Daddying Film Fest 2025 Offers Families Calm and Connection During the Storm

Allan Shedlin

Mar 13

Updated: 6 days ago

4th Annual Virtual Festival on Eventive, April 7 – 14

By Scott Beller

Daddying Editor and D3F Director of Communications

IMAGE: AdobeStock D3F LOGO DESIGN: then 11-year-old "imagineer" Ana Mei

Have you checked outside lately? It's getting rough. Some might say, "Trumpestuous." At a time when all of us could use a little more serenity, more joy, more connection to what really matters in our lives, along comes the 4th annual Daddying Film Festival & Forum (D3F), free on Eventive from Monday, April 7th through Saturday, April 12th.

Since 2022, D3F's lineup of films and videos has been filled with a diversity of Official Selections from students, dads, granddads, dad figures, moms, and independent filmmakers from 27 countries. Although not all of them have been upbeat, feel-good stories, they all have been created from the heart and singularly focused on the significant impact of having or being a positively involved dad/dad figure...or not.

Put simply, D3F's ultimate goal has always been to provide opportunities for kids and fathers/father figures to connect, whether through watching the films we've curated or by creating their own videos and films to share their stories. Either way, D3F allows kids, parents, and filmmakers of all ages and backgrounds a safe place to explore, reflect upon, and express feelings about what daddying qualities are most important to them, what kind of dad a father wants to/could be, and what kind of dad a kid wants and needs.

It bears repeating: D3F strives to be a safe place for people and families of all backgrounds to connect and find shared meaning.

So, with that and a sneak-peek at a few D3F Official Selections below, prepare to jump into D3F 2025 on Eventive, April 7-12th. Welcome, everyone, we promise the water is just fine. Oh, and, as always, D3F passes are FREE.

Lights! Camera! Daddy on!

Virtual D3F COMING ATTRACTIONS:

I Choose You by Dulcinea Genevieve Ruth Harrison, Student A film about international and transracial adoption and how one young adoptee, after surviving a life-threatening congenital condition, is redefining what family means in America.

Everything's Kosher by Adam Fried In this autobiographical documentary, Adam, a divorced, Jewish father from Chicago, finds himself living in Germany to be with his only daughter. He won’t abandon her like his own father did to him. He decides to open a Jewish Deli in a small town known for antisemitism and was a beehive of Nazi activity during WWII. What could go wrong?! Along the way, Adam attempts to reconnect with family, friends and his faith.

A Letter From the Fathers by Tristan Barrocks Navigating the intricacies of fatherhood, this film delves into the transformative journey of parenting through the eyes of four diverse men. This cinematic exploration offers a rich tapestry of emotional depth, highlighting the laughter, tears, and reflective moments that define the essence of being a father.

Run Niño Run by Lance Revoir This comedy/drama tells the story of a grizzled, distant father who must find and reconnect with his runaway son who's taken the ashes of his dead mother. It's a heartfelt tribute to parenthood, childhood, and redemption with themes of establishing love and harmony within mixed-race families and toxic vs. positive masculinity.

Good Men by Bobby Roth Inspired by the birth of his grandson, Los Angeles native Roth gathered 50 friends – including Peter Coyote, Henry Winkler, and Michelle Satter – to take stock of their lives, loves, mistakes, and regrets in this candid examination of the journeys we've taken.

A Knock on My Door by David Chai This animated short film is the true story of the director's father, Hi Dong Chai. To escape a life of sadness and adversity, a young Korean boy moves to America and learns that even though life is full of hard knocks, the time does come when it’s safe to answer the door.

Yours Forever by Sam Saatzer In this short film, Sam, a father-to-be, writes a heartfelt letter to his unborn daughter, sharing the whirlwind of emotions he's experiencing as he eagerly prepares for her arrival.

Daddying Film Festival & Forum (D3F)

2025 LAST Call for Entries!

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Monday, MARCH 24

Virtual Festival on Eventive: APRIL 7-12

LIVE Daddying Film Forum: Saturday, APRIL 26 in Philadelphia

Students (1st grade - undergrad), Dads/Dad figures, granddads, Moms, and indie filmmakers, tell us your stories about the importance of having or being an involved dad.

Submit videos and films on FilmFreeway thru 3/24/25

Scott Beller is the proud, imperfect crew dad of two mighty girl rowers, imperfect husband of a rock-star mom/regatta chaperone, truth teller, former soccer coach, part-time driving instructor, photobomber, purveyor of banned books, Editor of the Daddying blog, and Director of Communications for DCG and D3F. He's a seasoned writer and PR agency veteran with more than 30 years of experience helping organizations of all sizes reach audiences and tell their stories. Prior to launching his own creative communications consultancy in 2003, he led PR teams with some of the world’s most respected agencies, including Fleishman-Hillard and The Weber Group. As a consultant, he’s helped launch two other parenting advocacy nonprofits with DCG founder Allan Shedlin. His first book, Beggars or Angels, appears in the gift guide above and was a ghostwritten memoir for the nonprofit Devotion to Children's founder Rosemary Tran Lauer, with whom he will again collaborate on a book in 2025. He was formerly known as "Imperfect Dad" and Head Writer/Editor for the Raising Nerd blog, which supported parents in inspiring the next generation of scientists, engineers, and creative problem solvers. He earned his BA in Communications from VA Tech so many years ago. Follow him on Instagram and BlueSky!