Short Films
(Click posters to watch the films.)
Featured
(Click posters to watch the films.)
Surreal Fantasy
Leaf Man is a metaphysical monster movie following a man's odyssey through a world of perspective-shifting existential transformations. With momentum from a powerful shoegaze score, this wordless short film uses surreal and strange dual-roled characters to dance through the boundary between ourselves, our surroundings, and each other, in the search for a meaningful life.
Run Time: 20 minutes
Written & Directed by: Kevin Ackley
Cinematography by: Oscar De Leon
Edited by: Andrew Leines
Starring: Benny Barrett, Tyson Lietz, & Taressa Costello
Prosthetic Effects: Outpost 31 Productions
Prosthetic Effects Supervisor: Ryan Schadelee
Original Score: Antonio Johnson
Choreography: Jessika Akpaka
Visual Effects: Gerry Kodo
Official Selection - Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy Nominee - 2024 Snake Alley Festival of Film (Burlington, IA)
Invited Film - 2024 Restless Equinox Independent Film Fest (Twin Cities, MN)
Official Selection - 2024 Psychedelic Film and Music Festival (New York, NY)
Visual Album
Filmed across the American Southwest, “Trip 27” unfolds over five chapters – each a music video from Fargo musician Huck.’s first full-length LP of the same name – on a psychedelic hitchhiking road trip. Stylistically and narratively sprawling, the 27-minute film weaves through various genres and styles to tell one complete story.
Music by: Huck.
Written & Directed by: guero
Cinematography by: Nick Biewer
Edited by: Kevin Ackley
Starring: Huck & Joe Medina
1st AC: Andrew Leines
Sound by: Sam Lacasse
Animation by: Ernesto Fonseca
Produced by: Chamber Six Media
Run Time: 27 minutes
Winner: BEST DIRECTION - 2021 Wildsound Film Festival (Toronto/Los Angeles)
Winner: BEST EDITING - 2022 Bitesize Film Festival
Horror/Fantasy
A priestess seeking to revive a fallen warrior draws upon the power of a mystical song to penetrate the nether-realm and summon a necromancer.
Starring Garrett Alvarado, Steph Gartner, and Kevin Zepper
Written, Directed, and Edited by Kevin Ackley
Cinematography by Oscar De Leon
Costume Design by Jesse Suppa
Score by MAUL
Guitars - Anthony Lamb & Al Nikolas
Drums - Robby Anderson
Violin - Emily Swedberg
Synth - Joel Cross
Run Time: 5 minutes and 52 seconds
Official Selection - 2021 Fargo Fantastic Film Film Festival
Official Selection - 2021 Rock Horror Film Festival (Rio De Janeiro)
Official Selection - 2023 Grotesque Fest I (Minneapolis)
Included in Chapter Two of the United States of Horror anthology series available to watch on Tubi for free or can be rented on Amazon.
Dance
Wake is a cathartic dance film that serves as both a mourning and a celebration.
Starring: Madeleine Scott
Directed & Edited by guero
Written by David Triptow
Produced by Haylee Thompson
Director of Photography: Kevin Ackley
Additional Photography: Joe Medina
Color Correction: Nick Biewer
Additional Dancers:
Kennedy Brown
Ellia Dalzell
Ana Claire
Elise Rue
Run Time: 5 minutes and 51 seconds
Official Production - 2020 Rethink Dance Film Festival
Official Selection - 2020 Official Latino Film Festival
Official Selection - 2021 Experimental Dance & Music Film Festival
Official Selection - 2021 Dosabama Film Festival
Official Selection - 2021 Dancentric Film Festival
Sci-Fi/Horror
A woman longing for her missing husband is brought face-to-face with the reason why.
Starring Rachel McCloud and Cameron Wintersteen
Written, Directed, and Edited by Kevin Ackley
Cinematography by Billy Straub
Run Time: 2 minutes and 51 seconds
Official Selection - 2019 Fargo Film Festival Two Minute Movie Contest
Official Selection - 2019 MOCA Tucson 5 Minute Film Fest
Official Selection - 2019 Fargo Fantastic Film Film Festival
Official Selection - 2019 Videodrunk Film Festival (Toronto)
Official Selection - 2020 Speculative Film Festival (Seattle)
Psychological/Horror
A mysterious knocking inside the apartment haunts an already world-weary young man as he starts to lose grip on reality.
Starring Alex Kuchta and Jacob Hartje
Directed by Oscar De Leon
Cinematography by Joe Medina & Kevin Ackley
Edited by Kevin Ackley
Run Time: 10 minutes
Winner: INTERTOTO AWARD(Festival Director Favorite - Night One) - 2018 Videodrunk Film Festival (Toronto)
Official Selection - 2020 ND Human Rights Arts Festival - Experimental Film Series
Honorable Mention - 2019 Los Angeles Underground Film Forum
Official Selection - 2023 Grotesque Fest I (Minneapolis)
Music Documentary
Brian Carmona is Xplor, a musician from Los Angeles now residing in Fargo, ND. His music is lush, calm, and full of love. Here he explains his creative process, influences, and dreams.
Directed & Edited by Oscar De Leon
Cinematography by Kevin Ackley
Music by Xplor
Additional Footage: “Pretty in Pink” directed by John Hughes, 1986.
Run Time: 4 minutes 26 seconds
Music Documentary
The New Direction was a DIY venue for the local music scene in Fargo, ND. It was run by tight knit group of individuals for 5 years before having to close down forever. This is their story.
Directed + Edited by Oscar De Leon
Cinematgraphy by Kevin Ackley + Jose Medina
Run Time: 33 minutes
Winner: BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT - Desert Rocks Film & Music Event (Hesperia, CA)
Official Selection - Tioga Film Festival (North Dakota)
Drama
A man deals with his guilt as he contemplates the difference between justice and revenge.
Directed by Chris Parsons
Cinematography by Kevin Ackley
Edited by Oscar De Leon
Run Time: 2 minutes
Official Selection - 2016 Fargo Film Festival Two Minute Movie Contest
Official Selection - 2017 Snowtown Film Festival (Watertown, NY)
Tour Documentary
Crossing the Arterial Miasma follows death metal powerhouse MAUL on their first multi-city run since before March of 2020. Filled with interviews and six performances across three cities (Minneapolis-St. Paul, Chicago, and Iowa City) this tour documentary was available on VHS and as a Digital Download for a limited time only.
Run Time: 40 minutes
Directed, Shot, and Edited by Kevin Ackley