2025 Allentown Film Festival Award Winners
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2025 Allentown Film Festival Schedule
The third annual Allentown Film Festival took place from April 10–13, 2025, at the Civic Theatre of Allentown's two historic venues and the Allentown Art Museum. We screened 120 films selected from nearly 850 films submitted by filmmakers around the world.
To buy individual tickets, click on the screening block(s) below.
Thurs, April 10
Lehigh Valley Competition Semi-Finalists & a Short
5:30 PM · Thurs, Apr 10, 2025 · Admission $10 (Click to buy tickets!)
19th Street Theatre, 527 North 19th Street, Allentown, PA 18104
Short Film
Hic et Nunc (5 min) With deadlines looming a stressed student encounters a possible time traveler.
Lehigh Valley Competition Semi-Finalists
Free (With Ads) (5 min) A public domain film is interrupted by several advertisements.
PARANOIA (4 min) A man struggling with anxiety and paranoia starts seeing things, and they start seeing him too.
Short Term Memory Loss Vampire (5 min) A bloodthirsty vampire receives head trauma which briefly takes away his memory.
Goblin in Me (3 min) Struggling man realizes he is the source of his own problems and succumbs to his addictions.
Family Meal (4 min) Head chef gives a step by step process on preparing cilantro lime chicken.
The Lantern's Lit at Midnight (4 min) An eldritch horror fuels its lantern using the souls of rude people.
Cereal Killer (3 min) You hear "Serial Killer", I hear "Cereal Killer."
The Milkman (5 min) A pair of unsuspecting robbers break into what they think is a blind man's house.
Fingerprints (2 min) An exploration of the lasting effects of trauma through the art of dance.
Forbidden Pages (4 min) In a dystopian world where knowledge is controlled, John stumbles upon a forbidden book.
Mr. Junk (4 min) An old man rebuilds cars from junkyard parts and sells them to unsuspecting buyers.
Would You (5 min) The Ten Foot Snails perform "Would You".
Roadblock (2 min) A stubborn man is trying to run some laps, but the universe has other plans.
Top Ten Most Popular Ways To Use A Frisbee (4 min) A demonstration of 10 fun and creative ways to use a Frisbee.
David Rolls For Initiative (5 min) A ufologist and a slacker townie grapple with the news of an "unknowable" visitor.
Mirage (2 min) A girl discovers that true character lies beneath appearances.
Ghosts Don’t Visit So I Have to Make My Own (5 min) A young person uses absence to recreate presence.
Rubbing Sticks (4 min) Nine stranded bodies caught in a desperate struggle to start a fire.
Post-screening Panel Discussion featuring attending filmmakers and cast members.
Love Hides in the Open (feature film & a short)
7:00 PM · Thurs, Apr 10, 2025 · Admission $10 (Click to purchase tickets)
Theatre514, 514 North 19th Street, Allentown, PA 18104
The Dating Game (11 min) (Trailer) Natalie’s online dating misadventures lead to lessons on true connection.
Love Hides In The Open (1 hour 8 min) (Trailer) A young man begins to follow a woman he just had a first date with. His voyeurism backfires however when he witnesses the woman commit a petty crime, for which he becomes the main suspect.
Post-screening Panel Discussion featuring attending filmmakers and cast members.
Lehigh Valley K-12 STUDENT Competition Finalists & Shorts
8:00 PM · Thurs, Apr 10, 2025 · Admission $10 (Click to buy tickets!)
19th Street Theatre, 527 North 19th Street, Allentown, PA 18104
Short Films
One Night (8 min) Friends' hangout turns tense when alien talk tests trust and loyalty.
The Only Son (15 min) Polish immigrant in LA must choose between morals and son's future.
Lehigh Valley K-12 STUDENT Competition Finalists
The Letter (4 min) Inspired by Poe's "The Sleeper," a man writes to his dead lover, reminiscing.
Healthy Choices (2 min) A comedy of errors as a girl embarks on a self-improvement journey.
"Punk" Trailer (2 min) Trailer of "Punk," a horror short film, explores the mind of a teen murderer in therapy.
The Girl With the Streak of Pink (3 min) A lonely girl seeks friends.
Delivery (4 min) Young courier overcomes distractions by listening to music while delivering.
I'm Here Now - The Goliath (3 min) Tormented by a glowing-eyed shadow, John Monroe faces a new threat on May 15.
On Censorship (5 min) Severe censorship can't stop 'Voice' from creating art and inspiring others.
Shopping Spree (3 min) A magic watch stops time.
Kook (4 min) While walking alone, a man starts hearing voices that slowly start to drive him crazy.
The Sassy Show (episode 4) (5 min) Sassy visits a haunted house.
