Shot on Film

Shot on Film

The shift to digital filmmaking that began in the early to mid 2000's led to an explosion of DIY filmmaking that continues to this day. NoBudge has long been an advocate and supporter of this type of affordable, homemade cinema. But as much as one touts the benefits and low barrier to entry to shooting digitally, there's no replacing the texture and timelessness of actual film stock. With that in mind, we thought we'd take a look back at some projects over the last several years that have shot on 8mm, 16mm or 35mm film. SHOT ON FILM. NoBudge Collection #11.

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Shot on Film
  • Maternal

    A young woman begins to have doubts while waiting to meet the adoptive parents of her unborn child. This expressive short directed by Anamari Mesa and Kevin Rios creates an instant atmosphere and lingers on well after the credits roll. The pregnant woman (played by Mesa) is on a train to meet the...

  • If Found

    A lonely woman with boundary issues steals a dog. India Donaldson directs “If Found,” a minimalist drama set at an off-season beach town that’s built with striking wintry visuals and a tone swaying between lightly comedic and disturbing. She lives on a boat with a friend who seems alarmed by her ...

  • Dino at the Beach

    On an empty beach at the end of summer, two young men experience a spontaneous connection. “Dino at the Beach,” directed by Josh Cox, is a sensual tone poem filmed at a picturesque Cape Cod beachfront. The self-assured Sebastian strikes up a conversation with the reserved Dino after finding him a...

  • Gwendoline

    Roaming through rural France on their tandem bike, young post-punk musicians look for an audience and a name for their band. “Gwendoline,” directed by Joaquim Bayle, is a beautifully shot musical odyssey in 16mm black-and-white film that’s both bleak and lighthearted. On the road desperately seek...

  • Side Walks

    Two twenty-somethings, unrelated, struggle to maintain their personal relationships going about their day-to-day life in Vancouver. Brian Daniel Johnson directs “Side Walks,” a simple, yet cinematic, look at the lives of two young adults mainly told through their phone calls. Simon lives with his...

  • Continuity of Parks

    A glance at the day-to-day happenings and peculiar inhabitants of a park in Russia. Zhenia Kazankina directs “Continuity of Parks,” a 16mm experimental piece shaping Greek mythological figures into everyday park-goers. Hecate looks for Cerberus after leaving it off-leash; the Moirae gossip while ...

  • Albedo or Apples and Oranges

    In a small east coast town, two teenage boys ruminate on their first stirrings of desire. “Albedo or Apples and Oranges,” directed by Yiro Hu and Sean Dahlberg, is a mood piece that explores longing without sex and the silences between friends. First, we observe Shane. He sits quietly in the pass...

  • Smog

    During a routine smog check, an eastern European mechanic discusses racism in a very uncomfortable way with a black man. A dry comedy set in L.A., “Smog,” directed by Derek Milton, tackles an awkward exchange about skin color and the term African American in wry, understated fashion. The chatty m...

  • Big Things

    An aspiring musician tries to handle his relationships with co-workers and family obligations while preparing for an upcoming show. A deadpan drama-comedy by Eric Peterson, “Big Things” authentically portrays the world of an upstart musician in a small city. Working at a sports apparel company as...

  • Observatory Blues

    The brilliantly loony “Observatory Blues” tells the life story of Fernando Music, a writer born with no hands that becomes famous for a series of books about space and sex. Beautifully shot on 16mm and featuring a genius cast moving in all kinds of glorious directions (including a narration by Hu...

  • Valeria

    Discharged from the hospital after a partial face transplant, Eva is struck with an intense curiosity about her donor. Shot in gorgeous, richly textured 35mm images, the film is minimally constructed but full of ideas. The miracle surgery seems to have taken — the surgeon is pleased and Eva’s ric...

  • Hannahs

    A mysterious woman finds her way into a stranger’s apartment resulting in an oddly unsettling encounter. India Donaldson directs “Hannahs,” a darkly funny, increasingly uncomfortable character study led by two wonderfully nuanced performances from Amy Zimmer and Brenna Palughi. Hannah returns hom...

  • Craigslist Roommate

    A new roommate moves into Xena's apartment, changing the dynamic with their current partner. Arielle Bordow directs and co-stars in “Craigslist Roommate,” a free-spirited 16mm snapshot of fluid relationships and shared living. When the wandering Addie moves to Madison, Wisconsin, she responds to ...

  • Trash Scab

    An entrepreneur pivots with the market. “Trash Scab,” directed by Philip Steiger, is a scarily plausible, bitingly funny vision of a dystopian nightmare. The circumstances have been exaggerated from our current reality but not by much: a pandemic rages on, a citywide curfew in place, police have ...

  • Bye Bye Body

    When Nina fails to meet her goal in the final week of weight loss camp, she considers drastic alternatives. “Bye Bye Body,” directed by Charlotte Benbeniste, is a tender snapshot about body image and self-esteem delivered with wonderfully natural performances and lovely 35mm images. At a weigh-in...

  • Farewell Winona

    A fourteen year-old girl on her last day before high school navigates the juncture between childhood and adolescence. Daiva Žalnieriunas directs “Farewell Winona,” a textured coming-of-age drama that vividly captures a place - rural Canada - and a period of innocence right before things start to ...

  • Someone's In Here

    A man is caught with his pants down when terrorized by a force outside his bathroom stall. “Someone’s In Here,” directed by Ben Kitnick, is a horror vignette, minimal, well-executed and open for metaphorical interpretation. A man dressed in Khakis, a polo, and a fleece vest, takes care of busines...

  • ADA

    Ada is an unlikeable competitive walker who makes a dress out of toilet paper and has an unfortunate run-in with a hose. A lighthearted silent comedy following the unpredictable antics of a peculiar woman making her way through crowded New York City streets. Director, writer, editor, actor: Elean...

  • Monster

    A stay-at-home mom experiences an unexpected upheaval during her daily routine. This Super 16mm short is about the other side of motherhood, beyond the joys. Directed by Jake Kolton. Written by Jake Kolton, Audrey Findlay. Starring Mascha Mareen.

  • Catherine

    A woman momentarily evades her discontent by adopting a stranger's identity. A stunning slow burn character portrait built around a masterful performance and sumptuous Super 16mm images. Directed by Jake Kolton. Written by Audrey Findlay, Jake Kolton. Starring Mascha Mareen.

  • Telephone Me

    An audacious drama about betrayal and gossip revolving around a college Halloween party gone wrong. A girlfriend cheats on her boyfriend with a man named Goatee Ralph, which sends her boyfriend, Jimmy, spiraling across campus in a rage. The next day, two classmates recount the incident in increas...

  • The Inconceivable Mountain

    A musicologist and her dog climb a mountain in search of an indecipherable song hoping to understand its meaning. Daniel Witkin directs “The Inconceivable Mountain,” which registers both as an homage and a satire of black and white silent films of the 1930’s, particularly a type of German film co...

  • Shelly

    Shelly is a peculiar young woman making a movie about a seahorse named Imogen. She picks up footage at the local aquarium and in her Brooklyn apartment while pursuing a deep sea diving certificate, so she can record the seahorses in their natural environment. We don’t quite trust the intentions o...

  • Drone Pilot has a Crisis of Conscience

    An upstart drone racing competition attracts a smattering of enthusiasts trying to qualify for a national race. David Ehrenreich directs “Drone Pilot Has a Crisis of Conscience,” which takes a futuristic sporting event and creates an art film around it, surreal, experimental, and shot on Super 16...