Out of Frame (2023)
9 min. 59 sec.
Trapped in their frames and monitored by a menacing curator, two paintings long to escape from their art gallery's walls.
As the paintings lock eyes across the room, an unspoken connection between them sets the stage for revolution. With a distinctive blend of live-action and animation, this wordless short explores themes of power, resistance, queer identity, visibility, and liberation from constructed borders.
Out of Frame: Festival Screenings + Awards
Voice of the Future - IFF
Lithuania, 2024
WINNER: “Best Experimental Film”
Athens International Monthly Art Film Festival
Athens, Greece, 2024
WINNER: Best Costume Design
MisCon International Short Film Festival
Montana, United States, 2025
Syracuse University VPA Film Showcase
Los Angeles, United States, 2025
New Jersey Film Festival
United States, 2023
WINNER: “Best Animation”
SEFF (Student Experimental Film Festival) Binghamton
New York, United States 2024
WINNER: “Curator’s Pick Award”
Exposures Montreal Trans Film Festival
Montreal, Canada, 2025
Norwich Queer International Festival of Film
Norwich, United Kingdom, 2025
Mometu College Film Festival
United States, 2024
Art Film Spirit Awards
Toronto, Canada, 2024
The Monkey Bread Tree Film Awards
United Kingdom, 2023
WINNER: “Best Score”
Nominee: “Best Director”
Syracuse International Film Festival Student Showcase
New York, United States, 2023
Honorable Mention, Blackbird Film Festival
New York, United States, 2025
CAST & CREW
Starring:
Jules Paparella as Poet
Zaria Grace Felix as Astronomer
سام ازغندی / Sam Azghandi as Curator
Written, directed, & edited by Evan Bode
Sound design & original score by Evan Bode
Animation, art direction, & VFX by Evan Bode
Director of Photography: 김두림 / Kim Doorim
Producer: سام ازغندی / Sam Azghandi
Assistant Director: Sarah Aristy Camejo
Assistant Camera & Gaffer: ആഷിഖ് ഷാഹിർ / Ashique Shahir
2nd AC, Grip, & Sound Mixer: Emma Baker
3rd AC, Grip, & Casting Assistant: Phoebe Ellen Sessler
Production Assistant, Grip, & Sound Mixer: Hayden Celentano
Production Design & Makeup Artist: Matilda Washington
Production Design & Makeup Artist: Sam Bray
Prop Assistant / Planet Painter: Jeanne Kambara
Costume Design Assistant: Jeanisha Mariah
Script Supervisor, Art Assistant, Assistant Editor: Mia Stegner
Lantern Puppeteer + Additional VFX: Ryan Bode
Craft Services: Shana Bode, Brian Bode, Erica Negrini
Special Thanks:
FIL 720 Graduate Project Instructors:
Alex Mendez Giner & Stewart Thorndike
Written Thesis Adviser: Nancy Keefe Rhodes
Thesis Committee Chair: Laura K. Reeder
Thesis Committee Members: Mišo Suchy, Kara Herold, Joanna Spitzner and all my professors at SU for your support.
Special Thanks:
All of my other friends & colleagues in
FIL 720 for their support and encouragement:
Tevvon Hines / Mmakgosi Anita Tau / 刘渝杉 / Yushan Liu,
骆美霖 / Meilin Luo / 天千里 Qianli Tian / W. Trent Welstead,
غَـزَل یوسفی / Ghazal Yousefi / 曾皓然 / Haoran Zeng, and Keyi Zhang
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 2023.