"The Iron Mule" is a 1925 slapstick comedy by the great silent comedian Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, featuring Buster Keaton. The name also encapsulates the kind of movies we love to show; tough, burly, uncompromising shorts which can't be stopped. The Iron Mule was also an early name for the movie camera (perhaps an allusion to "The Iron Horse," a term for the locomotive).

"This multi-day event is a celebration of film, the arts, writing and creativity. We showcase filmmakers who make honest films about addiction, alcoholism, behavioral disorders, treatment and recovery. Slated for screening is an eclectic lineup of contemporary and classic films, documentaries and shorts from American and international, first-time filmmakers and industry veterans."

ENDPAIN IN THE WORLD:
GENTLE MENTALS

FEATURING VERONICA PADILLA
INTERVIEW BY GRACE GREGORY

“The goal of our “ENDPAIN in the World” series is to promote projects and initiatives that are in alignment with our own mission. The overlap between Gentle Mentals and ourselves is clear, both striving to carve out a kind and compassionate space to engage with thoughts and experiences that so often live in the shadows. We talked to Veronica Padilla, the founder of Gentle Mentals and the author and illustrator of the book that started it all.”

"Conscious Cartoons International Animation Festival is the first of its kind worldwide. The competitive festival features three days of outstanding animated shorts from around the world, many award-winning with socially conscious, humanistic themes. The festival aims to open eyes, hearts, and minds through the uniquely transcendent medium of animation."

"...our main aim was to increase awareness of the issues, to reduce the stigma surrounding them by opening up the conversation, and to confound expectations as to what a production about 'mental health' might involve!"

"The MWFF presents quality work that may not otherwise be seen in commercial theaters, and motion pictures from outside the mainstream film industry. We are looking for competence in the filmmaking craft; work that has vision and spirit; original subjects with well-told stories; and diverse voices. We look for films that represent different facets of filmmaking, from polished productions to no-budget gems."

"We Like 'Em Short Film Festival celebrates the art of animated and comedic short films. We provide a platform for independent filmmakers, seasoned and emerging, to share their talent. This festival seeks original, entertaining animated and comedy shorts from around the world."

"Windy City International Film Festival is a hot new independent film fest taking place in Chicago every summer. We've got some rockin' talent in this city, with some of the best training centers for film-making and acting in the world, but our emerging artists were in need of more public screening opportunities."

"Brooklyn Film Festival (BFF), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is an International, competitive festival. BFF mission is to provide a public forum in Brooklyn in order to advance public interest in films and the independent production of films. To draw worldwide attention to Brooklyn as a center for cinema. To encourage the rights of all Brooklyn residents to access and experience the power of independent filmmaking, and to promote artistic excellence and the creative freedom of artists without censure. BFF, inc. is a not-for-profit organization."

"As one of the longest-running film, music and arts festivals in the country, the Southeast New England Film, Music & Arts Festival has established itself as one of the premier festivals in New England dedicated to giving life to independent cinema, music and art. SENE (pronounced like scene) was again selected as one of MovieMaker Magazine's Top 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee."

"Our Mission: To create meaningful social change through sharing socially conscious films. The festival screens captivating films from around the globe that highlight various social issues facing our world today. Films span all genres and styles of storytelling. Also essential, is fostering a safe space for open conversation. After our screenings, F4C hosts a town-hall style discussion between filmmakers, leading community activists, and you, our audience."

"The festival showcases short comedy films from around the world to a discerning London and UK audience. It is curated by the same team that produces the seasonal London-X4 Short Film Festival and the annual Asia South East-Short Film Festival."

"FAFF celebrates factual and documentary animation - the only festival of its kind anywhere. Each year, at Ace Hotel London, we screen more than 40 animated and mixed media shorts from around the world to an audience of over 120 animation industry professionals, students and film fans."