon)

  • NEW MOON (d. Jeff Le Bars & Jérémie Balais)

  • ACT OF GOD (d. Spencer Cook, Parker Smith) 🏆

2:00 PM: BOYS WILL BE BOZOS

This is not an excuse, just a fact: boys will be boys, and others may suffer. Maybe they just don’t think before acting? Here, practical jokers, space prisoners, polyamorous hopefuls, conspiracy theorists, conflicted cohabitaters, and poor sports recognize the consequences of their actions... just a little too late.

  • BOTTOM OF THE NIGHT (d. Joe Mitchell) ⭐🌏

  • FLOATERS: THE BIG NUMBER TWO (d. Karl Poyzer, Joseph Roberts)

  • RADICAL HONESTY (d. Bianca Poletti) ❤️

  • DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE? (d. Brad Abrahams)

  • S.N.A.G. (d. Will Dennis) 🌏❤️

  • THE SHOW (d. Jesse Gi) ⭐

3:00 PM: TOUGH LOVE

If loving you was easy… would it feel as rewarding? In these four shorts, a bird, a son, a husband and a pop star have their hearts tested by a father, a sister, a lover, and life itself... though not necessarily in that order.

  • MARIE (d. Yudi Zhang) 🏆

  • FEATHERWEIGHT (d. Sean Pecknold) ❤️

  • NORTH STAR (d. PJ Palmer) ⭐🏆

  • AS IT WAS (d. Tanu Muino)

4:00 PM: GIMME SHELTER

How we define home may differ, but we (should) all understand the necessity to have one and to care for one. We may wax on about former ‘hoods, decry gentrifying neighbors, plead to protect our ancient oceans, beg for space in our own homes, or pray for the safety of an Airstream — or simply a tent. Wherever we call home, we all seek seek peace and quiet when we shelter.

  • THE ORIGINALS (d. Alfie Koetter, Cristina Constantini) 🏆

  • I LIVE HERE (d. Tyler Evans)

  • RETROSPECTIVE (d. Aaron Bourget) ⭐🌏❤️

  • AVOESIS (d. Mykhailo Bogdanov)

  • OCEANS GIVE, OCEANS TAKE (d. Nate Milton) ❤️

  • NUMBER TWO (d. Will Dennis) 🌏❤️

  • LOVE IS ALONE (d. Arni & Kinski)

  • GINA (d. Kathryn Prescott) ⭐

7:00 PM: FOLLOW THE LEADER

Someone’s got to go first, right? Whether or not that makes you a leader is another story. Here, eight trail-blazers, intentional and otherwise, learn what it’s like walking point. Will the white woman be appropriate, or just appropriate another’s culture? Will the outsider artist find his way into respected circles? Will the desperate singer sway ladies to partake in his particular #VanLife? Will an adventurous lover discover three the hard way? Just follow the leader… at your own risk.

  • MY FIRST NATIVE-AMERICAN BOYFRIEND (d. Joey Clift) ❤️

  • THE GREAT WORLD OF GREGORY BLACKSTOCK (d. Drew Christie) ⭐❤️

  • 7777 DAYS (d. Michael Notter)

  • THE KIA SUMMER SALES EVENT WILL FIND YOU MORE THAN THE PERFECT CAR (d. Brendan Walter)

  • CONSENSUAL (d. Jeff Hilliard, Joey Danger)

  • ELVIS OF LAOS (d. Vin Ditthavong) 🏆

  • UNTIL NOW (d. Aaron Bourget) ⭐🌏❤️

  • UNICORN (d. Matt Porter)

8:00 PM: HIGH CRIMES & MISDEMEANORS
Presented by Walla Walla Cannabis Company

You don’t need a travel agent to book this trip. Here, we get high with a little help from our moviemaking friends... exploring the therapeutic benefits of medications, both prescribed and self-prescribed. Sandwiched between three legit hits on the subject, we pause for two mellow melon-freakers. Just enjoy the ride.

  • EVERY OTHER WEEK (d. Ryan Wagner)

  • THIS IS A DUCK (d. David Remnick)

  • SOMEWHERE HIGHER (d. Mohammad Gorjestani) ❤️

  • TIME TRUCK: FENCE (d. John Osebold) ⭐❤️

  • BROTHER (d. Joanna Rudnick)

9:00 PM: REACHING CLIMAX

All relationships end, either crushingly… or in death. But before they’re over, there are a ton of feelz to feel, confessions to make, hearts to break and bargains to be struck and… never mind. Just remember: love is not transferable, but there just may be more do-overs than one can count.

