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EXCLUSIVE: Switchboard, caller from striking a first-look woody pinch Hulu, has acquired a slew of short films and has hired an executive to oversee its communicative fabrication projects.
The company, which was founded by Call Me Cleo and Beanie Mania producer Celia Aniskovich, has acquired 5 films: A Pocket Guide To Pigeon Watching, This Is Private, Community Theater, Mary The Widow and Oh Whale.
It comes aft Switchboard hired writer and shaper Galt Niederhoffer arsenic an editor, who will oversee nan magazine’s fabrication slate arsenic good arsenic its increasing portfolio of communicative short films.
This group of short films will surface together astatine nan Indy Shorts International Film Festival, which runs July 21–26, 2026 successful Indianapolis.
A Pocket Guide To Pigeon Watching is directed by Adam Elliott and adapted from Rosemary Mosco’s book. Shot connected 16mm and Super 8, it explores New York City’s enduring narration pinch pigeons. Often dismissed arsenic “flying rats,” pigeons look arsenic resilient survivalists profoundly tied to nan city’s history. Moving done rooftop coops, metropolis streets, and a mosaic of New York voices, nan movie invites america to reconsider nan pigeon, soften our gaze, and admit that coexistence is an enactment of choice.
This is Private is directed by LeAndre Thomas, who wrote and directed The Pit, an section of Disney+’s Star Wars: Visions. It is simply a movie astir Royce, a struggling psychology student moving nights astatine a portion nine to make ends meet. Her 2 worlds collide erstwhile she cunningly decides to usage her backstage dances arsenic therapy sessions to prevail successful her class.
Community Theater, directed by Scottish head Lewis Baillie, is astir a organization theatre that brings to life stories from 3 generations of a quiet working-class municipality successful Scotland. Through nan voices of its people, nan play celebrates shared heritage, resilience and nan enduring tone of place.
Mary The Widow, directed by Ryan Noufer, follows an aging widow who, astatine her daughter’s insistence, attends a speed-dating arena — where, among a drawstring of dud dates, 1 gentle alien lingers successful her mind. It stars Stephen Tobolowsky alongside Julie Ariola, Jean Villepique, and Arianna Ortiz.
Oh Whale excavates Oregon’s infamous 1970 exploding-whale incident done nan eyes of journalist Paul Linnman, who collapsed nan communicative astatine property 23 and has been answering questions astir it ever since. Directed by Winslow Crane-Murdoch, it comes from Sideyard Studios, Lucky Day and Restless Productions and is produced by Luke Terrell and Cecilia Brown.
“These 5 films couldn’t beryllium much different from 1 different — from a documentary astir an exploding whale, to a play astir a psychology student moonlighting astatine a portion club,” said Celia Aniskovich, Founder and Editor successful Chief of Switchboard. “But they each stock nan benignant of unique sound and trade we built Switchboard to support. We could not beryllium much thrilled to bring them together arsenic a artifact astatine Indy Shorts.”
Niederhoffer has produced complete 30 films including Infinitely Polar Bear and Robot and Frank.
“Galt’s activity has ever lived astatine nan intersection of storytelling forms,” said Aniskovich. “Her sensibility — sharp, cinematic, and emotionally resonant — makes her nan perfect personification to thief specify nan early of fabrication astatine Switchboard.”
Niederhoffer added, “Switchboard feels for illustration an oasis successful a media scenery that’s excessively often lacking successful bold, narrative-driven work. It’s precisely nan benignant of level these stories deserve, stories that not only resonate connected nan page but besides person existent imaginable for adjustment to nan screen. I’m thrilled to subordinate nan masthead.”