The Making of 'The Better Man' (3 min) An egotistical student filmmaker drives his cast and crew crazy.
Now We Wake (4 min) All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream.
A Thief’s Redemption (2 min) Young thief's journey in Philly explores regret, self-discovery, and redemption.
Post-screening Panel Discussion featuring attending filmmakers and cast members.
Fri, April 11
Lehigh Valley COLLEGE STUDENT Competition Finalists & Shorts
5:30 PM · Fri, Apr 11, 2025 · Admission $10 (Click to buy tickets!)
19th Street Theatre, 527 North 19th Street, Allentown, PA 18104
Short Films
In Sickness (6 min) A wordless short about a couple that encounters tension over a simple act.
That's the Spirit (14 min) (Trailer) An online therapist's day goes from bad to worse when he meets an inept ghost.
Lehigh Valley COLLEGE STUDENT Competition Finalists
Passing (3 min) A surrealist look into the mind and emotions of a failing pre-med student.
Seen Not Heard - Heard Not Seen (2 min) A look at anger and how it presents itself in a relationship.
Memories (4 min) Reflection on how we should enjoy the present since it will eventually become a memory.
The Witness (5 min) Witness to a crime, then stalked by the killer.
Toy Box (3 min) A young man watches some television.
Venture (3 min) Adventure is calling.
Firebird (5 min) When a girl accepts an invitation to the town's annual festival, things quickly go bad.
Eyes Without a Face (2 min) A young woman reflects on her relationship with her past mother.
LATE SEPTEMBER (4 min) A boy spirals into panic after coming into contact with his deep-set anxiety.
The Bomb (3 min) A girl reflects on the day a bomb devastated her town.
Mr. Davey (5 min) Two young boys come across an old man living in the woods.
Breaking Point (5 min) Toxic love: Finding clarity through kindness.
Silver Springs (4 min) A relationship runs its course and we witness how it crumbles.
Figure Swizzles Stick (1 min) Professor’s poses spark curiosity through art and tech fusion.
Nai Nai's Recipe (3 min) A tearful day inspires Sho to rescue Nainai's beloved dumpling shop.
Standing Still (4 min) A couple partakes in a difficult conversation expressed through movement.
Post-screening Panel Discussion featuring attending filmmakers and cast members.
Smile for the Dead (feature documentary & a short)
7:00 PM · Fri, Apr 11, 2025 · Admission $10 (Click to buy tickets!)
Theatre514, 514 North 19th Street, Allentown, PA 18104
Smile for the Dead (54 min) (Trailer) True crime meets the paranormal as "Smile for the Dead" uncovers the eerie mystery of William H. Mumler's spirit photography and his ghostly portraits that baffled the 1800s. This documentary investigates Mumler's techniques and why society so needed him in the post Civil War era.
Just Grand (5 min) A bizarre encounter in 1969 with an enigmatic and frightening stalker causes ricochet effects into present day
Post-screening Panel Discussion featuring attending filmmakers and cast members.
Lehigh Valley FILMMAKER Competition Finalists & Shorts
8:00 PM · Fri, Apr 11, 2025 · Admission $10 (Click to buy tickets!)
19th Street Theatre, 527 North 19th Street, Allentown, PA 18104
Short Films
Good Luck (3 min) A fashion model and a country singer chasing down their dreams.
Your Dad's Cosplay (5 min) An ambitious monster makeup nerd is overwhelmed by the competition at a 1984 cosplay parade.
Fox (33 min) A young, hopeless slacker beaten to his last thread of life is saved by a righteous rifle rescuer.
Lehigh Valley FILMMAKER Competition Finalists
My Hair (2 min) A young girl suddenly appreciates her awesome hair.
You Stole My Boyfriend (5 min) Two best friends match with the same guy on a dating app. What could go wrong?
Forest Primeval Chapter Two (5 min) An experimental film with the distorting effect on the passage of time.
The Central Park Reservoir welcomes cherry blossoms... (3 min) In April the magnificent colors of cherry blossoms adorn Manhattan's Central Park.
Bealtaine (5 min) Two otherworldly companions celebrate their annual Celtic tradition of Bealtaine.
An Artist's Dream (2 min) An artist's painting comes to life in his dream.
Misinformation Age (3 min) A visual journey through spoken word with poet J Mars Hall.
A Squonk's Day (5 min) Meet the Squonk: a cryptid's tale of tears, tragedy, and resilience.
Dog Days (1 min) Jake Keenan takes on Free Fall Action Park in Quakertown.
There Will Be Buc-ees (3 min) A film about the high financial costs of the Buc-ees fandom.
Becoming Parents (3 min) Getting to experience the world through a new lens.
