A Spot for Frog (2022)
16 min. 13 sec.
Locked out of the school art room, a nonbinary neurodivergent teen named Frog grapples with anxiety as they seek a new place to eat lunch.
Imagination blurs with reality in this hybrid work of live action and animation about the search for a place, a friend, and a voice on the margins of the norm.
Festival Screenings + Awards
OUTFEST Los Angeles LGBTQ+ Film Festival
California, United States, 2023
Reelout Queer Film Festival
Ontario, Canada, 2023
Nantucket Pride Youth Film Festival
United States, 2023
Indianapolis LGBT Film Festival
Indiana, United States, 2023
Florence Queer Festival
Florence, Italy, 2023
Magnolia Independent Film Festival
Mississippi, United States, 2023
New York Lift-Off Film Festival
New York, United States, 2023
Seattle Queer Film Festival
Oregon, United States, 2022
Octopus Marquee Independent Film Festival
United States, 2022
New Filmmakers Showcase at Syracuse International Film Festival
New York, United States, 2022
Thomas Edison Film Festival
New Jersey, United States, 2023
WINNER: “Director’s Choice Award”
New Jersey International Film Festival
New Jersey, United States, 2023
WINNER: “Best Animation”
Fairy Tales Queer Film Festival
Alberta, Canada, 2023
Leeds Queer Film Festival
Leeds, United Kingdom, 2023
Melbourne Queer Film Festival
Melbourne, Australia, 2023
ImageOut: Rochester LGBTQ+ Film Festival
New York, United States, 2023
Baby Teeth Film Fest
New York, United States, 2024
Adria Shorts International Film Festival
Croatia, 2023
WINNER: “Best Arthouse Fiction”
Special Screening at Music Box Theater, Chicago, United States, 2023
Munich New Wave Film Festival
Munich, Germany, 2023
Honorable Mention: "Best Director"
Honorable Mention: Merced Queer Film Festival
United States, 2023
Honorable Mention: Experimental Forum
United States, 2023
Finalist: Kansas City Underground Film Festival
Missouri, United States, 2023
Semi-Finalist: Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival
Rhode Island, United States, 2023
Semi-Finalist: Blow-Up Chicago: International Arthouse Film Awards
Illinois, United States, 2023
Semi-Finalist for Change the Script: Shorts Informed by Lived Experience
Ontario, Canada, 2023
Distributed via Teen Screen Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, United States (Ongoing)
CAST & CREW
Starring:
Jeanne Kambara as Frog
Emily K. Hernandez as Lyla
W. Trent Welstead as Officer
Written, directed, produced & edited by Evan Bode
Sound design & original score by Evan Bode
Animation by Evan Bode
Director of Photography: Sam Azghandi
Assistant Director & Script Supervisor: Sarah Aristy Camejo
Assistant Camera & Best Boy: Jeremy Shinder
Gaffer & Grip: Meilin Luo
Sound Mixer: Keyi Zhang
Boom Operator: Tevvon Hines
Costume Assistant & 2nd AD: Mmakgosi Anita Tau
Frog Hat Crocheted by: Xuan Liu
Casting Assistant: Fran López
Set Dec Assistant: Antonio Castillo
Production Assistant + Assistant Editor: Mia Stegner
Production Assistant + Additional VFX: Ryan Bode
Craft Services / Transportation: Shana & Brian Bode
Special Thanks to Syracuse professors Kelly Gallagher, Kara Herold, Mišo Suchy, Cooper Battersby, Gabrielle Demeestere, and all my peers at SU for your support & encouragement.
By special recognition, this film was produced in part through a grant from the William Buckley Fund. Thank you Bryan Buckley!
This film was made in partial fulfillment of an MFA in Film in the Department of Film and Media Arts, College of Visual and Performing Arts at Syracuse University, Spring 2022.