🔥 FIREBREAK FEAR FESTIVAL — OCTOBER 24, 2026 ✦ FREE VIRTUAL FESTIVAL ✦ NEW FILMS JOINING THE LINEUP ✦ MEET OUR INDUSTRY PANELISTS ✦ FOUR WORLDS OF STORYTELLING: FEAR • FANTASY • FUTURE • FOLKLORE ✦ FILM SUBMISSIONS CLOSE OCTOBER 21 AT 11:59 PM PDT ✦ WE DON'T DO ORDINARY! 🔥
WELCOME TO FIREBREAK FEAR FESTIVAL!
Fear. Fantasy. Future. Folklore.
Welcome to the inaugural Firebreak Fear Festival, presented by Mystic Scribe Studios!
We're thrilled you've joined us for a day celebrating independent filmmaking, bold storytelling, and the creative voices bringing new perspectives to the screen.
Today, we're opening our virtual doors to filmmakers, film lovers, industry professionals, and anyone who believes great stories deserve to be seen.
Whether you're here to discover your next favorite filmmaker, enjoy some incredible short films, or join the conversations shaping the future of independent entertainment, we're glad you're here!
YOUR FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE
🎬 THE FILMS
Throughout the day, we'll be showcasing independent short films across four categories: Fear, Fantasy, Future, and Folklore.
🎙️ THE CONVERSATIONS
Between screenings, we'll bring together filmmakers, actors, critics, and industry professionals for conversations about storytelling, performance, audiences, and the business of making films.
🗓️ THE SCHEDULE
Our festival program below will guide you through the day's screenings and discussions. All scheduled times are Pacific Time.
🏆 AUDIENCE CHOICE
Your voice matters! Watch for information about how to participate in our Audience Choice Award and help recognize the films that leave an impression.
🔥 OUR SUPPORTERS
Throughout the festival, you'll see recognition of the businesses and individuals helping make this event possible. We encourage you to learn more about the people supporting independent filmmaking.
COME ON IN. THE STORIES ARE WAITING.
This festival is about more than watching films. It's about discovering talent, making connections, sharing perspectives, and celebrating the imagination that brings us together.
Thank you for being part of our very first Firebreak Fear Festival.
We don't do ordinary. And neither do our storytellers.
Made Possible With Support From
Victoria (Tori) Hightower
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Dom Fisher
Dom Fisher is a senior film and tv critic and media manager for Geek Vibes Nation. He is also the co-host of the Popcorn People Podcast, a member of the Critics Choice Association, and a board member of the Music City Film Critics' Association.
Deron Anthony
Originally from Akron, Ohio, Deron Anthony began his creative journey in stand-up comedy. Now based in Anaheim, California, he is a Los Angeles Film School alumnus, screenwriter, comedian, and content creator. He is the creator of the YouTube brand 2 Cent Comedy and founder of 2 Cent Hollywood, an opinionated entertainment news and review blog.
Pól Seoige
Award-winning Irish actor and producer Pól Seoige has established himself as an emerging international screen talent whose work bridges independent cinema, combat sports, and compelling character-driven storytelling. Originally from County Mayo, Ireland, Seoige’s performances have earned recognition across the international film festival circuit, highlighted by receiving the Best Actor Award at the Widescreen Film & Music Video Festival in Toronto, Canada.
Dr. AY Heath
Dr. AY Heath (Angel) is an award-winning screenwriter, filmmaker, and founder of Mystic Scribe Studios. A passionate advocate for independent storytelling, she creates original films and develops opportunities for emerging filmmakers to collaborate, grow, and bring their visions to life. Through her work as a writer, director, and producer, she champions bold storytelling, creative independence, and voices that challenge the ordinary.
Patrick Carter
Patrick Carter is a Montana-born, award-winning actor, producer, and storyteller who believes the limits of what we can create exist only within the limits of what we can imagine. Known for grounded, character-driven work across independent film and television, he gravitates toward stories that challenge perception, test
our fears, explore the extraordinary, and ask, “What if?” As the landscape of performance continues to evolve, Patrick believes our greatest asset remains the one thing from which even AI was born: the boundless potential of human imagination. To him, acting is a way to bring those possibilities to life, explore realities beyond our own, and remind audiences that the most compelling stories aren't always the ones that explain the world, but the
ones that make us question it.
Whitney Davis
Whitney Davis is a passionate creative, producer and film executive who’s been in the industry for twenty years. She began her career at CBS News where she covered national news stories as an associate field producer. Having a passion for gripping storytelling, Davis transitioned to a
career in entertainment in 2011 with a focus on identifying and working with new voices both in front and behind the camera. Davis was part of a team charged with educating and fostering a more inclusive culture while identifying new voices both in front and behind the camera.
Disillusioned with a corporate culture unwilling to change, Davis resigned, a decision she chronicled in an open letter published in Variety in 2019.
Melanie Rae Wendt
Melanie Rae Wendt is an award-winning actor, writer, and director from Montana, known for emotionally resonant, character-driven performances that bring social issues to life through both historical and fictional worlds. With over a decade on stage and screen, she brings quiet strength, precision, and heart to every role, with a focus on truth over flash, craft over fame.
Patrick Carter
Patrick Carter is a Montana-born, award-winning actor, producer, and storyteller who believes the limits of what we can create exist only within the limits of what we can imagine. Known for grounded, character-driven work across independent film and television, he gravitates toward stories that challenge perception, test
our fears, explore the extraordinary, and ask, “What if?” As the landscape of performance continues to evolve, Patrick believes our greatest asset remains the one thing from which even AI was born: the boundless potential of human imagination. To him, acting is a way to bring those possibilities to life, explore realities beyond our own, and remind audiences that the most compelling stories aren't always the ones that explain the world, but the
ones that make us question it.
Pól Seoige
Award-winning Irish actor and producer Pól Seoige has established himself as an emerging international screen talent whose work bridges independent cinema, combat sports, and compelling character-driven storytelling. Originally from County Mayo, Ireland, Seoige’s performances have earned recognition across the international film festival circuit, highlighted by receiving the Best Actor Award at the Widescreen Film & Music Video Festival in Toronto, Canada.
James Crosby
James Crosby is a SAG-AFTRA actor and the founder of Smokestack Media Productions. He found his way into acting through improv, and has worked nearly every corner of a set. From the art department and craft services to both sides of the camera, James has developed a ground-level view of how stories actually get made and who makes them. Through Smokestack Media Productions, James is focused on finding practical ways for artists and crews to keep creating on their own terms, and he's passionate about making sure humans keep making things.
Simple Options
Darius Montgomery and Maria Vasofsky