Shed (4 min) Tensions rise as neighbors debate ownership of a shed.
Post-screening Panel Discussion featuring attending filmmakers and cast members.
Horror and Gory Shorts
8:30 PM · Fri, Apr 11, 2025 · Admission $10 (Click to buy tickets!)
Theatre514, 514 North 19th Street, Allentown, PA 18104
JÓLAKÖTTURINN (7 min) (Trailer) 1862 Iceland: a widow's story leads daughters to evade a nightmarish Yule cat with Freya's guidance.
The Prize (10 min) Emily may win the last prize at Edward's store, but does she want it?
Nice Girls (3 min) Two best friends find themselves in a dangerous situation after hitchhiking for a ride.
BIALO (5 min) (Trailer) Friends' reunion turns nightmare amid dark rituals and haunting shadows.
Unfinished Chapter (10 min) (Trailer) FBI agents unravel a writer's dark stories as vanishings plague town.
Coffee (2 min) What do you do when your soul is tired?
Stiff (3 min) Stuck in sleep paralysis, a woman confronts a creature in her bedroom.
A Coward's Legacy (10 min) (Trailer) Deserting soldier in dystopian war confronts unimaginable terror.
Brett's Special (2 min) (Trailer) A burger with a side of betrayal leaves one friend questioning their next bite.
Toxemia (3 min) (Trailer) In a padded cell, Bailey fights a disturbing doppelgänger, distorting reality.
Bastard Toadflax (12 min) (Trailer) Missing: Barrera, Mikey. Jack and police search for answers in box truck.
Don't You Forget About Me (16 min) (Trailer) Joe is stalked by an eerie apparition that seems to resemble an old friend of his.
Post-screening Panel Discussion featuring attending filmmakers and cast members.
Sat, April 12
What is Art? and a collection of Spanish-language short films with English subtitles
12:30 PM · Sat, Apr 12, 2025 · Admission FREE - Click to RSVP
Allentown Art Museum, 31 North 5th Street, Allentown, PA 18101
Art History / as told by logos (6 min) 67,000 years of art history as seen in 210 logos over six minutes.
Boots on the Ground for Art (5 min) (Trailer) A Veterans' art project honoring military service and new beginnings.
Green Greenie (1 min) Walk in the woods with static, golden fluff, and a journey to optimism.
SHE SPRANG OUT RED (6 min) (Trailer) Cross-cultural Caribbean feminine narratives: Transformation through design.
P[]P C()RN (1 min) (Trailer) Two comestibles of the American Midwest splice together to create a jargonized monstrosity.
Sock's Manifesto (4 min) (Trailer) Socks can't exist alone. Explore the case for independent socks!
EXISTENTIAL ACTION THRILLER (11 min) (Trailer) Artist Heidi Schwegler, in crisis, finds new inspiration in unfamiliar settings.
Community: The Universal Language (5 min) Immigrants get English and job training for a better future through new center.
Hasta Que Salga El Sol (3 min) Sing it, feel it, live it—Los Bichos Carnaval, until the sun rises!
That One Song (13 min) Santiago chases a lost melody he heard once, but can't recall its name or lyrics.
Revelation (13 min) Photographer Luciano finds the perfect image with Elena, uncovering dark secrets.
Post-screening Panel Discussion featuring attending filmmakers and cast members.
The Fries Rebellion and Documentary Shorts
3:30 PM · Sat, Apr 12, 2025 · Admission $10 (Click to buy tickets!)
19th Street Theatre, 527 North 19th Street, Allentown, PA 18104
Find Yourself (16 min) (Trailer) From Wall Street to Dalmatian Coast, a man finds meaning in underground movement.
Iron Brotherhood (10 min) Two brothers face challenges as rising drivers in the motorsport of demolition derby.
The Fries Rebellion (33 min) (Trailer) After moving to Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley, a teenage schoolgirl struggles with a local history report until she experiences immersive visions of the 1798-99 tax revolt first hand.
Post-screening Panel Discussion featuring attending filmmakers and cast members.
Broken Pieces (feature film & a short)
7:00 PM · Sat, Apr 12, 2025 · Admission $10 (Click to buy tickets!)
19th Street Theatre, 527 North 19th Street, Allentown, PA 18104
Cut Me Summa Dat Noise (6 min) A film that celebrates the rhythms of everyday life through the eyes of a neighborhood matriarch who sets the tone for a new day with the beat of her own heart. As the neighborhood comes to life, people of all ages unite in a joyous cacophony of sound that illuminates the connections between them as members of a vibrant and diverse community in rhythm.
