Short Block | Whatever It Takes

In this block, characters are driven by a mix of determination and desperation, willing to take bold risks to protect what they care about or reach their goals. Whether it's bending the rules to do the right thing or making tough choices for a greater cause, each story explores the gray areas between right and wrong. These films show just how far people might go when they're out of options—where moral lines get blurry, and the quest to survive or succeed leads to surprising places.

98 Honda | Dir. Christian Banda | 16 min | Short | USA | Sci Fi, Stoner Comedy

Set on a sunny day in 2004, ‘98 Honda follows Michael, a charming W**d dealer whose good intentions often leave him in disastrous situations. Tasked with taking his girlfriend’s cousin Sean to see Spider-Man 2, the reluctant stewardship blossoms into an unbreakable bond, and the duo somehow ends up becoming humanity’s last hope for survival.

Scratch-Off | Dir. Tara E Sheffer | 19 min | Short | USA | Drama, Comedy

A home healthcare worker steals her dementia patient’s winning lottery ticket.

Portland Is the New Portland | Dir. Christopher Scamurra | 17 min | Short | USA | Comedy, Drama

A lonely musician in a small town creates a thriving underground music scene by inventing and posing as a multitude of bands. When Rolling Stone Magazine takes notice, his life unravels as he struggles to maintain the facade of his fictional bands.

Vigilante | Dir. Wesley Armstrong | 22 min | Short | USA

In a world where superheroes overlook the vulnerable, four friends with powers step up to protect their neglected neighborhood.

Caller 102: A Ballad of Cyberspace | Dir. Turner Barrowman, Jack Goldfisher | 18 min | Short | USA | Sci-Fi, Thriller

When a blackhat hacker gets hit with a coincidentally-timed power surge while attempting to defraud a radio contest, he begins to unravel a web of conspiracy that threatens to bring down his life’s work and send him spiraling into oblivion.

Host or Publisher Bushwick Film Festival