In a country famous for its success in international beauty pageants, three young women are fighting to participate in their nation’s most celebrated cultural institution. But obtaining a place in the Miss Venezuela contest is no easy task. Women must endure grueling diets, consent to intensive plastic surgery, and find the resources necessary to transform themselves from ordinary citizens into famous and illustrious Misses. To Be a Miss is a character-driven documentary that takes the viewer through the inner workings of Venezuela’s renowned beauty factory, revealing the risks and rewards associated with this multi-billion dollar industry while exposing what nationalism, personal ambition, and the influence of mass media has meant for women in the country.

Ignoring the admonitions of locals, journalist John Miller heads out alone to explore the remnants of Buffalo City, once the busiest town in the area but now merely a pile of dilapidated ruins amidst the encroaching swampland. Are the tales of strange apparitions and deadly encounters merely musings from tale-telling old timers, or will Miller uncover something darker, something that may cost him his life?

The ocean contains the history of all humanity. The sea holds all the voices of the earth and those that come from outer space. Water receives impetus from the stars and transmits it to living creatures. Water, the longest border in Chile, also holds the secret of two mysterious buttons which were found on its ocean floor. Chile, with its 2,670 miles of coastline and the largest archipelago in the world, presents a supernatural landscape. In it are volcanoes, mountains and glaciers. In it are the voices of the Patagonian Indigenous people, the first English sailors and also those of its political prisoners. Some say that water has memory. This film shows that it also has a voice.

Smart, slick and funny, Trevor Noah, South Africa’s favourite comedian is back with Pay Back The Funny – his best show yet. Recorded Live in Johannesburg at his sold out Lost In Translation Tour, this is his first one-man show since It’s My Culture in 2013. Having sold out theatres everywhere from Auckland to Chicago and replacing Jon Stewart in the hot seat at Comedy Central’s The Daily Show in-between, Trevor gives his unique take on the funny side of life in South Africa. Pay Back The Funny is typical Trevor – irreverent, interesting and irresistible!

Ryan, a well-intentioned, young police officer with a troubled past, is just out of training when a Senior Officer singles him out as a perfect candidate for an undercover sting. Ryan is transformed into Max, a young criminal with a force-ten temper who infiltrates a notorious gang of bank robbers, headed by the enigmatic and elusive master-thief known only as “The Monopoly Man”. Struggling with his identity, Ryan is drawn closer to the gang and finds himself crossing the line to the point of no return as he takes part in their biggest heist yet. When the gang are caught and locked together in a cell, with rumours of a “snitch” in their midst, Ryan must maintain his criminal persona just to stay alive.

Martial law reigns over the city. On a routine check for terrorist activity in a high-rise apartment building, Hawkins, a capable police officer, and Argus, her heavily armoured android partner, stumble on a transaction they assume is the illegal narcotic fleck. But then, strange things begin to happen to the building and its residents.

After accepting temporary work in a laboratory Cesar begins to notice strange events related to the treatment of a patient with the number 27, this disturbs him the extent of causing insomnia and hallucinations. Isela and Marcos, his coworkers attribute this to the Cesar fatigue, however the real reason for these views is more real and dangerous than they think.

When an awkward date on Christmas Eve leads a couple into a strange theater, they’re treated to a bizarre and frightening collection of Christmas stories, featuring a wide ensemble of characters doing their best to avoid the horrors of the holidays. From boring office parties and last-minute shopping, to vengeful stalkers and immortal demons, there’s plenty out there to fear this holiday season.

After losing his job and the end of his marriage, Júnior returns to his father’s house. But that is not his childhood house anymore. His old room has been rented by a young woman and the place feels unwelcome and oppressive. Júnior develops and obsession for his family history, as strange things start happening in the house.

Alex is a divorced father and overstressed executive. His daily routine is work, work, work. Tonight, Alex is in real hurry and due to meet a beautiful young stranger… who contacted him via the internet. But this blind date will flip him into a downward spiral disrupting his life forever, as Alex starts to realize that he has become the victim of a male predator who is evil beyond comparison.

Nick Gutlicht lives of illegally selling valuable books, owes money to a bunch of other crooks and has to hide from them. By chance he ends up in the mansion of the famous, now very old philosopher Curt Ledig, who despite the age related forgetfulness and pathological kitchen phobia resists to move to his daughter. Nick is hired by the family as watchdog. Now Curt can work on a presentation for the upcoming symposium, which anybody thinks he’s capable of anymore. Nick thinks he has an excellent hiding place. This partnership of convenience of the two individuals quickly develops its own momentum. Curt regards Nick as an exciting research object and subjects him to an absurd therapy. For Nick it’s a unique opportunity to fund his finances with Curt’s phenomenal library. The strange couple is going through turmoil of incalculable proportions.

