A night of bold storytelling and emotional depth. From intimate short films to boundary-pushing narratives, this opening screening block sets the tone for the festival’s celebration of creativity and courage in filmmaking.
Total runtime: 1 hr 54 min
Tickets for screenings and events range from $12 to $30, with 10% of all proceeds donated to NOCA (Nosara Community for the Arts) in support of local arts and future community film programs.
For tickets click here - Experience the rhythm of Nosara
Films:
The Nameless Call — Narrative Short (Italy)
5:20 — Simone Menin, Fabio Retano, Giuseppe Lombardi
We sometimes make the mistake of believing that we have seen it all now. However, an epic adventure a year ago has destroyed this assumption, and some other things we claimed to have known. This film attempts to tell the journey of that (re-)discovery. Alongside pals from Vroomie, Wow Tapes team traveled on a bus throughout Costa Rica’s untouched gems of rainforests, beaches, volcanoes, waterfalls - all of which are home to a diversity of natural wildlife. Like any other paradise, we are left in awe with the alluring beauty of its nature, people and culture. But Costa Rica awashed upon us another kind of profound magic, one that perplexed us, at the same time brought us a sense of oneness. (Deep inside, we recognize that this experience can never be justified, but the mystery still beckons to be told.) The Nameless Call is an ode to the awakening of the mostly forgotten but perpetually calling sacred relationship between nature and humans.
Saved by Grace — Documentary Short (Costa Rica / Israel)
12:00 — Orion Eshel + Zack Raffin
When wildfires tore through Los Angeles, one 1970s VW bus, Azul, stood untouched amid the devastation. Its image went viral, becoming a symbol of hope for a community in ruins. Why does some life survive while other life is consumed? Why is one home burned and another spared? Saved By Grace follows Megan and Palisades community members Jimmy Ganzer, Erica Simpson, and David Barton as they navigate the immediate aftermath of the fire. A love letter to a community, a eulogy to what is lost, and a testament to the resilience of nature.
Why Did You Come Back Every Summer — Narrative Short (Spain)
18:30 — Juli Suarez
Based on the worldwide bestseller of the same name written by Belén López Peiró, the short film shows Lucía (alter ego of the author of the book), a 22-year-old student, who reveals the abuse she suffered as a child. A trip to the town of her childhood will be the beginning of a process of resilience, but the silence and family hypocrisy she will encounter will be her greatest obstacle.
Diamante Azul — Short Music Video (Costa Rica)
03:26 — Yamile Garcia
Diamante Azul represents the premenstrual phase of the feminine cycle — a time of raw emotion, intuition, and truth. The film was shot in Nosara, Costa Rica, and created by Costa Rican dancer, singer, and songwriter Yamile García.
Through movement, music, and symbolism, the film embodies the wild woman archetype — the one who feels deeply and speaks her truth without asking for forgiveness or permission.
The piece was conceived after a Vipassana meditation retreat in the mountains of Heredia, Costa Rica: ten days of complete silence and one hundred hours of meditation. During this experience, Yamile faced a profound inner awakening — realizing how often she had surrendered her spiritual power, and reclaiming it through the sacred act of self-expression.
Diamante Azul tells the story of this reclamation. Each image and symbol mirrors the inner journey of a woman remembering her sovereignty — her “blue diamond” — and returning home to her body, her land, and her truth.
Clown Song — Narrative Short (Canada, US, UK)
7:00 — Brady Dowad
A man’s already bleak life becomes a horror circus when his mom sleeps with an actual clown.
A/Way — Narrative/Documentary Feature (USA)
1:07:00 — Derek Garcia
After suffering a profound loss, a travel journalist is sent on assignment to Martinique, which sparks a candid reflection on her unsettled life. Blending the lines between documentary and narrative, A/way focuses on the stories of the people Anna profiles in Martinique (played by non-actors), which pushes her to examine her path forward coming to terms with her grief. This film is a unique take on one's place in life. Is this all there is, or is there another way?
Total runtime: 1 hr 54 min
Tickets for screenings and events range from $12 to $30, with 10% of all proceeds donated to NOCA (Nosara Community for the Arts) in support of local arts and future community film programs.
For tickets click here - Experience the rhythm of Nosara