Roy W. Dean Short Film Grant Finalists – 2025
Congratulations to the films selected to be Roy W. Dean Short Film Grant Finalists.
On this page, we give each filmmaker the opportunity to tell the world about their film.
Since 1992, From the Heart Productions has supported filmmakers with cash and substantial professional discounts from our film industry partners, averaging an estimated $30,000 per filmmaker. The Roy W. Dean grants program, with several annual deadlines, has grown into one of the most sought after competitions in the world.
The Roy W. Dean Grant funds unique films that make a contribution to society. It gives filmmakers with great stories told with passion the funding to get their projects started or completed.
Irving Berlin's View of the East River
Narrative Fiction
irvingberlinsview.com
One conversation can change your life…
What begins as a short journalistic interview turns into a life-changing conversation when two writers of different generations engage in a philosophical exchange about ambition, life experiences and the nature of success as they walk through the pastoral landscape of Western Massachusetts.
ARECIBO
Narrative Fiction
Ryder, an independent delivery motorcyclist known as an Arecibo, must outrun deadly bike gangs and a mysterious hacker known as The Cryptkeeper after discovering the dangerous secret inside her latest package.
Arecibo is a 15-minute sci-fi short that fuses live-action, hand-drawn 2D animation, and Unreal Engine 5 virtual production. Shot entirely on an LED volume with custom-built rigs, practical sets, and animatronics, the film pushes the boundaries of independent filmmaking to create a blockbuster-scale world on an indie budget without the use of generative AI. By combining handcrafted visuals with cutting-edge technology, Arecibo showcases a bold new path for Canadian genre cinem
ARECIBO
Narrative Fiction
instagram.com
Ryder, an independent delivery motorcyclist known as an Arecibo, must outrun deadly bike gangs and a mysterious hacker known as The Cryptkeeper after discovering the dangerous secret inside her latest package.
Arecibo is a 15-minute sci-fi short that fuses live-action, hand-drawn 2D animation, and Unreal Engine 5 virtual production. Shot entirely on an LED volume with custom-built rigs, practical sets, and animatronics, the film pushes the boundaries of independent filmmaking to create a blockbuster-scale world on an indie budget without the use of generative AI. By combining handcrafted visuals with cutting-edge technology, Arecibo showcases a bold new path for Canadian genre cinema.