  • THE COUPON (d. Laura Seay) ⭐❤️

  • LOVE IN THE TIME OF CORONA (d. Cambria Matlow) ⭐🏆

  • NOOR & LAYLA (d. Fawzia Mirza) 🏆

  • I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU (d. Lydia Ricci) ⭐🏆

  • WHAT’S HER SECRET?

  • COMING OUT WITH THE HELP OF A TIME MACHINE (d. Naman Gupta) ⭐🏆

sunDAY, JULY 17 | 12pM-5PM & 7pm-8PM

12:00 PM: SNATCHING VICTORY

Sports are transformative — sometimes positive; other times, less so. Here, we meet refs and runners, ballers and boarders who have excelled in their chosen arenas and who have been saved by their passion for play.

  • CONTROLLED BURN (d. Nick Goldston, Eric Lagerstrom)

  • EVERY SPORT A BOWLING BALL (d. Sam H. Buchanan)

  • GREATEST DYNASTY EVER (d. Isaiah Seret)

  • THE QUEEN OF BASKETBALL (d. Ben Proudfoot) ❤️

  • THE REF (d. Peter Edlund) ⭐

  • JANWAAR (d. Danny Schmidt)

1:00 PM: THE MATRI(AN)ARCHY
Presented by Patrice & Jeffrey Townsend

At the Crush, we firmly believe that women have the right to determine what’s best for themselves, their bodies, and their children. However, we are powerless to shield them from the travails of motherhood, whether during pregnancy or decades after delivery. Here, six shorts reveal the universal struggle that comes with being (or not becoming) a mom.

  • POLISHED (d. Colleen Dodge)

  • THE DIAPER CAKE (d. Anastasia Babenko)

  • NURTURE (d. Ying-Fang Shen)

  • WAILING WALL (d. Amy French) ⭐🌏

  • PLEASE BE MY MOTHER (d. Kate Graves) ⭐❤️

  • BREAK ANY SPELL (d. Anton Josef)

2:00 PM: STRANGERS IN A STRANGE LAND

Getting there is supposed to be half the fun, but when the destination disappoints, it may be time to recalculate. Here, four stories of people (and probes) who arrived where intended, yet now wonder if they simply should have stayed at home, or taken a left turn at Albuquerque.

  • SENTIMENTAL VALUE (d. Steve Collins) ❤️

  • THE ROVER DIARIES (d. Matthew Palmer)

  • ZAFAR (d. Aqsa Altaf, John X Carey) 🏆

  • MORE THAN I REMEMBER (d. Amy Bench) 🏆❤️

3:00 PM: THE MORAL ARC

The arc of the moral universe may bend towards Justice, but in the moment, without the perspective of time or distance, it can look a lot like a straight line banging into a brick wall. Injustice is pervasive, and arguably, the public is far too permissive, oblivious to its systemic nature. Here, tales of Black Joy, Black Pain, possibility, coping mechanisms and lasting impressions.

  • SEEDS (d. Max Losee) ⭐🌏❤️

  • INNER WOUND REAL (d. Carrie Hawks) 🏆

  • STOLEN FRUIT (d. Sontenish Myers) ❤️

  • MOLD OF MALACHI (d. Mtume Gant) ❤️

  • I’M SO SORRY (d. Chester Vincent Toye)

  • CHILD OF GOD (d. Troy Gueno)

4:00 PM: SURVIVORS’ GUILT
Presented by Diana Knauf & Björn Levidow

Enduring trauma is a physical feat followed by a lifetime of emotional stamina. Stoicism isn’t strength; vulnerability may be. First, though, survivors must share their struggles with a trusted few and pray to be heard. Here, fathers, friends, followers, and lovers find catharsis in Storytelling.

  • BABYSITTING (d. Patrick Noth) 🏆

  • POP TART SUGAR DIP (d. Ashley Chan, Joshua Whalen) ⭐

  • YOU’VE NEVER BEEN COMPLETELY HONEST (d. Joey Izzo) 🏆

  • THAT THING THAT HAPPENED (d. Amelia Asilis)

  • CHORUS (d. Daniel J Egbert) ⭐🏆

7:00 PM: Walla Walla Movie Crush Award Ceremony

After screening 107 shorts, the Iron Ass Jury determines the Audience Award winner — and a pantheon of Oscar® winners, nominees, and celebrated moviemakers share their choices for Best Narrative, Best Documentary, Best Animation, Best Screenplay, Best Performance, and Best Youth Short. Additionally, Nancy names this year’s Beast of the Crush, and emcee Warren bestows his Curator’s Choice Award. Join us for this star-studded affair that never takes itself too seriously, yet pays tribute to the talent, honesty, and passion behind this year's films.