This documentary spotlights “female maskers,” men who transform themselves into lifelike female dolls with silicone masks and bodysuits.

On this particular Friday morning the students of Eastbrook High are arriving at school to complete their final exams before the Christmas Holiday. But what began as a December snowfall quickly becomes a threatening winter storm, and school is dismissed for the day. The students who are unable to arrange transportation before the storm grows are forced to remain in the school gym. The six familiar strangers are the only students remaining as the outdoor conditions worsen and the doors are locked. Wills are tested, friendships are created, and secrets are revealed as they realize they must rely on each other to make it through the night.

It is the end of an era. Marco, Bissoon and their friends have spent their lives working for a sugar factory that is due to close. Sugarcane is no longer profitable so it will soon be replaced by luxurious villas, golf courses and playgrounds for rich tourists, making this area forbidden for the working class. As their world seems to fall apart around them, some struggle to find their places in their strange new surroundings, while others decide to leave the country. For Bissoon, the closing of the factory brings frustration, emptiness and neo-colonial malaise. Meanwhile Marco gets intrigued by Devi, the wife of the authoritarian man overseeing the demolition of the factory. Continuing his work of putting Mauritius on the cinematic map, David Constantin tells a story of a move from tradition to modernity. In doing so, he offers a view behind the postcard façade of paradise, portraying the world less picture perfect than you might think.

Two men embark on an unconventional romance in Todd Verow’s sexy Parisian-set drama. Claude finds a young man passed out in the street and, taking pity on him, decides to take him to his apartment to safely sleep. Awakening the next morning, the sexy stranger soon makes a play for his forty-something host, kick-starting a passionate romance. But will the chance meeting develop into more than just lust or will the pair’s differences drive them apart? An accomplished, serious and very modern gay romance .

Xabi and Sara break up just before their holiday trip. She leaves the house and Xabi stays alone. At first he doesn’t seem to be affected, but soon weird things will start to happen as he feels sick with a strange disease. When he finally understands what is going on he’ll have to make a decision that could change his life forever.

Thriller – Jimmy Stone is a hard working cowboy living in the small town of Darlington, along with his wife Lindsey Stone. When a mysterious stranger begins stalking him and his wife and a cross appears on Jimmy’s farm, things take a turn for the worst. – Peter Frangella, Jeff Joslin, Davide Le’Thange

When inbred brothers unknowingly mix the new party drug into their moon shine, they’re transformed into blood thirsty cannibals with an insatiable appetite for human flesh. Terror ensues when a group of friends arrive at camp beaver lake for a weekend of fun in the sun but instead find themselves in a fight for their lives in this horrific and hilarious fright film.

A young suburban family move into a new home, only to find something strange and fantastic there. At first inspiring, this discovery eventually threatens their bond as a family. Featuring David Tenenbaum, Nicol Zanzarella, Bobbie Prewitt and Charlie Mattera.

When an accident temporarily robs her of her voice, Diva J flees to a small deserted village to heal both her mental and physical wounds. Her life changes when she meets and falls in love with the blind Hu Ming, who inspires her to make a comeback. But, in her absence, a new diva has risen. R has become an overnight sensation that everyone sees as the main contender for J’s crown. Yet, their successes have come at a high price. J is secretly pining for a forbidden love that seems destined to wither, and R has found that the road to stardom is littered with estranged friends and painful break-ups. But in the midst of this, both divas rise to find their own voice.

An isolated elderly woman, in desperate need of stimulation, conjures an infestation of silk-spinning caterpillars, thus leading her to a mind-bending epiphany. ‘Caterpillar’ is a cerebral drama, filmed in the historical Wynkoop House, famous for housing George Washington. The crew consists of highly esteemed artists working across a wide spectrum of disciplines. This includes special effects artist, Ben Bornstein (300, The Fighter), visual effects artist Greg Silverman (Black Swan), and editor, Corey Bayes (Haywire, Contagion, The Informant, Che). From storyline through production, Caterpillar is an ode to the creative process. This film is a must-see for anyone who has ever submitted to their imagination and felt transformed by an idea.