Broken Pieces (1 hour 23 min) (Trailer) One day in NYC the lives of five people cross paths with each other in unexpected ways, revealing the subtle yet important interconnectedness of their lives as they grapple with their own issues and try to make sense of the chaos that surrounds them. Love is a complicated and messy thing, and sometimes it takes being broken to find the pieces that fit.
Post-screening Panel Discussion featuring attending filmmakers and cast members.
Behaving Badly Shorts
7:30 PM · Sat, Apr 12, 2025 · Admission $10 (Click to buy tickets!)
Theatre514, 514 North 19th Street, Allentown, PA 18104
Nepotism, Baby! (12 min) (Trailer) Young woman, fame-obsessed, invents conspiracy after nepotism fails.
MEOW! (14 min) (Trailer) To find her cat, a toilet attendant must sell foot pics to a river hunchback.
Her Curse (12 min) (Trailer)A young artist in Brooklyn follows a How-To article in an attempt to place a curse on her ex-girlfriend.
Flynn (15 min) (Trailer) When an Irish father and daughter con-artist duo plan a heist, will lust get in the way?
VIATICUM (14 min) (Trailer) A priest's Last Rites are contested by a nurse who denies her patient absolution.
Miscast (15 min) (Trailer) Filmmaker makes a Spanish crime drama, but neither he nor his production team speak Spanish.
Post-screening Panel Discussion featuring attending filmmakers and cast members.
Sun, April 13
Comedy Shortsyoutu.be/VS8uD6EwJ2M
12:30 PM · Sun, Apr 13, 2025 · Admission $10 (Click to buy tickets!)
19th Street Theatre, 527 North 19th Street, Allentown, PA 18104
Three Times a Week (13 min) Berrezzella sisters use superstition in Lotto; betrayal offers life-changing luck.
The Last Gunfight... yet! (3 min) Two duel in the Far West’s merciless universe, under the sheriff's watchful eyes.
Number Numb (10 min) A girl's unique affliction with numbers sparks her struggle for acceptance.
The Last Donut (2 min) (Trailer) Co-workers go to extremes for the last breakroom donut.
Back in Baby's Arms (16 min) Struggling actor lives with memory-impaired woman who thinks he's her late husband.
Breakfast Salad (5 min) (Trailer) Chaos erupts when Andrew's friends swap traditional breakfast for salads.
Cup Noodles (11 min) After a sour confrontation with an angry costumer, a delivery man attempts to right his wrong.
Static Cling (15 min) (Trailer) While attempting a love connection, a guy gets trapped inside his own coat at a laundromat.
Cell Buddies (5 min) Sam the raccoon and Bob the manatee find humor, heart, and trust in escape.
The Connoisseur (17 min) Connoisseur’s outlook changes with new Chinese eatery in the neighborhood.
Post-screening Panel Discussion featuring attending filmmakers and cast members.
Psychological Thrillers and Surreal Shorts
2:30 PM · Sun, Apr 13, 2025 · youtu.be/xtnvaOLjovo Admission $10 (Click to buy tickets!)
19th Street Theatre, 527 North 19th Street, Allentown, PA 18104
DOMINO SPRINGS (21 min) (Trailer) Mechanic ropes friend into body disposal; Mojave Desert holds unexpected perils.
Sit With It (12 min) (Trailer) A middle-aged man on the brink of divorce gets stalked by a blue chair that refuses to go away.
Mannequin (12 min) (Trailer) Frustrated artist Tunde transforms into a mannequin as an artistic statement.
Flashes of Light (11 min) (Trailer) A profound essence, Bagliori returns throughout life despite time and distance.
As Easy As Closing Your Eyes (22 min) (Trailer) A grieving mother fights addiction to a drug that dreams her deceased son to life.
Post-screening Panel Discussion featuring attending filmmakers and cast members.
The the third annual Allentown Film Festival took place from April 10 - 13, 2025 at the Civic Theatre of Allentown's two historic venues and the Allentown Art Museum.
Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk presents a medal to filmmaker Kwesa the Artist with Festival Director Alan Younkin.
Founded by award-winning filmmakers and educators, the Allentown Film Festival is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that brings the Independent Film Festival experience to Eastern Pennsylvania. Each screening block includes films of various lengths followed by a Q&A panel discussion with filmmakers.
Special Lehigh Valley Filmmaker Prizes*
The 1-5 Minute Short Film Contest $1,000 Grand Prize*
The 1-15 Minute Spanish Short Film $250 Grand Prize*
The K-12 Student Film Prize*
The College Student Film Prize*
The Local Filmmaker Prize*
* All genres welcome (scripted, unscripted, etc.)
* Open to filmmakers with connections to the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania
* Free to enter
* Entry deadline: March 1
* Multiple submissions by filmmakers encouraged
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