GI Film Festival San Diego: Narrative Shorts

This collection of narrative shorts explores a range of human emotions and cinematic styles, from futuristic animation to satire. Films include: “Peanut Butter Shot,” “Long Live Xander the Great,” “The Magic Ticket,” “The Steak,” “Cinemeta,” “Cheddar,” and “The Sprayer.”

"Peanut Butter Shot"
Directed by Paige Compton
A young Army sergeant daydreams about a magical love. Hesitation, bad timing, and an over-zealous doctor leave the young sergeant wishing she would’ve taken her shot instead of receiving one.

"Long Live Xander the Great"
Directed by Devin Scott
Jordan looks back on his childhood and comes to the realization, as we all do, that his parents were not the heroes he imagined them to be, but just people with hopes, dreams and flaws like the rest of us.

"The Magic Ticket"
Directed by Yelena Krivosheyeva
A homeless female veteran orders dinner at an upscale restaurant when an angry patron calls the police. When the cops try to escort Penny out, it triggers her trauma.

"The Steak"
Directed by Kiarash Dadgar
A birthday ceremony preparation gets upside down as something horrible takes place.

"Cinemeta"
Directed by James Arterberry
Two military veterans turned amateur filmmakers embark upon a mission to produce the perfect, festival-worthy, short film.

"Cheddar"
Directed by Ryan Murtha
Scott’s night is thrown into chaos when an alien spaceship crash lands into his proposal picnic.

"THE SPRAYER"
Directed by Farnoosh Abedi
In the land occupied with the sprayers army, no one has the right to grow any kind of plants either in public or private. When a soldier finds a seed buried deep down in the dust, his curiosity leads to something extraordinary, big, and revolutionary.

Established in 2015, the GI Film Festival San Diego is a multi-day showcase of films for, by, and about military and veteran experiences. Films featured in the festival reveal the struggles, triumphs, and experiences of service members and veterans. The festival also provides veterans and service members with an opportunity to further their creative skills. GI Film Festival San Diego on Facebook / KPBS on Instagram