Chan-young, a young journalist, is sent to investigate a village which has supposedly been possessed by demons. The incidents taking place have been so strange and terrifying that local shamans and other religious leaders have simply given up, abandoning the town. But upon her arrival, Chan-young discovers that an all-star team of supernaturally-inclined heroes has assembled to rid the village of evil. This team includes Mr. PARK the exorcist, Shi-min the monk, Wol-gwang the clairvoyant, Seung-hee the tarot master, and Seok-hyeon, an engineer. Chan-young follows the heroes as they prepare for an epic battle against the village’s evil forces.

Five young adults are about to find themselves in a fight for their lives, pitted against evil itself! While on vacation in a foreign city, one of the five makes a seemingly innocent albeit ignorant mistake and soon all of them will realize the cost of such an inconsequential action. A stranger appears to help them, but is this too little, too late?

At the Kingburger Drive-In, the food is fast, the service is sexy, and the price is right. But tonight, terror is on the menu when the Kingburger’s cantankerous boss, Odi Buckmeyer, leaves the late shift employees to wait for Donnie the delivery driver. On his way back, Donnie is attacked by an unknown animal in the woods on an deserted road. Under the full moon, he transforms into a vicious creature of the night – descending from the darkness and back to the Kingburger! It’s babes, brawn and burgers versus fur, fangs and fury in this gory, action-packed monster thriller!

The final night’s work approaches for the staff of an insane asylum. A minimal crew of security and researchers remain to ensure the patients behave as expected before their transfers to a maximum security prison. Struggling with memories of abandonment, Dr. Helen Kingford finds herself on the brink of quitting her job as a psychologist. Following his forced retirement, the hospital’s head of security decides on a destabilizing course of action leading to chaos and destruction within the asylum. In the confusion, all of the dangerous patients escape their padded cells. Confused, Dr. Kingford awakens finding herself tied up in the hospital morgue. Not knowing who to trust, she finds herself running from everyone in an attempt to survive.

A helpless Taxi driver, a mysterious delivery boy, a 30 years abandoned motel, a touching past, all come together to form a strange tale. One day, a strange passenger Xiao Ma hires a taxi driver named Map King, paying him a huge sum of money to take him to an abandoned old motel. The Chun Lei Motel was mysteriously burnt 30 years before, and has been abandoned since. Very few people remember that the hotel ever existed and no one ever speaks of it. To Xiao Mas’ surprise, the taxi driver actually knows the way to the motel. Ah Fang, was the owner of the motel. She had lived peacefully in the motel with her young son and husband. Seven days after the unfortunate death of her beloved husband, four thieves visited her motel. By the end of that evening, the motel was in flames and everyone involved had vanished. Thirty years after that fateful night, Xiao Ma and the taxi driver reach the motel.

The tragedy-to-triumph story of Roosevelt Jackson (Robbie Tate-Brickle), a seventeen-year-old honor student coping with the sudden death of his mother (Tami Roman), his tumultuous relationship with his previously estranged father (Chad Coleman), and his own journey to manhood. It’s the story of a young man who loses everything and triumphantly finds himself.

Between The Peaks is an expedition documentary that combines the spirits of adventure and volunteering. In 2013 three friends set out to climb Mt. Aconcagua, in Argentina, then travel north to Alaska’s Denali, and volunteer in every country they passed through on the way. Along with their journey, the guys found themselves stranded on unforgiving beaches, venturing up volcanic cloud forests, exploring the mysteries of the Amazon jungle, crossing borders without documentation, and fighting a whiteout snowstorm above 20,000ft. But they would also encounter unforgettable cultural experiences and discover a new appreciation for a simpler life. This is a film that shows it is possible for anybody to follow their dreams and pursue their passions while making a difference along the way.

Dead Shadows tells the terrifying story about a young man, Chris, whose parents were brutally killed 11 years ago, on the same day that the comet of Haley could be seen from earth. Tonight, a new comet is going to appear and everyone in Chris’s building are getting ready for a big apocalypse party to celebrate the event. As the night falls, Chris starts to discover that people are acting strange and it seems to somehow be connected to the comet. People are becoming disoriented and violent and it doesn’t take long before they start mutating into something from beyond this world.

Evelyn travels to Spain from his native village in Peru. She thinks she will work with her cousin in a restaurant. But is deceived and kidnapped to engage in prostitution at a club road. This is the story of brainwashing, which transforms a small town girl into a sex slave.

