WARNING: This article contains spoilers and references to trauma, violence and death. Reader discretion is advised.

On Jan. 25, day three of the Chandler International Film Festival officially started. The festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary with over 120 shorts and films from 35 different countries being presented.

The Best Drama Short Films featured five dramatic shorts ranging from honest depictions of trauma to bombshell storytelling. Out of these five films, one in particular caught fans feeling remorseful.

“For One Night Only” follows a young man named Quinn (Tristian Prawong) who lost his childhood best friend, Alex (Vanessa Howard), in a car accident. However, at a Christmas party, Quinn meets a girl who looks extremely similar to Alex. In this chain of events, Quinn is forced to look into his undying grief face-to-face.

The short challenges one of the stages of grief that many people struggle to overcome — acceptance. Once Quinn finally accepts that Alex is gone, the girl he met in his eyes changes and he finally comes to terms with reality.

Tristian Prawong, the lead actor in the short, expressed his insight on what he believed was the most profound scene of the film.

“I think the opening scene is really, in my opinion, the strongest,” Prawong said. “We’ve all experienced loss to some extent…everyone’s going to get there at some point in time.”

Even without experiencing that level of grief himself going into the film, Prawong still felt that knowing that day would soon come assisted in his performance.

Following right after the Best Drama selection was the Best Short Films selection. Similarly, five shorts were showcased, stretching from emotional meltdowns to intense decisions. This was especially present in one particular film depicting a screenwriting professor.

“Inciting Incident” follows a screenwriting professor who breaks down in front of his students while being recorded. Afterward, he attempts to still live through the rules he teaches.

Aside from Fred Arsenault portraying the professor exquisitely in the film, Prof. Banner emphasizes on how opportunities will always be missed. This changes once his students help him seize his opportunity to earn back his ex-wife. In order to continue adapting and improving, there must be structure. With a steady mindset, the right opportunities will be met.

William Pace, the director of the short, shared the conflicts he faced and overcame while searching for the right audience.

“When I read the script, it said a lot of insight about screenwriting, and I don’t know if there’s an audience for it,” Pace said. “So, we changed the title.”

Originally named “Screenwriting 101”, Pace felt that “Inciting Incident” would be a more fitting title for viewers to dig into more easily.

“I think it resonates with people,” Pace said. “I think they can see, they can understand it’s not as screenplay heavy as it was when it went through a lot of editing.”

The final shorts that were showcased was Best Suspense/Thriller Short Films. Out of the five selected shorts, a specific film turned out to have one of the most intriguing plots.

“Tonight, I Believe You” follows a struggling actor named Jimmi Sparrow (Vlad Jebran) who meets billionaire H. Stanley Greenleigh (Vlad Jerban) after completing a one night performance. After having a private dinner together, Jimmi’s career starts taking off. However, Jimmi continues to feel the unrelenting pressure from the presence of Mr. Greenleigh over his shoulders.

The short questioned the importance of the lengths people go towards pursuing their dreams and aspirations. Jimmi felt uncertain in his own efforts to accomplish his goal with the lingering fear of Mr. Greenleigh’s powerful position.

Tanner J. Perry, the director of the short, stated how he wanted Jimmi’s stakes to be small in retrospect, but high for Jimmi.

“The thing that resonates the most is just that want to progress, even if, to most people, it’s small, but to you, it’s major,” Perry said.

With a budget of around $3500, “Tonight, I Believe You” was shot in seven days, spread out across three months. With a small budget, Perry reached beyond the expenses, using his own apartment as Jimmi’s apartment.

“I think everyone, whether you’re creative or not, has gotten to that point where maybe you think about going to those extremes,” Perry said. “Just the want to self-progress.”

In the subject of self progress, the final film of the night was introduced – a feature length documentary on a truly inspiring woman with a story that pulled at the audience’s heartstrings.

“My Life Between The Reins” follows the story of Paige Baylis, a young woman born with cerebral palsy. While doctors claimed that she might never do everyday functions, Paige battled the odds. She entered into the competitive equestrian world, training under the guidance of Kevin Dukes.

Marilyn Swick, the director of the film, tearfully displayed her empathy in Paige’s compelling journey and gratefulness in the ability to share it.

“Paige and Susie are the most inspirational people I’ve ever met in my life,” Swick said. “For so many people out there that think, ‘I’m not good enough’ or ‘I can’t do this’... Just stay inspired.”

Although the film was showcased at the end of the night, audiences were still captivated by the emotional story of Paige Baylis.

“Never give up. Follow your own destiny,” Swick said. “You never know where it’ll take you.”

This documentary truly stands as a beacon of hope, establishing the courage and resilience within everyday people regardless of obstacles. As Paige puts it herself, “I am not disabled, just inconvenienced."

These films not only place themselves as immersive cinema, but serve as a catalyst in inspiring the next generation of filmmakers to come.