Valley Place Arts Collaborative, a producing and presenting non-profit project in support of Ward 7 and Ward 8 artists and creative projects, is pleased to announce the winners of the first Anacostia Shorts Film Festival.

Wordplay is a monthly event for creatives that wish to test out excerpts of their work in front of a live audience. It is open to artists of all kinds: theater makers, poets, comics, writers, musicians, filmmakers etc… The only criteria is that it is your original work. There will be an online sign up sheet open to all. Each artist will be given up to 15 minutes of time to share whatever they are working on. It is free to the public and we welcome enthusiastic supporters!

If you are an Anacostia or DMV-based filmmaker or you have a short film that is either shot in Anacostia or explores a story that is rooted in this community, or a documentary, we want you to submit your short film (under 20 minutes) to share with us. The first place short will receive a prize of $2000, second place $1000 and third place $500.

All will be featured in the May festival at Honfleur Gallery.

Award-winning Washington, D.C. writer, director, and producer Jay Sun unveils his highly anticipated film, "The Art of Unemployment," on YouTube on April 20, 2024, at 4:20 PM EST. This project was made possible by Honfleur Limited under the Sharon Hughes Gautier Legacy Fund. The release date playfully nods to a well-known global holiday, reflecting a pivotal scene in the film that explores the protagonist's journey as a full-time artist grappling with the complexities of fatherhood.