Shin Dong-Huyk was born on November 19, 1983 as a political prisoner in a North Korean re-education camp. He was a child of two prisoners who had been married by order of the wardens. He spent his entire childhood and youth in Camp 14, in fact a death camp. He was forced to labor since he was six years old and suffered from hunger, beatings and torture, always at the mercy of the wardens. He knew nothing about the world outside the barbed-wire fences. At the age of 23, with the help of an older prisoner, he managed to escape. For months he traveled through North Korea and China and finally to South Korea, where he encountered a world completely strange to him.

Florida Justice Transitions is home to 120 convicted sex offenders. Like in many other U.S. states, sex offenders are not allowed to live within 1000 feet of places frequented by children. Because of this, many sex offenders live under bridges or in woods – or in the trailer park Florida Justice Transitions – known as Pervert Park. The crimes committed by the residents range from simple misdemeanors to horrendous acts unbearable to contemplate.

Heading on a transatlantic voyage at sea from an Italian lab to America, D’Agostino is the story of a human clone left for dead at the shores of Santorini Greece. This lost cargo, commissioned by wealthy individuals for organ tranplants, is abandoned as the freight cannot be recovered. Allan Dawson has recently inherited his grandmother’s island estate. He’s in a loveless relationship with his common law spouse Sylvia. As he finds this interesting freight, what follows is a macabre tale of self realization as Allan proceeds to set himself out of his sedentary existence to mold his latest discovery into a new best friend with dire consequences.

David Gram, a pharmaceutical sales rep, is offered an opportunity to win over a client in a remote northern territory. If successful, this challenge could make him the top sales rep of the year. David accepts the challenge and hits the road. Along the way however, David discovers his estranged wife, Jill has just been hired by the competition and is headed for the same client and the same opportunity. David has always been a fierce competitor. The race is on…

Tired of being invisible in a bland marriage, Emma moves in with her son Elliot in his loft in downtown LA. Elliot is a chef at a lackluster Chinese restaurant facing foreclosure. Also, he’s gay – and Emma’s distaste and denial over this has made strangers of mother and son. But the two need each other now more than ever, and as Emma indulges herself with the encouragement of a saucy new friend, and Elliot confronts his fears of intimacy, the pair find ways to communicate, with food where words fail.

When Detective Bennett O’Mara finds a chocolate wrapper on a strangled girl, it leads him to enigmatic chocolatier Juliana Lovece. Just as this perceptive woman gets under his hardened skin, he suspects she may be at the centre of an increasing murder count.

In this sequel to “My brother the Islamist,” we continue to follow Robb Leech as the tries to understand his stepbrother’s journey and transformation from middle-class boy to convicted terrorist.

Gregg’s first day at his new job starts off strangely, as he discovers his cubicle is covered in a sea of Post-Its left behind by his predecessor, who he soon discovers did not leave on amicable terms. His co-workers don’t seem quite normal either, standing aimlessly or endlessly chatting nonsense on the phone or gossiping by the coffee machine. Grown men cry in this office and as Gregg tries to stay on top of his new job, fighting a toy car that runs around the office, arguing with a janitor, and trying, repeatedly, to send out an all important fax; things gradually go from bad to worse in this corporate wasteland. As day turns into night, Gregg begins to realize this is no ordinary workplace. It can be very lethal…

This “Best Fiction Film Winner”* follows Valentine, a female assassin who is trapped in a room with one of her marks during the last few minutes of his life. The moment changes her own life as she vows to give up the business and seek redemption by finding the son of the man she has killed. But once in the small desert town of “Godfree”, which may or may not be stranger than the world she has just left, her old life returns to haunt her. Convinced she has joined forces with an elusive ex-assassin named “Cupid”, her former comrades hunt her down and soon discover that some things are not what they appear…. *Hollywood Documentary And Fiction Film Festival (2006)

In 1969, Kenji, an elementary school kid and his friends built a secret base during their summer holidays. They fantasized that they had to fight villains who were out to conquer the world and wrote them in the Book of Prophecies. Years later in 1997, Kenji becomes a convenience store manager and leads a regular life after giving up his dreams to become a rock star. His boring life is suddenly turned upside down when his old classmate dies mysteriously and an entire family in the neighbourhood disappears. At the same time, a religious cult and its mysterious leader, Friend emerges and a strange chain of events duplicating exactly the events described in the Book of Prophecies follow. Is this the beginning of the end of the world? Who is Friend?